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
140Claire sat in the living hall with a pillow in her lap. Her eyes were swollen and lips pouted in returning aggression. Once again she was made to look like a fool. Like a jealous person.She stared at her chipped nails as she tried to come out of that event. Alas, her mind was stuck in it. She had the evidence, she had the perfect chance to reveal Zara's face. But thanks to Caine's outburst. It almost looked like a spell was cast on him. Zara's bewitching spell.While she tried to not cry again, her head turned around. She blinked her eyes as they focused on a silhouette standing at the doorstep. It was very much like.... Hunter. Her wrath returned with a vengeance. Claire got up and stormed towards him.She wasn't a lover of darkness but this man catapulted her completely into it since he came back to her life after the divorce. So much so that she was forced to embrace it till she felt good. "What the hell are you doing here? The guards..." Her eyes became hard as she hissed un
141She watched with bated breaths as he combed his fingers through his hair. His bunched shoulders didn't make her feel good. They watered her eyes. Made her chest feel heavy.He hadn't come here to take those insults and then leave her alone, had he?Claire clenched her jaw to keep her whimpers in. She observed when he flexed his shoulders before stepping away. He didn't utter a word as he started treading towards the wide open door.With her fingers biting uneasily on the back of the couch, she twisted herself to look at him. Hunter stood there. He just stood there, looking out. Then his hands unzipped the jacket he was wearing. He reached in the inside pocket and pulled something out.Claire's eyes furrowed in disappointment and rising tension."Is that a packet of cigarettes?" She asked herself.Her doubt was confirmed when he lit it and put it to his mouth. Taking a heavy drag on his cigarette, he exhaled a cloud of smoke. Claire felt about to burst from rage. She got up on her c
142My love, When you almost said it in the morning that you want to give me another chance I was awestruck. I wasn't able to breathe because I know what I've done is irredeemable. And when Caine and others came, I became pale. I thought you wouldn't want to look at my face. But you, my love, always enchant me with your unforeseen actions. The fact that you considered giving me another chance is enough to fall at your feet and cry for my mistakes. I know I wasn't the most attentive or romantic partner, but I promise to do it all for you. My love for you is indestructible from now on. Even if you have changed your mind after the morning incident, I will not complain. I will never stop loving you. No matter what your decision is about us, I will always do these little gestures and try to bring a smile to your face. Even if you want to move on with someone else (I hope you don't because I will not let that happen), I will love you and you alone.I miss you in our house, baby. I am liv