Secrets of Lakefront House
CHAPTER 26. DINNER WITH NOAH

It was six o'clock exactly. The doorbell rang and Noah actually arrived on time as promised. Jilena paused before the door before she opened it, clutching the brass doorknob and closing her eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, he did that several times.

Trying to calm his heart. Funny and weird for him after all these years he dodges and tries to forget Noah, learning to forgive himself for what happened. But today she will go with the man without being able to resist him, while Jilena hates the man.

He felt a little tense, again he sighed. Thinking for a moment about his decision, was what he was doing right? Given how his charm and face were smitten with the dazzling smile of the young man who had ruined his life. 'Can I keep my heart from getting entangled and falling into Noah's charm device?

He had no choice but to open the door or he would ring the bell again. Jilena tried to be polite, half-heartedly trying to smile and open the door. There stood Noah, more handsome than ever, his gaze fixed on him.

Her alluring eyes stared softly at the netra of Jilena's eyes and that gaze immediately pierced into her soul. Jilena struggles not to be captivated by Noah's charm. "Hello, Noah," that was all he could say, flat, there was no friendly tone in his voice.

“You look beautiful tonight, Jilena,” she said, giving her a charming smile. "Very beautiful, nothing has changed" she said.

"You always say that word." while showing a pouting expression.

His back stiffened at the compliment and his smile faded as he began to think again. Is this really just for a regular dinner to fix the problems between them? Or does? She struggled to keep her discomfort from being seen on her face, taking her eyes off Noah. "I'll take my bag and we can go."

“Don't want to invite me in?” asked Noah, smiling expectantly.

The question stabbed him. She didn't want to be alone in that house with Noah. “I'm hungry, so we better go to the restaurant to buy food as your promise.” He took another deep breath as he turned around and grabbed the bag from the table and stepped out, closed the door, locked it. Noah's red BMW is parked on the side of the road.

As they walk together to his car, Noah's hand suddenly hugs his waist before he opens the door for him. The muscles on his back stiffened when touched by Noah. Upset, he turned to face her. "It's not a date."

"I know," he said with a slight nod. "Only dinner between two old friends meets."

Jilena dropped her body on the car seat made of brown leather, she did not believe Noah. Her words say if she knows it's not a date, but her actions don't match her deeds.

...*...

They didn't talk much during the trip. Only a few words were spoken and both of them were silent because Jilena was indeed being strict with Noah. Before long they reached a restaurant and immediately sat in the vip room Noah had ordered. "Are you happy to be back in town?" Noah asked, sitting opposite of him.

“It takes time to get used to.” Jilena picked up the menu book and read it, avoiding Noah's eye looking at her probing. “I'm happy to be around my family again, and there's my best friend Ramira too.”

“You and Ramira have been friends since High School, right?”

"Yes." Yeah." Jilena forced her gaze to remain on the menu item. “But you may know him all your life, because you two were born here.”

Of course they will not grow in the same environment. Poor Ramira is an illegitimate daughter, and Noah has a golden spoon planted firmly in his mouth. Could it be that Noah never knew that Ramira was his sister? Did you never tell him?

“Honey, even though she is a great girl, Ramira is already like a sister to me.” Jilnea peeked at Noah from behind the menu book. There was no reaction.

"The body the police found in the lake was his mother, right?" Noah asked.

Jilena dropped her menu on the table, grimacing at Noah's words, like a sharp slap to him. “What do you know about it?”

“Just what I heard around town. Why with you?”

Jilena took the menu again. Who told him that? “Sorry, this is just an estimate of his identity has not been confirmed.”

He scanned the selection menu once again, then gently placed it on the table. “Do you not know Mariana at all?” ask Jilena.

"Not really." There was a hint of doubt in his voice, then he continued. "My dad said he used to work for her before Ramira was born." Noah folded his hands on the table and leaned back.  Was it Mr Arsyanendra who told Noah that the dead woman was probably Mariana?

Noah's father seems to know about everything that's going on in this town.

"I don't want to talk bad about a dead person" Noah said, "But isn't Mariana pretty? Do you think he liked to get drunk when we were in high school? Said Noah again.

“He has a weight problem. He does not have a comfortable, luxurious and well-to-do life like the Arsyanendra— Ramira family does.”

He looked straight at Jilena's face. “Life is comfortable? Just because my family has money doesn't mean we live in fairy tales. You don't know what I've been through, what it's like to be the only son of the great and mighty Arsyanendra. He was..” Noah paused for a moment and stared at Jilena for a moment, his eyes misty. “All is not as you think.”

"Sorry," he muttered, putting his hand briefly in Noah's hand, showing sympathy for the pain that was seen on Noah's face. Maybe there are things going on in that house that Jilena doesn't know—the bad things. Perhaps Noah was so shackled in his own family drama and could never escape it. “I just assumed—”

"Everyone always does," Noah cut, pulling his hand. He sat back against the soft chair and rubbed his eyes. “Someday, maybe I'll tell you about that."

Will they get to the stage where their relationship will get better or better? Will Noah be able to open up like that? Because he never did it when they were dating. Will she be brave enough to share with Jilena the story of what happened between her and her father?