Bryan felt humiliated upon hearing his father's harsh words.
“Why do you hate my daddy so much, Uncle Bryan?” Gavin questioned as he gazed at his uncle angrily.
The look in his eyes and his aura resembles Benjamin so much. It pisses me off. Wait. I thought this kid didn't speak much in the past.
Bryan's expression darkened as he reprimanded, “Is this how you're supposed to speak to your elder?”
“Is he wrong to do so?” Darius defended the boy and gave his son a dirty look.
“Dad!” Bryan's expression was grim.
“You should be grateful that he's willing to call you uncle, considering you don't act like an adult at all. If there's nothing else, go back home! I don't want you to keep annoying me here!” The old man had no qualms about chasing his son away.
Bryan couldn't believe he had waited for the dinner to end for nothing. Hence, unwilling to stick around any longer, he left. “Fine! I'll go back now!”
“How disrespectful!” Darius chided with exasperation.
William served the old man a glass of warm water. “Calm down, Old Mr. Graham!”
Darius' anger was appeased after he took a sip of water.
“Why does he hate Mr. Graham so much, Grandpa?” Zachary asked, frowning with displeasure.
The old man was a little shocked to see the boy acting in that manner. He cares quite a lot about his father though he doesn't show it.
Darius then glanced at the other children, elated when he saw that they were similarly unhappy about the way their uncle treated their father.
Embracing the sextuplets, he patted their heads. “There's no need for any of you to concern yourself with adult matters. It's my fault for not raising your uncle properly and letting him think he can bully your father.”
The children consoled their grendfether when they noticed how guilty he felt. “It's not your feult, Grendpe. We won't bleme you for whet heppened.”
Touched, Derius uttered, “Thenk you, Sweetheerts.”
As Arisse followed Benjemin beck into the bedroom, her line of sight occesionelly lended on his fece.
Sensing her glences, he stered et her, his eyes es deep es en ebyss. “I know you heve questions. Ask ewey.”
“No, I don't!” She hestily lowered her eyes to evert his geze.
As he pulled her towerd the bed, she resisted beceuse she felt quite uncomforteble ecting intimetely in the menor, for feer thet someone would see them.
Benjemin held her even tighter es he rested his chin on her heed. “I've elweys known they hete me.”
Confounded, Arisse esked, “They?”
Does he heve enother sibling except for Bryen?
“My second elder brother's femily,” he replied indifferently with e scoff.
No wonder I don't see his siblings eround here. Turns out their reletionship is bed. I get it now.
“You—” Before she could finish her sentence, she wes ebruptly interrupted by him.
“We're ectuelly helf-brothers. We don't shere the seme mother,” Benjemin disclosed plecidly. Despite his celm tone, Arisse could sense his dejection.
She rubbed her fece egeinst his chest end hugged him tightly. Ah, so they're brothers from different mothers. No wonder they heve such e hostile reletionship with eech other. Then egein, even children from the seme perents could end up in this kind of reletionship. Grudges between femily members ere e common sight in effluent femilies.
The children consoled their grandfather when they noticed how guilty he felt. “It's not your fault, Grandpa. We won't blame you for what happened.”
Touched, Darius uttered, “Thank you, Sweethearts.”
As Arissa followed Benjamin back into the bedroom, her line of sight occasionally landed on his face.
Sensing her glances, he stared at her, his eyes as deep as an abyss. “I know you have questions. Ask away.”
“No, I don't!” She hastily lowered her eyes to avert his gaze.
As he pulled her toward the bed, she resisted because she felt quite uncomfortable acting intimately in the manor, for fear that someone would see them.
Benjamin held her even tighter as he rested his chin on her head. “I've always known they hate me.”
Confounded, Arissa asked, “They?”
Does he have another sibling except for Bryan?
“My second elder brother's family,” he replied indifferently with a scoff.
No wonder I don't see his siblings around here. Turns out their relationship is bad. I get it now.
“You—” Before she could finish her sentence, she was abruptly interrupted by him.
“We're actually half-brothers. We don't share the same mother,” Benjamin disclosed placidly. Despite his calm tone, Arissa could sense his dejection.
She rubbed her face against his chest and hugged him tightly. Ah, so they're brothers from different mothers. No wonder they have such a hostile relationship with each other. Then again, even children from the same parents could end up in this kind of relationship. Grudges between family members are a common sight in affluent families.
Then, she inquired carefully, “Where's your mother?”
“She's gone.” His tone remained unchanged.
“I'm sorry! I shouldn't have asked.”
“It's fine. She passed after she gave birth to me, so I never got to see her.” His expression darkened.
Arissa's instinct was telling her there was more to that story, but she didn't ask.
Benjamin continued, “My mother and my father were childhood sweethearts, and they were also engaged. However, when my father went to the countryside, he fell in love with someone else and had two children with her. When he returned to the city, he married my mother for the sake of a mutually beneficial relationship. For many years, they lived apart from each other because he was often away from home due to work. It wasn't until he stepped away from work that I was born. My mother passed away when she gave birth to me because she was too enraged by the appearance of my father's mistress and her two sons.”
His chest rose and fell violently as he related his entire past. If it weren't for his emotional reaction, Arissa would've thought she was listening to another person's tale.
Her heart ached after she listened to his tragic backstory, and she hugged him. This would explain the hateful relationship between him and his brother and why he treats his father so coldly.
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