Tony looked at him, momentarily at a loss for words.
Ben was like a mirror image of Tony , and Ben understood the latter's temperament in and out. Whenever there was a sign of trouble in Antony, Ben could detect it immediately. The fact that Ben had been kept in the dark for that long was already a miracle.
Tony had considered telling Ben , and at that moment, he almost let it slip out.
However, when Tony recalled the unbearable pain he felt in his heart the moment he learned the truth, he gave up on this idea. All that matters is that someone knows about it, and someone takes responsibility. The fewer people who know, the less pain there is.
With that in mind, Tony narrowed his eyes, looked at Ben , and forced a smile. “Ben , don't overthink it...”
Seeing that he still refused to admit anything, Ben furrowed his brows. “Tony!”
Before he could say anything, Tony interrupted him, “Ben , I know what you're thinking, but it's really not like that. You're overthinking it.”
Ben 's brows furrowed in frustration, his gaze filled with an unspeakable urgency. “Tony, you're not telling the truth!” he exclaimed.
“This is the truth!” Tony asserted firmly.
Ben 's eyebrows furrowed tightly. Clearly, he's hiding something from me, but he refuses to admit it. This is driving me nuts! However, if I want to get something out of him, I need to stay calm.
After much thought, Ben said softly, “Tony, we've always shared everything, news, and burden. But now, you're clearly hiding something and refusing to admit it. Tony, do you really have to act like this?”
Tony 's eyes darkened. It was obvious that Ben 's words indeed made him hesitate.
If it were anything else, Tony might have spoken up. Yet, in the end, he still held his tongue.
While clenching his fists, Tony insisted stubbornly, “It's not that I don't want to tell you, but there's really nothing to tell.”
Ben fell silent.
Looking at Tony 's eyes, there was an indescribable mix of anger and complexity.
After a while, Ben nodded calmly. “All right. If you don't tell me, I'll find out for myself.”
After speaking, he gave Tony a meaningful glance, then turned and walked away.
As the door closed with a bang, Tony stood inside, his emotions indescribably complex.
He lowered his gaze, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. He let out a heavy sigh.
After leaving Tony 's room, Ben was so angry that his facial expression changed dramatically.
He knew that Tony was hiding something from him, yet he was completely helpless about it.
Moreover, they had always been in constant communication with each other. Even if there were things left unsaid, he could guess them, and once guessed, Tony would certainly admit it. That had been their way of communication for many years, but things had changed.
I don't know what's wrong, but my intuition tells him that something is off with Tony . No. It's more like everyone seems a bit off-kilter now. I didn't notice before, but now that I think about it, it seems like everyone is hiding something. Ben 's gaze gradually darkened. Since Tony refuses to spill, I'll investigate it himself.
At that thought, he cast his gaze around, gradually forcing himself to calm down.
Then, after a moment of contemplation, he headed in a certain direction.
Inside the laboratory, Spencer was still diligently conducting his research and analysis in front of his desk.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Hearing the noise outside, Spencer called out without turning his head, “Come in.”
Ben pushed open the door and walked in.
Spencer didn't look back. His attention focused on the suspension in his hand. “Is there something you need?” he asked.
“Are you busy?” Ben queried.
Upon hearing the voice, Spencer paused slightly, turning to look at him. “It's you!”
Shifting his gaze away, Spencer continued his research. “Is there something you need?”
“Let's have a chat!” Ben said.
At that moment, Spencer placed a sample into a machine. After pressing a few buttons on it, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around, his chair slid directly toward Ben . Seeing him still standing, Spencer said, “Sit!”
Seeing that, Ben nodded and sat down in front of him.
“What would you like to talk about?” Spencer asked.
Ben 's gaze narrowed slightly. “Let's talk about my Nelly 's health...”
Spencer's motion of removing his gloves paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on Ben . Then, he continued to throw his gloves into the trash can, looking at Ben as he asked, “What's wrong?”
Ben looked at him. “Don't you already know what's wrong?”
Spencer chuckled lightly. “Well, I know, of course. What I don't get is what you're trying to say!”
Spencer's response was flawless, not giving anything away. Ben scrutinized him and asked, “Spencer, I already know everything!”
Spencer looked at him. “Is that so?”
“Yes!” Ben nodded.
Spencer's gaze softened, and then he sighed helplessly. “I knew I couldn't hide this from you at all!”
Upon hearing those words, Ben was shocked. I was right! They're hiding something from me.
Looking at Spencer, Ben 's eyes were pitch black. Then, Ben enunciated, “I want to know what on earth is going on!”
“Don't you already know?”
“I want to know the process and the conclusion!”
“I'm not entirely sure about the details, but the bottom line is, don't worry. As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to her!” Spencer said, looking at him.
Ben suddenly pushed himself up from the table with both hands. Looking at Spencer anxiously, he asked, “So, what exactly happened to Nelly ?”
Seeing his reaction, Spencer furrowed his brows. “Why are you so agitated?”
“What exactly happened to Nelly ?” Ben asked, emphasizing each word.
“Gastrointestinal issues. Is it really worth making such a fuss?” Spencer retorted.
Ben heard that and frowned immediately. “Gastrointestinal?”
“Yes. What else could it be?” Spencer retorted. “ Nelly 's eating habits are all over the place, causing serious digestive issues. She's naturally thin, and now she can't eat much, leading to anemia. She really has a host of health problems!” With that, Spencer shook his head helplessly.
Ben wasn't expecting to hear those words. His words actually resonated with Tony . In that case, why do I find it so hard to believe?
After a moment of silence, he asked in a voice filled with deep concern, “Spencer, is Nelly really down with gastrointestinal issues?”
Seeing the situation, Spencer furrowed his brows. “If not?”
“Even if it's a gastrointestinal issue, it's not possible for Nelly to lose so much weight in such a short time, right?” Ben asked.
“Why not? Nelly herself doesn't even weigh a hundred pounds. A loss of four or five pounds would be particularly noticeable, let alone a loss of over ten pounds. Wouldn't that be like becoming a
completely different person?” Spencer said nonchalantly as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
Ben looked at him, his eyes slightly squinted.
After a moment, he asked in a low and deep voice, “Spencer, are you sure?”
“Yes. What did you think, then?” Spencer raised an eyebrow and asked him back, his demeanor relaxed, showing no signs of anything unusual.
Ben looked at him, momentarily at a loss for words.