Melon, clinging snugly to Holden, said, "I don't want you and Adele to leave. Can't you stick around? Living together would be awesome."

The child's innocence painted a picturesque scene.

However, Ariana, upon hearing Melon's words, had a shadow of loneliness in her eyes.

Holden, chuckling, embraced Melon and said, “Sure thing!"

Then, he turned serious, fixed his gaze on Melon, and said, "But there's something you need to know."

“What's that?" Melon asked him, his curiosity piqued.

“It's about your father," Holden replied.

“About my father? You know him?" Melon inquired.

Just as Holden was about to divulge more, Ariana interjected, “Melon, Adele is sleepy. Can you tuck her into bed? She's crashing at our place tonight."

When Melon turned around, he could see that Adele was sleepy. He walked over right away, took her hand, and showed her the way upstairs to bed.

Observant as ever, Holden sensed a shift. Refraining from pressing, he waited until the kids had gone before gently grasping Ariana's hand. "What's up? Is there still a lingering concern? Why can't I let Melon know that I'm his father?" he asked.

Ariana lowered her head, avoiding Holden's gaze, and she gently withdrew her hand from his grasp. Turning away, her eyes focused on the floor, she said, “It's a bit complicated. I reckon it's best if Melon stays in the dark for now."

Left with nothing but air in his grasp, Holden furrowed his brows unconsciously. Despite his sharp mind, Ariana's words remained a riddle he couldn't quite crack.

Growing somewhat antsy, he lifted Ariana's chin, compelling her to meet his eyes. He asked with patience, "Why?"

Ariana, still avoiding direct eye contact, stayed silent for what felt like ages.

She was at a loss as to how to explain it to Holden. She realized she had to make a decision even though she was feeling overwhelmed.

Holden, sensing her unspoken turmoil, tried a sensitive guess. “Is it because of Sadie?"

Ariana sighed internally, feeling a bit aggrieved. She nodded.

Holden, gripping Ariana's shoulder, turned her to face him and said earnestly, “Look, I don't have feelings for Sadie, and her affairs don't concern me. You don't have to worry about her. I'll handle the matters about her on my own."

Ariana pushed his hand away, looking at him. “How do you plan to handle it? And what about Adele? She's still so young, blissfully ignorant. But what about when she grows up? When people start blabbing about her biological mom and me being just a stepmother, what should you do? Even if I'm good to Adele, I can't plug the hole left by her birth mom. What happens then?"