CHAPTER 408
"Oh, don’t look so surprised," Harmony purred, her voice sweet but laced with venom as she met Arianna’s gaze.
"It’s not my fault he still comes running every time I cry."
Arianna didn’t flinch. Instead, her lips curled into a cold, almost mocking smile. She stepped into Harmony’s space, closing the distance between them.
“Ah, but this time, he didn’t run to you, did he?”
Harmony froze, but quickly recovered, her expression slipping into a practiced mask of sweetness.
“Alright, fine. I came here,” she said with a saccharine smile.
“But just look at him.” She gestured toward Xander, who was still carefully tending to her wrist.
“As soon as I arrived, he forgot all about you, didn’t he? He just couldn’t help himself.””
Arianna let out a low, humorless laugh, tilting her head slightly as she studied Harmony.
“Oh, but he already took good care of me, really good care” she said coolly, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.
“While you were home, waiting like a lost little puppy for him to come find you.”
She leaned back slightly, a smirk playing at her lips.
“Besides what's else was the poor guy supposed to do when you barged into our home unannounced, shoving your hand in his face like some desperate cry for attention?” Arianna’s voice sharpened, her eyes gleaming.
“Don’t confuse basic decency with devotion, Harmony. It’s embarrassing.”
Harmony’s smile faltered for a split second, a crack slipping through her polished exterior. She straightened, forcing a light laugh that sounded just a little too brittle.
"You’re wrong," she said, waving off Arianna’s words with a shaky hand.
"You’re just... twisting things. He wanted to help me. He chose to. I didn’t force him."
But her voice quivered at the edges, betraying the nerves she was trying so hard to hide.
"He cares about me. You can see it... Anyone can."
"Care?" Arianna echoed, her voice a mockery of sweetness.
"You’re scrambling for crumbs, Harmony. Scraps of affection he tosses out of pity—and you lap them up like they're a feast."
Harmony’s entire body stiffened, her face flushing red with anger. The shaky composure she clung to shattered in an instant.
"Shut up!" she snapped, the words harsher than she intended, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
"You don't know anything about what we have!"
Arianna just smiled wider, her gaze calm and razor-sharp.
"You're right," she said smoothly.
"I don't. Because there is no 'we.' There's only you... desperate enough to mistake mercy for love."
Harmony’s chest heaved, her breathing ragged as her perfect mask finally shattered.
The sugary sweetness she'd worn like armor was gone, replaced by something raw and furious. Her voice, once soft and pitiful, now snapped with venom.
"You think that pathetic little ring means you've won?" she spat, taking a wild step closer, her eyes flashing with a dangerous gleam.
"You think a piece of jewelry makes you his forever? You don’t get it, Arianna—you never will. Xander loves me. He always has. He wants to be with me. He just doesn’t know how to leave you yet."
Arianna didn’t flinch. Her smirk only grew colder, sharper.
She casually flicked her gaze over Harmony’s shoulder, toward the hallway where Xander had disappeared minutes ago—silently daring him to return, to see the truth spilling from Harmony’s lips.
"Go on," Arianna said silkily, her voice deadly calm.
"Keep talking. Maybe if you scream a little louder, he’ll finally realize the kind of disaster he’s been trying so hard to save...realise that you don’t consider him a friend...that you love him"
Harmony let out a harsh, shaky laugh that verged on hysterical. Her hands were trembling now, clenched so tightly at her sides that her knuckles whitened.
"He already knows!" she snapped, her voice rising, cracking.
"He knows what we have—what we could have! And you—" she jabbed a finger toward Arianna, her movements jerky and erratic,
"—you’re just a placeholder. A mistake he’ll eventually fix."
Arianna stayed perfectly still, watching with unnerving calm as Harmony unraveled before her.
"You won’t keep him from me forever," Harmony hissed, her whole body practically vibrating with rage.
"One way or another, he’ll see you for what you are—and he’ll come back to me. I’m the one he needs. I’m the only one who’s ever understood him!"
Arianna leaned back slightly, her arms folding slowly across her chest. Her smile was cold and cutting, a silent blow.
"Keep clinging to that fantasy, Harmony," she murmured.
"It’ll make watching you crumble all the more delicious when he finally chooses—and it’s not you."
Harmony’s lips curled in a silent snarl, her eyes wild with fury—and just then, behind her, quiet footsteps echoed in the hallway.
"Hey... what are you girls talking about?" Xander’s voice broke the tension as he stepped back into the room, his tone casual, unaware of the storm he was walking into.
"Nothing important," Harmony answered smoothly, flashing him a quick, too-innocent smile, her voice light and easy—far too easy.
Xander didn’t question it. He stopped in front of her, his brow furrowing as he gently took her wrist in his hand. His touch was careful, almost absent-minded, as if some part of him was still distracted.
"Hold it there a while, Bunny," he murmured, pressing the ice pack back against her hand.
Harmony’s eyes clung to him, but Xander was already pulling away.
Without another glance at her, he turned and made his way toward Arianna, his attention shifting as naturally as if it belonged there.
Arianna caught the way Harmony's gaze trailed after him, lingering like she couldn't help herself.
But Xander didn't look back. He walked to Arianna and settled down next to her, his attention now fully on his wife.
"You feeling better, my love?" Xander asked, his voice soft, thick with concern as he stared into Arianna’s eyes.
As he spoke, he reached out, his fingers gently tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.
His touch lingered for a second longer than necessary before he leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, his other hand instinctively moving to rub slow, soothing circles along her back.
Arianna gave him a sweet, slightly smug smile, her heart swelling—and not just from his affection.
She cast a quick sideways glance at Harmony, catching the other girl biting her lip so hard she looked moments away from drawing blood.
Good.
"A little," Arianna replied, her voice honeyed but edged with pointed sass.
"But...you took such good care of me."
She smiled wider, watching Harmony from the corner of her eye as she added almost lazily,
"Just a little pain left in the back... otherwise, all good."
Xander’s hand moved a little more firmly over her back, soothing her as if she were made of glass.
"Better," he murmured, his voice low and filled with quiet reassurance.
Arianna nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving Harmony now—and she could see it plain as day: the tightening of Harmony’s jaw, the way her fingers dug into her lap, her entire body practically vibrating with irritation.
It was working. And Arianna savored every second of it.
"If you want, I can kiss it better?" he asked, leaning in just slightly.
Arianna tilted her head. "Maybe later," she replied with a teasing lilt.
Harmony looked like she was about to explode. Her clenched fists tightened jaw, and the burning fury in her eyes said more than words ever could.
And Arianna? She simply sipped her drink with a quiet sense of satisfaction.
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