She pretended to be oblivious to Holden's return, only registering surprise when the butler announced Mr. Fredrick.

“Holden, you're back! Feeling tired? Have you had anything to eat?"

As Sadie was about to remove Holden's coat, he disregarded her completely, handing the coat to the butler.

Her smile waned into an awkward one, and she withdrew her hand.

Eagerly, she pressed, “Let's sit down for a meal. I've been eagerly awaiting your return."

Holden nodded and settled at the dining table, where the servant promptly arranged the tableware.

After a few quick bites, Holden unexpectedly broached the subject of their impending wedding.

“Since you've planned the wedding for next month, it'll be pretty soon."

His words caught Sadie off guard. His follow-up remark extinguished her enthusiasm before she could revel in the excitement.

"I'd like our love story to have a commemorative touch, a testament to our journey. Do you happen to possess any photographs from five years ago or other keepsakes that hold sentimental value?"

Sadie's expression froze in an instant, panic coursing through her.

Her eyes darted around involuntarily as she hastily sipped her soup.

“No need for that," Sadie stammered, her voice trembling. She glanced up at Holden, her anxiety palpable, and added hurriedly, "Moreover, it might be embarrassing for our guests to see such old photos. Plus, I've switched phones recently, and unfortunately, I lost all the saved pictures."

"No backups?" Holden inquired, skepticism tainting his tone.

"No.. At the time, I was alone, and my phone was stolen suddenly. I couldn't retrieve it," Sadie hurriedly explained, pretending to focus on her meal, avoiding Holden's penetrating gaze.

Holden continued to regard her with a narrowed, suspicious gaze. He knew Sadie well, and her lack of photographic evidence from their past together seemed oddly inconsistent with their relationship.

Delving further, he probed, “Not a single photograph? You didn't post any on your social media?"

Sadie was in a sudden whirlwind of panic, her heart racing like a horse escaping the starting gate. She couldn't fathom why Holden had brought up this long-buried past out of the blue. She stammered with her mind in a fog, “Back then, I felt Like a ship adrift in a storm, thinking you'd cast me off. It tore me apart, and I purged every trace of our shared history in my anguish."

Holden, his utensils set aside, wore a sly grin.

“Well, reckon you could scour your digital catacombs for those lost remnants. Sometimes, treasures could lurk in the shadowy recesses of some software."