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Tears welled up in Ariana’s eyes and her whole body was trembling slightly. She buried her face deep
in the clothes, trying to inhale
Theodore’s familiar scent. However, after five years, the clothes only carried the smell of the fabric itself
mixed with the scent of sawdust from the wardrobe.
The harsh reality was ruthlessly breaking her illusions.
“Theodore, why? Why did you leave me here all by myself?” Ariana murmured in a trembling voice.
She made an effort to calm down. With her eyes still red, she put the clothes back in the wardrobe.
When she turned around, her gaze fell on the dusty decorations on the shelf. The thick layer of dust
almost hid the original appearance of the figurines.
At this time, Ariana regretted not coming back here due to fear and allowing the memories she shared
with Theodore to be covered in dust.
She made up her mind this time to come back here regularly.
With this in mind, Ariana tidied up the room a bit before leaving.
As she was about to leave, she suddenly noticed that, unlike the other dusty figures, the top of one of
the figurines on the shelf was clean. It felt like someone had just touched it.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAriana’s eyes widened in astonishment as she picked up the doll.
It was a shocker, to say the least. Had an uninvited guest made their way in? Yet, the room had no
signs of a break-in, and nothing of value appeared to be missing.
Quickly, Ariana assessed her door lock and found no trace of forcible entry.
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Did someone come in through the front door just like that? But the only people authorized were herself
and Theodore, their fingerprints the only keys. Who else, if anyone, could’ve entered?
In a fleeting moment, Ariana’s thoughts flickered to Sarah’s snapshot at the shopping mall.
Could it be possible, against all odds, that Theodore was not truly deceased? Was he back?
With that notion seizing her, Ariana raced down the stairs, reaching the residential area’s security
office. Breathlessly, she addressed the guard, “I’m the tenant upstairs. I urgently need access to the
surveillance footage!”
Simultaneously, Holden was back at the Fredrick family home.
Meanwhile, Sadie sat down for dinner with Adele in the dining room.
At first, Sadie had little inclination to engage with Adele, but upon catching wind of Holden’s return
outside, she swiftly put on a facade of warmth and tenderness. Spoon in hand, she fed Adele
affectionately, murmuring, “Adele, care for a bit more?”
She pretended to be oblivious to Holden’s return, only registering surprise when the butler announced
Mr. Fredrick.
“Holden, you’re back!
Feeling tired? Have you had anything to eat?”
As Sadie was about to remove Holden’s coat, he disregarded her completely, handing the coat to the
butler.
Her smile waned into an awkward one, and she withdrew her hand.
Eagerly, she pressed, “Let’s sit down for a meal. I’ve been eagerly awaiting your return.”
Holden nodded and settled at the dining table, where the servant promptly arranged the tableware.
After a few quick bites, Holden unexpectedly broached the subject of their impending wedding.
“Since you’ve planned the wedding for next month, it’ll be pretty soon.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHis words caught Sadie off guard. His follow-up remark extinguished her enthusiasm before she could
revel in the excitement.
“I’d like our love story to have a commemorative touch, a testament to our journey. Do you happen to
possess any photographs from five years ago or other keepsakes that hold sentimental value?”
Sadie’s expression froze in an instant, panic coursing through her.
Her eyes darted around involuntarily as she hastily sipped her soup.
“No need for that,” Sadie stammered, her voice trembling. She glanced up at Holden, her anxiety
palpable, and added hurriedly, “Moreover, it might be embarrassing for our guests to see such old
photos. Plus, I’ve switched phones recently, and unfortunately, I lost all the saved pictures.”
“No backups?” Holden inquired, skepticism tainting his tone.
“No.. At the time, I was alone, and my phone was stolen suddenly. I couldn’t retrieve it,” Sadie hurriedly
explained, pretending to focus on her meal, avoiding Holden’s penetrating gaze.
Holden continued to regard her with a narrowed, suspicious gaze. He knew Sadie well, and her lack of
photographic evidence from their past together seemed oddly inconsistent with their relationship.
Delving further, he probed, “Not a single photograph? You didn’t post any on your social media?”
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