The Alpha’s Doubt

The boardroom of YY Corporation gleamed with wealth and power. The chandelier above scattered light across polished mahogany, the table stretching so long it seemed to divide the room into opposing camps. On one side, YY’s directors whispered in anticipation; on the other, CC Group’s representatives sat straight-backed, calm, exuding confidence.

At the head of the table sat Lin Yicheng, the eldest son of Chairman Lin Yisheng. Though many still thought him too young to wield influence, his composure silenced all doubts.

His expression was as tranquil as water, his suit immaculate, his scent faintly sweet—Omega, refined, dignified.

But beneath the calm, his pulse raced.

Because today… he would see him again.

The door opened.

Gu Chengyao entered with his entourage. Tall, broad-shouldered, his aura sharp as a blade unsheathed. His black suit was cut to perfection, the watch on his wrist understated yet screaming wealth. The very air seemed to shift with his arrival.

A ripple of awe swept through the room. Even the directors who had faced countless magnates unconsciously straightened their backs under his gaze.

Yicheng’s eyes locked onto him instantly.

Chengyao…

Memories crashed in like waves—two boys beneath the willow tree, laughter in the summer heat, a promise whispered in secret.

But that boy was gone.

The man before him was every inch an Alpha, untouchable, colder than the memory Yicheng carried in his heart.

And most cruelly—he didn’t recognize him.

“Chairman Lin. Director Lin.” Chengyao’s tone was smooth, polite, entirely professional. “It is an honor. CC Group looks forward to working with YY Corporation.”

Yicheng forced his lips into a faint smile, elegant and distant.

“YY welcomes CC Group. May this cooperation be beneficial to us both.”

Their eyes met.

For one fleeting second, Yicheng thought he saw something—hesitation, a flicker of familiarity—in Chengyao’s gaze. But it passed too quickly.

The meeting began.

Contracts were presented, figures debated. Chengyao led the discussion with effortless authority, his voice firm yet never raised. He dismantled opposition like it was nothing, his logic precise, his ambition clear.

The directors of YY exchanged glances. Even rivals had to admit—this Alpha was formidable.

And yet, Yicheng did not falter. Though he spoke sparingly, each of his words carried weight. Where Chengyao pushed aggressively, Yicheng yielded just enough, only to redirect the conversation back to his terms with quiet precision.

The two of them clashed like storm and tide. Blades hidden in silk, ice against fire.

By the end, several directors whispered to each other:

“These two… are equally matched.”

“President Gu’s force is overwhelming, but Director Lin… his elegance hides steel.”

“It’s as if they’ve known each other for years—like old rivals meeting again.”

Yicheng heard none of it. His attention was fixed only on Chengyao—on the curve of his jaw, the way his brows furrowed when concentrating, the faint edge of exhaustion in his otherwise perfect mask.

You’ve changed so much… and yet not at all.

But when Chengyao’s eyes lingered on him, there was no recognition. Only curiosity.

The meeting ended hours later, contracts signed, agreements sealed. The directors filed out, chatting excitedly about the promising partnership. Soon, only silence remained.

Yicheng gathered his documents calmly. He told himself to leave, to end this day quickly before his mask cracked.

But then—

“Director Lin.”

His hand froze on the folder. Slowly, he looked up.

Chengyao stood across the table, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed on him. The sharpness of a CEO was gone, replaced with something heavier, more uncertain.

“There’s something about you.” Chengyao’s voice was lower now, softer, almost thoughtful. “You feel… familiar. As if I’ve met you before.”

Yicheng’s chest tightened. The words he had longed for, feared, dreamed of hearing—spoken so simply.

For an instant, his heart leapt. He wanted to cry out: It’s me, Chengyao. Don’t you remember?

But that was impossible.

He steadied his breath, forced a faint smile, lowered his gaze.

“Perhaps President Gu has mistaken me for someone else. Many Omegas share similar features.”

“Is that so?” Chengyao studied him longer, his dark eyes searching. “Strange. I rarely forget a face.”

Yicheng turned slightly, so the light no longer revealed the tremor in his expression. His voice was calm, almost teasing.

“Then perhaps I am simply not worth remembering.”

A silence stretched between them.

Finally, Chengyao gave a low chuckle, though his eyes remained unreadable.

“You underestimate yourself, Director Lin.”

He said no more. With a polite nod, he left the room, his long strides confident. Yet even as the door closed behind him, a faint crease lingered between his brows.

That night, Yicheng stood before the mirror in his private suite. The city glittered behind him, but his reflection looked hollow.

He touched his own face, tracing the jawline that had matured over the years, the mask of gentleness he had perfected.

“He didn’t see me,” he whispered.

The boy beneath the willow tree was gone. To Chengyao, he was only Director Lin—an Omega heir of YY Corporation.

And yet… wasn’t this what he had chosen? If Chengyao only cherished Omegas, then Yicheng would become one, even if it meant burying his true self forever.

A sharp ache spread in his chest, but he swallowed it down.

Meanwhile, across the city, in the top-floor office of CC Group, Chengyao sat in the dark. The contract lay open on his desk, but his gaze had long since drifted from the words.

Instead, he saw again the faint curve of Yicheng’s smile, the calm grace with which he deflected every question. That air of quiet dignity, tinged with something unplaceable.

He tapped his fingers against the desk.

“Strange… Why do I feel like I know him?”

But no matter how hard he searched his memory, the answer slipped further away, like mist in the wind.

Both men, in different rooms, stared into the night—haunted by a connection that neither could name aloud.

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