21Claire was brought towards a bench near her ward to the opposite side of the corridor. She was made to sit, which she ignored, as her chest was burning.Getting out of the hold of Cole, and turned to the whitewashed wall. Upon the blank wall she could see the scene playing.She thought back about how Hunter kissed Zara before the door closed, the burning sensation that was only in her chest began to envelope her entirely."Claire, Claire..." Someone was talking to her.Although she heard Cole's name in Zara's ward, she still hasn't seen who it was. She only felt hands tugging at her wrists, trying to make her sit."You are pale, Claire. Breathe deeply."She went back inside that ward homing that witch psychologically, her eyes brimming with new tears.Her body convulsed and the tips of her fingers burned with chills. The realization that the scarlet, beautiful flower has bewitched Hunter to hold it made her lips tremble. He was pricked by the flower's thorns. Its poison was in his b
22His chest shuddered as he watched her unconscious body going towards the floor.He leapt forward and wrapped an arm around her waist before she went down. Pulling her to his chest, Hunter cupped her face as a serpent of regret coiled around his being.His throat felt dry and eyes hurt with heat of self-reprimand as he observed her ghostly complexion. A tear left the corner of her eyes, which he picked on the pad of his finger while his chest grew heavy.Her cheek was ghastly red, the imprint of his five thick fingers swelling on her white face. It felt like all the blood in her face accumulated in her cheek in the shape of a hand print. Hunter kept staring at it as he reflected back on his impulse. He hit his wife. He raised his hands on a woman for the first time. That too... his wife.While he was regretfully gawking at her red cheek, her head fell back, causing his breaths to falter. Gently, as though he was caring for a baby's head, he picked hers in his hand and rested it on
23Claire's POVI was reading a book, or rather I was trying to, when my mother walked in."I got you a cup of your favorite hot chocolate, bunny." She beamed while sitting on the edge of the bed. "Thanks, mom. Just what I needed right now to go with my book." I forced a smile, praying that it didn't look fake. It's been two days since I took a voluntary discharge from the hospital and came home. I wasn't supposed to be here, considering that my parents were already worried about me since Zara arrived in my life like a calamity, ruining my marriage. The last thing I wanted them to do was freak out, after learning that I starved myself for ten days like a stupid person. However, there's nowhere else I could turn to. No door that would open for me, talk less of arms that would embrace me in and pat my back while I cried to composure."I was wondering if you would like to go to an art exhibition with me." Mom said. "You remember my friend, Tilly, her daughter's been given an opportun
24(Flashback cont'd)"You are pregnant, Claire." My mouth hung open in bewilderment. I am pregnant. I am.... Pregnant!!! I touched my stomach. I could feel nothing there. But with the disclosure of the news, my body became highly conscious. "How could I still have him? I fell down the stairs and...." My words faded out as I was too startled to reason out how it was even possible. "The doctors are shocked too. But the baby is a persistent little devil. Definitely his father's offspring. He's holding onto you somehow." Penelope shrugged her shoulders. I didn't like her calling my baby a devil though. We both remained silent for a while. Sobs harrowed through my body as all the events that transpired in the last few days plummeted into my consciousness. I was pregnant. I had to find out about the baby moments after I decided to divorce his father. Would it have made a difference had I found out about him earlier? Maybe five minutes earlier. I clutched the cloth over my stomach a
25I looked back at her and then my hand. "That's okay. Just... Just wrap it up quickly." "But sir, stitches have—" "I'll do it myself then.""I'll... I'll do it." She held my hand tight as I tried to take it back. Stacy quietly cleaned my wound and covered it with a thick layer of ointment. She then wrapped it carefully. Not even two minutes passed since the bandage was changed and it was dark red again. Stacy stared at it helplessly. On her way out, she requested me to see a doctor again. I ignored her and focused back on the papers. I cleaned the blood on the desk with tissues and discarded them. When I held the files again, and took a pen to scribble my signature, my eyes stilled on the freshly wrapped gauze on my hand. How did I get it? It's quite surprising because it was done to punish my impulsiveness for raising my hand on my own wife. Yes, I punished myself. I literally shattered a glass in my hand until the broken pieces penetrated my flesh half inch deep. Ever sinc
26Hunter shook his head with a sigh."I'm just tired. With Ares on leave, I'm finding work difficult."He lied even though his daughter Stacy has substituted him remarkably.The truth was that he didn't want Zara to know he was missing his wife. Ah! Now ex-wife."If that's what you want me to believe..." Zara smiled softly, innocently that made Hunter chest constrict. "Then it's okay. I believe it."He kept staring at her for a while. She was so serene and innocent. He wondered how could god be merciless to make Zara fall in the hands of people like her in-laws and husband? Clearly, she didn't deserve whatever she went through.That being the case he wished to give her what her husband couldn't.... A happy life with a happy husband. However, now as he looked at her and thought about being a good husband to her, his thoughts went back to Claire. A happy life with a happy husband was what she also desired. Her eyes twinkled with light that reached his heart, causing it to skip a beat.
27(Five days later) Claire was glowing. Her cheeks were tinted red and a delightful smile danced on her lips. She was sitting in her room with her mother and Penelope, looking at the small sonography image in her hand."He's so tiny, mom? Like a small pea." She beamed while showing the picture to her mom.Andrea nodded and took the image from her, "He's lovely!"After a while Andrea left to bring something to eat for Claire who kept staring at the image.She had been doubtful about the health of the baby because she found it difficult to not feel depressed in these days. Hunter's thoughts were always accompanied with tears and a seething ache in her chest.Claire couldn't help but visit the doctor to check on the baby's condition. Moreover, she wanted to know how it was growing in her womb.So today, she consulted her mother's gynaecologist who conducted her sonography. She was elated to see the baby on screen. He was about one month and two weeks old. He was growing well.Though th
28"Hello," His voice made her heartbeat go mad.Claire pressed a hand to her chest. She drew the phone away from her ear and turned her face to take deep breaths. Her breaths were uneven just from hearing his voice."You don't have to do it, Claire. That man is a mother fucker. Don't take his call."She could hear Scott's words ringing in her ears. Those words he said before she defied him and everyone else to come down to the garden to talk to him."So you remember me." Claire said, intending for her words to come out mocking but she hated herself for how weak it sounded.Hunter didn't reply. She heard his breathing on the phone. His breathing. One of the best sounds in the world."How come you remember my number, Hunter? I thought you deleted it long back when I signed the divorce papers." She spoke again as he remained silent.So typical of him. She never liked his silent side. It irked her."Do I have something that is of importance to you?" She gulped a knot down her throat befo
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
278Claire wasn't happy. Hunter did make mistakes, but that didn't make him a loser. A loser would never accept his mistake. A loser always avoids it and often others have to guilt-trip him to take responsibility for his actions. That, or he's blamed until he's forced to accept his mistakes. However, he would never willingly own up to them. Claire had a big lecture to give to him on this topic. She showed a phone sign with her finger as she put it near her ear, indicating that she was going to call him. But Hunter quickly shook his head and motioned down at the cardboard. Not many were left and Claire decided to stay. She probably read the worst ones, she deemed, as she folded her hands and waited for him to reveal the new messages. It read: On the other hand, you're so charming, honest, kind and considerate. Another one said: I'm nothing in front of you. Another one: Everyone loves you for who you are. As for me... He sighed self-loathingly as he revealed a new card: They can'
277Claire took a deep breath as she lifted her upper body by the midriff and took a glance towards the window. The curtains were drawn and a soft breeze was billowing it. Her heart pounded loudly as her face began to heat up.The sadness she was drowning in earlier got replaced by excitement and an utter sense of delight. Her body was alight with all sorts of gleeful emotions. She nervously swallowed as her nerves were getting the better of her. With slow and unrushed movements, Claire lifted the blanket from her body and rolled out of the bed. She took baby steps towards the window because the thrill of going there made her body jittery. The distance suddenly seemed too long.But when she reached there and drew the curtains apart and looked down— it was worth it!Her lips curled up and her cheeks numbed from all the heat she was feeling in her face. Claire was filled with uncontainable joy because HUNTER WAS STANDING DOWN THERE, outside her window.He waved a hand at her as his mout
276Claire shut the door with a bang and threw herself on bed, pulling the blanket over her. Her chest ached from trying to control her sobbing while her eyes flashed with the images of Scott's disgusted expressions. The pain she felt was unimaginable.They hurt more because they came from her only sibling— her protective sibling who had promised to burn the world to make her happy.She recalled Scott's desperation from months ago when she had discovered that she was pregnant. He was willing to give her baby the love of a father and take care of her the way she deserved as a pregnant lady. He never left her alone, always lingering around as if it was his responsibility to make sure she and the baby were fine.But the bitter words he said today, the anger he showed... It made her heart shatter into pieces.Claire covered her mouth to suppress her sobs. For her, it was a wonderful day today. She felt amazing when she shared her feelings with Hunter. She was thrilled beyond explanation w