Being a responsible sister is very tough! I've been super busy running around to help my sister enrol in her university. That's what took all my time. But I managed to get these chapters ready. How are they? Do you like the new phase in Claire's life? How about the new characters? I should be blunt and ask straight about Kent;) Do you like him?
95"Do you remember Professor Feanis who taught us Engineering Material?" Kent's face was aglow with nostalgia as he sipped from the glass of his wine. "That professor with a black birthmark on his left cheek? Who will forget him. He taught less and conducted tests more." Claire said with flickering lashes as she expressed her distaste over remembering him. She rolled some noodles around the fork and lifted it to her mouth. Then she gave an amused tilt to her eyebrows and said with a grin, "But you were his favorite! In fact, you were every professor's favorite. Mr. Topper!" Kent responded to her with a small laugh while Claire rolled her eyes. She raised another bite of Scallion oil noodles and moaned. The food was good and as they relieved old college memories, it tasted even better. They had crashed into a traditional Chinese restaurant where the seating arrangement was made on the cushioned floor with a circular table between them. The walls were painted soft green, and mounted
96Claire closed her eyes in reflex as his hand stretched out. The memory of that day in hospital when he had slapped her consumed her being. She thought he was going to do the same so to prepare herself for the following pain, she stiffened her body and waited for it. Much to her shock, his smothering fingers banded around her elbow and peeled her off Kent's body. His roughness snapped her eyelids apart. Her gaze fell on his face and the stony look left her muscles twitching. Claire couldn't protest him because of her shock as he pulled her behind his back and gripped the front of Kent's shirt. Yanking him near his face, Hunter growled. "Keep your distance from her. Next time I see you within a five-metres radius of her, you will be a charred meat." He rumbled and let go.The moment was thick with tension and both Claire and Kent were in a state of daze. They were still trying to compose from the shock of Hunter's unexpected arrival, talk less of responding to his dark threats.The
97They were so lost in each other's company that they forgot the surroundings existed. Kent existed. They failed to see him approaching them and even his thudding footsteps went unheard. It was when he tugged Claire at his side by her arm did then Hunter was shaken out of the cobweb of his trance. He didn't get a chance to rumble in protest as Kent arched his chin up, grazed him with a challenging stare and mocked, "Last time I checked you both were controversially separated. And if my memory is not weak then it was because of a home wrecker lover of yours, isn't it?" "So, Mister, don't you dare do that in my presence again." Kent gave a light shake to his head as he bore his cold eyes into Hunter's murderous ones. He protectively reached a hand at his back to touch Claire's hand. "Leave Claire alone. Or you will curse your stars for getting a beating from a man with a lower status."Claire's lower jaw went slack in a moment of disbelief. Kent was really calling for the grim reaper
98There was blood that washed down with rainwater, cleaning his hand like it was never smeared with red before. Meanwhile Claire and Kent have returned their attention to him. They saw him touch a hand to his back and bring back a bloody palm. The need to hold him plowed within her. Claire attempted not to lose her patience as she observed his face turning whiter and whiter while he gritted his teeth to contain the affliction. She almost took a step forward when a certain name echoed in her mind. Zara. Just four letters. Such a cute name. But the person who was named it, appeared smiling foxily in her mind. "Hunter will get rid of you soon! Save yourself the humiliation and leave us alone." Zara had sniggered at her face once, she was super confident that Hunter would abandon Claire for her. He did it. Not just that, he also insulted all the time she assumed he was being honest with her. Tears formed in her eyes. However, it wasn't detectable whether she was crying or it was the
99Claire sat like a corpse herself as Kent drove in silence. He has been studying her features since the minute they left Hunter outside the restaurant. Claire was trembling, and though he blamed it on the heavy rain for drenching her, he knew what the real deal was. She never sat still for a long while in one position. Her fingers bit and banded around her arms, her feet were restlessly tapping as if she was unable to suppress feelings that she should otherwise let freely flow through her. Her Complexion grew waxen and salty torrent perpetually streamed down her face like she was regretting something she did or said. "Claire, are you okay?" Kent decided against his will and asked her. "Just take me home quicker." She assured him with her dipping head as she wiped her tears. The look of hurt on Hunter's face was flashing in her mind endlessly. She didn't like it one bit. But she did it to punish him. If not with actions, she could hurt him with words, couldn't she? It was nothin
100Using her trembling fingers, she typed. Claire: He is shot on his back. Take him to a hospital soon, Reggie. She was crying and sobbing simultaneously by the time she finished. Claire touched a hand to her heart and was dazed, listening to the beating of her heart. It was a mess. Her chest was shaking and her breathing was ragged. Just then Reggie called her. Since her fingers were twitching and typing was proving to be a difficult task, she picked the call even if she knew she would sound pathetic on the phone call. She put the phone to her ear and heard Reggie's panic-stricken voice, "Sir is shot? How? And when? He seemed completely fine to me when I visited him in his cabin ten minutes ago." "Are you saying that I am lying?" Claire's voice was heavy and shaky, but her undertone was packed with fury. "Obviously not, madam. But I can assure you he is okay. He's attending an online meeting now." A gasp shot out of Claire's mouth. More tears left her eyes as she knew what he
101'Reggie calling...'Claire frowned looking at the name. She wondered why he was calling her now. She had buried the emotions of the night with the night and welcomed the new morning with new hopes.Pulling the car over to the side, she heaved a breath. Even if she was afresh with new excitement for the new day, concern for Hunter remained etched in her chest. She couldn't draw it away. And Reggie's call doubled it."Hello?" She spoke in a monotonous tone after taking his call."Good morning, Madam," His tense voice sent her blood pumping.To increase her adrenaline, it started raining again and the pelting rain reminded her of the blood she had seen washing away with rain from Hunter's palm last night.Everything before her became a blur. Claire switched the vipers on and held the gear to brace herself to listen to Reggie further."I want to apologize beforehand for the inconvenience my call may have caused you, Madam, but sir left me no other option. He's turned deaf ears to my re
102The subtle rebuke in his voice caused her to clench her teeth. His indifferent behaviour took her back to the initial days of their marriage. Even the thoughts of facing the cold and ignorant Hunter shook her limbs. In reflex to the memories, Claire propelled her hands against his chest and roared, "How could you do this to me? I thought you married Zara after our divorce. The trauma of the same took my child's life. But from Reggie I get to know it never happened." "How could you do this to me, Hunter? I loved you. Even if you wanted to get rid of me to be with her, you could have just told the truth. My baby would have been with me then. I wouldn't have lost him." When she looked into his eyes she saw the control he was trying to keep on himself. The push stretched his muscles, reawakening the pain in his shoulder, thus moistening his eyes. But that was all... Moist eyes. He stood erect, his face red and eyes deeply staring into her soul. "And you believe him?" The hardness o