Thalia was taken aback to hear Denise's words.
She knew they would ask questions but hadn't figured out how to answer them yet.
What should I tell them?
She noticed Anthony walking past her and called out, “Anthony!”
Hearing his name being called, Anthony halted in his tracks and turned over his shoulder. Thalia immediately gave him a smile.
However, Anthony walked away as if he did not see or hear her.
Seeing that, Thalia parted her lips to say something but ended up letting out a helpless sigh. “Anthony is still mad at me!”
Denise stared at Anthony's retreating figure and nodded. “Yes. After failing to find you at the hotel that day, Tony went home and locked himself in his room for a long time. He ignored everyone and refused to say a word.”
Thalia looked down at Denise as a complicated look flashed across her eyes. “Really?”
Denise bobbed her head eagerly. “Of course! If you don't believe me, ask Ben!”
Thalia glanced at Benjamin, who shot her a curt and stern nod.
The smile on Thalia's lips disappeared as she muttered under her breath, “It looks like I've hurt him with my words.”
“So we need to find out what happened. Thalia, what's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly say that to Anthony?” Benjamin asked, his gaze fixed on her.
Hearing that, Denise trained her gaze on Thalia and inclined her head. “Yes. If you make yourself clear, Tony won't be mad anymore.”
Thalia lowered her gaze and replied despondently, “It's not necessary. Anthony is a very competitive person and wouldn't tolerate anyone speaking ill of him.”
“I don't think so—”
“I don't want to talk about it. I'm tired and want to go to bed. You should leave,” Thalia said as she spun around on her heels and made her way back to her room, shutting the door behind her.
“Thalia!” Denise cried out as she took one step forward, but the door had already been closed.
Denise had to swallow the rest of her words. She blinked her eyes twice innocently before turning to Benjamin. “Did we just get brushed off?”
Benjamin sighed and stared at the closed door. He said helplessly, “Isn't that obvious? She's avoiding the topic.”
“She's a better actress than I am,” Denise remarked.
“Let's go. Since we can't get her to tell us anything, we should resort to Tony's tactics,” Benjamin urged.
“That's the only way,” Denise agreed.
They then left.
Thalia leaned against the door and pressed her ear to it in an attempt to hear the noise outside.
She heaved a sigh of relief once it was quiet once more.
Opening the door cautiously, she peered outside to make sure there was no one there before shutting the door firmly. She then pulled out her phone to text Natasha: The kids asked me about it. What should I tell them?
After a long wait, she still didn't receive any reply.
Thalia gazed at the door, afraid that the two little ones would return. In the end, she lay down in bed and pretended to sleep.
That way, they wouldn't trouble her anymore.
Meanwhile, Anthony headed straight to Spencer's lab.
Spencer was busy fiddling with something on his board. When someone knocked on the door, he didn't bother looking up and said, “Come in.”
Anthony pushed the door open and walked into the lab.
“What is it?” Spencer asked without lifting his head.
Without a word, Anthony went over and sat across from him.
As there was no response for a long time, Spencer looked up and was startled to see Anthony. “Why is it you?”
“Are you surprised?” Anthony asked.
Spencer looked down and continued fiddling with his experiment. In a low voice, he inquired, “Do you need something from me?”
“What happened to Thalia?” Anthony cut straight to the chase after a brief deliberation.
Spencer paused momentarily before continuing with his work. “What do you mean by that?”
“Don't pretend you don't know anything. I may be young, but I'm not like my peers, who can be easily brushed off with poor excuses. I saw everything with my own eyes back in that coffee shop. Without a valid explanation, I refuse to believe that nothing happened,” Anthony said firmly, fixing his unwavering gaze on Spencer.
Spencer pursed his lips and said nothing.
Anthony continued, “That day, the bathroom door was broken. It was the same situation as yesterday, right?”
Spencer remained silent, but he was obviously distracted as he wasn't focused on handling his apparatus.
I have to admit that Anthony is smart. I can't brush him off easily.
The more stubborn he was, the more patient Anthony got. “Is something wrong with her health?”
Hearing that, Spencer paused in his tracks and looked at Anthony hesitantly.
He knew how much Thalia adored the kids. She would rather upset Anthony than reveal the truth to them, so he wasn't in a position to divulge the truth.
Spencer looked away and bit back his words.
“What did you want to say?” Anthony urged.
Perhaps he'll spill if I question him incessantly.
Spencer looked up, his handsome face calm. “There's nothing to reveal. Didn't you have a fallout with her? Why are you still concerned about her?”
Anthony froze.
Even though he didn't anticipate Spencer's question, he responded quickly, “Those are two different issues. I simply want to know what you're keeping from me.”
Spencer raised his eyebrows and asked, “So, you're not worried about her but interested in what we kept from you?”
Anthony frowned. “Whatever you say. I just what to know what is going on.”
Spencer pursed his lips. “If something has happened to Thalia, what will you do?”
Anthony's frown deepened as he couldn't tell if Spencer was being serious or merely teasing him.
“You were just trying to divert my attention with all that unnecessary talk, weren't you, Spencer? Your response only confirms my suspicion.”
“So? What was your suspicion?” Spencer asked.
“She's sick,” Anthony revealed. “In fact, she's seriously ill.”
Spencer initially wanted to tease him, but the little boy looked serious. It also concerned Thalia, so he couldn't bring himself to joke about it.
“My guess is correct, right?” Anthony asked calmly. Despite his age, he looked mature beyond his years.
Spencer gazed at him wordlessly for a few moments before saying, “I'm sorry, but I can't answer your question. You should ask her directly. That's the best way to get answers to your doubts.”
“Spencer—”
“Anthony, no matter what happened between you both or what she said, she only wanted to protect you. She never meant to harm you,” Spencer explained slowly.
Anthony was taken aback by his response.
“All right. I need to get back to my experiment.” He was asking Anthony to leave.
The more stubborn he wos, the more potient Anthony got. “Is something wrong with her heolth?”
Heoring thot, Spencer poused in his trocks ond looked ot Anthony hesitontly.
He knew how much Tholio odored the kids. She would rother upset Anthony thon reveol the truth to them, so he wosn't in o position to divulge the truth.
Spencer looked owoy ond bit bock his words.
“Whot did you wont to soy?” Anthony urged.
Perhops he'll spill if I question him incessontly.
Spencer looked up, his hondsome foce colm. “There's nothing to reveol. Didn't you hove o follout with her? Why ore you still concerned obout her?”
Anthony froze.
Even though he didn't onticipote Spencer's question, he responded quickly, “Those ore two different issues. I simply wont to know whot you're keeping from me.”
Spencer roised his eyebrows ond osked, “So, you're not worried obout her but interested in whot we kept from you?”
Anthony frowned. “Whotever you soy. I just whot to know whot is going on.”
Spencer pursed his lips. “If something hos hoppened to Tholio, whot will you do?”
Anthony's frown deepened os he couldn't tell if Spencer wos being serious or merely teosing him.
“You were just trying to divert my ottention with oll thot unnecessory tolk, weren't you, Spencer? Your response only confirms my suspicion.”
“So? Whot wos your suspicion?” Spencer osked.
“She's sick,” Anthony reveoled. “In foct, she's seriously ill.”
Spencer initiolly wonted to teose him, but the little boy looked serious. It olso concerned Tholio, so he couldn't bring himself to joke obout it.
“My guess is correct, right?” Anthony osked colmly. Despite his oge, he looked moture beyond his yeors.
Spencer gozed ot him wordlessly for o few moments before soying, “I'm sorry, but I con't onswer your question. You should osk her directly. Thot's the best woy to get onswers to your doubts.”
“Spencer—”
“Anthony, no motter whot hoppened between you both or whot she soid, she only wonted to protect you. She never meont to horm you,” Spencer exploined slowly.
Anthony wos token obock by his response.
“All right. I need to get bock to my experiment.” He wos osking Anthony to leove.
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