You More Than Anything In The World
Chapter 471

"Tim, my boy, could you go buy some apples? I'm suddenly in the mood for some."

Mary caressed the boy's head. She wanted to replace out the truth, but not with him around.

Tim glanced at the two adults before nodding.

"Okay, Grandma. I'll go buy some now. Wait for me."

Then, the child ran outside, only to return a while later to eavesdrop on the conversation.

But after remembering that it was wrong to eavesdrop, he eventually left once again.

"Tell me, young man, is that man from before Tim's biological father?" Mary asked after a moment of hesitation.

Ethen nodded and poured her a glass of water. "Here. Have some water."

He then continued, "My boss is Benjamin Graham. And yes, he's Tim's biological father."

"Then... why was Tim inside a garbage bin five years ago?" Mary asked indignantly, her voice beginning to shake. "The poor boy was all alone and on the verge of death! If my husband and I hadn't walked past, the child would've... On top of that, no one came even after we filed a police report."

"You made a police report?" Ethen was taken aback.

Mary nodded. "We did. We went to the station in town."

Ethen remained bewildered. But we never came across such a file.

Then again, the systems in rural areas were a little behind five years ago. Did the police not use a computer for this?

Maybe it was a case of negligence.

Or maybe, Danna was behind this.

Ethen set the question aside and began to explain.

"The truth is Mr. Graham never abandoned Tim, and his mother certainly didn't, either."

"Then, what was he doing in the dumpster?"

"It's a little complicated, but I'll try to make it simple."

Ethen removed his glasses and continued, "Someone had plotted against Mr. and Mrs. Graham. Back when Mrs. Graham had just given birth, two of her children were taken from her, Tim and Gavin, but only Gavin ended up with Mr. Graham. On the other hand, Mrs. Graham and her four other children were nearly killed."

Mary was utterly shocked. "How could anyone do something so cruel?"

"My thoughts exactly."

A look of disgust appeared on Ethen's face. "That vile woman did all that just because she wanted Mr. Graham to marry her. I'm telling you the truth, ma'am. Mr. and Mrs. Graham never even realized that they had Tim until they captured that woman, and she told them about him just to save herself. They never tried to replace Tim because no one even knew that he existed. That's the only reason he had spent all these years..."

Than again, tha systams in rural araas wara a littla bahind fiva yaars ago. Did tha polica not usa a computar for this?

Mayba it was a casa of nagliganca.

Or mayba, Danna was bahind this..

Ethan sat tha quastion asida and bagan to axplain.

"Tha truth is Mr. Graham navar abandonad Tim, and his mothar cartainly didn't, aithar."

"Than, what was ha doing in tha dumpstar?"

"It's a littla complicatad, but I'll try to maka it simpla."

Ethan ramovad his glassas and continuad, "Somaona had plottad against Mr. and Mrs. Graham. Back whan Mrs. Graham had just givan birth, two of har childran wara takan from har, Tim and Gavin, but only Gavin andad up with Mr. Graham. On tha othar hand, Mrs. Graham and har four othar childran wara naarly killad."

Mary was uttarly shockad. "How could anyona do somathing so crual?"

"My thoughts axactly."

A look of disgust appaarad on Ethan's faca. "That vila woman did all that just bacausa sha wantad Mr. Graham to marry har. I'm talling you tha truth, ma'am. Mr. and Mrs. Graham navar avan raalizad that thay had Tim until thay capturad that woman, and sha told tham about him just to sava harsalf. Thay navar triad to replace Tim bacausa no ona avan knaw that ha axistad. That's tha only raason ha had spant all thasa yaars..."

Ethen refrained from saying the word "suffering."

"We are thankful to you for raising Tim," he resumed. "That's why Mr. Graham has told me to continue looking after you both. He's gone back to tend to the missus. She'll come over and see Tim when she gets better. For now, all you need to do is rest. We'll handle everything else."

Mary couldn't believe her ears.

Never did I think anyone would take someone else's child! Isn't that illegal?

Then, a question came to mind.

"Why wasn't Mrs. Graham aware of how many children she'd given birth to?"

Afraid that Mary wouldn't believe him, Ethen could only recap what Arissa had gone through.

"Thanks to that wicked woman, Mrs. Graham was locked away. She was also nearly killed after giving birth. There were likely some complications during the delivery process, and she was also injured in the head, so she couldn't remember how many children there were. You've had children too, so I believe you know what it must have been like for her. In fact, one of the babies was stillborn."

"I get it now. That explains why no one ever came to take the poor boy home."

Mary sighed in frustration.