Sadie pondered for a moment. Though Zayden assured her it wouldn't affect Holden's status, she couldn't shake the feeling that it held some significance.

Regardless, she believed that any rift between them could be mended in the future. After all, she and Holden had weathered many storms in the past.

What truly mattered was securing her future, ensuring that Holden remained in the dark about Adele's mistreatment.

Zayden was confident she would agree, nonchalantly swinging his crossed legs as he awaited her response.

After a brief pause, Sadie Lifted her gaze to meet Zayden's and nodded.

"Very well, it's a deal."

After the inaugural ceremony, Tyler was swept up in a whirlwind of commitments, leaving him with no choice but to make a hasty exit from the set. He exchanged a few words with Ariana, and they both left the filming location, their paths diverging.

However, Ariana didn't drive straight home. Instead, she steered her way to a store and Loaded up on cleaning supplies before heading for the Evergreen Apartments.

Ever since she had made the decision to face her past head-on, she had been contemplating giving her apartment a good old-fashioned scrubbing. She believed that, down the road, she could drop by there from time to time.

Reaching the apartment, Ariana pushed the door open and was greeted by a sight that took her breath away. All the furniture stood bare, stripped of the dust covers she had left covering them. The place had been cleaned within an inch of its life.

Ariana stood there, frozen in her tracks, clutching the broom like a knight's sword, ready to defend herself.

Her thoughts of Theodore coming back had been cast adrift since her last visit. Now, her immediate instinct was that an intruder had invaded her place.

She had heard tales of unoccupied homes being taken over by bold strangers who made themselves right at home.

Uncertain whether the intruder still lurked within, Ariana inched forward cautiously, her senses on high alert. She scoured every nook and cranny but found no trace of anyone. However, there were clear signs that someone had laid on the bed, and the refrigerator held a trove of unexplained beer bottles.

It seemed the intruder was a man.

Ariana was ablaze with anger. The notion of someone occupying the place she had once shared with Theodore fueled her fury.

She reached for her phone, considering alerting the authorities to this unwelcome intrusion. But no valuables were missing, and she lacked concrete evidence.

Instead of making that call, Ariana decided to take matters into her own hands and apprehend the trespasser herself.

She embarked on a meticulous search of the house, hoping to find some clues.

She had left in such a rush the last time that she hadn't had a chance to install any cameras. The idea of changing the locks had crossed her mind but gave her pause because Theodore's fingerprints were enrolled in them.