CHAPTER 224
Xander was looking right at Arianna, his eyes swirling with a myriad of emotions. She couldn't quite make out what was going on in his mind, and the uncertainty made her even more anxious. His intense gaze was almost too much to bear, making her heart race as she waited for him to say something, anything.
Time seemed to stretch infinitely. It was as if an eternity passed in a single heartbeat before Xander finally spoke. His voice was calm, almost steady as he uttered a single word,
"Alright."
"Alright?"
What did he mean by that? Arianna was taken aback, her mind racing to catch up.
It took her a moment to process that his "alright" was a response to everything she had said while he was unconscious. But what did it mean? Was he just acknowledging her confession, or was there more to it?
As her thoughts swirled in confusion, Xander spoke again, his voice quiet but firm,
"Arianna, let's... make this work. Let's find happiness together from now on."
Arianna's eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat. Was Xander saying this? Was he confessing to her?
She recalled the moments when Xander had shown signs of caring, the subtle changes in his behaviour. Even his recent sacrifice to save her life had spoken volumes. And yet, the pain of his abrupt departure from her life two years ago had been a constant shadow over her heart, making her wary of trusting him again.
Could she believe that he genuinely wanted to start anew with her?
Xander's words broke through her whirlwind of thoughts. They were simple, clear, and left no room for misunderstanding. He wanted them to move forward, to seek happiness together.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked at him, almost afraid to believe it. She licked her dry lips and managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper,
"What are you... What are you saying, Xander?"
She needed to hear it again, to make sure this was real and not some cruel trick of her imagination.
Xander held her gaze, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes as if recalling a distant memory. He remembered the first time he had agreed to be with her, how she had looked at him with those same wide, questioning eyes, unsure if she had heard him correctly.
His lips curved into a faint smile, a softness touching his usually guarded expression.
"I’m saying, Arianna, let's find our happiness together. Let’s make it work from now on."
The words were so simple, yet they held the weight of all the unspoken emotions between them. At that moment, Arianna felt a spark of hope, a glimmer of the life they could build together if they dared to take that step forward.
After a moment, Xander's voice softened even further as he gently asked,
“Is that... okay?”
He was ready to let go of the pain and misunderstandings from two years ago because, in risking everything to protect Arianna, he realized that she meant more to him than he had ever allowed himself to admit.
Sometimes, people hold on to their hurts and grievances because they feel too difficult to move past. But Xander didn’t want to keep punishing himself and Arianna. He didn't want them to keep hurting each other and risk losing something that could be so much more.
Arianna heard his words this time.
Xander genuinely wanted to build a future together with her.
Those words, though lacking an explicit "I love you," carried a promise that was perhaps even more meaningful—one of a fresh start, of choosing to be happy together.
Yet, even as his words wrapped around her heart, Arianna felt a tug of hesitation. The shadows of their past loomed large in her mind.
She frowned slightly, the movement so subtle yet telling.
Xander watched her every expression, his heart sinking a little as the moments dragged on in silence. The glimmer in his eyes dimmed, his voice barely a whisper,
"You... don't want that?"
Was there truly no place for him in her heart? Had he misread everything?
"No, that's not it!" Arianna shook her head, her denial immediate and sincere.
She did want to be with him, but questions lingered in her heart. She couldn't just forget the way he had shattered their marriage two years ago. There had to be a reason for why he pushed her away so abruptly, and that reason still haunted her.
Her eyes reflected that inner turmoil as she looked at him. Could she take this step forward without knowing the truth?
Xander, sensing her conflict, leaned forward slightly, his gaze intense and probing.
"Then what is it, Arianna? What’s holding you back?"
Arianna met his eyes, feeling the weight of his question. Should she ask? Should she finally confront the ghost of their past, the one that had haunted them both for so long?
She wanted to ask him that question, the one that had plagued her for so long. Yet, as the words reached her lips, they stalled. Something held her back, a fear of shattering the fragile moment they were sharing. If she brought up the past, if she reopened those wounds, what if it led them back to the same bitter place, where he’d once dismissed their love so callously,
"I got tired of playing"?
Was it worth risking their present and possible future for the sake of clarity about the past? Maybe, just maybe, it was time to let go and move forward.
After all, two years had passed since that painful time. They were not the same people they once were. A lot had changed between them, and there was now a chance to rebuild something new and beautiful. They were married, after all. If she could take a leap of faith and embrace what could be, there might still be a chance for a happier future together.
With that thought in mind, Arianna took a deep breath, feeling her heart race with the gravity of her decision. Slowly, she rose from the chair, offering him a smile that felt like the dawn after a long, night. Borrowing a page from Xander's book, she said playfully yet with deep sincerity, "I’ll be in your care for the rest of my life, my husband."
‘For the rest of my life…’
For Xander, those words held a weight he had never truly understood until that moment. Arianna was willing to entrust her entire future to him, to give him another chance to be the man she needed him to be.
His heart swelled with a mix of gratitude and resolve. He was determined to hold onto this second chance, to grasp it with both hands and never let it slip away again.
Xander reached out, his hand moving towards Arianna's. His slender fingers slowly wrapped around hers, holding on as if anchoring himself to this new beginning. He was about to give her hand a reassuring squeeze when suddenly, the door to the ward swung open.
