3 Paths to Love

Chapter 39

The monsoon rain poured the water rolling down the hill like a stream; a typical summer's day. On days like this, the cafe would be closed, but Taeyong told everyone he was there updating the recipe book.

Instead, since he got there, he'd been anxiously staring at the one-way street, pacing, and trying to calm himself down by talking to the baby.

He messaged Hyunwoo multiple times asking when he'd arrive, But there was no answer.

Taeyong gripped the counter with one hand, placing the other on his stomach, Taeyong took a deep breath. He needed to be firm without getting angry. He could do this.

A few minutes later, the howling wind was let in as Hyunwoo entered. He ignored the mat at the door and trailing wet footprints in. Taeyong tensed his jaw.

"Hello, Taeyong," he said, casually as he slipped off his raincoat and hat.

"Hello, Hyunwoo. Late as always, I see," Taeyong said and headed to a table by the window. He paused when Hyunwoo sat down at another table, crossing one leg over the other.

Taeyong fought back the urge to roll his eyes and walked over to that table and sat across from him, glaring at him.

"Aren't you going to offer me something to drink?" Hyunwoo asked, looking around with a disapproving expression.

"We're closed," Taeyong said bluntly and crossed his arms.

Hyunwoo squinted at him before sighing. "I see." Hyunwoo leaned back and reached into his blazer pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. "Do you mind if I smoke then?"

"I do mind. There's no smoking here."

Hyunwoo frowned and tucked them away. He was being too casual and unbothered. Like they were two colleagues meeting for drinks, rather than the situation they both knew he was in.

Taeyong's body buzzed from the adrenaline, subtle notes of iron in his scent.

"Why're you cheating on Jaejin?"

Hyunwoo raised his eyebrow. "Why?"

Taeyong nodded.

"Because," Hyunwoo shrugged and crossed his arms. "He's boring now. After he got pregnant, he wasn't fun anymore. And when the baby was born–"

"That baby is yours too." Taeyong gritted his teeth, balling his hands into fists. "Is that why you're dating a literal child?"

"Oh please," Hyunwoo tsked. "She's 19."

"And she's been out of high school for a few months," Taeyong hissed. "She is a naive little girl who works in one of your stores. She's one in a hundred employees. Why her?"

Hyunwoo let out a taunting chuckle. "Are you more offended that I'm cheating on Jaejin, or that I'm seeing a 19-year-old nobody?"

Taeyong's bitter pheromones wafted before he could control himself and while Hyunwoo's nose twitched, yet his malicious grin didn't fall.

"Obviously both," Taeyong said. "Don't you care about Jaejin? Minjin is barely a year old. Don't you know how hurt Jaejin will be when he finds out?"

"He's not going to find out."

"Of course he will. You can't hide forever."

"Well, I'm not the only one hiding this," Hyunwoo said, staring him in the eyes.

Taeyong paused. "What?"

Hyunwoo sat up and leaned over, mimicking Taeyong's hands. "You've known for months now, haven't you?" Taeyong froze as Hyunwood smirked. "If you really cared about Jaejin, you would've told him."

"How dare you." Taeyong scowled. "Jaejin is my best friend, how dare you think I don't care. I just don't want to add to his pain."

"Is that why you tried to convince Eunae to break up with me instead?" Hyunwoo asked and leaned back, chuckling. "Your trick of showing her my family worked, you know. She didn't talk to me for weeks. Said she was going to quit and move on. Honestly, I was shocked. I'm not used to being dumped."

"Oh, I know," Taeyong said, glaring daggers at him.

Hyunwoo flicked his eyes up at him before turning away. "But then the perfect day arrived. I wore the tacky watch she bought me and I 'bumped' into her after she finished an interview."

Taeyong's heart stopped. That day?

"And you know kids, they love thinking everything is fate and destiny," Hyunwoo continued. "So I took her aside, said some sob story about how I think Minjin isn't mine and the next thing I knew we were back at a hotel with her under me."

Taeyong's stomach churned. And it wasn't because of the baby. "You're disgusting. How can you be so proud of being a cheater?"

"What else can I do?" Hyunwoo shrugged. "Jaejin and I would have sex all the time, whenever I wanted to. But not anymore. And alphas need a release."

"This isn't just about sex. It's about control and you know it," Taeyong snapped. "You're just pissed Jaejin isn't madly in love with you anymore and is back to having his own mind. So you decided to find someone naive, that you could groom and manipulate."

Hyunwoo nodded, curtly. "Yes, exactly."

Taeyong turned away, squeezing his eyes shut., his chest aching. "If I knew you were going to be like this, I would've never introduced you to Jaejin."

"Ah, I see," Hyunwoo leaned closer, a devilish smirk growing on his lips. "You feel guilty. It's not your fault. I did like Jaejin." When Taeyong raised his eyebrow, Hyunwoo nodded.

"I did, really," Hyunwoo said. "He's attractive and the only child of a wealthy family with far more reach than mine. How else would I convince my family to let an omega in? But my marriage is purely transactional."

Taeyong slammed his fist against the table. "Fuck you," he growled. "That transactional bullshit is just a lie you tell yourself to help you sleep at night. I doubt Jaejin saw it that way. You're playing with two omegas, don't you have any shame?"

Hyunwoo shrugged, unfazed. "When you grow up in an alpha-only household, you see omegas as they really are. Secondary."

Taeyong let out a shaky breath, his muscles tensing, begging to rip Hyunwoo's throat out. "When Jaejin finds out, you're going to lose everything. Your beloved status and support."

"Really?" Hyunwoo leaned back and folded his hands on his knee. "Have you decided to tell him?"

"Yeah, I am," he said, waiting for reality to slap Hyunwoo in the face.

But it never came. Instead, Hyunwoo smirked and nodded. "Well, good luck then," he said and stood up.

"What?" Taeyong snapped, jumping up, his heart racing. "That's it? You know, if you break up with Eunae, I won't say a word. Just fix your behaviour." Taeyong didn't mean to sound like he was pleading, but the answer was so simple. "No one has to get hurt. You just need to stop."

"The thing is"–Hyunwoo slipped on his raincoat–"I don't want to stop. And judging by your reaction, I doubt you'll even tell him."

A stone formed in Taeyong's gut, throwing him off balance. He gripped the back of the chair for support. "Why can't you just listen?"

"Because I'm not weak," Hyunwoo said, pulling out a cigarette, and held it between his teeth. "Only weak alphas listen to omegas. But a smart omega knows when to listen to an alpha." Taeyong gulped at Hyunwoo's insidious smile. "I'll see you at your party. Congratulations by the way."

Without another word, Hyunwoo was back in the rain. And a few minutes later, his sports car drove down the hill and out of sight.

Taeyong fell back into his seat, hanging his head in his hands. Jaejin didn't deserve this pain. Hyunwoo needed to be put in his place. No omega should have to suffer from such a vile, selfish, manipulative alpha like him.

Running his hands over his wet cheeks, Taeyong tilted his head to the ceiling. Right now more than anything, he needed to go back home to his nest and mentally prepare himself. There was no other option. He had to tell Jaejin.