My CEO Bestie And Me

19, Mother's advice

Mrs. Antonia laughed first and replied, "No, Anthony. I wasn't like that. You see, in my time, your father and I didn’t have the opportunity to date; we were introduced through our parents who arranged it. It wasn’t like we were dating. We got married, and although I didn’t move in quickly to live with your father, his love and care were enough to make me feel comfortable."

"Hmm," Anthony was speechless. He took a bottled water from the dining table and drank it to calm his nerves. "Dad is just lucky to have you. I’m also lucky to have you as my mother."

"That's alright, son. I wish I could have had more children for you. At least then, you wouldn’t feel so alone."

"I’m not alone, Mom, as long as I have you here with me," Anthony replied, which made Mrs. Beatrice feel relieved.

She then asked Anthony, "How about Lerisa? Have you called her yet to see where she went? I heard her sister say she wasn’t feeling well, which is why she left early."

"I noticed that too. Lerisa has been acting weird lately, Mom, and I don’t know what her issue is."

"Do you think she’s in a relationship? Maybe that’s why she’s feeling this way too? What about that young man I saw dancing with her? Did you invite him here?" Mrs. Beatrice inqured.

"Yes, Mom. He's a school friend who keeps visiting me. But I think he’s bothering me because of Lerisa." Anthony noticed a frown on his mother’s face and asked, "What’s wrong, Mother?"

"Nothing. I just want you to marry Lerisa, not that young man. I want Lerisa to be my daughter-in-law, not anyone else. I like Lerisa very much and think she would make a great wife for you."

"No, Mom!..." Anthony looked at his mother in shock. He abruptly stood up from the dining chair and replied, "Did you hear yourself, Mom? Lerisa is like a sister to me. We can’t date; that’s taboo! Please don’t tell her such nonsense; I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable around me."

"Anthony! Lerisa likes you, and she would be very happy to marry you," Mrs. Beatrice retorted.

"No, Mother! Enough! Please don’t say that again. I cannot marry Lerisa; I don’t see myself falling in love with her. I feel like her older brother, even though I’m not James. How do you expect us to date? It’s impossible, Mom, so stop dreaming about us getting married. If that’s what you want, I’m sorry to disappoint you. I need to go back to my room now; it’s late. Good night."

Mrs. Beatrice frowned as she watched Anthony walk away. She wanted to call him back but decided to let him rest and think about what she had said.

She knew Anthony wouldn’t accept it, as he was stubborn and couldn’t see that Lerisa loved him.

"How can he think of Lerisa as a sister? Who told him she’s his sister?" Mrs. Beatrice shook her head sadly and stood up from the dining chair. She went upstairs to the bedroom she shared with her husband, shortly after asking Sandra to lock up the mansion entrance door.

Anthony angrily walked into his bedroom, frustrated by his mother’s suggestion that he date Lerisa.

He liked Lerisa, but only as a sister—not anything beyond that.

"Hmm..." Anthony’s eyes fell on the gifts Martha had given him; he hadn’t had the chance to check the rest of the gifts given to him by their guests in the hall.

He was sure Sandra had stored those gifts safely in the storeroom, and he planned to check on them later. He took the wrapped gift from his bedside drawer and pressed its packaging to feel what was inside.

"What’s in this package?" Anthony wondered. He then loosened the wrap and saw it was men’s wear—specifically boxers and a singlet.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at the present and asked, "Did Lerisa buy all these for me? Or did Martha mix this up and give it to me by mistake?"

Anthony was surprised that Lerisa had even gotten his size right.

Anyway, he already had plenty of boxers and singlets, but he decided to keep this one from Lerisa and wear it later.

After relieving himself in the restroom, Anthony stepped out of his bedroom, walked up to his bed, lay down, and fell asleep.

+++

Lerisa had finished dinner earlier with her parents.

Her mother asked her again if she was fine, and she replied, "Yes, Mom."

It was already late at night, and since they hadn’t eaten anything at Anthony’s family home, Lerisa felt the need to have something before retiring to her room to sleep.

She tried not to feel bad, considering she was the one who had prepared dinner before her parents arrived with Martha.

Finally, she cleared her used dishes and took them to the kitchen, where she washed them along with the other dirty plates Martha had left.

She asked Martha, "Who gave the present to Anthony?"

Martha replied, "I did."

"Did he open the present to see what was inside?" Lerisa asked, missing Anthony’s reaction to unwrapping her gift.

"No, Anthony was upset because he didn’t get to propose to his girlfriend. He found out she cheated on him with his cousin and was furious after his cousin stopped him from engaging Clara. It was a serious matter; I thought the birthday celebration wouldn't continue. But later, Anthony returned and apologized to us before cutting his birthday cake and making a wish."

"What?? You mean Anthony and Clara didn’t get engaged on stage?" Lerisa asked in surprise, as she hadn’t been aware of this.

She felt heartbroken at the thought of losing Anthony completely to someone unworthy, and she considered resigning from LH Group to move on with her life and stop letting her innocent heart revolve around Anthony, who wouldn’t notice her feelings.

"Yes, is that why you left the venue early? Did you sense that Anthony wanted to propose to that lady?" Martha observed her sister's expression.

"Hmm, not really, Martha. I do like Anthony, and I couldn’t bear to see him get engaged to another woman."

"Ahh! So it’s true?" Martha gasped, and Lerisa quickly shushed her.

"Shut up before you alert our parents! Is it true about what? Have Mom and Dad gone back to their rooms?" Lerisa asked in a low tone. Martha giggled and nodded excitedly before replying, "Yes, I saw Mom and Dad, and I also overheard Anthony's parents discussing the idea of you and Anthony getting married. But Anthony's father and our dad were saying they wouldn't force you both to marry. They want you to fall in love first, and I suspect you love Anthony too but don’t want to admit it to him."