Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Let Me See You Too
Celia, clutching her heart.
Her hand pressed against her chest in pain, her brows delicately furrowed for the same reason.
Now, Zoe Pierce frowned just like Celia clutching her heart, her own hand grasping something.
But unlike Celia’s pale complexion, Zoe’s cheeks were a flushed pink, dyed in a crimson that seemed borrowed from the sunset clouds.
Touching herself, there was honestly no particular sensation.
But the moment she met the eyes of the person on the video call, knowing she was showing this to him, she was instantly overcome.
She didn’t even know what she was doing. All she knew was that her heart was pounding like a frightened fawn.
All she knew was to follow Miles Sherman’s request and say, "You... you too... Let me see..."
Miles Sherman’s breathing instantly grew ragged. Or rather, both of their breaths had long since become a mess.
He agreed in a low voice and tore away his final secret.
It was something concealed in secrecy, never meant for prying eyes. Even showing it to Zoe Pierce now made his whole body tense.
He had never let anyone see him like this before.
His mind was even racing with too many thoughts.
’Will she be disgusted...?’ In every respect, the situation was nerve-wracking.
Especially in its current state—proud and erect, a formidable sight.
Zoe Pierce was, in truth, all bark and no bite. In reality, she was as timid as a quail.
Just two glances were enough to make her feel faint.
This was her first time, too.
If their previous encounter was a quick, sharp cut, this was a slow blade, slicing away piece by piece until her head spun.
Without realizing when it happened, not a single secret remained between them.
They looked at each other, completely exposed.
Zoe Pierce felt his eyes on her like fire, burning an inch-by-inch trail from her cheeks to her heels.
Her skin seemed to erupt in sparks under the searing heat of his gaze.
It was completely uncontrollable.
She never knew she could be this bold, following the commands Miles Sherman issued in a semi-authoritative tone, interspersed with soft murmurs of "good girl."
She had soothed spiritual power many times, but when she herself became the one needing soothing...
She completely fell apart under his watch.
Of course, she didn’t let Miles Sherman off easy either.
She watched as he, too, came undone before her.
Heavy breathing echoed from both sides of the call as Zoe Pierce adjusted the angle of her Intelligent Brain.
Miles Sherman could now only see an ornate, recessed ceiling and listen to the sound of Zoe’s voice.
"Miles... That’s enough for now..."
Zoe Pierce suddenly felt like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. ’Thank goodness Miles can’t possibly show up anytime soon.’
Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to face him.
Her fingers subconsciously brushed the nape of her neck. Aaron Xavier’s mark. Though the scent had mostly faded, a trace of it lingered.
If she were to rip off her barrier patch right now, she would still be able to smell a faint, phantom hint of orange.
"Sweetheart... did you hate it?"
Zoe Pierce was now lying on her back on the chaise lounge, covering her flushed face with a small throw pillow. Her voice came out muffled: "I don’t hate it... It’s just... Miles... I kind of miss you."
Except for that one kiss on the Starship, he had always been extremely proper and restrained.
Zoe could hardly say she wasn’t satisfied today—seeing him lose control, watching him shed his serious, gentle facade and become a mess in front of her.
It didn’t leave her unaffected; instead, she felt a mixture of joy and shyness.
Perhaps it was the deep darkness of the night, or how busy she had been lately, but in this quiet midnight hour...
...the image of them comforting each other suddenly sparked a desire in her to have someone to lean on.
Hearing Zoe’s words, it was Miles Sherman’s turn to feel a headache coming on.
Of course, he missed her too, perhaps even more than she missed him. But he was also certain that he couldn’t get out anytime in the near future.
His hand was sullied, so he got up and went to the washroom to clean it.
The bathroom light was a stark, bright white. He splashed cold water on his face before walking back to the bed.
"Zoe, wait for me."
His face held a look of resignation, and his voice had returned to its usual gentle warmth.
Zoe was nowhere to be seen on camera; she was still hiding.
Zoe made a small sound of acknowledgment. "Miles... will you call again tomorrow?"
Miles Sherman felt like Zoe was playing him, leaving his heart dangling in anxious suspense.
’Is that an invitation?’
The thirst in his throat and the longing in his heart ultimately won out over reason.
"I will," he said, his voice hoarse. "In that case, will you answer my video call, my dear?"
Zoe Pierce buried her face in the small, soft pillow, thumping it lightly with her forehead. "Mmm... but my lesson plan isn’t ready... I..."
It sounded like a rejection. Just as Miles was about to say something, he heard Zoe continue, "But I want to... I want to hear your voice, I want to lean on you... I want to complain to you..."
In that moment, she could almost picture Miles’s gentleness taking physical form.
He would wrap his arms around her and place a light kiss on her forehead. He would hold her close and gently pat her back.
It felt as if she could entrust her every worry to him.
"Do you want me to help you with your lesson plan?" Miles asked considerately.
Zoe said, "No, it’s fine. It’s actually almost finished. I just need to find other Omegas to test it with. That’s not something you can help with."
She had considered using herself as a test subject, but the results from a single subject would obviously not be representative.
So, she used her position as an Omega councilor to contact Councilor Rhodes and Director Quinn. They helped her find several members of the Omega Association who had also graduated from the military academy but ultimately did not enlist.
She was on a roll right now, and very few people would turn Zoe Pierce down.
Besides, money wasn’t an issue for any of them. When Zoe asked for help, it was a matter of owing favors.
So, the moment she asked, people immediately agreed, including Yvonne Hughes, who had been responsible for recording her physical exam data last time.
"I have this idea, about an Omega’s spirit sea. It might require some... extreme experimentation," she said. She paused, then added, "Miles, I feel like I’m starting to think like that organization..."
Upon hearing this, Miles simply asked, "Will it put anyone’s life at risk?"
"No," Zoe replied instantly.
"Then what’s there to worry about? Proper training always comes at a cost. The current training regimens for Alphas were built on the efforts of pioneers, for the benefit of those who followed."
It was just that now, Zoe Pierce was becoming one of those pioneers.
Zoe felt she might have been overthinking things. She laughed and shook her head. "I understand."
She had been about to tell Miles her idea, but then she reconsidered. What if things didn’t turn out as she expected? It was better not to say anything for now.
She would tell him once she had concrete results.
After a few more comforting words from Miles, Zoe hung up the call, content.
She took a quick shower, changed her clothes, and hurried back to her study to keep writing.
Early the next morning, Zoe Pierce began preparing the Psionic Training Room.
The connected equipment wasn’t the kind used for an Alpha’s spiritual power; it had been modified to measure an Omega’s spirit sea.
Once everything was arranged, Zoe waited for the participants to arrive.
Director Quinn and Councilor Rhodes had found her three sample groups.
Two groups came from Director Quinn: one was composed of freshmen still in military training, and the other was made up of already-trained Omegas.
The group from Councilor Rhodes, on the other hand, consisted of highly experienced Omegas who had performed soothing hundreds of times.
