But before Ariana could complete her sentence, she dropped to her knees at the side of the road, lost control, and vomited
uncontrollably. The assistant hurried to help her, but Ariana vigorously shrugged her off and insisted, “I’m not drunk. I can take
care of myself! I see the car!”
The assistant had yet to receive the driver’s call and looked around in puzzlement for the car.
However, before she could react, Ariana had already sprinted towards a parked black car nearby.
The assistant’s eyes widened. It was an exclusive luxury car, definitely not the standard taxi they had booked. Any damage to
this vehicle would be catastrophic.
Desperately, the assistant chased after Ariana, yelling, “Hold on!
ninjanovel.com
It’s not that one! Stop!”
But the alcohol-empowered Ariana raced ahead, and the assistant couldn’t catch up. She watched in dismay as Ariana leaped
into the car.
The car’s door was unlocked, and Ariana forcefully shut it with a loud bang. She slouched in the seat, gestured to the driver, and
shouted, “Drive!”
The driver, previously absorbed in admiring the river view, gradually turned to see who had entered the car. Turns out it was
Holden.
Holden had initially sought solace by the riverside, hoping to clear his mind, but little did he anticipate that an inebriated Ariana
would unintentionally stumble into his car.
Seeing Ariana’s intoxicated state, a flicker of irritation sparked within Holden.
It was too late for someone to indulge in excessive revelry, and her recklessness in climbing into a stranger’s vehicle sent his
blood pressure soaring. What if the wheel of fate had spun differently, and she had encountered a potential menace instead of
him?
The more he thought about it, the more his frustration festered. He contemplated rousing her from her alcohol-induced slumber,
but when his fingers brushed her, they remained unintentionally gentle. A sigh escaped him as he whispered her name softly
multiple times.
In response, Ariana swatted his hand away, her brow furrowing in annoyance as she muttered, “Quit bugging me! And be quiet!”
Her grumbling continued, an incoherent stream of consciousness as she fumbled for a more comfortable position.
Watching her peculiar state, Holden found himself between irritation and bemusement.
Just then, a series of taps resounded on the car’s window. Holden rolled down the window to see Sarah’s assistant, her face
apologetic.
“Apologies for this unforeseen intrusion. My friend just had too much to drink and inadvertently found herself in your vehicle. I’ll
escort her away from here.”
Silently, Holden locked the car’s door locks and then explained, “It’s quite all right. I happen to be a friend of Ariana’s, and I can
ensure her safe return home.”
The assistant became suspicious. Although the man surprisingly knew Ariana’s name, it wasn’t enough to dismiss her vigilance.
However, Holden, determined to ease her concerns, retrieved his phone and displayed their call logs and chat history, providing
evidence of their friendship.
“We are friends, and I am familiar with her son, young Melon. I recently bought Melon a figurine,” Holden patiently explained.
Having recently visited Ariana’s place due to her association with Sarah, the assistant remembered the figurine, a gift from an
affluent acquaintance of Ariana’s.
It appeared that the man was most likely that friend, and their association seemed amicable. Her reservations began to wane.