Chapter 535 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

Not feeling motivated to do any serious exercise, he turned on the music player in the room before mounting the treadmill.

He had no idea how long he had been running on the treadmill until the music abruptly stopped playing and the only sound he could hear was his panting.

He stopped running and turned off the treadmill when he saw Aaron standing behind him and watching him with a puzzled frown.

“Good morning, dad. I hope you had a good night’s rest,” He said without meeting his father’s gaze as he moved away from the treadmill and went to the refrigerator at the distal end of the room to pick up a bottle of water.

“What is wrong with you? Why are you running like you are preparing for the Olympics?” Aaron asked with a concerned frown as he moved closer to him, with a towel in hand.

Harry said nothing until he was done drinking the water, and then he took the towel from Aaron, “Thank you,” Harry said as he wiped the sweat from his body, and Aaron watched him closely.

“Is everything alright? You have been acting strangely since you returned from work yesterday. Did something happen at work?” Aaron asked as he continued to watch Harry dry his sweat.

“Everything is fine. I’m just preoccupied with some thoughts,” Harry said dismissively as he sat on his workout bench and undid the lace of his running shoes.

“Do you want to tell me about it?” Aaron asked and Harry shook his head.

“No.”

“Why not?” Aaron asked, and Harry raised a brow, unable to hide his annoyance and bitterness.

“Why should I? thought we are keeping secrets now? Or are we back to telling each other about the things that bother us?” Harry asked, and without waiting for Aaron to respond he headed for the door.

“Harry,” Aaron called, surprised by Harry’s harsh tone.

Harry opened the door before turning to look at him, “I trust you feel better now and don’t need me or Celsie to stay with you. I’m going to prepare for work now. I don’t want to be late,” Harry said as he walked out of the room, ignoring the pang of guilt in his heart at having talked to his father in that way.

Aaron had a confused frown on his face as he watched him leave, wondering what had come over Harry and why he had spoken to him in that tone.

Forty minutes later as Harry stepped out of his bedroom ready to leave for the office, he saw Aaron waiting for him by the passageway.

While he prepared for work he had called himself all sorts of names and berated himself for being a bad son by speaking to his father in that manner, but he couldn’t help feeling angry at his father.

His father was responsible for his sleeplessness and mood. If he wasn’t keeping secrets from him he wouldn’t have to stay awake all night trying to figure out anything.

“Do you have a moment? Let’s talk,” Aaron suggested, but Harry glanced at his wristwatch.

“No, I don’t. I’m running late for work,” Harry said, and Aaron nodded.

“I thought you would say so. How about I see you off to the office and we talk in the car? I will take a cab back home,” Aaron suggested, and Harry snorted.

“It’s not bring your parents to work day,” Harry said, reminding him of what he had said the previous day.

“I’m sorry I have not been able to tell you about what is bothering me,” Aaron said apologetically.

“Are you going to tell me about it now?” Harry asked with interest, and Aaron shook his head.

“Monday. Give me until Monday, and then I will tell you about it,” Aaron said, and Harry frowned.

“Monday? Why Monday? Why not today? What is happening on Monday that I don’t know about?”

“Nothing. I just want to spend the weekend with you normally…”

“HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?” Harry yelled at him, and then he took a deep breath to calm himself.

“Do you think that makes any sense? How can you think that we can spend a normal weekend together when I know you are keeping secrets from me? When I know that you are lying to me?” Harry asked in a slightly raised voice, and Aaron watched him in surprise wondering what Harry knew.

“You know what? Do whatever you want. I don’t care,” Harry said before walking away.

*********

Away from there, Benne was stuck in traffic and Celsie kept glancing at her wristwatch and tapping her feet impatiently as she waited for the cars to move.

They had driven to a different part of the city to drop off the DNA specimens that they wanted to be tested at the lab, and on their way to the office, they ran into a traffic jam.

“Calm down,” Benne said softly when he noticed how tense she was and how she was rubbing her hands together.

“How can I be calm? At this rate, we are going to get to the office very late…”

“And it’s okay,” Benne cut in.

“No, it’s not!” Celsie snapped at him.

“Stop getting worked up over nothing. You are with me. Nobody is going to scold you,” Benne assured her.

“Isn’t that the point? I’m with you, and that is why I am even more worried because no one is going to scold me. Everyone is going to have an opinion in their head but no one is going to voice it out. Why do you sound like you don’t know what everyone is going to say about my being late?” Celsie asked in a slightly raised voice.

“I don’t know. Maybe you should tell me,” Benne said, trying not to get upset that she was bringing up the ‘What people are going to say’ line again.

“They are going to say I come and go as I please because I’m dating the CEO. I am my team’s leader! What kind of pace would I be setting for them if I get to the office this late?” Celsie asked, and Benne took in a deep breath to calm himself.

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