Ben looked conflicted when he left Spencer's laboratory. Everything Tony and Spencer had said was consistent, yet he could not shake off the feeling that something was amiss.
He knitted his brows as he stood at the door, feeling troubled.
Then, he glanced over his shoulder at the door behind him. I refuse to give up. I have to dispel the doubts in my heart.
As he was pondering how to go about it, a housekeeper walked past him carrying something.
An idea popped into my mind at the sight of the bowls on her tray, and he suddenly called out, “Wait a moment.”
The housekeeper halted her footsteps and looked at him. “Were you speaking to me, Alpha Ben ?”
He nodded, went over to the housekeeper, and asked, “Did you just bring some food for my Mommy?”
She nodded and replied with a smile, “That's correct.”
“What dishes did you bring her?”
The housekeeper thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I'm not quite sure about that. The kitchen staff prepared the food. I'm just in charge of delivering it.”
Upon hearing that, he raised his eyebrows slightly. “The kitchen staff?”
“That's right.”
“Okay, got it,” he answered with a nod.
Smiling, the housekeeper said, “If there's nothing else, I'll get back to my work now.”
“All right”
And so, the servant finally left while carrying the tray.
After standing there and mulling it over, Ben proceeded to head downstairs.
The kitchen was not too far from where he was. After descending the stairs, he took a few turns and arrived directly at the kitchen.
Three chefs were preparing something in the kitchen at a leisurely pace. Since it was not mealtime, they did not seem busy.
When Ben walked in, the chefs were still chatting away.
The boy strolled around the kitchen, and upon seeing him, the chefs immediately sat up straight.
One of them could not hold himself back from asking, “Is there something we can help you with?”
Snapping back to his senses, Ben looked at them and shook his head. “Nothing. I'm just looking around.”
Just looking around... It was evident that none of the three chefs quite believed that.
Ben swept his gaze over them, then said, “Oh, it's like this. I wanted to ask who is in charge of cooking for my Mommy.”
“Your Mommy?” one of the chefs echoed.
“The one who urgently needs to replenish her health,” Ben explained.
A chef nodded. “I know. She's a beautiful Chanaean woman, right?”
“That's right. She's my Mommy!” Ben bobbed his head vigorously.
“Well, I'm in charge of all her meals,” the chef replied, smiling.
Ben immediately walked over to him when he heard that. “Can I find out what Nelly ... Mommy eats every day?”
“Of course!” With that, the chef proceeded to explain, “Your mother's meals focus primarily on light food and dishes that replenish the blood. Some ingredients we use daily are air-flown from other places, while some are freshly picked and delivered. All the ingredients are right here.”
Surveying the fresh ingredients, Ben frowned slightly. “Is there nothing else?”
“We actually change up the ingredients every month,” said the chef.
Ben immediately clarified, “That's not what I meant. What I mean is, did anyone give instructions to add any other medicinal diet?”
“Yes!” As he spoke, the chef brought over a menu. “There are specific requirements for these items. Some of the ingredients for the medicinal diet are stored in the cabinet.”
Seeing that, Ben immediately reached out and took the menu.
As he perused it, however, his brows furrowed. “What are these ingredients mainly used to supplement?”
“They're for replenishing blood and energy.”
Ben 's frown deepened when he heard that. “Replenishing blood and energy? What about the digestive system?”
“Eating these foods should be good for the stomach too. They're all light dishes and won't irritate the gastrointestinal system!”
“What I mean is, is there anything specifically for improving gastrointestinal health?” Ben pressed.
The chef shook his head in confusion.
Ben stared at the menu, deep in thought. So, there's nothing at all that's for improving gastrointestinal health. It's all for replenishing energy and blood... Everything Tony and Spencer said is a lie!
“I see. May I take this menu with me?” he asked.
“This... I don't have another copy.”
After giving it some thought, Ben took out his phone and snapped a photo of the menu. “Done. Thank you!”
Then, before the chef could say anything, he walked out and headed upstairs. He had thought of going straight to Spencer but ended up looking for Tony instead.
Now I know why Spencer and Tony said the same thing. After I left Tony 's room and was on my way to look for Spencer, Tony must've spoken to him.
As that thought crossed his mind, everything started to make sense.
Ben went straight to Tony 's room. This time, he did not bother knocking and opened the door directly.
Tony had just finished tidying his room when he saw Ben storm in angrily. He looked at the latter and asked, “Is there something else?”
“I just went to the kitchen,” Ben said, fixing his gaze on his older brother.
“And?” Tony asked. His tone was indifferent, and he appeared uninterested.
“I asked the chef what Nelly eats every day. Can you guess what he said?”
Tony paused for a moment. “What are you trying to get at?”
Ben promptly pulled out his phone and pulled up a photo. “This is the detailed menu of what she eats every day.”
“So?” Tony responded, glancing at him.
Ben gazed at him intently. “The chef said the food she eats is mainly to replenish her blood and energy. You said Mommy has gastrointestinal issues, so why does she need to replenish so much blood every day?”
“Is there a conflict between replenishing blood and energy and having gastrointestinal issues?” Tony met his gaze, still refusing to admit anything.
Seeing how stubborn Tony was and how he would not say anything, Ben started getting anxious. “Even now, are you still refusing to come clean?”
“What exactly do you want me to admit?” Tony retorted.
“I'm not trying to make you admit anything, Tony. You said Nelly has some gastrointestinal issues. But now, that doesn't seem to be the case. Don't you think you owe me an explanation?”
“There's nothing to explain. Nelly isn't feeling well, so replenishing her blood and energy is perfectly normal,” Tony replied casually.
“Tony—”
“If you have time to spare, you should spend more time with Nelly . Stop wasting your time on this. I'm not hiding anything from you, nor do I have anything more to say. No matter how many times you ask, my answer will still be the same,” Tony cut in and said, emphasizing each word.
Ben stared at him, his brows furrowed in frustration. He was livid, yet there was absolutely nothing he could do. Clenching his fists, he said, “I'll spend time with her, but Tony... I don't know what you're trying to hide. However, the more you try to keep me in the dark, the more determined I am to get to the bottom of this!
Tony turned his head away, looking unconcerned. “Whatever!”