He Hates Me, He Loves Me Not

"Bye-bye!"

Tiny hands wave at Kaiden, although some do so reluctantly. One child clings to his leg while another stands by the doorway, silently watching as he waves goodbye. The pregnant Omega gives his best smile, used to their farewell routine by now.

It takes a couple more minutes of coaxing before all the parents pick up their children. Some gentle praises for being strong while mommy or daddy was away and promises to come back tomorrow always do the trick.

Today, however, no one cries at being separated from the 'sweet-smelling older brother,' innocent creatures lured by the words 'barbeque' and 'party.'

When the room is empty, only then does Kaiden drop his hands. He unconsciously rests it on his stomach as an older Beta woman in her late 30s, Hani, approaches him with a smile.

"Good job today as well, Kaiden," she says to the pregnant Omega. "You don't have to help us if you're feeling tired.."

Kaiden returns her kind gesture with a smile of his own. "I'm okay," he says, "and besides, I like playing with the kids."

"If you ask me"—another kindergarten teacher, Patricia, interrupts from the side—"I think that the kids love playing with you more. They always kick up a fuss when it's time to leave."

"It's his scent," Hani explains, showing off why she's the most knowledgeable among everyone in the room. "The pheromones of a pregnant Omega are calming to everyone, especially kids."

Then, she turns to everyone and asks, "Haven't you felt more relaxed since he started dropping by?"

Kaiden feels some heat creeping up his cheeks when everyone nods, although he doesn't know why he's feeling shy.

"So you should be thankful for him. He comes here in his free time to help even if he doesn't have to."

Kaiden feels even shyer when the others start thanking him. There's no selfless reason why he helps around the kindergarten. He's simply bored most of the time and taking care of the kids is like practice for him.

After all, Lucy mercilessly shot down the idea of using his pheromones as a relaxing agent for uncontrollable patients the moment it was first proposed.

"It's too dangerous," Lucy said, her tone leaving no room for arguments. "Who will take responsibility if something happens to him?"

When no one could provide a good answer, it was never brought up again after that. Until now, no one dares to push it, frightened of Lucy glaring at them.

Kaiden doesn't know this, but even without Lucy declining it on his behalf, there is no way Director Kim will ever agree to the proposition. The director may even fire those who suggested such a preposterous idea in the first place.

Still, thinking about Lucy makes him miss the Beta. Even though only a day has passed since she left, Kaiden is starting to feel anxious knowing that she's not near.

Will he be okay going to the doctor today without her? She's been there since the first time he went for an ultrasound. What if not having her around causes something bad to hap—?

A call to his name brings Kaiden back to the present.

He doesn't know how long he's been zoning out, but when he blinks the trance out of his eyes, he sees Olivia standing in front of him with a worried expression on her face.

"Sorry," he says with a small smile, apologizing for not catching anything she said except for her last words. "What were you saying?"

"It's okay," Olivia says, and then her hazel eyes look everywhere but him.

Kaiden patiently waits as Olivia tries to speak her mind. The other kindergarten teachers have given them space to talk as well.

After about five minutes of hesitating, the teenager finally asks, "Can I go along with you?"

At first, Kaiden is taken aback, uncertain of what she's talking about, but when he remembers that there's a barbeque party happening in a few minutes, he thinks that Olivia is asking them to go together.

"Oh!" Then, he says with an apologetic tone, "I can't go to the party."

"I know," Olivia replies without missing a beat. "You have a check-up today, right?"

Kaiden is, once more, taken aback.

Before he can ask how she knows, Olivia interrupts him with, "Can I come with you?"

Kaiden wants to say that there's no need for her to accompany him but Olivia's nervousness has already taken over.

There's no stopping it when she begins to ramble, fidgeting while saying:

"I still feel bad about the book incident last time. I made the kids cry by leaving the book here. It's insensitive of me when most of them just lost a parent. I already apologized to the other teachers, so hopefully, I can make it up to you as well. But it's okay if you don't want to. No pressure though. I guess anyone would be uncomfortable if a stranger suddenly asks to—"

"Sure." The words leave his mouth before he knows what to say.

Olivia's expression lights up upon hearing him accept her request, her anxious laughter ceasing immediately.

"Don't worry! I have experience," she says with a bright smile.

Experience with what? Being pregnant? Is it possible for Kaiden to be puzzled even more?

The confusion must have been showing on his face because the corner of Olivia's smile lowers a bit as she explains, "I mean, I have experience going to a check-up. No! Not me! I mean, my wife—No!"

Olivia groans, hiding her embarrassed face behind her hands.

Kaiden can't help but laugh at seeing the teenager so flustered.

It's cute, he thinks. A girl of her age should be enjoying her youth like this, instead of volunteering at a hospital on some island.

When Olivia gets past her mortification, she tries explaining again, "I used to accompany my older brother's wife when she was pregnant."

"Okay," Kaiden says in between chuckles, "I'll trust you then."

"Just leave it to me!" Olivia says with a thumb pointed at her chest.

"Thank you," is all Kaiden says before they begin heading towards their destination.

Just by having another person by his side, even if said person is a sixteen-year-old, Kaiden feels less anxious about his upcoming appointment.

It's not inaccurate to say that after he's been through, he's debilitated at the thought of being alone again.

--

Adam regrets agreeing to this.

He should have just stayed in the office instead of following President Lin to this island. At least, within the company walls, he never has to hear about how the president's former lover drugged him with an illegal substance.

Adam keeps his eyes on the laptop screen as Damon yells at his phone. He tries not to, but from where he's sitting, he can see the top part—'VALENTINO Inc.' written in big, bold letters, peeking from a familiar-looking envelope. There are more papers and what appears to be a photograph, but it's hidden underneath the bank statements and balance sheets.

Although he has done nothing wrong, just knowing that it's the same envelope he handed Damon once they arrived makes Adam feel as if he's the one who pulled the trigger.

"Is this real?" Damon asks for the fifth time.

The Alpha isn't even trying to hide the conversation he's having, leaving Adam concerned whether he should be hearing this or not.

As Adam silently breathes through his mouth, lest he becomes affected by Damon's rage-fuelled pheromones, the Alpha suddenly sinks to the bed.

With one hand on the phone and the other cradling his forehead, he whispers, "So that's why."

Adam truly, positively, regrets being here. He doesn't want to see his boss crumble like this, not just because it's above his pay grade, but because he doesn't think anyone deserves to know they've been betrayed by their lover like this.

He knows that Damon and Heath have been together for a long time. Heck, anyone who is mildly interested in corporate gossip knows this as well.

"No," Damon says. "You're right. There's not enough evidence."

Adam is openly staring now, boring a hole into his boss's back. If he heard it right, it seems that Damon is refusing to send his former lover to jail—or he can't. Either way, the only son of the Valentino family is saved from legal persecution for now.

"Keep an eye on them. There must be someone behind this." Damon's tone is even, unlike the outburst he had moments prior. "What is Dylan doing?"

Before Adam can eavesdrop on the answer, a knock on the door takes both of them by surprise.

Adam opens the door for a Beta woman in a scrub. Although the nurse frowns upon smelling the pheromones in Damon's room, she doesn't comment on it. Instead, she says, "Your room is ready whenever you are, Mr. Lin."

Damon nods to show that he understands, but he doesn't say any more than that. The nurse leaves them after making sure that everything is alright.

They silently pack the rest of Damon's belongings, the two of them stewing in the knowledge that the Valentino family's days are numbered.