The Mask of His Own Making

The Lin family estate was a world unto itself: sprawling courtyards, white stone walls that gleamed under the morning sun, and ancient pines whispering secrets of generations long gone. Inside, everything smelled faintly of polished wood and old ink, the kind of scent that only accompanied legacies built on power.

In the heart of this home, the study stood as a silent witness to countless decisions that shaped empires. Behind an imposing desk sat Lin Yisheng, chairman of YY Corporation, a man whose gaze alone could silence entire boardrooms.

But when his son entered the room, the sharpness in his eyes eased.

Lin Yicheng, barely twelve, already carried himself with quiet dignity. His back was straight, his steps measured, his expression calm in the way only those raised in responsibility could be. But behind that calmness, there was something fragile—something even his father, for all his sharp perception, could not completely read.

Yisheng gestured for him to come closer. “Yicheng,” he began, voice low, “there is something you must know. Something only a father can tell his son.”

The boy hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, Father.”

“You are not like other children.” His father’s tone carried both pride and warning. “You are an Enigma.”

The word landed heavy in the air, as if the walls themselves absorbed its weight.

Yicheng blinked, his young mind racing. “Enigma…?”

Yisheng leaned back in his chair, studying the boy with solemn eyes. “A rare existence. Not Alpha, not Beta, not Omega—something beyond those lines. With such a gift comes great danger. People will not understand you. Some will covet you, some will fear you, and some will try to destroy you.”

Yicheng’s small fists tightened. “Then… what should I do?”

His father’s gaze softened. “You do nothing, my son. You live carefully. You hide what you must. But never forget: it is not shame, it is power. One day, when you are strong enough, you may decide what it truly means to be Enigma. Until then, guard your secret well.”

He placed a steady hand on his son’s shoulder, warmth beneath the steel. “I will protect you, Yicheng. But I cannot protect you from everything. That, you must learn yourself.”

Yicheng bowed his head. “I understand.”

At least, that was what he said.

But when he left the study, the boy’s mind was far from still.

That afternoon, laughter drifted across the garden. Yicheng found himself following the sound until he spotted the familiar figure crouched under a willow tree.

Gu Chengyao.

The neighbor’s son. His best friend. His only friend, in truth. At thirteen, Chengyao was a year older, taller, his features already carrying the promise of the Alpha he would one day become. His presence was magnetic, sunlight spilling off him wherever he went.

At that moment, he was coaxing a trembling puppy out from beneath the tree. When he saw Yicheng, his smile lit up.

“Yicheng! Come help me. It’s too scared to move.”

Without hesitation, Yicheng knelt beside him. Their shoulders brushed, and though he tried to ignore the strange flutter in his chest, he could not. Together, they coaxed the small animal out, Chengyao’s hand steady and warm as he held it.

When the puppy finally settled, Chengyao turned to him, his expression unexpectedly serious.

“You’re always so quiet, Yicheng. But don’t worry—I’ll protect you. Always.”

The boyish words were simple, careless, but they carved deep into Yicheng’s heart.

That night, long after the lamps had been extinguished, Yicheng lay awake in his room. His father’s warning echoed in his ears: Guard your secret. Be careful.

But louder still was Chengyao’s promise: I’ll protect you. Always.

Yicheng stared at the ceiling, his small hands clenched beneath the blanket. His father had told him to be careful, to hide his Enigma nature. But he had not told him how to hide.

If Chengyao would only ever choose an Omega…

If Alphas were bound to them, drawn to them, destined to stand by them…

Then Yicheng would become one.

Not because his father asked him. Not because the world demanded it.

But because of his own choice.

Because of Chengyao.

That night, a twelve-year-old boy made a vow that would shape his entire life:

I will live as an Omega, even if it means burying my true self. Even if it means wearing a mask forever. Because only then will Chengyao stay by my side.

Years Later

The city had grown into a battlefield of glass and steel, ambition reflected in every skyscraper that clawed at the heavens. In this world, two names dominated the stage.

YY Corporation—a dynasty carved from decades of power, with the Lin family seated at its helm.

CC Group—a younger empire, but one that had risen at a frightening pace under its ruthless new CEO.

At YY’s headquarters, Lin Yicheng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his reflection cast against the sprawling city below. He was no longer a boy, but a man in his prime—tall, graceful, his tailored suit framing a figure that exuded elegance and control.

To the world, he was the flawless Omega heir: unapproachable, untouchable, the dream of every Alpha in the city. His composure was legendary, his intelligence sharper than anyone expected. No one suspected the truth beneath his perfection—that the Omega mask was of his own choosing, and that beneath it pulsed the dangerous secret of an Enigma.

Across the city, at the highest floor of CC Group, Gu Chengyao stood much the same way: gazing out from his office window, a cup of black coffee in hand. Once the boy who had grinned beneath the willow tree, now he was the Alpha CEO whose name commanded both respect and fear. His decisions could sway markets, his presence alone enough to silence rivals.

The two men had not seen each other in years, their paths diverging as the burdens of family legacy fell upon them. Yet the bond of childhood—unspoken, unfinished—remained buried deep, waiting for the moment it would resurface.

Two boys bound by a promise.

Two men divided by power, secrecy, and longing.

And one mask—woven not by his father’s will, but by Yicheng’s own choice—that would decide the fate of them both.

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