CHAPTER 185
Arianna leapt out of bed to retrieve the phone, but Xander was quicker, snatching it up before she could. He glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing.
Arianna’s anxiety spiked. Despite her clear explanation the previous day, she was unsure if Xander truly believed her, as he had never given a direct response. She feared he might react angrily again.
Just as panic started to set in, Xander suddenly handed her the phone. In a flat tone, he said, “Answer it.”
Arianna’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t quite process it—had he really just given her permission to answer?
What was happening? Did he actually believe what she’d said the night before?
Arianna eyed him warily before tentatively reaching out to take the phone. She pressed the answer button slowly.
“Good morning, Arianna,” Alan’s voice was warm and reassuring on the other end.
Arianna glanced at Xander, who had yet to move and appeared calm. His unreadable expression made her uneasy, leaving her uncertain about his thoughts. With no other option, she responded to Alan, “Good morning, Dr. Woods. Why the early call today?”
“I’ve finalized the treatment plan for your brother. We need to schedule a time for you, the attending doctor, and me to go over it and make sure everything’s set. We can start the treatment as soon as we confirm there are no issues.”
“Really?” Arianna’s eyes lit up with excitement as she instinctively covered her mouth with her hand. “We can come by whenever it’s convenient for you. I’m available at any time.”
She was pleasantly surprised that the final plan was ready so quickly and expressed her gratitude, “I didn’t expect it to be completed this soon. I truly appreciate all the time and effort you and the Saint John have put into this!”
Alan’s voice softened with a chuckle. “It’s my responsibility to keep my promise to you.”
“You weren’t obligated to go this far, but I’m genuinely grateful to both you and the Saint John,” Arianna replied with heartfelt thanks.
Alan responded with a warm smile in his voice. “I’ll see you soon.”
Arianna’s excitement remained palpable even after she hung up. She turned to Xander, her face alight with joy. “Xander, I’m so thrilled that Charlie will be saved! He might even wake up soon!” She reached out and embraced him.
Xander was momentarily surprised but returned the hug.
Feeling the warmth of the moment, Arianna blushed as she slowly pulled away, a small, shy smile playing on her lips.
Arianna quickly tried to compose herself. She was about to backtrack when Xander responded softly, “Mm, that’s great to hear.”
Arianna stared at him, her surprise evident.
Was she dreaming? Xander’s unusually pleasant demeanor was unexpected.
To make sure she wasn’t imagining things, she pinched her own leg and winced at the sharp pain.
No, she was definitely awake.
Seeing that Xander was in a good mood, Arianna saw a chance to bring up something she’d been meaning to discuss. She took a deep breath and began, “Xander, I’d like to…”
Arianna hesitated for a moment before finally finding the courage to continue,
“…I’d like to take Dr. Woods ood out for a meal.”
Xander’s dark eyes narrowed slightly.
“Why?”
His tone was flat, making it hard for Arianna to gauge his reaction. But she was determined to press on since she had brought it up.
She gathered her thoughts and explained, “I mentioned before that Charlie wouldn’t have received treatment from Saint John, without Dr. Wood’s help. I promised him a meal as a thank you, but it’s been delayed due to... some complications. I want to make it up to him now.”
She added after a pause, “I believe this is something I should discuss with you.”
After all, their marriage had just been made public the day before, and Arianna knew she had to uphold the reputation of being Xander’s wife. She had also promised him that she wouldn’t do anything that could bring shame to the Kings or the Kings Group.
She could easily meet her friends for a meal, but since Alan had once been the center of scandalous rumors about her, it was wiser to inform Xander in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.
It was the right thing to do…
As those thoughts ran through Arianna's mind, the darkness in Xander’s eyes gradually faded, replaced by a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Arianna was finally acknowledging her role as Mrs. King.
But then, she mentioned having a meal with Alan…
Memories of every previous interaction Xander had witnessed between Arianna and that so-called ‘Dr. Woods ’ flashed through his mind, causing him to frown slightly.
Men understood each other too well, and Xander could see that there was something more in the way Alan looked at Arianna.
Noticing Xander’s prolonged silence and the unreadable expression on his face, Arianna unconsciously bit her lower lip.
If Xander refused to let her treat Alan to dinner, would she have to find another way to express her gratitude?
But then, to her surprise, she heard Xander’s cold and indifferent voice say,
“Alright.”
Arianna was stunned, unable to process what she had just heard. Did he really just say, ‘Alright’? Was Xander actually agreeing?
Sensing her disbelief, Xander glanced at her sideways and added, “Dr. Wood has done so much for Charlie. It’s only appropriate to thank him with a dinner.”
Xander’s response was logical and reasonable, but his sudden shift to being so considerate made Arianna feel uneasy. An inexplicable chill ran down her spine.
She asked again, her voice soft with uncertainty, “Xander, are you really… okay with me treating Dr. Woods to dinner?”
Xander lowered his gaze, meeting her wide, questioning eyes, and confirmed, “Yes, but…”
Arianna had a feeling there was more to it, yet she found herself relaxing slightly as she asked, “But what?”
“As Mrs. King, you must ensure you approach this dinner with the utmost sincerity,” Xander replied casually. “You can’t afford to make a fool of yourself.”
Arianna frowned, realizing that Xander’s words implied she needed to choose a restaurant that reflected her status as Mrs. King.
Initially, she had planned to pick a place within her budget. It wasn’t that she was unwilling to spend, but the restaurants fitting of Mrs. Kings’ stature were absurdly expensive. Even if she sold an organ, she wouldn’t come close to affording it!
"I..." Arianna hesitated, then continued, "I... You know I don’t have much money. I can only do my best not to appear impolite.”
The entire country probably knew how low her bank balance was...
Xander’s eyes narrowed as he gave her a disapproving look.
Arianna felt even more embarrassed. It wasn’t her fault she was broke! A wealthy man like him would never understand the struggle of being short on cash!
