L*ck Me If You Can

Chapter 194

“Maaaarried?!”

Ariel repeated the word in a loud, stunned voice. Koi, though clearly embarrassed, nodded firmly.

“We love each other. We both admitted how we feel... so marriage is the natural next step. I’m a beta, sure, but there’s no rule that says an alpha can’t marry a beta.”

There wasn’t a hint of doubt in Koi’s voice. Ariel was caught completely off guard, her mind momentarily blank.

“Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you have to get married, Koi.”

That was all she could think to say—but Koi remained unfazed as he replied,

“I know that. But we’re going to get married.”

His tone was stronger than usual—so much so that Ariel instinctively shrank back from his intensity.

He’s... really confident.

Ariel blinked, speechless. She felt both proud and strangely sad. And furious—furious at Ashley. Under the table, Ariel clenched her fists so hard her knuckles protruded. As she watched Koi smiling brightly in front of her, she silently counted to calm herself. Thankfully, she didn’t need to reach a thousand before reason returned.

I can’t ruin his happiness.

Saying anything about Ashley now would be nothing but self-satisfaction. If she exposed Ashley’s past, it would only hurt Koi. Sure, imagining Ashley getting what he deserved was satisfying, but if it meant Koi would suffer, what was the point?

Still... she couldn’t just let things go unchecked. At the very least, she had to stop the proposal. If Ashley turned around and betrayed Koi, the emotional fallout would be far worse. Swallowing down her anger, Ariel forced a calm tone and said,

“I get what you’re saying. But maybe... you should wait on proposing?”

“Why?”

As expected, Koi asked immediately. Ariel explained in a gentle, persuasive voice.

“You’re the one who confessed first, right? That means you already took away Ashley’s chance to say it first. Why not let him be the one to propose?”

“Oh...”

Koi blinked, clearly considering it. Seeing that he was wavering, Ariel softened her voice even more.

“Ash might be planning to propose himself. He said he loves you, right? That you’re the only one he’s ever loved? Then of course he’s thinking about marriage too. If you both feel the same, don’t you think he deserves a chance to say it?”

It was a perfectly reasonable suggestion—and Koi was already falling for it. Ariel saw the way his expression shifted, his tension easing, and she asked again for confirmation.

“So let him do it. If you propose before he even gets the chance to confess, he’ll probably be really disappointed. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment, you know?”

She didn’t even need to cross her fingers for luck. Koi, nodding with a face full of realization, made it clear she’d won him over. Ariel relaxed her shoulders and offered a sincere smile.

“Thanks, El. I didn’t even think about that.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for. Good thing you told me before you bought the ring, huh?”

She reached across the table and gently took his hand, her voice kind.

Koi nodded. “Still, I think I should get a part-time job.”

He looked a little sheepish as he added,

“I can’t just keep freeloading off Ash forever... I should contribute something. Even if it’s not much...”

“Then why not save that money and buy him a gift later? After he proposes.”

Ariel jumped in quickly with a new suggestion.

“I mean, it’s pocket change to Ashley anyway. It’s not like it’ll help much with the rent. Wouldn’t it be better to save it for something meaningful? A gift, as a trade-off for giving him the chance to propose.”

“Ah...”

Koi’s eyes sparkled. His whole face lit up as he exclaimed,

“El, you’re a genius. That’s a great idea. I’ll do that. Thanks!”

“Right?”

Wow, I really nailed that one.

Ariel was quietly impressed with her own quick thinking. The admiring look in Koi’s eyes gave her a little extra boost of confidence.

“So, you haven’t started looking for a job yet?”

Koi nodded. “Yeah, I think I’ve gotten too used to not working. I’ve never taken a break this long before...”

He lowered his eyes to the teacup, cheeks reddening again. Ariel asked gently,

“Ash hasn’t said anything about it?”

“He has, but... I can’t just keep doing nothing.”

That was ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the obvious stance for Koi—but Ariel wasn’t so sure Ashley saw it the same way. She thought for a moment, then asked,

“Then what do you do all day?”

Strange that the question only came to her now. Sure, resting was nice—but something about it felt... off. As expected, Koi froze for a moment and then began fumbling over his words.

“Um, well... by the time I wake up, it’s almost lunch... then I call for housekeeping, eat while they clean... and before I know it, it’s afternoon. Then I order dinner... and when Ash gets home, well... we, um...”

Koi’s entire face turned crimson. Ariel, unable to hold back, finished the sentence for him.

“So he just jumps you the second he gets home? Not even dinner first?”

Seeing Koi’s eyes go wide in panic, Ariel clicked her tongue.

What kind of animal is this guy?

She stared at him in disbelief. No matter how hyper-alpha Ashley was, wasn’t that excessive? As far as she could recall, Ashley had never been that insatiable before.

Though... that was a long time ago.

Ariel frowned, remembering a few friends’ stories. Maybe this kind of behavior wasn’t unheard of—but still, it was like watching a newlywed couple. And the look of pure embarrassment on Koi’s face confirmed it.

With a long sigh, Ariel said,

“You’re both adults, so it’s your business. But you’re a beta, Koi. You can’t just let him do whatever he wants—you need to take care of your body.”

That was all she could really say. She wasn’t about to police their sex life. It was their relationship.

“And use condoms. He’s a hyper-alpha, but you’re not. You could get sick.”

It’s okay... Ash only sleeps with me. He said he’s only ever loved me.

Koi thought silently, but he didn’t feel the need to contradict Ariel’s concern.

“Yeah, I will. Thanks.”

He nodded, and Ariel studied him for a moment. Then she leaned back against the table and crossed her arms.

“Koi.”

“Yeah?”

Something about her tone made Koi tense a little. Ariel looked him straight in the eyes and said,

“Don’t forget—I’m always on your side.”

She spoke calmly, her voice steady.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“No matter what happens, I’ll be here for you. If something hurts you or things get hard, you have to tell me. Okay?”

When she added “Okay?” to confirm, Koi couldn’t respond right away. Something swelled in his chest, making it hard to speak.

“...Yeah.”

He finally nodded and exhaled deeply, then added in a firm voice,

“I won’t forget. And... me too. I’ll always be on your side, El. So if anything ever happens to you, you have to tell me too. Promise.”

“Okay.”

Ariel smiled and held out her pinky. They hadn’t done this since high school, but Koi smiled as he linked his with hers.

“Promise.”

“You too—promise.”

Having reaffirmed that they would always be each other’s support, they released their hands.

*

“Welcome back, Mr. Niles.”

The doorman opened the building door and greeted him warmly. The way he treated Koi like a full-fledged resident made him feel a little shy, and he returned the greeting with a small nod before hurrying inside.

Huh?

He stopped in front of the elevator—it was sitting on the top floor. Ashley was already home.

Koi glanced at the clock by the entrance and winced. Ah... He’d lost track of time chatting with Ariel. Ashley, punctual as ever, must have come home at the usual time.

Feeling flustered, Koi scrambled into the elevator. When the doors opened, he stepped out—

And froze.

Ashley was standing just beyond the entryway doors, staring straight at him.