CHAPTER 56
Suddenly, Xander flashed a mocking smile. Gone was the gentleness with which he had been applying the medicine to her wounds. Instead, his actions turned rough and careless, causing the antiseptic to sting more than it should.
Arianna winced at the sudden surge of pain, unable to hold back a gasp. She gritted her teeth and shot Xander an accusatory glare. "Xander, are you crazy?!" she spat out, her voice tinged with frustration and hurt.
It felt as though he was intentionally hurting her a second time. Was Xander trying to help her heal or just inflict more pain? The sharpness of the antiseptic and the roughness of his touch made her wonder what had changed in him so quickly. His earlier care seemed like a distant memory now, replaced by an almost vindictive force.
Xander's jaw tightened as he continued his rough ministrations. "You wanted to do this yourself, remember?" he retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe you should just scream a little. Might help."
Arianna's eyes flashed with anger. She grabbed his wrist, her grip firm despite the pain. "If you can't do it properly, then don't bother at all. I'll manage on my own."
For a moment, their eyes locked, a silent battle of wills. The tension in the room was palpable, both of them struggling with the invisible walls they'd built around their hearts.
Finally, Xander pulled his hand away and stood up, leaving the medicine kit beside her.
"Fine," he muttered, turning his back to her as he walked toward the door.
Arianna watched him go, a mixture of relief and sadness washing over her. As she took the cotton swab herself, she couldn't help but wonder if there was any hope left for them, or if the wounds between them were too deep to ever truly heal.
Xander moved away, and Arianna sighed with relief, thinking he was finally leaving. However, her relief was short-lived. She watched as Xander walked into the bathroom, washed his hands, and returned to the room. There was no hint of him leaving. Instead, he casually returned to the bed, removed the blanket, and sat down.
It dawned on Arianna that he intended to stay the night in this room, in this bed, with her. She was stunned. This was not what she expected.
“Are... Are you not leaving?” she stammered, her voice filled with disbelief. Grandma King and Aunt Julia were asleep; there was no need to keep up the pretense anymore.
Xander glanced at her with a raised eyebrow, as if her question was completely absurd. “Why would I leave? We need to maintain appearances, don’t we?” he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.
Arianna frowned, frustration bubbling up inside her. “But they’re asleep. No one’s watching us now.”
Xander shrugged, making himself more comfortable. “Doesn’t matter. What if one of them wakes up in the middle of the night? We can’t afford any slip-ups.”
Arianna’s mind raced, searching for a way to convince him otherwise.
“You can sleep in the guest room,” she suggested, desperation creeping into her voice. “It’s just across the hall. If anyone checks, I'll pretend your in the bathroom.”
As if he heard a joke, Xander looked at her with his dark, obsidian eyes and uttered, “This is my room, so why should I leave?”
Arianna couldn’t find a retort. His logic, though frustrating, was undeniable.
So, was he really going to share the same bed with her?
He despised her, and he had been furious just moments ago. Would she even make it through the night unscathed?
Arianna answered Xander, “I’ll leave then!”
She stood up and made her way to the door, but Xander grabbed her wrist. Suddenly, the room spun, and she found herself back on the bed.
Xander rolled over, pinning her upper body against the mattress and pressing her hands by her cheeks.
He narrowed his eyes, his gaze full of threats. “If you leave now, you might as well tell Grandma we’re just pretending.”
Arianna’s heart raced as she realized, in her anxiety, she had forgotten all about that.
Arianna acknowledged her mistake, feeling the weight of her words hanging heavy in the air. Unable to muster a rebuttal, she simply suggested,
“Then... You should sleep on the sofa!”
"Humppphhh.."
Xander's response was a disdainful scoff, his expression conveying an air of superiority. In that moment, Arianna's senses sharpened, a stark reminder that the Xander before her was no longer the man who once loved her unconditionally.
