CHAPTER 157
As soon as Arianna attempted to move, Xander’s hand tightened around her waist, and his low, menacing voice rumbled from above her.
“If you move again, I can’t guarantee I won’t do anything to you!”
Arianna’s body tensed immediately, and she didn’t dare to move.
She had no doubt about Xander’s threat. After all, there was no limit to what he might do!
Still, she was filled with resentment and muttered angrily, “You claimed I think too highly of myself. So why are you here in this tiny bed holding me?”
He acted as though he disdained her, yet here he was, threatening her again!
Though she was clearly speaking to herself, Xander’s sharp ears caught her words. He looked down at Arianna’s puffed-out face, and a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. With a lazy tone, he replied,
“Don’t worry about it. I’m only here because the couch is too small for me. Besides, why are you so worked up about me lying next to you? I can practically feel your heartbeat through my fingers. Are you happy that you’re finally in my embrace?””
When had she thrown herself into his arms?
Arianna gritted her teeth in frustration, wanting to snap at Xander for his absurdity.
Unfortunately, she was too exhausted to argue with him and knew she wouldn’t win any debate. In the end, she’d only end up angry with herself. She did her best to turn away from him, her back facing him as she edged to the edge of the bed. With her eyes closed, she tried to block him out.
Out of sight, out of mind!
Xander watched Arianna’s nape. Even though her back was to him, at least she was still within his embrace.
He tightened his grip without realizing it.
Arianna had thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Whether it was from exhaustion or something else, her eyelids grew heavier, and she eventually drifted into a deep slumber.
The room fell silent.
Xander remained awake, his eyes fixed on the woman in his arms. As her breathing slowed and steadied, his own heartbeat seemed to steady as well. He propped himself up slightly, lowered his head, and placed a gentle, affectionate kiss on Arianna’s forehead.
Satisfied, Xander settled back down and closed his eyes.
…
At the doorway.
Through the slight gap, Piper, who had witnessed everything unfold in the ward, watched in stunned silence as she stepped backward.
She had been about to rush into the room after following Arianna but stopped abruptly when she saw Xander there. Although she couldn’t hear their conversation, she saw them lying together and even watched Xander place a tender kiss on Arianna’s forehead while she slept.
In that moment, Piper thought she must be imagining things.
Even after being with Xander for the past two years, he had never shown her such affection. He never hugged or kissed her, and she had always assumed his aversion to physical contact was due to his indifferent nature and his cleanliness obsession. It seemed, however, that all men were the same.
After all, was there any man who didn't appreciate women?
Or maybe it wasn’t that simple. Arianna must have done something shameless to captivate Xander’s attention in such a way.
She realized that Arianna and Sheena were in cahoots—one had seduced Xander, while the other had pursued Justin.
No wonder Piper’s plan to seduce Xander had failed during the anniversary, leading her mother to explode at Sheena. After that, Xander began to ignore Piper, and she was met with cold dismissal whenever she tried to find him at the King Group.
It was all part of Arianna’s scheme. The plan was to drive a wedge between Piper and Xander, so Arianna could take Piper’s place.
As Piper pieced everything together, her expression darkened completely. Her eyes burned with hostility as she glared at Arianna on the hospital bed.
At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to storm in and unleash her fury on Arianna, striking her a thousand times.
But as her gaze shifted to Xander’s figure, she forced herself to stay calm.
If she were still the naive rich girl she once was, she would have charged in without hesitation. However, the harsh realities she had faced in recent months had taught her that rash actions only led to more problems. In the end, she would be the one suffering.
Although Piper wasn’t afraid of Arianna, she knew provoking Xander was a different matter.
She clenched her teeth in frustration but forced herself to turn and leave.
Once home, she couldn’t escape the sounds of her parents arguing. Her mother’s voice was sharp and terrifying, while her father’s was icy and detached.
As she walked into the living room, she saw her father slap her mother across the face with such force that she stumbled, hitting the coffee table and crying out in agony.
Piper stormed over, shoved Justin aside, and glared at him with rage. “How dare you hit Mom, Dad? You’re the one who cheated on her and got that woman, Sheena, pregnant. What right do you have to be so angry?!”
Justin, already furious, only grew more enraged by her accusation. “Your mother is the one making a scene every day, failing to see the bigger picture. She’s lucky all I did was slap her. Sheena is pregnant now and needs to be handled carefully. If you cause her any trouble, I’ll hold you responsible for whatever happens to her and the baby!”
Piper’s eyes welled up with tears. She could hardly believe that her father, who had raised her since she was a child, could speak to her like that.
