CHAPTER 177
The reporters in the conference room were seasoned professionals. Once the news sank in, their excitement grew, and they quickly began firing off questions.
“Mr King, were you aware that Ms Johnson was seen with other men after your marriage?”
“Mr. King, you publicly ended the engagement two years ago. What made you marry Ms. Johnson now? Is there any truth to the rumours that you spent the night with her and she pressured you into marriage?”
“Mr. King, you’ve kept your marriage to Ms. Johnson a secret. Does this indicate you’re unhappy with the marriage?”
“Mr. King, how do you view the chaos surrounding Ms. Johnson’s personal life, both before and after your marriage?”
At that moment, the reporters’ questions grew sharper and more pointed. They didn’t seem to care whether or not they might offend Xander. After all, every word he uttered carried significant weight, especially with a scandal of this magnitude.
This was the kind of news that would undoubtedly dominate the headlines.
They had no reason to hold back if they had the chance to dig deeper!
Arianna’s face turned slightly pale as the barrage of questions intensified. Although she couldn’t understand why Xander had stepped in to help, she was all too aware that the mention of other men was a sensitive subject for him.
Xander's anger was fueled by his repeated misunderstandings that something was happening between her and other men. If he lost his temper in public at that moment, Arianna couldn’t even begin to imagine the consequences.
She tried to remain composed, but her body betrayed her as it began to tremble uncontrollably. Gradually, her hands and feet started to grow cold as well.
Xander noticed the subtle change in Arianna’s demeanour. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye and saw her struggling to keep a calm expression. However, he could easily discern the faint traces of fear and vulnerability in her eyes.
Xander’s heart tightened suddenly as if he had been struck by a powerful blow.
The fearless Arianna, who once risked her life to shield him from a bullet, now seemed to carry a sense of fear when she was near him.
Had she been masking her true feelings all along, or had his biased view of her kept him from seeing her genuine emotions?
Without thinking, Xander’s large hand squeezed Arianna’s, attempting to pass his warmth to her.
The gesture jolted Arianna out of her thoughts. She instinctively looked up at him, her gaze meeting the deep, unreadable depths of his eyes.
Since their marriage, Xander’s eyes had always been cold, mocking, angry, and filled with contempt. But for the first time, he looked at her with a tenderness she had never seen before.
It was as if he was silently telling her, "Don’t worry. I’m here."
Arianna’s long, curly eyelashes trembled uncontrollably. She felt as though she had been transported back to the time when they were deeply in love.
Back then, Xander would always protect her, stepping in to clean up whatever mess she made. It didn’t matter what trouble she found herself in—he was always there for her. Her friend Rochelle used to tease her, saying she got the better end of the deal by risking her life to save such a devoted boyfriend.
Xander’s silence only fueled the reporters’ belief that they were onto something regarding their marriage. Determined to uncover more, they raised their voices, pressing harder for answers.
“Mr. King, could you please give us a proper response!” one of them called out.
“Mr. King, are you and Ms. Johnson pretending to be a couple? Did you come to her aid today voluntarily, or is there another motive behind your actions?”
“Mr. King, does Ms. Johnson have any leverage over you that could be used as blackmail? Please explain!”
Some of the more aggressive reporters scrambled over the barriers in front of the stage, charging straight at Xander and Arianna.
As soon as one reporter made a move, the rest followed suit, surging forward like a pack of ravenous animals.
The scene quickly descended into chaos.
While the reporters hesitated to confront Xander directly, they aggressively thrust their microphones and cameras into Arianna’s face.
Xander’s dark eyes grew intense as he wrapped his long arms around Arianna’s slender waist, pulling her protectively into his embrace to shield her from the barrage of microphones and cameras.
He cast a cold, sweeping glance over the crowd, causing the reporters to feel an abrupt chill. Their frantic movements came to a halt as they instinctively stepped back, wary of getting any closer.
Only then did Xander speak, his voice cold, firm, and clear. “I’ll say this only once, so listen carefully.
“I am the only man in Arianna’s life, both before and after our marriage. Our marriage is a happy one, free from any affairs or cheating!”
As soon as Xander finished speaking, a murmur of surprise and relief swept through the room. Some female reporters looked on with expressions of envy and resentment.
His declaration had directly addressed all the rumours, combining both assertiveness and an unexpectedly tender note. It was like witnessing a real-life version of the "powerful CEO falls for the girl next door" trope!
Realizing there was no more to uncover from Xander, the reporters reluctantly prepared to wrap things up. However, one reporter turned to Arianna, who was still recovering from the shock, and asked, “Ms. Johnson, is Mr. King’s statement accurate?”
