CHAPTER 182
Xander took one more step toward her and narrowed his dark eyes. “You said I didn’t deserve to be your husband!”
Arianna unconsciously took a step back and gulped.
It turned out that she still failed to resist Rochelle’s instigation after getting drunk and ended up calling Xander to scold him…
Bringing it up herself was like handing herself a shovel to dig her own grave.
Arianna forced a wry smile and explained,
“I… I got drunk. All that was nonsense. Can’t you be the bigger man and not take it to heart?”
Xander let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Heh. You think I’m just going to brush it off that easily? Drunk words are sober thoughts, Arianna. You might’ve been tipsy, but deep down, that’s how you really feel. Or am I wrong?” His cold gaze locked onto her, daring her to deny it.
Arianna was extremely upset at why she was not able to hold it back then…
Arianna nervously licked her dry lips, caught between defending herself and admitting her fault. Ultimately, she chose the latter.
“I... I’m sorry,” she said awkwardly, scratching her head. “I had too much to drink.”
Her apology seemed out of character for someone as proud and defiant as Arianna.
Xander’s gaze grew more intense. Despite her usual arrogance and refusal to apologize, Arianna had just said she was sorry—a rare gesture he hadn't expected.
As Xander fell silent, Arianna glanced at him cautiously. His expression was dark and inscrutable, and he didn’t seem pleased.
Was he still upset despite her apology? Xander had become increasingly difficult to please.
In their past relationship, Xander was the easiest to win back. A gentle word, a playful gesture, or even a kiss would quickly smooth things over.
After a moment's thought, Arianna suggested, “Maybe you could just let me have it? Scold me however you like until you feel better.”
Xander looked at her with a hint of disdain. “Do you think I’m like you?”
Arianna inwardly scoffed, thinking,
*Even though you never scolded me, your cutting remarks used to hurt far more than my angry words ever did.*
Realizing she was in the wrong, she forced a smile, clasped her hands together, and said,
“Well, I guess I should thank the esteemed Mr. King for his generosity in forgiving someone like me.”
After a brief pause, Arianna realized she hadn’t yet addressed the main issue and hesitantly asked, “Xander, I… didn’t say anything else, did I?”
Xander kept her guessing, “What else do you think you might have said?”
Arianna’s face fell slightly.
It seemed he was hinting that she had said more than just insults and pleas!
She wondered if she had become an unexpected chatterbox while intoxicated. She was usually someone who either fell asleep after drinking or kept her thoughts to herself. How could she have been so talkative?
Her expression grew more distressed as she pleaded, “I don’t remember, Xander. What else did I say?”
If she had said something embarrassing, she might just want to disappear entirely.
Xander's dark eyes locked onto her, and he took a step closer, closing the distance between them. Leaning in, he whispered in a deep, resonant tone,
“You said that if I agreed to help you, you’d…”
He let the last word hang in the air, drawing out the suspense.
Arianna swallowed nervously and asked, “I’d what?”
“You’d… unconditionally agree to three of my conditions in return!”
For a moment, Arianna was torn between relief and lingering anxiety.
At least she hadn't confessed to anything overly personal, though agreeing to Xander's three conditions was far from ideal!
What if the first condition was for her to leave without a trace? Would he expect her to vanish completely?
What if he demanded something extreme, like committing a crime that would land her in jail for life?
Even if she had been drunk, she couldn’t have agreed to anything that would compromise her freedom, could she? Was Xander trying to trick her?
Xander seemed to read her mind. His voice was as cold as ever as he said, “Don’t worry. I won’t ask you to do anything illegal. I wouldn’t expect you to, given your intelligence.”
Arianna was left speechless.
Xander’s tendency to speak was often more aggravating than helpful. His presence used to cloud her judgment with his looks, but now his sharp words made her wish he would just stay quiet.
She had been so infatuated that she overlooked his irritating traits, but now she saw his volatility more clearly. It seemed she was willing to overlook even the possibility of agreeing to conditions she couldn't recall, even if it meant accepting thousands of demands.
Despite the unpleasantness, Xander had indeed rescued her from a difficult situation. Without his intervention, her situation could have worsened dramatically, or she might have ended up suffering alongside her ineffective parents.
She knew well that nothing came without a cost and understood the principle of giving something in return for help.
Arianna lifted her gaze, and Xander’s striking face came into view in her eyes. Her lips parted slightly as she declared, “I won’t go back on my word since I’ve already agreed. What is it you want from me? Just tell me, and if it’s within my power, I promise I’ll do it!”
Xander lowered his gaze, his eyes reflecting Arianna’s determined figure. A glint appeared in his eyes as he began,
“The first condition is….”
