Did she find someone new, making him unneeded in her Life?
Suddenly, Holden was consumed by anger, uncertain whether it was aimed at himself or the mysterious man.
His expression darkened, and without delay, he sent the money back.
“Who once said repaying a favor with money is crass?”
Seeing his reply, Ariana recollected her words. He was using her words against her.
A wave of embarrassment washed over her, and she tried to downplay it with a playful emoticon.
He quickly sent another message.
“I’d prefer anything other than money as compensation, please.”
Ariana remembered saying something similar while talking about payment, so she was left with no choice but to send an
emoticon to show she understood.
Their chat went on, and soon, Holden found a reason to ask, “What have you been doing today?”
Ariana read his message and couldn’t resist a chuckle. She mused to herself that he was rather adept at feigning ignorance
regarding her activities, even though he sent Shawn to her.
Amused, Ariana responded with a whimsical exaggeration, “Oh, I engaged in bungee jumping in the Arctic.”
The Arctic? Bungee jumping? Holden saw these two unrelated words and was somewhat bewildered. Grasping it to be a quip,
he replied, “Well, take it easy then.”
Ariana responded with a grinning emoji, and they talked about different subjects.
While discussing Melon, Holden thought again about the man from the previous night. He hesitated, typing and deleting
messages repeatedly but was unable to make himself ask.
When they finally ended their conversation, Holden had reached home.
At that moment, Shawn came back with a gift box in hand.
Spotting Holden, Shawn approached and said, “Mr. Fredrick, this delivery arrived at the company, and it’s addressed to you.”
Upon receiving the gift box, Shawn felt it was unusual. Holden rarely received deliveries at the office, prompting Shawn to
meticulously inspect it for potential threats before bringing it home. Folded inside was an elegant wedding gown.
The gown had a captivating mermaid-style design. It was adorned with intricately embroidered pearls and gemstones, exuding a
charming appeal.
However, Shawn hesitated, uncertain whether it truly belonged to Holden. Consequently, he decided to bring it home.
Holden collected the gift box and opened it. As he gazed upon the exquisitely crafted wedding gown, an inexplicable wave of
familiarity enveloped him.
In his mind, a blurry image surfaced -— a magnificent silhouette standing before him, wearing this very wedding gown, poised to
gracefully turn and reveal itself.