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, âIâm not drunk.
I can take care of myself! I see the car!â
The assistant had yet to receive the driverâs 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 assistantâs 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, âHold on!
Itâs not that one! Stop!â
But the alcohol-empowered Ariana raced ahead, and the assistant couldnât catch up.
She watched in dismay as Ariana leaped into the car.
The carâs door was unlocked, and Ariana forcefully shut it with a loud bang.
She slouched in the seat, gestured to the driver, and shouted, âDrive!â
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 Arianaâs 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 strangerâs 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.
âs
In response, Ariana swatted his hand away, her brow furrowing in annoyance as she muttered, âQuit bugging me! And be quiet!â
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 carâs window.
Holden rolled down the window to see Sarahâs assistant, her face apologetic.
âApologies for this unforeseen intrusion.
My friend just had too much to drink and inadvertently found herself in your vehicle.
Iâll escort her away from here.
â
Silently, Holden locked the carâs door locks and then explained, âItâs quite all right.
I happen to be a friend of Arianaâs, and I can ensure her safe return home.
â
The assistant became suspicious.
Although the man surprisingly knew Arianaâs name, it wasnât 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.
âWe are friends, and I am familiar with her son, young Melon.
I recently bought Melon a figurine,â Holden patiently explained.
Having recently visited Arianaâs place due to her association with Sarah, the assistant remembered the figurine, a gift from an affluent acquaintance of Arianaâs.
It appeared that the man was most likely that friend, and their association seemed amicable.
Her reservations began to wane.