CHAPTER 259
It was the absolute worst situation imaginable...
Once her reputation was questioned, it might not even matter if she managed to clear her name—changing how the public viewed her could be nearly impossible. The damage done could shatter her aspirations of becoming a news anchor. The public's anger was intense.
Arianna's grip on her phone tightened, her knuckles turning white as she realized who was behind this mess. Jane had made a brutal move that could completely destroy Arianna’s career.
Even though Arianna could share footage from the entire competition to prove the barking incident was false, the real issue lay with the video involving the general manager.
There was no escaping the fact that she had entered his office, and while he had only given her words of encouragement, no one else had been there to witness it.
Even if she or the general manager tried to clarify things, it wouldn’t be sufficient. Without concrete evidence, clearing her name felt impossible.
The pressure of the situation weighed heavily on her. There was a genuine chance that Starlight TV might force her to step down.
Biting her lip, Arianna’s thoughts raced, searching for a way out. Giving up was not in her character, even if her odds seemed bleak.
Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her, pulling her into a warm, familiar hug. Surprised, she turned to see Xander’s charming face.
“When did you get back?” Her voice came out softer than she intended.
"Just a couple of minutes ago. I came in, but you were too lost in thought to notice."
He rested his chin on her shoulder, his eyes drifting to her phone screen. With a calm yet assertive tone, he said,
"Stop staring at that."
As he spoke, Xander gently took the phone from her hand and tossed it aside, adding nonchalantly,
“Isn’t it better to focus on me instead of wasting time on all that drama?”
After a brief moment, he grinned, “At least I’m more pleasant to look at.”
Arianna couldn’t help but feel her spirits lift a little at his playful confidence. She turned around in his arms, hugging him tightly and resting her head against his chest as if seeking comfort. With him, there was no need to pretend. She muttered softly,
“I earned that first place fair and square.”
Xander’s hand moved soothingly across her back, his voice gentle and reassuring. “Of course, you did.”
Arianna looked up, her dark eyes meeting his. “But you didn’t watch the competition, Xander. How can you be so sure there was nothing shady about it? What if I used my connection as Mrs King to get ahead?”
Xander chuckled, as though the idea was absurd.
“If you ever wanted to play dirty, you'd come to me. That ‘senior figure’ wouldn’t even stand a chance.”
He lifted her chin lightly with his fingers, his eyes narrowing slightly in amusement.
“Isn’t that right?”
Although Xander’s question seemed casual, Arianna could sense that if she so much as said the wrong thing, he wouldn’t take it lightly. There was a hint of possessiveness in his tone, almost as if he was a little jealous of that “senior figure.”
Arianna felt a wave of warmth in her heart and quickly nodded, channelling his confident demeanour as she replied,
“Yes! How could I ever overlook someone as handsome as you?”
Xander, clearly pleased with her enthusiastic compliment, playfully pinched the tip of her nose.
After a moment, Arianna decided to clarify things.
“The general manager only approached me because he thought I showed promise after seeing me in the competition. He just wanted to offer some words of encouragement, but it got misinterpreted.”
“Is that so?” Xander’s tone remained calm, though his expression gave away little of what he was thinking.
Resting in his arms, Arianna could feel the anxiety that had gripped her begin to fade. Slowly, her mood lightened. She had faced countless challenges before, and her resolve wasn’t easily shaken. There was always a way out of a difficult situation, and she knew she just needed to keep pushing through.
After a while, she sat up and said, “I’m feeling a bit thirsty. I’ll go get a glass of water.”
“I’ll get it,” Xander responded immediately, getting up and heading out of the room.
Arianna smiled, got out of bed, and walked into the bathroom. She turned on the faucet, cupped some water in her hands, and splashed it on her face. As the cool water touched her skin, a few thoughts began to swirl in her mind.
When Arianna stepped out of the bathroom, Xander was already back with a glass of water, which he had placed on the coffee table. He stood by the bed, speaking on the phone in a low, measured tone.
Arianna walked quietly over, picked up the glass, and took a slow sip.
Xander’s voice was calm but firm as he said,
“Have the legal team at King Group file a lawsuit against those accounts I just mentioned.”
As she listened to the usernames he rattled off, Arianna recognized them. They belonged to the netizens who had been the most vocal in their slander against her on GossipNet. More accurately, they were cyber troopers rather than ordinary users.
An idea had crossed her mind while she was washing her face. She considered sending a legal notice to those accounts, urging them to stop spreading rumours.
If they deleted their posts and clarified the situation, she could minimize the damage. It seemed Xander had the same plan, but his approach was far more aggressive—he was ready to have his legal team confront the owners of those accounts directly.
The King Group's legal team was known for being relentless once they got involved.
Arianna had always relied on her strength to overcome challenges, but now she felt a sense of security knowing that someone was there to protect her.
Xander was the one who had stepped in to shield her from harm, and a wave of gratitude washed over Arianna.
Xander ended the call and turned around to find Arianna staring at him, a blank expression on her face. He approached her and lowered his gaze, asking,
“What’s with that look?”
Arianna lifted her head, her eyes sparkling with mischief. A bright smile spread across her face as she replied,
“You know how in those TV dramas, you look just like the domineering CEO protecting his little wife!”
“Oh really?” Xander raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“And what would that CEO typically do in a situation like this?”
Arianna didn’t hesitate. She answered enthusiastically,
“The CEO would usually pull the female lead into an embrace to comfort her!”
Before she could process her words, Xander’s arms were already around her waist, drawing her close. Their bodies pressed against each other as he leaned down, his warm breath brushing against her face. In a low voice, he asked,
“Like this?”
Arianna suddenly realized Xander wasn’t curious; he had been looking for an excuse to pull her in. She shot him a playful glare, realizing his intentions.
