You More Than Anything In The World

Chapter 1250 Misdirection

The scene unfolded in Arissa's mind's eye as she listened to Gavin's tale.

“Why didn't you help Tim?” she asked, unable to resist a laugh.

“It's easier said than done, Mommy. You wouldn't have been able to convince Grandpa otherwise even if you were there,” Jasper chided her, pursing his lips.

Arissa was deeply amused.

“How could you bear to watch Grandpa take Tim away?” she teased them.

“We couldn't do anything about it! Grandpa said he would bring us back monetary gifts, so we let Tim go. It's for a good cause, anyway.”

Behind his glasses, Oliver's eyes flashed mischievously.

Arissa was at a loss for words against the boy. “Then why didn't you go with them? I'm sure you would have secured many monetary gifts with your talents.”

Oliver blushed at his mother's praise. “I didn't go because I'd much rather be with you, Mommy,” he replied with a giggle.

Arissa knew her son was teasing her, but it gave her a warm, fuzzy feeling nonetheless.

“When did Grandpa take Tim? Would they drop by?”

Having not seen him the whole day, she missed her child.

She also wondered if he would be uncomfortable at Darius' party.

The children exchanged a glance. “I don't think they will,” Zachary answered. “Nobody knows what time the gathering will end.”

Arissa thought he had a point.

Meanwhile, Benjamin was sending a text.

Before Arissa could say another word, her phone rang with the notification of a message.

“Your phone rang, Mommy,” Gavin prompted her as he walked over and handed her, her phone.

“It's a text.”

Taking her phone, Arissa opened the message. NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

“It's from your grandpa.”

It read: Tim is with me at a gathering, Issa. Don't worry. I'll look after him.

Arissa smiled as she wrote a reply.

Benjamin heaved a secret sigh of relief when he noticed that she did not seem to suspect anything.

Craning his neck, Kingsley tried to sneak a peek at Benjamin's phone but to no avail.

Benjamin glanced at him. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

Kingsley widened his eyes indignantly.

“I'm here to see Arissa!”

Benjamin scoffed. “Empty-handed?”

Arissa watched them, pleasantly surprised to discover a witty side to him.

“Ignore him,” she told Kingsley with a smile. “You didn't have to bring me anything. Also, I'm sure you're busy, Mr. Watts. You don't have to come to see me every day. I'm fine.”

“I have nothing much going on, anyway,” Kingsley replied hastily. “Besides, I'm just tagging along.”

Arissa smiled. She knew that he enjoyed spending time with the children.

“We should eat, Mommy. The food's getting cold,” Jesse piped up as she felt her stomach rumble ominously.

“All right. What did you bring?” Arissa asked Jesse gently.

Jesse gave her a secretive smile.

“Lots of delicious food. Mr. Whitley made them.”

Arissa had the children set the table. “Haven't you eaten yet?”

“No. We wanted to eat with you,” Jasper replied as he took the food and prepared to serve.

Gavin and the others followed him.

Before long, the children had laid out the food.

“Aren't you going to give us a hand, Mr. Watts? You won't get to eat otherwise!” Oliver called Kingsley, who hurried over.

“Here, let me. You were fighting to do it earlier, so I didn't want to get involved.”

The children pulled a face in disbelief.

Arissa watched them. Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

“Let's eat over there,” Benjamin suggested to Arissa when he arrived beside her. She returned his gaze.

“Hmm. Let's go.”

Benjamin scooped her up in his arms and placed her in a chair at the dining table.

“Come, let's start with some stew!”

Kingsley served Arissa first, then Benjamin, and lastly, the children.