Half a year later

Moon Byulyi was staring out of the window, seemingly admiring the beautiful gardens outside. She propped her head up with a hand absently, watching the kind and older gardener, Ms Lee watering the plants meticulously. She was familiar with her routine: the older alpha would start with the furthest plot, t and shaping them before watering them. It was beautiful to witness the growing process of seeds into healthy plants that bore fruits.

The purple-haired alpha’s gaze lingered on some figures blending with the shadows on the edge of the gardens. They were the same spies, tasked to keep the house under surveillance, rather than certain individuals. Those other spies who kept her under watch, favoured another position.

She could still feel the remains of her second rut ravaging through her. It still felt like fire surging through her blood vessels, scorching everything that the flame encountered. In just one more day, her second rut would conclude and the poison would be flushed out from her system completely.

“Byul-ah, what are you doing?” greeted Kim Yonghee, grabbing a seat next to her and followed her inquisitive gaze to the diligent gardener outside. “Ah, you are waiting for Ms Lee to finish gardening so that you can go out?”

The purple-haired alpha, dressed simply in a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, nodded at her. Her clothes looked rather worn, as if it was washed many times. The older Kim sister recognised that outfit as one of her meagre belongings. For some odd reason, Byulyi did not touch the extensive wardrobe Yongsun had prepared for her, frequently wearing this outfit if she could. The well-loved outfit was fraying at the edges and gave the beautiful alpha the look of a destitute.

There was a strange, sandalwood fragrance in the air and Yonghee followed it to Byulyi. “Ah, you’re still on scent suppressors, Byul. Are you still having your rut?” Yonghee nudged her playfully. “Why don’t you work out your rut through natural means like coupling?” There was a teasingly lilt in her voice.

Byulyi simply sighed soundlessly, looking resigned. Resorting to natural means of resolving the rut often shortened the process and reduced the discomfort since the rut was meant to encourage procreation. However, she did not have that option even though she was already married. Her legal wife and her were little better than strangers sharing the same space and she had no wish to share physical intimacy with someone else.

She had spent the last half a year finding out about this strange country that she was thrown into. It took her a while to get used to the new hierarchy system. From where she came from, alphas stood at the pinnacle of the society since they made very brilliant soldiers, a trait that her highly militaristic country appreciated. On the other hand, omegas were the least favoured, often only seen as only a breeding partner to produce strong and proud alphas.

After learning about the culture of this country, she was not surprised that she was exiled here as a part of her training. Her master was never an individual who mollycoddled his disciple, in fact, he believed in throwing his disciple into the deepest waters and leaving the latter to search for a way to survive. That brutal training method had worked brilliantly since she was one of the few who managed to see her twenties.

She swore internally. It was already difficult to be an alpha in this country. Some bloody competitor had somehow poisoned her in the transfer process without her knowledge while she was at her weakest which led to the unfortunate issue of losing the ability to speak.

As a handicapped alpha, she witnessed both the best and the worst of the human nature. Some individuals would take advantage of her inability to speak and abuse her, while others would treat her with so much kindness that she was left completely embarrassed.

“Why don’t you try to convince Yong by climbing on her bed and pretending that you’re out of sorts?” The elder sister suggested cheekily. Within the half a year, she had come to see this purple-haired alpha as her youngest sister. It was not difficult since the beautiful alpha was very approachable and did not defer to them despite her secondary gender. In fact, she seemed to be an intelligent and proud alpha.

Byulyi quirked a brow of disbelief. That was impossible. Her legal wife would kick her out of their bedroom instantly.

Her thoughts drifted to the beautiful omega who married her out of convenience—the delectable and icy-cold Kim Yongsun who intrigued her since their eyes met for the first time. She had learnt from her older sister, Yonghee, a beta fashion designer, that Yongsun was nothing like the ice princess that she was now. The beautiful omega used to be a bubbly woman without a single worry in her head, living every day to the fullest. Her hazel eyes would usually gleam with infectious happiness, captivating every single beta man and even woman. It took a while for Byulyi to imagine that very picture of Yongsun, her eyes curved like twinkling crescents, jowls of pure joy framing a large smile formed by her generous lips. It was a dichotomy of the legal wife that often returned home in the middle of the night if she returned at all.

There were days in which Byulyi did not even see the beautiful omega even though they share a bedroom to foster the impression that they were a loving couple.

In reality, Byulyi slept on an uncomfortable lumpy couch in their bedroom, set opposite the large bed. She had no idea why the couch was in this position but they were always in full view of each other if they had turned in for the night.

The bedroom they shared was Yongsun’s since she was a pup. The omega had simply updated the furnishing of the bedroom as she grew older. Essentially, the bed did not change since Yongsun had presented as an omega in her teens. On one side of her bed was a carefully constructed nest made from her clothes and well-loved soft toys. There were soft toys that were as large as a human, a lion called Ryan, that took up almost a quarter of the bed. Byulyi was only fascinated with the cheerful, large, pink rabbit soft toy with crescents and stars on its body. She could not help imagining that pink rabbit as an alter ego of her, keeping her wife company.

Byulyi was aware of her growing interest in that busy, workaholic omega who treated her with polite callousness. How could she not be interested in a beautiful and kind omega? Kim Yongsun was a generous woman, who tried to keep her in the height of fashion and gave her a substantial allowance so that the purple-haired alpha could keep herself occupied. She was a very responsible and respectful wife who ensured that all her needs were met, all but the desire to be at least friends with Yongsun.

The purple-haired alpha did not want to push to better their relationship, witnessing how exhausted Yongsun would be at the end of each day. She was impressed by the dedication and diligence of Yongsun to find all means to resolve the crisis that plagued Kim Inc and these crises often developed one after another, wearing down the emotional resources of Yongsun and reducing her into this shell of a woman.

Yonghee sighed. “I know my younger sister. I know that she needs a shoulder to lie on sometimes. She isn’t as strong and unbreakable she appears to be. It’s only a façade to keep the houseflies away.”

Byulyi frowned hard. Kim Yongsun was considered one of the most beautiful omegas in the city and was considered one of the best catch since she had a squeak-clean reputation and was the CEO of the Kim Inc. She was also very well-educated, graduating from Harvard Business as the top of her class. Her marriage to Byulyi did not have the effect of chasing those houseflies away from her since her foolish mother-in-law had revealed to the public that Byulyi was nothing but a shameless smokescreen, a parasite that clung on Yongsun tightly.

Loud footsteps announced the arrival of the final member of the small family.

“What are you doing with that leech, Yonghee? Should you not be at work? If you had any sense, you would have quit your job and helped your younger sister with the company,” snapped Mrs Kim when she spotted her oldest daughter and the parasite chatting idly.

Yonghee rolled her eyes before slipped out of the chair. “Mother, I have the liberty of working at home—”

“—then go to your room or office. The Kim Inc is in financial trouble again. If you make it big, you can alleviate the financial pressure on your dear sister.” Her cold eyes fell on the purple-haired alpha who was still staring out of the window, paying no attention to her. “You little leech, are you deaf as well as mute? When are you going to annul your marriage to my daughter? You’re the reason that Kim Inc is in so much trouble. My Yongsun could become the wife of the leader of the Lee Chaebol if it wasn’t for you!”

Byulyi was used to the verbal abuse of Mrs Kim, the nitwit who still believed that Lee Changsub had only altruistic motivation when he wanted to marry Yongsun. It was clear that that Heir Lee was simply just obsessed with Yongsun simply because she had humiliated him publicly by choosing not to marry him. He did not seemed to cease in his endeavours of making Yongsun his wife.

The fashion designer had once expressed astonishment that her younger sister had married her instead of her long-time boyfriend in one of their idle chats. She had not heard how that relationship soured since Yongsun had never mentioned the name of her ex-boyfriend since her return to the city to take over the reins of Kim Inc.

Yonghee snorted. “Did you accept bribes from that Lee idiot again?” She reached and grabbed the tiara jutting out of Mrs Kim’s pocket indignantly. “What is this?” She examined the expensive tiara made up of large diamonds and rubies. The tiara looked like it was worth a hefty sum of money. “If you afford this, why don’t you help Yongsun huh? She shook the tiara accusingly in front of her mother. “This can fetch some money.”

“You don’t speak to me like that, you wrench,” screeched Mrs Kim, snatching the tiara from her hand roughly. “You should be grateful that I had never aborted you in the first place and you had a cheek not to present as an omega!” She raised her hand to slap Yonghee’s face.

Byulyi moved into action straightaway, grabbing Yonghee and pulling her into her embrace securely so that the latter would avoid her slap. The purple-haired alpha moved so lightning fast that Mrs Kim did not notice the intervention until she did not land the smack.

The purple-haired alpha lost that carefree nature, emitting a commanding and terrifying aura that had the older woman tumbling backwards in fear. Mrs Kim’s body shook from a full-body shiver. She remembered herself, pointing a shaking finger at the purple-haired alpha.

“You brat! Who are you to intervene in my family affairs. I’ll hit you too!” She raised her hand to hit her but she froze when Byulyi’s gaze became lethally frosty.

There was power in the way that Byulyi held herself assertively. Somehow, the middle-aged woman faltered, retreating instinctively as if she knew that this was a woman she could not offend. “You wait! I’m going to ask Yongsun to annul the marriage for taunting me. You’re just a stray, mixed-breed mutt that bites the hand that feeds you!” She turned around to ran upstairs, no doubt fleeing from Byulyi, clinging on to the tiara with her dear life.

Byulyi continued to stand protectively in front of Yonghee until she was certain that Mrs Kim was not returning. She turned around, studying the fashion designer carefully for any signs of injuries before relaxing fully and slipping back into her carefree persona.

Yonghee’s eyes stung at Byulyi’s genuine concern. There was no need for the purple-haired woman to defend her and get into hot soup with her unreasonable mother who saw her as nothing but a burden. It had been such a long time since she experienced the kindness, to be accurate, since the passing of Apa.

Umma had always viewed her as a failure and burden, the very reason she needed to try for a second child. Her vain mother had always wanted one child so that she could maintain her sleek and attractive figure, but that plan became dust when her first-born was a frail daughter. Within a year, she conceived again and gave birth to Yongsun. Due to the second pregnancy, her hips had widened even more, ruining her sleek figure for good.

She had never treated Yonghee with an ounce of affection and even bordered on abuse when she refused to provide for her eldest daughter. If it wasn’t for Apa, Yonghee might have died from hunger as a pup.

A lump formed in .

The fashion designer felt so ashamed of herself. While Byulyi would defend her at the drop of a hat, she did not possess the courage to protect her youngest sister from the constant defamation and verbal abuses she suffered for marrying Yongsun.

The wealthy and spoilt heirs and heiress from their social circle looked down on Byulyi, the tramp who dared to marry one of the most attractive omega.

Those constant insults did not seem to matter to Byulyi who shed them off like water off a duck. The mute continued with her daily living, exploring the neighbourhood and the city by foot, never making any request from the household staff.

Byulyi’s kindness towards the household staff endeared her to them immensely. Often, they would invite her for a cup of tea and biscuit if they noticed that the Old Madam had taken away her food just to spite the purple-haired alpha. She would also help them with menial tasks if she spotted them struggling.

“I’m sorry, Byul. She went over the line,” quipped Yonghee, looking saddened. She gritted her teeth. “I hate that she doesn’t realise that she is the cause of Yong’s problems at work. She is just so fixated in getting Yong to marry into the Lee Chaebol that she doesn’t realise that she is the reason why my sister cannot even return home at night.” She shook her head lightly, looking helpless.

This particular crisis seemed to be troubling Yongsun even more since she had not seen her wife for several nights or at breakfast.

The purple-haired woman took her hand and patted it reassuringly. She offered a smile before nodding towards the direction of the office. Yonghee would feel better when she dived into her creative pursuit.

“Don’t stay at home. Go out and explore the neighbourhood. You can take my car if you want.” She pressed her car key on her palm. “Just refill the gas tank when you’re done.” She winked at her.

Byulyi smiled affectionately and nodded. She slipped the key into her pocket and walked towards the kitchen.

Mrs Cho was amid preparing lunch for the family. Byulyi had usually stayed at home for lunch. She waved the car key that Yonghee gave her at Mrs Cho, rested her hip against the counter waited for any instructions.

“Do you think you could bring lunch to 2nd Young Mistress? She hasn’t return home for any meals and she didn’t have breakfast this morning too.” The older matron was worried about the welfare of Yongsun. She had learnt that this matron was with the Kim family since the start and witnessed the growth of Yongsun and Yonghee.

That was a good way to help Yongsun. Byulyi nodded and flashed a thumb-up. She found a chair and sat down, waiting for Mrs Cho to finish preparing Yongsun’s lunch.

Mrs Cho glanced at her, surprised that she was staying in the kitchen. “Byul-ah, are you sure you want to visit 2nd Young Mistress in those clothes? You’re going to Kim Inc. You ought to leave a good impression on her employees since you’re her legal partner.”

Byulyi gave that suggestion a thought and nodded finally. She had never touched any of the things that her wife had given her since she felt like she did nothing to deserve them. However, she knew the importance of leaving a good first impression for the sake of her wife. She headed upstairs to the bedroom and walked into the walk-in wardrobe connected.

Half of the large and spacious wardrobe had clothes that belonged to her. It was not as well-stocked as Yongsun’s but her wife had no spare any expenses in ensuring that she had clothes for every occasion to keep up the appearance that they were a loving couple.

Byulyi searched the wardrobe until she found the very business suit that Yongsun had asked Chorong to buy for her. It was the least expensive suit she owned and it reminded her of the first time Yongsun had praised her, with a warm glow in her honeyed eyes.

The purple-haired alpha had a quick shower, drying her hair and putting a very thin layer of makeup to enhance her facial features. She smiled to herself as she dressed herself carefully, putting on each layer on herself meticulously until she was fully dressed.

Byulyi nodded in approval as she dusted the imaginary dust off the pinstripe jacket and straightened the lapels carefully. She found a black leather belt and a white pocket square to accessorise the outfit. She put on the same pair of leather shoes which was so buttery soft that she nodded in appreciation.

She returned to the kitchen downstairs, surprising Mrs Cho. The matron could not help staring at her when she realised how handsome the alpha could be. After cleaning up, Byulyi looked like a handsome porcelain doll with purple hair and bright sparkling blue eyes. When her cherry-shaped lips curved in a faint smile, Mrs Cho felt her old heart fluttering at how devastating fatal that smile was.

“Is that how you won the 2nd Young Mistress? You’re a very handsome little devil,” smiled Mrs Cho, taking a closer look of her. “You should dress up more frequently instead of wearing that worn-out outfit, Byul.”

Byulyi shrugged absently, perching on the chair once again with careless elegance. She did not see a need to dress up when she was trekking for miles, memorising the terrains around the house. She had often found the men of Heir Lee following her from a distance and she simply ignored them since they were such greenhorns. They could not even hide properly and their footsteps were as loud as elephants trampling on the ground.

Soon, Mrs Cho was ready with lunch for Yongsun. She had packed the dishes in containers and included cutleries. Byulyi checked the bag of food carefully and noted that there was her favourite tteokbokki and iced coffee. She smiled gratefully at Mrs Cho as she carried the bag of food carefully, making sure that she would not spill anything.

“Byul-ah, I have packed extra food. You should have lunch with 2nd Young Mistress,” smiled Mrs Cho, looking at her knowingly. “Byul-ah, you should spend more time with her. It’s good for your relationship. Our 2nd Young Mistress has very little experience when it comes to relationship.”

Byulyi nodded obediently and flashed a thumb-up. Yongsun was the person who set the pace of their relationship and she was the one who decided on keeping a professional boundary. No matter, she accepted the goodwill of Mrs Cho, knowing that alphas needed the support of their partners to be successful due to the rampant discrimination.

With upmost gentleness, she carried the bag of food carefully to Yonghee’s car. The elder sister drove a modest BMW. She set the good on the passenger’s seat as she adjusted the driver’s seat to fit her long legs. She undid one button of her jacket with careless elegance, slipping into the driver’s seat. She set the GPRS to the headquarter of Kim Inc.

The Kim Inc was located downtown. It occupied a sleek twenty-storey building that seemed to resemble a palm on prime estate. The headquarters of the chaebols were also in the vicinity. She parked the BMW in the underground carpark.

Byulyi checked her appearance using the side mirror nervously, a strange sensation since she had never cared about how others thought of her until she met her wife. She adjusted the white pocket square carefully once again before she pronounced herself ready. She grabbed the bag of food and took the escalator upstairs to the reception area.

Since it was lunch time, employees would exit the gantries in groups, chatting animatedly. There was a carefree ambience as if they did not know of the troubles that plagued the company constantly.

She walked up to the large receptionist counter made of sleek grey granite. There were two receptionists at the counter. There, Byulyi met her first obstacle. The receptionist did not believe that she knew CEO Kim and even deny her request of calling the CEO’s office on her behalf. She was attracting plenty of attention due to her handsome looks and her wild gesturing.

“A mute. How unfortunate.”

“Handsome though.”

Byulyi ignored their comments, waiting impatiently at the counter for them to call her wife.

“I don’t think CEO Kim knows this mute here,” added the receptionist vehemently, poison in her voice. The other receptionist nudged her, asking if they should check with the personal assistant. “We should call security instead. If she was related to CEO Kim, she would have the personal number.”

Byulyi would not fault her logic but she was really the wife of Kim Yongsun. She was getting a bit impatient. Byulyi had never seen a need for a mobile since she married Yongsun. There was no one she needed to contact and it was best that she stayed off the grid while she was still so vulnerable. Her brows knitted. The receptionist even denied the option of just sending lunch upstairs.<