She couldn't fathom why he would send her a message so late, only to ask if she was asleep. Was it a coded message? Was there something more he wanted to say?

Normally, she would ignore messages like these and only reply the next day, but the feeling of isolation was too much for her to bear. She longed for someone to talk to, someone to fill the empty void in her heart.

So, Ariana decided to break her rule and reply.

She typed her reply to Holden.

"No. What's wrong?”

Almost immediately, Holden's response popped up on the screen.

"Do you have insomnia since you're still awake at this ungodly hour?"

The two exchanged words with ease, providing a sense of comfort to Ariana, who wasn't used to being alone. The ordinary conversation was like a balm to her wounded soul.

Ariana could glean from Holden's choice of words that he wasn't home.

As the clock struck midnight, Ariana asked casually, “Where are you?"

Holden replied quickly, "I'm savoring the riverside view by Mount Bridge."

Ariana's heart skipped a beat at the thought of Holden's proximity. She couldn't help but wonder if it was a mere coincidence that he was nearby.

Her mind was flooded with possibilities, and she couldn't stop fidgeting with her fingers.

The apartment Ariana recently rented was situated in the quiet suburbs, far from the bustling commercial center. The surrounding buildings were mostly residential, occupied by working-class people and office workers who rented apartments in the area.

Holden was not one to engage in meaningless activities, so there had to be a purpose behind his visit.

Was he here for business? If so, why would he bother messaging her at such a late hour?

The longer she dwelled on it, the more suspicious she became. Was Holden somehow keeping tabs on her? Did he know she had moved out of the Anderson family's mansion? A storm of thoughts thundered through her mind.

Suddenly, Holden's next message popped up, calming her worries.

"I'm on the Ferris wheel. The view here is very beautiful."

Ariana breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled to herself for getting carried away. She reminded herself that Holden was the CEO of the BRD Group, a busy man with little time to spare, especially for a married woman.