CHAPTER 164
Once Xander departed, the ward reverted to its previous silence.
Arianna had become accustomed to this solitude, as she had often been alone with Charlie in the ward.
Although she had initially felt uneasy with Xander's insistence on staying, all she wanted now was for him to leave so she could be alone again.
Yet, now that he had actually gone, she found the silence even more unsettling.
The emptiness of the room was palpable…
She found herself glancing repeatedly at the spot where Xander had been, almost expecting to see him still seated on the sofa, working on his laptop or flipping through documents.
As Arianna lay down on the small caregiver’s bed that night, she felt as though it had somehow grown larger. Despite tossing and turning endlessly, she struggled to find a comfortable position.
Before she closed her eyes, she picked up her phone and checked the screen. Xander should have reached his destination by now.
Earlier that day, she had removed Xander’s number from her blacklist, but there were no missed calls or text messages.
Arianna couldn’t help but chuckle at herself. What had she expected? Was she really hoping Xander would call to let her know he had arrived safely, just because he mentioned his plans?
It seemed that human nature was always grasping for more, never fully satisfied.
Arianna shook her head, trying to clear her mind of all the idle thoughts. She knew that overthinking was her greatest enemy.
Setting her phone aside, she turned to Charlie’s bed and spoke softly,
“Good night,” before switching off the light and closing her eyes.
...........
The next three days passed swiftly.
Having nearly depleted her supplies, Arianna decided to head to the supermarket. She called a nurse for assistance and dressed in comfortable, casual clothes, securing her hair in a tidy high ponytail. She made her way to the hospital's underground parking lot.
Previously, when Grandma King had visited Charlie, she had left behind a luxury car for Arianna’s convenience, ensuring she could easily run errands.
Arianna had initially hesitated to accept the luxury car, feeling it was too extravagant for her needs.
However, Grandma King had been adamant, insisting that cars were meant to be driven and not left unused. Since the old lady had no intention of using it herself, she had left the keys with Arianna, asserting it would be a shame to let it sit idle.
Reluctantly, Arianna accepted the offer and drove the car from the hospital.
After spending over an hour at the supermarket, Arianna returned with two shopping bags. She parked the car, got out, and took the elevator back up to Charlie's floor.
As soon as the elevator chimed and the doors opened, Arianna felt a strange shift in the air. She frowned, stepping out with a strong feeling that something was off.
Walking toward Charlie's room, she was shocked to see a crowd of reporters gathered at the entrance. Cameras and microphones were everywhere, and some reporters were even broadcasting live on their phones.
Arianna came to an abrupt halt, confusion washing over her. What was happening?
One of the reporters, spotting her immediately, shouted, “There’s Ms. Johnson!”
In an instant, the reporters' attention shifted to Arianna. They surged toward her, shoving microphones and camera lenses in her direction.
Before she could react, microphones were thrust into her face and camera shutters clicked incessantly. Blinded by the flashes and overwhelmed by a flood of questions, Arianna found herself engulfed in the chaotic media frenzy.
“Ms. Johnson, is it true you’ve abandoned your own family?”
“Ms. Johnson, your parents say you pressured them into giving up custody of your brother Charlie so he’d never have to acknowledge them again. What’s your response?”
“Ms. Johnson, despite your wealthy marriage, there are claims that you’ve been involved with multiple men. Are you trying to provoke your husband into a fit to inherit his fortune?”
The barrage of questions left Arianna momentarily stunned. It quickly became apparent that something significant had transpired.
Unaware of the specifics, Arianna decided that silence was her best defense. Engaging with the reporters would only give them more material to probe further. Her immediate priority was to escape the swarm of cameras and microphones.
Escaping the throng of reporters proved to be more challenging than anticipated, with every movement closely monitored.
Arianna shut her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself. When she opened them again, she faced the crowd, forced a smile, and spoke with a steely tone, “I’m happy to answer your questions, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by the crowd. If you want my responses, please give me a bit of space.”
The reporters glanced at one another, and seeing no immediate threat of her escaping, they reluctantly backed off slightly to grant her some breathing room.
“Thank you for your understanding,” Arianna added, relieved to have a bit of space.
Arianna forced a smile, cleared her throat, and began, “Okay, I’m ready to address your questions. To start with, I—”
Without warning, she hurled the two bags she was holding into the crowd of reporters. Seizing the moment of confusion, she pushed through the reporters and sprinted towards the elevator.
The reporters snapped back to attention and shouted, “She’s escaping! Don’t let her get away!”
Immediately, the crowd surged forward in pursuit.
