Alpha Hayley’s Destined Mate
Chapter 485: I’m Sorry
Hayley’s POV: 70% +8 Pearls
The girl tried to mediate. “Kirsty, just apologize. You were in the wrong. Admitting your mistakes isn’t shameful.”
That gave Kirsty a way out. Her lips tightened, and she nodded gratefully at the girl who spoke up. Then she turned to me and said, “Hayley, I misunderstood the situation earlier. I shouldn’t have said those things about you. I was wrong, and I hope you can forgive me. I promise it won’t happen again.”
Loretta, however, wasn’t about to let it slide. She reminded Kirsty sharply, “What about me? You insulted me too!”
Kirsty bent forward slightly in a half-hearted bow. “I’m sorry, Loretta. I was wrong.”
Satisfied with the apology, Loretta let it go, but I knew Kirsty too well. Her remorseful demeanor was nothing more than an act for Benjamin. Once he was gone, she’d go right back to her old ways.
Still, I played along. Even if her apology was insincere, showing grace would earn me favor in the eyes of the onlookers. I kept my tone indifferent. “Fine. I wasn’t going to dwell on it anyway.”
My apparent generosity earned me nods of approval from the crowd. Benjamin didn’t comment further, simply handing over his suitcase. Then, catching me off guard, he leaned in and kissed my forehead in front of everyone before walking off briskly.
A wave of chuckles rippled through the onlookers. I stood there frozen, my fingers brushing the spot where his lips had been. A faint tingling sensation lingered, and my mood inexplicably brightened.
The day of the freshman welcome party arrived, and the drama club’s play—one of the most anticipated acts—was set to close the show. Backstage, the performers were busy getting their makeup done, running lines, and preparing costumes. My solo performance was the final act, and Christine planned to announce it after the play ended. Even so, Christine seemed worried I might slip away and had dragged me backstage early.
“Hey, superstar,” she teased, setting a fruit platter and snacks in front of me. “You don’t need to do anything except sit here and relax.”
She grinned at me like a proud manager fussing over her star. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere,” I reassured her, nudging her toward the stage. “Go handle the front of the house. Don’t you trust me?”
Singing was second nature to me, so I wasn’t nervous. I grabbed my performance outfit and makeup bag, heading to the restroom to change just in case something unexpected happened.
Meanwhile, Kirsty was applying her eye makeup when she caught a glimpse of me moving through the crowded backstage area. “What’s she doing here?” Kirsty muttered irritably to her friend from the drama club. “Can’t she show a little respect for the performers? Wandering in like that disrupts everyone’s prep work.”
Her friend glanced in my direction, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I think Christine brought her in. They seem close. Who knew Hayley, an Omega, had such connections?” Their tone dripped with jealousy, their words laced with disdain.
Kirsty scoffed, muttering curses under her breath. Then, as if struck by a brilliant idea, she leaned in to whisper to her friend. The other girl hesitated. “Are you sure this will work?”
Kirsty’s eyes gleamed with confidence. “You won’t know unless you try. Besides,” she coaxed, “just look at Hayley strutting around like that, acting high and mighty. Doesn’t it make you want to take her down a notch?”
That was all it took to convince her friend. “Alright, let’s do it.”
Moments later, her friend slipped away unnoticed, turning off her phone so no one could contact her. About 20 minutes later, chaos erupted backstage. “What do we do? The second female lead is missing!”
I was just about to apply my eye makeup when someone banged on the door.