Empire of Desire: An Alpha’s Financial Reign - Chapter 34

After a night filled with passion and confusion, Han Zaijing returned from the hotel with a heavy heart and a cluttered mind. The encounter with Jiang Wan still lingered like a dream—or a mistake she couldn’t quite categorize.

The taste of her lips, the scent of her Omega pheromones, the softness of her skin—they had all felt too real to be a fantasy. But what unsettled her most was not the intimacy they shared, but the silence she left behind.

She couldn’t understand Jiang Wan’s intentions. She had always been elegant and reserved, like mist floating in the early morning mountains—untouchable, mysterious, sacred. Someone like her shouldn’t have surrendered so easily to a spontaneous night of indulgence.

Yet she had, and now she was gone, leaving behind only the faint scent of her shampoo on the hotel pillow and a silence so vast it pressed against her chest.

Were they even friends anymore? Had that fragile bond already shattered under the weight of lust and unspoken feelings?

Han Zaijing scoffed at herself. She’ll come back if she wants to talk, she thought. She’s not someone who hides if she wants something. And yet, a sliver of doubt remained. What if she saw last night as nothing more than a moment of weakness? What if she regretted everything?

To test her, or perhaps to provoke her, Han Zaijing made a bold move. She found a foreign Omega model—tall, blonde, and undeniably eye-catching—and asked her to accompany her to a hotel. Not just any hotel, but one under the Jiang Corporation’s ownership. It was calculated, deliberate, and just reckless enough to get Jiang Wan’s attention.

Inside the luxurious suite, she poured wine for the model, trying to distract herself. The foreign Omega leaned in flirtatiously, letting red wine dribble onto her chest in a deliberately provocative gesture. Her laughter was loud and artificial, echoing in the room like a poor imitation of intimacy.

Han Zaijing wasn’t focused. Her gaze drifted to the window. Her mind still wrapped around Jiang Wan. When the model twisted her face back toward her, pouting and straddling her lap, she gave a half-hearted smile but didn’t respond with passion.

An hour passed. Then came the inevitable.

Jiang Wan stormed into the hotel like a thundercloud ready to break. Her expression was unreadable—equal parts disbelief and fury. She had heard about Han Zaijing’s stunt almost immediately. Of course she would—this was her family’s hotel, after all.

She barged into the suite with two bodyguards in tow. Without hesitation, they dragged the foreign model out. One guard, clearly lacking emotional intelligence, lingered inside protectively, but was quickly shooed away by the head of security who muttered something about not playing third wheel when the boss clearly likes the lady.

The door clicked shut behind them. Silence.

Jiang Wan stood there, breathing heavily, looking like she had been slapped in the face. Her eyes landed on the lipstick stain on Han Zaijing’s cheek. Without a word, she marched up to her and began furiously wiping it off.

“Ow—okay, okay! Stop rubbing, that hurts!” Han Zaijing winced, grabbing her hand to stop the assault.

Jiang Wan’s voice trembled with emotion. “Why, Zaijing? Why did you go find another woman? Was I not enough?”

Tears welled in her eyes, and before she could stop herself, she began pounding her chest weakly, caught between heartbreak and rage.

Han Zaijing seized her hands gently. “You idiot,” she said with a sad smile. “I did it to provoke you. I wanted to see if you cared enough to come.”

She looked at her, stunned.

“Do you think I’m some oversexed Alpha? I could barely stand after last night, Wanwan. I did all this to understand how you really felt.”

“But she kissed you! She was on you!” Jiang Wan cried, still furious. “Don’t lie and say it meant nothing!”

Han Zaijing sighed. “Okay, okay—I admit it was stupid. But that was all acting. I’m not proud of it, but I needed to push you to speak your heart. Otherwise, I didn’t know how to face you.”

Jiang Wan’s lips quivered. “I don’t like other Omega pheromones on you. I could smell them—two kinds. You cheated.”

“Yeah, I cheated,” Han Zaijing said quietly. “And maybe I’m not a good lover. But I’m hopeless when it comes to you.”

Jiang Wan bit her lip, trying to process the whirlwind of emotions. “I’m angry, but I also hate how you keep calling me ‘landlord’ or ‘classmate Jiang.’ I’m not just some role to play in your life. I want you to call me by my name. Wanwan. Say it like you need me. Like I matter.”

Han Zaijing blinked, stunned by her confession. Something inside her cracked and softened all at once.

Without another word, she picked her up, carrying her toward the bed. Their kisses turned hungry, hands tearing at clothes in a blur of passion and longing. For both of them, it wasn’t just about physical desire—it was about finally surrendering to everything they’d been trying to deny.

In the aftermath, Jiang Wan curled up beside her, nestled against her chest like a kitten, sighing in sleepy contentment. Outside the suite, the bodyguards exchanged glances of knowing. One of them muttered under her breath, “Glad we didn’t interrupt earlier. That would’ve been awkward.”

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft golden glow on the bed.

Han Zaijing stirred, blinking sleepily at the rays creeping across the room. She turned to see Jiang Wan still asleep beside her, her hair tousled, lips slightly parted, peaceful and beautiful beyond words. A smile crept onto her face.

She almost reached out to touch her cheek but decided to fake sleep instead, waiting to see how she would react.

When Jiang Wan slowly opened her eyes, she blinked at the sunlight, then turned to her. She laughed softly upon seeing her pretend to be asleep, her lips twitching with suppressed amusement.

Looking at her in the morning light—her delicate features, the soft rise and fall of her breath, the eyelashes casting shadows on her cheeks—she couldn’t help but reach out and trace her brow, her nose, and finally her lips. She remembered the way those lips had kissed her last night. Her heart skipped.

She leaned in close, her own breath catching, when suddenly she opened her eyes and smiled. “Good morning.”

Those two words shattered whatever emotional barrier she had left. Her heart fluttered, and she whispered back, “You stupid, seductive man…”

They kissed again, wrapped in the morning sun, wrapped in each other, finally done running from the truth.

She should’ve admitted her feelings long ago. Now, she never wanted to hold them back again.