The playwright halted mid-sentence, his gaze flickering back. Shiloh, moving with equal efficiency through the sea of people, was making her way towards him. Ariel, glancing back at a distressed Mr. Warner, decided it was time to act.

This is getting complicated... Where’s Jasper?! I have to be close!

Ariel pushed past Mr. Warner, just as the young actress was about to reach him. The crowd had begun to thin slightly, allowing her to move more quickly. As she navigated through the dispersing throng, Ariel heard her name called once more, but this time from a different direction.

"Ariel!"

Her heart skipped a beat before she realized it was Taylor, shoving her way towards her through the congested hall.

"This is madness!" the priestess cried, glaring sharply at a man who had opened his mouth to protest her forceful advance.

"Tell me about it," Ariel agreed, glancing nervously behind them. "Have you seen Jasper yet?"

Taylor smirked.

"Haven’t found him yet? You better hope Mandy—"

Ariel snapped her attention back to the priestess.

"She hasn’t, Warner’s searching for her anyway..."

She ignored the unspoken possibility that Shiloh might have already captured him. That Mandy!

"Hmm, well, I haven’t seen Mr. Tall Dark and Brooding. Have you seen Max?"

Ariel raised an eyebrow.

"Max?"

The priestess, pretending not to notice Ariel’s confusion, continued impatiently.

"Have you or haven’t you?"

Fixing Taylor with a stern look, Ariel shook her head.

"Well, some help you’ve been. I’m going to keep looking," Taylor announced. Before moving away, she added knowingly, "You never asked about your fiancé, and I have seen him."

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Heat rushed to Ariel’s cheeks.

"We’re just friends!" she protested, though her response was half-hearted. The priestess had already vanished into the crowd.

Ariel thought of Noah moving towards her, asking for her hand, and felt the knot in her stomach tighten. We’re just friends.

With renewed determination, Ariel pushed her way through the thinning crowd. To her great surprise, she stumbled upon the first open area she had seen all morning. In the midst of it stood Mr. Warner, Shiloh, Mandy, Noah, and Max. The scene unfolded rapidly. Shocked, Ariel attempted to back away but ended up stumbling against someone.

"Oh—excuse me, Ariel."

"John?" Ariel asked breathlessly, looking up into his blue eyes as he steadied her.

John’s bright smile faded slightly as he glanced at those around them.

"Ariel?" Noah said, just noticing her presence.

"Mandy!" Mr. Warner cried, hurrying towards her, clearly having just arrived.

Mandy, equally surprised, allowed a few people passing through to create a gap between herself and the playwright. That’s when Ariel noticed Jasper, Leroy, and Taylor just off to the side. Quickly, Ariel righted herself and rushed to the other end of the open space, which was rapidly filling up again.

"Daniel!" Shiloh called out, reaching for him as he attempted to get to Mandy, who had now spotted Jasper and was moving quickly towards him.

Ariel nearly broke into a run as she saw the medium closing in behind her.

Jasper!

Ariel reached her boss sooner than expected. She stopped abruptly, and his heavy gaze locked onto her. Several heartbeats passed in silence. Ariel stood frozen, opening and closing her mouth, but no words came out. Beside Jasper, Leroy was making some sort of gesture, but Ariel couldn’t focus with the blood pounding in her ears.

"Yes, Ariel?" Taylor prodded, raising an eyebrow.

Mandy would be here any moment. I have to speak now.

"Jasper..."

"Jasper—" Mandy spoke as she came to stand beside Ariel. "I would be grateful if you accepted my hand."

And that was it. It was over; Mandy had made her request. Ariel looked over at her beaming rival and felt the knot in her stomach ignite with fiery frustration.

That Mandy!

"Oh my, I had no idea you were so popular," a voice suddenly spoke.

Something about the voice struck Ariel, pulling her attention away from the medium. In her determination to reach Jasper, she had failed to notice the other person standing with him: Miss Marlowe.

Jasper’s gaze was fixed on Mandy, whose smile was starting to falter after several moments of waiting for his response.

"Jasper?" Mandy spoke in her softest, most endearing voice.

The knot in Ariel’s stomach sank as realization dawned on her.

Miss Marlowe got to him first.

"That’s a very generous offer, Mackenzie," Jasper finally spoke, his face remaining impassive. "But I’ve already been asked."

Ariel’s mouth fell open in shock, and Mandy’s sleeve came up to cover her mouth.

"Oh, excuse me," Mandy murmured, fixing Miss Marlowe with a cold stare.

The woman merely smiled and took Jasper’s arm. Ariel’s stomach exploded with turmoil. But before she could do or say anything rash, Mr. Warner, Max, John, Shiloh, and Noah converged upon them.