Sonia remained deeply skeptical.

After all, she had borne witness to the heart-wrenching sight of Theodore's departure into the unforgiving crematory flames. If this person before her were indeed Theodore, then who had she glimpsed during the cremation, and why? Furthermore, the hospital had confirmed the identity of the deceased as Theodore.

Her concern for Ariana weighed heavy on her heart. She couldn't bear to see her friend lost in a bewildering haze, haunted by a phantom.

Sonia gazed into Ariana's eyes and spoke softly.

“If this truly is Theodore, why hasn't he sought you out? Why hasn't he plastered the city with missing person posters? When you suffered in that hospital, fought through foreign lands, and battled heartbreaks, where was he?"

Ariana's gaze froze, her mind grappling with the gravity of the question. If this person was Theodore, why had he never reached out, never come to her?

Slowly regaining her composure, Ariana turned to Sarah and inquired, “Where did you spot him? I'd like to see for myself, to get a clearer picture."

Sarah recounted, "It was in the children's section of this very mall.

I tried to catch up with him, but he'd already slipped into the elevator by the time I arrived. So, I've been waiting here, hoping he'd reemerge."

Ariana's eyes drifted to the photo on her phone, her thoughts a tempestuous whirlwind of uncertainty.

Sonia and Sarah shared a comforting glance, offering reassurances.

“Take your time. It's likely just a striking resemblance. Try not to let your thoughts consume you."

Despite their comforting words, both women knew the implausibility of Ariana not delving into this mystery. For five long years, she had been tormented by the memory of Theodore, the agony of that unrelenting yearning etched into her very soul. At times, she held onto the absurd hope that Theodore might still be alive, teetering on the edge of sanity.

They whiled away nearly an hour in the bustling coffee shop, the ebb and flow of patrons providing a steady backdrop to their anxious anticipation. But despite the sea of faces, none bore the resemblance they sought.

Then, as if summoned by fate, Ariana's gaze fixated on two figures emerging from the elevator's metallic embrace: Shawn and Adele.

Sonia, too, caught sight of Adele and spoke in a tone both casual and contemplative.

"It seems we've been crossing paths with Holden's daughter quite frequently of late. Today, we chance upon them here.

Quite the coincidence."

Ariana took a composed breath, her gaze shifting between Shawn and Adele before she said in a measured tone, "It's quite commonplace, as the Fredricks own this mall."

Recollection washed over Ariana, carrying her back to that initial return from abroad, when she and Sonia had ventured here to select gifts for Melon. In that bustling place, a man had caught her eye, his profile bearing an uncanny resemblance to Theodore's.