Ariana's phone interrupted their moment, prompting her to push Holden away abruptly. “I need to take this," she declared, her tone curt.

Holden remained silent, nodding in acquiescence. He answered the call, put it on speakerphone, and passed the phone to Ariana.

Ariana bristled at his actions but held her tongue. Mitchel's worried voice filled the room. “What's going on? Where are you? Why weren't you picking up my calls?"

The tension from her encounter with Holden lingered as Ariana took Mitchel's call.

Clearing her throat, Ariana instinctively glanced at Holden's sullen expression. Then, in a casual tone, she said, "I'm home. I must've silenced my phone by mistake just now.”