Dolls Chapter 1.9

“Adrian Pers. You knew, didn’t you?”

Staring into Noah’s blazing eyes, Adrian gave a slight nod. At the same moment, Noah’s fist connected with Adrian’s left cheek. As Adrian’s lip split and blood trickled from it, everyone stood frozen, unsure of what to Falkirk, but Noah approached Adrian with an air of complete indifference to the chaos.

“There’s a limit to everything, Adrian.”

At Noah’s chilling voice, everyone held their breath.

“Even if I let the Pers family act like dogs, you, at the very least, shouldn’t have pulled this kind of stunt on me.”

“This kind of stunt?”

Adrian wiped the blood from his mouth and asked Noah. His eyes had already regained their usual icy calm.

“Yes. The other Pers might not matter, but Adrian! You, hyung, shouldn’t have done this to me.”

“Noah.”

“How could you, hyung, to me…”

“What’s the big deal?”

“…What?”

When Adrian asked with a sardonic smile, Noah echoed in a daze. Adrian looked straight into Noah’s eyes, maintaining that twisted smile, and leaned in close. His deep purple eyes seemed to choke the air.

“That’s not your fiancée.”

When Noah glared at Adrian’s words, Adrian gripped Noah’s shoulders tightly and whispered in his ear.

“Why are you so angry? It’s just a doll like that.”

“Adrian!”

As Noah tried to pull away from Adrian’s embrace, Adrian held him even tighter and licked his earlobe.

“Ugh…! What…!”

As Noah writhed with a humiliated expression, Adrian whispered into his ear again.

“Listen carefully. If you want to protect what you have, don’t forget you’re a Pers. Is it worth throwing away everything you’ve held onto just because you’re raging over a woman who died long ago? You’ve endured so much already. Haven’t you?”

“Shut up! Joy is…”

“Joy is what?”

“Joy is…”

“She’s already dead and gone, so why are you so worked up? The thing in front of you is just a doll that looks like her. It’s not even a woman, is it?”

“Shut up… please…”

“Look at it coldly. Clearly. That’s not your fiancée. It’s just an experimental subject.”

Adrian released his hold on Noah and looked at him gently.

“Or…”

“…”

“Do you want that doll? As a substitute for the woman who died?”

“…”

“Hmm… that wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Before Noah could respond to Adrian’s words, Jace spoke up.

“I’m sorry, Chairman.”

“What is it?”

Adrian asked Jace in a clearly annoyed tone. Jace, with his usual pleasant smile, spoke softly to Adrian.

“OE01 is my personal research material.”

“Personal?”

“Yes. It’s personal research material that only I have access to within the lab.”

“And?”

“Pardon?”

“And?”

At Adrian’s words, Jace continued with a hesitant expression.

“I’m saying it’s a product that cannot be taken out of the lab…”

“Dr. Miller.”

“Yes.”

As Adrian looked down with a chilling gaze, Jace swallowed hard, sensing something was going wrong.

“What’s the name of this lab?”

“Pers… Pers Corporation Lab, but…”

“Is there anything in a Pers Corporation lab that a Pers can’t have?”

“…Chairman!”

“You seem to be under a serious misconception, Dr. Miller.”

“…”

“You’re just an employee.”

“…!”

“OE01 is company property, not your personal possession.”

“But…”

“When the company owner decides to handle company assets, what’s the problem?”

Adrian gave a small laugh as he looked at Jace, who was biting his lip tightly, and patted his shoulder before gesturing.

“Pack it up with Noah’s items.”

As Adrian’s words ended, white smoke began to seep into the showroom where Joy was sitting. Jace’s clenched fist trembled violently.

*

“…01… OE01.”

At the sound of someone calling him, Joy opened his eyes to see AE70 and OE70 looking at him with concern.

“Hyungs…?”

As Joy staggered to his feet, the two slipped their hands under his armpits to support him.

“Ahh.”

When their hands brushed against his chest as they touched his armpits, a pained moan escaped Joy’s lips.

“OE01, what’s wrong?”

OE70 asked, startled, but Joy shook his head.

“I’m fine. Just a little surprised…”

“Yeah. But I didn’t know OE01 would come with us. I’m so happy we’ll be together.”

Looking at OE70’s innocent smile, Joy felt an inexplicable sense of guilt and averted his gaze. Though he didn’t seem to remember, what would OE70 think if he knew AE70 had “practiced” with him during his rut? Joy’s clasped hands trembled faintly.

“They seem to have come to their senses, fakes.”

At the voice from behind, Joy turned his head. AE70 and OE70 also turned to look at the source of the voice. Noah stood with his arms crossed, looking at them with a cold expression.

“Yeah, fakes. Do you like the house?”

“Master!”

“Master!”

As AE70 and OE70 called out “Master” in unison, Noah furrowed his brow and continued.

“You’ll stay here for the time being. And…”

“Ugh… hnn…”

As Noah spoke, Joy suddenly began panting heavily. Noah’s face contorted as he watched Joy, trembling and sweating coldly.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Hn… hnn… the scent…”

“Scent?”

“Ahh… ah… ah…”

Joy knelt, curling up and scratching the floor with his fingers. Noah stared at him with a mix of confusion and coldness, but Joy lifted his head, his face on the verge of tears, and called Noah’s name.

“Hn… hnn… Noah…”

At the sound of his name from Joy’s lips, Noah stood frozen, lavender scent pouring from him incessantly.

The faint lavender scent Joy had sensed since waking now enveloped his entire body.

“No… Noah… hnn…”

Noah’s eyes filled with confusion as he watched the omega, trembling and calling his name while collapsed on the floor. Though not a woman, the omega’s delicate body was no different from one, and above all, that face was the face of the fiancée he had loved so dearly. As that face cried out so desperately, it kept overlapping with Joy’s, leaving Noah no choice but to hold his breath and stare at him.

“Hn… ahh… haa…”

AE70 and OE70, alternating between looking at Joy, who was moaning and crying in ecstasy, and Noah, stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Like children with limited intelligence, they were overwhelmed by the situation, their eyes brimming with tears.

Looking at them, Noah spoke in a cold voice.

“Fakes, go rest. I’ll take this one to check on its condition.”