The man said, “Miss Thelma, you’re being too polite.”
Thelma thought he was referring to her being polite while ordering, but unexpectedly, he pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to her. She quickly took it and saw that it read Sam Group of Company CEO Sam Noah. He then added, “My name is Sam Noah. Just call me Noah. No need to be so formal and address me as Mr. Blunt.”
Thelma: “…”
She glanced at him secretly. He was flipping through the menu, but there was a natural confidence in his tone, as if calling him by his first name was the most normal thing in the world. Thelma then looked at the little boy beside him. The boy was also looking at her and flashed a toothy smile when their eyes met. His adorable grin was as soft and endearing as a perfectly cooked dumpling.
Are both father and son always this familiar with people?
“The steamed turbot here is the restaurant’s signature dish. How about we order this?” Sam Noah suggested.
Thelma quickly responded, “Sure.”
What a coincidence—she happened to like fish.
Afterward, Sam Noah ordered a few more dishes, not too many, just enough for the three of them.
Little Tyler seemed to enjoy fish too. He picked up a large piece of fish and carefully removed all the bones. Thelma was a bit surprised. She didn’t expect such a young child, not even four years old, to be so skilled at taking care of himself.
While she was lost in thought, little Tyler placed the boneless piece of fish into her bowl.
Thelma: “…”
She froze for a moment before saying, “Aunt Thelma can do it herself.”
The boy grinned at her, showing his pearly white teeth. His smile was so genuine that his eyes squinted into crescents. “Aunt Thelma, eat.”
Looking at the piece of fish in her bowl, Thelma was unexpectedly touched. She glanced up again and saw the little boy obediently eating his rice, bite by bite. At his age, many kids still needed to be chased around by adults to be fed, yet he was so well-behaved, taking care of himself.
Sitting beside him, Sam Noah would occasionally remind him, “Eat a balanced diet. Have some vegetables too.” The little boy would always respond obediently, “Okay,” and then dutifully pick up some vegetables.
Is this what other parents mean by “someone else’s child”? So obedient, so considerate. Thelma thought about how the little boy had said his mother didn’t like him and wouldn’t even let him come near her.
She truly couldn’t understand. What kind of mother wouldn’t like such a well-behaved child?
After dinner, Thelma was about to leave, but Sam Noah was quicker. He opened the car door for her and said, “It’s late. Let us take you home.”
Little Tyler chimed in, “Daddy and I need to see Aunt Thelma home safely before we can feel at ease.”
Since her home was nearby, Thelma didn’t insist further.
This time, Sam Noah drove himself, while Thelma and little Tyler sat in the back. The little boy grew drowsy as soon as they got in the car. Before long, he leaned against the seat and fell asleep. Fortunately, the car was warm, so Thelma didn’t worry about him catching a cold.
With the little boy asleep, the spacious car felt quieter with just her and Sam Noah. She couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy, perhaps because the man’s presence was too strong. Moreover, she noticed he was driving unusually slowly.
“How was the food?” he suddenly asked.
“It was… it was okay.”
The overly quiet environment amplified her senses. His voice seemed magnified, echoing in the car, making her even more nervous.
Fortunately, he didn’t say much afterward. Following her directions, the car eventually reached her destination.
At the entrance, her sister was anxiously pacing. Thelma checked her phone and realized it was out of battery. She had no idea how long her sister had been waiting.
When her sister saw the car approaching, the dim light at the entrance illuminated her face, which appeared somewhat unusual. She stared intently at the car as if knowing Thelma was inside.
Sam Noah got out of the car. Thelma quickly jumped out before he could open her door. She walked over to her sister, apologizing, “Sorry, sis. I forgot to call you.”
Samantha frowned, her expression stern. “Where did you go so late? Have you eaten?”
“I… I’ve eaten.” Remembering Sam Noah still standing nearby, Thelma introduced the two to each other.
Samantha glanced at Sam Noah. The two nodded at each other in greeting.
“Thank you, Mr. Sam, for bringing me back. It’s late; you should head home too.”
Sam Noah smiled and said, “Miss Thelma, you’re too polite.” With that, he got into the car.
Thelma went inside with her sister and explained what had happened over the past two days, fearing her sister would worry she’d encountered trouble. However, Samantha didn’t seem overly concerned and didn’t ask too many questions.
Back in her room, Thelma took a shower and prepared for bed. As she went to close the curtains, she accidentally glanced at the street below. She noticed the black SUV still parked across the street, partially hidden by a tree. From her angle, she could see it.
She saw Sam Noah leaning against the car, smoking. His movements were practiced. He took a drag, lowered his head, then looked up, his gaze falling directly toward her window.
Thelma’s heart tightened, and she instinctively closed the curtains.
What was he doing downstairs? Why hadn’t he left yet? He didn’t seem like the kind of man who would follow a woman like a creep.
Thelma couldn’t make sense of it.
She carefully pulled the curtain aside to peek again but found the car gone. The street was quiet, with only the occasional student passing by in search of food.
It was as if the car and the man she had seen were just figments of her imagination.
