Judy affirmed with a nod.

“Indeed. Who could have foreseen Sadie's existence before? Rumor has it, Sadie and Holden were together five years ago, albeit kept apart by Aldus. Subsequently, Sadie bore their child independently, awaiting Aldus's passing before daring to introduce the child to the Fredrick family."

Ariana's brow furrowed in perplexity upon absorbing this revelation.

Everything about this seemed bizarre. If Holden and Sadie shared a genuine bond, he hadn't made an effort to seek out Sadie during those five years. Even if they desired privacy, the sudden appearance of Sadie and their child without prior contact appeared incongruous.

Why had Sadie waited until now to introduce the child to the Fredrick family?