You More Than Anything In The World

“I've got an errand to run, so I'll give the Watts residence a miss. I'll go have my meal now, Mr. Graham!” Ethen said, then scurried off.

Amused, Arissa chided Benjamin, “Can't you be a little nicer to Ethen? The poor guy's terrified of you.”

He chuckled, not finding anything wrong in what he did. “This is the way I've always been. He wouldn't have stuck with me for so long if he couldn't handle a bit of pressure. He was only putting up an act in front of you.”

Seeing how unapologetic her husband was, she shook her head in mild exasperation.

After eating, Darius and Mary stayed in the ward for a short while before slowly making their way downstairs for a stroll.

Intuitive as ever, William and Edwin tidied up the room for a bit, then accompanied the duo downstairs.

At present, the only ones left in the room were Benjamin and Arissa.

“At last, some peace and quiet!” He scooted closer to her and fed her some soup.

“It's not like they were causing a ruckus,” Arissa countered. She liked it when things were lively.

Frowning, Benjamin pointed out, “Too much noise will affect your rest.”

She pouted and made no retort, quickly finishing up her food. Benjamin waited until she was done before he dug into his.

The woman leaned against the pillows and watched him eat. He was the picture of elegance as he held up his utensils between his slender fingers.

He practically made eating in a ward look like fine dining.

Arissa stared at him unabashedly, and a smile played on her lips as she took in his chiseled features.

Sensing her intense gaze on him, Benjamin looked up and met her eyes, smirking. “Like what you see?”

Blood rushed to her cheeks, and her eyes glimmered as she quipped, “Meh. It's all right.”

“Oh?” He feigned discontent. “If this face of mine is just all right, then the majority of men in this world must be hideous.”

The corner of Arissa's mouth twitched. Trust him to be so narcissistic.

Then again, she had to admit that he had every right to be so confident about his looks. To date, she had not come across any man more handsome than Benjamin.

“Heaven knows how many other women think you're good-looking,” she grumbled.

The man raised a brow. Depending on his response, he might just find himself in troubled waters.

His survival instincts kicked in as he placated softly, “Honey, I don't care what other women think; I don't even spare them a glance. Your opinion is the only one that matters to me.”

Arissa eyed him for a moment and muttered, “Be that as it may, it won't stop women from throwing themselves at you!”

“Should I disfigure myself, then?” he asked warily.

Pfft!

She burst out laughing before she could stop herself. At once, her hand flew to her tummy.

After all, excessive laughter would cause her already-uncomfortable stomach to get worse.

Benjamin panicked when he saw her rub her abdomen. He quickly put his utensils down and started rubbing soothing circles on her belly.

“Is it hurting?”

“No, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Finish your food before it gets cold,” Arissa reassured.

He scrutinized her for a while, and after making sure she was fine, he resumed eating in relief.

She reached out to caress his handsome face, murmuring in mesmerization, “It would be a crime to damage this pretty face!”