From 0-10, rate Hunter's new side;) Do you think he will be able to win her hear back with his efforts? Don't forget to comment and vote. Please leave reviews on the blurb page too. XOXO
106The air became harsher and colder with passing seconds as she kept staring at his messages. For staring too long, her eyeballs ached. To relieve them of the pain, she deviated her gaze and found herself looking at his profile picture. It was the same picture of the front of their marital home that she likes during rain. The vast expanse splayed with grass, looking darker in shade under gray pouring clouds. The sky looking mysterious but worth admiring for hours. The tough iron gate that fenced and guarded the mansion from outside forces, standing like a lone warrior protecting its fortress from the enemies from breaking in. She was taken back to that balcony from where he had taken that picture. Her favorite place. Claire regarded the momos now becoming cold in blowing winds. Then at the circle that was the profile picture on the top left corner. She had enjoyed momos many times, in those two years of their marriage, on that balcony. Claire looked at the phone, another hard sh
107A current of exasperation zinged through Claire. She grit her teeth, anger burning deep in her belly.She harshly dropped the waffles beside her on the mattress and began typing.Claire: Why are you doing this? And what are you trying to imply by doing this? Whatever he was typing earlier stopped. Claire's skin singed with goosebumps as she stared at the messages.She didn't want to believe that he really sent her favorite food to her. That he knew about them. There was no way.In the two years of marriage, minus the two months of togetherness that he agreed to, he was never there in the relationship. He was never home. He never even tried to acknowledge her efforts, much less notice anything related to her.Frustration seeped through her bones because this was becoming repetitive. All these onset of emotions. All of this that he was doing to show how hard he was trying to woo her back. But the truth was, she was alone in the marriage for two fúcking years.Completely, brutally,
108Scott was in his brand new car, peeking out of the window at her. His face was warm with hope and a small smile tugging on his lips. A hesitant smile oozing with apology and desperation of getting back to talking terms with her. "I heard the guard calling a mechanic to take your car out for servicing. I can give you a ri—" "No thanks. I've booked a cab. And I would prefer to hail a cab daily than take help from anyone." She snapped coldly before he could finish. A painful look crossed his face. Scott hid it behind another smile and nodded, "Oh well, then, go safely. Do share the driver's details along with the car's number to me as you always do."Claire ignored him like he was not there. Seeing her indifference, Scott twisted his lips to suppress his anguish and drove away. His car looked like a fainting dot on the street when Claire regarded it. She was disoriented from pain, wondering, "I am sorry, Scott. I know you are trying hard to appease me. But I've been hurt too much
109Sweat broke out over her back, her chest convulsing and combusting as she gawked at his answer. She was right last night! She had known that she wasn't going to like his reply. She was glad she switched off on him. Hunter: While I thought I was still Zara's, I also observed you. What you liked to do. How you liked to do it. There was a gap of five minutes, as can be seen by the time taken to send the next messages. Certainly showing his time taken to recall it all.Hunter: There were times when you thought I wasn't home or I wouldn't come home when I was actually there. I would stand in the darkness like I was a part of it and watch you. Hunter: You will not believe me but I also know the divine face you make upon tasting the food you make, and the sound of your moan. A shiver she couldn't control passed through her. She pressed her lips together and read ahead. Hunter: I truly regret ruining our two years of marriage. I was an idiot. But that's no excuse. I should have been
110"How are you, sweetheart? I missed you so much."Claire immediately flinched back. Although her nerves were rattled, she couldn't forget the memory of that day coming to her mind. The memory where her dear mother-in-law had arrived at the hospital to see Zara than her even though it was her, who was married to her son, and it was she who starved herself to unconsciousness.Her blue eyes glistened with tears of anguish. Claire's mouth rose in a lopsided smile. A smile which was void of emotions."I'm doing good, Mrs. MacIntyre. How about you?"Violet stared at her with wavering eyes. She was frozen from hearing Claire address her with such indifference. She never heard anything beside 'Mom' from her before. Violet recognized this being her hurt speaking and broke into a remorseful smile."Fine. I'm fine.""Good to hear. Excuse me." Claire turned around to resume hailing a cab.There was nothing to talk to her about. She didn't feel anything but depressed around her. Violet was a sup
111A car was rapidly closing in on Claire, who was engrossed in hailing a taxi and completely unaware of the danger.With lightning-fast reflexes, Violet grabbed Claire's hand and pulled her to safety just in the nick of time. "What are you—" What was supposed to be an enraged exclamation burst out as a yelp from Claire's mouth. She watched the car crash into a light pole. Her hands absentmindedly went around Violet in the act of hugging her. She watched with bated breaths as a cloud of gray smoke emanated from the front part that was gruesomely crushed. Footsteps rushed towards them and as they both were watching, startled, the man from the car jumped out. He took a fleeting glance over his shoulder at Claire and Violet before bailing out. "Ma'am, are you alright?" Violet's driver stopped before them while sweeping an inspecting gaze over them. "Yes, we are. Go after that man." Hunter's mom said in a voice laced with panic as she pointed at the man taking a right turn into an a
112"Mom!" Hunter stormed into their family Villa with eyes desperately moving around the living hall.There was no sight of his mother and his heart was picking up speed. He recklessly moved about the house, checking his parents' bedroom, the kitchen and the library-- all the places her mother would spend her time in.His face was marred with apprehension even after he was informed that no harm had befallen his mother. She was fine, but not finding her anywhere increased his anxiety."Mom!" Hunter shouted for her while Cole came inside the house panting. "Where is she?""I wouldn't be screaming for her if I knew her whereabouts, Cole. Stop being a stupid bítch!" Hunter scorned and Cole's body froze in dismay.This was the first time he was seeing Hunter look so disturbed. It was literally showing on his face. Cole noticed as he clenched and unclenched his fist out of anxiety. The display of terror made him squeeze Hunter's shoulder."She must be around here."Hunter ignored his frie
113Cole tried to call Hunter but his phone was switched off. He drove back to the company and halted his car at the sight of a dreadful Reggie and his team pacing back and forth outside the building."Did Hunter come here?" Cole asked, turning Reggie's back stiff."He hasn't. But you accompanied him, right? We thought he's with you.""He was with me until mom gave him a verbal lashing. Then he left while I was still with her." Cole bit into his fist as he tried to brainstorm and guess where Hunter could be. Although they were best friends and knew each other inside out, the last few months were too much to handle. Had they been in college, Cole would have pointed out Hunter's whereabouts within five seconds. However, Hunter after marriage had become a difficult algebra equation. What he did and why he did, only Hunter knew."Sir didn't come here. Marvin and Hansel were stationed on the rear entrance gate in case sir wished to enter through the other gate. He wasn't seen there either
273Hunter's POV She stopped just a hand's distance away and blinked her doey eyes at me, "I know we've been through so much, and our past is complicated. But I don't want to rush into anything this time. I want to love the good part we missed before. I want us to take our time, to enjoy each other's company, to fall in love all over again. I want you to make me feel special.""I want our second chance to be different. I want it to be about us, about our love, about our connection. I want it to be real, and true, and raw. I want us to be vulnerable, to be open, to be honest with each other. I want this time to be our time. Our time to love, to laugh, to live. Our time to be us." Her lips trembled. She was having a war with herself whether to tell it to me or not. She chose to do it anyway and risk it all... Because, by sharing her feelings with me, she was exposing how desperately she wanted me. "I want us to create new memories, to make new mistakes, to learn from each other all o
272Hunter's POV "Claire, what's wrong? I thought we cleared our misunderstanding in the elevator." I said as I tried to move closer to her. It compelled her to take three, long steps away and put distance between us that overwhelmed me. A feeling of dread made my stomach heavy. What happened to her? Did I do something wrong? Was it because of Penelope? Yeah, it could be her. They have been friends for years, and while Claire didn't stop me from chasing her away, it doesn't mean she appreciated it. "If it's about Penelope then I can call her and apologize. I'm sorry, I didn't think it would hurt you to see me sending her away. But I did—" "It's not about Penny, alright." The heaviness in her voice made me stare at her. We've been so good. I was starting to believe it wasn't a dream. But we're going back to square one. I ran my fingers through my hair. My body was burning from heat and sweat. The suit was suddenly too tight for me and I had to undo the first few buttons and fan
271Hunter's POV"Why are you following me? Go! Don't you have a meeting to attend?" She feigned a glare, but the playfulness in her gaze and the excitement in her voice told me she loved me trailing after her."The biggest challenge at hand is just accomplished. Why would I bother about work? My PA will take care of it. It's time to celebrate!" I said smugly, walking behind her like her shadow. Claire tried not to blush but the way she lowered her gaze, I swear it took everything in me to not grasp her and kiss her on the lips. I can't believe she's doing it again. Can't believe that I could be forgiven so quickly again.She had been so mad at me. She had expressed her disgust loudly and made sure I felt every bit of her loath. But look at me, I'm following after her like I did earlier and she was happy. Her smile told me she was pleased. She liked it. She enjoyed it. Could I really be this lucky? Or is Claire stupid? She can't give me a second chance despite the pain she suffered
270Claire's POV Hunter is a man with a lust for revenge. He won't abandon his enemies unless he's seen them grasping for breath and bleeding in every way possible. What he's done to Tyler is somewhere unfair too. And though Tyler could fight back, he's been the bigger person between the two. All he's done is defend himself and avoid Hunter's attacks. But it should come to an end. I know both men. While one openly declares war and strikes mercilessly, the other one observes everything silently and creates his strategies. Tyler may look non-violent, but that's only on the surface. He's holding it together because of me these days. But when he'll snap, the explosion will be catastrophic. "And please stop being so abrasive and return his company shares back to him."Hunter sighed as he moved closer to me, "So, your friend wasn't lying about it." "About what?" "Second chance." A soft grateful smile seeped into his lips like honey.On the other hand, my jaw dropped in stupor. I gave h
269Claire's POV I could think of nothing else except for his hard body and how it felt under my belly when I was on his shoulder. My eyes lingered on his throat. There were crimson patterns my nails carved on his skin. In the reflection they looked hot on him. Suddenly an urge to trace them with my tongue throbbed through me. I stared at his throat before raising my eyes to his mouth— his mouth that I loved kissing. I think I'm the first woman in this world who desires a man more than a man would do to a woman. But can you blame me? When the man is Hunter MacIntyre, lust and arousal personified, sense and wisdom stops working. He had a strange kind of animal magnetism that drew me to him. I felt sixteen all over again and my thighs trembled. "I saw you burning Tia Murphy's car." I spoke to ease the tension between us. "It was not needed if you ask me." "Not needed?" My breaths hitched when he spoke. His voice was hoarse and it felt like he was going through the same painful mome
268Claire's POVA new variant of anger pumped through my veins, one that has never plagued me before. I was seeing red everywhere I saw and the desire to feel Hunter's blood on my fingers made me clench my teeth to control whatever crazy fit was taking over my body.I have been jealous before, but this was beyond my imagination. My heart was smoldering outrageously and my breathing was ragged. Hunter's expressions and his words worked like a dose of stimulant, triggering my indignation to another level of madness. How dare he say that? I've been thinking about him, non-stop, since we separated. I never had the chance to shift my focus on another man— he had always been on my mind, and yet he had the guts to say those things to annoy me. I stormed outside the mall from the main gate through which Penny and I had entered. It was dumb because Penny's car was parked in the opposite direction. I stopped to exhale a breath. People around me peered at me curiously. Some stopped to gossip
267The look of possessiveness on Claire's face made Hunter's heart whirl. He'd been praying to see this look in her eyes. Praying to know whether her heart still beat for him. Guess, it never fell out of love from him. The realization whipped smugness into his looks as Hunter amazedly grinned. He was loving seeing his Dove deal with the trouble that was Mona Rocha. "You bítch, what do you want? Weren't you kissing his enemy a few days back to insult him. So why this sudden show of possessiveness? Back off, he's mine now." Mona sneered as she managed to free herself from Claire's grip. She scooted towards Hunter and wound her hands around his arm. He wasn't happy by her sudden closeness. Hunter was about to pull away when Claire let out an animalistic cry before grabbing the front of Mona's top and shoved her aside. "You aggressive whóre! What the fuck is your problem?" Claire snickered, "It's you who have a problem understanding that you're greatly loathed by him.""Loathed by
266As they stole a glance from behind the wall, their faces went pale because a woman was pinning Hunter against the wall, trying to touch him desperately. On the other hand, he had a hateful scowl on his face as he aggressively held her arms to keep her away from him. "What part of 'I don't like you' was clear to you? What is your problem, huh? Stop coming after me, Mona. I've told you many times I'm not interested either in you or your twin sister. Can't you see the ring on my finger? I'm fucking taken." He gritted those words out as his eyes hardened in detestation. The woman, nevertheless, moved closer and pressed a hand on his crotch, causing his eyes to freeze on her face. Claire's heart nearly stopped at the shock as her fingers trembled on the wall where she had placed them. Her teeth clenched as her stomach fluttered in a fit of rage, watching the woman touch Hunter inappropriately.Her gaze lingered on her hand for as long as it was there. She didn't know that she was hol
265Even though the girls had a head mask that completely covered their faces, they chose to take cover behind cars as they closed in on Reggie stealthily. They crouched down to become smaller and avoid their reflections getting caught in the side mirrors of the parked car.Reggie was best in his field. His circumspection earned him the position he worked on. He wouldn't be the country's wealthiest man's chief bodyguard if he was lazy or sloppy. His confident stance said that he knew what he was doing, and the way he kept looking around from time to time, it showed he was multitasking between avoiding spectators and carrying out the order given to him.A point came when Tia suddenly halted in her tracks to rummage something in her purse. A low curse came from her mouth which was quite audible in the empty parking lot. She turned around and that's when Reggie's heightened senses kicked in. He leapt behind a car so smoothly that Claire and Penny's jaw unhinged, eyes stared unblinkingly a