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Mitchel’s eyes widened, a flicker of surprise dancing across his face in response to Ariana’s
unexpected question. He paused thoughtfully, striving to regain his composure before offering a
cautious response.
“Why the sudden curiosity?” he inquired.
Ariana replied with a nonchalant shrug, her tone lighthearted.
“Oh, I happened to catch something in the news. Apparently, he’s never shown his face before, so it
piqued my interest.”
Mitchel remained silent for a brief moment, then gently shook his head.
“I haven’t seen him either.”
“This Holden sure is mysterious,” Ariana replied, her laughter too bright as she swiftly changed the
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtsubject.
Their conversation flowed casually, meandering around the upcoming banquet, seemingly no different
from their usual exchanges.
However, an underlying unease gnawed at Mitchel’s thoughts. Ariana wouldn’t inquire about Holden
without a purpose. His instincts whispered that she must have already crossed paths with Holden in
some way.
Meanwhile, instead of heading to his company, Holden navigated his luxury car downtown, following
the address Shawn had uncovered while tracing the origin of the bridal gown parcel.
He came to a halt on a sleepy, tree-lined street, where old stone row houses overlooked the glittering
river. It was a quaint corner of the original city, in stark contrast to the gleaming high-rises looming in
the distance.
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Following the address, Holden easily spotted the shabby storefront, its faded lettering labeling it a tailor
shop. Dust coated the windows, and the paint on the door was peeling.
As Holden stood scrutinizing the exterior, the door of the adjacent snack shop tinkled open. An older
woman emerged, laden with bags, her eyes widening as she spotted him.
Bustling over, she appeared surprised but greeted him warmly, “My word, you’ve returned! It’s been
four or five years since your last visit here, right?”
Taken aback, Holden couldn’t recall ever being there but smoothly composed himself.
“You’re right; it has been quite a while. Has anything major happened around here over the past few
years?”
“Not that I can think of,” the woman replied with a gentle shake of her head.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHolden inquired, “Did I once visit here a lot in the past?”
“You’d appear on those appointed days. Don’t you recall? You used to come here annually for Lilyana
to craft your clothes. The last time was for a wedding gown. Oh, that gown was breathtaking – I caught
a glimpse after she finished it.”
Upon hearing this, Holden felt an unsettling unease. With caution, he posed another question, “When I
came to order the dress, did I bring anyone with me?”
The woman paused, perplexed by the oddity of his query, as he should know if he came alone or not.
Upon scrutinizing Holden once more, she confirmed that he remained the same courteous young man
as before. With an apologetic shake of her head, she gracefully replied, “I’m afraid I don’t recall.”
Holden, choosing not to press further, simply inquired, “Do you happen to know when the tailor shop
opens?”
The woman sighed with regret.
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