After Marking a Paranoid CEO [Transmigration] - Chapter 29

Late at night, the road to the suburbs was deserted, the mountain road dark. Mu Huayue switched on her high beams, and from the surveillance cameras above, her car appeared like a phantom speeding through the night.

Mu Huayue gripped the steering wheel, her brow furrowed slightly. Since her half-brother’s family had moved in, her mother, finding them an eyesore, had rarely returned to the Mu Family Residence. Her mother wouldn’t answer her calls or reply to her messages, leaving Huayue no choice but to visit her in person.

Unfortunately, the luxurious mansion her mother had purchased in the city was empty. Huayue unlocked the door with her fingerprint, waking the housekeeper. The housekeeper looked at her, puzzled. “Miss, are you looking for Madam? She just left today.”

“Where did she go?”

The housekeeper paused, then replied, “Madam said she was going to the Mountain Villa for a few days to clear her head.”

The Mountain Villa was her mother’s private property, nestled halfway up the mountainside behind a scenic area. Within a five-kilometer radius, only their family resided.

To the outside world, it appeared to be a leisure retreat for enjoying nature. But only Huayue and her mother knew the truth: it was a place for concealing secrets, and a dark abyss she never wanted to enter again.

In her youth, when her pheromones were unstable, her mother would force the family doctor to inject her with medication. As the drug reacted in her body, she would collapse to the floor, writhing in agony. Uncontrollable tears streamed down, soaking her collar, yet she received not a word of comfort.

Later, as she grew into an Omega and developed the rare Floral Heat Syndrome, she had to keep her gender a secret. Without her mother’s prompting, she would rush home during those days, when Xia Weixi’s special medicine was her only relief.

Her body burned with fever, forcing her to turn the air conditioner to its lowest setting. Clinging to a pillow, she gritted her teeth and endured. Eventually, she resorted to filling the bathtub with ice water, curling up into a tight ball.

Submerged in the icy water, her body grew numb, her teeth chattering from the cold. Yet her pheromones refused to settle, continuing to scorch her bl00d. The nape of her neck throbbed violently, as if a snake were biting her, desperate to burst through her skin. When the pain became unbearable, she would drown herself in the ice water, cutting off her air supply.

On one particularly unlucky occasion, when her body gave out, she nearly drowned.

Whether it was due to great fortune or sheer tenacity, Mu Huayue had survived countless near-death experiences.

She still remembered one time when her mother held her, barely clinging to life, tears welling in her eyes. Through her blurred vision, she thought she heard her mother sob, “Huayue, hold on. Mommy will find a way.”

Mu Huayue had never fully understood her mother, but she now realized that Xia Weixi was the “way.”

With a high compatibility score, a vulnerable background, and a clear weakness, Xia Weixi was remarkably easy to manipulate. Even if she vanished from the world, few would likely care.

From her mother’s perspective, securing this useful tool and exploiting her was the optimal solution.

Mu Huayue had long understood this and had even considered doing the same herself. But—

As she recalled her interactions with Xia Weixi, the girl seemed so frail and timid, sometimes even avoiding eye contact. She obeyed almost every command, and even in bed, despite her own weakness, she never took advantage of Mu Huayue, often actively avoiding intimacy.

So sensible, obedient, and full of life—it would be a terrible waste to confine her to a dark basement, living a life without sunlight.

Mu Huayue had no desire to clip the other woman’s wings, and she loathed anyone interfering with her possessions without permission.

A light appeared in the distance. Mu Huayue glanced at the villa nearby, stepped on the accelerator, and sped toward it.

She parked at the gate, unlocked the security code, and entered. The living room was lit, and her mother sat on the sofa, her head slightly tilted, calmly observing her uninvited guest.

“Mom.” Mu Huayue glanced at the television screen, which displayed surveillance footage. Her mother had clearly anticipated her arrival.

No matter. This didn’t change anything. Standing before her mother, Mu Huayue looked down at the elegant, refined woman and cut to the chase: “Investors shouldn’t interfere with the competition. You need to let her go back.”

Song Ruxue didn’t avert her gaze, a faint sneer curving her lips. “You’ve gone through all this trouble late at night just for that Alpha? Huayue, I’m deeply disappointed in you.”

Mu Huayue’s brows twitched slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line. She turned back to her mother. “She’s my cat. Shouldn’t an owner look for their missing cat?”

Song Ruxue rubbed her temples, her voice tinged with exasperation. “Huayue, I didn’t raise you to be like this.”

Mu Huayue nervously twisted her thumb against her index finger. During her daughter’s silence, her mother pressed on: “Do you know how much effort I’ve put in to secure your inheritance rights? And how much hardship you’ve endured? Are you going to throw it all away for an Alpha with impure motives?”

Mu Huayue met her mother’s sharp gaze. “Don’t look at me like that, child. Of course I’m concerned about the people around you. Xia Weixi comes from an ordinary family, dropped out of high school, and signed with some no-name company. She used underhanded tactics to get close to you. You told me she was obedient, trustworthy, and deserved your freedom.”

“Mu Huayue,”

“Last time, you even lied to me, saying you wouldn’t do that again.”

Mu Huayue frowned. “Who told you that? That was an accident, a temporary mark. It’s worn off now.”

Song Ruxue ignored her daughter’s explanation, drawing her own conclusions. “After doing that, you still trust her? She’s bewitched my daughter in just two months. Your little kitten is more cunning than she seems.”

She patted the seat beside her, beckoning her daughter over. “Come, Huayue, sit by me. Let’s wait together.”

What will she do?

Tears welled in Huayue’s eyes as she glanced at her mother with a pitiful expression, her brow furrowed slightly. “But if she disappears, it will cause us trouble.”

“I’ve already taken care of that. Don’t worry. Come sit down, child.”

Her mother’s calculating demeanor sent a chill down Mu Huayue’s spine. She sat down and checked Xia Weixi’s location on her phone. The icon was flashing—she had already reached the sea. It seemed her mother’s actions were moving faster than she had anticipated.

“Good, you’re still monitoring her,” Song Ruxue remarked, glancing at the screen. She waved her hand, took the phone from her daughter, flipped through it, and scoffed. “‘Adorable Pet Diary’? If you think of her as a pet, shouldn’t you keep her chained up at home?”

Mu Huayue snatched back her phone, her brow furrowing slightly as she met her mother’s angry gaze. She replied calmly, “Suppression only breeds resentment. Don’t you think her existence actually solidifies my position?”

Song Ruxue turned to face her daughter, her gaze probing. “You wouldn’t want to publicly declare that my future daughter-in-law is an illiterate who didn’t even finish high school, would you?”

Mu Huayue found the question grating, but her expression remained composed. “You’re so traditional. It’s not uncommon for Alphas to keep Omegas on the side.”

Song Ruxue’s husband, Mu Baiqin, was exactly the kind of Alpha Mu Huayue described. Resentment crept across the woman’s face, her gentle demeanor turning icy as her words dripped with venom: “You’re becoming more and more like an Alpha.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted? You should be pleased,” Mu Huayue retorted, meeting her mother’s gaze with a faint smile.

Song Ruxue had no immediate retort, appearing somewhat deflated. This gave Mu Huayue a surge of satisfaction. Leaning back against the sofa, she stretched languidly and added, “Now I think your decision was brilliant. A terrified kitten who realizes only her master can save her from the inferno will cling to him even more devotedly.”

“Mom, I’m starting to look forward to seeing how she performs.”

Mu Huayue’s smile deepened. Song Ruxue turned away with a cold huff. “You’re not afraid she’ll be scared to death?”

The image of Xia Weixi, her eyes brimming with tears and her expression timid, flashed through Mu Huayue’s mind. Mu Huayue felt a pang of tenderness, yet she also found this vulnerable side of Little Xia endearing. She smiled and lied, “If she gets scared to death, we’ll just replace her with another one.”

Song Ruxue seemed dissatisfied with her daughter’s callousness. “Do you think it’s easy to find a cat whose pheromones match yours?”

“Ah, right. I almost forgot—I’m a monster.”

Her daughter’s nonchalant reply stung Song Ruxue. “Huayue!” she snapped. “Why are you arguing with me over some irrelevant Alpha? I’m the only ally you have!”

“Mm,” Mu Huayue murmured distractedly. “Of course I know. Everything you do is for my own good. But you seem to have forgotten—I’m a businesswoman. I pursue maximum profit. I have my own plans for how to use Xia Weixi.”

“Fear makes people compliant, and ambition means they want something. That makes them easier to control. Xia Weixi can’t live without me. She’ll cooperate with anything I ask.”

“Now that everyone on the show knows she’s an Omega, if they find out her sugar daddy is me, they’ll naturally assume I’m an Alpha, right, Mom?”

Song Ruxue fell silent, pondering her daughter’s words. A few years ago, Huayue had earned her doctorate while working full-time, which the outside world attributed to her being too busy with her studies to date. But in the past two years, the number of matchmakers approaching her had surged, and even Mu Baiqin had urged her to take Huayue’s marriage more seriously.

After Song Ruxue repeatedly refused, Mu Baiqin brought that Qin vixen into their home and made snide remarks, implying Huayue had a hidden illness—utterly disgusting.

Xia Weixi wasn’t a suitable match for Huayue, but if she truly behaved obediently and sensibly, she could help Huayue deflect the Mu family’s suspicions. After all, Huayue’s father was a stubborn old man who saw Alphas as the only legitimate heirs. If he ever discovered Huayue couldn’t help him secure a Mu Clan heir, her position within the Mu Clan’s vast empire would be jeopardized.

Song Ruxue hesitated. “What do you plan to do?”

“Didn’t you want to keep her? Just follow your plan and bring her here.”

Her daughter’s ambiguous reply left Song Ruxue unable to discern her true intentions. The two sat in silence.

About two hours later, the surveillance monitors crackled to life. An airplane landed on the temporary mountain helipad. The cabin door opened, and a man in black emerged, carrying a large wheeled suitcase.

That must be Xia Weixi, Mu Huayue thought, her nails digging into her palms as she stared intently at the screen, suppressing the urge to shout in anger.

The man disappeared from one screen only to reappear on another. His bulky frame dodged a car nearly blocking the gate as he set down the suitcase and rang the doorbell.

Song Ruxue turned to her daughter. “Aren’t you going to greet her?”

Mu Huayue refused. “No need. She’s already at the gate.”

Song Ruxue remotely opened the gate. Mu Huayue heard the wheels of the suitcase rolling across the ground, her grip tightening. Soon, the massive wheeled suitcase was lying horizontally before her.

After Song Ruxue dismissed the man, Mu Huayue suppressed the urge to stand and asked her mother calmly, “The person’s here. Aren’t you going to take a look?”

Song Ruxue stood up, unzipped the suitcase, and raised an eyebrow slightly. She had to admit the girl before her possessed a certain charm. Her features were flawless, her long hair thick and black, and she was curled up with her head resting on her knees like a fragile kitten, incapable of causing any trouble.

But she looked too much—

Too much like an Omega.

How could Huayue possibly be interested in a girl like this?

She glanced again at her daughter, who sat calmly on the sofa. With a slight frown, she stood up. “I’ve seen her. The rest is up to you.”

With that, she stepped onto the stairs and ascended. Mu Huayue watched her mother’s retreating figure until it disappeared from sight. Then, she abruptly stood up and crouched beside the suitcase.

Her slender fingers gently brushed Xia Weixi’s youthful face, her eyes softening with a watery tenderness. She chuckled softly. “Such a silly kitten, letting herself be led astray without even realizing it.”