Chapter 1 Raising a Rebellious Son

"Henry Lopez, don''t even think about having a single good day in The Smith Family for the rest of your life!"

The young man shouting at Henry was named Victor Smith, the sole heir of The Smith Family and an Alpha.

Although he was only 18, his body had already matured, and he was even taller than Henry. He had never feared Henry, nor had he ever respected him.

At least since Henry married his father, Victor had never shown him a kind face.

Maybe it was because he couldn''t accept that Henry, at just 23, had become his stepfather.

Henry''s tone was lazy: "Fine, then please, young master, hurry back to your room and study. Aim to get into a good college and take over ACT Group soon, so I won''t have a single good day."

After saying that, he raised his hand to command the servants, "Someone, escort the young master back to his room to study. If he doesn''t memorize 30 English words today, he won''t be allowed to eat."

Victor laughed angrily: "Alright, Henry, you''ve got some nerve!"

Henry smirked, his fox-like eyes narrowing slightly, speaking slowly and deliberately: "Yes, after all, the master said that until the young master is capable of managing The Smith Family, everything in The Smith Family is under my control, including you."

So Victor was dragged back to his room by the servants, cursing all the way. Once in his room, he picked up a vase from the table, ready to smash it, but then he remembered what Henry had said the last time he broke something—

"Everything in this house wasn''t bought with the young master''s money. If you break it, you have to pay for it. Someone, deduct $10,000 from the young master''s monthly allowance to cover it."

Victor''s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He cursed and put the vase back.

A mere Beta, if not for the money, wouldn''t have married his dad. After his dad passed away, everything in the house became Henry''s, and even the servants listened to him.

Not only that, but Henry opposed him at every turn. Whatever he did, Henry had something to say about it, managing everything and being utterly heartless. This made Victor feel extremely stifled, completely losing the demeanor of a rich young master and instead resembling a rich family''s slave.

The more Henry acted this way, the more Victor looked down on him. Over time, he showed Henry even less respect.

On the other hand, Henry sighed and walked towards the study, followed by a young butler named Derek, a Beta.

Derek advised, "Sir, don''t argue with the young master. One day, he will understand everything you''ve done for The Smith Family and will surely be grateful."

Henry pressed his lips tightly together and said nothing.

He had fair skin, striking features, and a well-defined, delicate face. Although he wasn''t as tall as Victor, he was taller than most Omegas.

He was personally invited by Mr. Smith to save The Smith Family. As a business elite from the Imperial Capital, he had revived many companies and successfully led them to the global market. The Smith Family had once saved his life, so he couldn''t refuse to help.

Speaking of which, The Smith Family''s ACT Group and the Williams Family''s Era Group had a nickname in the Imperial Capital, known as the "Two Dragons of the Imperial Capital."

But one mountain cannot accommodate two tigers; when two tigers fight, one is bound to get hurt. The Smith Family was currently at a disadvantage, and Era Group had swallowed up many companies to compete with ACT, aiming to eventually take over the highly coveted ACT.

This was why Mr. Smith had married Henry into the family, but he had never touched Henry and treated him with great respect.

Firstly, it was to facilitate Henry''s management of The Smith Family. Secondly, Mr. Smith knew his days were numbered and was establishing Henry''s authority.

Just a month after Henry married into The Smith Family, Mr. Smith passed away, leaving Henry with a mess to clean up.

With Era Group eyeing them from the outside and Victor causing trouble from within, Mr. Smith, before his death, held Henry''s hand and shared his will—

Victor was his late-in-life son. Victor''s biological father had died in childbirth, and Mr. Smith had raised him, spoiling him rotten. He hoped Henry could set his son straight, ensuring he first succeeded academically and then in his career. In return, Henry would receive a $5 billion compensation and three villas in the Imperial Capital...

Henry sighed, tiredly rubbing his temples as a faint scent of roses began to fill the air.

Derek lifted his nose and sniffed, his heart sinking, "Sir, you..."

Henry raised his hand to stop Derek from continuing, his voice filled with restraint and weariness: "Shh, get me a suppressant injection."

"Yes, sir."

Derek handed Henry a bottle of suppressant, "Sir, keeping this a secret isn''t a long-term solution. Suppressants aren''t good for you, and you''re not getting any younger. You should find an Alpha."

"Let''s wait a bit longer. I don''t have the time to deal with that now. Go check on Victor," Henry said, injecting himself in the arm without even flinching.

"Yes, sir."

To the outside world, he always presented himself as a Beta, deceiving everyone for the sake of convenience. Being an Omega was nothing but a disadvantage for Henry. If he were marked by the wrong person, everything would be over for him.

Derek Lewis had just stepped out when, less than a minute later, he rushed back into the study, flustered, "Sir, bad news! The young master has jumped out the window and run away!"

Henry exhaled heavily, the veins on his forehead bulging, and said through gritted teeth, "Find out where he is immediately."

*

Imperial Capital, Gold Club.

In the dim, ambiguous lighting, Victor sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, sipping a drink like a lord. Two other young men, around his age, sat in the room, each with an Omega in their arms.

"I say, Mr. Smith, your new guardian is a bit too controlling, isn''t he?"

Victor''s dark hair partially covered his eyes as he chuckled, "Yeah, even my old man didn''t control me. Who does he think he is?"

At the mention of his father, a flicker of emotion crossed Victor''s eyes, and his throat suddenly tightened.

His friends noticed the change in Victor''s mood. One of them called over an Omega, saying, "You, yes you, go keep Mr. Smith company and have a drink with him."

"Yes, sir."

The Omega had a creamy scent and looked soft and delicate. As he approached Victor, his body seemed to go limp, and he said in a sweet voice, "Mr. Smith, let me pour you a drink."

Victor looked up at the Omega. The Omega blushed and lowered his head shyly when their eyes met.

Victor immediately refused, "No, don''t come near me."

The Omega looked a bit disappointed but left, leaving Victor alone to drink in silence.

Victor''s friends, seeing him so down, tried to cheer him up with funny stories, but nothing worked.

Finally, one of them couldn''t resist asking, "So, Victor, what kind of person is your stepdad?"

"Yeah, anyone who can make our Mr. Smith this frustrated must have some skills."

Victor sneered and gritted his teeth, "He''s a bastard."

At that moment, the bar door was forcefully pushed open, interrupting the boys'' conversation. Everyone turned to look at the door.

The light outside was a bit blinding, and standing at the entrance was a man in a suit.

The man was tall, with exquisite, well-defined features, exuding an air of nobility. His skin was very fair, almost glowing under the light, and combined with his features, he was truly captivating.

Not only did the Omegas in the room stare, but even Victor''s friends couldn''t help but exclaim, "This guy looks like he walked out of a painting. He''s stunning..."