When Carissa reached her apartment, Noah was already standing at the door, waiting for her. Carissa was surprised to see him at this hour. "what are you doing here?" His facial expressions were stern telling her that his mood is down, she understood something is wrong.

Carissa immediately unlocked the door without asking anything further and he followed her quietly from behind. As soon they entered the apartment, Noah hugged her from behind. His face was on the crook of her neck, inhaling her rosy scent.


Carissa resisted, "hey…."

"Stop moving". Noah whispered in her ear and tightened his grip around her waist. He continued to hug like this for quite some time. "Are you mad at me?" Carissa asked him. He was scaring her.

"Hmm". He hummed and his breath tickled her bare skin.


"Why?" she wanted to know the reason.

He broke the hug and held her shoulder to turn her towards himself. "I hate waiting. But if it's for you I can do it".


"Why do you think like this? I am not used to such things."

He pulled Carissa in a hug, "I understand. By the way when are we getting married?"

"Noah I want to tell you something". She hesitated for a bit.

He creases her cheek, "Tell me".

"Come sit here." She pulled him towards the sofa. "can we get married without telling anyone?" His face turned dark, he wanted to shout in front of the whole world that she is his now she is restraining him. It is the start of another torture.

"I understand it is unfair for you and I feel guilty but I have my reasons".

Noah took her hand in his palm, "what are they? can't you tell me now?" There was no point in hiding anything now. She is going to be his partner, his wife. He wants to know every dark and bright thing about her.

She looked up to meet his eye. "I have to investigate the death of my mother".

Noah suddenly had a bad vibe about this even though he couldn't understand her , "What do you mean?"

"wait". Carissa went to the room and brought a dairy that looked very old. The pages were tearing up. She opened the diary to show him, "My mother had a habit of writing. She died when I was 4. At that time I could not comprehend things. After the month of my mother's death, my so called step mother was brought into the house. She was already pregnant with Jia. Here look…." Carissa points at the written text stating, "My husband is having an affair and I am getting threats to divorce him. I will never divorce him-for my daughter. She has every right to live with him. I know I am the selfish one here but this is for the future of Carissa."

Noah read the text , now he can imagine what had happened in the past. "My father was mostly on tours due to business. My step mother would treat me very well and loved me in front of dad. But when he was not around…" her eyes were tearing up, "She would beat me…. Close the door on the winter night and I stayed outside on a snowy night. People are envious of me for having money but I did not have anything. If dad would give me money she takes it back. Every other day my favorite clothes were ruined by them. My favorite toy would be broken." A drop of tear fell from her grey eyes.

"You know why I love your husky so much?" he was listening to her painful experiences, his eyes were cold, the murderous aura was all around him, he was going to make their lives 100 or even 1000 time more difficult as compared to what they did to her.

He shook his head. "I always wanted to have a pet because I was alone. I requested dad and he brought one for me. But when dad was not around, she (step mother) shot him in front of my eyes." Tears were falling like beads. "after that time I stopped loving things, stopped having friends.. I was afraid they will get harmed because of me". Her face was stained with tears.

Noah moved forward and placed her head on his shoulder, he was patting her head. How to comfort her, he had no idea. Carissa hugged him back. "I am afraid to love you".

Now, he can understand why she always distanced herself. Why she never opened up. Noah felt bad because he forced her to do different things for him.

He hugged her more tightly, "Now you don't have to be afraid. I am here, with you." The words were ordinary yet very comforting. "I will help you. Okay?"

Carissa nodded. But she was still crying. All the painful memories of the past were playing like a film in her mind.

"When I turned 18…. No one was home. And Dylan…" her breathing was getting uneven due to continued crying. Noah patted her head, "Its okay. You don't have to tell me". He did not want to make her more miserable.

"I want… to tell you". She insisted. Carissa's grip on his shirt got strong. She closed her eyes because the horrible night flashed, "I tried hard to free myself from him. But he was…stronger than me. I was helpless. I could not do anything. I am sorry… for being not…able to protect myself".

She spoke between her cries. "Carissa it was past. It has now passed away. You know what, I love you for being what you are right now. You are giving the power to your past to define your future and that's where you are wrong".

She raised her head to look at him. Her teary eyes were breaking his heart, "I also don't want to be…like this. But…. I just can't…get rid of these memories".