An Obsessive Alpha Covets The Honest Beta - Chapter 3

Li You had been feeling down and depressed lately. His only solace was that he had found a fairly good job; it was just a bit demanding, requiring him to work overtime night and day.

On this particular day, upon returning home from work, Li You was surprised to see Lin Zhaoning.

“Xiaoyou, quickly come wash your hands and eat.”

Lin Zhaoning greeted him while scooping rice into bowls. Under the warm yellow light, the Alpha wore an apron over his clothes. On the table sat three dishes and a soup, quite good in appearance, steaming hot.

Li You was slightly dazed. It had been a long time since their home felt this calm, routine, and filled with the warmth of everyday life.

With his bag still slung over him, Li You stood at the doorway, his fingers tightly gripping the strap at his side. The divorce agreement hidden inside his bag was never brought out.

“Why are you just standing there? Are you too tired?”

Seeing his spouse give no reaction, Lin Zhaoning took off his apron, walked over, and leaned down to lightly kiss the corner of Li You’s lips. “If you’re too tired, you don’t have to go to work.”

Li You pressed his lips together, shook his head, and softly murmured that he was fine.

Lin Zhaoning had initially disapproved of Li You going out to work. After all, even if he just stayed home doing nothing, he wouldn’t starve.

Li You appeared mild-mannered and uncompetitive on the surface, but in reality, he was stubbornly persistent; as long as he set his mind on something, he would cling to it tightly. Furthermore, Lin Zhaoning was too busy coaxing his lover kept on the outside; even if he wanted to control Li You, he lacked the energy and time to do so, ultimately letting him have his way.

Before they ate, Lin Zhaoning suddenly presented Li You with an obsidian bracelet and personally put it on his wrist. “Tomorrow I have to go to City B on a two-week business trip. I’ve been too busy to spend time with you lately, so this is my apology to Xiaoyou.”

The beads on the bracelet shimmered with subtle golden flecks under the light, reflecting the lingering warmth and unextinguished smile in Lin Zhaoning’s eyes.

Li You remained silent for a long moment before quietly accepting the gift.

The divorce agreement remained inside the bag, left to gather dust.

Lin Zhaoning had occupied the best years of his life. He was intellectual, rational, and treated others with generosity, giving Li You a sense of joy and happiness he had never experienced in his first twenty years.

Li You’s heart softened. A ridiculous thought even sprouted in his mind: that as long as Lin Zhaoning turned back, he could simply turn a blind eye to it all. Yet, he was also incomparably clear-headed about the fact that the two of them could never return to how things used to be.

In the past, he used to embrace Lin Zhaoning, looking forward to the future with a heart full of joy; now, he stood across from Lin Zhaoning, feeling lost and helpless as he reminisced.

Li You could not bear to let go, nor could he bring himself to part ways, yet he was unable to generously forgive Lin Zhaoning, and thus, he could not break it off cleanly either.

On the third day after Lin Zhaoning left, Li You received a text message from an unfamiliar number.

The sender asked to meet him. After careful consideration, Li You decided to go to the appointment.

At noon, in a leisure coffee shop not far from his company, Li You sat by the window and waited for quite a while, but the other person was nowhere to be seen.

He kept twisting the wedding ring on his ring finger, as if this was the only way to gain a shred of false comfort.

By the time his cup of hot Americano reached the bottom, someone finally arrived at the seat opposite him.

That night in the underground parking garage, the light had been too dim for Li You to make out much beyond the vague impression of a very beautiful Omega. Today at noon, under the bright sun, Li You could finally see the other person’s appearance clearly.

The warm sunlight cast a soft golden glow over the boy’s light brown hair. The Omega’s large, watery eyes were tentatively taking him in; the outer corners of those eyes turned up slightly, a small beauty mark graced the inner side of his nose bridge, and his lips were full and rosy. If Li You were an Omega or an Alpha, he would be able to smell the subtle, lingering scent of tulips on the boy, the smell of his husband’s pheromones.

Highly compatible pheromones could nourish each other, and this Omega had been nourished exceedingly well by Lin Zhaoning.

Li You had been working continuous overtime recently, leaving dark circles under his eyes that stood out prominently against his pale skin.

Compared to the sweet Omega across from him, he looked utterly exhausted.

“Hello, I am Bai Yu.” Bai Yu smiled at him slightly as he pulled out a chair to sit down, ordering only a glass of plain water. Seeing the empty coffee cup in Li You’s hand, he explained, “Sorry, the baby was throwing a bit of a fuss today, so I arrived late and kept you waiting.”

Li You’s mind went instantly blank with a loud buzz, his vision turning completely hazy as his blood coursed wildly. The brief illusion of comfort he had clung to a moment ago turned into a pathetic joke the second he heard that Bai Yu was pregnant.

Li You stared blankly at Bai Yu. Bai Yu looked to be only in his early twenties, at the peak of a young, vibrant age, yet he showed no sign of spoiled arrogance.

He looked back at Li You politely and let out a light laugh before speaking: “Brother Ning mentioned you to me before. It’s just, um…”

“You are a bit different from what I imagined…”

Bai Yu expressed this tactfully, without mockery in his tone, merely stating an objective fact ordinarily. He was genuinely curious how such a plain, ordinary Beta had managed to win Lin Zhaoning’s favor back then.

Li You had never liked talking since he was little, and he was articulate-challenged. In middle school, even if the teacher called him to the podium to give a speech, he would need to draft it a week in advance. Feeling deeply inferior in front of Bai Yu, he maintained his silence from start to finish.

Remaining silent was the most decent behavior this cowardly Beta could muster; it was far better than uselessly breaking down in tears.

That would be far too miserable.

Li You was wearing a standard white shirt today, with the sleeves rolled up a notch, exposing the bracelet on his wrist.

Noticing Bai Yu staring at the bracelet, Li You instinctively pulled his sleeve down to cover it, as though he were the shameful, hidden lover instead.

Bai Yu was slightly surprised. “Brother Ning actually gave that to you?”

“Is there a problem?” An abrupt sense of unease welled up from the depths of Li You’s heart, stemming from his husband.

As his husband, Lin Zhaoning had failed to give him sufficient confidence and security.

Bai Yu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It’s nothing, it’s just…” He pointed at the bracelet and reminded him, “That was just a gift, and the quality of the beads isn’t very good. If you care about that sort of thing, it’s best not to wear it.”

As if fulfilling an omen, the bracelet snapped out of nowhere right down the middle. The obsidian beads scattered all over the floor with a loud patter, and the elastic cord instantly acted like a whip, snapping fiercely against Li You’s wrist, leaving a deep red mark on his skin in an instant.

Li You squatted down to pick up the beads one by one and threw them into the trash can. He then took an hour off from his company to go home, placing the signed divorce agreement on the living room coffee table so that Lin Zhaoning would see it the moment he walked in.

He intended to move out first and wait for Lin Zhaoning to return from his business trip before discussing the details of the divorce in depth.

Li You had no time to grieve or feel sorry for himself, because he needed money right now.

Three years ago, when Lin Zhaoning said he wanted to marry him, Lin’s father had strongly opposed it, not only because Li You’s family background was poor and unsuitable for Lin Zhaoning, but even more so because he was a Beta who could not bear children. Marrying him was no different from ending the family line. In the end, the matter concluded with Lin’s father compromising, but with one prerequisite: even if Li You married Lin Zhaoning, he should not dream of receiving a single penny of the assets belonging to a daughter-in-law of the Lin family.

Therefore, he had no share in the dividends of the Lin Corporation. When it came to the division of property, even though Lin Zhaoning was the party at fault due to infidelity, the prenuptial agreement meant Li You would still have to leave empty-handed.

Although the savings he accumulated from work amounted to a respectable sum, it had been mostly exhausted over the past few years.

There was a company business dinner tonight. Logically speaking, it wouldn’t be Li You’s turn to attend, but a colleague was tied up with urgent matters and couldn’t make it, so he had to go in their place.

Although his role was essentially to take drinks on behalf of others, there was extra overtime pay, and if the deal went through, he could also get a bonus.

Li You didn’t like drinking, nor did he have a high alcohol tolerance, but for the sake of money, he agreed almost immediately.

Night fell, and the city lights flared to life.

It was the peak evening rush hour, and the streets were heavily congested with traffic, the sound of car horns and sirens ringing endlessly.

Inside a private room at the hotel, the man sitting in the main seat was looking at him with composed leisure.

Li You swallowed nervously. If he had known the person he was meeting today was Lin Xun, he wouldn’t have come no matter how much money he was offered.

Lin Xun tapped his fingertips rhythmically against the tabletop. Whenever the business partners offered a toast, he merely raised his chin and redirected the drinks to the person opposite him.

The head of Li You’s company was flattered and overjoyed, constantly winking at Li You and discreetly nudging him with his elbow now and then; in short, Li You ended up drinking twice as much tonight.

The liquor was harsh and spicy, burning hot as it poured down his throat and making Li You cough repeatedly.

Today was truly his unlucky day, Li You thought miserably.

With the alcohol rushing to his head, Li You nearly lost his ability to think. He sat there stupidly, glaring at Lin Xun; he was accusing and criticizing the Alpha across from him. He didn’t know where he got the courage at that moment; perhaps this was what they called alcohol giving courage to the timid.

Even though it lacked any real intimidation factor.

It was even somewhat endearing.

Li You really couldn’t drink any more. Taking advantage of a gap in conversation, he slipped out for some fresh air, staggering into the restroom and splashing cold water onto his face.

His scorching hot face was finally cooled down by the icy stream of water. Li You propped himself up against the marble countertop with one hand, water dripping from the bangs on his forehead. He raised his head and looked into the mirror in front of him.

He was likely truly drunk, as his vision had grown blurry.

He tried to wipe the mirror with his wet hand to see more clearly, but to his surprise, the more he wiped, the smudgier it became.

Li You gave up. He pinched his face and slapped his cheek with some force.

He hadn’t failed to understand the underlying meaning of Bai Yu’s words at noon.

Bai Yu was explicitly and implicitly calling him ordinary, saying he wasn’t worthy of Lin Zhaoning.

Li You couldn’t refute it. After all, this marriage had never received anyone’s blessing from the start; it had relied entirely on their own wishful thinking.

Li You let out a somber, self-deprecating laugh, pulled out his phone, and sent a message to Lin Zhaoning. He told Lin Zhaoning that the divorce agreement was on the living room table, and that once he returned, they would go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to collect their divorce certificate.

Li You originally didn’t expect Lin Zhaoning to reply. Just as he was about to leave the restroom, his phone rang.

Lin Zhaoning told Li You to stop throwing a tantrum.

Li You turned off his phone and stopped replying to him.

So Lin Zhaoning knew everything all along; he was indulging that Omega’s provocations against him.

Just as his hand rested on the doorknob, Li You was suddenly pushed backward by a force from outside the door, nearly losing his balance and falling to the floor.

The newcomer reacted with lightning speed, reaching out to wrap an arm around Li You’s waist, kicking the door shut, and pinning Li You firmly against the door panel.

The incandescent light overhead was glaringly bright.

Li You first caught sight of that familiar black suit jacket, then quickly raised his head to see Lin Xun’s face clearly.

The Alpha’s tall shadow loomed over him, his large hand gripping his waist tightly so that Li You couldn’t move.

Lin Xun pulled him forward gently, one hand wandering along Li You’s spine before taking hold of his hair, forcing Li You to tilt his head up and kiss him.

Unable to resist, Li You began to bite him, the taste of blood spreading between their mouths.

Instead of letting go from the pain, Lin Xun lifted Li You up by the waist with a single hand. Finding himself suspended in mid-air, Li You let out a gasp, which was immediately swallowed by the kiss.

Lin Xun pressed Li You’s legs against his own waist, supporting Li You’s thighs with both hands while leaning his body even closer.

It was an extremely brazen posture.

Lin Xun’s kiss was forceful, just like his personality.

When Li You bit him, he would bite back.

In the end, neither of them gained the upper hand.

Li You was kissed until his brain ran low on oxygen. Lin Xun finally relented, holding one of his wrists and staring at it for a long moment before cursing coldly, “So stupid.”

“Letting yourself get bullied like this.”

Li You only caught the word “bullied” from Lin Xun’s speech.

His mind had lost the ability to process thoughts, but he knew that Lin Xun was bullying him too.

Li You felt sleepy, dizzy, and completely devoid of strength. Lin Xun hoisted him over his shoulder and threw him into a suite. Along the way, because he squirmed and moved around restlessly, he even received a slap on his buttocks.

The Alpha’s actions were far from gentle; he threw Li You onto the large, pure white bed, causing the bedposts to creak and sway.

The toss sent Li You’s head spinning. His consciousness began to grow hazy, and even when he narrowed his eyes, he couldn’t see Lin Xun’s face clearly; only dozens of overlapping, swaying figures appeared before him.

“Why…”

Lin Xun leaned in closer, but he still couldn’t hear clearly what Li You was saying.

He didn’t want to listen either, simply continuing to kiss him, once again kissing Li You’s lips until the skin broke.

“Why… does everyone have to bully me?”

With his cheeks flushed red, Li You turned away from Lin Xun’s kiss, shrinking back like a quailing bird. Seeking warmth, he nestled into the Alpha’s embrace.

Lin Xun heard it clearly this time.

He paused his movements, lifted Li You’s chin, and quietly observed the face that had obsessed him day and night.

Li You had his eyes closed, his eyelids trembling slightly, his lips pressed into an aggrieved straight line.

Lin Xun pinched Li You’s chin to wake him up.

As soon as Li You opened his eyes, he saw the Alpha’s extremely taut profile.

Lin Xun pressed his thumb against one of Li You’s lips and asked him, “Who am I?”

“Lin Xun,” Li You felt some pain from his pressure, stretching his arm out to push against Lin Xun’s arm, saying softly and helplessly, “Lin Xun, please let me go.”

Lin Xun lowered his head and bit down on Li You’s collarbone. “Let you go? In your dreams.”

“I am your sister-in-law…”

Li You’s eyelids drooped again, attempting to use morality to coerce this Alpha.

Lin Xun indeed stopped.

He turned over and stood by the bedside, looking down with his eyes cast low, unsure of what he was thinking.

After a long moment, he pulled a small bottle out of his pocket, snapped open the top, threw his head back to pour the contents into his mouth, and then leaned down to hold Li You’s head, transferring half of it into his mouth.

Li You was choked into a fit of coughing, instantly becoming much more awake.

“What are you doing…” Li You asked haltingly while coughing, his words weak and powerless. He wanted to ask what Lin Xun had fed him; it was bitter and astringent, until a strange sensation rapidly surged from within his body: intense, hot, urgent, and fierce.

Lin Xun raised his eyes, staring directly at Li You, and said, “Fucking you.”

Li You was stunned.

Lin Xun patted Li You’s face again, delivering an unfeeling sentence: “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you enjoy it.”

His features were cold and stern as he undid his tie in a few quick movements and bound Li You’s wrists several times.

The suit jacket and shirt were cast aside, scattered loosely across the floor around the large bed.

“Sister-in-law?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Lin Xun’s expression was indifferent, utterly disdainful of that argument.

He forcibly pinched Li You’s chin, compelling that moist, red tongue to reveal itself to him. The Alpha extended his fingers to rub firmly against the root of the tongue, probing and pushing inward.

“Don’t try to appeal to my conscience,” Lin Xun pushed Li You to the point of dry-heaving repeatedly, yet he still refused to let him off. Far from stopping, his movements grew even heavier as he warned in a deep voice: “Because I have no morality.”

Just as Lin Xun had thought, Li You was a complete crybaby; if he was fucked too deeply, his tears would flow endlessly.

Thus, out of a wicked sense of amusement, Lin Xun brought him to tears for the Nth time.

Admiring Li You’s tear-stained face from above, he asked like a beast, “Li You, are you made of water?”

Li You ignored him, but the intense heat inside his body was truly difficult to quell. Physical craving and pleasure wrestled with psychological guilt and shame, tormenting him continuously; Li You even spaced out for a few seconds.

Now, he was going to become the same kind of person as Lin Zhaoning.

Even worse than Lin Zhaoning.

He had actually gotten involved with his husband’s younger brother, his own brother-in-law.

This was a disgraceful thing.

Lin Xun patted Li You’s buttocks and commanded in a hoarse voice, “Kneel properly.”

“Hold back your tears. If you cry them all out now, what will we do when you get dry later?”

Lin Xun always managed to say things with a serious face that made Li You want to die of embarrassment.

Lin Xun also liked to watch.

Li You struggled to prevent him from watching, which only displeased the Alpha again.

“Allowed to enter but not allowed to look? What kind of bad habit is that?”

“Li You, you are really hard to please.”

This was the last interrogation and accusation Li You heard before passing out.