96 Having second thoughts

The night arrived quickly and Aria had just gotten off from work. She was deciding on hailing a cab when a Maybach stopped in front of her. She did not have to think twice to see who it belonged to. She knew it was Noah inside the car. She was pleasantly surprised to see him. They had talked to each other in the morning and she had told him about her work timings. She had also informed him that she would be working late. Yet, here he was to see her.

Warmth spread through her body and her ears reddened at once. The door to the backseat opened and Noah's head peeked out.

"What are you waiting for? Get in." Noah immediately pulled her and she stumbled inside. She was a little stupefied at his sudden pull. Glaring at him, she sat properly on the seat and fixed her messed up attire.

"What are you doing here?"

"Ouch." Noah placed his hand on his chest and cried out. "Is this the way you welcome your boyfriend."

"Then, how should I welcome you?"

"When you see your boyfriend, which is me, you have to give me a hug and a kiss. That's the actual and perfect way."

"In your dreams." Aria scoffed.

"Careful there. My dreams have always come true." Noah warned.

"Whatever."

"You want to test me?" He raised his eyebrows and pulled Aria towards him, making her squeal.

"What are you do...?"

Before she could finish, he had already pressed his lips on her. Aria tried to push him away and he pulled back immediately. It was a short kiss.

"See I told you." Noah smiled.

"You are mean."

"I am honored." He draped his arms around her shoulders and pressed her head to his chest.

"Where are we going?"

"Nowhere. I am taking you home."

"Ohh." Noah could hear her disheartened tone clearly. His lips quirked up in amusement.

"Why? Do you want to go somewhere?"

"What? No no." Aria denied immediately.

"Don't worry. I'll take you out tomorrow, but today I have some work to do."

"Then, why did you come here? You could have finished your work." Aria said in concern.

"I have come to meet my girlfriend but she is quite eager to drive me away. Tell me what I should do? You are also mean and together we will create a bunch of meanies." Noah teased.

Aria couldn't grasp what he had said earlier. However, on realization she blushed immensely. It was the first time she was hearing such loving words, her heart couldn't control the excitement. Her cheeks were painted red and her eyelashes fluttered. Noah smiled looking at her flushed cheeks. He wanted nothing but to bite them.

Aria averted her gaze and looked outside the window. She saw the familiar neighborhood and she gasped. She remembered she had never given him her address. How did he even find out?

"How did you know my address?"

"Surprise." Noah gave her a vague answer.

Just then they saw a motorbike come roaring out of nowhere and go inside one of the building's apartments.

"Hey, that's Ivy," Aria said merrily. This was the best opportunity for her to introduce both of them.

"Who?" Noah faked ignorance although he already knew who Ivy was. Also he was shocked to see Ivy riding a motorbike. In the morning, Noah had left early as he had a business meeting to attend, while Ivy was still eating her brunch. So, he did not know about her vehicle.

"Ivy, my sister. I told you about her. Remember?" Aria looked at him.

"Ah. Yes. Yes." Noah put on an act in front of her. If Joshua was present to witness this scene he would have puked out blood.

"Does she ride a motorbike?"

"Yes, she is wild and adventurous type, unlike me," Aria explained. She was so engrossed in her chat with Noah that she did not even know that they were already in front of her apartment.

"Umm. Noah, can you spare a few minutes?"

"Sure."

"I want to introduce you to my sister."

"So soon?"

"What?" Aria was so excited that she did not hear what he had said.

"I mean, ain't it a too early for this?"

"Ohh." Aria was taken aback. She did not know that Noah was reluctant to meet her sister. She even started to have second thoughts about them, about him.

'Was it too early for this?' Aria pondered while Noah did not even know that her thoughts had run wild and she was even having second thoughts.

"Okay, let's wait for some time."

"Yes. Aria we have just started dating. Let's enjoy these days. We can meet the family later. Let's get to know each other first."

"You are right," Aria said, although there was still some doubt in her mind.

"I'll get going then." Aria gazed at him and gave him a peck. She then opened the door and ran inside the apartment without even turning back to look at him.

Noah's mind short-circuited by the sudden kiss. Before he could respond to her, she had run inside the apartment. Noah smiled, his ears had gone red. He could still feel her lips on his. His mood improved tremendously.

Even after an hour, he could not stop smiling. The car stopped at the Underground Base.

"Boss, we have arrived." His driver, Tony, said.

"Yes, good job," Noah said, before he got down.

Tony was greatly confused. He had been doing this job for almost six years and never in those years had he heard his Boss praising him, although he did the same job daily.

'What potion did Madam give to my Boss? Boss, what happened to you?' He secretly cried.

'Boss, I can't stand you this way. It is more terrifying than the times when you get angry. Boss, come back. Although I am happy for you, I prefer you to be cold and aloof rather than all smiling and behaving weirdly."

Tony was not the only one who was dumbstruck by Noah's change. Even for his guards at the base, it was a bolt out of blue. They too wondered what made him behave this way. Nevertheless, they were scared shitless, they were worried it was like the calm before the storm. He was smiling as if somebody's end had arrived.

Among all the people around Noah, only one person was not affected by his uncanny behavior. It was none other than Ronnie. He had seen a lot of expressions of a similar kind on his Boss's face and he knew who was the reason behind it. So, he did not give a second thought to it. He followed him quietly.

Joshua was already waiting for him in the room. He looked at Noah's face and his lips twitched.

"Why are you so happy today?"

"What do you think?" He gave him a smile in return which only said: Ask me more.

"Did something good happen? Tell me." Joshua was excited.

"Good?" Noah pondered for a while. "It is more than good, excellent. Outstanding."

"Hold on. What happened?"

"Aria happened."

Joshua rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe Noah at all for his childishness. He had simply got his expectations high.

"Okay lover boy, let's talk about work now."

Noah nodded and followed him inside the room where Eddie, Beth and Caroline were locked. Gone was all the gentleness and warmth in his eyes. He was now back to his old self. The three people had become unrecognizable. They had grown extremely thin, just like malnourished people. They looked like they had aged a lot and their cheeks had become hollow. It was difficult for them even to stand, let alone walk.

"So, what do you want to do with them?"

"Why don't you just kill us?" Beth shrieked.

"What do you get by torturing us?" Caroline joined her.

"Satisfaction," Noah answered in one word.

"You bastard," Beth shouted and since the room was quite huge and had nothing at all in it, her shrill voice echoed. It sounded horrible to listen.

"I have decided," Noah said after staring at all the three for a while.

"I won't kill them."

"Then? Do you want to let them go?" Joshua asked from the side unhappily.

The three people looked at him hopefully. If they were allowed to walk out of here, then that would be excellent. They could make a full proof plan and take revenge on him in the future.

"Do you take me for a fool?" Noah asked, his eyes still on Beth's face.

"What do you mean?" Joshua asked back.

"Look at that woman in the middle. I know she will come after me if I allow her to go out from here."

Beth's heart skipped a beat. 'How did he even know what she was planning? Does he know how to read minds?'

"Yes," Noah answered her unasked question.

"Then, what do you want to do?" Joshua was getting confused now. He did not understand what Noah was getting at.

"They will stay here. But give them sufficient food from now on."

"Noah have you gone crazy."

"Wait, I am yet to finish."

Joshua immediately shut up.

"However, every time we torture any person, these three people will be the witness and they will clean the room after it. What do you say?"

The three people were horrified. They couldn't imagine looking at a person being tortured even in their dreams let alone witness it live. Moreover, they had to clean up the place. It was horrible.

"Oh, I love it." Joshua was exhilarated. This kind of torture was worse than any other form of torture.

"Why don't you just kill us?" Caroline flared.

"There is still time for that."

Noah left the room followed by Joshua and Ronnie. All they could hear were the high pitched curses from the two women accompanied by Eddie's wailing.