Noah's Quest - 18. Dragon Breath and High Society

Parker and Shiloh kept casting uneasy, frustrated glances in my direction throughout the reception. But with Chase standing firmly by my side, I felt completely calm. He knew exactly how to work a room, his easy military posture and natural charm making us look like a united front.

We navigated through the crowd to the head table and took our seats. I was placed directly to the right of Grandma, who was serving as the Chairwoman for the entire event.

“We will eat, and then you will be introduced,” Grandma instructed smoothly, spreading her linen napkin across her lap.

I scanned the sea of tuxedos and caught sight of Parker’s father near the back bar, aggressively schmoozing with a local politician.

“How is he even out walking around and not in a jail cell?” I whispered to Grandma.

“The legal system rarely moves as fast as we’d like, honey,” she replied, offering a dry, sharp smile. “Unless, of course, it’s working against us.”

The multi-course dinner was incredible, fully underwritten by the event's corporate sponsors. Chase leaned over and quietly insisted that the food was only this good because Grandma had personally vetted the catering menu.

Uncle Ted kicked off the formal program as the Master of Ceremonies, cracking sharp jokes and instantly getting warm laughs from the crowd. When he finished his opening remarks, he introduced Grandma, and the room erupted into applause as she took the podium.

“Tonight, we are gathered to raise vital funds for a cause that is deeply personal to our family: The Trevor Project,” Grandma began, her voice echoing clearly through the Shepherd Tower ballroom. “Nearly a century ago, my family purchased this very building, renovating it into the pillar it is today. My grandfather, Tristan, was instrumental in expanding our reach, acquiring surrounding properties so the non-profit organizations housed here could continuously grow and serve the community. Tonight, our keynote speaker is continuing that proud tradition of expansion by breaking ground on a state-of-the-art facility on the West Coast.”

A thunderous round of applause swept through the room. Grandma smiled, waiting for the crowd to settle before continuing.

“The West Coast hub is already under construction and set to open its doors in the coming year, dramatically expanding services for LGBTQ+ youth. Furthermore, tonight’s speaker established an independent scholarship foundation that, in its inaugural year alone, has funded the educations of thousands of deserving college students—several of whom are sitting in this room as our honored guests tonight.”

Under the white tablecloth, Chase reached over and gripped my hand tightly.

Now it all makes sense, I thought. That's why Shiloh and Parker are here.

I glanced across the ballroom and caught sight of Ethan and Kellan sitting at a nearby table. Ethan was watching me intently, giving me a silent, encouraging nod.

“His foundation—the NNJJ Foundation—has accomplished extraordinary work in its very first year,” Grandma concluded, her eyes shining with pride. “I am immensely proud to introduce tonight’s keynote speaker... my grandson, Noah Jacobs.”

The applause was deafening.

Chase leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear. “You’re going to kill it, babe.”

I stood up, walked to the podium, and embraced Grandma. She gave my arm a gentle squeeze before taking her seat. Standing before the microphone, I felt the weight of hundreds of eyes on me, but the furious, bewildered glares I was getting from Shiloh and Parker only made a confident smirk tug at my lips.

“Good evening,” I began, adjusting the mic. “I am deeply honored to be standing here tonight supporting such an essential organization.”

I paused, feeling a sudden surge of adrenaline, and subtly used the deep breathing exercise Ethan had taught me in our sessions.

“As mentioned,” I continued, my voice steadying, “along with Jacobs Construction and the Matthews Family Trust, we have officially begun a massive expansion on the West Coast. We aren't just creating local jobs; we are building a safe haven for youth who have been rejected by their families and have nowhere else to turn. While our primary hub is under construction in California, we have also begun outreach with major colleges and universities nationwide. Starting this coming spring, we will establish off-campus support centers to assist both high school and university students. We actually conducted a quiet pilot program at Penn State University over the past year, and the success of those trial services proved just how vital this work is.”

I locked eyes directly with Shiloh and Parker. I knew for a fact that Shiloh spent half his time at Penn State and had tutored kids through that exact campus network.

“The official name of these new regional centers will be announced in the coming weeks as we select something truly meaningful,” I told the crowd. “If you’d like to submit a suggestion, please visit the Shepherd Tower website and click the link on the main page. Last week, during an interview, a reporter asked me why a college freshman would undertake a project of this scale. My answer was simple: Because I can. Because I have been blessed with the resources to help, and I know there are young people out there fighting battles they shouldn't have to fight alone.

“People often look at my family and assume my life has been a cake walk. It hasn't. I grew up without a father—not because he abandoned me, but because he passed away before I was born. My mother struggled with her own demons and made my upbringing incredibly difficult. If it weren't for the unwavering love and intervention of my grandparents, I likely wouldn't have survived high school.”

A heavy, solemn silence fell over the grand ballroom. I had spent hours discussing this specific revelation with Ethan, working through the fear of being vulnerable on a public stage.

“My grandparents, my uncles, and my aunt fought for me,” I said softly into the microphone. “They made sure I knew I was loved, wanted, and worthy. And if I’m being completely honest, my eight-year-old cousin Brody—affectionately known in our family as Little B—has taught me more about resilience than most adults. He possesses wisdom far beyond his years... along with my Uncle Matt’s mischievous sense of humor.”

Warm laughter rippled through the audience.

“The other person who has completely transformed my life is my boyfriend, Chase,” I said, looking down at our table. Chase looked up at me, his eyes soft. “Chase has been the anchor, the partner, and the rock I didn't even know I was searching for. He has stood by me through some of my darkest hours. Which is why, tonight, I am proud to announce that the foundation is expanding again—partnering with active-duty and veteran organizations to establish dedicated mental health support for LGBTQ+ service members. Dr. Kellan Thomas, who is with us tonight, will be serving as the Executive Director of that new division.”

I smiled at Kellan, who offered a proud salute from his table.

“In closing,” I said, looking out over the crowd, “I’ll leave you with a bit of simple wisdom from Little B: Any time is S'mores time. Thank you, and have a wonderful evening.”

The room erupted into a standing ovation. As I turned from the podium, my eyes caught Parker’s. I flashed him a polite, razor-sharp smile. He didn't smile back.

The rest of the evening passed in a blur of speeches, musical performances, and endless networking. As the event began to wind down, I was standing near the lounge bar with Chase when Shiloh and Parker aggressively marched up to us.

“You,” Parker spat, his face red with indignation.

“A man of many words,” I replied condescendingly, taking a slow sip of my sparkling water.

Shiloh stared at me, looking completely shaken. “You... you can’t be the NNJJ Trust.”

“I am,” I replied smoothly.

Before Shiloh could respond, Grace walked over, looking regal in a emerald evening gown, flanked by Grayson.

“He is,” Grace interjected, her sharp legal tone cutting through the noise. “I personally drafted the trust framework.”

I looked at Shiloh, tilting my head. “Did you not bother to read the 'About Us' section on the scholarship portal? It explicitly states that the foundation's full legal name is The Noah Nathaniel Jacobs Jr. Foundation. It’s abbreviated to NNJJ.”

Parker sneered, stepping into my space. “He doesn’t need your dirty money!”

“He clearly does,” I countered calmly, “considering he personally submitted a scholarship application to my board. But hey, if you’d like to personally write a check to reimburse my foundation for his tuition costs, feel free.”

I knew damn well Parker wouldn't do that. If their relationship ended, Shiloh would be left stranded without funding and forced to reapply all over again. Parker sputtered, unable to come up with a response, before dragging a silent, embarrassed Shiloh away into the crowd.

After the gala concluded, we retreated to the family penthouse and collapsed into bed, exhausted.

The next morning, I woke up to find an eight-year-old face hovering inches from mine.

“Morning, Noah,” Little B said, grinning ear-to-ear.

“Morning, Little B,” I mumbled, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

Little B instantly recoiled, making a dramatic face. “Ew! You got dragon breath!” He pinched his nose tightly.

I laughed, tossing the covers aside. I was wearing my boxers, so I padded into the master bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. When I stepped back out, Little B was sitting in the accent chair, kicking his feet and smiling mysteriously.

“Why are you so ridiculously happy this morning?” I asked, grabbing a pair of jeans and a hoodie from my bag.

Little B tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with secret knowledge. “Grandma said you need to turn on the news.”

I assumed the local networks were running coverage of the Trevor Project gala and our West Coast expansion announcements.

I was completely wrong.

So.... Shiloh learned that his scholarship is through Noah's Foundation.
Noah is helping expand resources on a broader scale.
Noah made a dig at Parker in his speech 
What is the news that Little B is excited for??
Thank you for reading.
Comments and reactions are always welcome.