Chapter 1
Love in Disguise
Chapter 1 — The Secret
Jennie ran.
Her heart hammered against her chest as she sprinted down the unfamiliar street, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds.
The men were still following her.
What the hell was wrong with people in this place?
They weren’t simply chasing her.
They were trying to bite her.
“Are they dogs or something?!” Jennie shouted breathlessly.
One of them suddenly lunged toward her.
Jennie immediately pulled the pepper spray from her bag.
“Stay away from me!”
Psssst!
The man stumbled backward, clutching his face.
Jennie didn’t wait.
She ran.
She didn’t stop until she reached the small noodle shop at the corner of the street—the only place in this strange city that still felt like home.
She pushed through the door, breathing heavily.
Her mother looked up from behind the counter.
“Jennie!”
Jennie froze.
“You just came back from your graduation, and you’re already making trouble?”
“Mom!” Jennie protested. “I don’t know what is wrong with people here! Since I arrived, this is the third time I’ve almost been bitten by a bunch of complete strangers!”
Her mother stared at her.
Then her expression changed.
The amusement disappeared from her face.
“Oh, my dear...”
Jennie frowned.
“What?”
Her mother slowly put down the bowl she was holding.
“I think it’s time I told you the truth.”
Jennie’s smile faded.
“What truth?”
The Truth
For years, Jennie had believed that the world was ordinary.
People were simply people.
Men and women.
Some were stronger, some weaker.
Some were rich, some poor.
Some were kind, others cruel.
But she was wrong.
Long ago, humanity had changed.
The world had become divided into three secondary genders:
Alpha. Beta. Omega.
Betas remained largely unchanged.
Alphas developed heightened strength, senses and powerful pheromones.
And then there were omegas.
They were rarer, highly sensitive to pheromones and, because of their reproductive biology, became one of the most sought-after secondary genders in society.
Most women were omegas.
Female alphas existed, but they were extremely rare.
And among female alphas, there was an even rarer classification.
S-rank.
A female alpha’s body could undergo remarkable biological changes when she formed a bond with her chosen omega. Her reproductive system could adapt accordingly, allowing her to impregnate an omega regardless of the omega’s sex.
But S-rank alphas were different.
They didn’t require a chosen omega.
Their pheromones were powerful enough to affect almost anyone, and their reproductive abilities were not limited in the same way.
They were extraordinarily rare.
And extraordinarily dangerous.
Jennie stared at her mother.
“Mom...”
“You need to be careful.”
“Why?”
Her mother hesitated.
“Because you’re an omega.”
Silence.
Jennie blinked.
Then laughed nervously.
“Very funny.”
“I’m not joking.”
The smile disappeared from Jennie’s face.
“What?”
Her mother reached beneath the counter and pulled out a small bottle of pills.
“You are a pure omega, just like me.”
Jennie’s hands slowly lowered.
“You’re... an omega?”
Her mother nodded.
“And so are you.”
Jennie stared at the bottle.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I wanted you to live normally for as long as possible.”
Her mother pushed the medicine toward her.
“These will suppress your pheromones. Take them regularly, especially before leaving the house.”
Jennie stared at the pills.
“And if someone asks?”
“Tell them you’re a beta.”
“But why?”
“Because pure omegas are highly sought after by alphas. Your pheromones will attract attention once your secondary gender fully develops.”
Jennie’s stomach tightened.
“Those people today...”
Her mother nodded.
“Now you understand.”
Jennie looked down at her hands.
Only minutes ago, she had believed the world was completely normal.
Now everything she knew felt like a lie.
She picked up the bottle.
“I’ll be careful.”
Her mother reached across the counter and squeezed her hand.
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
Somewhere Else in Singapore
The Chen family was one of the most powerful families in the country.
Their fortune had grown dramatically after the birth of their eldest daughter.
Maria Chen.
The only S-rank female alpha in the country.
Her existence alone had changed the Chen family’s position in society.
Maria’s abilities spoke for themselves.
She had defeated powerful alphas in business negotiations, forced arrogant executives into submission and built a reputation that made even members of her own family cautious around her.
Her pheromones were particularly notorious.
Dark.
Heavy.
Overwhelming.
Whenever Maria lost her temper, betas and omegas in the office struggled to remain standing.
That was how she earned her nickname.
The Black Monster.
“Miss Chen...”
Maria’s assistant stood outside her bedroom door.
Or, rather, he was struggling to remain standing.
He was an alpha himself.
Yet even he couldn’t completely withstand Maria’s pheromones.
“Miss Chen, we have three meetings with investors today. We need to leave soon.”
Maria didn’t answer.
“And your father wants you to join the family for breakfast.”
Her eyes opened.
“Breakfast?”
Her voice was cold.
“With that fake family?”
The assistant swallowed.
“Your father specifically requested—”
“I heard you.”
Maria sat up.
Her pheromones suddenly intensified.
The assistant’s knees buckled.
He hit the floor.
Maria looked down at him.
“Mr. Yang.”
He forced himself to look up.
“You’ve worked for me for five years.”
“And yet you still can’t get used to my pheromones.”
She stepped over him.
“Useless.”
“Yes, Miss Chen.”
Maria walked toward her wardrobe.
“I’ll come down.”
She paused.
“But I’ll have breakfast my way.”
Maria emerged from her room dressed in a crisp white shirt beneath a black corset.
Her porcelain skin needed no makeup.
The small beauty marks scattered across her face only enhanced her striking appearance.
Her black trousers gave her an intimidating, almost masculine presence.
She walked into the dining room.
“Good morning, Dad.”
Her father’s face immediately brightened.
“There she is! The love of my life. My pride!”
Her stepmother laughed.
“Dear, your daughter is here all the time. Save some of that affection for later and let her eat first.”
Maria pulled out her chair.
“Look who’s talking.”
She glanced at her stepmother.
“When did you suddenly start caring about whether I eat?”
Her father coughed.
“Maria, behave.”
Maria smirked.
The three men sitting at the table watched her carefully.
Her three younger half-brothers.
All alphas.
And none of them liked her.
Jade, the middle brother, finally spoke.
“Dad, regarding the Chen Technology project...”
He straightened proudly.
“I found the perfect sponsor.”
Maria reached for her glass.
“The perfect sponsor?”
“He’s the number one businessman in Singapore.”
Maria looked at him.
Then, without saying anything, she picked up the glass of water.
And poured it directly onto Jade’s breakfast.
Silence.
Jade stared at his ruined meal.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Maria calmly placed the glass back on the table.
“I don’t think you can tell the difference between water and soup.”
Jade stood up.
His pheromones burst into the room.
The other two brothers Fang and Luke followed.
Three alpha pheromones collided.
The atmosphere became suffocating.
Maria didn’t move.
Instead, she released her own.
The room instantly changed.
The three brothers’ expressions hardened.
But they were forced to step back.
Even three alphas together couldn’t overpower an S-rank alpha.
“That’s enough.”
Their father slammed his hand against the table.
“We can’t even have one peaceful breakfast!”
He turned toward Jade.
“What reason do you have for recommending this man?”
Maria reached into her bag.
“I’ll show you.”
She placed several photographs on the table.
Her father picked them up.
His expression changed.
The photographs showed the supposed businessman entering nightclubs, meeting drug dealers and participating in illegal transactions.
“Is this the perfect sponsor you found?”
Maria’s voice was ice-cold.
“That’s the man you wanted to associate with the Chen family name.”
She looked at her brother.
“That’s why you’ll never have the instincts required to run this company.”
Her father slowly looked up.
“Good job, my daughter.”
He smiled proudly.
“You three should learn from your sister.”
He looked around the table.
“If Maria wasn’t here, what would I do with this business?”
Maria stood.
“I need to go.”
“Wait.”
She stopped.
“I want you to meet some omegas.”
Maria’s expression immediately darkened.
"You are my eldest."
“It’s time you give me a grandson.”
Maria’s eyes narrowed.
“You already know whom I hate most in this world.”
Her father sighed.
“Omegas.”
Maria’s voice was filled with contempt.
“Exactly.”
She glanced toward her stepmother.
“Choose as many as you want.”
Her lips curled into a cold smile.
“But don’t expect me to call any of them my lifelong partner.”
She turned toward the door.
“To me, they’re nothing more than temporary companions.”
Her father stared after her.
“Maria—”
She didn’t stop.
“See you later, Dad.”
She smiled sweetly.
“Have a lovely breakfast.”
Three Days Later
Jennie stood nervously in front of the towering glass building of Chen Corporation.
She looked up at the company logo displayed across the entrance.
This was it.
Her first real job.
She took a deep breath.
“I took my suppressant. Everything will be fine.”
At least, that was what she kept telling herself.
Her mother had warned her repeatedly to be careful.
Never forget her medicine.
Never allow her pheromones to escape.
And most importantly—
Never let anyone discover that she was an omega.
Jennie stepped through the entrance.
By the end of the morning, she had been shown around the building and assigned to the proofreading and documentation department.
She sat at her desk and carefully organized the files in front of her.
A cheerful-looking woman approached her.
“Hi!”
Jennie looked up.
“Hello.”
“My name is Ru. I’ll be your senior.”
“Oh! I’m Jennie.”
Ru smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Jennie. So... what are you?”
Jennie’s fingers stopped moving.
For a second, panic flashed through her eyes.
“I’m an—”
She quickly corrected herself.
“Beta.”
Ru nodded immediately.
“Oh, me too!”
Jennie smiled.
“Nice to meet you. Please take care of me.”
“Of course.”
Ru leaned closer and examined her face.
“You’re actually pretty cute.”
Jennie laughed awkwardly.
“Thank you.”
“Thank goodness you’re not an omega, though.”
Jennie froze.
“Why?”
Ru looked around before lowering her voice.
“Because if you were, this office would turn into a dating arena.”
Jennie raised an eyebrow.
“You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m not.”
Ru pointed around the office.
“Look around. Almost everyone here is either an alpha or a beta. there are only three Omegas in the whole premises and they were hand -picked by our CEO.”
She pulled out a chair beside Jennie.
“Anyway, let me explain your job.”
Jennie listened carefully.
“Our department handles the final proofreading and documentation for major projects. Before anything goes to clients or executives, we check everything.”
Ru pointed toward a large stack of documents.
“One mistake can cause trouble for an entire team.”
Jennie’s expression became serious.
“I understand.”
“Good.”
“I’ll do my best.”
She looked down at the documents.
“I need to do well.”
Her mother had worked day and night to support her.
Jennie wanted to repay her.
This job wasn’t something she could afford to lose.
Ru suddenly became serious.
“There’s just one thing you need to be careful about.”
Jennie looked at her.
“What?”
“Don’t get on the wrong side of our CEO.”
“Who?”
Ru whispered.
“Maria Chen.”
Jennie’s eyes widened.
“The famous S-rank alpha?”
Ru nodded.
“The one and only.”
“The Dark Monster?”
Ru immediately covered her mouth.
“Shhh!”
Jennie laughed quietly.
“Why? That’s what everyone calls her.”
“You’re new. You don’t know her.”
Ru looked around cautiously.
“Maria Chen hates omegas.”
Jennie’s smile disappeared.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why there aren’t many omegas working here. She doesn’t like being around them.”
Jennie swallowed.
“That’s convenient.”
Ru continued.
“You don’t know how powerful her pheromones are. And her temper...”
She shuddered.
“If you mess up in front of her, we’re finished.”
Jennie nodded.
“I’ll be careful.”
Suddenly, someone at the other side of the office gasped.
“Hey... what’s the fuss about?”
Ru’s eyes widened.
“Shh.”
“What?”
“The Dark Monster is coming.”
The entire atmosphere changed.
Employees immediately returned to their desks.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the office.
Then she appeared.
Maria Chen walked into the department as though the entire building belonged to her.
Perhaps it did.
Her short, sleek hair framed her sharp features perfectly. She wore a perfectly tailored black suit, her expression cold and unreadable.
The room became silent.
Jennie looked up.
And forgot to breathe.
She stared at Maria.
One second.
Two.
Three.
She couldn’t look away.
She’s... beautiful.
Not beautiful in the soft, delicate way Jennie had imagined.
Maria was intimidating.
Elegant.
Almost unreal.
Her eyes were sharp enough to make anyone feel exposed.
Jennie stared for nearly ten seconds before Ru quietly nudged her.
“Close your mouth.”
Jennie immediately looked away.
“Sorry.”
Ru whispered.
“You’re staring.”
“I was just checking if she was real.”
Ru struggled not to laugh.
“You’re going to get us killed.”
Maria stopped near their desks.
“Good morning, Chief,” one employee greeted.
Maria glanced at him.
Then gave him a faint smirk.
“If you have enough time to greet me and gossip...”
Her gaze swept across the department.
“Why don’t I have yesterday’s final report on my desk?”
Everyone froze.
“I want it in five minutes.”
“Yes, Chief.”
Maria walked away.
The moment she disappeared around the corner, the entire department released a collective breath.
Jennie leaned back in her chair.
“Scary.”
Ru nodded.
“Now you understand.”
Jennie shook her head.
“I understand why you call her the Dark Monster.”
She lowered her voice.
“She’s beautiful, but her personality is terrifying.”
Ru immediately looked horrified.
“Don’t say that so loudly!”
“What?”
“If she hears you, we’re dead.”
Jennie laughed.
“Okay, okay.”
“Now get back to work.”
Three Days Later
Jennie had already settled into her new routine.
She was surprisingly good at her job.
She noticed inconsistencies others overlooked.
She caught missing figures, incorrect dates and formatting errors before they reached the executives.
Even Ru had begun relying on her.
“Jennie, how did you notice that?”
Jennie pointed at the document.
“The figure on page seventeen doesn’t match the original data.”
Ru stared.
“I didn’t even see that.”
Jennie smiled.
“That’s why we’re here.”
She continued working.
Everything seemed perfect.
Until one morning.
Beep.
Her alarm rang.
Jennie turned it off without opening her eyes.
Five minutes later—
Beep.
She turned it off again.
And somehow fell asleep.
When she finally woke up, she shot upright.
“What?!”
She looked at the time.
“Oh my God!”
She jumped out of bed.
“I’m dead!”
She rushed through her morning routine, barely giving herself time to think.
She grabbed her bag and ran out of the apartment.
Halfway to work, something suddenly occurred to her.
Her face went pale.
“My medicine...”
She stopped walking.
“Oh my God.”
For a moment, panic took over.
Then she remembered something her mother had told her.
“Your natural pheromone control is unusually strong. As long as you remain calm, you can suppress most of your scent yourself.”
Jennie took a deep breath.
“I can do this.”
She couldn’t turn around.
She was already late.
“I’ll be careful.”
By the afternoon, the entire proofreading department was exhausted.
The final draft for the IG project had to be completed before the deadline.
Everyone worked together.
Jennie checked every page carefully.
Ru reviewed the formatting.
The rest of the team checked the data.
Finally—
“Done!”
Ru stood up excitedly.
“We did it!”
Everyone cheered.
Ru quickly submitted the final file to Maria’s office.
“We survived!”
Jennie laughed.
“Don’t celebrate yet.”
Ru looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because we still have to wait for the CEO’s approval.”
Ru’s smile disappeared.
“You’re right.”
They all returned to their desks.
Half an hour later, Mr. Yang entered the department.
The atmosphere immediately became tense.
“Who worked on the final report?”
Nobody answered.
Mr. Yang looked around.
“The people who completed the report.”
One by one, employees slowly stood.
Jennie’s heart began pounding.
Ru looked at Mr. Yang nervously.
“Is something wrong?”
Mr. Yang’s expression was unreadable.
“Follow the instructions.”
He paused.
“Everyone involved in the report is to gather in Miss Chen’s office.”
The employees exchanged terrified glances.
Jennie’s stomach tightened.
“What happened?”
One Hour Earlier
Maria Chen sat behind her enormous desk, reviewing the final report.
Everything was perfect.
The formatting.
The figures.
The documentation.
There was nothing wrong.
She turned another page.
Then stopped.
Her expression changed.
A strange scent had filled the room.
Soft.
Sweet.
Almost intoxicating.
Maria slowly lifted her head.
She inhaled again.
Her eyes darkened.
An omega.
Impossible.
Her pheromones were powerful enough that most omegas couldn’t remain near her for long.
Yet this scent wasn’t being overwhelmed by hers.
It was...
pulling her in.
Maria stood.
Mr. Yang looked up.
“Miss Chen?”
Maria ignored him.
She inhaled again.
The scent was coming from the report.
From somewhere downstairs.
Her jaw tightened.
“Mr. Yang.”
“Yes?”
“An omega has entered this building without my permission.”
Mr. Yang looked confused.
“An omega?”
Maria’s eyes became cold.
“Find them.”
“Miss Chen, perhaps you’re mistaken as we only have three omegas and those were selected and appointed by you far away from this department—”
Maria suddenly grabbed him by the collar and pulled him closer.
Her pheromones filled the room.
Mr. Yang struggled to breathe.
“Someone is deliberately hiding their scent.”
Her voice was dangerously calm.
“They think they can deceive me.”
She released him.
“Find them.”
Mr. Yang nodded immediately.
“Yes, Miss Chen.”
Maria turned toward the window.
For the first time in years, she couldn’t understand what was happening to her.
The scent was still there.
Sweet.
Warm.
Impossible to ignore.
Whoever this omega was...
They had managed to get inside her company.
And somehow—
They had gotten under her skin.
Maria’s eyes narrowed.
“Let’s see who you are.”
Downstairs, Jennie stood outside Maria Chen’s office with the rest of the proofreading team.
Her palms were sweating.
She had no idea why they had been summoned.
Then the doors opened.
Maria looked directly at her.
Jennie’s heart stopped.
For one terrifying second, she thought Maria could see straight through her disguise.
Maria’s eyes lingered on her.
And Jennie instinctively held her breath.
Neither of them knew it yet.
But the moment they looked at each other—
the game had already begun.
