The Tyrant's Secret fetish Chapter 97

Ye Jun

I pushed open the front door still half-wrapped in Ohm’s stupid oversized sweatpants that kept sliding down my hips every two steps like they had a personal grudge against , and the second the lock clicked shut my dad was already barreling down the hallway with this huge goofy grin plastered all over his face like I’d just handed him the keys to the whole damn world. He didn’t even give ti to kick off my shoes before he slapped on the back so hard I nearly face-planted into the wall and started talking a mile a minute, voice all loud and proud like he’d won so bet he’d been waiting on for years.

"Ye Jun! There you are, finally! Look at you, kid, you actually did it, you listened to your old man for once and went for the right alpha. Ohm’s perfect, isn’t he? Loaded, stable, the kind of guy who’s gonna keep you comfortable for the rest of your life without you ever having to lift a finger if you don’t want to. I told you, didn’t I? These rich alphas know how to treat an oga right."

He laughed that big belly laugh of his and pulled into this awkward half-hug that slled like his usual expensive cologne and coffee to show he had been working over night again. Mom just looked at him, rolled her eyes and shook her head and for a second I smirked.

I just stood there letting him squeeze because honestly? It felt weirdly good. Like actually good. My stepdad had never looked at like this before, not once in all the years well months he’d been stuck raising after my real dad bailed, and now here he was acting like I’d just brought ho the prize pony or whatever.

I squird out of the hug before it got too sappy and muttered, "Yeah, yeah, whatever, Dad. He’s not that big a deal, okay? We just hung out. Don’t start planning the wedding or anything stupid." But my voice ca out softer than I ant it to, and I could feel this stupid little warm spot in my chest growing because he kept looking at like I’d finally done sothing right for once. He wasn’t even mad about staying out all night; if anything he seed thrilled, clapping his hands together and steering toward the kitchen like we were about to have so big father-son chat over snacks.

He poured a glass of juice without asking and slid it across the counter, still grinning. "Co on, don’t play it down. I saw the car drop you off this morning, that fancy one he drives. And you ca ho the next day looking all relaxed for once instead of like you’re about to bite soone’s head off. That’s progress, Ye Jun. Real progress. Ohm’s gonna help and your mom expand everything, you know that? Territory all the way across Asia once we lock this alliance down. Hotels, clubs, the whole fashion network. He’s got the money and the connections, and you’re the one who’s gonna seal it. I’m proud of you, kid. Really proud."

I took a big gulp of the juice just to have sothing to do with my hands because my throat felt tight all of a sudden and I didn’t want him seeing get all weird about it. Proud. He said it like it was nothing, but it landed in my gut like a punch I actually wanted to feel. My stepdad had spent this short period of my life treating like the annoying leftover kid he got stuck with after marrying Mom, always comparing to Si woo or complaining about my attitude even though he never complained directly to , and now he was standing there beaming like I’d hung the moon just because I spent one night at Ohm’s place and didn’t co ho slling like regret. It was pathetic how much I liked it, how much I wanted to soak it in even while I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.

"Where’s Lisa anyway?" I asked, changing the subject fast before I did sothing dumb like hug him back or whatever. "She was supposed to be here when I left yesterday."

Dad waved it off like it was no big deal and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl, peeling it while he talked. "Si Woo already took her ho last night. Said she was tired after the whole thing at the club, so he drove her back himself. You know how he is, always looking out for her. Anyway, doesn’t matter. Focus on you and Ohm. That’s the real ticket here."

I nodded without really thinking, muttering, "Yeah, fine, whatever. Si Woo took her, cool. I’m not worried about it." But inside my head was spinning a little because I hadn’t even realized how late it had gotten or that Lisa had bounced already, but I wasn’t about to admit that out loud. Dad kept going on about how Ohm was gonna change everything for the family, how this was the smartest move I’d ever made, and I just let him talk because arguing would’ve ruined the weird warm feeling I had going. I told him straight up though, leaning against the counter and crossing my arms, "Look, don’t expect anything much from , okay? It’s not like we’re suddenly mated for life or whatever. We’re just... figuring stuff out. Don’t get your hopes up too high."

He laughed again and ruffled my hair like I was still ten years old. "Sure, sure, play it cool. But I see it on your face, kid. You’re happy. And that makes happy. Now go upstairs and get so rest, you look like you could use it after whatever you two were up to all night." He winked and I flipped him off on my way out, but I was smiling the whole ti I climbed the stairs because yeah, low-key? I was happy. My stepdad had never been proud of like this, not for school, not for anything I’d tried to do on my own, and now here he was acting like I’d single-handedly saved the family business just by not screwing up with Ohm. It felt good.

Too good. Like maybe for once I wasn’t the screw-up son who kept running away from everything.

I got to my room, shut the door behind , and flopped face-first onto the bed without even bothering to change out of Ohm’s sweatpants. The pillow still slled a little like my own shampoo mixed with the faint leftover scent from his car, and I buried my face in it and yelled, loud and muffled and stupid, "God, why does everything have to feel like this? I just wish we could be together for real, like actually together, not this practice crap or whatever the hell we’re doing. He’s so annoyingly nice and I hate how much I want it to stick."

I punched the mattress a couple tis for good asure, laughing at myself because it was ridiculous, lying here yelling into a pillow like so lovesick idiot after one night of not even having sex, but it was the happiest I’d felt in forever and I didn’t want to let it go yet. My chest felt light, like all the usual weight from Si Woo and the tattoo and my dad’s expectations had taken a five-minute vacation, and I just lay there grinning into the fabric wishing Ohm would text sothing dumb right now so I could snap back at him and feel that spark again.