Is this destiny?

At the thought of Noah and Steve pressuring seniors to part from their possessions, Chloe remembered one detail… "No matter what you get from the seniors, it won\'t be yours unless we get married."

"I am not interested in what Longs have.", Noah wanted to make sure that Chloe knows this. "Whatever they give, will be yours, and we will make sure that the final contract does not give them any way to take those assets back."

"That was not my point.", Chloe blurted out.

Noah\'s handsome eyebrow arched. "What was your point?"

"The marriage part.", Chloe said in a small voice. "Are you serious?"

"Didn\'t we discuss that?"

"We did?"

"Yes, we did.", Noah said stiffly and slid on the floor, on the side of his chair, down on his knees, with Chloe\'s left hand in his. He rubbed the sparkly diamond on her ring finger. "I told you that you captured my heart, monopolized my mind, and I can\'t think of a tomorrow without you in it. Then I asked you to spend your life with me, and you said \'yes\'

."

Chloe looked at Noah kneeling in front of her, and her mind exploded. He was serious! He wants them to get married! She opened her mouth and then closed it. She knew that if she brings up the point that them being engaged is too soon and getting married is even less believable, he will say that she can return the ring if she wants them to break up and she didn\'t want them to break up. They had that conversation already.

Noah saw that Chloe relaxed and he knew that she will not object. He gave himself a thumbs up.

"I know that you want to distance yourself from your family, Chloe, but you should take their assets. Once we settle on the dowry, we will bring up the point that as the family of the bride, they need to pay for the wedding.", Noah grinned maliciously. "They were manipulating you for a long time and it\'s time for them to pay up."

Chloe thought it\'s funny how Noah used the same words that Uncle Kevin told her when they were forcing her to return to the Long family and marry Mr. Baldeo. But other than that, Chloe had another concern… "I have no idea how to manage a company."

"You are a fast learner, Chloe, and I will teach you. Once you get your hands on properties and companies, I will help you manage them until you get your own footing. In any case, I will not let you suffer a loss."

Chloe was amazed how with a few words Noah managed to dispel her worries away.

"You thought of everything.", Chloe said dreamily while looking at the handsome man who was still kneeling in front of her.

"No, I didn\'t. I was only thinking about how to prevent you from running away from me."

Chloe felt her heart expanding and she slid down from her chair, wrapped her arms around Noah, and kissed him with all she had in that dining room that was filled with red and white roses.

The big window showed the breathtaking view of the sun touching the horizon as majestic oranges and purples painted the clouds in the sky, but Chloe and Noah missed it completely.

Noah\'s kisses turned more urgent while they tasted each other. She was soft and firm in the right places and he couldn\'t stop himself from wanting more.

His fingers landed on the zipper at the back of Chloe\'s dress, and as he pulled it lower, he felt Chloe stiffening in his arms.

Noah cursed himself internally.

"Sorry… I will not rush you…", he said breathlessly.

He inched away and paused when he felt Chloe clinging onto him.

"I need to shower…", she said in a small voice and Noah\'s eyes flashed in surprise.

Thanks to the Eve-lens, Noah knew that Chloe was aroused, just like he was, but he assumed that her shyness would take over, and this was unexpected. He decided to push his luck.

Noah leaned his cheek against Chloe\'s and murmured close to her ear, "I need one as well. How about we shower together?"

He felt her nodding in agreement and in the next moment, he scooped her in his arms and carried her down the hallway.

Chloe hugged Noah\'s neck and buried her face in his shoulder, with her eyes peeking above it to see that the roses are everywhere. Even the bedroom was filled with roses and there was an ocean of flower petals covering the bed.

"Give me a sec…", Noah said, and he kept Chloe down to stand in the bathroom.

He moved swiftly and returned with hands full of candles. "Help me lit them up…"

Chloe took the lighter and did as Noah instructed while he arranged candles around the sink.

One candle, two, three… And then Noah turned off the main light and only six small flames created dancing shadows, setting the mood to a romantic one.

Noah stood in front of Chloe and observed her expression in silence, and she understood that he was giving her a chance to change her mind.

With shaky hands, she reached for the buttons of his shirt and started undoing them.

Chloe cursed internally. She is not a child and she thought about this many times, and now that it\'s finally happening, why was she trembling all over? But she couldn\'t help it because it\'s the Noah-effect of making her feel safe and vulnerable at the same time.

Noah smiled while observing his little rabbit as she fought against her insecurities.

She focused mightily on every button until she finished unbuttoning his shirt, and even in the dimly lit bathroom, he saw that her cheeks were crimson.

Chloe bit her lower lip while looking at the buckle of his belt.

"Aren\'t you going to undress me?", she asked in a whisper without lifting her gaze.

"I\'m giving you a head start.", Noah responded, and she heard that he was smiling.

Before Chloe could react, in one swift move, Noah opened the zipper of her dress and she found herself in only underwear with the dress scrunched around her ankles.

On instinct, she covered her breasts with her hands and Noah chuckled.

Chloe exhaled a shaky breath. Why did she cover herself? She is still wearing a bra and what\'s the point in covering up, anyway?

"Don\'t make fun of me, Noah…", Chloe said. "I am very nervous."

"It\'s because you are overthinking.", Noah responded and removed the shirt off his body. "Look at me, Chloe…"

Chloe lifted her gaze, pausing slightly at his chiseled abs and moving slowly over his pecs, going higher until she met his scorching eyes directed at her and she forgot to breathe.

Noah\'s fingers reached for Chloe\'s cheek and she leaned into his touch that sent sparks through her body.

Chloe wondered, was she overthinking things? Absolutely. She worried if he is only playing with her because all this looked too good to be true. What if she disappoints him?

Sure, she had a few boyfriends, but they never went beyond kissing and some touching because she kept on her mind that she is the young Miss of the Long family and that she should save herself for someone worthy. That is what her seniors told her.

Chloe thought how that was ironic because now that she was standing in front of an impressive man like Noah, she wondered if she was worthy of him.

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