Claire's father is so thoughtful, isn't he? What are your thoughts on Claire's new company name? Give her moral support, guys. She needs it to rebuild her life. Thanks for all the love and support. I am glad you are liking the story. XOXO ~
63Dominic saw the hesitation in her features and declined with a smile, "No, darling. But I will be there behind you to take your back if you need moral support." While checking the papers she gave him, he resumed, "My job was only to take care of the legal procedures to bring your company into existence for I know how strenuous it could be. Once I get you your commencement certificate, my part will be finished. And that's where yours will start." "You will have to go out and invite professionals to work with you. You will build your own R&D department, your own auditing team, your own designing team and gather your own employees who will work for you." Sweat beads began to form on Claire's forehead. To say she thought that everything was going to be served on a platter for her was wrong. Her father's words meant that she would have to put in efforts. Although the thought of facing people other than her family made adrenaline rush through her, she dipped her head in agreement. D
64As quickly as she burst into laughter, her expression faltered and face became dull. Old memories made her chest squeeze. There were many like Pavel who desired to take her out. But Claire being Claire, the lovesick devoted wife that she was, never took up on their invitations. She brushed their requests aside or left them unread and ignored. Two years ago when she was not still married, she refused to pay heed to these guys because mentally she had reserved herself for Hunter. From a young age onwards she had concluded in her mind that it would be Hunter, taking her first kiss and first time. Her mouth trembled in a remorseful smile. She wasted her teenage years and beginning of her adulthood for a man who treated her like a trashcan. This time, nevertheless, she was determined to not just go out with Pavel but also enjoy the evening. She asked him about the time as to when to meet and he texted: I'm on my way to your house. And I am wearing blue. How about we twin today? Not
65Hunter sat with a hard expression outside the operation theatre. His back was arched forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he ominously gazed at the wall across from him.Cole was unknowingly pissed by his expression. He had been noticing his best friend's body language and for some reason he seemed unperturbed. His girlfriend was attacked! Another man in his shoes would want to conduct restless searches to find out the person behind it. He would hiss and curse, make promises to find the culprit and get his woman the justice she deserved. But Hunter MacIntyre was unpredictably calm. Although his face was hard, it didn't amount to concern. There was no worry on his forehead nor any dark light for seeking revenge on his woman.What's more, he sat like he was a distant relative to Zara. A relative who was here to complete a formality. When it was beyond Cole's point of contemplation, he let out a grumble deep from his chest. He yanked Hunter by his shoulder so his face was para
66"You want to be with her again?" Cole raised an eyebrow before he exploded into peals of laughter.He was happy on the inside that Hunter finally realized his feelings. Still, he wanted to make him feel guilty for his deeds and continued to laugh out loud. He held his belly and shook his head. His laughter resonated in the air around them. Hunter's gaze blazed on his face. He fisted his hands on his sides while looking away. But Cole didn't stop. He laughed till his jaw and stomach ached. Then as he came to glance at his friend, his eyes sparked with malice and lips twisted. "Is this some kind of joke? Claire is not a toy, Hunter, that you can throw away and want it back when you see someone else playing with it."Hunter's gaze simmered with warning. The darkness in them served as a visual representation of his wrath. He hated the fact that Claire was compared to a toy. Cole was shaken for a second but he stood to his ground as someone had to give Hunter a reality check. Becaus
67It was a bad idea to go out with him. It was proved when they pulled over across from a pub where couples were shamelessly making out by the wall and on the ground. The area was dark and surrounded by trees and heart wrenching silence. Claire had sensed Pavel wasn't a good company for her long back. But only when he grazed her butt on their way inside the pub did she finally conclude that he was not just bad but rather a walking warehouse of red flags. "Claire, you haven't touched your drink yet. What are you thinking? Drink it." Pavel raised the glass to her lips. "Erm, yeah, I will. Give it to me." She had to insist to him for a while to let the glass be in her possession, and that she would drink it on her own. When Pavel shifted to the other side to talk to a man, Claire took a deep shaky breath as she stared at the drink in front of her. Something about it didn't make her feel right which is why it was sitting untouched on the table.This was like what? Third time, he was
68Her gaze was misted with tears that she blinked back. When she looked up, she saw the manager. His face was crossed with malevolent objectives. Behind him was another man. The bartender, from whom Pavel bought two drinks. One for himself and other for her. As she gathered her courage to look back, she saw Pavel's smirking face. "Thanks, buddies." He stopped right in front of Claire meanwhile his eyes glazed over her body like a magnifying glass on an invaluable fossil remains. "I knew she wouldn't be an easy target from the moment we stepped inside the pub. The way she looked around and pretended to be cool about everything made it obvious that she wouldn't fall for my niceness. So I had to do this."Pavel lifted her face by jerking his forefinger under her chin. His mouth upturned into a smitten grin as he licked his lips. "I've been after you for a while, Claire. You refused me in the past like I wasn't worth the hassle." He sneered before turning to his allies, the manager an
69Claire never presumed she would feel this relieved in Tyler's arms. She clutched his coat at his back tightly and pressed her face on his shoulder. She gritted her teeth to keep her sobs in because no matter what, she didn't want to appear this weak in his arms.Unfortunately, the terror running with her blood in her body was intense. She had contemplated worse things happening to her. And why? Because she acted on impulse after seeing her ex-husband on the television with his new wife.Once again Hunter MacIntyre managed to make her fall into a pit of traumatising problems. She may get out of here with no scratch, thanks to Tyler for that, but the scar it carved on her mind would stay for days. Maybe weeks. "Claire," Tyler's comforting voice made her trembling stop. It also reminded her that he was not the man she should get this comfort from. Irrespective of how safe she felt in his arms, it was risky and a bad idea. Just like coming here with Pavel had been a bad idea. She c
70Cole followed Hunter closely with bated breath. A tiny voice in his mind asked him to prevent his best friend given everything about him screamed sinful intentions. His eyes were shadowed with ferocity and the chips of black in his pupils darkened. "They might have given a slip, Hunter. I'm certain they witnessed Murphy beating Pavel Maury to unconsciousness." Cole tried to create deviation. "They wouldn't wait for you to hunt them down, would they?" "Your certainty has nothing to do with my purpose. And just so you know, my guards haven't seen them going out of the pub. They're still inside, hiding somewhere." Hunter took long measured steps into the dark and isolated part of the pub that wasn't open for anyone except the staff. “And I don't give two fucks why and how Murphy beat Pavel Maury. I'm not going to let him go easily… that's for sure.” He crossed a corridor or two and arrived at a dead end. Cole halted before he bumped into Hunter's back. "Oh, so they're hiding in t
257Claire sat heaving angrily beside Hunter. Her hands were folded under her breasts and she glared out without caring to fasten the seat belt. Hunter noticed it and said, "Claire, buckle up your seat belt."He was ignored brutally. He sighed as he tried again. This time Claire snapped her head towards him like a Python warning humans to leave it alone if they didn't want a painful bite."Fine, I'll do it for you."Hunter unclasped his own seat belt to come and help her. However, she thrusted a hand at his shoulder to keep him away."Touch me and you'll be dead meat!""I won't, now do it. We don't have time to waste, Claire. I told you I have a meeting!" He eyed the belt."It's none of my concern whether you have a meeting or not. I didn't ask you to drop me home. Now bear with it.""Claire..." Hunter sighed as he peered at her with a ‘what am I going to with you’ yet loving gaze. Claire fumed and looked out of the window. She wouldn't be acting this way if it wasn't for what she h
256“No thanks, sheriff. Just take my statement and I'll get going.” Claire spoke, but the sheriff insisted she take the almonds first. He was acting weird. He was being extraordinarily friendly and dusted the chair before she sat down too. She heaved because she knew the root cause. Although she was the daughter of a well-respected man in the country, she was being well-treated because of her connection with Hunter.Through her the Sheriff wanted to impress Hunter. Quelling down her frustration, she glared at Alexa... The culprit behind all this. Alexa shrugged with an apologetic look as she tried to speak with the sheriff. "Sir, we were at Paragon Mall shopping... And our friend was just attacked in the parking lot. Someone put a knife to her throat."Yara stood behind Claire, holding her shoulders. She nodded her head to confirm Alexa was telling the truth before she removed Claire's hair out of her shoulder and neck. "See here. It's not big but it could have been dangerous."
255 "What do I want?" The man chuckled behind the mask. He trailed the tip of the knife on Claire's jaw and pierced the tip back on the pulse at her throat. She gasped and shivered as the man laughed. "It's not about what I want— it's about what they want... And they want to see her bleed." Claire gulped, listening to the man carefully. She was in tears, her nerves were frayed, but she could infer someone had sent the man to scare her. Yes, it was supposed to scare her because the man had enough time to kill her but he hadn't.He was taking his time to frighten the girls. His hold on the knife didn't indicate that he meant to slit her throat. It was a facade. "Who is it? Who wants my blood?" Claire asked and the man was taken aback. "I was warned about that mouth of yours!" He sniggered. "They weren't wrong." "Who is it? Is it... Zara?" Claire guessed and the man froze. He stared at her, and those eyes looked familiar. She was thinking where she saw them when the man shook her
254Two days later,"Do you really think this suits me? I... Don't really like the... Color! It looks dull on me." Her voice wavered with doubt as she peered at herself in the mirror."You are looking like a glass of hot chocolate! Trust me, every other woman at the party is going to be jealous of you, Claire. Just choose this dress!" Yara exclaimed with glimmering eyes. The girls have come to a mall to buy dresses for themselves for an informal party organized by Prince Rashid. Although the official gathering to introduce projects was postponed to the end of this month, he expressed his desire to meet and greet everyone in person to know everyone better before getting down to the real business. He was being charitable too given he sent out gift cards and opportunities to women to shop from famous brands for the party. The men were sent tailored suits to choose from, and the party was held at the biggest banquet hall in Bloomcrest— White Pearl. It was not usually available for book
253Rashid stood beside his wife as he smiled at Hunter. A hand going around Kareena, he kissed her hair and admired his daughter giggling in his friend's arms. While Hunter was fidgeting with her, she seemed happy. "Her name is Nour, the light of our eyes." Rashid said. Hunter's body was alight with emotions that brought tears to his eyes. A baby... He was holding a baby! The feeling of having a bundle of joy in arms, at first, brought sadness and a reminder of the baby he and Claire lost. Wouldn't he have been this big— in Claire's belly? As he looked at Nour, the feelings in his heart were replaced with happiness and warmth. He forgot about his grief and hesitantly lifted a finger to caress her chubby cheek. "Hey, baby." Hunter whispered and Nour gave out a squeal of joy at him. "She's only that happy around her father, Hunter. She cries in other men's arms. But it looks like she likes you." Kareena stated as she came closer to touch the head of her daughter. The minute she
252That look wasn't made up. She was as shocked as Kent was."Don't tell me you didn't know?" Claire responded with a nod. "Well, I thought you knew about it. All of us know that he's friends with your ex-husband since we agreed to work for you."Claire was at a loss for words. She blankly stared at the screen, and on it, she could actually see Hunter winking at her instead of Kent. She also saw him wiggling his eyebrows at her and saying: You didn't expect that, did you? But baby, your man is a big shot.After shaking off that image, she blinked her lashes. Kent saw it and chuckled. "Don't worry. I've got your back. I'll be right by your side at all times!"They hung up soon after that. She put the laptop away and stretched on the recliner, staring up at the ceiling. It was still unbelievable for her. "How didn't I see it coming? I wouldn’t be surprised if Hunter got his Arab friend to put up a facade to help him." Claire's heart slithered. "But... Hunter doesn't know I used to
251“Because I know, once we land, you will torture me to death but you won't show me your face. So..." He breathed audibly, making her heart stutter."So?""So... soaking in the sight of you while I can."Claire wanted to scoff at him for sounding so cheesy. But she couldn't. His gaze was intense and the veins around his neck distracted her.Had they not been entangled in personal issues so deeply, she would have thrown her arms around his neck and pulled him to kiss her."Just go and sit!" Claire said instead as she averted her gaze.The curtains were drawn away from the window, revealing a paradisical view of the sun's rays spreading out into the clouds. The sky was painted with hues of morning and Claire was in awe.She put a hand on the window and stared out, completely taken aback.Although this wasn't the first time she was seeing a sunrise, this was definitely the first time she was seeing it while being amidst the clouds.... It was ethereal."This is how the rays of your smil
250The time in the plane was quiet and pressing down on Claire. She felt like an idiot. She went with Hunter like he had a right to take her out of the old Murphy Mansion. The feeling in itself was aggravating. She kept wondering why she gave Hunter the right to order her around! They weren't married. He had no right to take her back to Bloomcrest in his private jet! Traveling with him made her feel like she was still his wife when she was not.Claire avoided his attempts to talk to her. She refused to look at him when they took off. Hunter didn't give up, though. He persistently whispered apologies, assurances, promises in her ear. He even tried to hold her hand which she slapped away.When they were in the air and free to unfasten the seat belt, Claire couldn't be any more grateful. She quickly peeled out of the seat from next to Hunter and dashed to the loo.Her face was hot and red. The glistening tears she noticed in her eyes in the reflection mocked her."What am I doing? The
249"You pathetic orthodox woman! Your mouth is a trash bin. You spew rubbish every time you open your filthy mouth. Cole is not a toddler and he sure as hell is doing better in his life compared to you.""You.... How dare you talk to me like that?" Tia clutched Penny's front of the shirt."I dare to talk to you like that because you dared to insult my boyfriend. He's the best man to walk on earth— unlike you, an abhorrent old hag who knows nothing better than to interfere in his grown up son's life." Penny howled before thrusting Tia's hand away.It took everything in her not to push her back, after all she was still her mother's age. But that didn't stop her from verbally lashing her."Mothers like you are the reason why children want to try the most extreme things in life like drugs and unprotected séx. They feel burdened under your control