The Five Heartless Scumbag Alphas Turned Against Each Other Because Of Me - Chapter 45

Zheng Jinyu spoke each word slowly and clearly, her voice firm and resolute—like she had rehearsed this answer countless times in her mind.

Tan Hua stared at her in stunned disbelief. “…?”

Seriously? They were in the middle of a meal—did she really have to bring up something so completely unappetizing? Tan Hua’s desire to eat vanished in an instant. She sat motionless for a moment, then finally set down her chopsticks.

“President Zheng, if you’re going to keep this up, then let’s just end things here today.”

She made a move to stand, reaching for her bag, but Zheng Jinyu immediately tensed. A flicker of panic flashed across her eyes as she rose to her feet, voice tight with urgency.
“I’m sorry.”

On instinct, Zheng Jinyu reached out to stop Tan Hua, her voice laced with a vulnerability and pleading she didn’t even realize was there.
“I won’t say anything more. Let’s just eat, okay?”

“I apologize for what I said earlier. I’m sorry.”

The woman who had always been so powerful in public now looked utterly humbled. Tan Hua met her nervous gaze and confused expression, and for a brief moment, her feelings became complicated.

They stared at each other in silence. Then, under Zheng Jinyu’s tense and slightly aggrieved eyes, Tan Hua sighed silently to herself and slowly sat back down.

Seeing the Omega return to her seat, Zheng Jinyu quietly let out a breath of relief. She followed suit, and when she spoke again, her tone had softened with a hint of flattery.
“Hua Hua, try this one. You used to love this dish, didn’t you?”

Tan Hua glanced sideways at her, eyes cool.
“That was in the past.”

She added, “I don’t like it anymore, President Zheng.”

A moment of silence settled between them. A faint bitterness tugged at the corner of Zheng Jinyu’s lips. It felt as though Tan Hua was constantly reminding her that things were no longer the same.

The deeper Tan Hua’s love had once been, the more indifferent she seemed now.

The sincerity and warmth once wrapped around her Omega’s feelings had faded like light retreating from a darkened sky. To Tan Hua, Zheng Jinyu was now just like that once-beloved dish—something from long ago, now tasteless and unappealing.

Though she felt a quiet sadness, Zheng Jinyu still forced a gentle smile.
“Then what would you like to eat? I’ll have Auntie make it for you right away—”

“No need.” Tan Hua cut in, more exasperated than anything. “It’s already wasteful enough. A whole table of food barely touched, and you want to change it all out? That’s just throwing away the hard work of the farmers who grew it.”

She rejected the offer without hesitation.
“I’ll make do. It’s just food—to fill the stomach, nothing more.”

Tan Hua had never been picky when it came to meals. And truthfully, it wasn’t that she couldn’t eat anything—she just didn’t like the particular dish Zheng Jinyu had tried to offer as a gesture of goodwill. The rest of the food was… acceptable.

She hadn’t meant anything by it—but those casual words, falling into Zheng Jinyu’s ears, took on an entirely different meaning.

Zheng Jinyu’s almond-shaped eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, lingered on Tan Hua with a wounded expression. Then she lowered her gaze, concealing the fragility behind her lashes.

She wanted to say something—to clarify the misunderstanding between them—but recalling Tan Hua’s obvious unwillingness to listen, she could only swallow her words in resignation.

If she annoyed the Omega again, she might really walk out of here without a backward glance—walk out of her life completely.

A wave of sorrow rose in Zheng Jinyu’s chest. Unconsciously, her mind drifted back to the sweetness of their past, when love had flowed freely between them. Now, it felt like a bottle of spices had been knocked over in her heart—bitter, sour, and messy all at once.

She couldn’t understand it. How could someone who had once loved her so deeply now act as if all that love had never existed?

Had Tan Hua really forgotten her so quickly? Was there truly not a flicker of emotion left—even when they were sitting across from each other like this?

There was something heartbreakingly vulnerable in the woman’s lost and hurt gaze. Tan Hua, with her head down, focused all her attention on eating—as if afraid that if she even looked up, her fleeting sympathy might get the better of her and she’d end up comforting Zheng Jinyu… right into bed.

This was, without a doubt, the most difficult and least indulgent meal of Tan Hua’s entire life.

She clung to reason, silently chanting to herself: Do not throw away an entire vibrant forest just for one stunning Zheng Jinyu.

A single misstep could become a lifelong regret. You must endure. Endure!

Tan Hua had never felt so tormented. The woman’s stunning face, helpless eyes, and the heady, seductive pheromones she exuded made Tan Hua feel like she was trapped in a hellish frying pan—weak, sweating, and desperate.

By the end of the meal, Tan Hua’s cheeks were flushed, and she was dripping with sweat.

The Omega’s fair skin glowed with a faint pink hue, likely from the heat. Her dark hair cascaded like a waterfall over her slender shoulders, and the delicate beads of sweat on her nose and brow only made her look more alluring.

Zheng Jinyu’s gaze was intense and unflinching, burning into Tan Hua like a wolf stalking its prey.

Tan Hua’s hand trembled slightly as she held her chopsticks. She couldn’t take it anymore. Setting them down quickly, she said,
“I’m done eating.”

Forcing a bright smile, she added,
“Thanks for the meal. If there’s a chance, next time I’ll treat you.”

Zheng Jinyu snapped back to reality, but the disappointment in her face was still obvious. Her eyes moved slightly, and the gentle wrinkle between her brows made it difficult for anyone to say no to her.

“Stay and rest a bit before you go,” she said. “I even prepared some of your favorite snacks.”

Tan Hua was tempted, of course. But her virtue was clearly more important.

She hesitated, then politely refused,
“I really can’t today, President Zheng. I promised a high school student I’d help her with her homework tonight.”

Without missing a beat, she threw Wen Chuan under the bus as an excuse. Then she checked the time dramatically and stood up in a rush.
“Oh no, I’m going to be late!”

Zheng Jinyu didn’t want to let the Omega leave so easily. She stood up to follow.
“I’ll give you a ride—”

Before she could finish, Tan Hua interrupted firmly,
“No need, President Zheng. I know how busy you are.”

She turned back with a cheerful smile,
“I’ll just take a cab, really. No need to waste your valuable time.”

Zheng Jinyu’s eyes darkened, her gaze fixed on Tan Hua with an intensity that suggested she might pounce at any moment. Under the Alpha’s heated stare, Tan Hua felt a chill run down her spine. She quickly changed her shoes, grabbed her bag, and reached for the door, desperate to escape.

But no matter how hard she tried, the doorknob wouldn’t budge.

Tan Hua froze, a chill racing up her spine. Every hair on her body stood on end.

She slowly turned her head, confusion and disbelief in her eyes.
“…?”
What’s going on? Did you lock the door?

Zheng Jinyu met her gaze and smiled softly.
“I told you—you should rest a bit before leaving.”

Her voice remained gentle, but there was a subtle pressure behind it.
“Or do strangers now matter more to you than I do?”

Well… not exactly.

“You’re just my sister—do you know how scary you’re being right now?”

Tan Hua felt her heart lurch violently in her chest. She pressed her lips together and frantically called out to the system in her mind:
“What’s going on? Did Zheng Jinyu take the wrong meds today or something? Why is she suddenly acting like she’s lost her mind?”

This was pushing her psychological endurance to its absolute limit!

Even the system was stunned. It racked its metaphorical brain but couldn’t figure out how a normal dinner had escalated into this chaotic mess.
“Host, don’t panic! Stay calm—I’m going to investigate right now.”

Tan Hua: “??”
Hey! By the time you figure it out, I might be eaten alive—bones and all—by Zheng Jinyu!

Tan Hua was fuming. She hated herself for having been so easily swayed by Zheng Jinyu’s beauty. Hated herself even more for being seduced by one fancy office building and stupidly following her home like a puppy.

Now, with her back pressed stiffly against the door, she tried her best to create some distance between them.

Zheng Jinyu watched her pressed against the door like she was trying to merge with it, and couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.
“What are you so afraid of?” she asked softly, bending slightly to move closer. “Didn’t you used to want to be near me all the time?”

Her expression was sincere, almost innocent—but Tan Hua felt a chill run down her spine.

“Hua Hua,” Zheng Jinyu murmured, gently cupping her cheek, “didn’t you use to love me the most?”

“No matter how busy I was—or wasn’t—you always wanted to be near me. You stuck to me like glue, even when I tried to push you away, you refused to leave. So why now? Why have you changed?”

Changed so much that she felt like a completely different person—like a stranger.

There was still a trace of pain in Zheng Jinyu’s gaze, but at this moment, Tan Hua no longer dared to feel any trace of pity.

This woman—so good at using her charms, so skilled at luring in her prey—was the kind of hunter Tan Hua knew better than to sympathize with.

“I haven’t changed,” Tan Hua forced out through gritted teeth.
“I still like you the same as before—whether you’re busy or not, I still want to be close to you, always.”

Zheng Jinyu’s expression froze slightly, a flicker of confusion surfacing in her eyes.

“But now,” Tan Hua added, eyes flashing with sudden boldness,
“you’re just not the only one I like anymore.”

“After you asked for a divorce, after I left you and re-entered society—I realized something.” Her tone grew stronger. “I realized the world is full of flawless, incredible Alphas.”

“I realized… my world doesn’t have to revolve around just you.”

“I don’t have to stay home every day, staring at the door, waiting for you to come back like I used to. I don’t have to feel gutted every time I see news about you and Yan Yan on a business trip together. I don’t have to be anxious and insecure anymore just because I don’t get a message from you.”

“I expanded my world. I widened my social circle. You’re still part of it—I still care about you—but that’s never changed.”

I still care about you.
Just not only you.

Such a ruthless confession. It pierced Zheng Jinyu’s heart with a quiet, unbearable ache—and a fire of jealousy so intense it nearly drove her mad.

She locked eyes with Tan Hua, her stare dark and unreadable—like a venomous beauty of a serpent, coiled and ready to strike.

Because Zheng Jinyu didn’t respond, the two of them remained locked in silent standoff. Tan Hua couldn’t open the door and quickly realized that without Zheng Jinyu’s permission, she wasn’t going anywhere tonight.

So—fine. She resigned herself to the situation.

At worst, this is just a small personal sacrifice for the sake of the mission, she told herself.

No big deal. I’m not really losing anything anyway.

Her expression soon shifted into one of casual ease. She even began glancing around the room with mild interest, admiring the decor. The warm light at the entryway lit up Zheng Jinyu’s dark pupils, reflecting a swirl of tangled emotion.

“Then tell me,” Zheng Jinyu finally asked hoarsely, “who do you care about the most now?”

Even though she already knew Tan Hua wouldn’t give her a straight answer, she still couldn’t help herself. She needed to hear it, even if it hurt. Like someone who refused to give up until she hit rock bottom.

Tan Hua didn’t miss the flicker of hope in her eyes. After a brief pause, she replied with nonchalance,
“Still you, of course.”

After all, you just promised to give me an office building.

The answer Zheng Jinyu had been dreaming of came so abruptly that she froze, unable to react. It took her a long moment to snap out of it. Even though a part of her knew Tan Hua might just be humoring her, lying even—she couldn’t stop herself from feeling happy.

“Really?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Of course,” Tan Hua replied, looking her right in the eye with exaggerated sincerity.
“We’ve been fake-married for so long. Obviously, no one else could ever replace you in my heart.”

“All those other people—they were just for fun. You’re the only woman I’ll never forget in this lifetime.”

Such seemingly affectionate words—but Zheng Jinyu could hear the underlying sarcasm threaded through every syllable.

Her lashes trembled as they lowered all at once. Tan Hua’s pointed, mocking tone left her momentarily speechless.

“Do you really have to talk to me like this?” Zheng Jinyu asked softly, her voice tinged with hurt. “Do you have to show me every sharp, heartless side of yourself?”

Tan Hua glanced around, blinking innocently.
“You’re too sensitive, Zheng Jinyu,” she said, deliberately using her full name. “I didn’t mean it that way. Don’t overthink it.”

Those words… that tone… they were painfully familiar. Wasn’t this exactly how Zheng Jinyu used to dismiss her feelings?

Zheng Jinyu felt like her heart had been plunged into an ice bath. She stared at Tan Hua—watched the smile freeze awkwardly on her face, watched her lips tighten unnaturally, the earlier arrogance fading by the second.

“Hua Hua,” she said, her voice as gentle as coaxing a child, “I really want to change. I want to start over with you.”

“I mean it—I want to make things right.”

“Look, I even prepared a gift for you today.” As she spoke, she tried to take Tan Hua’s hand and lead her into the bedroom. Tan Hua resisted twice, but couldn’t break free, and finally let herself be pulled along.

The room had been carefully decorated. Pink balloons, glittering streamers, romantic white candles—it all glowed dreamily under the dazzling lights, surreal and almost illusionary.

“I remember you used to love things like this,” Zheng Jinyu said, eager for praise. “I bought it all back for you. I even decorated the room just the way you liked it—the bedding, the colors, everything you used to love.”

She looked for all the world like a new bride preparing their wedding night.

Tan Hua looked around blankly, devoid of any emotion.
What a shame, she thought.

She blinked slowly and interrupted Zheng Jinyu’s excited monologue,
“I don’t like these things anymore, Zheng Jinyu.”

Time and again, she prodded at the edge of Zheng Jinyu’s emotional breaking point.

“That was the version of Tan Hua who was married to you. I’m the version who’s already divorced you—and I don’t like those things anymore.”

Zheng Jinyu’s smile froze on her lips. Her gaze sharpened, tinged with danger.

But Tan Hua met it head-on, utterly fearless. There wasn’t a trace of fear on her face—if anything, there was a bit of smug arrogance, like she was daring Zheng Jinyu to act.

She was pushing, provoking—trying to peel away the last layer of Zheng Jinyu’s calm to expose her raw, truest self.

And just when she thought it was finally working—that the Alpha would snap—

Zheng Jinyu smiled.

Soft. Sweet. And chilling to the bone.

“Then what kind of style do you like now?” she asked gently.

“I’ll buy it all for you.”

Her voice was so tender it sent shivers crawling down Tan Hua’s spine. Her heart skipped a beat—and her nerves suddenly stretched taut, like a bowstring pulled to its limit.

Facing Zheng Jinyu’s gaze, Tan Hua tilted her head slightly.
“All black,” she said with a sweet smile. “I like pure black now—something with no impurities.”

Black… That word immediately sent Zheng Jinyu’s thoughts spiraling.

Her expression slowly darkened. Whatever trace of a smile had lingered on her face completely vanished.

Tan Hua raised an eyebrow at her, clearly stirring the pot on purpose. The system, having just returned with its findings, was instantly terrified.
“Host! Are you seriously still provoking her at a time like this? Do you have a death wish?!”

Even an Alpha as gentle as Zheng Jinyu was about to be driven to the brink—and the system was truly shaken.

It didn’t understand how its host had gone from normal to this sharp-tongued and unrelenting. But as it stared at the emotional stat bar flickering wildly on Zheng Jinyu’s panel, the system suddenly hesitated.

If it stepped in, it might interrupt Tan Hua’s strategy.

If it didn’t… things might spiral out of control, and the whole plan could collapse.

Torn, the system looked back and forth between Zheng Jinyu and its host. Then, gritting its metaphorical teeth, it decided to let Tan Hua take the gamble.

Who knows—it might actually work.

Tan Hua flinched as the system zapped her lightly in frustration.
“? We’ll talk later, after I survive this.”

“Alright,” Zheng Jinyu finally spoke, her tone flat, eyes devoid of warmth.
“I’ll buy it for you. Which kind do you prefer?”

She turned, seemingly out of nowhere producing an iPad and handing it to Tan Hua.
“Let’s pick one together.”

Tan Hua blinked.
“?”

This indulgent tone… it was sounding more and more like a doting wife appeasing her pampered husband.

As Zheng Jinyu graciously invited her to browse, Tan Hua involuntarily shivered.
“This is… intense,” she whispered to the system.
“I didn’t realize Zheng Jinyu had so many hidden sides behind that gentle mask.”

“This is thrilling!”

System: Are you okay? You’re in a life-threatening situation and you’re admiring her emotional range?

Tan Hua accepted the iPad and smiled.
“Sure.”

She walked over to the couch and sat down, completely ignoring Zheng Jinyu’s reaction. The Alpha’s eyes followed her every move, unreadable and unfathomable.

A few seconds later, Zheng Jinyu left the room, only to return shortly carrying a tray of drinks.
“I wasn’t sure what you like these days,” she said calmly, “so I prepared a few options.”

Clearly, she was being cautious—not wanting Tan Hua to start throwing “that was the old me” in her face again. Zheng Jinyu had learned.

Tan Hua blinked in surprise, then casually picked a green one. Zheng Jinyu’s eye twitched, but she kept herself from overthinking what that might symbolize.

“Does it taste good?” she asked, watching as Tan Hua took a couple sips.

“It’s okay. A bit bitter.” Tan Hua smiled faintly, then added a jab just for good measure:
“Like my life.”

Zheng Jinyu fell silent once again. These sharp, unpredictable remarks always caught her off guard, leaving her speechless.

Knowing she had no solid defense, Zheng Jinyu wisely let the comment slide.
Instead, she said softly,
“Hua Hua, would you give me another chance?”

Zheng Jinyu just wouldn’t let that question go. Tan Hua frowned.
“I don’t get it,” she said. And as the air between them turned tight with suspense, she continued,
“We’re already divorced. Why do you still insist on acting like you’re madly in love with me?”

“Is it because you didn’t torment me enough last time? Are you trying to lure me back into your trap again?”

“Don’t give me that ‘I only realized your worth after the divorce’ speech. I don’t buy it.”

She leaned forward slightly, tapping Zheng Jinyu’s chest with a single finger.

“Zheng Jinyu, you never really loved me. All this clinging to me now? It’s just bitterness. You’re jealous I left you and ended up thriving. That I’m living freely, instead of being miserable and pitiful like you expected. You thought I wouldn’t survive without you.”

“When we were together, you didn’t love me. So why pretend now?”

Her tone turned mocking:
“Keep acting like this, and even you might start believing it.”

Every word out of her mouth was like a blade, sharp and merciless—cutting straight into Zheng Jinyu’s heart. All her efforts, her hope, her gestures of kindness were torn to shreds.

Zheng Jinyu’s face turned pale. Her jet-black eyes swirled with a silent, dangerous storm.

“Tan Hua.” Her voice rang out, serious and heavy—it was the most solemn she’d ever said her name.

Tan Hua was unmoved. She even smiled triumphantly, as if daring her to do something.

“What will it take for you to believe me?” Zheng Jinyu asked, calm and unshaken.

Tan Hua looked at her and replied, slow and emotionless,
“I will never believe you.”

Zheng Jinyu let out a soft laugh and suddenly snatched the iPad from Tan Hua’s hands. She tapped the screen rapidly. Moments later, a gentle piano melody began playing.

Tan Hua blinked, stunned.

We’re fighting like this and you… have time to play background music?

But when the iPad landed back in her lap, she looked down—and froze.

There it was: her own face from an unflattering angle, double chin and all… and beside her, a sudden flash of a young, unfamiliar, yet stunningly beautiful woman.

Tan Hua’s eyes widened.
“???”

Who—?
She looked familiar…

Wait—wasn’t that… the female lead?!

Tan Hua: Overwhelmed. Faints on the spot. Only a kiss from a pretty sister can bring her back.

A certain lovestruck fool: (Raises hand excitedly) “I volunteer!”

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