Although she had mentally braced herself, the reality of the moment felt surreal.
Struggling to calm her trembling heart, she turned around slowly, tears welling up in her eyes.
Upon seeing the face she had missed for a long time, she instantly cried.
Holden, his eyes already welled with tears, had witnessed all Arianas sufferingsthe training grounds, the battles, and the torment she had sufferedand had felt utterly powerless.
Im sorry. Im sorry I couldnt arrive sooner, Holden whispered, embracing Ariana and tenderly running his fingers through her hair.
Ariana, attempting to stifle her sobs so that she and Holden didnt draw attention, cried softly with her face nestled against his chest.
Clutching Holdens shirt tightly, she shook her head.
Her heart and yearning found solace a
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t last; she was no longer alone.
Eventually, in Holdens embrace, she regained composure.
Gazing up at him with reddened, swollen eyes, she whispered, Its not too late. I knew youd rescue me.
Holden embraced her more firmly, tenderly caressing her head before assisting her to a nearby chair. Kneeling beside her, he scrutinized the scars on her body-recent injuries from combat, old wounds from the previous incident, and marks from rigorous training.
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The sight of her scars and the memories they evoked fueled a fierce determination within him, his eyes ablaze with resolve.
Ariana, remaining cautious, surveyed her surroundings before inquiring, How did you and Adrian infiltrate this place? Its too risky. Also, Bennetts aware of the calls I placed to you earlier.
As she talked, she recounted the recent events and Bennetts behavior over the past few days.
Recalling Bennetts comment about phone disruptions, she inquired, Bennett mentioned interference with outgoing calls. How did you two locate me despite that?
As Ariana recounted the events of the past few days, Holdens anger grew. He yearned to confront Bennett right there and then.
Noticing Holdens agitation, Ariana paused, gently stroked his cheek, and said, Holden, its okay. Its all behind us now, right? Youve come to me.
Holden held her hand, kised it tenderly, and said, I found you too late. Youve suffered unnecessarily. We did receive your calls, but they were traced back to Yland.
Ariana, surprised, asked, Then how did you find this place?
We were already integrating into this area when we got your calls. The fake IP address didnt fool us, Holden explained. On the day you got into the car accident, someone reported my company. They had hidden weapons in our shipments to Eleymond, and Zayden was also active. I suspected Zayden was linked to the arms dealers, and following that lead brought us to the Olson family.
Looking at Arianas swollen forehead, Holdens eyes showed a mix of guilt and worry. He sighed, saying, The Olson family has a bad reputation for dealing in the black market, especially human trafficking. Thats what brought us to you.
He gently touched Arianas forehead, his voice soft. Im sorry; I came here late.
Ariana shook her head, giving him a small smile. You shouldnt blame yourself. Im just glad you found me.
Holden glanced at her forehead, his face a blend of regret and shame. The guy you fought today, that was my doing.