Seoha’s POV

I open my eyes and sigh as I see the spot next to me empty and cold.

Taesan isn’t here.

I could sense something was wrong during our date, but I didn’t try to ask questions, I just watched him.

Maybe the rollercoaster was too much for him, I will never make him do it again.

’It’s not the rollercoaster’ my omega whines, but I chose to ignore it...maybe it’s something about the mafia.

As I sit up, I look at myself in the big mirror in front of the bed, I look so small, so fragile.

I run my finger over my neck, over my chest and down to my stomach.

I’m staring and wondering, if I was not this weak would Taesan trust me more?

Will he show me his real self without hiding?

"I will work hard and be like Minjae" I tell myself, lifting my arm to see my ’muscles’, but there’s none.

How does Taesan even like me like me?

I shake my head to discard the thought. Taesan loves me, I know he does, and I won’t let my anxiety ruin the happiness I have.

"Seoha, fighting" I say and get out of bed.

It’s only eleven pm, but the time gives me more reasons to worry more about Taesan, I hope he’s okay wherever he is.

Needing to soothe my worried mine, I go into Sooin’s room, and I find her sleeping with her new teddy bear.

She’s still laying the way I tucked her in earlier, which means she isn’t sleeping deep enough to start rolling around.

I kneel by her bed and brush her dark hair off her round cheek.

"My dad can cook" she mutters sleepily and I chuckle at her sleepy little pout. Why is she so cute?

This little girl makes my heart skip, it’s unreasonable, but I love her as much as I would love my future pup...if I will ever have one.

And my love for the little girl is not because we have similar feature. It’s not because she calls me daddy either, it’s because I just feel so connected to the child.

"Sleep well, okay Innah?" I press a kiss to the sleeping child’s head and she hums without waking up.

Still feeling restless, I go into my former room, and instead of seeing Minjae under the blanket, I find it empty.

That’s strange.

If Minjae is having trouble with sleep, I know he would have barged in to Taesan’s room and dragged me out even if I’m under my mate.

"That’s odd" I murmur, taking a few steps down the hall and as soon as I reach the top of the stair, I see Jaemin standing there.

The omega is standing at the bottom of the stairs with a blank expression on his face.

He looks mesmerizing as always, his red hair is styled perfectly and it looks effortlessly good.

He is dressed in the clothes I designed, the one that Taesan spent the night making.

The way the idol wears it looks far more beautiful than it would ever look on anyone else.

"There you are" he says, his blue eyes scan me like I am dirt, and I can only stare back at him.

The way his body looks reminds me of how small I am.

He’s fit, talented, smart, alluring...I’m just me...Shin Seoha the orphan who is mated to an older alpha.

"Taesan isn’t home" I say in a weak voice, already too intimidated to stand here, I want to turn around and return to Taesan’s room.

I’m the one looking from the top of the stairs, and I’m the one feeling intimidated. It’s just the way it is and I hate it.

"I’m not here for Sannie" he says.

The omega takes a step forward and I almost take a step back, but I stop and freeze in place.

Sooin is sleeping up here.

I don’t trust Jaemin to come up here, not with how sharp his eyes are. Something tells me that he’s here for trouble, and I have to protect my...Taesan’s pup.

"Stop right there, I will come down to you" I say, feigning a confident voice and Jaemin simply smiles at me.

The way he looks satisfied makes me realize what he wants from me.

He wants to bring me down, and I really don’t mind, I was never up in the first place.

I go down the stairs, making sure I don’t break our eyes contact as I move.

Each step is slow and deliberate; each move is a war I’m choosing to fight to protect Sooin.

Roh Jaemin is her omega male mother, but he doesn’t deserve her, he doesn’t get to show his face to her.

"How can I help you, Jaemin-ssi?" I ask and he sighs, it’s soft and weak.

"I came to take my daughter" he says softly and I frown at him.

"What?"

"You are deaf too? I’m sorry, I will speak louder, I am here to take my daughter, Sooin" he says and I blink.

"I’m sorry, but you have to wait for her father" I say and Jaemin’s expression hardens.

"Cut the crap, you know he’s not her father"

"And so did you" I say back without thinking and Jaemin blinks, "what did you just say to me?" he snarls.

"I said, you also knew that he wasn’t her father, yet you let her with him" I say and the beautiful man starts to laugh.

The laughter is different from the one I have watched compilations of on youtube; ’one minute of Roh Jaemin laughter’s cute laughter to brighten you day’.

No. this laughter is cold, it’s bitter, and it’s real.

"So you think, no...you feel that you know what is best for my pup all because I left?" he asks, moving forward.

I whimper quietly as I step back.

"I am saying-"

"You think I would take advice from a...slut?" Jaemin shuts me coldly.

"Slut? Jaemin-ssi, that’s too much" I say, feeling upset at that title.

"Explain it to your five thousand followers" he says and lifts his phone to me, and what I see on the screen is something I will never forget for the rest of my life.

It’s me.

Naked.