Chapter 2

Duan Chi was intelligent and highly vigilant. Even though Xu Bai was crying her eyes out, her tone sounded genuine, Duan Chi remained skeptical.

Xu Bai looked at her empty palm, but she didn't get angry. Instead, she straightened up and discreetly wiped her hands on her clothes. Her eyes looked wistful as she said softly, "How can I make you believe me?"

"I want to meet my secretary and my friends. Since you say we've been in a long-term relationship, you should have their contact information."

Duan Chi was secretly observing Xu Bai, having noticed all her subtle movements. She pulled at her lips silently and gently rubbed the hand Xu Bai had just touched, feeling awkward.

How could two people who love each other be so resistant to each other? She was now certain Xu Bai was lying, that this Omega was lying.

"Alright."

Xu Bai could clearly see the suspicion growing in Duan Chi's eyes. The earlier doubts had completely vanished. She wasn't surprised; if Duan Chi wasn't suspicious, she wouldn't be Duan Chi.

"I'll contact your secretary, but I need to be upfront about something. Not everyone knows about our relationship. My family situation is complicated, so we've kept it secret. However, your two friends are aware of it."

Xu Bai teased, her fingertip quickly tracing Duan Chi's cheek. "Wait for me, darling."

She watched Duan Chi's brow furrow and her flinching movements, suddenly feeling a surge of satisfaction. She'd deliberately set out to provoke Duan Chi, and in that moment, she realized she needed to commit fully to her deception.

Xu Bai smirked triumphantly, turned, and left the ward. She immediately called her secretary, instructing her to contact Duan Chi's secretary. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder: why had only she been informed of Duan Chi's accident? Where were her secretaries?

She lowered her gaze, a nagging suspicion that this was more than just a scheme to steal her business partnership.

Xu Bai found the stairwell and casually leaned against the corner of the handrail. One lie required countless others to cover it up. Recalling Duan Chi's past relentless targeting of her, she pondered for a moment before pulling out her phone and making a call. "Do me a favor. Forge a medical record..."

Duan Chi didn't see her secretary until twenty minutes later. Xu Bai had disappeared and still hadn't returned.

She glanced at her wounds—not serious enough to prevent her from being discharged and returning to the company.

Duan Chi leaned against the headboard, recalling the day's events, and felt a throbbing headache. She closed her eyes, her expression grim.

"President Duan!"

Her secretary finally arrived. Duan Chi opened her eyes and glanced at her indifferently. "You're only just finding out I was in a car accident?"

The secretary gasped. She scratched her head, looking uncertain. "You told me today not to disturb you unless it was urgent, because your rut was approaching. Your schedule has been completely blocked off from me."

Duan Chi froze. She raised a hand to touch her scent gland, but felt nothing unusual. Her eyes trembled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "I understand."

As an S-class Alpha, her ruts were always agonizingly painful and frenzied. During those days, she would lock herself away until the rut passed. This explanation made sense.

"Xu Bai..." Duan Chi bit her lip as she said the name, her tone subtly shifting. "How close are we?"

The secretary's eyes widened, but she answered truthfully, "You two are like oil and water."

Like oil and water.

Duan Chi scoffed at Xu Bai's words, then burst into laughter, a shadow flickering in her eyes. "I knew it," she said.

Liar.

"Knew what?"

Xu Bai pushed open the hospital room door, her high heels clicking loudly on the floor. She crossed her arms, first giving Duan Chi's secretary a cool glance, then waving her phone. "They'll be here soon. I'm going to pick them up. Even if you don't trust me, you should trust them."

The secretary stared at Xu Bai, still feeling as if she were in a dream. She pressed her lips together, afraid to speak, but Xu Bai addressed her directly. "Take good care of your boss. And don't hold anything back from me."

"Bye, sweetie."

Xu Bai snapped her fingers and turned to leave, not looking back.

The word "sweetie" sent a fire spreading through Duan Chi's chest. She clenched her fists, taking a deep breath to barely contain her turbulent emotions. When she looked up at the secretary, she found her frozen in place, still processing Xu Bai's words.

Duan Chi: "......"

Xu Bai, utterly indifferent to the impact her words might have, called Duan Chi's two friends and arranged to meet at a cafe near the hospital.

At first, they didn't want to meet Xu Bai. But Xu Bai threatened them: "If you don't come, I'll ruin Duan Chi."

Xu Bai sat in the cafe, elegantly lifting her cup for a sip as she watched the two women approach.

One Alpha, one Beta—Duan Chi's usual crowd of friends.

The Alpha was Qin Feng, the Beta was Meng Chunhe. They'd rushed over from the office, their faces grim as they sat down opposite Xu Bai.

Qin Feng had a fierce, aggressive appearance that could intimidate at first glance. Meng Chunhe, in contrast, had a delicate, refined look, like a proper young lady.

But their personalities were poles apart. Qin Feng was hot-tempered and prone to extreme measures, while Meng Chunhe was a smiling tiger, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Both were Port City natives. Unlike the Xu family, who had risen from nothing, the Qin and Meng families were old-money clans with deep roots. Together with Duan Chi, they formed the "Three Musketeers of Misery."

"What do you want, President Xu? Are you here to discuss how much it will cost to buy Duan Chi's life?"

Meng Chunhe's tone was sharp. She tapped the table. "What do you want? The project Duan Chi snatched, or something else?"

Qin Feng clicked her tongue, her gaze so hostile that Xu Bai could have been cut to shreds by it if looks could kill.

It's no wonder, Xu Bai thought. Such exceptional talent always breeds envy.

"So, you're the one behind this car accident, aren't you?" Qin Feng rolled her eyes, clearly wanting nothing to do with Xu Bai. "Spit it out. Don't waste our time."

Xu Bai set down her coffee. She felt nothing from their words; she'd heard worse. Still, the malicious assumptions stung.

"You're really letting your petty minds cloud your judgment. If I'd done this, Duan Chi would be nothing but ashes by now."

Xu Bai pulled out a medical record and handed it over. "Take a look. It's Duan Chi's."

Meng Chunhe picked up the record. Her brow furrowed instantly. She sneered, utterly unconvinced. "Pheromone disorder? Xu Bai, you need a better story than just flapping your lips. That's not how you fool people."

"If you don't believe me, you can take her for another checkup." Xu Bai's expression was natural, her tone relaxed, showing no trace of guilt. "Haven't you ever wondered why Duan Chi's rut is so agonizing? If it weren't for this car accident, we might never have discovered it."

She had overheard the secretary's conversation with Duan Chi outside the door. A moment's thought was enough to piece together what had happened. Rumors had long circulated about Duan Chi's abnormal rut.

An abnormal Alpha... Tsk tsk tsk. How pitiful.

Qin Feng met Xu Bai's gaze, her composure restored. "What do you want?"

"My pheromones match Duan Chi's by over ninety percent. I can help her treat her pheromone disorder."

Xu Bai maintained her faint smile, her voice soft, as if discussing the sunny weather outside. "Duan Chi has amnesia—or rather, she doesn't remember me. The doctors say it's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder."

Meng Chunhe stared intently at Xu Bai. She exchanged a glance with Qin Feng, then her lips curved into a mocking smile. "President Xu, why are you helping Duan Chi? Everyone knows you don't get along."

"Because—"

Xu Bai leaned back, her eyes shimmering with emotion. The end of each word seemed to hook them. "I love her."

After she spoke, Qin Feng and Meng Chunhe fell into a long, stunned silence.

Xu Bai watched their shocked faces, suppressing a smile. "We don't get along, but I do love her. To be honest, before you two arrived, I already lied to her. I told her I was her girlfriend."

She paused, then lowered her head as if hiding tears. "The doctor said she should regain her memory in about three months. I can help treat her during this time. She doesn't know about her pheromone disorder yet, and I hope you won't tell her either. You know how proud she is."

Meng Chunhe looked skeptical. "How could you possibly love Duan Chi?"

Xu Bai would normally take a shower and change clothes after any encounter with Duan Chi. How could she possibly like Duan Chi?

What a cruel joke.

Qin Feng pressed on, "Xu Bai, don't lie to us. You know the consequences."

Xu Bai looked up, her voice firm. "I know. That's why I want to try. I love her too much. I have to help her, save her."

"I asked you here to help me keep this from her. When she recovers her memory, I'll leave."

With that, Xu Bai turned to gaze out the window. From the two women's perspective, she looked sad and afraid. But only Xu Bai knew how enormous this lie had become, how there was no turning back.

Duan Chi, oh Duan Chi... I'm not just going to ruin her, I'm going to make sure she never forgets me.

Xu Bai's fingers curled slightly. A faint smile touched her lips. "Have you made up your minds?"

She stood up, towering over them. "If you have, then come with me."

"So you're saying Xu Bai and I are really dating, or at least having an affair?"

Duan Chi pinched the bridge of her nose. She let out a scoff, feeling like the world had gone mad. "I'd like her?"

Meng Chunhe replied calmly, "I thought it was impossible too, but that's how it is."

Qin Feng closed her eyes, her hands clenched tightly. "You do like her a lot. You've been on the verge of breaking up constantly lately, and it's been ugly."

"Do you believe me now?"

Xu Bai stepped closer to Duan Chi and leaned down to whisper, "Duan Chi, we're just meant to be—"

A pair.

Xu Bai didn't get to finish. Duan Chi wrapped an arm around her waist, nearly pulling her off balance. Xu Bai looked up sharply, meeting Duan Chi's gaze. She saw a hint of darkness in the Alpha's eyes, her pupils trembling. She even ignored the hand holding her waist as Duan Chi murmured in a husky voice, "Baby."

"Then let's start cultivating our feelings from scratch."

Xu Bai shivered slightly. She forced a smile, realizing in that moment that her grand lie was about to begin.