Ch. 881..890
Chapter 881 He Is Still Waiting
Oliver blinked his eyes and looked at Benjamin. “For real, Mr. Graham?”
Benjamin nodded in response. “That’s awesome!” The little boy cheered excitedly. “Then that’s a promise!” “Yes.” Benjamin nodded lovingly.
The six children were over the moon at the promise and could not wait for tomorrow night to arrive. Arissa wrapped her arms around them and patted their heads.
Upon returning home, the six kids hurriedly got out of the car as soon as the door was opened. “Mommy, Daddy, hurry!” Gavin shouted.
Arissa said, “You guys head in first. Go and see if your grandpa is still up waiting for you.”
“Okay!” Gavin nodded and led his brothers and sister into the house.
In the meantime, Arissa helped Benjamin up, to which Benjamin said, “I’m fine.”
Bending forward, he got out of the car and began tugging her toward the house.
Arissa, however, turned back to look as she knew that Kingsley and the others were right behind them.
“Are we not going to wait for them?”
“No. It’s not like this is their first time here,” Benjamin murmured before turning her face around.
Arissa chuckled.
As soon as they entered the house, Arissa smiled after hearing the happy chatter between the grandfather and grandchildren.
“Dad is still awake.”
“Yeah. He’s usually still awake at this hour!” Benjamin uttered before bringing her in.
“Dad,” Benjamin greeted, and so did Arissa.
Upon hearing that, Darius was delighted as it was very rare for Benjamin to address him in such a calm manner. At that, he couldn’t help but smile. “You’re back.”
“Yup!” Arissa replied with a smile.
Benjamin then led Arissa to the couch before they sat down together.
“Seems like you’ve had quite a few glasses of wine.”
“Just a few.” Benjamin looked toward his father and said, “Why are you still here at this hour? Were you waiting for us?”
“Bah! I’ve got nothing better to do at home, so I figured I might as well stay for a bit,” Darius replied while playing with the kids.
He had Jesse in his lap and was feeding her.
At the sight of this, Benjamin’s gaze flickered. He wondered why the old man preferred Jesse over the others every time.
“Jesse, have some fruits. They’re good for your skin!” Darius delivered some grapes to Jesse.
“Thank you, Grandpa!” Jesse thanked with a tender voice.
“You all have some as well!” Darius shouted toward Tim and the rest.
“Thank you, Grandpa!” The other five kids nodded and thanked him in unison before enjoying the fruits.
Darius looked toward the kids with a lovely smile. “So, what did you have for dinner? Did you fill your tummies?”
Hearing that, the six children started chattering happily and shared their stories with the elderly man, allowing Benjamin and Arissa to sit at the side and enjoy a moment of peace.
A short moment later, Kingsley and the rest arrived.
“Boss, let’s go! Bring out your precious wine! Today is a special day, a day that we must celebrate!” Kingsley hollered.
“You’re just eager to drink,” Jonathan mocked.
“Aren’t you the same?” Kingsley refuted.
On the other hand, Darius turned around. After noticing they were staggering, he said, “You’re already so drunk, yet you still want to drink?”
Hearing his voice, Kingsley and the rest stood up straight and greeted, “Old Mr. Graham!”
“Have a seat.” Darius smiled.
With that, they all sat at the side and made sure to mind their manners.
Right then, Arissa delivered some fruits to them and said, “Here, have some.”
Kingsley took it upon himself to take over the plate and invite the rest to have some of the fruits. They were so comfortable here it was as if they were back in their own houses.
In the meantime, Darius glanced at them and asked, “Where’s Aaron?”
“He left a long time ago.” Kingsley twitched his mouth, not wanting to bring up that incident again as it would only ruin the mood.
“Grandpa, Mr. Aaron’s sister was there with us just now, but she shamelessly stared at Daddy the whole time!” Gavin explained what had happened to Darius.
Darius’ eyes darkened upon hearing that. He hurriedly looked toward Benjamin and Arissa and, after realizing they showed no abnormal emotions, heaved a sigh of relief.
Chapter 882 Remember Who You Are
“She said she wanted to snatch Mr. Graham away, and she also bullied Mommy in the bathroom!” Jesse complained to Darius.
Darius was infuriated. “That’s out of line! Issa, how did she bully you? Did you get hurt?”
Arissa was touched by his concern. She shook her head and answered, “I didn’t get hurt, Dad. Don’t worry. She tried to provoke me with words, but I didn’t fall for it!”
Darius nodded. “That’s good. Issa, what happened between her and Benjamin is history. Don’t be upset by it, okay? From now on, you guys are going to spend the rest of your lives together. Be nice to each other, and don’t believe anything others say. You have to always remember who you are. You’re Mrs. Graham. If someone bullies you, you ought to fight back. Even if Benjamin doesn’t care about you, I’ll have your back! You’re the Graham family’s daughter-in-law. No one is allowed to bully you!”
Arissa felt warm and fuzzy inside to hear that.
Delighted, she answered, “Okay, Dad!”
Darius nodded in response.
“What history?” Benjamin glared at Darius. “I don’t have a history with her.”
“Is that so? In that case, why did you talk to me that way back then?” Darius scoffed.
“Well, you angered me.” Benjamin snorted lightly and added, “Also, what do you mean when you say I don’t care? Since when have I not cared?”
Darius shot him a look and argued, “I said ‘if,’ didn’t I? I’m warning you. If you ever dare to bully Issa, I’ll come for your head!”
Benjamin frowned and kept mum.
Right then, Arissa tugged on the corner of his shirt, signaling him to stop arguing with Darius.
“I hear you!” Benjamin responded.
Darius nodded in satisfaction. He then urged Arissa, “If he ever bullies you, you must tell me!”
“Got it, Dad!” Arissa was overjoyed because Darius truly cared about her.
Kingsley and the others were observing the interaction, and they couldn’t help poking fun at Benjamin.
“Boss, it seems like your ranking at home has dropped.”
Hearing that, Benjamin swept a glance at them.
Kingsley then saw Edwin walking by, so he instructed, “Edwin, prepare some food and alcohol. Later, we’re going to drink with our boss till we drop!”
“Sure!” Edwin responded with a smile.
“Old Mr. Graham, regarding what you told me to do, I’ve already made the preparations,” Edwin reported.
Darius smiled and nodded. “That’s good!”
“What preparations?” Arissa asked curiously.
“It’s nothing!” Darius laughed.
Arissa looked at Darius. Seeing that he wasn’t willing to reveal anything, she didn’t ask further.
“Dad, why don’t you stay the night?” she asked.
Darius’ eyes lit up instantly. “Sure! I haven’t spent enough time with Gavin and the others.” He was over the moon as he wrapped his arms around the children.
“Grandpa, does this mean you’ll be telling us a bedtime story?” Jasper blinked and asked.
“Yes!” Darius answered gleefully.
“Hehe! Tim, we’ll get to listen to Grandpa’s stories again!” Jasper aimed a grin at Tim.
Thrilled, Tim nodded in response.
“Come here, you guys! Give me a hug!” Kingsley said to the kids.
All six of them stayed with Darius and answered, “We’re staying with Grandpa!”
Jonathan, Shaun, Ethen, and Jack were amused.
With those six children around him, Darius was elated.
Arissa saw how much fun her kids were having, so she didn’t rush them to get a shower.
“Are you tired?” Benjamin approached her.
“I’m not. What’s up?” Arissa asked softly.
“If you’re tired, you should go up and rest. You don’t have to keep them company,” Benjamin uttered.
Arissa smiled in response. “I’ll stay for a while more.”
Benjamin nodded. “I might need to drink with them. If you’re tired, go to bed first.”
“All right. You guys shouldn’t drink too much, okay? It’s not good for the stomach,” Arissa advised.
With a smile, Benjamin answered gently, “Got it!”
Chapter 883 Petty
“What are you two whispering about?” Kingsley teased them while wearing a smile on his face. “Secret.” Arissa giggled. Everyone immediately burst into laughter.
Shaun chuckled and urged, “Kingsley, Arissa is having a secret conversation with Benjamin. You’d better keep your curiosity away from that. Otherwise, we won’t have the guts to stop him if he throws you out later.”
Hearing that, Kingsley rolled his eyes at him and nudged Jonathan. “Hey, Jonathan. Aren’t you curious?”
Jonathan only smirked in response. It was undeniable that he was curious. However, he found it inappropriate for them to be nosy when the couple was having a secret conversation.
“You should talk less,” he said in the end.
Kingsley then peeked at Benjamin before saying with a smile, “Boss, you aren’t that petty, right?”
Benjamin only fixed his eyes on him, saying nothing. What a chatterbox he is!
“Is he petty?” Arissa asked curiously.
Kingsley flashed her a sheepish smile and dared not utter a word in response.
Meanwhile, Darius was playing with the six children in the distance. Joyful laughter could be heard occasionally. It was a lively atmosphere.
After accompanying the children for a while, Ethen and Jack went to help in the kitchen.
“Arissa, you should ask Boss about this,” Kingsley replied and chuckled awkwardly.
Arissa shifted her gaze to the man beside her, but he glanced at her and said, “Ignore him.”
With that, she turned to the others and flashed them a smile. “Have a seat. I’m going to the kitchen.”
Just as she planned to see if there was anything she could help with in the kitchen, Benjamin held her arm.
“There’s no need for you to go over. Just let them do it,” he said.
Arissa sat back and looked at him. “It’s okay. I can lend a hand. It’s faster that way.”
He then motioned to her with a jerk of his chin. “Bring the nuts over.”
Arissa leaned over and fetched the bowl of nuts for Benjamin, who put it aside, grabbed a few nuts, and shelled them.
“Finish these,” he said as he passed the shelled nuts to her.
Surprised by his gesture, Arissa received them happily.
“Thank you, Graham!” she chirped.
Benjamin grunted an acknowledgment and continued to shell the nuts for her.
“This is my first time seeing Boss shell nuts for a girl!” Jonathan teased.
Embarrassment rose within Arissa when she saw their twinkling eyes.
“I’ve seen many of Benjamin’s first times! He only treats Arissa differently,” Shaun remarked.
His words sounded ambiguous.
Kingsley gave a half-suppressed laugh when he heard him.
Seeing that, Arissa went silent in embarrassment.
Benjamin sensed her discomfiture, so he scolded, “Shut up!”
The trio guffawed.
“Mommy, what are you guys talking about? They are laughing so loudly,” Jesse exclaimed.
The little girl ran over and plopped down on her mother’s lap.
Arissa stroked her hair in adoration.
“We’re just chitchatting. Go ahead and play.”
Jesse looked adorable beyond words, blinking her round eyes at her.
The little girl was so cute that it gave Kingsley a strong urge to shower her with affection. Grinning, he called out to her, “Jesse, come here for a while.”
Jesse turned to look at him. Her sweet look would instantly melt one’s heart.
“What’s the matter, Mr. Watts?”
“Just come here.” Kingsley beckoned her over, beaming.
The second Jesse approached him, he scooped her up and had her sit on his lap. His hands then moved to pinch the little girl’s cheeks. Aww! She’s so cute!
“Mr. Watts, did you trick me over just to pinch my cheeks?” Jesse asked.
The girl stared at him, looking a little innocent.
In response, Kingsley chortled.
“You’re so adorable, Jesse. You won’t mind if I pinch your cheeks, right?” he asked.
Shaun, too, grabbed the opportunity and gently pinched Jesse’s cheeks.
Seeing that, Jonathan squeezed between the two men and took Jesse away. “Let me join!”
He was unaware of Jesse’s gender, merely wanting to hug her because he found her adorable.
This kid looks like a doll!
Benjamin’s face fell when he saw the trio treat Jesse like a plushie.
“That’s enough. Can’t you see Jesse’s cheeks are already red?” he snarled.
Only then did the trio realize that.
Chapter 884 Like A Kindergarten
Kingsley, Jonathan, and Shaun apologized to Jesse, “Sorry, Jesse. Does it hurt?”
Smiling, the little girl shook her head. She did not mind it in the slightest because she knew it was a gesture of affection.
“You guys have to stop doing that to Jesse!” Gavin exclaimed.
After walking up to Jesse, he stroked her cheeks dotingly and blew on them.
“Jesse, does it hurt?”
“It doesn’t hurt, Gavin!” Jesse grinned from ear to ear.
“Gavin, you know how to care for others now!” Kingsley teased Gavin as he tousled the latter’s hair.
However, Gavin dodged it and pulled Jesse over to play with the others.
“Jesse, you’d better stay away from them. Otherwise, they’ll pinch your cheeks until they swell,” he exhorted his sister solemnly.
“Got it.” Jesse bobbed her head obediently.
That sight amused Kingsley and the rest.
Chuckling, Arissa turned to look in the children’s direction. “Sweethearts, you can only play for a while more. It’s bath time soon!”
Zachary, who was sitting in the small car, raised his head and answered, “Got it, Mommy!”
He was driving Tim around the living room to teach him how to play with the small car.
The other children then continued to play.
Arissa grinned as she watched her children playing around. Hmm… Why do I feel like I’m in kindergarten now?
“Boss, your house is becoming more and more like a kindergarten now,” Kingsley commented as he munched some snacks.
In fact, Shaun and Jonathan felt the same, too.
“Those who know nothing will definitely feel that once they step into the house.” Jonathan chuckled.
Benjamin swept his gaze across the playing children before glancing at the trio.
“It’s lively to have a lot of kids around.”
The three men smiled in response.
“You sure are prolific, Boss!”
It was evident that Kingsley was envious.
Jonathan, on the other hand, found it amusing. “Boss, your six children may be more popular than you if you bring them out.”
At that, Benjamin quirked his thin lip, feeling proud as the children’s father.
“If it weren’t for the fact that we’re not allowed to make their existence public, they would have long been trending online,” Shaun concurred, nodding.
Arissa shared their sentiments. Even taking four children out will place me in the spotlight, not to mention six children.
Shortly after, Edwin emerged from the kitchen, holding a tray with beef jerky and a bottle of wine.
He poured each of them a glass of wine.
“Come on. Let’s have a drink!”
Benjamin gently knocked his wine glass on the coffee table, signaling the others to have a drink.
Kingsley and the rest picked up their glasses and clinked them together.
Arissa, however, could only have a glass of plain water as a courtesy.
“Mrs. Graham, your medicine is ready. Should I bring it over here for you, or do you wish to have it in the dining room?” Edwin asked.
“I’ll have it in the dining room.” Arissa flashed him a smile.
Benjamin took the glass from her hand and urged, “Hurry up and take your medicine.”
Nonplussed, she could only leave with Edwin.
In the dining room, Edwin put the medicine on the table. “Here you go, Mrs. Graham.”
“Thank you.” Arissa sat down and took her medicine.
Meanwhile, Jonathan glanced at the duo before shifting his gaze to Benjamin and asking, “Why does Arissa need to take medicine?”
“It’s to condition her body,” Benjamin replied.
“Arissa sustained some sequelae due to inadequate recovery after childbirth, so she has to condition her body for a period of time,” Shaun chimed in to offer an explanation to Jonathan.
Hearing that, Jonathan nodded and took a sip of wine. This can also be regarded as one of Danna’s misdeeds.
“Jonathan, are you ready for the case?” Benjamin suddenly asked.
“We already have all the evidence and only need to wait for the trial now.” Jonathan nodded.
“Who’s their lawyer? Make sure you don’t give them any chance to find loopholes.” Kingsley reminded him.
“It’s someone I know, but that person is no match for me. They won’t even get the upper hand.” Jonathan was confident.
Shaun heaved a sigh. “Women are so scary when they get wicked. I wish we could close the case tomorrow.”
Kingsley nodded in agreement. “That’s right. We should never offend women and schemers!”
Both Shaun and Jonathan chuckled upon hearing that.
Chapter 885 Going To Aaron Will Not Help
Kingsley became nosy and asked, “Say, Danna and Aaron are also somewhat related. Why didn’t they seek Aaron’s help?”
Benjamin glanced at him. “Maybe they haven’t asked.”
“Boss, are you saying that they haven’t gone to Aaron?” Kingsley was curious.
With an unreadable expression on his face, Benjamin played with the wine glass in his hand.
“Going to Aaron won’t help either!” he commented.
Kingsley frowned, his voice filled with righteous indignation as he spoke. “Yeah, we can’t let off people like this, or it’ll be too unfair for Arissa and the kids!”
Jonathan and Shaun nodded in agreement. “To be kind to your enemy is to be cruel to yourself!”
Benjamin grunted in agreement and then had a few drinks with them.
After finishing the medicine, Arissa walked over, and the kids ran forward to pull her away.
“Mommy, play with us!”
“Sure!”
Thus, she went over and played with the kids for a while.
Benjamin and the others continued to drink wine.
At ten o’clock, Arissa asked Darius, “Dad, do you want to go up and take a shower?”
Darius looked at her and replied with a smile, “I’ll bring the kids upstairs for their bath.”
“Mmh.” Arissa nodded. “Sweethearts, go take your bath with Grandpa!”
“Okay!” the children chorused, then followed Darius upstairs to take a bath.
Smiling, Arissa walked over to inform Kingsley and the others before following the six little ones upstairs.
“I’m taking Gavin and the rest upstairs for their bath. Enjoy yourselves!” she said.
“Don’t worry about us, Arissa,” Kingsley replied, grinning.
“Yeah, Arissa. We’ll just drink with Benjamin!” Shaun responded with a smile.
Jonathan chimed in, “Arissa, you should go to rest too. We don’t know how long we will drink.”
Nodding, Arissa turned around and said to Benjamin, “Remember to eat something.”
“Mmh!” The man nodded, crinkling his eyes in a smile.
His response evoked a chuckle from her. “I won’t disturb you guys anymore. I’m going upstairs now.”
Benjamin’s gaze remained fixated on her figure. Even after she headed upstairs and disappeared from his sight, he was still reluctant to look away.
Kingsley, Jonathan, and Shaun exchanged gazes and revealed teasing smiles.
“What are you looking at, Boss? Arissa has gone upstairs!” Kingsley made fun of Benjamin.
After retracting his gaze, Benjamin met their eyes that spoke of tease and said, “Let’s drink!”
They all burst out laughing.
A hint of faint blush appeared on Benjamin’s cheeks briefly.
Ethen and Jack brought the food prepared by Edwin, then joined them in drinking.
Meanwhile, Arissa was upstairs, making the bed for the kids.
At the same time, Darius was bathing the kids inside the bathroom.
Hearing the voices of the elderly man and the kids, Arissa felt that her life was great.
Once the bed was made, she took out the children’s clothes and went to the bathroom to urge them.
“Are you done with the bath, Sweethearts?”
“Yeah, Mommy!” the kids replied, grinning.
Jesse wore a pair of pants and had a towel wrapped around her head. The little girl looked absolutely adorable with her ruddy complexion.
As for her brothers, they were all wrapped in towels.
Arissa carried Jesse and instructed the other kids to leave the bathroom and get dressed.
“Dad, you should take a shower too. Your clothes are wet,” she said to Darius.
“It’s okay.” The old man beamed. He had never been so happy. “It’s fun to bathe them!”
Arissa smiled. “Go take a shower, or you’ll catch a cold.”
She went out with Jesse in her arms and dressed her.
Darius, too, straightened the boys’ clothes.
Gavin said, “Grandpa, hurry up and take a shower. Your clothes are all wet.”
Zachary echoed, “That’s right, Grandpa. Go take a shower now, or you’ll catch a cold!”
“Grandpa, go shower. I want you to read us a story,” Tim urged.
“All right!” Darius responded.
Grinning from ear to ear, he stroked their heads.
“I’m going to take a shower now. After that, I’ll come over and read stories for you all!” he promised.
Chapter 886 Romantic Bedroom Decoration
“Okay!” The kids applauded Darius’ response. Their grandfather chuckled and finally went to his bedroom to take a shower.
Seeing that Arissa was preparing to clean up the bathroom, Zachary ran over and said, “Mommy, you should go shower too. We’ll clean it up ourselves!”
Arissa looked at him and smiled. “All right. I’ll let you all take care of it. Leave the dirty clothes here. I’ll put them in the washing machine later.”
The kids nodded and quickly took over the job of cleaning the bathroom. It was only after Arissa confirmed they were doing fine that she returned to her room to shower.
As soon as she opened the door to the bedroom, she was stunned by the room’s decoration. The entire bedroom was covered with rose petals, including the bed.
The room looked so romantic that it was like a bedroom for the newlyweds. While checking out the romantic decoration of the bedroom, Arissa could not help but smile. Did Benjamin get someone to do this?
Having closed the door, she put down her bag and walked around the room to immerse herself in the romantic atmosphere. Then, she took a few pictures with her phone and lay on the bed contentedly.
It smells so good! It’s the scent of roses. Arissa breathed in the scent and giggled on the bed for a while before getting up to take a shower.
When the kids came over to look for her and saw the decoration of the bedroom, their eyes widened in surprise. “It’s so beautiful! So romantic!” they exclaimed in amazement.
“Sweethearts!” Darius called out with a smile upon seeing them standing at the door of the master bedroom. The kids turned around and ran to him, wanting him to join them in admiring the room. “Grandpa, the decoration of Daddy’s room is so beautiful!”
Meeting Gavin’s sparkling eyes, Darius smiled. “I know!” “Have you seen it, Grandpa?”
Oliver looked at their grandfather with his head tilted. “Well, I asked Edwin to do it. Although the wedding isn’t being held today, the fact that your parents got their marriage certificate is still a joyous event, so I had the room decorated,” Darius whispered to the kids.
The kids saw daylight. “I thought Daddy got someone to do it!” “How could he think of such things? He’s such a bore,” Darius replied in disdain, pursing his lips.
Then, he took the children to their room. “Let’s go. I’ll read you a story.”
“Yay!” The kids followed Darius to their bedroom to listen to the bedtime story. Darius joined them on the bed and held the kids in his arms, coaxing them to sleep while reading them a story.
After coming out of the shower, Arissa got dressed and went to the children’s bedroom to collect their dirty laundry for washing. To her amusement, she saw Darius sleeping on the bed with the little ones.
With light steps, she walked over and whispered, “Dad!”
“Yeah?” Darius woke up. “How did I fall asleep?”
With a smile on her lips, Arissa moved the kids who were lying on top of him to the side and helped him up.
“You should go back to your room and sleep.”
“Okay.” Darius nodded as he got up carefully.
The kids were all asleep. Although they had different sleeping positions, they looked so lovable when in slumber, making people happy just by looking at them.
Darius watched them for a while, then retracted his gaze reluctantly.
“Issa, you should go to bed earlier too.”
“Okay. Good night, Dad.”
Arissa adjusted the kids’ sleeping positions and pulled the quilt over them before going out to wash the dirty laundry.
Even after she was done hanging the clothes to dry, Benjamin still had yet to come upstairs.
Curious, Arissa walked to the landing and looked downstairs, where she saw him sitting still while Kingsley and the others sprawled across the couch.
With a smile, she shook her head in amusement.
Upon returning to the bedroom, she texted Benjamin.
When the man downstairs realized he had received a message, he picked up his phone and checked it.
Arissa wrote: Stop drinking if you’ve had enough wine. Hurry and come upstairs to sleep!
Benjamin’s lips curved into a smile. He glanced at the men in front of him. “Let’s call it a day. We should all go to bed.”
He then got Edwin to arrange guest rooms for them before he rose to his feet and went upstairs.
“Be careful, Mr. Graham,” Edwin exhorted as he supported Benjamin.
“I’m fine,” the latter replied.
Benjamin looked a little drunk, but he was sober as he could still walk straight.
Slowly, he treaded up the stairs.
Chapter 887 The Drunken Man Fell Asleep
Benjamin entered the bedroom and saw Arissa scrolling on her phone while lying in bed. The warm and gentle lighting that shone on her face made her exquisite facial features look especially captivating.
There was even an alluring floral scent in the room. He closed the door behind him. Arissa heard the door closing, so she tilted her head and asked, “Are you done with your drinking session?”
Benjamin walked toward her and sat on the edge of the bed. While staring at the woman covered by the quilt, he asked, “Didn’t you tell me to come up to sleep?”
Arissa blushed and answered, “I was just reminding you because I saw how drunk you guys were!” He leaned toward her, placed his arms on both sides of her body, and stared at her with a burning and intense gaze.
Smelling the alcohol and masculine scent he was emitting, Arissa felt that she was intoxicated as well. Her heart was racing.
She instinctively pushed him aside and complained, “How much did you drink? You reek of alcohol!”
Benjamin’s thin lips quirked upward. “I didn’t drink much.”
Arissa’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re lying! The smell of alcohol on your body is so strong.”
“They were the ones drinking. I only had a few glasses.”
With that, Benjamin leaned toward her to nibble the corners of her lips.
Instantly, Arissa crimsoned, and she felt her heart skip a beat.
When she shut her eyes, her eyelashes fluttered like a fan, plucking his heartstrings.
In the next second, he deepened the kiss.
As a result, Arissa felt even more intoxicated.
During the gentle kiss, Benjamin could not help but wrap his arms around her.
Just when she thought he was going to proceed to the next stage, he suddenly pinned her beneath him and stayed still.
Baffled, Arissa lifted her head to look at him. Did he fall asleep?
She reached out her hand to pat his cheek while calling out, “Hey! Hey, Benjamin!”
Is he for real? Did he just fall asleep?
Arissa lifted her gaze to stare at the ceiling. Her heart was still racing because of what he had done moments earlier.
He fell asleep so quickly. Didn’t he say he had trouble sleeping before this?
With much effort, she managed to push him over to one side and placed a pillow under his head.
Following that, Benjamin pulled her into his embrace, rubbed his chin against her neck, and continued sleeping.
“Benjamin, do you want to shower first?” she asked.
The only response she got was his long and steady breath sounds.
Sighing, Arissa decided to give up on the idea of getting him to shower before bed.
Since he was not going to shower, she freed herself from his embrace and got out of bed to take off his shoes for him before settling him down gently into the bed.
When she saw that he was still in his formal trousers, she was worried that he would not get a good night’s sleep. Therefore, she got onto the bed to undo his belt and put it aside.
Arissa even helped him undo a few buttons on his shirt.
Once she was done with all that, she took a towel from the bathroom to wipe him down.
It was only after she got Benjamin ready for bed did she join him.
A smile appeared on her lips as she glanced at the sleeping man next to her and swept her gaze across the romantic decoration in the bedroom.
We’re really married.
The next moment, she remembered the monetary gift Darius had given her, so she wanted to get out of bed to check it out. However, Benjamin wrapped his arms around her and demanded, “Keep quiet!”
Arissa’s lips twitched, and she turned around to poke his face. “I didn’t make any noise!”
In response, Benjamin tightened the hug.
While in his embrace, she scrutinized his facial features and noticed how perfect they were.
When in slumber, the man did not look as intimidating as usual.
Unlike the facial expression he had when devising strategies, he looked rather charming with a different shade of redness on his face.
Arissa kept her eyes on him for a little longer. He’s drunk, isn’t he?
Eventually, she pulled the quilt over the two of them and fell asleep in Benjamin’s embrace while sniffing the sweet scent of alcohol on his body.
It was early in the morning, and the sun had yet to rose, but Arissa was already woken up by Benjamin. Her cheeks became flushed when she saw what he was doing.
“Benjamin?”
“You’re awake.” Benjamin lifted his head, revealing a roguish expression on his face.
The allure he possessed was indescribable.
His eyes were burning so aggressively with lust that those who met his gaze would be turned to ashes.
Seeing that Arissa was awake, Benjamin leaned in to seal her lips.
I fell asleep last night and missed my chance. I ought to finish my job.
With that in mind, he hugged her tighter and deepened the kiss.
The birds were chirping away on the balcony. However, they quickly flew away as if they knew what was going on inside the bedroom.
Chapter 888 Benjamin Sends The Kids To School
Arissa was put into different positions by Benjamin for over two hours before he let go of her. By the time he was done with her, she felt as though her body was on the verge of crumbling down.
Meanwhile, Benjamin, filled with satisfaction, was hugging her tightly. Using his slender and defined fingers, he gently brushed aside her damp fringe drenched in sweat. “Go back to sleep.”
Benjamin’s breathing was still slightly disoriented, so the atmosphere was very intimate when his breath blew on her face. Arissa eased her breathing and lowered her head to hum in response. At that moment, she did not feel like moving at all.
Upon seeing how shy and embarrassed she was, Benjamin got aroused once more. Hence, he lifted Arissa’s chin and gave her another kiss.
The man let go of her only when she was on the verge of suffocating. After affectionately pecking her on her forehead, Benjamin got out of bed to get ready.
Arissa lay face down in bed as she stared blankly at his tall and muscular body. Her heart was pounding when she took in how strong he looked.
She had experienced his raw strength, and the recollection of their earlier intimate session prompted her to touch her waist. At that instant, she decided to lie in bed and do nothing.
While listening to the sound of flowing water from the bathroom, Arissa drifted off to sleep shortly after. A while later, Benjamin finished his shower and came out of the bathroom. At the sight of her sleeping, he quirked his lips into a doting smile.
Soon, he went to the side of the bed to pull the quilt over her exposed shoulders. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared at her intently for a moment, then succumbed to temptation again by leaning in to kiss her cheek. Once that was done, he rose to his feet and went to the closet.
After getting dressed, Benjamin exited the master bedroom and headed to the kids’ bedroom. All six of them were already awake. Gavin, Tim, and Zachary were freshening up in the bathroom, whereas the other three were still lazing in bed.
“Kids, it’s time to get out of bed! I’ll send you guys to school later,” Benjamin uttered. Oliver and Jasper stared at him sleepily and asked, “Where’s Mommy?”
At the same time, Jasper sat up straight while rubbing his eyes. “Your mommy wants to sleep in, so she won’t be sending you guys,” Benjamin answered.
He then fetched Jasper his shoes, put them on for him, and urged him to brush his teeth. Oliver also sat up, and he was reaching out for his glasses.
Seeing that, Benjamin brought him his glasses and put them on for him. “Thank you, Mr. Graham!”
With that, Oliver also went to the bathroom to freshen up. Hearing that, Benjamin raised his brows. When is he going to stop calling me “Mr. Graham”?
“Wake up, Jesse!” The little girl heard him, but she immediately burrowed deeper into the bed.
Benjamin knew how hard it was to wake her up, so he sat on the edge of the bed and patted the quilt on her. “It’s time to wake up.”
All freshened up, Gavin, Tim, and Zachary came out of the bathroom. When they saw Benjamin trying to get Jesse out of bed, they could not help but giggle.
Gavin ran up to Benjamin and asked, “Daddy, is Mommy not sending us to school?”
He had heard him when he was brushing his teeth in the bathroom.
“Let your mommy sleep in. I’ll send you guys to school. Quick! Wake Jesse up!” Benjamin knew Gavin had his ways with Jesse.
In response, Gavin giggled and said, “Let Zachary do it! He knows how to deal with her!”
Just like that, he gave the task to Zachary.
Zachary glanced at them before going over to Jesse and uttering solemnly, “Jesse, I’m going to punish you if you don’t get up any sooner!”
“No!” Jesse exclaimed.
The little girl sat up straight and rubbed her eyes with her tiny fists. Her hair was all over the place, but she looked absolutely adorable.
Tim then stared at Jesse unblinkingly and coaxed, “You’d better get out of bed soon! He’s going to punish you!”
Impressed, Benjamin cast a glance at Zachary. This boy’s got moves!
“Jesse, hurry up and brush your teeth and wash your face. Otherwise, you are all going to be late!” Benjamin carried her into his arms and put on her slippers for her.
Jesse merely glanced at him before leaning against his shoulder lazily.
Benjamin’s heart melted when he saw that.
“Where’s Mommy?” she asked.
“She’s still asleep,” he answered gently before carrying Jesse to the bathroom to help her get ready.
Afterward, Benjamin got all of them dressed and handed them their school bags. Finally, they were ready to head downstairs for breakfast.
“Let’s say goodbye to Mommy!” Zachary chirped.
He wanted to look for Arissa, but Benjamin stopped him.
“Your mommy is asleep! Don’t wake her up!” he said.
Chapter 889 On Your Wedding Day
Jasper looked at Benjamin. “Is Mommy sleeping in again?”
“Yes!” Benjamin responded before bringing them down the stairs. Gavin’s eyes gleamed, and he shot a glance at his father. “Daddy, did you drink a lot last night?”
Benjamin was stunned momentarily. “What makes you say that?” he inquired, staring at him. “You reek of alcohol!” Gavin grumbled in disdain.
At that, the man lowered his head to take a sniff of himself. I don’t smell anything. “I showered just now!” Benjamin protested. Gavin’s eyes lit up instantly. “Are you saying that you didn’t shower last night?”
Benjamin fell silent. I fell asleep last night, so how could I have showered? Besides, I was busy this morning…
Upon meeting his son’s sparkling eyes, he pinched his cheek. “Yes! I fell asleep last night!” Gavin sighed and said, “Doesn’t that mean Mommy had to endure the smell throughout the night? No wonder she’s sleeping in!”
Nodding, Oliver concurred, “Mommy must’ve had a bad night’s sleep because of that!” The boy even shot a look of disapproval to Benjamin and added, “Mr. Graham, you must shower before going to bed from now on. Otherwise, you’ll stink!”
Jesse pinched her nose and chimed in, “That’s right! You’ll stink!” Having been disdained by the kids, Benjamin hurriedly promised, “From now on, I’ll shower before going to bed.”
He quickly caved in because he knew he had too much to drink the night before. Usually, when he went out for drinks, the first thing he would do upon returning home was to take a shower.
It was simply because he could not stand the stench. However, he drank at home the previous night, not to mention with Kingsley and the rest. That was why his germaphobia was not triggered.
Benjamin and the six children walked down the stairs. It was a heartwarming scene to behold. Darius, who was reading the newspaper on the couch in the living room, beamed lovingly when he saw them walking down the stairs.
With his eyes crinkling, he beckoned to the children. “You guys are up! Come over and let me hug you!”
The kids ran to him at once. “Good morning, Grandpa!” “Good morning!” Darius hugged them and pecked them on their cheeks dotingly.
In a caring tone, he asked, “Did you guys sleep well last night?”
“Yes!” The kids nodded. Right then, Benjamin approached Darius and greeted, “Dad!”
“Hey!” The latter glanced at him and looked upstairs. “Is Issa not up yet?”
“She’s still sleeping,” Benjamin answered flatly. Darius froze momentarily before his face broke into a grin. “Let her enjoy her sleep.”
“Sweethearts, let’s have breakfast!” The old man then stood up and took the school bags off the children’s backs. Jesse held Darius’ hand and asked cutely, “Were you waiting for us to have breakfast together, Grandpa?”
“I was!” Darius lowered his head and smiled at her. Benjamin followed them and instructed Edwin not to let anyone wake Arissa up from her sleep.
“Yes, Mr. Graham!” Edwin responded smilingly.
Zachary frowned as he kept feeling that something was amiss. “Why is Mommy always sleeping in?”
“Eat your breakfast!” Benjamin served him some food to distract him.
After that, he turned toward Edwin and asked, “Are Kingsley and the rest awake yet?”
“No, but Ethen and Jack left early in the morning,” Edwin replied.
Benjamin nodded and ordered, “When they wake up, prepare food for them.”
“Yes!” Edwin went to the side to wait on the kids.
Darius sized Benjamin up. Noticing that the latter had a good complexion, he asked smilingly, “You aren’t suffering from a hangover, are you?”
“No.” Benjamin swept a glance at his father.
“Although you’re young, you still have to watch out,” Darius exhorted.
Hearing that, the children looked at Benjamin and Darius puzzledly. What are Daddy and Grandpa talking about?
“Okay. Let’s dig in!” Benjamin responded and started eating his meal calmly.
All of a sudden, the decoration of the master bedroom recalled to him, so he paused and tilted his head to look at Darius.
“The room is nicely decorated!” he remarked.
Overjoyed, Darius beamed and exclaimed, “It’s going to be a lot better on your wedding day!”
Edwin was filled with anticipation as well. Mr. Graham is finally married.
Chapter 890 Do Not Bully My Mommy
“Thank you, Dad,” Benjamin said. Darius was stupefied when he heard his son express his appreciation toward him, and he looked at the latter in shock.
A tinge of excitement welled up in his eyes. Benjamin actually thanked me. Grinning, he responded, “It’s not a big deal! I’ll be happy as long you and Issa are happy!”
Benjamin cast his excited father a glance and smiled as well before serving him some food. “If you ever want to visit, just come over and accompany the kids. They enjoy your company!”
Darius’ smile grew even wider, and he answered, “Sure!” Edwin and William were elated to see the father and son duo chatting joyfully.
After all, Darius and Benjamin had not been so cordial to each other for the latest decade or so. Likewise, Gavin could not help but smile at the joyful interaction between Darius and Benjamin.
Tim, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse were also on cloud nine when they felt the harmonious vibe between their grandfather and father.
Since Arissa was absent at the dining table, Benjamin was in charge of attending to the kids’ needs.
From time to time, he would serve them food.
“Thanks, Daddy!”
“Thanks, Mr. Graham!”
“Thanks, Mr. Graham!”
“Thanks, Mr. Graham!”
“Thanks, Mr. Graham!”
“Thanks, Mr. Graham!”
The six children thanked him every time he served them.
“You’re welcome! Eat up!” Benjamin urged and watched the kids tenderly.
Seeing that the kids were all enjoying their breakfast, he ended up eating more than usual.
After they were all done eating, Benjamin got ready to send the kids to school. Darius tagged along as well.
“Mr. Graham, are we not going to visit Great-grandaunt today?” Tim gazed at Benjamin.
Benjamin stroked his head and replied, “We’ll go after school. If you miss her, you can give her a video call!”
With that, he carried all six of them into the car.
“Tim, I’m calling Great-grandaunt. Come over!” Gavin said to Tim.
Hearing that, Tim made his way over.
Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse also hurried over to Gavin’s side. Darius and the kids sat in the back seat while William took the front passenger seat.
Naturally, Benjamin was the driver.
“Hi, Great-grandaunt!” the kids exclaimed giddily when they saw Mary.
Benjamin looked over his shoulders and urged, “Sit tight, guys! I’m going to start driving soon!”
“Get driving. I’ll keep an eye on them!” Darius waved his hands, motioning for his son to start driving.
After making sure the kids had all taken their seats, Benjamin started the car and drove out of Yaleview.
Since Darius was sitting with the kids, he also chimed in occasionally, asking about Mary’s day when the kids were on the call with her.
Knowing that Mary had already taken her breakfast, the little ones felt much relieved and even updated the driver, Benjamin, about it.
“Daddy, Great-grandaunt had her breakfast!”
“Great-grandaunt is feeling well today!”
“Great-grandaunt said that her wound doesn’t hurt!”
“Okay!” Benjamin responded with a word of acknowledgment.
The children then continued chatting with Mary until they arrived at the school entrance.
With much reluctance, they ended the call.
“Let’s get out of the car, Sweethearts!” Darius stood beside the car and carried the kids out of the vehicle.
William, too, hurried forward to help him.
Meanwhile, Benjamin brought the kids’ school bags out of the car and handed them over. “Here. Take your own bag!”
The children quickly took their own school bags and carried them.
“Mr. Graham, you don’t know which bag belongs to who, do you?” Zachary shot a glance at Benjamin.
The latter murmured a reply before straightening Zachary’s school bag and clothes. “Stay focused in class, and don’t wander around!”
Zachary pouted and shot his father the side-eye. “You’re speaking as though I wander around all the time!”
Benjamin chuckled lightly and stroked his hair in response. “It’s just a reminder.”
“Don’t bully my mommy!” the boy warned coolly.
Benjamin stared at him fixedly and replied in a serious tone, “Got it!”