Chapter 84: The backup plan
"Benjie still throws the wildest parties ever." One of his friends shouted over the loud music as they drank their beers and danced by the poolside.
As the wealthiest student in school, most students either idolized him or feared him. Many would do anything to earn his favor. On the other hand, many would hide from him to avoid his wrath.
"Of course, who else could throw a party like this in the snap of a finger?" No one.
Initially, he and his friends planned to just hang out at his place. But as soon as one of his friends sat on the lounge, he started making calls and texting their other friends.
Soon, the entire backyard was full of people. Some from their school, some were friends of friends, and some were basically strangers.
"Hey, we’re running out of beers." One of the guests complained when the large keg barely filled the cup.
Waving his hand, one of the mansion’s security guards, whom he had befriended, came to his side. Pulling a few large bills from his pocket, he handed the money to the man, asking him to get them another one.
It was not as if beers were not allowed in the house. But under the law, he was still a minor. At the age of 20, he still needed a few more months before he would be of legal age to consume alcohol.
Nonetheless, he was a Morton. Nobody would dare to touch him. Not the police. Not the public district attorney. As far as he was concerned, his family owned the law. In his eyes, he had every right to do anything he wanted.
"Benjie, you’re truly the best." Again, his friends cheered him on. "Anyway, what’s the deal between you and Bianca?" One of his friends asked, pointing to the stunning woman in a red bikini on the other side of the pool.
His eyes followed the woman as she dangled her feet in the water while openly flirting with two men. But he immediately noticed that even if she was smiling at what the other men were saying, her eyes still kept glancing at him.
"It’s clear. She’s still into you." One of his friends pointed out the obvious. "I think she’s only making you jealous."
For three years, he had an on-and-off relationship with Bianca. Everybody kept telling him that they were the perfect pair. Both of them were popular, wealthy, and from a good, reputable family.
But she broke up with him just the other month. Again, for some trivial reason. Since then, he decided not to pursue her anymore. He was just tired of her pettiness. He was bored with her immaturity and childishness.
"Bianca and I are over." He casually said with finality as he looked away. "Whatever she does from this point, I have nothing to do with it."
When Bianca ended things between them, he wasn’t devastated. Instead, he felt relieved. He guessed he had wanted it all along, but hadn’t realized it yet until things between them were officially over.
"Really?" One of his friends looked at him with disbelief. But he couldn’t blame them. Everybody truly thought that they would end up together until the very end.
"So, if I asked her out, you wouldn’t mind. You won’t get jealous." Another one of his friends, who he knew had always had a crush on his ex, asked.
For more than a year, he had watched his friend love Bianca from a distance. Since Bianca was with him, his friend had bottled his feelings, not wanting to overstep his boundaries.
But now, he didn’t even have a second thought as he answered him. "Sure. I won’t stop you." He even encouraged his friend to give it a go.
Come to think of it, he wondered if he had truly loved her. Or was he merely doing what was expected of him? Why else would he feel comfortable watching his ex with other men?
"I assure you, I won’t get jealous." That was not even a lie, as he absolutely felt nothing for the woman with whom he had a relationship for three years. "She’s all yours."
But as soon as his eyes landed on a familiar figure, his heart leaped. From the corner of his eye, he followed her everywhere.
As usual, she avoided him as if he carried a deadly virus. Honestly, he had never felt anything like this before. Not with other women.
Typically, it was the women who came chasing him. They would do anything to catch his attention.
On the other hand, this woman would move heaven and earth to steer clear of him.
"Hey, who’s that?" One of his friends followed his line of sight. "Damn, she’s beautiful."
His friend was right. Even in a maid’s uniform, her beauty stood out from the crowd. Not even his gorgeous friends could compare to her in his eyes. Not even his stunning ex.
To him, she was his little angel, who came down from the heavens to torture him.
"Is she the reason you’re dumping Bianca?" Again, his friend asked, looking intrigued and curious.
"I didn’t dump Bianca. She dumped me." There was a difference.
However, he didn’t answer the rest of his friend’s questions. He didn’t need to explain his reasons.
When he saw that she had finished her round, he followed her. He intended to invite her to join the party. After all, she was basically the same age as some of his guests.
But before he could reach her, Bianca blocked his path.
"Benjie, aren’t you going to get me another drink?" Bianca put her hand on his chest, acting as if they were still together. Believing that her earlier little stunt would make him jealous.
But that was just how she was. She thought that he would always be around to bend to her will. That with a snap of her finger, they would be back together.
Unfortunately, not this time.
"Here." He quickly grabbed a glass of the juice from one of the maids and handed it to her before turning to leave.
But as he searched the place, his little angel had already disappeared.
"Benjie, where are you going?" He heard Bianca yelling behind, obviously throwing a fit. But he never bothered to look back as his eyes moved toward the mansion.
As he moved toward the kitchen, he unexpectedly bumped into his mother, who appeared upset. But he was used to that.
"Benjie, what’s all this?" His mother stopped before him before he could step any further. "Oh, God, what’s that smell? You know you’re still underage. You still shouldn’t be drinking."
Her mother scrunched her nose at him, visibly displeased with his behavior. But he was used to this scene. Based on experience, his brother and sister were the good children, while he was the wild one.
As the youngest Morton heir, nothing much was expected of him. His older brother had already taken on the role of his father’s successor. His elder sister had already handled most of the family’s other businesses as the second child.
While he? He was just the backup plan. In case the first and the second failed in their duties.
Other than that, he was seen as the third child. The son who could not do anything right.
Unlike his first two siblings, he was not particularly great in school. He was not running at the top of his class. He was no good at music, arts, or sports, either.
One thing he was great at. He was excellent at making friends. Aside from Bianca, he had a string of flings and affairs on the side. He just didn’t like being alone.
Until now.
Admittedly, meeting Leah changed him.
"Mom, I’m just blowing some steam." He reasoned. "Spring break is almost over. I just want to enjoy these last few days of vacation."
After reassuring his mother that the party was under control, Dianne returned to her room and let him continue with the party.
Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw her. She had a tray of drinks in her hand, on her way back to the party.
Quickly, he followed her. Luckily, he was just in time to catch her when she fell.
But was it an accident?
From his point of view, it appeared as if Bianca had something to do with the way Leah had slipped.
"You’re hurt." He quickly noticed the way her face scrunched at the pain when she put her foot down. "Leah, don’t move."
Without waiting for a response, he pulled her up into his arms and carried her to the nearest lounge chair. He didn’t care if all eyes landed on them. He just wanted to ensure that she was okay.
"What are you doing?" Leah asked, looking like a caged animal, completely panicking and terrified. Then, her eyes kept glancing at him and the crowd that was staring down at them.
But he couldn’t care less about their audience as he knelt before her and started inspecting her foot. "It’s sprained." He concluded, seeing the red soreness on her ankle, as it started to swell.
"I know that." Leah hissed at him, as if he were a nuisance she wanted to disappear.
But he was not going away. Not a chance.
"Come on, that needs bandages." Like a caveman, he grabbed her by the waist and carried her back into the mansion as if she were a sack of potatoes.
"Damn you, Benjie. Let me down." She vehemently protested. This time, her face had probably turned red from embarrassment. But he just smiled.
He couldn’t see her face, but he could already imagine the anger in her eyes.
"Not until I have that foot treated." He calmly said, unfazed by the way she was drumming her hands against his back.
"Oh, you’re going to pay for this." He heard her mumbling.
"Oh, I’m looking forward to it." He was intrigued. He welcomed the challenge.
