CHAPTER 7- Just because I'm a beta¹

Presley lounged on his couch, one leg casually crossed over the other, a bucket of popcorn in his lap. He flicked on the TV, and immediately, his stats flashed onto the screen.

A sleek digital avatar, Von, materialized in the corner, his voice crisp and mechanical as he began relaying the mission details.

«Right now, this is your target--»

«Name: James Wilson (ML)»

«Age: 29»

«Role to the Host: Toxic Ex / Ex-Boss»

Presley raised an eyebrow, tossing a popcorn kernel into his mouth.

"And who am I supposed to be? The MC?"

«No, you're a side character in the story Toxic Marriage.»

Presley hummed, intrigued. "Hmm. I'm listening."

«The title is in the MC’s perception, of course, but since our target is the ML, I’ll summarize the story from his perspective only.»

A scene began to unfold on the screen, depicting a lavish mansion, empty and cold despite its grandeur.

«James Wilson was born into wealth. His parents, titans in the corporate world, were rarely home—always off on business trips, leaving him to be raised by servants. Holidays, birthdays, even Christmas—his parents were absent. Instead, they sent expensive gifts, as if material wealth could fill the void of their neglect.»

The images on the screen flickered to a teenage boy—James, younger and unguarded—smiling beside an Omega.

«The only time his parents showed concern for his actions was when he fell in love… and accidentally got an Omega pregnant in high school. The Omega was sixteen. James’ parents panicked—not out of moral responsibility, but because of the scandal it would bring. If news got out, they could be charged for statutory rape, and their perfect reputation would crumble.»

The screen shifted to an older couple, their expressions cold as they handed an envelope of money to an unseen party.

«They were lucky—the Omega was an orphan. A simple bribe to his foster parents was enough to silence them. Not only to stop them from pressing charges… but to ensure that the child was never born. The foster parents complied without hesitation.»

But then, the image changed. The Omega, teary-eyed and desperate, clutching his stomach as he fled into the night.

«The only one who refused… was the Omega himself. He ran away. Vanished without a trace.»

Presley could already see where this was going.

«James, young and naive, searched desperately for him. But it was like he had been erased from existence. His parents later told him that the Omega had taken the money, gotten an abortion, and left without looking back.»

The screen dimmed.

«James believed that lie.»

Presley exhaled through his nose, watching as the next sequence played out—James, now older, lounging in bed with a Beta. He looked different—colder, jaded.

«From that moment, James developed a deep resentment toward Omegas. He convinced himself they were liars, gold diggers—parasites. He only entertained relationships with Betas, like Riley, because they were 'less complicated.' But even that didn’t stop his parents from meddling.»

A wedding invitation appeared on the screen, embossed in gold.

«Despite his refusal, James’ parents arranged a marriage between him and the MC—an Omega. And from the moment they were wed, James became a toxic, abusive husband, treating the MC as nothing more than a tool to produce an heir. After all, that’s all his parents ever cared about.»

Presley grimaced, tossing another piece of popcorn into his mouth.

"Damn. I get that what happened to him was unfair, but he sounds sick."

Von’s voice cut through his thoughts.

«Presley, no matter what happens, do not let this marriage take place. That is your goal.»

Presley scoffed. "Oh, trust me, you don’t have to tell me twice."

The screen flickered again, this time displaying his own profile, constituting a selfie which he took back at college.

«Name: Presley Orson.»

«Current Host: Riley Stevens.»

«Health Points: +100 (Full).»

«Desire Points: +25.»

«Abilities: None.»

«Rewards: Zero Points.»

Von’s voice lowered, almost conspiratorial.

«As a host, there’s only one rule you need to remember when dealing with your target.»

«....**Turn their desires into obsession. And make that obsession their ruin**.»

«That's the purpose of the DESIRE points, once the desire points hits +100 it turns to an obsession, that's when you make the right move....»

Presley smirked, eyes gleaming.

"So all I have to do… is mess with him until I’m the only thing he can think about?"

A slow, devious grin stretched across his lips.

"This is going to be fun."

---

The Next Morning

9:35 AM

The phone rang inside James' penthouse, shrill and persistent.

The room was a disaster—papers strewn across the floor, shattered glass near the bar, furniture slightly askew. It was clear that James had lost his temper the moment he returned last night.

He lay sprawled across the unmade bed, still in his disheveled office attire, his shirt unbuttoned at the top. His brow furrowed as the ringing cut through his sleep-heavy mind.

With a groggy grunt, he reached for his phone and blindly rejected the call, mistaking it for an alarm.

Three seconds later, it rang again.

"...Ugh."

With a sharp exhale, James sat up, running a hand through his tousled hair before answering.

"Hello?" His voice was still thick with sleep.

"Mr. Wilson! Oh, thank goodness. I’ve been trying to reach you!"

James winced as the frantic voice of Mr. Felix, his assistant manager, blared through the speaker.

"It’s almost ten, and you’re not at the office. I tried calling your assistant as well, but Riley isn’t answering—"

"Riley no longer works here," James interrupted flatly, his tone devoid of emotion.

Silence.

"...I see," Felix finally responded, his voice tinged with surprise.

James pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why did you call?"