Chapter 285 You Can Understand It As Me Having Ulterior Motives towards You.
"Bringing breakfast for the boss is pretty normal," Sam said. But Benjamin, be honest. Are your intentions really pure? Remember when you gave me a bottle of water and made me run thirty laps?"
"And when you brought me food and tripled my training?" Dominic chimed in.
Benjamin sat there, unfazed. "You guys got a problem with me?"
Sam and Dominic felt a chill and tensed up.
"So, are you really going after Daphne?" Emma asked.
Before Benjamin could answer, Daphne, half-asleep, sat up. Her sleepy eyes looked over, and she softly said, "Benjamin, didn't you promise not to hold grudges? Why are you going back on your word?"
Maybe because she was still a bit drunk, her voice and demeanor were endearing, making Emma and Zoey want to pinch her cheeks.
And they did.
"Everyone should head home," Benjamin said, standing up, his tall frame towering over them. "Be safe. I'll take Daphne home first."
He walked towards Daphne.
As he was about to take her away, Daphne asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
"I'll talk to you later," Benjamin said, pulling her up gently, his voice low and affectionate. "Want me to carry you or give you a piggyback ride?"
Daphne shook her head, mumbling, "I can walk by myself."
"Alright," Benjamin agreed, letting her lead the way.
He turned to the others. "Don't drive if you've been drinking. Call for a ride and let us know in the group chat when you get home."
"Got it," the group responded, still a bit dazed.
Benjamin didn't pay them any more attention and left with Daphne.
As soon as he left, everyone exchanged glances, looking surprised, especially Emma and Zoey.
"Why do I feel like Benjamin's attitude towards Daphne is a bit strange?" Emma said.
Zoey nodded. "Since I've known Benjamin, I've never seen him be so gentle with anyone."
"Does that mean Daphne's in for a rough time?" Kevin asked, his innocent eyes filled with concern for Daphne. "She might have it worse than Dominic and Sam."
Emma and Zoey exchanged a look. They didn't think that was the case.
"Is it possible..." Sam hesitated, looking at everyone's faces. "that the usually aloof Benjamin likes Daphne?"
Dominic thought back to the earlier scene. "I think it's very possible."
If it were them who were drunk, Benjamin would have just carried them back without asking if they wanted to be held or given a piggyback ride.
His patience was out of the ordinary!
"Evan, what do you think?" Sam asked.
Evan, who was usually perceptive, smiled meaningfully but didn't say much. "Didn't I tell you guys? Benjamin is just being nice to Daphne."
Hearing that, everyone understood.
"You knew all along?" Dominic asked.
"Don't tell Daphne about this. Don't mess with Benjamin's plans," Evan said, looking especially at Emma and Zoey. "Especially you two."
Everyone knew Emma and Zoey were super close to Daphne. If he didn't remind them, they might spill the beans, and given Daphne's current attitude toward Benjamin, she might just avoid him altogether.
"Benjamin sure hides his feelings well," Emma said, feeling relieved. "He probably didn't start liking Daphne only after retiring, right?"
"I don't know," Evan replied honestly.
No one knew when Benjamin started having feelings for Daphne. All they knew was that Benjamin was very professional. Even though he liked Daphne, he never went easy on her during training.
But thinking about it, it made sense. They needed rigorous training to ensure their safety during missions.
"This is good," Zoey also felt relieved. "If Daphne is with Benjamin, no one would dare bully her."
Everyone silently agreed to keep this a secret, as Evan had suggested. They didn't want to interfere with Benjamin's plans.
In this small team, Daphne was the only one unaware of the situation.
After leaving the club, Benjamin didn't immediately take Daphne home. Instead, he took her for a walk nearby. At first, Daphne walked on her own, but soon, she started pausing every few steps. Benjamin ended up giving her a piggyback ride.
"Benjamin," Daphne mumbled on his back, her eyes still closed but stubbornly, "You haven't answered my question."
"When did I ever say I was holding a grudge?" Benjamin's voice was pleasant, with a lazy undertone.
Surrounded by his voice, Daphne felt like she was in a warm, comfortable environment with a gentle breeze.
Without thinking, she said, "Then why do you bring me breakfast and invite me over for meals?"
"You could interpret it as..." he was about to say he had ulterior motives.
However, Benjamin didn't finish his sentence. Although she was somewhat drunk, she wasn't completely out of it. If he said it now, she might use a business trip as an excuse to avoid him the next day.
Daphne was still listening. "What?"
"I'm just caring for my team member who's going through a divorce." Benjamin found a random excuse. "Or maybe I'm being nice to my boss to help my career."
"No." Daphne insisted seriously.
Benjamin asked, "What?"
"You're not that kind of person," Daphne said, even in her drunken state; she knew Benjamin's character well.
Benjamin smiled down at her and continued walking.
Daphne felt her thoughts were muddled, convinced that drinking couldn't erase her troubles. At that moment, her mind was filled with various things, from Charles's incident to Benjamin's situation, all intertwining and making her thoughts chaotic.
When they got home, Benjamin poured her a glass of water. Although it wouldn't completely sober her up, it would help alleviate some of the discomfort from the alcohol.
After finishing this, he informed the group that they had arrived home safely.
Emma: [Give Daphne some water to drink, so she won't have a headache tomorrow.]
Benjamin: [I've already given her some.]
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