บท 11: You are Mine

As Noah and Sarah drove away from the race track, the atmosphere in the car was relaxed but tinged with a sense of excitement from the adrenaline-fueled evening.

[Ding! +20 Affection is rewarded]

[Sarah's Affection: 80/100]

Affection Levels :

0: Enemies With Deep Hatred

10-40: Hate

50: Stranger

60: Friend

70: Close Friend

80: Love

90: Partner, Absolute Love

100: Perfect Love, Forever Loyal.

Looking at Sarah's affection for him, Noah felt relieved.

He really liked the woman and wanted her to be his wife. Not just because of the system choice.

Sarah, still buzzing from the thrill of the race, glanced curiously at the white bag resting on Noah's lap.

"What's in the bag?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in curiosity.

"Open it and see." Noah said, with a slight smile on his face whilst driving.

Sarah opened the bag slightly, revealing two brand-new iPhone 15 Pro Max phones inside. Sarah's eyes widened in surprise.

"Jackson gave these to you? Just like that?" she asked, incredulous.

"Yeah," Noah replied casually, a slight grin on his face. "For people like him, this is just pocket money. It's how they make connections in the high-class circles."

Sarah nodded slowly, processing this. She had always known that wealthy people lived differently, but seeing it in action was something else entirely.

"That makes sense, I guess," she said thoughtfully. "It's just... a bit shocking how generous he was to someone he just met."

"Well, it's all part of the game," Noah replied, shrugging. "Connections mean everything in that world."

The car fell into a comfortable silence for a moment before Sarah glanced at the time on the dashboard. It was 8:30 PM, and the sky outside was darkening.

"Where are we going now?" she asked, her voice tinged with slight concern. "It's getting a bit late. Shouldn't we be heading home?"

Noah shot her a playful look, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Why, are you worried I might eat you like a big bad wolf?" he teased.

Sarah blushed furiously, quickly looking away to hide her embarrassment. "N-no! I just... was curious, that's all," she stammered, trying to regain her composure.

Noah laughed softly, enjoying her reaction. "Don't worry, I'm not that kind of guy. We're just going to the Bitten Apple store. I want to buy something."

Sarah sighed in relief, though her cheeks were still slightly flushed. "Oh, okay. That sounds... normal."

A short while later, they arrived at the Bitten Apple store, a sleek, modern building with large glass windows showcasing the latest gadgets.

As they entered, the store was relatively empty, with only a few customers browsing the aisles. It was close to closing time, and the staff were clearly winding down for the day.

As Noah and Sarah walked in, they were approached by an older attendant named Clarissa, who eyed Noah's school uniform with a look of disdain. With her arms crossed, she spoke to him in a curt, dismissive tone. "Hurry up, kid. We're closing soon."

Noah didn't even bother responding to her rudeness, simply walking past her with a calm demeanor. Sarah gave the woman a disapproving glance before following Noah.

Deeper into the store, they were greeted by a younger attendant named Lily, who approached with a bright, welcoming smile. "Hi there! Can I help you with anything?" she asked, her tone warm and friendly.

Before Noah could answer, Clarissa appeared behind Lily, her expression sour. "Lily, don't waste your time. Kids like him just come in here to mess around. He's not going to buy anything."

Lily glanced at Clarissa, then back at Noah, her smile unwavering. "It's okay, Clarissa. I'm happy to help."

Clarissa rolled her eyes, clearly sceptical, but didn't argue further. She lingered nearby, watching with a judgmental gaze.

Noah turned to Lily, appreciating her professionalism. "I'd like to buy Two iPhone 15 Pro Max, three sets of Apple AirPods Pro Max, and two 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max laptops."

Lily blinked in surprise at the large order but quickly regained her composure. "Of course," she said, her fingers flying over the store's tablet as she began entering the items. "That will be… let's see… around $9,000 for the two MacBooks, $3,900 for the iPhones, and $1,500 for the AirPods. So, $14,400 total."

Clarissa, overhearing the amount, let out a loud snort. "He's just showing off in front of the woman. No way is he actually going to buy all that."

Ignoring her, Lily continued with a smile. "What colours would you like?"

Noah turned to Sarah, giving her a soft smile. "I want one of everything in black. What's your favourite colour?" he asked.

Still dazed by the amount of money being spent, Sarah responded almost automatically. "White," she said softly.

Lily nodded and noted down the colours. Clarissa, watching from the side, crossed her arms and gave Noah a scrutinizing look. "He's not going to buy anything," she muttered under her breath, loud enough for them to hear.

Once Lily had prepared the order, she looked up at Noah. "Okay, your total is $14,400," she said, her tone polite but with a hint of curiosity as she watched him.

"Make it $15,000. Consider the rest your tip," Noah had said, his voice calm and composed.

"Thank you, Sir. The lady here is very lucky to have you as her boyfriend," Lily responded, her smile widening as she processed what had just happened. It was a rare occurrence for anyone, let alone someone so young, to leave such a generous tip.

Noah's smile remained steady as he corrected her gently, "She isn't my girlfriend."

The air between them shifted slightly, Lily's expression turning awkward as she realized her mistake. "Oh, sorry, sir," she mumbled, her confidence faltering for a moment.

Noah's response was smooth and reassuring, "It's okay." His smile was warm, but there was a calm finality in his tone.

Noah calmly pulled out his card and swiped it through the reader. The machine beeped, and the green light flashed—payment approved.

Lily handed him the receipt with a bright smile. "Thank you for your purchase! Your items will be ready shortly."

"Make sure you place the black-coloured items in one bag, and the white in another bag."

Clarissa, her face a mask of disbelief, could only stare as the transaction completed smoothly. She muttered something under her breath, then walked away, clearly annoyed that she had been proven wrong.

Sarah, standing beside him, tried to keep her expression neutral, but the words echoed in her mind, each one landing with a little more weight than the last.

'She isn't my girlfriend.'

The ache in her heart was sudden and unexpected, a small pang of sadness that she couldn't quite explain.

She found herself looking down, the bags in her hands suddenly feeling heavier. A part of her knew that they were just words, but they still lingered, leaving a subtle sting behind. She tried to shake off the feeling, but it clung to her, a small cloud shadowing her thoughts.

Noah, noticing her silence, turned to Sarah, his gaze softening. "You okay?" he asked, his voice gentle as if sensing the slight shift in her mood.

Sarah quickly plastered on a smile, not wanting to let on how she felt. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, her tone light but not quite convincing.

Noah studied her for a moment longer, then nodded, letting it go. "Alright, let's get going then."

As they walked out of the store, Sarah's thoughts kept circling back to that moment. She wasn't sure why it affected her so much, but it did.

As they drove away from the Bitten Apple Store, Sarah tried to convince herself that it didn't matter. She was older than Noah, and whatever momentary connection she felt was just a fleeting emotion, something that shouldn't linger.

But the ache in her chest refused to disappear, persisting despite her attempts to dismiss it.

"Can you drop me off at my house?" Sarah asked, her voice soft as they neared her neighbourhood.

"Sure," Noah replied easily.

The drive was quiet, the earlier banter replaced by a heavy silence. When they finally pulled up in front of her house, Sarah quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, eager to escape the confusing swirl of emotions. "Thanks for tonight, Noah. I'll see you later," she said, reaching for the door handle.

But before she could get out, Noah gently caught her arm. "You forgot something," he said, his voice low.

Sarah turned back to him, confusion flickering in her eyes. Noah held up the bag from the Apple Store, shaking it lightly.

She hesitated, her earlier sadness resurfacing. "I'm not your girlfriend or relative, so why would you give me this?" she asked, her voice tinged with the hurt she was trying to hide.

Noah's expression softened, and he smiled. "You're right, you're not my girlfriend."

He paused, letting the words hang in the air for a moment. Then, with a grin, he added, "You're mine. You're gonna be my wife."

Sarah's heart skipped a beat, her pulse quickening as his words sank in. Her cheeks flushed deep red as she tried to process what he'd just said.

Noah leaned in closer, closing the car door again with a deliberate motion, trapping her in the moment with him.

"Why do you think I went to the Apple Store?" he continued, his voice taking on a possessive edge. "I could've just given you one of the phones Jackson gave me. But you are mine. Only I can give you things. No other man can."

The protective jealousy in his tone was unmistakable, sending a shiver down Sarah's spine.

Her blush deepened, spreading to the tips of her ears as she absorbed his words. "You…you are mine, got it?" Noah's gaze locked onto hers, intense and unwavering.

Sarah felt her heart race even faster, her mind swirling with emotions she hadn't expected. Noah handed her a small piece of paper with his number on it. "Text me when you get home with your new phone," he said, his grin returning with a playful hint.

Her blush was still very evident, Sarah managed to stammer, "I'm already here…you dropped me off."

Noah chuckled at her flustered response. "Exactly. So, you'll text me when you get inside."

Sarah nodded her head quickly, almost like a scared chicken, still trying to grasp what had just transpired. Noah handed her the bag and then opened the door for her to step out.

She took the bag, her fingers brushing against his for a brief moment before she got out of the car.

As she walked to her door, she could feel his eyes on her, the weight of his possessive declaration still heavy in her chest and mind.

Once inside, she closed the door behind her, leaning against it as she tried to steady her racing heart.

[Ding! Additional Rewards granted +5 Affection to Sarah]

[Sarah's Affection has Reached 85/100]

Reading the system's notifications, he couldn't help but smile.

Noah then drove a short distance away to the same parking lot to leave his car. After securing it, he ordered an Uber to take him home, his mind already replaying the events of the evening with satisfaction.

He knew he'd left a strong impression on Sarah, and he was more than content with how the night had turned out.