Chapter 104

At the rough shout, they could no longer speak and had to retreat. Though their expressions showed dissatisfaction at not hearing the story they wanted, the staff dispersed one by one and left. The chief, who had been watching the backs of the departing staff with glaring eyes as they grumbled, soon turned around and went into the office.

Inside, the sweet pheromone scent still lingered. He hesitated for a moment but soon came to his senses and hurriedly opened the window for ventilation. He even futilely waved his arms to try to dispel the man's traces as quickly as possible, but it wasn't easy.

"Haa."

As he sat down in the chair with a thud, exhausted, he suddenly recalled what Ashley Miller had said.

<As long as my son doesn't kill anyone, that's enough for me.>

He shuddered as the cool purple eyes that had been directed at him came back to life, and he quickly shook his head. Unwelcomely, he then remembered when he first saw Greyson Miller. Extreme Alphas are truly eerie, indeed.

* * *

Dane was still bewildered by the unexpected situation, just blinking his eyes. It was the first time in his life that he had met someone with the same phenotype as him. To Dane, who was just staring at him in a daze, Koi excitedly chattered away.

"My goodness, to encounter such tremendous luck. I'm glad I followed here after all. I'm really lucky, I tell you!"

He grabbed Dane's hand with excitement. Dane was flustered as he wasn't used to this kind of thing, but he didn't particularly push Koi's hand away. Koi continued, still not hiding his excitement.

"Instead of doing this here, why don't we have a cup of tea together? Let's go somewhere and talk..."

"Koi."

A deep voice suddenly came from behind. When both of them looked in one direction, they saw a tall man who looked incredibly similar to Greyson looking at them.

"Ash! Greyson, my child!"

Suddenly, Koi exclaimed with emotion, said "Just a moment" to Dane, and scurried away. Dane, who had half-risen from his seat, watched in surprise as he bypassed Ashley Miller and tightly embraced Greyson, who was standing behind. Greyson naturally hugged Koi back, patted his back, and then smiled at Dane, speaking as if for him to hear.

"Daddy, welcome."

Daddy? Koi?

A question immediately followed in Dane's surprised mind. But why isn't his surname Miller?

As he stood there awkwardly, he suddenly felt a piercing gaze. Dane soon met eyes with the unfamiliar, yet familiar man who was staring at him intently.

Just as he hesitated at the snake-like cold purple eyes, the man slowly opened his mouth. Still with his gaze fixed on Dane.

"Koi, why were you holding that man's hand?"

Unbelievably, the man's voice was completely opposite to his gaze toward Dane, so very affectionate and gentle. To the extent that Dane thought that's how it would sound if candy were melted and turned into language. To Dane's dumbfounded ears, Koi's voice was heard.

"Ah, Ash. Um..."

Koi, who was about to say something excitedly, hesitated. After looking over Dane's face once, he suddenly seemed to hesitate, but then answered cheerfully.

"It's a secret!"

Suddenly, the atmosphere turned chilly. The pheromone scent floating around the man intensified, and even killing intent was felt, but only Koi seemed unaware of this fact.

Between the man glaring at Dane with a frightening gaze, Greyson looking at distant mountains as if he had experienced this sort of thing to the point of boredom, and Dane who couldn't understand why this man suddenly appeared and was acting up toward him, Koi said with a bright smile.

"Ash, what are we going to do now? Are we going to Greyson's house?"

"...I suppose so."

While answering, the man extended his hand to Koi. As he naturally detached Koi from Greyson and held him in his arms, burying his lips in his hair as if it were natural, Dane watched blankly, when Koi brought up an unexpected topic.

"Then, could we perhaps invite this person? I'd like to talk while having tea together."

Greyson and the man's gazes simultaneously turned to Dane. Dane wanted to decline immediately, but it wasn't a situation where he could do so. Also, even without a formal introduction, at this point, it was impossible not to know. With such an identical resemblance, how could one not recognize it? Then the two were certainly...

"Dane, though it's late, let me introduce you. This is my Papa and Daddy. Papa, Daddy. That's Dane Striker."

Greyson naturally pointed to them alternately and finally turned toward Dane. As the man and Koi fixed their gazes on Dane, Greyson said in a somewhat proud voice.

"He is my lover who is currently living with me."

Their gazes turned to Greyson simultaneously this time. His face was shining with satisfaction, but Koi and Ashley's reactions were completely different. In contrast to Koi, who was rejoicing with his eyes and mouth wide open, Ashley seriously furrowed his brow and directed a suspicious gaze from Greyson to Dane.

* * *

A chilly coldness circulated in the reception room. The California sunlight pouring in from the full-length window that occupied one side was not just warm but hot, yet despite this, only a cool air floated between them.

Ashley Miller sat with his legs crossed, his body deeply buried in the backrest, staring at his son sitting across the wide table.

After returning to one house in their respective cars, they split into pairs and had separate meetings. After Greyson followed Ashley to the reception room, Koi naturally dragged Dane to the tea room. And so Greyson and Ashley were sitting face to face like this.

The employee who had placed refreshments in front of each of them disappeared in an instant, just as they had appeared. Once they were alone again, in the silence, Ashley slowly moved his eyes. As he directed his gaze toward the lower part of Greyson's body and narrowed his eyes, Greyson soon caught the meaning. He, who had been shaking one leg vigorously under the table, soon stopped moving and apologized.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't act vulgarly."

Ashley coldly pointed out and then picked up the teacup and brought it to his mouth. Until he drank the hot black tea and put the cup down, Greyson waited without even moving.

"When did you last extract pheromones?"

"Two days ago."

Greyson immediately answered Ashley's question, as if he had been waiting. Ashley fixed his gaze on his son's face and opened his mouth.

"What did I say happens when you lie?"

Though his tone was not much different from before, the air changed sharply like a blade. Greyson immediately changed his words.

"I'm sorry, I can't remember exactly."

Greyson lied nonchalantly. Of course, he remembered very clearly the day he had spent a blissful night with Dane. He had been renewing the anniversary every day. And today was the 28th day.

I should spend the 30-day anniversary with Dane.

Greyson felt good just imagining it. Ashley stared intently at his face, which had unconsciously raised the corners of his mouth. He didn't trust Greyson's words at all. This time too, it would be a lie. Even while thinking that, Ashley didn't pursue the matter further. As long as Greyson obediently followed his words, there wouldn't be any problems.

"I'll tell the secretarial team to find a nearby party date and send it to you. You shouldn't let pheromones accumulate."

"Ah, that's fine."

Greyson woke from his imagination and returned to reality.

"I have Dane, you see."

Ashley looked at his son with an expressionless face.

"What does that have to do with extracting pheromones?"

Greyson had thought the same way until now. That the two were separate issues.

But the situation had changed. Above all, his Virginia wouldn't respond to anyone but Dane. If this wasn't evidence of destiny, what else could it be called?

However, talking about this would only upset Ashley. Greyson answered with a grin.

"Yes, I'll do that."

Ashley quietly looked at his son's face, who was answering obediently. An eerie silence followed. In the quietness where not even breathing could be heard, as Greyson sat receiving Ashley's gaze, his Papa finally opened his mouth.

"Greyson, what did I say happens if you don't extract pheromones on time?"

"You go crazy or become an idiot."

Greyson, who answered without hesitation, snickered.}