Ultimate Choice System: I Became The Richest!

Layla hesitated, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came. The air around her seemed suffocating, and her hands clutched her skirt tightly.

Her friend beside her, the fridge-sized girl, leaned in and whispered, "Don't let him intimidate you! He's trying to hide his true colours. He can't do anything to us! There are rules, and a government! He's bluffing."

Mark, who had been frozen in place, suddenly came to life. His voice cracked as he shouted, "Layla! Admit it, damn it! You set this up, didn't you?!"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

All eyes turned to Layla, who looked at Mark with wide, stunned eyes. For a brief moment, it seemed she might crumble under the pressure. But then, her expression hardened, and she shook her head.

"No," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "This is reality. I won't lie about this. I'm telling the truth!"

The room erupted into murmurs, the crowd's shock rippling through the air like a wave. People exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and judgment.

Among them, Elara, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke. Her voice was soft but filled with disappointment. "Noah... I didn't expect you to be like this."

The words hit like a bullet, but Noah's composure didn't waver in the slightest. He glanced at Elara, his cold eyes piercing through her for a moment.

"So that's how it is," Noah muttered, his tone quieter now, almost to himself. He exhaled slowly and turned his attention back to Layla, his expression unreadable. "Very well. You've made your choice."

His words sent a shiver down the spines of everyone in the room. The murmurs stopped as the classmates realized the storm wasn't over yet.

Noah took a step forward, his footsteps echoing in the silent room. The fridge-sized girl instinctively stepped in front of Layla, her arms out as if to shield her. "Don't you dare take another step, you psycho!"

Noah stopped, his gaze flickering to her with the faintest hint of amusement. "Protect her all you want," he said, his voice so calm it was unnerving. "You'll regret it later."

Layla's friends bristled, but none of them dared to speak again. The oppressive aura around Noah was too much for anyone to challenge outright. Even the fridge-sized girl, who had been so bold moments ago, began to sweat under his piercing gaze.

Mark, still frozen near the screen, looked like he wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. His thoughts were racing.

'This is bad. Really bad. Layla, you harlot. What have you done?'

Meanwhile, Layla's face twisted into a mask of defiance, but her trembling hands betrayed her fear. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, people entered the room.

"What's going on here? I have received complaints about screaming, I have brought security just in case. Is everything okay?" He said before his gaze narrowed as he looked at the shattered screen.

"Who did this?" he asked, his voice rising in disbelief.

Before Mark could muster a response, Layla seized the opportunity. Her voice rang out loud and clear, filled with venom. "It was him! It was this psycho!" She pointed directly at Noah.

The manager's frown deepened as he turned toward Noah. "Did you do this?"

Noah nodded once, his expression calm, unbothered. "Yes, I did."

The manager's face twisted in anger. "Why would you do that? That screen costs tens of thousands of dollars! You'll need to pay for the full damages!"

Noah's lips curled into a faint smirk. "I don't think I'll be doing that," he said, his tone calm but carrying an edge that made the security guards exchange uneasy glances.

The manager's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you trying to avoid responsibility?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

"No," Noah said, shrugging slightly. "I'm simply stating a fact. I don't need to pay for something that ultimately belongs to me."

The manager's frown turned into confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Noah's smirk widened slightly, and he crossed his arms. "You work for Crown Veridian, right? Well, I happen to own 51% of the shares in this establishment. So that screen is mine."

The manager's jaw dropped. The room fell into stunned silence, with even Layla looking shell-shocked. Whispers began spreading among the classmates.

"Is he serious?" a classmate muttered.

"Wait, Noah owns this hotel?"

"No way…"

The security guards stood frozen, waiting for the manager's next move.

The manager, however, looked shocked by the revelation. "You… own the hotel? Do you have proof?"

Noah raised an eyebrow, his smirk unwavering. "Proof? Call Thomas. He'll clear it up."

The manager blinked. "Thomas? You mean CEO Thomas Hamilton?" His voice was laced with disbelief. "You know the CEO?"

Noah shrugged nonchalantly. "No, I just randomly guessed the name of the CEO of this establishment," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Of course, I know him. Hurry up and call him."

The manager hesitated, clearly unsure if Noah was bluffing, but the piercing gaze from Noah made him reconsider. He pulled out his phone with shaky hands and dialled a number. The room was dead silent, all eyes glued to the manager.

"Uh… hello, Mr. Hamilton? This is David from Crown Veridian's banquet team," the manager said, his voice trembling.

A calm yet authoritative voice responded from the other end. "Yes, what is it? I'm in the middle of a meeting."

"Sir, there's an… incident at the hotel. A young man here, a guest, is claiming he owns 51% of the shares in Crown Veridian. He—"

Before the manager could finish, Thomas's voice interrupted him sharply. "Is his name Noah Thompson?"

The manager's eyes widened, his face paling after asking for Noah's name. "Y-yes, sir. That's correct."

A heavy sigh could be heard from Thomas on the other end of the call. "Listen carefully, David. Mr. Noah Thompson does indeed own 51% of Crown Veridian's shares. If he's there, it's in your best interest to treat him with the utmost respect. Do you understand?"

David's knees almost buckled as he absorbed the information. "Yes, sir. Understood."