Chapter 579: Match
Hayley’s POV:
“Ms. Ortega, you certainly know how to play the game,” Benjamin said, his voice laced with mockery that sliced through the tension.
“You’re too kind,” Tina replied, her smile full of smug satisfaction. She straightened, exuding an air of superiority. “So what if you’re the respected Alpha of the Midnight Pack? In the world of business, you’re no match for me.” She stepped closer, casually patting his shoulder. “Kid, you made the biggest mistake of your life cornering the Ortegas,” she said contemptuously. “This isn’t Midnight Pack territory. No matter how skilled you are in combat, the world of business is nothing like the battlegrounds of wolves. Remember this lesson. You may never have another opportunity to challenge the Ortegas in business,” she added with a dramatic sigh.
Turning to the group of bank executives behind her, she called out, “Aren’t you all leaving now? Or do you really want to discuss business with Benjamin and his Omega fiancée?”
“Of course, right away, right away…” one of the bank executives said quickly, his voice oozing false eagerness. “You’re working with Mr. Lowe, so we’re definitely with the Ortegas.”
“Ms. Ortega, aren’t you afraid of your son bearing the karma from your heartless strategies?” I asked, looking at her coldly.
Hearing that, Tina shot me a look of superiority before turning on her heel and walking away without a second glance.
I stood there, unmoving, watching as they disappeared. My fingers brushed against the old phone in my bag—a model I hadn’t used in ages. Without hesitation, I pulled it out and, in front of Benjamin, began typing a message using numbers instead of words. After a few moments, I pressed send.
Benjamin raised an eyebrow. “You’re texting someone?”
“Yeah,” I replied casually, not bothering to look up from the phone.
He sighed, eyeing the phone. “That phone… it’s… unique.”
“Do you like it? I can get you one later,” I responded without lifting my eyes, too focused on waiting for a reply.
Steven stared at the message he had just received from X, his amusement barely concealed. X wrote, “Here’s a question for you. What’s my favorite thing to do?”
It was too easy.
Steven quickly typed back, “Standing someone up.”
Every year, X would reach out to him at least once or twice, always hinting at a meeting that never took place. One time, Steven had even shown up at the agreed location, only to find no one there. Two days later, he received a short message: “Not in the mood. Meeting’s canceled.” That was X’s way of explaining things. If it had been anyone else, Steven would have let his wolf take over, unleashing his frustration in a much more violent way.
Hayley’s POV:
Seeing Steven’s response, I quickly typed my own, “Let the Ortegas feel your pain.” After pressing send, I powered off the phone and slipped it back into my pocket. I linked my arm with Benjamin’s, and we began walking away, as if nothing had happened.
Benjamin didn’t ask a single question. He simply matched my pace, his silent presence a source of comfort. It had always been like this with him. No matter what I did, he trusted and respected me completely. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude to the Moon Goddess for pairing me with such an incredible, capable man as my destined mate. For now, I longed for the chance to reveal my true identity—to officially become his Luna and spend the rest of my life by his side.
Back at his office, Steven was practically brimming with excitement after receiving another message from X. X was about to make a move—someone was going to face serious consequences. Just the thought of it thrilled Steven to his core. He muttered to himself, “X, just who are you really? I’m so intrigued by you!” Then, he suddenly realized that Hayley reminded him so much of X. “Find out everything about Hayley,” Steven barked at his subordinate.