CHAPTER 378
Harmony had endured far too much at Arianna’s hands to let this chance slip away. She was determined to shatter Arianna's composure and crush her spirit completely.
Yet, despite everything, Arianna remained calm—proud, unyielding, and seemingly unaffected.
It didn’t faze Harmony, though. Tonight was her moment to turn the tables.
A slow, confident smile spread across her face. “Well then, I’ll get straight to the point.”
Locking eyes with Arianna’s unwavering, emotionless gaze, she continued with deliberate clarity.
“I’m sure you’ve looked into my past with Xander, haven’t you? Well, not you personally—Rochelle did the digging on your behalf.”
Arianna remained unfazed. Rochelle had, in fact, volunteered to help investigate Harmony, but there was no need to clarify that. Instead, Arianna kept her composure, giving a single, cool response:
“Go on.”
Her tone was so dismissive, so commanding, that it felt as though Harmony was merely a subordinate presenting a report.
Harmony’s stomach twisted with frustration. That effortless superiority—how Arianna always managed to stay calm and press her buttons—was infuriating.
She had come here to toy with Arianna, to draw out her reactions. But clearly, her mind games were failing.
Suppressing her irritation, Harmony cut to the heart of the matter, her voice sharpening.
“Rochelle didn’t find anything because someone made sure all traces of my past were erased. Any idea who would go to such lengths? It was Xander, of course.”
Harmony’s smile stretched wider, brimming with satisfaction as she spoke.
“You’ve been dying to know the truth about Xander and me, haven’t you? There was no need to go digging—I can tell you everything right now.”
Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of triumph and nostalgia.
“Yes, we grew up together—childhood sweethearts. Everyone around us believed we were meant for each other. But Xander has always been guarded, slow to trust and open up. So at first, we were just friends. But as the years passed, our bond deepened, and those feelings naturally turned into something more.”
She paused, her gaze softening as if lost in the past.
“Everyone knew about us—his grandfather, his grandmother, even Zach and John. They all thought we were perfect together and hoped we’d end up happy.”
Harmony’s expression grew wistful, her voice lowering as she continued. “I still remember that Valentine’s Day when Xander finally confessed. He told me he wanted us to be together forever.”
She let out a soft sigh. “Back then, I was young and naive—too shy to say yes right away. I told him I needed some time to think about it, even though my heart already knew the answer.”
"Those few days of hesitation were all it took for Xander and me to be separated for so many years."
Harmony's expression shifted, the pain in her eyes growing deeper with each word.
"The night before I planned to give him my answer, we were on our way home together when the accident happened. The car crashed—slamming right into his side of the vehicle. Without thinking, I threw myself over him, shielding him from the worst of the impact."
Her voice trembled, eyes glossing over as she recounted the memory.
"I remember lying there, drenched in blood, barely able to move. I thought I wouldn’t make it... but I had no regrets. If it meant saving him, I would do it all over again without a second thought."
Harmony swallowed hard, lowering her gaze. "I was lucky enough to survive, but… I was left permanently injured. I’ll never be able to have children."
A bitter, self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips. "Everyone praised me for saving Xander’s life, but after that day... everything changed."
Harmony's hands curled into tight fists, her voice growing unsteady as she continued.
"Xander is the heir—the only heir—of the Kings. He has a duty to continue the family line. After the accident, Grandpa King and Grandma King, who had always adored me, were happy for us to be together. But when they learned I could no longer bear children, everything changed. They still treated me with kindness but made it clear that I could never be with Xander again."
She paused, her voice trembling with emotion. "Before I was even discharged from the hospital, Grandma King spoke about welcoming me into the family—just not as Xander's wife."
Harmony raised her tear-filled eyes to meet Arianna's gaze. "It was obvious what she meant. She wanted to repay me for saving his life with comfort and wealth, but she refused to let me stay by his side as his partner."
She swallowed hard, her voice breaking. "I was still recovering, both physically and emotionally. Hearing those words crushed me. I was devastated... heartbroken. I even resented her for being so heartless. But I couldn’t accept the life she offered. I didn’t want riches or luxury... I only wanted Xander. That was all I ever wanted."
Tears spilled down Harmony’s cheeks as her voice quivered with emotion.
“From the moment I refused their offer, I became nothing more than an inconvenience to the King family. They felt I was being ungrateful, stubborn... like I was asking for too much. They even accused me of being selfish, as if I was hurting Xander instead of being the person who once saved his life!”
She wiped her face with trembling fingers.
“Now you understand why Grandma King resents me so much. But tell me, can you truly say this was my fault?”
Arianna’s lashes fluttered slightly, but she remained silent, her expression calm and unreadable.
The Grandma King she knew wasn’t a cruel or unreasonable person. Arianna couldn't accept Harmony’s version of events without question, especially when it seemed so one-sided.
Harmony noticed Arianna’s unyielding gaze and let out a bitter laugh.
“Of course, you wouldn’t understand... You’ve never been in my position, have you?”
Arianna arched a brow, meeting Harmony's gaze with cool indifference. “I’m not in the habit of making judgments without hearing both sides of the story.”
Harmony let out a dry laugh, shrugging her shoulders.
“By all means, check for yourself. Every word I’ve told you is the truth. If I’m lying, may karma deal with me.”
Arianna remained silent, her expression giving nothing away.
Noticing Arianna’s lack of reaction, Harmony pressed on, her voice taking on a softer, almost pleading tone.
“Xander didn’t know about any of this, of course. His grandmother kept it from him, and I chose not to tell him either. I didn’t want him torn between the two of us.”
Xander was incredibly kind to me during that time. He stayed by my side every day, taking care of me. He promised that he would never let me down and that once I was well enough to leave the hospital, he would make our relationship known to everyone.
"I can handle Grandma King’s threats and offers without flinching, but seeing Xander treat me with such tenderness, knowing what it would cost him, broke my heart. The more he cared for me, the harder it became for me to think only of myself. He was willing to defy the world to be with me, but I couldn’t allow him to carry that burden. I couldn’t have children, and that would always be a complication in our future."
"I was finally discharged after more than a month. On the day I was supposed to leave the hospital, Grandma King paid me another visit, bringing news that would change everything."
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