Noël took a shower, then returned to Avery's room without hesitation. The moment he saw Avery waiting on the bed, he practically dove into his arms. It had become his favorite place—warm, safe, and unshakably solid.
The clinginess between them had grown with every passing day. They weren't ashamed of it anymore.
As they lay tangled together, Noël found himself staring at Avery's face, slowly analyzing every feature. Sharp cheekbones, thick lashes, a small scar near his jawline, he took it all in.
Avery noticed. "Do you like what you see?" he teased softly, lifting an eyebrow.
Noël chuckled and nodded. "Can I touch you your face?"
Avery simply nodded, eyes half-lidded with affection.
Noël's fingers moved gently over his face, outlining his eyebrows, tracing the curve of his nose, then his lips. He closed his eyes halfway through, memorizing the feel of Avery's skin, the shape of the man he had come to admire. Maybe even something more.
Then, without warning, Avery's lips pressed against his.
They kissed slowly, deeply. Avery rolled gently on top of Noël, their mouths moving in sync for what felt like five whole minutes. Noël clutched Avery's arms, not wanting the moment to end. But when they finally broke apart for air, Avery noticed a single tear sliding down Noël's cheek.
He froze. "Noël—?"
But Noël smiled. "It's okay. I'm just… happy," he whispered. "Thank you. I didn't know I could still feel like this."
Avery's heart clenched. He shifted beside Noël and wrapped his arms around him from behind, holding him close like he never wanted to let go.
"That's only the beginning," Avery murmured into Noël's hair. "I'll make sure you're happy from now on."
Noël lay still for a moment, then began to speak. He told Avery about his life at the orphanage. About dropping out of school. About the loneliness, the fear, and the moments he wanted to give up. He talked for a long time. Avery didn't interrupt, didn't comment. He simply listened.
He already knew some of Noël's story from background checks… but hearing it from Noël's lips made it real.
Eventually, the words stopped. Avery looked down and found Noël fast asleep, breathing softly against his chest. He adjusted the blanket over him gently, then leaned in to kiss his forehead.
He stayed like that until he, too, drifted off.
______
Three Weeks Later...
The sweetness between them didn't fade. If anything, it grew.
They spent lazy mornings curled together, playful afternoons making meals or decorating the house for the holidays, and quiet nights exploring each other in deeper ways. Physically, emotionally, soulfully.
Avery had never felt this grounded. His work, surprisingly, became more efficient than ever. He was closing deals at record speed, his board was pleased, and the employees buzzed with excitement, especially since year-end bonuses were fast approaching.
But for Avery, the highlight wasn't money. It was the warmth of a home. It was Noël.
Now, the holiday season had officially begun.
Avery had never spent Christmas alone. Not truly. His family always held their cold, glittering reunions under the guise of celebration. But they were just business check-ins, disguised in fake smiles and designer suits.
This year, he didn't want that.
He had Noël. And Noël's birthday was on Christmas Day.
And Avery already had something planned.
Avery had made up his mind: Noël's birthday had to be unforgettable.
It wasn't just any birthday, it was also Christmas. A day people already expected magic. For Avery, who had always seen the holiday as nothing more than a business family reunion with forced smiles and PowerPoints, this year finally felt different. There was someone he wanted to make happy.
And for that, he needed help.
"Miss Reed," Avery said one late evening after everyone else had left the office, "I need your assistance. It's... for a surprise."
The woman blinked, momentarily startled. She had worked for him for over five years and had never seen him flustered until now. She hid her smile and nodded. "Of course. What kind of surprise are we planning?"
He explained quickly: Noël's birthday fell on Christmas, he didn't want it to feel like just another day buried under tinsel and expensive champagne. He wanted to show Noël that his existence deserved its own day, its own celebration outside the world's distractions.
Miss Reed took her role seriously. The next evening, she presented him with a well-organized pitch deck, titled: Operation: Noël's Birthday. It included venue options, color schemes, possible themes, gift ideas, catering recommendations, and even playlists. Avery could have easily told her to just execute the plan but he found himself intrigued, wanting to be involved in every little choice. He'd never had a surprise in his life how could he create one for someone else without being intentional?
Night after night, they stayed back after hours, poring over plans.
To Noël, Avery simply said, "Work's been intense lately," and Noël, being the gentle soul he was, didn't question it. He didn't know that Avery was up late designing personalized gift wrapping and debating between getting a piano or a cooking station as a gift.
But the office wasn't quiet.
Whispers started.
"Is the CEO dating Miss Reed?"
"They stay so late these days…"
"She's beautiful, you know? They'd make sense."
It didn't take long for the rumors to spiral. And they traveled fast—too fast.
Far away, Avery's father heard of the supposed romance. It piqued his interest. His son, who barely smiled at anyone, was now apparently dating his Beta secretary? Impossible. But something had changed about Avery lately. He looked... content. Relaxed, even. That meant someone was responsible and the father wanted to know who.
Yulan heard the whispers too. But she wasn't so easily convinced.
She had tried seducing Avery twice in the last two weeks and failed. What frustrated her most wasn't the rejection, it was the faint but intoxicating Omega scent clinging to Avery's skin like silk. Noel.
She couldn't prove it. Her private investigator found nothing. Avery's schedule hadn't changed. Office, home. Repeat. And if he was sneaking around with someone, it was being done with terrifying precision.
Because the truth was, the source of the scent, the soft-spoken Omega barely left the house. He had no reason to. He was warm, adored, and busy organizing Avery's kitchen cabinets by spice level. His life had become a peaceful bubble.
A bubble no one knew existed.
And Avery was going to make sure it stayed that way, at least until Noël's surprise was perfect.