Ch. 471..480
Chapter 471 Explaining To Mary
“Tim, my boy, could you go buy some apples? I’m suddenly in the mood for some.”
Mary caressed the boy’s head. She wanted to find out the truth, but not with him around.
Tim glanced at the two adults before nodding.
“Okay, Grandma. I’ll go buy some now. Wait for me.”
Then, the child ran outside, only to return a while later to eavesdrop on the conversation.
But after remembering that it was wrong to eavesdrop, he eventually left once again.
“Tell me, young man, is that man from before Tim’s biological father?” Mary asked after a moment of hesitation.
Ethen nodded and poured her a glass of water. “Here. Have some water.”
He then continued, “My boss is Benjamin Graham. And yes, he’s Tim’s biological father.”
“Then… why was Tim inside a garbage bin five years ago?” Mary asked indignantly, her voice beginning to shake. “The poor boy was all alone and on the verge of death! If my husband and I hadn’t walked past, the child would’ve… On top of that, no one came even after we filed a police report.”
“You made a police report?” Ethen was taken aback.
Mary nodded. “We did. We went to the station in town.”
Ethen remained bewildered. But we never came across such a file.
Then again, the systems in rural areas were a little behind five years ago. Did the police not use a computer for this?
Maybe it was a case of negligence.
Or maybe, Danna was behind this.
Ethen set the question aside and began to explain.
“The truth is Mr. Graham never abandoned Tim, and his mother certainly didn’t, either.”
“Then, what was he doing in the dumpster?”
“It’s a little complicated, but I’ll try to make it simple.”
Ethen removed his glasses and continued, “Someone had plotted against Mr. and Mrs. Graham. Back when Mrs. Graham had just given birth, two of her children were taken from her, Tim and Gavin, but only Gavin ended up with Mr. Graham. On the other hand, Mrs. Graham and her four other children were nearly killed.”
Mary was utterly shocked. “How could anyone do something so cruel?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
A look of disgust appeared on Ethen’s face. “That vile woman did all that just because she wanted Mr. Graham to marry her. I’m telling you the truth, ma’am. Mr. and Mrs. Graham never even realized that they had Tim until they captured that woman, and she told them about him just to save herself. They never tried to find Tim because no one even knew that he existed. That’s the only reason he had spent all these years…”
Ethen refrained from saying the word “suffering.”
“We are thankful to you for raising Tim,” he resumed. “That’s why Mr. Graham has told me to continue looking after you both. He’s gone back to tend to the missus. She’ll come over and see Tim when she gets better. For now, all you need to do is rest. We’ll handle everything else.”
Mary couldn’t believe her ears.
Never did I think anyone would take someone else’s child! Isn’t that illegal?
Then, a question came to mind.
“Why wasn’t Mrs. Graham aware of how many children she’d given birth to?”
Afraid that Mary wouldn’t believe him, Ethen could only recap what Arissa had gone through.
“Thanks to that wicked woman, Mrs. Graham was locked away. She was also nearly killed after giving birth. There were likely some complications during the delivery process, and she was also injured in the head, so she couldn’t remember how many children there were. You’ve had children too, so I believe you know what it must have been like for her. In fact, one of the babies was stillborn.”
“I get it now. That explains why no one ever came to take the poor boy home.”
Mary sighed in frustration.
Chapter 472 He Thinks He Was Abandoned
Mary noted how well-dressed Ethen was.
“Uhh… What does Mr. Graham do, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Ethen stared at the old woman warily.
They didn’t know each other well, after all, so he couldn’t help but question her intentions upon hearing her question.
“Don’t get me wrong! I just want to know what Tim’s life will be like when he returns to Mr. Graham.”
Now, Ethen felt sorry for doubting her.
“Don’t worry. Tim will have the best possible environment to grow up in. Mr. Graham is a businessman.”
Mary nodded. “I suppose that doesn’t really matter as long as Tim’s parents love him. The poor boy doesn’t say anything, but I know he’s been a little resentful ever since he found out he was adopted. He thinks his real parents abandoned him.”
Ethen could tell from the way Tim behaved and spoke after finding out who his real father was.
“I think he’ll understand after Mr. and Mrs. Graham explain everything. They care very much about him.”
“I’ll be sure to talk to him.” Mary smiled. “I’m getting weaker. I was worried about what might happen if I were to suddenly leave this world one day. My… my son is such a pain. I don’t know what Tim’s future would be like if I were no longer there to protect him. That’s why I’m so happy and relieved that you’ve finally come for him.”
The more she spoke, the more depressed she sounded.
Even Ethen had a hard time hearing her words. “Don’t be too upset, ma’am. You look pretty healthy! You should be able to live many more years.”
Yet, Mary shook her head. “I’m old. I know my own body best. Seeing Tim return to his real family is more than enough for me. At least I can now leave without having to worry about him.”
“But ma’am, think about how Tim feels! He really cares about you. Even if he’s finally found his parents, I’m sure he’d be sad if he won’t get to see you anymore.”
Mary stilled upon hearing that. She had absolutely no doubt about how much Tim adored her. She had raised him after all.
“I’ll do my best to undergo my treatment. Now, it all depends on fate.”
Not knowing how else to console her, Ethen pulled a chair out and sat next to the bed.
Mary turned to him. “Why don’t you take a stroll outside, young man? You don’t have to stay here with me.”
“I have to look after you while Tim is away. Do you need to use the bathroom?”
“Yes, I do. Sorry for the trouble.” Seeing how adamant he was, Mary chose not to refuse his kindness.
“Not at all.”
Ethen went up and lifted Mary carefully. “Let me know if you’re not feeling well.”
“I’m fine. Don’t you worry!”
“We were so scared when you coughed blood. You wouldn’t have had to go through that if we had told you who we were from the start,” the man said apologetically.
“It’s not your fault. I’m just getting weaker.”
Ethen helped Mary get to the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Tim headed to the fruit vendors next to the hospital. Most of them were rather pricy.
He then walked up to an old woman’s stall.
“Is it okay if I just get one?” he asked timidly.
“Fine,” the elderly woman responded curtly. She didn’t like how such a well-dressed boy didn’t seem to want to buy a lot from her.
Tim was stunned by her demeanor and was now unsure if he wanted to buy anything from her.
He had come over just because she seemed older than the other vendors.
Unfortunately, not every elderly person was as kind as his grandmother was.
“If you’re not buying anything, then get out of here. You’re in the way!” the old woman demanded.
With a bite of his lip, Tim turned and left.
Suddenly, another vendor called out to him. “Hey, kiddo! Come on over! I’ll give you a good deal!”
This poor kid must be scrimping because his family’s been hospitalized.
Hearing that, Tim headed over with sparkling eyes.
Chapter 473 How Dare You Talk To Him Like That
“Hey, ma’am. Did you say you’d give me a good deal?”
“Yup! Two bucks less for each pound!”
“Thank you!”
Delighted, Tim hurriedly chose the largest apple he saw.
Then, he began to ponder. Maybe I should get two for Grandma.
Wait. But what about Gavin and the others? I’ll get four more.
“Weren’t you going to get just one?” the vendor asked despite feeling overjoyed.
“I’ll take six instead!”
Tim looked down and counted the apples again. Upon remembering Ethen, he took one more.
“I’ll get seven instead. Please give me a good deal for them!”
“Sure thing! Anything else?”
The woman’s aim was to make money, after all.
“That’s all. Please weigh these apples.”
After paying up, Tim carried the large bag of apples back into the hospital.
The old woman who had initially chased him away was now filled with regret.
“That d*mn brat! He was supposed to buy my fruits but ended up running off elsewhere!”
Jack had just spotted the boy and was about to call out to him, but the latter left too quickly.
He so happened to the old woman’s complaints, though, and he shot her a glare.
“With that mouth of yours, it’s no surprise if no one buys your stuff! What an old hag!”
The rest of the people nearby couldn’t help but laugh.
“Hey! Who are you calling an old hag?”
“You!”
Jack glared at her ferociously, not caring that she was older than him.
Petrified, the woman immediately stopped talking.
“How dare you treat Mr. Graham’s son like that!” Jack added.
He then strode into the hospital to help Tim carry the bag of apples, but the boy was already nowhere to be found.
Wow, he’s fast.
Glancing at the toys and food he had bought, the man happily walked upstairs.
Meanwhile, the five children were now interrogating Shaun.
“You lied to us, Uncle Shaun. Mommy’s fallen sick, hasn’t she?”
Gavin stared at the man furiously. He looked very much like Benjamin when he got upset.
“Tell us what happened to our mommy, Uncle Shaun,” demanded Zachary.
The children were livid that Shaun had told them that their mother was fine.
It’s no wonder we couldn’t reach her, and she didn’t call us, either!
“You’ll be sorry if you don’t tell us the truth, Uncle Shaun!” said Oliver.
“You’re not a good doctor if you lie, Uncle Shaun!” added Jasper.
Shaun’s mouth twitched.
The other doctors could barely stifle their laughs.
“Who told you guys about this?” Shaun asked, brushing his nose.
“Mr. Frank did!” Jesse lied.
“It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you. Your father told me not to. He didn’t want you guys to disrupt his alone time with your mother,” Shaun explained despondently. “Your mother was so worried about Tim that she collapsed. It wasn’t helping that she kept staying up late, either. But she was already okay before I went to see her and before I brought you guys here! You can ask them if you don’t believe me.”
Shaun quickly pointed to the medical team he had brought with him while shifting the blame on Benjamin.
“Your daddy’s looking after her, and that’s more than enough. Don’t cause a scene, okay? You’re all here, anyway. Are you planning to go back now? Have you forgotten what you came here for? You’re supposed to look after Tim!” he reminded.
With a loud huff, Gavin shot the man a glare and left the room. “Let’s go.”
The other children did the same to Shaun before following their oldest brother outside.
Shaun was at a loss for words. Why are they all mad at me? It’s not my fault!
“Are we going back to see Mommy, Gavin?” Jesse asked, unsure what her siblings intended to do now.
“No,” answered Gavin. “We have to keep Tim company.”
Jesse nodded. “Let’s hurry back to him, then.”
Zachary, Oliver, and Jasper agreed. There was no point going back now, anyway.
Chapter 474 Sharing Apples With The Other Children
“Let’s stay here for now. I’ll call Daddy and ask him how Mommy’s doing,” said Gavin.
“Okay.” Zachary nodded.
“Hurry up!” urged Jasper.
“I wonder if he even knows how to look after Mommy,” Oliver pondered.
Still, they secretly commended Benjamin for rushing home just for Arissa.
With a nod, Gavin took out his phone, adjusting his tone a little.
“Are you still with Mommy?”
“Yeah,” answered Benjamin. “Why?”
“Why didn’t you tell me that she’s sick?” the boy questioned sternly.
Benjamin paused momentarily before responding, “And what if I did tell you? You’d just come and bother her while she’s asleep.”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Gavin replied dejectedly. “How is Mommy doing now?”
“She’s still sleeping. She’s fine now.”
The man glanced at Arissa, who was still in bed.
“You’d better take good care of her,” warned Gavin. “I’m coming after you if I get home and find out that you don’t treat her well.”
Benjamin scoffed. “Is there anything else?”
“No.”
After hanging up, Gavin turned to his siblings. “Mommy’s fine. She’s asleep now.”
The other children nodded in response.
“That’s great!”
“Let’s head back to where Tim is,” said Zachary.
“Let’s go.”
They made their way back under Gavin’s lead, only to freeze in surprise as they spotted Tim heading up the stairs.
Seeing the boy drenched in sweat and panting heavily, they rushed over to him.
“Tim! You walked all the way up using the stairs?”
Jasper stared at Tim, who turned red and nodded.
Gavin, Zachary, and Oliver were dumbfounded.
“But Tim,” said Jesse while pointing to the elevator. “You could’ve taken the elevator. You’d be so tired coming all the way up climbing the stairs!”
“I…”
Tim found himself unable to speak. He had taken the stairs because he didn’t know how to use the elevator.
“It’s healthier to use the stairs,” Zachary chimed in as he noticed the boy’s embarrassment.
Then, he walked toward him. “I’ll help you carry that.”
“It’s okay!”
Tim opened the bag and gave them each an apple. “I got you apples!”
The boy then headed back into the ward with the two remaining apples.
Holding the fruit in their hands, the five children exchanged glances before breaking out into a smile.
“He doesn’t seem to hate us! He even gave us apples.”
Oliver gave his apple a quick rub and began to eat it.
“You should wash that first.”
Being the clean freak he was, Zachary couldn’t stand seeing his brother behaving that way.
“It’ll be fine!”
With a grin, Jasper wiped his own apple with his shirt and took a bite. “Yum! It’s really sweet.”
Zachary shook his head. “Let’s go wash our apples,” he said to Zachary and Jesse.
“Okay,” Jesse replied delicately before following the boy.
Jack soon returned, and his eyes lit up at the sight of each child holding an apple.
“I’ll go in first,” he said to them while heading in the direction of the ward.
He still had to rush back to Dellmoor right after this.
The man entered the ward and saw Tim handing Ethen an apple.
“This is for you, Mr. Frank!”
Ethen was moved to see the little boy give the last apple away. “Thank you, Tim! But you can have it.”
“I don’t like apples. You eat it,” Tim insisted.
“Do I get one, too, Tim?” teased Jack as he walked over.
The boy was stunned as embarrassment washed over him.
But I only bought seven. There’s none left!
Seeing that, Jack chuckled and handed over the things he bought earlier.
Chapter 475 A Secret
“Tim, these are gifts from me. I have to return to Dellmoor now. Let’s play again next time, okay? Bye!”
Jack turned to leave once he finished speaking, and before stepping out, he even snatched the apple from Ethen’s hand.
Oh, this bugger!
Glaring at him, a thought surfaced in the latter’s mind. I thought he left earlier. Who knew he would have gone to buy Tim some gifts.
“Thank you!” the boy quickly said.
Nonetheless, he was unsure if the man had heard him since he couldn’t even see his silhouette anymore.
Having noticed the frustrated look on Tim’s face, Ethen patted his head and said, “You’ll still have the chance to see Mr. Jack next time.”
Tim was feeling a little guilty. I wasn’t even able to tell Mr. Jack my name, but he’s already bought me gifts.
“Mr. Frank, you have Mr. Jack’s phone number, right? Can you please help me thank him?”
“Of course!” Ethen said, nodding.
Then, he sent Jack a text right in front of the boy.
Seeing that Mary had fallen asleep, Tim had no choice but to put the apple aside.
“Your grandma was tired earlier, so she went to sleep. Don’t worry,” Ethan consoled.
Hearing that, Tim nodded and sat by the bed, keeping the old lady company.
Later on, Gavin and the others came back. Once they checked up on Mary, they finally asked about Jack.
“Wasn’t Mr. Jack here earlier?”
“He went back to Dellmoor,” Ethen answered.
Five of the kids were shocked to hear that.
“Why did he go back to Dellmoor again?” Zachary asked.
“He went there because he needs to help out with your daddy’s work,” the man explained.
The five kids then walked over to where Tim was and noticed that there was only one apple left.
They guessed that it was probably for Mary. After exchanging glances with each other, they went over to the coffee table and helped to cut up some apples. Then, they arranged it on a plate.
“Tim, come have some apples!” Gavin called.
“You guys go ahead. I want to stay with Grandma.”
Tim took a look at them, but he didn’t join them.
Eyes twinkling, the former turned to Jasper and gave him a look.
Seeing that, the latter instantly walked over and dragged Tim over to them.
“Grandma’s asleep, so let’s go over there. If you stay there, you might disturb her rest!”
The boy was dragged away easily since Jasper was quite strong.
“Come over and we can eat together!”
Zachary grinned brightly as he scooted over to give some space for Tim. Then, pulling him down for a seat, he took a piece of the apple with a toothpick and fed it to the latter.
Tim had no way of rejecting him at all. Taking the toothpick from him, he said, “You guys should eat too!”
“The apples you bought are delicious, Tim!” Jesse said with a smile after she gobbled a piece of apple.
He couldn’t seem to look away at the sight of the girl’s bright smile.
Her smile looks so good.
“Let me tell you a secret that not even Daddy knows.”
Then, leaning in, Oliver whispered, “Jesse is our sister!”
Confused, Tim eyed Jesse carefully. She doesn’t look like a girl no matter how I look at her.
“Hehe. I’m a girl, Tim!” the girl giggled happily, revealing her teeth and even her gums. It was simply adorable.
“Oh.” Tim was dumbfounded. “I thought you were a boy.”
Smiling, Gavin informed, “Mommy told Jesse to wear boyish clothes like us, and she even had her hair cut short. I used to think that she’s our brother in the beginning too.”
Tim understood instantly having heard that.
Ethen couldn’t help but feel happy for Benjamin and Arissa when he saw that the boy was getting along well with the other kids.
This is a good thing.
He then snapped a picture of them and sent it to Benjamin.
With Gavin, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse’s approach, Tim sat happily with them as they enjoyed the apples.
The five kids even played with him once they were done eating. It didn’t take long for them to get close to each other.
At Dellmoor, Arissa slept for a few more hours before she finally woke up.
When she was up, her IV drip treatment was finally done.
This time, she felt rather refreshed.
Seeing that Benjamin was not around, she got up and quickly went to wash her face and fix her hair, preparing to leave.
However, once she reached the door, the bodyguards blocked her way.
“Please go back in, Ms. York.”
Chapter 476 His Name
With her hands on her hips, Arissa glared at them and said, “I want to go to Northstream and look for my son!”
“We can’t let you do that. Without Mr. Graham’s orders, we dare not let you out.”
Though they felt sorry, they still had stern looks on their faces.
The woman darted her eyes around the room, then looked in the direction behind them and shouted, “You’re here, Benjamin!”
Thinking that it was really Benjamin, the bodyguards turned around to greet their boss. However, they realized that they were fooled.
Arissa seized the opportunity and ran out.
“Ms. York!”
The bodyguards reacted quickly and chased after her.
With her mind focused on escaping the men behind her, she didn’t pay attention to her front and bumped into someone’s chest.
A familiar scent filled her nose, and she instantly froze.
No way…
How can my luck be so bad?
“Where are you going?”
A familiar yet terrifying voice sounded from above her.
Smiling sheepishly, Arissa looked up at him.
She felt a little guilty when she saw the pair of darkened eyes.
“I have an upset stomach, so I wanted to use the restroom outside. But your bodyguards blocked my way and won’t let me out.”
Benjamin wrapped his arm around her waist and led her back to the ward. “Isn’t there one in the room?”
“I was scared that it would stink up the room.”
Arissa struggled, but failed to break free.
“It won’t stink if you turn on the exhaust fan,” Benjamin answered seriously as he brought her back to the room.
Then, glancing back at her, he said, “Go on.”
At that, Arissa did not know what else to say.
Besides, since she did say that she had an upset stomach, she had no choice but to use the restroom. She didn’t want her lie to be exposed.
She stayed in there for a few minutes before coming out.
Upon opening the restroom door, the aroma of food hit her nose.
Benjamin was sitting by the coffee table, and there were multiple dishes arranged on it.
“Come over and eat,” he said as he looked over.
Arissa’s stomach grumbled, and she walked over to take a seat opposite the man. Only then did she pick up the fork to eat.
“I’m going to get discharged once I’m done eating,” she said seriously, giving him no room for discussion.
“Okay,” Benjamin answered.
Hearing that, Arissa froze for a second before she looked over at him.
She was beyond confused when she saw the profound look in his eyes. Why is he being so cooperative all of a sudden?
What if it’s just a show?
“I want to head to Northstream to look for my son!”
“Sure,” Benjamin replied with a nod. He had no objections.
Arissa gaped at him in surprise.
He became so cooperative after she woke up. Did something happen while I was sleeping?
Benjamin glanced at the shocked look on her face, then fed her a piece of meat.
“You’d better eat your fill if you want to look for your son. Our flight is at eight-thirty,” he said indifferently as he continued to feed her.
Arissa’s eyes lit up in an instant. “Are you saying that you’ve already booked the plane tickets?”
“There’s no need for that,” he said.
The corners of the woman’s lips twitched. True. He has his own plane, so there’s no need for him to book a ticket.
“Then, why don’t we leave earlier?”
Why wait till eight-thirty?
Benjamin’s eyes swept over her. “I have a meeting in half an hour.”
“What does your meeting have to do-”
Her movements paused, then she looked over at him in shock. “Are you going too?”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint in his eyes.
“You’re saying I can’t go?”
Arissa’s laughed dryly in response. “No. Of course, you can go. He’s your son too, after all.”
“Keep that fake laugh of yours to yourself,” he scolded, still glaring at her.
The woman pouted, upset at his response. “Benjamin, is it so hard for you to admit that I look good when I smile?”
This viper-tongued bast*rd!
Nonetheless, all he did was purse his lips for a second before he continued to eat.
Seeing that he wasn’t going to continue talking, Arissa dared not continue to mess with him.
She didn’t want to upset him for that would make him put her on house arrest again.
“Hey. What’s our son’s name?”
A glint flashed across his eyes as he replied, “Tim.”
“Huh?” She was stunned.
Sighing, Benjamin repeated, “It’s Tim.”
Chapter 477 Fooled By The Kids
Upon hearing the name, Arissa blinked, thinking that she had heard it wrong.
However, she recalled that the boy had grown up in a rural area, so it was quite normal for him to have a name like that.
“That’s cute!”
“We’ll have to change it when we bring him home,” the man said as he took a glance at her.
She had no opinions on this since she thought that the name was more suitable to be used privately.
Benjamin had his meeting right after they were done with their dinner.
He had a video conference in the ward.
The whole time, he spoke in foreign languages, and Arissa couldn’t help but feel shocked as she listened to him converse in multiple languages.
A moment later, she planned to head out to get some gifts for her son since she was going to see him soon.
“Where are you going?”
The woman turned around and instantly met eyes with the man.
Naturally, she was stunned. Wasn’t he focused on his meeting earlier?
In the next instant, she could vaguely hear people talking through his earphones, and she was left speechless by that.
“I want to get something for our son.”
“No need. Just stay in the ward,” he ordered with furrowed brows.
Then, he turned back and continued with his meeting.
Arissa stared at the man’s lean figure as he worked, captivated by the view before her.
Am I supposed to go and meet my son empty-handed, then?
She wouldn’t be able to leave the room without his orders anyway, which was why all she could do was cooperate.
Then, the woman dialed Bradley’s phone number.
“Did you find him yet, Bradley?”
“I just arrived at the hospital, Boss. I’m still looking for him so I’ll call you again later.”
“All right,” she said before giving Gavin a call.
The boy picked up almost instantly.
“It’s a call from Mommy!”
At once, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse surrounded their brother.
Gavin took a look at Tim and said, “It’s Mommy!”
Then, he put the call on speaker mode.
“Mommy!”
The voices of the five kids came through, and a smile instantly surfaced on Arissa’s face.
Their voices brought joy to her, and she missed them so much since she hadn’t seen them for a day.
“Have you guys been good? Is Gavin still unwell?”
Envy flashed across Tim’s eyes when he heard the gentle voice from the call.
Subsequently, he took a look at Gavin. Is he feeling unwell?
“I’m fine now, Mommy. Don’t worry about me. What about you? Are you feeling better?” the boy asked anxiously.
“I’ve slept all day so I’m feeling much better. Mommy will be going out with Daddy later, so all of you just stay at home and be good, okay?”
The kids could already guess that their parents were coming to Northstream when they heard what she said.
Eyes gleaming, they kept quiet about the fact that they were right there.
Mommy’s going to be so surprised when she sees us here.
“Okay, Mommy!” Gavin promised.
“Are you going to look for our brother, Mommy?” Zachary deliberately asked.
“Huh? You knew?”
Arissa was taken aback, and she quickly took a look at Benjamin.
“Of course. Uncle Shaun told us!”
“Don’t worry about us and just focus on looking for him, Mommy. We’ll be waiting for you at home,” Zachary said.
Hearing their brother’s words, Oliver and Jasper giggled among themselves.
Jesse was also covering her mouth and trying not to laugh out loud.
Tim, on the other hand, was shocked to see that Zachary was lying.
“Okay. I might not be home any time soon. All of you have to listen to Edwin, and don’t run off on your own, okay?”
Arissa thought it wouldn’t be an easy task bringing the boy home and that she would have to hang out with him for a few days to get to know each other first.
Besides, Mary was sick. She was not even sure of when they would return home.
We might have to stay at Northstream for a few days.
“Don’t worry, Mommy. We’ll wait for you and our brother at home,” Jasper said.
The woman continued to give them reminders as she still hadn’t realized where they were.
Benjamin looked up at her and his lips tilted upward into a smile.
How silly is she… She doesn’t even know that she’s been fooled by the kids.
Arissa saw the teasing look on the man’s face the moment she hung up. She was dumbfounded by it at first, but she quickly returned the look with a glare.
Chapter 478 Why
After taking a look at the time, she saw that there were still two hours before they would leave for Northstream. Hence, she decided that there was still time to head out to buy Tim’s gifts.
What should I get him?
Arissa’s eyes flitted toward the man, then at the bodyguards by the door.
I can’t go out, and there’s no way to buy anything I want.
Maybe I should buy the gifts when I’m there. At least that way, I will know what he likes and dislikes.
“You can order the bodyguards to buy it for you if you want to get Tim gifts,” Benjamin said.
Arissa glanced at him before saying, “I want to buy them myself.”
She didn’t want other people to interfere and wanted to buy everything herself if it was for her children.
Benjamin looked over and saw that Arissa was glaring at him.
He wanted to laugh at the sight of this, but he cleared his throat and went back to his meeting.
Nonetheless, he ended the meeting after just half an hour.
“What do you want to buy?”
“You’re not going to work anymore?” Arissa asked, her eyes shining brightly.
“Come on,” Benjamin said as he walked out.
Flashing him a smile, she quickly followed after him.
“Are you really not going to work anymore, Benjamin?”
Even though she couldn’t really understand what he said earlier, she felt that the meeting was still quite important.
“The vice president will handle it and report everything to me later.”
Seeing that there was some distance between the two of them, the man reached out and grabbed her hand.
Arissa stole a glance at him and tried to pull her hand away, but to no avail.
“Are you feeling unwell anywhere?” Benjamin asked as they stepped into the elevator.
Shaking her head, she quickly said, “Nope. I feel great!”
His eyes glinted with amusement at the sight of the nervous look on her face.
“Why are you so nervous?”
Arissa pursed her lips together at the question. How could I not feel nervous?
What if he takes me back to the ward?
Soon enough, Benjamin brought her to the mall where they had previously shopped.
By then, Arissa had finally thought of what she should get for the boy.
They headed straight for the children’s clothing store and bought clothes and shoes that were in the same style as Gavin and the rest of the kids’, and she bought two sets of everything she chose.
The whole process was done in under half an hour.
“I’m done shopping, Benjamin. Let’s go!”
Benjamin saw how anxious she was, and he took the shopping bags from her and looked inside. “Two sets?”
Arissa nodded and said, “I don’t know what he likes, so I bought some stuff that is the same as the others kids’ first.”
Whatever his siblings had, he should have them too.
“One of the sets is from me.”
He then held the shopping bags in one hand and Arissa’s hand in the other.
The woman’s lips twitched, and she couldn’t help but say, “Gifts would only have meaning if you get them yourself.”
Benjamin shot her a look and said, “I came with you to get the gifts. Isn’t that enough?”
“But I was the one who paid for them.”
As she said that, she gave him a look that seemed to say, “I bought everything here myself. We’re not sharing this.”
The man was rendered speechless at that. He pulled her into his embrace and wrapped his arms around her waist.
Leaning in closer, he said, “Are you really going to be so calculative with me?”
She could smell the scent from his body, and her heart skipped a beat.
“I was just speaking the truth.”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes at that. The woman always managed to annoy him easily.
Then, without a warning, he planted his lips on hers. He was rough with the kiss, almost as if he was trying to punish her.
Arissa’s face flushed red. She did not expect him to kiss her in public.
He only let go of her when she was finally quiet.
Feeling embarrassed, she glared at him. “Benjamin, you-”
“Do you want me to kiss you again?” Benjamin asked as he raised a brow at her, a devilish smile on his face.
Arissa blinked a few times before she scolded, “What are you talking about? You were the one who took advantage of me.”
Having heard that, he narrowed his eyes and leaned in, but she quickly leaned back to avoid him.
“Hmph! See, you fell for me, didn’t you?”
Eyes lighting up, the woman looked up at him with a triumphant smile.
Benjamin cast his gaze down at her, and seeing how smug she was, he responded with a snort, “Does kissing you mean I like you?”
“Why would you kiss me if you don’t like me? Don’t you know how dirty our mouths are? Would you be able to stand kissing someone you don’t like?” Arissa retorted.
Is her mouth dirty? But it was quite sweet.
Chapter 479 Are You Seducing Me
“I just wanted to seal your mouth because you weren’t saying anything pleasant.”
Arissa laughed in exasperation at that. “Let go of me. Why are you holding onto me for?”
As she spoke, she pulled her hand back and strode away.
The man was left behind, and he watched as she huffed away in anger. Is she really angry?
He quickly caught up to her and whispered in her ear, “Let’s head to Northstream now.”
Arissa gave him the side-eye as she said, “I will still go even if you don’t.”
Benjamin’s lips twitched at her response. He led her to his car and drove to the airport.
Once she got comfortable in her seat, she realized that it had been a long time since Bradley arrived at the hospital, yet he hadn’t called her. With the thought in mind, she dialed his number.
Benjamin caught a glimpse of the phone screen and saw the name “Bradley.”
Frowning, he reached out and instantly ended the call.
Arissa quickly turned toward him and shot daggers at him. “What are you doing?
“What a temper! Be careful, you might faint because of it,” he reminded indifferently, almost causing her to faint from anger.
“That’s my phone, Benjamin! Give it back!”
She reached out to snatch it back, but the man lifted his hand instead.
Fury still burning within her, Arissa climbed on top of him and finally got ahold of her phone.
“You’re shameless, Benjamin!”
Benjamin kept his gaze on her, his arms wrapped around her as he said, “Who’s the shameless one here? Are you trying to seduce me?”
He then lowered his gaze, and her fair skin was all he could see.
His eyes darkened in an instant, and an intense warmth surged through his body.
Sensing his gaze on her, she felt a rush of blood to her head and she turned red.
“Pervert!”
She quickly turned away from him and adjusted her clothes.
“If you hadn’t taken my phone, do you think I would have tried to snatch it?”
If I hadn’t tried to snatch my phone, I wouldn’t have subconsciously climbed on top of him, and he wouldn’t have seen anything.
Arissa’s face was still flushed red as she glared at him. “Can’t you just turn a blind eye?”
“It was blocking my vision. Should I have closed my eyes?”
There was no denying that Benjamin was a prideful person. He stared at her intently and made it seem like she was the one who took advantage of him.
Arissa was furious but she couldn’t find her words, so she turned to look out the window.
Benjamin’s eyes landed on her slender neck, and he swallowed hard at the sight before him.
With what had happened, Arissa had completely forgotten that she was supposed to give Bradley a call.
Meanwhile, Bradley finally found the ward Mary was in and was in shock when he saw that five of the kids were there.
“Why are you here, Mr. Hinton?”
“Your mommy told me to come have a look…”
He dropped the hint, and the kids instantly understood that he was talking about Tim.
Zachary pulled Tim over and said, “Mr. Hinton, this is Tim!”
Bradley studied the boy before him. He’s quite easy to recognize since he’s got dark skin and he’s way too skinny.
“Tim, this is Mr. Hinton. He’s a great friend of Mommy,” Zachary continued to introduce.
“Hello, Mr. Hinton!”
Upon hearing the boy’s voice, the man patted his head with a smile on his face, then handed him a toy car.
“Hello, Tim, This is a gift from me. I came here in a rush, and I didn’t know what you liked. I’ll give you something better the next time I see you.”
Tim took the gift from him nervously and said shyly, “Thank you, Mr. Hinton.”
“Mr. Hinton, Mommy doesn’t know we’re here. Don’t reveal anything to her if you talk to her on the phone,” Oliver reminded.
After taking a look at the six children before him, Bradley said with a smile, “I think your mommy is about to arrive soon. Isn’t she going to find out when she sees you?”
“We want to give Mommy a surprise!”
“Mommy was fooled by us earlier. She thought we were all at home!” Jasper said wickedly.
Bradley patted this kids’ heads before greeting Ethen, then asked about Mary’s condition.
Later, Shaun brought a team of doctors over. When he saw that Mary was sleeping, he suggested for all of them to have dinner together.
However, Tim didn’t want to go.
Seeing that their brother didn’t want to go, the rest of the kids decided that they wouldn’t go either.
“You go ahead and eat with the doctors, Mr. Bailey. We want to stay with Tim!” Gavin decided.
Chapter 480 What Will Be His Reaction
“I’ll stay here. Go ahead and have dinner with Mr. Frank and the rest!” Tim said.
He felt it was not right to make them stay with him.
“It’s all right! We’ll keep you company!” Zachary inched closer and wrapped his arm around Tim’s shoulder.
“We can have our dinner here too! Let’s wait for Mdm. Mary together.”
Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse all nodded in agreement. “Yes. Just let us stay here with you, okay?”
Tim was very touched.
Seeing that, Ethen volunteered to stay back to accompany the children too.
He turned to Bradley and Shaun and said, “You guys go and have your dinner first. Pack some food for us when you come back.”
Shaun had no choice but to agree with the arrangement. “All right then. We’ll bring you dinner. Tell us what you want to eat!”
Then, Shaun left to eat dinner with the rest.
Bradley wanted to stay back, but the little ones told him to leave.
“You should also join them, Mr. Frank. Just bring dinner for us when you come back!”
Gavin also tried to push Ethen away.
“Please allow me to stay back. Your daddy will be worried if there isn’t an adult here to watch over all of you!” Ethen felt he was obliged to watch over these little ones.
“We do have bodyguards here, don’t we? Don’t worry, Mr. Frank. We won’t be running around. We’ll just stay in the ward!” Zachary promised.
“Please go, Mr. Frank. I’ll get you if we need your help!” Tim added. Poor Mr. Frank. He hadn’t gotten any rest since he had been looking after us since he came here.
Ethen gave in and went to have dinner with the rest. “Stay here, and don’t run around, okay?”
The six children nodded and waved their hands in the air, gesturing for him to leave. “Let’s go! Just come back soon!”
Bradley could not stand how slow Ethen was. He nudged Ethen, prompting him to leave the ward.
Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse were very independent. That was why Bradley was confident that they could take good care of themselves.
He also knew they would behave in the hospital.
Gavin, whom Benjamin had raised since he was a baby, was also a well-behaved child.
Tim, for sure, would not run around since he had to take care of Mary.
Ethen ordered the bodyguards to pay attention to the six little ones and Mary. He also told them to call him should anything happen. He then left the ward with Bradley.
Once the adults left, Gavin asked Tim, “What do you like to eat? I’ll ask Mr. Frank to pack some for you!”
“I’m fine with anything!” Tim responded.
Growing up in a poor family, Tim had learned to eat anything available to him.
Gavin nodded. He then turned to Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse. “How about you guys?”
“Anything will do. Mr. Hinton knows what we like anyway,” Zachary answered. He knew now was not the time to be picky.
Gavin nodded. He went out, called Shaun on the phone, and told him to bring some delicious food to the ward.
Meanwhile, Arissa, who was still on a flight, was running out of patience.
“Why is the plane so slow?”
She gazed out of the window, and the sky was pitch black. The only light source in the aircraft was the floor lights along the aisle.
“Calm down, and take a rest. We won’t be arriving anytime soon!” Benjamin could not focus on his work as he was distracted by Arissa.
Arissa looked at him and asked, “Can we go faster? Can you get the pilot to speed up?”
Benjamin took a sidelong glance at her but paid no heed to her request.
Arissa pouted. She did not know what else to do on the plane since she could not play on her phone.
After returning from the restroom, she walked back and forth on the aisle like a cat on a hot tin roof.
She then sneaked a glance at the busy man before taking her seat. How would my son react when he sees me? Will he be excited to see me? Will he be afraid of me?