Now, all she could do was hope that Theodore's men would locate her swiftly. Time was of the essence.

A heavy sigh escaped Ariana's lips.

As for Sarah, she was uncertain if she had managed to escape or not. She could only hope that Sarah had sensed something was amiss and made her way to safety without being discovered.

After the impasse had persisted for some time, the individuals outside grew weary.

As the clamor subsided, Ariana cautiously approached the door, inch by inch, straining to hear their conversation.

"This woman is hiding inside. Let's just leave," one of them suggested.

“Leave? How could we explain this situation to Mr. Fredrick? We will meet our demise if we fail to fulfill the task assigned by Mr. Fredrick!"

Mr. Fredrick?

Ariana's mind raced, swiftly searching for any connections to the Fredrick family.

And only one person occupied her thoughts.

Holden?

Ariana was taken aback by her own musings, yet swiftly dismissed them.

No, it was impossible. Holden bore no animosity towards her, and they shared no grievances. He would never stoop to such actions.

Then who could it be? Could it be related to Holden in any way? The Fredrick family?

Meanwhile, the voices outside showed no signs of abating, and one of them was still deliberating.

"So, what should we do?"

After a brief silence, another voice chimed in, "Isn't there a certain bitch celebrity lying downstairs? She appears to be that famous superstar."

Laughter, filled with vulgarity, erupted from outside the door.

"It's that renowned star. I believe I've come across her nude photos. She must be quite skilled. We didn't come here for nothing. We might as well enjoy ourselves."

Their words caused Ariana's heart to skip a beat. She promptly rose to her feet, her face drained of color and her entire body quivering from the cold.