"I'm not interested in her. I want to see you."

Ariana's eyes blurred as she fought back tears. A storm of pain and yearning raged inside her. She wanted to run to him, to pour out all her anguish into his embrace.

Yet, the thought of Sadie created an immense gap between her and Holden, a gap she felt was impossible to cross. Given how emotionally vulnerable she was now, crossing that gap might lead her to act without thinking. She didn't trust herself to make a decision in such a state.

With a heavy heart, she responded, "You need to leave. I don't want to see you now."

The moment she sent the message, a tear dropped onto her phone's screen.