Ch. 981..990
Chapter 981
Darius was all smiles as he looked at them.
“There's an important event tomorrow—we're going to be paying respects to our ancestors, so do dress yourself more formally,” he said to the children before turning to Arissa and Benjamin.
“Come in formal wear tomorrow, okay?”
“Got it, Dad,” Arissa said.
Benjamin then uttered, “We're going back now. Rest early, all right?”
“Okay.” Darius and William then sent them off.
Arissa carried the children into the car.
The children waved at Darius. “Bye-bye, Grandpa. Thank you for the dinner!”
With the corners of his lips curved upward, Darius waved at the children.
“Bye-bye. Rest earlier when you're back, okay?”
“Mhm!” They nodded back.
After Arissa and Benjamin fastened their seatbelts, they closed the car doors.
Gavin, who was seated by the window, wound it down to look at his grandfather.
“Dad, we're leaving,” Arissa said to Darius before getting into the front passenger seat.
“Okay.”
Darius inclined his head before shifting his gaze to Benjamin. He then said, “Fasten the seatbelt for Issa.”
Hearing his father's reminder, Benjamin leaned over, and Arissa leaned back against the seat. noveldrama
After fastening her seatbelt for her, Benjamin's eyes flitted across her pretty face, and he reached out to pinch her cheek.
“Sit tight now.”
Arissa only watched in exasperation as the man moved away from her and closed the car door.
Then, Benjamin bade Darius farewell before entering the car from the other side.
Arissa then wound down the window to say goodbye to Darius and William.
“Dad, go inside. You might catch a cold out here.”
“It's fine. We'll head inside in a bit,” Darius answered smilingly before approaching Benjamin.
“Benjamin, drive slower, got it?”
“Got it.”
Benjamin started the engine and gave Darius a slight nod before driving off.
“Bye, Grandpa!”
“See you tomorrow, Grandpa!” the children said as they waved vigorously.
The love Darius had for his grandchildren was visible in his eyes as he responded to them, “See you tomorrow, Sweethearts!”
Only after watching the car leave the compound did Darius and William go back inside the house.
Almost immediately, Darius' expression darkened. “Keep an eye on Bryan and the others tomorrow. I don't want them trying to do anything funny.”
“Of course, Old Mr. Graham,” William noted.
After Benjamin drove out of the manor, he headed in the direction of Yaleview.
The children seemed to have been tuckered out, for they were all leaning back against the seats.
Jesse yawned, and Jasper soon followed suit.
In no time, the remaining children were affected and all began yawning.
Benjamin lifted his eyes and looked at them through the rearview mirror. He then said, “Don't fall asleep. We're about to reach home.”
At that, Arissa turned around to look at them.
When she noticed their yawns, she quickly exclaimed, “Don't sleep yet, or else we're going to leave you in the car when we reach home.”
For a moment, the children did not know what to reply to that.
“Mommy, I'm tired.” Jesse rubbed her eyes.
Arissa's heart softened when she saw Jesse's adorable demeanor, so she said, “Sweetheart, drink some water.”
Then, turning her head further, she said to the rest of the children, “Actually, all of you should drink some water to sober up a little.”
Gavin nodded in agreement and quickly took the water flask to pour Jesse a cup.
“Jesse, here. Be careful.”
“Okay.” After Jesse drank the water, she passed the flask cap back to Zachary.
Zachary proceeded to fill a cup for his brothers.
“Drink up.”
Gavin finally poured himself a cup after his little brothers were done drinking.
Then, he poured some water on a towel he grabbed and told them to wipe their faces.
A smile crept upon Arissa's face when she saw how skilled Zachary was in taking care of his younger siblings.
This boy is really getting better and better at being a big brother.
Chapter 982
All of a sudden, a truck rushed toward them from the junction.
Arissa's heart lurched when she saw the truck.
“Watch out!”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes and quickly turned the steering wheel to avoid the truck.
Squeak! came the ear-piercing sound of the tires skidding on the ground.
Just as Arissa turned around to console the children, she hit her forehead against the back of the chair. The world spun around her.
The children's faces were drained of all colors as they gripped tightly onto each other's hands.
However, Benjamin didn't even have time to reassure them at that moment. He had avoided a collision with the truck, but he could not avoid driving into the pedestrian lane.
After the terrifying moment, Benjamin finally turned to Arissa and asked worriedly, “Are you hurt?”
Arissa could feel something wet on her forehead. She held her head and leaned against her seat motionlessly because moving around would only make her dizziness worse.
She replied: “I'm fine. Check on the kids!'
Despite the dizziness she was suffering, she was distraught about the children.
At that, Benjamin quickly whipped his head around to check on them.
“Are you all hurt?”
The six children's faces were pale, and they had not fully come back to their senses as they shook their heads in a daze.
Benjamin sighed in relief. He was glad that they were fine, and once that wave of relief washed over him, he cast a grim look outside.
The truck had overturned, and a few other cars were caught up in the accident. Nonetheless, the situation was not too grave, but traffic congestion had manifested, and sounds of honking filled the air. noveldrama
The bodyguard who had been following Benjamin's car came over to check on them.
“Mr. Graham, are you hurt?”
“No,” Benjamin said as he wound down the window. “Find out what's going on.”
“Yes, sir.”
The bodyguard then left to check on the situation.
After a while, Arissa turned around to look at the children. “Sweethearts, are you all okay?”
That was so dangerous. If not for Benjamin's quick reaction and good driving skills in avoiding the truck, we would have...
“Mommy, we're fine,” came Gavin's shaky voice. For a child his age, he was already pretty calm.
Arissa checked on the other kids.
Tim was biting down on his lower lip, and even the usually collected Zachary was completely pale as his hands trembled while holding onto his brother's.
Oliver's glasses were gone, and she guessed that the impact earlier had caused them to fall off.
Jasper and Jesse were expressionless, but there were tears in their eyes.
Arissa hastily unbuckled her seatbelt, wanting to embrace her children, but Benjamin stopped her.
In a solemn tone, he said, “You're hurt.”
“I'm fine. It was only a minor hit. I'm going to go to our kids.”
His face grim, Benjamin furrowed his brows tightly and ordered with a tinge of worry, “Sit. I'm going to stop the bleeding for you.”
Finally, Arissa frowned and lowered her head to look at her hand. Indeed, there was blood on it.
“Mommy, are you hurt?”
Zachary's eyes reddened instantly out of fear.
At that, the rest of the children returned to their senses. When they saw the blood flowing down from Arissa's head, they were frightened.
All of them promptly unbuckled their seatbelts to bombard her with worried questions as tears sprang to their eyes.
“I'm all right. Don't worry,” Arissa reassured them. “Are you all okay?”
The children bobbed their heads hastily. “Mommy, we're fine.”
“Mommy, that's a lot of blood!”
“It's okay...”
Benjamin took the first aid kit that they kept in the car to treat Arissa's wound.
“Don't move. I'll send you to the hospital now,” Benjamin said to her before asking the children to sit back. Then, he reversed the car.
“I don't need to go to the hospital. It's just a scratch,” Arissa said, stopping him. She never thought she would bleed from just scraping her head against the back of the seat.
I probably didn't realize it because the pain was too intense earlier.
“Just a scratch? You're bleeding!” Benjamin cried out before ignoring her and continuing his way to the hospital.
The children remained quiet in the back as they stared at their mother anxiously.
Chapter 983
Benjamin hit hard on the pedal and rushed to the hospital.
After the car came to a stop, he quickly got out of the car and made his way to the passenger side door.
He unbuckled Arissa's seat belt and carried her out of the car.
“We're going to get you bandaged!”
“Benjamin, I'm all right. Don't get all worked up and put me down!”
It was her head that got hurt, not her legs.
“Gavin, stay in the car with your brothers and sister!” Benjamin ordered.
Despite Arissa's protests, Benjamin paid no heed to her and carried her into the hospital.
“We want to go too.”
The six children were reluctant to do as they were told and unbuckled their seatbelts to get out of the car.
“Follow closely then,” Benjamin said before he rushed toward the emergency room with Arissa in his arms.
The six children trailed closely behind them.
“Benjamin, let me down. I can walk.”
The rocking motion when she was in his arms made her feel dizzy. noveldrama
“Stop moving!” Benjamin warned.
He furrowed his brows and hastened his steps. At the sight of a doctor, he shouted, “Hurry! Please stop her bleeding!”
Arissa felt a warm feeling spreading in her chest when she noticed how concerned he was about her.
“Mr. Graham, please place Mrs. Graham on the bed!”
Benjamin had brought Arissa to his family's hospital.
He did as told and carefully placed her on a bed. However, he stayed close by her side.
Their six children crowded around the bed and looked at Arissa intently. It was as if they thought she wouldn't feel as much pain when they were staring at her.
“Don't worry. I'm all right!” Arissa reassured them.
She knew that her children were worried about her.
“Don't talk. Let the doctor take a good look at you,” Benjamin reminded her.
Then, he turned to the doctor and said, “Could you give her a thorough check-up after stopping her bleeding? We were in an accident just now, and I don't know if she's hurt anywhere else.”
“Sure, Mr. Graham.”
The doctor quickly peeled off the bandage that Benjamin had temporarily put on her before sanitizing the wound and applying medicine to stop the bleeding.
“I just hit my head. I'm fine,” she said to Benjamin.
However, Benjamin paid no heed to Arissa and merely watched closely as the doctor applied medicine to her wound.
She let out a helpless sigh.
After the doctor was done, Arissa went with the doctor for a more thorough checkup, lest Benjamin and the kids worry about her.
“Benjamin, what are you guys doing here?”
Shaun was surprised to see Benjamin and the children waiting outside the examination room.
He thought that they were still dining in Old Manor.
“We got into an accident. Arissa's hurt,” Benjamin explained.
His handsome face tensed up as he wondered if his security team had found out what happened.
“Is Arissa all right?”
Hearing that Arissa was in an accident, Shaun's expression turned grim.
“She hit her head, and she's going for a CT scan now,” Benjamin said, his eyes transfixed on the door of the examination room.
“Benjamin, was it an accident or?” Shaun asked with furrowed brows.
Right then, Benjamin's phone rang. The ghost of a glint fleeted across his eyes as he stepped aside to take the call.
His almond eyes narrowed after he listened to the report.
“Stay right there. I'm sending Ethen over.”
Then, Benjamin gave Ethen a call and asked him to investigate the truck driver.
Meanwhile, Shaun was observing Benjamin's every move. After the latter was done with the call, he immediately asked, “Is there a problem?”
Benjamin had always been a careful driver, not to mention the fact that he had bodyguards following him as well. It seemed odd that he, of all people, would get involved in an accident.
“I'm waiting for more detailed findings by Ethen.”
Benjamin's brows snapped together as he turned to look at the examination room again, obviously concerned about Arissa's condition.
“Arissa's going to be all right. Don't be too worried, Benjamin. I'm going to check the results,” Shaun said.
Then, he went to the surveillance room.
In the meantime, Benjamin continued to wait outside the examination room with his children.
They did not wait for a long time.
“Mommy!”
Arissa's children gathered around her and kept asking her if she felt all right.
“I'm all right. Your daddy just made it sound like a bigger deal than it was.”
Arissa hugged them and patted their heads. She was all right, but she didn't like making them worry.
Crouching down, she asked if her children were all right. “Be honest. Are you guys hurt anywhere?”
Chapter 984
“Mommy, I'm okay,” Gavin repeated himself and shook his head.
Tim also shook his head and said, “I'm not hurt, Mommy.”
“Mommy, we're not hurt too. Don't worry about us,” Zachary said as he fixed his gaze on Arissa.
Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse nodded as well.
“Mommy, we're really okay. Have a look if you don't believe us!”
Oliver and Jasper lifted their shirts to let Arissa have a closer look.
Arissa pulled down their clothes and asked, “Did you guys get hit anywhere?”
She was still concerned, as the momentum from hitting the pedestrian lane was strong.
Hence, she was trying to make sure that they were truly all right.
The six of them shook their heads and said, “No.”
Upon confirming that they were indeed fine, Arissa heaved a sigh of relief.
“Mommy, we're really not hurt, but we were scared,” Gavin muttered.
The little boy frowned as he looked at the wound on Arissa's head.
Arissa hugged them and patted their backs. “Don't be scared. We're okay now!”
Benjamin approached them and patted Arissa on the shoulders.
“The kids are all right. Why don't you take a seat?”
She lifted her head to look at Benjamin and said in low voice, “I'm okay. Don't worry.”
Benjamin eyed her, and just when he wanted to head inside the examination room to find out more, Shaun showed up.
He had Arissa's report in his hand.
“How is she?” Benjamin asked apprehensively.
Shaun smiled and said, “Arissa's all right. There's no sign of a concussion as well.”
Benjamin was beyond relieved to hear that.
“I told you I was all right. You were the one who insisted that I come here!” Arissa teased.
Benjamin shot her a glance.
“Benjamin is just worried about you. It's good that you guys came here to check,” Shaun added with a grin.
He turned to say hi to the six children.
Meanwhile, Arissa trained her eyes on Benjamin and circled his arms around hers.
“Now that I'm okay, you can finally relax, right?”
“Yeah,” Benjamin replied half-heartedly. noveldrama
“Since we're already here, why don't we go visit Grandaunt?” Arissa suggested.
“Mdm. Mary's already asleep when I left,” Shaun said.
“Is she doing better today?” Arissa asked Shaun.
“She's recovering well. Don't worry, Arissa. We're taking good care of her,” Shaun reassured her.
“Thank you,” Arissa uttered.
“Mommy, are we still going to see Great-grandaunt?” Tim asked in a small voice.
He looked expectantly at Arissa, his eyes telling her that he wanted to go visit Mary.
Arissa turned to Benjamin.
“Let's go and visit Grandaunt,” Benjamin stated.
He reached out to take Arissa's hand and headed toward her ward.
The six children were thrilled and caught up to them.
Shaun followed behind them as well.
As expected, Mary was asleep when they reached her ward.
The six children carefully and quietly approached her bed so as not to rouse her.
Arissa was glad to see her children being considerate.
Shaun stayed outside the ward with Benjamin and asked him about the accident, “Benjamin, do you have any idea who's behind this?”
“I'll have to wait for Ethen's report to be sure,” Benjamin merely stated.
His expression was grim, as he surmised that it might not have been an accident.
Shaun looked at the man and asked, “Do you need any help?”
Benjamin swept a glance at him and said, “I'll let you know.”
Shaun nodded.
“Just take good care of Grandaunt. You don't need to worry about the rest,” Benjamin muttered.
“Okay. You can rest assured that I'll take care of things around here,” Shaun replied.
Arissa led the children out of the ward and said to Benjamin, “All right. Let's go home now.”
Benjamin glanced at them and took Arissa's hand in his. “Are you feeling dizzy?”
“I'm feeling much better now.”
Other than feeling a little pain in her wound, Arissa didn't think she was hurt anywhere else.
Chapter 985
A subtle smile formed on Shaun's lips when he saw them holding hands.
“All of you should go home early and rest. Arissa, even though everything's fine, you still need to get some rest,” he exhorted.
In response, Arissa nodded and glanced at the children. They look much better.
“Mr. Bailey, could you give them a checkup too? They've gotten a fright just now,” she asked.
Noticing how energetic the six children were, Shaun smiled and assured her, “Don't worry. They look fine for now. You can give me a call if anything happens. I'll be right over.”
The second the children realized their mother was worried about them, they nodded and reassured, “Mommy, we're really fine. We were just a little shocked during the accident; we're all right now!”
Even Jesse nodded fervently.
At that, Arissa's furrowed brows loosened a little.
Aware that she was still worried, Shaun asked the children a few questions before saying to the couple, “They're fine.”
With a nod, Benjamin said, “Then, we'll get going first.”
Arissa bid Shaun farewell, and the six children followed suit.
After leading Arissa and the children out of the hospital, Benjamin opened the car door to the passenger seat and said to her, “Get into the car first. I'll carry them in.”
Afterward, he opened the backseat door and carried the children into the car.
However, Arissa still stood beside him when he was fastening their seatbelts.
“I think it's better if I sit with them in the backseat,” she voiced.
After all, the children had sat in the backseat on their own during the accident earlier and had gotten quite a fright. Till then, she was still worried about their condition.
“Mommy, we'll be fine on our own. Go ahead and sit in the front,” said Gavin.
If Mommy were to sit at the back, it would be a little crowded, and she wouldn't be able to rest.
“Sit in the front, Mommy. We'll be fine,” Zachary, too, assured their mother.
Benjamin knew she was only worried about the children. Hence, he stroked her head and promised, “That incident earlier won't happen again.”
Seeing how self-reproaching he looked, Arissa nodded. “Thank goodness you have a good capacity for emergency response. Otherwise, we would've...”
Benjamin patted her head, saying, “Get in. Let's go home.”
“Okay!”
As Arissa turned around to enter the passenger seat, he covered the top of her head to prevent her from bumping against the ceiling of the car.
He then helped her to fasten the seatbelt before she could even get to it.
“I'll do it. You just stay put, or you'll get dizzy easily.”
Arissa felt a warm sensation flood her heart. “How did you know I'd get dizzy?”
Benjamin stared fixedly at her before responding, “Because you paused for a moment just now.”
He could tell because of his own experience of accidentally bumping his head.
His reply astonished Arissa greatly. I was already very careful with my actions, yet he still noticed it. noveldrama
After shutting the door, Benjamin got into the driver's seat and drove home.
That time around, they arrived home safely.
While studying Arissa, Benjamin asked, “Do you feel better now?”
“Yeah. Other than the slight pain at my wound, I feel much better already,” she replied with a nod.
“Don't get your wound wet when you take a bath later.”
“Okay.” As if reminded of something, she glanced at him and asked, “Do you still need to work later?”
Benjamin nodded. “Ethen will be coming over in a while. You can take the children upstairs to rest first. Don't wait up for me.”
Arissa bobbed her head in response. Just as she got ready to bring the children into the house, he pulled her over and planted a kiss on her forehead.
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
“Go in.” Benjamin stroked her head gently.
“Okay. Don't work until it's too late,” Arissa urged before taking the children upstairs to take a bath.
Only then did Benjamin pull out his phone and dial Ethen's number.
“What did you find out?”
Right then, Arissa turned around to glance at Benjamin, who was still in the yard. A pucker instantly formed between her brows.
Today's car accident can't possibly be man-made, right?
“Mommy, we'll take a bath on our own. You should do the same too!”
Snapping back to reality, Arissa turned to the children and smiled. “It's okay. I'll keep you company. I'll take mine when all of you are done.”
After all, the children had gotten a shock that day. She could not bear to leave them by themselves.
Hearing that, the six children did not reject her offer and headed off to take their baths.
Chapter 986
Arissa followed them into the bathroom and helped Jesse to wash up.
“Hurry up and take your bath.”
The children were delighted to see that their mother was still with them.
“We will, Mommy,” Zachary promised.
Once they were done bathing, Arissa brought them to the master bedroom. “Sweethearts, all of you will sleep with Daddy and me tonight!”
“Okay!”
The news delighted the children, and they followed her into the master bedroom.
Arissa was immediately relieved when she saw the children playing on the bed and looking rather energetic.
“I'm going to take a bath now. Go to bed first if you're tired, all right?” she then said.
“We'll wait for you, Mommy!” Gavin responded while looking up.
The moment he spotted the wound on her forehead, he urged, “Don't get your forehead wet when you bathe!”
“Mm-hmm!” Arissa nodded and took another glance at the children before grabbing a fresh set of clothes into the bathroom.
“Mommy, maybe you should put on a shower cap! That way, you won't get your forehead wet,” Tim suggested.
His thoughtfulness evoked a chuckle from her, and she replied, “It's okay. I'll make sure it doesn't get wet. Carry on with your game. I'll bathe now.”
“Okay. Bathe quickly, Mommy. We'll wait for you before going to sleep,” Jesse piped up.
At that, Arissa inclined her head. Only after that did she head into the bathroom to take a bath.
Meanwhile, Benjamin, who had gotten off the phone, went to the study to peruse some documents while waiting for Ethen to arrive.
Moments later, Arissa walked out of the bathroom after she was done bathing.
“Sweethearts, is your daddy still not here yet?” she asked when she could not spot Benjamin in the master bedroom.
Looking at her over his shoulder, Jasper replied, “Nope.”
Then, he returned to playing with his siblings.
As Arissa dried the ends of her hair with a towel, she informed, “I'll go downstairs to prepare milk for all of you.”
Upon checking on the six children playing on the bed, she turned around to head downstairs.
Benjamin was still nowhere to be seen after she had taken a look around downstairs. Right then, she noticed the lights in the study were still on, so she walked over.
Knock! Knock!
Knocking on the door, she called out to Benjamin, “Do you want to take a bath before you continue working?”
Benjamin raised his head and looked over. When he noticed she had taken a bath, he beckoned her to enter the study.
As soon as Arissa walked over, he hugged her and made her sit on his thighs.
At once, her cheeks flushed crimson.
Stroking the skin beside her wound, Benjamin asked, “Does it still hurt?”
Arissa shook her head. “It doesn't hurt that much when I don't touch it.”
“Put some medication on it later, okay?” Benjamin reminded her.
She gave him a word of affirmation, then gazed at him and asked, “Any news from Ethen?”
“He'll be here in a while,” was all he said.
After shooting him a few glances, Arissa nodded. “All right. You carry on, then. I'll prepare some milk for the kids.”
While she rose to her feet, she recalled that the children were going to sleep in the master bedroom that night. Hence, she informed him, “I'm letting them sleep in our room tonight.”
Benjamin nodded and replied, “Okay. All of you should go to bed first.”
Staring at the man who did not object, she exhorted again, “Don't work until it's too late, okay? You should rest early.”
“I'll go up once I've talked to Ethen,” he explained.
Satisfied with his reply, Arissa flashed him a smile. She then left to prepare a few glasses of milk and gave Benjamin one before heading upstairs.
At that time, the children had already tucked themselves in bed but were still awake. As soon as they saw her entering, they called out sweetly, “Mommy, come and sleep!”
Answering them with a smile, Arissa walked over and sat by the bed. “Here. Sit up and drink your milk.” noveldrama
The children immediately sat up and took a glass of milk each.
“Mommy, does your head still hurt?” Oliver eyed her head.
Arissa instinctively ran her finger over her forehead while responding, “Not really.”
She, too, drank a glass of milk as she waited for the children to finish theirs.
“Do you still feel scared?” asked Arissa, studying the children's faces.
They immediately shook their heads. Even Jesse said softly, “Mommy, I'm not scared anymore.”
Hearing that, Arissa stroked her head affectionately, “You're so brave, Sweetheart. Come on, finish the milk. We are going to sleep now.”
Chapter 987
The children nodded and hurriedly finished the milk.
“Just put the glasses aside. I'll wash them while you go to sleep.”
Arissa knew the children were tired. In fact, they were already sleepy when they left Old Manor, and it was almost eleven o'clock by then.
“Mommy, are you going to sleep too?”
Zachary darted a glance between her and the door.
“I'm going to sleep with all of you,” said Arissa as she patted his head.
When the children had finished their milk, she went to wash the glasses before returning to the room to put them to bed.
“Let's sleep!”
The children surrounded her, and she hugged them.
“Mommy, is Daddy still busy with his work?” Gavin glanced at the door, worried about Benjamin. noveldrama
“Yeah. He told us to sleep first.”
Hugging the children, Arissa planted a kiss on each of their foreheads. “Go to sleep!”
“Goodnight, Mommy!”
The children, too, returned her pecks on her cheeks before drifting off to sleep.
Then, Arissa pulled the covers over them and tucked them in.
Just as she was dozing off, the sound of a car engine came from downstairs. Someone's here.
Arissa pricked up her ears, but she heard nothing from downstairs.
Is it Ethen? Or is it someone else?
The truth was, the guests who had just arrived downstairs were Ethen and Jack.
The moment they arrived, they headed straight to the study to report to Benjamin.
“Mr. Graham, that incident with that drunk driver might seem like an accident, but we found out that a million was transferred into his mother's bank account two hours ago...”
Benjamin instantly narrowed his eyes. This person knows of my whereabouts. In fact, they know it well.
“Mr. Graham, this person must've been following you for some time for them to have so much information about your whereabouts.” Jack's brows were tightly furrowed. He could not wait to uncover that person's identity.
“Did you find out who made the transfer?” Benjamin directed his gaze toward Ethen.
Looking at him, Ethen replied, “This sum of money went through several transactions. Our last lead was from a foreign account. We haven't found anyone specifically related to this case.”
As Benjamin lowered his gaze and tapped his finger on the chair's armrest, Ethen and Jack merely stared at him, not daring to say anything.
“Look into Bryan's and Brandon's bank accounts.”
Both Ethen and Jack immediately exchanged glances. “Mr. Graham, are you suspecting—”
Benjamin scoffed, “Bryan went looking for me at Old Manor just that night. He knows best about my whereabouts.”
With that, Ethen and Jack hurriedly began the investigation.
It was not until midnight that they got some results.
“Mr. Graham, I found something.” Ethen looked at Benjamin.
“Speak!” Benjamin nodded, gesturing for him to continue.
“The money was transferred out of the bank account of Brandon Graham's brother-in-law.”
Benjamin sneered. Hah. To think that they're my biological brothers. If I had died tonight, they would definitely be fine. Even if someone were to look into the accident, they would only suspect Bryan more. Alas, Brandon has completely underestimated my capabilities.
“That cunning old fox. How dare he use his brother-in-law to take the blame?” Jack fumed.
No one would believe it if anyone said it was not Brandon who hired someone to crash into Benjamin's car.
“Find the record of them giving the order,” Benjamin instructed.
Ethen and Jack inclined their heads in acknowledgment, then got busy.
Looking for the most important evidence would take them a lot of time. Hence, Ethen advised, “Mr. Graham, please get some rest. This might take us a long time to investigate.”
“Okay.” Benjamin nodded in agreement.
However, he did not head upstairs to rest right away.
Instead, he gave Kingsley a call and told the latter to get over to Yaleview as soon as possible.
The moment Kingsley arrived, Benjamin explained everything to him before heading upstairs.
Arissa and the children were already asleep. Thus, he sat by the bed and watched them for a while.
Afterward, he adjusted the covers and brought some medication to apply to Arissa's forehead.
She was not in a deep sleep yet, so she woke up the second Benjamin touched her wound.
“You're here,” she murmured.
“Yes,” Benjamin responded softly and continued applying the medication.
Chapter 988
Realizing that he had not bathed, Arissa sat up, saying, “I'll run a bath for you.”
However, Benjamin made her lie down. “It's okay. Get back to sleep. I'll take a shower.”
With that, he capped the medication tube and placed it on the bedside table.
At the same time, Arissa kept her eyes fixed on him.
Noting that, he patted her head and assured her, “Go back to sleep.”
“Okay.” Arissa nodded.
Benjamin then tucked her in before going into the bathroom to take a shower.
Only then did Arissa remember something. I wonder if Ethen found any leads.
At that thought, she glanced at the bathroom and then at the clock on the wall. It's already past midnight?
Benjamin was very fast in showering; he was out of the bathroom in just a few minutes. noveldrama
Arissa was not even asleep yet.
Seeing she was still awake, he quirked his brow. “Go to sleep quickly. Don't forget you've got to wake up early tomorrow.”
When Arissa noticed how he had wrapped himself in the bathrobe and did not look like he was going to sleep any time soon, she frowned. “Aren't you going to sleep yet?”
“They're still looking into some matters. I'll go downstairs to check on them,” he explained.
Then, he approached her and leaned over to peck her on the forehead. “Now, go to sleep!”
Eyeing him, Arissa asked, “Have they not found anything yet?”
A glint flashed past Benjamin's eyes, and he calmly answered, “They found something, but there isn't any solid evidence.”
“Who did it?” she pressed on, appalled to find out that the accident was plotted by someone. This is terrifying.
“Brandon.” Benjamin's tone turned cold in an instant.
Arissa froze, for the name sounded unfamiliar.
Seeing how lost she looked, he explained, “He's Dad's second son.”
Shocked, Arissa muttered, “That means he's...”
She wanted to say the word “brother” but stopped herself. Instead, she asked, “But why?”
No matter what, they're brothers related by blood. How could Brandon be so cruel that he wants Benjamin dead? Is their own interests the only thing that matters to this kind of person? Is that why they can do something so brutal to a family member?
Benjamin snorted. “My death will only be of benefit to them.”
Arissa's heart clenched. She felt bad for him.
He's also plotted against by his own family.
At that thought, she got up and hugged him.
The coldness in Benjamin's eyes dissipated a little. As he stroked her head, he assured her, “I'm fine. They're nothing to me.”
After hugging her for some time, he patted her back and warned, “You'd better sleep now, or I'm going to keep you awake.”
His tone was so suggestive that Arissa's heart fluttered a little.
Blushing, she got out of his embrace and quickly returned to lying in bed. “Don't stay up too late!”
With a smirk playing on his lips, Benjamin fixed his scorching gaze on her as he tapped her forehead lovingly. “I'll be back in a while.”
“Okay,” she answered softly before turning around to hug the children.
Hearing that, Benjamin smiled and went downstairs.
When Kingsley saw Benjamin entering the study, he quickly called out to the latter, “Boss, I found dirt on that old fox. Look at all this. We found so much!”
Benjamin's eyes glinted at the sight of the information. “Continue digging. Don't miss out on a single detail.”
“Of course.” Kingsley nodded.
After some time, he turned to Benjamin again and asked, “Boss, are you going back to Old Manor tomorrow to pay your respect to the ancestors?”
“Yes.” Benjamin bobbed his head.
“Then, you should go to sleep now. Leave this to us,” Kingsley urged.
Benjamin eyed the two men and said, “You guys should also get some rest soon.”
“We will, Mr. Graham,” Ethen and Jack responded, nodding.
Hence, Benjamin hung around a little longer before heading upstairs to sleep.
Arissa had just fallen asleep when she felt the spot beside her sink.
The next second, she was pulled into a sturdy embrace.
After Benjamin pecked her on the cheek, he rested his chin on her shoulder, finally shutting his eyes to get some sleep.
His familiar scent that enveloped her made her feel more secure.
After all, she still had lingering fears from the incident that evening.
While lying in Benjamin's arms, she reached out to embrace the children.
“Goodnight!”
That deep voice traveled into her ears, which made her retract her neck.
Slowly, she fell asleep to the sound of Benjamin's even breathing.
Chapter 989
The next day, Arissa awoke to Benjamin's movements.
When he noticed she was awake, he pecked her on the forehead and said, “It's still early. Why don't you sleep a little longer?”
“What time is it?” Arissa peered at the clock. “It's already six thirty!”
After lying in bed for a few more minutes, she still sat up and murmured, “We have to get ready now...”
We still need to wash up and get dressed. It'll be around nine o'clock by the time we leave.
At the sight of Arissa waking the children up, Benjamin had no choice but to get up as well.
“Sweethearts, it's time to wake up.”
The little ones rubbed their eyes and yawned. “Mmh... Mommy...” they mumbled. Clearly, they did not want to wake up yet.
Arissa could not help but smile dotingly when she saw how cute the children were.
Gently, she gave their noses a pinch, starting with Gavin. “It's time to get up, lazy piggies. We're going to Grandpa's house today.”
Upon hearing that, the children opened their eyes but quickly shut them.
Pouting, one of them protested, “We're not lazy piggies!”
Amused by their response, Arissa chuckled. “Hurry. It's time to get up!” she then urged.
As she got out of bed, Gavin, Tim, and Zachary followed suit.
Meanwhile, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse continued lying in bed.
After glancing around the room, the children asked, “Mommy, did Daddy not sleep last night?”
Arissa swept her gaze across them and said, “He's already brushing his teeth.”
The children instantly became more energized. Following Gavin, they hopped off the bed and ran toward the bathroom.
Sure enough, Benjamin was brushing his teeth in there.
“Daddy!”
“Mr. Graham!”
Benjamin raised his brow in surprise, for he had never seen the children behave so warmly toward him before.
“Good morning, kids!” he greeted them with a grin.
“Good morning, Daddy!” Gavin chirped.
“Good morning, Mr. Graham!” Tim, Zachary, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse, too, greeted Benjamin happily.
Pleased with their replies, Benjamin gazed at them and instructed, “Hurry up and wash up.”
“Daddy, are we having breakfast at home or Grandpa's?” Gavin queried.
“We're eating at home,” Benjamin answered, then proceeded to explain that it was inconvenient for them to have breakfast at Old Manor since the preparations for the event were ongoing.
Understanding the situation, Gavin nodded and brought his siblings back to their room.
Meanwhile, Arissa stepped into the bathroom with a smile and joined her husband to brush her teeth.
Benjamin, who had finished brushing his teeth, glanced at her. “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Yes. What about you?” she asked cautiously while brushing her teeth.
“I had a pretty good sleep!”
With that, he applied some shaving cream onto his chin. Arissa glanced at him and quickened her pace.
Benjamin waited for her to finish washing up before saying, “Let's go downstairs for breakfast first. We can come back and change our clothes later.”
Arissa nodded. “I'll check on the children to see if they're ready.”
Afterward, she walked toward the door with Benjamin following behind her.
The children had finished washing up. At that moment, they were standing next to the bed, holding their formal attires before their bodies to see how they would look in them.
The sight of that put a smile on Arissa's face. “We'll get changed after breakfast, Sweethearts. Come on. Let's go downstairs for breakfast.”
“Okay!” the children chirped and skipped out of the room.
As they headed toward the staircase, they chatted happily with their mother.
The whole time, Benjamin walked behind them. The sight of the children behaving so energetically and the sounds of their chatter made him smile.
Even Tim seemed to have gotten closer to the others. The boy was not as reserved as when he first reunited with them.
Upon arriving at the landing, Tim turned around to check on Benjamin, urging, “Hurry up, Mr. Graham!”
“All right!” Benjamin sounded happy and affectionate.
He strode forward and carried Tim and Jesse in his arms. noveldrama
In response, Tim beamed at Benjamin while Jesse smiled shyly.
Glancing at the two kids, Benjamin smiled before exhorting the others, “Be careful, you kids!”
When Gavin and Zachary heard him, they looked over their shoulders to glance at him.
Chapter 990
Worried the other children might get jealous, Arissa stroked their heads and said gently, “Sweethearts, Daddy can't carry all of you. So, I'll hold your hands, okay?”
“Okay!”
The four children grinned and wrapped their fingers around hers. “Mommy, you have to be careful too!”
“Okay!”
Pleased with their behavior, Arissa walked down the stairs while holding their hands.
Benjamin, too, was comforted that the children did not care too much about such things.
If not for her reminder, it would have slipped his mind.
“I'll carry the four of you downstairs the next time,” he offered.
However, Gavin tilted his head and cast Benjamin a glance. “I don't want you to carry me. I want Mommy to do it.” noveldrama
Arissa was elated to hear those words. “I'll carry you later!”
Grinning, Jasper piped up, “Me too, Mommy!”
“Okay!”
“Not you too. Mommy can't possibly carry you after carrying Gavin,” Oliver teased Jasper.
Jasper gave a snort and pouted. “Mommy can carry me on her back!”
As the children trotted down the stairs with Arissa, Zachary laughed and swept his gaze across his brothers. “Well, you can let Mr. Graham do it instead.”
Hearing that, Jasper sneaked a peek at Benjamin and snorted haughtily. “I like being carried by Mommy on her back. Besides, she hasn't done so in ages.”
Arissa gazed at her children affectionately as she cooed, “Okay, okay. I'll carry you on my back. Then, I'll carry Zachary and Oliver later, all right?”
“Okay!” Oliver crinkled his eyes in a smile.
“Humph. How could you tease me when you obviously like being carried by Mommy on her back too!” Jasper poked Oliver's face grumpily.
“It was Mommy who offered it. I wasn't the one who pestered her for it. Hehe!” Oliver grinned smugly.
“You're annoying!” Jasper harrumphed while Oliver swayed his head triumphantly.
Their petty squabble amused Arissa.
When they reached the first floor, she lowered herself, and Jasper happily climbed onto her back, wrapping his arms around her neck.
“Hey, not so tight!” Arissa supported his body to prevent him from falling.
“I'm ready, Mommy!” Jasper chirped.
After carrying him steadily on her back, Arissa extended her arms to pick Gavin up.
However, the boy stepped aside and giggled. “Mommy, you won't be able to carry me with Jasper on your back!”
“I can do it. You guys don't weigh much, anyway. Come, let me carry you.”
She then pulled Gavin over, bent over, and picked him up while urging Jasper to hold on to her tightly.
Gavin was so thrilled that his eyes sparkled.
Seeing that, Arissa kissed his cheek affectionately and said to Zachary and Oliver, “Let's go and have our breakfast!”
“Okay!” The two brothers nodded eagerly.
“I'll carry you two on my back,” offered Benjamin.
Looking askance at him, the boys questioned, “Can you do it?”
Benjamin raised his brow and declared confidently, “I can even carry your mommy with you two on my back. Come on up.”
With that, he turned around and bent down slightly, gesturing for the boys to climb onto him.
“Hurry, Zachary and Oliver!” Jesse urged them in a cheerful tone.
After exchanging glances with each other, Zachary and Oliver climbed onto Benjamin's back, each leaning on one side of his shoulder.
“I can't carry you with my arms, so you'd better hold on tight,” Benjamin enjoined the boys on his back with a smile.
“Okay!” Zachary and Oliver responded in unison.
Just then, Tim slipped an arm to Zachary's back and grabbed the latter's shirt. “I'll hold on to you!”
Grinning, Zachary replied, “Thanks, Tim!”
“I'll hold on to Oliver, then. If we fall, we'll fall together!” Jesse, too, reached out and grabbed Oliver's shirt.
The four children grinned from ear to ear.
That scene put a slight quirk in Benjamin's mouth.
At the same time, Arissa could not help but laugh at him, for he looked like a tree hugged by several koalas.
Shooting her a glance, Benjamin remarked, “What are you laughing at? Let's go and have our breakfast!”
At that, Arissa chuckled and headed over to the dining room.