Chapter 104 Nightgown
Irritation surged within Benjamin as he glared at the closed door.
Does she not welcome me here? How dare she shut me out!
Ethen, who was standing behind Benjamin, did not anticipate that Arissa would close the door just like that.
He suppressed his laughter as he stood outside with Benjamin.
“Open the door this instant!” Benjamin shouted again, his face darkened.
Leaning on her back against the door, Arissa patted her chest in an attempt to calm down.
“Mr. Graham, I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I’m wearing a nightgown. Please wait while I get changed.”
With that, she dashed toward the dining table.
The children turned to look at her at the same time.
Out of curiosity, Zachary asked, “Mommy, who’s here? Why didn’t you open the door?”
At a loss, Arissa said to them, “Shh! It’s Benjamin. I need you all to hide. Quickly!”
The five kids were rendered speechless.
Oliver’s eyes lit up. Daddy’s here?
“Mommy, is it Daddy? Let him in and join us.”
Arissa’s lips twitched. As if I don’t know what you are thinking about!
“Everyone, go hide. Gavin, you may continue eating.”
She admitted she didn’t really know what she was doing.
I don’t want to let him in, but he’s already at the door. The kids are here too. It would have been fine if they had eaten their fill and I was just sending them off, but the problem is they haven’t finished their food. I can’t just send Gavin out because the kids will be upset.
She hurriedly hugged Jesse and told the others, “Quick. Go back to your room and wait. I’ll tell you when he’s gone, then you can come out and eat.”
Zachary was dumbfounded.
Jasper complained, “Why is he here?”
“Daddy’s here to pick me up,” Gavin said as he cast an apologetic look at the other kids.
“Hurry up!” Arissa urged.
At the same time, she quickly retrieved the children’ bowls and stashed them in the room.
The other four kids obeyed her instructions and entered the room.
They looked at the randomly placed bowls. Some were half-finished, while some were empty.
“This is mine.”
Jesse recognized her own bowl and took it. Then, she sat on the bed and began to eat.
Meanwhile, Zachary, Oliver, and Jasper exchanged glances with one another. They proceeded to take their own bowls as well.
“Gavin is lucky. He can have all the food he wants.”
Jasper merely shoved pasta into his mouth, as he had no other food left in his bowl.
Oliver smiled. “Here, have some of mine.”
“Shh! Don’t talk! Keep your voices down,” Zachary reminded them as he tried to make out the movement outside.
Arissa hurriedly cleaned up all traces that the children might have been living here.
Gavin saw her fretting and walked over to her.
“Mommy, don’t panic. It’s okay. I’m here.”
Deeply touched, Arissa pulled him into her embrace.
Right. I’ve once told Benjamin that I have kids. Why am I so nervous? I didn’t actually have to clean up the mess, did I?
After regaining her composure, she managed to calm down a bit.
“Okay. Back to dinner.”
She rubbed Gavin’s forehead, and went to open the door.
In the meantime, Benjamin’s frown grew deeper.
Just as he was about to lose his temper, the door opened.
Arissa greeted him with a smile. “Mr. Graham, please come in!”
Scrutinizing her grin and glancing at her work clothes, Benjamin sneered, “Didn’t you say you were in a nightgown?”
Arissa gulped. “Well, I was. Then I changed out of it.”
Yes! Perfect explanation… right?
Ethen felt an urge to laugh.
“Oh. Hello, Mr. Frank. You’re here too. Quick, come in!”
Her warm welcome toward Ethen was in great contrast to her attitude toward Benjamin.
The disparity did not escape the latter. His face fell.
Benjamin looked at Ethen and said, “You may go now.”
Ethen was dumbstruck.
Glancing at Benjamin, Arissa was taken aback when she met his deep gaze.
“Yes, Mr. Graham.” Ethen nodded. “Ms. York, I shall take my leave.”
“Wait…” Arissa called out to him, but then she realized Benjamin was staring at her.
“Close the door.”
Benjamin walked in and surveyed the entire house.
The place was spotlessly clean and neatly arranged. There was a faint fragrance in the air. It was rather homely.
