Chapter 572: Pure Dread
Hayley’s POV:
“I’m at the Lilypad Hotel, and the new manager you hired is giving me trouble.”
I could hear muffled voices faintly through the phone. A few moments later, Benjamin ended the call.
Before I could even process what had just happened, Mike’s phone rang, startling him with the loud noise. He pulled the phone out of his pocket, glanced at the screen, and looked as though he might drop it. Shaking, he bent down to pick it up and answered quickly, his voice trembling. “Yes, yes, I’ll handle it right away!”
After hanging up, he looked at Benjamin with a look of pure dread in his eyes.
Mike immediately rushed toward us, bowing deeply in apology. “Mr. Southwell, Ms. Carson, I am so sorry! Please, forgive me!”
“Mr. Southwell, Ms. Carson, please follow me. I’ll take you to the top floor,” he said, bowing again, his tone polite but urgent.
“I truly apologize,” he continued, nearly pleading. “Mr. Lowe specifically instructed that no one, not even the hotel staff, can go to the top floor without his approval. I’ve been in a tough spot…”
Benjamin turned his gaze toward Mike, his voice sharp and cold. “Is that so? Yet you had no issue letting the Ortegas through, did you?”
“Uh…” Mike froze, his face going pale. He had no response.
Ignoring him, Benjamin stepped around the manager, placing himself protectively behind me. He knelt down and took hold of Daniel’s chin, narrowing his eyes as he studied Daniel’s face.
“This face doesn’t match those eyes,” Benjamin said coolly, his gaze unwavering. “I’ll be back for them in a few days.”
With that, Benjamin abruptly let go of Daniel and stepped back to stand beside me.
“Darling,” he said with a small, amused smile, “let’s not cause more trouble today, okay?”
Darling? I froze, caught off guard by his words. It was the first time he’d called me that, and I didn’t know how to react. Hera, however, seemed rather pleased by it.
After a brief pause, I composed myself and nodded. “Alright, let’s leave him for now.”
Benjamin gave me a faint smile, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Let’s go.”
We had barely taken two steps when the elevator doors suddenly opened, and a Beta bodyguard from the top floor stepped out.
Mike, seeing him, hurried forward. “Is there something Mr. Lowe needs? Please, tell me, and I’ll take care of it immediately.”
The bodyguard addressed us in a calm tone. “Alpha Benjamin and Ms. Carson?”
We nodded in acknowledgment.
“Mr. Lowe wishes to meet with you,” the bodyguard said, stepping aside to let us enter the elevator.
Mike tried to follow us, but the bodyguard blocked his path.
“Mr. Lowe specifically requested only Alpha Benjamin and Ms. Carson,” the guard said, pressing the button to close the doors.
Mike stood there, frozen, as he watched the elevator doors slowly close, his throat tight with anxiety.
What was happening? Had the news been wrong? Had the Southwell Group’s stock not really dropped? Was the Midnight Pack no longer in danger?
It made sense that the general manager would want to avoid angering Alpha Benjamin, but to treat him with such respect—what was going on? Why was this VIP being treated with such deference?
Meanwhile, news of Steven’s meeting with Benjamin and Hayley spread quickly across the internet. The announcement that Steven intended to partner with Benjamin of the Midnight Pack sent shockwaves through the business world, shaking the entire industry. Investors who had been hesitant before now scrambled to buy Southwell Group stocks.
While the world outside was in chaos, inside the presidential suite on the top floor, everything remained the same. As Hayley and Benjamin entered the room, Steven was lounging comfortably on the sofa, his legs crossed, casually sipping from a glass of wine….