My CEO Bestie And Me

Chapter 13... Dancing on stage

As Ben walked outside to the stage with Lerisa, Anthony, and the rest of the event, the shows hadn't started.

Stepping outside on stage with Ben as the music played a love song, Lerisa could feel all eyes on her. It seemed like everyone in the event hall paused to stare at her as she walked nervously on stage with Ben holding her closely, and she held his hands too.

She didn't want to look at the table where her parents sat watching her in surprise. She knew her mother had told her she liked Anthony and wanted him to marry her.

With the way Ben was holding her waist so closely, Lerisa felt her face burning hot. Even though Ben was taller than her, he was the same height and had a masculine shape like Anthony.

Lerisa wondered why she couldn't stop comparing Ben to Anthony. Probably because she grew up hoping a handsome man like Anthony would notice her, as they still lived in the same vicinity, and she hadn't traveled to another country or worked elsewhere. She saw him every day too...

"Shall we dance now?" Ben finally asked her again, and Lerisa gulped, feeling nervous to be standing at the front stage with Ben.

She could see some lovely couples, who were previously dancing on stage to the love song, beginning to give her and Ben a chance to dance too. But she wasn't brave enough to dance in front of all the guests.

She managed to respond, "Yes."

"3, 2, 1, go," Ben said, and he guided Lerisa's waist closely to himself and started dancing with her in a Latino dance, moving step by step together on stage.

It was supposed to be her and Anthony dancing together on stage, Lerisa thought as she held Ben and looked up at his face while they danced. But Anthony was nowhere to be found, so Lerisa focused her gaze on Ben, so she wouldn't miss her steps, dancing perfectly with him to entertain all the guests and well-wishers in the enormous hall.

Mr. and Mrs. Gregson frowned as they had spoken to themselves the previous night inside their bedroom. They wanted to inform Anthony to consider marrying Lerisa, but they wanted Anthony and Lerisa to bond as friends more first, so it wouldn't seem like they were forcing him to marry her.

Seeing the tall, handsome man holding Lerisa's waist closely as they danced happily, Mrs. Beatrice frowned, while Mr. Joshua only looked away, displeased with the sight of another guy holding Lerisa's waist.

"Where is Anthony?" Mr. Joshua finally asked his wife calmly, who sat next to him on the VIP seat. She sighed and replied, "I don't know."

Similarly, Mrs. Antonia frowned and muttered to her husband, "Who is the man Lerisa is dancing with? How can she humiliate us like this in front of the Gregson family?"

"It's only a harmless dance, Antonia. And it's not like the man is kissing our daughter... Besides, Lerisa and Anthony aren't official yet for us to feel any humiliation," Mr. Fred replied, smiling while watching his daughter dance happily with the tall man. But his wife frowned at him and replied, "No, honey. I want Anthony to marry our daughter and not this tall man with Lerisa."

"I know, and I want that too. But we can't force them to marry if that's not what they want. Marriage is a lifetime commitment, not a weekly arrangement. It's best we allow them to make their choices while we support them, so we won't be blamed for any consequences."

"Hmm," Mrs. Antonia hummed in agreement and watched Ben and Lerisa, who were still holding hands and dancing happily like a couple.

Mrs. Antonia could see clearly in the tall man's eyes that he truly admired her daughter, but she didn't approve of him becoming her son-in-law. So she calmly took her glass of red wine, took a sip, and continued watching silently.

Soon, Clara arrived at Anthony's family home, wearing a white long floral gown, her face adorned with heavy makeup. She wore red high-heeled shoes and wanted to steal the attention of the onlookers and impress Anthony and his family, as she truly loved Anthony.

Anthony stood outside in the street waiting, as the compound was filled with exotic cars, and saw Clara finally arrive. She stepped down from her black car and walked up to meet him, holding her red purse.

Anthony smiled in relief as he walked up to welcome her. They hugged and kissed, and Anthony asked, "What took you so long to arrive, babe?"

Clara smiled apologetically and replied, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I just had to prepare myself to look sweet for you tonight. I know today is your birthday. Happy birthday, honey."

"Thanks sweetheart. You're looking sweet indeed," Anthony said, escorting Clara. He held her right hand and kissed her knuckle, before asking her, "Shall we go inside now? The celebration has started, and I only came outside to wait for you."

"Sure," Clara replied, nervously, and she walked into the mansion with Anthony. They made their way to the event hall, looking so romantic together like the couple of the night.

When they stepped into the event hall with Anthony holding Clara's hands closely. He looked at the front stage since he entered with Clara through the back door, and saw Ben dancing together with Lerisa on the stage like a happy couple, which made him smile.

Ben had been begging him to speak to Lerisa on his behalf, while Anthony knew Lerisa was unhappy about something he couldn't pinpoint.

He smiled at them just before the music finally ended, and the audience clapped loudly for the lovely couples who had danced on stage to entertain them.

Anthony finally walked out on stage with Clara, holding her closely by her left palm grasping his right palm, while Lerisa let go of Ben's hand and saw Anthony approaching with Clara by his side.

Lerisa's eyes met Clara's, and she frowned while Clara smiled and said, "Hello, Lerisa."

"Shall we dance, my love?" Anthony proposed to Clara sweetly, and she eagerly replied, "Yes!"

Lerisa almost fainted on stage as she watched Clara and Anthony holding hands like the couple of the night. Beside Anthony was the celebrant.

Lerisa watched as Anthony guide Clara's waist closely, and Clara turned her attention to face Anthony's, looking up at his handsome face.

Clara knew Lerisa was watching her and hadn't informed Anthony that she had seen her kissing another man earlier in the day.

Clara smiled, knowing Lerisa had a secret crush on Anthony, too, with the way Lerisa usually lied to her that Anthony wasn't around, and stared at them with a pang of jealousy.

Well, Anthony is handsome, rich, and the CEO of LH Group. Who wouldn't have a crush on a billionaire like him, as he also has a giving heart and isn't stingy?

Clara smiled at Anthony sweetly as the music started playing, while Anthony's hands encircled her waist, guiding her steps as they started dancing together on stage. The bright light dim, casting a single light on them as the couple of the night, while the rest of the event hall turned dark.