Chapter 3: The Relentless Husband (END)

“This is my parting gift to you,” said the omega, tears streaming down his cheeks. He rarely cried, but today was different. He hastily wiped his face, turning away so the alpha wouldn’t see him like this.

A parting gift? Was it a pheromone blocker?

The slow-on-the-uptake alpha finally realized that his confessions had backfired. The omega had always believed that his change in attitude was driven by pheromones. All his attempts to comfort the omega had only caused more pain. Pregnancy already made emotions volatile, and though he had noticed the omega’s unease, he hadn’t communicated properly.

This omega was the one he had married, the one he should cherish, the one who had borne him a child and endured so much. Yet all he ever did was make mistakes.

“I was wrong. This is all my fault.” The alpha moved to the other side of the hospital bed and leaned down to embrace the omega, apologizing earnestly. “I’ve been terrible. Don’t cry, baobei. Your eyes will hurt. I didn’t explain things clearly, and that’s on me.”

The omega buried his face in the pillow, his voice muffled. “You’re not terrible. It’s me—I’m greedy. I didn’t want to become someone like this.”

He felt suffocated, emotions spiraling out of control, crushing him. Finally, with a hint of a sob, he said, “I’m the bad one. At first, I thought it would be enough just to see you from afar. Then I started hoping we could occasionally cross paths. And later… one day, I noticed you looking at me, and I became obsessed. I started to fear that someday, whatever it was that attracted you to me would disappear, and you’d grow cold and leave. You wouldn’t look at me with warmth anymore.”

“I kept asking myself why—was it because of the child? The pheromones? Habit? I agonized over finding a reason because if I understood it, maybe I could make it last a little longer.”

“But I’ve become greedier and greedier. I can’t go back to how it was before.”

“What would I do then?”

“It would’ve been better if you’d never looked at me at all.”

“I’m just too greedy.”

The omega rarely spoke this much unless it was about research. Now, his voice was hoarse from crying, his breathing labored. The alpha gently pulled him out from under the covers.

“Take a deep breath, baobao. Look at me,” the alpha said, cradling the omega’s face and wiping away his tears. He was much older than the omega, and he should have been the one to address their issues proactively. But he had failed. He thought simply being good to the omega was enough, yet the wounds he had unintentionally caused still remained.

He kissed the tears from the omega’s face and, staring into those red, swollen eyes, held the omega’s small hand as he confessed, “I don’t love you because of pheromones. I’m sorry. For two years, I’ve been cold to you. I’ve given you no sense of security. I’ve never explained myself, apologized, or expressed my feelings. I’ve been selfish, taking your love for granted.”

“I’m sorry. Can you forgive me? I promise I’ll do better.”

The omega stopped crying, his nose reddened, his tear-streaked eyes dark and glistening like grapes. He stared at the alpha, seemingly unable to process it all. He had already decided to let go.

The alpha gently patted the omega’s back, comforting him as he had done during the pregnancy. His voice was soft. “Choosing you wasn’t my grandfather’s decision, and it wasn’t because of our pheromone compatibility. Out of all the photos, yours stood out. The one with your buttoned-up, prim little shirt—it left such an impression. I never considered the pheromones. I should’ve told you sooner.”

“I love you. Maybe I started later than you did, and I can’t pinpoint the exact moment, but at some point, I just couldn’t look away anymore.”

The omega suddenly felt like crying again. After pouring out his deepest fears, he felt as vulnerable as a cooked shrimp, wanting nothing more than to curl up and hide. His face flushed, his thoughts in a jumble, but all he managed to say was, “I’m no good.”

“You’re not bad. You’re perfect. I love everything about you. When you’re quiet, I find it endearing. When you cry like a little kitten, I find it even more so. When you earnestly explain your research, I think it’s adorable. When you kick off the covers in your sleep or talk in your dreams, it’s charming. Even when you push the food you don’t like to the edge of your plate, I think it’s cute.”

“In my eyes, you’re perfect. When you’re happy, I’m happy. Seeing you cry feels like needles stabbing my heart.”

“If that’s not love, then tell me—where can I find another prim little scholar who can put up with someone as terrible as me?”

The omega’s face turned crimson, the blush creeping down to his neck. He didn’t kick off the covers or talk in his sleep! He didn’t want to hear more and tried to burrow back under the blanket, but the alpha caught him and pulled him into his arms.

“Baobei, let’s not get divorced, okay? Give me another chance to prove to you that I don’t love you because of pheromones. To me, you’re more important than anyone else. Even if our pheromones weren’t compatible, I’d still want to hold you—and only you.”

“What would I do if you stopped loving me?”

“Please don’t push me away.”

The alpha seemed determined to pour a lifetime’s worth of sweet words into this moment. The omega understood his feelings now but couldn’t handle it anymore. He quickly covered the alpha’s mouth. “Okay, stop. You’re not allowed to say anything else!”

“No, I have to say it. Baobei, I don’t want to leave you. What am I supposed to do? Every time I leave for work, all I want is to put you in my pocket and take you with me.”

Before the omega could respond, a dull thud interrupted them.

“Brat, stop slacking off and go to work!” The alpha’s grandfather knocked his cane on the floor. The two inside the room were so engrossed in each other that they hadn’t noticed the group of people eavesdropping outside for quite a while. It was mortifying, but the old man seemed quite pleased. After all, he wasn’t the one embarrassed.

“Alright, take care of things for the next few days. Once the baby is weaned, send them to me. You two can focus on your relationship, and if you want, have another one.” After cooing over the pink-faced baby, the grandfather prepared to leave.

From the moment the curtain was pulled back, the omega had been like a quail, too shy to lift his head. A group of relatives surrounded them, clearly getting in the way.

The alpha’s grandfather waved his cane threateningly. “And you, brat, don’t think you can slack off at work! You’ve got a wife and kid to support!”

The omega, who had been silent until now, quickly got up to shield the alpha, IV still in his hand. The needle dislodged, causing blood to flow back.

“Don’t get up!” The alpha hurriedly pulled him back, blowing on the omega’s slightly swollen hand and gently massaging it, completely ignoring the huffing old man behind him.

The alpha’s grandfather, initially just joking, ended up feeling like the villain. His fierce demeanor softened as he moved closer to check on the omega. “Are you okay, dear?”

Joking aside, the old man liked the omega. He was obedient, understanding, and well-mannered—a perfect spouse for the alpha. And with mutual affection, the baby-making process had clearly been smooth and harmonious.

After taking the medicine, the alpha became even clingier. The omega sternly submitted a request to the lab for a third round of clinical trials, convinced there was something wrong with the drug’s formulation. Not only was it ineffective, but it also seemed to have some unintended side effects.