CHAPTER 375
Although Arianna had initially thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, exhaustion eventually overcame her. However, her sleep wasn’t peaceful. Her mind was plagued by restless nightmares, and she woke up suddenly, startled and gasping for air.
For a few moments, she lay there, panting, struggling to regain control of her breathing. Her vision blurred, and as her senses returned, she realized that Xander was no longer in the room. The daylight had already begun to creep through the curtains.
The whole night had been filled with disturbing dreams, and Xander, who promised to stay by her side, was nowhere to be found.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips, her disoriented mind mocking the situation.
Her restless sleep had drained her, both emotionally and physically. She wanted to shut her eyes and drift back into slumber, but just as she did, a loud crash echoed from downstairs. Her body tensed, and her heart started to race.
What was that sound? What had happened?
Arianna quickly slipped into a jacket and made her way downstairs, her mind racing with worry.
The living room was in disarray.
There, standing next to the overturned sofa, was an out-of-breath Grandma King. Her face was flushed, and she struggled to catch her breath, leaning heavily on Aunt Julia for support.
Aunt Julia’s eyes were narrowed with fury as she glared at the woman standing before them.
The woman was huddled with her head bowed, her face marked by sadness and helplessness. Her eyes were red, and her entire posture seemed to reflect an overwhelming sense of misery.
Scattered across the floor were various fruits, bottles of medication, and supplements, along with the walking cane Grandma King usually relied on.
The loud crash from earlier had likely come from the cane hitting the floor.
Arianna’s gaze landed on the woman’s face, and an immediate rush of anger surged through her.
Arianna hadn't expected to find Harmony standing there.
What gave her the sudden courage to show up now?
Had Xander encouraged her, or was this all part of her own plan?
Despite the scene suggesting that Grandma King had been the one to lash out, Arianna didn’t need to ask to know that Harmony must have provoked her.
The old lady had gone to a place of worship, trying to find peace, only for Harmony to show up and disrupt everything. Anyone with a clear mind could see this was no accident.
Arianna’s fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms as a surge of anger rushed through her.
Without thinking, she marched toward Harmony, grabbing her collar in a swift motion.
Startled, Harmony stammered, “What are you doing, Arianna? I... I just wanted to speak with Grandma King.”
Arianna didn’t waste a moment listening to her excuses. She yanked her toward the door, not sparing a word.
“Don’t you dare push me, Arianna!Your crossing the line.” Harmony snapped, struggling in vain.
Arianna’s eyes narrowed as she held Harmony by the collar, her voice low and dangerous.
“Crossing the line?”
She scoffed, her glare freezing. “Do you really want to see what happens when I cross the line?”
The words struck Harmony, bringing back memories of their past encounters—vivid enough to make her wince. Her arms ached at the thought, and she clamped her mouth shut, unwilling to provoke Arianna further.
Arianna shoved Harmony firmly out of the villa’s gate, not allowing her any chance to push back. Harmony stumbled but regained her composure, sneering as she shot a glance over her shoulder.
“You want to know why your Grandma King hates me so much, Arianna?” she asked, her voice dripping with bitterness.
Arianna didn’t even spare her a glance. She wasn’t interested in hearing any more of her nonsense.
Without saying a word, Arianna turned, closing the gate behind her as she started walking back into the house.
Harmony’s voice rang out from behind her, loud enough to echo in the silence.
“Xander and I used to be a couple, you know. But Grandma Kung forced us to break up, then sent me away and forbade me from returning!”
Arianna had known this part of the story for a while. She didn’t break her stride, ignoring Harmony’s attempt to provoke her as she walked on.
Harmony’s voice was sharp and full of resentment.
“Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re something special! Grandma King adored me too. When I was little, she always told me I’d be her granddaughter-in-law one day. Xander and I grew even closer because of that.”
She paused, her eyes flashing with a mix of bitterness and longing.
“But then Grandma King’s feelings toward me changed, and she tore us apart. Xander’s feelings, though, haven’t changed. After all these years, he still loves me. We still love each other. That hasn’t changed!”
Arianna stopped walking at the mention of their continued love. She wasn’t bothered by the past—they both had their histories. But Harmony’s insistence that their love still lingered caught her attention.
Arianna turned slowly, her face an unreadable mask. She saw the expectation in Harmony’s eyes, anticipating a reaction, a crack in her composure.
Instead, Arianna’s voice was calm and mocking as she spoke,
“Some people will go to any lengths to make excuses for the things they can't have. It’s pathetic, really. Just a bunch of clowns.”
Arianna didn’t even spare Harmony a glance as the words continued to spill from her mouth.
"My mistake," Arianna sneered, a flicker of frustration in her eyes.
"I shouldn’t generalize. When I say ‘some people,’ I mean you."
Harmony’s expression flickered with frustration.
She despised Arianna’s sharp tongue—every word that came from her made her seethe with the urge to silence it forever.
But Harmony had anticipated this moment. She quickly regained her composure, eager to see if Arianna could keep that smug smile in place after hearing what she had to say next.
With a sly smile, she leaned in and said, "I'm not the clown here. If anyone deserves that title, it's you, Arianna. You’re the real joke."
She continued, her tone dripping with mock sympathy.
"You're really quite pathetic, you know? I almost feel sorry for you. Almost." Harmony’s gaze softened, as if pitying Arianna.
"But maybe it’s time you woke up from your fantasy."
Arianna felt a fleeting irritation. She had no time for meaningless words that led nowhere. Harmony was doing nothing but filling the air with empty threats and insults.
Arianna’s lips twitched in amusement, then she turned on her heel, walking away without a second thought.
Harmony’s rage intensified as she watched Arianna’s retreating back. She couldn’t let her have the last word.
"The only reason Xander married you, treated you like that, and kept you around is because he had no other choice! It’s not because he actually cares or thst he loves you!" she shouted, hoping her words would land.
Arianna didn’t even falter, her expression unfazed. Harmony had already shown her true colors, and nothing she said could shake her now.
"There’s a reason behind all of this, and that reason is exactly why my grandmother made sure to tear us apart all those years ago!" Harmony shouted, her voice tinged with bitterness.
Arianna didn’t spare her another glance, walking straight into the house without a single pause.
Harmony, standing there, felt no surge of anger as she watched Arianna’s retreating figure. It was clear that Arianna had heard her words, even if she chose to ignore them.
In the end, it didn’t matter. Arianna’s inevitable descent into misery was just around the corner.
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