Romero cursed under his breath, jaw tightening as the realization sank in. That brat had done it again. For the second time, the young Alpha had outplayed him, and this time millions upon millions of pesos slipped from his grasp. His hunger for revenge had blinded him, and now he was the fool.
"Uncle Adriel," James said once the auction hall emptied, voice low but sharp. "Do you even realize the risk you took? If your scheme had failed, we would've bled a fortune."
Tyler, standing nearby, gave a small, almost reverent smile. "Still… you were incredible, Mr. Adriel."
Adriel shrugged, the edge of a smirk tugging at his lips. "Perhaps I was just lucky. Or maybe…" He reached for Eren's hand, lifting it with deliberate grace. "…maybe I had my lucky charm with me."
The press of lips against his skin made Eren stiffen. Heat climbed his neck, his Omega instincts flaring at the unexpected contact. His pulse betrayed him, thudding hard, and his scent spiked—sweet, sharp, impossible to hide.
"I've something for my charm," Adriel added.
The words barely settled when a man approached, carrying a velvet box. Gasps rose as he opened it, revealing the same red diamond from the auction. Eren's eyes widened. He had been certain someone else had claimed it.
"A rare gem, for one rarer still," Adriel said, sliding the ring onto Eren's finger.
Eren's breath caught. His chest tightened, torn between indignation and the strange, dangerous flutter building inside him. Why was Adriel—an Alpha so untouchably powerful—treating him like this? Could such attention be trusted?
James and Tyler exchanged disbelieving looks.
"You're joking, uncle," James snapped. "You can't possibly waste that diamond on an Omega like him."
"I already have," Adriel replied smoothly. His gaze cut to James like a blade. "If you can't see his worth past the surface, then perhaps you're blind. And frankly, I should thank you. Your recklessness only sharpened my hand."
James bristled. "You're being fooled, Uncle. He's not—"
"Still tangled in your own lies, nephew?" Adriel interrupted. His voice grew colder. "Then let's make a trade. Swear never to approach Eren again, never to even speak his name—or I'll let the world see the tricks you pulled. I doubt you'd enjoy that embarrassment."
James froze. The color drained from his face.
"You thought I wouldn't notice?" Adriel pressed. "Shame should have burned you already."
Adriel turned, his voice softening as he addressed the Omega. "Eren, if there's something you wish to say, now's the time."
Eren's throat tightened. Fury and shame twisted inside him, aimed squarely at James, but words refused to come. Instead, he leveled his gaze at his former tormentor—silent, unyielding.
"I… don't think I need to say anything," he finally murmured. "His silence says enough."
"We're done here. Let's go," Adriel said firmly, taking Eren's wrist and leading him out of the casino. The heavy doors shut behind them, muting the music and chatter. Tyler and James stood frozen in disbelief, watching the pair disappear down the corridor. None of them had expected to meet Adriel on this cruise—let alone see him openly defend an Omega.
Back in Adriel's cabin, the silence pressed closer than the gilded walls. Eren lingered by the door, shoulders tense, while Adriel poured two glasses of water.
"Thank you," Eren said quietly. His fingers toyed with the red diamond ring. "But… I should return this."
He slipped the band halfway off before Adriel caught his hand, firm but not forceful.
"That's yours," Adriel said.
Eren blinked at him. "What? No, I can't—this thing must be worth more than I'll ever—"
Adriel chuckled, cutting him off. "Why are you acting like I handed you a crown? I gave it because I wanted to. And I don't take back what I give."
The Omega swallowed, eyes flicking to the glittering stone. He had only just met this man, yet Adriel had already stepped into the fire for him—shielded him, gifted him, treated him as if he mattered. It was too much.
Adriel leaned back, watching him. "Next time, don't let anyone wound you like that. You deserve better."
Eren's chest tightened. He drew a steadying breath. "Since you've done so much for me… I should be honest with you."
He stepped back, hands trembling as they reached for his hairline. With a hesitant tug, he removed the wig. Crimson waves tumbled free, catching the cabin's low light like flame.
Adriel's eyes widened. "Red…?" He remembered the dark hair from earlier at the salon—so carefully styled, so carefully hidden.
"I asked them to cover it," Eren admitted. His voice carried both shame and defiance. "I've been hiding it since high school. Everyone mocked me for it. Said it made me look strange. So I learned to live like it didn't exist."
Adriel stood, closing the space between them. "Strange?" His voice was low, incredulous. "Eren, it's striking. Unique. If you ask me…" His gaze softened. "…it's your lucky red."
Eren's breath caught. "Lucky?" No one had ever spoken of it that way. For years, his hair had been a mark of ridicule.
"Red is fate," Adriel said simply. "You may not see it yet, but one day it will lead you somewhere you belong."
For a moment, silence stretched between them, heavy with something unspoken. Eren stared at him, astonished by the conviction in his voice.
"You… really believe that?" he asked quietly.
Adriel smiled, small but sure. "I do."
Eren let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "You have a way of turning everything into something brighter."
"I've been told," Adriel replied lightly.
The Omega's gaze dropped, then lifted again, steady this time. "Thank you. Not just for the ring. For stepping in, for not letting me fall apart out there." He hesitated. "And… I'm sorry if I caused you trouble."
Adriel shook his head. "Don't apologize. I chose to stand with you. Even if I had known James was involved, I would've done the same."
He held Eren's gaze. "And I meant what I said. I don't think this meeting is an accident. Maybe it's the beginning of something we can't see yet."
Eren's pulse hammered. He couldn't decide if Adriel's words unsettled him—or if they were exactly what he'd been waiting his whole life to hear.
"We aren't here for different reasons," Adriel said softly. "Maybe this isn't chance at all. Maybe it's the start of something new. But it's your choice now."
Eren's brow furrowed. "Choice? Do I even get to decide my own destiny?"
Adriel's lips curved into a faint smile. "Of course you do. I'm deciding mine right now—and no one can stop me. You can walk one path, or carve a new one. Either way, it's yours."
Eren stared at him, caught off guard by the certainty in his voice. "Adriel, you…" His throat tightened. "I admire the way you see the world."
Adriel tilted his head, amused. "It's not just the way I see it. It's how I live it. So—what's it going to be?" He extended a hand.
For a moment, Eren just looked at it. His pulse hammered in his ears. It's my story. Maybe, for once, I get to turn the page myself. He reached out, placing his hand in Adriel's.
The cabin was quiet except for the low hum of the ship's engines. Eren sat on the edge of the velvet chaise, absently tracing the diamond ring, its red spark catching in the warm light. Something about it felt alive, like possibility in his palm.
Adriel poured two glasses of wine and handed one over. "To new beginnings."
Eren hesitated, then lifted his glass. "To not letting the past chain us."
The clink of crystal was soft, but it lingered in the silence after. They drank, not speaking, yet the air between them thrummed with something unspoken—curiosity, tension, the faint thrill of being seen.
"When I first saw you on that railing," Adriel said, leaning back in his chair, "I thought you were about to jump."
Eren gave a short, humorless laugh. "I wasn't. But… I was close to falling. In more ways than one."
Adriel studied him, his gaze sharp but not unkind. "And now?"
Eren's voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm still falling. But maybe this time, it isn't into despair."
A small smile touched Adriel's lips. "Maybe it's into something better."
Eren's chest tightened. He searched Adriel's face, the question breaking free before he could stop it. "Why did you help me? Really?"