Noah stood up, smoothing out his shirt as if the game hadn’t even mattered. “Close one,”
The old man looked up, still processing. He let out a long breath, his face softening into a smile. “You’re something else, Noah.”
“You’re overpraising me, old man,” Noah said, a sly grin playing on his lips. “Be careful, or this might get to my head.”
The old man, still in awe of the skill he’d witnessed, shook his head with a soft, knowing smile. “Underpraising you, actually.” His gaze lingered on Noah, the young man who seemed so mysterious, a jack of all trades cloaked in a fog of enigma.
He couldn’t help but wonder, “This young man… what kind of life has he lived to possess such intelligence and skills?” The thought gnawed at the back of his mind, but before he could dwell on it, Noah’s voice interrupted his musing.
“Thanks for the game, old man,” Noah began, his grin widening as if the chess match had barely affected him. “But I feel kind of bad. I made you play while you’re still recovering. How about I compensate you with something you’ll enjoy?”
The old man blinked, surprised by Noah’s offer. “I’m already in your debt for everything you’ve done,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “And now you want to give me a gift? I feel ashamed.”
Noah waved his hand dismissively, laughing lightly. “Think of it as a small thank-you for the chess game, then. No need for guilt. After all, it’s the least I can do.”
Curiosity flickered in the old man’s eyes. He couldn’t help but feel intrigued by Noah’s offer. “Well… if you insist,” he said cautiously, his voice laced with intrigue.
Noah reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. But instead of retrieving cash or cards, he performed a subtle sleight of hand, using the wallet as a decoy to access his inventory. In an instant, he pulled out a small, elegant pocket bag filled with what appeared to be tea leaves. The sleek design of the bag alone made it seem like it was worth its weight in gold.
“Is that… tea?” Amelia blurted out from the side, her expression filled with confusion. She couldn’t understand why Noah was making such a fuss over a simple bag of tea leaves.
But the old man, much more seasoned in the world of luxury, immediately recognized the rarity of what Noah had just revealed. His eyes narrowed in appreciation. “Those tea leaves… they must be something extraordinary.”
Noah gave a modest nod, the ever-present grin still on his face. “Consider it a small gift,” he said casually. “But hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?”
The old man’s curiosity deepened, and without hesitation, he nodded in agreement. “Amelia, brew the tea, will you?” He could have easily asked a servant, but this felt like a personal moment—one he wanted his granddaughter to be a part of.
Amelia obliged, though she was still clearly baffled by the situation. As she brewed the tea, the aroma that filled the room was unlike anything anyone had ever experienced before. It was rich and soothing, yet intense and intoxicating, drawing everyone’s attention like a magnet. The fragrance alone seemed to carry a weight of history and tradition.
Amelia poured the tea into delicate cups, serving her grandfather, her parents, and Noah. She deliberately skipped Dr. Ray, her frustration with his earlier behaviour toward Noah still fresh in her mind. She didn’t want to offend Noah by serving someone who had doubted him.
Noah noticed the gesture and smiled inwardly. “She’s quite perceptive,” he mused, stealing a quick glance at Amelia, who caught his gaze for a moment before nervously averting her eyes.
The old man took the first sip of the tea. His eyes widened almost immediately. “This… this is incredible,” he whispered as if he were afraid of wasting a single drop. His hand trembled slightly as he set the cup down carefully. “I feel… invigorated. The fatigue is leaving my body, and my mind feels clearer than it has in years.” He turned to Noah, his voice filled with gratitude and awe. “Noah, this is far more valuable than anything I could ever repay.”
Adam, watching his father’s reaction closely, took a sip himself. His eyes widened in surprise, mirroring the old man’s expression. “Noah, what… what is this tea? It’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted.”
Noah shrugged nonchalantly, though there was a gleam in his eyes. “Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty. I’m opening a teahouse soon, and you’re one of the first to try it before the grand opening.”
The old man stared at Noah, his mind racing. “You’re telling me this could be mass-produced?”
Noah nodded with a small, knowing smile. “That’s the plan.”
The old man was speechless. He had never heard of such high-quality tea being produced on a scale like that. “Mass-producing something of this calibre? Impossible,” he thought. But the reality of the experience couldn’t be denied.
He studied Noah more carefully now, trying to read the young man’s intentions. “This young man… he’s a genius. A monster of skill and intelligence. If we don’t secure a relationship with him, someone else will.” His gaze shifted toward Amelia, who was still flustered by Noah’s earlier attention. “It seems my granddaughter has already taken a liking to him… That might be our best way to secure him.”
After the tea was finished, Noah stood up, brushing off his pants. “Well, I think it’s time for me to head out. Thank you for the hospitality.”
The old man grinned, a playful twinkle in his eye. “Take care, Noah. Make sure you visit again soon. I’ll need a rematch. You won today, but that’s only because I wasn’t at my best.”
Noah chuckled. “Sure, old man. I’ll give you a fair match next time. This one doesn’t count.”
As Noah turned to leave, Amelia suddenly gathered all her courage. “I-I’ll walk you to the door!” she blurted out, her voice higher-pitched than usual, her cheeks flushed a deep pink.
Noah paused, raising an eyebrow before smiling warmly. “Then, I’ll be in your care,” he said teasingly, motioning for her to lead the way.
Amelia led him to the front door, her heart pounding in her chest with every step. When they reached the doorway, she hesitated, biting her lip, as if unsure of how to proceed. Finally, she called out to him, her voice louder than she intended.
“Noah!”
He stopped, turning to face her with a raised eyebrow. “Yes?”
Her face turned crimson as she fidgeted, trying to work up the nerve to speak. “C-can we… exchange phone numbers?” Her voice was barely a whisper by the end of the sentence.
Noah chuckled softly and handed her his phone. “That’s all? Of course.” He watched as she quickly typed in her number, her fingers trembling slightly.
“Stay safe, Noah. Goodnight,” she said softly, her voice almost hesitant.
“Goodnight, Amelia,” Noah replied, his smile kind as he pocketed his phone and stepped out the door.
As he walked toward his sleek Lykan Hypersport, the engine roaring to life, Amelia stood in the doorway, watching as his car disappeared into the night. Her heart raced with excitement and curiosity, still replaying every moment in her mind.
Inside the villa, the old man stood by the window, watching Noah’s retreating figure with sharp, calculating eyes.
“This boy, Noah… I’ve never met anyone like him. What is he planning?” he wondered, his mind spinning with questions.
As Noah’s car vanished into the distance, the old man muttered under his breath, “We need to keep him close… for Amelia’s sake—and ours.”
The night had settled in completely by the time Noah’s car faded into the horizon, leaving the villa’s front entrance bathed in soft, flickering lamplight.
Inside, the old man stood, staring thoughtfully at the darkened road beyond the gates. His mind churned with questions he dared not voice aloud, each more tangled than the last.
Adam stepped up beside his father, sensing the weight of the moment. “Dad,” he started hesitantly, his voice low, “What are you thinking?”
The old man didn’t respond at first, his gaze fixed on where Noah’s car had disappeared. He exhaled softly, as though shedding the last bit of fatigue that had plagued him for so long. “That young man… he’s not like the others,” he said finally, his voice measured. “There’s something about him I can’t quite place.”
Adam nodded, though he had his own thoughts brewing. Noah was no ordinary person—that much was clear—but there was a depth to him that Adam couldn’t unravel.
The old man turned, his eyes narrowing slightly. “We need to keep an eye on him,” he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, as though speaking the thought aloud gave it weight. “For our family’s sake.”
Adam’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean, Dad?”
But the old man didn’t answer right away. Instead, he shifted his gaze to Amelia, who had just returned from seeing Noah off.
She looked flustered, her cheeks still pink, the residual excitement from her brief interaction with Noah still evident in her expression.
The old man smiled inwardly. “Ah, youth.” He watched her for a moment before returning his focus to Adam. “We need to make sure Noah stays close. If he’s as sharp as he is on the chessboard… well, we can’t afford to let him slip through our fingers.”
Adam blinked, taken aback. “You think he’s that important?”
The old man nodded, his face serious now. “More than you think.”
Amelia, overhearing the conversation, glanced between them, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
Noah was already occupying more space in her thoughts than she cared to admit, but her grandfather’s words only added to the growing complexity of the situation.
“Do you think he’ll come back?” she asked quietly, her voice softer than usual.
The old man chuckled, a rare, warm sound that hadn’t graced his lips in some time. “Oh, I’m sure he will. I don’t think Noah walks away from something once he’s taken an interest.” His eyes gleamed knowingly. “Especially when he’s taken an interest in someone.”
Amelia’s face turned redder, and she quickly looked away, biting her lip. Her thoughts spun as she replayed every detail of their interaction.
“Could it be possible that Noah felt the same curiosity about me that i felt for him? Or was he just being kind,”
Dr. Ray, who had remained quiet since the tea, finally spoke up, his voice laced with frustration. “I still don’t understand what just happened tonight. That boy—Noah—he’s… unnatural. You don’t just cure someone with a pill and some tea leaves. There’s something going on here, something more than we’re seeing.”
The old man waved him off, his expression dismissive. “Ray, you’re a good doctor, but not everything in this world fits into your neat little medical boxes.”
“But—” Dr. Ray tried to protest, but the old man raised a hand, cutting him off.
“No more.” His voice was firm. “What’s done is done. Noah is a friend of this family now, and I won’t have you doubting him.”
Dr. Ray fell silent, recognizing that there was no arguing with the old man when he had made up his mind.
Amelia, still deep in thought, excused herself quietly, retreating to her room where she could process everything in peace.
Her heart was still racing from the evening’s events.
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