Ch. 201..210
Chapter 201 Do Not Startle Them
Benjamin raised his eyes to glance at him. He’s pretty fast.
“Go and look for Ethen. He will tell you what to do!”
“Okay!”
Jack nodded as he turned to leave.
However, he paused at the door to ask, “I saw Zayden leaving just now. Why is he here?”
Benjamin snorted coldly. “To put up an act!”
Stunned, Jack went out to look for Ethen when he noticed Benjamin’s rotten mood.
“Ethen, I missed you so much. Did you miss me?”
Jack put down his luggage, then gave Ethen a big hug.
Ethen smelled a foul stench coming from him.
“Stay back! How long have you not taken a shower? You smell so bad!”
With a disdainful look on his face, Ethen immediately pushed him away.
Jack was saddened. “How could you ask me that! There’s no water there. We don’t even have enough water to drink!”
Ethen rolled his eyes at him.
“Don’t think that I don’t know you were enjoying your life there!”
“I… I only went to the club once in a while. I didn’t neglect my work. If you didn’t ask me to come back, I would still be creating pits! What’s the matter? Why did Mr. Graham tell me to come back so urgently?”
Upon mentioning serious matters, Ethen explained everything to him in detail.
“Mr. Graham wants you to search for Gavin, the other kids, and Ms. York! Please find them as fast as possible!”
Ethen passed him the photo.
Jack was getting more and more confused throughout the explanation.
His jaw dropped the moment he saw the five kids with the same faces in the photo.
“Are they all Mr. Graham’s kids?”
Whoa! Mr. Graham is insane!
“Quintuplets!”
Ethen was amused when he saw the surprised look on Jack’s face.
“Hurry up and find them. Also, go take a bath. You stink!”
“But, why did they go missing?”
Jack felt that something was not right.
Ethen looked at him with a helpless expression, wondering how his colleague could be so uninformed.
Jack stared back at him. “There was no signal over there, okay!”
Benjamin had sent him to a harsh place for one whole year, after all.
“Danna’s people tried to kidnap Gavin. The kidnapping was not successful, but he went away with Ms. York. We haven’t found them yet!”
“Why did Ms. Adams make a move on the kid? Isn’t she Gavin’s biological mother?”
Ethen rubbed his temples as he answered, “She’s not. Ms. York is his biological mother. Quickly go and search for them. Mr. Graham is very worried about them. Don’t let them fall into the hands of the enemy!”
“Sure thing. I will go now!”
Jack turned on his heel to set out immediately.
“Go in the direction of Lightspring!”
Ethen reminded him to contact the head of the bodyguards, who were looking for the people outside.
Jack made an “okay” gesture in response. When he passed by Benjamin’s office, he said to him, “Mr. Graham, I’m going to search for the kids and Ms. York now. Don’t worry!”
Benjamin swept a glance at the filthy Jack.
“Don’t startle them when you find them. Notify me immediately!”
“Understood!” replied Jack before taking off.
Benjamin was certain of his capability. He should be able to find them in a short time, right?
Benjamin scrolled his phone. There wasn’t any reply from Arissa and Gavin.
At the same time, Arissa was checking on Dellmoor’s news. She felt more secure when she knew that Danna wasn’t released yet.
If Benjamin lets Danna off, it will not be too much of me to take the kids and leave. He has caught the two accomplices, so he must have known that I didn’t lie about the incident five years ago. If he’s determined to put Danna in jail, I will bring the kids back. Benjamin must be at work at this time.
Arissa was absorbed in her thoughts for a while, and she logged in to her instant messaging application.
To her surprise, Benjamin’s message popped up the moment she logged in.
Her hands trembled, and she turned off the application immediately.
The text read: Where are you?
Chapter 202 Negotiating With Dad
Arissa’s heart pounded heavily from the shock.
When did Benjamin get my WhatsApp? Could it be during the time he took my phone to enter his number? Did I expose myself to him the second I went online?
She calmed herself down and analyzed the situation. It shouldn’t be the case since the application will not display the online status.
It must be a coincidence. It should be!
She turned on the application again and checked on the timestamp of the message. The record showed yesterday’s date.
Just as she let out a sigh of relief, she received another message from Benjamin.
Benjamin texted: Arissa, reply to me by today or bear the consequences!
Arissa was rendered speechless. Flustered by the message, she closed the application immediately.
Benjamin knows I was online?
“Mommy, what’s the matter?” asked Gavin as he approached when he saw Arissa seemingly agitated.
Arissa held Gavin into her arms and said, “I’m fine. I opened WhatsApp, and your daddy suddenly sent me a message.”
Gavin blinked his eyes at Arissa. “What did he say to you?”
“He asked of my whereabouts—that’s all,” replied Arissa as she softly rubbed Gavin’s head. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
“I needed to pee!”
Arissa smiled at him. “Off to sleep now. I still have work to do!”
Gavin nodded. “Mommy, you should take a rest too. Don’t work too much!”
“I promise I will go to sleep once I finish my work. Off you go now,” assured Arissa.
She kissed Gavin on his cheek. Blushing from his happiness, he kissed her back and returned to his room.
As Gavin shut the door, he silently took out his phone and sat at the corner of his bed with a frown. Should I contact Daddy? It won’t be long until they find this place.
Gavin was hesitant and indecisive for a while. However, when he recalled Benjamin caring about Danna, he became frustrated and decided to drop the idea.
At that moment, Zachary woke up and saw Gavin in a daze while holding his phone.
He approached Gavin. “What are you doing?”
Gavin turned around and stared at Zachary.
Zachary furrowed, and the same thought came to his mind. “Are you planning to contact Benjamin?”
“Mommy opened her WhatsApp, and I’m not sure if we were discovered,” Gavin explained the situation to Zachary.
“He has Mommy’s WhatsApp?” Zachary was surprised for a moment before remembering that Arissa had worked in Benjamin’s company, so it was normal for him to have her WhatsApp.
Gavin nodded as his eyes gleamed. “I was thinking since they will discover us sooner or later, why don’t we take the initiative and reveal ourselves instead?”
Zachary stared at Gavin, expecting him to finish his idea. “And then what?”
He sat down beside Gavin and glanced at the SIM card in his hand.
“Didn’t he put up a reward for us? We could request for a higher reward!” explained Gavin.
Zachary listened to Gavin’s idea and giggled. “If Benjamin learned that his son extorted him, he would blow his top off!”
“I’ll negotiate the terms with him personally!” stated Gavin.
“What if he refuses to accept your terms?” asked Zachary in awe.
“He won’t!” assured Gavin.
They gave each other a thumbs up in agreement.
“Shall we do it now?” asked Gavin.
Zachary remained silent, and Gavin took that as a sign of approval. He turned on the GPS jammer and inserted the SIM card into the phone.
“What is this application that you are using?” Zachary was curious as he watched Gavin.
“This is a GPS jammer application that I created. It can reposition my location to other places for a certain amount of time without being discovered. It is incomplete for now, so we can’t use it for too long,” explained Gavin.
Gavin sent the message to Benjamin after he summed up his explanation.
Zachary was shocked and gasped after he saw the message. “Isn’t that too much to ask for?”
“Nope! He is very rich!” Gavin retorted and sent the message.
He texted: Send me ten billion, and I will tell you our location.
The kids waited patiently for Benjamin’s reply.
Chapter 203 Scammed By His Son
Benjamin waited eagerly for Arissa’s reply. His phone finally beeped, and he was surprised to see the message from Gavin. He ignored the message and immediately tried to track the location of Gavin’s phone.
Kenfort? That’s a very long distance from Dellmoor. How did they travel so far without being noticed?
Benjamin felt uncertain. It doesn’t matter. I’ll ask Jack to send some men over to Kenfort and search for them.
Benjamin read the message from Gavin and mumbled, “You rascal.”
He replied: Where are you?
Zachary and Gavin saw Benjamin’s reply and looked at each other.
Gavin texted: Pay up and I’ll tell you!
Benjamin’s mouth twitched. That rascal! He did not even realize he had revealed his location, yet he gave me a condition. I can’t believe he’s asking me for money.
“Do you think he will give us the money?” asked Zachary.
“Even if he doesn’t, we have nothing to lose as long as we don’t reveal our location,” responded Gavin as he removed the SIM card.
Benjamin texted: I don’t have that much money!
Gavin did not reply, so Benjamin attempted to track Gavin’s location again. The tracking failed as the kid had turned off his phone.
Benjamin frowned and tapped his fingers on the desk. Ultimately, he gave in and transferred ten billion to Gavin. The amount he had in cash was depleted in an instant as the remaining funds he had were tied up in other investments.
At the time, Gavin and Zachary didn’t wait in front of the computer as they went back to sleep.
Arissa returned to the room after she finished her work. The kids were sleeping soundly, and she proceeded to take a short nap.
A few hours passed, and Benjamin grew impatient as he did not hear a word from Gavin after transferring the money.
Was I scammed by my son?
Ethen held his breath, carefully glancing across the room at Benjamin.
Mr. Graham is getting agitated. Is he not satisfied with the plan?
“Any news from Kenfort?” asked Benjamin.
Ethen was startled and hastily reported, “They have just arrived at Kenfort!” Ethen was constantly communicating with Jack, and he got hold of the latest update before entering the room.
Benjamin puckered his lips as an uneasy feeling lingered in his mind.
Kenfort is the farthest city from Dellmoor. He revealed his location on purpose while requesting money from me. Had he ever thought that I might not accept his request? He should be smarter than that.
“Any news from Lightspring?” asked Benjamin.
Ethen checked on the information for assurance. “Not yet!”
Benjamin turned his gaze to Ethen and ordered, “Send more men to the area and expand the search perimeter. Apart from the city district, keep an eye on the towns and villages!”
“Yes, sir!” Ethen immediately arranged for more people.
Meanwhile, the kids woke up from their naps. Gavin washed his face before inserting the SIM card into the phone and saw the message from Benjamin.
Benjamin wrote: I transferred the money. Give me the address now!
Gavin raised his eyebrows and hurriedly checked the amount of money in his bank.
Daddy transferred the money two hours ago!
Zachary was curious and came near Gavin. “Was it transferred?”
Gavin nodded in excitement.
Flabbergasted, Zachary yelled, “That was easy!”
“What was transferred?” asked Jasper, who just woke up and was feeling drowsy.
Jesse remained in her bed and had not washed her face.
Oliver stared at the duo curiously.
“Daddy transferred ten billion to us!” announced Gavin, full of excitement.
The three of them were stunned for a moment before exclaiming in surprise, “Daddy gave us ten billion?” The drowsiness instantly disappeared from their minds.
Oliver’s eyes glistened brightly as though his myopia had never existed.
Gavin nodded at the three.
Oliver ran over to Gavin, and his eyes nearly popped out when he saw the balance.
“That is a lot of money!” commented Oliver as he grinned from ear to ear.
Jasper and Jesse saw his reaction and dashed straight toward Gavin. Jesse stared at the screen and counted the number of zeros.
“Did Daddy really give this to us?” Jasper rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“It seems so!”
Zachary looked at Gavin. Benjamin transferred the money to Gavin alone. He didn’t mention that the money was meant to be shared. I guess Gavin was the one who decided that.
“Why did he give us so much money all of a sudden?” asked Jasper.
Chapter 204 The Term That Costs Ten Billion
Oliver replied with bright eyes, “That’s a stupid question. He obviously wants us to go back!”
Gavin giggled. “Jasper’s right. Instead of waiting for Daddy to come to us empty-handed, we might as well make the first move.”
Jasper looked at Gavin. “Have you told him where we are?”
“Not yet, but that was the term in exchange for the ten billion!” Gavin explained to his siblings.
Oliver did not raise his objection.
Jasper put some thought into Gavin’s explanation and agreed he was right and did not object to it.
“Are we going back? Will he hit us for what we have done?” Jesse pouted with uneasiness as she had never met Benjamin before.
Gavin patted Jesse’s head and comforted, “I don’t think he will hit any of us.”
Seeing his siblings unanimously agreeing to the plan, he stood up and said, “I’ll go tell Mommy about it.”
Although he was the one who negotiated with Benjamin behind Arissa’s back, Gavin knew that he should tell Arissa the truth and let her make the final call.
“Uh-huh. I agree that we should tell her too!” Zachary nodded in agreement. “Otherwise, she will be very angry if she discovers that we had sold our location without telling her.”
Gavin ran out to look for Arissa. Arissa and Bradley were in the kitchen down the stairs. They had prepared extra food as the head of the village was coming over for dinner.
“Mommy, I need to tell you something!” exclaimed Gavin.
Arissa cleaned her hands and walked over to Gavin. “What’s the matter, Sweetheart?”
Gavin spoke softly with a sense of guilt. “Mommy, I made a trade with Daddy.”
“Trade? What trade?” Arissa was shocked and urged Gavin to explain.
“It’s if he gave me ten billion, then I will tell him our location,” said Gavin with a timid voice as his eyes stole glances at Arissa.
Arissa was stupefied for a moment before giggling. She rubbed Gavin’s head and asked, “Did he agree to it? Ten billion is a huge amount of money, and I don’t think he will give it to you that easily.”
Gavin held up his phone and showed Arissa the proof of transfer message. “He already did.”
Arissa looked at the screen and counted the zeros to make sure it was ten billion. Her mouth twitched in disbelief. He transferred the money.
“Ten billion… Is this for real?” Bradley heard their conversation and came over. “Oh, my gosh! That’s a lot of zeros!”
Arissa looked daggers at Bradley for yelling so loud. Bradley immediately covered his mouth in shock. “Sorry! I got too excited.”
“Mommy, you don’t want Daddy to find us, right? I can return the money to him since I didn’t tell him our location yet.” Gavin spoke softly.
Arissa carried Gavin up and lightly pinched his nose. “Sweetheart, you’re the best! You don’t have to return the money. Tell him where we are now.”
Gavin’s eyes widened. “You’re not angry?”
“Of course, I’m not. And I shouldn’t be! Your father had put up notices all over the place. We may be able to hide for a few days but not for months. That one hundred million as a reward is too alluring, so many people will keep their eyes peeled for us,” explained Arissa.
“I’ll send a message to him right away!” Gavin looked at Arissa.
“Sure!” Arissa nodded.
During that morning, Arissa planned to negotiate the reward to one billion. Unexpectedly, the reward increased tenfold in the blink of an eye. Arissa was over the moon.
I wouldn’t mind the money since it was from Benjamin.
“Boss, are you sure about this?” Bradley was astonished by Arissa’s sudden change in her decision.
“Why not? Ten billion is a lot of money.” Arissa chuckled.
Bradley showed a thumbs up gesture toward Arissa.
After Gavin told the other kids about Arissa’s decision, the York siblings shook their heads in unison. We should have known that Mommy would accept the money.
Gavin proceeded to send their address to Benjamin.
Benjamin saw the message, ordered Ethen to prepare a helicopter immediately, and rushed to their location.
Arissa gathered the kids together with Bradley for dinner in the dining room.
In less than an hour, a whirring sound echoed from outside the house.
Jasper rushed to the window and looked at the sky. “There’s a plane!”
Chapter 205 Meeting His Other Sons For The First Time
Arissa and Bradley did not pay much attention to Jasper, as they felt it was normal for a plane to pass.
Zachary and Gavin looked at each other. “Could it be Daddy?”
The whirring sound got louder as it approached. Some villagers came out of their houses out of curiosity to see what was happening.
The helicopter generated gusts of strong wind on the ground.
“Mommy, is the helicopter coming to our house?” Oliver joined Jasper at the window and saw the helicopter hovering above their roof.
Gavin puckered his lips and said, “It must be Daddy. I’m sure of it!”
Arissa’s heart fluttered. That was fast.
Bradley stared at Arissa and teased, “It is not too late to run if you are afraid!”
Arissa rolled her eyes and retorted, “Why would I be afraid of him? Keep your eyes on the pot!”
“Fine.” Bradley turned his head around and resumed to watch the pot.
The kids were all gathered at the window while Arissa continued to prepare dinner.
The children then moved to the front door and looked up at the sky. Benjamin was relieved to see them through his window.
“They are really here!” said Ethen in excitement.
The helicopter circled the village while searching for a landing spot, and the gusts of wind that were produced disarrayed the surrounding crops. The pilot landed it on the muddy path between the fields, as he could not find a single patch of dry land.
The door opened and Benjamin got out from the helicopter.
The five kids remained at the front door as they watched Benjamin. Gavin and Jasper were not surprised as they had been with Benjamin before. Zachary was also indifferent.
On the other hand, Jesse and Oliver looked on with anticipation, but they remained with their brothers since none of them had moved an inch.
Benjamin saw the kids and strode hastily toward them.
He stopped in front of them and sighed in relief when he saw Gavin. Benjamin surveyed the others, and his heart began to pound heavily.
I finally get to see my kids. This place is totally off the grid. It’s no wonder that the team had failed to find them for so long.
Jasper, Gavin, Oliver, and Zachary stared at Benjamin and scanned him from head to toe.
“I’m Benjamin Graham!” he introduced himself to the kids.
“Yes, we know!” the kids answered in unison.
Benjamin raised his eyebrows and said, “I am your daddy!”
The kids felt awkward and went silent.
Ethen came over, delighted to see the kids. “It’s a pleasure to meet you all. Every single one of you is so cute. My name is Ethen. You can call me Mr. Frank!”
The kids looked at Ethen’s smiling face and greeted him, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Frank!”
Ethen grew even more delighted and beamed.
He took a glance at Benjamin and saw him staring daggers straight at him. He was stunned for a moment and immediately repositioned himself behind him, but his eyes remained glued to the kids.
Benjamin was dispirited and jealous because the kids greeted Ethen instead of him. He looked around the house but could not see Arissa.
Did she ran away on her own?
Benjamin frowned and asked, “Where is your mommy?”
Gavin puckered his lips, kept his head down, and remained silent.
Benjamin stole a glance at Gavin before looking back at the others.
Zachary replied in a low tone, “She’s making dinner.”
Benjamin took a few more looks at the kids and stepped into the house. He surveyed the surroundings and fixed his gaze at the kitchen. His expression contorted when he saw Arissa with another man in a short moment.
How dare you bring a man along with your kids to this kind of place!
Gavin noticed Benjamin’s reaction and signaled Zachary. “Let’s go inside!” Gavin took the lead, and the rest of them followed from behind.
Ethen felt the unsettling vibe, so he entered the house cautiously.
He gulped when he saw Arissa and Bradley in the kitchen and instantly shifted his gaze toward Benjamin.
Is Mr. Graham jealous? He seems very angry, but the pair in the kitchen doesn’t know about it.
“Ms. York!” Ethen hollered toward the kitchen.
Arissa took a glance in their direction and replied, “Have a seat.” She continued to make dinner after speaking.
Ethen was speechless.
Chapter 206 Do I Look Scary
Ethen cleared his throat and glanced at his boss, who was exuding a domineering aura. “Mr. Graham, would you like some water?”
Without waiting for a response, he went over to pour a glass of water for Benjamin.
The latter cast him a brief look but remained silent.
Moments later, Benjamin sat on the couch and stared intently at his five children. Gavin turned his head away arrogantly.
The other four children were a little scared when they saw their father’s grim expression, so they turned around and ran toward the kitchen.
As soon as Gavin saw his siblings escape, he also followed them.
Benjamin’s brows creased into a frown, and he felt more dissatisfied.
Although Ethen wanted to do the same, he did not dare to move because Benjamin’s aura was too intimidating.
When he took a quick look at the man, he happened to meet the latter’s cold gaze and gulped in fear.
“Do I look scary?” asked Benjamin coldly.
Ethen smiled dryly and mused inwardly, Mr. Graham, so you know that you’re scary?
“Maybe the children aren’t familiar with you yet, so they’re a little scared to see you.”
While observing Benjamin’s reaction, he continued, “You can smile at them. You’ll look much kinder!”
Benjamin knitted his brows tightly. Those kids are so timid?
Then, he glared at Ethen and uttered, “Gavin also ran away!”
That’s because you always look angry. Of course, everyone will be scared. Regardless of how he felt, Ethen still offered his boss some words of comfort.
“Maybe Gavin is afraid that you’ll scold him.”
Benjamin snorted coldly, obviously not buying it. “Get him here!”
That woman knows I’m here, but she’s still hiding in the kitchen.
At that instant, he could feel his rage building.
As soon as the five children entered the kitchen, they called out, “Mommy!”
When Arissa saw the little ones gathering in the kitchen, she glanced at the living room.
“What’s wrong?” She caressed their heads.
“Mommy, Benjamin’s expression is scary!” exclaimed Jesse with a sullen face.
Arissa was amused by her reaction and comforted, “If you’re scared, then don’t go over.”
“Okay.” Jesse nodded vehemently. Daddy isn’t nice at all. As expected, Mommy is the best.
“Sweethearts, can you go out and play first? I’m a bit busy.” As Arissa spoke, she looked at the other four elder children.
“Mommy, we want to stay with you!” Zachary replied.
A smile crept on her face. It seems like the kids don’t want to stay with Benjamin. I can even feel his oppressive aura, despite being so far away.
“Then you guys play in the dining room while I cook.”
“Ms. York, are you cooking?” Just then, Ethen came over and greeted Arissa with a smile.
She nodded. “Yes, Mr. Frank.”
“Do you need a hand?” Ethen looked around the kitchen and scrutinized Bradley from head to toe while the latter watched him.
“This is Bradley. Both of us can handle it. You don’t have to help us,” Arissa rejected.
“Gavin, Mr. Graham is looking for you.” Ethen looked at the five children and directed his attention at Gavin.
However, the boy only snorted in return.
Looking at Gavin, who was throwing a tantrum, Arissa let out a sigh.
“Gavin?” Ethen was at a loss as he stared at the boy pitifully.
In the end, Gavin gave in and walked toward the living room after taking a quick look at Ethen.
The latter immediately smiled and asked the other four children, “What are your names?”
“I’m Zachary York,” responded Zachary while staring at him.
Ethen raised his brows and wondered to himself, the little girl I saw back then was him in disguise?
“You’re so cute!”
Do I? There must be something wrong with his eyesight. Zachary was puzzled.
Subsequently, Ethen looked at the other three children, trying to identify them.
“Mr. Frank, I’m Oliver!” Oliver introduced himself with a smile. His eyes lit up.
“Mr. Frank, I’m Jasper. We’ve met before.”
Jasper also looked at Ethen with a grin on his face.
Chapter 207 Who Said I Do Not Care
Ethen ruffled their hair and asked Jasper, “It was you who pretended to be Gavin before this?”
“That was a misunderstanding. Benjamin’s bodyguard thought I was Gavin and took me away.”
Noticing how shrewd Jasper was, Ethen stated, “If Mr. Graham hadn’t told me about it, I wouldn’t even notice that you’d switched identities.”
“We look identical, right?” asked Jasper proudly.
“Yes. You guys are the splitting image of each other.”
“Of course. We’re quintuplets. However, if you look closely, we aren’t exactly identical,” Zachary said coolly.
Ethen nodded in agreement.
Then he looked at Jesse, who had been staring at him. “Little boy, what’s your name?”
Jesse snickered. However, she did not tell him she was a girl.
“Mr. Frank, I’m Jesse. The youngest among the five.”
In an instant, Ethen was captivated by her laughter and dimpled cheeks.
Why does this little boy look more like the little girl from before? His name sounds familiar too.
In the end, he inquired, “Are you the little girl from that day?”
Jesse giggled and nodded. “Yes. Mr. Frank, you’re so smart!”
Ethen’s lips curved upward into a smile. The kids must have deceived Mr. Graham.
“Are you really a girl?”
Since Jesse was wearing the same clothes as her brothers now, those who didn’t know better would definitely think she was a boy.
In response, the little girl nodded obediently.
“She’s my younger sister!” Jasper declared, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulder.
Ethen pinched Jesse’s cheek affectionately. “I thought you were a boy.”
Meanwhile, Gavin walked toward Benjamin and sat down opposite him in the living room.
He was pursing his lips, looking like a mini-Benjamin.
“What’s the matter?” he questioned coldly.
Benjamin scrutinized him and queried, “Are you upset with me?”
Instead of answering, Gavin lifted his chin.
A cold glint flickered across Benjamin’s eyes. This kid is really angry at me.
“Why?”
Again, Gavin did not answer.
Frustrated, Benjamin massaged his temples. It’s such a pain every time he refuses to speak.
“Your mommy told you to ask for the ten billion from me?” He frowned and felt dissatisfied when he thought it might be Arissa’s idea.
Furious, Gavin glared at him. “No!”
When Benjamin saw how livid his son was, his furrowed brows slightly smoothed out, and he breathed a sigh of relief without even realizing it.
“Why do you need so much money?” he asked casually.
Not that he was reluctant to give them the money, he was just curious.
Shortly afterward, Gavin responded, “You’ve already offered a reward of one hundred million to find us. If I don’t ask for more money, isn’t it a big loss for us?”
His reply rendered Benjamin speechless.
The next moment, the boy added, “You’re going to have children with another woman in the future. What’s wrong with me asking for some money? You don’t care about us, anyway!”
His accusations shocked Benjamin. “Who am I going to have children with?”
Gavin remained silent and turned his head away, puffing his cheeks.
“Who told you I don’t care about you?” Benjamin probed again.
Knowing that he had five children, he was also very excited.
Gavin’s mad at me just because of this?
Gavin pressed his lips tightly, obviously still infuriated.
“Come here.” After a while, Benjamin’s expression softened, and he patted on the spot next to him.
Nonetheless, Gavin pouted and glanced at him but did not go over.
Seeing that his son was getting more and more disobedient, Benjamin sighed inwardly.
“Do you still want to stay with your mom?” he inquired solemnly.
Immediately, Gavin widened his eyes. “You’re threatening me?”
All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the living room became tense.
When the village chief came over and saw a man confronting a child, he was stunned. “Excuse me…”
Looking over, Gavin greeted him warmly, “Are you the village chief?”
At the same time, Benjamin also turned his head and looked in their direction.
The village chief was shocked that the man looked exactly like Gavin. Could this be Benjamin Graham?
Chapter 208 That Is My Mommy
He nodded. “Yes, I am. The owner of this house invited me over.”
“That’s my mommy.” Gavin instantly shouted toward the kitchen, “Mommy, the village chief is here!”
The village chief could not help but grin at how adorable the boy was.
“Please come in and take a seat,” Gavin said warmly.
Subconsciously, the village chief looked at Benjamin. The latter’s aura was so intimidating that he had second thoughts entering the house.
As soon as Arissa heard her son, she hurried out to greet the village chief. “Hi, I’m Arissa. Please come in.”
She smiled and welcomed the village chief warmly.
As his gaze traveled among Arissa, Gavin, and Benjamin, the village chief came to a realization. “That’s okay. I should get going.”
“Since you’re already here, please come in for some tea. Dinner is almost ready. Besides, I should have gone to visit you, but you’ve come instead. Please don’t stand on ceremony.”
The village chief could not reject her generous invitation, so he sat on the couch opposite Benjamin.
“Nice to meet you.” He nodded toward the latter.
In response, Benjamin nodded in acknowledgement.
In the meantime, Arissa ignored Benjamin and poured a cup of tea for the village chief. “Please excuse me. I’ll get the dinner ready.”
“Okay. Go ahead,” the village chief politely responded while holding the teacup.
Soon, Arissa went back to the kitchen again.
Benjamin’s eyes never left her back. I’ve been here for a while, but she never came to greet me or pour me a cup of tea. Yet, she’s so enthusiastic when the village chief is here.
“Are you…” Casting a brief look at Benjamin, the village chief felt awkward and tried to start a conversation.
“Benjamin Graham.” Benjamin averted his gaze to the village chief.
“I see. So, you’re really Mr. Graham. Is she a human… I mean, did she really kidnap your child?” Although the village chief did not believe it, he still asked out of curiosity.
“No, she’s my mommy. She’s not a bad person. I ran away from home to stay with her. It’s not her fault.” The moment Gavin heard the village chief’s question, he instantly jumped in to clarify Arissa’s identity.
The village chief nodded.
Benjamin glanced at his son and added, “We broadcasted the news on TV so that it would be easier for us to find them.”
Aren’t you afraid that someone might hurt your children’s mother, thinking she’s really a human trafficker? the village chief wondered.
“You’re so despicable!” Gavin glared at Benjamin. How dare you say Mommy is a human trafficker? She’ll be in danger because of that!
Upon hearing that, Benjamin narrowed his eyes at his son.
The village chief looked at the duo and lowered his head to take a sip of tea.
It seems like it’s just a conflict in their family.
“Since it’s just a misunderstanding, you only need to talk it out. I’ll take my leave now. My family is still waiting for me to have dinner.”
The village chief placed the teacup on the table and left. He could not bear to stay any longer. The pressure was too great.
“Aren’t you staying for dinner?” When Gavin was talking to the village chief, he had a gentle and lovable look on his face.
Witnessing that, Benjamin could not help gritting his teeth. What a good actor.
“No, I only came to find out who you are. Now that I know what happened, I finally feel relieved. You should gather with your family. Tell your mommy that I’ve got to leave first.”
Since Benjamin did not ask him to stay, the village chief did not have the nerve to stay for dinner, not to mention the tensed atmosphere.
“Okay. Goodbye!” Gavin waved his hand.
As the village chief walked out of the door, he turned around. “Goodbye!”
Glancing at the parked helicopter and the surrounding bodyguards, he straightened his back and walked past them.
He only relaxed when he was far away from them.
Nobody would’ve thought that an influential man like Benjamin Graham would come to their village.
If they live here for a long time, it could benefit our village’s development.
Suddenly, a thought flashed across the village chief’s mind. I should’ve tried to get closer to Benjamin Graham earlier.
However, he immediately gave up on the idea when he turned around and saw the imposing manner of the bodyguards.
It’s hard for ordinary people like me to talk to such distinguished people. Moreover, he didn’t even talk to me just now.
Chapter 209 A Cordial Hospitality For Benjamin
When Arissa heard that the village chief had left, she hurriedly came out from the kitchen, but the man was already nowhere to be seen.
“Mommy, the village chief left in a hurry. Maybe he was frightened,” commented Gavin.
Startled, Arissa cast a brief look at the man sitting in the living room and smacked her lips. “It’s okay.”
Actually, she invited the village chief over because she wanted to ask him to keep their existence a secret. Now that Benjamin had found them, it was unnecessary.
Just when she was about to head back to the kitchen, Benjamin stopped her.
“Arissa.”
Turning around, she flashed him a sweet smile. “Mr. Graham.”
He could not help but snort when she acted as if she had only discovered his existence.
“Mr. Graham, please take a seat. Dinner will be ready soon.” Arissa did not give him a chance to speak, and hurried back to the kitchen.
At the same time, Ethen was setting the table with the other four children.
Since the village chief had left, Arissa did not prepare any more food. After cooking five dishes and a soup, she announced that dinner was ready.
“Mr. Graham, let’s eat.”
Benjamin shot Arissa a glance, walked over, and sat at the head of the table.
After that, she also called Ethen and Bradley over for dinner.
The children were already seated at the table.
“Everybody, dig in,” she said and sat down.
“Ms. York, did you prepare all these? They look so delicious!” Ethen salivated at the spread which looked particularly appetizing. There was even oven-baked escargot.
It had been a long time since he had escargots.
Hence, he was extremely excited.
“I prepared them for the village chief, but he left,” Arissa responded.
Ethen raised the corners of his lips and looked at Benjamin. Thanks to the village chief, we get to enjoy this scrumptious meal.
“Should we invite the bodyguards in for dinner as well?” Arissa directed her question at Ethen.
Feeling the pressure, he replied, “There’s no need for that. They’ll go back and eat later.”
Besides, the food here isn’t enough for everyone.
At that moment, Benjamin fixated his gaze on Arissa. Once he saw her sweaty neck, he bit back the words that he was about to say.
“Sweethearts, eat more.” She placed a lot of food on the children’s plates.
“Thank you, Mommy!” the quintuplets expressed their gratitude sweetly.
Arissa beamed.
Benjamin’s eyes lit up instantly, but he quickly collected himself and ate in silence.
“They’re delectable. Ms. York, you’re a better cook than my mother,” Ethen complimented while gobbling down his food.
Arissa was at a loss for what to do. Is that supposed to be a compliment? I’ve never eaten his mother’s food and didn’t even know if it was delicious.
“Shut up if you still want to continue eating.” Just then, Benjamin shot his assistant an icy glare.
The latter flinched and did not dare to say another word.
Bradley, who was sitting beside Ethen, was eating quietly the whole time.
The quintuplets took a glance at Benjamin and lowered their heads to continue eating.
When Arissa looked at Benjamin, he was staring at her. Taken aback, she immediately averted her gaze away from him.
Nevertheless, she still mustered her courage and piped up, “Mr. Graham, these are simple homemade dishes. Have a taste.”
“Okay,” Benjamin responded faintly.
After a while, she noticed he only ate the food in front of him.
“These are not bad too. You don’t like them?” She could not stop herself from asking out loud.
He stared at her intently, making her feel self-conscious.
Then he took some food from another plate.
Shocked, Ethen wanted to stop him, but Benjamin shot him a warning look.
On the contrary, Arissa was happy to see Benjamin trying other dishes. Was he embarrassed just now?
Gavin cast a brief look at Benjamin and shifted his gaze to Arissa.
Seeing how happy she was, he decided to ignore Benjamin. He’s already an adult. It’s his own fault for eating something he shouldn’t.
Chapter 210 Run Away With My Child
All in all, it was a rather enjoyable meal.
The group of four adults and five children finished every single dish on the table.
“Go and pack up your things. We’ll go back to Dellmoor now!” ordered Benjamin.
Arissa wanted to suggest staying for the night and only leaving the next morning. Nonetheless, she swallowed her words when she met his intimidating gaze.
“Okay.”
It was Benjamin’s turn to feel surprised. All of a sudden, she becomes so obedient?
Moments later, Arissa asked the children to pack up their belongings before she headed upstairs to pack hers.
“Bradley, do you want to stay here for a few more days or go back with us?”
Naturally, Bradley chose to go back. There was nothing in the village. It was only suitable for a short vacation.
“What about the ingredients in the refrigerator?”
“If you’re going back, give them to the villagers.” After saying that, Arissa went back to her room.
“Okay.”
Bradley and Ethen cleaned up the dining table while Benjamin followed Arissa and the children upstairs.
Instead of helping the children to pack their things, he went to her room.
She did not notice him because she was too busy packing.
Benjamin looked around the room. The decoration and environment were to his satisfaction.
“Arissa.”
Arissa jumped in shock and glared at him.
Quirking his brows, he teased, “Feeling guilty?”
“How dare you! You suddenly appeared from behind and called out to me. Anyone would be scared out of their wits.”
Ignoring her complain, Benjamin approached her, causing her to gulp in fear.
Subconsciously, she stepped back until her back was against the wall.
He put his hands on the wall, sandwiching her between his body and the wall.
She could smell the scent from his body, and her heart skipped a beat.
Doesn’t he know his actions are seductive?
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, she avoided eye contact with him.
“Running away with my children?” Benjamin lowered his head and fixated his gaze on the woman who was trapped. His lips curled into a sinister smirk.
From his point of view, he could see her long and curly eyelashes fluttering anxiously, causing his heart to race.
She’s blushing. Is she shy?
His gaze darkened as he continued to stare at Arissa’s blushing face.
“I-I brought them here for a vacation!”
Obviously, Benjamin did not believe her and he snorted coldly. “Would you block the GPS tracking if you’re here on vacation?”
Unable to bear the intense interrogation, she wanted to escape, but his other hand blocked her way.
The atmosphere became somewhat sensual because of their close proximity.
Nervously, she took a quick look at him. When she met his dangerous gaze, she swiftly lowered her head.
“We don’t want to be disturbed while we’re having fun.”
Her heart was pounding like a drum. In fact, she knew he would not believe her. All she wanted was to buy some time.
What will he do to me?
Benjamin kept his eyes trained on Arissa’s neck. A glow emanated from his eyes as he lifted her chin. “Do you think I’ll believe you?”
You even blocked the GPS signal!
Arissa was forced to meet his questioning gaze. Feeling guilty, she gave him an awkward smile. “Mr. Graham, I wasn’t in my best state of mind at that time. Can you please forgive me?”
Raising his eyebrows, he suddenly wanted to know what she would say next, so he remained silent.
Since he did not respond, Arissa began to feel uneasy. Truth be told, he was the kind of guy who would make others feel terrified just by standing still, more so in their current situation.
She tried her best to save herself. “Mr. Graham, I’m afraid the kids will be in danger. That’s why I took them with me. Danna is a vicious woman. She threatened me in broad daylight, and then her men attempted to kidnap the kids. Fortunately, the children are smart. Otherwise…”