“You're so useless! How could you get bullied by someone like that?”
A familiar mocking tone echoed in the bathroom as she looked up to meet a man's disdainful stare.
Her heart clenched as she felt even worse.
Benjamin strode in and he pulled her over daringly.
“You-”
Arissa wanted to push him away angrily but was shocked by his next move.
He pulled her into his embrace and placed a warm hand behind her head as he said coldly, “You can rest on my shoulder for a bit.”
Arissa was stunned speechless.
“I wasn't going to cry!” she said stubbornly, when in actual fact she had almost been moved to tears by his actions.
Benjamin chuckled.
As if I could have made such a mistake!
He lifted her chin. Her innocent yet stubborn expression made it hard for him to look away.
“If you didn't cry, then why are both your nose and eyes so red?”
Arissa paused in surprise. Were they?
She did feel like crying just now, but she hadn't actually cried.
He swiveled her around to face the mirror.
“See? Your eyes are red! Of course you cried!”
Arissa saw her eyes tinged with red at the corners. She really did look as if she had just cried.
“I didn't cry!” she refuted stubbornly, unsure of even her own words at this point.
Benjamin glared at her. “What happened to the strong-headed girl who left me behind? How dare you get bullied by someone like that? If I were you, I'd be embarrassed to keep my face straight.”
Arissa had just started feeling touched when his words managed to set her off again.
She pushed him away.
“I'm not the one who actually left you behind. Why are you blaming me?”
Benjamin pressed his lips together in an attempt to hold back his smile at the sight of her annoyance. “Who else if not for you?”
Arissa looked up at him. “Your sons were the ones who did it!”
Benjamin frowned.
“Gavin?”
At the sound of his annoyance, she was afraid that the two of them would be on bad terms again and said, “All of them!”
She walked out in the midst of Benjamin's confusion and disbelief.
Instinctively, she glanced at the doorway and saw no trace of Regan.
“What are you looking for? He's already gone upstairs.”
Benjamin snatched her hand and walked toward the elevator.
She didn't feel like arguing about his crudeness and simply glanced at him. “Where are the kids?”
“They went up too,” he said, turning back to look at her.
No way!
Arissa didn't believe him at first, but when they arrived at the floor they were supposed to be at, she spotted all of the kids in front of her.
“Mommy! Are you alright?”
All six kids surrounded her worriedly and immediately began to bombard her with questions.
Arissa smiled brightly at the sight of the kids' innocent stares and she reached out to hug them.
“I'm fine! Let's go visit Great-grandaunt.”
The six of them looked at her again before following her over to the hospital ward.
Shaun had brought Mary to do a full body checkup earlier that morning and found that there was basically nothing else wrong with her.
At the sight of all of them coming around, Shaun said, “She can finally transfer back to Dellmoor!”
Arissa smiled at the good news, and the six kids were lit up with joy as well.
“Great-grandaunt, once you're all better and back in Dellmoor, I'll take you to eat great food and see some really nice places too!” Jesse said cheerfully, showing off his cute missing tooth.
Mary smiled and caressed her head tenderly. “Of course!”
“Mommy, are we going to bring Great-grandaunt back home now?” Zachary said happily.
“Yep!” Arissa said before turning to look at Benjamin. “Are we heading back now?”
“Pack up and we can leave soon,” Benjamin said with a nod.
Mary looked at them and called for Arissa.
“Yes, Grandaunt?”
Arissa walked over and helped the elderly lady sit up.
“Issa, I want to go back and take a look. Can I?”
Mary wasn't willing to leave just like that. She had things that she hadn't finished keeping back home.
Arissa glanced at Benjamin. “Can we?”
Benjamin looked back at her and asked Shaun, “It's alright for Grandaunt to go back, right?”
Shaun chuckled. “Of course. Just drive slowly and be safe.”
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