CHAPTER 96
"Ms. Johnson, were you not taught any manners? Is knocking before entering someone's room a concept you're unfamiliar with?"
Deep inside, Tiana couldn't shake the feeling that Arianna epitomized a fallen rich daughter who had lost all her manners. If something as basic as knocking before entering a room could slip her mind, it was no wonder Timothy held her in such low regard!
"Someone else's room? Hardly," Arianna retorted through gritted teeth, her anger barely concealed beneath a calm facade.
"Did Xander really agree for you to stay in this room?"
Tiana's smile widened with a hint of triumph. "Mr. King said I could choose any room I liked, so naturally, I chose this one."
Tiana knew it was the master bedroom, where Xander usually slept. Although she hadn't explicitly asked Xander for permission, she didn't see the need to clarify that.
Arianna clenched her hands, her gaze fixated on Tiana's nightdress. It was hers, so she questioned, "So, did Xander give you permission to wear that nightdress?"
Her tone and expression remained calm, yet there was an underlying edge that made Tiana uneasy. For some reason, Arianna's words felt like they carried a sharp sting, leaving Tiana feeling distinctly uncomfortable.
Why should she bother with a woman who had been abandoned?
Tiana adjusted herself to flaunt her figure and looked at Arianna impatiently. Her voice turned cold as she retorted, "Do I owe you any explanations, Arianna? You're just a guest staying here. What gives you the right to interrogate me?"
She delivered her words with a patronizing smile. "Arianna, do you honestly believe you're in charge here? Don't overstep your boundaries. Xander and I are going to have a wonderful evening together. It will be quite pathetic when he returns and kicks you out."
Arianna's stomach churned with disgust.
Although she and Xander were estranged, she had never considered intervening in his affairs—particularly with someone like Tiana.
But Tiana's delight in provoking her grated on Arianna's nerves.
Her lips tightened into a thin line, and a cold resolve flickered in her eyes. "I'll offer you two options..."
"Either you remove that nightdress and leave this villa voluntarily, or I'll make sure you regret staying here!" Arianna's voice cut through the air with icy determination.
Tiana scoffed, clearly underestimating Arianna's resolve. Did she not realize whose domain they were in?
Unfazed and growing even more arrogant, Tiana shed her pretense of politeness. Her tone turned bitter and dismissive. "Ms. Johnson, this isn't the time or place for your antics. It's not me who needs to leave—Ah!"
Before Tiana could finish her sentence, Arianna lunged forward and grabbed her by the arm, eliciting a shriek from her.
Arianna had extended enough courtesy already; now it was time for action.
Given the choice, Tiana had opted for the latter, and Arianna was more than willing to oblige.
Without hesitation, Arianna's hand reached for Tiana's nightdress, swiftly pulling it down to the ground.
Tiana was caught off guard by Arianna's sudden burst of determination. In an instant, she found herself stripped bare and let out another piercing scream, desperately scrambling to cover her exposed body.
Arianna's eyes briefly darted towards Tiana's discarded clothes lying on the bed. Moving swiftly, she picked them up and tossed them towards Tiana, then firmly grasped Tiana's wrist and led her out of the master bedroom.
Despite her rush to regain her dignity, Tiana's face flushed with fury as she hastily dressed herself.
How could a woman fallen from grace, dependent on the Kings' goodwill, dare to treat her like this? Tiana's hand trembled as she prepared to deliver a resounding slap.
Adrian's reflexes were sharp, and she swiftly intercepted Tiana's incoming slap. In a quick and decisive move, she restrained Tiana's flailing hands and deftly locked them behind her back. With a well-placed kick behind Tiana's knee, Arianna forced her to kneel, eliciting a cry of pain.
"Arianna, you shameless b*tch! Wh*re!" Tiana's curses echoed in the hallway as she struggled unsuccessfully against Arianna's firm grip.
Arianna paid no heed to Tiana's feeble resistance. She grasped her firmly by the hair, pulling her down the stairs and into the hallway with relentless determination. Without hesitation, Arianna pushed Tiana out through the doorway, slamming it shut with a resounding bang.
Outside, Tiana stood in disbelief as the door closed before her, narrowly missing her newly reconstructed nose. Anger coursed through Tiana as she seethed over the injustice of being forcefully expelled by Arianna.
The stars had seemed aligned for Tiana that night, with everything falling into place except for her anticipated time with Xander. It was a harsh reality to face, realizing she had been unceremoniously ejected by Arianna.
