#17: He’s A Mafia-Lord.

Ava:

I raised my brows at the expectant faces of Amelia, Chantel and Leila, realizing I had no idea what they were talking about.

“This clearly means a lot to you three, but unfortunately I don’t know who Noah King is,” I said.

Chantel shook her head, while Amelia looked so angry she would burst. Furrowing my brows, I wondered why they were being so dramatic. One would think I’d committed a crime by not knowing the guy.

“Each time I see you, my strong desire to strangle Scott keeps increasing,” Amelia said, gesturing with her hands. I now understood her anger was directed at my husband, not me. “He has kept you prisoner all these years that you don’t even know what’s happening in real life anymore.”

“Can we not talk about Scott right now,” I pleaded, crossing my arms. I was still yet to come to terms with what had just happened, and I wasn’t ready to relive it yet.

“Everybody shut up!” Leila cut in. “You said that guy saved your life and told you he was the caretaker of this place?”

“Who is he?” I asked impatiently.

I’d already recounted the story to them before and I was tired. I just wanted to know why they were reacting like this. I needed to protect myself in case I was in danger or if I had nothing to worry about.

“Answer my question first.”

I sighed.

“Yes.”

“Just like that?”

I rolled my eyes.

“He noticed Scott and Belle cornering me and he came to stop them. When Scott tried to fight him, he twisted his arm and then called those guards to finish him off. It was hard to watch honestly.”

“Oh my god,” they squealed like high school girls who’d just been informed their crush liked them back.

“Did you and Scott leave together arguing? Or was Noah like watching you walk out alone and noticed your husband try to harass you before swinging into action?” Chantel asked, while the others nodded, eagerly awaiting my response.

“Aww. Like her secret admirer…”

“Oh my God guys. What if he was already watching her in here and then stepped out once he noticed she did?”

“Ah that makes so much sense. He was for sure watching her! No wonder no one could get ahold of him.”

“And then he just happens to waltz in right after she came back…”

Amelia took both my hands in hers.

“I’m your best friend Ava,” she started with all seriousness. “Years ago, we took an oath to always tell each other the truth and never betray each other. I need you to honor that oath right now. What happened after he saved your life? After Scott and Belle and the guards were all gone? When you and Noah were all alone.”

I internally cringed at the doe-eyed expectant looks on their faces as they awaited my response.

“Nothing happened.”

They all rolled their eyes in unison like I’d just told them something they already knew was a lie.

“So Noah King just happened to save your behind and didn’t ask for anything in return? What am I even saying? You didn’t try to jump on that?”

“Even I would jump on that if I had the chance, no offense Chantel,” Leila said.

“I second that,” Chantel agreed.

I looked at them in disbelief, giving up on ever trying to find the sense in what they were saying.

“Let me get this straight. A stranger happens to save me, another stranger from trouble with my husband, and somehow I’m supposed to have done what? Jumped that? You mean tried to kiss him right after? Make out with someone I don’t know right after he lied about being a caretaker and walked out on me. I even tried to thank him and he only responded by accusing me of drugs.”

“I mean, he already thought you were on drugs. You could have just done it and blamed it on drugs,” Amelia said and they all laughed.

I was careful not to mention how he’d returned after just to taunt me. Knowing them, they’d probably interpret it as a profession of his love for me.

“He didn’t try to get your number or anything?” Leila asked soon after.

“I’m a married woman,” I murmured.

Their smiles disappeared all at once.

“After everything Scott has done to you, you’re still considering him instead of following your heart?”

Amelia asked as a shadow of disappointment crossed her face.

I shook my head.

“That not what I’m saying. Noah King saw me in a heated argument with a man he knows is my husband, and he suspected me of being on drugs right away. Why on earth would someone like him want my number afterwards? Why would he want to get entangled with someone who clearly has a lot of drama in their life? From your reactions, I can tell he’s some important part of society. Dream all you want but we all know I didn’t exactly make a great first impression.”

Chantel opened her lips to say something but no words came out. As much as I knew they’d want to deny it, I knew they all agreed with me.

“Okay I’ve told you all the story like three times now. Can you finally tell me who the almighty Noah King is?”

Right before anyone could answer, the host stood at the podium and started speaking into a microphone.

“Can we all welcome the special guest of honor for this occasion, my son, Noah King.”

A wave of applause erupted from the crowd as everyone awaited him. However, much to his father’s disappointment, Noah didn’t come out. I felt kind of bad for the old man but he remained smiling.

“Well it was worth a shot, wasn’t it?” He said, and the crowd laughed. The party came back in full swing soon after.

“So he’s the son of the host, who is the wealthiest old man in the state,”. I said in a bored voice.

While that may have impressed me some time ago, but after all I’d seen that night, I could only view him as one of the many spoiled trust-fund kids who never had to work for anything in their lives.

Amelia let out a sigh of disbelief.

“His father used to be the richest man in the state, but now he is. He has accomplished three times all his father did. No one can come close to him, not even his own dad.”

She had said that to impress me, but that didn’t change a lot either. I mean, if his dad was already that rich to begin with, becoming just as rich as him would be expected. It wasn’t like he’d built his empire from nothing. However, I didn’t say anything.

“Even top leaders fight to be associated with him.”

“He has never before-seen power, and he’s not afraid to use it.”

There was no reaction on my face.

“There’s even rumors he’s in the mafia,” Leila whispered. “But don’t tell anyone I told you.”

Before I could react to what she’d said, my phone beeped in my purse. My face drained all color when I read the contents of the message from Scott.

‘You have exactly one hour to return home, if not, it’s all over.’