CHAPTER 376
At the company, Xander stepped out of the conference room after the meeting had wrapped up and made his way back to his office.
He picked up the phone and pressed the intercom. "Please come in."
Elaine Olsen, a secretary filling in for Ronald, knocked softly before entering.
"How can I assist you, Mr. King?"
Xander quickly signed a few urgent documents before speaking. "Cancel my schedule for the rest of the day."
Elaine hesitated for a moment, clearly surprised. "Everything?"
It was still early in the day, and most people would expect him to keep working.
"Yes," Xander replied briefly. "My wife isn't feeling well, so I'm going home to be with her. Only contact me if there's an emergency; otherwise, I don't want to be disturbed."
Elaine nodded in understanding.
It was no secret that Xander and his wife had a deeply affectionate relationship, and the rumors about them were clearly true.
Once he finished the last of his paperwork, Xander handed it to Elaine and stood to grab his jacket.
Just as he was about to head out, the office door swung open, and Zach walked in.
Zach looked mildly surprised at the sight of Xander preparing to leave.
"Are you heading out, Xander? Looks like I've caught you at a bad time."
Xander glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "Is there something you need?"
"No, nothing," Zach replied with a grin. "I realized it's been a while since we caught up, so I thought I'd stop by and grab lunch with you."
"I'm busy. Go have lunch on your own," Xander said bluntly.
Zach feigned indignation. "Not even for a quick meal? Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
Elaine, sensing the moment, chimed in,
"Mrs. King isn't feeling well, so Mr. King is heading home to take care of her."
"Ahhh..." Zach dragged the word out,
"I see, bros before... well, you know."
Xander paid him no attention as he shrugged into his jacket, grabbed his phone and car keys, and walked toward the door.
Zach, unfazed, merely smirked and said,
"Guess I'll just call one of my girls."
After seeing Xander and Zach out, Elaine returned to her desk. Noticing the time, she quickly ordered lunch for herself through a delivery app.
She had just placed her order when she looked up to see Zach walking back into the office.
Elaine was caught off guard and immediately stood up. "Mr. Summer, what brings you back?"
"Oh, Xander needed me to grab something for him. Don’t mind me, just continue with your work. I’ll handle it myself," Zach said smoothly.
Elaine, knowing how close Zach and Xander were, didn’t suspect anything. She nodded politely. "Of course. Go right ahead."
Zach acknowledged her with a quick nod, stepped into the office, and closed the door behind him.
......
Arianna’s finger hesitated briefly before she tapped on the message notification.
\[Actions speak louder than words. I’ll show you tonight.\]
She stared at the screen for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, without a second thought, she exited the app and switched off her phone display.
Arianna inhaled deeply, stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the top floor. As the elevator ascended, she glanced at the display above, counting the floors as they passed, her expression hardening with each one.
When the elevator arrived at the top, the doors slid open, and she exited, walking towards the office lobby on the right where Elizabeth’s team was located.
As she entered, a cheerful voice greeted her, "Hello, Mrs. King."
Startled by the familiar tone, Arianna looked up and saw Annabelle behind the reception desk. For a moment, she was surprised, but then she smiled warmly.
"Anna? What are you doing here?"
Arianna smiled at Annabelle’s warm greeting. "Ms. Geller, the regular secretary, is on maternity leave, so the station assigned me here for now," Annabelle explained.
"I see," Arianna replied, glad to see a familiar face. "I’m sure I’ll be in good hands. Thank you for helping out."
"It’s no trouble at all," Annabelle said, waving off the thanks. "I’m here to assist you with anything you need."
Once the pleasantries were out of the way, Annabelle continued,
"Ms. Goldman briefed me on everything, and I’ve already handled the paperwork for you. These are the documents—just give them a read and sign when you're ready."
She handed the papers to Arianna.
"Thanks," Arianna said, taking the documents. "Is there anything else?"
Annabelle replied, "Ms. Goldman would like to meet with you in her office once you’re done."
"Got it," Arianna nodded.
She made her way to her new workstation, noting her nameplate and the office supplies neatly arranged. It was likely Annabelle who had set everything up for her, and Arianna appreciated the thoughtful gesture.
Arianna placed her bag on the desk and took a seat, carefully reading through the employment documents. Once she was certain everything was in order, she signed the papers and made her way to Elizabeth’s office.
Elizabeth’s request to meet with her wasn’t urgent. She greeted Arianna warmly, offered some encouraging words, and mentioned that a welcoming party would soon be held to properly introduce her to the team.
Since some team members were away on assignments, the event would be scheduled once everyone was available.
Arianna thanked Elizabeth for the kind gesture before heading back to her workstation.
As she glanced at the time, Arianna realized it was only 12 PM.
Since it was her first day, she had no immediate tasks and found herself with some free time. Her thoughts drifted back to the conversation with Harmony earlier that morning, as well as the unsettling message she had received.
Sitting back in her chair, Arianna closed her eyes for a moment.
Though she knew Xander had lied to her, she wasn’t fully convinced by Harmony’s words either. She was all too aware of how much Harmony desired him.
Arianna realized that avoiding the issue wouldn't solve anything in the long run. She could postpone it for a bit, but she knew she couldn't ignore it forever.
Harmony had promised to show her something important that night. With a firm decision, Arianna thought, I’ll take your challenge, just one last time.
Feeling resolute, she picked up her phone and dialed Xander. He answered right away, his warm voice greeting her.
“Arianna.”
Her hand shook slightly as she held the phone. Taking a deep breath, she ensured her voice was steady.
“I just completed my first day at work and got through everything. I'm fine, so don’t worry.”
“Great. Do your best today. I’ll come to get you when you’re done.”
Arianna paused before replying.
“You don’t need to. Spend time with Grandma since you’re home today. She’s been feeling off, and it would help to lift her spirits. I’m telling you, that’s an order.”
Xander’s voice carried a note of amusement as he responded, a soft, melodic laugh escaping him. “I must obey my loving wife’s commands.”
Arianna’s heart sank at his words.
They should have sounded endearing, but instead, they only made her feel uneasy. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right, unsure whether he was being entirely truthful with her.
Her throat tightened, and she quickly added, “Alright, I need to get back to work now. I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Come home early. I’ll be waiting for you. Love you,” Xander’s voice was warm on the other end.
Arianna ended the call swiftly.
She took a couple of deep breaths, allowing herself a moment to calm down before returning to her thoughts.
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