My CEO Bestie And Me

Chapter 14... Running away

Lerisa immediately rushed down from the stage, not even waiting for Ben to leave with her. Since the hall was dark, mixed with the dim light from the bulb, she collided with a man whose face she hadn't seen. She apologized without looking up, saying, "I'm sorry."

As she wanted to leave the event hall quickly to avoid witnessing Anthony proposing to Clara on stage, the man grabbed her left wrist and turned her to face him. Lerisa gasped, "Ah!"

She collided with his chest and looked up at his face, while Anthony and Clara continued dancing alone on the stage.

"Hi, pretty," Remy said. Lerisa was shocked to see that he was the man she had seen earlier in the day kissing Clara by the roadside.

"Hi," she said, unable to believe her eyes, her mouth agape. Ben immediately approached them and pulled Lerisa away from Remy's touch, glaring at him.

Remy smiled at Ben and Lerisa as she pulled herself away from Ben's possessive hold.

Remy was wearing a simple yellow shirt, with some buttons open, revealing his muscular chest. He looked breathtakingly handsome and was holding a glass of red wine in his right hand, sipping and smiling at Lerisa.

"Hi, Ben," Remy said to Ben, who glared at him. When he arrived, he had seen Ben dancing with Lerisa on the stage and noticed the way Ben looked at her with love in his eyes.

Of course, Remy knew Ben, as they attended the same college with Anthony, which was an all-boys school.

Lerisa couldn't believe that the two men pestering her life knew each other, and she wanted to get away from them, just before Anthony would propose to Clara. But Ben said, "Remy, stay away from my woman."

"Your woman?" Remy chuckled and smirked, while Lerisa froze, staring at Ben in shock.

"The last time I checked, Ben, Emma, my sister was your woman, and I wonder how she feels seeing you on stage dancing with another lady," Remy smirked, while Lerisa gulped and felt guilty. She didn't know that the beautiful black lady who had approached her earlier was Ben's girlfriend.

She remembered the lady who had approached Ben, asking him for a dance politely, but Ben waved her off and called her Emma.

"Don't listen to him, Lerisa. I'm not in a relationship with Emma. We are only friends with benefits," Ben said, noticing the guilty look on Lerisa's face.

"Friends with benefits indeed," Remy laughed, while Ben glared at him for trying to sabotage his chances with Lerisa. Remy stared at the stage and saw Anthony dancing with a lady in white in his arms, but he didn't see her face.

"I only came here to attend my cousin's birthday party today. I wouldn't have been here if Anthony wasn't related to me through my mother," Remy finished his wine and stared back at Lerisa, saying, "I'm single, my lady. Can we be friends?"

"No, stay away from her," Ben quickly replied, glaring at Remy. Lerisa didn't like how possessive Ben was becoming.

She immediately told the two men, "Let go of my hand first, Ben."

"I'm sorry, Lerisa, but you shouldn't have listened to Remy," Ben apologized, releasing her left hand and staring at her with love and care.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going home now. I cannot stay here any longer," Lerisa quickly apologized, and they both asked, "Why? It's still early to go home."

Ben and Remy both stared at Lerisa with concern, and she replied, "Nothing, I..."

Ben immediately asked, "Is it because of Anthony and his girlfriend? I saw your expression change when you saw Anthony step in with her."

Lerisa's cheeks turned red in embarrassment, confirming to the two men that she indeed had a secret crush on Anthony. They frowned, while Lerisa shook her head and ran away, exiting the event hall because she couldn't stand there anymore or tell them the truth.

She wasn't good at lying and rushed out of the hall after passing the security guard at the exit gate. She rushed out of the mansion premises and went back to her red car parked on the street.

Lerisa held her purse containing her car keys, thankfully she had given the gift she bought for Anthony to Martha, when she went to dance with Ben on stage.

Lerisa quickly opened her car door and got into the driver's seat, just before either of the two men stepped outside to check on her.

She started her car engine and drove back home, feeling embarrassed when Ben asked her that question.

***

Remy stared at Ben in silence, while Ben frowned, having never suspected that Lerisa was seriously in love with Anthony.

When she saw Anthony and Clara walking into the hall holding hands, her face turned sad. She didn't know that he was still holding her hands and staring at her face. He saw how she frowned on seeing Anthony and Clara walking together romantically, her pretty face paling and turning red.

Remy finally asked Ben, "Does she work for Anthony? I mean the pretty lady who just left us?"

"Yes," Ben replied, staring at Remy, and said, "I'm surprised you don't know much about your cousin. So why are you here?"

"Hmm, I don't have time for Anthony. He's not man enough and always does what his parents want. If my mother hadn't insisted that I attend his birthday, I wouldn't be here. Anthony's mother is my mother's younger sister," Remy replied.

"Hmm, but you should stay away from Lerisa," Ben warned. Remy smiled and replied, "Lerisa... is that her name? How lovely! I never knew. I cannot stay away from her, Ben. If that's what you're asking! You and Anthony are both in serious relationships, so you should stay away from Lerisa for me to have her. I like her and want to marry her instead," Remy replied, smirking at Ben.

Ben glared at him. If looks could kill. Ben warned, "You shouldn't dare date her, Remy, you shameless womanizer."

"Womanizer? Hahaha. See the pot calling the kettle black. But honestly, Ben, I do like that lady. I saw her earlier today after I escorted a woman I had a one-night stand with this morning. I do plan on another night with her before, not after seeing Lerisa walk up to us today. She accused that woman of being Clara and cheating on someone. But this woman denied knowing who Lerisa was. Lerisa called her a different name from what she told me. She told me her name was April, and I knew I couldn't trust that woman again or take my relationship with her seriously since I hate liars," Remy said. Ben still warned him, "Just stay away from Lerisa. That's all I'm warning you about, and I'm not interested in who else you sleep with."

"Hmm," Remy sighed, and Ben walked away from him.

As the music stopped playing, Anthony went down on one knee and proposed to the lady in the white dress on the stage.

The full white light turned on and shone on them. Remy saw the lady's face and gasped, "What the hell?"