CHAPTER 371
As Ronald spoke, he suddenly seemed to catch himself, pausing mid-sentence. His brows furrowed as he let out a hesitant,
“Huh.”
Then, in a noticeably different tone, he added,
“I don’t think there was anything special yesterday. Mr. King didn’t mention anything to me…”
Grabbing the apple Arianna had handed him, he took two large, exaggerated bites, chewing loudly as if trying to muffle his discomfort.
Arianna remained silent, her piercing gaze fixed steadily on him. Her large, expressive eyes didn’t waver, and the weight of her stare made Ronald shift uncomfortably.
Desperate to escape her scrutiny, he turned his head away, pretending to focus on the plain hospital wall. Yet, even with his back turned, he could still feel her stare boring into him, sharp and relentless.
It felt oddly similar to the headmaster's glare from his dream earlier, and a nervous sweat began to bead on his forehead.
After a long, tension-filled pause, Arianna finally spoke, her voice calm but pointed. Rather than pressing him for answers, she simply asked,
“Is the apple good?”
Ronald, who had already devoured the apple down to its core, nodded eagerly.
“Yeah! It’s really good.”
Arianna gave a small smile.
“I’ll cut another one for you, then.”
Reaching for a second apple, she picked up the fruit knife and began peeling it once more.
Ronald shifted in his seat, waving a hand.
“Oh, you don’t have to—”
But as he turned back toward her, his words caught in his throat. His entire body tensed.
The way she’d peeled the first apple had been smooth and ordinary. This time, however, her technique had taken on a different edge—literally. She wasn’t peeling so much as slicing, the blade moving with sharp, deliberate precision.
Large chunks of the apple fell away, landing on the plate with heavy thuds. Each slice seemed far too aggressive for such a simple task, and Ronald could practically feel the tension crackling in the air.
It reminded him of that wild, controlled calm she had behind the wheel during their last drive—cool, collected, and just a little bit terrifying.
Arianna’s eyes met his as she finished, the knife glinting slightly under the room’s light. The corners of her lips lifted into a slow, calculated smile.
“I’ll cut this one in half for you,” she said softly.
Without missing a beat, Arianna sliced the apple cleanly in half, the blade gliding through with unsettling precision. She didn’t blink once.
Ronald swallowed hard, his hand instinctively moving to his throat. There was something downright terrifying about how calm—too calm—her movements were.
She handed him one half of the apple, her smile as sweet as honey.
Ronald’s hands trembled as he accepted it, barely able to keep his grip steady.
Her voice remained gentle, almost soothing.
“I’m free today, Ronald. No work, no errands—absolutely nothing to do. So, I can stay right here with you all day long.”
His face went pale. The apple slipped from his shaky hands and tumbled onto the bed with a soft thud.
“N-no! I’m good! I can manage just fine on my own,” he stammered, looking as though he wanted to sink into the mattress and disappear.
Arianna blinked, then glanced at the fallen apple with a sigh, as if deeply disappointed.
“How clumsy. Looks like I’ll have to cut you another one.” She reached for the fruit bowl once more, the knife gleaming under the light.
Ronald’s composure finally shattered. He blurted out in desperation,
“No! Please, Mrs. King—don’t cut another apple! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything, alright?!”
If she so much as sliced one more fruit, he was sure he’d lose his mind.
After all, he was just a poor, defenceless patient!
Arianna set the fruit knife down with a soft clink and reached for a paper towel. She wiped her hands deliberately, her movements slow and precise, before meeting Ronald’s gaze with calm intensity.
“Start talking. I’m listening,” she said, her voice smooth but carrying a weight that made it impossible to refuse.
Ronald exhaled shakily, mentally apologizing to Mr. King for what he was about to reveal. Forgive me, boss…
After a brief pause to gather his thoughts, he finally spoke. “Yesterday… it was a significant day for Mr. King—and Harmony.”
Arianna’s long lashes fluttered slightly, but she remained silent, her expression unreadable.
Glancing at her nervously, Ronald pressed on, his voice lower this time.
“I don’t know all the details… but every three months, like clockwork, Mr. King vanishes for exactly twenty-four hours. As far as I’ve heard… it’s always connected to Harmony.”
"Whenever that day arrives, I lose all access to Mr. King," Ronald admitted hesitantly.
"He makes it clear that I’m not to contact him, no matter the situation. He only reappears after exactly twenty-four hours. I have no idea where he goes or what he’s doing during that time."
Arianna’s gaze flickered with subtle emotions, but to Ronald’s surprise, she remained remarkably composed, especially after the turbulent night she must have endured. “And how are you so certain he’s with Harmony?” she asked, her voice calm but probing. “Wasn’t she out of the country until recently?”
Ronald hesitated, clearly torn. He understood the history between Arianna and Harmony—the tension, the bitterness, and the deep resentment Arianna harbored toward Harmony. If it were up to him, he would have loved to deny the connection and put her mind at ease.
But no matter how much he wished to soften the truth, the facts were undeniable.
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