Kim Yongsun, dressed exquisitely in a body-hugging black dress that left one shoulder bare and a tantalising view of her toned abdomen. She was also wearing the dark jacket of Byulyi, the only reminder of her wife. She sipped the wonderfully-crafted cocktail through the straw elegantly, facing the couple who was testing her patience as they were openly demonstrative of their affections in this classy pub.

The CEO liked the ambience of the pub, a live string quartet playing in the background to add to the sophistication. The owner had paid close to the attention, ensuring that it enhance the experience of the guests.

The maître was equally well-dressed, their hair slicked backwards, serving the esteemed guest so attentively that was benefiting of this famous, exclusive pub for a very exclusive clientele. They were very attractive, carrying themselves proudly as if they were trained stringently. It was rumoured that this pub was also under the same management as the Moonlight Lounge just across the street.

The seats were posh and comfortable and it felt like she was sinking into clouds, sitting on them. A few sips of alcohol and she was starting to feel unusually relaxed, slumping into her seat. Her eyes ought to look glassy. She winced when Bae Joohyun or Irene, turned to pull Seulgi close for a passionate kiss, uncaring of their audience as the former caressed the y barrister and tried to scent her in public.

The well-positioned plant divider blocked them from view, offering them a smidge of privacy while still able to do a little people watching. She tried to focus on drinking her cocktail, feeling unusually lonely. Her soft face was crimson from their ardour, the couple putting a sensual show right in front of her, bordering on being too explicit. A part of her had to admit that the couple looked very lovely together.

The blonde set her mobile on the table, her eyes glancing at the screen, waiting with bated breath. She brushed her golden hair away from her face absently, her eyes locked on the conversation screen. ‘Star the Rat’ headed the conversation, the other party in the chat. Her blonde brows knitted together when she realised that the younger woman had not seen the latest message.

Yongsun could not help the fear that clawed in her chest that Byulyi might be hurt from the pest control. She harrumphed and sipped the drink faster, letting the fruity and sweet taste spread on her tongue.

What the hell was pest control anyway? She remembered that Byulyi had used this excuse in the past when she did not answer her call.

She was starting to regret agreeing to drink with them since they were more interested in exploring each other’s mouths with their tongues instead of keeping them in their own mouths. A bud of frustration rose in her as she glared at the couple.

Somehow, Seulgi was sensitive to her stare and she pulled away first, her cheeks crimson despite the warm light. The dignified alpha was definitely had more class that her best friend who was thrilled to flaunt her y and beautiful arm candy in public.

Yongsun wanted to roll her eyes when Irene had pulled the taller alpha into her arms and branded her with open-mouth kisses, nuzzling against her cheek so that omegas within sight would know that this handsome and hot alpha belonged only to her.

Irene kissed her lips again before smirking at the omega on the other side of the pub, one of the thirsty omegas who had been eying her girlfriend like a piece of meat. The other omega frowned and looked away, getting the point straight away. She slung her arms openly around Seulgi protectively, smirking.

“If that’s all you’re doing, Bae, I’m going home. It has been a long day for me,” complained Yongsun, poking her drink with a straw.

Irene laughed huskily, resting her hand on Seulgi’s thigh possessively. She took the servette to clean the remains of her lipstick from the cheek of the barrister attentively. “Solar, it’s not everyday that I’m in the neighbourhood. You should live a little. I had thought that you would be more relaxed now that you’re married.” She reached over for Seulgi’s cocktail and sipped from the same straw, wondering about the taste of her cocktail. She nodded approvingly, pecking her cheek out of gratitude. “You’re still as uptight as ever, Solar-ssi.”

“What has marriage got to do with my mood?” Yongsun fired, annoyed. She poked the ice of her cocktail with more vehemence. “It’s just marriage.” She gave an absent shrug, spiling her heart to her best friend. That declaration left her feeling very hollow. She flipped her blond hair with careless elegance, looking very beautiful. “I don’t feel very married. After I returned to Seoul, I have been spending all my time trying to keep Kim Inc afloat. It’s only recently that I had some time to spend with my wife,” sighed the CEO, staring at her drink glumly.

“You have my girlfriend here,” quipped Irene, looking confused. “That should help with a lot of things. My Bear here can cut through those stupid red tape and solve your legal issues quickly.”

Yongsun smiled faintly at Seulgi. “Sorry, Seulgi. I’m not doubting your ability. You have been a tremendous help, representing Kim Inc in a lawsuit against all the spies while dealing with the harassment issue in the workplace. It’s a weight off my back. Thank you.” She raised her glass as a toast and the barrister clinked her glass against it, mirroring her smile.

“You’re my Sis-in-law, of course I will take care of these pesky issues,” promised the famous barrister.

“That stupid brat’s doing,” harrumphed Irene openly, poking her straw a little more violently into her drink. “Why don’t you just sue his ing arse? He’s just a little nancy boy who is upset that he doesn’t get all that he wants. Is that possible, bear?”

Seulgi pursed her lips as she contemplated. “It’s a weak case. We need more evidence before we can take Lee Changsub into court. Of course, we also need to arrange for the correct judge to preside over the case. It can be done but it will need more work,” decided the barrister finally.

“I guess as much. His stupid clan is shielding him and I have already offended them by not marrying their precious heir,” grumbled Yongsun earnestly, sipping more of the alcohol. “Wheepup told me that he must have burnt millions just recently when he tried to sabotage Kim Inc again. I don’t even think that the Lee Chaebol has that much money for him to burn.” She shook her head lightly, her brows furrowed.

“Sis-in-law, I don’t get it. Why don’t you let Byul deal with this problem?” Seulgi was very confused at Yongsun’s insistence of dealing this problem alone when the purple-haired alpha could have handled it more efficiently. Moonbyul was protective of those she loved and the alpha had genuine feelings for this morose blond omega in front of her.

“You sound like Byul. No wonder you’re related,” commented Yongsun, remembering how frustrated the purple-haired alpha was. She clasped her hand. “I just don’t want Byul to be more involved with the Kim Inc.” She ran her hand through her hair again, trying to find the words. “Kim Inc was a problem left to me. There is no need for her to get her hands dirty.” How could she explain that their marriage was one of convenience. There was no need to tie their fates together. “I’m thankful that she has provided good help so far but Kim Inc remains my responsibility and not hers.”

Irene snorted at Solar’s stubborn pride, shaking her head. “You’re going to chase your unbridled and honourable wife away if you are drawing so many defined lines.” She mulled over her drink, entwining her fingers with Seulgi’s. “It seems like the rumours were on the money,” added the petite omega nonchalantly.

The CEO looked miffed, glaring at her best friend. “What rumours?” She did not like the blasé tone of Irene. Even though she knew that her best friend was baiting her, she still wanted to clear the air.

Irene’s eyes glowed with mischief. “Your wife does not share your bed despite your public proclamation that you had married her out of love.” She clicked her tongue, twisting her tresses around her finger. “Your wife is just another tool for you to hook that nancy boy even more.”

Yongsun slammed her hands on the polished table roughly, her bright hazel eyes narrowed. She nearly swiped the drink off the table. “Who the are they to pry into our bedroom matters?” She growled, her eyes darkening slightly. She raked her hand through her hair again. “I can’t wait to get rid of that pest,” huffed the CEO, folding her arms across her chest. “My silly mother is enamoured with the idea of being related to a chaebol.” She rolled her eyes again.

The barrister huffed, unimpressed. “Blind.” Moonbyul was clearly superior in every way even though she did not reveal her identity. Could the mother of Yongsun not see the nobility in the way the alpha carried herself, the elegance that was carved into her very soul simply because of her superior upbringing?

If the purple-haired alpha had met Kim Yongsun in her real identity, the barrister was certain that Yongsun would be the one who would be picked on since she was merely a noveau-rich and an insignificant businessman who had not contribute any breakthrough, unlike her sister.

The CEO deflated immediately, shaking her head lightly. “I wish I had a way to convince mother. Everyone else is enamoured with Byul, including Unnie. She is so effortlessly charming, sweetly attentive, respectful yet irritating at times,” mused Yongsun, her gaze unusually soft as she sighed, resting her soft chin on her hand.

Ever since Byulyi had been spending time with her, the hardened and frozen heart of Kim Yongsun had started to thaw slowly. She was starting to display her emotions, no longer that stoic CEO Kim of the Kim Inc. She thought of the way her wife had cared for her and a mellow and sweet warmth spread through her system. Her mind was consumed by the hesitation of Byulyi to kiss her when it was all she wanted at that moment. Her heart hurt.

“Byul doesn’t want me,” concluded Yongsun, ignoring the straw and downing the drink in a gulp. Her face was completely red after that as she slumped in her seat, defeated.

Irene sighed, knowing that her light-weighted best friend was foxed. She shared a look with Seulgi and the latter looked equally confused. The fashion mogul was certain that her silly best friend must have misread the situation. “Why do you think Byul doesn’t want you?”

“That’s Byulyi-ssi for you,” snapped Yongsun possessively, glaring at her best friend lethally for her audacity to use her name with such familiarity. “She did not want to kiss me just now. I never thought that I would feel this way strongly for another person—to have her close to me, to see her truly happy instead of wearing that stupid mischievous mask to hide everything she feels. What the is pest control anyway?” Her pitch rose.

The barrister immediately ordered a cup of hot tea for the CEO and swapped the empty cocktail glass with a cup of water. Her brows were knitted, surprised at the depth of Yongsun’s emotions. It reminded her of the binge drinking session she had with her childhood friend and the latter echoed the same sentiments, looking equally tortured.

“Gods, Solar, you’re sappy,” complained Irene, her eyes glassy. “I never take you for that sort of omega—”

“—Oh you shut it, Bae. You’re similarly afflicted. I’ve seen how you look at Bear with sanguine sweet eyes. Gods,” protested the intoxicated Yongsun boldly. “Those aren’t the eyes where you just want to take her to bed for just a night.”

Irene blushed violently and shoved Seulgi away from her when the other smirked at her. It was interesting that the good friends were outing each other after some drinks.

“Sis-in-law, Byul is out hunting to protect Wheepup,” explained Seulgi, realising that the lack of knowledge about the affairs of Byulyi was bothering the CEO a lot. “Jessica Jung is the elder daughter of General Jung of the Jung clan. She is also Wheein’s cousin.”

Yongsun cocked her head slightly. She had always suspected that Wheepup had belonged to the Jung clan and the barrister just confirmed that. The only issue was that she did not understand why her wife had to hunt to protect that adorable blue-haired omega that she was starting to see as her younger sister. “Why is she hunting then?”

The dark-haired barrister froze before she realised that Byulyi and Wheepup would never bring up her real identity. She drummed her fingers on the polished table and considered an answer in contemplative silence.

Yongsun merely held her gaze, waiting patiently for the younger woman to explain to her.

“Sis-in-law, this is a secret. Wheein is the only daughter of the former Leader Jung. It was rumoured that the entire family was killed in a car accident and his younger brother, the current General Jung assumed the leadership of the martial Chaebol.”

Her hazel eyes lost the glassiness immediately and she straightened herself immediately. There was no worry in her eyes, just understanding.  The dots were starting to connect slowly. Jessica Jung had claimed that Byulyi was an esteemed guest of the Jung clan and the alpha was unusually hostile to her. Those words that Byulyi had sprouted made a lot of sense suddenly and she stiffened.

Fratricide.

General Jung had murdered Wheein’s entire family. She knew enough of the Jung clan to know that they had no reach in Seoul since they had retreated to the countryside. It had only meant one thing—Jessica Jung was here to hunt their Wheepup down.

Her eyes became frosty as she stiffened. “My wife will succeed in pest control? How did those pests learn of her presence here?” Byulyi would not have allowed Wheein to remained here if she had thought that it was unsafe for the blue-haired woman.

Seulgi nodded without missing a beat. “Hamzi is an excellent pest control specialist.”

Irene was not interested in the topic, laying her head on her shoulder.

Yongsun drummed her fingers on the table absently, lost in her thought. The CEO did not reject the hot tea that Seulgi had ordered her, sipping it slowly to chase away the effects of intoxication. Her dull mind grew clearer as she finished the tea, musing.

Her blood was roaring with anger.

Her hazel eyes had a sharp focus after she finished her hot tea. “We could exploit the situation further. There was talk recently about how CEO Seo had offended a certain Deputy Leader of an underworld clan. Interestingly, this underworld clan works very closely with the Lee Chaebol. They supply sand.”

The barrister’s eyes glowed with surprise before a wicked smile graced her lips. “Oh. I’m listening now.” She rubbed her hands almost theatrically. They needed a fall guy and they had one now. Seulgi scanned the area and found the individuals she was searching for. She did a ‘come hither’ sign at two men who seemed to blend with the surroundings with their average looks.

They obeyed and moved towards their table.

“Help,” smiled Seulgi, winking at Yongsun. Byulyi would never allow her wife to be without protection if she was not by her side.

“Hwasa’s men?”

They nodded at once, sighing that their identity had been uncovered. “How can we help you, CEO Kim?”

Yongsun summed up her plans concisely and sent them to work. All they needed was to spread exaggerated rumours and to inform the rest of Hwasa’s men to play their part in playing up the underworld angle. CEO Seo had always been an arrogant man who looked down on individuals from lower social class, so they need not do much. They knew that the gang would moved soon, before the Lee Chaebol caught a whiff of this conflict.

Their exit from the pub was quick since Yongsun and Seulgi were thrilled to watch the drama unfold. Yongsun picked up the tab and refreshed herself to remove the last vestige of intoxication. She felt unusually excited about seeing the fruits of the plotting and being secretly involved in helping Byulyi. She also wanted to be a part of protecting Wheepup since she saw the younger woman as a family.

Irene could not help teasing her best friend for that spark of excitement in her hazel eyes. Yongsun did not mind the teasing since she was, of course, looking forward to seeing her wife again. If she was honest, she was eager to see the hidden side of Byulyi, not the carefree, cheekily woman who choose to laze around in her office, pretending to be a wastrel.

The Seo residence was unusually quiet when the three women arrived at the foyer. Seulgi noticed the number of sniper cells monitoring their movement. She had noticed that the control of the residence had been seized which indicated that Moonbyul and the two other women were here.

Irene was too intoxicated to get out of the car, choosing to remain in the car to sleep some of the alcohol off.

“Sis-in-law, your wife is inside,” stated the barrister, wrinkling her nose at the faint scent of fresh blood. She flanked Yongsun’s side protectively.

One of the men, dressed in combat fatigue, greeted them at the door and led them towards the living room where the interrogation was ongoing. She could hear a middle-aged man howling in pain in the living room.

The next voice, full of desperation was familiar.

“No…No, I’ll say. Mrs Kim…Mrs Kim… Mrs Kim! She called me last night and told me that you were close to Hwasa and Wheein…”

Yongsun froze, all blood draining from her face.

Her mother? Her mother was the sole cause of this bloodied conflict.

She had dared to put Wheepup in danger.

Her stomach knotted uncomfortably. It was as if this anger had a life of its own, growing so large that it consumed her entire body. Her body stiffened. Those soft hazel eyes darkened with rage as her faced hardened visibly. She balled her hands into fists, her nails biting into her flesh. Unfamiliar heart surged through her system in violent waves, obliterating her reason.

There were rapid footsteps as a purple-haired woman burst through the door, busting it into pieces. Seulgi had only a second to move away lest she was caught in this insane storm.

In a heartbeat, the irresistible scent of wild honeysuckles enveloped her like a security blanket. The CEO was pulled into a familiar embrace, cocooning her from the environment of violence, the arms winded so tightly around her that their bodies were pressed against each other, their hearts pounding against each other.

They were in dissonance, her heart beating faster than Byulyi’s calmer one.

“Calm down, Unnie,” crooned Moon Byulyi sweetly, directing her face to slot against the crook of her neck to breathe in her calming scent from the source. “Your Star is here. We have handled the issue. Wheepup is safe.”

“Mother,” growled Yongsun, her eyes narrowed into slits. Self-flogging condensed in a word.

The purple-haired alpha gently pried open her hands and smoothed them so that she would not hurt yourself. “It’s OK, Unnie. This has nothing to do with you,” cajoled Byulyi, her heart aching at Yongsun’s self-blame. “No one would ever hurt Wheepup again.”

Seulgi returned with a bottle of water nervously, offering it to Yongsun. “Would drinking some water help, Sis-in-law?” She looked equally troubled, unsure of how to ease the distress of Yongsun. Her alpha instinct was to search for a solution to calm her down. Before she could approach the CEO, Byulyi snarled loudly, warning her sister away from them. Her indigo eyes were fixed on Seulgi as if she was a prey.

The barrister immediately set the bottle of water on the ground and backed away slowly, following the safety drill of encountering an aggressive dog or alpha. Carefully, she exited the lobby.

Byulyi relaxed slightly when they were alone. She unscrewed the bottle of water and offered it to Yongsun gingerly. “Have some water, Unnie.” She did not like the sharp scent of distress, driving her to do unspeakable violent things to anyone she considered a threat or hide her away. She hated that they were not mated and her scent and presence were insufficient to calm her down.

Yongsun remained still, not reacting to her offer.

Those remarkably blue eyes darkened, a sign that her control was slipping, reacting to Yongsun’s distress. Her arms became shackles, bounding the distressed Yongsun to her. “My sweet Unnie, please calm down,” crooned the purple-haired woman lovingly. “Wheepup is fine.”

The door opened once again and Wheein ran in, looked very worried. The thick scent of distress had her eyes stinging as the younger omega embraced Yongsun from behind, whispering into her ear. “Pretty Unnie, it’s alright. I’m fine. We’re OK.” She released her calming scent to soothe the older woman, noticing that the alpha was forcing herself to maintain her cool.

“Unnie, we need to bring Pretty Unnie to her nest.” She did not want to add that a distressed unmated omega would attract the attention of a lot of alphas and that would trigger the vindictive and violent part of Byulyi. “Does she have one in her office?”

The purple-haired alpha shook her head. “We need to return home.” She assessed the state of Yongsun and found her eyes still dilated, her body primed to protect. The thick and sharp smell of distress was slightly reduced with Wheein’s presence. “Unnie, I’m taking you to your nest now.” Wheein backed away slightly, massaging the hand of Yongsun gently.

Byulyi was unusually gentle as she scooped the older woman in a bridal carry and walked briskly out of the house, everyone giving them a wide berth. The car was still waiting for them.

Wheein opened the door to the backseat and was surprised to find a very beautiful and slightly intoxicated omega resting in the backseat. Her eyes sprang open immediately when she was assaulted by the smell of distress.

“Yong,” muttered Irene, checking her quickly as she emitted her calming scent. “Byul, you need to slide to the middle of the backseat with your wife. Can you do that?”

Byulyi nodded. She slipped into the backseat and placed Yongsun on her lap. Carefully, she slid to the middle of the seat and allowed Wheein to enter the car. The two omegas nestled closely to Yongsun on both sides, creating an omega huddle to soothe her.

“Unnie, we’re going home now. Just a little while more,” crooned Byulyi, adjusting her jacket around Yongsun carefully. She could feel the tension ebb from Yongsun’s tensed body. “Wheepup is going to stick with us.”

“Me too,” stated Irene gently. “Calm down, Yong.”

Byulyi knew that this was against one of the fundamental clauses of the contract which was to maintain the façade that they were a very loving couple. The moment the omegas entered their bedroom, they would have learnt that they do not share a bed and were simply roommates. However, Yongsun’s acute distress was just too overwhelming for her, drowning out her reason with the anxiety of calming her down.

Soon, they had reached home.

Byulyi’s anxiety started to abate, knowing that she was going to take her straight to her nest, safe from any alphas and threats. CEO Kim’s distress was not as pronounced, but she still needed her nest to recuperate.

The purple-haired alpha simply carried Yongsun into the house, accompanied by Irene and Wheein into their bedroom, unhindered. The household was starting to wake up and deal with the chores.

Before Byulyi could place Yongsun in her bed, she hesitated. “I’m gonna let Unnie change first.  You can sit over there.” She jerked her chin to her daybed opposite the large bed that took the centre. She marched into the walk-in wardrobe.

Wheein’s brows furrowed when she noticed the neatly-folded light summer blanket meant for alphas and a pillow. She reached for the pillow and took a deep breath and it cemented her hypothesis, it belonged to Byulyi. Her heart fell at the thought of those sweet sanguine interactions between Byulyi and Yongsun as simply manufactured.

Why? The married couple looked so wonderful together and seemed to have a solid foundation for more. She had seen the married couple as an inspiration, the way they supported each other through the storms. She clutched the pillow hard, her knuckles shining white. She was disillusioned.

Irene glanced at the blue-haired omega, curious at her intense disappointment. She observed the way that the younger omega seemed to be gripping the pillow hard. “I’m Irene Bae, Yongsun’s best friend and Kang Seulgi’s girlfriend,” introduced the petite, elfin woman smoothly.

Wheein met her gaze nonchalantly, her brows still furrowed. “Jung Wheein, Byul Unnie is my older sister.”

“Of course, you are,” smiled Irene politely. “Everyone was worried about you, including that dunderhead your Byul-Unnie called her wife. I’m equally glad that you’re fine.” Her tone was gentler. “Yong was very worried about you when she learnt about the truth and planned to stir some trouble for the Lee Chaebol using the Seo family.”

The blue-haired omega clung on the pillow hard, staring at Irene in surprise. She had no idea that Yongsun would go to such lengths for her. She knew that the older omega was in so much pain due to her own mother’s involvement in exposing her location to her former clan.

“Marriage in our social circle is never for love but it doesn’t mean that there cannot be love after interacting with each other for a while,” continued Irene sagely. “From the way that Yong cares for you, you can deduce that your Byul Unnie is rooted in her heart. I’m actually pleasantly surprised with that too.”

Wheein cocked her head adorably, looking at the beautiful fashion mogul. “Really?” Her eyes shone with hope.

Irene smiled sweetly, finding this blue-haired omega very adorable. “Yes. I can promise you.”

“You’re the Irene Bae right?” added Wheein, inquisitive.

The fashion mogul nodded hesitantly.

The blue-haired omega smiled brightly, her single dimple deepening. “Nice to meet you, Irene Unnie. I’m the founder and CEO of Star Inc. We have worked together several times in the past.”

Irene’s eyes widened. “Wait, you’re the masked CEO.” She remembered attending video meetings with the younger woman but the latter would always hide her face. She understood the reason now that she realised that this business guru, the investor with the Midas’s touch was so young.

She stared at the financier, wide-eyed.

The door to the walk-in-wardrobe opened, revealing Byulyi and Yongsun in a decent nightdress. “Have your pick of clean clothes. You’ll need to change to get into bed with Unnie.”

“Wheepup then,” encouraged Irene, stretching out on the daybed distractedly. “You don’t mind, do you, Byul?” She pushed the pillow and blanket aside to stretch out, feeling as if she was sinking through clouds. Her best friend had spent a lot of money for this comfortable furniture.

The purple-haired alpha shook her head lightly and guided the older woman into her nest, stuffing the large pink rabbit with crescents and stars into her arms. She was careful not to enter her nest and leave her scent on the bed. Yongsun merely buried her face into the soft toy, relaxing marginally.

Byulyi tucked her wife in and surrounded her with her soft toys to increase the comfort. She withdrew to the side of the bed, monitoring the changes to Yongsun’s countenance closely. With bated breath, she waited until she could see the effects of Yongsun being in her nest. Her dilated eyes were gradually returning to a darker shade of hazel, the tension dissipating from her shoulders. The sharp smell of distress w