Ultimate Choice System: I Became The Richest!

After leaving the hotel, Noah slid into the driver's seat of his sleek Lykan Hypersport, the engine purring to life as he prepared to head to his next destination. Just as he was about to pull out of the parking lot, his phone vibrated on the dashboard.

He glanced at the caller ID: Aiden.

"Aiden?" he muttered, picking up the phone. "What's up?"

Aiden's voice came through the line, laced with tension. Behind him, muffled shouts and high-pitched yelling could be heard, making it hard to focus on what he was saying.

"Noah," Aiden's voice sounded strained. "Layla's here. She's causing a massive scene. She is outside my house, screaming and cursing, demanding I give her your number. She's refusing to leave. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that we were classmates, I'd have called the cops by now. She's completely out of control! What should I do?"

Noah's brow furrowed, a wave of irritation washing over him. Layla again. This was becoming tiresome.

"Alright," Noah said, his voice calm but cold. "I'm on my way. Don't escalate the situation—just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't damage anything. I'll handle it."

"Got it," Aiden replied, relief creeping into his voice. "Thanks, man. This is getting out of hand."

Hanging up the call, Noah gripped the steering wheel tighter for a moment, his knuckles whitening. He wasn't surprised Layla was pulling another stunt, but her persistence was starting to grate on his nerves. Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and shifted gears.

"I don't have time for this nonsense," he muttered under his breath, his sharp gaze fixed on the road ahead.

As he approached Aiden's house, he could already see a small crowd gathering outside, drawn by the commotion Layla was causing. Parking the Lykan smoothly, he stepped out of the car, his presence alone enough to make a few heads turn.

"Who's that?" a woman near the crowd asked, her eyes fixed on the car.

"It's Noah Thompson," someone whispered back. "He used to live near here, didn't he? His family wasn't doing too well back then."

"Wait... you mean that Noah? The one who used to wear those old second-hand clothes?" another added, disbelief evident in their tone.

"I heard they moved away. Looks like they struck gold or something," someone chimed in. "That car alone... must've cost millions."

Layla, who had been pacing near the door with her arms crossed, froze mid-step as she noticed Noah step out of the car. Her gaze lingered on the vehicle for a moment before shifting to him. His calm assured demeanour immediately silenced the growing buzz of the crowd.

'He's really changed...' she thought, her eyes narrowing as a pang of regret coursed through her.

Her mind raced with memories of her interactions with him in the past. 'How did I not see this coming? He's...' Her thoughts cut short as she glanced around the growing crowd, suddenly feeling their gazes and whispers.

Noah, meanwhile, remained unaffected by the noise. He adjusted his jacket casually, his movements measured as if the situation were nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

His sharp eyes took in the scene.

Layla by the door, her stance faltering as he drew closer, the crowd murmuring and staring; and Aiden peeking nervously through the curtain of a nearby window.

As Noah approached the house, someone in the crowd called out. "Hey, is that really Noah? The one who used to live around here?"

"If it is," another replied, "he's unrecognizable. Look at that car. That confidence."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Layla's earlier bravado seemed to dissolve as Noah finally stopped in front of her. She clenched her fists tightly, trying to muster some semblance of control over the situation, but her voice faltered as she spoke.

"Noah..." she began, only to be cut off by his steady, unwavering tone.

"I suggest we take this inside," Noah said, his gaze piercing through her. "You've already caused enough of a scene."

Your next read awaits at empire

"No, we are talking here, in front of everyone!" Layla snapped, her voice ringing through the air with newfound momentum.

The crowd outside Aiden's house began to grow as more people gathered to watch the drama unfold. The murmurs started low but quickly gained volume.

"Wait, so it was Noah she's been talking about this whole time?" someone whispered.

"Noah Thompson? Didn't his family use to live around here? They were struggling, right?"

"Yeah, I heard they moved out, but... look at that car he's driving. How did they get rich?"

As the whispers swirled around him, Noah stood silently, his hands in his pockets, his calm gaze fixed on Layla. Her fury, however, was unabated.

"Do you not have any shame? How could you!!" she shouted, her face red with anger. Her voice cracked slightly, but she continued undeterred. "Not only did you lie to my mum—promise her happiness and play with her emotions—you also left us with a debt we can't repay!"

The crowd murmured louder, their curiosity piqued. Some nodded, seemingly sympathetic to Layla's plight, while others remained skeptical, watching Noah for any reaction.

"Yes!" she shouted, her voice rising. "This man has a hotel! A whole hotel! And do you know what he did?" She paused, her dramatic pause only fueling the crowd's interest. "He broke the TV in that hotel—his own hotel—and then blamed it on me and my mother!"

Gasps rippled through the onlookers.

"No way," someone muttered. "That's crazy."

"Guess how much it cost to fix?" Layla demanded, looking directly at a few faces in the crowd.

A man near the back raised a brow. "A couple thousand at most?"

Layla laughed bitterly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Try fifty thousand dollars. Fifty thousand! For a TV!"

More gasps spread through the crowd. Whispers turned into conversations as people started debating among themselves.

"Fifty thousand for a TV? That can't be real."

"Maybe it's one of those super high-tech ones."

Layla pressed her advantage, her voice growing even louder. "I just got out of custody today because of him! My mum had to bail me out—all because of this man standing here! He's ruined my life and my mother's life!"

Noah remained calm, his expression unreadable as Layla continued her tirade. His silence only seemed to agitate her further, her hands gesturing wildly as she spoke.

"You've manipulated everyone around you, Noah! You pretend to be some perfect, successful person, but the truth is—you're a liar and a fraud!" she screamed.

The crowd's murmurs reached a fever pitch. Some seemed to be siding with Layla, their faces reflecting shock and outrage. Others eyed Noah with a mix of curiosity and doubt, unsure what to believe.

Finally, Noah moved. He took a single step forward, and the murmurs fell silent. His calm, steady presence commanded attention. He tilted his head slightly, his voice quiet but firm as he spoke.

"Are you done?"

Layla froze, her momentum faltering for the first time. "Excuse me?" she said, her voice shaking slightly.

"I asked if you were done," Noah repeated, his gaze unwavering.

Layla stammered, caught off guard by his tone. "No! I—I'm not done. You owe us an explanation!"

Noah's faint smile didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, I owe you an explanation? That's funny."

Noah's calm demeanour didn't falter as Layla's tirade continued. Her voice grew shriller, a desperate attempt to draw in the growing crowd and pin their sympathies to her side.

"How can you stand there and not say anything, Noah? Defend yourself!" Layla demanded, turning her anger toward him once more. "You think your silence makes you look noble? It just makes you look guilty!"

Noah finally moved, shifting his weight slightly as he clasped his hands behind his back. He let out a soft sigh, his voice steady and cold. "Layla, I've already explained everything to you multiple times, but it seems you prefer drama over resolution. If shouting in public and blaming others for your shortcomings makes you feel better, go ahead. But don't expect me to entertain it."

Layla faltered, her face reddening as her attempt to dominate the conversation began to crumble. She spun toward Aiden, pointing a trembling finger. "Aiden, how can you just stand there and let him manipulate everyone? You've known him for years! Ask him! Ask him if the screenshots are true or not! I dare him to lie!"

Aiden glanced uneasily between Noah and Layla, scratching the back of his head. He was torn—Layla was being completely unreasonable, but her demand put him in an awkward position. "Layla, maybe this isn't the best place for this. You're making a scene—"

"That's the point!" she snapped. "People need to know who he really is!"

The crowd murmured among themselves, their curiosity piqued further. Layla turned back to Noah, her chest heaving as she tried to steady her breathing. "Tell them, Noah! Admit it! Tell everyone that you were playing with my mother's feelings, that you ruined her life just because I dumped you!"