Holden hesitated for a fleeting moment, his mind racing to concoct a plausible excuse. After a
thoughtful pause, he finally told Melon, “You see, Daddy’s profession is secret, and this time, I
clandestinely slipped away to keep my boy company. Should your Mommy discover our Little
escapade, she’d surely be fuming and fraught with worry. You know how much Daddy despises seeing
Mommy distressed, and you share that sentiment, don’t you?”
Melon, not fully grasping the intricacies of the situation, got Holden’s words and nodded in agreement.
He extended his hand, suggesting a pinkie promise.
“Shall we seal the deal?”
“Alright, no lying.” With a wry grin, Holden intertwined his pinkie with Melon’s and playfully tickled his
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Melon was still hesitant to part ways. He got his smart watch and showed it to Holden.
“Daddy, this is my contact information. Can I add your details? We can video chat whenever you find
time.”
“Of course,” Holden readily agreed, proceeding to add Melon’s phone number.
Finally, Melon kissed Holden’s cheek, bid farewell, and stood at the summer camp entrance, watching
his departure.
As Holden got away from the summer camp, with Devin at his side, a thoughtful silence lingered, Devin
contemplating whether to voice his thoughts.
Sensing the turmoil in Devin’s mind, Holden cast a sidelong glance.
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“Speak your mind, Devin. If you have something on your chest, don’t hesitate.”
Brimming with anticipation, Devin inquired, “Was that young child we encountered earlier your son?”
Holden met Devin’s gaze and replied, “No.”
He paused before elaborating, “He’s the son of an online acquaintance.
I merely lent a helping hand with a small favor.”
Devin’s previous fervor evaporated instantly, deflated by Holden’s words.
Devin didn’t press further, but he couldn’t shake the uncanny resemblance he noticed between the
child and Holden. Could it all be a trick of the mind?
The following day, on the set of a certain movie, Sadie found herself seated in a van, deftly editing
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Displayed on her phone was the image of Holden bestowing a kiss on the cheek to Ariana, a snapshot
captured five years prior during her discreet investigation of Ariana.
With finesse, Sadie replaced Ariana’s face with hers, altering the backdrop to craft a seamless image
using her expert photo editing skills.
All this effort was not for immediate use but rather to allay and deceive Holden, hiding her ruse until the
opportune moment.
In her musings, Sadie pondered the fact that, when she and Holden eventually tied the knot, there was
no intention to invite Ariana.
Consequently, no one would stumble on the photoshop work.
A knock resounded on the car door at that time, and the assistant outside reminded her, “Miss Pierre,
it’s time for the opening ceremony.”