CHAPTER 120
Xander’s handsome face remained impassive, and his voice was icy. “You’ve been staring at me this whole time. Don’t you have something to say?”
Arianna realized she had been unconsciously staring at Xander while lost in thought. She had assumed he was prompting her to talk about the dock.
She had misread his intentions yet again, but fortunately, she was smart enough not to let herself be mocked.
Overanalyzing situations was something Xander found intolerable.
Arianna noticed Xander’s dark eyes fixed on her, probing. His intense gaze made her feel a bit flustered.
From the looks of it, her guess that Xander had deliberately given her money probably didn’t hold water. It must have been nothing more than a coincidence. Since that was the case, she couldn’t let Xander notice anything strange about her, lest he decide to investigate and expose all her antics that day.
“Ahem.” Arianna cleared her throat, her eyes darting around. She then said, “Yes, I have something to say to you.”
Xander’s icy face softened almost imperceptibly.
Perhaps Arianna had a bit of conscience after all.
A sudden night breeze swept through, and given the villa's secluded location in the suburbs, a burst of coldness enveloped them. Arianna shivered involuntarily, her clothes too thin to provide much warmth.
Xander noticed her discomfort, and before she could say anything more, he said, “Let’s go in and talk.”
With that, he stretched his long legs and headed toward the villa.
Arianna had no choice but to grab her luggage bag and follow him inside.
In the living room.
Xander sat on the sofa and crossed his long legs gracefully. His slender fingers unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt as he leaned back lazily.
Looking up, he directed his dark eyes toward Arianna, his thin lips parting slightly as he spoke in a low voice that seemed to conceal a touch of gentleness.
“Go ahead.”
Arianna did not speak immediately. Instead, she stood in front of him and bowed sincerely at a 45-degree angle.
Xander raised an eyebrow.
This woman seemed quite formal in expressing her gratitude. It appeared she would do anything for her little brother.
He waited patiently for her to speak.
After Arianna straightened up, she spoke in a low voice. “I’m sorry, Xander. I promised to be your caregiver and take care of you, but I went out early and came home late these past two days due to personal matters. I failed in my duties and deeply regret it. I wish to apologize.”
Xander was speechless. He gritted his teeth, his breath growing heavier, but he still maintained a calm tone.
“Is that all you want to say?”
He had been angry at her for coming back late the previous night. Now, a day later, she was tactful enough to apologize on her own, yet somehow, he felt even angrier than before.
Arianna had been with Xander for many years, and although she couldn't always predict his thoughts, she could still claim some understanding of his temper.
Why, then, did he seem so inscrutable to her now?
Perhaps it wasn’t too surprising. If she truly understood him, she wouldn’t have experienced abandonment, bullying, or the numerous shocks his actions had inflicted upon her.
Nonetheless, Arianna still had more to say. She took a deep breath and continued,
“No, I’m not done…”
Xander closed his eyes, quickly dispelling the turmoil within them. He leaned back on the sofa and replied succinctly,
“Proceed.”
"I..." Arianna hesitated, struggling to find the words.
Xander was unusually patient. His dark eyes fixed on her, but he didn't push, simply waiting for her to continue.
Arianna gulped twice, finally mustering the courage to say in one breath, "I want to take a day off tomorrow to deal with my affairs!"
The room fell into a deathly silence.
Arianna could feel Xander's eyes on her, like sharp knives piercing her flesh.
If looks could kill, Xander would have murdered her a thousand times over!
She had to go to her parents' place the next day to save Charlie. There was no other way but to ask for a day off.
Arianna resisted the urge to retreat. She clenched her fists tightly at her sides and spoke stubbornly,
"Mr. King, I swear it’ll only be one day. You don’t have to wait long. Just a few hours tomorrow. Once I’ve handled the matter, I’ll come back as soon as possible and take care of you. Is that alright?"
Arianna's words elicited no response.
Xander pursed his thin lips tightly, his presence radiating an icy chill that caused the temperature around him to plummet.
Arianna shuddered uncontrollably, feeling much colder than when she was standing at the entrance of the villa earlier.
She thought for a moment and hurriedly promised,
"Mr. King, I admit that I haven’t done a good enough job as your caregiver, but if you agree to let me have a day off tomorrow, I’ll give you my all when I come back. I will do whatever you ask me to— Ahhh—"
Before she could finish speaking, her wrist was suddenly grabbed with a force so great it felt like it could crush her bones.
Arianna couldn’t help but frown and cry out in pain.
Her first instinct was to shake off Xander’s hand, but as soon as she looked up, she found herself staring into his nearly murderous gaze and immediately stopped moving.
Past experiences had taught her not to provoke him when his temper was raging.
