Ariana shook her head lightly. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm okay. It's just a scratch; it'll mend in no time."

"It could leave a scar," Holden cautioned, blowing on the wound gently once more. Then, with a serious expression, he inquired, "How long has this been going on? Did Jolie have issues with you before?"

"Maybe." Ariana sounded uncertain. After a short pause, she added, "Some people are just like oil and water, you know? That's me and Jolie. We don't get along.”

Holden snorted, his demeanor turning cold. He didn't elaborate much, pulling out a strawberry Band-Aid and carefully placing it on Ariana's forehead. His tone was resolute. "Once all of this is over, you're coming back with me. No more filming. I don't care about the cancellation fee."

Ariana shook her head. "The cancellation fee is the least of my problems. I made a promise to a friend, and bailing as a scheduled guest would throw a wrench in the production team's plans. The director would have a hard time looking for a replacement."

Holden waved off her concerns. “Don't sweat it about the production team; I'll sort it out."

“But I promised..." Ariana attempted to argue.

Holden cut her off with a dismissive wave. "Which friend? I'll have a chat with them myself."

Ariana fell silent.

She hadn't told Marge that Holden was Theodore, and Holden's sudden appearance might cause a stir.

Seeing Holden's unwavering determination, she relented with a sigh.

"Fine, I'll handle the explanation with my friends."

After confirming Ariana was not seriously injured, the crew moved on to a beach barbecue planned for the evening.

When Ariana arrived, Jolie hurried over, looking remorseful. "I'm really sorry, Ariana. I didn't mean to hit you today. Are you okay?" she said.

Although Jolie sounded sincere, Ariana spotted a smug smirk flickering in Jolie's eyes.

Ariana, having heard complaints from Jennifer earlier, had her suspicions about whether the act had been intentional.

In front of the ongoing cameras, Ariana chose to publicly give Jolie the benefit of the doubt. "You say it was an accident, Jolie, so I'll take your word for it. Let's not hold any grudges," she said.

Just as Ariana was about to walk away, Jolie began to cry. Tears streaming, she blurted out, “Thank you, Ariana. You're so kind. I knew you would trust me. This afternoon, no one else believed me. I couldn't defend myself. Jennifer and the others ignored me, and I was left without a chance to explain."

Ariana quickly realized Jolie was trying to cast herself as a victim for the camera, subtly blaming Jennifer and the others for her isolation.

Ariana's face hardened as she responded firmly, "Jennifer and the rest must have their reasons if they doubted you. After all, people believe what they see. I didn't see what happened, so I chose to believe you. But those who saw something will trust their eyes. I'm not here to judge your innocence, but don't try to escalate things."