Chapter 911 – Beginning with a Daring Encounter

“She looks like she was made for the red carpet,” Andy whispered softly, while Cassidy watched her with interest.

“That was captured earlier tonight, at the anniversary dinner party of OmniGlobal,” Cassidy explained and Andy looked up at him.

“Who are these people?” Andy asked as she looked down at Benne, Celsie, and the others who she didn’t recognize.

The only people she recognized there was Jade, who she knew personally as their lawyer. Seeing how Harry was holding Jade and Candace, she suspected Harry was Jade’s boyfriend who she had heard about but had never seen. She also recognized Bryan who she knew was an actor and Matt’s best friend, and Sonia who she recognized as a result of their engagement scandal . She had met them before after all when her and Candace had given the couple a lap dance in the past.

Cassidy pointed out the others to her and explained who each of them was based on the information he had received.

“So, they’re all a family then,” Andy said upon hearing about Benne’s, Bryan’s, and Jade’s relationship as well as how Harry was Benne’s best friend and Jade’s boyfriend, and how Sonia and Celsie were best friends dating the two brothers.

“Yes. Benedict and Harry co-own OmniGlobal,” Cassidy added, and Andy nodded.

“Why are there no photos of Jamal?” Andy asked, and he shook his head.

“They haven’t been able to get one. When they do, you will get it,” Cassidy promised her.

Andy sighed, “I guess they are surrounded by people who can take care of them,” Andy said, thinking she could at least worry less about Candace and Jamal now.

As long as they were fine and she was sure they knew she was okay too, then she could endure being away from them for a while.

“Yes. That is why I think you shouldn’t worry too much. Please be patient,” Cassidy said and Andy held his gaze for a moment.

“Why does everyone around here call you Alex?” She asked, changing the subject abruptly.

“Because that is my name. Cassidy is my birth name but I changed my name to Alex after I left home for college. I didn’t want to be associated with my father or his business,” Cassidy said simply and rose before she could ask him any other questions.

“Why?” Andy asked regardless.

“I don’t think we can get into that tonight. You should get some sleep,” Cassidy said as he turned off the light, letting her know he was done talking.

Andy looked down at the photos on her lap and gathered them together and put them in the envelope as she rose.

Neither of them said a word as they walked down the passageway to their bedrooms, and once she got to her bedroom door she paused to look at him as he continued down to his, “Cas?” She called, and he turned to look at her.

“Thanks for these,” she said, raising the envelope, and he gave her a nod.

As she turned to walk into her bedroom he stopped her, “Andy?”

She turned to look at him once again, “You don’t have to try to escape or do anything to endanger yourself. When I’m certain everything is settled, I will let you go if you still want to,” he promised before walking away.

Andy sighed as she walked into her bedroom and shut the door behind her. What did he mean if she still wanted to? Why wouldn’t she want to get away from this place?

Alone on his bed, Benne couldn’t sleep despite the fact that the time was almost three in the morning. Perhaps it was because he had slept for hours during the day when Celsie was with him.

After dropping Celsie and Jeff off at their apartments at past 12 A.M. earlier after they all left party, he had wanted to stay back with Celsie to wait until her parents got back from Harry’s, but Celsie had insisted he go home to get some rest while she busied herself with rearranging her closet and drawers until her parents’ got back.

Because of Aaron’s health they had thought leaving him alone with Jamal wasn’t ideal, so both Benne’s parents and Celsie’s parents had spent the time with them pending when Harry and Candace would get back from the party.

The moment he got to his house, he had freshened up and busied with arranging the stuff he would move to Celsie’s place.

The whole situation was amusing to him. The truth was he still had no idea what he and Celsie were doing or how to understand their relationship, but one thing he had resolved in his heart to do since he got back from his trip, was to go with Celsie’s flow.

Every relationship was peculiar in its way and what he had with Celsie was even more so. He loved her. He knew she loved him. And even though he wanted more, and she didn’t, their love had to be enough.

One thing he knew was that he’d rather have what they had now, than not have her in his life at all. She was his person. His soulmate. She made him happy and that was all that mattered.

Having her with him tonight as his partner had made one thing clear to him. Even though they were not married, everyone had recognized her as his partner, and she had acted accordingly too whether or not she realized she had been acting like his wife by conversing with his guests and acting as the hostess.

Although she had asked that they don’t talk about Dawn until the weekend was over and they got the DNA paternity result on Monday, he couldn’t help wondering how she would take it if it truly came out positive.

Thinking about Dawn, Benne sighed as he picked up his phone to take a look at her pictures. What would he do about the kid if she turned out to be his?

He needed to speak with his parents about all of this since they were leaving the next day. He would need them to hear it from him directly before leaving and to hear what they also had to say about it.

Without giving much thought to the fact that the time was just past 3 A.M., he rose from the bed and walked out of his bedroom.

He knew they were back from Harry’s since he had heard their voices down the hall when they came in.

Once he got to their bedroom he knocked on the door, rousing them both from sleep.

His parents exchanged a look when they woke up and heard the knock again, “Am I dreaming? I thought all our kids were grown up?” Desmond asked when he glanced at the open window and saw it was not morning yet.

“Hold on,” Evelyn called out to Benne as she got out of bed and adjusted her sleeping robe while Desmond turned on the light and glanced at the bedside clock.

He scowled when he saw that the time was 3:29 A.M. and they’ve been sleeping for only two hours yet were being disturbed. He walked into the bathroom to splash water on his face.

“Benne?” Evelyn asked in surprise when she opened the door and saw it was her eldest son knocking.

Benne never woke them up in the middle of the night. Not even when he had been a kid.

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