Holden let it slide, gesturing for the assistant to take a seat, his mood growing restless.

After the meeting, the assistant quickly left. Holden pulled out his phone and looked at it. He had sent messages to Ariana, but there were still no answers, and she had not answered his calls.

As he was about to send another message to inquire about the situation, a piece of gossip flashed on his screen: "The Most Beautiful Talent Agent And Her Boyfriend Embark on A Vacation to Melcorn."

Holden's eyes locked onto the headline. And Ariana immediately sprang to mind.

He tapped the article, and the first thing that hit him was six photos of Ariana and Mitchel.

As he scrolled, Holden's expression soured. One photo captured Ariana stepping out of a car, with Mitchel lending a hand. They seemed inseparable, their closeness almost shouting from the picture.

His gaze drilled into that specific photo, and as he continued down, the comments section buzzed with excitement.

“They look like the perfect match! It's almost as if they're already married!"

"Too good to be true, but I'll take it for today!"

"I'm aboard this ship, even if it's fleeting!"

Holden's face darkened, his teeth gritted. So, instead of focusing on work, Ariana had chosen a getaway with that guy!

All the while, she had been claiming to struggle with her ex-husband, and he had been worried about her. It felt like self-inflicted torture now.

Frustration bubbled within Holden, his temples throbbing visibly.

A bitter laugh escaped him as he glanced at the photos again before casually tossing his phone on the table. He felt foolishly stubborn, fooling himself. How could he even be Theodore when Ariana had last seen him five years ago?

Holden seethed with anger, even contemplating abandoning his investigation.

At that moment, Shawn strolled in. Holden's ominous expression didn't escape him. He hesitated at the doorway until Holden's sharp question broke the silence. "What's up?"

Shawn stuttered, "M-Miss Pierre has a ring appointment. Do you want to join her?"

Thinking Holden wouldn't bother, Shawn was surprised when Holden stood up abruptly and said, “Let's go."

Shawn watched Holden's retreating figure, puzzled by the sudden shift in demeanor. He didn't dare to inquire further.

Despite accompanying Sadie to the ring store, Holden remained distant and disinterested throughout. His responses to Sadie's questions were curt and indifferent.