Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate
Chapter 131: Too Concerned
Hayley’s POV:
I called out, but Benjamin didn’t seem to hear me. Hera was already buzzing with excitement inside me, confirming that he was indeed Benjamin. Then, I noticed the woman from the restroom had suddenly appeared. She leaned in and gave Benjamin a gentle kiss on the cheek before linking her arm with his and leading him into the private room.
“Hey! Hayley! Let me out! I want to tear that woman away from Benjamin!” Hera seethed with rage, her possessiveness flaring. “He’s ours! He can only be ours!”
I tried to rein her in, though I felt just as troubled inside. Logic told me I should turn around and walk away, but I found myself unable to control my feet as I moved closer.
“Excuse me, miss, how can I help you?” a waiter asked. I waved him away until he left, then approached the door of the private room, leaning against the wall to peek through the crack.
Inside, Benjamin was seated closely next to the elegant woman, and their relationship appeared quite intimate. Throughout their conversation, her arm was wrapped around his, and Benjamin showed no sign of wanting to pull away.
Hera wasn’t joking. I could feel her genuine urge to rush in and tear that woman apart! I struggled to keep her under control.
Just then, I felt a force behind me, and I was suddenly pushed forward as the door to the private room swung open. I fell to the ground, drawing the attention of everyone inside.
“Oh, there’s a woman who comes right to our door?” a male voice suddenly sounded in the private room, catching me off guard.
At that moment, I wished I could disappear. I quickly lowered my head, pretending to see nothing.
“This beautiful lady must have wandered into the wrong room,” the man continued, approaching me with a confident stride.
Seeing that there was no escaping, I slowly raised my head. The man immediately stopped in his tracks when he saw my face. His throat tightened, and his tone shifted sharply. “Who the hell are you? Get out of here!”
The transformation in his attitude was stark, a complete reversal of his earlier demeanor. I didn’t have time to explain. I quickly scrambled to my feet, too embarrassed to look in Benjamin’s direction. As an alpha, it was my first time feeling so awkward and embarrassed!
All because of Benjamin. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was too concerned about him. Was this the power of the Moon Goddess’s influence?
I was still trying to avoid Benjamin’s gaze when he suddenly asked, “What brings you here?”
I didn’t look up to let him see my face, puzzled about how he recognized me so quickly. Realizing he had figured it out, I turned my head and forced a smile. “What a coincidence! You’re here too?”
Meanwhile, the man beside him couldn’t help asking Benjamin, “Alpha, do you know her?”
Benjamin didn’t respond, but his eyes assessed me closely. It was the woman beside him who broke the silence, her tone laced with contempt. “This little Omega? I just saw her in the restroom. She helped me pick up my lipstick. So, Ben, do you know her?”
Benjamin looked at me with a slight smirk as he slowly said, “She’s Ms. Carson, a major shareholder of the Southwell Group.” He didn’t mention my connection to the Shadow Pack, but his introduction as a major shareholder certainly elevated my status in the eyes of the woman beside him.
“This is Roger Reese, and this lady is his sister, Winona Reese.” After the introductions, he turned to me and added, “I think Ms. Carson is here for work-related matters. Now that Mr. Reese from the Reese Group is also present, why don’t we finalize the details of our collaboration together?”
Benjamin’s words were clear; he was here for business. Was he subtly suggesting that I shouldn’t misinterpret the situation?
Upon learning that I was a major stakeholder in the Southwell Group, Roger quickly adjusted his earlier disdain. “Ah, so you’re Ms. Carson. Your entrance is certainly quite unique.”
My cheeks flushed, and I wanted to explain but couldn’t find the words. So, I decided to go along with Benjamin’s suggestion: “Now that I’m here too, let’s finalize the details of our collaboration, Mr. Reese.”
However, the woman sitting next to Benjamin clearly wasn’t pleased. “Ben, you said today was just for us to go out and sing. We’re here to have fun. Can we please not talk about work?”
She still referred to Benjamin by his nickname, and seeing how unbothered he was by it, I realized their relationship was more intimate than I’d thought. A wave of discomfort washed over me.
Roger chuckled and said, “Exactly! Alpha, it’s a rare occasion to have some fun, so let’s skip the work talk. Ms. Carson is here, so let’s enjoy a few drinks and make sure we have a good time tonight!”
Benjamin smiled. “I believe you might not be aware that the largest shareholder of Southwell Group is Ms. Carson. At this point, her words carry more weight than mine. Ms. Carson has personally arrived. It wouldn’t be right for me to let personal matters take precedence under the guise of work.”
Roger chuckled and turned to me. “Ms. Carson, we all have such busy work schedules. We finally have a chance to relax. Why not take a seat and enjoy a drink first? We can discuss the partnership between our companies later.” As he spoke, he took my arm and guided me to sit beside Benjamin.
I was about to speak, but Roger didn’t give me a chance. He quickly called a server and ordered several bottles of wine. I glanced at Benjamin, who shot me a meaningful look. In that instant, I suddenly understood his intention and turned to Roger, ready to respond.