Sadie scoffed, "I just took Adele out shopping because she missed me. I saw your son looking sad without his mom around, so I invited him along. I didn't want him to do something to my daughter while I was away."

Hearing that, Ariana slapped Sadie. The sound echoed around them.

Melon was shocked. He had never seen his mom so furious.

"I don't care what your intentions were. But you better stop," Ariana snapped, shielding Melon. “You know you have no good intentions towards Adele. But if you ever lay a finger on my son again, I swear I'll drag you down with me even if I die."

She then pulled Melon into the car with her.

Realizing what had happened, Sadie felt the sting on her cheek and started to cry, her eyes wide with disbelief. She turned to Holden, sobbing. "I was just trying to be nice, taking Adele and her son out... And she hit me?"

Sadie was a wreck, tears streaming down her face from feeling so wronged, while Holden just watched her with cold eyes. He then picked up Adele and started for the car.

Seeing Holden about to leave, Sadie panicked and screamed, "Holden!"

But Holden didn't look back. He just continued walking to the car with Adele.

Chasing after them, Sadie's voice trembled. “Holden! Do you really trust her that much? Are you that heartless to me? Remember, I'm still Adele's mom, and the baby I'm carrying is yours..."

Hearing this, Holden stopped walking and turned around with Adele in his arms to face Sadie.

Sadie hoped she still had a chance and was ready to plead her case once more. But Holden just gave her a mocking look and said sarcastically, “Adele? The baby? Are you really that naive or just playing dumb? Did you think I wouldn't find out how you treated Adele?"

Sadie froze. She had feared this might happen but couldn't figure out how her secret had gotten exposed. She began to defend herself, saying, "How could I mistreat Adele? I'm her mother..."

"Enough, you've lost the right to call yourself her mother," Holden interjected sharply. "I know everything you've done. You can't play the loving mother card with Adele anymore."

Shocked but not ready to give up, Sadie responded, “Holden, you can't do this. What about the baby I'm carrying? He's waiting for you to be his father!"

Holden glanced at Sadie's belly with visible disdain. "That child? Maybe you should discuss the matter about the child with Zayden."

With a scoff, Holden continued, "Didn't Zayden tell you? Once I'm out of the picture, the Fredrick Group's fortune is supposed to go to that child in your belly, his son?"

Sadie went pale. These were the words she and Zayden had shared over the phone.

“And you mentioned that by having this child, you'd still reign as the lady of the Fredrick Group, surrounded by endless riches and prestige, didn't you?" Holden taunted with a smirk.

Startled, Sadie's eyes widened as she stared at Holden, trembling.