CHAPTER 139
"Who exactly is the man that you like?"
Xander's abrupt question struck Arianna with such force that her pupils contracted and her long eyelashes began to quiver.
He stared at her intently, not blinking, determined not to miss any of her reactions. He added,
"I will believe everything you said tonight!
If you tell me who it is."
Arianna's mind raced. If he believed her as long as she answered, she could easily lie or evade the question. But lying to Xander wasn’t that simple; he could always see through her.
Arianna swallowed hard, her throat dry. When she told Grandma King that she had someone she liked, it had been a spur-of-the-moment lie. There was no such man, and now she was cornered by her deception. What was she supposed to say?
Her thoughts spiralled as she desperately searched for a way out, but Xander's unyielding gaze held her captive, making it impossible to think clearly.
Xander's expression hardened as a thought struck him. He swiftly reached into Arianna's pocket, retrieving her phone with his free hand. The screen was lit up, displaying a WeTalk message from "Dr. Woods."
Arianna tried to stop him, but Xander was quicker. He used her finger to unlock the phone and immediately opened the WeTalk app.
His eyes narrowed as he saw that Arianna had pinned Alan's chat to the very top of her conversations.
Xander’s lips curled into a mocking smile, one that didn't reach his eyes.
Arianna had blocked Xander's number and never even added him on WeTalk, yet she had her so-called "ordinary friend" Dr. Woods pinned at the very top of her chat list.
His grip on her wrist tightened further, and his eyes glinted with a mixture of anger and something darker. Arianna's heart pounded in her chest, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead as she watched the storm brewing in Xander's gaze.
Her mind raced, trying to think of how to explain this without making the situation worse. She could see the anger simmering just beneath the surface of his calm exterior, and she knew she had to tread carefully.
Moreover, she had sidestepped the most crucial question: who was the man she actually liked?
It was clear she was unwilling to lie about it, despite being adept at deceit…
All these signs confirmed Xander's suspicions. Alan was the man Arianna had feelings for, and she cared for him so deeply that she couldn't bring herself to fabricate a lie.
Arianna sensed the severity of the situation and instinctively tried to explain. However, before she could get a word out, a loud bang echoed through the room as her phone was hurled against the wall.
The device shattered instantly, splitting into two.
Xander’s eyes bore into her with a fury that sent chills down her spine. His gaze was dark, filled with a menacing intent that made her blood run cold.
"Is this the 'ordinary friend' you
mentioned?" he growled, his voice filled
with imminence.
Arianna's heart raced as she saw the venom in his eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but words failed her as panic took hold. Xander's reaction was far more intense than she had anticipated, and she felt the weight of his mistrust pressing down on her.
She knew she had to find a way to calm him down and explain the truth, but the look on his face made her doubt he would listen.
"Tell me!" Xander demanded.
Arianna stared at him in shock, the words she wanted to say caught in her throat.
If Xander would just believe her, they might not end up hating each other so much.
But he wasn’t going to believe her anyway!
Arianna closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. After a few seconds, she reopened them, her once bright gaze now dark and lifeless.
"You can assume whatever you want, Xander. Just let me go. I’m going back to the hospital," she said, her voice numb and defeated.
Without waiting for his response, she tried to jerk her hand away, but his grip tightened like an iron shackle, keeping her in place.
Arianna felt a surge of frustration and fear.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice quavering despite her effort to remain composed.
Xander's expression remained hard, but there was a flicker of something—doubt, maybe—in his eyes.
"Because I need to know the truth," he said, his tone softer but still demanding.
Arianna took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
Arianna started, "Alan is simply a regular friend. We met while I was abroad, and he's been helping with my brother's illness. There's nothing more to it."
Xander's eyes narrowed, clearly unconvinced.
"And the man you said you liked?" he pressed. Arianna's heart raced. She longed to explain, to make him understand, but the fear of his reaction kept her silent.
"It's not Alan," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Xander's grasp eased up a little, yet his focused gaze stayed strong.
"Then who is it?" he demanded. Arianna bit her lip, searching for the right words.
"It doesn't matter anymore," she finally said, her voice breaking.
"Let me go, Xander," she pleaded. For a split second, it seemed like he might relent.
Then, his grip tightened once more, his eyes burning with resolve.
"Not until I get the whole truth, Arianna," he said firmly. Arianna felt a tear slip down her cheek.
"Please," she whispered, her voice filled with desperation.
Xander's expression softened slightly, but he didn't let go. "Arianna, I need to know."
"Let me go!" she yelled, her voice frustrated.
Xander's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, he was speechless.
Arianna seized the opportunity to pull her hand free and step back, her heart racing. Xander stared at her, his expression a mix of shock and something else—regret, maybe?
He took a step forward, but Arianna held up her hand to stop him.
"Xander, please," she whispered, her voice steady. "I need to go back to the hospital. Just let me go."
After what felt like an eternity, Xander finally nodded, his shoulders sagging. "Fine," he said quietly.
"Go."
Arianna didn't waste a second. She turned and walked away, her heart heavy but her steps determined.
She didn't look back, not wanting to see the pain in Xander's eyes. As she reached the door, she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath.
