CHAPTER 297
Arianna tried to stop her mind from wandering further, but the clues seemed to push her toward the same troubling conclusion.
“Is someone outside?”
Arianna’s heart skipped as she heard Aunt Julia’s voice.
Snapping back to reality, she quickly turned and slipped away. The last thing she wanted was for Grandma King or Aunt Julia to realize she had overheard their conversation.
Aunt Julia stepped out, glancing around, but saw no one and returned inside.
Arianna’s pulse raced as she carefully made her way back upstairs, her footsteps light as she returned to the bedroom.
She leaned against the bedroom door, placing a hand over her heart to steady her nerves. Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked over to the king-sized bed. Sitting down, she pulled her knees to her chest, her mind filled with scattered thoughts that refused to calm.
Small moments she had brushed aside before, now seemed to hint at something bigger—something she hadn’t let herself fully consider.
Arianna shook her head, fighting off the urge to overthink.
If she kept spiralling into these thoughts, she’d risk jumping to conclusions about Xander, which might be completely unfair.
She needed to hear it from him directly. Xander was the one she trusted most.
Taking a deep breath, Arianna picked up her phone, opened WeTalk, and typed a message to Xander: \\\[Where are you?\\\]
A few seconds later, his response came through as a voice message: “Five minutes away.”
Arianna closed the chat without replying, deciding to find something else to do while she waited for him to arrive.
Arianna opened her WeTalk Moments feed, only to see a recent post from Harmony catching her eye immediately. The image was of Harmony’s hand, bandaged with care, placed next to a small jar of ointment. A caption beneath it read, *“So grateful for someone’s thoughtful care. <3”*
The words and image together sent a rush of unease through Arianna. She hadn’t yet had time to make sense of it when the sound of a car door closing outside reached her ears.
Xander was back.
Quickly putting down her phone, she moved to her vanity, took a few deep breaths, and composed herself in front of the mirror. She practised a calm expression, willing her emotions to stay hidden. Xander couldn’t know she’d seen Harmony’s post, nor the unsettling thoughts now stirring within her.
Moments later, he stepped into the room. Arianna met him with a smile that she hoped seemed warm and genuine.
“You’re back,” she said, her voice steady.
“I am,” Xander replied, his eyes gentle as he looked at her. He leaned in, brushing a strand of hair away from her face in a tender gesture.
“Did I keep you waiting?”
Arianna shook her head, though she caught a faint trace of alcohol on his breath. It was a scent she hadn’t expected, and she asked,
“Did you drink tonight?”
Xander gave a small nod. “Yeah, just a little, I had to wrap up something for work.” He pulled her closer, his arm circling her waist as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I missed you,” he whispered, his fingers gently brushing the curve of her back as if trying to soothe her.
In his embrace, Arianna felt some of the tension ease, though there was still a knot of unease in her chest. Xander looked at her with such warmth in his eyes, his gaze soft as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His touch lingered on her cheek for a moment, the tenderness in his eyes giving her a small sense of comfort.
“How about I take a quick shower?” he suggested, his voice low and reassuring. “Then we can spend some time together.”
Arianna nodded slowly, her mind racing. “Okay, I’ll get the water running for you.”
“No need,” he said, setting his phone down on the coffee table as he unbuttoned his shirt. “I’ve got it covered.”
He smiled at her and kissed her temple gently before heading toward the bathroom.
He disappeared into the bathroom, and soon the sound of water filled the quiet room.
The quiet was abruptly broken by the soft sound of a phone notification...
Xander's phone.
Arianna’s gaze drifted to his phone on the table, and after a moment’s hesitation, she reached for it. Her heart pounded as she held it, feeling an unfamiliar unease.
A notification lit up the screen—a message from “Bunny.”
Arianna’s pulse quickened. She knew well enough by now that “Bunny” was Harmony. She could almost picture the message’s contents, likely filled with gratitude or an overly familiar response to whatever kindness Xander had shown her.
The message preview read: *I appreciate the ointment. I knew you still cared…*
Without even reading the whole message, she could sense its underlying tone—affectionate, perhaps even flirtatious, echoing Harmony’s confidence in their connection.
Her chest tightened as she set the phone back down.
*Why had he lied to her?*
Xander had said he was at a work event, but the message suggested he’d seen Harmony and even brought her the ointment himself. It didn’t add up, and Arianna’s mind raced with the possibilities, each one more troubling than the last.
Arianna’s hand shook slightly as she placed the phone back down, a heaviness settling in her chest.
She barely had a moment to gather her thoughts before the bathroom creaked open, and Xander stepped out, still damp from his shower.
His towel hung low on his hips, and for a moment, Arianna’s thoughts faltered at the sight of him. His presence was overwhelming, his dark eyes filled with affection as he moved toward her.
But then, the unease bubbled back to the surface.
He caught her gaze and smiled, a warm, familiar look meant to reassure her—but, for the first time, it barely reached her.
He reached out for her, brushing his hand gently over her cheek.
Xander’s brows knitted together as he stepped closer, concern etched across his face. He gently placed a hand on her forehead, checking for any sign of a fever.
“Hey, are you feeling okay?” he asked softly, his warm touch lingering as he searched her eyes. “You look a little pale... Is everything alright?”
His voice was tender, each word filled with genuine worry as he scanned her face, trying to understand what might be bothering her.
But it only heightened the storm brewing inside her.
Arianna hesitated for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. She needed to know the truth.
Her voice was steady, but it carried the weight of her suspicions.
"Xander... do you... know Harmony Jackson?"
There was a pause as his gaze darkened, and the tension between them thickened. Arianna held her breath, knowing the answer could change everything.
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