You More than Anything in the World (Arissa)

Chapter 801

Arissa raised her head to regard him with a smile. “It's nothing.”

Benjamin's brow bunched up. His eyes fixated upon the unnaturalness of her smile before glancing toward his

phone.

When he took it over, the screen of the phone lit up. That particular message was still being actively displayed on it.

Was it this that ruined her mood?

Momentarily shaken up inside, Benjamin regarded her intently with his dark eyes before he deleted that message.

“Have you read it?” he asked, point blank.

Arissa turned her body over to face the other way.

“I didn't mean to!”

Casting his towel aside, Benjamin leaned in and held her tightly inside her arms.

His almond-shaped eyes locked gazes with her. “It doesn't mean anything!”

Arissa lifted her eyes and pursed her lips. “Have both of you been in constant contact all this time?”

Benjamin fiddled with her hair while lying on his side.

“No. She's the one who has been trying to reach out to me these past few days. I've never responded to her,” he

explained.

Arissa scrutinized him. Benjamin doesn't appear to be lying. It's not like he needs to either.

“In that case, how do you feel toward her?”

Benjamin stared at her with an unfathomable gaze.

“She's like an old friend!”

That somewhat improved Arissa's mood. “Then, do you still fancy her?”

Benjamin's brows perked up, and there was a playful look in his eyes. “Why don't you tell me whether I should?”

When Arissa reacted by turning her back to him, Benjamin pulled himself close and kissed her behind the ear. “You

know that I only have feelings for you!”

Arissa's heart started throbbing as her cheeks flushed hotly.

She certainly felt him. In response, she pulled the blanket over her face.

The laughter from the man's baritone voice sent her body temperature soaring.

“Stop imagining things, Arissa, and don't let other people affect your emotions that easily, all right?”

Benjamin petted her head over the blanket.

“Come on out. Don't you find it stuffy in there?”

Arissa smiled and pressed him further, “Do you really feel nothing for her?”

Benjamin exhaled in exasperation. “Back then, with everyone else's constant nudging, I was indeed a little tempted

to date her. My thinking at the time was that I might as well find someone who I personally liked for myself rather

than leave things to my dad. She was one of the few among my acquaintances who I got on quite well with, but Dad

didn't seem to like her very much. In fact, he was vehemently opposed to us getting together. Everyone must have

misunderstood me because I took her side that time. Perhaps that's why my old man is still convinced that I am into

her, even till now!”

Arissa pulled the blanket down slightly and looked at him expectantly. “Does that mean that you were never

attracted to her?”

Benjamin peered down at her. “Are you going to come out?”

That made Arissa a little self-conscious. “You still haven't answered my question yet.”

Benjamin leaned in and closed the distance between them further.

“Do you still doubt me after everything I've told you, Arissa? Are you daft?”

That had Arissa seething. “You're the one who's being daft. Was it even necessary to insult me?”

Benjamin's thin lips lifted into a smirk as he pinched her cheek. “From where would I find the time to get involved

with someone else? I'm way too busy making money!”

Could he be speaking the truth?

As reluctant as Arissa was to simply take his words at face value, there was no understating the joy she felt inside.

“Have you really never fancied anyone else previously?”

“Whoever said that? I most certainly did!” Benjamin reacted in dismay.

He coughed and cleared his throat self-consciously when he saw that despondent expression returning to Arissa's

face.

Then, he shot her an amused look. “What's bugging you now?”

“So, that means you really are interested in someone else!” Arissa side-eyed him.

If she isn't Danna or Rosetta, who else could that woman be?

Benjamin tilted her chin up. “Didn't I tell you not to overthink things? Why won't you just listen?”

Arissa merely stared at him. You should have explained things clearly if you wanted that.

Having figured out what was going through her mind from the look in her eyes, Benjamin sighed. He then broke off

eye contact as he felt somewhat ill at ease.

“It happened back when I was a kid. Does that count too?”

Arissa blinked.

When he was a kid?

She was amused by the blush she vaguely saw on the man's handsome face but dared not laugh aloud.

“How little were you?”

Benjamin's eyes darted around. “I was just a few years old.”

“And how old was the girl you took a liking to?”

Benjamin appeared contemplative. “A year old, or maybe several months old?”

Arissa was utterly speechless.

Could ha ba spaaking tha truth?

As raluctant as Arissa was to simply taka his words at faca valua, thara was no undarstating tha joy sha falt insida.

“Hava you raally navar fanciad anyona alsa praviously?”

“Whoavar said that? I most cartainly did!” Banjamin raactad in dismay.

Ha coughad and claarad his throat salf-consciously whan ha saw that daspondant axprassion raturning to Arissa's

faca.

Than, ha shot har an amusad look. “What's bugging you now?”

“So, that maans you raally ara intarastad in somaona alsa!” Arissa sida-ayad him.

If sha isn't Danna or Rosatta, who alsa could that woman ba?

Banjamin tiltad har chin up. “Didn't I tall you not to ovarthink things? Why won't you just listan?”

Arissa maraly starad at him. You should hava axplainad things claarly if you wantad that.

Having figurad out what was going through har mind from tha look in har ayas, Banjamin sighad. Ha than broka off

aya contact as ha falt somawhat ill at aasa.

“It happanad back whan I was a kid. Doas that count too?”

Arissa blinkad.

Whan ha was a kid?

Sha was amusad by tha blush sha vagualy saw on tha man's handsoma faca but darad not laugh aloud.

“How littla wara you?”

Banjamin's ayas dartad around. “I was just a faw yaars old.”

“And how old was tha girl you took a liking to?”

Banjamin appaarad contamplativa. “A yaar old, or mayba savaral months old?”

Arissa was uttarly spaachlass.