An actual threat

With a cheerful smile and while carrying three different bags containing food, Noah entered the living room and greeted Laila with a, "Good morning sleepyhead. You are just in time for breakfast."

Though she had been angry because of worry moments earlier, the second Noah walked inside, she felt relieved and her angry made way for other feelings. A part of the joy of pregnancy were the mood swings. No matter how strong and logical she usually was, her hormones were stronger and they were no joke to deal with. With a slightly sad voice Laila asked, "Where did you go? Why did you leave without saying anything? I was worried after waking up in an empty house."

Noah walked towards Laila and placed a kiss on her forehead before saying, "I'm sorry. I didn't think you would wake up in the short time I was gone. I would have left you a note if I knew it would upset you like this. When I left you were still fast asleep and I didn't want to wake you since you seemed so comfortable. Especially considering how we had no food at the house and I was certain that you would be hungry once you were awake, it didn't seem like a good idea." As Noah was explaining his choice to leave without saying anything, Laila was hugging him tightly. Giving into the emotions she was feeling at the moment.

Seeing as Laila had calmed down a bit, Noah tried to lighten the mood up a bit by switching to a more playful tone as he said, "But who knew that just twenty minutes later I would find you wide awake and dressed. Waiting for me like a dad waiting for his teenage daughter after a date. It is like you have a sixth sense for these things and knew you needed to get ready in order to eat all these goodies warm and fresh. Even a bloodhound is nothing compared to your skills of finding food."

Laila had no way of refuting his claims and the appearance of breakfast had distracted her enough to forget about her worries from just seconds before. She let go of her tight grip and laughed at his joke. Laila even gave him a peck on the lips before she snuck a quick peek inside the bags as she and Noah made their way to the dining table.

One by one the bags were emptied and it seemed that one bag contained even more delicious food than the other. When Laila saw everything that Noah had managed to buy in such a short time, she began to feel that his disappearing act from that morning had been well worth it. If this is what twenty minutes can get him, he can take all the twenty minutes he wants. Together they started eating before they would start their day of romance together, while in another town Steve was getting close to find out more of Olivia's backer.

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Though Steve didn't have an exact identity yet, with the clues they had found so far, he had a pretty good hunch. If it was who he thought it was, they were in for quite some trouble. They might have been able to weaken his company but that was only because he had made a mistake himself and had also underestimated Noah.

Out of arrogance the man had assumed that Noah would never be able to outdo him, thinking he was nothing more than some snot-nosed kid trying to play with the adults. Though in a way he had been right about Noah, he didn't know that Noah was tenacious, a hard negotiator and extremely talented. So, by the time Noah was on the man's radar as someone dangerous, Noah had already gotten outside of his reach. He had weakened the foundation of the man's company allowing him to self-destruct because of his own bad habits. This being a world that listens to money, he became a voice that could no longer be heard. Allowing Noah and his company to grow even more as the man retreated to the shadows.

Though it had been mostly his own fault, Steve and Noah both knew that he would not look at matters the same way. And although they had weakened the man back when they started out here, he was by no means weak. He was a man who had been in this town for a long time. Operating in different types of businesses and shaking many hands. It was these connections that made him dangerous. As soon as he would get his hands on money, his would be back in power in no time. Especially as he was someone who lacked a moral compass, which means he had no problems playing dirty to get to where he was or get back at people whom he felt had wronged him. Knowing people all over, meant that he could get away with almost anything. So, knowing that, he did whatever he deemed necessary to get what he wants.

Thinking back on everything now, they were lucky that no one had gotten hurt the first time around. A second confrontation might not go so well. So, it would be in their best interest to find out if the backer was indeed him and to cut him off before he could become an actual threat to both the company as well as their lives and the people in it.