Ariana was moved. She said, “I think Sarah will notice your affection."

While they were talking, Aziel received a phone call and had to step away.

After he left, Ariana sat alone on the sofa for a moment, lost in thought. Suddenly, she remembered someone she wanted to thank and pulled out her phone to make a voice call.

She felt that a text message wouldn't be enough to express her gratitude, so she decided to speak with Holden directly.

The call was declined, and Ariana was surprised to see a text from Holden pop up.

It read, "What's wrong?"

Ariana wondered why Holden was unable to answer the phone. It was only 9 pm, and surely he wasn't in bed at that hour, right?

She then remembered the few times she had heard Holden's voice and how strange and hoarse it sounded.

And so...

This led her to consider the possibility that Holden's disfigurement might have also affected his throat.

Maybe he didn't like to talk because of that?

As she ruminated, Ariana couldn't help but feel guilty.

Perhaps her sudden call had hurt Holden's pride, as he seemed to be someone who valued their self-esteem greatly.

Sighing, she made a mental note to be more considerate in the future.

Ariana pondered for a moment before typing out a message.

“Thanks for being a lifesaver today! I don't know how to repay you for all your help, but if there's anything I can do to return the favor, just give me the word!"

Ariana quickly hit "send" and waited for a reply. However, a sudden thought crossed her mind, causing her to quickly type another message.

“Just to be clear, the help I offer has to be within the boundaries of what is legal and morally right. I won't agree to any absurd requests, such as that joke you made about me being your mistress. I know it was just a joke, but I want to make it clear that I'm already married and our relationship can only be that of friends."

Theodore chuckled upon reading Ariana's words about being married.

He read the messages multiple times before responding, “At the moment, I can't think of anything I need. But I'll keep that offer in mind."