In no time, Kenneth arrived upstairs with the food.
Observing the scene, Anthony promptly rose from his chair, making way for Kenneth.
The latter approached and arranged the food on the bedside table. Seeing this, Natasha met his gaze and asked, “I'm not too hungry yet. Can I eat later?”
Kenneth had already taken the bowl in his hands, his gaze locked on her. “What do you think?” he countered.
“Of course, we can do that!” Natasha responded confidently.
“How about you guys?” Kenneth inquired, shifting his attention to Anthony and Benjamin by his side.
Seeing this, both of them shook their heads simultaneously.
Kenneth redirected his attention to Natasha, asking, “Well, what about now?”
Natasha took a quick look at both of them, her mind pondering any additional words that could be offered. Presently, the trio had aligned themselves together, sharing a common stance.
“If Denise were here, she'd definitely be on my side!” Natasha murmured. A sudden recollection crossed her, prompting her to gaze at the boys. “Speaking of which, where is she?”
“She's probably still sleeping in the room,” Benjamin said. “Should I call her over?”
“No need. She must be tired from playing. Let her sleep,” Natasha intervened.
Right then, Kenneth carefully lifted a spoonful of oatmeal and gently guided it toward her lips. “Are you up for some food now?” he inquired.
Natasha observed the situation, a slight frown forming on her brows. Just as she was gearing up to voice her protest, Anthony took the lead, stepping forward and saying, “Eat up, Nat!”
Natasha's gaze shifted downward to inspect the bowl's contents, and with a reluctant sigh, she finally relented, “Okay, fine!”
With those words, she reached out her hand, signaling that she would take the bowl herself.
Nevertheless, the man insisted, “I'll feed you.”
“I'm not a patient; I can manage it on my own,” Natasha stated, attempting to take control. However, Kenneth skillfully evaded her attempt.
“Just take it as me wanting to display our affection.” He showed no signs of going along with her intentions.
Natasha paused briefly, comprehending Kenneth's intention. She cast a sidelong glance and responded, “With the kids around, it wouldn't be appropriate, would it?”
Anthony's gaze remained fixed on the bowl before Natasha. The contents were a combination of foods known for their nourishing and blood-enriching properties. A suspicion started to take shape in his thoughts, causing his brows to crease.
“Tony?” Benjamin's voice called out to him from the side.
Anthony snapped back to reality and turned to look at his younger brother. “What's wrong?”
“What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing much.” Anthony shook his head.
“Maybe we should give them some space,” Benjamin suggested with a raised eyebrow.
Just then, Anthony's attention shifted to Natasha and Kenneth. Natasha was also locking eyes with him.
After a brief pause, Anthony nodded in agreement.
Observing the dynamics, Benjamin swiftly interjected, “Enjoy your meal, Nat. We'll give you some privacy and check in on you later.”
Natasha nodded. “Okay.”
Thus, with Benjamin by his side, Anthony exited the room.
Once the door was shut, Benjamin let out a sigh, casting a concerned look at the preoccupied Anthony. “Tony, what's up with you?”
An inexplicable heaviness settled in Anthony's heart, and his eyes threatened to fill with tears. Yet, fearing Benjamin might catch on, he struggled to suppress his emotions.
“What are you talking about?” Anthony asked, feigning nonchalance.
“Of course, I'm talking about you. What's going on? You seem preoccupied, and you and Dad both seem weird,” Benjamin inquired.
Anthony paused briefly, his gaze instinctively shifting toward Benjamin. He recognized that if he didn't provide some explanation, Benjamin might start piecing things together.
With these thoughts in mind, Anthony hesitated for a moment before speaking, “It's just that seeing Nat lose so much weight all of a sudden has been bothering me. But don't worry, it's not a big deal!”
With this determination, he wiped away his tears, composed himself, and then left the room.
After careful consideration, Anthony concluded that the only potential breakthrough was Spencer. Following his decision, Anthony made his way to the laboratory. Standing outside the door, he took a deep breath and finally knocked, bracing himself for the conversation ahead.
Despite his repeated knocks, there was no response from inside the laboratory. Growing concerned, Anthony was on the verge of pushing the door open when a noise suddenly caught his attention from behind.
“Looking for me?”
Anthony turned around, only to find Spencer standing not far behind him. In the span of a few days, Spencer had grown noticeably haggard.
The words that Anthony had intended to ask suddenly seemed to catch in his throat at that moment.
After a while, the boy nodded. “Yeah.”
Spencer met his gaze, seemingly able to deduce something from Anthony's expression. He approached, opened the door, and simply said, “Come in.”
As Anthony stepped inside, Spencer instructed, “Close the door.”
The boy did as he was told.
Spencer seated himself at his desk, methodically donning a pair of gloves, as though he were preparing to resume his work.
Observing this, Anthony took a seat across from him and remarked, “It's been a while.”
Hearing this, Spencer raised his gaze to meet Anthony's and remarked, “I didn't expect that as your opening line.”
The boy was rendered speechless.
“Have you seen Natasha?” Spencer asked.
The mention of Natasha conjured an image of her frail form in Anthony's mind, prompting an uncomfortable sensation to prickle his nostrils. Nonetheless, he managed to suppress it and merely emitted a subdued hum in response.
The subtle quiver in that single hum didn't escape Spencer's notice. He pressed his lips together, his gaze fixed on Anthony. With straightforward candor, he spoke. “If you have questions, fire away.”
Anthony's reddened eyes were fixed on Spencer, his emotions clearly evident. Trying to hold back his emotions, he managed to form the question, his voice wavering, “Will Nat... be okay?”
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