Four hours later.

Aria was done with her work and she reached her room to retrieve her things before leaving for home. However, to her surprise, she saw the man she loved waiting for her in her room, as he worked on his phone. Aria stopped in her track seeing him and her mind recalled his conversation with Ian. She could not face him, yet, although he was far from the secret she was hiding from him. Her guilt was eating her from within.

Before she could escape from him, Noah looked up. He had sensed Aria the moment the door opened and a lips quirked up in happiness. The four hours of wait had made him jittery and he was just short of going in search of her and dragging her back home. Noah just wanted to spend as much time as he could with her.

"Hi," He breathed seeing her staring at him, without blinking.

Aria just stood at the door without moving and Noah stifled a smile seeing her frozen state. "Aren't you going to come in?" He mused, his smirk not leaving his face. This brought Aria out of her thoughts.

"Were you in here all this time?"

"What do you think?" Noah stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. This action of his was swoon-worthy that Aria was sure she was just short of having a nose bleed. She licked her lips, an action that did not go unnoticed by Noah.

"Why are you this handsome?" Aria blurted out without thinking and she blinked at him innocently. If Noah had heard her speak, he would have assumed it to be his dream, for Aria looked like a naive girl with her beautiful, large eyes staring at him with such innocence. Her words filled his heart with pride and for the first time, he felt accomplished.

"Do you find me handsome?"

Aria nodded. It was only after a few passed, she realized what she had done. However, what she had said was the truth. So, instead of averting her gaze away from him, she stood firm. "I think you are. If you want me to be honest, let me tell you I have seen a fair share of handsome men of your age in my life, Danny, Joshua, Ian, Stuart, Ethan, and Ronnie."

Aria did not forget to add Ronnie for she found him cute and handsome too. However, this was something that irked Noah greatly. He was just short of directing his anger at Ronnie. Out of nowhere, he had the feeling that Ronnie was his enemy. 'I need to keep Ronnie away from Aria. If this continues, I might soon have a competitor.'

"However," Aria held his hand in hers and stared at him, sincerity and honesty evident in her eyes. "In my eyes, you are the best. You are the most handsome man in the world and the sweetest too." She hugged him suddenly, startling him completely. "I am so fortunate to have you in my life. I must have saved a country in my previous life to have met you."

"I...."

"Shh." Aria pulled back and shushed him with her finger. "Don't stop me. I am saying the truth. I am very lucky to have you in my life. I just hope I can stay with you like this forever." Aria muttered and hugged him tight once again.

Noah sensed something to be off with her. She was never this clingy nor did she say what she felt for him. However, today had been an exception. She was coming out before him and that made him jubilant as well as worried. "Are is everything alright?" He queried, hugging her back, liking the closeness of their bodies. He wanted her to stay in his embrace forever for that was where she belonged.

"Yes, I am fine." Aria lied, burying her worries for the time being. She still had two more days with. Either all hell would break loose and Noah would leave her forever, or he would accept who she was and forgive her. And hoped and wished it to be the latter. "I wanted to tell you how I felt. That's it."

"Now that we are on this topic, please do tell me the three words I am dying to hear from your mouth." Noah bit his lip, hoping for Aria to fall for his trick. However, the girl just giggled and shifted away from him.

"Let's go home." She declared and smiled at him cheekily.

"What?" Noah was dumbfounded. "Aria, that was not what I wanted."

"How will I know what you want. You asked me three words. I gave you three words." Aria stuck out her tongue and teased him, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I see." Noah yanked her towards him before the girl could run away once again and held her firmly in his embrace. "Are you sure you do not want to tell me what I want to hear?"

Aria remained silent and bit her lips. She tried to move away from him but his firm hold on her stopped her. "Noah, leave me."

"Nope."

"Please."

"Nope."

"Please."

"No." He was as adamant as ever and Aria could only resort to her last option.

"Baby, please." She begged, her voice sweeter than honey and that was all it took for Noah for Noah to melt completely. His resolve to have confess shattered and he let her go immediately.

"Thank you, honey." Aria pecked him on his cheek and retrieved her bag and her phone from the table. "You are the best."

It did not take long for Noah to realize that he had been tricked. However, by then, Aria was already at the door and she chuckled seeing his perplexed gaze. "Shall we go?" She asked sweetly, adding more to his frustration and Noah was now certain that the girl had been playing with him.

"Aria, come back here." He warned her lowly, taking slow steps towards her. But she saw his movements and his intentions and she stepped back, maintaining the distance between them.

"No way. I know I will not be safe."

"Aria."

"Noah." This time, Aria stepped out of the room, ignoring Noah's threats. He could sigh in defeat at his lovely girl and follow her out. He had all the time in the world to get back at her.

Noah and Aria got in the car and the moment she saw Ronnie at the driver's seat, she greeted him eagerly. "Good evening, Ronnie." She chirped and the man too greeted her with a smile. But immediately after, he shuddered when he noticed his Boss's frost-filled face. It was as though he had all intentions of murdering him right away.

Ronnie immediately averted his eyes and he started the car. 'Why is Boss so scary nowadays? What did I do?' He thought, trying to remember what he had done so wrong for Noah to consider him to be his enemy. 'Is it because I did not finish the presentation in time that he is angry?' He wondered and the next moment, he shook his head. 'That cannot be. It was not my fault that the data given to us was not up to the mark and Boss too knows it. What else could it be?'

Ronnie glanced at his Boss through the rearview mirror only to find him already glaring at him. At once, Ronnie shifted his eyes and concentrated on driving, fear engulfing his mind. He could only cry inwardly at his fate and pray the Lords to keep him safe.

Ronnie was not worried about the enemies he had made over the years. He knew how to tackle them and defeat them. Being with Noah and following him sincerely had thought him everything he had to know in life. The only person who he could never go against was Noah himself and that was what scared him. Although he knew that his Boss would never skin him alive, he could still not stop dreading his fate.

Meanwhile, Aria had no idea what had transpiring between the two men. She was more worried about the message she had received from Maggie. She had sent her a message an hour ago and Aria wondered if Noah saw it. After chancing upon Noah and Ian's conversation, she had not returned to her office. Her phone was lying on the table.

"Umm, Noah." She started her mission to extract information from the man who seemed to be glaring at something.

Her voice broke his focus and he turned to her at once. "Yes, my dear?"

"How long were you in my office? Did you wait long?" She put forth her question very discreetly, trying not to raise his suspicions.

"Not at all, love. I did not have to wait long." His words made Aria sigh in relief. However, his next declaration made her gawk at him in shock. "I just did not leave at all. I was in your office all day."

"What? Why?" She cried, fearing Noah to have found out her secret.

"I wanted to wait for you. And I must say it was a bittersweet feeling." He confessed leaning towards her. However, Aria was in no mood to notice his approach. She was more worried about the text Maggie had sent him.

"Did something happen while I was away?" She mustered her courage and enquired, waiting for his reply eagerly.

"Why? Should something have happened?"

"No, I am just asking. I was supposed to get a call from Ivy. Did she call?"

"No. I don't think so. Your phone did notify a message but it never rang."

Aria's heartbeat increased at his words. Yet, she tried to stay as calm as possible. "I think it must be Ivy's. Did you see what she had sent?" She tested him and Noah looked at her as though she had grown three heads.

"Aria, you know I don't messages. That is so not me." Aria sighed in relief and thanked the Lords for saving her.

"Thank you," She mumbled.

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Aria replied and her immediate response made Noah narrow his eyes. However, he did not question her further and shifted his attention to his work.

Aria read maggie's message and she frowned seeing what it held. There were not many details in it except six words. 'I am leaving the gang tonight.'