130Claire couldn't help but feel adrenaline rush through her veins. She clutched the counter at her back to keep standing as she furrowed her brows accusingly at Hunter."So you are rejecting my efforts and food again?!""Hell, no. That's not what I meant and you know that." She saw Hunter's body stiffen.She knew why he was saying that and it caused her all the way more pain. That's because she was willing to give him a chance. Willing to answer his stubbornness with a yes. Willing to take a step towards him and acknowledge his persistence.Hunter's efforts to prove his love for her had been more powerful than his efforts to ignore her. And he also confronted her that he was not really as ignorant as she thought he was. She loved his efforts. She loved how he followed her.It was a dream come too. She found it embarrassing and contradicting the determinations she had made after signing the divorce papers (that she would never look back at him and their past) but how could she not loo
131Her body wanted to reciprocate. To give back the warmth to him and leave hints to him. To make it obvious that she was willing to give him a chance. "I hate to say this but I believe you. In fact, I believed it the first time you told me." "Claire, I..." Hunter was speechless. "You do? You really do? I mean, I thought it would take forever to convince you. I thought I would... God, I can't breathe properly. Please, just tell me this is not a joke. You know that I love you, right? You really believe me, don't you? Is this a dream? Because..." He wiped a hand on his face, "What I did can't be forgotten so easily. Tell me this is not a dream. Tell me do you... Do you really believe me?" "Yes, I believe you. Yes, I believe that you love me more than I ever thought you would." Claire said with a smile amidst her tears. Hunter sat back on his feet, his hands suspending to his sides exhaustedly. He closed his eyes with a deep sigh, conveying his relief and sentiments, as drops of te
132When Claire had seen Hunter sitting awake on her bed, her heart had raced fervently through the corridors of her chest. This was after ages Hunter visited her room and this was his second time. The first time he came, it was after their marriage to bring Claire to meet her parents as part of a tradition Claire's family followed. But after that, he had made it clear that he was not going to fabricate more lies than what they were telling each other's parents about their marriage. He had given her the notion that from then onwards she was supposed to come up with excuses for him. He didn't care and he didn't seem to regret it. But when she'd seen Hunter sitting on the bed, she remembered how he climbed up to her room to meet her. He didn't intend it, even then by doing that— that too in the condition which Caine termed as 'Fatal' as his indefinable perspiration suggested— he managed to crawl to the corner in her heart that she had promised never to let him enter again. Her mouth
133"I promised Claire I would come with your reports the minute I am free." Caine spoke while looking up at the sky as it grew darker and darker, though it was still the afternoon. "My reports. What kind of reports?" Hunter's forehead creased in confusion. "The reports of your blood test." Despite Zara's wincing Caine raised her. He banded a hand around her waist while Hunter felt himself fall deeper in confusion. "What kind of blood test? I don't remember giving you any blood samples.""You were too drowsy to remember." Claire jumped in.Her gaze stung at the sight of Caine holding Zara. He was a nice man and his hands performed life saving miracles. It was a shame that such hands had to hold a woman who could be identified as dirt and trash given her dupery.It was difficult not to sound angry but Claire managed to narrate everything to Hunter that she noticed happening to him from the moment he climbed to her bedroom."Your perspiration didn't look normal and thus I requested
134The sky darkened outside the mansion. Raindrops came down like bullets firing from above. They were of the size of a coin and they beat against the windows of the mansion harshly. The sound sent pangs of frustration course through Claire's body. She tamped down her urge of yanking Zara's hair to make her speak."We don't have all day, Zara Levine."Hunter bit onto his bottom lip. He could understand Claire's desperation to expose Zara. Not that she was wrong on her part. The reports screamed the truth. Hunter was drugged with sexual stimulants. It made him wonder what would have happened if he hadn't left his house that night.Then his eyes shifted to Zara who was sobbing and hugging her arms helplessly. She was there in his room that night. After giving him the tea, Zara entered the restroom. She was right there. What if she had come out before he exited? Hunter didn't even want to think about the consequences.He would have lost Claire forever. The only thing that was keeping t
135"My mind is spinning just from thinking how can someone be so paranoid? I get it Zara's arrival has undoubtedly set off a chain reaction and impacted many lives, it is important to understand that no one deserves to be pushed to such limits that they are forced to take life endangering steps."Caine rubbed his eyebrows to ease the pain that's started to throb there and sighed defeatedly. He cringed as he added. "As a doctor, it's disheartening to witness how someone's harsh comments can plant seeds of self-loathing and doubt in a person's mind. Your allegations are sufficient to trigger depression, Claire. But trust me, Zara's intention was not to put distance between you two. She really wanted to help Hunter."Silence settled within the room. Zara inwardly swirled in delight. She thanked Caine for doing the majority of the work and pretended to hyperventilate.'I wasn't expecting that, Caine. Good job! I'm flattered. I might let you fuck me once or twice for helping me. Otherwise
136"Who asked you to come with Zara to discuss the useless report?" A vein popped on the side of his thick neck as he approached him intimidatingly. Caine lifted his torso off the wet ground to spit blood out as he pressed a hand to his mouth. "You could have told me everything in person and I would have dealt with it. Why make a show of it?!" Hunter kicked him in the stomach. Caine spit more blood out. When Hunter pulled his leg back to kick him again, he looked up with eyes clouded furiously. The hard look on his face dared Hunter to kick him. He wouldn't have expected that but Hunter did kick him again. That was it. Caine's patience reached its breaking point, and like a damn bursting open, his fury spilled. Getting up on his feet, he delivered a punch to Hunter's mouth."She has driven you crazy, Hunter! You are crossing your limits for that woman." He screamed.The rain came down on them harshly. Hearing Caine call Claire 'that woman' intensified his frustration. Hunter poun
137Silence prevailed between them. Hunter's face remained dark and dull. He darted a tongue out to lick his lips and then shook his head in response."To be honest with you, I felt the same way when Claire cornered Zara today. In fact there's something I want to tell you that I noticed." Hunter's eyes were grim with rings of sadness around his dark irises as though he wasn't happy talking about this. "You're making my hair rise. Don't build suspense and tell me already." Cole leaned forward curiously. Hunter looked at the deep wrinkles on his fingers. They were cold and coldness was languidly taking over his whole frame. He didn't complain of the low heat in the car and shared the menacing thing he witnessed in Claire's house. "When Caine was defending Zara and criticizing Claire for accusing her, I caught a glimpse of Zara's reaction. I mean, her head was down and her hair was covering her face, but I could have sworn I saw a sly smirk on her lips. It seemed like she was taking p
236Claire was taken aback. She chuckled, realizing Tyler was siding with Hunter. She didn't call him out for defending Hunter and kept the conversation going. "Yeah, Zara and her leave... I know that. He was depressed by her departure." She said so flatly that Tyler couldn't help but wince. "God, I think I know why you're so pissed. You have two solid reasons. One is obviously Hunter's confession and second is Zara. You're holding those both against him to make him pay, aren't you?""It was never a secret!" "It wasn't, I know, but Claire..." Tyler heaved. "Well, as a person who was cheated and abandoned by his lover, I can understand both of your feelings. I know what it feels to know when your lover has betrayed you. And I also know what it feels like when they leave you without a proper closure.""So Claire..." Tyler stiffened his shoulders. "From a man's perspective, I don't think what Hunter did was wrong. I mean, it was wrong to you but as a man we don't have many ways to tak
235"Shít! I'm sorry, Claire. I didn't think it would tear. I'm sorry." Tyler spoke ruefully. He watched as Claire's face paled and some tears strolled out of her eyes. The room was engulfed by vulnerable silence again and the tension returned. Despite that Tyler smiled seeing her reaction. 'You're very lucky, Hunter. How much I wish Ezma felt this way after sleeping with you. But that bítch had no remorse on her face. She even seemed relaxed about getting rid of me.' He mused and tried to take the letter from her. He reached out for the two pieces of the paper. Claire gave him a warning look as if it was her heart he was asking for, not the letter. The cracks on her lips amazed him, prompting him to smile wider. 'Claire even wounded her mouth for kissing me. This is the love I desire in my life. On the other hand, I tasted ugly betrayal. Ezma hadn't even tried to cover herself when I found her naked in bed beside your sleeping figure, Hunter.' The faint ache in Tyler's chest fro
234Claire glanced at the clock in the room for the Nth time with her burning red eyes. Tears never stopped and no matter how much she tried to distract herself, she was thrown back into the setting at the tourist spot with Hunter on his knees in front of her while she arrogantly waited for him to apologize in the crowded place.She hadn't assumed Hunter would do it. He was a man who wore his pride as a crown and not once did he let him head lower. He was invincible and extremely powerful.Alas, she made it happen what even his powerful enemies couldn't do after spending millions of money. She brought him on his knees and even had a vlogger record his video. She was afraid to check the social media and all the comments on the posts regarding Hunter's apology making rounds online.Claire was hyperventilating as Hunter's images didn't let her relax. She tried to get some fresh air and walked towards the window. The winds were cold but she was still feeling suffocated. She tried to medit
233"But, baby, I am happy that I took it off, else it would have been sitting like a huge rock on my chest. I wanted you to know about those times so we could start afresh. My only mistake was that I shared it at the wrong time... And you were not ready for it. I shouldn't have—" "Cut to the chase, MacIntyre! Apology. I want your apology, not your boring 'I am guilty' speech." Claire raised an eye arrogantly while the crowd around her twisted their lips or showed their annoyance in different ways.My speech was touching them, possessing their hearts and Claire probably noticed that and cut in. Even the girl with the camera scowled but her face softened when she looked at me. She whispered something into the mic on her collar as I focused back on Claire. My eyebrows creased seeing her looking behind me with a red face as if she would burst into tears now. When I chanced a glance behind, my heart stopped beating and fear engulfed me. Bloody Murphy! What was he doing here? How did he
232Also, there's one thing I realized. She wanted this... But not with the man who cheated on her. I felt as though I was being ripped apart. I felt that it would have been better to come under a truck than be here in the car with Claire while she was cowering away from me. I can't describe how I felt as I moved away. I pulled my t-shirt back to wear it. Once it was on, I hesitated to make her look at me. Claire was staring in the space between her knees and chest as she sat with her arms locked around her knees. She was so pale that it ached to see her. The thought of touching her scared me as if I would hurt her with my touch. "What do you want me to do, Claire?" I sighed as I was totally blank.I haven't even started a day ago and it's already wearing me out. Will I ever seek her forgiveness? Seeing how she's shivering from my forced kiss, it seems like she was molested.Her pale face made me feel worse as her lips appeared swollen and assaulted. I stretched a hand out to make h
231Hunter's POV"HUNTERRRRRR!" A loud shriek left Claire's mouth before she leapt towards me.Her arms curled around my neck as she tugged me back, away from the line of the truck. We missed it by a few inches. The driver yelled at me from the side mirror, calling me an idiot, before he sighed in relief.Indeed, a dangerous accident was avoided by mere inches. Thanks to my Dove.I was on the ground, ice under my back. As much as I wanted to shift away to get rid of the frosty pangs I remained stock-still. A smile crept on my lips as I wrapped my arms around Claire who was on top of me.Her head was on my shoulder as her face stayed pressed in the crook of my neck. Her heavy exhalation sent a current to my dick as it compelled me to embrace her more tightly.I'm such a dick head. My stupid attempt overwhelmed her to an extent that left her trembling intensely. Her chest heaved against mine and her sobs rang in my ear like a loud clap of thunder."Dove," I hated to interrupt this momen
230Hunter's POV "I'm the one bleeding and it's your eyes that are shedding tears. Isn't it a little weird, Dove?" She froze, I saw her knuckles turn white from clenching her fingers too tight to keep her emotions in check. But she failed and it made my body hum in gratitude. It's a relief that her heart still cares even though her eyes show deep hatred. "Your curses... I've been thinking about them since you first cursed me, Dove. I won't hide how much it hurts to hear all those words. They make my heart bleed. I wonder if you are really so desperate to see my blood. But... Is this how it’ll be when I’m bleeding and suffering in torment?" I moved back so I could look at her face. My darling was glowing red. Her cute nose seemed like a cherry tomato while the rims around her eyes shimmered a pinkish red. Her wet lashes shadowed her admirable cheeks as her full lips quivered from each sob that left them. "Gosh, if this is how you're going to cry, I swear I'll throw myself under a t
229Hunter's POV Pain clawed through my chest as a smile of agony unrolled on my lips. My eyes weren't moist but the bite of her words made my eyes burn. So much hatred? This should not stun me, but damn, it did. It did more than I was capable of describing it in words. I gazed at her, trying to force a smile despite the deep pain in my chest. I reached out a hand to grab hers and put it back on my bleeding forearm. "Why wait for karma to do what you can do to me now, Dove?" I guided her long nails to my skin and made her scratch me. She gave me a look with her left brow going high, "Are you challenging me? I'm not the old Claire, Hunter MacIntyre. She was easy to fool and manipulate. Don't even dare to think that the thought of hurting you would cause my mind to spin.""All I'm trying to do is bring my old Claire back..." I kept the smile which I could see was aggravating her. "And if this is the only way... Then be it." Her nails pricked my skin enough to cause a burning sensati
228Hunter's PovMy heart swelled triple of its usual size and wanting to jump from my mouth into my hand so it could show to everyone how delighted I was! Yes, my nerves were dancing in happiness and my heart was too excited to contain this happiness.Claire was sitting next to me. It was like a dream come true. That night after she heard my confession and left me alone on the dark and lonely road, I thought it was over. I thought that she wouldn't spare me a single glance after that.But yesterday when she saw me, the relief and happiness was visible in her baby blue eyes. She was soothed but her anger didn't let her show it. And that slap, I won't deny that it didn't hurt me, but that slap was a way to show that she hated me a lot. But I know my Dove. She will never hate me.She had several reasons to hate and never see me again, and all those times she came running into my arms.So she's hardly angry at me. But if I make a little effort then I'm sure the ice around her heart will