Just then, Ariana's phone, which was charging in the living room, began to ring. Melon entered the room with the phone, handing it to Ariana and saying, "Mom, Mitchel's calling."

As Ariana reached for the phone, it was swiftly taken away.

Holden grabbed the phone, looked at the caller ID, and pressed the hang-up button.

Ariana halted, her gaze fixed on Holden, puzzled by his actions.

"What are you doing?" she inquired.

Holden, however, did not offer a direct response. Instead, he focused on sending Melon away with a gentle nudge.

Once Melon was out of the room and the door securely shut, Holden proceeded to lock it. This action caused Ariana to instinctively become alarmed, her anxiety evident as she stuttered, "What... What do you want to do?"

At that moment, the situation was momentarily interrupted by the ring of Ariana's phone. The caller ID flashed Mitchel's name again.

As Ariana reached out to answer the call, Holden swiftly took the phone from her hand and disconnected the call.

Ariana's anxiety spiked, and she swiftly extended her hand towards Holden, her voice tinged with urgency. “What are you doing? Give me back my phone. What if there's an emergency?"

Frustration and concern were clear in her voice. With growing anger, Ariana asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Holden's expression darkened as he absorbed Ariana's anxiety, the air around him thickening with jealousy. He said, "Why is Mitchel calling you at this hour?"

Ariana, feeling cornered yet defiant, massaged her temples. "You're overreacting. It's just a phone call from him. You're the one who's staying in my house without my permission. Mitchel and I are merely friends. Can I have my phone back now?"

“Are you comparing him to me now?" Holden's reaction was a mixture of disbelief and possessiveness, his refusal to return the phone evident.

He fixed Ariana with a mocking look. "Friends? I don't believe it."

Ariana's frustration boiled over, and her voice carried a sharp edge as she retorted, "Listen, Mitchel and I are nothing more than friends. He has been there for me, saving both my life and Melon's. My feelings towards him are purely out of gratitude. Now, give me back my phone."

Holden, however, remained unmoved, his skepticism fueled by past rumors and snapshots of Mitchel and Ariana together. His jealousy was evident as he coldly dismissed her explanations. “You might see him as just a friend, but his intentions towards you are far from platonic. The way he looks at you says it all. He's definitely interested in you."

Previously, Holden had been extremely jealous because of these things, and now, after understanding his own identity, seeing the name "Mitchel" only intensified his jealousy.

Ariana's frustration grew, but she maintained her stance. “What he thinks or feels is his concern, not mine," she asserted, attempting to retrieve her phone from Holden's grasp.

Holden's tone turned icy as he brought up past incidents. “You even went to travel with Mitchel in Melcorn before."