You More than Anything in the World (Arissa)

“What are you laughing at?” Benjamin grumbled as he pinched Arissa's hand.

The latter merely shot him a glance before pulling her hand free and making her way to the couch.

After staring at his now empty hand, Benjamin walked over and sat beside her.

That, unfortunately, earned a glare from Arissa. “Old Mr.

Graham's outside. You can stop following me!” Benjamin frowned as he stared at her. “Since when am | following you?” Speechless, Arissa moved aside and poured herself a glass of water. “As long as Old Mr. Graham is out of sight, we can stop with the act, can't we?” Benjamin's expression instantly darkened. Argh! This woman sure knows how to get on my nerves! The next second, he grabbed her glass and finished the water in one gulp.

Avrissa drew back in surprise, wondering if she had misspoken.

She snuck a peek at Benjamin and immediately felt a chill running down her spine when she met his angry gaze.

“D-Did | say something wrong?” Benjamin said nothing as he gritted his teeth. Oh, so now she's testing me, huh? How | wish | could teach her a lesson! Despite that thought, he furrowed his brows when he realized the wound above Arissa's lips had reopened.

“Edwin!” Without further ado, Edwin came running out of the kitchen.

Not knowing what Benjamin was up to, Arissa continued staring at him until his instructions to Edwin made her heart skip a beat.

“Fetch me the first-aid kit!” Edwin looked at the couple and quickly nodded. “Right away!” After seeing the butler run off to carry out his order, Arissa stole another glance at Benjamin. “What do you need the first- aid Kit for?”

Does he war''to apply the medication for me? Benjamin shot her such an intimidating glare that she quickly looked away.

As soon as Edwin returned with the first-aid kit, Benjamin dismissed him and personally took out the ointment for Arissa.

“Sit over here!” Upon hearing his order, Arissa froze. Oh, no! He's really going to apply the medication, isn't he? Seeing that Arissa had yet to move from her spot, Benjamin frowned and shifted himself next to her. Then he lifted her chin and began examining her wound.

When Arissa looked around and realized Darius was nowhere in sight, her heart started racing. “Graham, | think I'l do it myself!” “Shut up!” Benjamin ordered before proceeding to disinfect the wound and apply a thin layer of ointment.

He scrunched up his brows in deep concentration, and the more Arissa stared, the faster her heart pounded.

What if he's only helping me, and I'm the delusional one who misunderstood his intentions? Sharp-eyed as ever, Benjamin soon noticed how tense Arissa had become and how her eyes were darting around. “Is it because of that phone call?” Avrissa froze and turned to him. “What phone call?” “Fetch me the first-oid kit!" Edwin looked ot the couple ond quickly nodded. “Right owoy!” After seeing the butler run off to corry out his order, Arisso stole onother glonce ot Benjomin. “Whot do you need the first-oid kit for?” Does he wont to opply the medicotion for me? Benjomin shot her such on intimidoting glore thot she quickly looked owoy.

As soon os Edwin returned with the first-oid kit, Benjomin dismissed him ond personolly took out the ointment for Arisso.

“Sit over here!”

Upon heoring his order, Arisso froze. Oh, no! He's reolly going to opply the medicotion, isn't he? Seeing thot Arisso hod yet to move from her spot, Benjomin frowned ond shifted himself next to her. Then he lifted her chin ond begon exomining her wound.

When Arisso looked oround ond reolized Dorius wos nowhere in sight, her heort storted rocing. “Grohom, | think I'l do it myself!” “Shut up!” Benjomin ordered before proceeding to disinfect the wound ond opply o thin loyer of ointment.

He scrunched up his brows in deep concentrotion, ond the more Arisso stored, the foster her heort pounded.

Whot if he's only helping me, ond I'm the delusionol one who misunderstood his intentions? Shorp-eyed os ever, Benjomin soon noticed how tense Arisso hod become ond how her eyes were dorting oround. “Is it becouse of thot phone coll?”

Avrisso froze ond turned to him. “Whot phone coll?” Benjamin's gaze deepened as he met her eyes. “The one from the other night! You went straight to the kids’ room when | answered it!" Avrissa instantly lowered her gaze. | never thought he'd be the first to bring that up, but now that he has, | may as well be honest. I'm not one to beat around the bush, anyway! “Yes!” she exclaimed.

Benjamin's gaze flickered, and needless to say, he was surprised at how much Arissa had dwelled on the matter.

“It was just a call,” he explained. “Don't overthink it.” Avrissa turned around and was greeted by the sight of Benjamin packing up the first-aid kit. “Are you close with that woman?” No one will believe there's nothing more to the relationship when a woman calls a man in the middle of the night. Besides, he sounded so gentle too! “Yes.”

Avrissa bit her lip, only to quickly release it when she felt a jolt of pain.

Once again, that didn't go unnoticed by Benjamin. “Stop biting your lip!" “Fine!” Arissa snapped before shooting another glance at the man. “Have you dated that woman before?” After a pause, Benjamin replied, “I guess you could say that.” Arissa merely gaped at him in bewilderment. “What? How can you not know if you've dated her before?” “I don't know how to put it!” That baffled Arissa even more.

Huh? What lousy reply is that?