CHAPTER 160
Xander’s eyes lowered slightly, and his gaze became distant, as if he were lost in a memory. A soft smile appeared on his lips, and his voice took on a tender, almost sorrowful tone as he replied,
“Someone I love.”
…
After finishing her conversation with the attending doctor, Arianna returned to the ward.
Noticing the door was ajar, she wondered if someone had entered.
As she entered quietly, she saw Xander standing by the bed with the nurse. To her surprise, it wasn’t the nurse attending to Charlie, but Xander himself.
Arianna also overheard the entire exchange between Xander and the nurse.
The person Xander had cared for was someone he loved…
Arianna couldn’t help but recall the time she had blocked a bullet for him. While she was in a coma and hospitalized, Xander had attended to her every day.
Though she was unconscious and unable to witness his care, she had insisted that the nurse describe every detail to her.
It was likely that Xander had also tended to her personal needs during that time.
Since then, she had never seen Xander care for anyone else in the same way.
Was she the person Xander was referring to?
Arianna’s heart skipped a beat.
But she had been separated from Xander for two years and was out of touch with his life while abroad. Could it have been one of his female companions during that time? Or perhaps Grandma King?
Grandma King was certainly Xander’s most cherished family member.
As this thought crossed her mind, the small spark of hope in Arianna’s heart began to fade, and she quickly pushed the thought away.
The sound of footsteps at the ward door drew Arianna’s attention. She looked up to see Aunt Julia helping Grandma King inside.
They arrived just as Arianna was thinking about them!
Arianna was initially surprised but quickly regained her composure. She hurriedly said,
“Grandma, Aunt Julia, what are you doing here?”
She moved to assist Aunt Julia in supporting Grandma King as the elderly lady made her way in.
Grandma King gently patted Arianna’s hand and smiled warmly.
“I came to visit Charlie, and I figured you’ve been in the hospital for so long. The food here can’t be great, so I asked Aunt Julia to prepare something special and nutritious for you. I brought it along so you can have better meals.”
Arianna smiled with appreciation.
While she acknowledged Grandma King’s concern, she suspected the old lady had another motive—likely to see firsthand whether Arianna and Xander were getting along.
This was probably why Xander had insisted on staying, to be ready for Grandma King’s unexpected visit.
As Grandma King entered and saw Xander tending to Charlie, a satisfied smile spread across her face. It was clear that her efforts to influence Xander had finally made an impact.
Aunt Julia’s eyes widened in surprise as she observed Xander performing a task she considered beneath him.
In all those years, the occasions when the pampered Xander would personally handle such tasks could be counted on one hand!
It was clear that Xander had genuine feelings for Arianna, as it was uncharacteristic for him to show such care for someone like Charlie.
Aunt Julia was truly impressed by how perceptive Grandma King was. The old lady seemed to understand Xander’s heart with remarkable clarity.
…
Arianna helped Grandma King settle comfortably on the sofa.
Aunt Julia then opened the five-tiered lunchbox she had brought and carefully arranged the dishes on the table. She also lifted the lid of the herbal soup and poured it into two bowls.
After Xander finished tending to Charlie, he went to the bathroom to wash his hands before approaching the sofa.
He took a seat right next to Arianna, though it was unclear if it was intentional or not.
The sofa was already cramped with Arianna and Grandma King occupying it. Xander’s presence made it even more uncomfortable, and Arianna could feel his body pressing close to hers.
Unsettled, Arianna instinctively tried to create some distance. However, Xander seemed to sense her intention and immediately wrapped his arm around her slender waist, his fingers gently resting on her soft side.
This gesture made Arianna stiffen, and she looked at Xander in surprise and disbelief.
Why was he being so bold?
Xander’s deep, sparkling eyes met Arianna’s, and his charming face moved a little closer. He sweetly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then leaned in, his lips softly grazing her ear as he murmured,
“Play your part.”
His warm breath sent shivers down Arianna’s spine. Despite her discomfort, she had agreed to this pretense and had no choice but to play along.
Arianna’s eyes darted around nervously, her proximity to him making her worry that she might inadvertently reveal their ruse.
Arianna quickly forced a sweet smile and picked up a piece of beef. Using the act of feeding Xander as an excuse, she managed to create some distance between them.
Holding the beef up to Xander’s mouth, she spoke softly, “H-Here you go, Dear! Ah!”
Xander responded with a smile and opened his mouth to accept the bite.
He then tilted his chin towards the chicken and casually requested, “I’d like some of that, too.”
‘Really demanding, aren’t you? Don’t you have your own hands?’
Arianna muttered curses silently to herself but kept a sweet smile plastered on her face. Playing the part of the devoted wife, she scooped up the chicken and fed it to Xander.
Xander accepted the piece with a smile, his dark eyes fixed on her.
Oddly, Arianna felt as though he was eating her instead of the chicken…
Grandma King, observing this, scolded, “You young man, always making Arianna wait on you. A husband should be taking care of his wife. What kind of husband are you?”
Xander glanced sideways at Grandma King, seemingly taking her words to heart. He finally picked up the cutlery, but to Arianna’s surprise, he didn’t serve himself—instead, he began to feed her.
With a playful tone, he said, “Here you go, Darling. I’ll feed you too. Ah!”
Arianna was momentarily stunned.
