Chapter 353 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“No, I’m not having any fun, I promise,” she said with a fake yawn, “I will be with you soon. Don’t miss me too much.”

“I’m still at the parking lot waiting for you. Meet me in the car when you’re done,” Bryan said and hung up before she could respond.

Sonia looked at her phone in surprise, and then her lips curved in a smile, “Bryan is still waiting in the car,” she told Jade.

Jade smiled, “He must really love you. You can go to him. Let’s continue our conversation later.”

“What about your dress? Are we not getting it anymore?” Sonia asked as she saved the recorded voice note.

“I can shop for it alone. Don’t keep my brother waiting much longer else he’s going to take it out on me,” Jade said, and Sonia smiled as they both stood up to leave.

Harry raised his head from the documents in front of him when Benne opened his office door and walked in, “Wow! What a rare sight to behold. Benedict Delgado walking majestically into my office,” Harry said since Benne hardly ever had any reason to visit his office.

“You’re CEO now, so I can’t order you around anymore,” Benne said with a grin as he took the seat opposite Harry.

“Oh! I forgot about that already,” Harry said with a chuckle, and Benne laughed too.

“So… how are you?”

“Your concern for my wellbeing today is very… concerning. Is there something you want to talk to me about? Or perhaps I’m dying, and I don’t know it yet?” Harry asked curiously.

“Since when did it become a crime to check on my best friend and find out how he is doing?” Benne asked dryly, and Harry snorted.

“Do you realize that this is the fifth time you’re asking me how I’m doing? Just say whatever it is you want to say,” Harry said, and Benne smiled at him, making him wonder if perhaps Jade had told him something. He doubted that was the case since Benne had been this way since he first saw him at the lobby that morning, and he was certain that Jade had woken up early enough to call him to report anything.

“You know that I love you, right?”

“For god’s sake, Benne! Just tell me whatever it is, and stop beating around the bush. You are making me anxious,” Harry said in frustration, and Benne chuckled.

“Thanks for watching over Jade. I’m sure she was a handful,” Benne said, watching him closely.

“Oh! So it’s about your baby sister?”

“She’s hardly a baby anymore, and I’m sure you would have noticed that by now, yeah?” Benne asked, a smile playing at the edge of his lips as he watched Harry.

Harry silently agreed with him that Jade was in no way a baby. Not with those lips, and definitely not that body she kept flaunting at every chance she got. Not that he was going to say any of that to Benne though.

“We’ve been over this topic before, but I guess you’re just trying to know if I’m still mentally stable after spending some days babysitting your grown-up sister. If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry. I’m okay. Besides, she wasn’t that bad,” Harry assured Benne, who was watching him closely.

“I’m glad. Is there anything else you would like to talk to me about?” Benne asked, and Harry looked at him with a confused frown.

“Like what?”

“Like the night you spent making love to my sister?” Benne asked with a straight face, and Harry blinked a couple of times in confusion before his brows pulled together.

“What night are you talking about? I never touched her!” Harry denied it fiercely, and Benne chuckled.

“I had the best night of my life making love to your sister all through the night. It was sooo hot! Does that statement ring a bell?” Benne asked, and Harry glared at him as he threw a balled paper at him, making Benne laugh.

“I already told you that was a joke,” Harry hissed at him, and Benne laughed even more.

“But you did think about doing it, didn’t you?” Benne asked, and Harry looked at him in mortification.

“You surely don’t expect me to talk to you about fantasizing about your younger sister, do you? Are you crazy?” Harry asked, and Benne shook his head.

“You could have easily said no if that were the case. So you did fantasize about her,” Benne pointed out with a grin.

“What kind of an older brother are you?” Harry asked in disbelief.

“Right now, I’m being your best friend, not just Jade’s older brother,” Benne said, and Harry stared at him speechlessly.

“Listen, okay? I’m not interested in Jade if that’s what you are asking to know. She is pretty, intelligent, and all of that, but she is your sister, and since you are like a brother to me, that makes her my sister too,” Harry said, ignoring the voice in his head which was calling him a liar.

“Jade is like a sister to you?” Benne asked, trying not to sound amused.

“Yes. Even if she wasn’t, but she is, I’m not going to pursue anything with her. If I do and anything goes wrong between us, it’s going to affect both my personal and business relationship with you, and I don’t want that to happen. So let’s maintain the boundary. She is your sister, and as such, my sister too,” Harry said, trying his best to convince both himself and Benne.

“Yes. You are right. My sister is your sister too,” Benne said with a nod as though he was convinced.

He knew that Harry was good for Jade, Jade was beginning to believe that he was good for her too, but it seemed like Harry was the one who needed a little push to make a move.

If it were a different guy in the picture, Benne would probably have suggested that Jade try to seduce him or even make a move and tell him that she was interested in him. But Harry was old-fashioned. No matter how much he admired women who were gutsy and bold, he would prefer he court his woman the old-fashioned way. He was the chocolate and flowers type.

Benne decided to change the subject, “By the way, our sister told me that you both ran into Tanya Reynolds,” Benne said, and Harry sighed.

Our sister? Harry decided to ignore that part of the sentence and just focus on the other part, “Yeah. That spoilt brat,” Harry muttered under his breath, and Benne smiled.

“I heard you handled it pretty well.”

“I had to. Your sister looked like she was ready to pull out her hair and tear her apart. I couldn’t let her do that even though it would have been fun to watch,” Harry said in amusement, and Benne laughed softly.

“Our sister, you mean? Maybe you should have let her do it. I wonder if Tanya would have had the guts to press charges when she finds out who Jade is,” Benne said, and Harry shook his head.

“You shouldn’t encourage her to indulge in fights like that simply because you have the means to help her. Jade is a lawyer, and it wouldn’t tell well on her image if she goes around pulling out people’s hair simply because her big brothers can save the day,” Harry said, and Benne’s lips twitched with a knowing smile.

“I hear you,” Benne said with a nod, and then his eyes became serious when he remembered the other reason he had come to see Harry.

“I spoke with Barry earlier,” Benne said, and Harry raised a brow.

“You called, or he called?”

“I called.”

Harry looked at him, “I take it you didn’t call just to check on him or did you?”

Benne didn’t say a word as he played the voice recording he had been sent earlier, and Harry listened to it quietly, “Who is Rachel?” He asked after it ended.

“The lady Celsie’s twin was engaged to,” Benne said, and Harry shook his head.

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