Yulan sat stiffly in her sleek black sedan, her manicured nails tapping impatiently against her designer clutch. The scent of Avery's office still clung to her clothes. Not the sterile cologne he usually wore, but something softer, almost intoxicating. Sweet. Peach and vanilla.
"He's seeing someone."
Her suspicions ignited like a fuse.
She pulled out her phone and dialed a number she rarely used. A deep, gravelly voice answered after a few rings.
"Madam Yulan."
"I need eyes on Avery Cheng," she said, her voice cool and commanding. "Close eyes. I want to know where he goes, who he talks to, who's around him. Everything."
There was a pause. "Understood."
Yulan hung up and stared blankly through the windshield. Her pulse ticked behind her ears.
This wasn't just about pride or lust anymore. It was business and personal. She had tried to secure a stake in the Cheng Corporation more than once. Backdoor negotiations, internal lobbying, even blackmail. Nothing had worked. But marriage? That was foolproof. It would give her automatic shares, legitimacy, and power. Avery was the only male heir; marrying him was her fastest route in.
Besides, he was attractive, wealthy, and emotionally distant. Just the way she liked her men: cold enough to ignore her when she wanted space, hot enough to entertain her when she was bored. But he was proving harder to break than she thought.
He hadn't even looked at her the way men usually did.
The fact that she couldn't seduce him was insulting.
He's either gay, taken… or stupid.
But the scent, that Omega's scent lingering on his collar proved it wasn't stupidity.
Yulan clenched her jaw. "I'll find out who you are," she muttered. "And then I'll deal with you."
---
That evening, the sun dipped behind tall buildings as Avery's car pulled into the garage. He stepped out, loosened his tie, and inhaled deeply.
Peach and vanilla.
It was faint in the air, like a memory calling him home.
He walked inside and was instantly hit with another wave of rich, mouthwatering aroma. Not just pheromones this time it was food. The scent of garlic butter, rosemary, and something smokey. His stomach growled.
In the kitchen, Noël stood by the stove, plating a gorgeous dish of garlic butter Wagyu steak with truffle mashed potatoes and balsamic-glazed vegetables. The kitchen lights glowed warmly around him, illuminating his soft features and messy fringe. He was humming to himself, barefoot, and wearing one of Avery's oversized T-shirts.
Avery didn't announce himself. He simply stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Noël from behind, drawing him into a hug before placing a gentle kiss on his neck.
Noël gasped, startled. "Ah—Avery! You scared me!"
Avery chuckled and tilted his face, stealing a kiss on the lips. Then another.
They kissed slowly, melting into each other for a few long moments until Noël's hands pressed against Avery's chest, gently breaking the contact.
"Wait, wait—we'll burn the sauce," Noël said breathlessly, laughing as he tried to regain control of the kitchen.
Avery just smiled at him, eyes soft. "I'm back."
"Welcome home," Noël replied, wiping his hands and setting down the plate. The words fell naturally, but Avery felt them hit deep.
Home.
This small, quiet Omega was becoming the one place Avery could breathe.
He blinked slowly, savoring the word before taking a seat at the table.
Noël served the food with a small flourish. "Tonight's menu: Wagyu steak with a hint of garlic butter, truffle mash, and balsamic veggies."
Avery took his first bite, eyebrows lifting in genuine surprise. "This is... amazing." He reached for another bite. "I didn't know dinner could taste like a five-star restaurant."
Noël beamed, cheeks warm with pride. "I used to experiment with dishes when I had nothing to do. I never had expensive ingredients, though."
"You do now," Avery said simply, then added, "Use whatever you want. If this is what I get in return, I'll buy out the market."
They laughed, the air between them lighter than it had been before.
After a few bites, Avery put down his fork. "Noël," he said gently, "Remember I told you we'd talk about us?"
Noël looked up, fork mid-air. His heart skipped.
"I mean it when I say I like you," Avery continued. "Not just physically. You've brought... peace into my life. I want to be with you. Not as someone who's just staying in my house. I want us to date officially."
Noël blinked. The tension in his chest eased like a pressure valve releasing. "So… we're dating now?" he asked softly.
"If you say yes."
Noël put his fork down and smiled, eyes warm with affection. "Yes. I want that too."
Avery stood up, circled the table, and pulled Noël into another kiss. Noël giggled against his lips, trying to push him back. "The food's going to get cold."
"Let it," Avery said before sitting back down with a satisfied grin. "I'm dating a genius chef. I think I'll survive."
The warm lights in the living room cast a golden glow over everything, making it feel softer, like time had slowed down just for the two of them. Noël sat perched comfortably on Avery's lap, curled up like he belonged there. His fingers idly played with the collar of Avery's shirt as they talked, their bodies pressed so close it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.
There was a perfectly empty couch just a few feet away, but Avery hadn't even glanced at it. This, Noël on top of him, warm and smiling was his preferred seat now.
"My heat feels like it's finally fading," Noël murmured, voice low and slightly raspy from the days before.
Avery looked up at him with a quiet kind of satisfaction. "I'm glad. You've been so strong through all of it."
Noël smiled at that, but then wriggled slightly in his seat and groaned, "Ugh, my hips. Honestly, this entire week was just pain with brief moments of blinding pleasure."
Avery laughed, his grip tightening around Noël's waist. "I wasn't even going hard on you. I kept matching your pace the whole time," he said in a teasing tone.
"Oh sure," Noël rolled his eyes dramatically. "Next time just ask me to fill out a pain report."
They both laughed. The atmosphere was so light and comfortable, Avery almost forgot about everything else. His business, Yulan, the city. Noël's presence had turned his sterile life into something that actually felt like living.
"Oh, by the way…" Noël trailed off, narrowing his eyes at Avery. "What's with the $5000 you sent me? Was that a glitch or something?"
Avery smirked and shook his head gently. "No glitch."
Noël raised a brow.
"I was originally going to pay you $2000," Avery explained, brushing his hand along Noël's thigh. "But I added $3000 as a kind of… partner's allowance."
"A what?" Noël asked, blinking like Avery had just offered him a mansion.
"You're living with me. Cooking for me. And we're, well… we're together now. I take care of what's mine."
Noël sputtered a laugh, playfully smacking Avery's chest. "You can't just throw money at me like I'm a sugar baby."
"Why not?" Avery stood up suddenly. Noël yelped as he was lifted in Avery's arms once again, bridal-style. "If I do have a sugar baby, I think I deserve the best one."
Noël flushed. "Put me down!"
"Nope." Avery marched down the hallway with a small smirk, only stopping when they reached his bedroom.
He gently placed Noël down onto the bed, their lips meeting briefly again. "Shower time. Don't fall asleep before I'm done."
"Fine, fine," Noël said, snuggling into the pillows. "But don't take too long or I'll start deducting dollars from that allowance of yours."
Avery chuckled before disappearing into the bathroom, leaving the bedroom filled with the warm scent of peach and vanilla still clinging to the sheets.
---
Meanwhile…
Far across the city, in a poorly lit apartment filled with cigarette smoke and questionable decision-making, Leo sat hunched over his laptop. The glow of the screen flickered in his eyes as he skimmed through article after article. His fingers tapped anxiously against the desk. What he'd found was unexpected. Avery Cheng wasn't just another cold Alpha with a sharp jawline and a cold wallet. He was loaded. Powerful. Untouchable, even.
Leo's jaw clenched.
"Of course Noël would fall for someone like him," he muttered bitterly.
He tried to shake off the envy, but it clung to him like sweat. Deep down, Leo wasn't just angry because Noël had moved on. He was angry because Noël looked happy.
Happy with someone who could protect him. Provide for him. Love him.
And Leo? Leo had only ever taken...
He snapped the laptop shut and leaned back. "No way. I'm not letting him go that easily."
As if the thought made him feel bolder, Leo started scribbling ideas into a notepad. Most of them were ridiculous—stupid, really—but desperation has a funny way of making fools dream big.
Operation Steal Noël Back
Stage 1: Try to get inside Avery's house. Maybe sneak in during deliveries?
Stage 2: Serenade Noël outside his window. Romeo-style. Maybe he'll come talk to me.
Stage 3: Kidnap…? No. That's too far. Right?
Stage 4: Expose Avery. Maybe dig up dirt on him.
He chewed the pen cap thoughtfully. Avery was powerful, sure. But powerful people always had skeletons in their closet.
All Leo needed was one crack in Avery's perfect image and then maybe Noël would finally see that he didn't belong in that world.
He belonged with Leo.
At least, that's what Leo kept telling himself.
---
Back at the Cheng residence…
Noël sat upright on the bed, scrolling through a few baking tutorials on his phone. His thoughts drifted. The feeling of Avery's arms, the way he smelled, the little smile that pulled at his lips when he teased Noël…
He was falling harder than he expected.
The sound of the shower stopped, and the bathroom door opened moments later. Steam rolled out, and with it emerged Avery, towel slung around his hips and droplets still clinging to his chest. Noël's eyes widened slightly. He was still a young, hormonally-charged Omega after all.
Avery walked over with an easy smile. "You missed me already?"
"I was actually thinking about ways to fire you as my boss," Noël teased.
Avery grinned and leaned down, pressing a kiss to Noël's cheek. "Good luck with that. I own the building."