บท 19: Ch 19: So, it was not me?

Rika unexpectedly reached for the scent remover as she stepped into her house, against her usual habits. To her surprise, she ended up using the entire bottle.

The habits you developed were impossible to eliminate just because you wanted to. And that was what happened with Rika as well.

As soon as she entered the home, Rika noticed that the lights were on, and loud noises reached her ears.

Mark and her mother seemed to be fighting with each other.

As two grown alphas living in the same territory, Rika was surprised that this did not happen more often. It was in alpha nature to fight and try to assert dominance.

It was clear that her mother would win this time (just as she had every other time an argument broke out), and Rika did not need to interfere.

But just because she knew it in her mind did not mean her heart agreed.

Ultimately, Rika walked to the beefing pair to check up on them.

She did not expect to see her father in the room with her mother and Mark. He seemed to be trying his best to stop the fight.

But neither Mark nor her mother seemed to hear his words. His pheromones were also not working.

"Mark, this is your last warning. You are a full-grown alpha wanting control, but you must quit it. Her life is not something you can play with. Rika has made her decision, so this is the end. You need to respect her."

Her mother's words caused Mark to feel even more agitated.

"Fuck! You are just not seeing the bigger picture here, mother. We cannot let Rika leave us! You would not have done the same if the person asking for this was Suzie. So why-"

"Because Mother made it clear that I am not Suzie, we have a big difference of opinion about trying to stop me now, Mark. All the paperwork has already been processed, and I will leave tomorrow. I hope you enjoy being free from me."

Rika felt a little mean doing this to Mark.

Her older brother was already stressed, and Rika's words did not help his mood. If anything, she was making the situation worse for Mark and herself.

"Tsk! Fuck you. I don't know why I even worry for you when all you do is make fun of me. Fuck! Shit! I will head to my room before you make me do something I will regret again."

The man left as quickly as he came, and Rika let out the breath she had been holding all this while.

Her body also calmed down and no longer shook as severely as before.

"Rika, did you purposely egg your brother to make him mad? I know why you did it, but I don't want you to keep doing this."

"One day, you might make Mark snap, and he won't be able to stop himself before hurting you permanently. I do not want to see my children hurting like this."

Her mother had a lot to say to Rika, and in her heart, she knew that her mother had a point. Rika also needed to control her mouth.

But this was the only opportunity she would have to retaliate as much against Mark as he did to her.

"I will be more careful with what I say to Mark in the future, Mother. Now, I would like to return to my room. I will have a long day tomorrow."

Rika quickly returned to her room, messaged her new landlady that she would be shifting soon, and went to sleep.

Memories of being ignored and neglected haunted her nights. She no longer wanted to be compared to anyone else; she just wanted to live as herself.

Rika was awake at a god-awful hour and came down to get something to eat.

For the first time in almost a week, Rika regrets coming down because of the other person in the room.

Suzie was awake at this god-awful hour as she curled on the living room couch.

Rika debated whether she wanted to head back, but she was spotted before she could and returned to the safety of her room. Decide

"Are you going to head back to your room? Rika, can we talk for a moment? We have differences and never got close, but we are family, right? I want to get to know you more."

Suzie's voice was low and tired when she made her request. She did not move from her spot, which made Rika sure that something was happening there.

However, as much as Rika did not want to interact with Suzie, she had also spent most of her life accommodating and doing what was best for her.

This time was also no exception. Before Rika knew it, she was sitting in front of Recase with a concerned expression.

From her position so close, she could see Mark lying on his head on Suzie's lap and looking asleep.

Rika could not see his face, but she did not need to see his face to know how Mark was doing.

She knew that he would be all over her if he were awake.

"Are you going away from home because of me? Rika, you don't need to do that. If I make you uncomfortable, then you can tell me. I will-"

"No, wait! Stop right there! I think there has been a misunderstanding here. I am not leaving home because of you specifically, Suzie. There are many reasons, but the main one is because I want to live as an ordinary beta."

"As you already know, there are almost no betas around us, and even those beta handful are extra sensitive to pheromones. It is…tough to know what is normal for me in such a situation. So, I just wanted to take some time to get used to rediscovering my true self for a bit. See, it is not so complicated."

Rika babbled to stop Suzie from misunderstanding the situation.

She did not care what Suzie thought of her, but Rika did this so she would have one less headache to worry about.

'I am sure Mark would throw a fit if I made Suzie cry. His overprotectiveness of Suzie is also why his relationships do not last long.'

Rika looked at Suzie's relieved expression with mixed feelings. She was sure that Suzie had started to accept the situation.

"So, it was not me? I feel so relieved that I am not the reason you are moving out. Rika, I support you wholeheartedly. You should do what you want with your life."

Now that Suzie had confirmed she was not the problem, she decided to support Rika with everything she had.

Rika knew that Suzie did not mean anything wrong by this, but it still hurt her to hear such clear dismissal words.

'Now that you know you were not the problem, it suddenly no longer matters if I head leave home or not. Well, I should have expected such a thing from Suzie after all. She was never really considerate of my feelings.'

Suzie's relationship with Rika was hard to explain. Suzie had always been given first preference, and that was what she was used to.

Anytime she felt like her deserved attention was being driven off her, she did something drastic.

Everyone knew it and had come to accept it. That made Rika feel even more nervous in Suzie's presence.

"I will…take my leave now. I need to start packing and shifting my stuff today. I will see you later."

Rika quickly left the room. She felt in danger if she remained there for any longer.

As soon as Rika was gone, Suzie stretched her arms and poked the head in her lap.

"See, I told you that you were worried for nothing, Mark. Rika is just leaving because that is something she wants to do. It has nothing to do with either you or me."

Suzie sounded relieved when she said that.

It was clear that she believed this wholeheartedly.

But Mark knew better than her. He kept pretty since he did not want to stress Suzie out. But he also wanted to go after Rika and demand if this was what she truly wanted to do.

Her mouth had said one thing, but Mark was sure that Rika did not mean anything about what she said.

'Let's not worry Suzie too much. I will have many chances to talk to Rika before she leaves today.'

That was what Mark thought. Unfortunately, he did not get a chance to do even that.

Rika was out and about before anyone knew about it. By the time Mark learned about it, it was too late. Rika had already left for quite a while, and he had no idea where she was.

She had not contacted Emily or Damian either, and Rika was afraid that the pair would cause a scene she would have to deal with later.

But that was a future problem Rika did not want to worry about.

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บท 20: Ch 20: Should I do it?

"A single bag? This is all you brought with you? Is that even enough to last you for a month? Did something happen at home? You decided to shift to the dorms rather quickly. You can talk to me about anything you are going through. I am willing to listen."

Charon looked concerned with the amount of stuff Rika had brought with her.

But Rika did not share the same concerns as Charon had.

"I am sure that this will be more than satisfactory. The dorm has most of the stuff I will need regularly. And I can return home and get what I do not have."

Rika assured Charon, not directly answering her question but not dismissing it either.

Her avoidance made Charon even more confident that something was going on at Rika's home that she wanted to avoid.

"Oh well! I can take a hint. I will not ask you what happened to you, but I hope you will rely on me for things. It is a harsh world for betas out there, especially if you are female and insensitive."

"But don't worry! If you have any problems, please feel free to come to me. I will take care of it for you."

Charon made a show of throwing her fist into her hand to show how tough she was.

It reminded Rika that Charon was also a part of the underworld and had trained since she was young.

Her brother might be a scum when it came to treating his partners right, but he chose them well.

Everyone he chose was part of the mafia and could care for themselves, and Charon was no different in that regard.

"I will let you know if I ever need your help. But I am sure it will be fine. And it may not look like it, but I am quite strong."

Rika assured Charon while also striking a pose. But her thin body made Rika's joke fall flat and useless.

There was a three-week wait until the classes started, and there was much Rika needed to do.

But first, she wanted to become independent and earn her own money. That way, she would not feel so bad about spending her money on useless things.

It took Rika a few hours to settle down in her room and then another hour to unpack and arrange things.

Her side of the room felt underwhelming since she only had a little stuff.

But this was how Rika liked it - subdued and not bothersome.

"I know I complained about your stuff not being enough, but now I am truly beginning to wonder if you will be fine. You did not even bring a family photo to decorate your walls."

Charon looked at the barren walls of Rika's side with a disapproving glance.

"Do I need a family photo? I can call my family if I ever feel lonely. And also, isn't it too much to frame a family photo in your shared dorm room?"

Rika asked, and Charon looked struck.

"Oh no! I made a mistake. You are one of 'those' people. Rika, could we fix you right now? Being depressed is not a good thing. Talk to me. Tell me your feelings."

Charon shook Rika around, but Rika was not sure what correlation there was between her not having a family photo and being depressed.

"I am not depressed, Charon! I promise I am fine. I can give you my medical reports from last month if you want me to."

Rika promised, which was the only way she could make Charon back down.

"Tsk, I am still not convinced that you are not depressed, Rika. Often, depression is not something that can be caught by normal means. No matter how good your doctor is, you can never be sure he is 100% right."

Charon reminded Rika, and her words seemed to ring in Rika's mind.

Rika felt a little off hearing someone else call her depressed when she also sometimes felt signs of it.

But as quickly as those thoughts crept into her mind, Rika dismissed them.

"I am not depressed, Charon. Everyone has weird and depressing thoughts in their mind from time to time. It is just human nature to feel like that. But if we start considering all such occurrences as depression, then 100% of the population is depressed."

Rika laughed at her world, trying to make light of the situation. The atmosphere had turned far too grim for her liking.

But the more Rika tried to lighten up the situation, the more she felt like her words were trapping her.

Moreover, it did not seem as if Charon believed her either. But she did not question Rika's motives and beliefs.

"Alright! That's taken care of, at least. What else do you want to do?"

Since Charon was willing to drop the case and act normal in front of Rika, she also wanted to do the same.

"Well, I would like to get a part-time job to start things off. Do you think there is anything you recommend for me? I am a beginner, but I learn quickly."

Rika assured Charon, and the older beta had the brightest grin on her face.

"Well, won't you know it? I have the best job possible for you. This old lady is asking me to recommend someone to help you out. What do you say? Are you interested in working in a flower shop?"

"The smell of flowers will mask most pheromones in the air, and you will not have to reveal that you are insensitive to pheromones in front of anyone. Besides, it will be funny to see people mistaking you for an omega because of the scent of flowers. You already look like one anyway, and now you will also smell like one."

Rika ignored Charon's last few teasing words. They felt like jabs to her, but she knew Charon did not say them to make Rika mad.

The offer sounded decent, so Rika decided to take it. The shop was just a short distance from the dorm and the academy.

If Rika could spot one problem, it would be that the shop was right at the entrance of the mafia territory, increasing the chance of her being found out by someone.

"I know what you are thinking. Since you are related to the Goodwill family, I am sure that you know that the shop is in mafia territory. Unfortunately, any part-time job you get will be in that sector."

"Luckily, the mafia does not hurt ordinary people; you are also at the edge. This is the perfect job you can ask for."

Rike knew that Charon had a point. So, she decided to take this job.

Charon followed Rika but paused as soon as she entered the territory and neared the flower shop.

"Is something wrong, Charon? You feel a lot tenser than before."

Rika had only seen Charon relaxed and unbothered until now. So, it was a little weird to see her all tense up.

"Fuck! You cannot smell all this shit? I know you said that you were a beta and the most insensitive kind as well, but not smelling anything is unnatural. At a minimum, you should feel a general discomfort because of all these pheromones saturating the air."

Charon explained to Rika, and this was the first time Rika had heard about such a thing.

She knew that betas could feel pheromones and even get affected by them, but Rika had thought that was a rare occurrence.

However, Charon said Rika was weird because she could not feel anything.

"Is my situation rare? I thought betas were insensitive to pheromones."

Rika asked in a confused voice, and Charon quickly clarified her misunderstanding.

"We are not generally affected by pheromones but are also part of the dynamics. We feel it when the saturation of these things reaches too high. We do not react the same way an alpha or omega would."

"But you? Your situation is unnatural. It's almost as if your senses are blocked because of underdevelopment. It might be better for you to schedule a meeting with a specialist. I know a good one-"

Charon had not finished speaking when someone pushed Rika to hold her hostage.

Arms warped around her face and her arm, and Rika was pulled into a hostage situation.

"D-Don't come near me, or this civilian dies! I am warning you about this! I will kill her if you make any sudden move. S-Stay away!"

The man continued to yell loudly, hoping to get what he wanted by threatening the masses.

Unfortunately, he chose the wrong target. Rika realised how clumsily she was being held at the moment, and she could break this hold on her any time she wanted to.

'Should I wait for help to arrive? But I might be dead by the time that happens. Or worse! I get hurt, and this gets back to my mother and Mark. I cannot risk that happening.'

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