Ch. 401..410

Chapter 401 Emotional Breakdown

“Arissa!” Benjamin pulled her away and said, “Let’s go back. How long will it take for you to search for him in this manner?”

Tears sprang out of Arissa’s eyes.

“I want to look for him…”

Benjamin embraced her and caressed her head. He felt equally terrible as well.

He’s my son too!

“We will find him! Don’t panic!”

Arissa buried herself in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

The young beggars looked at them in fright. They had no idea what was going on.

“Don’t cry. Go home with me. We’ll deploy more men to search for him. As long as he is still in the country, we will be able to find him! Even if he is in another country, I will find him too!” said Benjamin with determination.

After a while, Arissa finally calmed down.

She wiped the tears off her face.

Benjamin is right. I can’t panic because it will make things worse.

We have to deploy more men to search for him.

Arissa got out of Benjamin’s embrace and saw the group of young beggars looking at them timidly.

They looked so miserable that she could not help but caress their heads.

“I’m sorry that I scared all of you.”

The beggars shook their heads.

Arissa felt sorry for them that they had to live on the streets at such a young age.

She took out her purse and gave them all the money she had.

Arissa felt that being nice to them would somehow keep her child safe.

“Go and buy something to eat.”

“Thank you!”

The few of them accepted the money gingerly.

“You’re welcome!”

Arissa felt terrible. How many homeless children are there?

When Benjamin saw how caring she was, his eyes darkened.

“Arissa, let’s go back!”

He went up to grab her hand and pulled her toward the car.

This time around, Arissa did not fight back. Instead, she turned back and glanced at the young beggars.

Giving them money would not solve their problems in the long run. An idea popped up in her mind.

Even when Benjamin shoved her into the car, she was still thinking of ways to find her child.

When Benjamin saw her in that state, he started to worry.

“Arissa!”

He called out to her, but there was no response.

Benjamin raised his voice a few times before Arissa regained her senses and stared at him blankly.

“What?”

Benjamin’s brows furrowed even deeper.

“What are you thinking about? I called you, but you didn’t even hear me.”

Arissa blinked her eyes before telling Benjamin her plan.

“I want to take those children in!”

She looked toward the group of young beggars who had bought some food with the money she had given them.

Nobody knew how many days they had been starving. The way they were gobbling down the food made her heart ache.

Whose children are they?

Where are their parents?

Have they been abducted? Or did they get lost? Perhaps, they are being abandoned?

Arissa’s heart ached even more.

Maybe, her child might be among those children. She wanted to open an orphanage and take those children in. Perhaps, she might be able to find her child in that manner.

Benjamin was taken aback.

“Do you know how many homeless children are there?”

It isn’t just these few of them. Is she planning to take in every homeless child?

“I will open an orphanage so that they have a place to stay. Perhaps, our son may be among them!”

I’ll take it that I’m doing good deeds on behalf of my missing son.

Benjamin looked at her.

“Then why don’t we just send them to an orphanage and donate money to the orphanage? There’s no need to open one!”

Arissa turned to look at Benjamin. She felt that his idea was better than hers.

She could also go to the orphanage and looked for clues.

“Then, I want to take them there now!”

She was about to get down from the car when Benjamin pulled her back. “There’s no need. I’ll get someone to send them over.”

“I-I want to go and look for him at the orphanage!”

Arissa looked at Benjamin with her red, teary eyes, and there was no way he could say no to her.

Benjamin instructed his bodyguards to bring the beggars along with them in a separate car.

They then made their way to the orphanage.

 

Chapter 402 Donate In Her Name

Upon hearing that, the orphanage’s director shed tears of joy.

Benjamin continued, “I’ll arrange for someone to construct a new building for the children and hire a tutor for them. I’ll pay five thousand to cover the daily expenses of each child a year and will continuously support them until they reach adulthood. I’ll also cover their medical expenses, if necessary. What do you think? Is there anything else that you need?”

The director was stunned and looked at them in disbelief. “That’s more than enough! Thank you!”

A child would be able to live comfortably on a few hundred bucks a month, and that was a lot more than what an ordinary family could afford.

That pledge for sponsorship was a pleasant surprise, and the director was overjoyed.

“All right then. I’ll get someone to prepare the contract. I’ll be bringing in more children in the future. And I’ll also be setting up a foundation, so you don’t need to worry about the money anymore!” Benjamin promised.

“Okay!” The director was pleased to hear that. With Benjamin’s sponsorship, the orphanage would have no problem taking in more children in the future!

Arissa, too, was just as stunned. She did not expect Benjamin to do that.

“Sir, can I get your name?” the director looked at them and asked.

“Arissa York. That’s the name you should remember,” Benjamin answered.

That answer rendered Arissa speechless.

The director mumbled Arissa’s name and expressed his gratitude. “All right! You’re our benefactor, and we’ll remember you for life!”

“Remember this lady, not me!” Benjamin pulled Arissa over.

The director gave Arissa a surprised look. Arissa awkwardly pointed at Benjamin and said, “No, no, no. You should remember him. He’s the one who has pledged to support the orphanage. He’s Benjamin Graham.”

“Benjamin Graham?” The director was struck dumb.

Never in a million years did he expect a wealthy and powerful man like Benjamin to visit the orphanage and pledge to support them.

“Just remember Arissa’s name will do! My name is not important,” Benjamin insisted.

Arissa did not know what else to say. So was the director.

The director thought Benjamin wanted to lay low to avoid unwanted publicity. “All right then!”

“You’re the one supporting the orphanage. Why did you mention my name?” Arissa could not understand why Benjamin did that.

Benjamin glanced at her. “Because you’ll be the one paying the orphanage!”

Arissa was a little annoyed. What? Does he expect me to pay for the expenses of a hundred kids here? How much do I have to pay?

That would be five hundred thousand a year and five million for ten years. For every one thousand children, I’ll have to pay five hundred thousand a year and fifty million for ten years.

If I had to pay for the children for the next eighteen years, I’d have to fork out a total of one hundred million. And this amount is not inclusive of infrastructure development, workers’ salaries, and medical expenses.

That’s a huge sum, and I don’t have so much money!

Arissa began to realize that operating an orphanage was an overly ambitious idea.

The expenses alone was already a stumbling block.

Words caught in Arissa’s throat.

She was too embarrassed to admit to the director that she could not afford to sponsor the orphanage. She also did not want to disappoint the children.

Oh, well. Let them proceed with the contract. I guess I’ll just have to work harder to pay him back.

“Do you really mean what you’ve said?” The director needed the reassurance as he was afraid that Benjamin and Arissa were not serious about the pledge.

“We’re serious about the pledge, of course!” Benjamin nodded and immediately called Ethen on the phone.

“Prepare a contract right now. We shall convert the orphanage into a school, and we’ll cover all the expenses, teaching resources, and medical needs…”

Upon hearing that, Arissa was impressed with the detailed arrangement Benjamin made.

She turned to the director and said, “He’ll deliver what he had promised. The contract would be legally binding once you’ve signed on it, so don’t worry.”

The director became even more thrilled when he heard that Benjamin planned to manage this orphanage like a school. “You two are indeed Good Samaritans. Thank you!”

Arissa, who wished to get to know more about the children, did not forget the purpose of the trip. “Could you gather the children for me? I would like to meet them!”

 

Chapter 403 Getting The Orphanage To Look For The Child

“All right! I’ll see to it right now!” The director instantly signaled all the children over.

Soon, about ten children ran in their direction.

They were all thin as a rail. It was clear that they were all malnourished.

As a mother, Arissa’s heart sank when she noticed how frail the children looked.

She walked up to them and looked at them one by one but did not find her child.

Upon noticing the disappointment on her face, the director asked, “What’s wrong, Ms. York?”

Arissa smiled wryly and told him the truth. “A child of mine had gone missing, and to this day, I still have no idea where he is. If you know any directors from the other orphanages, could you check with them for me?”

“Sure!” The director nodded. “Can I know the child’s birthday? Do you have his picture?”

“Yes!” Arissa immediately gave him a photo. “He’s one of the sextuplets, so he should look more or less like his siblings in this photo, even though there might be a slight difference in weight.”

“Great! It should be easier for us to identify the child now that we know how he looks like. I’ll send them the photo and keep you updated! Could you give me your contact details, Ms. York?” The director immediately snapped a photo with his phone and uploaded it into their chat group.

“Thank you!”

Arissa immediately gave the director her contact details. She also gave him Bradley’s number in case she missed the director’s call.

Benjamin, who had just ended a call, turned around and frowned. “Give him my number!”

“What?” Arissa turned around and gave him a puzzled look.

A hard glint flashed across the man’s eyes. He snatched the pen from Arissa, dropped his contact number on the paper, and passed it to the director. “My assistant will arrive in a minute, and he’ll make the arrangement with you. Tell him if you need anything else.”

“Thank you, Mr. Graham. What you have offered is more than enough for us!” The director expressed his gratitude.

“You’re welcome. I hope we’ll be able to find the kid as soon as possible.” Benjamin nodded and left the orphanage with Arissa.

“Goodbye!” The director walked them to the door and bade them farewell.

Arissa turned around and reminded the director, “Don’t forget to call me when you have any information about my child!”

“Got it. I’ll ask them to look into it right now. I’ll keep you updated from time to time, so don’t worry!” the director replied.

Benjamin nodded and nudged Arissa. “Come. Let’s go.”

Once Arissa had stepped into the car, Benjamin closed the door and ordered the chauffeur to hit the road.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you in a hurry?” Arissa wondered.

“Let’s not waste time since the kid is not here. Ethen will take care of the rest,” Benjamin said.

Arissa nodded. Yes, I must not forget that I came here to look for my child.

The two then returned to the Graham residence.

Just when Arissa was about to look through the data, Benjamin grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the dining area.

“Let’s grab a bite first.”

Arissa’s heart started pounding as she stared at the manly hand that was grabbing her wrist.

“Don’t you need to head back to the office?” she asked.

Benjamin glanced at her.

He was supposed to be at work but had to leave the office when he learned from his security guard that Arissa was looking for her child like a headless chicken in the park.

“There’s not a lot of work in the office.” Benjamin then pulled out the chair and made her sit.

Arissa suddenly recalled he had made a trip to the lock-up. “Did Danna say anything to you?”

“Eat first!” Benjamin instructed the butler to serve her a bowl of soup.

Arissa looked at him steadily and asked in a serious voice, “What did she say?”

Benjamin lifted his eyes to look at the persistent woman.

He pressed his voice and answered, “She said the child is missing, and she had no idea where he was.”

Arissa’s body twitched upon hearing that.

How is it possible? My child is missing, and he’s not with Danna…

Benjamin knitted her brows when he saw her face turned pallid. “I would like to think of it as a blessing in disguise. At least the child is not in her hands, and she couldn’t do anything to harm the boy.”

Benjamin made this remark to console Arissa and convince himself to look at the bright side of the turn of events.

Benjamin’s heart sank for a moment.

 

Chapter 404 I Will Not Give Up

Arissa’s body was still trembling.

She was both mad and worried at the same time.

Arissa was mad that Danna threatened her with her child.

She was also worried about the safety of her son.

Benjamin stood up, walked up to her, and embraced her.

He gently patted her back and comforted her. “We’ll find him, don’t worry.”

“But where? Where can we find him?” Arissa broke down and cried.

Trying to find a lost child was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The thought of her child suffering somewhere in this world caused her to burst into tears.

Benjamin, too, was downhearted upon seeing how helpless Arissa was.

He leaned forward and pulled her head into his chest. He then gazed into her eyes and said, “This is not the time to break down. The more emotional you become, the more difficult it will be for you to track down the child. Unless you’re ready to give up?”

“No way. I’ll never give up! By hook or by crook, I’ll find him!” Arissa widened her eyes and exclaimed.

“I just… I feel I’ve let him down. I didn’t even know he existed before this. I really thought I had only given birth to quintuplets…” Arissa’s eyes turned red as she felt she had done her child wrong.

“It’s not your fault!” Benjamin looked at her aggrieved appearance and felt sorry for her.

He hugged her even more tightly and gently stroked the back of her head. “It’s my fault. Danna wouldn’t have a chance to lay her finger on the kid had I been more cautious with my investigation!”

Benjamin, too, felt a pang of guilt. If it were not for him, Arissa and the children would not have gone through the misery.

They nearly even lost their lives because of him.

We don’t even know if the child is still alive.

Benjamin could not breathe when he thought of the worst scenario. It was as if someone was strangling him.

“Mr. Graham!” Edwin was stunned when he overheard their conversation.

“You still have another child?”

Benjamin turned around to look at Edwin and responded with a nod.

There was no way they could live in peace unless they had found the missing child.

Edwin was at a loss for words as he did not know how to comfort Arissa.

On the one hand, he was pleased to learn that Benjamin and Arissa had another child, but on the other hand, he was also concerned about the child’s whereabouts.

“I’ll sure we’ll be able to find the child since there are so many of us. And I’m sure Mr. Graham knows what he’s doing. You must have faith in him!”

Upon hearing that, an idea popped up in Benjamin’s mind.

Arissa regained her composure. Now is not the right time to panic. I have to pull myself together to look for my child.

She got up and said, “I’m fine. I’m fine now. Don’t worry about me.”

Benjamin gave her a look of comfort. “It’s okay to cry it out. It’s good to release your emotions. We’ll definitely look for our child, but we need to plan ahead. I’ll deploy my men to look for him all over the country. But right now, I need you to calm down and eat properly.”

Arissa’s heart skipped a beat when she heard his plan. “Do you have enough men to deploy?”

Once again, Benjamin stroked Arissa’s head and comforted her upon noticing the worried look on her face. “I’m sure I’ll be able to mobilize my network since I have investments all over the country. I’ll get help from my business associates since they are familiar with the locals. Jack should also have enough men to deploy on his end.”

He explained his plan further, “I’ll arrange for another team to continue the investigations. We’ll start with the database in the police department and continue with the census bureau if need be. As long as he’s still alive, I’m sure we will be able to find him.”

Arissa believed Benjamin had all the resources to make this mission a success. “All right. Involve as many men as possible in the search operation then!”

“I will. You better eat something now. I’ll make the arrangement right now!”

When Benjamin was about to leave the dining hall, Arissa stopped him. “Why don’t you join me? Let’s have something together.”

After taking a glance at Arissa, Benjamin sat down and ate something with her for a while before going to his study.

All his business associates and management teams from his corporation’s subsidiaries were surprised to learn that Benjamin had another son.

Before this, they were aware that Benjamin had five children, even though they had not met them before.

Does that mean he has a total of six children?

 

Chapter 405 Did She Lie To Benjamin

Benjamin gave all his business associates the photo of Gavin and his siblings, hoping that they could look for the missing child.

“Do not draw too much attention from the public, and do not do anything that will put the child’s life at risk!” Benjamin warned his men as he was afraid opportunists might abduct the child.

After all, he had made quite many enemies in business over the years.

Arissa entered his study with a cup of coffee. “How’s everything?”

“I’ve told them what to do. I’ll make a trip to the police department to see if they have any updates for us.”

Though Benjamin had assigned Ethen to follow up with the cops, he felt he should still make a trip to the police department since he had more autonomy over the cops.

“Oh!”

Benjamin then left the study in a hurry. He did not even have the time to take a sip of the coffee that Arissa made for him.

“I’ll come with you!”

“No. You stay home.” Benjamin stopped her from following him.

Arissa then went to her room and took out her laptop. She also started doing her part to look for her child.

Bradley might have hacked into the various databases to retrieve the information, but going through all of them would be a herculean task.

Matching the child’s identity with the data in the system would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Arissa narrowed down her search options. She started looking for the place where Danna claimed that the child had disappeared but to no avail.

Did Danna lie to Benjamin?

As doubt started creeping into Arissa’s mind, the image of Danna stopping by a gas station appeared in the footage of a surveillance camera.

Arissa took a closer at the footage but did not spot any suspicious activity or individuals near her car.

She went on to check the footage from the other surveillance cameras around the area, and she only saw Danna’s car but not the child.

Danna told Benjamin this was where the child disappeared. She told him the child went missing when she was at the supermarket.

But Danna has never even stepped into the supermarket. She must have lied to Benjamin.

A vortex of anger surged in Arissa’s heart.

She went straight to the lock-up to confront Danna.

At first, Danna refused to come out as she thought Benjamin, whom she was terrified of, was looking for her.

When she found out that the visitor was Arissa, she decided to meet her.

The bruise on Danna’s neck immediately caught Arissa’s attention.

Did Benjamin do that do her?

“What do you want from me?” Danna shot daggers at Arissa. “Did you come to make fun of me?”

“Where is the kid?” Arissa gave Danna a sullen glare.

Arissa wished she could barge into the lock-up and kill Danna right away.

Not only did this woman cause me to be separated from my child, but she was also responsible for my child’s disappearance.

All of a sudden, Danna let out a mirthless laugh. “Why should I tell you?”

A murderous glint flashed past Arissa’s reddened eyes. “Have fun rotting in jail then!”

Arissa then turned around and was about to leave.

“Ask Benjamin to let me go, and I’ll tell you the truth!” Danna shrieked from a distance.

Arissa clenched her fists and turned around to stare at Danna.

Danna could not help but shudder. “Why… why are you staring at me?”

Danna immediately put her guard up.

Arissa approached Danna and slapped her on the cheek. Danna’s mouth started bleeding.

The guard stepped in and reprimanded Arissa, “Calm down, Miss!”

“If anything happens to my child, I’ll hold you responsible, Danna.”

At this point, Arissa was no longer a weak and helpless woman anymore.

She was now a mother who would do anything for her child.

Arissa threatened, “You better tell the truth. If you still insist on playing mind games with us, I’ll make sure you rot in prison. I’ll also destroy your entire family!”

She continued, “For your information, Benjamin had acquired Adams Group.”

Danna’s expression changed right away. “No way. Benjamin wouldn’t do this to me!”

Arissa scoffed, “Why don’t you give your family a call?”

 

Chapter 406 Let The Adams Family Go Bankrupt

Danna had just woken up not too long ago, so she had yet to ask about the Adams family.

Meanwhile, the acquisition team of Graham Group had already arrived at Adams Group.

When Zayden realized that it was Benjamin who wanted to buy over the company, he was so angry that he started trembling uncontrollably.

“I’m not selling my company. What gives you the right to acquire my company! Who does Benjamin think he is? He’s going overboard!”

The leader of the acquisition team advised him, “Mr. Adams, it’s better if you cooperate with us. You will be well compensated if you sell the company now when it still has value. But if you don’t, you may regret it in the future!”

“Get out! All of you, get out now! I’m not selling it!”

Zayden was so furious that he threw the teacup on the floor. The acquisition team exchanged glances with one another before leaving Adams Group.

Very soon, all the orders received by Adams Group were canceled one after another.

Even the goods that had been sold were being returned to the company. The reasons for all the returns were the same—there were some issues with the products’ quality.

Adams Group specialized in the production of chemicals, but serious issues were found in their products. Tests revealed a dangerously high amount of metal in the products that exceeded the requirements.

As a result, many users suffered allergies and were hospitalized.

Like the butterfly effect, various other companies started to cancel their business contracts with Adams Group.

In an instant, Adams Group had become the talk of the town once again and gotten themselves into trouble.

All of those happened within minutes after the acquisition team of Graham Group left.

Adams Group was no longer the reputable company it used to be, and netizens flooded the Internet and voiced their dissatisfaction.

Because of that, all of the shareholders requested for Zayden to step down from his position.

It was only then that Zayden realized how powerful Benjamin was, and this time around, he meant business.

Unable to handle the pressure, Zayden had no choice but to give Darius a call.

“Old Mr. Graham, please help me. Benjamin wants to buy over my company. Because of that, our company is unable to operate properly.”

The bank had also called him to collect their payments.

By then, Zayden was on the verge of a breakdown.

“If Benjamin wants to acquire your company, then you should plead with him, not me!” Darius responded coldly before hanging up the phone.

Hmph!

How dare he still come to me for help!

What does he take the Graham family for?

After cursing in his heart, Darius summoned William.

“Is it true that Benjamin is trying to acquire Adams Group?”

William had just contacted people from Graham Group, and he replied, “Yes. That’s what Mr. Graham is attempting. Should we interfere?”

Darius raised his hand to stop him. “There’s no need. It’s Zayden’s problem now. That’s the small price he has to pay for bullying my grandson!”

Just then, William received a call from Edwin, the butler of the Graham residence.

“Let me tell you something. But don’t let Old Mr. Graham know about it!”

William’s hearing was not good, so the volume of his phone was very high, making their conversation audible to others.

As such, Darius heard those sentences clearly.

When William caught the look Darius gave him, he had no choice but to say, “Tell me!”

“Mr. Graham has another child!”

“What?” William was stunned and asked, “Is the child bore by another woman or Ms. York?”

“The mother of the child is Ms. York. Back then, she gave birth to six children, but…”

Both William and Darius were anxious to hear the rest, so the former asked, “But what?”

“But Danna has lost the child. Both Mr. Graham and Ms. York are thinking of ways to look for him!”

Darius’ body trembled upon hearing that, and he asked with a quavering voice, “Lost? How did it happen?”

When Edwin heard Darius’ voice, he was shocked.

Sh*t! Old Mr. Graham knows about it now, but Mr. Graham hasn’t told him yet.

“I’m not sure. I only found out about the missing child not too long ago!”

“Hurry up and get the car ready! I’m going over!”

Darius immediately had William arrange the car for him to go to the Graham residence.

“Hmph! Why does he even bother to acquire Adams Group? It’s such a worthless company. Just let it go bankrupt!”

Darius was so enraged that his hands started shaking. “Make sure the Adams family goes bankrupt!”

When Darius found out that Danna had lost one of his grandchildren, he was infuriated.

 

 

Chapter 407 Danna Has Been Hit

“All right! All right! Old Mr. Graham, please take it easy. I will see to it right away!”

William did not want Darius to be too upset, so he massaged the latter’s chest.

“Go and get it done now! Stop touching my chest! I’m fine! I want to see the Adams family go bankrupt right now!” ordered Darius as he pushed William’s hand away.

As such, William had no choice but to get on the phone and make the necessary arrangements.

Once Darius heard that the arrangements had been made, he said hurriedly, “Let’s go to Yaleview!”

Alas, Arissa still failed to find out the whereabouts of the child from Danna.

Once she was out of the police station, she made a phone call to Bradley, but there was no news from him either.

Her heart sank as she was overwhelmed by helplessness.

Just as she was about to head back, Benjamin gave her a call. “Wait for a while!”

Arissa was taken aback. She looked around but saw no one.

Hence, she got into the car and drove off.

Halfway through the journey, Benjamin’s car blocked her. “Come over here!”

When Arissa saw that Benjamin had come to fetch her, she felt very touched.

“What are you doing here?”

Earlier on, she thought she had misheard him.

“Didn’t I tell you to wait?”

Benjamin got down from his car, walked over to the driver’s seat, and opened the door.

“Get over there!”

Arissa took one look at him and asked, “What about the car?”

“They will drive it back.”

After that, Benjamin signaled for the bodyguards to come over and take the car.

Arissa had no choice but to get out of her car and into his.

“What are you doing here?”

Benjamin merely threw a worried look at her and said nothing.

Arissa was furious. “Danna was lying about the place where she claimed she lost him. I checked the surveillance cameras, and there was no sign of him at all. All she did was top up the fuel in her car. She didn’t go into any supermarket at all! According to the surveillance footage at the junction, the timeline checks out, and there was no way she could have made a stop.”

Benjamin was not surprised to hear that as he had expected Danna to lie about it.

He narrowed his eyes, and his gaze darkened.

Perhaps Danna did not lie on purpose because even she herself did not know where our son was.

Then again, she was the one who took him, so she should know where he had gone.

A glint flashed across Benjamin’s eyes, and he turned the car around.

“What’s wrong?” asked Arissa as she looked at him.

“I’m going to ask her again!” said Benjamin with a scowl.

No one had ever dared to fool him.

Danna is asking for trouble!

“Will she tell you?”

Arissa slumped in her seat.

After all, they had already asked her thrice.

Danna had told Arissa that the child was with her.

Yet, she told Benjamin that the child was missing.

Arissa was not feeling very hopeful about the situation.

“If she refuses to tell me, I will force the truth out of her!”

There was a ruthless look in Benjamin’s eyes.

After searching for the child for one whole day, there was still no news, making him very anxious.

He would not be able to have peace of mind until he found his missing son.

Arissa was relieved to see Benjamin so concerned about the safety of the child.

He does love the kids, after all.

A few minutes later, Benjamin appeared in front of Danna.

Her expression changed drastically as though she was seeing the grim reaper.

“B-Benjamin…”

Danna gulped as she met his murderous look while chills ran down her spine.

“Danna, where exactly did you lose the child?”

Benjamin’s voice was so cold that he sounded like Hades who was there to claim her life.

Filled with fear, Danna tried to avert her gaze. Should I tell the truth?

If Benjamin finds out that the child is already dead, will he allow me to live?

Danna turned pale in fright.

“If I tell you, will you spare me?”

Benjamin narrowed his eyes while a sharp glint flashed across them.

He stared at Danna and taunted her, “If what you say is true, I may!”

Danna was caught in a dilemma.

I will surely die if I tell the truth. But if I don’t, Benjamin won’t spare me either.

“T-That place is near where Arissa was detained. I have forgotten the name—”

Before she could finish her sentence, a chair came flying toward her.

Bang!

The chair landed on her with a loud thud.

By then, Benjamin had completely lost his patience.

There was fear in Danna’s eyes, and the very next moment, she collapsed in a pool of blood.

 

Chapter 408 Is She Dead

When Arissa heard the commotion outside, she jumped in shock.

Immediately, she rushed in with the prison officers to check out what was happening.

However, she did not expect Benjamin to come out and block her view with his body.

When she saw him rubbing his hand, she could not help but ask, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Initially, there was a hostile look on his face.

But the moment he saw her, he calmed down gradually.

“I’m not hurt. Let’s go!”

With his arm around her, Benjamin guided her outside so that she would not witness the gory scene.

Nevertheless, Arissa still saw Danna’s injured head, and there was blood all over her face.

Arissa’s heart skipped a beat at the scene.

Looking at the motionless Danna, she mumbled, “I-Is she dead?”

Benjamin tightened his arm around her and brought her outside of the detention center.

“Not yet!”

When Benjamin threw the chair at Danna, it was merely to vent his frustration.

In fact, Danna was primarily unconscious because she was in shock.

Hearing his determined tone, Arissa looked at him in surprise. Never did she expect him to be so violent.

Consequently, she turned around to see Danna being carried out for treatment, but she felt not a single ounce of pity for her.

Whatever Danna was suffering then was nothing compared to what she and her son had gone through.

Only after they got into the car and drove off did Arissa ask, “She still refused to tell you?”

When Benjamin met her terrified and worried gaze, his heart ached for her, and he pulled her into his arms.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find our son!”

Having said that, Benjamin made a call and increased the manpower to search for the boy.

Arissa began praying for the safety of her son in her heart.

Afterward, both of them held onto one another and said nothing more until they arrived at the Graham residence.

As Arissa was getting out of the car, she nearly fell onto her knees.

Thankfully, Benjamin was there to catch her.

“Thank you!” said Arissa in a daze.

Looking at her ashen face, Benjamin decided to just carry her into the house.

“Put me down! I can walk on my own!”

Arissa began to blush in embarrassment.

Benjamin glanced at her. “Stop moving. Your face is very pale!”

Hence, Arissa had no choice but to stay in his arms.

All of a sudden, they heard an old man’s voice ring out, and the couple was startled.

“Both of you are back?”

When Darius saw them walk in, he got up immediately.

Arissa did not expect to see Darius, so her face turned red as she struggled to get down from Benjamin’s arms.

However, Benjamin refused to let go and even chided her, “Stop moving!”

Arissa was dumbfounded.

After all, it was embarrassing for her to be seen by an elder like that.

Darius grinned while studying them and said, “Is my presence here disturbing you guys?”

“N-No!” Arissa denied with a blushing face.

On the other hand, Benjamin was pleased to see her crimson cheeks.

However, Benjamin maintained his composure in front of Darius.

“If you know that, why did you come here?”

The corner of Darius’ mouth twitched at his response.

“I heard from Edwin that you have another child?” asked Darius anxiously.

At that instant, Benjamin threw a glare at Edwin.

The latter shuddered in fear. Old Mr. Graham, you weren’t supposed to betray me.

“Yes!” acknowledged Benjamin before carrying Arissa up the stairs.

“S-So, where is the child now?” the flustered man pressed on anxiously.

“We haven’t found him yet.”

With that, Benjamin continued walking upstairs and instructed Edwin, “Edwin, get Shaun to come here as soon as possible!”

Edwin regained his senses and answered, “Right away!”

He had no idea why Benjamin wanted Shaun there, but he did as he was told.

Arissa, who was being carried upstairs, looked stupefied.

She asked Benjamin softly, “Why are you asking Dr. Bailey to come here?”

Benjamin replied in all seriousness, “To perform a medical checkup for you!”

Arissa was taken aback and moved at the same time. “But I’m fine!”

“You looked terrible just now. I’m sure your blood sugar level is very low.”

In fact, she had nearly fallen when she was getting out of the car earlier on.

 

Chapter 409 What Is Going To Happen

When Benjamin saw her stunned expression, he lowered his voice and said, “Be a good girl and let him give you a checkup. You can’t afford to take any more stress. Otherwise, the children will be worried about you!”

Although the man had used the children as an excuse, Arissa could sense his care and concern for her.

“Okay!” She nodded in agreement.

After all, there was nothing to lose in getting a body checkup.

Once Edwin was done with the call, Darius asked worriedly, “Why is Benjamin calling Shaun over?”

Edwin was equally puzzled. “Perhaps, one of them is ill?”

“Ill?”

Darius frowned and asked, “Who’s ill?”

Edwin looked up and replied, “Ms. York, I think. She wasn’t feeling well earlier on…”

“That’s right. I noticed that Issa’s face was very pale when they came back!”

After saying that, Darius immediately rushed upstairs. “I have to go and check on her!”

“Old Mr. Graham, slow down!”

Edwin quickly helped him up the stairs. At the same time, William, who tagged along from the Old Manor, also went to help Darius on the other side.

Just as Benjamin was putting Arissa down on the bed, the three men walked in.

“Issa, are you not feeling well?”

Darius studied Arissa carefully with a concerned look in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Arissa, who was the center of attention, found it awkward that she was lying in someone’s bed.

She wanted to sit up, but Benjamin stopped her. “Lie down!”

Arissa looked at Darius and reassured him, “I’m fine.”

“Fine? Then, why is Benjamin so worried about you? If you are feeling unwell, you should let us know. If you have to go to the hospital, just go ahead. Don’t force yourself to hold out!” Darius chided her.

However, when Arissa glanced at Benjamin, she noticed that he looked indifferent. He doesn’t seem that worried about me. Old Mr. Graham must be mistaken.

Benjamin gazed at her before he told his father, “Leave her be. She needs rest now. When Shaun is here, he will do a body checkup for her.”

Darius pursed his lips as he said concernedly, “Take a good rest! You look so pale. Benjamin, you have to take good care of her!”

“Sure!” Arissa was overwhelmed with awkwardness.

Both father and son exchanged glances before Darius left with the two butlers.

After walking out of the room, Darius instructed Edwin, “Let’s get out of here so that we don’t disturb Issa while she rests! Edwin, go and check if Shaun has arrived!”

Instantly, the same thought ran through both butler’s minds. It’s you who disrupted Ms. York’s rest first.

Meanwhile, Benjamin poured a glass of water and brought it to Arissa.

“Have some water!”

Arissa, who was being treated like a patient, could only sit up and do as she was told.

While she drank the water, Benjamin’s eyes were fixated on her. Seeing that she was looking much better, he started nagging, “I told you to rest at home. Why did you go out?”

Arissa looked at the man who was frowning and pursed her lips.

“After I discovered that Danna lied to you, I was enraged and rushed out.”

Benjamin’s face fell at her answer.

“You could always give me a call. You didn’t have to go over there on your own. What if something bad happened to you? You should know the state you are in now. If she says anything to agitate you, will you even be able to stay calm?”

There was nothing Arissa could do at that moment but endure his reprimanding.

When Benjamin saw the tiny perspirations on her nose, he stopped talking.

Just then, Shaun rushed in with his medical box, panting away.

“Which one of you is ill?”

Benjamin turned and rolled his eyes at the doctor.

“Can’t you see that Arissa is the one lying on the bed? Quick! Give her a body examination!”

Benjamin looked utterly displeased.

“Right away!” Shaun glanced at him and steadied his breathing before he quickly checked Arissa’s blood pressure.

“It’s normal. Mrs. Graham, are you feeling unwell?”

Arissa shook her head. “Earlier on, my legs felt weak—”

“She was looking very pale just now!”

Benjamin cut in and told Shaun about her condition.

The latter nodded and continued with the checkup.

“Why don’t I put you on an IV drip? Mrs. Graham, please take care of yourself and try not to get too emotional.”

 

 

Chapter 410 Watching Over Her

Seeing how worried Benjamin was, Shaun reminded Arissa in a serious tone to ease the man’s worries.

In truth, Arissa was already fine.

“Okay, thank you,” Arissa thanked the doctor before lying quietly on the bed while waiting to get her injection.

Meanwhile, Benjamin was watching her closely at the side.

“You can go off first if you’re busy,” Arissa said to him.

Benjamin glanced at her before looking toward Shaun.

After Shaun prescribed some medication for Arissa, he quickly proceeded to give her the IV drip.

When Benjamin saw the needle, he frowned and reminded Shaun, “Be gentler!”

Feeling amused, Shaun replied, “I haven’t even poked the needle in yet.”

He turned to look at his friend, who had a deep crease between his brows, and Shaun felt surprised.

He had never seen Benjamin showing so much concern toward another person before.

Moreover, it was a woman.

Jokes aside, when Shaun was about to poke the needle into Arissa’s arm, he said to her, “I’m going to inject you now, Mrs. Graham. So bear with it for a moment.”

“Sure.” Arissa nodded.

Benjamin stepped forward to hold her hand down while saying, “Hurry up.”

Shaun was rather speechless.

As Arissa’s field of vision was blocked by Benjamin, she merely felt a prick on her arm for a second and nothing else.

Fixing her gaze on the man, who still had his brows tightly knitted, she felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

Suddenly, Benjamin looked over. Meeting his gaze, Arissa froze for a second.

“Does it hurt?”

His deep voice rang out, creating ripples in her heart.

Arissa shook her head in a daze before turning away, her cheeks burning slightly.

Benjamin’s gaze darkened as he started stroking her arm, trying to ease her discomfort caused by the IV drip.

After Shaun secured the needle, he said to Benjamin, “Okay. It’s all done.”

Noticing that the doctor had increased the flow rate of the drip, Benjamin frowned and asked, “Why is it going so fast?”

When Shaun heard that, he adjusted the flow rate to slow it down.

He was so amused to the point where he did not know whether to laugh or cry. He started to pack up his medical box while teasing Benjamin, “That was the normal speed. As long as Mrs. Graham does not feel any discomfort, it should be fine. Gosh, look at how worried you are! If that’s the case, you should stay here and watch over her yourself. I’m going to head downstairs to have some tea with Mr. Graham!”

After he finished speaking, Shaun headed out of the room carrying his medical box while avoiding Benjamin’s glare.

Arissa snuck a glance at Benjamin and said, “You should just get going. I’ll be fine.”

After tucking her in, Benjamin placed a pillow under her hand which had the needle in it, and said, “Have some rest.”

He only left after making sure that Arissa was comfortable.

Arissa glanced at the door, assuming that Benjamin had gone off to work in his study. To her surprise, he was back soon after with some documents and his laptop.

She could not help but feel touched.

“Go to sleep,” Benjamin urged when he saw that her eyes were still wide open.

He started working after putting his things down.

Looking at him, who glanced at her intermittently while working, Arissa felt a sense of comfort.

After a while, she fell asleep.

Meanwhile, the five little ones were in school.

Even though they appeared to be paying attention in class, they were, in fact, using their tablets underneath their desks.

The screen showed Danna’s movements from five years back.

As Jesse was not as good as her brothers in that area, she was the only one who was actually concentrating in class while at the same time keeping an eye on the situation for the boys.

Although the kids cooperated with each other well, they did not manage to get any results even after working on it for a few hours as there was simply too much work to do.

“I’ve finished watching this video, but I still don’t see Gavin!” Jasper reported to the three other boys.

“I don’t see him in the area I’m in charge of as well.”

Oliver adjusted his glasses and looked at the rest.

“I don’t see anything either!” Gavin said.

Frowning, Zachary stroked his chin while thinking of how they should proceed with their investigation.

They were checking the footage of the surveillance cameras, starting from the Graham residence, where Danna was last seen with Gavin.

However, they lost track of her after a while.

“She seemed to have stayed here for a longer time compared to other places… Let’s be more attentive and track her daily whereabouts!”

“Got it.”

The four little ones carried on with their investigation.