The drive to Athenaïs was not a pleasant one; his thought fixated on the fear of losing the love of his life.

Scenarios played in his head; how devastating the news will be to Athenaïs. He cringed at the idea of marrying Flynn.

Showed up at Athenaïs' doorstep in the middle of the night looking distressed and reeked of booze. Athenaïs was confused as to why he looked disheveled.

"What happened?" She lets him in and sat him down. Martha came out of her bedroom to see what was causing a ruckus.

Keith asked Martha to give him and Athenaïs some privacy. Athenaïs caught a whiff of crisis.

Her countenance turned cloudy. Keith looked at her and was tongue tied; his hands over his head, he cried out in frustration.

Athenaïs started getting scared.

"What's going on, Keith?"

He fell on his knees to before Athenaïs; Athenaïs couldn't understand why he was groveling before her.

"You're scaring me Keith... get up and tell me what's going on!"

Still on his knees, Keith said.

"I love you Athenaïs..."

Athenaïs eyes slowly turned red holding back her tears; she had an idea of what Keith was about to say.

"What is going on, Keith?? Answer me!!" Athenaïs said in fury.

"I'm so sorry..." Keith said.

"Sorry for what?" She screamed.

"I have to marry her... but I swear I do not love her, I love you and it's only going to be for a year"

Athenaïs covered her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Is this is all I am to you Keith?"

"You're my everything..." Keith responded.

Athenaïs sweeps her palm against his cheek.

"I hate you!!" She said and threw the engagement ring at him.

"I'm just a plaything to you aren't I?"

Keith cried.

"Please let me explain." He said.

"I put up with so much!! This is where I draw the line, Keith! I never want to see you again!"

Martha overheard the entire conversation and had to intervene.

"Keith I think you should go!" Martha said angrily.

Athenaïs cried on top of her voice in excruciating pain; hyperventilating.

"GET OUT!!!" Athenaïs screamed.

Keith left.

Athenaïs cried all night. How did she go from imagining forever with him and he comes to trample on it like it was nothing? She knew it was too good to be true.

The pain she felt in her heart couldn't be comprehended.

Meanwhile, Martin fell into depression; he stopped showing up at work. Went into hiding. No one could reach him but Flynn had an idea about where he could be.

The one place he found solace; a private beach where Martin would call her to meet him for their sexcapades. And indeed there he was; all by himself walking by the sea shore.

Flynn sighted him in a heartbeat; she waved at him and he notices her.

Martin was elated to see Flynn, walks up to her to hugs her. Then went to a bar to sit.

"Everyone is worried about you." Flynn said to Martin.

Martin looks away in disgust.

"They're all pretending, they do not care about me... all they care about is my egoist ass of a brother,"

Of which swayed his thoughts to Flynn and Keith's marriage.

"You're not going to marry him, are you?" Martin asked.

Flynn stays silent. Her silence said it all.

Martin slams his balled up fist on the table.

"What is wrong with you?" Martin exclaimed.

Startling Flynn, she stands up angrily.

"And who do you think you are to judge me?" She added.

He speaks more calmly to ease her anger.

"He doesn't love you, Flynn... he can't make you happy, I can"

"You hate your brother so much... and for what?? I want to make up for my mistakes; this marriage is my chance to prove to Keith that he still loves me,"

"You don't know what you're doing..." Martin said.

"At least your brother cares for my family's business... you are selfish Martin!"

He rises from his seat aggressively and grabs Flynn by the arm.

"Don't say that..."

"Let me go Martin!"

He releases her arm and exasperates.

"You need help Martin... Keith is a good man and I'm going to make up for all we did to him,"

"If you marry him, you're not going to like what I'll do... " Martin said.

"Are you threatening me?"

Martin laughs. "You'll lose me forever." He added.

"I love you Flynn, why can't you see that?"

"It's over Martin... for good this time; get your act together or you're not welcomed at our wedding." Flynn deadpanned and walked away.

The once charming and gorgeous Keith became a shadow of his former self. The wedding plans continued but not as initially planned.

They decided to make it a small, intimate wedding. It raised eyebrows but Flynn didn't care. She was just happy that the wedding was going to happen regardless.

In the space of one year as it has been agreed in the contract; Flynn made sure that they had to live together and spend at least three times a week together in the house and must share a bedroom.

Keith's father decision for the marriage was to make sure his son marries someone worthy and also to honor his word to his friend. Keith felt used.

Does his happiness mean nothing to his family? But he wanted to be a man of his word.

He made a promise to his late father on his deathbed. Promised to help the McAdams family and marrying Flynn.

If the marriage doesn't hold, the merger won't be finalized and that meant financial wreckage for Flynn's father.

The wedding was in a week; Athenaïs moved from her apartment and left the car too.

Keith tried finding her but she was nowhere to be found. At some point, he thought it'll be best he let her go. He has hurt her enough.

His mood ruined every time he recalled the last conversation they had. How she cried; the pain in her eyes.

If only he could delete that memory forever. One year was a bloody long time to feel this miserable but there's no going back now.

The day of the wedding; in a garden. Few chairs and a small bower. Keith's mother, Flynn's parents and a lawyer.

In the place of a kiss, they sealed the wedding agreement with their signatures on a piece of paper.

It wasn't the wedding Flynn dreamed but it was a wedding. A man in a black suit rushed in; calling for Keith's attention. There was trouble.

The wedding was over, it ended in chaos. They drove over to Martins's house. The door was flung open.

Keith found his brother lying on the floor, unconscious. Keith tried to revive him but he was long gone. Martin was... dead.

All that was left of him was a note on the table written to Flynn. The note said...

"By the time you read this I'll already be dead. You promised you were going to leave my brother but I know he convinced you otherwise.

I couldn't bear the thought of you suffering in the hands of my brother, I'd rather die than see you in pain my love.

Dear brother if you're reading this too, I want to let you know that this is all your fault. Flynn isn't to blame, she's perfect and always will be.

Flynn, all I wanted was you, you told me you loved me; so why are you marrying my brother?

You chose him over me... I told you, you wouldn't like what I'll do if you married him.

I told you you'll lose me forever; I meant it.

Now that I'm gone I hope you're happy now, I really want you to be happy.

Goodbye... till we meet again, I hope by then you'll accept me."

Everyone was in tears, especially Mary. Keith's eyes were bloodshot in rage as he faced Flynn.