Chapter 9
The internet turned on Horizon Tech.
Aidan’s recent proposal video to Isabella got slammed, but I cared more about Noah’s note, quoting ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns‘.
[Like a compass needle pointing north, a man’s accusing finger always points at a woman.]
He pulled a plane ticket from his desk. “Go study in Clont. I’ll cover tuition and living costs. You just need to win a regional bartending championship.”
I stared at him, tears welling up. I blinked them back.
Noah was my mentor and my savior, the one who taught me to start over and be my own
hero.
I took the ticket and bowed. “I won’t let you down.”
As I reached the door, he removed his glasses, revealing his hazel eyes. He gazed at me and
said, “When you’re back, I’ve got something to tell you.”
I fled, scared.
In the past decade, I had loved Aidan and poured everything into him. I couldn’t handle
another failed love.
Noah was different. Stern yet kind, he was respectful to all women. I couldn’t help falling
for him, but I forced myself to bury it.
Three years later, I returned with a regional bartending title and a full scholarship. Those years felt like being 18 again.
At the airport, some girls looked at me. I smiled at them.
Recognizing me, they rushed over and chirped, “Lorelei Lewis?”
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I nodded, and they gushed, “We’re your huge fans! Your competitions are amazing, and your pouring is unreal.”
I thanked them, touched.
Susan sent over a car to get me. I thought we were headed to Breeze Lougue, but the driver said Noah had booked a restaurant.
The place was empty, softly lit.
A waiter led me to a window seat. Someone wheeled in a massive rose bouquet and poured me champagne. I swirled the glass, hiding my nerves.
For three years, Noah had visited monthly, helping me adjust to Clont, taking me to see the world, and teaching me about drinks and cultures.
I had craved his visits, and that spark had grown.
Now I could face it, but self–doubt lingered. I wished I’d worn a nicer dress.
Footsteps approached, but I didn’t dare to turn.
Noah, in an over–the–top tuxedo, was as nervous as me. We sat, ordered, and fumbled through silence until the food arrived.
As he poured wine, his hands shook. “Lorelei, can I have a chance to win you over?”
“I’d love that,” I blurted.
We both froze, then laughed. But I felt a pang.
“You don’t mind that I’m an orphan?”
“Not at all.”
“I had a fiancé. Everyone knows that mess.”
“Don’t be ashamed of your choices. Embrace every part of you.”
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If it were anyone else, I’d doubt their sincerity. But Noah? I believed his every word. He taught me to move forward.
“I like you,” I said boldly.
The man, who rarely smiled, was touched. His eyes went misty, and I teared up too.
While the others knew him as a cold person, I knew he was tender inside.
He muttered, “I’m an orphan too, adopted by the
Bennetts.”
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