Hearing this, Ariana hastened to explain, "There's truly nothing going on between Mitchel and me. He's been a huge support. I couldn't just ignore him. If it weren't for his quick action to operate on me five years ago, I might have lost Melon or even my life. And Melon hasn't been well. All these years, Mitchel has been coordinating with the hospital, working on medication to stabilize Melon. He's been a pillar for me for a long time."

Ariana kept speaking. She didn't realize that she had praised Mitchel too much.

Initially, Holden felt a wave of gratitude towards Mitchel for his timely intervention five years ago. Yet, as Ariana continued to elaborate on the role Mitchel had played in her life, Holden's emotions took a sharp turn into the realm of jealousy. He was envious that Mitchel had been the one by Ariana's side these years.

As Ariana continued to praise Mitchel, Holden reached a breaking point. Overwhelmed by a mixture of feelings, he leaned forward and captured Ariana's lips in a kiss.

Ariana, caught off guard, attempted to push him away without success.

The warmth from his lips left her feeling both weakened and numb, and she found herself surrendering to the moment, her eyes closed.

Her clothing was removed with care as Holden peppered her skin with kisses.

Ariana felt his embrace tighten as he continued to kiss her gently on her body.

Holden's eyes, burning with desire, watched her intently.

He then deepened their kiss, causing Ariana's face to flush and her body to soften under his touch.

This moment, so intense and familiar, transported Ariana back to a night on a cruise ship, jolting her back to reality. She pushed Holden away a bit and said, “Wait a minute."

At her interjection, Holden, puzzled, ceased his actions and looked at her, his curiosity piqued. “What's the matter?"

Ariana, now on the verge of tears, finally mustered the courage to reveal her past encounter. “Before... When I was at a dinner party on a cruise ship..."

She hesitantly recounted the night she had been drugged and ended up in the wrong room, leading to a one night stand with a stranger. Her voice faded to a whisper, and she could not bring herself to meet Holden's gaze.

To her surprise, Holden responded not with anger but with affection, sealing his understanding with a kiss. He gazed at her tenderly, saying, “Actually... That man was me."

"What?" Ariana was left stunned by Holden's words. Before she could process what he had said, Holden kissed her again.

She still harbored burning questions. Why was Holden the man from that night? How had he come to know she was the woman in that room?

When had he found out, and why hadn't he disclosed it to her?

Struggling to find her voice, Ariana could only pat on Holden's shoulder.

But at that moment, Holden found himself overcome by a surge of desire. He couldn't bear the thought of stopping or releasing her.