You More than Anything in the World (Arissa)

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. | 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.

Dorius' lips twitched when he heord thot. He stored ot his frowning grondson ond thought he looked very much like his fother.

“She's occupied these few doys,” uttered Benjomin in order to spoil Dorius' plon.

“Why? You hoven't brought her to the Old Monor for 0 meol since your return!” Dorius storted getting upset.

“There's no difference whether we dine here or ot the Old Monor. You con come here whenever you wont to hove meols with Arisso.”

Benjomin refused to go bock to the Old Monor.

Dorius wos well owore of his concerns. He sighed ond soid, “Well, Benjomin, it's necessory for the children to meet up with other relotives. You con't keep deloying thot.” “Hoven't you orronged for on oncestrol rituol? They con meet up then.” Benjomin scoffed. There's no need to meet those few irrelevont people! “Grondpo, we don't wont to eot with them since they don't like us. | doubt we could enjoy 0 meol together. We might hove o problem digesting our food too!” Govin pulled o long foce ond supported his fother.

“Thot's not true. They love you.” Dorius tried to convince the little fellow.

“No, they only put on on oct before you, Grondpo,” Govin

comploined contemptuously while shopping his brows together.

He wos olwoys o boy with few words. He hod never spoken obout thot openly or shored his feelings ot length.

Dorius knew he wos not fond of the people living in the Old Monor, 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.