The Unexpected Visitor

The next morning, Noah woke up convinced the entire night had been a dream.

A very strange dream.

A dangerous stranger.

A luxury mansion.

Armed guards.

A man named Adrian Knight.

It all sounded ridiculous.

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Unfortunately, reality quickly proved otherwise.

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Noah sat up in bed and immediately spotted a black business card resting on his desk.

The same card Luca had handed him before he left.

No logo.

No company name.

Just a phone number.

And two words.

Adrian Knight.

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Noah groaned and dropped back onto his pillow.

“So it wasn’t a dream.”

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A few hours later, he arrived at college.

The campus was crowded as usual.

Students rushed between classes.

Friends gathered around benches.

Professors hurried across walkways carrying stacks of papers.

Everything felt normal again.

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And Noah desperately wanted normal.

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His best friend, Liam Carter, immediately noticed something was wrong.

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“You look terrible.”

Noah rolled his eyes.

“Good morning to you too.”

“I’m serious.”

Liam sat beside him.

“You look like you fought a bear.”

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“Not a bear.”

Noah muttered.

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Liam blinked.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

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Noah had no intention of explaining Adrian.

Because honestly?

He wasn’t entirely sure how to explain Adrian.

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How was he supposed to describe a man who looked like a billionaire, acted like a criminal, lived in a palace, and somehow managed to be both terrifying and attractive?

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Noah nearly choked on his own thoughts.

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“Why are you blushing?”

Liam asked suspiciously.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“You definitely are.”

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Noah immediately changed the subject.

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By lunchtime, he had almost succeeded in forgetting Adrian.

Almost.

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Then everything went wrong.

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Very wrong.

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Noah finished class and headed toward the campus bookstore where he worked part-time.

The moment he arrived, his manager rushed toward him.

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“Noah!”

“What happened?”

“Someone’s waiting for you.”

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Noah frowned.

“Who?”

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His manager pointed toward the reading section.

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Noah turned.

Then froze.

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Sitting comfortably in one of the chairs was Adrian Knight.

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Wearing a black suit.

Looking expensive.

Looking dangerous.

Looking completely out of place among shelves filled with novels.

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And somehow…

Everyone in the bookstore was staring at him.

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Noah’s heart nearly stopped.

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“What are you doing here?!”

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Adrian calmly looked up from the book in his hands.

As if appearing at someone’s workplace uninvited was perfectly normal.

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“Reading.”

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Noah stared.

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“You’re reading?”

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“Yes.”

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“Here?”

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“That’s usually where books are.”

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Several customers nearby tried very hard not to laugh.

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Noah couldn’t believe this man.

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“You followed me.”

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“No.”

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“You absolutely followed me.”

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Adrian slowly closed the book.

Then stood.

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The movement alone made him seem intimidating.

He was tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Confident.

The kind of man who naturally commanded attention.

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“I wanted to thank you.”

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Noah blinked.

⸻

“What?”

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“For helping me.”

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The simple sincerity in Adrian’s voice caught him off guard.

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Because beneath all the arrogance…

All the mystery…

All the danger…

Adrian actually seemed grateful.

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Noah’s expression softened slightly.

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“You didn’t have to come all the way here.”

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“I know.”

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“Then why did you?”

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For the first time, Adrian hesitated.

Only briefly.

But Noah noticed.

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The truth was simple.

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Adrian wanted to see him again.

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Which was ridiculous.

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He barely knew Noah.

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Yet all morning, he had found himself thinking about him.

The way Noah argued.

The way he smiled.

The way he cared about a complete stranger.

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Nobody had treated Adrian like that in years.

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Maybe ever.

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So he came.

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“Curiosity.”

Adrian finally answered.

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Noah narrowed his eyes.

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“That’s a weird answer.”

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“Maybe.”

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“It definitely is.”

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To Noah’s surprise…

Adrian smiled.

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That small smile again.

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And suddenly Noah realized something dangerous.

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Adrian Knight was much more attractive when he smiled.

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A lot more attractive.

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Which was a problem.

A very big problem.

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Before Noah could say anything else, the bookstore door suddenly opened.

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Three men entered.

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Adrian’s expression changed instantly.

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The warmth disappeared.

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The smile vanished.

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And the cold, dangerous man from the rainy night returned.

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Noah felt it immediately.

The atmosphere shifted.

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The three men stopped when they spotted Adrian.

Fear flashed across their faces.

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Genuine fear.

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Then they quickly turned around and left.

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As if simply seeing Adrian was enough to terrify them.

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Noah watched the entire exchange.

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“What was that?”

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Adrian didn’t answer.

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“What aren’t you telling me?”

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Still no answer.

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And for the first time…

Noah began wondering exactly who Adrian Knight really was.

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Because normal businessmen didn’t make grown men run away in fear.

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And deep down…

Noah was starting to realize that Adrian was anything but normal.

To Be Continued… ❤️🔥

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