"No, this can't be! It just can't be..." Ariana mumbled under her breath, mostly trying to convince herself.

At that moment, Ariana's phone chimed, jolting her out of her swirling thoughts. She composed herself and picked up the call, her hand trembling slightly. It was Sonia.

Sonia's voice came through, somber and direct. "Remember I told you about Holden and Sadie's wedding today?"

At the mere mention of Holden's name, Ariana's suppressed her suspicion. Struggling to maintain composure in her voice, she said, “Yes. Has something gone wrong?"

Sonia took a noticeable pause, audibly inhaling deeply before continuing deliberately, "Well... Holden's wedding is making headlines.

We've been camping out near the venue since sunrise, hoping to catch some exclusive footage or news. And I... I got him on camera."

Ariana froze, feeling as though her breath had been stolen. She stood still, her hand tightly gripping the phone. Her entire body shook as her heart raced in anticipation of Sonia's next words.

After an agonizing moment, Sonia finally said, “Holden... He looks exactly like Theodore."

With this unequivocal confirmation, the phone slipped from Ariana's numb fingers, clattering to the ground. She stumbled as if all her strength had deserted her in an instant.

Concerned, Judy reached out to steady Ariana, asking anxiously, “What's wrong? Are you alright?"

It took Ariana a while to gather herself enough to say, “The man you saw at the hospital that day. Was he Holden?"

Judy hesitated momentarily before nodding in affirmation.

Tears streamed down Ariana's cheeks. "Why is it him? Why..." She trailed off into fragmented murmurs. "It's him all along. I can't believe it wasn't just a figment of my imagination..."

A whirlwind of emotions clashed within her, making Ariana's heart feel like it would shatter under the overwhelming pressure.

Why was Holden the man she had been looking for? He was really Theodore.

Why hadn't he reached out or sought her out even once? Why couldn't he recognize her when he saw her?

Above all, Ariana was unwilling to accept that she would find Theodore again on the day he was marrying someone else.

No, this couldn't be real. Holden could not be Theodore. She refused to believe it.

Ariana's mind was in chaos, incapable of comprehending this bombshell revelation.

Only one resolve crystallized amidst the frantic haze-she had to find Holden and see for herself.