CHAPTER 196
“You…”
Xander had spent the entire night sitting by Arianna’s side, waiting for the moment she would wake up. He had been wrestling with a question that had been haunting him: Did she regret what had happened between them over the past two years? Despite his usual confidence, the thought of hearing her answer made him anxious in a way he hadn’t anticipated.
It was ironic, really—he, who feared nothing, was deeply unsettled by the possibility of Arianna’s response.
“It’s nothing,” Xander finally said, though the slight tremor in his voice betrayed his uncertainty.
Arianna noticed the unusual edge in his voice, sensing that something was off. Xander had been uncharacteristically quiet the previous night, and even now, he seemed distant, almost as if something heavy weighed on his mind. Was he not feeling well?
Just as Arianna was about to question him, Xander interrupted her, “I’m just exhausted.”
Noticing the dark circles under his eyes, Arianna’s expression softened. “If you’re that worn out, you should get some sleep. It’s important to rest.”
“Yeah, alright,” Xander replied, a subtle note of relief slipping into his tone.
As he turned toward the bed, Arianna watched him closely, her concern deepening. She hadn’t expected him to be this worn out.
Without warning, Xander flopped down onto the bed, pulling Arianna down beside him with surprising gentleness.
Arianna was caught off guard and protested, “I said you should get some rest, not drag me into bed with you...”
She had already slept the night away!
“Shh,” Xander murmured, his voice soft but firm, as he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close against him. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he let out a sigh as his eyes finally closed.
Arianna tried to wriggle free, but Xander’s embrace was unyielding. Trapped, she could do nothing but stare up at the ceiling, wondering how she had ended up in this situation. It was clear that Xander needed her close to fall asleep, and his stubbornness left her little choice.
She expected to lie awake, but as she listened to the steady rhythm of Xander’s breathing and felt the warmth of his body against hers, she began to relax. Before long, her eyelids grew heavy, and despite herself, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
...
When Arianna woke again, the sun was already high in the sky, casting bright beams of light through the windows.
She blinked a few times, disoriented, and then checked the time. Nearly one o’clock in the afternoon. Xander was no longer beside her.
After freshening up in the bathroom, she headed downstairs, her steps light and cautious as she wondered where Xander had gone. To her surprise, she found him sitting on the living room sofa, casually scrolling through his phone.
She had assumed he would have already left for work…
As she approached, she noticed that Xander was on a video call, and from the faint voice she heard, it sounded like he was talking to a woman.
Curiosity got the better of her, and Arianna quietly moved closer, trying to catch more of the conversation.
But just as she reached him, Xander ended the call and pocketed his phone, turning his gaze toward her.
Arianna froze, caught red-handed. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she let out a nervous laugh, trying to play it cool.
“Why are you still here? Don’t you need to be at the office today?” she asked, attempting to divert attention from her earlier snooping.
Xander smiled faintly. “I decided to take the day off.”
Arianna blinked, momentarily taken aback. For a workaholic like Xander, taking a day off was almost unheard of. It was as if the world had turned upside down.
She glanced out the floor-to-ceiling windows, half-expecting to see some strange phenomenon outside, given the unexpected nature of his statement.
“Time to eat,” Xander announced suddenly, pulling her back to reality.
“Huh?” Arianna snapped out of her thoughts. “But I haven’t cooked anything…”
Aunt Julia wasn’t around, and there were no other staff in the house today.
“The food’s already ready,” Xander said with a hint of nonchalance, as he stood up and made his way toward the kitchen.
Arianna stared after him, blinking in surprise. It took a few moments for his words to sink in. ‘The food’s already ready? Did Xander… cook?’
She hurried to the dining room, where she found the table set with three dishes and a soup, all kept warm and ready to eat. To her astonishment, every dish was one of her favourites.
The presentation was impeccable, and the aroma was mouthwatering. It looked like something out of a gourmet restaurant.
Arianna slowly took her seat, still in a bit of disbelief. She glanced over at Xander, who was calmly serving himself, and asked softly, “Xander, did you… order takeout?”
She couldn’t help but recall that Xander had always lived a life of luxury. The idea of him stepping into a kitchen seemed almost laughable.
Xander met her gaze and, with a firm tone, replied, “No, I made it.”
“Really?” Arianna’s surprise was evident. “When did you learn how to cook?”
Xander’s grip on his utensils tightened slightly as memories flooded back.
He thought back to the days when Arianna was recovering in the hospital after her accident. She had been too weak to enjoy the bland hospital food, often complaining about how tasteless it was. That offhand complaint had stayed with him.
Determined to help, Xander had hired a dietitian to prepare customized meals for her. But after a while, he realized that he wanted to do more than just provide for her—he wanted to be the one making her meals, to ensure that each dish was exactly to her liking. So, he began learning how to cook, perfecting nutritious and delicious meals that she could enjoy.
Yet, his pride had kept him from telling her the truth. Arianna had always assumed the dietitian was behind the delicious meals, and she had even praised the dietitian’s skills in front of Xander multiple times. He hadn’t known whether to laugh or feel frustrated by how little she seemed to notice him.
Even now, she was clueless about the effort he had put in for her. Was he so insignificant in her life?
Xander’s voice grew noticeably cooler as he responded, “I’ve known how to cook for a while now.”
