CHAPTER 218
“He lost a lot of blood and…” Ronald paused, his voice catching slightly as though he was holding back something too heavy to say. After a moment, he skipped to the next part,
“…the operation lasted for hours, stretching into the early morning. Fortunately, Xander’s condition has stabilized for now, but he remains unconscious and is currently being closely monitored in the ICU.”
He sighed, his face strained. “I haven’t told his grandmother yet. I’m worried she won’t be able to handle the news, given her age. I’ve also kept the media from getting wind of this—it would create chaos within the company.”
Although Ronald’s summary was brief, it hit Arianna hard.
Her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, her voice shaky as she stammered,
“I… I need to see Xander. Please… take me to him.”
“Of course,” Ronald nodded.
As they began to walk, Arianna’s legs wobbled, and Ronald quickly caught her, his concern evident.
“Are you alright, Mrs King? Maybe you should lie down and rest a bit longer. You don’t look strong enough to—”
“I’m fine,” she interrupted, determination lacing her words.
“Take me to him.”
Ronald gave a small nod and supported her carefully as they made their way to the intensive care unit.
Once they had donned protective gear, Arianna stepped inside the ICU. The sight before her was painfully familiar—it was almost identical to the scene she had witnessed when she visited Charlie some time ago.
Charlie had never woken up after that, and the thought made her heart race with dread.
She swallowed hard and walked slowly to Xander’s bedside. There he was, lying motionless on the hospital bed, his face pale, almost lifeless. Various tubes and medical equipment surrounded him, attached to his body to monitor his every breath.
Tears stung her eyes as she stood there, terrified that Xander, like Charlie, might not wake up.
Never had Arianna seen Xander so vulnerable, so pale. The man she knew had always been unshakable, the kind who could stare down the barrel of a gun without so much as flinching. No matter the circumstance, Xander had always been a figure of strength and command.
But now, he was lying there, helpless, because of her.
Arianna pulled a chair up to the bedside, her trembling fingers reaching for his hand. It felt ice-cold against her skin, sending a chill through her body, but she held on tighter, determined to warm it as if her touch alone could bring him back.
“Xander…” Her voice cracked, the words heavy with emotion. She had cried so much that there were no more tears left, yet each word felt like another tear falling.
“Is this how you felt when I was unconscious? Did you sit by my side, holding my hand, talking to me like I’m doing now?
“I can't imagine how you felt back then, but right now… I’m terrified. So scared. I dreamt that you came to me, that you were saying goodbye. It felt so real. The last time I had a dream like that was before my grandfather died... and shortly after, I got the call. I can’t go through that again, Xander. I can't lose you.”
Her grip tightened, her desperation clear in the way she clung to him, hoping her words would somehow reach him.
“There’s so much I still need to say, so many things left unsaid between us. I have questions—questions only you can answer. And then... there’s those two promises I still owe you. You always said you were too smart to make a bad deal. Shouldn’t you wake up and make sure I keep my end of the bargain? Don’t you want to make sure I don’t get away with anything?”
But Xander remained still, the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor growing fainter, the numbers slowly dropping.
Panic clawed at Arianna, her chest tightening as her voice grew hoarse, barely a whisper.
“All those arguments, those fights—they don’t mean anything now. None of it matters when compared to losing you. Please, Xander… don’t leave me.
“If you pull through this, I’ll give you everything. I’ll stay. I won’t bring up leaving ever again. And if you want... I’ll give you the family you’ve always talked about. A child… our child. Just please, Xander… please come back to me.”
Her words hung in the air, the only sound in the room the faint hum of machines, as she clung to his hand, hoping for a miracle.
..............
Xander found himself lost in a long, vivid dream.
For the past two years, he had made a conscious effort not to dwell on the memories of his time with Arianna. But in that dream, he relived every moment, each scene, as if watching a film of their life together—those were some of the happiest times he'd ever known.
Arianna had always left a lasting impression on him. Even before they officially met, she'd been a part of his life. His grandfather often told the story of Arianna's first birthday, during her traditional one-year-old catch. According to the tale, Arianna had crawled straight toward Xander and grabbed hold of his pant leg, a moment that his grandfather delighted in recounting.
His grandfather had even taken a photograph of that moment and made it a point to show Xander the picture every time he told the story. Xander had been young then, and his grandfather would always tease him, asking if he thought the little girl in the photo was cute.
At first, Xander would give half-hearted, polite answers, unsure of how to respond. To him, all babies looked the same—how could anyone judge beauty at such a young age? But the more his grandfather persisted, the more annoyed Xander became.
Eventually, he grew tired of the constant questions and began to push back. With a smirk, he'd say, "She wasn’t that cute." His grandfather would huff in disapproval every time, glaring at him as if Xander had insulted a treasured family heirloom.
Undeterred, the old man made it his mission to capture a photo of Arianna every year as she grew up. He’d ask her family to send the pictures, then proudly show them to Xander, each time hoping to hear a different response.
Xander couldn’t help but chuckle in his dream, recalling how stubborn his grandfather was. Yet, as the years passed, Arianna had grown into a beautiful young woman, someone who had inadvertently become a part of Xander’s life even before he truly knew her.
Though he pretended not to care back then, a small part of him had always been curious about the girl his grandfather adored so much. Little did he know that she would one day mean everything to him.
