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, he’d visited twice, fingers
crossed each time, hoping to bump into the apartment’s 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 he’d just bought into
the fridge when he realized a beer from the previous night’s haul was missing. Did he mess up the
count?
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtPushing 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 Adele’s 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.
“Guess what? I baked your favorite cake today.”
Adele’s 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 Ariana’s shoulder, rubbing her cheek lovingly against.
A N G E L A ‘s L I B R A R Y
Ariana was filled with joy, allowing the tight embrace. She shifted one hand to gently pat Adele’s 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 who’d left Holden high and dry after an accident didn’t sit
right with him. Maybe they all got their wires crossed.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThat 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 Holden’s memories of Ariana were all but gone.
Only a handful of people knew about that year’s 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 Adele’s condition.
And as for Holden, it was probably best for Ariana to steer clear of him.
Devin’s heart weighed heavy, especially since Holden was set to tie the knot with Sadie. Revealing
Ariana’s true identity to Holden now would only pile on more heartache.