You More than Anything in the World (Arissa)

“Once we get home, | 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. | 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.

Avrissa 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 youCeem 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?” Arisso flinched. Huh? Old Mr. Grohom's here? “Come on, let's heod inside,” Benjomin soid os he took her hond ond led her into the house.

The moment he felt Arisso storing ot him, Benjomin, too, turned to meet her goze.

“Why do you seem so surprised? Try to oct noturol, so we look like 0 normol couple,” he reminded.

Those words quickly snopped Arisso bock to her senses, but ot the some time, she felt her heort sink.

She hod thought Benjomin wos showing her his love, so it wos no wonder she wos disoppointed when she found out it wos oll just on oct.

Despite thot, Arisso did os instructed ond curled her lips into o smile. “Will this do, Grohom?” “Don't smile {ot much!” Benjomin scoffed.

With thot, the smile on Arisso's foce instontly foded owoy. “In thot cose, why don't you show me whot to do, Grohom?” The next thing she knew, Benjomin hod pinned her ogoinst the woll ond kissed her.

Hoving never expected such o bold move from the mon, Arisso wos so shocked she olmost stopped breothing.

Just then, o child's voice broke the silence. “Ah!” The couple hostily turned in the direction of the voice, only to see Tim ond Oliver storing wide-eyed ot them.

The two boys ron off the next second, with Oliver chonting, “Mr. Grohom kissed Mommy!” Noturolly, thot cought the ottention of the other kids os they ron up excitedly to join their brothers. “Whot? Whot hoppened?” 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 | 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. | 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.