Chapter 290: Laughter
Hayley’s POV:
Henry quickly handed me his phone. “You made the news!” he said excitedly. “Last night, the video of us playing games got posted online, and it’s already gone viral.”
I glanced at the screen and sighed. “I should’ve known better than to use this account to play with you guys.”
Henry grinned. “Boss, if you hadn’t used this account, how would I ever have figured out your real identity?”
“Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if everyone knew that my online persona is Joybringer. That would be pretty impressive,” he continued, his excitement unwavering.
I shrugged in resignation, but Henry had already completely ignored my frustration. He kept asking, “Boss, when can we play again? Can you guide me? Anything you need, I’ll arrange it right away.”
I quickly cut him off. “Alright, enough of that. My grandparents are visiting, so I’ll be spending time with them. Let’s not talk about games for now.”
Henry understood, signaling an ‘OK’ before casually suggesting, “Boss, I’m free. I can take your grandparents out and show them around our Midnight Pack.”
Before I could respond, Benjamin suddenly approached us. He raised an eyebrow. His expression was one of slight annoyance. Could it be that he was jealous of me and Henry fooling around? I was taken aback by the thought. Does that mean he likes me? But I’m already his fiancée, so it’s normal for him to feel upset seeing me so close to Henry. As an alpha, I understand how strong possessiveness can be.
I pushed those thoughts aside as he turned to me. “Want to take your grandparents for a walk? Midnight Pack and Southwell Group don’t have any major decisions needing my attention right now. We could go together.”
I was about to decline, but Henry immediately agreed. “Sure, Ben, let’s go.”
Benjamin looked at me and asked, “Are you coming?”
Since it seemed like a good chance to show my grandparents around Midnight Pack, and the more the merrier, I agreed. Benjamin nodded and said, “I’ll have Tyrone arrange everything; we can head out this afternoon.”
So, that afternoon, Benjamin and I took my grandparents out. For the next two days, we visited almost all the major landmarks and attractions in Midnight Pack. Throughout the trip, Benjamin played the role of tour guide, explaining the unique features of each place in great detail. My grandparents had always been fond of Benjamin, but now they appreciated him even more. They were pleased with how well we got along and were happy that we had become mates.
That evening, Benjamin suggested that we celebrate Christmas together. The house became lively as the Southwell brothers all gathered to help set up the Christmas tree, wrap gifts, and decorate. After dinner, we all gathered together as my grandma started handing out presents.
“Kids, Merry Christmas,” she said with a smile.
Henry received his new skiing gear and happily thanked my grandmother, “Thanks, Dorothy!”
My grandmother handed me another gift, this one for Christopher. “Here, take this, kid.”
Christopher hesitated but took the gift, smiling. “Thank you, Dorothy!”
“You’re welcome! Midnight Pack and Shadow Pack have always been the best alliance. Our families have been close for many years now, and I just want to make sure you’re all happy.”
I quickly leaned in, playfully hooking my arm around her. “Grandma, since I’m your granddaughter, shouldn’t my gift be better than theirs?”
She gently poked my head. “You little rascal, as if I’d forget about you.” With that, she handed me the biggest gift. “Here, I’ve had this ready for you.”
I happily hugged my grandma. “Thank you, Grandma!”
She chuckled and shook her head, looking at me fondly. “This girl always acting as if she’ll never grow up.”
Then she handed another gift to Benjamin. “Ben, this is from me! I hope you and Hayley will always be happy together.”
At her words, my face turned red with shyness. Benjamin smiled at me, looking completely at ease, then politely accepted the gift. “Thank you, Grandma. I’ll take good care of Hayley.”
Grandma nodded approvingly and said, “Good, good. Let’s enjoy Christmas tonight!”
We toasted wine, our laughter and conversation filling the entire room. After the celebration, the servants cleaned up, and I sat with my grandparents in the living room, watching TV. Christopher seemed distracted, sitting on the couch with a distant look in his eyes. Henry, on the other hand, was absorbed in his phone, playing a game.
I noticed that Benjamin was standing quietly by the entrance, watching my grandparents. Well, I guessed he might be missing George. At this, I felt a pang of sympathy for him and was about to go comfort him when, to my surprise, Benjamin smiled at me and walked over, sitting next to me. He eagerly urged me to get closer to him.