Chapter 340: Vent
Hayley’s POV:
I raised an eyebrow, reflecting on the earlier mention of Ms. Kilmer. It turned out that it was her. Madeline appeared startled as well, though I couldn’t tell what was running through her mind. Her expression, however, betrayed a smug sense of triumph as she taunted me, “Well, well, look who’s here! Turns out to be my old acquaintance.”
I ignored her and moved to walk past. But Madeline blocked my path, placing a hand in my way. “Leaving already? Why so hasty? You might not know this, but Ben greets me with far more excitement than he ever shows you.”
Anger bubbled up as I stared at her hand stopping me. If not for the fact that I couldn’t expose my true identity yet, I would’ve let Hera take over and ripped her arm off right then and there. Her words only added fuel to the fire of frustration I’d been suppressing, and I felt a desperate need to let it out.
I sneered at her. “You claim he’s eager to see you? Really? Funny, because I’ve heard otherwise. Word has it he’s not exactly friendly toward you.”
As soon as I said so, her face darkened noticeably. That reaction confirmed my suspicions—I’d misjudged Benjamin before. It was all Madeline’s act. Realizing the truth, I felt an odd sense of relief.
“Hayley, you’re clueless. Ben even took me to a hotel not long ago. And a hotel, well, you know what that means. He couldn’t resist mating with me,” she said, flipping a stray lock of hair back with exaggerated flair.
Her performance didn’t faze me. Instead, I replied calmly, “You seem pleased with yourself. Are you sure this isn’t some delusion you cooked up to satisfy yourself?”
My words were sharp and deliberately offensive, and the change in Madeline’s expression was immediate. “You—” she began, but I cut her off. With a calm smile, I locked eyes with her and asked, “What do you think Benjamin would do if he found out you were ruining his reputation?”
Madeline stiffened, visibly shaken by my question, her hands trembling slightly. Still, she tried to defend herself. “I didn’t ruin his reputation. I didn’t say anything wrong.”
Dropping my smile, I met her gaze with a serious tone. “Good. Keep it that way. You’ve got your mate now, so stop lusting after what doesn’t belong to you. I’m not the forgiving type. If someone dares to go after what’s mine, I’ll make sure they regret it.” It wasn’t a hollow warning—I always followed through.
Madeline’s POV:
I stared at Hayley, feeling an unexpected intimidation radiating from her Omega presence. Recalling Benjamin’s recent coldness toward me and the care he showered on her, I could do nothing but swallow my anger.
“Hayley, stop spouting nonsense. I’ve never been interested in anything that belongs to you.”
“Let’s hope it stays that way,” she replied before turning and walking away.
I clenched my teeth, glaring at her retreating figure. I hated being bested by someone. But after Benjamin disciplined me, my strength wasn’t what it used to be.
As I brooded, I noticed her entering a design room. Intrigued, I leaned toward a nearby employee. “What’s she doing here?”
The employee replied, “Ms. Carson is a designer we brought in to collaborate with the studio.”
I couldn’t stop a burst of laughter. “Her? A designer? Don’t make me laugh. She’s from a remote pack. What could she possibly know about design?”
The employee whispered, “Ms. Kilmer, do you remember that engagement dress you admired in the display window during your last visit? The one you said was breathtaking? It was designed by Ms. Carson.”
I froze, stunned. That dress had captivated me—it was perfect in every way. Back then, Tanner had told me it wasn’t for sale, no matter how much money I offered. I’d been bitterly disappointed. I was completely taken aback to discover that Hayley was the one who had designed the engagement dress.
“This way, Ms. Kilmer,” the employee said, gesturing for me to follow. Though frustration simmered within me, I had no choice but to continue moving forward.
Hayley’s POV:
When I entered the design room, I pulled out a chair and settled into it. Picking up a pen, I leaned over the table and began sketching slowly. After a while, the rough outline of a wedding dress started to take shape on the paper. Just as I was finalizing the silhouette, the door suddenly swung open.