Does a Disabled Omega Have to Be Forcibly Loved Too? (NPH) - Chapter 9: Alpha
Chapter 9: Alpha
Unlike families and royalty, which relied mainly on bl00d ties, conglomerates valued talent above all.
In the empire, the general consensus was that an Alpha not born into royalty or a prominent family had two paths to success: join a conglomerate for a civil career or head to the front lines for a military one.
But since the military was dominated by families and the front lines were highly dangerous, most Alphas chose to push into conglomerates.
In Dinah’s words, conglomerate groups were a breeding ground for overachievers, and Ashburn was the undisputed king of kings in this generation.
Dinah held respect for someone like him, especially since Ashburn could have coasted on his looks but instead chose to excel through skill.
Unlike August, who avoided the public eye, Ashburn never missed a chance to boost his commercial value, including leveraging his appearance.
Ashburn had the classic look of a refined scoundrel—beautiful, amorous peach-blossom eyes and a faint, teasing smile when on camera, exuding an irresistible charm.
Two years ago, when he became CEO of Eden Pharmaceuticals, he posed for a black-and-white, half-naked photoshoot for a famous business magazine. Those images remained a favorite among most unmarried Omegas to this day.
Because Ashburn was still unmarried himself.
Rumor had it that the limited-edition print commemorative issue had skyrocketed to an astronomical price.
Online, people said looking at those photos enough could trigger an early heat. Dinah had seen them too, and objectively, they were attractive, but the added effect wasn’t that strong for her.
The poster this time featured a fully dressed Ashburn. Dinah pulled her gaze away, searched for her entry voucher, and headed toward the elevator hall.
This hotel’s security wasn’t as strict as the one from yesterday. Taking the elevator didn’t require a reservation, though some floors needed a room key to access.
Dinah arrived relatively early. Few people waited for the elevators, each absorbed in their terminals with heads down.
The numbers on the six elevators in the hall flickered. The one in front of Dinah reached the second floor when the one behind her arrived first.
But Dinah didn coversation didn’t join the others to squeeze in. She decided to keep waiting for the one in front of her.
It wasn’t her being picky; she was still a bit worried her heat might be near.
Though her pheromones had always been faint, even a tiny bit of uncontrolled pheromones during an Omega’s heat could spark a massiveರಹಾಡ್ wide-scale Alpha riot.
Dinah had even dug out an old pheromone isolation patch from her drawer and put it on before heading out.
After all, an unmarked Omega appearing in public was already against the rules. If she triggered a riot by going into heat, she wouldn’t have to wait a few months—she’d be packed off to the front lines immediately.
Being cautious was very necessary. Dinah cherished her limited freedom.
But the patch was old, and the adhesive had weakened. The edges wouldn’t stick properly, kept lifting, and constantly snagged her hair.
The elevator display smoothly shifted from 2 to 1. Dinah pulled her hair free from the patch while waiting for the doors to open.
“Ding—” The elevator doors parted, revealing several Alphas inside.
Dinah rarely sensed someone’s secondary gender instantly. Most of the time, she judged by their build and movements.
But this time, she faintly felt their pheromones, though she smelled nothing beyond the hotel’s incense.
Dinah froze for a moment and locked eyes with someone stepping out.
It was a familiar yet unfamiliar face.
He walked at the front of the group, wearing a well-tailored navy suit. His gaze slid over her casually, then returned, pausing for a second on her hand at her nape.
Before Dinah could react, the Alpha and his group left the elevator hall. The doors began to close automatically.
Dinah quickly pressed the up button. The doors reopened, she fixed the patch, stepped inside, and pressed 3.
As the doors shut, Dinah suddenly realized who she’d just locked eyes with.
It was Ashburn.
She had just seen Ashburn in person, less than a meter away, and they’d made eye contact.
Dinah had never been a fangirl. She only knew Ashburn casually, yet she couldn’t help feeling excited.
But when she eagerly opened her terminal, she paused.
She didn’t really have close friends to share this excitement with.
The Omegas she grew up with in the orphanage had always seen her as an outsider and rarely played with her.
Her office colleagues were just that—colleagues. Plus, those with prestigious backgrounds looked down on Alphas of common origin.
Her excitement cooled. Dinah lowered her hand just as the elevator reached the third floor.
The lecture’s theme was about Omega post-mark-erasure side effects and trauma recovery research—a fairly popular topic.
It was also why Dinah, an Omega Association employee, was there.