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
138"I slapped Claire for saying the same when Zara was in the hospital post her rape. But, I never met the rapists myself. I never got to see them and after that one time Zara never mentioned or showed, much less act like a rape victim.""It's as if she forgot that day, Cole. Like she was never assaulted by a group of ten or more men as she had told me. That's not how rape victims behave, do they? They are constantly disturbed and for years they get nightmares. Zara never spoke to me about nightmares since that one time five months ago."The two friends sat staring at each other. With the seed of doubt now planted in Cole's mind too, he reminiscenced all that happened. But still he refused to believe it like Hunter had done it five months ago. He adamantly responded, "Claire's always had her doubts about Zara. She's always said that Zara's got a double face. But as I said, it's normal for a wife to doubt and hate her husband's first love. Claire was jealous and insecure. Don't let i
139Hunter stared at the mansion, standing the harsh beating of millions of raindrops falling down on it. His eyes stopped on the window of Claire's room. The curtains were drawn, the lights off. It wasn't so late in the night and everything that happened today wasn't simple enough to put it behind one's back and have an early night.He could imagine Claire sitting somewhere in the dim space with something bringing back memories and tears. He hated his mind for the picture but then it metamorphosed into Claire having blood all over her face, her eyes lifeless, and her chest unmoving. He was taken to that street on which his mother was said to have that close call with the car.Shaking his head agitatedly, Hunter gulped a long breath hungrily. Claire was fine. The car hadn't been able to harm her. But it didn't do anything good to relax his tangled nerves. Because then he remembered the car failure she had.It all made sense, and it affected his breathing."Your mom told me that the ca