CHAPTER 71
"Sheena, I know you're not the one pulling the strings behind my false accusation. You're just a pawn in Piper's game."
Sheena panicked for a moment, but she quickly composed herself and retorted,
"You're making baseless accusations without any evidence."
Arianna's voice remained calm, despite the tension in the room. "Sheena, there's no need to panic. I'm not here to accuse you without evidence."
She observed Sheena's reaction keenly, noting the flicker of apprehension in her eyes.
Arianna's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Do you think I'm here to extract information from you?" Her tone was gentle yet probing.
Sheena's silence spoke volumes, confirming Arianna's suspicions.
Arianna chuckled softly, her laughter echoing in the room. "Your reaction tells me everything I need to know. It seems you're more entangled in this than you'd like to admit."
She leaned back in her chair, her gaze unwavering.
"I have no intention of playing games, Sheena. But your involvement with Piper raises questions. Perhaps there's more to your relationship than meets the eye."
Arianna's words struck Sheena deeply, prompting her to reassess her perception of Arianna.
Sheena's knowledge of Arianna was limited, but she understood Arianna's reputation as a refined socialite.
After Arianna's marriage with Xander fell apart in the public eye, Arianna retreated from the spotlight, leaving many to view her with pity or disdain.
In Sheena's mind, Arianna was seen as someone who had everything handed to her and lacked real-life experience due to her privileged background.
However, Arianna's clever observations and calm demeanor revealed a side of her that Sheena hadn't expected. This made Sheena wonder if there was more to Arianna than meets the eye, challenging her initial judgments and making her question her own perceptions.
Yet, Sheena realized she had underestimated Arianna's insight and determination.
However, Sheena remained guarded, refraining from revealing her thoughts as she inquired, "What do you want?"
"You orchestrated the framing incident, and now you're facing the consequences," Arianna stated matter-of-factly. "I believe you've learned your lesson, so I've decided to drop the charges."
Drop the charges?
With a steady rhythm, Arianna tapped her fingers on the desk. "Consider this my act of goodwill. Let's put this matter behind us."
Sheena's incredulous reaction caught Arianna off guard, and her voice rose in disbelief as she questioned, “You're releasing me?”
“Indeed,” Arianna confirmed.
It took Sheena a moment to process Arianna's unexpected decision. Then, a suspicious expression crossed her face.
“Do you expect me to suddenly turn against Piper and aid you just because you've decided to drop the charges against me? Get real, Arianna!”
Arianna couldn't help but chuckle at Sheena's skepticism.
Arianna couldn't contain her laughter at Sheena's persistent curiosity.
"What's so amusing?" Sheena demanded.
"I find your imagination quite entertaining," Arianna replied with a smirk.
Sheena's embarrassment was evident.
"Anyway, that's all I came here to say." Arianna made to end the call.
"Just a moment," Sheena interjected hastily. "Are you truly letting me off the hook so easily? What's your angle?"
Arianna's smile remained enigmatic as she pondered her next move.
Arianna gave it a moment's thought before pressing the phone back to her ear. "Once you're out of here, you should consider your future carefully. Will you continue being Piper's lapdog, doing her bidding... or will you start planning for your own future?"
With that, Arianna swiftly set the phone down, stood up, and confidently walked away in her high heels.
Sheena sat there, staring in disbelief at Arianna's retreating figure until she vanished from view.
********
When Arianna walked out of the police station, her phone rang.
She looked at her phone and noticed that it was Rochelle, so she immediately swiped her phone and answered the call, “Hey.”
Rochelle’s voice sounded raspier than usual, and she greeted, “My love, I’m so sorry. Something happened to me yesterday, and I didn’t get to check my phone. Are you alright now?”
“It’s alright now, so don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
“Really?” Rochelle asked with a tone of disbelief. “Let’s meet up. I’m afraid that you’re holding back unpleasant news!”
Since everything was settled, Arianna gladly agreed, “Sure.”
Thirty minutes later, the two of them met at a trendy coffee shop.
Rochelle pulled Arianna and sized her up a few times. She only felt at ease when she was sure that Arianna was not injured.
Then, she picked up the coffee and elegantly took a sip, asking, “So Xander, that b*stard, actually saved you at the most crucial time?”
Rochelle sneered disdainfully. “How convenient! That b*stard got a chance to make himself look better in front of us!”
Arianna chuckled and took a sip of her coffee.
“Still, it seems he has some conscience. If he had really ignored you, I would have stormed the King Group’s offices and raised hell!”
Arianna gave Rochelle a thumbs up. “Chelle, you’re the best! You're amazing!”
Rochelle suddenly fixed her gaze on Arianna, causing her to feel self-conscious, and she touched her face. “Is there something on my face?”
Rochelle’s voice turned serious, and she gave an irrelevant answer,
“Ari, beware of that b*stard’s love trap. I’m scared that you may…”
Sensing the concern in Rochelle's voice and knowing exactly where she was headed, Arianna interrupted her,
“Don’t worry. I’ve given up the thought that he could ever love me..he gates ne remember.”
Her voice wavered slightly, betraying the pain she still felt. She no longer dared to speculate about Xander's thoughts, the uncertainty having worn her down.
Rochelle didn't say anything more and simply reached out to pat Arianna's head. Then, she changed the topic and asked, “You can’t just let this go. Do you have a plan?”
“Of course.” Arianna flashed a crafty smile.
She had already laid out her opening moves.
