If the woman from last night had indeed entered his bed with the intent to win his favor, then her objective had been achieved. He had even left his number for her, expecting a swift contact.

Opening his phone once more, he checked, but no notifications greeted him.

Reviewing the call records revealed no missed calls either.

Despite his usual disdain for such calculations, a strange sense of disappointment settled within him.

Silence lingered before Holden spoke again, his tone measured.

“Look into the woman who attended last night's cruise ball wearing the Medusa dress."

“Of course, sir." Shawn recalled that she was the same woman Holden had danced with, his curiosity piqued. It baffled him how Holden, who usually kept others at arm's length, could be swayed by a mere dance.

But prudence kept him from probing further; instead, he simply agreed to carry out the task.

Shawn took the driver's seat, while Holden settled into the back with Adele. Gently, he placed her on his lap and deftly tied up her hair.

Holden's fingers worked through her hair, and he asked, “Adele, is your hair tied too tight? If it's uncomfortable, just let Daddy know, alright?"

Adele remained quiet, head lowered. She fiddled with a bunny-shaped hair tie in her small hands.

Holden's patience remained unwavering as he continued speaking with tenderness.

“If anything doesn't feel right in your body, you have to tell me, okay?"

Shawn had mentioned that Adele had undergone a thorough medical examination yesterday, and Holden had reviewed the medical report himself.

Yet, an underlying unease persisted within him.

Adele shook her head and passed the rabbit hair tie to Holden.

Seeing his daughter's adorable face, Holden's heart melted.

He smiled and gave her head a gentle rub, reaching for the hair tie to secure her hair. However, Adele seemed to have spotted something outside.

Suddenly, she pressed her face against the window, her gaze intently fixed beyond the glass. With both hands, she started tapping on the window.

Holden was surprised by this unusual behavior, as Adele had never displayed such excitement before.