Chapter 30: Chapter 29

NOAH

As the moment to leave approached, Noah found himself wrestling with a whirlwind of emotions. He had surprisingly enjoyed his time here, despite Brad Rutherford’s relentless attempts to sour his experience. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why Brad’s flirtatious antics with Lillian irked him so much.

Maybe it was his dislike for Brad, or maybe it was his growing affection for Lillian. He had come to the realization that he didn’t want any man near Lillian, at least not while he harbored feelings for her.

His father had warmly extended an invitation to Lillian to visit again. “You don’t need my son as an escort to be welcome here,” he had said.

Noah had responded with a sarcastic, “Thanks, Dad.”

“She’s more enjoyable company than you, son, and she actually listens to what I have to say,” his father had retorted.

Noah had no comeback for that, and they had left shortly after. The chauffeur drove them to the airport, and once again, Lillian claimed the aisle seat. She slept through the entire flight, only stirring when he nudged her awake.

It was raining when they landed, making it difficult to hail a cab. They could have taken the subway, but it was always overcrowded, and the rain would only make it worse.

It took them nearly an hour to reach home, and by then they were partially soaked. They needed to change into dry clothes and take a hot shower. Whether that would happen before or after they had sex was still up in the air.

“Now, we don’t have any more excuses,” Lillian said as they stepped into her apartment. “I’ll start job hunting tomorrow, and you need to figure out what you’re going to do with that building you bought.”

“You’re getting a bit bossy,” he teased.

“I’m not bossy. I’m just trying to keep things organized. I don’t want to blow through my savings. I need to have some money set aside for emergencies. Have you considered looking for a different job until you decide what kind of business you want to start?”

“I’ve thought about it, but I’m not ready to make that move or discuss it right now,” he replied, moving closer to her with a smirk. “Right now, I have something else entirely on my mind.”

“Well, it seems we’re not on the same page,” she retorted, gently pushing him away. “I’m going to take a shower and go to bed. The trip was exhausting, and I didn’t sleep well on the plane.”

She turned her back to him, and he could tell something was off. It wasn’t just her rejection of sex; it was the way she did it.

“What’s wrong, Lillian?” he asked, concern lacing his voice.

“Nothing more than what I’ve already told you, Noah.”

“You’ve been acting differently these past few days.”

She sighed and glanced over her shoulder at him. “I’m not different. I’m just tired. Don’t overanalyze it.”

“Should I leave then?”

“Do you have a room booked somewhere?”

“No.”

“Then stay.” She shrugged.

But he didn’t want to stay. The way she said it made him feel like she was only tolerating his presence because he had nowhere else to go. He loved being with her when she wanted him there.

If her hospitality was only out of pity, he didn’t want to stay. He knew he was being impulsive and overly dramatic, but he couldn’t stay where he felt unwelcome.

So he grabbed his bag and left as soon as she went into the bathroom. He didn’t leave a note, but he planned to text her later once he had settled in. He called his usual hotel and booked a room for the night.

It wasn’t the best option considering his limited funds, but his pride was still intact, and he was relieved they had a room available. As soon as he dropped his luggage on the floor, his phone rang. It was Lillian.

“Don’t you think that was a bit childish?” she demanded, not even waiting for him to speak.

“I was going to text you.” He sighed.

“I told you, you could stay.”

“But for the first time, you didn’t mean it, Lillian.”

“Is that it, or are you just upset because sex was off the table?” she snickered.

“You think I’m that shallow, don’t you?” he chuckled, but there was no humor in his voice.

“You’ve never been that kind of man?” she mocked.

“I was, Lillian. But not with you. I’ve spent countless nights at your place without us ever crossing that line,” he reminded her.

“You always tried to tempt me, though.”

“And I always backed off when you said no. Didn’t I? Or have you forgotten that part?”

She remained silent.

“Look, I know I’m not the easiest guy to understand. My past isn’t exactly a fairy tale. But I thought you, of all people, knew me better, Lillian.”

“I thought I did too, Noah.”

“Guess we were both wrong. I left because I didn’t feel welcome, Lillian. I didn’t want you to let me stay out of pity.”

“I didn’t ask you to stay out of pity. You shouldn’t have left.”

“Well, I did. And now we both need some space.”

“Come over tomorrow.”

“I think it’s best if we take a break for a few days.”

She didn’t respond right away, but he could hear her soft breathing over the phone.

“Is that what you want?” she finally asked, her voice hard.

“Yes,” he lied.

“Fine. I won’t bother you. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

He tossed his phone onto the bed, swearing under his breath. How the hell did she get the wrong idea? He was pissed, and it had been a while since he’d felt this way.

He was used to people not liking him. He never made an effort to be likable. But the thing was, he liked Lillian. He’d liked her from the start, even if he hadn’t admitted it to himself back then. He’d liked her because they understood each other.

She was smart, and she seemed to get him. And now she thought he left because he couldn’t get laid? He stripped off his clothes and tossed them onto the bed without bothering to fold them.

He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. It wouldn’t be enough to cool his temper, but he needed it. Otherwise, he risked catching a cold, and he hated being sick.

Not talking to her for a few days was his idea. He’d regret it if he wasn’t still so mad at her. He collapsed onto his bed, but sleep eluded him. He needed to get his shit together.

***

Starting the next day, he spent hours inside the building he’d bought. He paced up and down, observing, but no brilliant ideas came to him.

It was just a building—a nice one, which was why he’d bought it—but what could he turn it into? What could he make of it?

If he only knew what he was good at, his problem would be solved. What did he enjoy doing most in his life?

That was a tricky question because there were things he thought he enjoyed in his old life: power, designer clothes, fast cars, luxury hotels…

None of that mattered anymore. But he did enjoy his travels. They’d brought him a deep sense of joy and a new perspective of himself.

It wasn’t that he’d changed completely, but he’d evolved. He’d seen the world, and it wasn’t about material possessions or fame. He’d seen the world…

“A travel agency,” he murmured to himself.

Then he chuckled, and soon his chuckle turned into laughter. A travel agency! It was a wild idea, and he had no idea where to start, but it felt right.

The more he thought about it, the more he liked it. But since he knew nothing about the travel industry, he’d have to do some research to do it right. Impulsively, he reached for his phone to call Lillian and share his idea, but he stopped before hitting the call button.

They hadn’t spoken in a week. She hadn’t tried to contact him, just like she’d promised—or warned.

As much as it bothered him, he’d stuck to his decision. He’d leaned on her too much over the past few months, and he needed to find his own way, especially since she seemed determined to do the same.

***

Later that night, when he returned to his hotel, he looked around his room and knew he couldn’t stay there any longer. One reason was that he couldn’t afford it. Paying for a hotel room and his meals was draining his wallet.

The issue at hand was that he was in no position to rent a place, given his financial constraints. Plus, the family-owned apartment in this city was now being used for business purposes and had been handed over to Tamara after his departure. It was part of the deal she had with them.

A thought suddenly struck him—could there be other properties in the city that he wasn’t aware of? He decided to investigate this possibility immediately. After all, he had nothing to lose at this point.

“Do we own anything around here?” he blurted out as soon as his brother answered the phone.

“Hello to you too,” Asher retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Yes, yes. Do we?”

“Around where?”

“In Europe. Near our branch here.”

“Other than the penthouse Tamara is currently occupying?”

“Obviously,” he replied, rolling his eyes.

“Are you planning to live there?”

“Yes, I am. I mentioned it last time, remember?”

“I didn’t realize you were serious.”

“I was serious. And staying in a hotel is no longer an option.”

“Do you need money, Noah?” Asher asked, his voice laced with concern.

Noah couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the situation.

“I’m being serious,” Asher pressed.

“I know, and I appreciate it. But right now, all I need is a decent place to stay. Do we have something like that?”

“Yes, we do. In fact, if you had asked me earlier, you wouldn’t have had to stay in a hotel at all.”

“You knew I was here. You could have offered.”

“I told you, I didn’t think you’d stick around.”

“When did you buy it?”

“A year after you left. I thought it might come in handy if I ever had to travel to Europe. It was Maggie’s idea. Anyway, I’ll text you the address and the code for the apartment. I’ll also inform the doorman that you’ll be coming, so he won’t stop you.”

“Thanks, Ash.”

“No problem. Just let me know if you need me to send you some money.”

“I’m good,” he reassured him.