Livid Guardian's Endless Coddling

Arsh unknowingly glanced at Noah. He knew Noor didn't ask him for lunch because he bought her dessert. Noor was always courteous. She was beaming because he thought of her. Even if Arsh agrees to eat with her, Noor will still request her Dad to join them. Probably, she will use Arsh's name to force her father for lunch.

However, Arsh turned down, "I have completed my brunch." He saw her face slightly fall before she flashed an understanding smile. 

"Alright. Thank you for the cake. It will be my treat next time." She blithely stated with her contentment for the cake visible on her face.

Arsh usually would have thrown a nod of his head as an acceptance. However, he chose to open his lips for a word, looking at her, "Sure." He wasn't the type to go by the rule that men should always pay. 

He was leaving after she smiled as a response but paused at the door. "Noor..."

"Huh?" It was rare she gets to hear her name from Arsh. Astonished was a small word to describe how she felt that time. She felt something different by Arsh's presence even though nothing looked out of the box.

'Probably it's a cake... But it wasn't like he never bought anything for me... It's the first time he thought of me when I wasn't with him... Why did he think of me?..." Her silent thoughts weren't quiet. Her face was a mirror of her thought, and she was hazily blinking looking at Arsh.

Arsh didn't want Noor to be hungry by waiting for Noah, so he addressed both, "If Uncle Noah is busy, I could accompany you for your lunch."

Noor's head tilted at his offer. Whenever she went out with Arsh to a different country, he always cared for her every little thing. She had thought it was because of Aria and other ladies' words. She never got that same attention in the home country as everything was well known.

'Is he worried about me now?' She thought as the words sounded that way for her. 

Nonetheless, she would have gladly accepted his offer if Noah had another lunch plan or already had lunch. Since he didn't eat yet, she gave an apologetic look at Arsh and turned to Noah. "Dad, let's have lunch." She was a daddy's princess.

A hint of guilt appeared in the eyes of Noah, realizing Arsh was concerned about her late lunch, whereas he was urging her to eat alone even after knowing she wouldn't be going alone.

Even though the project in his hand was necessary, it couldn't be more than his daughter. He was thinking of going for lunch but paused since Arsh didn't bother sneakily courting her but was bold enough to be in front of him.

"Noor, let Arsh accompany you. I will have lunch with my secretary." He gave a chance to Arsh despite knowing his daughter already had battled with her thoughts.

Now, the surprised one was Arsh. He had expected Noah to send him away and take Noor for lunch after hearing him.

Before Noor could rebuff, Arsh swept away the opportunity, "Then, let me take you out... Noor."

Noah: "..."

Oh yeah, Noah had forgotten Arsh was a Morgan and had assumed he would accompany Noor at the hotel restaurant, 'You little opportunist.' Noah forced a smile on his face thinking he should never give him an inch, else will occupy the whole heart.

Noor looked at the two sides before succumbing to the two stubborn men, "Dad, you should go for lunch before I return." Her indirect acceptance to go out for lunch.

"Stop nagging me. Go, go." Noah sent them away. At least he had one thing less to worry about. Arsh won't do anything stupid that would press his bottom line.

Noor didn't forget to take her dessert and went out with Arsh without caring about the eyes on them.

'The unofficial date.' Arsh thought before it came to his mind, he was really like his father. 'Tricking their love to go on unofficial dates.' And that left him speechless.

Arsh asked when they exited the main entrance of the hotel. "Where would you like to go?" He pressed the unlock button on his keyfob as he stopped the valet who wanted to get the car for them.

Noor absentmindedly responded, looking at the small box in her hand. All she wanted was to eat her little dessert that was making her drool. "Anywhere."

Arsh saw her chewing her lip and lost in her thoughts. He threw a stone in the dark, "To the end of the world." 

Noor responded without catching his words, "Sure. We will go there."

Arsh controlled but let out a hearty peel of laughter. Now he understood how it felt to compete with food. Nonetheless, he didn't know the cake lost the competition with him.

Noor instantly turned to Arsh hearing his deep, happy laugh. She felt her heart swell with an unknown feeling watching him laugh and faintly shake his head in resignation. She doesn't even remember hearing the deep laughter of Arsh. She always noticed the faint curve of his lips as though looking happy was a tiring job to do.

Walking on her heels, staring at Arsh, she tripped on the section divider of the parking space. "Ahhh...." She tightened her clutch on the box as though holding it for her dear life.

Thanks to Arsh's fast reflexes, he caught her before she could fall flat on her face. However, she left him wordless when he noticed she was holding the cake box as though she saved its life. 

He sighed in his mind before realizing he was holding her waist from behind, and his body stiffened. His thoughts were at the ridge to go berserk, so he quickly pulled her up and took away his hands as soon as he assumed she stood on her feet.

He was yet to breathe out, Noor who was startled, was feeling her legs jelly and slipped. "Young..." Fear of pain flashed in her eyes as she thought why Arsh didn't wait for her to stand.  This time, her left hand instinctively tried to hold him while falling aside.

Arsh's instinctive reaction was to again wrap his right arm securely around her tiny waist. He tightened his arms quickly to avoid her slipping off him. Finally, he had the beauty in his arms, secure and close.