Hearing Holdenâs name, Theodore felt a surge of nervousness, but he managed to maintain composure.
âYes, Iâve heard of him,â he responded, trying to downplay much familiarity with Holden.
When Ariana heard this, she turned to him and asked, âIs Holden wearing a mask? Did he ever have it rough?â
Theodore lifted an eyebrow in mild displeasure at her repeated inquiries about his other identity, Holden.
Ariana, though, seemed oblivious to it all.
âHe is such a mysterious guy?
As she persisted, Theodoreâs irritation grew.
With his eyes fixed on Ariana, he reached out and grabbed her by the waist, asking, âAre you so interested in Holden?â
Ariana could feel the jealousy brewing inside Theodore, which brought a smile to her face.
She averted her gaze and drawled, âNot really.
â
âIf so, then why the questions?â Theodore shot back, his displeasure evident as he playfully nudged her face back toward him,
Unable to contain her Laughter, Ariana stood on her tiptoes and pinched Theodoreâs cheek, teasingly saying, âAlright, I was just fishing for something.
â
âWhat is it?â Theodore asked, his curiosity piqued as he looked at her with raised eyebrows.
A mischievous thought crossed Arianaâs mind, and she pretended to be enigmatic, refusing to reveal her secret.
With a grin, she looked at Theodore and said, âThatâs for me to know and for you to find out!â
âIs it?â Theodore raised an eyebrow and leaned down, stealing a swift ki*s from her Lips.
âWill you tell me now?â
Ariana raised an eyebrow and shook her head, keeping the mystery alive.
Theodore leaned down again and swiftly ki*sed her, repeating the process until Ariana was breathless and laughing, begging him to stop.
âOkay, okay! I just feel that Holden wears a mask of hypocrisy,â Ariana finally confessed.
Theodore froze.
Hearing this evaluation from Ariana surprised and puzzled him.
He couldnât help but wonder what had transpired to make her perceive Holden as insincere.
âWhy would you say that about him?â Theodore asked, feeling a pang of hurt.
Unaware of the change in Theodoreâs tone, Ariana continued her analysis, âI stumbled upon some rumors about Holden before.
Someone told me that Holden had a tragic past, disfigured in a childhood fire, forced to wear a mask forever, and suffering from social anxiety due to betrayal by a trusted caregiver.
It sounded heart-wrenching.
â
Arianaâs tone then turned indignant as she continued, âBut later, I spoke to a respected senior who knew Holden well, and according to her, he isnât disfigured at all, and his personality is far from what is known.
â
Ariana placed her hands on her hips and snorted before saying, âDonât you think heâs a two-faced person? Why would he play the victim in front of others? Thatâs quite a personality!â
She spoke confidently, but Theodore was getting uneasy by the second!
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Disfigured in a fire and betrayed?! He had no inkling of any such tales.
However, he soon realized that Jennifer was spinning yarns.
He clenched his fist, boiling with anger, already plotting to settle scores with her later.
Yet facing Ariana, he found himself at a loss for words, unable to divulge the situation.
Thinking Theodoreâs silence was due to their business partnership, Ariana dropped the topic, not pressing further.
She leaned in and planted a ki*s on Theodoreâs cheek, saying with a smile, âEnough about them.
IâLL go hunt down Judy and see if there are any midnight snacks.
â