39.

AMBER'S POV. One month had passed since Asleena and Benny's wedding. Now they were at the site of the land that would be used for the Handerson Group's development project. Asleena and Benny had checked the surroundings and all the details. After Benny told Asleena his beliefs, Benny immediately invited Asleena along with three representatives of Handerson Group and Hudge Group. Now they were in the restaurant, they had deliberately rented a private room even though it was outdoor. Their discussion had been going on for three hours. "We can start the construction project in two months. Once all the construction materials have been prepared, then we don't need to stall anymore." That's how Benny instructed everyone in the meeting. "Yes, Mr. Benny. We will prepare the construction materials as soon as possible." Benny nodded his head. "Alright. The meeting is over. You may enjoy your vacation in this place." "Are you leaving?" asked one of the Handerson Group members who had attended the meeting. "Yes, I'm going to... discuss something with Asleena. Please enjoy yourselves here when you're done eating," replied Benny who immediately stood up from his chair. After Benny stood up, Asleena also stood up while giving a formal smile to everyone. Asleena immediately bowed her body slightly as a sign of goodbye. Luckily, no one suspected that Benny and Asleena were leaving alone. They just nodded in reply to Benny and Asleena's goodbye gesture. Before finally the two of them stepped out of the restaurant. After Benny and Asleena stepped out and made sure they were away from everyone, then they immediately stepped aside. Their steps had slowed down, not as fast as before. "Gosh, I feel relieved to be separated from them," Asleena said with a sigh of relief. For some reason, she had been wanting to get away from those Handerson Group and Hudge Group representatives. Since they didn't know that Asleena and Benny were married, the two couples couldn't enjoy their time together. Asleena and Benny had gotten a request from Joseph to enjoy their time together here. Actually, neither Asleena nor Benny had any feelings of attachment to each other yet. But because Joseph's request required them to provide proof of togetherness, they had to do something. "I'm actually not happy about having to sneak around like this," replied a visibly irritated Benny. "Are you the only one who's not happy?" Asleena quipped back. "If only you knew, we've been married for a month and haven't had any feelings. Hey, you don't like me, do you?" Benny looked at Asleena seriously in mid-step. "Of course not," Asleena replied, looking at Benny amused. "If I like someone like you, I don't know what the future holds." Hearing Asleena's words made Benny frown in disapproval. "You're talking nonsense. Do you think if someone likes me, they have something to lose?" Asleena nodded her head without hesitation. There was no guilt on her face. Suddenly Benny laughed sarcastically. "Yeah, it's only fitting that you don't know, you don't live with me." "Is that some kind of code for me to stay with you?" Asleena deliberately spoke out of turn. Secretly an ignorant smile curved her face. Benny immediately glared in exasperation. "No, I don't want you to do that." Asleena nodded her head repeatedly. "Good. I don't want to live with you either. I'm pretty sure it would be a mess living with you." Benny immediately felt furious with Asleena, who had said something like that for the umpteenth time. But unfortunately Asleena always didn't care. Luckily, both of them had gotten used to saying sentences like that over the years. It was only in front of Joseph that the two of them were deliberately sweet to each other. Other than in front of Joseph, there was no unity for them. *** "Are you sure they won't look for us?" Asleena became worried because she and Benny had already spent two hours together. Now they were at another seafood restaurant, some distance away from the restaurant where the meeting was held. Moments ago, after feeling sore from walking everywhere, the two of them decided to enjoy another seafood dish. It had already been two hours at the seafood restaurant. Asleena gradually felt worried about what the people who attended the meeting with the two of them would think. "Looks like they've gone back to the hotel," Benny said as he checked his cell phone. He then held out the phone screen to show Asleena. "Look at the photo posted by one of my company people. They're done having fun at the beach." Asleena squinted as she watched the caption of the post on Benny's phone. After she finished, Asleena nodded her head repeatedly and smiled amusedly. "Oh my. They're so tired from work that they're happy to take a vacation," Asleena replied, finally unable to hold back her laughter. Benny pulled out his cell phone again while raising his eyebrows. "Well, leave it alone. Later, after returning from this place and going back to work, they will work harder to prepare for the construction project." Asleena immediately put on a sneering expression after hearing Benny's words. "Gosh, you really have no feelings. Aren't you going to give me an extra day off?" "Why? Because they just returned from this place and need to rest after traveling so far?" "Exactly! You should think about your employees' performance-" "No," Benny said firmly. "I don't want to let them go on vacation all the time. It will make them less productive." Asleena snorted. "Less productivity? As if you know whether they're at home doing anything or nothing at all." "They'll definitely use the time to sleep all day," said Benny, who still didn't care about Asleena's opinion. After Asleena rolled her eyes in disgust, she remembered something. "Benny, you know, our relationship is a secret. What if someone finds out and leaks about it?" Asleena asked. Instantly his tone turned serious, and that's what made the atmosphere between Asleena and Benny quite serious. Hearing Asleena's sudden question made Benny immediately stop the movement of his hands. His chewing slowed down by the second. Benny seemed to think for a moment, as if something was bothering his mind at that time. "Are you talking about Bella?" Suddenly Asleena was surprised that Benny thought like that. Actually, Asleena did not think about Bella. Because what Asleena was thinking about was what if there was someone from another company who liked to spread gossip. Asleena knew that there were people who could take pictures secretly, then make it into news. Things like that caused Asleena to worry. "I wasn't talking about Bella," Asleena replied. "But after you mentioned her name like that, I got worried about her." Benny laughed wryly at Asleena's confession. "No need to lie, you're too easy to read," he replied. "Bella wouldn't dare do anything to you. Take it easy." "Really?" Asleena looked at Benny a little unsure. Benny's nod of his head signaled firmness. At that moment, contrary to Asleena, Benny did not want to feel worried at all. In fact, Benny could still eat his food calmly without seeming to be aware of his surroundings. "You shouldn't have to think about something like that. If something gets out, the news they release will be erased." Asleena frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked. "How do I burn that?" "With... grandpa's help." Unbeknownst to them, someone had been watching their movements all along. A pair of sharp eyes and a hand holding a camera, as if ready to take pictures of anything. There had been several pictures taken since Asleena and Benny walked together along the beach. The person smiled wryly as he looked at the pictures he had taken that moment. "This will make good news," he muttered.