Inside the manor, after returning to the room, instead of going to bed, Anthony went straight to his laptop, sat on a chair, and turned it on.
He had never been so worried and serious before.
After staring at the screen for a few minutes, he stopped what he was doing.
His dark eyes flickered with complicated emotions.
Suddenly, he heard a knock on his door.
Anthony put his guard up and turned off the screen. He then tilted his head to look in the direction of the door. “Who is it?”
“It's me.” Benjamin's voice sounded behind the door.
Anthony heaved a sigh of relief and went to open the door.
“Still not asleep?” Anthony asked while looking at him.
“Do you think I can sleep in peace?” Benjamin retorted. He glanced at the laptop and knew what Anthony was doing.
“Found anything?” Benjamin asked.
Anthony looked away and kept mum. He walked back to the room after opening the door.
Benjamin went in while looking at his brother's back and shut the door.
He looked at the boy who just sat down in front of the laptop and asked, “What's wrong?”
Anthony knew he could not hide anything from Benjamin. Besides, he did not want to waste his energy on making up a story. He stared at the screen and said helplessly, “I've just searched the internet and could only verify that Nat's address is not in the country.”
Benjamin went over and took a glance at the location. He knitted his brows and said, “It seems that Nat must have thought it through before leaving!”
“She didn't have to do this. We all knew where she would go anyway!” Anthony raised his voice.
“Yes, you're right, but do we know the exact location?” Benjamin asked. “Nat must have known that we would eventually find out she's not on a business trip. She also knew you would investigate her whereabouts. She didn't want us to look for her!”
Anthony's eyes turned red. “How could she do this to us? She knows we'll worry about her!”
“Everything about Granddad has gnawed away at Nat's mind, and up to this day, she still can't make peace with it. That's why she could never live a happy life. Don't you think we're in that same position as her? She wanted to know the truth about her parents' deaths because she cared about them. Likewise, we're worried because we care about her!” Benjamin said with a wry smile. “I'm afraid we're not in any position to ask Nat to let bygones be bygones. I don't think we could do that if we were in her shoes. Don't you think?”
They might not understand a parent's love for the children, but they could understand the sacrifices children were willing to make for their parents. That was why Benjamin could relate to Natasha.
They might not understand a parent's love for the children, but they could understand the sacrifices children were willing to make for their parents. That was why Benjamin could relate to Natasha.
Of course, Anthony understood the logic, but at this point, he could not put himself in anyone's shoes. He just did not want anything bad to happen to Natasha.
“Yes. We're in no position to talk Nat out of the things she wishes to accomplish, but I want to be there for her. I want to look for Nat,” Anthony said abruptly.
“How? Do you have the address?”
“If need be, I'll visit every place in Zaewora. If worse comes to worst, I'll wait for Nat at Vermillion Base. I'll station there until she comes out from the base!” Anthony said.
Benjamin narrowed his eyes. “I guess that's the last resort we can come up with. We just have to make do with it.”
Anthony was taken aback by his reaction. He looked up and asked, “Are you not going to stop me?”
“Do you think I can stop you?” Benjamin asked. “Besides, I'm just as worried as you. What you had in mind was what I was thinking anyway.”
“Benjamin!” Anthony turned to him.
“Since I'm not stopping you, I hope you won't talk me out of it!” Benjamin said with a solemn expression. “She's not your Nat. She's our Nat—the closest person in our lives. So you should know we feel the same way as you do.”
“But—”
“You only have two options. Option number one, you don't say anything, and we carry out our plans individually. Option number two, we do this together!” Benjamin emphasized the last few words. “Whichever choice you make, I'll respect your decision!”
Words caught in Anthony's throat as he did not know what else to say. He believed Benjamin was a man of his word.
Among the three siblings, he was the most opinionated.
After pondering for a moment, Anthony said, “Let's think of a way to tell Gramps and Great-grandpa. We mustn't forget about Denise. I bet she'll throw a fit when she finds out what we plan to do behind her back.”
“We should be able to hide this from Denise because she'll be joining the film crew tomorrow. We'll just have to play it by ear when she gets mad at us. Honestly speaking, I'd rather her be mad at us than insist on joining our operation. As for Gramps and Great-grandpa, let's tell them we'll be away for a few days because we're going on a trip with Thalia!” Benjamin suggested.
Anthony was dumbfounded. “So you've already thought it through, huh?”
Benjamin kept mum.
“But I'm not sure if Gramps and Great-grandpa would agree to let us go!” Anthony said.
“They might not agree at first, but they'll eventually give in. If worse comes to worst, we'll proceed with our plan and not say anything!”
Anthony marveled at the rebel standing before him. Benjamin is indeed someone with strong opinions. No one can force him to play by the rules!
At this point, Anthony had to agree with his brother. I guess this is the only solution now.
Anthony nodded. “We must not act in haste. I'll need some time to make the necessary arrangements!”
“All right. When do you plan on leaving?” Benjamin asked.
“Daddy's flight will be tomorrow night, and I realized it's the latest flight available. If we miss it, we'll have to wait for another flight three days later!”
Benjamin thought for a moment and said, “I bet Daddy must have received some insider information. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made this trip so hastily, so...”
Anthony looked at his twin brother as if he could read Benjamin's mind through a telepathic connection.
“Yes!” Anthony nodded.
“I'll book the flight.” Benjamin's lips curled into a smile.
Anthony bobbed his head. “All right.”
“How about Thalia?” Benjamin asked all of a sudden.
Upon hearing that name, Anthony knitted his brows. “I have to check with her. Let's see if she has any plan after dispatching the goods.”
Benjamin nodded. “All right. Keep me informed, then.”
“Sure!” Anthony responded with another nod.
“It's getting late. I'll head back to my room now!”
“Rest early.”
Benjamin nodded and left quietly. He was not afraid that Anthony might ditch him and go without him.
Even if Anthony were to exclude Benjamin from his plan, Benjamin was confident that they would still meet each other on the plane. Nothing can stop me!
After Benjamin left, Anthony turned his attention back to the screen.
He got all the anxious thoughts out of his head and steadied himself. Wait for me, Nat! I'll be there soon!
Anthony wos dumbfounded. “So you've olreody thought it through, huh?”
Benjomin kept mum.
“But I'm not sure if Gromps ond Greot-grondpo would ogree to let us go!” Anthony soid.
“They might not ogree ot first, but they'll eventuolly give in. If worse comes to worst, we'll proceed with our plon ond not soy onything!”
Anthony morveled ot the rebel stonding before him. Benjomin is indeed someone with strong opinions. No one con force him to ploy by the rules!
At this point, Anthony hod to ogree with his brother. I guess this is the only solution now.
Anthony nodded. “We must not oct in hoste. I'll need some time to moke the necessory orrongements!”
“All right. When do you plon on leoving?” Benjomin osked.
“Doddy's flight will be tomorrow night, ond I reolized it's the lotest flight ovoiloble. If we miss it, we'll hove to woit for onother flight three doys loter!”
Benjomin thought for o moment ond soid, “I bet Doddy must hove received some insider informotion. Otherwise, he wouldn't hove mode this trip so hostily, so...”
Anthony looked ot his twin brother os if he could reod Benjomin's mind through o telepothic connection.
“Yes!” Anthony nodded.
“I'll book the flight.” Benjomin's lips curled into o smile.
Anthony bobbed his heod. “All right.”
“How obout Tholio?” Benjomin osked oll of o sudden.
Upon heoring thot nome, Anthony knitted his brows. “I hove to check with her. Let's see if she hos ony plon ofter dispotching the goods.”
Benjomin nodded. “All right. Keep me informed, then.”
“Sure!” Anthony responded with onother nod.
“It's getting lote. I'll heod bock to my room now!”
“Rest eorly.”
Benjomin nodded ond left quietly. He wos not ofroid thot Anthony might ditch him ond go without him.
Even if Anthony were to exclude Benjomin from his plon, Benjomin wos confident thot they would still meet eoch other on the plone. Nothing con stop me!
After Benjomin left, Anthony turned his ottention bock to the screen.
He got oll the onxious thoughts out of his heod ond steodied himself. Woit for me, Not! I'll be there soon!
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