CHAPTER 134
Xander’s eyes sank suddenly, and he clenched his big palms into fists.
He was still wondering just where Arianna would go so late at night and leave her baby brother. For a moment, he was worried that something had happened to her.
The answer was astonishing—she had appeared at a hotel with another man!
Ronald, sitting in the driver's seat, was puzzled as to why Xander had not gotten out of the car yet. He glanced over at Xander, noticing his tense posture.
He was on the verge of asking when he noticed Xander staring intently at something across the road.
He could not help but follow Xander’s line of sight, and his heart was stunned all of a sudden.
Why… Why was Arianna there? Who could the man beside her be?
The two of them seemed familiar with each other and appeared to share a close connection. Coupled with their presence at a hotel in the middle of the night, the sum of all factors was very ambiguous!
Ronald could sense the intense hostility emanating from Xander without even needing to look at his face.
He had hoped there might still be a chance for Xander and Arianna, but what could be done when something like this happened so suddenly?
Ronald scratched his head, mustered his courage, and spoke hesitantly,
"Mr. King, maybe Ms. Johnson has a good reason for being here. There must be some explanation, right?"
"Come on, Mr. King! I'm doing my best to assist you. Let's not rush to conclusions," Ronald pleaded, his stance tense and unwavering. He stared at Xander without blinking, waiting for a response.
Meanwhile, Arianna and the man continued chatting at the hotel entrance, seemingly lost in their world and oblivious to everything else around them.
Xander stared at Arianna intensely, his hand tightening into a fist as the veins on the back of his hand became more pronounced. He took a deep breath, suppressing the anger that surged within him.
Perhaps Ronald had a point. Maybe Arianna has a valid reason. Right?
Xander retrieved his phone and immediately dialled Arianna’s number.
The next a cold automated message played:
"The number you have dialed is busy…"
Arianna wasn’t answering, and the busy tone suggested she had blocked his number.
Xander's frustration boiled over, and he hurled the phone onto the car floor with a loud crash, shattering it into pieces.
Ronald had been carefully observing the boss's reactions, pleased to see Xander finally taking his advice and showing potential for improvement.
However, he hadn't anticipated Arianna blocking Xander's number.
Ronald felt like he was on a wild roller coaster, his breath catching with each twist and turn.
But there was still a chance to salvage the situation!
Ronald quickly retrieved his cell phone and extended it to Xander, urging him gently,
"Mr. King, there might be an issue with your phone. Use mine to call her. At the very least, ask Ms. Johnson what she's doing there. It would be unfortunate if this were all just a misunderstanding..."
Despite his voice faltering towards the end, Ronald persisted, his determination unwavering.
Xander's icy gaze pierced through him, sending a chill down Ronald's spine, nearly freezing him in place.
Ronald's hand trembled uncontrollably as he extended the cell phone, second-guessing whether he should have remained silent.
Just as he felt Xander's stare could sear through him, the tension eased as Xander accepted the cell phone.
Ronald watched intently as Xander deftly entered eleven digits, his movements practised and precise as if he had dialled them countless times before, ingrained in his memory like second nature.
Ronald silently pondered whether Xander recalled Arianna's number due to a strong memory or if it was something he had always known.
Xander pressed the dial button and held the phone to his ear.
Arianna's phone suddenly rang, and her heart skipped a beat, fearing it might be an urgent call from the hospital about Charlie.
She offered Alan a quick apologetic smile before hurriedly moving aside. Retrieving her phone from her bag with trembling hands, she saw it was Ronald calling.
Why would Ronald be calling her at this hour?
Arianna felt a twinge of confusion but answered, "Ronald."
On the other end, Xander's voice, deep and restrained, came through. "Where are you?"
It was Xander!
If Xander took the initiative to call her, it was likely under pressure from Grandma King.
Arianna seemed to be constantly dealing with Xander's demands and responded coolly,
"What do you want Xander?"
Xander seemed not to hear her and repeated his question, more urgently this time,
"Where are you?"
Although she didn't understand why he was asking, Arianna had previously told Grandma King she was at the hospital. To avoid further complications, she gave the same answer,
"I'm at the hospital. I already told Grandma that —"
Before she could finish, the call abruptly cut off with a beep.
Arianna was momentarily speechless, then muttered under her breath in frustration,
"What's his problem!"
He never bothered to answer her calls when she needed him, yet now he called her for what seemed like no reason other than to provoke her!
Arianna took a deep breath, pocketed her phone, and turned back to Alan.
Seeing her irritated expression, Alan asked with concern, "Who called you? Is everything okay with your brother?"
"No," Arianna shook her head. "It's just..."
She hesitated for a moment, struggling to find the right words to describe Xander's behaviour. Finally, she reluctantly continued,
"...a call from someone annoying. It's nothing to worry about."
