He immediately apologized, “I'm sorry, Mr. Fredrick, something came up, and I'm late.”

Holden appeared uninterested in dealing with him at the moment. He turned to another director and said, "Please handle everything, Mr. Waterhouse."

With that, he made a hasty exit from the conference room.

As Holden stepped into his private elevator, another elevator opened simultaneously, revealing Ariana and two others disembarking.

Ariana's thoughts were intricate, uncertain about the forthcoming interaction with Holden. She was curious about his appearance and wondered if he would be unmasked this time.

She had a hunch that someone in such a high-ranking position would possess profound insights beyond ordinary comprehension.

Moreover, with his troublesome fiancée, Sadie, Ariana foresaw that this collaboration would likely be quite vexing.

Upon entering the conference room, Ariana instinctively surveyed the room before fixating her gaze on the figure at the head of the table.

To her astonishment, a kindly and gentle countenance met her gaze.

Time had turned his hair gray, and his face bore the marks of years gone by.

Ariana was taken aback.

Could this man truly be Holden?!

Her mind went momentarily blank.

Just then, Mr. Waterhouse said, "Mr. Fredrick has urgent matters to attend to, so I will be in charge of the negotiations this time."

Hearing this, Ariana couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh.

Thankfully, the man before her was not Holden. Dealing with Holden directly would have made their negotiations even more challenging.

Furthermore, if this middle-aged man was indeed Holden, Ariana couldn't help but feel her past self from five years ago was profoundly naive.

Riding the private elevator, Holden rushed to the top floor, where he was greeted with chaotic scenes.

A doctor and Devin encircled Adele, while Sadie sat beside them, weeping incessantly.

Holden hurriedly rushed forward to embrace Adele. Her face was a fiery red, marked by small rashes, and she struggled for breath.