“What's going on?"

Ariana, her countenance a canvas of bewilderment, hastily turned on the light. There, by her bedside, stood Mitchel, his expression etched with puzzlement.

Ariana gazed at him inquisitively and inquired, “Why are you here?"

Disheartened that her anticipation had not borne fruit, she could scarcely conceal her disappointment.

Mitchel motioned casually, his words unhurried.

"My days have been consumed by surgeries lately, leaving me Little opportunity to check on you. Having just concluded a procedure, I decided to pay you a visit."

Casting a glance at Ariana, he posed a question.

“Were you expecting someone else?"

Ariana responded with a somewhat awkward laugh.

"No, not at all. I simply couldn't drift into slumber, and when I heard a commotion, I thought an intruder might be lurking in the dead of night."

"The hospital's security system is remarkably comprehensive," Mitchel remarked without suspicion. He continued, “Let me assess your wound to gauge its progress."

Ariana adhered to his directives and bared her injury. After a cursory examination, Mitchel said, “Seems like there are no significant concerns. I'll schedule a follow-up for tomorrow, and if all checks out, you can be discharged."

Ariana nodded absently, her mind drifting to the absence of Holden this evening. A trace of disappointment lingered, having missed the opportunity to catch him in the act.

Meanwhile, inside BRD, Holden scrutinized the information provided by his contact on the dark web. The details about Sadie aligned with his prior investigation, save for one addition: a history of plastic surgery.

Holden furrowed his brow, taking note of the plastic surgery clinic's name before casting his gaze upon the second piece of information, bearing the name Theodore Anderson.

At the sight of this name, Holden felt an unexpected twinge of nervousness. He hesitated momentarily before cautiously clicking on the corresponding file.

Following a brief examination, his brows knitted together tightly.

The individual in the photograph bore no semblance to him whatsoever.

What's more, this person appeared to be a decade older than Ariana, with a distinctly aged appearance.

Holden couldn't help but imagine the affectionate moments Ariana and this person could share. His brows furrowed even tighter. The person described in the file didn't deserve Ariana in any conceivable way.