CHAPTER 370
Arianna felt her legs weaken and had to lean against the wall for support. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart before turning to leave the building.
Once back in the car, she started the engine and directed her focus toward the five-star hotel Xander often stayed at for business meetings.
She didn’t want to jump to conclusions or let doubt consume her. Despite everything, she still wanted to trust him.
The drive was quick; within 15 minutes, she arrived at the hotel entrance. Parking the car, she stepped out and strode purposefully inside.
The lobby manager noticed her immediately and greeted her with a warm smile. “Mrs. King! It’s a pleasure to see you here. What brings you by this evening?”
Arianna’s heart sank at his surprised tone. If Xander had been here, the manager wouldn’t have reacted that way.
Still, she wasn’t ready to let assumptions guide her actions. She needed to see the truth with her own eyes.
Fixing a calm expression on her face, she said directly, “I need a keycard. I’ll be heading upstairs.”
The lobby manager noticed the tension in Arianna's expression and chose not to press for details. Offering a respectful nod, he replied, “Of course, Mrs. King. Please wait a moment while I retrieve it for you.”
A few minutes later, he returned and carefully handed her the keycard.
“Thank you,” Arianna said quietly, taking the card. Without another word, she headed straight to the elevator, her grip tightening around the key as she ascended.
The ride was brief, but her heart pounded relentlessly, her mind a tangled mess of swirling thoughts she couldn’t seem to quiet.
When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and approached the suite. Swiping the card, she pushed the door open, bracing herself—only to be met with complete silence. The room was empty.
For a moment, her mind went utterly blank. The tension that had kept her on edge all night seemed to snap all at once.
Arianna staggered toward the nearest sofa and sank onto it, her limbs feeling drained of all strength as if the very life had been pulled from her.
...................
The following morning, Ronald was blissfully lost in a dream where he was finally on a romantic date with his high school crush. They were walking hand in hand, and just as he was about to kiss her soft, smiling lips—
Just as Ronald's dream was reaching its peak, a sudden, intense feeling washed over him—like he was being watched by a gaze so piercing it made his skin crawl.
Startled, he looked up in his dream and was met with the icy glare of the headmaster, who was watching him from afar with a deathly stare.
Terror gripped him, making his heart race painfully fast. In an instant, his eyelids flew open, yanking him out of the dream world.
But the reality wasn’t much kinder.
The first thing he saw was yet another pair of sharp, unblinking eyes fixed directly on him. His heart gave a painful jolt, and for a split second, he thought he might pass out from sheer fright.
Fortunately, once his vision cleared, he realized the person watching him so intensely was Arianna. The tension in his chest eased as relief washed over him.
At least it wasn’t the headmaster this time.
Still, Ronald was curious. Glancing toward the clock on the wall, he noted it was only eight in the morning. He was still recovering, so why had Arianna shown up so early? No matter how worried she might be, the timing felt...unusual.
It had been a close call earlier—Ronald had almost given away his first kiss in that dream!
Rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, he looked at Arianna and asked,
"Mrs. King? Is everything alright? Why are you here so early? Not that you're not welcome—it's just, I mean..." he stammered, his words tumbling over each other as he struggled to find the right ones.
Arianna didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she pulled out a chair and settled into it gracefully. From the basket of fruits she had brought along, she selected a large, perfectly round apple and picked up a small fruit knife. With slow, deliberate movements, she began peeling it.
Her voice was calm and gentle as she finally replied, “I came to visit Charlie, so I thought I’d stop by to check on you too.”
Ronald knew Charlie had been admitted to the same hospital, so it wasn’t surprising. He assumed she must have stayed overnight with Charlie and simply swung by on her way out.
“You’re good to your little brother,” he said, genuinely impressed.
“And you’re always so kind to me too.”
Arianna gave him a warm smile, finishing the peel with a clean swipe before handing him the apple.
“Here,” she said, her tone casual.
“By the way, wasn’t yesterday some sort of special occasion? I can’t seem to recall…”
“Yesterday?” Ronald reached out to take the apple, answering almost without thinking,
“Isn’t that when Mr. King…?”
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