Chapter 66: A Heart in Despair
Rachel’s POV:
The moment I spotted Hayley, a rush of anxiety washed over me. My heart raced wildly, and my words came out in a jumble. As the clock ticked, I couldn’t even recite the speech I had practiced so thoroughly. The audience below directed skeptical looks at me, murmuring, “What’s going on? Why isn’t she speaking?” “Could she be so nervous that she forgot her lines?” “She seemed to be performing well just now. I thought she was going to be a surprise.” “It’s such a shame. She had done quite well before.” “I knew it. We shouldn’t have high expectations for an Omega like her.”
Hayley looked at me with gloating eyes, and my mind went blank. I couldn’t say a word. I struggled to suppress my emotions and continued my speech, yet I couldn’t focus. My lines came out in disjointed fragments. Unable to endure the scornful gazes from the audience, I hurried off the stage and into the backstage area.
Once off the stage, I scratched my head in frustration, taking a long moment to collect my thoughts. My performance had been terrible, and I had received the lowest score among the participants, as expected. I felt utterly defeated, but instead of dwelling on the speech competition, my mind raced with questions about how Hayley had managed to be here. Logically, as an Omega, there was no way she could escape the watchful eyes of those criminal lone wolves I had set up on the mountain. She couldn’t possibly overpower them. Was she not an ordinary Omega? If she truly possessed significant power, she wouldn’t let me off the hook now that she had returned. A rush of panic surged within me.
My hands clenched silently as I reassured myself, “Don’t be afraid; this isn’t your fault. It’s all Juliet’s doing. Don’t worry about Hayley seeking revenge; if she wants to get back at someone, it’s Juliet she’ll go after.” As I continued to reassure myself, a figure suddenly appeared silently before me, startling me into jumping from my seat. “Hay… Hayley, what are you doing here?”
Hayley’s POV:
Upon seeing Rachel’s fearful gaze fixed on me, I felt a sense of satisfaction. I smirked mischievously and sat down beside her. “What’s wrong? Surprised to see me?”
Rachel feigned calmness. “What’s so surprising about it? It’s been a few days since we last saw each other.”
“Is that so? It seems you’d rather have me locked away in the mountains to be killed by those criminal lone wolves,” I bluntly exposed her schemes.
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word you’re saying,” Rachel continued to feign innocence.
I didn’t have time to waste on her. “It seems you’ve developed a case of selective amnesia. Do you need me to remind you of the details?”
After a few seconds of silence, I smiled slightly and recounted the entire story. Rachel was left speechless, staring at me in disbelief. By the end, she stumbled back and fell to the ground.
I stood up and looked down at her. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll make sure to settle our scores one by one. Right now, I just want you to see how everything you desire gradually falls into my grasp.”
Once I finished speaking, I turned to Christine, who had silently accompanied me. “Keep an eye on her; the competition is about to start.”
“Don’t worry, Hayley. I’ll make sure to watch her. You just focus on your performance.”
At this point, Rachel was nothing more than an Omega with a rank even lower than Christine’s, so I wasn’t worried about leaving her in Christine’s care. I didn’t look back at Rachel. After hearing the host call my name, I walked toward the stage. I stood confidently on stage, the spotlight shining on me. In that moment, my natural Alpha leadership qualities shone through, and I commanded the stage. Just as I was about to start, an unexpected figure appeared in the audience…