Chapter 238 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“But it’s true! Isn’t it? I feel for her poor driver. He’s lucky she hasn’t killed him yet,” another female said.

“All these are rumors! We don’t know for a fact yet. You shouldn’t say such hateful things about her when you don’t even know the truth,” Amy half yelled at them, and they began to laugh.

“Amy you should just say that you feel bad that you’re the secretary of a murderer. Stop sounding so defensive of her. Besides we all know that there is always an element of truth in every rumor,” the other female voice said.

Benne’s hands balled into a fist as he listened to them. What if Celsie had been the one standing here? These were the words she would have heard about herself? Benne wondered as he opened the door.

All conversations ceased the moment the door opened and they all turned to look at Benne, “Good morning! You read the news, right?” The lady who had been speaking I’ll of Celsie asked with a smile as though she couldn’t wait to share it with him.

“Hi, Benne! What brings you here today? Does Miss Miller want something delivered?” Amy asked to distract Benne from what

“I’m looking for Miss Miller, did any of you happen to see her?” Benne asked, deciding to ignore all he had heard and focus on finding Celsie. He could always deal with these people later for running their mouth this way.

“How can you who drives her to the office be asking us such a stupid question? Or did your girlfriend ask you to come and find out if we are badmouthing her so that she can kill us too?” One of the guys asked with a scowl, making the other guy and lady laugh, while Amy gave him an apologetic look.

“Just ignore them. I’ll come with you to find her,” Amy said as she got off her desk, ready to walk out with Benne.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you have work to attend to,” Benne said, feeling glad that Celsie at least had someone who was on her side.. He looked at the other three faces in the office making sure to check the names on their identity cards which were hanging on their necks before walking away to find Celsie.

Different thoughts ran through Benne’s mind as he hurried down the hallway to the storage room on the third floor once he confirmed that it was Celsie’s last location. Judging by the security footage he had watched he could tell that she had overheard the conversation of her team members hence had gone there to hide.

What could he say to her to make her feel better? She probably would think that he was responsible for the news which was going around since he was the last person she had told about it, he was most likely to be suspected.

How come a case which had stayed hidden in all these years suddenly came to light just after she told him about it?

Once he got to the storage door he pushed it open without knocking, but not so fast that he missed the sudden cessation of her sob.

She had been in here crying all by herself? It hurt him to know that she had to hide away in a place like this because of people who couldn’t mind the business they were being paid to focus on. Benne looked around the room which smelt of dust and old books and then walked in the direction which he believed she was most likely to hide.

Once he stopped by the edge of the shelf where he believed she was hiding, he noticed the sudden movement of a white material which he recognized to be the blazers they had gotten that morning.

He let out a sigh as he lowered himself on the floor next to her and gathered her into his arms, “You should have called me,” He murmured in a quiet tone as he took out his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her tears.

A sob racked through Celsie’s body as she clung to him, hiding her face in his chest as she wept, wanting to draw comfort from his scent. It seemed like no matter what she did her past was continually going to haunt her even though it was due to no fault of hers. Just when she thought that she was finally going to be able to move on from it, this had to happen? It just had to happen when she was beginning to think that she could be happy? Didn’t she deserve happiness?

Benne whispered assurances to her as he patted the back of her head with one hand, and her back with the other hand, “Don’t worry, I’ll find whoever started this, and I’ll make them pay for it.”

Celsie said nothing as she cried her heart out. Once the tears stopped flowing, she pulled away from him, “Thanks,” she murmured as she picked up her glasses from where she had left them. Once she put it on, she started gathering her things.

“I didn’t tell anyone anything, I promise,” Benne said as he watched her.

Celsie swallowed, “I’m not stupid. I know that it wasn’t you,” she said in a calm voice. Although she didn’t know where all this had started from, she was going to find whoever had done this, and pay them back in like manner.

“What happened wasn’t your fault. I don’t think you should be ashamed…”

“My tears and hiding in here have nothing to do with being ashamed. I actually feel more angry than ashamed,” Celsie assured him as she got off the floor and wiped the dust off her clothes with her own handkerchief.

Eight years ago she had been a powerless seventeen years old girl who had allowed people to trample all over her, this time was different. She wasn’t going to allow people to trample on her this way and go scot-free.

“Good then,” Benne said as he stood up and dusted his clothes too, “Let’s go to the office and take care of this. We can leave through the private elevator if you don’t want to…”

“I’m not leaving through your private elevator. I’m going to walk out of this building at the close of work as I’ve been doing since I started working here. Whoever did this wants me to be ashamed and cower, but I’m not going to give the person that satisfaction,” Celsie said, her face set with determination as she turned around to leave the room.

Benne grabbed her before she could leave and turned her to look at him, “Don’t do that. Don’t try to push me away,” Benne said, sensing from her action that she had emotionally distanced herself from him.

Celsie drew in a deep breath as she met his gaze, “I’m not pushing you away. I’m just trying to put myself together,” she assured him with a small smile, and then brushed her lips over his cheek in a light kiss before walking away.

Although he didn’t understand why she had cried that much if she had this much determination in her, Benne said nothing as he walked out with her.

Celsie stopped by the ladies’ room and turned to him, “I need to fix my face,” she informed Benne, and he gave her a nod to go ahead while he stood outside, waiting for her.

Once Celsie walked into the ladies’ room, the two females who had been gossiping inside as they washed their hands quickly turned off the faucet and hurried away.

Celsie didn’t spare either of them a glance as she kept her handbag on a dry surface and then took off her glasses. She turned on the faucet and washed her face. Once she was done, she dipped her hand into her handbag and took out her lipstick and powder which she carefully applied to her face.

She took in a deep breath as she picked up her glasses after she was done and replaced her glasses on her face before looking at her reflection in the mirror. While inside the storage room earlier, both Lucas and her parents had called, but she had ignored their calls. She could tell that they had most likely seen the news too. She was going to have to return their calls once she was settled, and then search for the piece of news and read it. Although she doubted that it would require much searching seeing how everyone had seen it.

With a sigh, she returned everything into her handbag and went out to join Benne. Neither of them said a word as they took the elevator to his office, and once they were inside the office she turned to him, “You have a meeting with…”

“Cancel it and join me in my office,” Benne said as he headed for his office but Celsie stopped him.

“I can’t let you do that. Don’t worry, go ahead with the meeting. I will handle this myself,” Celsie said with a shake of her head.

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