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32*> FORFEIT

                        CLAIRE'S POV

PRESENT DAY

Fear is a gene I thought was innate in every human being. It can be dominant in people like me and recessive in others.

However, I believe it is nonexistent in Noah because I couldn't trace even a fraction of fear in his eyes as I aimed a loaded gun at him, point blank.

I initially thought all I needed to do was to point the gun at him and it would intimidate him enough to let Tiffany and I go. But I was wrong.

So wrong.

The stolid look in his eyes told me I had to scrounge up some courage to pull the trigger and actually shoot him.

I took several deep breaths as my cold, sweaty, and tremoring hands gripped the gun tightly in my grasp, "Noah, please. J- Just let us go." I pleaded.

He sneered before placing the cigar in between his lips.

"I know you say you love me, but I-... I-" I let out a shaky breath as I thought of a way to tell him I didn't feel the same.

"Regardless of every bad thing you have ever done to me, I care about you. I care a lot about you, but I- I will never be able to love you. Noah, you can't keep forcing me into this relationship. I don't want it. You can get any other girl you want in this world, so why don't you just leave me alone? Please. You have tormented me enough. Just choose another victim, I'm begging you." I implored earnestly.

He untangled his fingers from Tiffany's hair and brushed them through his silky brown hair, "You don't get it, do you? I have gotten every girl I wanted, but none of them was you. You are the one I want."

"No, no, no, no, no," I mumbled and shook my head as more tears broke out from my eyes. "Please. Please, I'm begging you, let me go. If you love me like you say you do, then let me go. Let me have a little peace."

He imprisoned my eyes in an intense stare down, "You're mine. You have always been and always will be mine. Why would I want to give away what is mine?" he raised his brow at me.

I ceased my crying before putting on a fierce front, "What do you want from me?" I asked seriously.

"It's not love because I have told you I cannot love you. It's not companionship because you already hop from one girl to another. It certainly isn't money because you have piles of it. So what in the hell do you want from me?" I breathed out heavily.

I licked my dry lips before continuing, "You can easily get someone else to torture whenever you feel like it. Why must it be me? You have tortured me physically, mentally, and emotionally, and still, you keep coming back for more. I have no more to give-" I paused when my lips started quivering and sobs racked from my lungs. "Noah, I can't do it anymore. I can't pretend everything is fine in front of the world when inside I'm dying."

He scowled before dropping his cigar on the ashtray, "You keep missing the point, Claire." he said.

I sniffled before asking, "And what exactly is this absurd point?"

He slowly rose to his feet, "You belong to me," he said with such possessiveness.

He took a step towards me causing me to quickly stand up, "Noah, stop! Don't come any closer or I'll shoot." I held the gun firmly in my hand.

He took another step toward me, fearlessly, "Noah, I'm serious. I will shoot you," I warned again.

"You realize the safety of that gun has to be off for it to fire, right?" he asked as he took yet another step.