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3. Noah

CHAPTER 3

NOAH

T he men cheered in unison as their team dunked the ball.

"Let's go!" Bradley hollered.

They clinked drinks and Noah took a long deep swig.

Only four minutes later, the team scored again and their loud cheers provoked several glances from the bartender and other customers. It was a nice restaurant and it had cost Noah two hundred dollars just to convince the bartender to put the game on for them.

"I told you they were making a comeback," Noah said smugly.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see about that. They still need to earn back my trust after last year's miserable season."

Noah laughed before throwing back the rest of his beer. He noticed that Bradley finished his as well.

"Another?" he asked.

Bradley shook his head. "No. I have to get up early tomorrow. I told you that."

Noah laughed. "Hiking with Keira and her parents? Come on, since when did you ever want to explore the great outdoors?"

"I don't," Bradley said. "But it means a lot to Keira. You would understand if you actually kept a girlfriend long enough to meet her parents."

"Hey, I think I met Sandra's parents once," Noah said in a joking defense.

Bradley rolled his eyes. "That was Stephanie and that was an accident. It doesn't count."

"If finding a wife is what it takes for my father to give me the company, then I'll know soon enough. Please, one more drink."

His friend sighed dramatically. "Fine, but you're paying."

Noah grinned and patted him on the back, using his other hand to signal to the bartender for another round. "That's my boy."

They observed the basketball game for another few moments before commercials rolled and Bradley turned to him. "You know, I can't even picture you married. I always thought you'd be an eternal bachelor."

"You and me both." Noah huffed a laugh and took a deep sip from his beer. After watching his parents barely tolerate each other, he had no desire to tie himself to another person like that.

"So why go through with it? The way your dad drinks he's probably only got another ten years left in him anyway. Why not just wait until he bites it and you inherit the company naturally?"

"It's not the same," Noah said. "I deserve— no, I've earned that company. And he knows that. If his only condition is that I find a wife and pop out a baby or two, then so be it."

"It's not as simple or easy as you're making it out to be," Bradley said. "It takes time to find that kind of love. It's not like you can just turn around in your seat and pick the first woman you lay eyes on."

Noah waved his hand. "Oh, love is of no concern to me," he said. "I simply need to find a beautiful woman who wants children and—"

"And doesn't care about the fact that you want nothing to do with both her and your future child?" Bradley raised an eyebrow.

Noah frowned. "I'm not a monster, okay? I'll provide them with anything their hearts desire. I just need someone who understands how important my work is."

Bradley took a deep swig, finishing off the last of his beer and setting the glass firmly down on the counter. "Right. Well good luck with that. I need to go."

"All right. I'll see you later."

"Maybe Keira has a friend she can set you up with," Bradley called on his way out.

As if , Noah thought. Keira's friends would only be interested in a love match.

What Noah needed was a business deal. Something that would be mutually beneficial for both parties. The last thing he wanted was for his future wife and child to end up like Noah and his mother.

The thought pushed him into ordering another drink and this time he ordered the strong stuff.

Noah had always felt unwanted as a child but after hearing his father speak yesterday, it had finally clicked.

The image I've created . As if Noah wasn't a living breathing human being.

Now he knew that he had only ever been a marketing scheme. His entire existence was only for the purpose of portraying the ‘perfect family.'

It made sense why he never felt good enough; his father's only expectation of him was to be an object, an abstract idea of everything that should have been.

Noah did not want to be his father.

Thinking he should call it quits before the dark thoughts continued, he texted Ryan to meet him out front.

Ryan was his driver tonight, though his role in Noah's life was whatever he needed him for that day. And he paid him a hell of a lot to do it, whether it was driving, security, assistant, or errand runner. Noah took off to the bathroom first, making his way past all of the people eating their fancy dinners.

That's when he spotted her.

She was hiding behind a set of two large ferns posted by the door. Her light brown hair was in a twisted updo and she wore a tight-fitting black dress with heels to match.

Noah tilted his head to the side with amusement. He cleared his throat before speaking, trying not to laugh. "Sophie?"

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