CHAPTER 36
Grabdma King cleared her throat and said,
“Xander, Arianna, before we start our dinner, I’d like to let you know something!”
Xander turned to her.
Arianna also looked at her. “Grandma, go on.”
“I feel lonely living in the old mansion alone, so I decided to move here for the time being. I can prepare your meals and do some chores!”
It was evident tthat Grandma King was not there to prepare their meals and do house chores!
She only wanted to keep watch on them, and she had decided to make them reconcile!
Arianna really wanted to get a divorce, so she hurriedly replied,
“Grandma, Xander and I…”
Xander suddenly stood, walked over, and grabbed Arianna’s wrist.
The unexpected gesture startled Arianna, causing her to pause in the middle of her sentence.
She looked at Xander in surprise, asking,
“What are you doing?”
Xander grinned and applied gentle pressure, drawing Arianna closer to him. Then, his deep voice sounded playfully,
“We’re going to have a couple’s moment.”
Arianna was caught off guard, finding herself leaning against Xander’s chest.
His gaze was intense, and she could feel his warm breath on her face.
His flirtatious words made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Why was he being so forward, especially in front of Grandma King? Was he trying to provoke her?
Feeling a mix of embarrassment and anger, Arianna attempted to push him away.
But Xander anticipated her move and leaned in closer, whispering a veiled threat in her ear,
“Do you really want to have a couple’s moment in front of Grandma?”
The emphasis on "couple's moment" sent a shiver down Arianna's spine.
If she still naively believed that Xander meant something innocent by it, she was truly mistaken!
He might have been shameless, but she certainly wasn't!
Arianna clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to push him away. She reluctantly lowered her hands, conceding to his boldness.
Noticing her subtle surrender, Xander boldly wrapped his arm around her waist, a smug smirk playing on his lips. With a casual glance at Grandma King , he remarked,
"Grandma, we'll be upstairs for a bit."
Grandma King gave an approving smile, which only fueled Arianna's frustration.
"Go on, enjoy yourselves. There's no rush. I'm not hungry yet!"
Speechless at Grandma King's obliviousness, Arianna followed Xander upstairs to the bedroom.
As soon as they entered, Arianna swiftly extricated herself from Xander's grasp, putting some distance between them. She eyed him warily, anticipating his next move.
Xander felt a strange pang of emptiness as Arianna pulled away from his embrace, leaving a cold void between them.
His expression hardened, and he regarded her with a steely gaze.
Arianna's skin prickled under his intense scrutiny, and she swallowed nervously, breaking the tense silence.
"Xander, what... what do you want to talk about?"
Xander remained silent, his dark eyes piercing into hers with an inscrutable expression, causing her anxiety to heighten.
"If... If you're not going to say anything, then I'm leaving!" Arianna's voice trembled slightly as she tried to maintain composure.
Finally, Xander spoke, his tone as icy as ever, betraying none of his emotions.
"Since Grandma is aware of our marital status, we need to adjust our relationship accordingly."
Arianna was taken aback by Xander's unexpected remark, prompting her to inquire in confusion,
"What do you mean?"
Xander's expression remained impassive as he maintained his silence, his disdain evident in his gaze.
Realization slowly dawned on Arianna as she pieced together his implications. He was referring to their marriage of convenience, forged under false pretenses to thwart her supposed schemes against the King family.
Understanding his intentions, Arianna composed herself, meeting Xander's gaze with determination.
"What are you proposing?" she asked, her tone steady.
"Just play the role of a dutiful daughter-in-law in front of Grandma and pretend we're a happy couple," Xander suggested with an impassive tone.
Arianna couldn't help but scoff at the absurdity of the idea.
"You want us to act like a loving couple? Are you out of your mind, or am I the crazy one here?"
Their relationship was fraught with hostility, and the idea of feigning affection seemed ludicrous to Arianna.
Moreover, Xander's unpredictable temper only added to her apprehension.
She was convinced that no matter how hard she tried, he would never be satisfied.
Firm in her stance, Arianna declared,
"I refuse to go along with that."
