CHAPTER 95
Arianna realized that Xander always managed to provoke her, no matter how hard she tried to ignore him.
It almost seemed like Xander remembered her birthday, but because he despised her, he decided to anger her by bringing another woman home.
She put a piece of steak in her mouth, chewed it forcefully, and swallowed. Then, she looked up with a smile and said, "Well, Mr. King, you've acted so swiftly that I wonder if you really need to recuperate."
There was barely any noticeable difficulty in his leg movements.
Xander raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter? Do you need me to show you?"
"No thanks." Arianna's lips curved into an even bigger smile. "There are others who will be concerned about your injury, Mr. King. I, for one, am not interested!"
Xander's eyes darkened, and his expression turned as cold as steel.
Arianna met his gaze without flinching and dismissed him unceremoniously. "If that's all, Mr. King, please make yourself at home. I'm going to continue my dinner."
When she said that, Xander’s gaze landed on the two steaks and two glasses of red wine on the table. He smirked yet again.
Could he have thought that she prepared it for him?
Ah!
Arianna immediately reached out for the plate in front of him and placed that steak directly on her plate. Next was the glass of red wine: she took it, raised her head, and drank it all in one gulp.
Those actions would probably suffice to dispel his delusion that she did it all for him!
She would rather eat until she vomited than give him a single bite!
Seeing the woman’s provocative gaze, Xander’s eyes darkened, but his expression remained as unreadable as ever. Finally, he simply got up and walked out of the dining hall.
...
After exploring the villa, Tiana returned to Xander with a bright smile. She raised her hand, tucked her hair behind her ear, and asked softly, "Mr. King, which room will I be staying in?"
Xander glanced at the dining room from the corner of his eye before replying in his ever-cool tone, "You can choose whichever."
Tiana's heart raced with excitement at the implication that she could stay in any room she liked.
From the moment she started working at the King Group and first laid eyes on Xander, Tiana had fallen head over heels for him. After working under him and witnessing his capability and boldness firsthand, she became even more obsessed with him.
She frequently fantasized about being his woman and would have been happy even if it was only for a short time.
During the past few years, however, Piper was always around Xander, keeping a very close watch on him and preventing Tiana from getting any chance. Another obstacle was Xander’s daunting character—he had a strong aversion to being approached by others.
She had seen countless women at the company try to seduce Xander, only to disappear from the social circle afterward. For that reason, Tiana would not have made a move so hastily if she was not completely confident.
In the end, her perseverance paid off. Piper had fallen out of favor with Xander due to various scandals. With Xander now injured, her daily inquiries into his well-being must have touched his heart, leading him to choose her to take care of him.
Not only had he brought her back to his private residence, but he was also willing to let her choose any room she wanted. Xander clearly saw her in a different light now, and the opportunity she had longed for had finally arrived!
Tiana was determined to put on a good performance and become Xander's woman.
********
The villa was so quiet that every single word of their conversation reached Arianna's ears. She clenched her hands tightly, blue veins standing out on the backs of her hands.
Her eyes stung suddenly, and she felt something constricting her throat. She lifted her head, took a few deep breaths, and suppressed her emotions as best she could.
She continued her meal, finishing her steaks bit by bit. By then, she had gone through half a bottle of wine.
Arianna raised her wine glass, clinked it with the air, and softly murmured, "Happy birthday, Arianna."
Her voice was slightly hoarse.
After filling herself with food and drink, Arianna cleaned up and did the dishes. Standing in the kitchen, deep in thought, she decided to head upstairs and pack some clothes to stay somewhere else for a few days.
Out of sight, out of mind. There was no point in making life difficult for herself.
If that scumbag wanted to humiliate her like that, he could try in the next life!
Once Arianna had that thought, she adjusted her mood right away, then walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs.
She walked to the door of the master bedroom and saw that the light inside was turned on. Her first thought was that Xander had returned to the room. She wanted to turn around and leave. Seeing him was the last thing on her mind, and she wanted to wait for him to come out before going in there.
To her surprise, she peeked through the half-open door and spotted Tiana inside. Even more startling were the clothes Tiana was wearing.
Arianna froze on the spot, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. Unable to restrain herself, she pushed the door open wide and entered abruptly.
Tiana jumped at the sudden intrusion, her surprise quickly turning into a haughty expression of disdain as she faced Arianna.
"Ms. Johnson, were you not taught any manners? Is knocking before entering someone's room a concept you're unfamiliar with?"
