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
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
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 sin
26 Hunter 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 ski
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
220Claire's breathing splintered as she looked down at Tyler. He was trying to sit up straight as Avery held his shoulders, her own eyes streaming with tears and chest dithering with sobs. Claire felt her heart crushing at the sight of blood. Tyler did nothing wrong to get this. He wasn't even trying to woo her into noticing him. It was all her doing. She had wanted to use him against Hunter for revenge. She had thought of dragging him in. Seeing his blood made her blood rush in agony. Claire wanted to support Tyler and wipe his blood with her own hands. However, the crazy fit of rage she felt compelled her to turn Hunter. She slapped him again and pushed him back. Hunter staggered. The first slap was enough to stun him. He was not ready for the second one, and the push had caught him off guard. "What do you think of yourself? Just who are you to beat Tyler like this? It was my decision to come with him... I will go with whoever I want, Hunter MacIntyre. Don't you dare think that
219Hunter got up and dusted his clothes. His emotionless face didn't give away his feelings, and that aggravated Claire. She wanted to know whether or not he was hurting. Was he jealous that Tyler was defending her as though he shared a special bond with her? "We both know that it's not true. Claire would never not want me. She loves me too much to fall out of love with me, Murphy. Who are you kidding?" Hunter sneered.Claire didn't know whether it was his belief in her love or overconfidence in himself that made him say that. However, her chest tightened and emotions dripped out of her eyes in the form of tears.She pressed her lips tight to not cry as she leaned more into the pillar, feeling too weak to hold her own weight on her legs. "Oh, wow. I'm impressed. You must have a Ph.D. in delusion. "Claire loves me too much to fall out of love with me"? Nice dialogue there, MacIntyre! Where do you get all these dialogues from? Don't tell me you've started a part time job as a poet."
218"You, son of a bitch!" Tyler howled as everything around him blurred into pure black darkness.All he could see was his target— Hunter. The freaking bastard was displaying an irking smirk, standing there with hands in his pockets. Tyler stormed towards him and grasped the front of his shirt and the first few buttons snapped, flying around them. Avery's gasp filled the air. She covered her mouth, witnessing her usually calm grandson lose his mind and behave like a different person. She was too shocked to stop him, and Tyler was too enraged to see anything or anyone else. He fisted his other hand and raised it to punch Hunter in his face. It was happening in slow motion for some reason. Hunter, who was least bit fazed by Tyler's reaction, chuckled as he fixed his gaze on Avery's face. "See? I told you, your good for nothing grandson is going to be pissed. He doesn't want me here." Hunter said in a biting tone, making Tyler growl. More anger rolled through him and he ended up sn
217Claire locked the door to her room and stood against it. With hands beside her on the door, she heaved, her chest rising and falling with each breath.Her heart was madly palpitating as her body shivered. Hunter was here— in the old Murphy Mansion. He followed her like he had promised that he would to win her back.Tears blinded her vision. Claire was confused why she was crying. They were not the tears of happiness... they were of anger and relief. And still, she didn't know why exactly she felt relieved to see him.Blinking her eyes, she sat down on the edge of the bed. She put her elbows on her knees and leaned forward as her interlaced fingers rested under her chin. She felt her throat throb as Claire thought back about his kisses.Wherever his lips touched was burning. She rubbed a hand on her neck and shoulder as she hissed to herself for feeling this way. Hunter was an enemy from now on. An enemy who tortured her greatly.She got up and entered the washroom to splash some
216Claire stood like a statue as kisses were being showered along her neck and shoulder. She was turned around, and two onyx orbs which caught light from the streak of light creeping in from the clerestory window from behind Claire shone darkly.Her heart thrummed as she perused that handsome face with plump lips with a hint of smile. The long lashes roofing over his dark gaze cast shadow on his cheeks.Claire stared deep into those eyes and surprisingly they made her shiver. She was not expecting him to follow her and come here. Not after he had been quiet as a cave unvisited for a thousand years.No message, no hint, he gave her nothing. And yet, he was standing here in front of her.Before Claire could think further, the lights returned and Grandma Avery walked into her line of vision behind Hunter. A loud clap shattered Claire's trance before she heard grandma say."Oh my god! I wasn't expecting this." She interlaced her fingers and hugged them to her chest, her expression was on
215Avery stayed quiet. Her grandson was going on the wrong path, thinking extremely wrong things regarding his future. But she didn't speak this time. Tyler was enraged, and anything she said would come as an arrow to him. Later in the evening when Claire came out, she looked rather dull and sad. Avery was sitting on the couch trying to knit a muffler. She noticed Claire coming out and waved at her, but she didn't call for her as she found her appearance surprising. The air of tiredness clung to her. The glow that comes on a person after taking a nap doesn't look like that, do they? They look rejuvenated and fresh. "I'm here, darling." Avery finally spoke, calling Claire over. Claire walked towards her and sat beside her. Her smile was small but the curiosity in her eyes was intense, "What are you knitting?" "A muffler." Avery grinned as she resumed twisting and gliding the long needles around to create a beautiful pattern. "For who? This rather looks short in size so I assume i
214"Just by looking in the eyes of a man, you get to know his feelings, Tyler. And I've seen he deeply loves Claire. It was there in his eyes. He's been remorseful and restless to be with her when he last came here." Tyler froze and turned around, astonished at his grandmother's words. "And if that wench has really played him, it would've only made his love and regret stronger. Hunter will not let go of her easily. He will win her back.""It's not that easy, grandma! Claire doesn't want him anymore." Tyler stated with a hint of distaste. Avery chuckled as she shook her head, "That's what she says... What you say isn't often what you really want, Tyler. She's just angry. She will go back to Hunter if he fights for her." "You're wrong, grandma. Claire's words and wants are alike. She doesn't want him. Hunter fúcked up badly this time." "We say a lot of things in anger. Are they what we often mean to say? No. That's just overlapping frustration we let out in a fit of rage. Claire's
213"Oh my god! Look who we've got here!?" Grandma Avery yanked Claire in a hug that made her stumble. Claire smiled from ear to ear. She was not expecting this kind of excitement and welcome from the old lady. The last time she was here, she caused quite a stir, and even made the old grandma cry. She cursed Hunter for ruining her visit previously. But this time she was looking forward to having a good time, and even apologized to Avery for destroying her anniversary party. "Hello, grandma." Claire hugged her, feeling a little uncertain about how to greet her as the embarrassment from earlier reddened her face. "Such flat and dry hello?! Don't tell me you're mortified because of what happened on my anniversary party?" Claire nodded apologetically and Grandma Avery caressed her face. "Oh dear! I've forgotten that night a long time ago. I'd suggest you leave it in the past and move on." The happiness on her face warmed Claire's heart. She followed her inside the living room and ne
212Dominic's mouth twisted into a scowl. He poured himself a glass of water and drank it."Being the father of a daughter, I’m well aware of how society works! People smile at you. They show respect outwardly in front of your face. But they mock you the moment you turn around.” He paused. “This society is quick to tear you apart behind your back when your family problems become public."Dominic's eyes softened as his voice became small as he added, "I can’t bear the thought of them talking badly about my daughter when I’m not around, especially after everything she’s already been through.""The way you’re working so hard to win her back, society will view your desperation as devotion. They’ll praise you for returning after owning up to your mistakes. After all, a grieving husband coming back to his wife is a tale everyone loves." His eyes hardened as he looked back at Hunter. "You know what, Hunter, as men, we have this unspoken advantage that no matter what happens, we’re always giv