Ch. 781..790
Chapter 781 Did You Argue
Just then, Zachary piped up, “Mommy, what about the walls upstairs?”
“That sounds great! We can paste your future achievements there!” Arissa smiled and nodded. That way, the children could see the display every time they used the stairs. She turned to Benjamin to seek his agreement. “Does that work?”
“I’m fine with anything!” Benjamin did not have any strong opinions on the matter. Nodding to acknowledge his response, Arissa then said to the children, “Sweethearts, we’ll paste your future certificates on the walls upstairs!”
“Okay!” The children nodded in unison. Once they arrived at the hospital, Benjamin and Arissa alighted from the car and led the children to visit Mary.
The elderly woman was flabbergasted by the entire Graham family’s visit to her ward. Anxiously, she asked, “Aren’t you both still working? You can go ahead and leave the children here! I’ll look after them.”
“We’ve knocked off work already, Grandaunt,” Arissa reassured her with a smile.
“So early? Don’t people usually get off work at six?”
She thought Arissa had left work early over the past few days to fetch the children home from school. She was surprised to learn that Arissa had already clocked off work.
“The company has shorter working hours,” Benjamin explained helpfully.
Mary nodded in relief and invited the family to sit.
Shaun entered the ward just then and smiled when he saw Benjamin. “You got off work so early?”
Benjamin nodded in response.
Then, Shaun greeted Arissa before turning his attention to entertaining the kids.
Arissa promptly wiped Mary down just as Edwin arrived with dinner for the elderly patient.
“Gavin, Tim, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, Jesse! Would you like to eat with your great-grandaunt?”
Mary invited the children to eat with her, but they shook their heads after seeing that Edwin had only brought enough food for one.
“It’s okay, Great-grandaunt! We’re not hungry!”
Arissa coaxed, “Please eat, Grandaunt. We’ll bring them home for dinner in a bit!”
“All right!” Mary nodded before calling out to Benjamin, “Why don’t you share some of this with me, Benjamin?”
Smiling, Benjamin said, “Don’t worry about me, Grandaunt. I’m going to have a chat with Shaun outside.”
Then, using his gaze, he signaled the doctor to leave the ward with him.
Shaun hastily followed him out of the room.
Arissa glanced at them before helping Mary with her dinner.
The six children were in Edwin’s good hands. The butler declared, “I knew you were all here, so I brought you all some snacks!”
“Yay! You’re the best, Mr. Whitley!”
They immediately plopped themselves on the couch and munched on the snacks that Edwin had brought.
Outside the ward, Benjamin asked Shaun, “When can Grandaunt have her operation?”
“She has been doing well for the past few days. If her examination tomorrow goes smoothly, we can fix a date for the operation!”
Benjamin nodded. “All right. Do as you see fit!”
“Don’t worry. We’re holding a meeting tomorrow after Mdm. Mary’s examination. If we can get her a slot in the surgical theater, we can operate soonest two days from now.”
Suddenly, Benjamin suggested, “How about performing the operation when the children are in school?”
He was concerned that Tim would worry excessively over Mary’s operation.
Shaun smiled and agreed readily, “That works too. We’re looking at nine in the morning. It’ll coincide with their schooling time. Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask you a question this morning. Where were you yesterday? Why didn’t I see you here?”
Sticking both hands into his pockets, Benjamin glanced at the doctor and replied, “I went to Xenhall for a business trip!”
Shaun scrutinized him and said carefully, “Mrs. Graham and the children had dinner here last night. Is everything all right between the two of you?”
Something flitted through Benjamin’s eyes as he questioned, “They had dinner here?”
“Yes!” Shaun even smiled as he added, “I joined them!”
Benjamin’s gaze instantly cooled by several degrees.
His displeasure delighted Shaun to no end.
Kingsley was right. Benjamin is jealous even when Arissa and the kids ate with us.
Shaun asked, “Did the two of you fight or something?”
Alas, Benjamin was looking elsewhere, deep in thought.
Sometime later, he said, “I answered a phone call, and she overheard the conversation!”
Chapter 782 Who Is More Important
Shaun asked Benjamin curiously, “What phone call?”
Benjamin’s silence spoke volumes. The doctor stared at his silent friend. Realization dawned on him, and he asked cautiously, “Did you answer Rosetta’s phone call?”
Benjamin pursed his lips in response. His actions immediately confirmed Shaun’s suspicions. He approached Benjamin and asked, “Are you still hung up on her?”
No one had dared to mention Rosetta’s name in Benjamin’s presence since she went overseas. Today, however, Shaun had broken the sacred rule.
Benjamin remained silent and stared into the distance. It was impossible to gauge his thoughts.
“Rosetta’s back at the worst time. I mean, it’s your choice if you choose to be with her. But as your friend, I feel obliged to remind you that Arissa’s an excellent woman. She single-handedly raised four kids out of the six she birthed for you. It was a dangerous situation, and it mustn’t have been easy for her to pull through. Mrs. Graham’s a sensible woman, and I’m sure she’ll understand once you share your thoughts with her. Don’t do anything stupid to hurt anyone, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!”
His and Kingsley’s observations told them that Benjamin truly cared about Arissa.
However, with Rosetta’s untimely return, it was difficult to tell which woman held a more important place in Benjamin’s heart.
Shaun sighed, wondering if Benjamin had absorbed even a smidge of his lengthy advice.
At last, Benjamin announced, “I’m going in to see if they’re done!”
He abruptly turned and entered the ward, trailed by Shaun.
Arissa had finished feeding Mary, and the children were presently joking with the patient, who was beaming with joy.
When Mary saw Benjamin coming into the ward, she smiled at him and said to Arissa, “Why don’t you all head back? There’s nothing else to do here, and I have plans to catch something on the TV with some fellow patients!”
Arissa teased, “Wow, Grandaunt, how many friends have you made in the hospital?”
“It’s boring here, and Dr. Bailey was kind enough to wheel me out so I could meet some patients. They all live on the same floor and invited me to watch television with them tonight!”
Arissa was relieved that Mary had settled in well at the hospital. A short while later, she went home with Benjamin and the children.
Sensing that the children missed Mary dearly, Arissa cajoled, “You can video call your great-grandaunt tonight if you miss her!”
“Okay!”
Satisfied with their mother’s suggestion, the six children held hands and entered the elevator together.
Benjamin held Arissa’s hand and strode toward the elevator.
Arissa pulled her hand out of his grasp, and her surprise only grew when she met Benjamin’s gaze.
He merely held her hand again and said, “Come on!”
Is he extending an olive branch to me right now? Arissa’s heart churned with conflicting emotions.
Still, it seemed unlikely given Benjamin’s serious demeanor.
Amid her musings, Jasper raised his head and looked at Arissa. “Are we going home, Mommy?”
Arissa stared at her son and asked, “Where else can we go?”
He smiled cheekily and exchanged knowing glances with Zachary and the others.
Then, he whined, “Mommy, you haven’t brought us out to play in a long time!”
So he wants to play. Arissa smiled fondly and looked at the other children. “Do the rest of you want to go out too?”
Oliver and Jesse nodded, while Gavin and Zachary shook their heads.
Tim appeared bewildered, unsure of his response.
“Everyone has different opinions!” Arissa laughed at the scene.
Jasper glared at Gavin and Zachary, accusing, “Didn’t we agree?”
“That was last time!” Zachary flicked his brother on the head. “Mommy’s so tired after work. We shouldn’t go out!”
Gavin nodded his agreement. “Yeah. We can go out another day!”
Pouting, Jasper looked at Arissa. “Bring us out to play this weekend, Mommy!”
Touched by her children’s thoughtfulness, Arissa immediately agreed to Jasper’s request.
“Fine. Mommy will bring you out to play this weekend. Sorry, we’re a little tight on time today.”
“Are you busy with something later, Mommy?” Gavin stared intently at his mother.
Chapter 783 He Kissed Mommy
“Once we get home, I still have to do some cleaning around the house, don’t I?” Arissa replied. She didn’t want to tell her son the truth about her working overtime, lest he storm off to reprimand his father again.
Benjamin, however, had his doubts and gave her the side-eye. My goodness. Has she really taken work home with her?
“Mommy, we have Mr. Whitley to help keep the house pick and span, so there’s no need for you to do anything else. Just spend time with us and have a good rest,” Gavin insisted, not wanting his mother to tire herself out.
After a while, Arissa finally gave in to her son and nodded. “Very well, then. I shall do just that!” Upon hearing that, Gavin beamed with joy.
As Arissa smiled and gazed at her six children, she couldn’t help but pull them all in for a hug and kiss. “Tell me, my sweethearts, what did you all learn today?”
The six children began sharing everything they had done in school that day. Arissa listened attentively, complimenting them when they did something good and correcting them when they made mistakes.
Even though Benjamin said nothing as he checked his emails and listened in on their conversation, that moment undoubtedly brought him a great sense of fulfillment.
As soon as they got home, the six children eagerly pulled Arissa out of the car. “Be careful!” the latter chided while trotting behind her little ones.
When the six children entered the house and saw Darius, their eyes immediately lit up. “Grandpa!”
Arissa flinched. Huh? Old Mr. Graham’s here?
“Come on, let’s head inside,” Benjamin said as he took her hand and led her into the house.
The moment he felt Arissa staring at him, Benjamin, too, turned to meet her gaze.
“Why do you seem so surprised? Try to act natural, so we look like a normal couple,” he reminded.
Those words quickly snapped Arissa back to her senses, but at the same time, she felt her heart sink.
She had thought Benjamin was showing her his love, so it was no wonder she was disappointed when she found out it was all just an act.
Despite that, Arissa did as instructed and curled her lips into a smile. “Will this do, Graham?”
“Don’t smile that much!” Benjamin scoffed.
With that, the smile on Arissa’s face instantly faded away. “In that case, why don’t you show me what to do, Graham?”
The next thing she knew, Benjamin had pinned her against the wall and kissed her.
Having never expected such a bold move from the man, Arissa was so shocked she almost stopped breathing.
Just then, a child’s voice broke the silence. “Ah!”
The couple hastily turned in the direction of the voice, only to see Tim and Oliver staring wide-eyed at them.
The two boys ran off the next second, with Oliver chanting, “Mr. Graham kissed Mommy!”
Naturally, that caught the attention of the other kids as they ran up excitedly to join their brothers. “What? What happened?”
By then, Arissa had turned beet red from being caught in the act by her children. She quickly pushed Benjamin away and buried her face in her hands.
Benjamin, however, merely smiled and pulled her into the house.
Gavin, Zachary, Jasper, Jesse, and even Darius couldn’t help but stare at them with a glint in their eyes.
Although she was still embarrassed, Arissa managed to greet Darius with a smile. “Hello, Old Mr. Graham!”
“Ah, welcome home!”
Darius’ gaze remained fixed on the couple, and when he noticed Benjamin holding Arissa’s hand, his smile widened even more.
“Why are you here again?” Benjamin asked as he glanced at his father.
Darius snorted softly, his expression suddenly a lot sterner than before.
“Why can’t I come? Are you afraid that I’d disturb the two of you? Anyway, you can carry on with your date if that’s what it was. I just want to play with my grandchildren.”
Before Benjamin could say anything, Darius had beckoned for the six children to follow him out to the garden.
Of course, the little ones were more than happy to oblige.
“Mommy, we’re going out to play with Grandpa!” Zachary shouted before his siblings chimed in.
“All right!” Arissa replied with a smile. “Don’t be too playful!”
“It’s good to be playful! Otherwise, they’ll end up like Benjamin, who’s always so quiet and solemn!” Darius teased.
Upon hearing that, Arissa chuckled.
Chapter 784 Do Not Overthink It
“What are you laughing at?” Benjamin grumbled as he pinched Arissa’s hand. The latter merely shot him a glance before pulling her hand free and making her way to the couch.
After staring at his now empty hand, Benjamin walked over and sat beside her. That, unfortunately, earned a glare from Arissa. “Old Mr. Graham’s outside. You can stop following me!”
Benjamin frowned as he stared at her. “Since when am I following you?”
Speechless, Arissa moved aside and poured herself a glass of water. “As long as Old Mr. Graham is out of sight, we can stop with the act, can’t we?”
Benjamin’s expression instantly darkened. Argh! This woman sure knows how to get on my nerves!
The next second, he grabbed her glass and finished the water in one gulp.
Arissa drew back in surprise, wondering if she had misspoken.
She snuck a peek at Benjamin and immediately felt a chill running down her spine when she met his angry gaze.
“D-Did I say something wrong?”
Benjamin said nothing as he gritted his teeth. Oh, so now she’s testing me, huh? How I wish I could teach her a lesson!
Despite that thought, he furrowed his brows when he realized the wound above Arissa’s lips had reopened.
“Edwin!”
Without further ado, Edwin came running out of the kitchen.
Not knowing what Benjamin was up to, Arissa continued staring at him until his instructions to Edwin made her heart skip a beat.
“Fetch me the first-aid kit!”
Edwin looked at the couple and quickly nodded. “Right away!”
After seeing the butler run off to carry out his order, Arissa stole another glance at Benjamin. “What do you need the first-aid kit for?”
Does he want to apply the medication for me?
Benjamin shot her such an intimidating glare that she quickly looked away.
As soon as Edwin returned with the first-aid kit, Benjamin dismissed him and personally took out the ointment for Arissa.
“Sit over here!”
Upon hearing his order, Arissa froze. Oh, no! He’s really going to apply the medication, isn’t he?
Seeing that Arissa had yet to move from her spot, Benjamin frowned and shifted himself next to her. Then he lifted her chin and began examining her wound.
When Arissa looked around and realized Darius was nowhere in sight, her heart started racing. “Graham, I think I’ll do it myself!”
“Shut up!” Benjamin ordered before proceeding to disinfect the wound and apply a thin layer of ointment.
He scrunched up his brows in deep concentration, and the more Arissa stared, the faster her heart pounded.
What if he’s only helping me, and I’m the delusional one who misunderstood his intentions?
Sharp-eyed as ever, Benjamin soon noticed how tense Arissa had become and how her eyes were darting around. “Is it because of that phone call?”
Arissa froze and turned to him. “What phone call?”
Benjamin’s gaze deepened as he met her eyes. “The one from the other night! You went straight to the kids’ room when I answered it!”
Arissa instantly lowered her gaze. I never thought he’d be the first to bring that up, but now that he has, I may as well be honest. I’m not one to beat around the bush, anyway!
“Yes!” she exclaimed.
Benjamin’s gaze flickered, and needless to say, he was surprised at how much Arissa had dwelled on the matter.
“It was just a call,” he explained. “Don’t overthink it.”
Arissa turned around and was greeted by the sight of Benjamin packing up the first-aid kit. “Are you close with that woman?”
No one will believe there’s nothing more to the relationship when a woman calls a man in the middle of the night. Besides, he sounded so gentle too!
“Yes.”
Arissa bit her lip, only to quickly release it when she felt a jolt of pain.
Once again, that didn’t go unnoticed by Benjamin. “Stop biting your lip!”
“Fine!” Arissa snapped before shooting another glance at the man. “Have you dated that woman before?”
After a pause, Benjamin replied, “I guess you could say that.”
Arissa merely gaped at him in bewilderment. “What? How can you not know if you’ve dated her before?”
“I don’t know how to put it!”
That baffled Arissa even more.
Huh? What lousy reply is that?
Chapter 785 Are You Jealous
“How do you know all this, anyway?” Benjamin asked with a frown, wondering which blabbermouth had spoken to Arissa.
“I was in the office cafeteria when I saw the news of your ribbon-cutting ceremony. Everyone was talking about it, so I heard a little here and there.”
This time, Benjamin’s frown deepened as a fresh swell of rage rose in him. “What did they all say?”
“They said the two of you were talking about marriage,” Arissa replied candidly.
“And you believed them?” Benjamin muttered, pursing his lips. Is that why she’s been distancing herself from me for the past two days?
Arissa looked him in the eye, unable to shake off the flicker of irritation buzzing through her.
How could I not have believed it? Photos of him and Rosetta were even trending on social media!
“Is that not the case?”
A glint flashed across Benjamin’s eyes as he leaned in. “Have you been throwing a tantrum because of that?”
“W-Who’s throwing a tantrum?”
“How dare you deny it!” Benjamin retorted while playfully pinching Arissa’s cheek.
The latter, however, ducked away and pretended not to care. “So, are you two discussing marriage or not?”
Benjamin raised his brows. “What do you think?”
Arissa felt even more frustrated, but when she turned around and noticed Benjamin staring back cheekily, a warm blush rose to her cheeks.
“Forget it, then!” she fumed before standing and marching up the stairs.
To her surprise, Benjamin got up and followed suit, his piercing eyes still trained on her.
Feeling her pulse quicken, Arissa whipped around to face the man. “Why are you following me?”
“This is my house,” Benjamin said with a chuckle. “Can’t I go upstairs?”
Stumped for words, Arissa stood aside and beckoned him to go before her.
Even though Benjamin was standing on the lower step, he was still taller than her.
The next second, he placed his arms on the railing behind her and locked her in his embrace. “Are you jealous?”
“No, I’m not!” Arissa answered, her eyes darting around.
Seeing how flustered she was, Benjamin beamed with delight.
All the gloominess that had accumulated over the past few days seemed to vanish in that instance.
He leaned down suddenly and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ve never talked about marriage with her.”
With that, Benjamin turned and continued up the stairs, leaving Arissa with butterflies in her stomach.
She touched the spot where his lips had just been and felt herself getting all warm and fluttery.
Yes. They aren’t talking about getting married!
Seconds later, she turned and chased after Benjamin. “Benjamin Graham, do you like her?”
Benjamin froze in his tracks and slowly turned to face his anxious inquisitor.
“What do you mean by like?”
For a moment, Arissa was stunned. Huh? I can’t believe he just asked that! Then again, it doesn’t seem like he’s being difficult. He really looks like he’s clueless about it!
“Don’t you know what it means to like someone?”
To think he’s dated that woman before!
A trace of awkwardness instantly flashed across Benjamin’s face. “Well, do you?”
Arissa blinked as she stood blankly in the hallway and watched him walk into his bedroom.
If he doesn’t know what it means to like someone, why is he so sweet and gentle toward Rosetta? Or has he not realized his feelings for her?
Eager to know the answer, she strode into Benjamin’s room, only to find the latter stripping.
“Why are you taking off your clothes?” she asked as she hastily turned around.
She could feel her face burning up, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake off the image of Benjamin’s toned figure.
After all, he had a perfectly chiseled body, and the sight of him being topless was irresistibly alluring.
Benjamin looked up at Arissa and continued to unbuckle his pants.
“How am I supposed to shower if I don’t take off my clothes?”
“You could’ve said so earlier!” Arissa grumbled before getting ready to rush out of the room.
“Why do I need to inform you when I’m stripping in my own room?” Benjamin retorted as he stared fixedly at the woman trying to escape. “Come here!”
Arissa’s heart lurched. My goodness. Why does he always have to shout like that? He’ll give me a heart attack one of these days!
“What do you want?” she muttered with her back still facing him.
“I want you to get over here!”
Benjamin’s voice was deep and authoritative, and Arissa didn’t dare defy him.
Left with no choice, she turned and stared at him from the door.
“Well, what is it?”
Chapter 786 Teach Me A Lesson
Benjamin kept his eye on her, his gaze deep and somewhat mystifying. “Get over here and wipe my back!”
Arissa twitched her mouth slightly as she glared at the man in disbelief. Argh! How much more shameless can he get? I can’t believe he wants me to wipe his back for him!
“In your dreams!” she huffed before hightailing it out of the room, her heart still pounding in her chest. Quickly, she gathered her laptop and bag and walked toward her room.
Benjamin furrowed his brows but said nothing more as he dropped his pants and stepped into the bathroom. Once she was back in the comfort of her room, Arissa buckled down and started working.
Meanwhile, the joyous shouts and laughter from the six children rang out from time to time. As soon as he had finished showering, Benjamin promptly walked out to the balcony and looked downstairs.
After spending a few minutes watching Darius and the children romp happily around in the garden, he changed into a fresh set of clothes and stepped out of his room.
Following his instincts, Benjamin turned on his heel and headed toward Arissa’s room.
Sure enough, he found her so immersed in her work that she didn’t even realize he had entered the room.
Shortly after, Benjamin was standing behind her and peering over her shoulder. The next second, he leaned down and pointed to an area on the document. “The data here is wrong.”
Arissa nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned around and found herself staring at the face of her surprise visitor. “W-When did you come in?”
Benjamin studied the shocked expression on her face and harrumphed softly.
“I’ve been here for a while.”
With him standing so close to her, Arissa could feel his warm breath tickling her skin whenever he spoke.
On top of that, Benjamin’s freshly showered fragrance was so overwhelmingly enticing that she felt her heart pounding away again.
She quickly averted her gaze and shifted aside.
“What do you want, Graham?”
Benjamin gazed intently at Arissa and smirked when he saw the blush creeping up her cheeks. “Didn’t I tell you not to work overtime?”
“I’m not used to leaving work unfinished.”
“You want the kids to teach me a lesson? Is that it?” Benjamin asked as he casually leaned against the table with his hands in his pockets.
Arissa stole a glance at the man, and even she had to admit he looked incredibly charming.
“Oh? Are the kids capable of doing that?”
“Gavin and Zachary have been waiting for a chance to get back at me,” Benjamin scoffed. “What do you think?”
Upon hearing that, Arissa couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
“Put your work away!” Benjamin ordered.
Arissa, however, remained in her chair and stared back with pleading eyes. “There’s only a bit more to go. I’ll be done with it soon!”
“Arissa York, can you be more obedient?”
Seeing how furious Benjamin was, Arissa flinched. Dear God! He’s such an emotional man.
“Are you ignoring my orders?” Benjamin added as he pinched her cheeks.
Arissa blushed and quickly slapped his hand away. “I’d appreciate it if you could move your ass away, Graham!”
Benjamin raised his brows and shot her another glance before doing as instructed.
With that, Arissa hurriedly gathered her documents and put them neatly away.
Meanwhile, Benjamin had lain on her bed, feeling relaxed as he placed his hands behind his head and stared at her.
When Arissa finished tidying up her table and turned around, she met the man’s piercing gaze.
“I’m going down,” she mumbled.
Hmph! Since I’m not allowed to work, I’ll spend my time with the kids.
Seeing that Benjamin didn’t respond, she shot him another look. “Are you coming?”
To her surprise, Benjamin walked up to her and pulled her into a hug.
Not knowing what he was up to, Arissa gave him a puzzled look.
“Yes. Let’s find Gavin and the rest,” Benjamin replied gently.
Arissa smiled. “I suppose you seldom spent time with the little one in the past?”
“Yes,” Benjamin said as he glanced at her. “I’ve always been busy at work.”
Upon hearing that, Arissa furrowed her brows. No wonder Gavin always said his father was busy. The poor boy has missed out on so much fun!
Realizing she was feeling sorry for her son, Benjamin hurriedly explained, “But there were times when I’d bring him along to the office!”
Almost immediately, Arissa conjured up images of Benjamin bringing Gavin to work. When she imagined the boy wailing his head off and Benjamin frantically trying to coax him, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
Chapter 787 Spending Time With My Kids
“Why are you giggling?” Benjamin lowered his gaze at her. Arissa gave him a look and asked, “Were you the one who coaxed Gavin when he cried?”
Benjamin arched his brow. “Isn’t that obvious?”
“Graham, it never crossed my mind that you know how to coax a child!” Arissa smiled. Benjamin’s expression turned dark all of a sudden. What does she take me for?
“Did you think that you’re the only one who knows how to console a child? Fine, I’ll send all the crying children to you from now onward.”
Arissa continued smiling. “Perhaps the kids love being coaxed by Daddy!”
Benjamin harrumphed softly.
Right then, Edwin came out of the kitchen to serve them food. His eyes lit up when he saw the couple come down the stairs arm in arm.
Did Mr. and Mrs. Graham make up?
“Mrs. Graham, could you please help me bring the food out to Old Mr. Graham and the children?”
“Is dinner ready, Edwin?” Arissa asked as she received the food.
“Just a little while more.” Edwin cast a glance at them before returning to the kitchen.
Arissa passed the food to Benjamin and instructed, “You bring this to the kids. I’m going to help in the kitchen.”
Shortly after watching her leave, he turned around and walked away.
When Darius saw Benjamin heading in his direction, he turned toward the six kids, who immediately called out to him in their cutesy voices.
“Daddy!”
“Mr. Graham!”
“Mr. Graham!”
“Hey!” Benjamin glanced at them. “Come and have some snack.”
The six kids darted toward him. Subsequently, Gavin took one for Darius.
“Here you go, Grandpa!”
“Thank you, Gavin.” Delighted, Darius stroked his head dotingly.
The thoughtful Zachary also grabbed some for Tim, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse before enjoying the snack himself.
As Gavin ran back to Benjamin, the latter passed him another one and said, “Sit down and eat.”
Hence, the six of them each took a seat and munched their snacks away.
“You should have one too, Mr. Graham.” Zachary stared at Benjamin.
“Take a seat, Mr. Graham,” Oliver chimed in.
“Okay.” Benjamin did as told.
“Where’s Mommy, Mr. Graham?” All six children turned to look at him in unison.
Jesse looked exceptionally adorable when she blinked. Her lashes were long and thick.
Benjamin fixed his gaze on her and answered, “Mommy is in the kitchen.”
“I bet she’s making delicious food for us.” Jesse grinned from ear to ear.
Her five brothers, too, were anticipating the food with great excitement.
Darius watched them with a smile on his face and commented, “Your mommy is a great cook indeed.”
Upon hearing Darius’ compliment, Zachary expressed his gratitude smugly. “Thank you, Grandpa.”
“Mommy can make an array of delectables. Grandpa, please visit more often. Then, you’ll get to taste them all,” Jasper said.
“Sure!” Overjoyed, Darius turned and looked at Benjamin.
The latter then poured each child a glass of water. He reminded them, “Don’t just keep eating. Have some water.”
“Thanks, Daddy!” Gavin said sweetly.
“Thanks, Mr. Graham,” Tim chimed in as well and followed by the other four kids.
Chuckling, Darius teased, “You haven’t gotten their approval?”
Benjamin side-eyed his father and said nothing.
“You seem to be quite free today. Are you done with work, Benjamin?”
“I’m spending time with my kids,” he replied placidly.
Not only was Darius taken aback by his answer, but the children were also astounded.
Tim asked softly, “Mr. Graham, are you going to coach us on our studies now?”
“There’s no hurry. I’ll help you all with your homework after dinner.” Benjamin tousled the boy’s head. “You like the snacks?”
Tim nodded vigorously. “It’s so yummy!”
He had been eating very slowly because he could not bring himself to finish the delicious food.
It pained Benjamin’s heart to see him acting that way. “Go ahead and eat as much as you like. Edwin has made lots of them.”
At that instant, Gavin served his brother some more. “Come on, eat faster, or else we’re going to finish them all. More mouth-watering food is coming our way later!”
Jasper looked at his two older brothers and guffawed. “You guys are the slowest!”
Then he stuffed the snack into his mouth and gobbled it down.
Chapter 788 I Am An Extra
Benjamin thought that the way the little guy ate his food was exactly like Arissa. He could not help but correct his son. “Don’t scarf down your food, Jasper. Chew longer before swallowing.”
Darius found it amusing. “Slow down. There’s still a lot more. They are prepared just for you lot.” Jasper smiled and stuck his tongue out cheekily.
“You’re eating as if you’re in an eating competition,” remarked Oliver. “Hmph! I’m worried that you’ll steal my food!” Jasper protested defiantly.
Their silly antics made everyone burst out laughing. “It’s a miracle that you didn’t take mine!” Oliver pushed his glasses up and pinched Jasper’s cheek. Zachary glanced at them and advised, “Stop fooling around. Hurry up and finish your snacks.”
Immediately, the boys went silent. Darius looked on dotingly at how commanding Zachary was. He was acting like a little boss among his siblings. “Sweethearts, join me in the Old Manor tonight, all right?”
Tim had never been there. So, he waited for his brothers and sister to make a decision. When the kids heard about visiting the Old Manor, they instinctively glanced at Benjamin, seemingly checking his approval.
Gavin, for one, never liked going to the Old Manor.
Seeing his older brother remain quiet, Zachary followed suit.
Similarly, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse refrained from expressing their opinions.
Darius let out a half-amused, half-exasperated laugh. “Would you tag along if your mommy goes?”
Gavin sneaked a glance at his grandfather and said, “Mommy isn’t free.”
Darius’ lips twitched when he heard that. He stared at his frowning grandson and thought he looked very much like his father.
“She’s occupied these few days,” uttered Benjamin in order to spoil Darius’ plan.
“Why? You haven’t brought her to the Old Manor for a meal since your return!” Darius started getting upset.
“There’s no difference whether we dine here or at the Old Manor. You can come here whenever you want to have meals with Arissa.”
Benjamin refused to go back to the Old Manor.
Darius was well aware of his concerns. He sighed and said, “Well, Benjamin, it’s necessary for the children to meet up with other relatives. You can’t keep delaying that.”
“Haven’t you arranged for an ancestral ritual? They can meet up then.”
Benjamin scoffed. There’s no need to meet those few irrelevant people!
“Grandpa, we don’t want to eat with them since they don’t like us. I doubt we could enjoy a meal together. We might have a problem digesting our food too!”
Gavin pulled a long face and supported his father.
“That’s not true. They love you.” Darius tried to convince the little fellow.
“No, they only put on an act before you, Grandpa,” Gavin complained contemptuously while snapping his brows together.
He was always a boy with few words. He had never spoken about that openly or shared his feelings at length.
Darius knew he was not fond of the people living in the Old Manor, but he did not know why.
When he learned about it for the first time, he was stunned to the core.
Tim, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse had their eyes fixated on the grandfather and grandson duo.
They had never seen the relatives Darius mentioned. Hence, they did not dare to make any comments.
“Did they bully you?” Darius pursued the matter further, worried that the boy had experienced a bad encounter.
Gavin turned to Benjamin, who stroked his head in response.
Then, the latter retorted, “Isn’t it obvious? They won’t do anything unfavorable to their reputation in your presence. However, you have no idea about the words spoken behind your back.”
Darius furrowed his brows and questioned Gavin, “Tell me, Gavin. Who gave you a hard time?”
“It’s Aunt Susanna. She scolded me and said that I’m unwanted in the family. I’m an extra!”
As Gavin revealed the truth, tears welled up in his eyes. He could still remember vividly how Susanna had made him feel when she hurled insults at him.
Benjamin narrowed his almond-shaped eyes, and they glinted sharply.
He recalled the dreadful incident when the boy came home in low spirits after visiting the Old Manor. He even refused to speak for several days, and nothing everyone did could cheer him up.
Benjamin’s expression darkened. “How brazen is that woman to say that my son is an extra in the family!”
“Don’t listen to her spewing nonsense! Gavin, you’re not an extra.” Darius was furious when he learned that someone had lashed out at his precious grandson.
Chapter 789 Seeing You Cry Makes Me Tear Up
“Gavin, you’re not an extra. You’re our eldest brother! That wicked woman is the one who’s unwanted in the family,” Zachary snarled as he hugged Gavin.
Tim, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse also hurried over to show their big brother some love. “You’re not an extra, Gavin!” “Yeah, Gavin. Don’t be sad.” “We’ll teach her a lesson when we see her, Gavin!”
“Who says that you’re irrelevant here? You’re Mommy’s little sweetheart, Gavin! Don’t get so upset over it.” Darius was saddened and enraged at the same time. He felt so sorry for his grandchildren.
Hastily, he whipped out his phone and called Bryan. “I want all of you to come to Benjamin’s house at once!” Benjamin’s gaze turned cold when he heard that.
“Don’t make a scene at my place!” He was so loud that Bryan could hear him from the other side of the line. Sensing his anger, Darius bellowed, “Head to the Old Manor now!”
After hanging up, Darius hugged his six grandchildren and assured them, “Gavin, I’m going to set things straight for you.” At that, he gestured William and left for the manor swiftly.
When Arissa heard the car engine revving up, she popped her head out of the kitchen to check, only to realize that Darius’ car had sped off.
Puzzled, she went out to check. “Did Old Mr. Graham leave?” she asked Benjamin when she could not locate Darius.
“Yes.” Benjamin turned to look at her.
Arissa noticed his grim expression and the children’s downcast faces. She froze and wondered why.
“What’s wrong with all of you?”
The moment Jesse saw Arissa, she cried and ran toward her, complaining, “Mommy, Gavin told us that Aunt Susanna reprimanded him and even commented that he’s an unwanted child.”
Arissa’s frown deepened into a scowl. She stroked Jesse’s head gently and then walked up to Gavin to give him a hug.
“Sweetheart, you’re my precious boy, my pride, and my joy. Nothing matters more than you. Let’s not care about what other people say, especially when their intention is to hurt us.”
Gavin’s silence worried Arissa. She kissed his forehead gently to comfort him.
“Mommy…”
Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her neck and bawled his eyes out.
Arissa tucked him in her arms and patted his back. She repeatedly stroked the back of his head, trying to make him feel better.
“Sweetheart, if anyone bullies you again, I’ll be sure to teach the person a lesson.”
What is Susanna thinking? How could she scold Gavin? What a wicked soul!
She looked at Benjamin and asked, “When was that?”
“Some time back. It happened last year.”
His glare turned malevolent. Bryan and his family are seriously asking to be punished!
Arissa was shocked. “It’s been a year?”
She lowered her head to gaze at her son. I can imagine how aggrieved Gavin must have felt to carry the hurt for such a long period.
“Gavin finally shared this incident when Dad mentioned he wanted to bring the kids back to the Old Manor just now. When it happened back then, the poor boy had refused to speak for several days.”
Benjamin felt bad as he recalled the past. He regretted not asking his son more questions to find out why. Since then, Gavin had rarely visited the Old Manor.
Arissa rubbed the boy’s back to console him.
“Don’t cry, Gavin.”
Tim went up to them and stroked Gavin’s head.
“Don’t cry, Gavin. Seeing you cry makes me tear up too.”
Jasper’s eyes started to turn red.
Zachary bellowed, “How could that woman say such cruel things to Gavin?”
“We must give her a hard time when we see her. She’s terrible!” Oliver criticized angrily.
“She’s not our aunt because she bullied Gavin!” Jesse cursed as she wiped her tears away.
Seeing so, Benjamin leaned over and picked her up.
When Gavin realized that all his siblings, including Arissa, were on his side, loving and comforting him, he felt much better.
He pulled himself from Arissa’s embrace, sniffled, and wiped his tears dry.
“Mommy, I’m sorry for making you worry,” he muttered sheepishly.
“It’s okay, Sweetheart.” Arissa tousled his hair dotingly. “Tell me, what else did she say or do to you?”
Chapter 790 They Were Literally All Over Him
“They would stare daggers at me behind Grandpa’s back. Sometimes, they pinched my face real hard,” Gavin complained. “Did you tell Daddy?”
Arissa was certain that Benjamin would never allow his son to be bullied. Lo and behold, Gavin shook his head. “Daddy is always busy. Moreover, Grandpa would be sad if he found out.”
Arissa’s heart ached when she learned about it, and she gave him another kiss on his forehead. “Who are they?”
“Uncle Bryan, Uncle Nick, and their family members.” Arissa was dumbfounded. Do they hate my son so much?
“Just ignore them.” Benjamin caressed Gavin’s head. “Okay!” Gavin nodded. “I shall glare at them when I see them.” Staring at his exasperated expression, Arissa gently pinched his puffy cheeks. “That’s right! Let’s give them the cold shoulder.”
“Got it, Mommy!” Gavin was slightly cheered up. Arissa smiled and kissed his cheek. “Remember to tell me or Daddy if anyone bullies you, okay? We’ll show him who’s boss.”
“All right!” The boy nodded happily. While Arissa was coaxing the child, Benjamin walked away and gave Ethen a call. “Is Bryan working on a huge project lately? Steal it from him,” instructed Benjamin coldly.
Arissa turned to him when she heard that. “Go now and play by yourselves, Sweethearts!”
She rubbed Zachary’s head, seemingly requesting his help to get the rest of the children to go have some fun. “Let’s go play, Gavin. Lead us to the backyard.”
Zachary grabbed Gavin’s hand, gesturing for him to take them to the garden. “Sure!”
Gavin nodded, then informed Arissa before leaving with his siblings. When the kids had disappeared from her sight, Arissa withdrew her gaze and walked toward Benjamin, who had just ended a call.
“If Old Mr. Graham knew about this, would he—”
“They have already gotten on his nerves when they bullied Gavin at the Old Manor!”
To Darius, Gavin was like a precious jewel, his most cherished asset.
Benjamin was in a bad mood. He was downright displeased that the matter was only revealed a year after.
Arissa nodded in agreement. She was well aware of how much Darius loved Gavin.
“Don’t get so worked up. We’ll be more vigilant in the future.”
Benjamin looked her in the eyes and nodded. “You too, don’t worry too much. Have you eaten?”
“Not yet. The soup is still on the stove. Are you hungry?”
“Nope.” Benjamin glanced at his six children, who were frolicking in the garden, and heaved a sigh of relief. “I’ll go check on them.”
Arissa smiled. Subsequently, she headed back to the kitchen to help Edwin.
Shortly after, Benjamin brought the kids inside the house.
When Arissa saw them, she was shocked to the core.
Oliver and Jasper were leaning on Benjamin’s left shoulder, whereas Jesse was sitting on his right shoulder, hugging his head.
They were literally all over him. The three older children were in his arms; two on the right and one on the left.
Arissa could not help but let out an amused chuckle.
“Get down now.”
Embarrassment inundated Benjamin, and he quickly requested the kids to stop their silly antics.
“Hang on!” Arissa stopped them.
Whipping out her phone, she snapped a few photos of it at lightning speed.
Benjamin frowned and asked impatiently, “Are you done?”
“Yes, yes.”
She giggled as she waved at the children.
“Come on, Sweethearts. Dinner is ready!”
One by one, the kids got off Benjamin’s back and went to wash their hands happily.
“Not bad, Graham. You’re looking more and more like a father.” Arissa shot him a cheeky look.
Benjamin furrowed his brows. “Do I not look like one before this?”
“Haha! You were too serious. Hence, the kids never dared to approach you. If you want to hang out with them, you need to be friendlier.”
Nonetheless, she was glad that he had gotten much closer to the children.
“I wonder who was the one who was afraid that I would get too close to the children.”
Arissa blushed. “Well, I was afraid you’d snatch them away from me. It’s a different context altogether.”
Benjamin quirked an eyebrow in interest.
“How are they different? You’re not afraid anymore?”