CHAPTER 286
Arianna rested her chin in her hand, her gaze sparkling with mischief as she watched Xander. After a moment, she raised an eyebrow, teasing, "You’re going to help me cut this steak into little heart shapes, aren’t you?”
Xander’s hands paused, knife in mid-air. “Heart shapes?” he repeated, his tone a mix of disbelief and amusement.
“Of course! Isn’t that what all the thoughtful boyfriends and husbands do?” she said, trying to hide her grin.
Xander shook his head, giving her a mockingly unimpressed look. “Childish. You think I’d know how to cut a steak into heart shapes?”
Arianna shrugged, feigning indifference. “It’s okay if you don’t,” she said with a playful glint in her eyes.
Xander went quiet, focusing on his task with an unreadable expression. After a few moments, he set her plate in front of her. Arianna blinked in surprise as she saw the steak arranged in tiny, neatly cut heart shapes.
A laugh bubbled up, and she looked up at him, her eyes twinkling. “Didn’t you say it was childish? And that you didn’t know how to do heart shapes? Then what’s this?”
A faint blush crept up Xander’s cheeks, but he tried to keep his tone cool. “Are you going to eat it, or keep talking?”
Arianna bit back another laugh, knowing if she teased him too much, his patience might wear thin. Yet she could see a hint of warmth in his eyes that he tried to hide, and it made her heart skip a beat.
Instead of digging in right away, she pulled out her phone, unable to resist capturing the little hearts he’d made just for her. After carefully selecting the perfect angle, she snapped a photo and uploaded it to WeTalk Moments with the caption:
*Some extra love with my celebration dinner.*
Within a minute, Rochelle left a comment: *Ugh, the cheese levels here are unbearable.*
Arianna replied with a goofy emoji.
Soon after, Ronald chimed in *If anything will make me lose faith in humanity, it’s public displays of affection. I’ll be the first to stand against this!*
Arianna responded with a puzzled-face emoji.
A few minutes later, Zach added his comment: *Xander! Oh, Xander! Are you the same man I used to know? Blink twice if you’re trapped in a rom-com!*
Arianna typed back, *The very same,* adding a playful emoji at the end.
She couldn’t hide her smile as she set down her phone and took a bite, savouring the moment. When they finished and left the restaurant, she let out a contented sigh. The evening was perfect—not just because of the delicious meal, but because of the quiet love Xander showed in his way.
As they headed back to the villa, Xander parked the car, came around to her side, and opened the door, waiting as she stepped out. She adjusted his collar, looking up at him with a soft smile. “Don’t work too late, okay? And drive safe.”
Xander’s gaze softened. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
He pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. There was no need for words—she felt his love through every small gesture, every little thing he did to make her feel cherished.
Arianna replied, *Still me, still free,* with a playful emoji at the end.
With her appetite now fully back, she dove into her meal, savouring each bite and finishing nearly everything on her plate. As she finally stood up, she let out a dramatic, satisfied burp.
Xander chuckled, amused. “That good?”
“Absolutely!” she replied, grinning from ear to ear.
The food had been wonderful, but the best part of the night was spending it with Xander, who had made it memorable in his quiet, thoughtful way.
When they arrived back at the villa, Xander parked, stepped out and walked around to her side to open her door, shielding her as she got out. “Go on in,” he said softly.
Arianna hesitated. “Are you heading back to work?”
“Yeah. There are still a few things I need to wrap up.”
She’d expected it—he’d put aside his responsibilities just to be with her tonight, and now he had to catch up. Arianna reached up to adjust his collar with gentle fingers and murmured, “Don’t stay too late. Make sure you rest once you’re done.”
He nodded. “Alright.”
She rose on her toes, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. “I’m going in now. Drive safe, okay?”
Xander reached out, giving her nose a light tweak, his voice dropping to a low, teasing tone. “Be careful. Don’t try to tempt me.”
“Who’s tempting who?” she shot back with a mischievous grin. “You’re the one with the dirty mind!” She pushed him playfully and turned, dashing into the house with a laugh, half-expecting him to follow.
Xander stayed where he was, watching her retreat with a faint smile. If he didn’t have to go back to the office, he’d have gladly accepted her challenge.
He exhaled, loosening his tie as he let the cool night air settle him. Finally, he got back into his car, started the engine, and drove off into the night.
---
Meanwhile, in her hotel suite, Harmony stepped out of the shower, glancing at her phone with a frown. Not a single message or missed call.
Settling onto the sofa, she opened WeTalk, scrolling idly until she came across the latest photo Arianna had posted. The caption read: *A little something special for my celebration dinner.*
A chill glint entered Harmony’s gaze, and a cold smile twisted at her lips.
Exiting the app, she pressed down on the ‘1’ key to speed-dial Xander.
The line rang, and just as it was about to disconnect, he picked up, his voice steady but tired. “Yes?”
“Xander,” she said, her voice wavering as if she’d been crying. “I’m struggling right now.”
He let out a frustrated sigh, his tone clipped.
“Harmony, it’s late. I don’t have time for this.”
Harmony wasn’t about to back down. She softened her voice, feigning vulnerability.
“I worked for that competition, don’t you? I didn’t care about winning, but… I just wanted a chance with StarlightTV. That’s all.”
She sensed his frustration through the silence, but pressed on, her voice growing more desperate.
“Please, Xander… I need to talk to you. It’ll just be a few minutes, I promise.”
There was a pause before he took a sharp breath, his tone tight with annoyance. “Fine. I’m on my way.”
Harmony hung up, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. She knew she had him, at least for now.
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