CHAPTER 142
That night, Arianna found herself unable to sleep, her mind racing with thoughts of Xander. She tossed and turned, her heart fluttering with the thrill of first love. As the hours ticked by, she made a firm decision: she would win Xander's heart and make him her husband.
She carefully analyzed the situation and concluded that it might be easier for a woman to woo a man, especially given their status as neighbours and the fact that their grandfathers seemed intent on pairing them together. With determination, Arianna resolved to use these advantages to her benefit.
The next morning, Arianna set her plan into motion. She began by finding ways to spend more time with Xander. She would conveniently bump into him on their way to school, offer to help him with his studies or invite him over for family dinners. Her efforts were subtle yet persistent, designed to make her presence known without being overly intrusive.
Despite her best efforts, Arianna soon realized that she faced formidable competition. Xander was the object of affection for many women in their elite social circle. Almost every young woman seemed to be vying for his attention, each one hoping to catch his eye and win his favour. Yet, despite their best efforts, none had managed to make a lasting impression on him.
That included her, of course.
Arianna observed these interactions with keen interest. She noticed that Xander remained polite and distant, never giving any of the women false hope. His aloofness only made him more intriguing and desirable, and Arianna understood that winning his heart would not be easy.
Arianna found herself hitting a wall with her efforts to win Xander's attention. She tried various approaches, but Xander continued to ignore her, leaving her feeling demoralized.
Arianna had always been a pretty girl with a lively and cheerful personality. She was the school belle, and boys constantly tried to woo her. Her drawers overflowed with love letters and gifts, and she was often stopped on her way home by someone wanting to confess their feelings. Xander's indifference was a stark contrast to the attention she was used to, making her doubt herself.
Arianna pursued Xander for four years—from love at first sight at the age of 14 until her 18th birthday—and could count on her fingers the number of times Xander spoke to her or even looked at her.
The dejection and sadness she felt made her wonder whether she should give up. There were plenty of good men in the world, and she had no reason to remain so fixated on Xander when he did not like her!
Just as she thought Xander was about to become a passerby in her life, she saw him being attacked by several tall and burly masked men not far away.
The group of men seemed professionally trained; they knocked Xander unconscious, dragged him into a car, and sped away quickly.
In a lovestruck haze, Arianna jumped into her car and took off after them, terrified that something terrible might happen to Xander.
Despite having only recently earned her driver’s license, she floored the accelerator and raced after them. She narrowly avoided multiple collisions, but her mind was solely focused on rescuing Xander, with no thought for her safety.
The masked men took Xander to a deserted factory. After tailing them to the location, Arianna's first move was to call the police. Then, she hid outside the door, observing the scene unfold within.
She was too far away to hear what the masked men were saying to Xander, but their expressions grew increasingly hostile. Eventually, their frustration with Xander's calm, mocking demeanour boiled over, and one of them drew a gun.
Such a scene was something Arianna had only seen on television; she never imagined witnessing it in real life.
She watched in horror as the masked man cocked the gun and aimed it directly at Xander’s heart, sneering,
"Go to hell!"
The man was about to pull the trigger.
Arianna's mind went blank as she charged forward, driven by a surge of courage she didn't know she had.
The burly men were caught off guard by her sudden appearance and failed to react in time.
She threw herself onto Xander, shielding him with her body. A moment later, the bullet struck her back, sending waves of pain crashing through her, draining the colour from her face.
Xander's shock was evident in his wide-open eyes. It was the first time she'd seen such a clear expression on his face since the day she met him.
Her vision blurred and darkened as she fought to remain conscious. The world around her seemed to spin, colours blending into indistinct shapes. She felt herself slipping, her strength waning with each passing second.
She tried to speak, but the pain silenced her.
Amidst the haze, she heard Xander’s voice, "Arianna!"
Her heart skipped a beat.
For four years, she had pursued him, believing he barely noticed her and didn't even know her name. But now, in this dire moment, he called out to her with unmistakable recognition.
To her surprise, he knew who she was all along and even called her by her name.
