Chapter 124: Your pride or your body...choose one
Noah gritted his teeth as he stared at his manager. "I would never ask for help from that bastard."
The manager raised an eyebrow, taken aback. "You know Ryder?"
Noah let out a dry laugh, his expression darkening. "Oh, I know him very well. He’s a devil in disguise. You don’t want to deal with someone like him." He could still feel the weight of last night, the confusion, the anger, the humiliation.
Every time his mind wandered back to it, a knot formed in his stomach. It was like being trapped in a nightmare he couldn’t wake up from.
Noah stormed out of the office, his thoughts swirling in frustration and disbelief. As he made his way home, all he could think about was the mess his life had become. Elijah had ripped everything away from him, and now Ryder—of all people—was being suggested as his savior.
The irony wasn’t lost on him, but it only fueled his anger further.
When Noah finally arrived home, he found Ash in the living room, his face buried in his hands. Ash’s sobs filled the air, and Noah’s heart sank.
"Ash?" Noah’s voice softened as he walked closer. "What’s wrong? Are you alright? Did Elijah–"
Ash looked up, his tear-streaked face filled with guilt. "I’m sorry, Noah. This is all my fault. You’ve lost everything because of me...because Elijah is obsessed over that stupid revenge with me. If I had just—" His voice broke off into another sob. "You e-even lost the company..."
Noah’s chest tightened at his words. He knelt in front of him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, stop that. This isn’t your fault. None of this is. Elijah is just a demon. You can’t blame yourself for what he’s done." Noah’s voice was steady, but inside, his own guilt was eating at him. Ash was suffering because of this tangled web they’d all been dragged into.
Ash sniffled, wiping his eyes. "But I feel so useless...I wish I could do something."