CHAPTER 385
Arianna let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head as tears threatened to spill. She fixed Xander with one last, piercing look, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well, Xander, it’s comforting to know where your priorities lie. Next time she needs you, maybe send me a memo so I don’t waste my time wondering where my husband is."
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked away, her steps purposeful, leaving behind the man who had shattered her trust.
"Arianna, wait. I'm coming with you. I made dinner... we can talk-"
"No," she interrupted, her voice icy as she finally faced him, her heart heavy.
"I'm not going home tonight, Xander. I'm staying with Rochelle." Her words were composed, but beneath them, there was an undeniable ache.
"What! No...Arianna... we need to sit down and talk." His voice cracked slightly, frustration and guilt pouring through his words as he took a step closer.
She shook her head, her expression hardening, eyes cold as she inched toward the door.
"Don’t you think it’s a little late for talking now, Xander?" Her voice was cold, each word sharpened by the hurt she could no longer hide.
"You’ve kept secrets from me, shattered my trust. So go ahead—stay here. Do what you do best—be there for Harmony. She’s your priority...more than I ever was."
Before he could respond, she walked past him, her steps steady and resolute, each one sinking deeper into the pit of Xander's stomach.
His heart felt like it was being ripped apart, torn in two opposing directions, but his feet remained frozen, anchored by the crushing weight of her words. He stood there, paralyzed, watching her walk away, each step she took felt like a nail driven deeper into his chest.
“Arianna!” Xander’s voice was stronger this time, laced with frustration and desperation. He took a step forward, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.
“You’re wrong! It’s not like that!” His voice wavered between anger and desperation as he shook his head, his jaw tightening. “Damn it, Arianna, just listen to me!”
But his words fell into the empty air between them, unheard and unacknowledged. She didn’t turn back, didn’t even hesitate.
The door clicked shut behind her, the sound echoing in his mind like the finality of everything he had lost.
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration, his breaths coming in uneven gasps as he turned back toward Harmony, her smirk barely concealed beneath a mask of concern.
Behind him, Harmony watched the scene unfold with a knowing smile, her eyes glinting with quiet triumph. She'd succeeded. She'd planted the seed of doubt and, pushed Arianna just far enough to fracture the fragile bond between them.
This wasn't over.
Harmony could feel the cracks deepening, the foundation of their beginning to crumble. She knew this was just the beginning; it would all come undone. Just a few more nudges and Arianna would be gone for good.
Harmony stepped forward, her hand settling on his shoulder in a gesture that was meant to comfort him, but to Xander, it felt like an anchor pulling him deeper into the mess he had created. Her touch was soft, almost too soft, and yet it didn’t reach him—not in the way Arianna’s touch had.
“Xander,” Harmony said, her voice soothing, but there was a trace of something else in her words—something that suggested she was enjoying the turmoil a little too much.
But Xander, his heart heavy and his mind spinning, couldn’t stay there. He could feel the distance growing between him and the woman he loved. He could feel the weight of his failure pressing down on him like a vice.
Without another word, he pulled away from her touch, his eyes distant, clouded with emotion.
“Arianna…” he murmured, barely above a whisper, as if saying her name could somehow pull her back to him.
“X-Xander…” Harmony’s voice wavered slightly, but her expression quickly shifted when she noticed his unwavering focus on the door Arianna had just disappeared through.
A flicker of irritation crossed her face before she reached for him again, her grip firmer this time as she tugged at his arm. “Xander,” she pressed, her voice sharper, laced with frustration. “Just give her time, but I need to talk to you.”
But Xander barely acknowledged her. His jaw clenched, his entire body tense as he stood frozen in place. “Harmony, not now,” he muttered, his voice rough, almost distant, his eyes never leaving the door.
Harmony’s lips thinned, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. She had managed to drive a wedge between them, but it wasn’t enough—because no matter how hard she tried, Arianna still had a hold on him. And that was something she refused to accept.
Without a glance at her, Xander walked out, the door.
...........
Rochelle pulled up in front of the tea house, where Arianna had asked to be picked up. A cold, almost deadly aura radiated from her as she noticed Arianna's pale face and the faint redness around her eyes, evidence of tears and strain.
Despite the storm of anger swirling inside her, Rochelle kept her voice calm and soothing as she approached Arianna.
“What happened, Arianna?”
Arianna’s head swam, the dizziness from her emotional turmoil blending with the exhaustion weighing her down.
She shook her head lightly, forcing the overwhelming thoughts to the back of her mind.
“Let’s just leave, please,” she whispered, her voice barely steady.
Rochelle’s lips pressed into a thin line as she noticed where Arianna’s gaze had briefly flicked. Standing at the entrance of the tea house was Xander, his expression torn between guilt and confusion.
Beside him stood Harmony, her hand perched possessively on his shoulder, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.
Rochelle’s eyes narrowed at the sight, anger flaring in her chest as she turned back to Arianna, who refused to glance in their direction again.
Rochelle clenched her fists, debating whether to march over and speak her mind, but the fragility in Arianna’s posture stopped her.
"What the hell did they do?" she hissed, her eyes blazing as she shot a furious glare at Xander and Harmony.
Arianna, with her chin, lifted in defiance but her trembling hands betraying her inner turmoil muttered,
“Not now Rochelle..I won’t fall apart here. Not in front of them.”
Rochelle glanced once more at Xander and Harmony, her sharp glare piercing through the smugness on Harmony’s face, before stepping to Arianna’s side.
“Alright,” Rochelle said, her voice firm now.
“Let’s go.”
She wrapped a protective arm around Arianna and led her toward the car, her every movement calculated, as though shielding Arianna from the scene unfolding behind them.
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