He nodded slowly and replied, “Before Aldus' passing, he instructed all of us, including the director and doctors at Mercy Hospital, to keep you unaware of your relationship with Ariana and the events from five years ago."

"Why?" Holden asked.

Taking a deep breath, Devin replied, “Because of the car accident five years ago."

Despite Devin's reluctance to accept the notion that Ariana had deserted Holden at the accident site, he found himself compelled to recount the incident. “During the car accident, you and Miss Edwards were both in the vehicle. Subsequently, upon reviewing the surveillance footage, we found that only she possessed the capability to move at the scene of the accident. However, following the collision, she abandoned you there and departed alone, leaving you stranded overnight."

Devin sighed heavily as he continued, "This greatly enraged Aldus, and in his fury, he prohibited anyone from mentioning Ariana in your presence."

Holden swiftly countered, "There must have been a reason behind her departure. Considering the gravity of the accident, she couldn't have emerged unscathed. Moreover, all the phones were rendered inoperative, and we were stranded in an area devoid of signal. I recall her issuing a statement, elucidating that she attempted to seek aid from others but succumbed to exhaustion. It was merely fortuitous that she was eventually rescued. She certainly didn't intentionally abandon me at the accident site."

Hearing those words made Devin sigh deeply. He understood that Holden's heart was set on Ariana, and Holden would always choose to stand by her side.

However...

After a moment of silence, Devin asked, “If you're planning to get Miss Edwards back, what about Sadie? Adele is your daughter, after all, and Sadie is pregnant with your child right now."

He sighed and continued, “Even if you don't find Sadie very appealing, it's important to think about the kids' futures."

After listening to these words, Holden fell into silence.

He was aware of the dilemma he faced with Ariana, knowing he couldn't just overlook Sadie and her unborn baby, not to mention Adele.

It took him some time before he finally rubbed his forehead and said, “I get what you're saying, Devin. Go get some rest now.”

Devin hesitated, giving Holden a long look. Eventually, he sighed and walked away.

Meanwhile, Ariana was restless in her bed. Every time she tried to sleep, images of Holden, Sadie's words, and the photos Sadie shared online haunted her.

She had a rough night. Upon waking up in the morning, she freshened up and changed the bandage on her forehead.

It happened to be the weekend, which meant her son Melon didn't have to go to school. Ariana decided to take him along as she left the house.

The day before, her assistant Randell had called to tell her he had found a perfect spot for their business. Ariana was eager to check out the new location today.

Right on schedule, Randell showed up at Ariana's door ready to take her and her son to their destination.

As they headed to the site, Randell said with a smile, "Ariana, I've secured an office in a prime building downtown."