With a wistful sigh, she imagined how different and special it would have felt if
Holden had been the one with her tonight.
Such a moment with him would surely be filled with warmth and genuine
connection.
Lost in her thoughts, Sadie was jolted back to reality by the ticking clock. She
had lingered too long. Rising, she began to put on her clothes.
But she suddenly found that her clothes were ripped, thanks to her heated time
with Zayden.
Luckily, Zayden's forgotten coat was a convenient cover-up.
Even though Zayden’s coat was much too large for her, making her resemble a
kid playing dress-up, it was the only cover she had.
So, draped in the oversized coat of Zayden, Sadie quickly made her exit.
Back at his home, Holden had barely wrapped up a call with Melon when his
phone buzzed with incoming photos.
The smile he wore faded instantly as he viewed the photos, replaced by a visible
ripple of revulsion.
The photos captured Zayden and Sadie exiting a secluded room one after
another.
Although their departures were moments apart, the details spoke volumes.
Zayden, cool as ever, was without his coat. And Sadie, in Zayden’s coat,
attempted to hide her disheveled state. Still, the ripped dress peeked through.
Her hair was a mess, and a rosy flush painted her cheeks.
Holden's face was an unreadable mask, but internally, a wave of distain and
disgust surged.
Early the next morning, Ariana was already up, helping Melon gather his
belongings and escorting him to his kindergarten.
The boy's excitement made the drop-off easier, and a weight lifted off Ariana’s
shoulders as she saw him go in happily.
With Melon settled, Ariana shifted her focus back to her career, especially the
looming finale of her variety show.
The success of the show had
surpassed everyone's expectations.
The viewership skyrocketed, and the internet buzzed in anticipation for the
live broadcast of the final episode.
Every streaming platform seemed to
be promoting it.
As the episode began, each performer, Ariana included, wrestled with their nerves.
The first segment involved a drawing
to decide the order of performances. As Ariana took her turn to draw as her team's manager, she inhaled
deeply, her exterior calm belying the
storm of anxiety within.Much to her relief, she pulled the coveted slot for the last one.
Her team’s growing popularity meant
the venue was awash with their fans.
These supporters waved the team's signature blue light sticks, and each
member had his or her own clusters
of devotees.