Chapter 54: I Truly Love You It turns out that when his true feelings were trampled upon...

Chen Huixing's first reaction was disbelief.

How could it be possible? How could Pei Jiqing let him take his daughter? They had already reached this point.

Pei Jiqing was right there, personally severing the last link between them. Without a wavering, a moment's hesitation, nothing.

His heart tightened, his breath coming out in a slur.

Chen Huixing opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but it all got stuck in his throat. Finally, he managed only a dry, hoarse, "We... didn't have to go this far."

The moment the words left his mouth, he felt ridiculous. They

didn't have to go this far—and yet they had.

It turns out that only those who still harbored a glimmer of hope would attempt to negotiate, while those truly determined wouldn't even bother to argue.

Now the positions were reversed.

Wei Ji, not wanting to make a fuss, said, "Chen Huixing, what right do you have to say that?"

Chen Huixing didn't even bother to look him in the eye: "Shut up."

Pei Jiqing didn't want to hear the argument; he was simply tired. His voice was soft. "I didn't discuss this with you. I was informing you—I'm tired and need to rest."

Chen Huixing agreed and turned to leave the ward.

Wei Ji sneered behind him, telling him to hurry.

After leaving, Chen Huixing sat on a bench in the hallway, motionless, like a statue. Not long after, Wei Ji's voice descended from above, laced with undisguised hostility: "Don't even think about taking him back."

As if to crush Chen Huixing's hopes, he added, "You should be able to sense it—he truly has lost his memory. Pei Jiqing, who doesn't love you, would do anything."

Chen Huixing wondered, did Pei Jiqing love him?

The question kept turning over in his mind. He remembered the way Pei Jiqing had looked at him before, that intense focus, as if he were the only one in the world. Was that love?

But what about now?

The coldness and distance, the stark contrast to the tenderness and consideration he once had, was a stark difference. Could amnesia change something so completely?

Or was it that there had never been love in the first place?

The light stung his eyes, which hadn't slept for so long.

He didn't dare to think any further, fearing that even the last bit of self-deception would vanish.

Pei Jiqing had read Chen Huixing's biography, and the marriage details on the pages were utterly unfamiliar. He looked at his former, smiling self and said it was a fake performance.

Wei Ji said that few people could resist the allure of a top-tier Alpha.

Alphas, through marking, were extremely effective at controlling others, especially at an S-level.

An S-level Alpha's pheromone concentration was three times that of an average Alpha, meaning Chen Huixing alone was equivalent to three Alphas. Pei Jiqing felt a tinge of lust as this thought occurred to him.

For an Omega marked by an S-level Alpha, withdrawal can feel like a feeling of emptiness seeping through every inch of their skin, like ants crawling through their veins. This is especially true for those who were thoroughly marked during the heat of intercourse—the body is more honest than the brain, having etched that ultimate possession into their instincts.

Just like someone accustomed to delicacies, plain porridge and side dishes often find them bland.

Once an Omega's senses are forcibly heightened to a certain threshold, it's difficult to return to their former state.

The glands remembered the tremor they felt when the top-tier pheromones were infused, and any ordinary comfort from then on was like scratching an itch.

"So I was with him just because I was submissive to his pheromones?" Pei Jiqing asked casually.

Wei Ji was right: "You were only with him because of the highly compatible pheromones. Fortunately, the mark is gone. How could you love him when he hurt you like this?"

This sentence suddenly made the ward quiet.

Pei Jiqing said lightly after a while: "I don't love him."

Wei Ji's words might be right.

In the past few days, Pei Jiqing watched all the video footage of his so-called husband, the S-class Alpha, over and over again.

A predator born to stand at the top of the food chain, the S-class Alpha's information released at any time can bring anyone to their knees.

Amnesia took away his past, but it couldn't take away the sensitivity carved into his body by more than thirty years. His mature body, the broken wounds, and the dull pain in his glands at certain times were all reminders.

He was no longer young.

The video of Chen Huixing attending a military presentation was truly oppressive. His perfectly tailored suit resembled a military uniform, his gaze radiating condescending scrutiny. That was the innate aura of a top-tier A-level performer, suffocating even through the screen.

Not to mention public exposure, Chen Huixing had once used pheromones to render a competitor pale, demonstrating the dominance of an S-level Alpha.

It was unclear if this body, once thoroughly marked, would still have the shame to react to its abuser.

When Pei Jiqing was able to get out of bed, he stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself.

The bruises remained, a week in the making, purple and blue, across his waist, abdomen, and wrists, as if they had been mauled by some wild animal.

He was reportedly in a terrible state when he was brought to the hospital.

His Alpha had administered illegal drugs, forcing him to adapt to the S-level glands for three days straight, leaving him nearly paralyzed by the heat.

These illegal drugs, which were not circulated, could force an Omega's glands into a state of pseudo-adaptation. For three days, Pei Jiqing was repeatedly tortured by lust, his pheromones gushing out uncontrollably.

Chen Huixing probably thought he was demanding it.

He was forced to endure an adaptive response far beyond his physical limits: high fever, convulsions, and blurred consciousness. During those days, Pei Jiqing couldn't tell whether he was awake or unconscious, only the burning breath on the back of his neck, pinning him to the crevice of passion. He

was nearly broken.

The doctor later told him that if he had been brought in a day later, his glands might have been completely damaged.

Pei Jiqing stared at that face, thinking coldly—

beast. A beast

in human clothing.

Chen Huixing soon witnessed the ruthlessness of Pei Jiqing's cruelty to someone, as Wei Ji had said.

The first thing Pei Jiqing did after he was able to move was to retrieve all of Chen Huixing's information.

As his slender fingers ran across the paper, he frowned slightly at the mention of the marriage relationship

. The terms of the divorce agreement were shockingly harsh.

Pei Jiqing demanded that he and Shen Huixing divide all the common property equally. All the items they had lived together were within his scope of claim, except for their daughter.

Shen Huixing repeatedly postponed the time of returning to the Asian Union.

When the lawyer delivered the documents, he deliberately observed Shen Huixing's reaction. The man didn't even pick up the pen. Only when he finally closed the folder, the bluish white of his knuckles revealed his emotions.

Shen Huixing wanted to see Pei Jiqing again.

This thought was like a thin and tough thread, wrapped around his heart, causing a subtle pain.

Pei Jiqing let him see it.

He was able to sit up, his pale fingers resting on the edge of the porcelain bowl, drinking the nourishing soup spoonful by spoonful. The soup was very light, and the loose hospital gown hung empty on his body. When the cuffs slipped down, the wrist bones exposed were a bit bony, as if they would break with a little force.

Chen Huixing stared at the thin white neck and the drooping black hair.

He should have asked for more compensation.

The relationship had been torn to such an extent that he even decided not to see the child. Pei Jiqing told Chen Huixing not to bring the child.

Chen Huixing stood by the bed. He had so many things to say, to apologize, to defend himself, to beg.

As a foreign politician, he should not have stayed here for too long.

Pei Jiqing now had an Omega ban order that could block all his sight.

The burning feeling spread in his blood vessels, like wildfire gnawing at the wasteland.

He only gave himself a week to take Pei Jiqing away.

In the end, he was the only one left.

The child became the only one involved.

Chen Huixing lowered his voice, as if he was restraining something: "Zhizhi cried when she thought of you yesterday, can you meet her?"

Pei Jiqing subconsciously clenched the sleeves of his sweater.

The collar of the sweater was piled on Pei Jiqing's neck, and the soft wool made his chin look even more pointed.

That name had a kind of secret, shameful sweetness.

It was terrible.

He suddenly remembered that Ms. Xu Mingzhu held his hand and returned to the downtown area. Her nails were very long, and she walked fast and hurriedly on the streets in the cold winter, holding his hand until it hurt but she didn't let go.

"I don't want the child." Pei Jiqing said slowly, "If you want custody, take it. You are an Omega with a burden, are you deliberately making things difficult for me?"

You can't show that you care a lot, otherwise you will become a handle for others.

Chen Huixing's face was ugly.

Chen Huixing: "I was indeed extremely wrong about this matter. Come back with me, okay? I will do my best to compensate you."

Pei Jiqing: "You tortured me so badly, how can you have the nerve to mention it."

Chen Huixing: "Then how can you forgive me?"

Pei Jiqing: "My glands were almost destroyed. Do you know what that means? Anyway, it's impossible for me to be with you. I don't love you. I'm only with you because of pheromones."

Chen Huixing: "...But our compatibility is very low."

Pei Jiqing was stuck.

Hadn't they been together for so long because of their high compatibility?

Because of Shen Huixing's words, Pei Jiqing was stunned and asked back: "What are you talking about?" Chen

Huixing seemed to have accumulated great courage: "Pei Jiqing, I haven't been with you for all these years because of pheromones."

Chen Huixing once thought that he tolerated Pei Jiqing so much because of his compatibility.

Pei Jiqing: "Executive Shen, you're not saying you love me, are you? How ironic. Loving someone means nearly killing them. If I truly can't make it that day, Executive Shen, will you love me enough to be buried with me?" "

I do... I love you."

Chen Huixing's voice was low, but every word was clear, as if finally digging out the words that had been suppressed for years.

Chen Huixing repeated it again, this time more firmly.

"I love you, that's why I've been with you all these years."

Chen Huixing suddenly realized that he had never truly examined this feeling before. It was as natural as breathing, so natural that he almost forgot that losing Pei Jiqing would suffocate him.

Chen Huixing clearly felt immense satisfaction and happiness just by looking at this person, but he hadn't realized how much this happiness occupied in his life.

So, when he lost him, he completely lost his composure.

When Liang Yi was devastated by his father's death, Chen Huixing felt that no matter how devastating the world was, it would never bring him to this state.

He thought at that moment that perhaps he would never be able to fall in love with someone this way again. He

lost his dignity, his sanity.

"Don't use such beautiful words to cover up this disgusting relationship."

Chen Huixing's sharp words left no room for words.

"I truly love you." Pei Jiqing

: "I don't believe it."

Chen Huixing, his face dazed, "I'll show you the proof."

He returned to the Asian Union overnight. He frantically searched for the test report in his study, wanting to prove to Pei Jiqing that while they weren't a perfect match, they had lived happily together for five years.

He wasn't with him because of pheromones.

It wasn't about a perfect match.

While rummaging through his belongings, he came across his old diary, tucked away where it didn't belong. It was a habit he'd developed in his youth, when he was quiet. Liang Yi, seeking an outlet for his emotions, suggested he start writing, a habit he'd maintained until he graduated from university.

The moment he opened it, he was greeted by the faint scent of bitter orange. Chen Huixing wondered how many times Pei Jiqing had read it before it had become tinged with his pheromones.

Even more surprising, he found Pei Jiqing's handwriting on the bottom of every page.

He wrote that he'd gotten first place on the exam, and Pei Jiqing added, "That's a bit perverted, Chen Huixing! Has your brain been modified?"

His training had been demanding, so Pei Jiqing added in the blank space, "Chen Huixing, I miss you a little."

Turning to the back, during the most intense period of the war, Pei Jiqing's handwriting became hurried: "Chen Huixing, don't die. I love you. Come back to me." Chen

Huixing could almost hear Pei Jiqing's gentle calls and whispers, echoing through time.

Line after line, filled with his name.

Chen Huixing stood there, motionless.

He recalled the day he'd lost control and questioned Pei Jiqing's sincerity.

Pei Jiqing had stubbornly said the cruelest things to him, saying he'd hoped he'd die on the battlefield so he could inherit his legacy.

Chen Huixing was filled with resentment at that moment. Pei Jiqing was known for his sweet talk, but it was at this moment that he was brutally honest. He was known for his intelligence, but it was at this moment that he recklessly tore through all his disguises.

He felt that he didn't want to be with him.

It turns out that when sincerity is trampled upon, speaking ill of others is just the last protection for oneself.

When Shen Huixing was the most ignorant, it was when Pei Jiqing loved him the most.