Chapter 221: Personal Matters to Attend To
Benjamin’s POV:
At first, I thought I had misheard her, but the sudden acceleration of my heartbeat confirmed I hadn’t. “Alright, I’ll do it. When?” I agreed without hesitation. Hayley paused for a moment, then said, “Tonight.” I didn’t ask any more questions but told her, “Okay, stay here. I’ll be right back.”
With that, I walked out of the room. Once the door closed behind me, I let out a deep breath. Tyrone stepped forward and asked respectfully, “Alpha, is there anything you need?” I looked at him seriously and said, “Pinch me.” Tyrone looked confused, but I gave him a firm look, silently urging him to do it. Reluctantly, he reached out and pinched my arm. Pain shot through me, and I frowned. Tyrone immediately grew nervous. He asked, “Alpha, did I do it too hard? I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” I reassured him. “Cancel my evening appointments. I have personal matters to attend to.” With that, I walked away, leaving Tyrone standing there in puzzled silence. After changing into a sharp new suit, I walked into the meeting room and addressed Hayley directly. “Let’s go.”
Hayley’s POV:
I was surprised at how quickly he agreed. Big then, since I had asked him for help, I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. “Benjamin, you didn’t even ask why I need this favor. What if you change your mind later?” I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head. “Well, then why would I change my mind?” He replied confidently. I was momentarily speechless. He had a point. Still, out of responsibility, I decided to tell him the full story before we left the company. Benjamin listened carefully, his face unreadable as he focused intently on me. After a long pause, he finally spoke, “I don’t have much experience with the whole thing, but I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
I let out a relieved breath and said, “Thank you, Benjamin! Don’t worry, I’ll never forget this favor.” Benjamin smiled, his lips curving slightly. “Get in the car.” I hurried into the car and sent him the address of the villa.
To my surprise, instead of heading straight there, Benjamin stopped at a mall and picked up some gifts. I stared at the trunk, now packed full of presents, completely dumbfounded. “Benjamin, what’s all this for?” “Well, you’re meeting your godfather, right? How can you go without a gift?” His words made me fall into deep thoughts. I had been so focused on the task at hand that I hadn’t even considered the formality of it all. But now, something about the way Benjamin handled everything felt so real. Was I misreading the situation? I quickly shook off the thought. It must be a misunderstanding.
Meanwhile, Johnny was sitting in a rocking chair in the garden of the villa, sipping coffee. Horace sat next to him, lost in thought. “Horace, don’t overthink it,” Johnny said casually. “I think Hayley was probably just making something up. She doesn’t really have a mate. If she did, she would’ve mentioned it before, so there’s nothing to worry about.” Horace snapped back to reality. He wasn’t really concerned about Hayley’s personal life. His feelings for her weren’t strong—he neither liked nor disliked her. He had only agreed to consider her as a mate because of her status. It didn’t matter to him whether it worked out or not. “Mr. Johnny, if Ms. Carson truly has found someone suitable, I would be able to accept it,” Horace said. “After all, someone as talented as her would deserve a partner who is equally impressive.”
Johnny felt the same way—his daughter was perfect in every way. Although Hayley wasn’t his biological daughter, in his eyes, she was no different from his own flesh and blood. Johnny agreed, “That’s what I think too. Hayley’s a smart, clever girl, and she’s beautiful as well. Two years ago, Hayley was highly sought after as a potential mate. If she hadn’t been underage at the time, still thinking about finding her destined mate, I would’ve picked someone for her myself.” Horace was surprised. Hayley had always seemed rather plain, even unattractive, to him. And she was an Omega. Yet, Johnny spoke of her as if she were extraordinary. He even called her beautiful.