CHAPTER 294
The elevator chimed, signalling their arrival at the top floor.
Xander stepped out first, followed closely by Harmony, as Zach held the door with a polite gesture, letting her pass with a smile.
"Lady's first"
The manager, noticing their arrival, quickly approached with a respectful nod.
“Mr. King, Mr. Summers, your tea room is ready. This way, please.”
As he led them down the hall, he couldn't help but glance at Harmony.
He’d recognized her instantly—his wife had talked endlessly about the recent competition, highlighting Harmony as the one who had taken credit from the rightful first-place anchor, Mrs. King. By all accounts, Harmony and Mrs. King should have been rivals. Yet here she was, laughing and smiling, walking alongside both Mr. King and Mr. Summers as if they were old friends.
The manager hid his confusion and led them into the private room. After closing the door quietly behind him, he took out his phone, opening WeTalk to send his wife a quick voice note:
“You won’t believe this, love. I just saw Mr. King with that Harmony…”
...................
Inside the tea room, Zach requested their favourite teas, and as the server prepared to start brewing, Harmony spoke up with a calm smile.
“I’ll take care of it.”
The server looked to Zach for confirmation. Zach, arching an eyebrow, turned to Harmony with a hint of amusement.
“Didn’t know you were into tea-making.”
Harmony met his gaze and then glanced at Xander.
“Oh, yes. I know you both enjoy tea, so I made it a point to learn. I picked up some techniques from an instructor overseas,” she said, her tone light.
“And since I’m joining your session, it’s only fair that I do the honours.”
The way she held herself—poised and with a touch of elegance—fit perfectly with her refined demeanour.
Intrigued, Zach gestured to the server.
“You can leave her to it.”
The server nodded, giving a polite bow.
“Very well, Mr. Summers.” He exited, leaving Harmony to her task.
Settling herself on the soft cushion across from them, Harmony gently rolled her sleeves to reveal her fair, graceful hands. She took a moment to rinse her hands in the porcelain bowl beside her, a subtle but intentional gesture.
With practised movements, she used a tea scoop to add fresh leaves to the teapot. Lifting the pot of hot water, she poured it over the tea leaves, then waited just long enough to release the leaves' subtle aroma.
After warming each teacup by pouring the first brew over them, she delicately set one in front of each man, using tongs to place them precisely.
Her movements captivated everyone in the room; they were elegant and graceful, each one flowing seamlessly into the next.
Zach, who had always appreciated beauty, was used to seeing attractive women, yet there was something magnetic about Harmony.
Her beauty was matched by a poise and refinement that elevated her to something almost ethereal.
In his mind, if Harmony had never left and had stayed in their lives, she and Xander would likely have become inseparable. Maybe they’d even be raising a family by now.
With that future, there would have been no place for Arianna in Xander’s life, nor the emotional struggles he’d endured over the past two years.
That thought only solidified Zach’s longstanding view that Harmony was a far better match for Xander than Arianna ever could be.
His musings were interrupted as the soothing fragrance of the tea reached him, drawing him back to the present.
Harmony had poured the steeped tea into a pitcher and carefully served it into both men’s cups. With a gentle smile, she invited them to taste it.
“Go ahead, give it a try.”
Zach immediately obliged. Without minding the heat, he blew on the tea and took a sip, then nodded approvingly.
“Wow! Perfect—it’s wonderful!”
“Careful not to burn yourself,” Harmony said with a soft, warm smile. Her beauty was almost mesmerizing, a smile so enchanting that it could stir anyone’s heart.
She looked at Xander with her deep, captivating gaze and said,
“Have a taste, Xander.”
Xander’s dark eyes stayed unreadable, his expression a mix of fatigue and detachment. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and set it down without a word.
Harmony wasn’t fazed. She seemed pleased enough just to watch him drink.
…
Earlier, Rochelle had suggested they go out for drinks to lift Arianna’s spirits, but seeing her friend’s mood, she decided to just drive Arianna back to the villa instead.
Back in her room, Arianna drew herself a warm bath, hoping it would help her unwind.
Yet, the longer she soaked, the more restless she felt. Maybe it was the water being too warm, or maybe it was her thoughts that wouldn’t settle.
After drying off, she lay down, closing her eyes in an attempt to sleep, but her mind had other plans.
Her first encounter with Harmony flashed unexpectedly into her thoughts, stirring a mix of emotions that refused to be calmed.
It had been at the airport, on the day Xander had unexpectedly suggested they go to Barrkjaer Island together.
Harmony ended up going to Barrkjaer Island as well.
Now, thinking back on it, Arianna couldn’t help but wonder—did Xander truly want to be with her for that trip and plan their wedding, or had he used it as a chance to meet with Harmony privately?
Could old feelings have been rekindled when they crossed paths? Was that why Harmony had followed them back home?
And did Harmony now want to stake a claim in Xander’s life, pushing boundaries and stirring trouble just to test Arianna?
The questions buzzed around her head. Arianna suddenly opened her eyes, trying to shake off the doubts that kept growing louder.
She sat up, reaching for her phone but pausing before finally picking it up again. There was no way she’d get any sleep until she asked him directly.
Taking a deep breath, she opened WhatsApp, finding Xander’s chat at the top. She typed a quick message and sent it.
\\\[Are you free?\\\]
After half a minute, his reply came in. \\\[Just wrapped things up. Everything alright?\\\]
Arianna felt a small sense of relief just seeing his response. If he was free, then maybe it was a sign that now was the right time to address her concerns. She sent another message. \\\[Can you come home? I need to talk to you.\\\]
She barely waited before his reply popped up. \\\[Of Course l. I’ll head back now.\\\]
Seeing his answer, Arianna’s racing thoughts eased a bit. Nothing in his behaviour seemed off, not when she thought about how he’d been with her all along…
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
