Chapter 172 - The Staredown

[This chapter is dedicated to Angelina_Deloso. Thank you for showering our story with power stones every week!]

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Noah has to give his car key to the valet to park at the regular parking lot since his personal parking spot has his other car. 

He hopped on the elevator quickly. His hands were in his pocket as he stared at the changing number on the top of the elevator door, and in the back of his mind, he kept repeating the word 'hurry up'. 

He never got out of an elevator as quickly as he did right now. He tried to control himself to run the distance between the elevator and Jess's apartment door. 

When he finally reached the door of her apartment, he exhaled a deep breath and tried to fix his hair before knocking. 

He knocked softly at the beginning but got no answer. He was worried that Jess wasn't home. Because if she wasn't home, he honestly has no idea where to search for her.

He was about to dial her number again, even though he knew it won't do anything because her phone was still unreachable. 

It's just that, he would automatically reach for his phone and dial her number, hoping that she would answer. He has been knocking on her door for about five minutes but still no response.

He could hear faint music from inside, so he knew someone was home. Felix- the floor security already passed by, checking him. He had to smile and nod awkwardly at the security guard for he looked like someone who couldn't wait to enter a toilet, controlling a pee.

He wasn't going to pee but felt the possibility because of nervousness. He gently rocked the sole of his shoes and knocked again. 

He was thinking that if Jess wouldn't answer his knocking, he would shout and threaten her to open the goddamn door when it suddenly opened and a man fresh from the shower came out. 

He was barefoot, hair still wet from the shower, he had a white towel in his hand that he was rubbing on his hair, while his other hand was on the doorknob. The door was just slightly open and he couldn't take a peek inside because the man stood in between the ajar door and its frame. 

The man with chiseled abs is wearing nothing but a black boxer. 

"Who are you?" He heard himself ask the man in Jess's apartment. He could hear the hardness in the tone of his voice due to his anger at finding a man almost naked in Jess's apartment. 

Instead of answering his question, the man chuckled and curled the corner of his lips into a mocking smirk. 

Noah's chest burned with rage and jealousy. 

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you the question, who are you — given I am the one inside the house and you are the one knocking?" he scoffed. "Or should I change my question to - what do you want from my Jess?" he asked, taunting. 

Sebastian gave the man in front of his daughter's door a slow look over. The bastard is a good-looking one. He is wearing an Armani suit from the latest collection, and he carries the suit well. His eyes landed on the pair of Italian leather shoes on his feet, and it didn't escape his eyes that he had a vintage Rolex on his wrist. 

This man looking for his Nugget looks expensive. And has the look in his eyes of a man that knows what he wants and gets it. Too bad, his daughter is someone he won't just hand over to this good-looking asshole. 

He didn't know his daughter was not just busy with school but also with boys. He arrived with a boy in her apartment and just a few days later another man is knocking on her door. 

This one reeked of possessiveness. He has a feeling this one would punch him in the face if he says something inappropriate. 

"I need to talk to her," Noah said, gritting his teeth, controlling his anger. 

He didn't know this man but there must be a good reason why he was inside Jess's apartment for he clearly stayed the night because who would take a shower at this hour if they just come to visit.

"She isn't home," he smirked. 

"She isn't at work," he replied. 

Noah met the challenging gaze of the man inside Jess's apartment. 'This bastard just called his minx, - my Jess! Who the fuck he thinks he is!'

None of them back down from their staredown that was broken by the man's ringing phone, which was shoved at the waistband of his boxer. 

'Who is this sleazy bastard?' 

Noah totally lost it when the man cocked his head, gesturing him to leave before he answered his phone. He was about to step back when he heard what he said on the phone. 

"Sweetheart, should I pick you up now?" 

Noah decided to stay because he had a feeling the sweetheart he was talking to on the phone was HIS Jessica.

Meanwhile, Sebastian was having a hard time keeping a straight face with this jerk that was looking for his daughter. He listened to his unregistered number caller that said, "Uhm, Mr. Zimmerman, I would love you to call me sweetheart --"

{"That's my father!"} 

He chuckled, hearing his daughter's voice at the other end of the line, yelling. She was obviously drunk. 

"Mr. Zimmerman, Sir, Daddy — I need you to come… pick your drunk daughter." 

"Of course, Darling, I'll be right there. Send the address." 

"Uh, Daddy-- I think you reaallyy got it wrong," Luke said. He was also drunk so he didn't know what was happening, "Uhm, Jess, I called your father's number but he kept on calling me darling…" 

"Be right there." Sebastian dropped the call but not after making kisses sound on the phone. 

His stomach ached as he tried to suppress his laughter while he watched the man's face outside his daughter's door turned into a dark and murderous expression when he made kissy sounds on his phone.