Chapter 27 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“Sonia my life is about to end,” Celsie cried pitifully.

“What is wrong? Did your one night stand neighbor blackmail you or release your nude photos to the press?” Sonia asked, making Celsie close her eyes.

“He seems to be the bane of my life right now.”

“Did he do something? Go on, tell me what is wrong,” Sonia said with a yawn, and then stood up from the floor and headed for her refrigerator in search of something to eat.

Celsie quickly summarized the detail of all that had happened, making Sonia screech in excitement. Celsie pulled the phone away from her ear, “Why do you sound excited?” Celsie asked in confusion.

“You are going to be working directly with the CEO of one of the biggest company in the country. And the best part is that I heard he is still single. Come on! This is an opportunity of a lifetime!” Sonia said as she munched on the bounty chocolate she had been able to find in the refrigerator.

“I don’t want to work so close to him. I’m okay working here in my office,” Celsie protested.

“Well, unfortunately you don’t have a choice. And you had better be kind to the hot one night stand-cum-neighbor-cum-driver. He is bringing you so much good luck,” Sonia said as she returned to where she had left her pen and notebook, and then scribbled down something on her journal.

“What good luck?” Celsie asked with a snort, “Sonia please come over. I think I might die if I don’t take any work home,” Celsie pleaded.

“Can’t. Sorry. I’m working a new book, and you know how I like to be alone when doing that. Good thing you have your handsome neighbor to keep you company, so better take advantage of it.” Sonia suggested.

“Why are you so confused? One minute you want me to get with my boss, and the next you want Benne.” Celsie asked in confusion making Sonia giggle.

“You can get with the driver off work hours, and get with your boss during work hours. I would totally do that if I was you,” Sonia said with a giggle.

Before Celsie could respond to that, she sighted Benne approaching her office through the see through glasses, “Oh shit! The devil is here! I will call you back.” Celsie said before hanging up.

She took in a deep breath, and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her first thought was to snap at him for bringing her lunch despite her objection that morning. But once she remembered what Mr Harry had told her, she decided against it. Instead she pulled both sides of her lips up in a stiff smile.

“I brought your lunch as promised. I got you a bit of everything,” Benne said as he carried the lunch pack over to her desk, while he looked around the office.

Celsie didn’t bother to look at his clothes. She kept her gaze on his face, “Thank you,” she said, still maintaining a stiff smile, making Benne want to chuckle.

“You’re welcome ma’am. See you later.” Benne said, and then winked at her before turning around to leave.

Celsie looked at his back in disbelief as he closed the door behind him, “Did he just wink at me? Did that damned devil of a man really just wink at me? Oh sweet Jesus!” Celsie cried as she lowered herself on to her chair and buried her face in her hands.

There was nothing she could do to him since she had been asked to be nice to him.. She couldn’t afford to lose her job because he had winked at her, “Celsie, you have to be nice,” Celsie murmured to herself as she massaged her temple, and tried to calm herself.

“You want to do what?” Benne’s hairstylist asked in surprise the moment Benne told him what he wanted.

“You heard me. I want a more daring haircut. Something that gives off a bad boy vibe. And I also want you to dye my hair to a copper brown color,” Benne repeated, making the man look at him as though he had gone crazy. Benne was probably the most gentleman he had ever worked for, and he had been barbing Benne’s hair for more than ten years. Never in those ten years had Benne ever asked for something so outrageous.

If Benne had been older he would have thought Benne was probably going through a midlife crisis, but he knew that wasn’t the case, so what was wrong? “Why?”

“Because I want to look different. Hurry up, I need to get back to work,” Benne said as he dropped on his usual seat while the hairstylist and the few others who knew him kept staring at him in surprise.

“You heard the man, be fast about it!” The owner of the Salon who was attending to someone else instructed the barber.

The fact that they all seemed so surprised only reinforced his decision to do something daring. He glanced at his phone when it started ringing and was surprised to see the call was from Bryan, “Hey!”

“I’m just calling to be sure you remember your assignment,” Bryan said as he roamed around his apartment aimlessly. He was bored but couldn’t leave his house because of the journalists who were still gathered outside. Now he had to look for other ways to keep himself busy. He was tired of watching the television already.

“Sure. I did it,” Benne said with a grin.

“You did?” Bryan asked in surprise. He had thought Benne would find a way to shy away from doing it, so he was genuinely surprised that Benne was really going ahead with it.

“So? How did it go? What was her reaction?” Bryan asked excitedly.

“She was hooked. She kept trying not to stare, but I noticed it was a struggle,” Benne said with a chuckle making Bryan laugh.

“Wow! It seems you’re a natural bad boy,” Bryan commented.

“I guess so. Anyway, I…” As though remembering that he was in public, he looked around and noticed the other men around seemed to be paying attention to his conversation so he stood up, “Hold on,” he said to Bryan as he headed outside, “I’ll be right back,” he called out to his hairstylist who was busy arranging everything he needed to dye the hair.

“You were busy?” Bryan asked, feeling sorry for interrupting his work.

“Not really. I’m just here to change my haircut,” Benne explained as he walked away from the shop to a more private area.

“You want to change your haircut?”

“Yes. As I was saying before, there has been a new development. She is going to be working in my office now as my personal assistant,” Benne said making Bryan stop mid-stride.

“What? You want to reveal your identity to her already?”

“No. I figured that it would seem suspicious trying to control her time when she works in a different unit and floor. So I changed it. Call it an abuse of power but I want her where I can control her,” Benne said, and Bryan’s lips curved in a proud smile. Was this really the brother he knew? He wished Benne had always been this way.

“I suppose you’re going to want to disguise yourself?” Bryan asked in amusement.

“Exactly! So I was hoping you could help me get whatever you think I might need. You know, things like fake beards and mustache, good wigs and whatever else you think I would need,” Benne suggested.

“You are sure you can pull that off?” Bryan asked doubtfully.

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