Ling Jiao’s invitation was incredibly tempting.
Shen Yuwei, who had been coldly treated by almost everyone, found it hard not to be moved. But as an Omega, accepting an invitation to live in an Alpha’s home would never be seen as innocent. It could easily make her already damaged reputation even worse.
She lowered her gaze, hiding the loneliness that flickered in her eyes.
“No,” she whispered in a soft voice.
Ling Jiao understood. She knew exactly why Shen Yuwei refused.
She herself carried many burdens, most of them left by the mistakes of her past. Shen Yuwei had only just started to see her in a new light. But aside from Shen Yuwei and her advisor Wan Qing, everyone else still saw her as the same arrogant and reckless Alpha who bullied the weak and acted without reason.
It would take time to change how people saw her.
But why should she care so much about gaining their approval? As long as she lived her own life well, the opinions of others would not feed her, nor would they take a piece of her flesh.
Ling Jiao had learned to keep a peaceful mindset.
“Our reputations are already a mess anyway,” she said with a small laugh. “No matter what we do, people will assume the worst. So why not just let them think what they want and save ourselves the energy of trying to prove them wrong?”
“Some even say I have blood on my hands. You’ve known me for so long. Do you really think I’m the type to kill someone or act on base desires without restraint?”
“Isn’t there a saying that the innocent stay innocent? We’re just like sisters. If others see something indecent, that’s because their minds are filthy. We don’t need to care about them.”
Ling Jiao’s smooth and persuasive words nearly changed Shen Yuwei’s mind. Her refusal had not been firm to begin with.
Her expression started to soften. She was close to saying yes. Just a little more, and she might have agreed.
At that moment, her phone rang and interrupted her hesitation.
“Miss Shen, where are you now? Sir wants you to come home,” the butler said gently, though worry laced his voice. “He returned from the banquet very upset. On your way back, think about what might have angered him, and just apologize. He still cares about you deeply.”
There were scattered noises in the background. Clattering, like things being thrown or broken.
Shen Yuwei fell silent for a moment, then replied softly, “Alright. I’ll go home now.”
After hanging up, she turned to Ling Jiao. Her voice remained calm, but a subtle fear lingered. “My father needs to talk to me. I won’t be going to your place for now.”
Ling Jiao reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’ll go with you. No matter what, he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on his daughter in front of a guest. You’ve been his precious girl for over ten years.”
Shen Yuwei smiled faintly. “What are you talking about? My father would never hit me.”
Despite everything that had happened, even though her father’s love had already shifted to someone else and his attention no longer fell on her, she still believed he would never cross that line.
Since she had said that, Ling Jiao couldn’t stop her from going.
After Shen Yuwei left the hotel, Ling Jiao immediately called Wan Qing over. Wan Qing didn’t believe for a second that her boss no longer cared about Shen Yuwei. She assumed Ling Jiao was just using a different approach to win her over, so she kept looking for ways to bring them together.
Ling Jiao touched her chin and said, “This all feels too convenient.”
There was a thoughtful look in her eyes.
“Wang Ruo asked Guan Qing to meet and lured her into talking about breaking off the engagement with Yao’er. Why did they choose that particular romantic restaurant?”
“Wang Ruo knew that the restaurant’s couple’s menu had something added to it.”
Although Ling Jiao had passed out after being given suppressants, her mind had remained clear. She had heard the conversation between the doctor and Shen Yuwei.
A mild stimulant like that would never have caused such a strong reaction.
Unless it had been part of a plan. Unless Wang Ruo already knew she would bring Shen Yuwei to that restaurant and had set things up in advance, hoping to embarrass her.
Wang Ruo was known for her pride. She would never let something go easily. Dining at that restaurant was her quiet way of striking back.
Wan Qing’s face turned sour after hearing Ling Jiao’s thoughts.
“Are you still going to keep your promise to her?”
Ling Jiao had previously agreed to clear Wang Ruo’s name in the school bullying incident. But now that Wang Ruo had set her up and almost caused real harm, Ling Jiao was not so generous. Forgiving betrayal didn’t match her character or the original version of herself.
“Absolutely not,” Ling Jiao muttered as she wiped her mouth, exhausted. “She plotted against me. This isn’t over.”
“I’m just really worried about Yuwei.”
Wan Qing began thinking of ways to make Wang Ruo face the consequences.
In this world’s setting, Omegas were often treated unfairly. Most of them weren’t allowed to be alone with Alphas before marriage. Because of their delicate bodies, they were often denied proper treatment, forbidden from working, and expected to stay at home, becoming trophy wives who depended on Alphas.
Most Omegas only finished high school.
After graduation, they were considered adults. They were expected to contribute to their families by marrying their fiancés and having children. The idea of going to college was pushed aside until they no longer had the energy to study.
But there were exceptions.
Shen Yuwei had been one of them.
Her greatest asset was her appearance—strikingly beautiful and unforgettable at first glance. Her family background had been top-tier. Ironically, it was her academic achievements that received the least attention.
But Shen Yuwei excelled in school. She was always the top Omega student and even outperformed many Alphas. Other than physical strength, she had no weaknesses.
An Omega like her would be admired no matter where she went.
Guan Qing had once respected and cared for her, and they had planned to marry after college.
Now, Ling Jiao feared that Shen Zhiwen, head of the Shen family, would stop caring about Shen Yuwei’s wishes entirely.
Her fear was not without reason. As soon as Shen Yuwei returned home, the butler brought her to the study. He gave her a subtle look, silently telling her to behave and not oppose her adoptive father.
Shen Zhiwen’s expression was cold. “Why didn’t you go to school today? If you don’t want to stay at home, Xiaoxiao even offered to help you find a place. And what did you do instead?”
“I heard you were at Xingdong Restaurant with a strange Alpha, and that you ordered a couple’s meal.”
He was clearly restraining his anger. “You are an engaged Omega. Do you understand anything about dignity and propriety?”
Shen Yuwei stood still, letting him vent his frustration. When he finally calmed down, she spoke softly.
“Father, Guan Qing was there too. She was with the youngest daughter of the Wang family.”
“Did they also order a couple’s set meal?”
Shen Zhiwen let out a bitter laugh. “I am talking about you, and you’re trying to shift the blame to others? Guan Qing has always shown respect. She cares for Omegas and treats everyone equally. Everyone knows that.”
They had done the exact same thing.
But Shen Yuwei was treated as a disgrace, while Guan Qing, who once said she loved her, now wavered the moment Shen Yuwei was no longer the biological daughter of the Shen family.
In her father’s eyes, Guan Qing had become the model Alpha. Polite, proper, respectful.
Shen Yuwei suddenly thought of what Ling Jiao had told her earlier about what it meant to be a good Alpha.
Proper and polite, to the point of not knowing how to keep a respectful distance from other Omegas. So proper that she climbed over walls to visit her instead of walking in through the front door.
Proper enough to watch her fiancée be completely neglected and have all her financial resources cut off, yet do nothing.
Was this really the perfect Alpha her father praised so much?
Shen Yuwei’s nose stung, and her eyes filled with tears.
She looked at the man who had once loved and spoiled her, and spoke with a shaky voice, still trying to explain.
“It was Ling Jiao who treated me. I didn’t even have the money to repay her. Our relationship is not what you think it is. I see her as an older sister, and she sees me as a younger one. There is nothing else between us.”
Shen Zhiwen spoke in a cold voice, “Listen to yourself. Do you even believe what you’re saying?”
“An Alpha, without wanting your family background or your body, is willingly spending money on you, booking hotels, and standing up for you?”
Shen Yuwei’s chest tightened violently. She couldn’t hold herself back and took two steps forward. Tears poured down her face as she cried out hoarsely, choking on her words, “No. No, Father, I didn’t.”
In the past, her father never questioned her. He believed everything she said.
Now, after all her explanations, he didn’t believe a single word.
A flicker of pain and conflict crossed Shen Zhiwen’s face. If none of this had happened, Shen Yuwei would still be the daughter he proudly spoke of, the one he loved to brag about at every banquet as his talented girl.
But every time he thought about how Shen Yuwei was not his biological daughter, and how his real daughter had been lost and suffered outside for so many years, he found it impossible to stay calm and speak gently with her.
After his wife died young, Shen Zhiwen had poured all his grief into hard work, building a better life for himself and for Yuwei, who had lost her mother so early.
For so many years, he had projected his longing for his late wife onto Shen Yuwei. And now, all of it had turned out to be a mistake.
He took a deep breath.
There was a faint scent in the air, subtle and minty. It was the pheromone of his adopted Omega daughter, Shen Yuwei. But at the same time, he detected another scent, one that didn’t belong to her.
Someone else’s pheromone?
There was no reason for an Omega to emit pheromones unless they were in heat.
His expression turned to ice. His face darkened. “Did that spoiled brat from the Ling family mark you?”
It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
Shen Yuwei panicked and shook her head. “No, Father.”
She was filled with despair. “I swear, it didn’t happen.”
Shen Zhiwen considered calling the family doctor to examine her. But he knew that would be the ultimate humiliation for an Omega.
To check whether she was still pure. To check whether she had been marked.
He hesitated, something rare for him.
In the Shen family, his word was law. But if he really had her examined and it turned out to be a temporary mark, the consequences would be severe.
People were always watching the Shen family.
If news spread that Shen Yuwei had been marked, her already battered reputation would only worsen. The gossip would be endless, calling her shameless and unfaithful, accusing her of cheating on her fiancé.
Behind closed doors, people would laugh at the Shen family, laugh at him for not being able to control his own daughter.
The marriage alliance with the Guan family would likely fall through.
“Forget it,” Shen Zhiwen muttered, rubbing his forehead in frustration.
“I’ve already arranged for you to take a break from school. Stay home until this blows over. Then you can go back to class.” He paused, remembering how she had cried about not even having money to treat a friend to a meal. He thought about giving her some money. But now that she wasn’t going to school, who was she going to treat?
He gave up on the idea.
“Just stay at home during this time. You’re not allowed to go anywhere.”
There was a rare, gentle note in his commanding voice. “Be good, Yao’er. Listen to your father.”
Stay home. No school.
It was disguised house arrest. The next time she left the Shen residence, it might be in a wedding dress, dazed and resigned, to marry into the Guan family.
Shen Yuwei stood frozen, her thoughts blank.
The place on her head where she had been hit with a metal basin still throbbed painfully, sending waves of dizziness through her vision.
It felt like her head and heart were being ripped apart by invisible hands, raw and bleeding, like someone had poured alcohol over the wounds. Just when she thought they might finally start healing, another knife cut them open again.
Rotting flesh beneath the scabs.
“Dad…” she tried to speak, her voice weak. “You haven’t even asked me about what happened at school… about being bullied…”
He had called her back only to accuse her and make harsh decisions, putting her under house arrest.
But just days ago, she had been viciously attacked at school. Her head had been bashed open.
There wasn’t a single word of concern or comfort.
Her words seemed to remind Shen Zhiwen of the incident. Sitting in his study, he frowned slightly. “The Omega who attacked you was Yang Li, right?”
A faint warmth stirred in Shen Yuwei’s chilled heart.
Maybe her father had just been too busy. Maybe he had forgotten.
Would he stand up for her?
Shen Zhiwen glanced at her bandaged head, narrowing his eyes. “The Yang family came to see me yesterday. They’re willing to settle things privately. They’ll compensate with money and property, and the whole family will apologize to you, as long as their daughter avoids a criminal record.”
For an Omega with a criminal record, life after prison would be miserable. Only the lowest-class Alphas would accept her. Society would scorn her. Even if she married, domestic abuse would be hard to avoid.
“You don’t seem to be seriously injured,” Shen Zhiwen said lightly. “There’s no need to push this to the limit. It’s better to be a little more forgiving.”
He didn’t mention that several families had also approached him, urging him to keep his adopted daughter in check. They warned him not to investigate further. If he didn’t stop, they wouldn’t let it go either. They were prepared for a scorched-earth battle.
If he backed off, they were willing to offer favorable terms and benefits.
Shen Zhiwen was a businessman. He knew exactly which outcome was best for the future of the Shen family. If his adopted daughter continued to stir things up, she would bring trouble upon him. He would face retaliation from powerful families. It wasn’t worth it.
If it had been his biological daughter, maybe he would have fought for her.
But Shen Yuwei was not. She wasn’t his real child.
Over the years, she had lived in luxury under the Shen family’s roof, enjoying the best of everything. And now, because of one minor grievance, she dared to challenge him?
It was a very cost-effective trade-off, in his eyes.
Shen Zhiwen’s voice softened. “Yao’er, listen to your father. There’s no need to make such a big scene. You have no idea what people are saying online. Some say you stole Yang Li’s girlfriend or took resources meant for her.”
“If you let her go, the Yang family promised to release a video clearing your name and cleaning up all the rumors about you.”
He spoke slowly and gently, leading Shen Yuwei deeper and deeper into the logical trap he had prepared for her.
Even if she refused to forgive Yang Li, once the verdict came out, the truth would be known.
Shen Yuwei bit her lip, staring at her father with eyes that no longer held any familiarity.
In a hoarse voice, she asked, “Father, you said those were lies. But who started those lies?”
“Was it random internet gossip? Or a hired smear campaign? And if it was the latter, who paid for it?”
“Was it you?”
Shen Zhiwen exploded in fury. “Enough. Watch your mouth. I am your father.”
How could he ever hire someone to slander his own child? No matter how disappointed he was in her, he would never stoop that low.
“If it wasn’t you,” Shen Yuwei asked, trembling, “then who was it?”
“Was it me?”
“I was attacked. You tell me to be forgiving. If it hadn’t been for Ling Jiao, I would have bled to death. Do you even know that?”
She broke down in tears. “It was Ling Jiao who saved me.”
Veins bulged on Shen Zhiwen’s forehead. He gripped the desk and shouted, “Butler, take her back to her room. Confiscate her phone. She is not to leave without my permission.”
**
As they walked through the garden and across the small bridge, the butler turned back with a sigh.
“Miss, the master was very angry today.”
“Once he calms down, he’ll let you out.”
Shen Yuwei wiped her red eyes and spoke calmly. “Uncle, I’m the one who’s angry.”
The butler sighed again.
Shen Xiaoxiao entered, surrounded by a group of followers. She looked polished and elegant, her face shy and glowing with joy. From a distance, she saw her sister and cried out happily, “Sister, you’re home.”
She was a far cry from the timid girl who once worked in a milk tea shop.
Shen Yuwei showed no emotion and brushed past her without a word.
Shen Xiaoxiao looked hurt. “Sister doesn’t like me. She doesn’t even want to speak to me.”
Her companions rushed to comfort her.
“She’s always had her nose in the air. Don’t take it to heart.”
“She’s not even a real Shen daughter anymore. Still clinging to the family. So shameless.”
Their gossip faded into the distance. The butler brought Shen Yuwei to her room and looked down. “Miss, the master told me to take your phone.”
“If you’re worried your friends might be concerned, you can send them a message now to let them know you’re safe.”
Shen Yuwei closed her eyes and slowly exhaled.
“No need,” she said, handing over her phone.
On the way back to her room, she had already sent a message to Ling Jiao.
Your invitation still valid?
I accept it.