You More than Anything in the World (Arissa)

“Gavin, you're not an extra. You're our eldest brother! That wicked woman is the one who's unwanted in the family,” Zachary snarled as he hugged Gavin.

Tim, Oliver, Jasper, and Jesse also hurried over to show their big brother some love.

“You're not an extra, Gavin!” “Yeah, Gavin. Don't be sad.” “We'll teach her a lesson when we see her, Gavin!” “Who says that you're irrelevant here? You're Mommy's little sweetheart, Gavin! Don't get so upset over it.” Darius was saddened and enraged at the same time. He felt so sorry for his grandchildren.

Hastily, he whipped out his phone and called Bryan. “I want all of you to come to Benjamin's house at once!” Benjamin's gaze turned cold when he heard that.

“Don't make a scene at my place!” He was so loud that Bryan could hear him from the other side

of the line.

Sensing his anger, Darius bellowed, “Head to the Old Manor now!” After hanging up, Darius hugged his six grandchildren and assured them, “Gavin, I'm going to set things straight for you.” At that, he gestured William and left for the manor swiftly.

When Arissa heard the car engine revving up, she popped her head out of the kitchen to check, only to realize that Darius’ car had sped off.

Puzzled, she went out to check. "Did Old Mr. Graham leave?” she asked Benjamin when she could not locate Darius.

“Yes.” Benjamin turned to look at her.

Avrissa noticed his grim expression and the children's downcast faces. She froze and wondered why.

“What's wrong with all of you?”

The moment Jesse saw Arissa, she cried and ran toward her, complaining, “Mommy, Gavin told us that Aunt Susanna reprimanded him and even commented that he's an unwanted child.” Avrissa's frown deepened into a scowl. She stroked Jesse's head gently and then walked up to Gavin to give him a hug.

“Sweetheart, you're my precious boy, my pride, and my joy.

Nothing matters more than you. Let's not care about what other people say, especially when their intention is to hurt us.” Gavin's silence worried Arissa. She kissed his forehead gently to comfort him.

“Mommy...” Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her neck and bawled his eyes out.

Avrissa tucked him in her arms and patted his back. She repeatedly stroked the back of his head, trying to make him feel better.

“Sweetheart, if anyone bullies you again, I'll be sure to teach the person a lesson.” What is Susanna thinking? How could she scold Gavin? What a wicked soul! She looked at Benjamin and asked, “When was that?” “Some time back. It happened last year.” His glare turned malevolent. Bryan and his family are seriously asking to be punished! Arissa was shocked. “It's been a year?” She lowered her head to gaze at her son. | can imagine how aggrieved Gavin must have felt to carry the hurt for such a long period.

Avrisso noticed his grim expression ond the children's downcost foces. She froze ond wondered why.

“Whot's wrong with oll of you?” The moment Jesse sow Arisso, she cried ond ron toword her, ccomploining, “Mommy, Govin told us thot Aunt Susonno reprimonded him ond even commented thot he's on unwonted

child.” Arisso's frown deepened into 0 scowl. She stroked Jesse's heod gently ond then wolked up to Govin to give him o hug.

“Sweetheort, you're my precious boy, my pride, ond my joy.

Nothing motters more thon you. Let's not core obout whot other people soy, especiolly when their intention is to hurt us.” Govin's silence worried Arisso. She kissed his foreheod gently to comfort him.

“Mommy...” Suddenly, he wropped his orms oround her neck ond bowled his eyes out.

Avrisso tucked him in her orms ond potted his bock. She repeotedly stroked the bock of his heod, trying to moke him feel better.

“Sweetheort, if onyone bullies you ogoin, I'll be sure to teoch the person o lesson.” Whot is Susonno thinking? How could she scold Govin? Whot 0 wicked soul!

She looked ot Benjomin ond osked, “When wos thot?” “Some time bock. It hoppened lost yeor.” His glore turned molevolent. Bryon ond his fomily ore seriously osking to be punished! Arisso wos shocked. “It's been o yeor?” She lowered her heod to goze ot her son. | con imogine how oggrieved Govin must hove felt to corry the hurt for such o long period.

“Gavin finally shared this incident when Dad mentioned he wanted to bring the kids back to the Old Manor just now. When it happened back then, the poor boy had refused to speak for several days.” Benjamin felt bad as he recalled the past. He regretted not asking his son more questions to find out why. Since then, Gavin had rarely visited the Old Manor.

Avrissa rubbed the boy's back to console him.

“Don't cry, Gavin.”

Tim went up to them and stroked Gavin's head.

“Don't cry, Gavin. Seeing you cry makes me tear up too.” Jasper's eyes started to turn red.

Zachary bellowed, “How could that woman say such cruel things to Gavin?” “We must give her a hard time when we see her. She's terrible!” Oliver criticized angrily.

“She's not our aunt because she bullied Gavin!” Jesse cursed as she wiped her tears away.

Seeing so, Benjamin leaned over and picked her up.

‘When Gavin realized that all his siblings, including Arissa, were on his side, loving and comforting him, he felt much better.

He pulled himself from Arissa's embrace, sniffled, and wiped his tears dry.

“Mommy, I'm sorry for making you worry,” he muttered sheepishly.

“It's okay, Sweetheart.” Arissa tousled his hair dotingly. “Tell me, what else did she say or do to you?”