Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 759

The corner of Ariana's mouth twitched. It was just a scrape; why would she need to rest in the hospital for two days? Although Kiara had assured her she was safe and out of danger, Ariana still didn't know the specifics of the situation or who this so-called "friend" Kiara was staying with was.

Ever since she'd talked to Kiara that evening, a sense of unease had taken root in Ariana's heart and refused to settle.

So, she shook her head and said, "I'm fine."

The bodyguards exchanged silent glances, their eyes filled with hesitation.

Ariana seemed to understand their concerns and added with a sigh of resignation, "It's just a minor abrasion, nothing serious. If you don't report this to Lambert, he won't know. Besides, this isn't your fault."

The bodyguards opened their mouths to protest further, but one look from Ariana silenced them all.

She slowly rose to her feet.

Even with careful movement, the action tugged at the wound on her arm. A slight frown creased her brow as she forced herself to ignore the sharp, throbbing pain and the slight dizziness in her head, likely from blood loss. Seeing their young mistress was determined, and considering the wound wasn't large, the bodyguards decided not to argue further.

Ariana got back into the car and headed for the address Kiara had given her.

The bodyguards followed closely behind.

...

As she neared the destination, Ariana called Kiara first. Upon hearing that Ariana was almost there, a spark of joyful surprise instantly lit up Kiara's eyes.

Rawls, who was beside her, also seemed genuinely happy for Kiara.

He smiled with gentlemanly grace. "It seems the time for parting has come. What a pity. If possible, I would have liked to spend a few more days in your company. You are a truly delightful young woman."

Kiara was momentarily taken aback, then a blush instantly flooded her cheeks.

"Um... thank you," she stammered slightly. "You're very kind as well. I'm sure we'll have a chance to meet again in the future, Mr. Rawls."

"Of course," Rawls replied with a soft chuckle.

After that, Kiara sat waiting while Rawls called the villa district's security to authorize Ariana's entry. Once he finished the call, Kiara looked at him with profound sincerity, her gaze deep and earnest. "Although you keep saying we're even, I truly am grateful—deeply grateful—that you saved me. If it weren't for you, I imagine my situation would be quite dire right now."

Rawls seemed momentarily surprised. Studying her serious expression, a glimmer of amusement gradually lit up his eyes. "Then I shall accept your gratitude," he said, reaching out to gently ruffle her hair.

In that moment, Kiara's racing heart slipped completely beyond her control.

She stared blankly at Rawls, her senses filled with the faint, distinctly masculine scent that clung to him. Her mind went utterly blank. An instinctive urge to step back arose, but her legs felt as heavy as lead, refusing to move an inch.

It was only after Rawls finished ruffling her hair with a smile and turned to attend to other matters that Kiara slowly snapped out of her daze.

Her face was burning intensely.

Sitting quietly on the sofa, she mustered every ounce of her composure to steady her wildly accelerating heartbeat.

Ariana’s gaze shifted subtly.

She studied the handsome, captivating man before her, then carefully schooled her expression into one of polite detachment. “Hello, I’m Ariana. Thank you for taking care of my sister these past few days. I’m truly grateful.”

Rawls didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he stared directly at her, a flicker of curiosity and appraisal in his eyes.

Finally, his expression eased into its usual casual charm. “You’re welcome. Kiara saved me once, so we’re even, you could say.” He paused, his tone light but observant. “Hmm, Miss White, you look rather pale. Was the journey taxing? If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to rest here awhile before taking Kiara with you.”

Something about Rawls set off alarm bells in Ariana’s mind—and not just mild unease, but a deep, instinctual distrust.

Especially the way he had been staring at her moments before left her feeling slightly unsettled and irritated.

Unlike Kiara, Ariana had honed her instincts in the cutthroat world of business, making her far more perceptive. From the moment she laid eyes on this man, she sensed he was no pushover—and an unmistakable aura of danger clung to him. Without hesitation, Ariana declined politely but firmly. "That won't be necessary. Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Rawls. However, I have matters to attend to and cannot stay long. Should you ever visit Z country, you’d be welcome as a guest of the Stone family. Kiara could even act as your guide to express our gratitude for your hospitality toward her during her stay."

Her words were impeccably diplomatic, yet they only seemed to deepen the interest gleaming in Rawls’s eyes.

After spending considerable time with Kiara, Rawls had effortlessly extracted every bit of information he wanted. It was clear the younger sister was guileless, almost naively so, as if she’d been raised in an ordinary family rather than a prominent one. He had assumed her older sister would be much the same—perhaps Z country’s elite were simply more harmonious and less guarded?

Had they grown complacent without facing real threats?

But now, he realized his mistake.

A slow, intrigued smile curled at the corners of Rawls' lips, his eyes narrowing with amusement. "Splendid," he replied smoothly. "I was just thinking the same thing.