"Thirty-one after I killed Kevin," Aria answered, her eyes filling with pride for a split second. If not for Noah observing her expression closely, he would have missed it completely. Her quick shift in emotion surprised him. He had never seen such a familiar intent to kill people and pride upon it in anybody other than a few people from the Underground, and he too fell in that category.

"That's quite an impressive feat." Noah did not hide his amazement and praised her wholeheartedly.

"Do you think so?" Aria's expression returned to normal, and she stared at him skeptically.

"Yes, killing even one person is an accomplishment. Not everyone can do it. It takes a lot of courage. I am not going to ask you who they were because it all happened in the past." Noah stated with a soft smile. "But I have other questions, and I need answers to them."

Aria nodded in understanding. "Don't worry. I will not hide anything from you. You can ask me anything, and I will answer them honestly. I am done hiding things from you."

"Why did you hide them from me in the first place?" Now that they were on the topic, Noah could not stop himself anymore.

"Maybe because I was scared." Aria lowered her head, voicing out her concerns.

"And, what were you scared of?" Noah's face scrunched up, her answer was not what he had expected. "Was it me? Did I scare you?"

"No. No." Aria's reply was instant. "It was not you. I was scared of your reaction. I was scared of losing you. I was...." She choked, swallowing a lump in her throat.

"Why will I allow such an amazing woman to leave me?" Noah kissed her forehead, providing her the assurance she needed. "It does not matter if you have killed people or not. I love you, and that is all that matters."

"But..."

"Aria, for the record, I have killed more people than you can imagine. Are you going to leave me because of it?" Noah did not hide his cruel and dark side from her. Since Aria already knew about the Underworld, she would already know about his deeds too. So there was no use in hiding them.

"Noah, the people you killed are all scumbags. They were trash to society. Why will I leave using such a puny and utterly nonsense reason?" Aria stared at him as though he had grown ten heads, and Noah got the answer he wanted to hear. Since the time Noah had started dating Aria, he had the fear of losing her when the truth about his dark background came before her. Now that girl herself had accepted him wholeheartedly without blaming him for his deeds, Noah was delighted beyond words.

"I wish to say the same about you. I don't think you would have killed anybody innocent. So, why should I push you away from me, my dear?" Noah held her by her chin and made her look at me.

"Are you not angry with me?" Aria asked the one question she dreaded to ask him.

"Why will I be?"

"Because I hid things from you, kept this all a secret, and...and...I hurt you." Aria could not bring to face the man, and she averted her gaze at the last moment, her voice barely audible.

"I will not deny that I was hurt." Aria's head snapped to him, hearing his declaration. "I was upset to think that you did not trust me enough to tell me about you, Aria. But later, I realized that you must have had your reasons to hide them from me, just like how I hid the truth about your father. So, I am not that angry."

Aria's jaw dropped, and she did not know how to react. Noah's honest proclamation had stunned her beyond belief. "You are so good. I am sorry, I am so sorry for lying to you."

"That's okay, Aria. You can beg for forgiveness when I punish you for your crimes." The highly touching moment vanished with Noah's brute words, and Aria glared at him, a blush coloring her cheeks. Noah just winked at her, angering her even more.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Don't you even have shame?"

"Why should I be shameful when I am talking to my girlfriend?" Noah did not back, and Aria's blush only intensified.

"Beware, Mister. I know how to fight. You might end up getting paralyzed if you dare provoke me." Aria warned, and Noah's smiled widened, hearing her cute and not all threatening threat.

"Then, I would love to provoke you all the more. I want to see how good you are at this." Aria was now frustrated, and she took the man's words literally, not noticing the sinister smirk on his lips. She had no idea about the cunning plans the man was coming up with.

"Is that a challenge?"

"What do you think?" Noah set the trap for her, and the oblivious girl jumped right into it without thinking.

"Then, you are going to regret this, Mister." Noah smiled cheerfully at his victory.

"We will see. In fact, I do love the idea of getting paralyzed by you. This way, you can take care of me for life, and I do not have to worry about anything." Noah imagined Aria running around him making sure he was alright, her every second dedicated solely to him, and his face brightened up in happiness.

"You are insane."

"Only for you." Aria did not have any response to Noah's comeback.

"Aren't you even worried about your friend? You are actively flirting here when you should be concerned about him more."

"Why should I worry about him when I know he will wake up eventually?" Noah frowned and pursed his lips. "Anyway, he has Ian and you and with you two I am definite he will be out of this hospital in no time."

"Yeah, he will. His response to our treatment is positive. I am sure he will wake up soon."

"Also, I am yet to play with his kids. How can he leave without making us uncles and aunts? No way. I am not allowing him to. Also, he has to buy presents and toys for our kids and pamper them for life. How can he leave without doing so?" Noah replied in all honesty. If not for his serious face, Aria would have assumed him to be joking.

Noah noticed her perplexed expression, and he raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Why are you talking about kids?" Aria punched him in the chest and wondered what was wrong with the Carter family. Everybody was fixated upon her and Noah, asking them to make babies at every given opportunity.

"Why? Shouldn't I?" Noah frowned, blinking at her in confusion. "I want to make babies with you. Is that wrong?"

"Noah," Aria almost screamed at the man's shamelessness. "You are crazy."

"How is it crazy? I want you. I want a family with you. What is wrong with it?"

"Nothing is wrong. Let's go. The others must be waiting for us."

"But..."

"Noah, let's go." She pulled him by his hand, and the couple left the canteen. However, Noah's confusion still lingered in his mind.

"Aria, don't you want babies with me?" He queried, misunderstanding her words. 'Is this what she wants? Does she not want to have babies at all?' His mind started to run in all directions, and the realization disheartened him. He had made all plans of having a family with her, and his dream broke just like that. 'If this is what she wants, I will never force her.'

"What? When did I say that?" Aria stopped at her feet and stared at him, baffled.

"You didn't?" Noah too was bewildered, and his eyes widened, trying to remember what she had even told him.

"No. I was just surprised. I never told you that I don't want babies. Moreover, we are yet to get to that phase to even think about babies right now." Aria blushed as she spoke, and Noah immediately understood what she was talking about.

"I see." His spirits rose, and his smile widened in apparent joy. Immediately, his mind displayed a scene where Aria was going crazy while he and his kids cooked up a storm in their house. "In that case, you are not avert to the idea of kids, are you?"

Aria shook, and Noah smiled mischievously, sending alarm bells through Aria's mind. "That's great, then. Don't worry about the last phase. We will reach there sooner or later, and trust me, we will be there soon." Without waiting for the girl to reply, Noah walked away, leaving a stunned Aria behind.