It was Julie's room that Alita stayed in until it was time for her to go. She didn't want to run across Benson by chance and be forced to engage in the unpleasant conversation about how he is in a different shirt. she didn't want to be forced into having that talk with him. Alita believed that it was easier to just let things go. Simply leave it alone, and it will take care of itself, and everything will be okay. If you keep prodding at it, it will eventually turn into something regrettable. Simply leave it alone.
She stayed in with Julie and only left to get something from the kitchen for Julie on rare occasions. She essentially snuck around the house till she was back in Julie's room again.
"Where would we even begin?" Alita inquired of Julie, who looked at her with a cute smile on her face and blinked at her. "It's going to be really strange and cutthroat unpleasant." "I'm just not able to." She made a motion with her hands.
A voice in her thoughts began lecturing her on the consequences of what she had done. And she began to have second thoughts.
Was that considered to be crossing a line? I couldn't just abandon him like that... but why is this so? Why can I not simply ignore things and leave them his I met them?
Alita pushed the unpleasant questions that had flashed into her head to the back of her thoughts.
"I did the right thing, and I don't have to feel terrible about it," she said to herself as she rubbed her palms together over her thighs.
Even the part where you made the decision to take his shirt off? That was a very stupid idea on your part.
Her mind flashed back to a memory of her biting her nails as she walked out of his room, and she squeezed her lips together in concentration. She shook her head in an attempt to push the notion away, but she ended up yanking her head too forcefully and twisting her neck so much to the left that it hurt.
"Fuck, that hurts," she said as she groaned and tossed her head backward, clearly upset with herself.
When it was time for her to leave for home, she tucked Julie into bed and packed her belongings, including her jacket. The moment she reached for the doorknob, she halted, her mind racing with ideas for how to facilitate her silent escape. She would disappear into thin air as if she had never been there.
With her body hardening as she moved slowly towards the door, she drew it closer to her. As soon as she was persuaded that she was free to leave, she peered down the corridor and walked through the door with her entire body.
Alita was resolved not to be noticed by Benson on her way out of the house. She leaned against the wall, taking slow silent steps and peeping around the corner before beginning her turn. The mansion appeared to grow in size, while she appeared to shrink. Balling her fist, she went past the kitchen and straight through the living room to the front door. Benson spoke just as she was about to ask for the door to be opened.
"On your way somewhere," he said in a rather calm and controlled manner.
Alita froze, biting the inside of her bottom lip. All of that planning has come to naught... Fuck!
She didn't know what to say, so she just remained there facing the door until he spoke again, at which point she had no choice but to turn around and confront him.
Taking another sip of the cup of tea he had prepared, he stated, "There are many things I can sue you for right now." It was late in the afternoon, and he was drinking tea. Who drinks a cup of tea in the evening? If it weren't for some bizarre reason similar to the one he's currently experiencing, which was bizarre enough to compel him to make tea. "And, thanks to my contacts, you could be imprisoned until the rest of your days on this planet."
Alita's chest rose and fell with each difficult breath she took as she looked Benson in the eyes. He had a distorted expression on his face as he looked into his cup of tea.
Her legs suddenly went weak
Exactly what the heck is he talking about? So why is he bringing up the subject of prison after I just cleaned his intoxicated ass and escorted him to his room?
Alita simply stood by the door and stared at him without saying anything. The look of horror on her face said everything she couldn't say.
"If I wanted to, I could erase everything about you with a single phone call," he said, raising his face to hers. His brows were furrowed, and his tone became more hushed. "Were you planning on leaving like that?" And after that, what? You don't show up tomorrow, and you don't show the day after? Please tell me because I am completely confused. Can you tell me what you were thinking sneaking out like that?"
She didn't think about what might happen the next day. She didn't give a thought to what would happen the moment she stepped out of the house after that. She really wanted to get out of there as fast as she could. But there she was, right in front of him, terrified to her very core. She'd never seen him like this before, and she was surprised. He was saying all kinds of horrible things, and she was feeling a great deal of guilt over what she'd done.
"If you will not accept the responsibility, don't do anything at all. I understand you were trying to help me by somehow carrying me to my room, but that was inappropriate," he pointed at the shirt he had on. "You don't suppose I skipped my room during the tour for no reason? I adore my privacy, "He exhaled and took a long pull drag of air. "It's insane that you'd leave like that without saying anything. If you can't talk to me, you have to work with me. How can I trust you if you're skulking around like a thief? I trust Sarah, and I have to trust you as well, but inconsistencies like this are bad for business," He exhaled and shook his head. "I just can't afford it, and I don't do bad business. That's how I stay on top of the food chain. And becoming a great businessman in Los Angeles isn't simple," He straightened his back. "This is outrageous, Alita, it should never happen again, do you understand what I mean?"
Alita nodded, standing still and holding her breath.
What have I done? Alita blinked incessantly.
"Now, go think about this," he said, motioning with his hand. "I'll catch up with you tomorrow."
Alita nodded once more and turned around. "Open the door, Cece," she said, but it didn't. "Cece, open the front door," she pleaded, but the door remained shut.
Benson cleared his throat after gulping the last of his tea, which had provided him with the moral strength and stability he required to speak to Alita in that manner. He stared into his cup when he couldn't make eye contact. "I had disabled the multi-user control so you couldn't go till this happened," he added, swiping and tapping his phone before saying, "try again."
"Cece, please open the door," she begged, trying not to tumble down whore she was standing on. The door slid open, and they exited. She expelled air and then drew it back in.
"My goodness will kill me," she muttered as she walked away from the house.
Instead of walking home, she took a cab. She was too tense and shocked, and she was seriously contemplating if she could keep up with the job. She was merely trying to help...
She returned home and ran into Sarah.
"You're late," Sarah replied, her gaze locked on her phone. "What happened?" She raised her head to face Alita. "You look like you have seen a ghost. Please tell me what has happened. Are you all right? Were you robbed, or what?" Sarah's brows furrowed, her eyes wide with concern.
"I wish," Alita muttered, sinking into the couch.
"So, what now?" Sarah returned to her phone after it beeped and the screen illuminated.
"It's Grumpy face," Alita said, putting her hands over her head. She told Sarah everything that had happened between her and Benson, excluding when she was salivating over his abs.
Sarah snorted a laugh. "He can be like that. You will get used to it."
"Hell no, I won't," Alita responded, shaking her head incessantly.
Sarah hummed as she typed into her phone.
"Who is this distracting you, Sarah?" Alita reached for Sarah's phone, but Sarah had quick reflexes and was able to retract it before Alita's fingers could reach for it. "I'm traumatized, and you're riveted to your phone, typing god only knows what."
"It's nothing you need to know."
Alita leaped off the couch and ran after Sarah for her phone, but Sarah was faster. Alita eventually gave up and collapsed on her bed. "No fair, Sarah," she yawned, closing her eyes. She was dozing off.