Warning: Strong words/ profanity
"WHAT?!!"
I quickly covered my ears. Jenny and Samuel looked at me as if they had been splashed with ice-cold water. Following our conversation yesterday, Robbie left hurriedly after receiving a call. I was confused and lost as to what to do. So, I simply called Samuel to meet me today. Little did I know that he would bring Jenny along. Twen left for school, so I could speak with them freely. After hearing the whole incident, beginning with me meeting Robbie to my sub-gender being revealed, they were speechless. Jenny was the first to recover. Her face immediately turned red with anger,
"Why are we getting to know this now?" she almost yelled
"I..." I began to speak, but I couldn't figure out what to say and ended up being quiet.
"What?" Jenny furiously inquired, "It has been a whole month, and you did not feel the need to inform us?"
"Jenny, I am sorry. I really wanted to, but I just didn't know how to!" I replied apologetically.
"With your mouth, how else?" she snorted.
"Honey, calm down. You should not stress out so much." Samuel told her, holding her hand to calm her down.
Jenny childishly turned her face away from me, crossing her arms across her chest. I looked at her helplessly. Recently, I have been only giving her reasons to be mad at me. Samuel patted her head softly to soothe her. His action made Jenny's tensed shoulder relax, and she looked slightly less angry. Satisfied, Samuel turned to me and spoke in a serious tone,
"Is that why you wanted to resign?"
I sighed heavily before nodding. Samuel shook his head and said in a stern yet brotherly tone,
"Tony, you should have told us what was going on. It was a blessing that your ex was not trying to hurt you but what if he had? We wouldn't have been any wiser about what you are going through. I see you as my family, and it is not exactly pleasing to know such things after such a huge incident has taken place."
I looked down at my lap, feeling very guilty. Because Samuel was like my brother, it was much harder to tell him about Robbie. On top of that, Jenny was pregnant, and too much stress during this period can even lead to miscarriage. How could I ever let that happen? But, now everything has gotten even worse.
Jenny looked at me, and her angry expression turned to worry. She asked in a concerned voice, "Tony, what are you going to do? This rumor and your pictures…. They can ruin your and Twen's life. How are you going to handle it? I suggest you leave the job before it gets out of hand. With so many years of experience, I am certain you will land a better job."
"I want to resign as well but…" I stopped. I can't tell them that Robbie has pleaded with me to not leave. It will only make Jenny angrier. I guess I will tell them half the truth, "But there is no guarantee that my sub-gender won't be revealed there. No matter where I go, the story would be the same. I can just stay here and embrace whatever comes my way."
"That is so stupid," Jenny spoke face-palming, "Sammy, you only tell him. He doesn't ever listen to me."
Samuel looked at me for a long time before saying slowly, "Are you sure you can handle this? With the picture of your mark revealed, it will be very hard for you to avoid horrid remarks."
"Half my life was spent in the muck of horrid remarks. I am sure I can handle this too, as long as it is just me... I can handle it." I said, remembering Robbie's promise to bring the culprit to the fore.
Suddenly Jenny jumped to her feet, her pitch higher than normal in anxiety,
"What about Twen? He does not deserve this!! He is just a baby!!"
Samuel immediately grabbed her shoulder and spoke quickly, "Baby, calm yourself. Tony is Twen's mom. I am sure he is concerned too. However, Tony can't just go from place to place like a nomad. He has to face the situation one or another time. I guess it's best that he faces it now!"
"But-" Jenny started, her eyes tearing up.
"Jen, you are too stressed. It is not good for your health and our baby. Calm down," Sam said, rubbing her arm only to have Jenny break into tears.
"Tony, I am leaving for now. Take care of yourself and Twen. If there is anything you need help with, you have my contact. Don't hesitate. We are always there for you!"
I nodded gratefully. Jenny was always feisty and moody, but nowadays, it is worse. I knew her affection for Twen, but it scared me to see her so stressed. I did not want her to fall sick so, I quickly bade them goodbye. Sitting on the couch, I let out a heavy sigh. I guess I have to face it. I just pray that Twen doesn't get involved!!
**** 3 days later ****
"Is it really true? But that's not good, is it? What if he spreads his scent! They shouldn't allow him to work here."
"I heard he's got a kid too. So, they can really get knocked up? Damn, and here I thought male omegas are a myth!"
"F*ck! Did he hide his identity? Is that even possible?"
"How disgusting! It gives me the creeps to think we are working in the same department. I have a wife. What if some mishap happens? How can he be so shameless?"
"How did he get to such a high position? Don't tell me he used that slutty body of his?
"I heard he is bonded. They said that his side profile was released with the mark but was quickly taken down. So, could it be that his pheromones won't affect us?
Haaah!! I heard that rumors spread faster than wildfire, and here is the living proof of it! They are treating me as if I am some plague! What do they mean shameless? Aren't I the one who would be in danger if my scent spreads? I don't get this logic at all! The hatred towards omegas is so biased that it is almost laughable.
"Tony? Tony?" Tanya called, knocking softly on the door.
I was sitting in a cubicle in Garnish's kitchen. It was a small separate space for Chefs-in-charge and the only place where no one except the chefs in higher positions, can enter without permission. So, I can relax here. I am tired of the buzz around me these days. I was going through the sales summary and didn't want such gossips to distract me. The knock on the door broke my concentration.
"Come in Tanya."
She came in carrying a plate of steak and some herb rice. I could see some desert too. She placed them carefully beside my laptop and documents.
"You haven't had lunch. Have this. I quietly got these and the gateau I made today. You need strength to keep working, you know."
I smiled. For the last three days, my heart was heavy because of the rumor, but thanks to Tanya, I have been able to cruise through. Seeing her, I felt that no matter how many misfortunes I faced in my life, the relations I found made up for it. Sam, Fred, Jenny, Tanya...all cared about me so earnestly. I guess, in the darkest of nights, you can see the star shining the brightest
"Thank you. Did you have your food?" I asked.
"Worry about yourself, not me. It's been three days already, and this stupid rumor just wouldn't die down," she said, gnashing her teeth in irritation.
I laughed at her annoyed face. I have faced worse. In high school, I was pretty much isolated. Truthfully, I thought my subordinates might request the higher-ups to dismiss me, but nothing as such was done. I guess they are also not sure about the genuineness of the rumor.
I was about to eat when I heard a commotion outside. Tanya and I looked at each other and quickly headed out. The moment I stepped out, I saw a group of chefs gathered together and clamming up to look at something. I heard a male voice say,
"Oh, man! Is it really true? The Chairman's son and our chief... Quite the fish he caught!"
"No shit! Look at his son. He is totally a xerox copy of the CEO! No wonder he has such a high position here," another male voice said in a disgusted tone.
"How shameless! Using his son to get favors! Unbelievable! What has the world come to?" a female voice snorted in disdain.
Tanya's eyes widened to the size of a glass coaster hearing them. She must have already understood who I was bonded to, but I don't care about that right now. How on earth did they know about Twen? Where did they see him?
"Move" I bellowed.
All the gathered chefs looked at me. All their faces had a trace of mockery and disgust, which I completely ignored. My eyes were on one tall and lanky man standing in the middle of them. He was a fair-skinned man with small brown eyes. He was smirking at me and was holding a cell phone out for all to see. The chefs gathered around him, all dispersed quickly except him. I proceeded towards him with quick steps and grabbed his wrist before he could stash his cell phone inside his pocket.
"Why do you have a cell phone inside the kitchen?" I asked furiously.
"Chef, I-" he began in a snooty nasal voice, but I cut him off.
"Quiet!"
I took the cell phone from him and checked what he was showing to the crowd. My eyes almost popped out of my socket after seeing it. It was a picture of me with Twen on my arm. This was taken on the sports day.
But how? Has someone been tailing me?
If this gets out of the hotel, it would be a scandal. The son of Exquisite hotel's chairman having an illegitimate child...my Twen….NO!!
I have to do something. I have to stop this from spreading!!
"Chef, are you really an omega?" the chef asked, looking at me wickedly,
"Did you really have an affair with our CEO? Or did you sell yourself to-phuk"
I slapped the cell phone hard on his chest, my face twisted in fury! I gave him a death glare and spoke word by word
"I. AM. CONFISCATING. YOUR. PHONE!"
Without wasting another breath on this guy, I hurried to my office, picked up my cell phone, and started searching through my contacts. I stopped at the ID "CEO"!