CHAPTER 377
Arianna stared at her phone screen, her heart heavy with uncertainty. Please don’t disappoint me, Xander...
At the mansion, Xander left the study and descended the staircase.
Grandma King was sitting at a table, arranging flowers when Xander walked over and took a seat beside her.
She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing much,” Xander replied, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Arianna asked me to spend some time with you.”
Grandma King chuckled softly, her eyes softening. “I never thought I’d see the day when you’d be the one taking orders. But I suppose it's only right for you to listen to your wife.”
Xander’s smile grew a little wider as he thought of Arianna. Her voice, her gentle commands—it was the first time in a long while that someone had grounded him in such a way.
Grandma smiled at Xander.
It had been a long time since they’d shared an easy, unhurried conversation. Over the years, there were moments when she felt that her grandson was becoming more distant, more like a machine than the lively young man she had known.
In the past couple of years, he seemed almost like a different person altogether.
At times, Xander felt like a stranger to her. Yet today, as his thoughts turned to Arianna, something inside him softened. For the first time in ages, he was not just going through the motions. He was present.
Ever since Arianna came back and remarried Xander, his once-cold demeanor had gradually thawed, warmed by her presence. He now experienced emotions—joy, anger, sorrow—just like anyone else.
He was alive, no longer a hollow shell.
Grandma King couldn’t help but comment,
“Do you realize how lucky you are to have found a woman like Arianna? You’d better cherish her, or I’ll be the first to make sure you regret it!”
Xander smiled softly, his voice full of warmth and affection.
“I will. I promise.”
.............
At three o’clock that afternoon, Arianna, engrossed in organizing some files, received a few sporadic messages from Xander on WhatsApp.
\[Spending time with Grandma, arranging flowers.\]
He had attached a picture of his work.
\[Playing cards with Grandma and Aunt Julia.\]
He sent a picture of the playing cards.
\[I lost.\]
A picture of his face, covered with sticky notes as a consequence of his loss, followed.
Arianna, though reluctant, found herself unable to resist opening the messages. In the end, she couldn’t help but smile faintly.
She knew Xander was trying to lighten her mood after sensing her unease, but his attempt was wrapped in the typical approach of a man trying to make things better in his own way.
She could tell he was clever enough to never lose a card game unless it was on purpose. By doing so, he managed to brighten both Grandma's and her own spirits.
At 5:30 p.m., Xander sent another message: \[Cooking dinner. Can’t wait for you to come home.\]
The tension that had weighed on Arianna throughout the day started to lift.
Maybe Xander had his reasons for acting this way. A man like him wouldn’t go through all this trouble if it wasn’t genuine.
He never behaved like this in the past.
Arianna had been thinking that maybe tonight she could finally have an honest conversation with Xander.
At six in the evening, she shut down her computer and grabbed her bag. She clocked off and headed for the exit.
As she was driving away from the office, a WeTalk notification popped up on her phone.
She glanced at it and saw that it was from Harmony.
Arianna considered ignoring it, but when she saw the content, she immediately slammed on the brakes without any warning!
Her car came to an abrupt stop, nearly causing a collision with the car behind her. The driver honked loudly in frustration.
Arianna sat frozen for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden halt.
The angry driver pulled up next to her and rolled down his window, yelling, "Are you even paying attention? What’s wrong with you?"
Arianna blinked, dazed, before snapping back to reality. She rolled down her window, apologizing quickly, "I’m so sorry."
The driver shot her one last glare before speeding off.
She took a deep breath, collected herself, and started driving again, but she pulled over to the side of the road to regain her composure.
With trembling hands, she picked up her phone and opened WeTalk.
Instead of a text message, it was a picture. She clicked on it to zoom in.
The image clearly showed the words: Physical Health Report.
Arianna's eyes zeroed in on the red circle Harmony had marked on the report.
The highlighted section revealed something shocking—Harmony’s injuries were so severe that she could never have children.
Arianna continued to read the health report, but her mind was already overwhelmed. It felt like an avalanche of thoughts and emotions, too much to process at once.
Her hand shook as she held the phone, struggling to come to terms with what she had just read.
The revelation was something she could never have anticipated. It hit her like a heavy blow, leaving her mind blank for a moment.
Some truths couldn't be avoided, no matter how hard she tried to push them aside.
The words ignorance is bliss had never felt more untrue.
Arianna managed a small, bitter smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She typed out a message, her fingers stiff as she pressed send.
\[Where are you?\]
It seemed like Harmony had been waiting for this exact question, as the reply came almost immediately.
A location appeared with a simple message: \[I’m waiting for you.\]
Arianna stared at the four words, a hollow laugh escaping her.
She set the phone down, taking a few deep breaths. As she composed herself, she steadied her trembling hands and steeled her emotions. When she felt the coldness inside subside, she started her car again.
But this time, she drove slower. Whether it was for caution or to give herself time to prepare mentally, she didn’t know.
The location wasn’t far, and the drive should have taken only about 20 minutes, but Arianna kept her speed at a steady 40 miles per hour. With a few traffic jams along the way, it ended up taking almost an hour to reach the destination.
By the time she arrived, the sky had completely darkened, and Arianna stepped into a quiet, dimly lit VIP room.
It was a teahouse.
Arianna remembered that Xander and Harmony had once visited this same teahouse, only to be photographed and have the images spread across the internet.
Harmony was already preparing the tea. The water was boiling, and the warm aroma filled the air.
When Harmony saw Arianna enter, she smiled faintly. “You’re here at last. I’ve just finished brewing some tea. Please, have a taste.”
Arianna raised her gaze to meet Harmony's.
Harmony had been thwarted several times before, her patience wearing thin. Now, with her confidence diminished, it was a surprise to see her regain the façade of the confident woman Arianna had once known.
Harmony sat with an air of grace, elegance, and unwavering certainty—as if success was still within her grasp.
Arianna moved to sit across from her.
Harmony placed a cup of tea in front of her and said,
“This is Xander’s favorite. Try it.”
Arianna didn’t engage in the act, and there was a subtle change in her expression as she responded,
“You have five minutes.”
Harmony’s smile faltered for a moment, her composure slipping.
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