‘You are not really going to call off the engagement, are you? We both know that my father won’t take it likely with you if you do. Don’t forget that you work at a decent hospital thanks to my family, and the apartment is a benefit that came with the job, so I’m not moving out.’
Reading the text, Lucas’ heart squeezed in his chest even more painfully this time. How hadn’t he realized this whole time that this was the kind of person he was in love with? It made him sick to know that he had cared so deeply for someone who cared only for herself. Someone whose only desire was to own him. Of all things how could she try to blackmail him to get back with her by threatening him with his job? His love for her had not only been blind, but it had also been very foolish.
If anything, this only showed all the more reason why he should completely put an end to their relationship. Once he was done here, and he returned to Heden, the first thing he was going to do was quit his job and move out of the apartment. He didn’t want to be connected to her in any way anymore. No matter how painful it was, Celsie was right. Good riddance to Rachel. He was better off without her. It only hurt him now that it had taken him so long for him to realize this and he had wasted too much time with her.
Taking in a deep breath, he blacklisted Rachel’s line before returning his phone into his pocket and heading for Celsie’s apartment.
“I can’t believe that she wants to show her boyfriend to the world when we are yet to see him,” Celsie’s mother who had stopped crying now, complained to her husband with a frown as they continued to watch the show.
“But we are about to see him too,” her husband pointed out as the door opened and Lucas walked inside.
“At the same time as everyone else?” She asked with disapproval and her husband rolled his eyes.
“A moment ago you were weeping…”
“Don’t even start, Drew! I’m just saying it’s not fair that we get to see our daughter’s man this way. We should at least meet him in person,” she said with a scowl.
“He wants us to come to his home for dinner,” Lucas announced as he joined them in the living room.
“Really? Did you speak with him? When? Hold on, Celsie is having the interview somewhere around the house, right? I want to see him before everyone else does,” Celsie’s mother said as she quickly stood up.
“But…”
“Are you going to take me there or do I have to find my way there by myself?” She asked as she headed for the door.
“We can just see him during dinner, honey,” her husband called, trying to discourage her from leaving.
“Are you coming with me or not?” She asked as she opened the door, and Lucas followed her. With a sigh, Celsie’s father got off the couch and followed his wife and son out of the house.
Lucas led them to Benne’s apartment, and after taking a deep breath, he tapped the knocker on the door this time instead of using the bell, since it wouldn’t be loud enough to disrupt the interview as the sound of the bell would.
Inside the house, Benne who was getting ready to be introduced by Alicia turned to the door when he heard the knock, “Should I get it?” Bryan asked, and Benne shook his head.
“I don’t want the entire women in the neighborhood gathering in front of my apartment when they realize that you’re in here,” Benne said as he walked to the door and then pushed it open.
He blinked in surprise when Lucas flashed him an apologetic smile before stepping to the side for Benne to face his parents. Benne’s heart skipped a beat when he came face to face with Celsie’s parents. Now he could see that Celsie’s stature and long curly hair came from her mother, but the jet black color of her hair and her beautiful gray eyes were from her father. Even though he had been dying to meet the people who gave life to the lady he was in love with, he suddenly began to feel anxious.
He cleared his throat, “You’re welc…”
“Hi! I’m Janet Miller, Celsie’s mom! I’ve waited forever for this day to meet Celsie’s boyfriend,” Celsie’s mother said with a happy smile as she pulled him in for a hug, startling Benne who hadn’t been expecting that from her.
Benne smiled as he hugged her back, and then they both pulled away from each other but Celsie’s mother kept holding his hands, “Thanks for being with her through all of this. You have no idea how much it means to us,” she said as her eyes gleamed with tears of joy as she let go of his hands.
“It’s my pleasure. Your daughter… She is an angel,” Benne said with a small smile, relieved that her mother was easy to get along with. The only problem now was the man who was staring at him with an unreadable expression.
Celsie’s father watched Benne for a moment, and Benne tried to hold his gaze without looking away. Both men stared at each other for some time, and then Celsie’s father grinned at him, “I’m Andrew Miller, Celsie’s first love, and Sonia’s first crush,” he said as he held out his hand for a handshake.
“I’m Benedict Delgado, Celsie’s one true love,” Benne said with a grin of his own as he shook the man’s hand, and both Lucas and Celsie’s mother chuckled as Celsie’s father scowled at him.
“Please come in,” Benne offered, but Celsie’s mother shook her head.
“I only wanted to see your face before you appear on the show. Lucas says we are having dinner with you tonight, I’m looking forward to getting to know you,” Celsie’s mother said, and Benne smiled. It was so easy to love Celsie’s family.
“You don’t mind moving to my home, right? I will accommodate you for the rest of your stay here. I can assure you that it’ll be more comfortable than your stay at the hotel,” Benne offered looking from Celsie’s father to Lucas.
“All of us?” Celsie’s mother asked curiously.
“Yes. I have enough room for everyone,” Benne said, and Celsie’s mother sighed dreamily.
“Celsie picked the right man,” she said with a nod of approval, and her husband chuckled.
“We will think about it. We have to get back to the apartment to follow the show,” Celsie’s father said and placed his hand over his wife’s shoulders to lead her home.
“Sorry. You can get back inside,” Lucas whispered to Benne, thinking that he must have been flustered to meet their parents this way.
“It’s fine,” Benne said with a wave as he returned inside in time to hear Alicia’s next question.
“So did you tell your boyfriend about your experience, or did he just find out about it? What was his reaction to it,”
“He is aware of it. He was actually the first person I told about what happened even though I couldn’t exactly finish the story because halfway into it I fainted and he had to take me to the hospital,” Celsie explained with a small smile, “As for his reaction you will have to ask him that yourself,” Celsie said with a giggle.
On hearing that, Anita who was watching the show in her living room stood up. Benne was already aware of it? He knew of her past? She had thought that it would be too shameful for Celsie to tell him about it, especially since her source had told her that Celsie had never mentioned what happened to anyone in her family. What was this? She had done all of this for nothing? And what was this Alicia lady talking about revealing Celsie’s boyfriend? Benne was ready to reveal his identity to the world? It seemed like instead of tearing them all apart, she had only succeeded in bringing them together.
She bit her nails as she paced around her living room, and then paused when she realized what she was doing. She dropped her hands to her side and turned to her television screen once again when she heard
“This makes me even more supercharged to introduce your boyfriend to the world. Ladies and gentlemen, without wasting any more time, I’d love to welcome the wonderful man Celsie is dating. He is no other than Benedict Delgado, the CEO of OmniGlobal, and the only brother of Bryan Delgado who is also in a relationship with Celsie’s BFF. Isn’t this so cool?” Alicia squealed excitedly, as Benne walked into the set to join Sonia and Celsie who were both laughing and clapping happily.
“WHAT? Isn’t that Miss Miller’s driver, Benne?” One of the men in Celsie’s team asked as they watched in horror.
“Miss Miller’s driver is the CEO?” One of the ladies asked in surprise, while the man who had been rude to Benne and had called Celsie a murderer in front of him slid off his seat.
“WOW! This is super cool.” Amy had a wide smile on her face as she watched the screen. It explained a lot. Especially why Celsie was working in the CEO’s office, and the CEO’s reaction to the rumors in the office.
Anita picked up her wine bottle and threw it against her television screen in a fit of anger as she screamed in anger scattered the apartment. Her eyes were red and the veins on her forehead stood out. She wasn’t going to lose to someone like Celsie.. NEVER.
As Brandy prepared to leave for the club a few minutes past 7 PM, she couldn’t help the feeling that there something was off about this arrangement even though nothing had happened to make her feel that way.
Something about the client didn’t sit right with her. Why did the client specifically request for her and Candy? Why did he double the pay just to see them? Yes, they were both good at the job, but there were also other strippers at the club who were far better than them, and even though she knew that most of the VVIP clients usually asked for both of them, this job was away from the club, at an undisclosed location, so it set off the alarm bells in her head.
She had grown to trust her instincts. Whenever she sensed danger, she always tried to pay attention to it. Since she needed the extra money and couldn’t turn down the offer, she did the most logical thing that came to her. She briefly contemplated calling Candy but decided against it as she dialed Matt’s line. There was no need to worry Candy unnecessarily.
“Hey! What’s up? Is everything okay?” Matt greeted immediately he received her call, and she could hear the tension in his tone as though he was expecting her to be in danger.
“I’m fine. I’m getting ready to leave for a job, and I’m wearing the necklace and the earrings,” she said, knowing that he would get the hint.
“The job is not at the club I suppose?” Matt asked just to be sure.
“Yes. It’s at an undisclosed location. The client is sending a car to pick me up from the club by 8 PM,” Brandy explained as she paced around the living room with her purse in hand.
“Okay. I’ll let Jade know, and I’ll be there just in case of anything,” Matt promised.
“I don’t mean to bother you. And you should know that it might not be anything. I just thought I…”
“I understand. I’ll be there just to make sure that everything is okay. The undisclosed location thingy already set me off,” Matt said, trying to reassure her.
“Thank you, Matt. Thank you,” Brandy said before hanging up. Now that she knew that she was covered, she added a finishing touch to her make-up before walking out of the apartment and flagged down a cab to take her to the club.
The cab stopped her in front of the club at exactly two minutes to 8 PM, and as she got off the cab and paid her fare, her boss ran up to her, “For Christ’s sake! What took you so long?” The manager asked irritably.
“I said I will be here by 8, and it’s not 8 PM yet. Why are you upset?” Brandy asked with a roll of her eyes as she looked around, and then relaxed when she noticed Matt’s car parked some distance away from there.
“I thought you changed your mind…”
“Well, I’m here now, so what is the big deal?” She asked, shutting him up as she walked past him to join her partner who was already standing in front of the club.
While Brandy was dressed in a black leather trench coat which covered the black see-through teddy with attached garters, the other girl was wearing a skimpy bodycon dress with a halter neck.
“Hi!!” Brandy greeted the girl who turned to look at her with a smile.
“I’m so glad that I’m doing this with you,” the girl said, her eyes gleaming with excitement as a limousine rolled to a stop in front of them.
“Brandy and Cookie?” The chauffeur asked without getting out of the car. He didn’t see any reason to hold out the door for the strippers.
“Yes! They’re ready to leave,” the manager said as he joined them, and then turned to look at Brandy, “Remember that the rich…”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.