30"I told you not to mess with me. But no, you wanted to prove how courageous you are. What happened to that courage? It went down the drain, didn't it?" Claire kept looking at the document in front of her. Even if she had cunning things to say to Zara, it was pointless. The truth was, she had lost. She lost the battle she boastfully jumped in, hoping that she would win because she was the one who was married for two years to the man she was fighting for. It was him who made her lose. So it would be dumb to speak now. She quietly scribbled her signature on the document and dropped the pen on it. "Take my advice, Claire, now if you want to live a peaceful life then don't cross our path. Hunter and I are inseparable. You will only get disappointment and more defeat if you try your luck with my man again." My man? Claire was flummoxed to hear that. Before she reacted with words, both the official and Hunter returned. He looked between her and Zara grimly. As if trying to find wha
31 "There's no need for it. Besides, the ring is useless to her now. Don't think about it." Zara pretended to be sorrowful. She insisted on going after Claire a few times again as she knew Hunter wouldn't allow it. He left her sitting on a chair to make a call. Zara admired the ring he took from Claire with a sinister grin. "This ring costs fortunes. How could I leave it in Claire's possession?" Zara chuckled and kissed the ring as if it was hers. However, when she puts it on, it won't go beyond her middle phalanges no matter how many times she tried. She tried to push it past all tens of her fingers but it wouldn't move an inch beyond that. Perhaps, this was the justice of fate! She may have succeeded in getting her hands on Hunter. She couldn't succeed in taking Claire's place or possession as his wife. "You will fracture your fingers, Zara." Zara gasped at the sudden eruption of his voice. "Hunter, I... I think I've gained weight over the years." She foolishly said a
32Claire was staring at the ceiling, laying like a lifeless body. Her hands rested under her breasts on her ribs, her face drained of color and eyes red. She just emerged from the depths of darkness two minutes ago. She heard people talking outside the closed door of her ward. It grew into a high-pitched argument. She couldn't care less to respond to it though. She kept peering aimlessly at the white ceiling.Then the door parted and someone stepped in. The scent of the person was cognizant and it made her shoulders tremble. However, her face was hard as though it was carved from stone."Claire, you're awake?" The voice broke out, shocked and full of worry.The person walked closer and he hovered over her. Jittery arms enveloped her and sobs were heard beside her head."I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have cursed you. I'm sorry, Claire. I'm sooo fucking sorry."Although Claire's mouth twitched, no tear appeared in her eyes. There was no trace of moist
33 Hunter's heart stopped beating. He was expressionless, thus no one can understand what was happening within. While in reality, he felt like he would never be able to breathe normally again. On the outside, Andrea and Scott saw a man unsympathetically looking at his ex-wife. They saw no remorse, no pain, no affliction for losing his child, talk less of feeling anything for her. "MacIntyre, I will kill you!" A sudden rush of anger lit Scott's eyes. He left Claire's hand and rose to his feet. He curled his fingers, all set to effuse his anger on this man who was also behind Claire's current condition. Scott was about to jump on him and rip his face when his father and a cluster of doctors and nurses walked in. Dominic came between his Ex-son-in-law and son. His hands automatically went on both their chests, keeping them apart. "What is going on here? Haven't we strictly said that only one relative will be inside the ward with the patient? She merely survived a close call wi
34Inside the ward, Claire shook the hazy veil of slumber, feeling a throbbing pain in her left hand. A nurse was massaging her wrist which was swollen from the needle. The nurse smiled before she pointed to her side. "You are lucky to have a brother like him, ma'am. He has not left your side ever since we admitted you to this ward." An appreciative smile made its way on Claire's lips as she cast her gaze towards her left. Scott was snoring with his head on the edge of the bed while holding her hand. How badly she wished to stroke his hair. "Ah!" Claire winced in pain as the nurse applied too much pressure on her hand. It jerked Scott awake. He hastily got up and snatched her hand out the nurses hold as he threw spears of indignation at her. "What the hell are you trying to do?" "Erm, I'm sorry, sir. I was massaging her hand." "I'll do it. You're not required here. Get out."Claire eyed her brother as he came to the other side and resumed the work the nurse was supposed to do
35Penelope stared at her face as she decided not to tell her about Hunter and his presence in the hospital. Her first intention after entering Claire's room was to tell her about her ex-husband being in the waiting lounge. He refused to leave. When he entered the elevator after leaving Claire's room in the afternoon, all of them were so relieved that he left for good. Except that, Hunter went to sit in the waiting lounge. He was keeping his promise. He was willing to wait unless Claire decided to meet him. "Hunter MacIntyre and his sluttish wife will pay. I will not let them be at peace." Two days to that conversation, and it still haunted Penelope. "I have asked the company to take back the stuff I bought from them." Scott's words broke her trance. He was talking about the furniture and crib he had ordered for Claire's baby. Claire was being discharged today. So Scott made sure that things were taken care of before she stepped out of the hospital. "That's good. The crib and a
36Cole suppressed a gnawing desire to connect his fist with Hunter's handsome face. Even in this situation, where he was punishable for so many wrongs he did towards his wife, he was acting arrogantly. If audacity was to have a face, Hunter's would be printed in the dictionary for visuals. He set his anger towards this walking example of shamelessness and audacity aside and got a hold of his phone. Cole searched for Penelope's number. Her name itself left a bitter taste in his mouth. He cringed when he realized he was really going to call her. He thought about all the profanities he would receive just for calling that mad woman before he dialled her number. Cole only had Penelope's number because once Claire lost her phone during a girl's trip to Greece, and she shared her friend's number to him to forward to Hunter as he was busy in a meeting, and who else, other than Cole, would have done it on time for her? Although he and Penelope never agreed on anything, he never found a s
37Hunter stood stock-still. He watched as her lips twisted and she eyed him like he was a filthy, disgusting creature."You have lost every right to touch me, Mr. MacIntyre."Her tone threw him off his composure. He took a step back and lowered his hand. While he fisted his fingers as he couldn't feel her skin, she looked in his eyes with a hardness he was not used to seeing coming from her."Why are you here, Hunter? What made you waste five precious days of your life like that? I'm shocked to see you here honestly. Shouldn't you be in bed with your new wife, enjoying your time with her?" Hunter ignored her piercing tone and regarded her again.She appeared more miserable than before. It was as if in these five days she lost more weight of hers.When his eyes came back to her face, she gave him a lopsided sarcastic smirk, "Not so pretty compared to your new hot wife?""Will you keep your mouth shut for a while, Claire MacIntyre!" Hunter grumbled as he came forward to seeth in her fa
230Hunter's POV "I'm the one bleeding and it's your eyes that are shedding tears. Isn't it a little weird, Dove?" She froze, I saw her knuckles turn white from clenching her fingers too tight to keep her emotions in check. But she failed and it made my body hum in gratitude. It's a relief that her heart still cares even though her eyes show deep hatred. "Your curses... I've been thinking about them since you first cursed me, Dove. I won't hide how much it hurts to hear all those words. They make my heart bleed. I wonder if you are really so desperate to see my blood. But... Is this how it’ll be when I’m bleeding and suffering in torment?" I moved back so I could look at her face. My darling was glowing red. Her cute nose seemed like a cherry tomato while the rims around her eyes shimmered a pinkish red. Her wet lashes shadowed her admirable cheeks as her full lips quivered from each sob that left them. "Gosh, if this is how you're going to cry, I swear I'll throw myself under a t
229Hunter's POV Pain clawed through my chest as a smile of agony unrolled on my lips. My eyes weren't moist but the bite of her words made my eyes burn. So much hatred? This should not stun me, but damn, it did. It did more than I was capable of describing it in words. I gazed at her, trying to force a smile despite the deep pain in my chest. I reached out a hand to grab hers and put it back on my bleeding forearm. "Why wait for karma to do what you can do to me now, Dove?" I guided her long nails to my skin and made her scratch me. She gave me a look with her left brow going high, "Are you challenging me? I'm not the old Claire, Hunter MacIntyre. She was easy to fool and manipulate. Don't even dare to think that the thought of hurting you would cause my mind to spin.""All I'm trying to do is bring my old Claire back..." I kept the smile which I could see was aggravating her. "And if this is the only way... Then be it." Her nails pricked my skin enough to cause a burning sensati
228Hunter's PovMy heart swelled triple of its usual size and wanting to jump from my mouth into my hand so it could show to everyone how delighted I was! Yes, my nerves were dancing in happiness and my heart was too excited to contain this happiness.Claire was sitting next to me. It was like a dream come true. That night after she heard my confession and left me alone on the dark and lonely road, I thought it was over. I thought that she wouldn't spare me a single glance after that.But yesterday when she saw me, the relief and happiness was visible in her baby blue eyes. She was soothed but her anger didn't let her show it. And that slap, I won't deny that it didn't hurt me, but that slap was a way to show that she hated me a lot. But I know my Dove. She will never hate me.She had several reasons to hate and never see me again, and all those times she came running into my arms.So she's hardly angry at me. But if I make a little effort then I'm sure the ice around her heart will
227I darted towards my room. He held my wrist and stopped me. When he turned me to face him, my heart pounded because Hunter was standing right behind him. His legs staggered watching Tyler hold my hand. But he didn't stop closing in on us. "Dove," He began. "I'm really—""Dove! Is that your nickname? I never heard of it." Tyler cut Hunter with his remark. "I call her Dove because she has pretty big and beautiful eyes which resemble a Dove bird's. Why? Do you have a problem?" Hunter drawled as he aggressively leaned towards Tyler. I was afraid that Hunter might pick a fight with Tyler again, so I pulled the latter with me. "It's no point talking to him. Let's go out." I spoke, feeling disgusted in Hunter's presence. "I don't feel like eating in the house anymore, Tyler. Will you take me out?" "Why not?" He smiled and forwarded his hand to me. Hunter was glaring at Tyler and his hand. When I took his hand, a growl expelled from deep in his chest. We both treated him with ignora
226The jerk was taking pictures of me. I saw him move the phone in different angles to take different photos of me. The winds were favoring him because they blew my hair around, and I raised my hands to tame them. Some of the hair strands were stuck to my face and lips. I sighed as I sought after swiping them back. Hunter took more pictures, but there was no flash this time. Maybe he didn't want to attract the attention of the others on the table and shut the flash off. "Fine, I am sorry." Tyler said aloud while holding his ears. "No one can win an argument from you, Elder Mrs. Murphy. I surrender.""You better." Grandma humphed smugly. "Can we start eating, please. My stomach is churning in hunger!" "Sure, you can." Grandma Avery said and just then Hunter decided to appear. My skin rippled with goosebumps. His eyes were on me as he greeted Avery with a kiss on the cheek, "Hello, Avery, you're looking lovely today." "Hello, favorite person! You're just in time for breakfast. We
225Claire's POV "Ares, I'm on a mission concerning my life and death. My wife is mad at me and I have a competitor fighting with me over her. Do you have any idea how fragile the situation is? One wrong move on my part and I'll lose Claire forever. So please, it's a hearty request, please... Take care of the meetings all by yourself." There was a pause and my curiosity compelled me to tiptoe ahead and peek inside. A surge of emotions left me breathless as my eyes widened. Hunter was walking around with a towel around his hips. His hair was damp, showing that he just had a bath. His strong shiny back made my heart lurch. This man and his strong physique, I recall using vibrators in the beginning of my obsession after laying my gaze on him. I used to imagine those strong arms around my body as he... I shook my head to clear my head. Turning away, I hardened my heart again. That's true that he's a walking distraction, I won't give in to his attempts. He hurt and used me enough. "I
224Claire's POVMy toes curled, slowing my stride as I tried to step towards the bed. My heart had jumped into my throat as it contested with my rising emotions, making my breathing difficult. I stopped by the bed and stared at the surprise none other than Hunter would have prepared for me.My bed was decorated with rose petals, and amidst them sat a cute soft, white teddy bear holding a heart that read 'I'M SORRY' in bold and capital. He wasn't sitting there alone. He had a big bouquet of different shades of sunflowers set beside him and a tray of my favorite chocolates across from him. My fingers twitched as I grazed the head of the bear, my skin tingling with heat and anxiety.What was happening to me? Why was I feeling thrilled and touched by this gesture?It was nothing extraordinary, was it? Just an adulterer trying to right his wrongs. I shouldn't feel impressed. But that's where the problem lies! No matter how hard I tried to loathe him, he did something to weaken my resolve
223Closing his eyes, Hunter took ten deep breaths to stabilize his emotions."Calm down, Hunter. Calm down. Calm down for Claire. She doesn't want a brute for a husband. She wants a loving and understanding man. You can be that for her. You are already that man for her. Calm down. Think about Claire. Just you and her. Just you and her. Just you and her."While he attempted to make himself resurface from the dark abyss of indignation, the sound of the creaking door stiffened his body. He tried to think of himself in another scenario with Claire by her side.'I'm not letting you have the satisfaction to see me lose my shit, Murphy. Not again. Not again.' He told himself as footsteps drummed in his ears as Tyler walked in again.Hunter was bracing himself for another provoking statement from him when, "Hunter, son, are you okay?"He opened his eyes to see Avery looking at him with concern. She has a tray of food in her hands and contrition in her eyes! Contrition? Hunter blinked his la
222Hunter's heart slammed in his stomach as it throbbed everywhere in his body. His fingers curled and a tide of intense rage crashed within him. "Murphy, no." He shook his head in warning, his voice a low eerie snarl."No? Why no, Hunter? I gave you respite all these years. Don't you think it's time to pay back for your evil deeds done towards me. It's not like I'm doing it alone! Claire and I will do it together. This way you will only have to pay once for the crimes you committed towards two individuals separately. It's a favor done on you, isn't it?"Hunter fumed. His heaving chest indicated the kind of control he was having on himself. The pulse at his throat seemed to explode any time now, even then, it didn't stop Tyler from pushing his buttons further."I was silent all this while because I didn't want to disturb your married life. I'll be honest, you dazed me with your so-called picture perfect life. I thought you were happy and your wife whom I have never met before didn't