Husband With Benefits
Chapter 286: A Discussion

Chapter 286: A Discussion

Ian glanced at everyone who was engrossed in the get-together lunch before slowly slipping away into the kitchen. As expected, he found Demetri waiting there and sighed, "Demon."

"What has you worried, Ian?"

Ian shook his head, a rueful smile playing on his lips. Demetri had an uncanny ability to sense the underlying currents. How he always managed to pick up on these things remained a mystery to him.

"Demon... Grandfather is sick."

He watched as Demetri stilled. So, his brother did not know this as well. Ian sighed and continued," Its quite bad. The cancer has spread all over and the old man has refused treatment. The doctor gave him few months, but it’s already been more than a year. He’s been using pain killers to suppress the pain and keep up appearances, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult for him," his voice filled with frustration.

Demetri’s expression shifted, "I see. Some things make more sense now..."

"Some things?" Ian asked perplexed. What things made sense?

But Demetri shook his head and caught the crux of the matter. "Is that why Erasmi has been seething last few days? He knows?"

Ian shook his head," No one knows. The old coot doesn’t want anyone to know. He is intent on making our lives difficult but he won’t tell us the reason for it. I can’t help but wonder if he doesn’t fear that we won’t give him a proper funeral if he continues like this."

Demetri gave a small smile and shook his head," Of course, he doesn’t. He’s raised us all too well to fear that."

Ian nodded at that. It was true. Though they were always at loggerheads with the old man, they all loved him, even Erasmi... the current reason of the worry.

"I’m going to honor his wishes and pretend that I know nothing. But he said something the other day that has us worried for Erasmi... Demon... Is there a chance that Nellie might have survived the accident?"

Ian had hoped Demetri would know what he was talking about but he seemed just as clueless so he explained how Erasmi had been fighting their grandfather over the blind date and then the old man had said something that seemed to hint that the past was not as it seemed.

Demetri frowned as he heard this. "Grandfather had indeed been the first person to reach the accident spot and the hospital. I got the news almost an hour after he did. However, I don’t think Nellie is alive. Because I was the one who organized the burial on Erasmi’s behalf. And then when we discovered that Lara Anderson had exacerbated the graves, we did a DNA test. It isn’t Nellie."

"Then was there someone else in that car?" Ian could not help but ask.

"There’s only two people who can answer that, Ian. Erasmi himself and grandfather."

Demetri crossed his arms, deep in thought. "If Erasmi doesn’t believe it’s Nellie in the grave, we need to have this further investigated. It’s time to clear the air about everything – the accident, Nellie, and Grandfather’s health. We can’t keep dancing around these issues. Ian, put the investigator to the task."

"Already done that. But since its been so many years, the investigation is going to be even slower. And the two people who might know things are being stobborn a** fools." Ian muttered.

Before either could say more, the door to the kitchen opened and Nora strolled in," What are the two of you discussing?"

Demetri and Ian exchanged glances, knowing that any discussion about Nellie might turn out to be a sore point for Nora as well.

Demon just shook his head and answered," Its our grandfather. He has cancer and is not taking treatment."

Nora heard this and could only shake her head. The old man really was too much.

"And did you try talking to him about his reasons for not doing that?"

"He’s been hiding the diagnosis from everyone. Ian stumbled over the secret by chance. So of course no one has spoken to him."

Nora nodded and looked at Demetri with concern," Do you need to go back? Talk to the old man and get him admitted into the hospital so that he would be treated?"

Demetri shook his head," It won’t help but yes this increases our urgency to get things done here and go back as soon as possible."

Nora was about to speak up when Demetri’s phone suddenly started to ring. As Demetri noticed the caller, he could not help but frown. With a curt," yes?" he answered the phone but soon stiffened when he heard the caller say," Gaia. Dora has wandered off somewhere with that little dog you gave her. They were playing outside a while ago but now the other dog has returned. Has she come to you?"

Alarm bells ringing in his head, Demetri answered," Not yet. I’ll call you back in a moment, Lady Cordelia."

Both Ian and Nora looked astounded at the sudden shift in Demetri’s tone and stepped closer to Demetri as he started to open an application on his phone. As the live feed started, the three people watched in shock.

Swearing, Demetri quickly got to the tracker application and raced out of the kitchen, followed closely by Nora and Ian. Their hurried movements caught the eye of the others who were chatting outside and with no questions asked they hurriedly started to follow the trio.

As the anxious group followed Demetri, they reached the spot where Dora’s little Kitten lay in a lifeless pile. With a small scream of agone, Nora rushed to the little dog followed by Seb who quickly started to check the dog.

The place appeared empty, and a knot formed in his stomach. "She’s not here," Demetri muttered, his worry deepening. The group exchanged concerned glances, realizing they’d probably lost Dora...

It took a moment for Evana to gather her thoughts and she quickly stepped forward and started to make a call, "Nothing can happen to Dora. I’ll call uncle Robert and tell him to trace Dora’s location..." However, she was stopped by Demetri who handed her his phone.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢

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