TL | Chapter 33 | The Reason I Couldn’t Refuse

I saw him enter the hallway leading outside the banquet hall, but even though I followed him right away, he was nowhere in sight. As I walked along the corridor looking for him, I felt a presence beside me, and then someone grabbed my arm and pulled me. I instinctively tried to resist but halted my movements at the familiar scent of pheromones drifting toward me.

“Director?”

It was dark in the hallway, and he had his back turned, so I couldn’t clearly see his face. But I was sure it was Iden.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Without answering, Iden pulled me into the VIP restroom. Click—the sound of the door locking made me furrow my brows.

“Why did you lock the door…?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

I trailed off as I heard Iden take a deep, slow breath. Lifting my head slightly, I could see a faint red tint around his eyes. He seemed uncomfortable, tugging at his tie to loosen it around his neck.

“Come here.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Leaning against the sink, he held out his hand toward me. Something about the atmosphere felt off. Even though he didn’t show it outwardly, there was an intense heat emanating from his pheromones.

“Ha Seowon.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

He called my name again, gazing at me. After a moment of silence, he exhaled in a low voice.

“It’ll only take a moment.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

There was something different from usual. Staring at his hand extended in midair, I swallowed hard and took a step forward. Though I didn’t take his hand, as I drew closer, he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me in. His forehead rested against my chest, making me stagger forward.

The touch of his forehead on my chest made me flinch. I didn’t understand why he was acting this way, but somehow, I felt I shouldn’t push him away. Looking down at the top of his head, I held my breath as he let out a long exhale, his breath brushing against my chest.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was hotter than I expected. The pheromones surrounding him wavered anxiously.

“Iden?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Though not yet intense, a scent similar to the one he gave off during his rut was beginning to fill the air.

“Could this be…a rut? Why would you…?”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

I took a small step back, lifting his face with both hands. Our eyes met, and Iden frowned, turning his head away.

“It’s nothing.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He tried to brush it off with a casual reply, but I turned his face back toward me.

“Explain yourself properly. I’m fine, but you’re the one in rut. How can you say it’s nothing?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Iden wasn’t someone who could be influenced by another omega’s pheromones. This situation was baffling.

“I took a suppressant earlier, so it’ll settle down soon.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He pushed my hands away as he answered. A suppressant? Why did he take one? His response only confused me more.

“I didn’t know what someone might try to pull.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

So, someone had tried to give Iden a heat-inducing drug? Mixed into the champagne at the auction? Taking a suppressant in advance had been wise, but that wasn’t the end of it. Someone had infiltrated the auction house, where everyone’s identities had supposedly been verified.

“We need to check this right now…!”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

I tried to head out, but Iden grabbed my wrist, stopping me.

“Not yet. The other party knows we’re marked. They want to see if you’ll react to my rut.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He explained calmly, sounding rational despite his heavy breathing. The current heat seemed to be the result of his suppressant and the heat-inducing drug clashing.

“You should take a suppressant, too, just in case. You still have one from Choi Jian, right?”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Frowning, I quickly pulled a suppressant from inside my jacket and swallowed it. When I looked back at Iden, he seemed relieved, a faint smile on his face.

“I won’t go into full rut, but just in case.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Listening to him mutter that, I felt a mix of emotions. If they had drugged the champagne, then his symptoms would’ve started showing up midway through the auction, but he hadn’t shown a hint of it. Despite taking the suppressant, he seemed to be struggling, but I hadn’t noticed a thing. He’d suppressed it so thoroughly, without releasing even the faintest trace of pheromones.

“How long do you think it’ll take for you to calm down?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It looked like it would take time for him to settle, given the signs of pheromones slipping through the cracks.

“Can you help me out?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Iden looked up at me as he asked. Not quite understanding what kind of help he needed, I simply held his gaze, waiting for him to continue.

Taking my silence as agreement, he chuckled slightly and reached out with his right arm. He wrapped his arm around my neck, and I didn’t resist.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Seowon.”

His voice was low and resonant. His soft tone captivated me, and I stared at him, dazed. Iden tightened his arm just enough to draw me closer, though not so tight that I couldn’t pull away if I wanted to. But I let him pull me in.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Our distance shrank until only a paper’s width remained between us.

“If you don’t push me away, I’ll go ahead.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I could guess what he meant, but I didn’t resist. Iden took a shallow breath, and his lips curled slightly as he pressed his lips to mine.

Whoosh. His pheromones wrapped around me, dizzying me. His tongue slipped in, hot against mine, and I felt like I was about to get swept up in his heat. Even though I had taken the suppressant, a tingling sensation spread through my whole body.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Lost in the intense kiss, I felt his hand slip to my shoulder, pushing my suit jacket halfway down my arms. Only then did I realize what was happening, and I pushed him away, gripping his shoulders.

“How far are you planning to go?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When I shot him a glare, Iden grinned and raised his hands in surrender.

“Thanks to you, I’m a bit calmer now.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

He said he’d calmed down after that intense kiss? I couldn’t believe it. But his pheromones did seem more stable than when we’d first met in the hallway, so the suppressant might have kicked in. For a moment, I wondered if he’d released his pheromones on purpose just to mess with me.

“If you’re calm now, let’s head back.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Taking a step back and fixing my jacket, I noticed Iden smirk before straightening himself. He approached me and slipped a key card into my jacket pocket.

“Come to my room when the auction’s over.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I tilted my head in confusion, and he smiled playfully.

“Since I haven’t fully…resolved things, I’ll need a partner tonight.”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Not sure if he was joking or serious, I stiffened, and he patted my shoulder before leaving the restroom. Left behind, I took a deep breath, meeting my own eyes in the mirror. Noticing my lips looked a bit swollen, I raised a hand to touch them, but then froze, feeling like my reflection was staring back judgmentally.

In the mirror, my face looked slightly twisted, as if I were reproaching myself. Slowly, my mind conjured up a memory of myself sobbing silently after losing ‘Iden.’ The reflection in the mirror wore an expression of utter loss, unable to even make a sound.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

It became harder to tell if the person in the mirror was me or the ‘Ha Seowon’ of this world. My emotions grew more chaotic, and I forced myself to look away, taking a deep, steadying breath.

What am I doing? Why couldn’t I refuse Iden’s kiss just now? His pheromones were unstable, sure, but he wasn’t in rut. If he had been, I would’ve felt something closer to my own heat cycle. The pheromones were no excuse.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Looking back at the mirror, my reflection showed an unmistakably troubled expression.

“Get a grip, Ha Seowon. Don’t forget why you’re here.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Muttering to myself, I steadied my breathing. By the time I stepped out of the restroom, I had erased all traces of confusion from my face, leaving it expressionless.

**

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Returning to the auction hall, I contacted Leo, informing him of an intruder. Telling him someone had drugged Iden’s champagne with a heat-inducing agent made him and the other security guards tense up. They had verified everyone’s identity upon entry, so this was a shocking revelation.

“Please recheck the staff’s credentials.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

I requested through my earpiece, and Leo responded that they would immediately reconfirm all staff members.

With security guards monitoring the CCTV and others moving into the auction hall, I requested that Iden pause the auction momentarily, but he refused, reasoning that it might make the culprit flee.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When the break ended and the auction resumed, I focused on the staff going between tables, refilling drinks and snacks rather than the guests. Iden had only drunk a little champagne since the auction began. I had been watching him the entire time, so I was certain of it.

Who could have drugged his champagne? Most likely, one of the staff who had poured his drink.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Since the drug hadn’t worked as expected, I assumed the culprit would make another move. If they were ultimately targeting Iden’s life…

As I pondered, I noticed a staff member approaching Iden’s table. Just as I spotted something dark beneath the silver tray hidden by a cloth, my body moved faster than my thoughts.

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com