I was pretty sure I had snatched Noah's ability of speech because he stared at me as if I'd just confessed to being abducted by aliens and that I could fly a UFO spaceship.

The corners of his lips turned up. "I can't tell if you're serious or joking."

"Look at my face, Noah. I'm not laughing."

"You want to marry me to settle a score with Tyler?" He chuckled, "I always knew you wanted to die young, but now I'm sure you want to send us both on a suicide mission."

"It's not just about settling a score." I clarified. "I wanted him to leave me alone after he returned, and not find ways to torment me. If I let Tyler have his way, it would be like history repeating itself, and I won't have that. I have no other option you see. I need him gone from my life!"

"And you think marrying me would accomplish that?" He asked.

"You're the only person that can go against him because you know him well. I can't ask that of anyone else. If you agree to this arrangement, we can file for divorce a few months later."

Noah's expressions had turned from wary to amused, "What if I say I want it to be a real marriage?"

"Noah..."

He was up and on his knees in front of me seconds later; his fingers grasped mine as he looked straight into my eyes. "I like you, Vicky, don't doubt that. Even when you made the wrong choice and chose to date Tyler, I hoped you would come to your senses and notice me."

I felt guilty for never acknowledging Noah's feelings. I wondered if things would have been different had I chosen Noah over Tyler. Deep down, I knew I would still make the same choices again, regardless of the consequences. It would always be Tyler.

"I want us to get married not because of this twisted revenge. I want you, and I want this marriage to be real. If you still have feelings for him, I'm certain I can change your mind once you're my wife. I think it would be comfortable for us to get into the union as friends. I would love you and take care of you. That's my promise."

My heart warmed. He wanted to marry me for who I was and not because he pitied me.

"I'm flattered, Noah, but you don't understand." I squeezed his hand. "I can't spoil your life by staying married. We have to get divorced."

"Why would you spoil my life? If it's your asthma, it's not a big deal. We can get you the best treatment in this country."

My eyes filled to the brim. "It's not about that." I couldn't keep this a secret any longer. I needed to open the can of worms, "Noah, I'm barren. I can't have children. Do you understand why I can't stay married to you?"

The shock registered on his face and I could tell that he hadn't expected that. I closed my eyes as seconds ticked by and he remained silent. When I opened them, I expected to see the rejection on his face instead I met with silent understanding.

He appeared to be thinking for a while. "Does Tyler know?"

"I don't know, and it doesn't matter. If he finds out the truth..."

"...he might stop chasing after you. The Lockhart's have always been obsessed with producing an heir. If Tyler finds out that you can't give him any children, he won't pursue you any longer."

Noah was right. Could I confess to Tyler and be okay with his reaction? What if he was disgusted, or worse if he showed sympathy or pity?

"I can't. I don't want him to find out the truth." I blurted out.

"Why not?"

"I want to hurt him fair and square. If Tyler knows the truth, he's going to pity me and that won't serve my purpose."

"Fair enough," He said. "My proposal stands. I would still want to get married to you. And we can adopt children if we decide to have them in the future. Think about it, Vicky. Take as much time as you need. It won't be a marriage in name only."

Noah was a nice, decent guy, I did not doubt that. He was handsome in an unconventional way with his short brown hair and green-gray eyes. Women found him attractive, and he would have no problem finding someone who wasn't as damaged and broken as I was, and yet, he'd decided he wanted to marry me and not just for the sake of the charade.

The question was, could I spend the rest of my life with him? And now that I thought about it, getting married to him would mean I would have to share a bed with him and I wasn't sure if I was comfortable with that idea.

"I know what I asked of you is quite selfish of me but I don't see any other way out of it. I can't leave this town or the bakery and I'm not a coward who would run away from home."

"He hurt you a lot, didn't he?"

I didn't comment on that. "As much as I think about it, I think it's a very childish idea."

"It's not. If you're married to me, Tyler would have to kill me first before he gets to lay a hand on you."

Kill him. Tyler could do that and make it look like an accident.

I stood up abruptly. "This was a bad idea. I shouldn't have asked you this at all. He could kill you. In fact, I'm sure he will find a way to murder you."

"You're underestimating me. I want what you want for reasons of my own, so stop feeling guilty. The stakes are high, and I want to help you for old friendship's sake, I hope you understand, Vicky, that Tyler will never love you. Make no mistake; it's just an unhealthy obsession."

It was more than an obsession.

It was complete and utter madness. Tyler had taken me granted for so long, he knew no man in town would spare me a glance let alone want to date or marry me unless they wanted to sign a death warrant. Once a Lockhart touched someone, they were ruined for anyone else and Tyler had no qualms getting his point across. I wanted to show him that he couldn't get away with it, that he did not have any control over me.

"I'm in." If I wasn't mistaken, Noah's eyes glinted with a vengeance. "When do you wish to get married?"

"One week."

"Spill. What is it that you heard?" I questioned Maya whose lips were firmly set.

I gave her a hard look, "if you won't tell me, I'll find someone else who would accommodate me with an answer."

I'd been lounging in the round balcony of my room, staring into the lush green trees by the woods and nursing a glass of scotch, a boring ass book was sprawled across my lap. For some reason, I was feeling strangely melancholic.

I looked at my sister, "last chance, Maya."

"First you have to promise me, no one gets hurt."

"I don't make promises I can't keep." I gave her a sweet smile.

"You promise me or I won't tell you."

"Fine! I promise."

She took a deep breath and from her expressions, I could assume whatever she had in store wasn't good. "Vicky is getting married to Noah."

"Who told you this?"

"I have my sources." She responded folding her arms across her chest, standing at the threshold, and not making an attempt of entering the room.

I couldn't blame her, she was scared of what I might do.

"Are you absolutely sure?" I asked.

"Yes."

"In that case, nothing can be done," I said, and I was surprised that my voice sounded completely flat to me.

She gave me an incredulous look, she couldn't believe I was giving up so easily. "Are you planning to do something, Ty?"

I tried to remain calm while rage spiraled through me worse than a hurricane. Despite that, I smiled at her. "You needn't worry about me, Lil sister."

"It's not you that I'm worried about." She snapped, and I tried not to feel hurt. "You love her, and I know she feels the same way about you. Why don't you guys just sit down and sort out your differences?"

I turned towards her in a full circle. "Tell me honestly, Maya, do you believe Vicky could forgive me so easily for the things that happened before? She won't forget and wants me to pay! And the only way she thinks I will suffer is by her getting married to fucking Noah."

I poured another glass and gulped it down, the feeling of desolation gnawing at me.

"She's right, isn't she? You're hurting."

I gave out a humorless laugh. "How can a person who doesn't understand feelings get hurt? So no, she's wrong. All I feel right now is red hot rage."

"You promised me you won't hurt anyone." Maya's voice was high on alert as if she could read my intentions.

"I won't." I took a last sip of the drink.

A few minutes ticked in silence until she decided to break it. "What are you going to do now?"

I plastered my best fake smile, one that I showed people. "I'll just have to talk to Vicky."

She didn't believe me but didn't push the subject further probably because she was afraid to learn about what I planned, instead she said. "I ordered some material from Turkey for a dress that I'm making. I want your second opinion on the design."

"Sure. I'll have a look after dinner."

She smiled and then left me alone in the room. As soon as she was gone, I threw the empty glass of liquor against the wall where it shattered to pieces.

In the heat of the moment, I threw the wardrobe open and reached for that hidden compartment where I kept my gun, a .40 caliber pistol and loaded it with just one bullet because that's all I needed to blow Noah's brains out. I had trust in my aim since I practiced hard. My promise to Maya be damned.

Victoria was mine. She has always been mine. Her decision to marry Noah was purely based on whim, I was quite certain of it. Once he was out of the picture, I didn't have anything to worry about.

I'd make it look like a robbery.

I had people who would take care of everything. I jammed the gun into my waistband and took one look at myself in the mirror.

I didn't look like a killer, a mad-man? Maybe. A man obsessed with the love of his life? Yeah, sure.

I drove to the McCloy's and reached in a few minutes. I didn't step out of my car, I'd brought an old Jeep Wrangler that mostly no one used so that I wouldn't be caught.

From the distance, I saw another car parked outside Noah's house and two men seated in a sedan.

And then it struck me with a force of a jackhammer.

Noah wanted this.

He wanted me to come at him with a gun or at least try to assault him so the police could catch me red-handed.

I laughed to myself in the silence of the car because the jackass thought he was smart. Placing cops in plain sight was a dumb move, but then what else could be expected from a natural air-head?

I stared at the cops. Killing Noah wouldn't accomplish much anyway. If anything, it could make matters worse. For all I knew, Noah and Vicky could be fucking with me, playing some stupid game and I couldn't risk getting in a mess like that. With Dad still disappeared, I was in charge of the Lockhart's company operations so I needed to tread carefully.

I had to find another way.

It was time for Plan B.