CHAPTER 209
The following morning, sunlight crept through the curtains, casting playful beams across Arianna’s face. As she stirred awake, she squinted against the light and found Xander wrapped around her, still deeply asleep.
Arianna winced at the memory of the restless night they had shared—Xander’s restless tossing and turning had left her feeling exhausted and disoriented. With a determined effort, she carefully extricated herself from his embrace, slipped out of bed, and dressed quickly.
Once dressed, Arianna made her way out of the hotel and followed the directions to a nearby street-side pharmacy. She entered and was greeted by the friendly pharmacist.
“Good morning, Miss. How can I assist you today?” he asked.
Arianna’s grip on her purse tightened as she responded, “I need the morning-after pill.”
After paying for the medication, she stepped outside and bought a bottle of water from a vending machine. With a resolute expression, she took one of the pills and swallowed it with a sip of water.
She couldn’t bring herself to contemplate having a child while her relationship with Xander was still uncertain. A child deserves more than a situation marred by uncertainty and hesitation.
…
When Xander woke up, his first instinct was to pull Arianna closer, but he was met with a space beside him. Confused, he scanned the room but found no sign of her. Rising from the bed, he searched the suite, only to find it completely deserted.
Xander glanced at the clock, puzzled by Arianna’s absence so early in the morning. Reaching for his phone on the bedside table, he dialled her number, only to hear her ringtone coming from the sofa on the other side of the room.
She had left her phone behind.
A frown crossed Xander’s face as he considered calling Ronald for help. Just then, the door swung open with a familiar click of footsteps.
Arianna had returned. Xander hurried over to the door, meeting her gaze as she walked in.
Arianna was taken aback to see him up so early. “You’re…awake?”
Xander studied her face with a mix of relief and concern. Instead of answering her question, he demanded,
“Where did you go?”
His eyes were drawn to the transparent bag she was carrying, through which he could see the pill bottle. Xander’s expression darkened as he read the label.
Arianna didn’t try to hide the bottle but felt a pang of guilt as she instinctively pulled the bag closer to her. The air in the room grew tense as Xander’s voice took on a cold edge.
“What’s this?” he asked, his voice ice-cold.
Arianna met his piercing gaze and steadied herself, “I told you yesterday that I don’t want children.”
Taking the pill was her way of safeguarding against an unwanted pregnancy.
After a brief pause, Arianna continued,
“Xander, I want my future children to be born into a loving and stable environment. I wouldn’t want them to go through what I’ve experienced, especially since I’m not ready to be a mother yet.”
Her words were clear: she neither wanted to have his child nor advance their relationship further. In her mind, she was still planning to separate from him eventually.
Xander’s expression twisted with anger. His voice was low and seething as he spat out,
“Perfect!”
Without another word, he stormed past Arianna and left the room, not even glancing back.
Arianna stood there, frozen, her hands trembling. She had no intention of provoking him; she simply needed to remain true to her beliefs about parenthood.
…
Ronald nearly tumbled out of bed when the relentless knocking jolted him awake, heart pounding in his chest. He groaned, disoriented, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
“Who on earth could that be?” he muttered under his breath, squinting at the clock. It was far too early for visitors. “What a nuisance at this hour!”
Dragging himself to the door, Ronald flung it open, fully prepared to unleash a barrage of complaints on whoever had the nerve to disturb him so early. But the words died in his throat the moment he saw Xander standing there, his face dark with barely contained rage. The icy fire in Xander’s eyes instantly drained the colour from Ronald’s face, and he swallowed hard, his scolding forgotten.
“Mr. King…” Ronald stammered, suddenly wide awake.
The sheer intensity of Xander’s mood jolted him awake.
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Ronald managed to stammer,
“M-Mr. King, what’s wrong?”
Xander’s voice was icy, sending a chill through Ronald.
“Book a plane ticket immediately. We’re heading home!” Xander’s voice was icy, leaving no room for argument.
“…What?” Ronald blinked, momentarily stunned by the abrupt order. “Why the sudden departure? What happened?”
Xander’s jaw tightened, his frustration evident. “None of your pathetic suggestions worked!” His tone dripped with anger. “I’m cancelling your bonus.”
Before Ronald could respond or even process what was happening, Xander turned sharply on his heel, his movements brisk and tense, storming out of the room without another word.
Ronald stood there, mouth slightly open, too shocked to react immediately.
Ronald stood there, dazed, as the reality of Xander’s words sank in. The sting of losing his bonus was palpable; he felt as though he had been robbed of something he had been promised. If he had never expected it, the disappointment might have been easier to bear.
The issue wasn’t Ronald’s ideas; it was Xander’s stubbornness. Ronald had advocated for a more heartfelt approach—saying ‘I love you’—but Xander had resisted. It was clear that Xander’s refusal to embrace this simple yet powerful gesture had led to the failure of their plan.
Despite his frustrations and resentment, Ronald grudgingly began booking the plane ticket. He had little choice but to comply with Xander’s demands, no matter how unfair the situation seemed. It was part of his job to follow Xander’s orders, even if it meant enduring the consequences of his boss’s mistakes.
