CHAPTER 208
The light in Xander’s eyes dimmed as he looked at Arianna, his expression unreadable. Without saying a word, he tightened his grip and gently pulled her toward him.
The space between them vanished, and before Arianna could fully process what was happening, she found herself practically pressed against him.
After a few moments of stunned silence, the reality of the situation dawned on her. Her heart raced, and her voice wavered as she stammered,
“X-Xander… don’t… don’t play around.”
She wasn’t naïve—she knew exactly what was on his mind. Everything about the way he held her, the intensity in his gaze, left little doubt.
Her instincts kicked in, and she placed her hands on his chest, attempting to create some distance between them.
“We… we’re not really… like that. This isn’t… right,” she murmured, her thoughts scattered.
Even though their relationship had come a long way from where it had started, it still wasn’t close to resembling a normal marriage.
Their previous encounters had always felt complicated, tied up with emotions neither fully understood.
But right now, at this moment, there were no excuses, no misunderstandings. They were both completely aware of what was happening.
Xander’s voice cut through her thoughts, firm but not harsh.
“Our marriage license—do you think it’s fake?”
His sudden question caught Arianna off guard, her mind faltering as she responded reflexively,
“Of course it’s real…”
Xander had made their marriage public months ago, and there was no denying its legitimacy. The whole world knew about them, and their marriage certificate was official.
“And what about the ceremony today? Was that fake too?”
“It was real…” she admitted, unable to come up with any argument against it.
Xander's eyes locked with hers, his tone now more direct.
“Then tell me, why are we not a real couple?”
Arianna found herself at a loss for words.
The truth was staring her in the face, and yet she struggled to answer. The lines between what their relationship had been and what it was becoming blurred, and she wasn’t sure where they stood anymore.
As soon as Arianna’s question escaped her lips, she noticed the fire in Xander’s eyes dim slightly. She couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief wash over her, but it was short-lived.
In the next moment, Xander’s hand tightened on her waist, his grip firm enough to draw a soft gasp from her. Startled, she met his intense gaze, her heart racing as his deep black eyes bore into hers.
His voice dropped to a low, commanding tone, each word deliberate and forceful.
“Listen to me, Arianna. I have no intention of divorcing you, not after making our marriage public. I don’t ever want to hear you mention the word ‘divorce’ again.”
His words hit her like a wave, crashing into her with unexpected force.
*No intention of divorcing?*
Arianna blinked, her breath catching in her throat. She had always believed their marriage was nothing more than a temporary solution, something Xander had done to control the damage from whatever public crisis they faced. She never imagined he might see it as something permanent.
Her mind raced. If Xander had no plans to divorce her, did that mean he wanted to stay tied to her for the rest of their lives? Surely, he wasn’t the type of man to bind himself to someone just out of revenge. It didn’t fit his character.
He was too calculating for that—too pragmatic.
There had to be another reason.
Was it all for the sake of his family’s reputation? The King's family name and their empire? Or could there possibly be something deeper behind his words, something she hadn’t yet grasped?
Xander’s voice broke through her thoughts once more, his grip on her waist loosening slightly, but his tone remained firm.
“If you get pregnant, you’ll have the baby. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
Arianna’s eyes widened, but before she could fully react, he added, his gaze softening ever so slightly,
“And Grandma... she’d be overjoyed.”
His last words stunned her even further.
*What?*
The idea of bringing a child into their complicated relationship was shocking enough, but now he was talking about his grandmother’s happiness. What did he mean by casually telling her to “just have the baby” if she got pregnant?
Arianna’s mind spun. How could he speak so matter-of-factly about something that could completely alter both their lives? Did he think it was that simple?
“What...what do you mean?” Arianna finally managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn’t sure whether she was more shocked or confused by his sudden declaration.
Xander’s gaze never wavered, as though everything he said was as straightforward to him as breathing.
“I mean exactly what I said. There’s no need for overthinking or complications. If you get pregnant, we’ll deal with it together. End of story.”
His confidence was almost unnerving, as if he had already made up his mind about their future and there was no room for negotiation.
Arianna could hardly process his words. Did he truly believe that a child could fit so easily into their already turbulent marriage?
Or was this his way of trying to bind her to him forever, using the idea of family to cement their bond?
The questions swirled in her head, but one thing was clear—nothing was as simple as he made it seem.
It wasn’t as simple as buying groceries from the market; this was a human life they were talking about!
Arianna’s thoughts raced, and the weight of the situation pressed down on her. Her upbringing—growing up with parents like Simon and Margaret —had instilled in her a strong sense of responsibility when it came to having children. If she ever decided to become a mother, she wanted her child to be born into a home filled with love, a place where both parents truly desired their child’s presence and eagerly anticipated its arrival.
The last thing she wanted was to bring a child into the world to be used as a pawn to appease the expectations of others.
Children were fragile, and they would suffer deeply if their parents were disconnected, only pretending to love each other for the sake of appearances. The idea of raising a child in an environment that could one day fall apart frightened her more than she could express. She knew the pain of growing up in a broken family and was determined never to subject her child to that same heartache.
Arianna couldn’t imagine bringing a child into her life now—not while Charlie, gravely ill, still needed her full attention. She couldn’t juggle the emotional weight of caring for him while taking on the immense responsibility of raising a child.
“Xander, I—”
Before Arianna could utter a word of protest, Xander silenced her with a forceful, unexpected kiss. His lips claimed hers, cutting off any chance for her to refuse.
Her eyes widened in shock, hands immediately pushing against his chest in a desperate attempt to create distance, but Xander held her firm.
“Mmph—” Arianna’s muffled resistance was swallowed by the intensity of his kiss. His restraint seemed to vanish as he gently but firmly pressed her into the plush mattress, pinning her wrists above her head. The kiss deepened, his lips both demanding and tender, leaving her with no escape.
Xander had always preferred actions over words.
Xander knew that if they continued talking, the conversation would lead to another fight, another misunderstanding. So, he chose the one way he knew would prevent further argument. His grip was firm, but his kisses, though fervent, were tender, designed to wear down her resistance.
Arianna’s struggle weakened as oxygen left her lungs, her body gradually softening under his touch. Her attempts to fight back became futile as the intensity of the moment overwhelmed her. Slowly, Xander released her wrists, his fingers intertwining with hers, his grip now gentler but still firm.
As his lips finally pulled away from hers, leaving her breathless, Xander’s gaze softened. The only thought running through his mind, clear as day, was how much he wanted to hold onto her, to keep her with him—now and in the future.
When Xander heard Arianna say "I do" during the church ceremony, his only thought was,
*I want to hold your hand and spend the rest of my life with you.*
He didn’t care about the past anymore. All that mattered was the present—this moment where he held her close, and the future that lay ahead of them. He wanted her by his side, not just now, but for the rest of their lives.
The night stretched long, their emotions simmering beneath the surface, but something unspoken passed between them.
Something that changed everything.
