Chapter 499: I’ll Wait for You
Hayley’s POV:
After that day, Odessa didn’t come looking for trouble again. One evening, as I was about to head to bed in the dorm, my phone suddenly rang. The screen showed an unfamiliar number with no saved name, but Hera, with her keen senses, told me it was Irving. I hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Do you have time? I need to talk to you. Can we meet?” His voice sounded polite and sincere. I didn’t respond right away. After a brief pause, he added, “I’ll send you the address. I sincerely ask you to come. I’ll wait for you.” Before I could reply, he hung up.
Soon after, a message popped up with a location pin. After some hesitation, I forwarded the address to Benjamin and headed out to meet Irving. As his destined mate, I trusted Benjamin would understand my intentions. I wanted to use this opportunity to capture Irving.
When I arrived at the restaurant, Irving was already there. It was easy to spot him since he was the only customer in the entire place. The moment Hera got close to him, she grew tense, but I calmed her down and walked over at a steady pace.
Taking the seat across from him, I asked, “What’s so urgent that you had to meet me?”
“Have a cup of coffee first. The coffee here is quite good.” Irving pushed one of the cups on the table toward me. I accepted the cup but didn’t drink from it. “Thank you.” I observed him closely. As always, he was impeccably dressed, and his demeanor was composed. He didn’t look like someone on the run. I wondered if Benjamin had decided to let him go after all.
“Just say what you need to say. Don’t waste my time,” I told him bluntly.
“Do you have to be so cold?” Irving asked, looking somewhat hurt.
“Hayley, I was the first person in the Southwells to stand on your side.”
I sneered. “I never saw the Southwells as enemies. So where does this ‘side’ you’re talking about come from?”
“I know Odessa doesn’t like you. Why make things harder on yourself? You can always choose again. We’re both Southwell children. I’m not necessarily worse than Benjamin,” he said confidently.
“Do you even realize what you’re saying?” I stared at him sharply. “I’m your brother’s fiancée!”
“Just his fiancée,” he said matter-of-factly. “He hasn’t even officially announced you as Luna. It wouldn’t be hard to call off the engagement.”
“At least with me,” he added, his tone smug, “you wouldn’t have to worry about being bullied by your mother-in-law.”
“And instead, I’d be running from pack to pack with you, living as an outlaw wolf!” I retorted sarcastically.
“Is that how you show love—by dragging someone into a life of misery with you?”
The smile on Irving’s face froze, then slowly faded. He couldn’t argue with me.
After a long silence, he finally spoke in an arrogant tone once again. “You came here, didn’t you? That means you care about me.”
“You’re wrong,” I said, shaking my head. “I came to persuade you to turn yourself in. Grandpa Southwell deserves justice. Besides—”
“Enough!” Irving interrupted me harshly. “Justice, justice—everyone talks about justice! But why is there no justice for me? I already said Grandpa’s death was an accident. Why won’t anyone believe me, not even you?”
I realized he was starting to lose control. Staying alone with him any longer wasn’t wise. I couldn’t reveal my identity as an Alpha yet, so having Hera suppress him wasn’t an option.
“If that’s how you see things, then there’s nothing more to talk about. Take care of yourself, and don’t contact me again.” I picked up my bag and stood to leave.
“Wait,” Irving called after me, seeming to have calmed down. He lowered his head, pretending to be sincere as he apologized. “I’m sorry, I’ve just… I haven’t had anyone to talk to in so long. Stay with me a little longer, won’t you?”