Third-person POV
"Is he in his heat?" Diamant murmured to himself, the question lingering in the quiet office long after he had closed the door.
Two days later
Noah stepped into the executive office, feeling much more clear-headed and relieved. The worst of his heat had finally passed, and the stifling pressure in the air was gone. "Good morning, Mr. Diamant."
Diamant looked up from his tablet, his expression neutral but observant. "Good morning." He paused for a moment before speaking again. "How have you been doing lately?"
Noah was pleasantly surprised by the inquiry. "Oh, I'm much better. Thank you so much for holding back your pheromones, sir."
"It's nothing," Diamant replied smoothly, dismissing the thanks with a slight wave of his hand.
Pushing his chair back, Diamant stood up from his desk, his imposing figure casting a long shadow across the room. "Was that your boyfriend on the phone the other day?" he asked bluntly, his dark eyes locking onto Noah.
Noah stiffened, his breath hitching. He hadn't realized the CEO had seen his phone. Shame washed over him as he gave a tight nod. "Yes."
Diamant let out a sharp, mocking sound. "Tch. What a jerk he is."
Noah didn't know how to respond to that absolute truth. He could only offer an awkward, forced smile, looking down at his shoes to hide the sadness in his eyes.
"What a coward you are," Diamant continued, his voice cutting through the silence of the room. "For still being with a jerk who hurts you continuously. Can't you just break up with him?"
"I can't," Noah whispered softly, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
Diamant studied Noah's defeated posture, a flicker of irritation passing through him. So, he really loves him that much, huh? he thought, assuming Noah was just hopelessly attached to a toxic Alpha.
Wanting to test the Omega's boundaries, Diamant began walking toward Noah, his steps slow and deliberate. "What if you run into another dominant Alpha?" he asked, his voice low and commanding. "Would you ask them to hold back their pheromones too?"
Nervously, Noah began to step backward, his heart hammering against his ribs as the powerful CEO advanced on him. He opened his mouth to reply, but his heel caught on something behind him.
Before he could even speak, Noah accidentally knocked right into the large, decorative fish tank sitting on the pedestal behind his desk.
With a loud, terrifying crash, the tank fell to the floor. Shards of glass shattered everywhere, and gallons of water splashed violently all over Noah. Within seconds, he was completely drenched, his crisp white uniform shirt instantly turning transparent and clinging to his skin.
"I... I'm s..sorry, sir! I'm so sorry!" Noah panicked, his voice trembling violently as he looked at the mess. He dropped to his knees, tears of fright threatening to spill. "I knocked over your fish tank by mistake! I'm so sorry... please, please don't fire me!"
Diamant stopped in his tracks, staring down at the shivering Omega. Noah was entirely soaked from head to toe, looking incredibly vulnerable. Yet, despite his obvious discomfort, all Noah seemed to care about was the ruined fish tank and losing his job.
He is all drenched now, but all he cares about is the fish tank? Diamant thought, a wave of realization hitting him. Is he really not the type of person I thought he was? For a moment, the cold CEO felt his harsh prejudices soften. Tch. Maybe not all Omegas are gold-digging b**es.
"Tch, shut up," Diamant said, though his tone was far less angry than before.
"I'm so sorry..." Noah whimpered again, trembling from the cold water.
As Noah tilted his head down to apologize, the wet hair fabric shifted away from his neck. Diamant's sharp eyes instantly froze, locking onto a distinct, faded blemish on the Omega's skin. It was a mating mark.
So, that's why he said he can't break up, Diamant realized, a dark cloud settling over his features. Someone as young as him is already marked.
In their society, only Omegas who were completely ready to settle down and bind their souls allowed themselves to be marked by their mate. Once that heavy mark was placed, the Omega's body belonged strictly to that Alpha. They became biologically incapable of mating with or accepting any other regular Alpha.
"Do you want to break up with your boyfriend?" Diamant asked, his voice turning surprisingly serious.
Noah looked up through his wet bangs, his eyes filled with a deep, hopeless sorrow. "I told you, I can't."
"I can see the reason why you're saying you can't," Diamant said, gesturing faintly toward Noah's collarbone. "But I can help you."
Noah's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "What?!"
"A dominant Alpha can cover up a mark made by a regular Alpha," Diamant explained calmly, as if discussing a business transaction. "So, all you need to do is get that mark covered by a dominant Alpha."
Noah's mind went entirely blank, his heart racing at the implication. What is he saying? he thought frantically, his cheeks flushing warm. Is he... is he offering to cover the mark himself?!
Before Noah could spiral any further, Diamant reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a sleek photograph. "This is my friend. He is a dominant Alpha. See if you like him. And if you don't, I have many more connections."
Noah's jaw dropped. The sudden wave of embarrassment made him wave his hands frantically in front of his chest. "No... no... no! You don't need to do that, sir!"
"Okay," Diamant replied smoothly, sliding the picture back into his pocket without pushing the matter further.
Changing the subject back to business, Diamant checked his luxury watch. "I have a prestigious business gathering to attend to this night. And you're coming with me as my secretary."
Noah blinked, trying to regain his professional composure despite being soaked. "Okay, sir."
Diamant turned toward a private cabinet in the corner of his office. He unlocked it and pulled out a beautifully crafted, vintage glass bottle. It was an incredibly rare, custom-made perfume that had belonged to his late mother. She had been a dominant Omega, just like Noah, and had this scent formulated specifically for her before she passed away. It was a priceless heirloom—the only perfume in existence capable of completely masking an Omega's pheromones, even from the sharpest dominant Alphas.
For a split second, Diamant felt a pang of hesitation, wondering if he should really hand over something so precious to a new employee. But looking at Noah's vulnerable state, he steeled his resolve.
He walked back over and extended his hand, holding out the bottle. "Here. Keep this with you."
Noah reached out with trembling fingers, taking the elegant bottle. "Huh? What is this?"
"Spray it," Diamant commanded softly. "It will completely hide your pheromones, even from a dominant Alpha."
Noah gasped softly, holding the bottle like it was made of solid gold. "Thank you, sir... but why are you giving something so valuable to me?"
Diamant crossed his arms, his expression turning grave. "In tonight's gathering, most of the high-profile people attending are dominant Alphas. You need to be extremely careful. The scent wears off after a few hours, so remember to spray it constantly throughout the night."
"Okay, Mr. Reed," Noah nodded seriously, feeling a deep sense of gratitude.
"You can leave early today to clean up and get ready for the gathering," Diamant instructed, turning back toward his desk. "Meet me back here at the office by 8:00 PM sharp."
"Okay, sir. Thank you so much, sir. Goodbye, sir," Noah said quickly, bowing politely before gathering his things and rushing out of the office to change out of his wet clothes.
Walking down the hallway, Noah clutched the perfume bottle tightly against his chest, his mind spinning with confusion and a strange, fluttering emotion.
Why is he helping me so much? Noah wondered, his cheeks burning a bright crimson as he recalled their conversation. For a second there... I really thought he was offering to cover the mark himself.
Noah bit his lower lip, a small, shy smile forming on his face as he pushed the elevator button.
But... he really is incredibly good-looking though.