Chapter 52 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“She was only a teenager then. She has changed a lot since high school, I promise.”

“I’m not promising anything, but I will try,” Celsie said with a yawn.

“That reminds me, Rachel and I have picked a date for our wedding,” Lucas announced.

“Oh! Already?” Celsie asked in surprise. She had thought they were probably just going to remain engaged for some time while living together.

“Yes. We will be getting married in a month. And I’m hoping you won’t come alone,” Lucas said, making Celsie roll her eyes.

“Since when did you start sounding like mom?” Celsie asked dryly making Lucas chuckle.

“So what is his name?” Lucas asked curiously.

Celsie feigned a yawn, “I need to sleep now, and I’m sure you have to return to your darling fiancee. Goodnight. I love you,” Celsie said and hung up without waiting for Lucas to respond.

What had she been expecting? She should have known Lucas would say this. Both her mother and Sonia, and maybe her father too, would also have said the same thing, because they all wanted her to get involved with a man. She sighed as she lay down on her bed and shut her eyes as though shutting out all the thoughts in her head.. She would just think about it tomorrow, even though she wasn’t looking forward to facing Benne.

“Good morning, Miss Miller. Did you have a good night’s rest?” Benne greeted politely when Celsie joined him by the car the following morning.

She wasn’t wearing her glasses as instructed and her long black hair fell around her shoulders in cascades. She was dressed in a peach-colored suit, with white camisole inside, and a white handbag on her right wrist to match the white stiletto heels on her feet.

Celsie blinked at him for a moment as if she wasn’t sure he was talking to her. Had last night been a dream? Or perhaps he had been on hard drugs? Celsie wondered as she stared at him. Taking a closer look at him, she noticed the amusement in his eyes. It definitely wasn’t a dream. He was trying to mess with her mind.

Now that she was certain it was her he was speaking to, she tried to wear a straight face, “Good morning. I slept well. Thank you,” Celsie said curtly, without bothering to enquire about his night. After the attitude he had put up the previous evening, she wasn’t sure she could trust him to answer her questions without a hint of sexual undertones in his words. He seemed like an entirely different person to her now.

Once Celsie woke up that morning, she had made up her mind to hold off Benne’s advances for as long as she could. That would give her ample time to help him get his mystery lady. That way he wouldn’t want to have sex with her and risk jeopardizing his relationship. If possible she was going to find the woman he liked and even become close friends with her. That way he wouldn’t risk coming too close to her.

Celsie got into the backseat of the car this time, as though trying to remind Benne that she was his boss and expected him to treat her as such. Benne got the message loud and clear. He was beginning to enjoy the chase. Maybe this was why it was said that men loved to chase women who were difficult to get. Her attitude was only going to make the victory sweeter when eventually she succumbs to his temptation. Benne had a smirk on his face but said nothing as he turned on the car’s ignition and drove off.

Benne kept stealing glances at her through the rearview mirror until she met his gaze once, “Are you nervous?” Benne asked, making her raise a brow.

“Am I supposed to be?”

One edge of Benne’s lips curved in a smile when he noted that she had regained control of her emotions. He liked that, and it made him want to ruffle her feathers, “I don’t know. I overheard Mr. Harry say something about the CEO coming to work today.”

He said making Celsie’s heart skip a beat as she sat up involuntarily, “The CEO?” She asked nervously, and Benne gave her a nod.

“Why didn’t you mention it yesterday?”

“I thought you were aware. I only just realized that you had no idea, sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Celsie said thoughtfully. Perhaps she could ask Sonia to find out what she could about her boss from his brother? And also get a picture if possible? She deserved to know the face of the freak she was working for.

Speaking of Sonia, Celsie realized that she was yet to hear from Sonia since she said she was on her way to visit Bryan, so she immediately unlocked her phone to dial Sonia’s line, but smiled when Sonia’s call came in at that same moment, “Were you spying on me? Or do you read minds now? I was just about to dial your line,” Celsie said, making Sonia smile.

“That’s why I’m your soulmate baby. Good morning,” Sonia said with a yawn as she walked out of the house dressed in a red bikini, and carrying one of Bryan’s towels. She had woken up earlier than Bryan, thanks to her poor sleeping habit which seemed to be her curse as a writer.

“You’re still in bed?” Celsie asked curiously, wondering why she called if she was still sleepy.

“No. I’m up and on my way to the swimming pool. I’m sorry I couldn’t call to let you know about my trip. I arrived safely and then we went out and returned really late and wasted.”

Celsie purse her lips, “Wasted? I suppose things are going well between you two?” Celsie asked dryly.

“Well, you could say so. Don’t worry about me, I’m just going to seduce him while trying to get inspiration for the story I’m working on at the moment. The plan is simple though, it’s either he gives me his heart or he gives me a baby,” Sonia said with a mischievous smile. While at the club with him the previous evening she had made up her mind on this. Her ability to change her mind on what she wanted at every minute was one of her biggest flaws.

Celsie’s brows creased in worry, “Are you sure that is what you want? You shouldn’t do something you might end up wishing you didn’t do,” Celsie said in a concerned tone like the good girl she was.

Hearing the concern in her tone Benne glanced at her through the rearview mirror as he tried to guess who she was speaking with. Her brother? Or her best friend?

“Don’t worry about me. I’m a big girl, and you know it. So what about you? How is your driver?” Sonia asked making Celsie’s eyes flicker to the rearview mirror where she met Benne’s eyes. She quickly looked away.

“I’m in the car. On my way to work,” Celsie said, hoping Sonia would get the message.

“Oh! Okay then.”

“I was going to ask, could you help me find out what you can about my boss?” Celsie asked, not noticing the curious expression that appeared on Benne’s face when he heard her. His ears had pricked at her words.

“Oh! So now you want me to be a loudmouth and tell Bryan about you working for his brother, right?” Sonia asked dryly, reminding her that just the previous day she had asked her not to say a word to Bryan about her.

“I’m not asking you to tell him I work for his brother. Just extract information from him. It would be better if you can get me pictures too,” Celsie suggested as Benne drove into the parking lot of the company.

Whose brother? Who was she talking about? Benne mused as he listened in on her conversation.

Whose brother? Him? Who was she talking to? And who were they talking about? Benne mused as he listened in on her conversation.

Sonia paused her lips thoughtfully, “Well, I will see what I can do for you. Call me when you’re alone and can talk about your super hot driver,” Sonia said before they both hung up.

“Who were you talking to? You know someone who knows the boss?” Benne asked as he parked the car. He didn’t bother to hide the fact that he had eavesdropped on her conversation. Of course, he had heard her. If she didn’t want him to hear her conversation she wouldn’t have made the call in his presence. He wasn’t sitting on top of his ears, and he definitely hadn’t left his ears at home. She had made the call in front of him, so it was only fair that she satisfy his curiosity.

Celsie met his gaze in the rearview mirror, and she looked at him as if she was contemplating whether or not to share such a classified information with him. At least this was a normal conversation between friends when compared to what he had done the previous evening. She was going to keep treating him as a friend regardless of what he says or does. That way he would get used to being a friend and stick to the friend zone, Celsie reasoned.

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