Zoe Pierce clutched her still-aching chest and shook her head. "It's nothing."
It was an unbearable ache, as if in this moment, she finally understood what it felt like to lose her parents.
Damien Pierce studied Zoe Pierce's face, confirming that she didn't seem to have remembered anything.
She was still sobbing, her slender body curled into a ball. Her long hair was a mess, and her fair skin was almost translucent. She looked so thin and pitiful.
He reached out to rub her back, comforting her in a low voice. "Zoe, don't cry. Mom and Dad wouldn't want to see you like this."
A wave of malice surged through Zoe Pierce. She was furious—furious about what she'd just overheard, and even more furious that she couldn't reveal what she knew.
Either way, she still didn't understand this world or the Pierce Family. She couldn't afford to act rashly.
The intense rage made her tremble even more, but Damien Pierce just assumed she was still crying and continued patting her back. "Don't dwell on it."
"You have no idea. The doctor said you exhausted your spiritual power and fainted. You scared me half to death."
Zoe's composure slowly returned. Hearing Damien's words, her eyes darkened. The tears stopped welling in her jet-black eyes, replaced by a flash of scorn.
'Whether his concern was genuine or just an act, only he knew for sure.'
"Did you comfort Miles Sherman and his group today?" Damien asked again, seeing that Zoe's emotions were finally settling. Otherwise, why would she have fainted from exhaustion for no reason?
Zoe looked at his seemingly worried face and nodded slightly. "Yes. I met with the group after school."
She completely distrusted Damien now, so she certainly wasn't going to tell him how she'd really used her spiritual power.
She would pin the blame on Miles and his group; she didn't believe Damien would dare to question them about it.
Sure enough, Damien didn't press the matter further.
Zoe rested at home for a few more days because of the fainting spell.
Zoe didn't have that dream again. But knowing that Damien was hiding things from her, she found herself studying with a new-found diligence.
In this world, although Omegas were physically weaker, they were highly sought after because they could soothe an Alpha's volatile spiritual power.
There was even a profession called Comfort Officer. As long as an Omega graduated and applied, they could get a job with a handsome monthly salary—more than enough to support a comfortable life.
So, she had to seize the opportunities available to her now.
Getting her graduation certificate was clearly the best path forward, with no downsides.
But there was one very obvious problem: her mind was a complete blank. She didn't remember any of her previous studies and would have to learn everything from scratch.
The Federal Military Academy was a five-year program. To graduate, she still had two years to go. However, Zoe did some digging and found that most students finished their required credits within a year and a half. The last six months were purely a transitional period.
Both her practical exam scores and her general education course grades were crucial for Zoe.
New courses would start next semester. If she fell behind now, she had no idea what she would face in the coming year.
So she didn't dare to slack off for a single moment. She studied whenever she had a spare second. Even when lying in bed, she would memorize dense course material. Luckily, she felt like she must have learned it all before; there was a sense of familiarity that made it less of a struggle.
During her breaks, she would spread her spiritual power, just as she had before, probing her surroundings in an attempt to overhear more information.
As for Damien's order to seduce Miles and his group...
Zoe thought it was absolutely impossible. Utterly impossible.
For one thing, she would never do Damien's bidding.
For another, judging by their attitude toward an Omega, it wasn't something a normal person could endure.
Besides, Zoe's current goal was to get her graduation certificate. The group assignments were already set. She needed those credits. If Miles and his group kicked her out now, she had no idea if the four of them would still get their credits, but she certainly wouldn't.
So, to avoid being disliked, Zoe resolved to lie low.
She'd lie low until she had the credits in hand, then part ways amicably with her teammates. They would go their separate ways, and she would go hers.
With her mind made up, Zoe didn't waste a moment during her days off. She studied during the day, supplemented her diet with nutritional meals and vitamins, and exercised every evening after the sun went down.
She remembered her promise to Miles and his group that she would train properly.
It wasn't for anyone else's sake. Being in better shape would benefit her, too. Without a healthy body, she wouldn't even be able to deal with Damien.
Sometimes Damien would come home late in the afternoon and find Zoe still exercising. He couldn't help but say, "Zoe, you only woke up a few days ago. Don't push yourself so hard."
With the household servants acting as his eyes and ears, he knew how diligently Zoe studied every day, practically forgetting to eat or sleep.
He had someone call her for meals at set times to ensure she was getting proper nutrition. After her workout, she went to bed at her self-appointed time.
Her life was healthy but meticulously scheduled. It would take immense self-discipline to follow such a strict routine.
She had been sticking to it ever since she woke up. He wondered what she'd be like in a few days when she returned to the academy.
Damien felt that even with amnesia, Zoe's personality hadn't changed much. She might seem lazy on a normal day, but when it mattered most, she never dropped the ball.
Hearing this, Zoe stopped and said, "Brother, Miles and his group told me I have to train. They said if I don't, I'll be the first one eliminated."
She lowered her voice slightly, making herself sound timid and pitiful.
Damien's brow furrowed instantly.
What kind of Alpha demands an Omega train? It was common knowledge that Omegas were physically far inferior to Alphas. There was even a significant gap between them and Betas.
If not for their ability to soothe an Alpha's mind and body with their spiritual power and pheromones, Omegas would never be allowed to participate in the joint exams.
Usually, the Omega on a team was treated like a good-luck charm—tucked away somewhere safe until they were needed. Alphas never made demands of them.
The issue of pheromones was particularly sensitive. If an Omega's pheromones went out of control, it could easily trigger an Alpha's rut, making them act like wild beasts. It was a major taboo.
Damien had never heard of Miles and his group making demands on an Omega's physical stamina before.
He glanced at Zoe, who had just finished her workout. The back of her gray T-shirt was damp with sweat, and beads of perspiration trickled from her temples down her neck. She was clearly exhausted, yet her bright, clear eyes showed no signs of giving up. Instead, she was actively working to steady her breathing.
Damien's brow furrowed even more.
For a moment, he wasn't sure if he should tell Zoe to continue training or not.
'Miles and his group aren't treating her like an Omega at all.'
But then Damien realized something: Zoe had no pheromones.
They probably weren't treating her as an Omega at all, but more like a Beta.
To Alphas, an Omega without pheromones was completely devoid of sexual allure.
He thought about the task he'd given Zoe. His face stiffened, and instead of telling her to stop, he simply crossed his arms and watched her train.
The last kilometer took her twelve minutes. By the time she was done, Zoe's legs felt as soft as if she were walking on clouds.
"Come on, time to eat." Damien's brow relaxed a little. Seeing that Zoe was finished, he beckoned her to the table.
Damien had given special instructions for dinner tonight. Most of the dishes on the table were Zoe's favorites.
It was yet another piece of conflicting evidence. In this interstellar era where nutrient solution was the norm, Damien went out of his way to have real food prepared for her—and not just any food, but her actual favorites.
Zoe's gaze grew distant as she stared blankly at the dish in the center of the table—squirrel-shaped fish, glistening in a sweet and sour sauce.