“Were you out on a drinking spree last night? I called, and your voice seemed rather unusual."

On the opposite end, Holden anxiously awaited her response as he composed his message. He understood that divulging his identity could prompt Ariana to withdraw, especially given the link to Sadie.

Furthermore, based on her remarks from the night before, she likely harbored suspicions about his true identity.

Thus, in this tense moment, he stared at his phone screen, grappling with the hope that Ariana would not directly address his true self.

It was a somewhat duplicitous strategy, but it provided a modicum of relief.