After wrapping things up with Devin, Holden had no plans to head back to his room and take a breather.
Instead, he snatched up his car keys, made his way to the garage, and drove solo to Evergreen Apartments.
He had managed to get the door open here on a previous visit.
Since then, heâd visited twice, fingers crossed each time, hoping to bump into the apartmentâs other tenant.
Something about the apartment put Holden at ease.
His restless nights became a thing of the past.
He caught some solid Zs here, so he bunked at this place for the last few nights.
Holden started to see this place as his own home.
He was tossing the groceries heâd just bought into the fridge when he realized a beer from the previous nightâs haul was missing.
Did he mess up the count?
Pushing that thought aside, Holden squared away the rest of his groceries and decided to get cleaned up to rest.
The following morning, Ariana was in the kitchen, whipping up some desserts.
Devin had texted her the previous evening, giving her a heads-up that Adele would swing by for a consultation.
So, Ariana got a jump start on things and baked Adeleâs go-to cake.
Just then, the doorbell chimed.
Setting the cake aside, Ariana went to answer it.
There stood Devin and Adele.
Seeing Ariana, Adele kept her Lips sealed.
But her arms spoke volumes as they reached out, itching to hug Ariana.
Ariana, taking in the sight of Adele, felt a warmth in her chest.
In a swift move, she picked the little girl up and beamed.
âGuess what? I baked your favorite cake today.
â
Adeleâs face lit up, and she gifted Ariana with a grin, showing off a subtle dimple.
She latched onto Ariana, holding on tight, her head snuggled into Arianaâs shoulder, rubbing her cheek lovingly against.
Ariana was filled with joy, allowing the tight embrace.
She shifted one hand to gently pat Adeleâs head, her smile soft and caring.
Watching the two, Devin felt a tug at his heartstrings.
Clearly, Adele had taken a shine to Ariana.
And as he eyed Ariana again, she hardly came off as cold-hearted.
The thought of her being the same woman whoâd left Holden high and dry after an accident didnât sit right with him.
Maybe they all got their wires crossed.
That thought made Devin let out a weary sigh.
Years had rolled by, and the clarity of whether it was a mix-up had faded.
Aldus was no longer around, and Holdenâs memories of Ariana were all but gone.
Only a handful of people knew about that yearâs happenings, and the real story seemed to lose its edge, drifting into obscurity.
His main hope now was that Ariana could work her magic on Adeleâs condition.
And as for Holden, it was probably best for Ariana to steer clear of him.
Devinâs heart weighed heavy, especially since Holden was set to tie the knot with Sadie.
Revealing Arianaâs true identity to Holden now would only pile on more heartache.