174"What the fuck! How dare you hit me, you son of a bitch!" Zara bellowed, suddenly entranced and vexed for being slapped by Hunter.It was as if the wild side of her, which had been sleeping, was stirred to life. Hunter smirked seeing this side of her, "Good. This is the Zara I wished to see.""Keep her awake while I talk to you, alright!"Zara scoffed at his audacity. She bared her teeth with a mad smile as she hissed, "Just who do you think you are ordering around, bastard?"Hunter wasn't unfazed by her totally new version. The cunningness in her features and the evil lift of her lips when she spoke rather amused him. He was compelled to praise her acting skills. She had done great while suppressing her real character behind that innocent facade. Not everyone succeeded in doing that. Not in front of a fucking businessman whose work involved observing people diligently before signing a deal with them. Zara did. She not only lied to him about her real character, but also flipped
175Zara smiled in response, her frustration obvious in her clenched jaw. She eased it with a smile and nodded. But her calm demeanor grated on Hunter's nerves. He wanted to destroy her except that there was one more question he needed answer for. Zara beat him to it, and what she said rattled his insides as his anger cracked. "That doesn't mean I didn't try to kill her." Hunter's eyes froze on her, his heart stopped for a beat and shock hit him. "What do you mean?" "What I mean is," She removed her hair from her shoulder as she smirked. "I tried to kill her and I would have succeeded if you didn't interrupt, Hunter." Memories from the car accident he saved Claire from rushed to his mind. His back straightened painfully as he glowered at her. The happenings of that night tiptoed in his mind. The fear in Claire's eyes, the tears, the colorless appearance of her face, the twitching of her fingers, the tremors in her limbs... everything about her had assaulted him back then. He w
176"I don't trust that woman anymore, Reggie. In spite of being in pain she can get away with it because she knows how to take care of it. Don't underestimate her skills. Just do as I say and stop worrying about me." Hunter drawled after turning around.His white skin made him look pitiful. Reggie wanted to say that the others could take care of Zara. But the slump in Hunter's shoulders specified his weariness. He needed time alone to sort his emotions... And to compose his guilty conscience."Okay. But keep your GPS on. I want to be able to know where you are once I've taken care of her."Hunter only walked into the elevator as he controlled his eyes. The door shut with a ding and the moment it started its way down, tears strolled out of his eyes. He felt fúcked up. His heart wouldn't stop hammering in his chest.As Hunter struggled to go back to his car, his phone vibrated in his pocket. When he fetched it, the name flashing on the screen assaulted him. He pressed his lips together
177The air around Claire became stuffy and pressed down on her. She felt like she was caged in a small room, leaving her breathless. Sweat trailed the side of her face and fell on her collarbone as her hands twitched.The television was glowing with the clip of Zara being dragged on a stretcher into an ambulance. She was draped in a white robe and around her abdomen, the white sheet that was covering her was red. She was bleeding and screaming. Amidst the hustle of desperate cameramen and bustle of reporters trying to cover the news for their channels, Zara's ear-splitting screams could be heard.She was in dire pain. Considering how she was wriggling to get up and even managed to lift her torso off while two female cops tried to tame her, it looked like a level of hell was broken loose on her.However, that was not why her heart suddenly jumped into her throat and thudded there. It was the shape of a familiar man she caught in the extreme left corner of the frame of the captured cli
178Unfortunately, his phone was switched off. Claire went to the washroom with a frown. She finished her morning routine with a sour mood and when she came down to breakfast, all eyes settled on her including the maids'. They were ogling at her as if she had grown another head.Of everyone's behavior, Scott's looked a little too expressive and annoyed. He had a broken plate on the table and everything around it scattered haphazardly. She imagined him striking the surface in a fit of rage over Zara's news.After all, his sister had been right all along and still she suffered. Zara's revelation proved her innocence and told the world how unfair things have been towards her. Claire had an urge to hug her brother and kiss him on his cheek. The attention, nevertheless, was making her uncomfortable. Maybe next time, she mulled as she came towards the table. "Morning," Claire's voice was a whisper. "I have an early meeting. I'll leave first."She lied because she couldn't stand all their st
179"That man has hurt you enough. I won't allow him to come near you again. You will find a better guy. One who will love you doubtlessly and who won't leave you for a wretched ex-girlfriend." Scott looked at her sharply. "I want to be with him. Just him." Claire folded her hands as she gave him a look. "No, absolutely not." Scott rasped indignantly. "Why not? I still have feelings for him." Scott unbuckled his seat belt so he could sit facing her, "Because he broke your heart, sis. He left you for his ex, remember? You deserve so much better than someone who'd do that." "What if I want to forgive him? What if it was a gruesome mistake and he repents his actions? We both saw the news the other night. What if he was tricked into divorcing me?" Claire was seriously annoyed and argued back loudly even though she knew that it was her life and Scott or anyone else's view really didn't matter. She had only asked him that question out of stupidity. She could just forget it and move on
180Claire's heart galloped in her chest like a rare stallion with hunters after him. She did not know why she felt this way. She looked up from her feet at the broad back of the man concerning her, feeling her skin tingle. Tyler was standing near the number pad. With his one hand in the pocket and another holding his cellphone, he looked casual. As if the woman standing behind him at a few steps distant wasn't the one he had claimed to like some months ago. Claire slumped against the mirror wall, having the same feeling she had in the car. The elevator was making its way up at a snail's speed. Tyler was occupied by his phone but his ignorance bothered her. She clenched her jaw and huffed, looking down at her feet again. Suddenly, there was a loud boom and the metal cabinet ground to a screeching halt. "W-what happened?" Claire held her hands out to her side to clutch the elevator walls to stand still, her voice shaking. She looked around as the lights started flickering. After a
181Claire crawled on her knees towards him. She wasn't thinking straight when she did it, but she lifted his face with her fingers and held him there. Their eyes bore into each other with the intensity of two vehicles crashing with a bang. Then slowly Tyler's eyebrows pinched as he lowered his eyes to her hand. The downward motion of his pupils led her focus to where she was holding him and felt her heart hitching in her chest. She was holding his nape while standing on her knees, hovering over his sitting figure. Claire quickly withdrew her hand and looked away. "What have I done to get this treatment?" Tyler stared at her. From where he was seeing her, she appeared enticing. Her dress was clinging to her skin. Anyone who saw her would have first seen the swell of her breasts, the curve of her waist, followed by the dip of her sexy hips. Her body was a masterpiece of curves. Her skin shimmered with a soft ethereal light even in the darkness like she had dusted her face with a t
287"Hey—""H-Hunter..."Hunter sat up straight, his spine erect, and his face becoming white in shock as fear crept under his skin, listening to Claire's voice.He looked at the clock and gulped a shallow breath. It hadn't been more than an hour since he dropped Claire off to her home, and hearing her panic-stricken voice unsettled him."Dove, what's wrong? Is everything okay at home?" Hunter asked and bit his tongue to stop himself from saying— Did Scott do something again?He heard Claire's heavy breathing and immediately got up."Dove, say something!""H-Hunter... I... I..." Claire sobbed, causing his patience to near its end.At once he grabbed the keys to the bike he rode tonight."Don't worry, Dove, I'm coming over." He literally sprinted towards the door.His body was suddenly cold from terror as Claire's sob was making it worse. Hunter had come around the staircase. He was about to descend when he heard her sniff and ask him not to come.He stalled and stared at nothing in th
286Hunter stared at her, thrown off guard by her words. He reflected back on their meeting in the dark alley, and indeed what he realized made his mouth open a little. Mona hadn't looked like she intended to do anything physically with him. Her grin back then had been playful— one that of a naughty child who knew he was notorious for his mischief. "You can say that I was testing your loyalty towards Claire. I didn't intend to do anything mischievous, Hunter. But you see, Claire ruined everything when she interrupted." Her lips lifted in a sneer as she showed him her left cheek.There was a visible claw mark on her skin from Claire's nails. The scratch was swelling, its edges inflamed and red. Hunter felt bad for her. Now that he knew that Mona didn't mean to do anything condemning in the dark alley of the mall with him, he felt the need to apologize to her on behalf of Claire, but Mona beat him to it as tears flashed in her eyes."No, Hunter. I might want to see you with Claire and
285Hunter's body worked on its own. He felt like someone had trespassed into his territory and snatched one of his shirts that Mona was folding.He growled at her as his eyes seemed to darken even more. In the dim lights he came off as a hunter ready to tear his teeth into her skin and kill her. It wasn't a surprise that Mona was unaffected. She just rolled her eyes and lifted her finely manicured hand to blow over her nails."What the hell are you doing here? How did you come inside?" Hunter hissed."I was trying to be helpful as you can see." Mona said while casting a gaze around.Hunter's walk-in closet was a mess. It looked like a clothes manufacturing factory, unfolded shirts lying here and there, some trousers on the floor as if they were dropped just there after trying them on."I don't need your fucking help, alright! Just tell me why you are here and get the hell out." Hunter gritted out between his clenched teeth.Mona watched his knuckles whiten as he fisted on the shirt h
284"If you think that then I'm happy otherwise in my opinion, Reggie ruined everything I did." Hunter smiled a little awkwardly."That's because you're used to having everything done meticulously, Mr. Billionaire. But for normal people like us some mess and chaos is welcome.""Well then," Hunter sighed. "I'll have to make sure there's some chaos in our relationship."Claire chuckled. Later on, they hopped back on the bike and Claire was the one handling it. Hunter sat behind her, admiring her as she flawlessly rode the bike. There were no words exchanged until Claire stopped the bike on the street some yards away from her house.Hunter blinked his eyes as he looked around."Why here, Dove?""Scott's room's window." She pointed as from where they stood they could clearly see that Scott's room's lights were on."Oh." Hunter got down as he didn't need any further explanation.He wanted to drop her at the gate of her house and watch her go inside. But he deemed it was okay if they got dow
283"You'll never have to fight for any right when you're standing beside me. I'll always make sure you're respected and cherished more than I am. I'll also help you with your career, Dove. You can work at your father's or mine— wherever you're comfortable and I'd always come to pick you up so we can go home together." Hunter's voice was like warm honey, soothing and sweet. But Claire had more to acknowledge than just his heart-touching words. The surrounding was one of them. What had been a lake enveloped in a blanket of darkness was now glowing with golden lights. It felt as though the blanket was lifted off, revealing the beauty it had hidden underneath. "I'll always cherish you, love you and give you space. You will never have to question your worth or love for me.... Because I'll make sure I live up to your expectations." The pause he took allowed Claire to notice where they were standing— in the middle of a four post bamboo arch. There were colorful flowers and green leaves
282"Why are we here, Hunter? I don't have good memories attached to this place." Claire's voice was emotionless and a little hoarse."Do you trust me, Dove?" Hunter said over his shoulder.Claire didn't answer right away, and when she did... It was a small nod, although her eyes displayed her uncertainty."Then ask your heart to calm down. I won't do anything that would multiply your bad memories. Not on purpose!"Claire took a lingering gaze at him before she nodded again and carefully got down of the bike. She looked around into the dark as her heart kicked up a notch. All the excitement she had been feeling since the moment she saw Hunter had drained out of her. Her hands turned cold and she stuck closer to Hunter for his warmth. She ought to feel this way, after all, he's brought her to the place where she experienced her second heartbreak— The Lake.The sky was indigo overhead and the air was cool. The silhouettes of trees around made her jittery. Insects chirped menacingly and
281Although Dominic had been reluctant in the beginning, he told his wife that Hunter had called him a while before the dinner. He wanted to come to their mansion for some reason. Dominic revealed that Hunter prepared some kind of gift for their daughter, and needed his help to execute it. His request was to dim down the lights of the lamps around their garden so Hunter could have a dark set-up. And then the next thing that happened was that they heard commotion outside their window. Since their room was on the ground floor, they heard and saw everything. Hunter was in the garden, and he wasn't alone. His guards were there to help him whatever he planned to do for Claire. Dominic and Andrea also read the messages on the cardboards that Hunter held. One can say that Hunter's surprise proposal wasn't really a secret. His In-laws— correction, his ex-in-laws, who were about to become his in-laws again, had front-row seats to the whole thing.They read every message, saw every expressi
280"I know I was once the person Scott wanted to be like. But after what I did to you, his sister, he's lost all respect for me. I know he wouldn't hesitate to stab me the second he gets the opportunity." Hunter paused. "I don't consider that wrong because what I've done is enough reason for someone to put a blade through my heart.""Hunter!" Claire glared at him, but obviously it was so dark that he couldn't see it. But her hold around his neck, it indicated that she was disappointed. "I'm telling the truth, Claire. What do you think? That I'm only committing my mistakes in front of you. If that's what you think then you don't know me at all." The determination in his voice steeled her spine. "Fixing things with you was my first step toward fixing everything I destroyed." "Your forgiveness meant everything because if you could forgive me, then maybe the others would too. My goal is to make things right with everyone in your family, especially Scott."Claire's jaw unhinged. She was
279"Really?" He sounded playful.Claire hummed near his face and cupped his jaw, "I adore how you tackle challenges head-on and always come out on top." She paused, pecked him on the lips and added, "For me, you're a true champion and that's what captivated my heart.""You think too highly of me.""I just know that you're very skillful and...""And?" Hunter leaned in closer, depositing all his wait on her.Claire's lips tugged at the corners. An idea struck and she pushed him away. Hunter frowned at the loss of contact. But the push stirred his thoughts awake and he realized he was here on a mission. "You didn't answer my question!""What question?" Claire asked playfully."About being my girlfriend.""I'll think about it." She got out of his hold as she stifled her laughs.It was dark so she couldn't see his expression. But from what she knew about him, she knew he was boiling on the inside. Despite being one of the most successful men, he was grumpy and had very little to no pati