The memory clawed its way back, unbidden.
(A week ago)
Jay hadn't expected to see anyone waiting for him when he returned late that evening from the forum's. Avery had wanted to send jay to a hotel first but there was no rooms available at the nearest hotel they found. So Avery decided to then send him to one of his estates.
Jay was waiting for Miss reed at the hotel lobby which was quiet, all marble and glass, and looked quiet fancy even though it wasn't a five star hotel. His mind replaying Avery's expression during the presentations. He was about to take out his phone to keep himself buzy while waiting when a voice cut through the stillness. Low, cool, and deliberate.
"Jay Li."
Jay turned. A man leaned casually against a pillar, tailored suit immaculate, eyes sharp enough to slice through his composure. He recognized the resemblance immediately. Avery's eyes, but colder, hungrier. Adrian Cheng.
"I see the rumors were true," Adrian murmured, straightening with predatory grace. "You're living under Avery's roof."
Jay stiffened. "I… I'm just doing my job."
"Is that what you call it?" Adrian stepped closer, his presence heavy with authority, yet laced with something almost mocking. "Let's not waste time. I know why Avery keeps you close. But what about you? Why are you really here?"
Jay swallowed hard. He tried to respond, but Adrian's gaze pinned him like a hawk over prey. He felt exposed, stripped of the walls he had so carefully built since fleeing his family.
"You don't have to answer," Adrian continued, voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "I already know enough. I also know what you want." He paused deliberately. "That boy. Your… lover. Still rotting in prison for something he didn't do, yes?"
Jay's breath caught, his fists tightening at his sides. "How do you—"
Adrian's smirk deepened. "I make it my business to know. Your uncle framed him, and you ran. Tragic, really. But I could change all of that. Even though I can't make your family change their minds, I can secretly get him out of there. One phone call, one signature, and your precious ex walks free. His name cleared, his life restored."
Hope and horror twisted violently in Jay's chest. It was what he'd been praying for. What he thought was impossible.
Adrian leaned in, words slicing through him:
"All I ask in return… is that you do what you're already so good at. Get close to Avery. Closer than you are now. Seduce him. Make him question his little Omega. Break them apart and you'll have your reunion."
Jay's stomach churned. His heart raced, torn between loyalty and desperation.
Adrian clapped his shoulder almost companionably, though his grip was bruising. "Think about it. I don't expect an answer tonight. But don't take too long. Time is not a luxury you or your lover have."
He left as silently as he came, the echo of his polished shoes fading into the marble silence. Jay stood frozen, trembling, every nerve screaming.
The deal dangled in front of him like a poisoned fruit.
And he didn't yet know whether he had the strength to resist. Just then, miss Reed returned with the news that there was no rooms available at this hotel.
The next day when Jay returned to Avery's mansion, he found something that twisted his insides. Avery and Noël were asleep on the couch together, the Omega curled naturally against Avery's chest as if he belonged there. The sight alone might not have bothered him so much, but his mood had already been poisoned.
Adrian's words still echoed in his mind. The offer. The promise of freedom for his boyfriend rotting in jail. The weight of betrayal that came with it.
He clenched his jaw, looking away from the peaceful scene. It wasn't just Avery's order to stay elsewhere that stung. It was the fact that he was being forced to play a role that blurred his loyalty. Wasn't this the same as cheating? His boyfriend had been counting on him, and yet here he was, standing in another Alpha's home, pretending closeness, weaving deception.
Jay's smile faded into a cold mask. If he let himself feel, he would crumble.
______
Back in the present
A week had passed since the Grand Annual Business Forum. Noël's exams were now right at his door. Tomorrow was the big day, but tonight he had closed his books with a sigh, deciding to give his mind a little room to breathe. The tension in his chest begged for release, not from studying, but from the gnawing nervousness that made him crave comfort.
Which is how he ended up in Avery's study, crawling onto his lap without warning.
Avery barely lifted his eyes from the documents in front of him before Noël wrapped his arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He squished his cheek against Avery's chest, shamelessly trying to bury himself in his Alpha's scent. When Avery still didn't react, Noël tilted his head up, wide doe eyes glimmering, lips pouted like a child being ignored.
Avery's gaze softened instantly. He placed his pen down, finally seeing the sulky little expression on Noël's face. "What's wrong?" he asked, voice low.
Noël only huffed, loosening his grip as if to slide off his lap. But Avery's arm was already around his waist, pulling him firmly back down.
"You're not going anywhere." Avery leaned in, capturing his lips in a kiss that was both grounding and passionate. Noël gasped, quickly melting into it, clutching at Avery's shirt as the Alpha's soothing pheromones gently brushed against his senses. Just enough to calm, not to overwhelm.
The kiss lingered, two full minutes of warmth and reassurance, lips moving slow and deliberate. When Avery finally broke away, Noël was breathless, face burning red.
"Now," Avery murmured with a small smirk, brushing a thumb across Noël's cheek, "are you satisfied?"
Unable to face him, Noël buried his face in Avery's chest, embarrassed at his own boldness. Avery chuckled, patting his soft hair with an affection that made Noël's ears burn hotter.
In that quiet, Noël's nerves seemed to dissolve, leaving behind only the safety of Avery's arms.