CHAPTER 250
For the promotional photoshoot, each contestant was required to take an individual portrait, followed by a group photo with all the participants. During the group shot, Harmony approached Arianna and stood beside her.
The camera clicked, capturing the moment in a photograph.
William Schuck, the person overseeing the competition, clapped his hands and addressed the group. "The photoshoot is done! Now, the real competition begins. I'll be adding all of you to a WeTalk group so you can connect. Get to know your fellow contestants from now on."
The group responded in unison, "Got it, Mr. Schuck."
With that, the contestants dispersed.
Arianna was already in a taxi when she heard the familiar ping of a notification on her phone. Opening WhatsApp, she saw that Walter had added her to the group chat.
The chat was quickly filling up with greetings from everyone, and Arianna was about to send a quick emoji when she noticed a bunny icon pop up in her contacts.
Someone had already sent her a friend request. Curious, she tapped the profile picture.
The message authentication showed that the request came from Harmony.
Harmony had added her as a friend even before appearing in the group. Arianna raised an eyebrow slightly but accepted the request.
The chat window with Harmony opened, signifying their connection on WeTalk.
Soon after, other contestants started adding her, and Arianna accepted their requests one by one. As she did, she made sure to annotate each contact with their name, so she wouldn't mix them up later and risk an awkward situation.
Harmony's name sat at the bottom of the list because she had been the first to send a friend request. Arianna began adding notes to each person's WhatsApp profile, starting from the top. When she finally reached Harmony's profile, her eyes widened as soon as she saw the nickname displayed.
It was just one word: *Lily*.
What seemed like a harmless nickname instantly triggered Arianna's memory of the lilies Xander had received while recovering in the hospital.
Those flowers were lilies.
The perfume, the flowers, the timing of Harmony's visits to the hospital, and their numerous "chance" encounters-all of it seemed random at first glance. But once the pieces were put together, it all pointed back to Xander.
Arianna gripped her phone tightly.
Was it all just a strange coincidence, or was Xander involved in this?
She had known Xander for quite a while, and though many women were in his life, Arianna had always been aware of who they were. But Harmony? Harmony had never been someone she encountered before.
Harmony's striking beauty wasn't the type of face anyone would forget.
Had Harmony known Xander before Arianna came into the picture, or had she appeared during Arianna's two years away?
During her time with Xander, Harmony's name had never been mentioned. But if Harmony had surfaced while Arianna was abroad, why didn't Piper know? It didn't match Piper's personality to be unaware of someone like Harmony.
Arianna was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the car had already pulled up to the villa. The driver turned slightly and reminded her,
"We're here, Miss."
The driver's voice snapped Arianna back to reality. She looked up, noticing the familiar sight of the villa, and couldn't help but think about how Xander hadn't been home for several days.
If something was going on between Xander and Harmony, could he have been with her all this time instead of being busy with work?
Arianna knew she shouldn't let her mind run wild, but it was hard not to. After all the effort it took to rebuild her relationship with Xander, she genuinely wanted things to work out. The more perfect it all seemed, the more terrified she became that something might go wrong.
Taking a deep breath, she made up her mind and spoke quietly, "Could you... take me to the King Corporation headquarters instead?"
As the car continued its journey, Arianna's thoughts spiralled further, her mind trying to piece together fragments of doubt.
About 40 minutes later, the car pulled up at the entrance of Xander's company. She paid the fare and stepped out, her determination to uncover the truth driving her forward.
But as she approached the entrance, she hesitated. If this was all just a misunderstanding, her sudden appearance would be awkward-embarrassing, even.
She needed an excuse for being there.
Glancing around, her eyes landed on a small bakery nearby. A perfect cover. She quickly headed toward it, formulating her plan as she went.
Arianna picked a random cake, and after it was packed, she left the bakery and headed straight for the King Corporation.
Since Xander had publicly acknowledged their relationship, all of the employees knew her as his wife. She walked into the building without any issue and took the private CEO elevator to the top floor.
By the time she arrived, the receptionist had already informed Ronald, Xander's assistant, of her arrival. He was waiting for her as soon as she stepped out of the elevator.
"Mrs. King," Ronald greeted her politely, "What brings you by today?"
Arianna held up the box of cakes, trying to keep her expression light and natural. "I thought I'd drop off something for his afternoon snack."
"That's very thoughtful of you, Mrs. King," Ronald responded with a smile as he escorted her to Xander's office. "Mr. King is currently in a meeting, so you may need to wait a little while."
"That's fine," Arianna replied calmly.
Ronald guided her into the office, gesturing toward the sofa. "Would you like something to drink while you wait?"
"Just a glass of warm water, please."
"Of course."
With that, Ronald left the office to fetch her drink.
Arianna placed the cake on the coffee table and glanced over at Xander's desk.
Papers were scattered across it-some appeared to have been reviewed, while others were still untouched. His computer was on, displaying a spreadsheet filled with data. Her eyes then moved to the coffee cup on the desk, almost empty, and the ashtray beside it, which held several cigarette butts.
It was clear that Xander had been under significant pressure at work.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts as Ronald stepped in, placing a glass of warm water in front of her. "Here's your water, Mrs. King."
"Thank you." Arianna took a sip, then casually asked, "Has Xander been busy lately? Has he been eating properly?"
Ronald nodded, speaking frankly, "Mr. King has been tied up with a major international project. It's been nearly three days since he's had any real rest. But don't worry, he's making time for his meals now-after all, he's a married man. He's got a family to think about, especially with a wife like you around!"
Arianna couldn't help but smile at his words.
Her concerns began to ease. Xander truly had been swamped with work, and the scenarios she had imagined turned out to be unfounded.
Although she was relieved, a small part of her still worried about him.
"As busy as he is, he still needs to take care of himself. Could you remind him to rest when you get the chance, Ronald?"
Ronald smiled and nodded. "Of course, Mrs. King."
"Thank you. I appreciate it," she replied warmly.
