However, she couldn't shoulder all the blame. Holden hadn't addressed his situation with Sadie, which had left her angry. Moreover, Holden had pretended not to know about her joining the love-variety show and lied to her.

Holden snorted coldly, fixing his gaze on her. "Is this what you call being busy with work?"

Caught off guard, Ariana blushed and stammered, "This... I..." She paused, then countered, “Weren't you supposed to be at a charity auction? How did you end up here?"

“Why am I here?" Holden cornered Ariana, his voice soft yet filled with intensity. "If I hadn't shown up, my wife would have been snatched away by someone else. You've got people chasing after you relentlessly, and the internet is abuzz with rumors about you and Mitchel, all fueling speculation about your relationship with him. How could I not intervene?"

Ariana awkwardly scratched her cheek. “It's all fabricated, just clever editing and hype."