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Back in his room, the lights remained off. Noah stood by the open window, a dark silhouette against the sprawling glitter of the city lights. The moonlight caught the sharp angles of his face, and a cool night breeze tugged at his hair, making it drift across his forehead.
He pulled a lollipop from his mouth, the sweet scent of strawberry mixing with the crisp night air. He reached for them whenever the urge to smoke became unbearable—a habit he'd forced himself to break the moment Yunah told him to quit.
"How are they?" he asked into the phone, his voice as cold as the wind.
"The doctor has finished treating their wounds, but I imagine it will be quite a while before they can stand on their own feet," Ashish answered on the other end, his tone unfailingly polite.
"Hmm." Noah nodded, his expression unreadable as he went back to the lollipop. "Keep a close watch on them. The moment they are able to walk, send them to Yunah's house. I want them to apologize to her mother in person." His jaw tightened, and his grip on the phone turned his knuckles white. "Tell them they are to kneel. I want a video of them on their knees, begging for forgiveness. Send the recording directly to me."
"Understood, Young Master," Ashish replied.
Without another word, Noah hung up. He tossed the phone onto his bed and turned back to the window, staring out at the city in heavy, brooding silence. He looked like a king watching over his kingdom—and heaven help anyone who dared to disturb his peace.
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The next morning, Noah was up before the sun. After a quick shower, he moved straight to the kitchen, the quiet clinking of pans the only sound in the apartment. He was mid-way through preparing breakfast when Yogesh stumbled out of his room, yawning and rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning..." Yogesh mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. He blinked at the stove. "Wait, are you making breakfast?"
"Morning," Noah replied, his tone calm and steady as he flipped an omelet. "I'm making breakfast and lunch for Di. Since we'll both be at school today, she won't have anyone here to cook for her."
"Wow." Yogesh stared at him, now fully awake and leaning against the counter.
"You're really spoiling her, man. I'm the one who's actually her brother, and even I feel like I'm slacking compared to you."
Noah didn't offer a comeback. He simply went about his work with a focused, silent efficiency. He poured a steaming cup of coffee and arranged a perfectly toasted sandwich on a plate. Without a word, he picked up the tray and began walking toward Yunah's bedroom.
"Wait—now you're doing room service?" Yogesh watched him in disbelief, pulling a water bottle from the fridge. "Is she moving into the bedroom full-time now?"
"She's hurt, Yogesh. She shouldn't be putting weight on that leg more than necessary," Noah tossed the excuse over his shoulder.
It was a logical reason, but they both knew it wasn't the only one. Noah would have found a reason to do this even if she were perfectly healthy. He reached her door and knocked three times—a soft, rhythmic warning.
"I'm coming in, Di," he said, his voice dropping into that gentle, private register he reserved only for her. He pushed the door open.
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Yunah had only just drifted awake when the soft click of her door announced Noah's arrival. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her eyes remained half-lidded as she squinted at the light.
"Di, eat breakfast," Noah said softly, setting the tray and a steaming cup of coffee on her bedside table.
"You don't have to bring it all the way in here. I could have walked to the kitchen," she murmured, rubbing her eyes. "I haven't even brushed my teeth or washed my face yet."
"Your leg hasn't fully recovered; you need to rest," he insisted, gently handing her the coffee. "I've already prepared lunch for you. You just need to warm it up. If you need anything else, just text me—I'll check my phone as soon as class gets over."
"You made lunch? Already?" Yunah's sleepiness vanished, replaced by pure shock.
"Hmm." Noah glanced at his watch. "I have to go change for school. Make sure you eat before it gets cold."
He slipped out of the room as quickly as he had entered. Yunah stared at the closed door for a long moment. "He never ceases to amaze me," she whispered to herself. "I'm afraid I'm starting to get used to this..."
Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone. It was her mother.
"Hello, Mom," Yunah said, taking a cautious sip of the coffee.
"Yunah, how is your leg?" her mother asked, her voice tight with worry.
"It's better. The sharp pain is gone, but it's still a bit difficult to walk."
"I see. Take care of yourself. I'm keeping Meena here for a few more days, so you won't have her to help. Tell Yogesh he needs to handle the cooking and cleaning."
Yunah scoffed. "Mom, don't worry about me. Noah is doing everything. He just brought me breakfast in bed and already finished making my lunch."
"Really?" Her mother's voice jumped an octave. "I knew he was a good kid. I only wish he were a few years older—I'd make him my son-in-law in a heartbeat."
"Mom, not again..." Yunah cut her off, her cheeks warming. "Anyway, has anyone come by? Those men...did they came again?"
"No," her mother said, her tone turning puzzled. "It's strange. They haven't been back. They were loitering outside, and then suddenly... they just vanished. Do you think they caught your—" She stopped herself abruptly.
"No. If they had, we would have heard by now," Yunah said, biting into her sandwich. "Isn't it a good thing that they're gone?"
"It is," her mother hummed.
Yunah's mind drifted to Jay, the leader of Shadowveil. Did he already make them leave? she wondered silently. But why hasn't he called to confirm the job is done?
"Huh? Did you say something?" her mother asked, hearing her hushed whispering.
"No... nothing, Mom."
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Time slipped by. For the next week, Noah cared for Yunah with a devotion that bordered on obsessive. He cooked every meal, monitored her movements, and ensured she barely had to lift a finger. Just as she had feared, Yunah began to develop a habit of him. When he was even a few minutes late from school, her eyes would wander to the door. She found herself checking her phone constantly for his messages. His presence had woven itself into her daily life without her even realizing it.
Finally, a week later, Yunah felt strong enough to return to her routine.
"You're going back to work?" Noah asked, watching Yunah emerge from her room fully dressed for the day.
"Hmm," Yunah nodded, walking toward the kitchen. "I'm joining back today. Since I'm all better, I'll be the one making breakfast and dinner from now on. It's the least I can do after you looked after me all week."
Noah immediately stood up and followed her. At the same moment, Yogesh stepped out of his room.
"You don't have to do that," Noah said, leaning against the kitchen counter. "I can keep making breakfast for us."
"Wow! What a generous man," Yogesh chimed in, overhearing them.
"Thank you, but no. You both need to focus on your studies," Yunah said, cracking an egg into a bowl and whisking it vigorously.
"I can do both," Noah countered calmly. "You don't need to worry about my grades. I can run a household and still top my classes." He reached over, grabbing an onion and beginning to chop it with professional speed before she could even protest.
Yunah placed her hands on her hips, raising a brow in disbelief."Are you flexing your GPA at me right now?"
"No," Noah denied, though a small, ghost of a smile played on his lips.
"Don't believe him, Di," Yogesh interrupted, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge. "He's totally flexing. He's basically mocking you for being a 'study-slacker' compared to him."
Noah shot Yogesh a look of pure, hazel-eyed lethality. Yogesh immediately threw his hands up in mock surrender. "My bad! You aren't flexing!" he yelled, retreating toward his room. "Don't just stand there talking, or you'll be late for school!"
He slammed his door shut. Yunah turned back to the stove, shaking her head. "Go get changed. I'll have the omelets ready by the time you're done."
"Hmm." Noah nodded like an obedient child, washed his hands, and walked toward his room.
Yunah watched his back, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Unbelievable," she whispered to the empty kitchen. "I just can't understand this boy at all."
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Late that night, the apartment was blanketed in a heavy, restless silence. Yunah lay in bed, the glow of her phone illuminating her face as she scrolled aimlessly through her feed. Then, a notification pinged.
It was a message from Jay.
She had saved his number under a pseudonym, purely for professional reasons—or so she told herself. Heart racing, she opened the text to find a video file. As the footage buffered and played, Yunah froze. The "men in suits" who had terrorized her and her mother a week ago were on their knees. Their faces were a map of bruises and bandages, evidence of the brutal efficiency Jay had used to break them. They were alive, but they were utterly defeated, sobbing as they begged her mother for forgiveness.
A wave of relief washed over her, quickly followed by a chill. Before she could process the violence she had just witnessed, her phone began to vibrate.
Jay was calling.
Noah had timed it perfectly, waiting just long enough for her to finish the video. He stepped out onto his balcony, the cool night air hitting his face as he leaned against the railing. From his vantage point, he could see the soft light glowing from Yunah's bedroom window just a few feet away.
Yunah answered on the second ring.
"Hello?" she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of gratitude and fear.
"Did you watch the video?" Noah's voice was a low, resonant baritone—confident, yet laced with a strange, dark gentleness.
"I did," she hummed, nodding as if he could see her.
"They won't be back. I've made sure of that," he said, his eyes fixed on the silhouette of her door.
Yunah hesitated, her fingers gripping the edge of her blanket."Thank you,"she said softly. Then, clearing her throat, she shifted to the business at hand. "So... how much do I owe you for this? What's your price?"
A soft, melodic chuckle vibrated through the line. Noah let out a breathy laugh that made Yunah's skin prickle with confusion.
"Ah... I almost forgot about the payment," he said smoothly, as if the money was an afterthought—a trivial detail that didn't even matter to a man like him.
"Forgot?" Yunah sat up, her brows knitting together. "How could you forget? Don't you do this kind of work specifically for the money?"
"I do," Noah replied, a mischievous smirk dancing on his lips as he watched her shadow move behind the curtains. "But Miss Yunah, the more I look into your life, the more I realize you don't actually have enough money to pay my usual fee. So... why don't we settle the debt with something else?"
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Yunah's pulse skyrocketed, her voice turning sharp and defensive. "What do you mean, 'something else'? Don't tell me you're asking for..." She paused, her face flushing with heat. "I'm not that kind of girl, Jay! Name your price in cash. I'll find a way to pay it, but I am not giving you my body!"
Noah blinked, then broke into a charming, genuine laugh. "You really have quite the imagination, don't you?" He let the laughter fade, his voice dropping into a dangerously serious tone for the final line. "I wasn't asking for your body... though if you were offering, I certainly wouldn't say no."
Yunah felt the heat spread to her ears, mortified that she had jumped to such a conclusion. "Then what do you want?" she snapped, trying to regain her dignity.
Noah went silent for a few seconds. The only sound was the distant hum of the city and the rhythmic beat of his own heart.
"I want you to accompany me to an underworld gala," he said, his voice dropping into a seductive, velvety depth that felt like a physical touch. "I need a partner for the night... and I want it to be you."
Yunah's world stopped spinning. "WHAT?!"