Ariana wiped her tears, meeting his gaze with a voice choked with emotion. "I believe you. I believe it all because I love you. Every day was a yearning for you. But the truth won't change. Even if I love you and trust you, I won't betray my principles to meddle in your relationship. We can't rewind time now."

Ariana moved to leave but was stopped by Holden in haste.

His stare hardened. "But I disagree. I won't let you go. It's not a dead end, and you can't just walk away from me."

“Let go of me!" Ariana shouted. For a brief while, Ariana fought hard, but she was unable to get free. With a strong grip, Holden pulled her into his embrace.

Holden held on despite her resistance, weathering the kicks and punches. Ariana cried out in pain and despair. “What do you want?

Sadie's carrying your child again! If you've got all this, why disrupt my life? I'd rather believe Theodore's dead! He is indeed dead! You're not him!"

Ariana verged on losing her mind, words pouring out without coherence.

"Let go. I can move on and start anew!" she said.

Holden's kiss stopped her from saying anything more as she cried. He put his arms around her waist and gave her a passionate kiss.

Ariana's attempts to push him away were futile.

Holden relaxed his grasp on her as she began to cool down a little.

"Don't say such things," he said, his voice quivering a little as he looked into Ariana's eyes. "Theodore is who I am and always will be.

There is no one else you can be with."

Ariana glared at him and said, “Why...”

Before she finished her words, he kissed her again.

Ariana grew calmer in Holden's embrace by the minute. Though tears streamed from the corner of her eyes, she complied, kissing Holden back.

Ariana and Holden stood, locked in a fervent embrace as their Lips met in a passionate kiss, seemingly lasting an eternity. As their lips finally parted, Ariana, her heart still racing, gradually regained her composure. She knew she couldn't escape the name Theodore Anderson for the rest of her life, and she also knew that the man before her was the Theodore she had yearned for over the past five years.

After Holden released her from their embrace, Ariana fell into a contemplative silence, delicate tears staining her face as her eyes still glistened with the remnants of unshed tears.

With a tender touch, Holden reached out, his fingers gently wiping away the lingering tears from Ariana's eyes. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, one hand still holding her tightly. "Don't push me away. Don't say those things. It breaks my heart."

Ariana, in her stubborn resolve, muttered, “Let it break then."