Reborn as the Heartless Alpha - Chapter 22

If it weren’t for the fact that Song Yi’s smile reached her eyes clear and genuine Zhou Zhou would have thought she was being verbally harassed and teased.

Song Yi’s gaze lingered on Zhou Zhou’s face for only a moment before she turned back to the wardrobe, silently calculating that the number of dresses should be enough for Zhou Zhou’s summer. Adding more might only trigger Zhou Zhou’s inner fears and unnecessary suspicion.

But to put Zhou Zhou at ease, she added, “These are all part of the butler’s benefits. You’re free to use anything in this room.”

Zhou Zhou could only nod in response. It was the first time she’d learned that such a wonderful job existed in the world.

Not hearing a reply, Song Yi glanced over and saw Zhou Zhou nodding. She lightly brushed her nose, suddenly realizing she might come across like one of those unscrupulous companies that dangle extravagant promises to lure people in, something that might scare Zhou Zhou.

Just as she was considering how to rephrase her words, Zhou Zhou spoke up.

“Miss Song, did you come to give me work instructions?”

Song Yi instantly snapped back into the mindset of her pre-transmigration corporate boss persona, her expression turning serious and professional.

“Nothing major. Villa butlers typically have their own network of contacts. I just had Butler Zhang compile a list of all the suppliers and service providers previously associated with this villa.”

She pulled out a sleek, deep-black smartphone from her pocket and handed it directly to Zhou Zhou. “All the information you’ll need for work should be in here. There’s no password set yet you can configure it yourself.”

Zhou Zhou hesitated, but now, with Miss Song handing her this phone, it felt like she was being handed a reliable team. The weight on her shoulders seemed to lighten instantly.

Song Yi opened the meticulously organized contacts to show her. “This is for housekeeping, this is for nannies, this is for repairs.”

Zhou Zhou’s eyes darted over the overwhelming list, categories so thorough they covered nearly every aspect of life, each with backup options in case the first choice was unavailable.

Suddenly, Song Yi coughed twice and quickly pulled the phone back.

Zhou Zhou was puzzled but didn’t dare ask, waiting quietly instead.

At that moment, Song Yi felt a pang of guilt. She swiftly deleted two folders labeled “Booked” and “Pending,” double-checking to ensure nothing inappropriate remained before showing Zhou Zhou again.

She had nearly forgotten as the original scumbag Alpha’s villa butler, the job scope had included sourcing entertainment for her, conducting preliminary screenings, and then arranging appointments if they met the original owner’s standards.

It was even more absurd than an emperor selecting concubines in ancient times.

Thankfully, she’d deleted them in time. Zhou Zhou probably hadn’t seen, right?

Once certain everything was clean, Song Yi continued her explanation. Standing half a head taller, she instinctively leaned down, holding the phone at a comfortable height for Zhou Zhou to see. Zhou Zhou focused intently, but Song Yi suddenly spaced out.

For no particular reason, she caught another whiff of that faint, sweet cherry scent and swallowed hard.

Her gaze involuntarily shifted from the phone screen to the nape of Zhou Zhou’s neck, hidden beneath her long black hair, where the refreshing cherry fragrance seemed to emanate from.

Song Yi’s mind grew hazy, her vision blurring slightly. An unusual restlessness churned inside her, her body temperature rising rapidly.

This feeling was truly unsettling. Song Yi clenched her phone tightly, her finger pressing the power button until the screen went black. Zhou Zhou, who had been intently reading the information she needed to understand, turned her head in confusion. Suddenly, a weight descended on her shoulder, accompanied by rough, heavy breaths that pierced through her hair and pressed against the sensitive nape of her neck, an omega’s vulnerable spot.

Zhou Zhou felt her scalp tingle as an overpowering scent of red wine enveloped her. She froze, torn between tension and fear, and instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.

Song Yi still clung to a shred of rationality. With great restraint, she lifted her head from Zhou Zhou’s shoulder and neck, using her fingers to brush aside the long hair obscuring the omega’s fair skin and the alluring scent gland beneath.

Through her hazy vision, she noticed the gland’s scent patch had peeled slightly, no longer sealing tightly, allowing pheromones to leak out.

Swallowing hard, Song Yi trembled as her fingers lightly traced the edges of the omega’s delicate gland before carefully smoothing the patch back into place.

Gradually, Zhou Zhou felt her body regain mobility. Though she sensed danger in Song Yi’s current state, she didn’t immediately pull away. Instead, she asked with concern, “Miss Song, are you alright?”

Song Yi opened her eyes, and Zhou Zhou flinched backward in fright.

The woman before her seemed like a completely different person. The once clear, dark eyes were now bloodshot, brimming with a violent, insatiable hunger.

Seeing Zhou Zhou’s alarm, Song Yi regained some semblance of control. Suppressing the turmoil within, she shoved her slightly fogged-up phone into Zhou Zhou’s hands and muttered, “Lock the door,” before bolting out of the room.

Disheveled, Song Yi fled back to her own room, locked the door, and immediately rushed to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face, hoping to clear her mind.

What had just happened to her?

Leaning against the pristine sink, Song Yi lifted her gaze to the mirror. The reflection staring back bore her face, but the eyes especially the expression were entirely foreign.

It was the original scumbag alpha. The remnants of the original owner’s influence were still there.

Panic surged through her. Part of the original owner’s soul still lingered within her body, fighting for control.

Song Yi stood before the mirror for a long time, watching as the bloodshot streaks in her eyes slowly faded. Only then did she exhale slowly.

This time, she had won. But what if the original scumbag alpha resurfaced again?

If she failed to suppress it, the plot would revert to its original course, the scumbag alpha would claim Zhou Zhou completely.

The mere thought of the novel’s original storyline sent a cold sweat down Song Yi’s back.

After calming herself, she left the bathroom, retrieved a couple of suppressants, and without hesitation, injected herself twice. Tiny red dots formed on her skin, droplets of blood seeping out and spreading. She didn’t bother reaching for a cotton swab to stop the bleeding. Instead, she urgently grabbed her phone and dialed Ding Chen’s number.

Ding Chen, who had been preparing for bed, sat up at the sound of her ringtone. Glancing at the caller ID Song Yi she answered with practiced indifference. By now, she was used to this.

Undoubtedly, this pleasure-seeking, consequence-ignoring alpha had gotten herself into another mess.

“Miss Song, do you need me to come over now?” Ding Chen stood, already packing her medical kit in preparation for a house call to Song Yi’s villa.

The question caught Song Yi off guard. After a pause, she replied, “No. I just have a question for you, Dr. Ding.”

“Alright.” Ding Chen responded, somewhat surprised that this time she wasn’t being summoned for an in-person treatment. She was even more curious about what question her wealthy employer wanted to ask so late at night.

“Tonight, I suddenly felt extremely restless and agitated inside. It took two suppressants to calm me down. Dr. Ding, what’s wrong with me?” Song Yi omitted the part where she nearly forced herself on Zhou Zhou like a beast.

Ding Chen fell silent. This situation was somewhat unexpected.

“Dr. Ding?”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Ding Chen apologized and continued professionally, “Is there an omega with you right now?”

“Yes, Zhou Zhou is still here,” Song Yi answered truthfully.

Ding Chen was even more puzzled. If there was an omega right beside Song Yi, why would she be experiencing such distress?

“Dr. Ding, what exactly is wrong with me? Is there any way to get rid of this state?” Song Yi’s voice was impatient, her mind in turmoil.

Ding Chen didn’t rush to a conclusion. She pulled out the detailed records she had previously compiled on Song Yi’s condition and finally deduced that Song Yi’s symptoms were unmistakably signs of an impending rut.

Holding the open file in her hand, she stood gazing at the scattered lights outside the window. “It’s nothing serious, Ms. Song. No need to worry. You’re likely experiencing a disrupted rut cycle, it’s come early.”

“A rut?”

Song Yi’s mind blanked for three seconds before she remembered what a rut was. Omegas had heats, and alphas had ruts. No wonder she had been on the verge of losing control, almost allowing the original scumbag alpha to take advantage.

“According to your previous data, this rut has arrived seven days early. You!” Ding Chen seemed to hesitate, clearing her throat lightly to cover it up. “Ms. Song, you may have been indulging too much recently.”

Actually, a disrupted rut cycle could stem from two possibilities: excessive indulgence or extreme abstinence. Given Song Yi’s past behavior, Ding Chen naturally assumed it was the former.

This time, it was Song Yi who fell silent, staring blankly at the half-dried beads of blood on her arm.

So, did she really have those unspeakable thoughts about Zhou Zhou?

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