CHAPTER 197
Arianna's curiosity was piqued. "When did you start cooking?" she asked.
Reflecting on their past interactions, Arianna realized she had never seen Xander in the kitchen before. Had he acquired this skill recently?
"Why would someone like Xander suddenly decide to learn how to cook?" she wondered aloud, not realizing her internal monologue had escaped her lips.
Xander's response was curt, his voice taking on an even colder edge. "What do you think?"
Arianna's brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of it. "What do I think?" she repeated, struggling to connect the dots.
In her experience, many men learn to cook for a special woman in their lives. Could Xander have learned to cook for someone like Piper or one of the other women in his circle?
The thought stirred an uncomfortable sensation in her chest. She had been close to Xander for so long, and yet he had never learned to cook for her. It seemed that his culinary skills had been developed for someone else...
Just how much did Xander truly regard her?
It wasn’t lost on Arianna that she often compared herself to others, especially about the man she cared about. Talking about it now would only heighten her anxiety and frustration. Deciding it was best to drop the topic, she sighed and said, "I don’t know. Let’s just eat—I’m starving."
She quickly grabbed her utensils and began eating, making it clear that she preferred silence for the remainder of the meal.
Xander observed her with a sharp gaze. Her lack of curiosity left him feeling a pang of emptiness.
Despite their apparent progress, it seemed they had reached a limit in their relationship.
With his appetite waning, Xander pushed his plate aside after a few bites and stood up, quietly exiting the dining room.
Arianna listened as Xander's footsteps ascended the stairs. A few minutes later, she heard him descend, head out the door, and drive away.
With his departure, her appetite vanished, and she abandoned her meal.
...
At King Enterprises, Ronald was startled when Xander walked into the office. For a moment, he wondered if he was imagining things.
Earlier that day, Xander had called to inform Ronald that he would be spending a few days at home with Arianna, instructing him to contact him only in case of a genuine emergency and to reschedule any pressing matters.
Yet, here was Xander, back at the office within a few hours.
Ronald speculated that something serious must have occurred at the company, but that seemed unlikely—he would have been alerted to any major crisis. The only other explanation was that something had gone wrong at home. Had Xander and Arianna had a falling out?
Ronald felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He would have preferred a company crisis over witnessing any discord between Xander and Arianna.
Seeing Xander’s dazed and troubled demeanour as he entered the office, Ronald suspected the latter scenario was more plausible. He couldn’t help but reflect on how cruel fate could be—just when he thought he might enjoy a few quiet days, trouble always seemed to find him.
Nevertheless, as Xander’s loyal assistant, Ronald knew his primary duty was to address any issues for his boss. Despite his reluctance, he straightened his suit, took a deep breath, and approached Xander’s desk.
After a moment of hesitation, he chose his words carefully and spoke in a gentle tone. "Mr. King, did you come back unexpectedly because things didn’t go well at home? Navigating such personal matters can be quite a challenge..."
Xander's icy glare met Ronald’s, causing a cold sweat to break out on Ronald’s back, despite the office’s air conditioning.
Realizing his misstep, Ronald stammered, "I’m sorry, Mr. King. I shouldn’t have pried. I’ll return to my desk and get back to work."
Ronald quickly turned and made for the door, eager to escape.
But just as he was about to leave, Xander’s voice cut through the air. "Come back here."
Ronald froze and slowly turned around, his face etched with regret. "I’m truly sorry, Mr. King. I didn’t mean to overstep. Please, give me another chance..."
Xander’s tone was sharp. "Enough."
Ronald fell silent, not daring to say another word.
Xander reclined in his chair, rubbing his temples in frustration. After a moment of contemplation, he finally asked, "Are you married, Ronald?"
The unexpected question took Ronald by surprise, but he quickly composed himself and answered honestly, "No, sir."
"Have you ever been in a relationship?" Xander pressed.
"Uh... Well, just once, back in kindergarten," Ronald confessed, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Xander fixed him with a penetrating gaze. "Kindergarten?"
Ronald’s face reddened further. "Yes, sir, that's right..."
Xander’s lips curled into a dismissive smile. "And what kind of advice could you possibly offer me when you’ve never been in a serious relationship or been married?"
Ronald’s face fell, and he struggled to find words. The sting of Xander’s words was palpable.
A sense of melancholy washed over him. He wasn’t uninterested in relationships or lacking the means to pursue one. With his good looks and status as a high-paying professional, he was certainly in a desirable position.
However, after Xander took over King Enterprises, Ronald’s workload intensified. As Xander’s assistant, his schedule became overwhelming, leaving him with little time to seek out a relationship.
When Xander and Arianna were preparing to marry, Ronald had hoped that Xander’s balancing act between work and family would free up some of his own time for a personal life. But with the sudden end of Xander’s marriage plans, Ronald’s hopes for his romantic prospects remained unfulfilled.
