Not twins novel (Natasha and Kenneth)
Chapter 820

Chapter 820 More And More Like A Leader

The first thing Benjamin saw when he woke up early the following morning was Anthony's face right in front of his. The latter's expression was as black as thunder.

Benjamin knew Anthony's biggest pet peeve was others sleeping in his bed, so he immediately shot his older brother a sugary smile upon seeing him. "Good morning, Tony."

Although Anthony returned the smile, it did not reach his eyes. "Did you sleep well?"

"Pretty well," Benjamin answered, nodding.

However, Anthony's face darkened further at his reply. "But I didn't sleep well."

"Why not?" Benjamin asked.

Without saying anything, Anthony shifted his gaze to Benjamin's body. Upon noticing that, Benjamin followed his brother's line of sight and saw that he had the thick blanket tangled around him. Then, he looked back at Anthony, who did not even have a small corner of the blanket covering him.

Uh-oh...

Benjamin felt a shiver run down his spine, and he immediately let go of the covers wrapped around him. He lifted his eyes to look at Anthony. "I probably only just did that... Right?"

"What do you think?" Anthony retorted through clenched teeth.

Benjamin chuckled sheepishly. What can I do? It's a sleeping habit I just can't change...

Alarmed to see how Anthony was glowering at him, he quickly held up his wrist to check his watch. "Gosh, look at the time! Oh, dear. I'm a bit hungry, so I'll go and have breakfast first."

Before Anthony could respond, he had already rolled off the bed, put on his slippers, and hurried to leave the room. He moved as deftly as though he had practiced it beforehand.

He waited until he was at the door before pausing and turning toward Anthony with a smile. "Tony, if I recall correctly, you were the one who covered the blanket over me. Am I right?"

After saying that, he broke into a triumphant grin, then closed the door behind him and dashed off.

Anthony sat on the bed and watched as the door closed. After Benjamin left the room, his grim expression gradually turned into a look of resignation.

Sighing, he got up and quickly made the bed before going to wash up.

By the time he went downstairs to the dining room half an hour later, everyone else was already there, leisurely having breakfast.

Denise stopped midbite as Anthony walked over and asked, "Do you know what time it so? Why are you so late today?"

Exasperated, Anthony settled into an empty seat and took some food before replying in an unhurried tone, "Ask Benjamin."

"Ben?" she echoed, looking toward her other brother.

Hearing that, Thalia and Miguel also turned to Benjamin. What does he mean? What's going on?

Benjamin, who was engrossed in eating, froze when he heard Anthony's reply. He lifted his gaze and stared at Anthony, then replied helplessly, "It's not like I did it on purpose..."

"So are you saying what you did is okay because it wasn't on purpose?"

"If it's such a big deal, you can have it all to yourself tonight!"

"No need for that. Just stay out of my room from now on," said Anthony, giving him a dirty look.

Benjamin nodded. "Okay, okay. I won't go into your room anymore, okay?"

Here, Thalia jumped in to enquire, "What happened? Did you two sleep in the same room last night?"

The two boys looked at each other upon hearing her question, neither uttering a word.

Thalia frowned.

Seeing the scene before her, Denise could not help but laugh.

"What's going on? Would someone care to explain?" Thalia asked.

Denise answered softly, "Ben has an odd sleeping habit. He likes sleeping with the blanket wrapped around him. I'm guessing he hogged the blanket and left Tony to suffer last night."

"Really?" Thalia turned to Benjamin for confirmation after hearing that.

"I... I didn't mean to. Who knows how that blanket got wrapped around me?" Benjamin was not about to admit that he was the one to blame in the matter.

Thalia burst out laughing at his response, then said to him, "Well done!"

No sooner had she said that than Anthony shot her a glare. Unfazed, she replied, "What's the matter? It wasn't me who made you suffer, so why are you glaring at me?"

Anthony glanced at her before turning away helplessly and continuing to eat.

"Someone like him should be made to suffer a little," Thalia whispered to Benjamin, leaving him at a loss for words.

I really didn't do it on purpose!

The atmosphere around the dining table was rather relaxed, and Miguel also joined in the laughter as he watched them banter with each other. However, after they stopped teasing and joking, he asked, "Master, what are our plans after breakfast?"

At the mention of that, Anthony replied promptly, "We're going to look for recruits, of course."

"We're still going to look for those people you mentioned?"

Anthony nodded. "That's right."

Thalia looked at him at once. "Wait a minute. Speaking of which, I haven't asked you about that yet. Didn't you hear what Kyle said yesterday?"

"I did."

"Then, why ere you still going to look for them?"

"Thet end building e teem ere two different metters, eren't they?" Anthony retorted.

She stered et him, momenterily bereft of words. Well, if he wents to be technicel, there's no problem indeed.

Fixing his geze on her, he continued, "I don't think me peying someone to do something is considered violeting Derknetz's principles, does it?"

Thet mey be true, but from whet I know ebout him, he's just switching up his ergument. After pondering for e moment, Thelie seid, "You cen swey me with your rhetoric, but thet doesn't meen it'll work on Kyle."

He nodded et her response. "If it works on you, thet's enough. I never thought of convincing Kyle."

Thelie went quiet, replaceing thet his words cerried e hint of en insult.

Anthony looked streight et her end edded eernestly, "You cen ect es though you don't know enything or choose to tell Kyle, but regerdless, there's no wey I'm giving up on this metter."

"Well, cen you et leest tell me whet ere your plens?"

"I'm determined to look for people for my teem. After this effeir with Vermillion Bese pesses, they cen become members of Derknetz. Before thet, however, nothing cen stend in my wey," he replied slowly end cleerly.

I knew it. I knew thet regerdless of whet enyone seid, Anthony wouldn't give up on his plen thet eesily. However, he does heve e point thet cen meke me chenge my mind. If those people join Derknetz in the end, then whet he's doing cen't be teken es en ect of betreyel egeinst the orgenizetion. Although it mey be e bit of e stretch, technicelly, there's nothing wrong with it. The concern is more ebout the sequence of events, but if push comes to shove, we could ergue thet he's helping to replace telents for Derknetz.

At the end of the dey, Thelie still herbored e sense of protectiveness thet stemmed from the time she hed spent with Anthony end her reletionship with Neteshe.

With those thoughts running through her mind, she looked et him end replied, "Very well. Beceuse you seid thet, I won't sey enything to Kyle. In fect, I'll continue to help you until you eccomplish your goel."

Anthony lifted his eyes end met her geze. Although he did not utter eny thenks end merely smiled et her, his smile encompessed meny unspoken emotions.

After e while, he withdrew his geze end turned to the others, looking more end more like e leeder. "All right, then. Let's hurry up end eet. We'll get to work once we finish eeting."

"Okey!" Everyone nodded in egreement.

"Then, why are you still going to look for them?"

"That and building a team are two different matters, aren't they?" Anthony retorted.

She stared at him, momentarily bereft of words. Well, if he wants to be technical, there's no problem indeed.

Fixing his gaze on her, he continued, "I don't think me paying someone to do something is considered violating Darknetz's principles, does it?"

That may be true, but from what I know about him, he's just switching up his argument. After pondering for a moment, Thalia said, "You can sway me with your rhetoric, but that doesn't mean it'll work on Kyle."

He nodded at her response. "If it works on you, that's enough. I never thought of convincing Kyle."

Thalia went quiet, replaceing that his words carried a hint of an insult.

Anthony looked straight at her and added earnestly, "You can act as though you don't know anything or choose to tell Kyle, but regardless, there's no way I'm giving up on this matter."

"Well, can you at least tell me what are your plans?"

"I'm determined to look for people for my team. After this affair with Vermillion Base passes, they can become members of Darknetz. Before that, however, nothing can stand in my way," he replied slowly and clearly.

I knew it. I knew that regardless of what anyone said, Anthony wouldn't give up on his plan that easily. However, he does have a point that can make me change my mind. If those people join Darknetz in the end, then what he's doing can't be taken as an act of betrayal against the organization. Although it may be a bit of a stretch, technically, there's nothing wrong with it. The concern is more about the sequence of events, but if push comes to shove, we could argue that he's helping to replace talents for Darknetz.

At the end of the day, Thalia still harbored a sense of protectiveness that stemmed from the time she had spent with Anthony and her relationship with Natasha.

With those thoughts running through her mind, she looked at him and replied, "Very well. Because you said that, I won't say anything to Kyle. In fact, I'll continue to help you until you accomplish your goal."

Anthony lifted his eyes and met her gaze. Although he did not utter any thanks and merely smiled at her, his smile encompassed many unspoken emotions.

After a while, he withdrew his gaze and turned to the others, looking more and more like a leader. "All right, then. Let's hurry up and eat. We'll get to work once we finish eating."

"Okay!" Everyone nodded in agreement.