"I dislike this food," Saije said while seated at the dining table.

"I am so very sorry, young Saije, I'll cook better from now on," the woman apologized before lowering her head and returning to the kitchen.

"I'm not fond of these clothes, they're hideous. Aren't you supposed to be a famous designer?" he asked the man.

Scanning him from head to toe, Saije walked away, tossing the apparel at the man's face. The designer simply stood there silently, head cast down.

Wherever he went, whatever the setting, Saije did as he pleased. He wouldn't eat anything he didn't relish, wouldn't speak to anyone he didn't like, was never cordial, and regarded everyone as beneath him. At twenty-three, sauntering through the university, he disregarded everyone. Settling in his usual spot, he exhaled deeply. The professor wasted no time starting his lecture.

"Can you speed it up?" he asked impatiently. "I have better things to do than listen to this drivel."

The professor just looked at him, knowing a single retort could cost him his job. He took a brief glance as the Omega wore an expression of utter disinterest, resting his face on his hand, blue eyes watching.

Indeed, Saije was a breathtaking Omega, but equally capricious.

The professor sped up his lecture, providing everyone with necessary explanations about an upcoming assignment. Saije remained unflustered, as his intelligence meant he had never once received a failing grade.

After the class, he walked out, paying no one any mind. Tired of everyone, despite drawing the attention of Alphas, Betas, and even some Omegas, he accepted no one's company, finding them all too foolish. Upon reaching the cafeteria, he picked up a tray to eat. Sitting alone at a table, he soon sighed with disgust at the unappealing meal. Not understanding why no one could prepare something truly delicious, he frowned and watched a group of Omegas talking across the way.

"He's so full of himself."

"He'll end up alone forever."

"His presence is so unpleasant. What Alpha would fancy him?"

"I heard even his parents don't want him because he's a spoiled brat."

A smirk crossed his lips. Whether or not others spoke ill of him didn't matter; all it did was increase his notoriety. Standing up, he walked away nonchalantly.

Entering the bathroom for a moment, then slowly washing his hands, Saije gazed into the mirror indefinitely. Vanity was another of his traits, as he fixed his silken, shiny, pink hair.

He quickly left upon the arrival of some boys.

Confronting one of the many Alphas that approached him, he glanced with disdain, although the Alpha towered over him. Crossing his arms, he yawned, showing utter disinterest in whatever the Alpha was saying.

"Why would I do something as foolish as date you?" he scrutinized him. "What could you possibly offer me? Do you have enough money to sate my every desire? Can you command a plane to take me wherever I want, any time?"

The Alpha, furious, like all the rest, felt humiliated.

"You have none of that, so don't even imagine I might date someone as insignificant as you, and besides, your pheromones smell like nettles, a clear sign of Alphas who can't even sire offspring – repulsive."

Watching the Alpha move past, he felt an urge to strike but knew even a hair out of place on Omega could cost him his life.

He ambled home leisurely.

As usual, he visited all the clothing and jewelry stores he wished. The men accompanying him carried over ten bags each, and once satisfied, he headed to the parking lot.

"Don't drop the bags," he admonished while checking his phone. "Try to do something right in your pathetic lives at least."

By now, the men were well accustomed to his daily insults, secretly longing for someone to teach him a lesson in humility, for clearly his parents failed to show him that in the vast world, there were those bereft of food.

Arriving home, he saw a large truck loading items. He and the men exited, carrying the bags filled with clothing, footwear, jewels, and more.

Saije stood watching the ongoing scene, perplexed as they continued to remove things from his lavish house as if nothing mattered. They even took his violin. Rushing to them, he demanded:

"What do you think you're doing?! How dare you touch my belongings with your filthy hands?!"

Snatching the violin back fiercely, he stormed into his house, finding it nearly empty. Turning right, he saw his Omega father approaching slowly, followed by his Alpha father, both struggling to find the right words.

"What's going on? Why are our things being taken away?"

"Saije, son..."

"What's happening? Speak up."

The Omega looked at the Alpha, who merely sighed before speaking:

"I'm sorry, we're on the verge of bankruptcy; I couldn't pay off some bank debts and, above all, your credit and debit card expenses."

"What?!" You're my father; it's your responsibility to pay for my desires! Say something!" he demanded of his Omega father.

"I wish I could turn back time, realising earlier that fulfilling your every wish wasn't at all the solution," his Omega father lamented remorsefully.

"What are you implying?"

Staring at his two fathers, naturally, the Alpha stood taller and stronger with shining blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

"We've decided to accept help from our friends; you will have to get married."

Saije stared in disbelief at what he'd just heard. As men tried to wrest the violin away again, he struck one over the head with it.

"Do not touch my violin!"

They persisted, but Saije warned them:

"Dare to take it from me for I can turns it into a lethal weapon!”

"Saije, please don't make this harder," pleaded his Omega father.

"You're all mad! I will never marry! I'll never be wed to a worthless Alpha! If it's not a king filled with gold, I don't want it!"

The sound of him hitting another man with the violin echoed through the space.

"The next person who moves, I'll break their head!"

His parents watched as he fended off all who neared until, refusing to relinquish the violin, they forcibly took it. Saije screamed and kicked as someone carried him over their shoulder. Then, all he could do was watch as the truck drove away with his violin and his freshly purchased items.

He clenched his fists in anger at the injustice. He wanted to hurt someone, to smash whatever was in front of him, and upon seeing the Alpha he was to be wed to, he looked on with utter revulsion, as though he was the most contemptible thing in existence.

"I'm Jaehan; it's a pleasure to meet you," said the Alpha, extending a hand in greeting, yet Saije remained seated, arms and legs crossed, utterly disinterested.

He refused to dirty his fingers by touching one he deemed so foul. His gaze remained forward, not listening to anything said about the Alpha, his thoughts consumed by his violin and possessions.

"Saije, be nice, son. He's a good person and agreed to help us, but you must also help him. Try to look at him and offer a greeting," his Omega father urged, his voice filled with fear.

Noticed the worry in his Omega father's honey-colored eyes, Saije finally stood up. Although his Alpha father hoped for understanding, it was not to be. Examining the Alpha's black hair and serious expression, he stated clearly:

"A person of my stature couldn't possibly marry such a low-tier Alpha," he declared, walking past him decisively.

The Alpha remained silent, knowing he was far from "low-tier."

"I'm so sorry, Jaehan. He's always been this way, but he'll be a good boy. Please, be patient with him," the parents pleaded.

"No worries, I'm patient. I'm doing this for my father's sake. Once everything's settled, this will be over," the Alpha assured.

Saije grinned knowingly; this Alpha had no idea how unbearable he could be. And as he stood before the officiant, there was not a hint of joy on his face. It was clear from his eyes that he would rather be anywhere else than beside his new spouse, and the Alpha's usually stoic demeanor had worsened. Both said 'yes' and signed the necessary papers without emotion.

Arriving at his new residence, Saije locked himself in his room, even barricading the door with furniture, and watched from the window as the Alpha left.

He did not intend to give him anything – no conversation, no glance – yet he was determined to make the Alpha's life miserable for having disrupted his own.

And he thought:

Let the war begin.

"Good morning, my name is Annie and I will be your personal maid," said the brunette, lowering her head in greeting. "Young Master Jaehan has left me entirely at your disposal."

"I don't want you, leave," Saije blurted out.

She didn't know what to say. She saw him gazing out the window, arms crossed and a severe expression on his face. She couldn't ignore the fact that he was handsome, but also that he was going to be a huge problem for the Alpha.

"I was sent to fetch you for dinner. You haven't eaten anything all day and..."

"Are you deaf?" he questioned, giving her a brief glance.

"No."

"Are you stupid?"

"No, Young Master Saije."

"Then, if you're neither of those things, get out. I don't want servants like you around me."

She simply nodded and walked away.

When she closed the door, he didn't hesitate to continue tying up everything he found. He had hidden it under the bed when someone knocked on the door, and he had no intention of staying in that house. Two days had passed, and he couldn't go anywhere because people were always following him. Tired and annoyed, he wouldn't allow them to keep him locked up.

It was a new place far from home, but just as his parents had nearly abandoned him as if it were nothing, stating it was a lesson to learn that he couldn't have everything in life, he was determined to leave and teach them they couldn't do whatever they wanted with him as if he were an insignificant thing because not a single hair on his head was that. His resolution to leave was firm. So he tied sheets from the closet together and smiled because he was more than proud of what he was accomplishing. He only needed a few more things to reach the ground.

He had noted that the guards passed in front of his window every thirty minutes, so within that timeframe, he needed to descend. He had also scoped out the entrance and surroundings. He had only been in the room, but was far from foolish.

When he heard footsteps, he hid everything once more and lay on the bed with his back to the door. He heard the door being knocked.

"I'm not here," he said.

"How strange, because I can see you quite clearly," said the Alpha.

He gave a brief glance from the doorway, but did nothing, sitting upright with his pink hair glistening.

"You have to come down to eat, or do you want to starve to death?"

"I'd rather starve than share a meal with people like you," he muttered.

The Alpha did nothing, remained stoic the entire time, but was no fool; he realized exactly what was being planned and let out a side smile because the situation amused him. However, the fun was going to end there because he couldn't imagine what more the fragile-looking Omega could do.

"Suit yourself."

He closed the door and Saije stood up to continue tying things together quickly. Upon seeing everything that he had tied touch the ground, he smiled, assuming he would manage to escape from this shambles he was tied to. He secured one end to the bed and eyed the height for a moment, realizing it was tall but preferring to fall on his head rather than remain imprisoned. He moved to stand at the window ledge and couldn't help but laugh, because his parents were going to pay.

He glanced below to ensure no guards were in sight. He assumed they must be eating since it was dinner time and it was getting dark.

He dismissed the thought and managed to start descending. As a child, he had watched many videos of his Alpha father climbing mountains with ease and descending just as adeptly. Remembering this, he looped one part under his bottom and held the other in his hand. He let it out slowly as he descended cleanly and without any issues.

Trying to stay calm and focused because ending up with a hurt leg was not in his plans, he needed both legs in perfect condition to continue fleeing; injuring an arm was of no concern to him.

He was only five feet three inches tall and didn't weigh much, but he was getting tired halfway down. When he reached the ground, he breathed a sigh of relief and leaned his head back to gauge the distance. He was more than satisfied because he had achieved a clean escape without the slightest altercation. He gave himself a mental high-five and turned to continue his escape but stopped abruptly upon seeing the Alpha sitting in a chair, reading a newspaper.

Jaehan flipped the page nonchalantly as his men stood behind him. Saije wished for a weapon to kill them all, his chest heaving rapidly from intense anger.

"How long did you take?" the Alpha asked his men, continuing to read the paper.

"Fifteen minutes, sir."

"Fifteen minutes. I had the ambulance number ready in case you fell."

Folding the newspaper, he stood and handed it to one of his men, who took it immediately.

Saije observed him, imposing and strong. His black hair blended into the night perfectly, veiling his eyes, and his stern face showed he was in no mood for jokes. He saw him wearing a turtleneck sweater that outlined the muscles beneath the clothes. His hands were in the pockets of his jeans as he looked down at Saije.

"Do you want to come in, or do you want them to bring you in by force?"

Saije looked ready to burst, emitting virtual smoke from his ears, and although shorter and outmatched by the nearly six feet three inches towering Alpha, he looked on the verge of striking them all.

"Damn son of the nether world," he grumbled angrily.

Jaehan remained silent, merely observing him attentively, waiting for any further tantrums.

"Who would want to stay here? Everywhere I look there is dust, and your servants are more insignificant than you, not even fit to clean my shoes. If you think that stupid marriage contract I signed will make me stay in this hovel, then you're more foolish than I imagined."

When he was led upstairs, he saw him indicate a different room with a smaller window.

"I won't go in there; do you think I'm so desperate to settle for something so small? Nothing will fit in there," he said, arms crossed. "If you can't house me in a palace full of gold and diamonds, then leave me be. Are you even rich?"

He walked around the place, stopping at a painting that looked very expensive.

"This ugly picture looks like it's from a fourth-rate auction. Besides being stupid, you have zero taste. Who could live in such an old and terrible place? Every step I take, the floor creaks. Someone like me can't endure such dismal conditions. If you're used to living with servants, that's not my problem," he sneered, passing by a small statue on a shelf depicting someone famous, then casually knocked it to the floor. "If you're so wealthy, you can surely buy thousands more of those."

He simply closed the door of the room from which he'd tried to escape.

Fists balled from rage, he wanted to smash everything but held back, listening to the footsteps outside.

"I apologize, sir," one of his servants said, as if it was their fault the statue broke into pieces.

The Alpha remained silent, watching and lifting his gaze to the door where Saije was contained.

"Close the window and don't leave him alone."

Hearing this, Saije felt even worse. At dawn, he heard his door being knocked. He wanted to stay inside, and the Alpha expected that he would never come down, but it mattered little. However, when the Alpha approached for breakfast, he found Saije sprawled on a couch, admiring himself in a mirror as if he were a true Greek god.

A maid sat on the ground at his side, feeding him grapes at intervals.

The vanity he exuded exceeded that of a thousand others.

"More, servant," he demanded, waving his hand.

The woman extended her hand to feed him.

Other servants were around, holding a glass of strawberry, apple, and pear juice, and one with a large fan moving it back and forth, another tasked with meticulously combing his hair.

The Alpha sighed and sat down. When he entered, the servants wanted to move to serve him his breakfast, but Saije said:

"Where do you think you're going? You are my servants; if he wants attendance, he should hire more people. Or serve himself. I am his spouse, so you must obey me as well."

Jaehan clenched his jaw watching, but he sighed, patient.

"I want more things. My clothes are old, and since you won't let me leave, then buy a store for me," Saije demanded. "You should be grateful for having such a beautiful Omega as me. Who else could have my beautiful eyes or my lovely hair? You should take me dining at expensive places and show me off."

He simply stood up to leave for work, not having time to listen to endless bragging about his beauty.

He thought it would just be this once, but was profoundly mistaken, for Saije was just starting, and he knew things could get much worse.

Returning from work, he discovered no dinner was prepared. The maids responsible for cooking were too busy waiting on Saije to finish his bubble bath. Unsure where the rest of the staff was, he went to use the bathroom, only to find nearly all his servants there.

He stopped abruptly, seeing Saije in his tub. Different scents flooded the bathroom, and he swallowed, reminding himself of his patience for tolerating follies. He saw Saije resting his hands at the sides of the tub as a maid fed him berries.

Hearing the Alpha, Saije opened his eyes, intent on irritating him further:

"Managed to hire more employees? To have a husband as lovely as me, many should care for me. I need people to feed me, comb my soft hair, brush my teeth, and more. Right, servant?" He asked, lifting his leg to rest his wet foot on her chest. The maid nodded as her clothing became damp.

Jaehan caught a glimpse of Saije's triumph, but for a moment, his eyes lingered on the skin and foam covering his leg, pale and smooth to the naked eye. He saw a maid tenderly filing his nails.

He turned to leave, hearing Saije's voice:

"From now on, this bathroom is mine. You'll have to make another, though for someone so small like you, the guest bathroom should suffice."

Saije was in his room, locked away. He had ignored all the calls to come down for breakfast and even lunch. He was more than determined to stay within those four walls by all means necessary. He had no intention of pleasing anyone and was only thinking about what more he could do to irritate that lowly Alpha, as he referred to him.

He crossed his arms and paced the room, considering his next course of action. The window was no longer an option since they had installed bars. He was beyond furious; he was literally imprisoned and, for the five days he'd been there, he hadn't received a single call from his parents.

He clenched his fists and felt like banging his head against the wall—he was hungry, thirsty, and bored.

He approached the door to open it slowly and looked down the hallway, finding it empty. He believed he had a clear path. He took a few steps, uncertain of which way led to the kitchen, considering the mansion's vast size. He didn't know the exact number of rooms, but it was large enough to sleep about five entire families or even more.

As he descended the stairs, he grew even angrier at the sight of some paintings that were more than beautiful. He wanted to knock them down, but they were too high up and out of his reach.

Once on the ground floor, he looked around and began to notice how eerily empty the place was. He stood hesitantly for a few seconds because, like on previous days, the servants who were responsible for him would already be behind him, repeating the same old phrases:

"Your husband is working."

"Your husband said to behave yourself."

"Your husband said you must eat to stay healthy."

"Your husband said not to try to escape, or you will regret it."

"Your husband said you can go out, but not alone."

He was more than tired of hearing these things every time he made a move, but now those unbearable women, as he considered them, were nowhere to be seen. He swallowed hard, and upon hearing a noise, he walked toward the source. An enormous and long table came into view, which could easily seat twenty people, yet it was solely occupied by Jaehan.

Jaehan was leisurely sipping coffee while reading the newspaper. He liked to keep abreast of city happenings, but wasn't fond of television, so a newspaper was always a must. He slowly turned a page, his eyes scanning over the words until he glanced up and Saije flinched. Jaehan said nothing, simply observing him for a few seconds before returning to his reading as if no one of significance were present. He took another sip of coffee and glanced at his wristwatch, which he never failed to wear. He hated being late for meetings, appointments, and work-related affairs, so a watch was a necessity.

The Omega regarded him, serious and with his black hair. Jaehan wore a dark blue suit and appeared large even when seated, but that didn't stop Saije from feeling intimidated. So, taking a deep breath, he asked:

"Where's your filthy entourage?"

Jaehan finished reading a paragraph, which made small mention of a secret marriage—naturally, it was his own.

Then, he carefully folded the newspaper and set it on the floor.

"I dismissed them," he replied after finishing his coffee.

Saije stared at him, indignant, thinking he was being made fun of.

"What?"

"I see you're quite demanding. So, to have things your way, there'll be no one else but you," Jaehan said as he stood up.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"The other day, you mentioned dust in certain places. You now have all day to clean every corner of this house."

"What?! I'm not your employee, you fool! he blurted out furiously, wishing he had something to hurl at his face."

"You also mentioned the food was disgusting and that you'd only eat top-quality fare. So, the kitchen is all yours. Of course, that's only if you know how to use it, Jaehan mocked, barely restraining a smile."

He could see that Saije was smaller but the magnitude of rage in his body was overwhelming. He saw him with his face red and almost steaming from his ears. Clearly, if Saije had a weapon, he would have shot him until all the bullets were gone. His pink hair seemed to blaze with fiery red.

"Do you think I can't cook? I can do whatever I want! I'm not useless like you, you sick bastard!"

He watched as Saije stormed past him. He wanted to jump on his back and choke him for a moment, but he knew his chances of winning were slim. Looking around, he spotted a vase with freshly cut roses on the table.

"I'll be back around seven. Be a good spouse and have dinner ready."

"I will, but it'll be laced with poison! Saije yelled, hurling the vase at him."

Jaehan had already closed the door, so it only impacted against it. Standing still for seconds, he listened as Saije raged and cursed in several languages, clearly throwing a tantrum. He began to walk away upon hearing Saije trying the locked door, shouting even louder.

There were men always guarding the area, and they were astounded by the expletives Saije was shouting—swear words they hadn't even heard of. They exchanged glances and felt a bit of pity for their boss, having to endure someone like that.

"He doesn't have it easy, boss, one commented as he walked beside him."

"I'm not interested in having it easy. It's just for a contract. Once it's complete, I never want to see him again."

"It's a good thing you're somewhat patient."

"Yes, I suppose patience is my greatest virtue."

The drive to work was slow. He reviewed some emails en route and noticed that news of his marriage was quickly spreading. They had married in secret with only family present, but, as usual, the media found out and reported everything, just to have something to talk about for more work and money.

Upon arriving at his company, he saw his family name emblazoned above: TECNEC BRENNAN LIMITED.

Their brand, BRENNAN, specialized in various things and was a top seller, whether in phones or computers. They were expanding their territories, and their investments were thriving. Jaehan was the CEO of the main company, but his two brothers were starting to manage others, along with other family members: uncle, mother, and father.

"Congratulations on your wedding!"

"Congratulations, CEO Jaehan."

"I'm happy for your marriage!"

"I hope you have a wonderful marital life!"

He listened to the congratulations in silence and merely nodded in thanks but couldn't help thinking that a wonderful marital life was very unlikely when the person he married was probably preparing him poisoned food and even considering burning the house down without caring if he died in the process.

"Thank you all. This was supposed to be kept secret, but it seems everyone knows now, he pondered, contemplating how to manage the media and the upcoming challenges."

"Secret? You're one of the most famous CEOs lately, plus you're a dominant Alpha with an impeccable reputation. It's normal for everyone to be attentive to your life."

He said nothing more and entered his office to start reviewing some documents.

"May I? his secretary, an Omega who had worked with him for over three years, always striving to do her best to earn something from the Alpha, asked as she entered with papers. Now, with the news of his recent and secret marriage, she was not at all pleased."

"Magdalena, glad you're here. Take these papers to Rouse, tell her there are errors. I've marked them for her to correct as soon as possible."

She nodded, taking the papers and handing him some items.

"I'm very sorry, boss. Rouse has been here a month, but she's still adjusting. She's a bit slow."

"Don't worry, we all make mistakes when we're new somewhere. Just tell her to ask me if she has any questions, and we can avoid these errors."

"Certainly. Anything else you need?"

"Nothing, you may leave."

He typed a few things on his computer but stopped upon realizing three hours had passed. He figured that was enough time for Saije to calm down and dialed the house phone number.

The wall-mounted phone rang and rang, but Saije made no attempt to pick it up. He was still furious and didn't care about anything anymore.

"That damn Alpha. But if he thinks he can beat me, he's sorely mistaken. I'll make this disgusting place shine, he vowed."

He had everything he needed to start cleaning and tied a handkerchief around his hair to keep it out of his eyes. He began to clean everything in sight. He might be capricious, vain, and unbearable, but he was not useless. He knew how to do many things without any problem and was quite fast. So, when he finished cleaning the entire house, he still had three hours until Jaehan returned.

He felt more than proud because everything smelled good, and he could almost see his pretty reflection on the floor.

Then, he went to the kitchen to see what was there and started cooking all he knew nonstop. Covered in flour and with several burned fingers, he never ceased. He set the table elegantly, as if it were fit for royalty, not just for its arrangement, but because it held all types of food.

"Let's see who lost, he whispered, sitting on the couch and falling asleep sprawled out in less than ten minutes."

When the key turned in the lock, Saije was still fast asleep, deep-rooted in slumber to the point where not even an earthquake could rouse him.

Jaehan opened the door to a gleaming interior. He scanned every spot, noting that even the smallest nook was shining. The sweet aroma confused him, and he couldn't identify its source. Taking steps inward, he half expected Saije to spring on him from behind, armed with a knife. But all was eerily quiet, save for gentle snores.

He looked in that direction to see Saije asleep on the couch, handkerchief still in hair, a trail of drool at the corner of his mouth, and flour everywhere.

Observing him for seconds, he saw Saije appeared innocent and defenseless asleep, quite opposite to when he was awake. Jaehan swallowed hard and turned away to face the food on the table. Not knowing whether Saije actually cooked all this or not, he couldn't deny it all looked delectable. He approached and spotted a note.

GOOD LUCK CHOOSING THE FOOD THAT'S NOT TAMPERED, YOU FOOL.

SINCERELY: YOUR LOVELY SPOUSE.

He sighed and deliberated what to try. He saw waffles and assumed no one would dare spoil delicious waffles. He took a piece with a fork, tasted it, and at first felt nothing, but after a few chews, the spiciness hit him to the core.

Saije remained asleep like a tiny angel while Jaehan frantically rinsed his mouth with water, the heat scorching his insides.