《Regretting Divorce》 Chapter 1

Chapter 1

¡°You look amazing!¡± Hunter MacIntyre¡¯spliment sent his wife, ire¡¯s blood coursing in her veins like an awakened river. ¡°Thanks,¡± She lowered her head while trying to hide her smile. Today was their second wedding anniversary. ire was a lucky girl to marry the man she loved. She felt her nerves twisting in yummy delight. Her husband was a substitute to slow torture with that look of his. With that tailored suit clinging to his body, he forced eyes to take a look at him. Her gaze traveled to his brown, strong throat, then towards the deliciously straight mouth and up to his ck eyes; dark and hooded and so full of secrets. They watched her intently causing her breathing to catch. Hunter hugged her from the back and snuggled her bare shoulder. He enveloped her right in his hold, enjoying the feeling of her being in his arms. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell the world that I am falling for my own wife.¡± Today was their anniversary. And the day couldn¡¯t get any better. ire woke up to witness Hunter kissing and sucking her nipples. From thest few days, they have been extremely intimate. Hunter did things with her that she only read in books. They had a shower together and had a family brunch in his grandparent¡¯s house. Well, until two months ago all of this seemed like a dream. Because Hunter didn¡¯t feel like he could love another woman while his heart belonged to someone else. But ire asked for two months to fix their marriage. And luckily it worked out. It was no less than a fairy tale story. To say that everyone was happy for them would be an understatement. Both their families were in seventh heaven. From the moment they discovered that Hunter and ire were working on their rtionship, they couldn¡¯t contain their joy. ¡°Hunter,¡± ire bit back a moan while Hunter was ravishing her exposed skin. ¡°We need to leave. Everyone is waiting for us.¡± ¡°Just five minutes, Laire.¡± He mumbled, groping her breasts. Her flesh buzzed under his touch. ire adored a beautiful smile on her lips. She had longed for this attention from her husband. A soft grin hung on her lips. Hunter has been her teenage crush. She was sitting on a swing in the park with a book when she first saw him eight years ago. Hunter MacIntyre has returned to Bloomcrest for the first time since his leave. He had been in Australia for his higher studies, andter on, he took over their foreign business and settled down in Australia. ire was sweet sixteen back then. Her nerves had fluttered when her gazended on him. She had felt her stomach twirl wildly as he was strikingly simr in looks to the male character in the book she was reading. And instantly¡­ She fell in love with him. It was love at first sight for her. Her cheeks flushed over the memories. It was no less than a fairy tale. After eight years of secretly liking him, when she got a proposal to marry him, she had been over the moon. ¡°You can have me all night, Hunter. Let¡¯s just go now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go back on your wordster!¡± He said while arching an eyebrow. ire turned around to cup his face, ¡°I promise, Mr. MacIntyre.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s go.¡± He grinned happily, his contentment obvious in his ck orbs. Hunter twined their fingers as they made their way out of their house. He opened the door for her. Helping her with her gown, he stole a kiss of her lips.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. They drove quietly towards the party venue. Hunter already got three calls from his father, Leon, and a dozen messages from his mother, Violet. They were growing impatience with each passing second. Beside him, ire was busy on her phone in the car. Her parents and younger brother were chatting with her in their family group. Her brother Scott texted: The paparazzi are here in huge numbers, Laire. Didn¡¯t know your husband was going to make it a grand celebration. Her mother Andrea replied with an army of happy face emoji: Oh darling, I am soooo happy for you. It¡¯s finally happening. ire¡¯s face flushed. Everyone was aware of her crush on Hunter. When she got a marriage proposal from him, her parents were the first to disapprove of it. That¡¯s because before she met him, he was already dating someone. s, one day she left him to marry another. Hunter¡¯s past was not unknown to them. They have seen him go astray after getting ditched by the woman he loved. Her father, Dominic Argent, had been furious when the proposal came. He knew his daughter was being used because of the feelings she developed for the heir of MacIntyre empire. He knew Hunter meant to marry her for his convenience. However, today Dominic Argent was the happiest among those who wanted to see ire and Hunter work on their marriage. He had a ir for photography. He was standing with the cameramen outside the hotel with his new camera to capture his daughter¡¯s best moment. Dominic sent a reply: I¡¯m waiting with my new camera, baby. When are you going toe? ire¡¯s lips curved. She sensed the caring to a halt and looked up. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Tingles shot up her spine. This was a dreame true. The front of the hotel in which their marriage anniversary party was conducted was crowded with cameramen. They rushed towards their car at once when they detected them. ¡°Ready,¡± Hunter took her hand and kissed it. He first got out and opened the door for her. As ire stepped out, her face radiated with delight. She held onto Hunter¡¯s arm for support as he split a way out for them. 1 Cole, Hunter¡¯s best friend and Scott, her younger brother appeared to lend a helping hand. They surrounded ire as they made their way further. This was one of the most awaited anniversary celebrations because Hunter MacIntyre was a celebrity billionaire. He walked on ramps for famous brands asionally and had an active social media presence which earned him the poprity he was trying to deal with now. The world was cognizant of his love affair with a woman who left him heartbroken two years ago. Hence, Hunter and ire¡¯s marriage news was the most trending topic of that time. Now two yearster, on the same date, they were trending again. This time for a different reason. A swarm of his admirers has gathered outside the hotel to celebrate the day with him. Some offered him flowers while some sent flying kisses in their way. ¡°Hunter, you look breathtaking with ire. Love your pair.¡± Someone in the crowd shouted and earned a round of hooting. ire was beetroot red. She knew the online masses of admirers liked her as his wife. She offered them smiles of gratitude as Hunter and the other men helped her cross the sea of cameramen. They were almost there. Just ten or fifteen steps more and they¡¯d be inside. Nevertheless, Hunter suddenly froze. His hold on ire¡¯s waist loosened. ¡°Hunter,¡± ire lifted her eyes to see him. Her heart skipped beating as she watched his face look ghostly white. His mouth trembled and a hint of longing swam in his eyes. ire noticed he was looking in a direction with a fixed gaze. She sought after following his gaze and her body numbed. Her heart soared up to her throat as her eyes stung with forming tears. ¡°ire, what¡¯s wrong?! Move.¡± Cole yelled in her ear. But she was too shocked to make a move. ¡°Hunter, move dumbass! Or your admirers will press us to death.¡± Cole shook his shoulder but to no avail. ¡°What the hell is wrong with¡­¡± He looked in the direction ire and Hunter were looking and his words faded out. ¡°Bloody Christ! That¡¯s Zara!¡± It left Cole¡¯s mouth as he raised his hands to hold his hair. His words acted like a wake up bell for Hunter. He jolted back to his senses and took a deep breath. Zara was standing some distance away. She was d in a ck knee-length dress. There was a touch of sadness on her face and her eyes red-rimmed. Even then her posture held remarkable elegance, and her enticing beauty couldn¡¯t be matched with. ¡°Zara,¡± Hunter muttered the name while pushing ire out of his way. He might not be in his senses because his push propelled her straight into a shing camera. ire winced as it hit her in the mouth. ¡°ire,¡± Her brother held her by the shoulders and pulled her to his chest. The corner of her mouth was bleeding. However, she was too numb to feel anything. She stood there like a lifeless statue as she watched her husband rushing past the people holding cameras towards Zara, his obsessively loved ex-girlfriend. He got to her in no time and held both her hands. ire could see his shoulders trembling. Her chest became heavy as Hunter¡ª her husband who imed to announce it to the world today that he belonged to her¡ª pressed both her hands to his mouth. ire couldn¡¯t hear him but she was certain he was mumbling her name and I love yous to her. While she stood, teetering back and forth in the swarm of crowd, Hunter put a hand around his ex-girlfriend¡¯s head and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. Tbc¡­ Chapter 2

Chapter 2

ire felt exposed to danger. Like a baby bird left in the open. She dragged shallow breaths as she watched her husband hug his ex-girlfriend possessively. He whispered something in Zara¡¯s ear, making her eyes water. He wiped them with his hand. By this time, all the cameramen focused on them. Gasps erupted around ire as Hunter¡¯s admirers began to gossip about it. ¡°Oh goodness! Isn¡¯t that Zara Levine, Hunter¡¯s ex-girlfriend?¡± ¡°Christ, she looks more beautiful than before!¡± ¡°Look at Hunter¡¯s expression. He¡¯s all desperate around her. Damn, he¡¯s kissing her!¡± ¡°They look so good together. But I pity ire. She must have waited for today wholeheartedly and it had to be ruined like this. Her husband is kissing his ex-girlfriend in front of her. That¡¯s insane!¡± ¡°But why is Zara back? She was married to another man, wasn¡¯t she? What¡¯s this now?¡± All the remarks around her made her body heavy. ire was rooted in her spot. ¡°ire, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Her brother tried to pull her. However, ire stood still, right where Hunter left her. Her eyes remained affixed on him and Zara. He was literally worshipping her. Cameramen surrounded them. The light from the sh caused Zara to cover her eyes. She seemed perturbed by their sudden presence around her and trembled. Hunter saw her difort and pulled her in his arms. That moment, ir felt a barbed knife cutting through her heart. She was seeing her husband protecting another woman right in front of her. Since there were journalists too, they began to ask jarring questions to Zara. Hunter couldn¡¯t stand theming at her. He pulled Zara closer and pushed the cameramen and journalists with a hand while with another he kept her close to his heart like a precious jewel. ¡°Get away,¡± He cut through the crowd of people, approaching ire. ire¡¯s breaths hitched when he was right in front of her. She opened her mouth to talk to him. Much to her agitation, he pushed her away too and made a way to his car that they had used toe here. Hunter helped Zara into the front seat where ire was sitting not five minutes ago. He buckled her seatbelt. And while ire was watching him, he hopped behind the steering wheel and took Zara away from the chaos of the evening. Later that night, ire was sitting like a lifeless doll on the floor in the middle of the hall that was booked for their anniversary party. The cake was turning stale on the table in front of her as her eyes gawked at it. Indeed, she was living a fairy tale life. But one where she got to experience love of the man she loved just for two months. ¡°ire, baby, are you listening? Let¡¯s go home, baby. It¡¯s useless to wait here.¡± Dominic tried to get his daughter¡¯s attention. ¡°ire,¡± Dominic controlled his tears as he shook her again. ¡°Let¡¯s go, baby. He¡¯s not going toe.¡± Hunter¡¯s parents, grandparents, close rtives and friends were all here. They looked down at the floor as embarrassment flushed their faces. The hall was eerily silent. All the guests invited for the celebration were gone. Even the cluster of waiters the hotel had appointed for the party signed off. Only the Argent and MacIntyre family stayed back since ire refused to move an inch.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Dominic hissed indignantly. He wished to pull his daughter by her arm and take her away. Nevertheless, he looked away as it would shatter her heart more. ire was going through the toughest time of her life. She was abandoned by her husband on the day that was going to mark a new beginning for them. Her heart was tender and bleeding from a heartbreak. By forcing her against her will, Dominic didn¡¯t want to make it harder for her. He resorted to coax her with warmth. ¡°Baby,¡± He heaved a sigh as ire finally responded. She lifted her wetshes. ¡°Let¡¯s go back home, honeybun. It¡¯s over.¡± ire shook her head, ¡°Hunter wille. He promised to tell the world that we¡¯re one. He promised to move on with me. I can¡¯t leave without him, dad. Hunter wille for me.¡± Her mother-inw, Violet MacIntyre, pressed a hand to her mouth to suppress her sobs. She was fond of ire. Seeing her in this state made her heart surge. She turned to her husband, Leon MacIntyre, throwing her head on his shoulder to cry. She loathed her son for leaving ire broken. Seeing the elders in a state of depression, Cole walked forward. He had been quiet because he didn¡¯t know how to deal with this situation. Hunter seemed so happy about their anniversary. He nned every detail together with Cole. It was unbelievable that he just left with his ex-girlfriend as if this day and the moment meant nothing to him. His nerves were on fire. Anger was gnawing at his heart. Nevertheless, he kept his disappointment towards his friend aside and sat on his haunches before ire. Cole wiped his thumb across her tinted cheeks. Dark flush has suffused her skin from constant wailing. ¡°You look pathetic when you cry, rabbit!¡± He tried to escte her mood using her nickname. ¡°Come on, get up. We¡¯ll buy your favorite ice cream on the way home.¡± No matter what he said or did, ire didn¡¯t budge. Her heart was sprinkled with kerosene and set on fire by her very own husband. She wasn¡¯t going to leave unless he exined his actions to her. ire shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not going from here. Hunter wille. H-he promised me¡­¡± She repeated the same words again. Her broken voice pinched like sharp shards of broken ss in everyone¡¯s heart who saw her. They wished to soothe her. But her pain was immense. It couldn¡¯t be taken care of. Her mother-inw was done seeing her like that. She pulled away from her husband and made a beeline towards ire. Sitting down, she held her cheeks. ¡°ire, Darling, you¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s better off without your pleasantries, Mrs. MacIntyre.¡± ire¡¯s father held her hand. Violet¡¯s tear-filled eyes pleaded with him. She may be the mother of the heartless man who left ire in this condition. But she was not her enemy. Violet was as disappointed as everyone else for the deed of her son. She was actually ashamed. It was the shame of being the mother of the man who publicly insulted his wife on their anniversary that kept her quiet throughout the night. However, she couldn¡¯t see her daughter-inw in this state. ire was traumatized because of her son. If an apology from her would make ire move from her ce then she was willing to do it. ¡°Mr. Argent, I am as hurt as you are. ire is my daughter-inw and I care about her health. Let me talk to her.¡± She tried to coax him through. ¡°Care about her? Haha, none of you ever cared about her, Mrs. MacIntyre. If you did then your son wouldn¡¯t have left my daughter like this.¡± Dominic bit back a cry. ire¡¯s dress for today¡¯s function was pure white. She looked like a lovely bride. Except that, she looked like a bride left at the altar. ¡°Look at my daughter. She¡¯s not in her right mind. It¡¯s all because of your son.¡± He thinned his lips in remorse as ire was continuously mumbling the same thing over and over again. Violet helplessly stared at ire before she moved back. What made it worse was the cut on ire¡¯s lip. The cut stood out so gruesomely on her pallid face that the eyes that watched her blurred with tears. Dominic sat beside his daughter. He cleansed her face with his handkerchief gently. He kissed her forehead and stroked her cheek as he tried to persuade her to leave with him again. ¡°N-no¡­ I am not¡­ I am not leaving,¡± ire¡¯s eyes flickered. She profusely perspired. Her father wiped his hankerchief on her face again while holding back his tears. ¡°ire, please, don¡¯t do this to yourself. You¡¯re waiting on the wrong man. Why can¡¯t you see he never loved you!¡± The problem lied with Hunter. He was at fault, and ire didn¡¯t deserve to suffer because of him. Although she was fulfilling her duties wholeheartedly, he didn¡¯t even try to pretend that he cared. He was just¡­ in rude and brute to her. What he did today was too much. What was the point in staying with a man like that?! ¡°Hunter promised, dad. He promised¡­¡± ire stubbornly nodded her head. ¡°He promised to¡­¡± Her voice lowered into a barely audible whisper as she copsed in her father¡¯s arms, cking out. Tbc¡­ Chapter 3

Chapter 3

3 When ire shook the hazy veil of darkness and came to the surface, the first face she saw was of her mother. Andrea¡¯s eyes were red and cheeks flushed. She was in the same dress she donned for ire and Hunter¡¯s wedding anniversary. It was visible just by looking at her that she didn¡¯t leave her daughter¡¯s side even for one second. ¡°Laire, baby,¡± Andrea impatiently leaned towards her daughter and cupped her face. A tear of relief trickled from her left eye. She kissed her forehead and immediately looked over her shoulder to shout, ¡°ire is awake, Dominic!¡± She turned to her daughter again. She removed hair from her eyes and smiled, ¡°How are you feeling now, honey?¡± She touched her swollen lip gently. ire just stared back. Her mother¡¯s tears made her remember her own. Then it returned to her mind like a slow memory returning to a person suffering with amnesia. Pain, hot and raw, settled in her chest. ire recalled how her husband left her outside the hotel they were going to have their anniversary party in. Not just that, he left her for a woman who has caused him irreparable damage for two years. ire looked around herself. She was in her bedroom in her parents¡¯ house. The red painted walls resembled the blood that was pounding in her veins. She sought after throwing the nket aside when her father with Cole, her brother Scott, and her Inws rushed inside her room. ¡°ire,¡± Her father engulfed her in a hug. ¡°My darling, I¡¯m so freaking relieved to see you awake. You almost gave me a heart attack.¡± He sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her jaw, ¡°Don¡¯t you love us, princess?¡± The words made her eyes water again. ¡°I don¡¯t think you love us¡­ Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t do this to yourself. That too for an asshole who never struck me as anything better than a selfish bastard!¡± Dominic didn¡¯t care whether old Mr. And Mrs. MacIntyre and Hunter¡¯s parents were in the same room. His daughter¡¯s heart was broken. He couldn¡¯t care less how his words would hit others. He pressed kisses on ire¡¯s forehead. He had been so worried for her. ire was his princess. She was the daughter they weed after four years of longing for a child. They could cross any limit to bring a smile on her face. Though ire respected it. She had a heart that pained in her chest. It was into shreds. Completely shattered¡­ Yet it was still beating. She couldn¡¯t let go of the images of Hunter leaving with Zara. ire wiped her tears and slipped out of bed. She tripped as she was mentally disturbed.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Laire, what are you¡­¡± Dominic paused as his breaths got hitched in his throat as ire looked up. ¡°Let me go, dad. I need to talk to Hunter.¡± ¡°Again the same thing!¡± Dominic almost yelled. ¡°Why do you keep chanting that asshole¡¯s name? After what he did you should throw him out of your life like one throws useless stic wraps. He¡¯s not worth it. I¡¯m not letting you go.¡± Hunter¡¯s family¡¯s head hung low. They were insulted brutally. However, they felt like they deserved it so none uttered a word. As for ire, she didn¡¯t wait to give any reason. She had nothing to say to her parents or anyone else. That¡¯s because she had no idea why her husband, who doted on her for thest two months, suddenly turned into an ignorant jerk to her. She came downstairs, taking support of the walls. Her legs were jelly. Her body numb from all the pain. But she struggled to get down while the others followed her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to find him there, Laire.¡± Her father¡¯s words stopped her. ire looked at him with wetshes. Dominic walked towards her and sighed, ¡°The man who left with his ex-girlfriend won¡¯t go back home. He¡¯d probably be in one of the hotel rooms fuc¡­¡± He gulped his words as tears scorched his eyes. ¡°Juste back, ire. I will find you a better husband than him. I swear I would.¡± ire didn¡¯t even try to make ament. She got into her brother¡¯s car and fired up the engine. She came home to dead silence. What was once a merrily buzzing home with herugher and moans was now dark and void of homely feeling. It felt as if ire was walking into a newly dug grave. She felt every bit like a corpse. A walking corpse. There was no one here. The house was as they left it in the evening. ire trudged inside into the living room upon their maid, Thea. A remarkable woman of fifty with gorgeous golden hair. She was pallid the moment she watched ire. ¡°Mrs. MacIntyre,¡± Thea rushed to help her as she was literally dragging herself. A nod from ire froze her inches before she touched her. ¡°Has Hunter returned home?¡± She asked with a trembling voice. The maid stared at her feet, ¡°No, madam.¡± ire dismissed her as she settled on the sofa. It was ten past four in the early morning. The atmosphere has be chilly. With her shoulders and arms bare, she felt ice crawling over her skin. Even then she didn¡¯t care to warm herself. She reflected back on their two years rtionship. For the two years, Hunter has been ignorant and cold to her. It was right on the night of their marriage that she realised that it was a marriage of convenience for him. He never touched her. Let alone give her a kiss. For the wounds and pain someone else gave him, he was directly punishing her by being ignorant and impassive to her. She waited there, her eyes glued with the door she left open. She never looked away, waiting impatiently for her husband. The noise of the arriving car exploded in the air just as the first rays of the sun smiled over the horizon. The living room illuminated with light slowly as ever. ire¡¯s back was erected as she heard the footsteps. She couldn¡¯t stop her heart from thudding relentlessly. She was feeling suffocated all along. When Hunter came into her line of vision, her chest shivered. He was looking tired. He was enveloped in misery as if his wife was dead. Nevertheless, it was not the hurt of losing his wife that painted his face pale. By leaving her in the hands of the world to mock her, he showed it that he never cared for her. ire¡¯s nerves red up with adrenaline as Hunter noticed her. He was caught off-guard. There was something about his gaze today that said he was not ready to talk to her. Which husband would after letting his wife down like he did? Her conscience scoffed. But ire forced her weak body up. She walked towards him with slow steps. When she reached him, she almost fell on the floor. Hunter caught her by the waist. Their eyes met. ire¡¯s hands that flew up to his shoulders to steady herself heated up as they came in contact with his hot body. Having helped her stand straight, he observed her face. He opened his mouth to say something the moment he saw the cut on her lip. A brutal cut that started bleeding as she spoke. ¡°How is Zara?¡± She asked, making him look away. ire chuckled sarcastically at how he responded. ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to ask about her, do you? Why not after how she stole my husband?¡± Hunter¡¯s jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth. ¡°ire, don¡¯t drag Zara into this. It wasn¡¯t her fault that I left.¡± He began calmly but ire showed him a palm. Her chest quivered with pain because he was supporting that woman who just returned after two years. Whereas, the woman who has been by his side for the same two years¡ª his wife, was suffering from a heartbreak and what not but he couldn¡¯t look at that. ¡°You will listen to me today, Hunter. Just listen to me.¡± Tbc¡­ Chapter 4

Chapter 4

4 ¡°Ever since I gained maturity I have loved you. I kept myself pure so you would be the one taking me. I dressed myself as per your liking so you would look at me. I even turned down offers of marriage frompatible men because I was enchanted by you. After all the sacrifices I made for you, this is what you give me?¡± She grasped his cors, shaking him. Her streaming eyes made his face seem blurry. ¡°For two years I endured your ill-treatment and invested my time to make you happy. I would make food each day even though you left it to turn cold. I didn¡¯tin when you came homete and retired to bed without even taking a nce at me even if I was wide awake and talking to you.¡± ¡°You forgot my birthdays, let alone wish me. You ignored my parents on family dinners. But I was still happy because you were with me all this while. I took your cold treatment with a smile. Despite all this, all that I wished for was to see you smile. You want to know why?¡± Hunter¡¯s eyes remained averted. His face, a mask of cement. ¡°Because I cared for you, Hunter. Even when you did not return my efforts I cared for you unconditionally.¡± ire shuddered. ¡°My family is reprimanding me for choosing you over all the other men I could have. Your parents didn¡¯t utter a single word since you left. They¡¯re too ashamed to speak for themselves.¡± ire said in a voice edged with exasperation. ¡°The world isughing at me, Hunter. Everyone is pitying me because of you.¡± She was instantly tired. She couldn¡¯t keep her head up. The throbbing in her head was too much to handle. She rested it on his shoulder and sobbed, ¡°What have I done to get this? What was my mistake that you punished me like this?¡± ¡°ire,¡± He touched her back. Before he stroked her, she pushed him away. ire red into his eyes. She wanted to see his face when he gave his reasons. ¡°Yes, Hunter, I am listening. I know you have a strong reason to leave me at the mercy of the world today.¡± ¡°I have told you to not keep hopes, ire.¡± He ground the words out between his teeth. She recalled their conversation from two months ago when she asked him to give a chance to their marriage. Onest chance. He had said, ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s what you want. I¡¯ll give us a try. But you must not keep hopes, ire.¡± And she had replied with a sad but hopeful grin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have faith that it¡¯ll work out.¡± It came like an arrow and hit her chest. ire stared at him. Was he the same man who told her that he was d she didn¡¯t lose hope in them? ¡°It was not supposed to happen like this had it not¡­ F**k, I can¡¯t pretend it anymore.¡± Hunter growled. Suddenly his eyes darkened as he looked at her, ¡°I was never into continuing this marriage with you, ire. I could never ept you as my wife. Zara has always been there between us. She was always here.¡± He pointed at his chest where his heart stayed buried. ¡°I could never let her go. She has always been with me in my thoughts, in my mind and always in my heart. Even if she was married and taken and gone I couldn¡¯t help but miss her. She was too bad of a habit to surrender.¡± ¡°In these two years of marriage I never had a chance to think about us because I couldn¡¯t give up on Zara. We both loved each other too much to belong to someone else.I had faith that she would return one day. I knew she woulde back to me.¡± He said with such smoothness that tore ire piece by piece. Hunter gazed at her nonchntly, ¡°It may hurt you to know but I have been putting up an act with you. An act of loving you.¡± Tears strolled out of her eyes. ire silently stared in his gaze as he remorselessly spoke. ¡°An act of loving me?¡± She whispered while a sea of relentless pain engulfed her. He sighed, ¡°I knew my parents wouldn¡¯t let me be at peace once we divorced. After leaving you I would have been forced to find another wife to live with which I was not ready for. So to save myself from going through that wife-hunting shit again I yed along.¡± ¡°Not that it was a bad deal. You were an understanding wife. You put up with me after all my harshness. I was afraid the other woman may not keep up with me. She may not endure my behavior silently. And if Zara was toe back to me, I doubted if the other woman would let me be with her. But you would.¡± ire choked on her sobs while Hunter guiltlessly spoke. ¡°That being said, I decided to stick with you and thus all that facade of love.¡± Her heart dropped to her feet. ire wished she would have died before she heard this. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to know it like this but¡­¡± Hunter walked towards her. Stopping two steps away from her, he said ever so heartlessly, ¡°It was not meant to end like this between us.¡± ¡°However, without causing you more pain I will step out of your life. I will submit the divorce papers and request a quick procession.¡± Those words jerked her out of her miseries. Anger prated into her, causing her to pull her hands out of his hold. ire took a step back as she connected her hand with his face. She pped him thrice before pushing him back with full force. ¡°You want to leave me for a woman you hardly met?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not just any woman. She¡¯s Zara and I love her.¡± ¡°Zara or not, you want to ruin our marriage for another woman.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in staying together. There¡¯s no love between us. I hardly want you.¡± He said coldly. ire¡¯s eyes burned with tears, ¡°We¡¯ve been together for two years, Hunter. What about us? What about me?¡± ¡°I have been clear with my intention towards you, ire. I don¡¯t love you. I can¡¯t when I have another woman ruling my heart and soul. But don¡¯t worry I willpensate you with a huge amount of money. You can keep this vi too.¡± Hunter stated it as if it was the best deal he could offer to his client. ¡°You can also keep seventy percent of my equity shares and be the major shareholder in mypany. If there¡¯s anything else you want before we part, don¡¯t hesitate to state it. I will fulfill all your demands.¡± A sarcasticugh left her mouth. ire watched him with teary eyes. There was not even a small hint of regret in Hunter¡¯s features. But then, she suddenly remembered Zara. She was married, wasn¡¯t she?This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Was her husband not possessive of her? After all, she was a beautiful woman. Didn¡¯t he want her? ¡°What about her husband? Was she not married?¡± ¡± That¡¯s when his eyes came up and he spoke sadly, ¡°Zara¡¯s a widow now. Her husband had a heart attack. Today was his funeral and she was returning back home after burying him that we happened to meet again.¡± ¡°So you want to leave me and marry her to make her a married woman again?¡± ¡°Her Inws are very controlling, ire. She lost her parents in an ident. Zara is an orphan now which means she¡¯s stuck with them. They will kill her if she¡¯s not rescued.¡± ¡°Oh, so you want to rescue her!¡± ire eximed. Hunter¡¯s eyes hardened persistently. At that moment, he looked like a man who would go any limit to achieve what he desired. ¡°I want to im what should have been mine long ago.¡± He announced. Tbc¡­ Chapter 5

Chapter 5

5 Her heart was crushed into a pulp under the weight of those words. Wiping her tears, ire lifted her face. She held her head high as she gave him a tight smile with a challenging gaze. ¡°Then let me tell you, Mr. Hunter MacIntyre, I will also fight for what is mine. You are mine. I¡¯m not letting any widowed whore have my husband.¡± Hunter opened his mouth. But before he snapped at her, she whirled around and went up the stairs to their bedroom. A drumbeat of madness pounded at the back of Hunter¡¯s eyes. He fisted his hands while following after her. Hunter caught ire right outside the bedroom. He pinned her to the wall and leaned in, whispering right before her lips. ¡°Since when I became yours, huh? As far as I can remember you have always been at my mercy.¡± Hunter hoped to intimidate her. But he should have known that by leaving her outside their anniversary party¡¯s venue he made her bones persistent and determination of stone. He killed her emotions. ¡°You became mine the minute Iid my eyes on you, dearest husband.¡± Hunter chuckled at her reply. ¡°You can¡¯t have what is already taken.¡± ¡°Right. But you can have it if it¡¯s dumped by someone else and you pick it up. And Zara dumped you.¡± A muscle at his jaw ticked. Hunter left her standing as he stormed inside their room. She followed him inside. The corners of her eyes burned with forming tears as she watched him rummage through the drawers of their closet for something. Then he drew out an envelope from a drawer. She witnessed him forwarding it to her. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± She asked as she opened the envelope and assessed the papers. ire¡¯s heart dropped in her belly. Her eyes erged and hot tears spilled from her eyes as she read the words written in bold weighing down on her: DIVORCE AGREEMENT. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ire yelled between her sobs. ¡°Check the fourth page, the division of assets. My property is divided between us just as I told you downstairs. But if you want more then I will have it added too.¡± She watched him look for a pen. When he found and forwarded it to her, ire gave him a nefarious smirk. Then she tore the papers in two halves and tossed them in the air. It sparked his anger. Hunter weaved his fingers through her tresses and pulled her close. He let out a chuckle that coursed a terrorising wave through her body. ¡°I¡¯ll have new divorce papers prepared and you will sign them, ire.¡± He released her and turned around. This time it was her who chuckled, ¡°In your dreams.¡± He stopped in his tracks and cast her a nce that burned holes in her flesh, ¡°So you won¡¯t leave me, huh?¡± ¡°I am your wife. I took holy vows to stick by your side forever.¡± Hunter grinned evilly, ¡°Fine then, I will hurt you so much you will be forced to leave me.¡± He walked out of their room while ire smiled sadly to herself. She mumbled, ¡®Fine, let¡¯s see how far you can go to be with her. I will also try my best to keep our marriage together. Let¡¯s see who wins this war, Hunter.¡¯ ire stood there for a long while. It was a wandering bird that flew through the window and chirped loudly that fragmented her reverie. She blinked distressful tears and unzipped the dress. It fell into a heap around her feet. ire stepped out and entered the bathroom. She stood under a shower and let her tears loose. She cried her heart out. She cried loudly and helplessly. Just when she thought she was going to get the sky to rule on, she was thrown back in the dirt on the ground. She med Zara for Hunter¡¯s changed behaviour. After all, it was after her arrival that he became indifferent to her. It would have been better if she didn¡¯te. Wrapping a towel around her, she came out. Just as she was thinking about what dress to wear, she realized something. ¡°Zara left Bloomcrest two years ago to live with her husband, who I believe was not from here. Then why would shee here to bury him?¡± She spoke to herself. There was no hidden fact about it that it was all nned. Zara¡¯s arrival right on their anniversary day was too obvious to the eye. ¡°I will have to dig into her history. Where Zara lived before and how exactly her husband died, I will have to find out everything to make Hunter see the truth himself. Her husband¡¯s death and her return to Bloomcrest around our anniversary day don¡¯t sit well with me. It is not a mere coincidence for sure. I will have to investigate. But first I need to grab some food.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. With wet hair she descended the stairs and came down. Obviously, she was not going to starve while there was a huge battle taking ce outside her house. She needs strength to keep the opponent from breaking into her house and destroying her family. ¡°ire,¡± Cole¡¯s voice stopped her from going to the kitchen. She observed her husband¡¯s best friend was waiting in the living room for her. He got up when he saw her and moved towards her while his eyes remained stationed on her face. Compared to yesterday, she looked even more pale and sick. But that assuring smile warmed his heart. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see you in the morning, Cole. What brings you here? If you want to meet Hunter then you will have to go to his office. I hope he went there.¡± She said with a raise of her brow. Cole studied her and said, ¡°I came here for you.¡± ¡°For me? Why?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Yesterday has been a tough day for you¡­.¡± ¡°And a memorable one.¡± ire said with a wink. ¡°But I¡¯m over that. Come, join me for breakfast.¡± Cole was amazed with her behaviour. For a moment he was afraid that the trauma of Hunter leaving her outside their party¡¯s venue had got to her head. Anyway, he trailed along in her wake to the kitchen. Cole mounted one of the two stools arranged by the working counter and watched as ire put a pan on the me and broke two eggs in it. His eyes escted in amusement. For someone who had a heartbreaking day right on their marriage anniversary, ire appeared quite calm andposed. As she scrambled the eggs with a spat he spoke, ¡°Has Huntere home?¡± ¡°Yeah, and we talked.¡± ¡°You did?¡± Cole scratched his head. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°The same thing¡­ Wanting a divorce and all.¡± ire shrugged. Surprise etched his forehead in fine lines as he watched her. This ire was different from the one he knew earlier. Something seriously wrong with her. However, he remained quiet and kept herpany as they finished their breakfast. When it was time to enjoy some fresh juice that she extracted from fruits, Cole asked. ¡°What did you say about the divorce, ire?¡± Cole¡¯s voice was slightly tense. Of course he knew his best friend¡¯s obsession for Zara. At this point when she was back he wanted to know what ire was hoping to do because he was certain Hunter would leave no stone unturned to be with Zara after waiting all these years for her. ¡°Hunter is stuck with me until death do us apart.¡± She said with a smirk that was neither good nor bad. Tbc.. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

6 Cole¡¯s mouth fell agape in sheer astonishment. This definitely has to be a doppelganger of ire. Otherwise his best friend¡¯s wife was timid and mute. She barely opened her mouth to speak. And even if she was ndered, she found it was better to meet them with silence than to retort. ¡°What? Is something on my face?¡± ire asked with a grin. Cole nodded his head as he confessed, ¡°You have be fierce. I like this side of you.¡± ¡°Thanks. I had to be outspoken for the sake of my marriage. I have to save Hunter and my rtion, Cole. And I will need your help with it.¡± ¡°I am always here for you two, ire. Just let me know how I can help.¡± He liked her spirit. ¡°Okay, listen to me,¡± She held his gaze. ¡°I want to gather information on Zara. Cole, I feel that her return is deliberate and that her husband¡¯s death is not natural.¡± Cole¡¯s back stiffened. His eyebrows knitted together as he suppressed himself from looking disappointed. ¡°I get your point about saving your marriage, ire. But I think you¡¯re judging Zara wrong. I hung out with her when she was dating Hunter. She¡¯s a pure soul. Zara can¡¯t even hurt a fly let alone break your marriage.¡± ¡°I want to believe that too. That¡¯s why I need your help. I want you to help me get her information, Cole.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can help here, ire.¡± Cole shook his head apologetically. ¡°I know Zara and I know you as well. You both are struggling in your lives and the cause of your hardship is one and the same man. You must talk to Hunter and sort things out. I don¡¯t want to be a part of this where Zara is concerned.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Are you saying this because of your friendship with Hunter?¡± ¡°That too, and also because I know Zara. She¡¯s innocent, ire. I don¡¯t think she could kill her husband to be with Hunter. Your fears are justified but it¡¯s a ridiculous guess.¡± He got up with a cringe face, not happy with ire¡¯s perspective. ¡°If she wanted to be with him then she could have him two years ago by refusing her marriage with her fiance. Hunter would have crossed seven seas to make her his. But she didn¡¯t and quietly proceeded with her marriage. Try to see logic here. Zara is not behind your miseries. Your own husband is.¡± ire stared at her hands in herp. Maybe Cole was stating the facts. However, he was not married to someone. He didn¡¯t know the pain of losing his significant other half. He didn¡¯t have to fear an old lover who made a stunning return on his marriage anniversary. It wasn¡¯t his marriage dangling on the precipice. On the contrary, ire was tolerating more than she could. Her sixth sense told her Zara had moreyers to her face. Even if she didn¡¯t, she would soon know. ¡°Thanks foring to meet me, Cole. I will always remember this. But I will do what I have to do.¡± She rose while bearing his gaze. ¡°Then good luck with it. However, if Hunter gets pissed off and does something crazy to you. I hope you won¡¯t me him or anyone else. I already warned you.¡± His brows creased. ¡°Zara is very humble and down to earth. You will find nothing negative about her because she has none.¡± With that he departed with a frown that made ire realize she lost a friend. Although she took note of Cole¡¯s words regarding Zara seriously, she reached out to a friend from her school, Monty. He was a professional detective and mastered the art of gathering information even if it was buried fiveyers inside earth. ¡°Hi ire, I saw the news on the inte. I¡¯m sorry you have to go through that.¡± Monty said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry about that. I will handle it.¡± ¡°I always liked your spirit, ire. You are a strong woman and you will go very far in life with your perseverant behavior.¡± Monty was always team ire. Without wasting time, ire told her doubts, ¡°I just want to save my marriage, Monty. I will go to any limit to hold onto my husband. Which is why I need your help.¡± After a long sigh Monty replied, ¡°I¡¯m in, buddy. I always wanted to work with you. But due to our poles apart profession I dropped the desire. It will feel good to be working for you.¡± ire thanked him. After hanging up, she decided to visit her parents to take them in confidence. Her father was reading some documents in the living room while her mother was in the kitchen when she arrived. Scott took their father¡¯s car to college since she took his in the early morning. ¡°ire,¡± Dominic¡¯s body stiffened when he noticed her. He left his papers on the table to get up and engulf her in a hug. Since he almost yelled her name, her mother also came running to them. ¡°Oh baby, it¡¯s good to see you back home.¡± Andrea said emotionally. They settled on the couch with ire in the middle while her parents sat on her side. The way they nced at her made her nervous. The Argents were the second most wealthiest family in Bloomcrest while the MacIntyres were the first. But what made them outstand the MacIntyres in terms of possession was love. The Argents loved each other and cared deeply. Their family was one full of culture and happiness. All the uncles and aunts, and cousins lived joyfully like they were cut from the same piece of cloth. On the contrary, the MacIntyres were scattered. They hardly met each other. If family dinners were to be conducted, they have to go through their secretaries respectively to reach out to each other and make an appointment for the same. That¡¯s why, when ire expressed her feelings for the cold and emotionless middle grandson of Mr. Thomson MacIntyre after his proposal came, Dominic told her to think twice. Their family didn¡¯t know the meaning of unity. They were like the coins in a chess board which moved ording to rules and conditions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for scaring you yesterday.¡± ire rested her head on her father¡¯s shoulder. In response her father kissed her hands while her mother hugged her. It wasn¡¯t her fault that her husband came out as a jerk. She told them about wanting to stay in the marriage with Hunter. Her parents stared at each other as they could see she was refusing to believe it. Even though it was in front of her eyes. Her husband was gone. They stayed quiet and listened to her. They brought her up with values that she must not give up in life. She was taught to be a Victor no matter what. s, she was trying it in the wrong ce. They didn¡¯t correct her. When it was time for her to depart Dominic caressed her head and said, ¡°This house is yours, darling. Don¡¯t ever hesitate toe back.¡± ¡°Why would Ie back? I have my own house with my husband.¡± She said with a chuckle, making her parents¡¯ face twist with a forced smile. ¡®You can¡¯t refuse it for long, ire. You know it¡¯s over. I hope you understand that soon.¡¯ Her parents thoughts to themselves. She then took her leave. Nevertheless, just as she stepped out of their mansion, she discovered a bunch of journalists with mic and camera men gathering around the gate of Argent mansion. The three security guards tried to keep them at bay. ¡®Zara Levine, you think you¡¯re smart enough! Let me show you the mirror.¡¯ She mused while strutting towards the crowd with her head held high. Tbc¡­ Chapter 7

Chapter 7

7 The cameras shed just as ire crossed the gate and came to this side to meet the waiting crowd of journalists. ¡°Mrs. MacIntyre or Miss Argent? Which one do you prefer?¡± Irritated by the question, ire forced her lips to curve. Her grin carried a hint of mockery as she faced the cameras before holding the gaze of the journalist who asked her the question. ¡°What should I call you- a journalist or a woman with impaired eyesight? Or rather¡­ a brainless journalist with impaired eyesight? Which one do you prefer?¡± Her Savage reply made the woman chuckle sheepishly in embarrassment. The others stared at ire with an impressed nce as she never spoke like this before. It seemed that the kitten had transformed her ws finally. ¡°Do you see this sparkling big diamond? This shows that I am married. Hence I will prefer Mrs. MacIntyre now and for the rest of my life.¡± Someone from the mass of journalists pped in amusement. Thedy mouthed a small apology while another person who was impressed by savage ire asked. ¡°Mrs. MacIntyre, the world is pitying you for what happened yesterday. We clearly saw your husband walking on you with his first love. I won¡¯t ask you to share what you feel, however, everyone is eager to know what will be your decision now?¡± The question obviously shook the ground under ire¡¯s feet. She hated being pitied. It makes one feel weak and useless. This pity was the second reason to not think about divorce and hold onto her marriage. Otherwise the world wouldugh at her for not being satisfying enough to her husband¡ª despite having a hot body¡ª that he had to bring a substitute. ¡°Decision? What kind of decision?¡± ¡°Decision concerning your marriage, Mrs. MacIntyre. What will be your decision towards your marriage after yesterday¡¯s incident?¡± ire drew out the goggles she was wearing and gave a disinterested roll to her eyes, ¡°There are many bitches out there whoring around and trying to steal unfaithful married men from their wives. But neither Zara is a whore nor my husband is unfaithful. Stop making assumptions. We are happily together.¡± ¡°But your statement contradicts with your husband¡¯s actions, Mrs. MacIntyre. He openly kissed Zara Levine yesterday. How will you justify that?¡± Another journalist asked. ¡°For your information, Zara is a widowed woman. Her husband passed away recently. Since she¡¯s my Hunter¡¯s ex-girlfriend, and keeping in mind how much he loved her before they separated, he got a little carried away when he saw her for the first time after two years.¡± ire reasoned with a careless shrug. She purposely spoke about Zara¡¯s marital status. So that the users on social media can create rumors and roll them around to her excitement. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not hurt. But it was just a heated moment. My husband confessed to me and we¡¯re good now.¡± ire was about to excuse herself and leave when onest question was thrown at her. ¡°Last question before you leave, Mrs MacIntyre!¡± ¡°Okay, bring it on.¡± ¡°It was your wedding anniversary yesterday and you seemed pretty hurt after your husband left you. Is there going to be another celebration or¡­¡± ¡°We rescheduled our anniversary celebration. You will get the images to see on our social media handle.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After that, she ensconced inside the cab she called and drove away. If ire was satisfied with lying to the journalist as a way to get back at Hunter for making her cry yesterday, here in his penthouse Hunter murdered his burrito in a tight hold. He was watching TV with Zara when she shuffled the channels. She instantly stopped watching ire being shown on a news channel. ¡°Hunter,¡± Zara¡¯s meek voice made him turn his head. As his eyes observed her scared facial features, his face softened. He left the messed up burrito on the te and turned to her. Zara was in tears. It was pretty obvious that ire¡¯s harsh words hit her. ¡°Your wife loves you so much. Why are you doing this to her because of me?¡± Zara sobbed like a baby. Every sob that she expelled sent an electric shockwave through Hunter¡¯s body. He put an arm around her shoulder before twining his fingers with her hair. He joined their foreheads. Hunter refused to let go. He reveled in the soothing sensation he felt by being around Zara. ¡°Hunter,¡± She touched his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t destroy your marriage because of me. Remember, I am the girl who left you heartbroken and married another man? I didn¡¯t even see you before leaving.¡± ¡°Shhh, don¡¯t say anything.¡± Hunter was about to kiss her on the lips that she pulled away. Her act made his knuckles turn white and mouth twist. His zing eyes held her immobile in her spot. ¡°Go back to your wife, Hunter. I¡¯m not worthy of your love.¡± ¡°Zara,¡± Unable to see her trembling helplessly, Hunter engulfed her in his arms. She struggled to get out when he pinched her chin upwards to look in her eyes. Her innocent baby blue eyes caused his heart to skip a beat. ¡°You didn¡¯t leave me, okay? You had a responsibility to fulfill as a daughter. I¡¯m proud of you that you chose your parents over me.¡± ¡°But the world won¡¯t look at it that way, Hunter. ire told the journalists that I¡¯m a widow. Now they will see me as a homewrecker who¡¯s targeting her husband after killing hers.¡± Hunter tilted her face and smashed his lips with hers. Zara almost swooned for his kiss was dizzying. He sucked her lips passionately before pulling her closer until there was no gap between them. ¡°I waited for you like a madman, Zara Levine. I¡¯m not letting you go now I have met you. You are mine to im.¡± Zara sobbed, ¡°It¡¯s wrong, Hunter.¡± ¡°It is not.¡± He kissed her again. ¡°What¡¯s scaring you, baby? I am here with you.¡± ¡°I have seen a lot of things in my two years of marriage. Thest thing I want to see is being called a whore who¡¯s stealing someone¡¯s husband.¡± Hunter cuddled with her for a while before he decided to leave. Zara walked him to the elevator, in which, a finely built man was standing at attention, when the doors slid open. ¡°See to it that Madam doesn¡¯t leave this penthouse.¡± He ordered, causing Zara to gasp. ¡°You can¡¯t keep me here locked up forever, Hunter. I have to go back to my Inws.¡± Hunter paused in the middle of entering the elevator to shoot spears of fury towards her. Zara lowered her head apprehensively, ¡°They have no one but me.¡± ¡°You are not to leave this property, Zara Levine. I¡¯m not letting you go this time. My words are final.¡± Hunter spoke indignantly. Having entered inside the elevator, he instructed the guard to watch after Zara. Then before the doors closed shut, he assured her, ¡°I will divorce ire soon. Have faith in me.¡± Zara remorsefully heaved in response to his words. However, as the elevator closed and descended, she turned around with an ominous smirk cracking on her lips. She entered the kitchen to pick an apple while the security guard plopped in a chair situated near the elevator. Taking a bite, sheughed inwardly, ¡®He¡¯s still into me like a love sick puppy! You¡¯re very smart that you chose toe back to Bloomcrest, Zara. A luxurious life with a man who¡¯s wrapped around your pinky finger is waiting for you.¡¯ Tbc¡­ No wonder Zara has to be like this. Why wouldn¡¯t she be after all she chose their wedding anniversary date to return ???? Chapter 8

Chapter 8

8 Dusk hung over Bloomcrest while the winds rolled over calmly. In her Vi, ire worked tirelessly in the kitchen. She was preparing food for Hunter. There was a cheerful smile on her face as though she was very happy in her marriage. Thea was helping in the kitchen. She took the dishes to the dining table as they were filled with a new dish by ire. As she returned after her fourth round, she nervously pinched her fingers and spoke in a hushed tone. ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t think Mr. MacIntyre will return home today. S-so I¡¯m afraid all this food you¡¯re making is going to go wasted.¡± ¡°I left a message to Hunter in the evening toe home soon for dinner. He might have seen it and will be here anytime now.¡± ire said confidently. Beside her Thea made a pitiful face as she thought, ¡®You¡¯re dreaming with open eyes, madam. Your husband is gone. He¡¯s not yours any more. Why can¡¯t you see it?¡¯ ¡°Can you pass me the ketchup please?¡± ire asked. Thea remained quiet and helped thedy of the house with the food. They took it to the dining table. ire requested Thea to sit with her until Hunter arrived. Not that Thea lived elsewhere and she had to depart earlier. She has been with the MacIntyres since Hunter¡¯s birth. The olddy had no children or rtives. Hence, she was permanently hired by the MacIntyres long ago. She was provided shelter and monthly remuneration for the services she rendered. She was humble and happened to y the role of a mother in Hunter¡¯s life more than his biological mother. Hence, when he returned from overseas he requested to take Thea with her in his vi. She had her own little cab in the backyard facing theke while the vi was located on the cliff of a mountain, with exotic views of deep valleys and mountains. Not to mention that this Vi was Hunter¡¯s dream house which he nned with Zara when they were dating. But then, months before he was to propose to her for marriage, she left him. And then Hunter married ire and brought her into the house he made with love for himself and the love of his life Zara. Thea noticed the frown forming on her madam¡¯s face. After all, it was going to be three hours in ten minutes since they¡¯re waiting. Except that there was no sign of Hunter¡¯s return. ¡®I knew he wouldn¡¯te. Hunter will never leave Zara alone for one second now he¡¯s found her back in his life. I wish ire could see it and take the hint. Her marriage is in smithereens.¡¯ Thea mused watching ire gaze at the clock impatiently.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t we get started with our dinner? I¡­ I think sir is busy with work.¡± Thea spoke in order to avert ire¡¯s attention from waiting for her husband. Deep down she knew he had to be with Zara. But to lessen her sadness and distract her mind, Thea mentioned work. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Thea. I will wait for Hunter. Why don¡¯t you go ahead and get started first? You have to take your medicine too.¡± Although her heart went out for ire, Thea knew it would be a waste of time trying to exin anything to her anything. She filled a te of food for herself from what ire made for her husband. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, Mrs. MacIntyre! I¡¯ve been drooling on the smell of the food in the kitchen.¡± ¡°Please, take as much as you want.¡± ire delightfully gestured to the tableden with dishes of a variety of food. ¡®At least someone is eating my food.¡¯ ire sighed after Thea took her leave. The entire night she waited for Hunter. In between, she made sure to leave messages to Hunter. What ire realized was that he was looking at all her messages. But silently. There was no response from him as though it was useless and unimportant. Soon the sun smiled upon the horizon whereas on the dining table, ire bit back tears of grief. He didn¡¯te home for dinner. Rubbing a hand on her wet cheeks, ire left the food on the table and came back to her home. She threw herself on the bed as her bones were awfully screaming in pain from sitting at the table all night, in wait for her cruel husband. ire stared at the ceiling as various thoughts whirled in her mind. ¡®What am I doing? Hunter is a heartless man. He never showed me any spousal care for two years. Why am I wasting my efforts and time on him like this?¡¯ She wondered with blurry eyes as tears oozed uncontrobly. ¡®He said that I am not important. I was hardly thought about in these two years of marriage. He openly imed that I will never have any better ce in his life. Then what am I working for?¡¯ She opened her mouth and allowed her sobs to echo in the quiet room as sunray snuck inside the room, radiating it. Except that there was nothing that could radiate her dark life. ire reached out for her phone beside her. She checked Hunter¡¯s chat. He was online. The blue ticks beside her messages made something in her chest toss and twist. It was self-respect that she was murdering every moment for her husband. ire sucked in a shivery breath as she left a new message to him: Where are you now? Much to her dismay and rising sorrow, he read her message within a second. But still¡­ No reply. She typed again: I made all your favorite dishes. I thought we¡¯ll eat together. Seen again. ire typed next: You think it¡¯s funny? Or that it would break me? Hunter¡¯s behaviour wed through her heart. Suddenly her eyes smoldered as she grit her teeth angrily. ¡®Hunter MacIntyre, you think not returning home will make me leave you? It only makes my determination of steel.¡¯ ire left a final message with a stubborn sneer before she closed her eyes to get some sleep: The menu for today¡¯s lunch is a surprise. See you then. Love you, Honey. Tbc¡­ Do you think he¡¯lle??? How many of you think ire will win this war? Should she hope for a future with Hunter? Chapter 9

Chapter 9

9 Hunter stared at herst message with cold eyes. ¡®ying stubborn? I like it.¡¯ He mumbled while putting a hand under his head. He was in the penthouse on the sofa in the living room, staring at the door of the room Zara was in. Although he insisted on sleeping in bed with her and cuddling her, she refused him without blinking an eye. Zara imed that she was a widow and Hunter was a married man. A married man with a loving and dedicated wife. It would not be appropriate to sleep with him while his wife was waiting for him in their house. Though the mes of need to be held tight were evident in her eyes, she suggested maintaining space. This was one of the qualities in Zara that Hunter was crazy about. She sacrificed her life and love for others. She prioritized others¡¯ feelings over hers. She didn¡¯t give herself the attention and praise she deserved. All her life, she thought about others. Then why shouldn¡¯t Hunter thrive to give her a deserving happy life? She deserved to be Mrs. MacIntyre and be the woman cooking food for him in their house. Nevertheless, ire has developed thick skin. It was going to take time to get under her skin and force her to leave him His jaw clenched as he red at his phone. ¡®Let¡¯s see how long can you persist with your charade of being a patient wife.¡¯ Hunter didn¡¯t go to their house the following afternoon for lunch. In fact, he didn¡¯t even think about going there for five days straight. And whatever messages and calls he received from ire were ignored. On the sixth day, he finally decided to not look at the messages either. They piled up to hundred plus unread messages from ire. By the time it was the eighth day, there were about two hundred and fifty missed calls and two hundred plus messages. The strange thing was that ire never left him a voicemail. Hunter would go to work from the penthouse, and return back to penthouse from work¡­ Where he would revel in helping Zara in the kitchen. Although she insisted on going back to her inws daily, one or the other way he deflected her mind. On the tenth day, he was amazed to see that the messages had stoppeding from ire. No missed calls either. ¡®Perhaps she realized it¡¯s a waste of time.¡¯ He smirked to himself. Hunter was in the elevator of his office building on his way to the lobby, to call it a day. He scrolled through his social media carelessly while going down. He was reading a certain post when his screen lit up with Thea¡¯s name shing on it. Furrowing his brows he thought, ¡®Not so smart, ire. You really think I will answer Thea¡¯s call. I know it¡¯s you on the other side.¡¯ He ignored it and went back to wasting his time on the inte. Thea called again. And again and again. When he noticed that she was typing something to him on W******p, he immediately put his phone on flight mode and pocketed it. His driver took him to the hotel where Zara was waiting for him in his penthouse. She looked a little off. ¡°Hey, baby,¡± He kissed her on the lips much to her hesitation. ¡°How many times have I told you not to do that, Hunter? Do you realize how immoral it is? You¡¯re cheating on your wife.¡± He ignored her words and pulled her in hisp as he fell on the sofa. Their eyes were locked together and breathing in sync. Hunter was about to kiss her again when his phone interfered.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. It was his second phone where he got business rted calls from his PA and managers. Sometimes from his friends who had his second number. ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± He growled as he saw the caller ID. It was Cole. Hunter¡¯s expressions changed into a one full of bewilderment. This is because since he decided to worship Zara and consider hiswfully wedded wife non-existent, Cole was the first of the few people to condemn him. He refused to speak to him properly. And although they were partners in a non-profit organisation they started together for the welfare of the people and faced each other on a daily basis during meetings, Cole treated him with indignation and negligence. ¡°To what does this heartless dickhead owe the pleasure of receiving this call from you, Sir Wordsmith?¡± Hunter taunted using harsh words that Cole hissed at him ten days ago in the office. ¡°You¡¯re still a heartless dickhead, Hunter MacIntyre.¡± Cole seethed. His voice was hoarse. Hunter heaved angrily, ¡°Then disconnect the call. I am certain you don¡¯t want to waste your time on this heartless dickhead.¡± Just then Cole growled deep from his chest. Aughter was heard on the phone before Hunter heard. ¡°I honestly think I should steal your wife and take her away with me.¡± Irritation shed in Hunter¡¯s dark gaze. He tightened his hold on the phone as an unknown feeling consumed him after listening to that. ¡°Because it¡¯s clear as day light that you don¡¯t give a f**k about her.¡± ¡°What I do with my wife is none of your business.¡± ¡°Sure it is not but it¡¯s me who is approached every time she gets into trouble. So yeah, to some extent, what you do with your wife is my f**king business.¡± The word trouble red a warning bell in his head. Suddenly Hunter was wary. He slipped Zara on the couch beside him as he leaned forward with forehead creasing. ¡°Since you contacted my private number you bettere to the point. If you don¡¯t have any valid reason then I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Hunter ambled to the window overlooking the beautiful night view of Bloomcrest while loosening his tie. ¡°You did not go home for ten days, Hunter. Do you know what that has led your wife to do?¡± Hunter remained silent. However, when Cole¡¯s next words came in, he felt his heart dropping to the floor as his dark orbs twinkled with slight apprehension. ¡°She starved herself. ire is admitted to hospital.¡± Cole paused. ¡°I know it¡¯s not important for you so you can just stay where you are. But as your best friend I¡¯ll take care of your wife for you.¡± He hung up, leaving Hunter with sweat beading his forehead. ¡°What was it, darling?¡± Zara hugged him from the back. In thest ten days, her closeness with Hunter increased. They have not slept together yet. But they were in that phase of their life where physical touch was not considered cheating even if he was still married to another woman. Although Zara kept saying words like¡­ ¡®It¡¯s not appropriate!¡¯ ¡®You are a married andmitted man.¡¯ ¡®I recently lost my husband. I shouldn¡¯t do this.¡¯, and she anyway ended up in his arms. Hunter took a look at Zara¡¯s face. What stunned him was the fact that he could see ire¡¯s teary face in ce of hers. It made him thrust himself away. ¡°Zara, I will be right back.¡± ¡°Hunter, wai¡­ Damn it!¡± Zara pped the couch frustratedly. She wondered what was the case before she decided to follow after him stealthily. She was rendered motionless when Hunter¡¯s car stopped in front of the biggest and most expensive hospital in Bloomcrest. Watching him exit his car quite disturbed, Zara curled her fingers around her skirt, fisting the cloth in an angry hold. She paid the cab and entered the hospital to make inquiries. It didn¡¯t take her long toprehend what was happening. ¡®ying cleverly to make Hunter notice you, ire, huh? Nice try. But he¡¯s my puppet and I¡¯m the unbeatable yer. These acts are childish. Just wait and watch what I do.¡¯ Zara spoke to herself and quietly slipped out of the hospital without getting noticed. Tbc¡­ What trick zara will y now? Looks like Hunter has some soft corner (maybe feelings for his wife!) will he notice is soon? Chapter 10 COMMENT Chapter 10 Hunter didn¡¯t have to ask about his wife at the reception. A doctor who noticed him entering inside, who was talking to a nurse, left his conversation iplete to escort the heir of Macintyre empire to his wife¡¯s ward. Obviously ire had to be taken to the VIP¡¯ floor and kept in the biggest ward. As Hunter walked nearer to her, his body started growing sweaty and heart thundered in his chest. This feeling was equivalent to feeling the soul leaving one¡¯s body. What amazed him more was the fact that he was feeling this way for his wife who he was desperately trying to dispose of to be with his real lover. What the hell A lump formed in his throat as he heard himself swearing in shock In front of him were Thea and Cole sitting on a bench. While the old woman was rubbing and squeezing her hands in nervousness, his best friend sat emotionlessly staring at his shoes, However, they had one thing inmon. Blood. Both of their clothes were stained with blood as though they were ying with red paint. Hunter¡¯s loud steps informed his arrival. Cole¡¯s face quickly hardened into a mask of fury while Thea burst into another round of heavy tears that made her face be red, ¡°Sir.¡± Thea got up in respect, but the tremors in her voice froze Hunter. He looked towards the closed door of the ward, trying to contemte the severity of ire¡¯s pain. There was no doubt that she hurt herself. But the point was. How! As if Cole was a mind reader, he perceived the uncertainties ying in his friend¡¯s eyes and scoffed, ¡°Thea, your boss would want a gist of what happened. Even though he ignored your calls and on switched his phone off. But like the best Housekeeper you are, you must report everything to him¡± Hunter kept quiet. He watched Cole shower him a contemptuous look. He would have loved to make him feel remorseful had he not received a callThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. While Cole excused himself and left Hunter with Thea alone, the olddy covered her mouth to sob. In the meanwhile Hunter stood watching her face with expectation to hear what happened. ¡°M¨Cmadam swdoned on top of the stairs and came rolling down, sir. Her bead hurt and she wasn¡¯t breathing well when we brought her here: Hunter¡¯s shoulders slumped. He stared at the door of the ward as his eyes hesitantly blinked. He recalled Cole mentioning that ire starved herself. ¡°Where the hell have you been when she was starving herself, Thea Your duty is to take care of the house and keep herpany. Why didn¡¯t you tell me anything about it when she was skipping meals?¡± I tried, sir. But Madam refrained me whenever I tried to report it to you. She said it¡¯s between you and her 5¨Cshe said she won¡¯t touch food unless you sit with her and eat.¡± She took her time to sob When she spoke, Hunter¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°She was certain that you wille, sir. For Madam you¡¯re a caring husband. She confidently skipped her meals because she assumed that you woulde running to her when you read her messages¡± After a pause she added, ¡°You used toe home in time for her, sir, W¨Cwhat has cha¨CThea lowered her face as Hunter threw her a cautioning She knew better when to stop her mouth. However, she couldn¡¯t help it because her employee had shown warmth to her madam that was visible to be true to her eyes. Her curiousity was all over the ce, and like everyone else, she wondered why he became so heartless to the woman who has been so devoting to him! On the contrary, Hunter heaved nervously. He refused to admit that he was tensed. But deep down, his heart was falling apart. The messages. He remembered. Hunter grabbed his phone. His fingers twitched when he touched her name to ess her chats. Atorrent of amalgamated emotions plummeted on him. She wrote many things and one of them was rather written boastfully as if she knew it would happen. She wrote: I know you care, which is why I¡¯m cutting down on my food intake, Hunter. From a fruit a day, Til reduce it to a bite a day. I will not Iva Chapter 10 touch food unless youe home and eat with me. ¡°You.¡± He fisted his other hand and swung around to throw daggers of frustration at the door of her ward. One of her messages read: I feel my intestines squeezing from hunger, Hunter. I¡¯ll definitely die of hunger if not this pain in my chest. Come home ¡°Your face is colorless, Hunter.
  1. f. Are you guilty! D
Do you me yourself for this¡­¡± Colle was back, and right now he pointed at himself¨Cbasically the blood on his blue shirt. His face became dull as his eyes blinked with pity for his best friend¡¯s wife. ¡°She was chanting your name in her unconsciousness, Hunter. Don¡¯t hurt her so much¡± Cole spoke sofily. ¡°Look, I know Zara is very special. But she was special in the past. For two years that she left, ire took care of you like a baby. She¡¯s been patient with you and constantly smiling even if you threw a fit of frustration or ignored her. She¡¯s been holding onto you like one holds on a rock or outgrown root to prevent themselves from falling¡± Cole came closer. His gait was tired and it was a friend talking to his friend when he spoke, ¡°ire deserves your love andpassion, Hunter, She should be in your present and future. Not a lover who left you sulking to marry another.¡± Hunter didn¡¯t react. But the frigidity of his gaze expressed many things. ¡°Engulf her when she¡¯s still doting on you. Or else a time wille when you will After a moment of deafening silence Cole motioned at the door. ¡°She¡¯s put to sleep for now. You can go and see her though¡± you will crave for her attention and get silence in response.¡± Hunter strutted towards the door quietly. Before he entered, Cole announced, ¡°Reflect on what I said, homie. All of us wish the best for you. And your best lies in ire¡¯s anns,¡± Hunter swung the door ajar and the view of ire nestled in bed, with machines around her, made his eyes freeze. Sitting on the stool he faintly caressed her hand that was pierced with IV drip needle. Her face has lost its rosy tint, her lips dry like withered petals of rose. Even then she appeared exquisitely beautiful. Marring her features was the white bandage on her forehead. On the left side, in the middle, was a circr patch of visible blood. Hunter touched it gently. Out of his own ord he bent down to kiss her dry lips. Instantly his body becare awake. He caressed her cheek and stared at her face in surprise. This feeling he was feeling of tranquillity¨Crendered him motionless. He didn¡¯t feel this way when he kissed Zara either. He kissed her forehead and whispered to her, ¡°Wake up, ire, I like it when you¡¯re fighting me. Wake up and challenge me.¡± ¡°Wake up. ire,¡± That voice was edged with hoarseness. But it infused within her being a feeling of cidity. ire could see ck but deep down she felt her heart radiating in happiness. ¡°Wake up and challenge me¡± The words boosted her courage. She battled with the heaviness in her body. Hershes hurt as she forced them to open but when she eventually undid them, she found nobody ire was taking in her surroundings when she heard the voice again. ¡°Cancel my schedule and turn all my meetings online. My wife is in the hospital so I will note to work for a few days¡± ire forgot to breathe when she saw him walking in. Her eyes glowed and a feeling of contentment filled her chest. ¡°Hunter, you came. She whispered to herself as she saw himing in By that time Hunter had disconnected the call. Their eyes met, and what they felt, made both their bodies tremble. While a soft grin curved on ire¡¯s dry lips, Hunter¡¯s twisted. Anger bubbled in his eyes as he recalled her messages I¡¯m cutting down on my food intake, Hunter. From a fruit a day, I¡¯ll reduce it to a bite a day. I will not touch food unless youe home and ear with me. ¡°You¡­¡± He started, but it was interrupted by the ringing of his phone. Chapter 10 Making a growling face Hunter regarded the caller ID. It was Enzo, the guard he appointed at his penthouse to take care of Zara. At that moment, ire disappeared for him. All he could think of was Zara as he answered the call. ¡°Hello, ¡°S¨Csir,¡± Enzo¡¯s voice was lethally tense. ¡°Miss Levine is kidnapped¡± ¡°No way!!! My Zara can¡®¡­. She¡­ Hunter lost his wits ire watched him with a frown as she heard Zara¡¯s name, ¡°Hunter, what happened?¡± She was upset that she just got up and the first thing she listens from her husband is the name of his ex¨Clover Much to her dismay, Hunter swung around and left her ward as if she wasn¡¯t his wife but any random woman who didn¡¯t deserve his attention. Tbr¡­ Hunter is collecting haters for himself, isn¡¯t he? But poor ire, shouldn¡¯t she just give up already? Would you strive to be with such man who wants to divorce you for his ex¨Clover! Comment and let us know. É« Chapter 11 Chapter 11Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Pain engulfed ire. Her body became numb as she expressionlessly stared at nowhere in the air. She didn¡¯t know what day it was or how long she had been asleep in a hospital bed, but she knew that not eating proper food for ten days caused huge damage to her body. She could feel her bones trembling. Her body felt paper light while hershes weighed down with exhaustion. All of this she did was for what? Her husband didn¡¯t even care to spare her a nce when he saw her. It was after ten days they met. But still, he left hurriedly as if she was not in a hospital bed with a bandage on The screeching sound of parting door made her lift her eyes. ire noticed Cole standing on the doorstep with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s up with your husband? He left like a hurricane. He came inside the bod hrad. ¡°Something to do with Zara ire spoke in a voicecking emotions. It still oozed with pain. Cole¡¯s back stiffened. He gritted his teeth as he shook his head. ¡°Zara!¡± He huffed while turning around to leave the ward. He met ire¡¯s best friend outside, Penelope Baker. A brte beauty with lush¨Chued gaze, little nose and pouty lips. She was out of the country when ire¡¯s anniversary was there. As a fashion designer by profession, she often left Bloomcrest to conduct fashion weeks that featured her designs. It was only in the afternoon that she returned¡­ Only to get the news of ire bring admitted to hospital night. ¡°Can I meet her?¡± Penelope asked. But seeing Cole¡¯s facial features she furrowed her brows, ¡°Is ire alright?¡± ¡°Penelope, c can you stay here please? I have an errand to run and it¡¯s important Cole held her hands expectantly, Penelope nodded and before she said anything. Cole murmured a thank you and caught the elevator. He came down in the lobby, Luckily, Hunter was still there. He was waiting for his car toe. However, he appeared very pale and concerned. ¡°Hunter, what you did upstairs is pathetic! You left your sick wife. Why? Cole yelled, not caring about the onlookers. He cared for his best friend¡¯s future. And clearly, Hunter was destroying his future for a woman who shouldn¡¯t be his priority ¡°Hunter, I¡¯m talking to you¡± Cole grabbed his wrist, Nevertheless, Hunter jerked his hand away and eyed him so intensely that Cole numbed in his spot ¡°Do you even know what¡¯s going on with Zarat She¡¯s fucking kidnapped, Cole. Someone kidnapped her right from the front of my hotel Hunter¡¯s words made Cole¡¯s jaw drop. ¡°Kidnapped¡® Zara! Fuck¡­¡± He blinked his eyes shockingly He cared for ire as a friend. But he used to be close with Zara too when she was dating Hunter. He might be supporting ire during theseplicated circumstances, he couldn¡¯t ignore what Hunter just mentioned. Without further dy, both of them got inside Hunter¡¯s car. While they were on their way to his hotel, Hunter disclosed what he has been keeping to himself about Zara. ¡°She didn¡¯t deserve the life she lived in the two years, Cole. Zara was tormented by her Inws and husband for something she didn¡¯t do.¡± Hunter passed his phone to Cole with the gallery of his phone open. He presented some gruesome images of a woman¡¯s backden with dark and dirty scars. Cole¡¯s mouth twisted as he saw them. ¡°Clifford¡¯s business began to fall with time after his marriage. He and his parents med Zara for being a jinx in their lives. She would be beaten up La Chapter II daily. She suffered in that hell with those monsters for two years. Cole. And even after Clifford died with a heart attack, her inws med her¡± ¡°Zara would have been dead that night on my marriage anniversary had I not dragged her into my car with me. Her Inws hate her.¡± He said with panic and angercing his voice. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she report it to the cops or tell her parents anything about this?¡± Cole asked, feeling pitiful for Zara. ¡°With Clifford¡¯s family being powerful since his uncle was a politician, she couldn¡¯t turn to anyone. She quietly endured their torture.¡± ¡°Her parents died a while ago. Zara had nowhere to go. If she opened her mouth to tell the cops, she may have to go through worse. Henceforth, she did any helpless woman in her position would¨Cstay quiet and bare everything Hunter informed Although Cole¡¯s heart bled for Zara, he kept quiet. As someone who was in support of ire against this woman Hunter and him was going to search for, it would look weird if he said anything. They came to the hotel and straight to his penthouse. They met a brawny guard inside, who had worried lines on his forehead. Hunter asked him what happened, ¡°Miss Levine left after you to catch some fresh air, sir. When she didn¡¯t return even though it¡¯s been more than thirty minutes, I went to check after her. She wasn¡¯t there anywhere. Then I checked the CCTV footage and found out a pair of masked men forcing her inside a ck van.¡± He showed them some footage. Cole was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t know what toment. He just stared at Hunter and was annused by his tranquil features. ¡®How could he be so calm?! He asked himself. While Hunter¡¯s legally wedded wife was in the hospital with a head injury, his old lover was kidnapped. In either case, a man in his ce would feel clueless and sweat. As for Hunter, his eyes were Hawk¨Clike sharp as he perused the footage. His fingers danced expertly on the keyboard as he zoomed in and out of the footage to collect clues. There was no line of apprehension on his face at all. But still, at this moment he looked less concerned than yesterday when he came to the hospital to meet ire. Yesterday, he appeared worried and jittery. His face was pale and some sweat beads had covered his forehead. ¡°Found them! They¡¯re in a warehouse behind the White Lake. Cole flickered hisshes. When heposed himself and nced at theptop, he saw a red dot on a map. While he was busy studying Hunter, he dug out her location effortlessly. ¡°Did you breach into the CCTV f footage around the city? Cole asked, curious to know how he could do it so quickly Getting up, Hunter loaded his licensed gun and said, ¡°I presumed her Inws will try to get back at her any time. So I gifted her a ring with a tracker installed in it Cole¡¯s eyes flew open. ¡°He gave her a ring! ire will be so hurt if she hears that. He thought because in their elite society, a man only gave a woman a ring to promise her a marriage. If his motive was to protect her, he could give her a ne, or an anklet, or a bracelet, or something else with the tracker hidden in it. Why a ring! Cole wished to knock some senses in his best friend¡¯s head. But just then, ¡°Want toe with me? Hunter asked, causing his mouth to drop. They were best friends. They vowed to stand by each other¡¯s side and take each other¡¯s back during times of difficulties. However, with what was going on currently in one of their lives, they havee to a point where a friend had to literally ask another friend whether he was willing to join him on a mission that meant a lot to him. ¡°Have I ever left you alone in such a situation before?¡± Cole said with a small smile. It brought a smile of gratitude on Hunter¡¯s lips too before they patted each other¡¯s back and entered the elevator. The warehouse wasn¡¯t far away from Hunter¡¯s hotel. They got there in ten minutes. The outside of the warehouse was clear so they tiptoed inside without meeting any problem. However, when they came a little deeper inside, they could hear a woman cry for help, ¡°Please, no, don¡¯t hurt me! I¡¯m a widow, Please have mercy¡± 2/3 Chapter II Toc This is shocking, isn¡¯t this? What do you think it is¡­ Zara¡¯s game or real kidnapping! Çú Chapter 12 COMMENT Chapter 12 ¡°You¡¯re being insane, iret Like why? Why would you persevere to stay beside a man who doesn¡¯t give two fucks about your health?¡± Penelope ground the words out as a tear escaped her right eye. Although she was aware of the full story of her friend, she didn¡¯t expect to get the gore information ire just shared. Hunter left her unattended for ten days. Even if he came to see her today, it was only for a few minutes. He has to he a total jerk to do that to his devoting wife ¡°It¡¯s certain that man doesn¡¯t feel shit for you. Why would you still chase after him then? Penelope literally screamed as she asked the question. ire raised her now dry eyes. She was exhausted of crying. But her wetshes made her look vulnerable. ¡°Hunter is distracted, Penny. Otherwise he was a very good husband to me in thest two months after I asked him to give me another ch- ¡°Who the fuck is he to give you a chance, huh? That asshole should not even get an appointment to see you again. You¡¯re beyond his reach, ire That freak doesn¡¯t deserve a nce from you, let alone all your afforts,¡± Penelope immediately sighed in remorse. She was being too harsh on ire who was not to be med. Ever since she learned the meaning of love, she dedicated her everything to Hunter as she loved him. While ire frequently visited his favorite ces just to get a glimpse of him, Penelope apanied her. She was there when ire only had a crush on him. And then she was also there when her friend imed that she was in love. Penelope lent her shoulder to ire to cry when Hunter shared about his girlfriend for the first time on his social media. It was Penelope who passed her tissue papers and averted her attention to other topic to change her direction of thinking. But still, ire didn¡¯t forget him. She held omo Hunter stubbornly until it finally happened¡­ Finally when he sent her a marriage proposal. Penelope closed her eyes defeatedly as she med herself for this condition of her friend. If she had tried a little harder, she could have introduced way more handsome and beguiling men to ire eight years ago when her obsession for Hunter started. Except that she didn¡¯t. Because she liked where her story was leading. It was a fairytalee true. A princess fell in love with a powerful King and was lucky enough to get married to him. s, nothing that transpired further was magical. Rather it was tragic. ¡°ire, did you try to figure out why I¡¯m back in Bloomerest all of a sudden?¡± Penelope asked with a raised eyebrow. She was damn busy this month and months toe. ire thought about it and innocently stared at her friend. She must have a very solid reason to make a hasty reason. Your father phoned me. He asked me toe back and knock some senses into your numb head¡± The mention of her father made ire¡¯s face turn white. ¡°Dad told you that!!¡± Her lips trembled into a smile as she blinked her wet eyes. Penelope grinned sadly. ¡°Yes, ire. Your father is too darn worried for you that he resorted to bring me back to Bloomcrest. He thinks since your family is unable to make you see sense, I will do something¡± ¡°Will you be moved if I told you he sobbed while telling me about you? ire¡¯s mouth hung in daze. Her father was a tough man who saw life from various angles. With years of experience, he knew how to deal with difficult situations and with what intensity. And yet, when his daughter was concerned, he became nk and cried. He had no other option than to involve her childhood best friend so she could see between wrong and right, and make a choice for her future. ¡°Your family wants to see you happy and it doesn¡¯t lie with Hunter ire, I have been with you on every step since you got married to him. But if I knew this is how things were going to turn out for you, I would have never apanied you to the clubs and restaurant to see him. Because I can see it¡¯s leading you to the path of doom.¡± Penelope wailed silently. ¡°None of you can feel what I feel. You can¡¯t understand my emotions. If I leave Hunter then¡­¡± ire¡¯s sudden pause caused Penelope to look up. 1/2 2:04 PMText ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Chapter 12 Then as she finished her sentence, Penelope was left with a racing heart. ¡°I will be no better than a dead body. I will die without him.¡± For the whole day after that conversation, Penelope tried to not talk about Hunter. He was like the trigger hair on venus fly trap for ire. If touched, it could make the walls of depression close around her and lead to regretful consequences. She spoke about some random guy she met during work and how it ended to be the best one night stand of her life to elevare ire¡¯s mood. Penelope had perceived that talking to ire would lead to her untimely demise. It may not be physical. But since ire was emotionally attached to Hunter, she might lose her mental bnce and be a living dead body. None of them wanted that. There was just one thing they could do now¡­. Wait and see ire figure out that she was making a mistake chasing Hunter. ¡°Let me get you some food? Penelope said as it was time for ire¡¯s final meal for the day, She looked at the dusky sky out of the window before she up from the stool to leave. ¡°Wait, I wille with you ¡°Hmm, okay.¡± Penelope said with a shrug. Since ire was given fluids one after another, she appeared lively and energetic. They both took the elevator to go to the lobby that led to the canteen in the hospital. ¡°I want some juicy burger. My mouth is awfully bitter from the meds the doctor gave earlier. ire told to her friend. Penelope strictly eyed her, ¡°Only porridge with a ss of fresh juice. You heard what the doctor said, didn¡¯t you? If you want to be discharged by tomorrow afternoon stick to the diet he suggested¡± ¡°Fine. But at least get me a toast with butter on it.¡± ¡°We can settle for that.¡± Penelope replied They have to take a left after arriving at the lobby to enter the attached cafeteria. However, just as they came to the middle of the spacious ce. ire¡¯s legs froze and her face nched. Penelope read her expression and followed her eyes only to witness her inws consoling Hunter for something. But considering how his shoulders were sagged and his face was red with trepidation. Penelope was intelligent enough to figure it that it wasn¡¯t for ire. Their doubt was confirmed when a doctor rushed to them and announced, ¡°Miss Levine needs blood, Mr. Macintyre. Her blood group is rare and in is not avable in the blood bank¡± ¡°I will arrange it, doctor. Just don¡¯t leave Zara alone.¡± ire¡¯s heart dropped watching her husband as he eyed the doctor with that demand spilling from his mouth hoarsely. She was rooted to her spot, her eyes now watering as she didn¡¯t know when it started. Penelope held her shoulders as she felt the stiffness in her body. ¡°You¡¯re hungry, weren¡¯t you? Let¡¯s get some food¡± She said. But there was no way ire would move. She wished she had because then she wouldn¡¯t have to bear an eye contact with herwfully wedded husband who hardly spared her a two seconds long nce before turning around to leave. The.. 2/2 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 13 If ire thought that was more hurtful, she was wrong. Just after Hunter left she saw her mother¨Cinw turning to her husband with a teary face and said, ¡°Poor soul has to go through so much, Leon, she will be fine, won¡¯t she?¡± And she hugged her husband. ire felt like a bucket of cold icy water was thrown on her. She had been here sincest night and nobody came to see her except for her Inusband¡­ Which was also for only ten seconds to count, Her parents were oblivious of her condition. But considering that Cole brought her here in his arms, shouldn¡¯t he have told her inws too? Beside her husband. Torment seeped into her bones and suddenly her skull began to throb with pain, Cole was standing beside her inws, soothing them. ire couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe how suddenly everyone¡¯s emotions turned against hi Up until some days ago, all these people were on her side, shedding tears for her and pitying her. her. She could have endured Hunter¡¯s indifference because he was distracted. But her inws! You told me once that I am like your daughter, mom. And dad, you always sided with me whenever Hunter was ignorant ire pondered as she found her breathing fracturing. She couldn¡¯t conclude what was more hurtful. Her husband¡¯s obsession with his old lover. Or the fact that her in¨Cand the only person who supported her right from the start of this mess, Cole, was also devoting to Zara like a loyal devotee, ¡°ire,¡± she gasped, hearing her nane from her mother¨Cin¨CLaw¡¯s mouth. ¡°Oh ire, Violet left her husband and made a hasty beeline towards her She was about to touch her check, but Penelope had had enough. She pulled ire back and threw a reprimanding look at her friend¡¯s mother¨Cin- ¡°To say I was shocked that only your husband has lost his mind will be wrong to say, ire, It looks like everyone in the Macintyre family is like this. She paused as she red at the couple with pepper and salty hair. ¡°Brainless and selfish.¡± ¡°Be careful with your words, Penelope,¡± Cole chided as he came to speak in defense of the old couple. Penelope scoffed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the same from your best friend and his family? I guess it¡¯s them who should be careful with how they act these days. Cole glowered at her. She was saying this because she had no clue what happened a while ago. If she knew she wouldn¡¯t even dare to open her mouth He ignored her as she was not important, What she thought or felt about them hardly mattered to Cole. He turned to ire and sighed, ¡°I¡¯m d to see you out of her. I hope your head is not hurting ¡°Not hurting? I¡¯m sure she might just pop a vein or two in her head from all the pain you imbeciles are giving to her. Come on, ire, they¡¯re not worth your time. Let¡¯s grab our food and go back to your wand.¡± Penelope taunted while on ire¡¯s wrist. However, she was unmoving. Her eyes wereiningly stuck on Violet and Leon, Of all the people, she didn¡¯t assume her inws will support Hunter with his infatuation with Zara. Violet saw through her thoughts and tried to clear her misunderstanding, ¡°We wereing to see you, ire, but we ran into Hunter carrying a bleeding Zara in his arms. So we couldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°So what, huh? You followed him to see what¡¯s the matter. Isn¡¯t that what you want to say, Mrs. Macintyre? Penelope cut her as she scoffed again. ¡°Does that mean your son¡¯s ex¨Clover is more important to you over your daughter¨Cinw! Violet¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, darling. I swear it is not 1/3 ¡°We know exactly what it is like, ma¡¯am. Now if you excuse us, we would like to leave. ire needs food before she can take her after meals medicines. Though I know it hardly matters to you, I care about my friend¡¯s brahh. After all she¡¯s been starving herself for a man who thinks with his dick ¡°You better control you your fucking. Cole gulped his further words because ire was dragged away by Penelope. Anger washed over him. But one look at the old couple and eyes softened. ¡°Whoever said it truly said it truly that whenever a childmits a mistake, it¡¯s the parents who suffer the most. He heaved, feeling bad for Mr. And Mrs. Macintyre. The world doesn¡¯t know bus since Hunter left ire outside their anniversary party venue to meet Zara, his parents and grandparents abandoned him. They wouldn¡¯t talk to him or respond to his calls. In the days that passed by, they rebuked him on every step. In fact, old Mr. Macintyre, Hunter¡¯s grandpa, went as far as threatening him with the family¡¯s property. But no one could change his friend¡¯s mind. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mom, I will talk to her. Cole said. He and Hunter were so close that they addressed each other¡¯s parents as mom and dad ¡°I swear I came here to meet her, Cole. Violet quietly sobbed. ¡°I told you to go to her ward right away, didn¡¯t I? But you wanted to get updates on that intolerable woman¡¯s health¡± Leon seethed in frustration. He never liked Zara in the past at all. So when they walked on Hunter carrying her in his arms, the first thought he got was to shove her out of his arms. That was not her ce to seek protection in. It was ire¡¯s rightful ce However, his wife with a butter¨Csoft heart pleaded with him to check on Zara first. Violer clicked well with her when Hunter and Zara were dating. Hence it was the sake of the old times she insisted him. But Leon knew bener. He always felt that Zara had more to her face than what met the eyes. Therefore, he coldly said not to meet her. But Violet couldn¡¯t contain her feelings. SheWho would have known that they met their son¡¯s lover first? What they didn¡¯t expect was that ire would catch them red¨Chanded, ¡°The damage is done, Violet. Even if you cry at her feet she will not believe you.¡± He closed his eyes to keep in his frustration ¡°She¡¯s mentally disturbed and we gave her another reason to be sad about? Leon was fond of ire. Any time, he would choose her to be his daughter¨Cinw over Zara ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± He said and started walking away while his wife chanted the same old thing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, mom, Cole hugged her. ¡°ire knows that you love her. I will exin everything to her. Besides, as a woman she will understand the situation once I told her about it ¡°If you say, Violet nodded at him. ¡°But please, tell her to talk to me once the misunderstanding is clear. I can¡¯t see her like this.¡± Had Penelope heard that, she would gauge her eyeballs out to roll them on the floor as rolling them normally wouldn¡¯t be enough. When she departed with her husband, Cole went in search of ire. He found her sitting like a lifeless body with her friend on a table. There was a bowl of porridge, buttered toast and a ss of orange juice on the table between them Penelope was attempting to make her eat but ire was lost in her thoughts. I¡¯m sorry you had to see us with Hunter, ire. But I promise we don¡¯t support him with his affection towards Zara Cole thought to himself as ire¡¯s bloodless face made his heart twitch. The loose patient¡¯s gown made her appear weaker than ever He walked towards them and pulled a chair out to sink in. Seeing him around them, Penelope lost her calm. She pped the table thus tearing ire out of her trance as she hollered.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You son of a bitch! How dare you bring yourself here Lift your ass and wiggle it out of our sight. ¡°Do you know that for a woman your tongue is too darn disgraceful Cole said with condemn. ¡°Says who? The best friend of a witless manwhore Cole knew better than to argue with her. He turned his face to ire who was already looking at him with a waiting gaze. ¡°Trust me, we are not with Hunter. He can jump into a valley for all our care but you need to listen me out, ire¡± Penelope hissed, ¡°What are you! His pimp. Stop advertising for your manwhore friend, Mr. Wordsmith. We are not going to buy your words.¡± ire 3/3 was dazed with her friend¡¯s frustration. Deep down she smiled as Penelope was doing what she couldn¡¯t- taunt the Mcintyres and their aplices on behalf of her for her pain. ¡°Either you get up from here or I will call the security. They would know better to throw you out for stressing the patient with a head injury¡± Her words made Cole scratch his head. Since she dramatically pped the table, the others have been looking their way with narrowed eyes. Not to mention the man on the counter taking orders was also keeping an eye on him. For then he was truly bothering the patient and her friend. Cole couldn¡¯t dy it further if he wanted to stay beside ire and ward off misunderstandings to some extent. After all, he brought her here in his arms. The blood on his shirt was the evidence He saw Penelope opening her mouth again. This might be it if she opened her annoying n mouth. Thus before she said it, he broke the silence. ¡°Zara has been gang raped, ire.¡± Penelope¡¯s mouth opened wider as the words settled in. On the contrary, ire¡¯s stomach twisted, her skin turned cold, and heart skipped a beat as she felt her own body convulsing from the pain a woman may feel over the mention of the word repe Tbc¡­ Çú Chapter 14 Chapter 14 14 While the lines of worry lessened around Cole¡¯s mouth as thedies seemed to notice his words, ire scanned his face for visible lies. He could be lying to fool her. Unfortunately, all she saw was genuinity.. Moreover, he had no reason to lie. He may be Hunter¡¯s best friend. he was supporting ire. ¡°Nice excuse but my friend and I are not imbeciles. That woman and rape¡­ What a joke!¡± Penelope said, her words reduced the impact Cole¡¯s announcement had created. She refused to believe that it happened. She cringed and added, I¡¯m forced to wonder whether you are involved with Zara to destroy ire¡¯s rtionship. Cole, tell me honestly, are you doing this because you are jealous of your best friend having a loving and faithful wife? You want to separate them because you never had a chance at true love. Ain¡¯t I right?¡± ITy [your can¡¯t say anything good, don¡¯t open your stinking mouth, Penelope Baker.¡± Cole hissed out His eyes grew darker, and if looks could kill, he would have reduced Penelope into a mess of flesh, blood and broken bones. He somehow controlled his fury and spoke again, his eyesing to rest on ire¡¯s face, ¡°I was furious to see Hunter leaving you. So I followed him downstairs. I swear on Christ, ire. I am not lying ¡°I apanied Hunter to the warehouse where Zara was¡­¡± He gritted his teeth and paused. ¡°Zara was taken and physically tormented by a group of ire was silent and lost. She couldn¡¯t help but imagine a recently widowed woman getting kidnapped by a group of men and taken to an isted ce. The image that unfolded across from her eyes made her tremble. She came to her senses with tears. ¡°How is she? I hope you didn¡¯t let the culprits get away¡± She asked out of pity as a woman. However, Penelope scoffed beside her. Her eyes erged as she made a rebuking face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you believe him, Laire?¡± ¡°Penny, please,¡± ire covered her hand on the table and blinked her eyes. Thedies had a wordless conversation, which calmed Penelope down. Cole flickered hisshes as he was surprised to see such a moment unfold. How can one speak without using words? Must be a women¡¯s thing. He thought and shrugged it off. When ire looked at him again, he realized she was expecting an answer to the question she asked before she was disturbed by her annoying wild friend Cole made a face at the thought of Penelope before saying ¡°Zara was naked and bleeding under them. Although Hunter and I held down two men. three of them took off. The said two are under police custody now ire¡¯s eyes froze on his face. Five men? She felt her chest burning with inexplicable ache. In that moment, she forgot that Zara was the parasite in her marriage, who sucked love and affection out of her rtionship. She insisted Cole to take her to see Zara Penelope reluctantly followed them. A part of her was searing with disbelief. Her friend must have hit her head hard. Or else she wouldn¡¯t insist on seeing the home wrecker who stole her husband from her. They arrived outside the operation theatre under which Zara was taken. ire¡¯s stomach churned as she watched nurses and doctors running in and out like crazy from time to time. It gave away Zara¡¯s condition. She sat down on the bench with her friend as her weak legs couldn¡¯t support her body weight for so long. Since she left in the middle of having her dinner, Cole brought her a sandwich. Despite her refusing to have it, Cole coerced her to gulp it down as she needed energy. She was in the middle of drinking water when she heard heavy footsteps. A familiar woodsy cologne ignited her senses. With the mouth of the bottle close to her lips, ire turned her head to see her husband rushing towards them. A corrosive paincerated her chest because his face was a n mess. He had tear marks on his cheeks and redness lining his eyes. Though he wore a mask of coldness, one could still see the pain behind it. He was actually suffering. C 2/2 Their eyes met for a second. It felt like he wanted to say something to her. ire got up to take a step towards him but he walked ahead as the door of the operation room behind her opened. ¡°Did you get the blood, sir?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s here¡± Hunter said in a scratchy voice as he lifted bags of blood in both his hands. ire had missed seeing it. But as she observed the nurse who had apanied the doctor take the bags of blood, her heart constricted. ¡°How is she, doctor? Will she be fine!¡± Hunter asked. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say anything now, sir. But we¡¯re trying our best. The doctor had a mask on so it was hard to see his expression andpute the severity of Zara¡¯s case *Acquisition of blood eliminates thirty percent of risks. While we try to eliminate the rest, what you all can do is pray. With our efforts and your prayersbined we can indeed bring her back to good health. He announced before returning to the operation room. Hunter¡¯s shoulders slumped. He sagged against the wall and let his head fall back. As he stared at the whitewashed ceiling with moist felt pain cut through her heart like a sharp knife, Her husband was in tears. For the first time. And for whom? His ex¨Clover. cycs, ire Although the humane part of her encouraged her to take a step towards him and console him, the tight hold of Penelope on her left hand. reminded her of her own pain and injury. She had been hospitalized after falling from stairs and yet there was no hint of sympathy in Hunter¡¯s eyes. Whereas now, he was literally looking like a man who lost his valuable fortune. She kept looking at him until he closed his eyes. Cole did what her humane part wanted her to. He went to him and squeezed his shoulder, giving him strength with his words. Though it was not audible what Cole said, what Hunter replied to it red in ire¡¯s ears as if it was ying in a big speaker near her ears. ¡°She¡¯s my life, Cole. I made it through with her memories so far. How will I live if something happens to her?¡± Instantly her eyes lowered and she started feeling dizzy, ire¡¯s stomach twisted and knees began to tremble. Suddenly her chest became heavy and breathing became difficult. She wanted to get out of there. Out of the reach of his shadow too She tried to get up, except that her feet were too frail to hold her weight. Since she was half way up on her legs, ire came crashing down on her knees. The¡­ It doesn¡¯t look like a sham! Zara is indeed hurt. What should ire do now] With Hunter being so obvious and loud with his feelings, should she still hold onto him? What are your thought on this? Let us know throughThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. 15 ¡°ire!!!¡± Penelope shrieked her name out of shock as she watched her friend go down on her knees. ire was being helped by her when two strong arms came around her shoulders. A knot seemed to untie within her chest as a faint smile crossed her lips. on a gasp as ire observed the face mere inches away from her. ¡°Hun-¡± Her mouth hung open on a ¡°Jesus Christ! You are burning with fever, ire. Come on, get up. Let me take you to your ward.¡± That was Cole furrowing his brows in concern at her. The dam of miseries seemed to unbolt in her heart. ire flickered her heavyshes. She looked behind Cole¡¯s shoulders at her husband, regarding her with a detached stare. Hunter didn¡¯t seem in his senses. Even if he was then he didn¡¯t care one bit about her. He was right there by the wall, in the same position, just his face¡¯s angle had lowered to look at her. ¡°Come on, give me your hand. Cole¡¯s words caused her breathing to fracture. While she was struggling to get up, another man was helping her. On the other hand, the man that was legally married to her and had the rights to carry out towards her¡­ Was expressionlessly watching her. ¡°I¡¯ll help myself¡± ire hated how her voice sounded, but she managed to get up on her feet with Penelope¡¯s help. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to your¡­ ¡°No need. Hunter needs you more than me. I have Penelope to keep mepany and be my support. ire announced as she looked straight at the empty corridor. She didn¡¯t d dare take onest look at Hunter as she trudged forward. The walk back to her ward was like a battle she had to fight with herself. And as she stepped inside, she lost it. ire fell on the ground and burst into heavy sobs. She covered her face and cursed her fate for being so cruel. ¡°ire, control yourself!¡± Penelope tried not to weep herself as this broken side of her friend was not easy to behold. ¡°He must love her so much to watch me fall and note to my help. She punched those words out among her sobs. ire trembled, and seeing her condition an overwhelming feeling washed over Penelope. She tried to get her up on her feet again so she could put her to bed. Nevertheless, ire was gripped by a storm of destion. She cried and cried until her eyes gave up, making her pass out. When ire shook off the cobwebs of unconsciousness and opened her eyes to the world, she witnessed Penelope sitting in the stool next to her. Her head was on the edge of her bed and soft snores came from her mouth. She was also holding her hand with IV drip put on it again. As ire attempted to move, it broke Penelope¡¯s sleep. She woke up batting her and yawned. ¡°ire, you freaked me out. How are you feeling? Wait, I¡¯ll call the doctor first. Penelope said and left her alone. Once alone, ire reflected on what transpired the other day with her. She had opened her eyes to find her husband who left her for his first love Her inws who imed to havee to meet her were seen with their son, who was in the same hospital to provide medical assistance to his first love. Then a shocking revtion. Le wall She couldn¡¯t take Hunter¡¯s face with dried tear marks on the cheeks out of her mind. She couldn¡¯t forget how he remained standing by the when she fell. ¡°Even in the two years that we were together, he woulde to check on me if I ever had an ident at home while working in the kitchen. But yesterday, I fell right in front of him and he didn¡¯t budge. She thought with a saddened smile. Why would he think about his wife who is merely weak for not eating food? His lover is more important. And she¡¯s been gang raped so Suddenly ire stopped and blinked her eyes. No matter her condition, what happened with Zara was rather pitiful. She had a desire to check on her. She looked outside the window at the bright sky, hoping that by now Zara¡¯s surgery may have beenpleted. And that she might have been shifted to a ward for rest. As she was about to ce her feet on the floor, a doctor came in. Behind him were Penelope and Cole. Both their faces had a scowl and instantly 1/2 ire knew they bickered with each other. The doctor came to her with a notepad and checked her report and machines. He checked her pulse and after conducting his evaluation be turned to Cole and Penelope ¡°Her blood pressure is low and her pulse rate is crawling. Please, make sure stress causing factors are not introduced to her if you want her to recover. The doctor said with a frown. ire stared at her pale hands while Cole talked to the doctor. Once he departed, he came to her side with a s ¡°It¡¯s a lucky day today I guess. Both of you woke up today¡± ire¡¯s head shot up at Cole¡¯s words, ¡°Zara woke up already!¡± She asked, shocked, Wasn¡¯t she under operation theater fighting off critical moments? She must be a warrior to wake up hours after the surgery. As though Cole read her mind, he answered, ¡°Erm, it¡¯s been three days since you fainted, ire. The doctors have been trying to wake you up but¡­ ire couldn¡¯t hear him as she was submerged in the sea of amusement. Three days! She was out for three days! She looked around, trying to feel Hunter and found not even his faint scent in the room. ¡°Has Huntere to see me?¡± She asked even though she knew the answer. ¡°Chire, Hunter¡­ Cole trailed off, not knowing what to say. ¡°He woulde to you if only Zara¡¯s thoughts left him alone.¡± Penelope scoffed distractedly. TbcContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Çú Chapter 16 Chapter 16 16 Penelope was too inmed by Hunter¡¯s behaviour to keep her mouth shut. However, Cole eyed her dangerously. It reminded Penelope of the doctor¡¯s words. They should keep stress causing factors away from her. ¡°Err.¡­.. I was saying¡­ I was saying that though Hunter was worried for Zara he didn¡¯t forget to check up on you, ire. Hunter spent his nights sitting by you on this stool. He never left you alone for once throughout the night and his back is brutally stiff now.¡± Penelope blurted out.. She peered at Cole as if asking with her gaze if her lie was up to the mark. Since the doctor said they must not give her stress, the best way to avoid it was to give her happy news so her mood would be elevated I But Cole¡¯s zing re indicated that it was more than too much¡­ ire wouldn¡¯t believe that provided that Hunter hardly waited to see her when shest woke up. Even on that night when Zara was being operated in the operation room and ire fell on the floor while getting up, Hunter barely moved from his ce. She may be weak but she wasn¡¯t a fool. There was no way that she would believe that he spent three nights sitting beside her on a stool! Even if ire doubted it, she didn¡¯t utter a word. She remained quiet and took her medicines when given to her. She ate her food silently too. When it was time to rest, she asked Penelope to leave her alone in the room, which she did without any second thought while saying. I have a phone call to make. I¡¯ll go downstairs. You can rest well, ire, I will be here when you wake up.¡± Ten minutes after she was gone, ire stepped out of her ward. She couldn¡¯t control the itch in her chest. It needed to be taken care of, and it was only going to be disposed of once she saw Hunter. And she knew where he miglu bel Hence she started looking for Zara¡¯s ward. Thousands of needles of anguish pricked her heart when she pondered that. Hunter should have been in her ward with her. But she knew that Zara¡¯s ward is where she was going to find her husband. She didn¡¯t have to struggle to find the ward Zara was shifted in. It was surprisingly on the same floor as hers, and in the extreme left corner while hers was in the extreme right. It seemed that Hunter Macintyre asked for the hospital to keep his wife and his mistress on the same floor while the other wards were left. unupied. It wouldn¡¯t be a big thing to make it happen for him. He was the heir of the wealthiest family in Moomcrest after all. Anyway, ire was right outside the door. It was closed and yet somehow she was able to listen to what they were talking inside the room. And through the see¨Cthrough circle she could see what was happening on the other side of the door. A very familiar and sharp pain pierced her chest. It was the pain that started on the day of her second marriage anniversary. It grew intense in her chest, making breathing difficult.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ire closed a hand on her mouth as she witnessed Hunter¡¯s head pressed on Zara¡¯s chest. He was hugging her tight while she was trying to soothe him. Tm fine, Hunter. Look, I¡¯m all well.¡± She grinned faintly as the corner of her mouth was bruised, showing that she was forced inhumanly. Hunter refused to let her go. He was frozen there. If ire wasn¡¯t wrong, she could bear soft sobsing from within. She felt her knees be jelly when he lifted his head. Hunter covered Zara¡¯s full frame on the bed. ¡°I will never forgive myself. It¡¯s because of me you had to go through that. If only I didn¡¯t leave you alone that evening, you wouldn¡¯t have left the penthouse. I¡¯m sorry¡± His words struck ire like a missile, If only I didn¡¯t leave you alone that evening- those words rendered her motionless. He left because ire was hospitalized. Did he mean that he would have let his wife be in the hospital in care of his friend and Housekeeper while he looked after Zara! ire¡¯s body buzzed with tormenting pain. She took a step back and felt herself falling again. She stood against the wall next to the door and closed her eyes. Their voices ringing in her ears as they continued to speak. ¡°That has nothing to do with your leave, Hunter. It was written in my fate¡­ Just like me bing a widow at a young age. Nobody could stop it Don¡¯t me yourself for my condition.¡± Zara said softly. For a victim of gang rape, she was seriously very strong ¡®Maybe she¡¯s seen worse which is why this doesn¡¯t affect her much¡® ire thought. Chapter 16 ¡°I wasn¡¯t there to stop it for you. But now I swear to god that I will not let any harme to you, Zara. You have me.¡± Hunter said. ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, Hunter. You have a wife. Think about her first. I¡¯m just¡­¡± ¡°You are my woman, Zara. I will think about you all my life. As for ire, she¡¯s just my wife for the show.
  1. v. I will divorce her soon and be with you.¡±
ire bit into her palm to control her sobs. Her heart thundered in her chest, hearing her husband call another woman his woman.. ¡°What nonsense is that, Hunter? ire is your wife. You can¡¯t say that about her. Don¡¯t forget the sacrifices she made for you, and the time she invested in this marriage to make you happy. She¡¯s your woman and you are her man exclusively. Don¡¯t ever forget that.¡± Zara retorted, and if ire wasn¡¯t dreaming then she also noticed that her voice was sounding pissed I¡¯m d you still have feelings for me. But it¡¯s a waste now. I can¡¯t be any man¡¯s woman. I am not fit to be a¨Cany ma¨Cman¡¯s woman a¨Cafter this.¡± Zara stamunered, causing ire¡¯s walls of patience toe crashing down. She removed her hand and sped off like there was a zombie after her. ire¡¯s vision was blurry, her heart too upset to hear normally. She clenched her teeth from chattering as she darted to her ward. Right outside the door she ran into a person and came to a jerking halt. ¡°Oh gosh, ire, why are you out of your bed?¡± She heard Penelope. Throwing her hands around her shoulders as Penelope was holding her by the waist, ire sobbied against her shoulder. ¡°S¨Cshe didn¡¯t deserve it, Penelope. Zara is so nice and chaste. Why did god have to make her go through hell!¡± She uttered while Penelope¡¯s eyes widened in daze ¡°ire, what are you¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps Hunter was right, our betterment lies in our divorce. Zara definitely deserves someone who will love her, and who will do it better than Hunter. They both are made for each other. I¡¯m being a bitch who¡¯s standing between them.¡± Penelope took her inside and made her sit on the bed. She offered ire water which she refused and continued, ¡°Cole was right. Zara is a pure soul. I was judging her wrong all along. I am such a bitch.¡± Penelope didn¡¯t understand why sudden change of heart. She first made iree to some senses and asked her everything What she heard was enough to make her ears bleed. Zara was. So selflessly kind. ¡°I actually had a word with Cole about Zara¡¯s past. She really is a tough woman to survive after being tormented in the hands of her inws and husband. Penelope shared and that made ire feel even worse. ¡°In fact, the two culprits Cole and Hunter caught revealed something. They were sent by Zara¡¯s mother¨Cinw, ire. They intended to ruin her dignitypletely so no other man would want her: Penelope said. ¡°What she didn¡¯t know was that my husband would climb dangerous mountains if she was on the other side of it to be with her.¡± ire mumbled as more tears spilled from her eyes. ¡°Penelope, I want to talk to Hunter¡¯swyer. He probably has a new copy of our divorce agreement. I will sign it and leave them alone.¡± Penelope stared at her with teary eyes, ¡°Will you really give up on your love, ire? You love him a lot.¡± ¡°Until a few days ago, all of you wanted me to get rid of my husband. Now you can¡¯t believe me when I say I¡¯m ready to leave him? A sad smile stretched on ire¡¯s lips. ¡°I know it¡¯s surprising but I will do it. For Zara. Hunter can go to hell. But Zara, she needs love and a loving partner. She smiled further, making Penelope¡¯s heart skip a beat A smile on that pale face looked like a bloodstain on a wless white gown. ¡°Oh ire,¡± She hugged her friend ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Penny. I may not have Hunter but I have all of you.¡¯ ire chuckled as the two of them hugged each other for a while. When ire wasn¡¯t crying anymore, she asked for her phone. She had Hunter¡¯swyer¡¯s number. ¡°You really want to do it? Penelope asked her onest time. The¡­ Should ire really do it? Leave her love for someone else? Or is it equivalent to being free again and she doesn¡¯t realize it? What are your Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¡°Yes,¡± ire answered with a grin that was neither relieving nor soft to the eyes. With trembling hands Penelope passed her phone to her and watched as she searched for Daniel Calvart, Hunter¡¯swyer¡¯s number, was Dominic, Both of them were caught by surprise when her phone red loudly. For a moment Penelope lost her breaths as she thought it ire¡¯s father. She couldn¡¯t afford to have him call his daughter now as she had lied to him that they were in ire¡¯s house for a few days. She had assured him that when he saw his daughter next, it would be apanied with good news of her leaving her heartless husband. Whatever had transpired with ire was known by very few people. Nobody from ire¡¯s family knew about her condition. About her being in hospital for being neglected by her husband and torturing herself with starvation. ¡°Monty? Who¡¯s that?¡± Penelope asked as she read the name of the caller. ¡°That¡¯s m my detective friend from school¡± ire answered as she thought it was good he called her. She wouldn¡¯t need his services any more. She was going to divorce Hunter after all ¡°Hey, Monty ire began. ¡°How are y are your ¡°I¡¯m good, ire. But I heard you¡¯re in the hospital?¡± ¡°Erm, yeah, I was a bu sick. She lied. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lie to a detective you know¡± His words came and ire felt a bit embarrassed. She smiled, ¡°Then what was I supposed to say to you?¡± She touched her wedding band as tremors emerged in her fingers. The wedding band. ire stared at it. She had been over the moon when Hunter had slipped it on her finger. She looked at the glowing diamond carefully, and realized it was this big and shining but actually it belonged to someone else. This diamond was bought keeping Zara¡¯s vibrancy and personality in mind. It was supposed to be on her finger. The metal from the ring med against her skin. It was the memory of how she got it on her finger that stopped her from yanking it off and pelting It away. It was her wedding band. A promise of eternal togetherness that Hunter gave in her possession in the form of a band. ¡°That I starved myself for ten days just to get my husband¡¯s little attention.¡± She added as she felt her chestpressing against the weight of returning pain. ¡°Oh ire, why do you love him so much?¡± Monty sighed on the other side. ¡°Maybe because¡­ I am stupid. I loved too much and got hurt too much at the same time.¡± She said with augh except that it was not funny. Her spine turned to iron. She sat straight as her head began to throb. She didn¡¯t want to do it. Didn¡¯t want to talk with people about the man who was going to cease to be her man. It was useless. A waste even ¡°Monty, thank you for your readiness to help. But I have to tell you that it¡¯s no longer required. I¡¯m going to¡­¡± She took a deep breath before she finished it Much to her dismay, Monty sneered loudly, ¡°Don¡¯t let it spill from your mouth, ire. Because what I have got in my possession is going to stun you.¡± ¡°What do you mean! ire blinked. Meanwhile Penelope stared at her friend with a frown between her eyes. She wanted to know what they were talking about. ¡°Can we meet now? I know you are in a hospital but it¡¯s crucial. I can¡¯t share my findings on a phone call with you¡± Monty said with urgency in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s a waste now, Monty. I have decided that I will divorce Hunter,¡± ? in a coffee shop located behind the hospital. I am waiting for you. You cane visit me without any issue as the patients are allowed to visit here. You can use the back exit in case you don¡¯t want to be seen by anyone. Monty spoke, ¡°Just know that your husband has got himself a witch who¡¯s going to feed on his blood and soul if we don¡¯t act faster. ire, you muste for yourself if not for your husband¡± 1/2 Chapter 17 ire didn¡¯tment. Monty¡¯s partying statement had taken a toll on her.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ¡°You muste for yourself if not for your husband: her? Was it so obvious to everyone that her life revolved around her husband? That anything rted to him was considered significant business to be That she may not do it for Hunter but still do it for Hunter because it eventually meant that it was for herself! At once ire left the bed and darted for the door, bare footed. ¡°Where are you going now?¡± Penelope seized her wrist. The worry in her gaze was palpable ¡°Monty wants to talk. He¡¯s found something about Zara ire replied, looking at her friend. ¡°Penny, I think I¡¯m going to get the biggest heart wrenching shock of my life¡± Penelope couldn¡¯t understand, but she couldn¡¯t let ire go alone. Hence, she gave her the flip¨Cflops she had brought for her. Then they both to the elevator which descended in the back side of the hospital. took The coffee shot was not hard to find. It was crowded with people, and indeed many of them were patients who were with their family and friends, catching up on a cup of coffee. ¡°ire, Isere,¡± Since the hall was utterly crowded ire¡¯s gaze swept over the room desperate, that¡¯s when Monty raised a hand and called her over. Penelope held her shoulders protectively as they both trudged to the table Monty had chosen. It was small and in the corner under a staircase that led to the first floor of the exquisite coffee shop. The table was canopied by the shadow of the stairs, providing them the privacy and shroud they needed for the conversation they were going to have ire sat down, heart in her throat, as she noticed a file on the table. Monty had ordered a tea and it was brewing. His eyes were affixed on her face. The he saw was far apart and detached from the ire Argent he knew in school. Obviously, he kept seeing her pictures as ire Macintyre in magazines and newspapers beside her celebrity husband. But the ire that was Hunter¡¯s wife was better and prettier looking than this woman. This ire he was seeing was enveloped with depression and pain. She was thin and pale, appearing like she had been sick with terminal cancer. Like she had been fighting her sickness for years now. Her lips were dry and her face was pallid like the leaves that flow off a branch in a slowly flowing air wave during autumn season. You look weak, ire: Monty said in all honesty The starvation has gotten the best of her he can see. ¡°The information in your possession you spoke about, Monty ire said as she avoided thement on her appearance. Her skin was aze with heat of desperation. She kept staring at the file which Monty brought. Although he regarded Penelope for a second, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off ire ¡°Yes, here.¡± He nodded and with a sigh, forwarded the file on the table towards her. While ire opened it with desperation as that of a child opening a jar of candles, Monty revealed, ¡°Zara Levine should not be underestimated, ire. She¡¯s even Bercer and cleverer than you and I could imagine. She¡¯s an experienced yer in whatever game she¡¯s ying, and certainly your husband is in her vice grip.¡± The É« SIND GET 0 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¡°Your instincts were right about her. Zara indeed contributed to her husband¡¯s demise. She included heart attack causing pills in his medication to get rid of him. It wouldn¡¯t have been tough for her to do it considering that she¡¯s a medical student. Faking his death as a heart attack was simpler for her because she was friends with a well¨Cknown doctor in Silverhills with whom she met during her marriage. More like friends with benefits.¡± Monty gave his insights while ire and Penelope were reading Zara¡¯s husband¡¯s fake and real autopsy reports. Monty really did a great job. He got so many evidence, both faked by Zara and the real copy, along with his hand drawn connections and corrections in ces where the information was inurate. ¡°Zara left Hunter in greed of living an opulent life as her fiance, Clifford Phillips, was at the peak of sess and Hunter was still climbing the Ladders to the same position. Hunter may have been an heir to the wealthiest family in Bloomcrest but he was under supervision of his father, learning and excelling at a snail¡¯s speed. He wasn¡¯t Hunter MacIntyre unless you both got engaged.¡± ire perused the hand written interpretation of sess and possession of wealth made by Monty between Hunter and Clifford One can see that though Hunter handled the vast spread business of Matyre empire overseas, he wasn¡¯t given a title. He was working under assistance of the CEO who managed foreign business as his menter for years. So Zara had a benefitting choice in front of her. It was to leave a good looking boyfriend and settle down with a less good looking fance withparatively more wealth and control over his possession. As his mistress, she would just have to snap her fingers and her desires would be fulfilled¨CWhich was apletely different scenario with Hunter ¡°Zara chose Clifford and had the best two years of her married life. That was until Clifford¡¯s business failed and he miserably lost everything. He was diminished into a beggar with humongous liabilities written against his name. Multiple And huge. Zara saw where everything was going and what shape her future would take. That¡¯s why she made the decision to kill him, and returned to Bloomcrest as a widow so she could manipte your husband again.¡± ¡°The circumstances in which she left Hunter, she had crafted them cleverly. While leaving she had made sure that if things don¡¯t work out with Clifford Phillips, she would have a way toe back, and that Hunter would have no choice but to ept her¡± That reminded ire of the parting message Zara had left for Hunter before leaving. She had specified that her marriage was decided by her parents, and as a loyal daughter she had to fulfill their wishes. Monty¡¯s eyes were ice although his expression remained carefully contained. He could feel resentment that developed towards Zara unspooling within his being and making his jaw taur ¡°She treaded her steps discreetly and cautiously. She knew when to return and what to say.¡± ope were done assessing the evidence. They seemed unconvinced though. By then ire and Penelope ¡°Keeping in mind the evidence you gathered, I am willing to agree that Zara is dangerous and vicious. But what about the rape she endured? While everything else that happened could be a facade, rape couldn¡¯t. I mean it¡¯s just¡­ Just so depressing for a woman to- ¡°I have an answer for that question as well, ire. Here, see this. Monty cut her off and drew out his phone. He showed her a Pass of a membership that siphoned blood out of her and Penelope¡¯s faces. ¡°This is¡­¡± It was Penelope who opened her mouth, but couldn¡¯t finish her words. ¡°Your eyes are not betraying you,dies. This is mighty real and as unbelievable as it may seem, I have cross checked it and found out it is an active pass.¡± Monty offered. ire stared at the picture taken of a dark blue metallic debit card¨Clike pass with ZL, initials on it and Zara¡¯s name written in small letters below it There was also a number on it. 2478, Zara¡¯s recognition number. ire felt faint with shock. It was not just any pass. IT WAS A PASS OF BDSM CLUB¡¯S MEMBERSHIP And it was Zara¡¯s She was an active member of a BDSM club where she frequented, ¡°Her rape was staged.¡± ire trailed off. ¡°To make your husband sympathize with her. Penelopepleted her iplete sentence. ¡°What Hunter and all of you perceived as gang rape was actually a gang bang. Zara faked it to take Hunter under her confidence, and to stiffen her grip around his neck so tight that he would not see anyone else but her. Monty said as if he rested a case and settled back to stare at the evidence. Her head throbbed so painfully it was as though someone had driven a metal rod through the base of her skull and into the centre of her brain. All this new information about Zara was razor¨Csharp and it cut through her, Zara. Zara Levine. A woman ire presumed was as pure as an angel. A woman whose soul she deemed was the holiest. s, she was a bitch. A spawn of Medusa. She may not have snakes on her head. But her intentions were death causing. Suddenly, a sense of anger overpowered ire. She felt a strong need to confront Zara. So far their encounters have been passive,cking conversation or so much as an eye¨Ccontact. Anger flooded in her veins and ire got up. She wanted to see that witch who, just within a few days, managed to turn the course of her life. She looked at Monty with a hard¨Cfaced look, ¡°I feel so enraged that I just want to take it out on someone.¡± Monty gave her a sneered grin. ¡°I was happy to help¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Penelope followed her inside the hospital while Monty finally picked the cup of his brewing coffee and took a sip. He watched them disappear round theer as he closed the file and put it under his jacket. Inside the hospital, up Chire and Penelope went on the VIP floor. Penelope remained several steps backwards as ire stormed ahead. Fumes of exasperation poured from her. ire stopped for a mere second outside Zara¡¯s ward. She saw her sitting on the bed, staring at her fingers. She was alone. Opening the door, ire stepped in. Zara upped her skull. Her face was set innocently in a fine expression, as that of a victim of gang rape. She had ck fingerprints around her neck, indicating how she had been attempted to be killed. Her mouth was bruised and her left eye was ck But the reality that ire just saw with her own eyes minutes back made her eyes smother as they rested on Zara¡¯s weak¨Clooking, tortured frame. ¡°Chire¡± Zara blinked her eyes in surprise upon finding her in her wand. ¡°I was hoping to meet you.¡± Her sharine¨Csweet voice dripped, it sounded like a melody poisoned with pain. ire¡¯s teeth clenched. She knew this melody was rather bewitching and once a person got charmed with, the consequence that would followter would be the real surprise. Moving towards the bed, ire kept her mouth shut. She paused near the bed to Zara¡¯s left side, ¡°I heard from Cole about your condition. I know I don¡¯t deserve to even speak with you after what Hunter did. But ire. I want to apolo=¡°the other half of the word transformed into a whimper as Zara felt a stinging p connect with her cheek. The¡­ Did you expect that? Zara is indeed something! What are your thought on this chapter! If you want to get updates on the book and new chapters, follow me on IC @chantinglove138 É« Chapter 19 Chapter 19 19 Zara was startled. Her eyes aimlessly stared at the floor while the position of her head froze to an angle overlooking the white tiles to her left. She refused to blink as the pain from the p spread throughout her skull making her cheek throb. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to lure me with that melodiously sweet voice of yours. I am not Hunter and it will not work on me, bitch!¡± voice full of malice. hissed, her Zara slowly lifted her face, her eyes perused the woman standing in front of her closely. She saw a beautiful woman during her lowest. A woman who could have been the strongest if only the person she loved the most supported her. ire kept her chest from heaving. The back of her eyes was searing. She tried to blink it away as she maintained eye contact with Zara. ¡°I know what you are, Zara Levine, and what intention you have that I will not back away easily. You can be a cunning whore for all 1 care. In front of me you are nothing. ire said in a sharp and grating voice. There was silence thereafter for as long as ire could feel. She was trembling from all the discoveries she made, and her headache made her feel worse. She lifted a hand to clutch her bandaged forehead as she closed her eyes to ease some pain When she undid them and looked up, she was startled. Zara was sitting rather boldly on the bed with a malicious smirk. All the helplessness from her bodynguage was gone. Her eyes glinted with sinfulness as she gave them a careless roll ¡°So you caught me, huh! I am swayed by your intelligence, ire. Thank god you are not like those imbecile heroines from movies. You are one tough woman. Zara¡¯s voicecked the sweetness she had shown earlier. Sheughed like a viiness, Tm d you know who and what I am. Otherwise it would have been so tough to pretend to be nice to you. Where¡¯s the fun in being sweet and kind to the wife of the man you are trying to steal? The real fun begins when you know the other party is aware of your abilities and yet she couldn¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Those words struck ire like a hammer. She had pitied this woman. Thought that she was a kind soul tortured by the world. Now as ire regarded her, she recalled the famous saying¨CThe most beautiful flowers contain the deadliest poison. ¡°Everything happens for the first time indeed¡± ire sneered challengingly. Seeing the mes of persistence in her eyes, Zara was caught off guard. Now she saw a woman who was wounded but had determination of iron. But again she rolled her eyes and smirked like a devil. It was not like ire could hurt her. ¡°But in your case it happens again and again.¡± Zara mocked her. ¡°I heard thatst year Hunter abandoned your wedding anniversary celebration for a business meeting. Then this year he abandoned you for me. I can see that everything else in his life is important but you.¡± ire clenched her teeth. She suppressed her mask of indifference from slipping. But seeing how Zara was sneering at her, she knew she hadn¡¯t managed to keep it all together. ¡°So what, huh! Not every fairytale starts with love. Some fairytales go through a bumpy ride before having their happily ever after.¡± ire¡¯s response made Zara chuckle. She pped her hands and held her stomach as if it was hurting from all herughing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t mean tough. But y you are funny, C ire. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Zara wiped out tears from the corner of her eyes. She looked straight at ire. Her gaze lowered to ire¡¯s hands as she said, ¡°What you are calling a fairytale beginning was actually a smart n carved out by Hunter. You were simply being taken advantage of¡­ Until I returned. Now that I am back, you are no longer needed.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. A punch of bewilderment lodged itself into ire¡¯s sr plexus. Zara¡¯s words were like hot oil being poured in her ears. She was momentarily frozen as she looked at Zara smirking at her. ¡°Do you even realize that you are embarrassing yourself by having this conversation with me? Come on, ire. You are a clever woman. From that wedding ring on your finger to the man who you put it there all belongs to me. They were all mine before I left¡± Zara took joy in the sight of ire¡¯s nched face. She decided to rub more salt on her wounds by sharing some of her old memories with Hunter. ¡°You know when we were dating, many women tried to snatch Hunter from me. I was studying medical science so catching up with each other often became difficult. During that time many girls tried to distract him. But he has been like a loyal pet. He never betrayed me or so much as looked at them when they proposed the idea to cheat on me and be with them. He always came back to me no matter what.¡± 2/2 ¡°And this arrangement that you have mistaken for a fairytale was nothing but Hunter¡¯s way to buy time. He knew I woulde some day. And Jook I am here.¡± She smirked and leaned against the pillow, crossing her arms and cocking her head to the side. She resembled a cunning witch when she looked at ire like that. It unsped something in ire. She shoved Zara¡¯s shoulders into the bed and tried to strangle her. ¡°Why are e you back, whore! Why target my husband? ire squeezed her neck until her eyes popped out A moment came when it felt like Zara might die if she didn¡¯t leave her. Hence, she let go but not before striking her again in the face. Even after all of this Zaraughed. She sported an evil smirk as she coughed. Though tears emerged from her eyes she didn¡¯t look dreaded at all She seemed to be enjoying this moment. ¡°Now you are talking like those anxious and witless heroines from the movies. You know the answer, ire¡± Zara said. Within seconds she was sitting upright again. She reached for the bowl of fruits kept beside her. She popped two grapes in her mouth and moaned. ¡°My husband was rich. I enjoyed spending his money. Yeah, it¡¯s true that he was awful in bed. He hardly knew how to rub my clit, let alone eat it hungrily like Hunter ire hissed. She came at Zara again. ¡°You might want to be careful now, ire. I can¡¯t take it more than twice. Why are my words upsetting you though? I am telling the truth after all Don¡¯t tell me you have not experienced Hunter¡¯s tongue on you yet: Zara eyed her warningly as her lips continued to curve. ¡°I hope you have already realized how I made my way into Hunter¡¯s arms. She was back to eating grapes as she spoke. ¡°I climbed into his bed first. He was famous and I knew how to make him notice me. I only had to visit his favorite bar. It only took two shots of aphrodisiac. Then after a night full of his wildness, I yed innocent. He was swept away by my acting and this beautiful figure and God gifted Innocent face came in handy. After that, we were inseparable. Hunter would hardly leave me. He was always on top of me and inside me when we were together.¡± ¡°But he was very considerate when it came to spending. He would often give me lectures on how to not spend money unnecessarily. He was rich and famous, he was yet to get the reins of their family business, and his mindset was trash. Though I was physically content with him, it¡¯s not everything. I wanted money. I wanted expensive and branded stuff which he never gave me. That¡¯s why when I met Clifford at a party, I knew I was marrying him.¡± ¡°So it wasn¡¯t arranged. You lied to Hunter saying that your parents betrothed you to him.¡± ire¡¯s eyes squinted in disgust. She was sick at the sight of Zan. ¡°It was supposed to be a one night stand. But when I discovered Clifford was rich, I tricked him into proposing to me even though he sucked in bed. I could sacrifice sex for money. After all, I knew I wasn¡¯t going to be a faithful wife to him. That¡¯s something I have never been¡­ Faithful¡± Sheughed while ire watched her with contemptuous gaze.. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I could afford Hunter¡¯s hate. I was aware that he was learning business when we were dating. I have seen his forting sess and I knew it would be huge and more than my husband¡¯s. So to be on the safer side 1 left a note. Zara clicked her tongue. ¡°His sess was Inevitable. I didn¡¯t know it would be so soon after I leave ¡°But there was no going back. I was married and I had all the luxuries I wanted.¡± Zara paused to take a bite of an apple. Her sinful mocking eyes met ire¡¯s as she added. The rest you know I guess.¡± ¡°This time I don¡¯t just want money but also an active and satisfactory sex life. Hunter can give me both. Well, it¡¯s a pity that I have to crush your dreams to fulfill my own. But you can always follow in my footsteps and bewitch someone else¡¯s rich husband¡± Zara¡¯s face glinted with darkness as she winked at ire. The Such an evil bich she is!!!!!! What would you do to Zara if you were in ire¡¯s shoes? Çú Chapter 20 Chapter 20 J seing her twisted expressions and hearing those mind¨Crotting words, ire felt a shockwave pass through her. Even though she was aware of what ie said, it still sounded disgusting and heart wrenching to her. She fisted her hands on her side and gritted. as she even a human? A woman! She can¡¯t be. Because a woman would never talk like that to another woman let alone do it. nless the woman is a loose woman. And to say, Zara seemed to be godmother of them all You can never win from me. ire stated Haha, you cannot win what is already a lost battle, ire. This was a one sided battle from the very beginning. Don¡¯t embarrass yourself more. He a ood girl and stop thinking about Hunter. Divorce lum and find yourself another guy. Zara said haughtily. You better alter your intentions. Hunter will never be yours as I will not let your n work.¡± Really?¡± Zara raised an eyebrow while her lips upturned into a smirk resembling Pennywise¡¯s smirk from IT. Let me give you a reality check. Perhaps then you will realize what you¡¯re doing is pure self¨Chumiliation.¡± Zara sat the bowl of fruits aside. She scratched her both hands with her broken and chipped nails, causing blood to ooze out. ire¡¯s mouth hung open as she witnessed the mad was doing this. She hissed and whimpered from the pain but continued to hurt herself. After scratching her left cheek until it bled, she offered a satanic grin.. She looked to her side on the table beside the fruit bowl and picked up something. There was something glowing in her hold. When ire observed it closely, it dawned on her that she had a ring. A diamond ring glowing with eye¨Cblinding radiance simr to hers. ¡°Do you know what this is? It¡¯s a promise of marriage given by Hunter to me. ¡°You¡¯re lying?¡± ire¡¯s breaths hitched. There¡¯s no way Hunter would give her a ring. At least¡­ Not yet. Giving a woman a ring meant promising her marriage in their society. Hunter was married to her. He had a wife. He would never do that. ire almost believed it to be a bluff until Zara mentioned. He bought me this ring on the day you boastfully imed to the journalists that everything is good between you and your husband.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡± ire¡¯s fingers twitched It couldn¡¯t be true. ¡°I barely shed five fake tears after you called me a widow whore that his heart bled for me. Hunter went out at once and bought this ring¡± Zara smirked. ¡°It will upset you to know that he put this on my finger himself. On my ring finger.¡± ¡°You lying slut!¡± Anger like a sharp knife cut in ire¡¯s gut. Her chest blistered with searing agony and exasperation. She charged towards Zara, grabbing her hand to snatch the ring away. That is when Zara smirked again, rendering her frozen. Then the next moment, she seized ire¡¯s wrist pulling her on herself so that it looked like ire was attacking her. ¡°What the hell are you¡­ ire was stunned when Zara streamed on top of her lungs. ¡°ire, please, please d¨Cdon¡¯t hurt me. Ahhhh! ire, I swear I am not manipting Hunter, I swear to god ire¡¯s mouth hung in incredulity as Zara started screaming those nonsensical words. She tried to snatch her hand back but Zara¡¯s grip was taut like iron manaries around her wrist. ¡°Zara, let go.¡± She managed to say, her words halfborious as she struggled to pull her hand back. ¡°No, please, ire, I swear! I swear I will leave. I will go far away from you and Hunter. Please, don¡¯t hurt me. Please, it hurts too much.¡± She said amidst sobbing while her face was set in an evil smile. Chapter 20 ire was amazed by her theatrics. She just stared at her, wondering if someone could really be this scheming. She was lost in thoughts when a hand shoved her back by her shoulders. She came to a screeching stop as her mouth opened on a gasp. ire missed a painful fall by mere inches as two arms held her by the elbows from the back, stabling her. ¡°Bloody hell ire heard the zing exmation. Her eyesight had been blurred by unwanted tears when she was shoved back. She fluttered hershes and tried to focus on the scene unfolding before her. A pang of pain shot through her chest as Hunter was possessively and restlessly cupping Zara¡¯s cheeks. ¡°God¡± Who did this to you, Zara?¡± The concern in his tone froze her. While ire never experienced this for herself from the very man who was her husband, she not only saw him caring for another woman but also looking at her so possessively as if she was his prized possession. ¡°H¨Chunter, p¨Cplease¡­ Please tell ire that I am not. I am not h¨Chere to destroy your marriage. P¨Cplease tell her I¡¯m not evil. I didn¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Zara hyperventted as her fingers shook uncontrobly She seemed to be having a panic attack. But knowing that it was all a pretense, ire scoffed. ¡°What ar a nice actor you are, huh! You definitely deserve an Oscar for this.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Hunter¡¯s head swung around, making ire¡¯s body freeze with terror. The redness of his eyes and the rigid expression on his face made her eyes water. She was seeing Hunter, but he didn¡¯t strike her as the man she was acquainted with as her husband. ¡°H¨Chunter, I didn¡¯t ce here on purpose. I swear I didn¡¯t M¨Cmy, my h¨Chusband¡¯s death¡­ M¨Cmy inws brought me here¡­ They wanted to¡­. Clifford¡¯s f¨Cfuneral¡­ They wanted to¡­ She drew in ragged breathing. Hunter turned to her at once and pulled her face against his chest. He pressed his lips that he was keeping from trembling from anger to her hair and held her close ¡°You don¡¯t have to justify yourself to anyone, alright! The fact that I know everything is enough, and what I think should matter to you. Not any random person¡¯s incessant judgement.¡± He said in a scratchy and taunting voice. ¡°Now breathe. Breathe Breathe, Zara, Take deep breaths. He started rubbing her back. ¡°B¨Cbut s¨Cshe¡¯s your wife, Hunter. I can¡¯t Can¡¯t h¨Chave her d¨Cdoubt me. P¨Cplease¡­ Tell her¡­ S¨Cshe¡¯s your wife¡­ T¨Ctell her¡­ ¡°Stop this nonsense, Zara Unable to see the drama unfolding in front of her, ire freed her from the arms of the person who was still not recognized by ler. She stormed towards the bed next to Hunter and gripped Zara¡¯s shoulder to detach her from her husband. ¡°You can fool Hunter with this act of yours but not me. Hunter, she¡¯s faking it. She told me she¡¯ll give me a reality check and-¡± JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!!¡± ire was taken off guard as he yelled at her. She bit back a sob as she noticed his dark eyes ring at her usingly. ¡°Hunter¡± ire¡¯s throat ached while taking his nam He eyed her disdainfully before looking at the person behind her. ¡°Just take her out now, Cole. Or else I¡¯ll do something that I¡¯d regret Two arms were on her elbows again, pulling her hackwards. However, Chire couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Hunter. He was her husband, wasn¡¯t he? Then why the disdainful look for her? She wasn¡¯t lying or pretending to be hurt. She was indeed hurt But that woman he was protectively holding to his chest¡­ She was the real culprit. She deserved his disdain and res. ire¡¯s eyes shifted to Zara¡¯s face and she found her smirking against Hunter¡¯s chest. Her hands were around his waist, taking shelter in his embrace. ire was looking at her hands when Zara closed all the fingers of her right hand around his waist except for the middle finger. She showed ire her middle fi finger mocking her before she sobbed in Hunter¡¯s arins again ¡°H¨Chunter, I am c¨Ccold. M¨Cmy m¨Cmouth¡­ My mouth is numb. I can¡¯t f¨Cfeel my lips, Hunter. T¨Ctell ire I am¡­ I am not bad. I am. Hunter, m- my heart is hurting.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, calm down. Calm down, Zara. Sahh! Calm down¡± Chapter 20 Thest thing ire saw before the door closed was that her husband leaned forward to stroke a thumb on Zara¡¯s lips. He closed the gap between their faces and put his mouth on the bleedinger of hers, sucking it tenderly. The.. SEND GIFT COMMENT Chapter 21 Chapter 21 21 ire 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 nk wall she could see the scene ying. 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. ¡°ire, ire¡­¡± 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, ire 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 chill 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 body. s, rather than killing him, it has consumed him fully. Hunter was consumed. He was consumed. He was¡­ Gone. ire heard footsteps. This time she didn¡¯t care to look up. It¡¯s not like it was Hunter. By now, she had embraced the realization that no matter what happens to her, ye would nevere in time. ¡°ire, why are you shaking?¡± Penelope¡¯s voice red in her ears Raising her eyes ire tried not to give in to her overpowering emotions. She stared at her face and pressed her lips together. She wanted to talk, share how intensely her heart was aching. Yet all she could do was stare. ¡°Did Zara do something! I¡¯m sorry. I was watching you from outside the door. I got a call and had to leave to attend it.¡± Penelope quickly hugged her. She didn¡¯t wait for her response. It was etched in Chaire¡¯s painful expression that she had fallen victim to Zara¡¯s deceit. She was holding her tight and rubbing her back when she heard a cough. ire¡¯s back steeled and her breathing became uneven. Penelope clenched her jaw as the person who coughed was Hunter. The look on his face was staggering. He pinned his own wife with a look of contempt and usation. Also, his tightly set jaw indicated his irritation towards something he deemed ire had done. ¡°Both of you leave. I want to talk to her alone. When Hunter spoke, his voice was raw ¡°Yes, guys. Leave. There¡¯s so much that we need to talk about.¡± Chire shortly said after as she refused to look away from him. The cks of his eyes stared deeper in the icy blues of hers. It was as though the dark sky was casting a smoldering gaze down on the calm ocean moments before a storm¡¯s urrence, Penelope knew it was wise to keep quiet and leave.
  1. e. She didn¡¯t want to talk back to Hunter when he was looking like a satan
Incarnate. ¡°What you did inside is truly horrendous. You will go inside with me and apologize to Zara now.¡± Hunter gripped her wrist when Penelope and Cole had departed. 1/3 Before he pulled her with him, ire held his wrist in turn as she said in a heavy voice, ¡°Did you give her a ring?¡± Hunter tur around and stared at her. It hurt to see that his gaze was deadpan and devoid of emotion. ire suffocated from within, observing that her husband had no emotion on his face. He was holding her hand, and unlike other husbands who glow and grin in excitement of holding their wives, he was looking down at her rather inly. It was as if she was not his wife but some other woman ¡°Come with me now,¡± ¡°First answer my question, Hunter Macintyre. ire looked stright in his dark eyes. She held back sobs. Unfortunately, she failed to keep her tears locked in. They trailed down in streams. ¡°Did you give her a ring?¡± ¡°So what if I did?¡± It hit her where she was already wounded¡­ Her heart. Her body felt limp. All the resistance she had developed inside her came tearing apart and falling around her. ¡°H¨Chow could you? Even after you had me y¨Cyou gave her a ring! Her voice trembled Hunter ignored her as the right corner of his mouth twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t see any sense why I shouldn¡¯t have given her a ring. It¡¯s not a big deal. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal? So you think it¡¯s not a big deal?¡± ire snatched her hand out of his hold. She pushed her hands against his chest to shove him. Hunter didn¡¯t budge. She held his cors and seethed in his face while tears poured from her eyes. ¡°Hunter MacIntyre, it is a big deal to me because you cannot just give a ring to any woman while I am still with you. You know what it means when a man gives another woman a ring, don¡¯t you?¡± Hunter kept quiet as he didn¡¯t feel the need to correct her. He obviously knew what it meant. And he would never do it before they were legally divorced. That¡¯s why he had bought a ring that was the least expensive so it wouldn¡¯t raise doubts or wrong notions¡­. Talk less about onlookers¡® curiosity. The ring was merely a medium to hide a tracker in it for Zara¡¯s safety. It was meant to be used for a purpose beyond the one she was implying to. It was useless exining to her. He deemed ire to be jealous and held her hand again.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°No, I will not.¡± She used all her strength to put distance between them.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. She wanted to be away from the man with whom she had once wanted to stay closer with His hold felt like a furnaced iron rod cuffed around her wrist. She didn¡¯t want to feel it again hence she moved far away against the wall. ¡°I will not apologize because I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± She said between her tears. Hunter stared at her coldly and folded his hands, ¡°Carving her face and attacking her like that was not wrong? That¡¯s what you want to say.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do that, alright! She did that to herself. She wanted to show me my ce. She wanted to show me that¡­ That my ? husband doesn¡¯t trust me enough and that. That I¡¯m wasting my time. She was sobbing by now. ¡°And probably she¡¯s right. It was a whisper, referring to the sentence. Her words made Hunter freeze. Her tears did something to him. Painnced through him at the view of her paleness but he didn¡¯t take an initiative to soothe her. ording to him Zara was wronged. She was a victim of rape andter on, attacked by his jealous wife for not being able to get his enough attention. He avoided her tearspletely and tried to get a hold of her wrist again. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not going to apologize to her. If anything it should be her apologising to me for destroying my wedding¡± ire moved away. ¡°Do you even know that she has fooled you? Zara wasn¡¯t gang raped, Hunter. It was not a gang rape.¡± She wiped her tears as she walked towards him to add, ¡°What you have seen as a gang rape was actually a gang bang that she- ¡°CLAIRE!¡± A loud shriek expelled from Hunter¡¯s mouth. His hand flew like a vengeful gust against her face, sending her against the wall where she hit the same wounded corner of her head. Atormented moan tore from her throat before ire passed out Tbc. É« Chapter 22 Chapter 22 His 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¨Creprimand as he observed her ghostlyplexion. 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 umted 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 his chest. Then carefully lifted her in his arms and took her inside her ward (After a while) Hunter sat in the stool, his eyes wavering, as he observed her face. The doctor just left post examining her. Hunter received a handful of the doctor¡¯s scolding for being careless with her. She was mad because ire¡¯s condition was frail Since she was a female too, she didn¡¯t take it lightly that her patient passed our after being hit by her husband. Her first reaction to it was to ask him to get out of ire¡¯s ward. ¡°Which husband raises their hands on their sick wife? Mr. Macintyre, firstly you don¡¯t care for her whether or not she¡¯s eating her food properly. Then you don¡¯te to ask for her updates. It¡¯s beyond my understanding why would you even want to stay in her ward after treating her so coldly and hitting her out of anger? ¡°If you insist on staying around her out of guilt then you shouldn¡¯t feel it. You wouldn¡¯t have struck her if she matters to you.¡± The doctor¡¯s words echoed in his head The shocking part was that he didn¡¯t even know why he was not leaving her alone after slipping her. ey were connected, by their hands, and It¡¯s been over thirty minutes since he brought ire to her ward He stared where they wondered why was he even sitting there? It¡¯s not like he loved her!. He wanted a divorce. He wanted her gone. But stil still, he was sitting beside her while holding her hand. Hunter reminisced about all the days he spent with her while pretending to be in love with her. She had been so happy, so vibrant, and so grateful. Her happiness in the two months of farce that they lived also made him believe they were a true lovely couple. As he regarded her face now, a wave of self¨Cloathing crashed over him. She has changed. With the vibrancy gone from her face, she looked like a corpse. So pale, so colorless. Only the face of a corpse looks that way. His gaze lowered to her mouth. On the corner that ripped open with the p. Actually his wedding ring came in contact Chapter 22 with her lip, opening it up. He remembered the trail of blood slipping down her chin and staining his shirt. He had been frightened. The sight of blood unfurled many fears in his heart, Above all, what made his body crumple under the weight of self¨Creprimand was the fact that he hit his wife, Hunter brung his left hand in front of his eyes, Staring at it, he stared behind his hand at ire¡¯s face. Te kept switching his gaze from her face to his hand. One moment her eyes were close, the next moment they were looking at him. His heart skipped beating when he saw her awake. Hunter wished to shift because spasms emerged in his body. But he couldn¡¯t do so as ire beheld his gaze. Seconds turned to minutes but none of them spoke. After what it felt like a millennial, she whispered as her eyes began to water again. You hit me.¡± Hunter felt the blood drain from his head so abruptly that the room swam before his eyes. He parted his lips like a goldfish, trying to say something. Not that he had anything to ¡°Just tell me one thing. Hunter. In the two years that we were together¡­ No, two months. In the two months that we were together, did you feel even one bit of love for me?¡± He was tongue¨Ctied. The guilt ate his insides as he saw her mouth bleed from all the speaking. When he was finally able to say mething, she said with a dry chuckle, ¡°What am I asking? And to whom? Certainly all that you ever felt is nauseated. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± More and more tears emerged in her eyes. Hunter felt a need to wipe them away. But since she cast her eyes away, she seemed to have gone far away from him. So close yet so far to touch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I happened. I¡¯m sorry that our marriage happened. I¡¯m sorry for everything. But know that it¡¯s not going to any longer and make it difficult for you.¡± Those were thest words from ire. After that, she asked him to leave her alone and he quietly did. No sorry, no thank you. He said nothing! Hunter felt obliged to give her peace by leaving her alone. He came back to Zara¡¯s ward. She was fast asleep when he walked in. The wounds caused by ire were cleaned and treated. Staring at her, Hunter dragged in deep breaths Although Zara looked sicker than his wife, he couldn¡¯t feel attached to her injuries. She was a victim of a bigger physical torment and still his mind wandered back to his wife. Hunter gawked at his hand that he used to p her.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Night crept in and he didn¡¯t leave Zara¡¯s ward. She was still asleep. Hunter was sitting on the couch, looking sightlessly upon the ceiling when Cole entered. He took a seat by his feet and looked at his friend. Hunter hated this silence between them. After what he did to ire, he was expecting bacsh from his best friend. Nevertheless, it never came. In fact this was the first time Cole was showing his face after he was asked to leave him and ire alone for a talk. ¡°Congrattions.¡± Hunter stared at Cole. He did want Cole to speak. This was far from what he was expecting though. ¡°Your wife has signed the divorce papers.¡± Lead settled in Hunter¡¯s chest. He found breathing difficult as he observed Cole withdraw an envelope from his jacket. ¡°ire summoned yourwyer with the new copy of your divorce papers. She signed them¡± As the envelope was handed to 2/3 him, Hunter¡¯s throat ached from his attempt to keep breathing He hesitantly opened the papers. Seeing her signature made a wave of indecipherable emotions pass through his boily. He noticed that her signature was rather scribbled on the papers Instantly the image of ire shaking as she cried while signing the papers mmed into his awareness. ¡°You should have pped her earlier, you know. That way you could have avoided creating war¨Clike tension between wife and girlfriend Cole said rather mockingly. your Hunter rose on his feet. His bodynguage specified his intention. Before he made a move to get out and go to ire, Cole made a revtion that froze him in disbelief. *ire is gone. Hunter stood rigidly as if rods were installed in his body. ¡°She left a message for you,¡± As Cole stated that Hunter held his breath. ¡°She said that you won. You managed to make her divorce you. You are free from her, and her imposing love. She will no longer bother you now. Enjoy your freedom.¡± By the time he finished it. Hunter¡¯s face was colorless. Even if he was feeling something, it didn¡¯t reflect on his face. He just nodded and said, ¡°Will you stay here for a while? I need to go to have a word with Zara¡¯s doctor?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for Cole¡¯s reply and came out of the room. Hunter slumped by the closed door and released the breath he was. holding. His rigid jaw loosened as a wave of unknown emotion washed over him. You are free from her, and her imposing love. She will no longer bother you now. Enjoy your freedom. The words yed in his mind. He thought, ¡°Why do I feel like my soul is tearing apart? Why was my heart beating so fast when Cole repeated her words? 1 should be happy that she agreed to leave me. Then why am I feeling like I¡¯m being abandoned? This doesn¡¯t feel like freedom. Why¡¯s that? Why does my chest ache so much? What is this feeling?¡± The Now you¡¯ll see the title of the booking into affect!!! How many of you are excited to read further now? If you are enjoying the book,e and follow me @chantinglove138 on Instagram for early updates and details. É« Chapter 23 Chapter 23 ire¡¯s POV I was reading a book, or rather I was trying to, when my n my mother walked in. ¡°I got you a cup of your favorite hot chocte, 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 cmity, ruining my marriage. Thest 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 toposure, ¡°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 opportunity to showcase her talent by her university. Tilly has personally invited me. She also asked the to bring you along. That¡¯s if you want toe.¡± Isurely remembered Tilly. She was fond of me since I was a child, and often she said that she would take me as her daughter-inw once I grew up. But then I fell in love with Hunter. I saw no other man as clearly as I saw him. I ignored her son, Python, when he asked me out on a date. Since then, she has despised me like an ugly scar on the back of a wless hand. Though I never saw her or her son again after that day, Tilly has been in touch with mom. I knew why. She had been looking for a chance to mock mom and me for being overly confident and boastful of ourselves. Mom took pride in calling me her precious daughter. So when I humiliated (that¡¯s how Tilly saw it) Python with my refusal, Tilly didn¡¯t break her ties with mom. She stayed closer. Although with time mom forgot that incident and continued to cherish her friendship with her, it burned like a wildfire in Tilly¡¯s chest. Now finally her perseverance was paying off. With the talks of my divorce going around, she most likely sees as her chance to get back at me. The invitation to her daughter¡¯s art exhibition is just an excuse to summon me so she could belittle me. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like it, mom.¡± I said with an apologetic smile. ¡°I knew that would be your answer. But I still asked hoping that you would want to go out. It¡¯s been two days, ire. You¡¯ve locked yourself in your room since you moved in.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m happy here. You know how much I love thefort of my room. I spent my teenage years here.¡± Mom responded with a faltering smile. It seemed like it was saying, ¡°You spent your teenage years in thefort of your room while crushing over Hunter. This is thest ce you should seek in,¡± I quickly looked away as his memories only dug open my wounds which have notpletely healed yet. I held onto n book tightly to stop my fingers from twitching. myThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. 1/3 Please, mom, go. I can¡¯t hold it in for a minute more. ¡°Okay, then. I will leave you be. Just don¡¯t forget to take a stroll in the garden once you¡¯re done reading¡± I nodded with my face growing hot under her eyes. She caressed my face before wheeling out of my room. Tender streams of tears glided down my cheeks. I sat the book aside and pressed a hand on my belly. I can¡¯t feel anything yet, but the life growing inside me made my heart grow heavy. Yes. I¡¯m pregnant. The memory of how I found it still haunts me. shback¡­ After Hunter retreated from my room without uttering a single word, I burst into tears. Shivers ran through my body as I felt myself falling deeper and deeper in the oblivion of misery. The man I cherished raised his hands on me. Although it wasn¡¯t the first time that I have been struck by him. He¡¯s done it many times when we were in bed to induce physical pleasure. This was different. This was driven by contempt. This was out of pure hostility, and not done to induce physical pleasure like before While I was crying to myself, the room seemed to close down on me. My face became hot, my fingers cold. Suddenly I was feeling hot and cold at the same time. Sweat trickled down my spine under my gown. I was shuddering even though there was no air in the room. My vision became blurry, I was seconds away from falling into oblivion when I felt hands around my shoulders. My head was pressed against softness and a rhythmic music beat in my ears. It was the sound of a beating heart, and my cheek was pressing against soft busts. I was in Penelope¡¯s arms. She whispered nice things to me which managed to calm me down. When I was okay, I moved away, only to have her pin me with a murderous re. Just what are you trying to do to yourself, ire! You had a panic attack. Do you know how dangerous it is for you! Sh said angrily while 1 lowered my eyes. I was no longer shaking. The stream of tears continued to spill from my eyes though. ¡°If not for yourself then at least think about the baby in your belly. You will kill him with your emotional breakdown!¡± My heart thundered away in my chest as my breathing stopped. A baby! I blinked my eyes to clear my vision so I could stare at Penelope. When I could see her clearly, though my eyes were still moist, she offered a painfully raw smile that sent a chill up my spine. ¡°You are pregnant, ire.¡± The Chapter 24 Chapter 24 24 (shback cont¡¯d) ¡°You are pregnant, ire.¡± 1 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.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°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 thest 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 earler? Maybe five minutes earlier. I clutched the cloth over my stomach as I hupped. It would have changed nothing. We would still be having a divorce. Because now I know I¡¯m wasting my youth and time on the wrong man. On the man who always ever saw me was like a wife of convenience. ¡°Look I don¡¯t know what you will do now but the doctor has strictly told me to keep you away from stress. It¡¯s a miracle that, he¡¯s still in there. But your baby will be at risk if you continue to be like this. Also, the possibility of you conceiving again will be thin should you miscarry- ¡°No.¡± I yelped while my eyes widened. ¡°I will not miscarry my baby.¡± He¡¯s not at fault that he happened toe at the wrong time. It¡¯s my fate that my life is unfolding like this. Maybe this is life. When you get something, you lose something. ¡°I will not let any harme to my baby¡± I told myself before requesting Penelope to call Cole in He was outside my ward. With his help I summoned Hunter¡¯swyer. 1 signed the papers and handed it to Cole. He was in a state of stupor and white from looking at the divorce papers. ¡°ire, this is¡­ Are you really going to divorce him?¡± I only smiled at him, ¡°I will never forget your support, Cole. You¡¯ve been the only person from Hunter¡¯s side who ever took my back even if it meant that you had to go against him. Thank you so much.¡± ¡°ire. L¡® ¡°Give the papers to your friend and pass my message onto him cut him in. Tell him that he won. He managed to make me agree to divorce him. He¡¯s free from me, and my imposing love. I will no longer bother him. He can enjoy his freedom.¡± shback end¡­ 1/3 I took a deep breath and tried to see anything but Cole¡¯s face in front of my eyes. He was really sad when I told him that. He seemed more affected by my d divorce with Hunter than Hunter himself. Not to mention Cole came thrice already to see me since I took voluntary discharge against the doctor¡¯s advice. Pain him. The fact that he was Hunter¡¯s best friend was enough to tell myself that I was better off without his sympathy. I don¡¯t want to keep any ties with anything or person connecting me to my heartless husband. My baby and I are enough for ourselves. I came out of my room and into the rear garden. Scott was chilling on the grass under the bright sun with his friends. ¡°ire, you came at the right time. Come over, Shawn has something to show that would interest you. Scott waved at me. He and the other three guys were sitting shirtless on a mat or either on chairs that were arranged for them. I was cognizant of his friends as they have been visiting us since they were like. Ten! They waved at me. One of them even blinked and flirted. I couldn¡¯t help but . Soon I found myself enjoying being around them. I sunk in a chair and watched as Scott and his friends presented a dance number for me on Taylor Swift¡¯s ¡®Shake it up song. I was made to forget my worries. I was the old happy going ire again. Considering how badly my jaw was hurting from all theughing. I could bet I was glowing. Nevertheless, a sh of a breathtaking face before my eyes wiped the smile off my lips. I was cocooned by pain again. Exhaling a sigh, I closed my eyes in order to leash my tears in. I can¡¯t forget Hunter. Even though he¡¯s not here with me, he¡¯s within me. I hate to say it but I miss him. Does he miss me too? Who am I kidding? Hunter¡­ And miss me? He¡¯s probably swelling with relief that I am gone. I was never important to him, was I I chuckled at my own thoughts before I opened my eyes to see the boys twerking rather vulgarly in front of me. Myughs, were back. Even if my heart was bleeding I wasughing Hunter¡¯s POV I sat in my office going through the files I have to put my signatures on. For thest two days I have been working non¨Cstop. There¡¯s no sleep in my eyes and not that I want to close them Because everytime I see dark, I see ire¡¯s face glowing on it. Her pale, teary face, with her lips trembling. It is thest glimpse I took of her in the hospital bed two days ago after she told me she would not bother me anymore. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I happened. I¡¯m sorry that our marriage happened. I¡¯m sorry for everything. But know that it¡¯s not going to any longer and make it difficult for you.¡± Those words haunt me. They ring in my ears like a siren rm. So I stay awake. Mostly keeping myself upied with back. to back work. ¡°Sir,¡± I was signing the papers one after another when I heard the meek voice of my secretary, Stacy. Stacy Contham reced her father, Ares Gontham, my real secretary for a few weeks since he¡¯s not doing well. The man is 23 3/3 in his I asked as I wasn¡¯t sure what made her look so red and nervous. ¡°S¨Csir, your hand is bleeding.¡± I followed the direction of her pointed finger. It was indicated towards my right hand I was using to sign. I had a bandage on which was stained red. Blood was flowing out, creating a small pool of blood on the surface of my desk. I pulled my hand away before the blood stained the papers. ¡°S¨Csir, here, let me clean it for you.¡± Stacy hesitantly held my hand and removed the bandage. She was slightly shaking at the look of blood. ¡°Tll do it myself, Stacy I said as I didn¡¯t want her to look at it. ¡°It¡¯s okay, sir. Besides, I know you will leave it untreated if I don¡¯t do it. Her sad smile made me blink my eyes. I looked away, feeling a cotton bud sweep across the gash on my palm. ¡°The stitches have You need to see a doctor¡± Stary said. The Çú Chapter 25 Chapter 25 I looked back at her and then my hand. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Just¡­ Just wrap it up quickly ¡°But sir, stitches have- Tll do it myself then.¡± ¡°TIL¡­ 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 thickyer 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. 1 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 ss in my hand until the broken pieces prated my flesh half inch deep. Ever since ire left the hospital, my heart has been a mess. I have been a mess and I don¡¯t know why.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. My chest waspressed under an unknown and inexplicable weight of guilt. It was for more than hitting my wife. On top of that, I was all over the ce as I wanted to know how she was because she forcefully left the hospital against the doctor¡¯s advice. Cole visited her father¡¯s house to meet her in the early morning the next day. But he informed me he was not allowed to see her. ire was avoiding him- avoiding the elements that connected us That fact alone sent my anger soaring and I tightened my hold on the ss of water that I was holding. I crushed it in my tight grip, not loosening my hold even after it jabbed me badly, Had it not been for a passing by waitress in the coffee shop I was sitting in, I wouldn¡¯t have left it any sooner. Closing my eyes, I tried to take a deep breath. ire¡¯s images filled my eyes. I immediately undid my eyelids and stared at the wall in the front. I don¡¯t know what has happened to me? I can¡¯t get rid of ire¡¯s houghts. I should be happy that she¡¯s gone. I should feel ted that I don¡¯t have to use forceful means to make her leave me. But now as I think about not returning home to the sight of her face glowing up on finding me at the door every evening. not getting to see her joyful smiles for wearing the shirt she chose for me every morning, not finding my favorite dishes. covering the dining table end¨Cto¨Cend, not being able to feel her soft handsing around my waist and her head on my shoulder at night in sleep, not being able to hear her non¨Cstop chattering in the house, a ming pain buzzes through me. I went to our house for the first time after she left two days ago a night, and I was hit by the strong smell of her presence. She wasn¡¯t there but still she was there. I had stopped by the staircase, staring at the floor with blood patches. It was cleaned but not to the extent of removing its markspletely. I had bent over, touching my fingers on the cold floor. 1/3 Chapter 25 Her imprints were etched in this house. I couldn¡¯t stay there for more than five minutes. I ran away. I ran back to the hospital where Cole confronted me. Even if he saw my conflicted expressions, he didn¡¯t do a thing. He only spoke to offer his house and clothes as I was in need. of a bath and change of clothes. Since then, I have not visited my house. Neither did I go to hospital for more than five minutes. Zara has developed an infection on her face from ire¡¯s scratching. She is kept in for a few days more. She hated the fact that I had to spend all my time in the hospital next to her. She was kind enough to suggest that I resume my work. Now I only go to visit her once a day. That too at night, before I crash into Cole¡¯s house for the night. I took a look at my watch. It was time to leave. Zara must be waiting. I signed all the papers and called Stacy over to hand them to her On my way out she reminded me, ¡°Sir, Don¡¯t forget to go to the doctor too, please.¡± I departed without responding to her. The ride to the hospital was full of guilt again as this was where I saw my wifest. I took the elevator to the floor I asked exclusively to be kept reserved for my wife when she was admitted here. It¡¯s crazy because when I found she was in the hospital because of me, I wanted to make it up to her by getting the best treatment for her. That¡¯s why I hired a whole floor for her privacy. And then Zara¡¯s incident happened. I couldn¡¯t think of anywhere else other than the same floor for her safety. That way she would have to see very less people and hospital staff, giving her time to heal and Zara was standing some steps away from me. She looked healthy. If it wasn¡¯t for the scratches on her cheeks¨CWhich urred like a strike of a wolf¡¯s w to the eyes- she seemed perfectly fine to me, ¡°You miss her, don¡¯t you?¡± My mouth hung open in daze. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± I walked over to her slowly. ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face, Hunter. Your bodynguage is different. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s conquered by defeat as if you lost a battle. You can lie to the world but me. Don¡¯t forget we used to love each other unconditionally and at some point we were aware of each other¡¯s bodynguage and what it meant like the back of our hands. Zara¡¯s lips upturned faintly. ¡°You¡¯re missing her, Hunter. You are missing your wife. -3 pressed my hp together and lowered my truth. I miss her. the floor. There¡¯s no point in lying to her when I know she¡¯s telling the I miss my wife that I didn¡¯t want. I miss my wife that I wanted gone. I miss seeing her smile, seeing her blink her big eyes at me. I miss her. 2/3 Chapter 25 But the point is why! The¡­ 3/3 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 26 Hunter shook his head with a sigh.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Tm just tired. With Ares or 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¨Cwife. ¡°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 inws 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 ire. 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. ¡°Tim d you came, Hunter, or else I thought I¡¯ll have to endure my time in the hospital alone with no one to visit me.¡± Zara looked down as she hugged her arms. Being alone is¡­ Very depressing. My mind kept going back to¡­ ¡°Hey,¡± Hunter touched her arm, feeling bad for noting earlier, and for not visiting her for a longer time. ¡°I told you to forget it, didn¡¯t I? It was just a bad nightmare. It didn¡¯t happen to you, okay?¡± Zara¡¯s mouth began to tremble. It seemed like she was slipping into a panic attack. Hunter pulled her to his chest and kissed her hair. She calmed dowIL. ¡°You are not alone, Zara. I am with you. I will always be with you Hunter assured her as he didn¡¯t want her to feel lonely. ¡°Now of back to your room.. I¡¯ll go have a word with the doctor can see your face looks fine now. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re fit to leave the hospital now.¡± Zara nodded in a yes and wiped her face with both her hands. She requested Hunter to to her soon. As soon as she turned around, the redness of her face intensified as her lips hardened into a thin line. The tears vanished from her eyes and exasperation spread across her face. Coming back to her room, Zara let out an irritated shrick. She made sure it was not loud, but it was loud enough to help make her feel somewhat better as she had no other way to pour ber anger. ¡°Damn it¡± She cursed and walked towards the window. ¡°He doesn¡¯t realize but he¡¯s falling for his wife. Maybe he has already fallen. I can¡¯t risk losing aftering this far!¡± She muttered between her clenched jaw. Then her mouth eased into a smirk as she curled a strand of her hair around her fingerszily. ¡°Who said I¡¯m losing? ire has dropped her weapons and epted her defeat. She¡¯s signed the divorce papers already. What I need to do to make it happen once and for all. They have separated physically. I need to make itwfully too. Looking down at the window, she fluttered her eyes. She was on the twenty eighth floor, and the hospital building was thirty five floors tall. Should someone fall from this height, they would be a crushed pulp due to gravitational force. 1/4 ¡°I think I know what I have to do now.¡± She told herself and exited her ward. Does that mean that I can take her home? Hunter asked as he looked at the doctor. ¡°Her reports are all positive. I must say that she¡¯s a strong woman that even after going through so much, she¡¯s still healing at amendable rate. The threats of PTSD are less, and if you keep her away from agents causing it, she can take a leave from the hospital now. But since she¡¯s a rape victim, the hospital will arrange a therapist for her to make sure there¡¯s no dy in her healing process. The doctor said with a smile. For the first time in these two days, Hunter¡¯s lips turned upwards too. He shook hands with the doctor and left his cabin. ¡°Zara will be happy to know she¡¯s being discharged. He told himself on his way to her room. Much to her astonishment, the room was empty. His body became aware of approaching danger as he went on high alert. Hunter started looking for her. He came to the preceding floor to make his interrogation. He asked the ward boys and nurses whether or not they saw Zara. The fourth nurse that he came across enlightened him, saying, ¡°Do you mean the young woman with scratch marks on her ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my patient. Where did you see her?¡± Hunter replied urgently. The nurse twisted her lips thoughtfully and said, ¡°I saw her in the elevator when I was going upstairs to the thirtieth floor. When I was pressing the button to my floor, I saw the top floor¡¯s button already pressed. Since there was no one beside us two in there, that¡¯s the only ce you may find her at¡­ The terrace.¡± Color nched from Hunter¡¯s face at the mention of terrace. He didn¡¯t care to thank the nurse as he darted inside the elevator that just opened. He restlessly pressed the button of the top floor. He came up after what felt like a month and threw the door of the terrace open recklessly as he started looking around for Zara The terrace was wide and big. He moved further until he was on the opposite side, near the parapet wall. His stomach dropped to his feet as he observed the scene in front of his eyes. ¡°Zara, no!¡± He yelled, preventing her from pushing herself down She was standing on the parapet wall. Turning her head over her shoulder, Zara bore her wet eyes with Hunter¡¯s. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a home wrecker. I don¡¯t want to put distance between you and ire.¡± Zara sobbed, her voice heavy. Hunter was a good few feet away from her. He protectively lifted his hands in front of his chest as he gestured to Zara to calm down. ¡°Come down, Zara. We¡¯ll talk about it. He tried to take a step further but Zara moved on the parapet wall fearfully. He froze. To make the situation worse, the winds started blowing violently. Hunter was afraid that the force of the wind might take her down. Not to include that she had lost a good amount of weight too. ¡°Trust me there was nothing between me and ire. I hardly liked her. Pleasee down. Give me your hand, Zara.¡± ¡°Cive you my hand.¡± Zara chuckled. ¡°I know you, Hunter. If I give you my hand then you will never let me separate from you. You will never leave me alone and I can¡¯t afford that.¡± Zara, ¡°This care and attention belong to ire. You shouldn¡¯t waste your time on me, Hunter. I¡­ I don¡¯t deserve any of this. I¡­ I am¡­¡± Zara gulped as her eyes streamed constantly. ¡°I am dirty¡± 2/4 Èý ||| Chapter 26 His using gaze was riveted on her. Hunter huffed as he shook his head, ¡°Dare you say that, Zara. If you¡¯re anything then it¡¯s that you are mine.¡± Tm¡­ I¡¯m just a widow, Hunter. My husband died, my inws sent men to damage me eternally, I¡­ I don¡¯t like to see you divorcing ire. There¡¯s no better use of me left in this world. I better. I better die. Zara said while looking down. Hunter¡¯s mouth grew dry like sandpaper. His heart was in his throat and fingers twitched anxiously. He needed to work calmly and get his way with her. ¡°Don¡¯t think about that, Zara. Who told you you¡¯re useless? You are talented. You are kind. The world needs people like you.¡± Hunter said, his voice very scratchy and slightly edged with tremors. Zara looked at him with teary eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t want to live this life knowing that I am not wanted. My inws- ¡°For God¡¯s sake, forget them. They¡¯re better off dead for you. And who told you you¡¯re not wanted?¡± He eyed her sternly now. ¡°I fought the world and took everyone¡¯s hatred only because I want to be with you. I want you, Zara. You¡¯re the only person 1 have ever wanted.¡± A part of his heart trembled as he said that. Hunter didn¡¯t like the taste of hisst few words. But if they could save her from falling, he¡¯d repeat it over and over again. Zara, the doctors are impressed with your recovery. You have done a wonderful job. There are victims who need inspiration from people like you. Don¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t want to do this. I want you, Zara. I¡­ Love you.¡± He whispered thest three words, Zara turned around to face him, still on the parapet wall. ¡°You love me? Do you really?¡± ¡°Hell, 1 do! It¡¯s just you. Always you. It has been you all the time. Hunter¡¯s voice was a caress of a ghostly murmur. Zara blinked her tears, ¡°But ire¡­ Y¨Cyou, you miss her. Hunter You miss your wife¡± ¡°I told you it wasn¡¯t like that. Taking care of business while you¡¯re in the hospital has taken a toll on me. It¡¯s been hard to cope with. I swear I didn¡¯t¡­ Hunter gulped a knot. ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about her at all. ¡°If anything then it¡¯s been you in my mind Hunter moved towards her slowly. When he was a step away from the parapet wall, he held her wrist and yanked her on his chest. Zara gasped, but then she put her hands around his neck and sobbed. ¡°I¡­ I never stopped loving you even after I was married, Hunter¡­ I couldn¡¯t¡­ I just.. Hunter caressed her hair as he hushed her to calm downL ¡°H¨Che was never p good to me. H¨Che never saw me as a wife. I¡­ I was just his easily essible p*ssy. I don¡¯t want to be that, Hunter. I don¡¯t want to be anyone¡¯s easy f*ck.¡± She cried in his arms. I wanted to be someone¡¯s woman, Someon wife. B¨Cbut he¡­ He crushed my dreams under his foot¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. That¡¯s okay, baby. It¡¯s all in the past. Don¡¯t think about it.¡± ¡°I never wanted to be a second woman, Hunter. I never wanted to stay in the shadows as someone¡¯s secret wife. Those words made him take a deep breath. Then without thinking, he announced. ¡°You will not be a second woman, Zara. You won¡¯t be my secret. Ell marry you. I¡¯ll marry you and give you all you wanted¡± Zara inwardly grinned to herself. This was her n to get those words out of his mouth. If he said that, no force of this 3/4 08 Wed, Chapter 26 world could prevent it from happening. ¡°I want that to be true¡­ But ire?¡± Zara pulled away from the hug to look at him. +89% Hunter gazed at her with eyes devoid of shine as he said, ¡°Just like Clifford for you, ire is in the past for me. It¡¯s you and me. Just you and me.¡± The¡­ Hey, sorry for the sudden leave. Personal life and celebrations happened and I didn¡¯t have time to even open myptop and leave a message to you guys! Worry not, though. Updates resume from today and they¡¯ll be frequent?? 4/4 Çú Chapter 27 Chapter 27 27 (Five dayster) ire 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 ire 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 apanied with tears and a seething ache in her chest. ire 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 ted to see the baby on screen. He was about one month and two weeks old. He was growing well Though the doctor suggested telling her the baby¡¯s gender, ire denied it. She didn¡¯t want to ruin her excitement already. It was fun in itself while the family members fought over the gender of the baby. It was already happening in her house between Scott and her father. I want him or her to look just like me. I don¡¯t think I can handlea little face resembling his looking at me.¡± ire¡¯s voice trembled towards the end. She couldn¡¯t help but clutch her fingers tight into a fist. It crumpled the sonography image in her hold. ¡°Oh ire, your mood swings will drive me crazy!¡± Penelope quickly pulled her in a hug and rubbed her back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t get my mind off him. How could he just leave me? It¡¯s been a week, Penny. A week since I left and he didn¡¯t even try to contact me.¡± Sobs erupted from ire¡¯s mouthText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She stared with teary eyes out of the window while pressing her check on Penelope¡¯s shoulder. That¡¯s true that she promised herself and her mother that she will not think about Hunter. But the baby in her womb didn¡¯te magically. He was put there by that man. Even if she wanted to forget him, the baby she was carrying made it difficult. ¡°You promised that you will be strong, ire.¡± Tears formed in Penny¡¯s eyes too. Knowing that her friend was finally showing her true emotions made her chest quiver in pain. For thest five days. ire had been smiling, and those smiles really bothered herl. Because she knew they were fake Trust me, I am trying. But¡­ My mind keeps going back to him am forced to wonder whether it would be different if he knew¡­ She trailed off because she knew the answer already. Hunter would have rather asked for an abortion. He would have chosen Zara over their baby too. Because Zara was important. Not the baby ire was carrying. She was sobbing on Penelope¡¯s shoulder, who let her cry her heart out. It was better to take it out and carry this pain within her. 1/4 Chapter 27 I miss him badly, Penelope Even if for formality had he called me, I would have been relieved. I would have been grateful.¡± ire¡¯s heart twisted in her chest as he said that. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I need his support. But at least he could have asked about my health like any other human being would do to another. Not as his ex¨Cwife, but at least as someone w¨Cwho spent two years with him he could¡­¡± ¡°ire, Shhh! You¡¯re stressing yourself again. Penny shoved her away from her shoulder and made her sit properly against the pillows. She gave her a ss of water and a pill that she stared like it was poison. ¡°It¡¯s safe, ire. Your doctor prescribed this Antidepressant pill. It will not affect your pregnancy Penelope exined as she put it in ire¡¯s palm. Blinking her eyes at the pill, ire wondered, ¡®What am I doing Shedding tears for that heartless man again? What for? It¡¯s not going to yield anything good for me. It¡¯s only making things vulnerable. She shifted her hand away and tossed the pill on the floor as she determinedly sighed, T¡¯m sorry I worried you. But I¡¯m okay. I don¡¯t need antidepressants.¡± ¡°But ire,¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just do something to distract me.¡± ¡°How about Steve Harvey¡¯s funny videos?¡± That¡¯ll light up my mood. ire smiled. Within an hour, she was back to being all smiling and vibrant again. Though the paleness on her cheeks remained, nobodymented on it. Andrea was sitting next to her daughter, Penelope was not there as she had to run some errands. So she told everything t Andrea and left ire in her care. ¡°I like his savage replies, mom. Steve Harvey is amazing, ire hughed, watching the old episodes of Family Feud. ¡°Yeah,¡± Andrea faked augh. She bit back her cries as she could see her daughter was suffering from within. But she couldn¡¯t cry because ire depended on her family for support in this frail time. If she as her mother broke into tears, what would happen to her She continued to pretend to be happy until Scott came to ire¡¯s room with huge boxes in his hands. He was apanied by Shawn Murphy, his best best friend. It gave her some time to walk away to a corner where she could shed her tears without getting caught. ¡°Woah! What do you have there, Scotty? ire asked, crawling to the edge of her bed. ¡°You¡¯re going to be blown, big sister!¡± Scott winked at her. Shawn put the parcel down near her feet and rolled his eyes, ¡°Your brother has gone crazy, ire. The news of your pregnancy has got to his head. I regret being his best friend.¡± He massaged his muscles to show how sore they¡¯ve been from carrying the huge parcels. ¡°Don¡¯t be a dick, Shawn! I told you I¡¯ll treat you to your favorite restaurant tonight if you help me.¡± Scott narrowed his eyes on him. ? Chapter 27 ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t know you¡¯l make me carry these boxes here.¡± Shawn turned to ire. ¡°ire, thepany said that they will send it over by the evening as soon as a transport truck is free. But no, he had to make me carry it like abourer!¡± ¡°I was too impatient to wait till evening! It¡¯s the first ever gift from me for my niece or nephew whoever it is. You think I would have waited that long?¡± Scott said uncaringly as he began to undo the boxes. Her eyes shone. She excitedly tapped her feet on the ground as she watched Scott and Shawn open the boxes. ¡°Is this for my baby? Her voice carmed pure excitement. ¡°For yo you both. Shawn said as Scott was invested in pulling tape off the huge and finely packed box. With each second, as each tape came out, ire¡¯s eyes widened. There were various shapes and sizes of wood pieces. It was some kind of furniture. It took about two hours to fix the pieces together, and the final product left her mouth agape, While ire was awestruck, her mother clutched her mouth tightly to hold her sobs in. Her son and his best friend have brought a fancy baby crib and shelf for her, Though it should make her happy that ire was genuinely enchanted by it, it shook her insides and messed with her. motherly feelings. No daughter should go through this phase¡­ Where she is pregnant but the baby of the father is not with her. What¡¯s more¡­ He¡¯s divorcing her, ¡°You like it?¡± Scott scratched his head as his sister was in a shock and mute mode for a while. She slowly turned to look at him as an infecting grin broke on her lips. She threw her arms around his waist, and hugged him tightly. ¡°This is the best gift I received in a while. Thank you, uncle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. But know that this is not the only gift my niece or nephew is getting from me. There¡¯s more on the way.¡± It made her hug him tighter. Then she approached Shawn. She hugged him too and thanked him. ¡°I¡¯m going to spoil your child rotten, ire. Take it as a pre¨Cwarning¡± Shawn chuckled. ¡°Warning well taken. But since you both are going to raise my child for me, I don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°dly! The guys said together. out. ¡°One of you will drop him to school and another will pick him up. ire said again, hoping that they¡¯ll back out. They agreed dly again, making her look at them narrowly. ¡°We¡¯ll take care of your baby easily. Scott said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s in the future. Taking care of the baby in the starting phase involves changing his diapers and changing his clothes again and again. I hope you don¡¯t mind doing that.¡± Andrea finally joined them Her words caught the boys off guard and they offered sheepish grins. That we think may require some assistance. I¡¯ll hire help to change diapers on my behalf. Scott said. ¡°And I for changing clothes,¡± Shawn smiled hesitantly. ¡°You will hire people to change diapers and clothes? God! You both are ridiculous.¡± Andrea said unbelievably. ire was amazed by their answers. She wasughing uncontrobly. Herughs sparked something inside her mother and Chapter 27 brother. They both adored her while Shawn captured this moment in his phone. She fell on bed and pped the mattress. She couldn¡¯t contain herughs. It was too funny. What else would you expect from young men like them? She was stillughing when her phone buzzed. She was too invested inughing to look at her phone. Scott got her phone for her. The moment his eyes fell on the screen, his face became taught and eyes hard. His mouth twisted in a line as if he was possessed. ire noticed it and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± Scott didn¡¯t answer. He kept staring at the phone. ¡°Scott,¡± She got up to take the phone from him. ¡°It¡¯s no one important. He was about to pull the phone away and cut the call when ire seized his wrist. As her eyes fell on the name of the caller, her body froze. Hunter. Tbc.. Çú Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¡°Hello,¡± His voice made her heartbeat go mad. ire pressed a hand to her chest. She drew the phone away from her car and turned her face to take deep breaths. Her breaths were uneven just from hearing his voice. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it, ire. 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 toe down to the garden to talk to him. ¡°So you remember me. ire said, intending for her words toe 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. ¡°Howe 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. P So typical of him. She never liked his silent side. It irked her. ¡°Do have something that is of importance to you?¡± She gulped a knot down her throat before saying that. By something of importance, she meant their baby. Still, deep within, she hoped for him to have discovered about their baby through the hospital. He was the richest man in Bloomeres, wasn¡¯t he? It wasn¡¯t anything big for him. ¡°How are you?¡± ire¡¯s eyes burned with tears, hearing it from him. ¡°Not dead. If that¡¯s what you have not wanted to hear then I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you. I¡¯m still alive and breathing ¡°ire,¡± He sighed. She hated it. Couldn¡¯t he say more? They were talking after a week after all. ¡°I¡¯m listening, Hunter.¡± She swept a gaze across from her. The air was freezing her skin and the warmth from the sun was bathing her with golden light. She watched birds fly overhead as the flowers danced with the cold autumn winds. Her heart wasn¡¯t beating fast anymore. It allowed her to pull the hand she had on her chest and stare at it. She admired the ring on her finger. Her wedding ring. It was still there. Even if she signed the divorce papers and left, she still had it She was looking at it with a longing gaze when he spoke again.
  1. on.
¡°I was thinking that we shouldplete the process of divorce. The papers are signed. There¡¯s no need to drag it. We have already parted. So why don¡¯t we go to the city hall tomorrow and receive our divorce certificate. His words made an intense current run up her spine that left her eyes wide and lifeless. She felt a punch lodge itself in her stomach. Her throat was tight and eyes dizzy. Suddenly she couldn¡¯t breathe. Her phone slipped out of her hold and skidded on the grassy bed beside her left foot. Since her legs lost the energy from hearing those words, she came crashing down. However, two strong arms held her. She was helped back on her feet as a warm hand snaked her shoulders. 1/3 ¡°Camel Age von sk?r¡± Sa?met vace hit her a It pulled her back to senses, and she nodded ire picked her phone up and put it on i when i know the son of a brat a maste Not to mention the dike her m¨¢s of ze?ie crotons den veden and as long as they had an OP ¡ª Prashing him away ire pointed at Too ps deserve that te¡¯s givington. Now then be dill you I will not e Her cheeks paled as the watched Sevels retreating fure. He tab been bee locaties those words from him was the boiling hot oil being pound in Sheened his call and spoke. ¡°Are you avable mow 00 the city hall tomorrow. Don¡¯t keep me waining Goodbye!! She said itinago not giving him a chance to speak and hunde call up Came rubed back inside the mansion and darte ¡°Oh god What did he say to make you tu so pale irer Heer held her by the shoulders the moment she ire copsed on her knees. She broke into heavy tears and has cuted Joody Berbody shi towards the Boorpletely Tell me ire. What did he say? Even left angrily from Here ire. ¡°Mom. I want to be alone. Please¡± ¡°Mom. please¡± She shrieked on top of her lungs, making Andre¡¯s pupils big Her one plunged Andrea into sorrow Her watery eyes twinkled as she embarrassedly licked her lip king down on her feetThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. d 3/3 ¡°TIL¡­.. T¡¯II¡­ Call me if you need me.¡± Her voice was a whisper. ire sagged down as the weight of pain and guilt burdened her shoulders. She curled on the floor, feeling a knife, id despair slicing through her heart. ¡°How could you, Hunter? How???¡± She hollered as she clutched her stomach tight The whole night she remained locked in her room. She didn¡¯t jul to her mother¡¯s offer for food or herpany ire stayed on the floor, looking at the front of the bed. She had stopped crying but the pain in her chest was inevitable, When the clock chimed at eight in the morning, she got up and entered the washroom. Taking a bath like a lifeless body, she wore new clothes. Drying her hair, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The woman she saw looked sick. Her lips matched the color of cheeks. Her eyes were trd. Since ire didn¡¯t want Hunter to see her like this- see how badly their divorce was damaging her, chipping life out of her body bit by bit she dusted her cheeks with blush and light highlighter. She wore a lip gloss matching the color of her natural lips, so they will look lively like before, She curled the tips of her hazelnut brown hair. She gave a once over to her election in the mirror before taking and phone. Luckily, the massive living hall of Argent Mansion was embraced by silence when she came down. She was relieved as she was not in the condition to meet anyone at this point, What she was going to do was going to break herpletely, ire didn¡¯t want anyone from her family to interrupt her before she left. Their faces would only break her before the deed was done. She hailed a cab and came to City Hall by 8.45 am. Her eyes erged as she froze in her tracks. Hunter was already present. But he was not alone. Zara was standing beside him by his car. While he was leaning against the door, looking at his phone, Zar was pressed to his side as if she was a merk teenager afraid of crowds. She was the first person to notice ire, and instantly a cunning smirk unfolded on her lips. Seeing C ire looking in their direction, she stuck closer to Hunter and said, ¡°I¡¯m feeling cold, Hunter.¡±¡° ire scoffed and rolled her eyes. The morning was quite warmpared to other days since autumn began. ¡°Here, take my coat.¡± He wrapped it around Zara¡¯s frame while ire stared at him with hard eyes. As if he breathed her presence in the air, his head shot up and his eyes locked with hers, causing the world around them to stop. The¡­ Chapter 29 Chapter 29 LEO Hunter let go of the coat and faced ire, making Zara¡¯s teeth grit together. He was in a state of shock, his eyebrows flew high as he stared at her. Hunter walked towards her. He wanted to open his mouth and speak but the bewilderment he felt at what he was seeing left him speechless. A hand of his lifted and cupped her cheek. He felt bones under his touch. Her skin was highly cold and to irk him, she was wearing a thin cropped shirt that exposed her belly. His teeth clenched and a muscle at his jaw quivered. ¡°What the hell have you done to yourself?¡± He red at her. It has only been seven days. Just seven days and she lost weight and looked like a woman under depression. ¡°Yeah, right, I did this to myself.¡± ire smiled sarcastically, her eyes never leaving his. His touch made her ufortable. It was zing and it gave rise to trembles in the pit of her stomach. Before it intensified and spread throughout her body, she stepped back Hunter fisted his hand and pulled it back. He studied her closely. The white cropped shirt was basically hanging on her shoulders. She had paired it with light blue baggy high¨Cwaisted denims, which made her look even thinner. As he opened his mouth to mock her for not taking care of herself, he felt soft hands wrap around his left elbow. He looked his left as Zara hesitantly bit her lips. Her forehead was creased and she seemed to be looking for shadow so she could hide in it Hunter grazed a look around them and sported a handful of men and women with cameras and mic. Blistering anger shot through him and he pulled Zara in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± He announced while moving. ire was unable to move. Her shoulders hung in sorrow as she observed the man she loved so dearly giving cover to his first love, so she won¡¯t be shot by the cameramen. On the other hand, she was standing exposed to cameras. She saw shlights but didn¡¯t budge. A woman with a mic approached her, followed by others. ¡°Mrs. MacIntyre, thest time we interviewed you, you imed that everything was fine between you and your husband? That you were nning your anniversary celebration again. Then what is this? You are outside the city hall¡± ¡°A couple whoes to city hall for the second time doesn¡¯te for a good cause. Are you and Mr. MacIntyre divorcing?¡± ire didn¡¯t answer. Her mouth was dry. Not that she had the confidence to look them in the and speak. eye She was frozen to her spot because Hunter took Zara with him to save her from the cameras. But he didn¡¯t think the same for her. What about her image? What about what she would feel? He didn¡¯t care about her. ¡°Is it because of Miss Levine?¡± The woman asked, forcing ire to look up. She had to say something and change her questions. Otherwise, Hunter would me her for dragging Zara¡¯s name. The tears in her eyes made the journalist¡¯s eyes soften. She bit her lips regretfully as she gestured to the cameras to lower down ¡°I think we should not disturb her.¡± She said and moved away. 13 Chapter 29 ¡°Rest assured this clip will not go online, ma¡¯am. We apologize for causing inconvenience to you.¡± ire¡¯s face nched while more tears stung her eyes. She smiled painfully at the woman, feeling more vulnerable, ¡°Even the journalists know what I need at this point.¡± She was still rooted to her ce even after the journalists were gone. The kindness she received from the people who should run after her dazed her. This was their job. To publish spicy news online and get people talking on it. But they dropped it for her. To give her space. Even strangers could be polite and respectful. Unlike the man she spent two years with. The realization left a bitter taste in her mouth ¡°What are you still doing here? Didn¡¯t I tell you toe inside?¡± She heard his stern voice. ire saw him with knitted eyebrows. He was irritated at her. ¡°Or you want the journalists to make a fuss about our divorce before it has happened!¡± Her heart bled. She felt her skin frosting under his stare. ¡°Assuming how boastfully you lied to the journalists thest time, they will not miss any opportunity to nder and humiliate you now we are divorcing. Don¡¯t you care about your image, ire MacIntyre?¡± His lips puckered with annoyance Seeing that ire was motionless and quiet, Hunter grasped her wrist. He began to pull her with him before the cameramen and the journalists returned. ¡°I can walk Hunter felt her wrist twist in his hold before she pulled it away. He peered at her as she hissed at him, ¡°And I am not a Macintyre anymore. I am ire Argent. Don¡¯t forget that.¡± She brushed past him. ire stopped after a few steps and turned around. ¡°Talking about my image and what the journalists will do to me, it¡¯s none of your business. I made a fool of myself two years ago when I said yes to marry you. I am prepared for all their insults. You worry about your girlfriend.¡± Hunter¡¯s back stiffened. His dark stare burnt holes in her retreating figure. He blew a deep breath and journeyed after her. Inside City Hall, ire looked around at other couples. They were all here to register their marriage. She and Hunter were the odd ones out who have arrived to receive their divorce certificate. Since she was well¨Cknown, the other women gawked at her with a ridiculed gaze. Some pitied her while some were simply amused. She recalled how happy she had been when she came here two years ago to receive her marriage certificate. Every step from when she said yes, was aired on the television for the world to see. She had been so happy that she wanted each living soul to know her love story. But now, she couldn¡¯t dare look up and meet their eyes.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. ire quietly followed Hunter into an office that was familiar to her. They visited the same official who registered their marriage. He forwarded a document for them to sign. Since Hunter was in a hurry to get rid of her, she noticed he sighed first. She couldn¡¯t help but observe his fingers. They were intact, and gracefully danced over the document as he scribbled his signature. It was as though he was signing a billion dor deal. Chapter 29 When it was her turn, she closed her eyes cursed herself for feeling the way she was feeling. Her stomach was moving up and side, her breaths were ragged, and her hands twitched uncontrobly. Much to her relief, Hunter received a call and he excused himself to take it. The official left to run an important errand rted to their divorce. Now it was only ire and Zara standing side by side near the desk. As ire held the pen. Zara ears. ¡°So sad. I don¡¯t like seeing you like this, ire. So lost and broken. But women like you, who think themselves as the cleverest, end up eating shit. Zara said in a hateful cone. 3/3 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 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?¡± ire 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, ire, 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? ire was flummoxed to o 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 what they were talking about. The official didn¡¯t let him dwell on it as he handed him two signed copies of divorce certificates. Hunter thanked him and he exited his office with Zara and ire as some couples were lining outside his cabin to register their marriage. ¡°ire,¡± Hunter called her name as he forwarded her copy of the divorce certificate. She literally snatched it from his hand and whirled around to leave. However, his calloused and hot fingers seized hold of her wrist again. ¡°Let go, Mr. MacIntyre ire said sharply. She felt him move behind her. He stopped with his chest pressing on her back. Goosebumps cascaded along her spine. Not. that he had any right to stand this closer with her, she forcefully withdrew her hand out of his touch and turned to eye him, murderously. ¡°We¡¯ve been married for two years. Can¡¯t you wait until we exchange our parting words? Why are you in a rush?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know you anymore. And there¡¯s no need for any parting words. Remember, you eagerly wanted this!¡± She shed her copy of divorce certificate in front of his eyes. ¡°Celebrate our divorce consider me dead.¡± Hunter opened his mouth to rebuke, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ire. This is happening because of me. I shouldn¡¯t havee between you two.¡± He blinked his eyes and scowled at Zara who said those words, ¡°You didn¡¯te between us, Zara, Don¡¯t say that again. He frowned. ¡°No matter what you say, Hunter, the truth will remain as is that came in between you two. Can you please move a little so I can speak with ire. She stepped ahead, between ire and Hunter. Zara took ire¡¯s hand and squeezed it apologetically in her holl as she spoke, ¡°ire, I know you hate me for this, but please, don¡¯t hate me a lot. I swear I tried to stop this divorce. But Hunter won¡¯t let me go. Chapter 30 ¡°I am a woman too and know what it feels like to be separated from the man you love.¡± Zara smirked as she squeezed ire¡¯s hand tighter. It was visible that she was doing this to rub a mountain of salt on her freshly incurred wounds.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ire was about to pull her hand back and snap at her that she heard Zara say, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for his stubbornness then I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to marry him today.¡± ¡°Marry him today?¡± ire repeated those words, her eyes stalling on Hunter¡¯s face in disbelief. ¡°Yeah, he insisted that we get married today itself. Though I told him we can do it some other day, he wants it today.¡± Zara pulled her hand to her chest and continued in her deceitfully inpocent voice, ¡°Please, don¡¯t me me for it. ire. I don¡¯t want us to be enemies in the future because of our marriage. It¡¯s Hunter who wanted all of this. Otherwise L¡­ ire was too numb to hear anything ahead. She blinked back the tears forming and smiled. ¡°Congrattions to you both then.¡± ¡°Thanks. By the way, can I ask you something if you don¡¯t mind Yanking her hand out of Zara¡¯s clutch, ire locked eyes with Hunter as she replied to Zara ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Hunter didn¡¯t buy me a ring. I mean, he intended to buy a new one for me but then we remembered that the rings you and he exchanged were my dream rings. They were designed for our wedding. Although he has his wedding ring, the one that was mine is on your finger¡­ Zara trailed off, causing ire to bring her eyes to her. She arched her eyes, allowing Zara to go ahead with her demands. She already said so much. Why was she hesitating now? ¡°So¡­ If you don¡¯t mind- ¡°Why will I mind? This is your ring. It was made for you. It belonged to you always. I¡¯ve been unknowingly cherishing stuff that wasn¡¯t mine from the start. ire sneered without taking her eyes off Hunter. She took off the ring with her other hand and pped it on Zarak palm. She was violent. But still, neither Zara nor Hunter reacted to it I¡¯m sorry, ire, I didn¡¯t- ¡°I hope you don¡¯t get treated like me. Have a happy married life. Hunter swallowed hard over those words. He was about to move Zara aside and talk with ire when she spun around and exited. He kept staring unless she disappeared from his sight, leaving his heart pounding. Swallowing again, he regarded Zara with a steely gaze, confidential.¡± Why did you tell her about our marriagel¨Cfold you it would be He ran a hand through his hair. Since he assured Zara that he would marry her, she had been bright and joyful. Her health has recoveredpletely and so to keep it that way, when she asked when they would get married, to prevent her from bothering him again and again with the question, he said that it would be on the same day he and ire receive their divorce certificate. Now as he thought about it, a heavy feeling seuled in his chest. Why did he say it to Zara? Above all¡­ Of all people, ire had to know it first. He felt his heart racing in his chest, thinking about what ire would think now. 12.09 Wed, Jul 17 G. Chapter 30 +89% ¡°And the ring.¡± He heaved a heavy sigh. It was clear that he was controlling his irritation. ¡°I told you I ordered a simr ring for you. You didn¡¯t have to take it from her, Zara¡± Zara lowered her head as tears formed in her eyes, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you or ire. I just thought,¡± She sobbed. ¡°I just ¡°God!¡± He hugged her and caressed her hair. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not ming you.¡± ¡°I should have understood. ire must feel so bad about it. While she just got divorced we are getting married. I also took the ring from her. She must have many memories attached to the ring.¡± ¡°I am so stupid. I shouldn¡¯t have done it. I will go after her and apologize.¡± Zara said as she tried to release herself from the hug. Thr¡­ Çú Chapter 31 Chapter 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 ire 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 ire with a sinister grin. ¡°This ring costs fortunes. How could I leave it in ire¡¯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 phnges 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 seeded in getting her hands on Hunter. She couldn¡¯t seed in taking ire¡¯s ce or possession as his wife. ¡°You will fracture your fingers, Zara Zara gasped at the sudden eruption of his voice. ¡°Hunter, L.. I think I¡¯ve gained weight over the years.¡± She foolishly said as he kept gawking at the ring. The fact was that the ring was of ire¡¯s size. Two years ago when Zara left, Hunter was enraged. Not only did he propose to ire out of anger but also instructed the designer to make the ring of her size. The ring reminded him of his wife¡¯s slender and long fingers. He recalled how they perfectly fitted in his hold whenever he pinned her hands above her head during love making. On the other hand, though Zara had an enchanting figure, her fingers were chunky. His wife not only had the most delicate and graceful fingers but also the softest to the touch. Hunter shook his head as he corrected himself in his head. She was his ex¨Cwife now. After all, they got divorced just five minutes ago. ¡°Give this ring to me.¡± He said, forwarding his hand. ¡°It will fit, Hunter. I¡¯ll perform hands exercise- ¡°It¡¯s not your size. When you left I asked the designer to make it ire¡¯s size. Give this one to me. Yours is in the making. I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s ready¡± ¡°Then how do we get married? I don¡¯t want to marry without the ring.¡± Zara pouted, faking innocence again. ¡°We can wait until your ring is ready.¡± Hunter couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the ring. Zara was reluctant to answer. She wanted to get married today anyhow. But she refused to sign the marriage certificate without putting a ring on. If not by following rituals, she wanted to get married again by exchanging rings. That¡¯s the least they could do. ¡°I¡¯ll wait till my ring is ready.¡± She looked up with bright eyes. ¡°I hope it won¡¯t take long.¡± Hunter didn¡¯t reply as Zara set ire¡¯s ring on his palm. He wondered what he¡¯d do with this wedding band now. 1/3 ? Chapter 31 Stuffing it in his pocket,-he¨Cgave Zara a hand. They both sat inside his car and drove off while a relieved look crossed on his face. He seemed d to not be marrying Zara today. ire was nkly walking in the middle of the street. She didn¡¯t realize that the street had ended and now she was walking in the middle of a busy road. A speedy car approached her. It was out of bnce. The view of the approaching car and the ear¨Csplitting noise of screeching tyres attracted her attention. Her heart jumped in her throat as she saw the caring towards her. She knew she couldn¡¯t avoid getting run over, hence out of reflex, she covered her face with her hand. Much to her bewilderment, the man behind the steering wheel pulled the brakes inches before he ran into her. ¡°Do you want to die,dy? What the hell are you doing strolling in the middle of the busy road?¡± He belloweding out of the car. ire hugged her arms. She fought to keep from trembling. Hee whole body felt on edge from the intensity of her vulnerability. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re deaf and mute! Say something.¡± The man pinned her with a smoldering gaze. ire lowered her head. When she looked up, the traffic light was green and all the cars had stopped Luckily she was walking beside the zebra crossing so she rushed and crossed the road and came to the other side. When she started moving again, she found her knees prohibiting her walk. They felt like water. She was afraid that if she moved, they might take her down. She practised deep breathing. One. Two Three¡­ She counted till ten and shuffled her feet again. ire pursed her lips together to keep from sobbing. She hated the tears forming in her eyes. Why was she affected by the news of their marriage? It was supposed to happen. It was bound to. The reason why she got the divorce tertificate was the impending matrimony of her husband and his lover. Despair slithered through her, making her chest constrict. ¡°He¡¯s not my husband anymore.¡± She corrected herself. She would have endured their marriage had it not been on her divorce day. Even though she was well acquainted with Zara¡¯s deceptive nature, she couldn¡¯t stop the miserable feeling growing in her chest. It crawled down to her abdomen, causing a twitching feeling in her core. She felt her belly throb and the insides of her thighs were disoriented from pain. Even then she pressed on aimlessly. ire didn¡¯t know how long she had been walking. But when she blinked her eyes to clear the veil of tears that had blurred her vision, a worried face of Scott came to view. She noticed behind him and it dawned on her that she had reached her home. However, the dusk had settled and stars were beginning to twinkle like jewels in the sky.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She looked back at Scott and noticed his eyebrows were drawn together. His lips trembled, and then he shrieked. ¡°Keep your phones down, mother fuckers! Don¡¯t you have any sliver of conscience left in you? Stop it Stop it!!! The next moment he removed his shirt and put it around her. The action made her go down on the ground with a thud. Chapter 3 Oh ire, what have you done to yourself¡± He wailed as he sight after covering her legs ire perred down and her mouth opened on a yelp ¡°M¨Cmy baby M¨Cmy. She whimpered as grief emerged in her eyes in the form of tears. Her bor baggy pants were staked in blood on the inside. She profusely bled And still bleeding The bleeding probably caught the beed of onlookers. The fact that he was renowned on the inte made them actively capture her videos, and photos Stop it! Stop shooting her. Please, stop in Security, help met Set serransed while jer¡¯s ears Billed with x berging sound The sight of blood made her headed the chest men shoulders as she whispered ¡°Save my baby, Wet S my ba her shudders for support while the teachienen ema of oblivion propfleet bare in, waargeneering her wensen The BB Chapter 32 COMMENT Chapter 32 ire was staring at the ceiling,ying 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¨Cpitched 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 ¡°ire, 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, ire. I¡¯m sooo fucking sorry.¡± Although ire¡¯s mouth twitched, no tear appeared in her eyes. There was no trace of moisture. Just dark red, emotionless eyes peering at the ceiling She felt herself being squeezed. Her breathing was interrupted by it but she didn¡¯t ask the person to stop. It until unbearable pressure fell on the hand on which the cann was inserted. She let out a low, inaudible cry. The person flinched and unlocked his arms from around her. She heard a gasp followed by another series of sorries. Her hand was taken and held tight. It was the warmth of the other person¡¯s hand that made her lift her uncaring eyes to identify who he was.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Her gaze was instantly misted by tears and a low yelp escaped her lips. ¡°Scott She barely whispered before losing it. I¡¯m sorry, ire. I¡¯m so sorry. He joined their foreheads, crying along with her. Scott confessed to cursing her that day. He confessed that he was hurt by her and it all just happened on an impulse. When ire was not crying anymore, she shook her head, gesturing to her baby brother to stop it. With her other hand she wiped his face. It was then that she realized that her brother, who never let facial hair be visible on his jaw, had his face littered with dark stubble. It was as though he had not taken a shower in days. It was probably like that because ire realized that his clothes were dirty and shirt stained. Her heart stopped beating for it was the shirt he had put on her to hide her blood stained jeans when she was losing blood that day. He has been in this state since! How long has she been on a hospital bed, unconscious? What day was it today? Im sorry, ire. It¡¯s because of me. I¡­ I cursed you? ¡°Shh, it¡¯s not you. Stop crying, Scottie. You look very pathetic while crying. And this stubble makes you look old!¡± ire tried to joke as she forced a chuckle. It only made him cry more given that her tone was bled dry of emotions. It was meek and sounded like it belonged to a ??? Chapter 32 person who was taking theirst breaths. Scott shook his head stubbornly. ¡°Punish me, ire. It¡¯s because of my cursing th¨Cthat you¡­¡± He sobbed. That you lost your baby.¡± Closing her eyes, ire battled the emerging tremors in her body. She counted to twenty as she told herself that there was no need to cry. Because honestly, when she had detected a thick trail of blood in between her legs on her jeans, she knew it already happened. She knew that she had lost. It wasn¡¯t Scott who made it happen. It was not his curse. She did it to herself by allowing others¡® actions to get to her. She lost her baby because she let them affect her. ¡°Im so sorry, ire. You wouldn¡¯t have been out for four days had I not said those words to you.¡± ire was stumped by his announcement. Four days! Again, she lost precious four days of her life to darkness. ¡°It¡¯s not because of you, baby. Don¡¯t me yourself. Please¡­¡± She tried to make him understand. Then she noticed her hand which was in Scott¡¯s. It was streaming. Literally. Her blood had coated his hand and was dripping trails of redness on the floor. No wonder why she was feeling dizzy. ¡°Scott, I¡¯m bleeding. Call the doctor. She nudged his shoulder. Scott moved with a jerk. His eyesnded between them under her belly. He thought she was bleeding from between her legs. again. He heaved when he realized that the sheet on her frame was white, unwed with redness. ¡°It¡¯s my hand, Scottie.¡± Scott swept his gaze over to see her hand and his jaw dropped. Guilt swam in his eyes as he frantically attempted to stop the bleeding. Then he muttered curses for himself before running out to get a doctor. ire sat quietly, emotionlessly, though her eyes stayed watery. Distant voices turned tomotion outside her door. She looked at it while her mind remained empty. She couldn¡¯t even try to guess what was happening out there. She was just so tired and spent that she didn¡¯t want to stress herself now. 11 I want to see ire! I will see her and no one can stop me from -Her skin burned with goosebumps as those words echoed in the air. She heard those words from a hauntingly pissed and stubborn voice¡­ Voice which caused her breathing to fracture as the door parted and closed. It happened in a second as a fuming Scott stepped in with a nurse and a doctor. Who was it? She wanted to ask when the doct announced. ¡°Miss. Argent, it¡¯s good to see you awake. How are you feeling? Ab, the way Mr. Argent told me that your hand is bleeding, I thought it¡¯s worse.¡± ¡°This is not something to worry about. I¡¯ll treat it in a minute. Tell me how are you feeling?¡± The doctor smiled joyfully like he was greeting any normal patient and not ire, a woman who was cheated upon, divorced, and oppressed until she miscarried her baby. He withdrew the cann from her flesh and bandaged her hand. The doctor inserted a new cann on her other hand and put her on liquid medication. Till now ire has not uttered a word in his presence. He peered at her with a smile and uttered, ¡°I can only imagine what you¡¯ve suffered, Miss Argent. However, what happens to you in the future is in your hands.¡± That made her look up. She saw a finely built doctor with striking green eyes. He was enticingly broad and the white doctor¡¯s coat clung to his torso. There was a strong air about him that caused her to keep looking at him. He didn¡¯t pity her. If anything, he regarded her with the intention to revive her to a confident state again. ¡°No one can beat us unless we let them do it. You¡¯ve given your opponents the chance to attack you with all your weak spots exposed. And if you keep those weak spots unhidden, they¡¯ll find another chance toe at you. Who knows if they damage you terminally next time?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it happen. Don¡¯t let them belittle you again.¡± Those were his wise words he shared as a person to another for providing strength. When he left, she heard noises outside the door again. It was as if someone was trying to do something. Scott observed her looking at the door. Her curiosity was rising, ¡°Close your eyes and try to sleep, ire. Take some rest. He said and it distracted her. Chire did what he asked obediently. She dozed off for a few hours while Scott remained seated next to her. Other members from her family including some uncles and aunts, her grandparents from both sides, and cousins, who lived in Bloomcrest had alsoe for her. Since her condition was frail and she recently gained her senses, only one person was allowed to stay with her in her room. Scott became that person since he assumed he put his sister in that condition. He didn¡¯t sleep. He kept watching her, setting her hair properly, or caressing her feet to make her feel better. However, ire was asleep. He didn¡¯t stop. He felt inclined to do all that for her. When it had been four hours and evening crept in, Andrea quietly tiptoed in. ¡°It¡¯s been hours since you¡¯re sitting here, Scout. Take some rest. His mother said while stroking his hair. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her alone, mom. You saw what happened to her when I left her alone for a night? Scott didn¡¯t feel ashamed when tears cascaded below his eyes. He recalled that day when ire refused to hang up on her good¨Cfor¨Cnothing husband. He recalled how he spoke rudely to her and left her alone. That was the worst decision of his life since it was dictated by his ego. He felt humiliated that day when ire screamed at him. That was why he left her alone for the whole night even though his heart wanted him to go to her, warning him of the uing storm if he left her alone. 3/4 Chapter 32 I won¡¯t leave her side for one minute. Who knows if something else happens to He faded out as he didn¡¯t even want to think about anything else happening to her. After all, she suffered a lot already. Now no more. Just no more.. ¡°At least go and eat something.¡± Andrea stroked the back of his neck. ¡°I will eat once ire wakes up again.¡± Scott said while holding his sister¡¯s gauzed hand. ¡°Okay,¡± Andrea sighed and moved back. ¡°We are outside. In case you want to take a break we¡¯ll be happy to rece you and be here with her. She whirled around and went to the door. As soon as it opened, a man forced himself in. Andrea was taken aback when a broad chest came to her vision. She stepped back while holding her chest. It allowed the man to step inside the wardpletely. Andrea¡¯s eyes squinted. They zed with wrath as she spread her hands wide, blocking the path for the man who barged in. ¡°What part of ¡®you¡¯re not allowed to see her¡® wasn¡¯t clear to you, Hunter Macintyre! Get the hell out of here before I call the cops on you. The bridled anger in her voice was palpable. Nevertheless, Hunter stepped inside as his thirsty eyes stalled on ire¡¯s body on the bed. The É« 0 Chapter 33 Chapter 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 a On the outside. Andrea and Scott saw a man unsympathetically looking at his ex¨Cwife. 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 ire¡¯s hand and rose to his feet. He curled his fingers, all set to effuse his anger on this man who was also behind ire¡¯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¨Cson¨Cinw 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 rtive will be inside the ward with the patient? She merely survived a close call with death.¡± ¡°Please vacate the room at once!¡± A doctor with a long white beard and moustache scowled in a stern voice. The young doctor who hade to treat ire¡¯s hand has also rushed in. He looked displeased with Hunter¡¯s presence in the room. ¡°Please move out. The patient¡¯s mental condition is very delicate. She will freak out and fall into deeper mental predicaments if she sees this. Have mercy on her condition and move. The aged doctor pleaded as none of them was ready to move. The nurses and doctors retreated first. Then Andrea with Penelope who had been at the doorstep all this while. Hunter was sculpted in his spot. Ever since he saw ire, the desire to move- even breathe- died an agonized death. ¡°Hunter, we had a deal. Dominic spoke to him but his eyes won¡¯t budge, neither would his body. you assured me ¡°I know you¡¯re not the man of your words, because if you were, my daughter wouldn¡¯t be here like this. But that you will not cause a ruckus and wait till ire herself decides to meet you.¡± Dominic gave him a pointed look. ¡°Leave, Hunter. Don¡¯t make it hard for my daughter. Just get out The words woke him up. He blinked his eyes as he finally looked away from ire to gaze at her father. With one look at her, Hunter walked out without saying a word. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what is wrong with this man? He didn¡¯te for her for a whole week when they were still husband and wife. What does he want to prove bying here now after the divorce?¡± ¡°Dominic, I don¡¯t want this man in this hospital. Throw him out Our daughter has seen enough because of him. Get him away from her.¡± Dominic took his wife¡¯s arm and guided her out of the room. Homade Sure e to give a warning look to Scott as he was still glowering like there was a forest to put on fire. Hunter was nowhere in sight when Dominic and his wife came out. ÃÅ Chapter 33 ¡°He took the elevator Penelope informed as she noticed that her best friend¡¯s parents were looking around. ¡°Good for him that he left himself. Or I was really going to call the cops on him¡± Andrea folded her hands and blinker her tears away. Dominic released a defeated sigh. His muscles ached from all the sitting he¡¯d been doing for thest four days. ¡°You can¡¯t do it even if that sounds like the best thing to do Andrea was dazed, hearing her husband ¡°He dictates the police department along with other government organizations. So even if I want to hire a bunch of guards to guard ire¡¯s ward I can¡¯t do it¡± Dominic clutched his mane. ¡°I will kill him if I can. That¡¯s if I can only touch him.¡± Then what do we do? Watch him hurt our daughter again and again. I have tolerated enough, Dominic I can¡¯t be quiet anymore. If you can¡¯t do anything. I¡¯ll take matters into my own hands¡± left Andrea 1 left eye Gawking at her bag that was hanging on her right forearm, she spoke murderously. ¡°I have my revolver with me. If you can¡¯t take care of then I will- ¡°For god¡¯s sake, aunty, get a grip on your emotions Penelope rushed to her and seized her bag away from her ¡°None of us can tolerate his arrival. That does not mean all of us will father of the child our Laire lost. You have to endure his presence gun to shoot must not forget that he¡¯s the ¡°If he¡¯s anything then he¡¯s a monster. He destroyed my daughter¡¯s life and took her child away from her ire is inside because of him. I can¡¯t see him around her like this as if nothing happened. Dominar, you must do something about him.¡± Andrea¡¯s nostrils red angrily as she regarded her husband ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him here again. You know what I will do if he shows himself¡± Dominic and Penelope watched as Andrea stomped away She didn¡¯t fight to retrieve her bag which was a good thing. Dominic essed her licensed gun and emptied all the bullen. He stuffed them in his pocket and put the gun back to where it was He and Penelope shared a pained and weary look. ¡°Don¡¯t leave here, Penny. Scott and his mother are proving out to be a handful Watch after Scott while I take care of Andrea, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone else who can think straight other than us two¡± Dominic said while rubbing his temple. ¡°ire is my first child. I was blessed with her when I truly wanted her. There¡¯s no feeling in this world that can surpass the feeling of being a father. Shepleted my dream of a family when she came to this world. His voice was packed with pain. ¡°Andrea thinks I can¡¯t feel ire¡¯s pain because I¡¯m a father, not a mother like her. But who will tell her that every sob that expels her mouth, every time a tear leaves her eyes, every wave of tremble I see in her body chips out pieces of my soul.¡± Besides Scott, Dominic never left the hospital since ire was brought here. He was also in the same clothes as that day and with dishevelled hair. ¡°I will not leave my daughter alone. I can¡¯t stop Hunter from staying here but I can fail his attempts to see her. Penny, you¡¯re all the support I can get.¡± ¡°Unburden yourself from concern for Scott, uncle. And I understand everything you do. I know how powerful Hunter is, I support your actions. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Penelope hugged his arm. ¡°I¡¯ll be here, uncle. You must go after aunty. She needs you.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Shaking his head in acknowledgement, Dominic faded into the shadows. É« / DG Chapter 33 The¡­ +89%1 Should Hunter get a chance to see ire? Do you think he deserves it now¡­ After taking so much from ire? Does he still deserve to stay the hero in her life that she thought he was? Comment down your views. And thanks for all the love??)) Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Inside the ward. ire 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 ire¡¯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¡°¡± ire 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¡± ¡°Till do it. You¡¯re not required here. Get out.¡± ire eyed her brother as he came to the other side and resumed the work the nurse was supposed to do. The nurse made her exit as ire motioned her with her eyes to do so, leaving the brother and sister alone ¡°Has someone told you how awfully you stink? Had you not been my baby brother, I would have asked them to kick you out.¡± a faint smile cracked on Scott¡¯s lips ¡°Shush, I¡¯m trying to focus¡± Scott ran his thumb gently over her skin. He avoided pressing her skin over the needle. He massaged around it and though ire didn¡¯tment on it, he was doing it better than the nurse. ¡°Scottie.¡± ire called him. ¡°I¡¯m listening ¡°Go take a bath and shave?¡± She almost yelled thest part. ¡°Do I look that ugly?¡± ¡°More than you can imagine, She chuckled. ¡°Okay, first you eat something. Then I¡¯ll go and get changed.¡± ¡°And take some rest too.¡± I¡¯m not¡­ ¡°Shush!¡± She put a finger on her lips while her eyes protruded in fake anger. ¡°You are not my elder brother, I¡¯m your elder. You will do as I say. Is that understood?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not in the condition to order me around like an elder!¡± Scott rolled his eyes with a sneer. Chapter 34 ¡°Shut up and get out. Don¡¯t show me your face again unless you have shaved and perfumed yourself well. Scott sniffed his shirt and made a vomiting face. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll go take a bath. But first, I¡¯ll feed you.¡± ire sighed as she observed a nurseing in with a trolleyden with mixed fruit sd, orange juice and a bowl of soup. Scott sent her on her way as she came ahead to assist his sister to eat. He picked the bowl of soup and fed her. When she was full, he shed a delightful grin and patted her head. ¡°Good girl, I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re my elder, little Scottie. ¡°Okay, grandma.¡± ¡°Scott! Come back here. He darted away. Soon as he was gone, Penny showed herself with a smile that reduced ire¡¯s, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him smile in four days. At least, one of you is genuinely smiling ire sighed, lowering her gaze to her hands. Penny sat on the stool and watched her. She was amused to see ire so calm. Any woman in her spot would want to twist the room apart if she lost her baby ¡°Say it, She broke off in a hard voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a pretty strong reason to push yourself to the point that you miscarried your baby you promised me you¡¯ll protect at all cost, and let no harme to him. Say it, ire. I really want to know,¡± Penelope sat on the edge of the stool, her body half leaning towards her friend. Her desperate eyes set affixed on her drained face as she tried not to hiss in irritation. ¡°I¡¯m waiting, ire!¡± She demanded. ire took a shallow breath as she locked eyes with her friend. He got married to her.¡± Penny was stumped but she didn¡¯t let it reflect on her face. ¡°And¡± got married, Penny!¡± ire offered with a disbelieving tone. ¡°His n was to make that bitch his wife after he stripped me off that title.¡± Tears emerged in ire¡¯s eyes, ¡°Right after we acquired our divorce certificate, I was revealed to that information by that sl¡¯t. He didn¡¯t even try to exin anything to me, Penny. He didn¡¯t even bat ash.¡± ¡°She demanded my wedding ring for her marriage and he watched everything silently as if it was nothing big. He didn¡¯t care how it would affect me.¡± ¡°I know he didn¡¯t love me but I was crazy about him. He knew that, didn¡¯t he? No one can feel the pain I felt when Zara told me about their marriage n. It was like a shock. Like someone shoved a barbed weapon through my chest, rolled it, and yanked my heart out with it, While I was still hoping for him to somehow learn about my pregnancy and stop the divorce, he was altogether nning to get married to her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more hurtful than you see. The father of my child could not contain his desperation to marry his first love. It was like he was dying to get rid of me so he could be with her. That broke me. Penny. I loved him so much, and yet he decided to 2/3 her his.¡± ienced from listening to her friend dly imagine what you went through.¡± gine what she was going through. As for ire, she went through a suicidal phase which she re seethed while her teary eyes became icy hard. with a life¡± who has been awake for weeks, nning a destructive witching in resentment a big gulp of air, athly determined eyes: COMMENTThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 3 enelope stared at her face as she decided not to tell her about Hunter and his presence in the hospital. Her first intention fter entering ire¡¯s room was to tell her about her ex¨Chusband being in the waiting lounge. He refused to leave. When he entered the elevator after leaving ire¡¯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 ire ecided 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.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. I have asked thepany 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 ire¡¯s baby. ire 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 all would have caused her more pain. It¡¯s good that you had it all taken away. ¡°I also decorated her room differently. You know, Scott shrugged. ¡°So she would feel better.¡±. Penny nodded, while in her mind she thought, ¡°There¡¯s nothing in this world which will make her feel better after what she suffered, Scott. After what she lost! A baby can¡¯t bepared with. ire was so attached to her little one. Only God knows if she will ever be able to be normal like before.¡± While Dominic made the payment and Andrea was helping ire to change into new clothes, Hunter sat impatiently in the waiting lounge with Cole. He had a sour look which earned him curious nces from other people waiting there. Cole noticed it, and poked a finger in his arm. *Correct your expression, Hunter. Everyone¡¯s looking at you. You¡¯re not supposed to feel sour for being made to wait, you know. You¡¯re here to visit your ex¨Cwife. Not your darling!¡± Cole mocked him more than telling it to him. Honestly, he wouldn¡¯t be here sitting beside Hunter if it wasn¡¯t for seeing ire with his own eyes. What he saw on the inte and being aired on various news channels, he was truly concerned for ire. Her clip was all over the inte. The one where she was bleeding and her brother was trying to hide her bloodied clothes. Not just viewers, but many media people who were lingering around her shot that event and shared it on the inte ¡°I don¡¯t understand whether you¡¯re here because you¡¯re pained by your baby¡¯s death, or because she kept the news from you. Either way, it shouldn¡¯t concern you. You chose Zara. Remember?¡± Ever so eerily, Hunter raised his eyes that had been glued to the entrance of the waiting lounge. If it was any other person than Cole, he would have melted for his eyes were zing like hot fire of hell. ire¡¯s father had told him that he woulde to call him once she was ready to see him. While this wait was grating on his nerves, Cole ripped open a new wound on his chest. What he said was basically equivalent to filling that wound with freshly ground chilly powder. Although a thousand expletives formed in his mind other than some exnation, Hunter chose to stay quiet. He didn¡¯t have G. Chapter 35 to answer him or anyone else in this world. He was only answerable to ire. Getting up, he darted towards the threshold. ¡°Where are you heading to?¡± Cole followed him. They entered the elevator together and came on the floor ire¡¯s father booked entirely for his daughter. 9+ 89% As the elevator doors parted, Hunter came face to face with Dominic. The old man¡¯s face became hard. He eyed Hunter while his jaw tightened. Seeing that both the men were busy giving each other a stony stare, Cole interfered. ¡°Hello, uncle. How is ire? We were ted when we learned that she¡¯s getting discharged today. Do you think we can meet her?¡± Cole uttered politely. Even though he was Hunter¡¯s best friend, his bonding with ire¡¯s family was good. He used toe to drop ire to her house many times and over the course of time, he became a family friend of theirs while being Hunter¡¯s best man and his only confidante. Henceforth, he was hopeful Dominic will respect their special bond and not pour his resentment towards him. ¡°ire is pretending to be good in front of all of us. But we know internally she¡¯s dead and physically she¡¯s trying to survive.¡± Dominic said tightly, while his enraged eyes remained on Hunter. From his appearance, it was obvious he would never let Hunter see his daughter. That meant that Hunter¡¯s wait was for nothing. The five days he spent sitting in the waiting lounge, without food or proper water and sleep, was going to yield him nothing. Cole watched as Dominic raised his chin, giving a disdainful look. ¡°I know we had a deal. However, can you fulfill it when she¡¯s not ready to face you?¡± expect n me to ¡°The doctors strictly told me that she can¡¯t take more stress than experienced so far. And you. Are a walking suicide for her. Hunter.¡± Hunter¡¯s knuckles turned white as he clenched his fingers. He was not the man of expression, but currently he was sporting a look as that of a mad bull. A mad bull who was being pushed to the edge while red was being shed in front of his eyes relentlessly for five days straight. Quickly Cole pressed a hand to his back. It was a cue to assure him that he will get to see ire today itself. In sometime from now. The only thing he had to do was remain calm. ¡°I can¡¯t allow you to see her. It¡¯s for her good. And though I know her health barely matters to you, you must spare her this time. I will try and talk to her, and let you know when she¡¯s ready for a rendezvous with you.¡± Dominic walked past him to enter the elevator. He stopped half outside and half in, as he looked over his shoulder, ¡°If this was done when you were still together, I would have been ttered, MacIntyre. You don¡¯t want to know what my wife thinks of your persistence. She was willing to pull the trigger of her gun she acquired to unt about in front of her silly friends. You¡¯ve lost all our affection. He steppedpletely inside and turned around. And before the door closed, he added, ¡°Don¡¯t think it¡¯s any different with ire. ¡°He¡¯s immensely piqued!¡± Cole eximed after a while. Then he looked at his friend and a burning sensation in his chest began. ¡°You deserve every inch of it.¡± ¡°Work on your assurance.¡± Hunter spat back. ¡°I will not leave here unless I see ire.¡± Tbc¡­ Chapter 36 Chapter 36 36 Cole suppressed a gnawing desire to connect his fist with Hunter¡¯s handsome face.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. 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 ire 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 solid reason to delete her number. Guess, it was all for the good that he didn¡¯t delete it. ¡°What do you want, Wordsmith?¡± Cole¡¯s chest rumbled with raw,poisonous resentment blossoming towards Penelope at the sound of her equally resentful voice. ¡°Your help.¡± ¡°I must be dreaming!¡± Penelopeughed a bitterugh. ¡°Wordsmith wanting my help. It can only happen in my dream Cole kept his voice devoid of bitterness he felt towards her as he replied. ¡°Surprising, right? But we both lost our right to avoid each other like a contagious disease that we both think we are for each other when we became friends with our best friends. It¡¯s hateful but we have to work together for them. ¡°Your implication being?¡± Cole hissed, ¡°We need to arrange their meeting, Baker!¡± ¡°Forget it,¡± Penelope said and hung up on him. Anger built like a volcano inside Cole. Hunter watched him simmer as he stomped his foot. ¡°How dare she hang up on me? This impolite, ill¨Cmannered woman!¡± Cole dialled her number again. Penelope may have taken his call again because then Cole scoffed, ¡°I would rather have my ears poured with acid than listen to your grating voice, you detestable woman! If it wasn¡¯t for my friend I wouldn¡¯t even let your name appear in my nightmare, let alone see it on the screen of my phone. How dare you hang up on me?¡± ¡°You swine! How dare you talk to me like that? You prick, ass hole, mother fucker¡­ A satisfactory smile unleashed on Cole¡¯s lips for being able to grate her to such an extent. ¡°Shut up, and listen to me, it¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Fuck you, fuck your uing generation! Don¡¯t fucking think you can fucking order me around, weiner!¡± ¡°It¡¯s about ire¡¯s health, Baker!¡± Cole almost screamed. Good that there were no observing hospital staff or else he would have been thrown out for causing noise pollution. 1/3 Chapter 36 He emitted a smug sighas he realized his trick of using ire¡¯s Health as an excuse worked. It put a seal on Penelope¡¯s annoying mouth, shutting her, ¡°We both know Hunter¡¯s been waiting to meet her ever since ire was brought to the hospital. Although he doesn¡¯t deserve to see her ever again, I believe he deserves this time. The baby was his too and as the father he definitely needs to have this. conversation with ire. ¡°I never knew we would agree on anything together. You¡¯re right about the part where you said he doesn¡¯t deserve to see her ever again. Indeed, your best friend has ruined my girl. She had forgotten how to smile. Her tone wasced with despondency. ¡°She is weak andpletely broken, Wordsmith. Even if I share the same opinion as yours, I can¡¯t make it happen. ire needs anything but another encounter with that devil of a man. She lost her baby because of him. What does he want now? Her to lose her life as well.¡± Cole sighed, agreeing with Penelope. But he looked back at Hunter who was impatiently grinding his teeth while staring at him. ¡°I know right. I may be his best friend but I don¡¯t support him with this. I was out of his life the moment he left ire outside their party venue to be with Zara. But you know, this will keep going on. Hunter will not stop chasing her unless he has her for a conversation. Which will be more traumatising for her. So¡­ I don¡¯t know if it makes sense or not but we must arrange this meeting Cole said between his teeth. Behind him, Hunter held back his wrath. Cole was talking on the phone about him as if he was not standing behind. He obviously felt hurt for the way his best friend put it altogether to make this meeting happen, he kept quiet though. He really messed up a big deal this time, and he deserved all the reprimand. Thanks, Baker, I owe you this one time¡± Cole hung up and faced Hunter. ¡°She said she¡¯ll talk to ire.¡± His eyes lit up and as instantly as they became big, they dropped low. His shoulders sagged as he sucked in a nervous breath. He was waiting for this moment. For the moment to see her again. Listen to her voice again. Then why? Why was he feeling adrenaline spiking through him at the thought of seeing her? Why did his heart swell double of its normal size, making his ribs find it difficult to contain it? When Penelope returned to the bed after taking the call by the window, a nurse was taking blood pressure and other reports of ire. Her friend, on the other hand, sat quietly with her eyes staring in the air, She didn¡¯t wince or so much as twitch when the nurse drew her blood sample. ¡°Laire,¡± Penelope called and her friend fluttered hershes before looking at her. Penny smiled at her as she wondered whether or not she should say it. But to be honest, she had been itching to tell ire about Hunter. About his perseverance. About his stubbornness all the more. Although she hated Hunter more than anything now, she was certain her friend still lingered on hun. She still had her heart in his grip. And if by telling her about Hunter she could feel something good, she didn¡¯t want to rob her of the feeling The miscarriage was uncalled for. Even if Hunter was its cause, he was still the father of that baby she lost. A woman would never deny a conversation with the father of the baby she carried. It was needed. It was the demand of the time. It was required to restore her peace. ¡°Happy to go back home?¡± Penelope winked at her. ire looked down with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want now.¡± 3/3 +8981 12.10 Wed, Jul 17 OG Chapter 36 She stared at her belly over ber peach loose top. She badly wanted to rub a hand on her stomach. But she didn¡¯t as she closed her eyes tight. Would you want to talk to him if he came here?¡± Instantly ire¡¯s eyes shot up. She was piqued and she sneered, ¡°Hunter? You think he wille here now that he¡¯s married to the woman he worships?¡± ire folded her hands and cringed, ¡°Fuck him. I don¡¯t want to talk about him. He¡¯s better off dead for me: Penelope knew she was saying that by keeping a rock on her heart. Those words would nevere out for Hunter. They never did even when he left her outside the anniversary party venue, when she was publicly insulted by him. ¡°This baby meant nothing to him, Penny, which is why it is dead And that man is happy with his new wife.¡± ire spewed. angrily. Penny held both her hands as they were shivering. ire could say a thousand venomous things to him, she would still have the effect of his ignorance and absence. After all, her love was almost a decade old. It won¡¯t go easily. ¡°Would you believe me if I said he is here? And that he¡¯s been here, waiting to meet you, ever since you came to this ward after your miscarriage¡± Penny¡¯s voice was low and calm. Yet, the bewilderment it dawned on ire was immense. She was left staggering, her breath bing overly too deep and loud, her eyes watering in disbelief as she shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t say things that cannot be true. I know Hunter Macintyre. Everything else is important for him but me.¡± ire immediately chewed her tongue as she recalled those same words being hurled at her by Zara when they first met. And ire had felt vulnerable hearing them. Back then, she didn¡¯t want to believe it. She didn¡¯t want to ept that she was not important in his life. However, weekster, which is today, she shed tears because Zara was right. She said those words herself. ¡°I think I am being paranoid everytime I see him because it is just so unbelievable. But it¡¯s the truth. Hunter is here. He has been in the waiting lounge for five days without food or water. He refuses to leave. He¡¯s been degraded, shoved out and done many other things but he won¡¯t budge.¡± Penny paused. ¡°Your mother even threatened to put a bullet between his eyes, ire. He¡¯s carefree though. He says he won¡¯t go unless he sees you. In fact, he¡¯s been waiting for an hour in the corridor outside. ire¡¯s fingers twitched. Her heart throbbed wildly in her chest. ¡°You¡¯re lying. That man feels nothing for me. He won¡¯t be moved if I lost my baby. He didn¡¯t want anything to do with me, let alone with my baby. He didn¡¯t¡­¡± She faded out to take a deep breath, then the second moment, she was darting towards the door. The Çú END GIFT Chapter 37 Chapter 37 37 Hunter stood stock¨Cstill. 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 hisposure. 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 seeinging from her. ¡°Why are you here, Hunter? What made you waste fite 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 prettypared to your new hot wife?¡± ¡°Will you keep your mouth shut for a while, ire Macintyrel Hunter grumbled as he came forward to seeth in her face. Regret mmed through him as he realized what he called her. ¡°I mean, ire, He corrected and looked away. ¡°I wonder why you keep calling me MacIntyre still? You¡¯ve been curious to get rid of me all the time.¡± Hunter didn¡¯t bring his face up. It was getting really hard for ire. She didn¡¯te here to see him quiet and expressionless. If he waited to meet her for five days, he better have something to speak and express His silence persisted. When ire couldn¡¯t bear it any more she turned around. Her departure was prevented as Hunter caught her wrist. He whirled her around. He yanked her to his chest and joined their foreheads while his hot and spasming fingers captured her waist ¡°It was my baby too, ire! How do you think I should be reacting if not like this? You expected me to smirk at you? Laugh at you and say I am happy the baby is gone? I¡¯m dying inside. I don¡¯t say anything doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not affecting me.¡± He pulled her closer and spoke in her face, ¡°I was half dead when Zara showed me the clip of you bleeding. I knew what it was and the fact that it happened because of me makes me want to kill myself. I may be a brute, but I didn¡¯t want our baby to suffer this fate. I didn¡¯t want you to go through- ¡°And still I am here. ire freed herself from his hold. Convulsing with fury, she pointed at him, ¡°Tm here because of you. I lost my baby because of you, Hunter.¡± ¡°It was my baby too, ire,¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t. She yelled as she pushed him back. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your baby. It was mine and mine alone. And you killed it.¡± ¡°ire,¡± Hunter tried to hold her hands. ¡°My baby paid for your mistakes, Hunter,¡± She trembled with tears streaming out of her eyes. Over these days, she had imagined what she would say to him and how she would treat him. Now when he was truly in front of her, all she felt was a cruel pain in her chest. Her knees also became mush, threatening to take her down o the floor which she least wanted to happen. ¡°ire, stop crying. You will¡ª¡± Throwing his arms away from her, she moved backwards, and cut in, ¡°I swore not long ago to make you pay, Hunter MacIntyre. It¡¯s time that you hear it too. You will not be able to live your life as happily as you thought you would with your new wife. Both of you will pay for my baby¡¯s death.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Life for a life, Hunter. Blood for blood. Soul for soul.¡± She repeated those words she had been chanting in her mind and swung around Hunter didn¡¯t stop her as she went inside her ward and mmed the door shut. He stood there, staring at the door, as he muttered to himself, ¡°I am not married to her. I didn¡¯t marry her. I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± He ran a hand through his hair and took a few steps back.. Moving around, he entered the cubicle and went down where he met Cole, ¡°How did it go? Cole rushed to him as he saw Hunter. To his astonishment, Hunter summoned his driver with his car. He settled inside and departed without saying a word. A weekter, ire arched her brows at her friend who has taken over the job of being her personal caretaker ever since she came back home. ¡°What¡¯s wrong in wanting my phone back, Penny? I want to see what¡¯s going on in the world. Give it to me.¡± ire forwarded her hand with her palm open for Penelope. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go out with me to the garden? Scott nted ck rose seeds and I heard from the housekeeping staff the buds are starting to show. Penelope tried to change the topic. ¡°Oh ire, I have only seen ck roses inics and movies. Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful to see them with our own eyes? I heard that the gardener is using some kind of stimtingpost to make the roses grow faster and healthier.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done with your attempt to change the topic, give me my phone. I¡¯m not in the mood to go out.¡± ire closed and opened the fingers in a gesture to ask for her phone. Penelope worriedly bit her lips as she thought of another excuse She had managed to keep ire away from her phone all this while. But now it seemed she wasn¡¯t going to be contained. However, the inte was still trending with her news of miscarriage. Tags of her name were trending. Some of the influencers have gone too far with their creativity, making reels and shorts on her, showing her story like it was fictional. ire couldn¡¯t see it. Not now. She was doing better without those things. There¡¯s nothing good on the inte these days, you know. The Rocha sisters and their indecent controversies will give you a headache. Penelope grinned sheepishly as she scratched her head. She apologized to the Rocha Sisters- non¨Cidentical twin sisters from one of the famous and rich families in Bloomcrest who are known for their notorious dating history, and controversies that keep them in limelight on the inte constantly in her mind as she had to use them as an excuse. ire didn¡¯t buy her lie. She motioned with her fingers again to which Penelope had to draw her phone out of her pocket 2/3 Chapter 37 and hand it to her ¡°You can skip social media and check the messages from your rtives and friends right away Penelope suggested it as she sat next to her to see which app she was going to open first. ¡°You know I hate orders and I like to do what is asked to not do.¡± With that ire started Inst grm and her face began to lose its color that t took seven days toe back. THE H Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Her phone froze for a few minutes as the notifications loaded. She had about two hundred thousand plus notifications, which were multiplying with passing seconds, and about five thousand plus messages in her Dms. Thetter were alone from the people who followed her. Then there was double of that in her requests. ire went to the recentments she received on thest picture she had shared. It was of herself and Hunter kissing. She made this post in the morning on their anniversary day. Her eyes filled with tears but she didn¡¯t let them fall. She read some of thements and clutched her heart as they were so heartfelt.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°I came to know about ire when she got married to Hunter. Wasn¡¯t really her fan because I liked Hunter better with the true love of his life, which was Zara. But seeing what happened with ire over the days I can¡¯t help but shift into team ire. Lots of love and support to you ire. Do not think you are alone in this phase. We are there with you.¡± There were fifty thousand plus likes on this onement alone and about one thousand plus replies to it. Someone else wrote, ¡°Tbh Zara always clicked negative to me. I was happy she was gone and Hunter met ire. I¡¯m blown away with the current turn of events in their lives though. But I can bet with my life, it¡¯s Zara¡¯s doing. You know like those ex¨Cgirlfriends returned with the motive to snatch her ex¨Cboyfriends again in novels? Zara is here for money and luxury. I hate her. Another one wrote, ¡°I personally asked my friends and colleagues to not react or forward on ire¡¯s clip of bleeding. I literally cried seeing her like that. No woman deserves to go through that just because she loves someone so much. Happy tears multiplied as she continued to read more from supportive people. ¡°ire is a superwoman. I have a five year old daughter which I would like to turn out like her. But yeah, I would teach my daughter to shoot her man¡¯s ball if he ever tried to hurt her that way. ire baby, I am in your Dms. If you ever need to talk to someone or have ideas on how to make her cheating man pay back you can count on me.¡± ¡°ire, as beautiful as you are from the outside, your inside is immensely beautiful. Don¡¯t worry about anything. We are with you. Then there were some who were loyal to Team ire, and who literally just attacked Zara openly. ¡°It¡¯s Zara¡¯s fault. Can someone make that bitch go back to where she came from?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m an innocent looking vixen with a pretty scented pussy you can lick for free had a face¡­. It would be Zara¡¯s.¡± I can die for Hunter¡¯s gorgeous body but I was happy to share him with ire. Where did this foxe from? Go to hell Zara. Don¡¯te back.¡± Then there was some talk about Hunter. But not much. Whatever was written on him was mostly nice things, and that he was probably brainwashed by Zara to do it. Some said that it was sexy that Hunter left the wife he didn¡¯t love for the woman who was the queen of his heart. ire stuck her tongue out and made a vomiting noise. She perceived it was his PR team that was taking care of it. Hunter pretty much controlled everything, being the wealthiest man in Bloomcrest. It wouldn¡¯t be hard for his PR to reach out to social media tforms and ask them to filter out the negativements. Setting her phone down, ire licked her lips. 1/5 Chapter 38 ¡°I missed out on so many things in these weeks. I want to be active again. But how?¡± She mostly spoke to herself. ¡°Don¡¯t rush because of all the good read. You know these users on the inte can be unpredictable. They are supporting you today. And if tomorrow they hear about Zara¡¯s rape story, they will jump into her team to give her strength and make her trend number one for months. Penelope put a hand on her shoulder as she pointed at her phone that her friend was using again to read thements. ¡°You are right. They are the same people who found Hunter sexy for leaving me on our anniversary night to kiss Zara when he was anything but a jerk! Penny nodded in agreement. ¡°People on the inte belong to no team. They enjoy the drama that unfolds and with each new twist that is discovered they jump sides ¡°But still I want to let them know that I am not gone forever. I mean, I may be taking my time to recover but someday I¡¯ll be out there again. I need to take my revenge on Hunter and his new wife, which is not possible in the way I want unless I be active on SNS again.¡± Penelope agreed with a hum as she started to brainstorm. Then she said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you make a thrilling post?¡± ¡°A thrilling post? Care to borate.¡± ¡°A nk post you know, with a caption that celebrities often leave when someone in their family or friends die or when they have to make an announcement get what you are trying to imply¡± ire smirked at her. ¡°And I think I already know what I want to write.¡± Saying that, ire covered the camera of her phone and clicked a ck picture. She went to Inst grm to post it as is and wrote the following caption: [I¡¯m sure by now all of you know what happened in my life. Long story short I was punished/abandoned/betrayed for loving too much, divorced for caring too much, and oppressed to the level that I miscarried my baby because their actions mattered to me too much. Within three weeks, my life copsed like a house of cards. This month was a roller¨Ccoaster. I fell down, I got up again. Then again 1 fell down and got up. The third time I fell, my baby paid for it with his life (Stay blessed and healthy wherever you are darling. Mommy still loves you a lot) and now I¡¯m still trying to get up. But don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t take long. I¡¯m almost on my knees. All I need is just a hand to pull me up while my family and friends hold my back for me so I don¡¯t fall back again. 11l be back as soon as I find that hand which will pull me up on my feet. Till then, wait for my return And thanks to those who kept me in their prayers and truly stayed on my side during this time. Trust me, it will not be forgotten. Love love, ire Dominic Argent.] She wrote her name in bold so they (especially Hunter, if he ever saw this post) would know that she was single, and up on the market again. She shared it both on Inst grm and Faceb**k leaving others as the knew it won¡¯t be long before her post was forwarded and reposted on those tforms. 2/5 TH ¡°Let¡¯s y some table tennis, ire tossed her phone and got up. Behind her Penelope scratched her head as she stared at her phone, mumbling. ¡°I don¡¯t know where your new found determination will take you, ire, I just hope you don¡¯t end up remorseful.¡± When they got bored with table tennis they came to the living room to watch a movie. Penelope expelled a sigh as she was bored sitting in the home with ire for a week. Though she controlled her work online, she was a social butterfly who reveled in visiting new and open ces where she could take pictures and unt her dresses. She threw popcorn on ire and muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s go out to a mall or amusement park, Laire. I can¡¯t stay inside these four walls any more. Every object ising to bite me.¡± ¡°I¡¯mfortable here. You go.¡± ire tossed popcorn in her mouth. She was skeptical to face the crowd that would gather around her. It has only been a week and her news was still trending. ire wanted to wait until everything died down. Or until a new controversy was making headlines and not her. ¡°Come on, ire, have mercy on me. I know you are afraid to go out yet. I swear I¡¯ll protect you. We can take the guards your father appointed for you.¡± ire denied with a shake of head. But Penelope kneeled down before her. She took her hands and expressed with wide excited eyes, ¡°How about a vacation to another country where no one knows about you!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t work. I¡¯m sure my news is everywhere in the world. I don¡¯t want their pitiful look.¡± ¡°Hey, you will never be able to move on if you keep that perspective. Come on, get up, we¡¯ll n a vacation.¡± Then Penelope got up to retrieve aptop. She plopped down on the couch next to ire. She was about to search for holiday locations when Scott and Shawn joined them. ¡°Hi beautifuldies, what are you doing?¡± Shawn tried to flirt with Penny. He sat next to her. His hand was an inch away from grazing her bare knee that Penelope thwacked away. He winced as he stretched his red hand back, squinting his eyes. ¡°Stay in your limits, boy. You are still too young to flirt with me Penelope gave him a side eye while Scottughed at his heart¡¯s content. ¡°You are a vicious woman.¡± Shawn grumbled. Avoiding his looks, Penelope showed some ces to ire. ¡°Looking for a holiday location?¡± Scott sat beside his sister while pecking at theptop. ¡°Yeah, Penelope wants to go out.¡± ¡°Cool, you can join us then.¡± Scott announced. ¡°You guys are going somewhere?¡± ire looked at her brother with arched eyebrows. ¡°A lot happened in thest few days. We thought a change of air would do great before we resume our university. That¡¯s why we nned to visit Shawn¡¯s family home in RavenMoore.¡± Shawn was actually born in Raven Moore to the wealthiest family of Murphys. However, due to their expanding business, his father migrated to Bloomcrest to handle their business here when Shawn was a child. While his elder brother, Tyler Murphy, handled their business from RavenMoore. ¡°My grandparents are going to celebrate their forty¨Cfifth wedding anniversary. It¡¯s going to be a grand celebration. My parents said that I can bring as many friends as I can. So I¡¯m taking Scott along.¡± Shawn spoke, looking at ire. ¡°My Chapter 38 grandparents will be moved if you You know, they always had a soft spot for you.¡± Shawn winked at Scott as he gave him a thumbs up as if saying: Hope I am doing as s you wanted it. Scott shed both his thumbs as no one was looking at him before putting a hand around his sister¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I thought I would have to strive hard to get you moving. All that I have to do now is carry your bags for you.¡± Scott hugged his sister while in the back of his mind he evilly smirked. He was hoping to help his sister move on. ording to him, she spent enough time crying over her good¨Cfor¨Cnothing husband¡¯s betrayal, and mourning over her divorce and baby¡¯s death. It was bound to happen, which is why it happened. He was willing to offer the hand she cited in her Inst*gr*m post. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can. ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t act like a child, ire. Remember, you every time she reminds him who is the elder. are a grown up. A grown up!!!¡± Scott mimicked her tone that she uses And though ire wasn¡¯t feeling like going, she agreed because she didn¡¯t want to upset her brother. Penelope pped her hands. As long as she was getting to go out of the house, she was ted beyond measure. The following night, they packed their bags and flew over to RavenMoore in their private jet Her parents shed tears of joy and gratitude. This was her first step towards going back to her normal life. Dominic also transferred a filthy crazy amount of money in her bank so she could devour shopping and go to ces of her choice. carefreely. As soon as theynded and stepped out of the airport in the early morning, Scott peered over his sister¡¯s back, who was walking ahead of him with Penelope. ¡°n A is sessful, Shawn. We managed to get ire out of the house with us.¡± Scott whispered in his ear. ¡°Yeah, but I still can¡¯t get over your words, ass hole. You called me awkward and ugly.¡± With a sad look, Shawn clutched his chest showing his agony. Scott rolled his eyes, ¡°Truth is bitter, my friend¡± A striking ck and glistening Mercedes¨CBenz S¨Css has arrived with a well¨Cdressed chauffeur to pick them up. One look at the car and Penelope¡¯s jaw ckened. Because it was not a car but a testament of ssiness and luxury. The chauffeur greeted them politely before arranging their luggage in the back. They ensconced inside and the car embarked towards Murphy¡¯s family home. ¡°Wow, the atmosphere here is heavenly. Much better than Bloomerest. Isn¡¯t it, penny?¡± ire peeked out the window as a jubnt look crossed her face.. The weather was clean and the air was fresh to breathe. What Penelope replied faded out as Scott admired his sister¡¯s beautiful smile. This smile was the reason that they were here. I will never let you cry again, Laire. You suffered enough in your life. It¡¯s time that you live your life for yourself. And I¡¯m sure the man I chose for you will make it ten times more enchanting than the man you divorced.¡± Scott thought as he recalled how he came to y cupid in his sister¡¯s life. shback. 4/5 + 89% Chapter 38 He was sitting in a bar with his friends, downing scotch. His face was dull and no matter how much his friends requested him, he didn¡¯t move from his stool and the serving counter. ¡°How long are you going to act like a girl mourning for losing her virginity to the wrong guy, Scottie?¡± Shawn nudged him with an elbow as he was bored sitting next to him while their other friends enjoyed groping hot girls on the dance floor. But then he was the best friend, and unlike others, he had to sacrifice his desires and choose to keeppany with Scott. ¡°I can¡¯t see ire like this, Shawn. I know her smiles are fake. She shows like she¡¯s okay but she¡¯s not happy from within.¡± Gritting his teeth, Scott red at his ss. ¡°She loved that cunt with all her heart. I know he still resides there.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t me her. First love is always special even if it is painful.¡± ¡°But why still linger when everything is over?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a pussy, Scott! She lost the man she loved and her baby at the same time. You would know the pain if you loved someone truly with your heart and had a uterus.¡± ¡°Not everyone thinks with their dick like you¡± Shawn massaged his raging temples. All thanks to his best friend and his stupid questions. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fall in love for the very same reason my sister is suffering¡± Shawn kept quiet. But then his eyes lit up with an idea and he spoke, ¡°Dude, why don¡¯t we help ire move on? ¡°We can introduce a guy in her life who is better and hotter than her ex¨Chusband. One who leaves your sister slick we weak in the knees. Surely, such a man will easily distract her from her pain and make her want to move on.¡± Fury blinded Scott. He fisted the front of Shawn¡¯s tee and pulled him close. and He was about to punch him when his eyes opened. An eyebrow went up as a thoughtful look reced the angry one. Scott loosened his hold on Shawn as he muttered, ¡°Not a bad idea though.¡± Tbc¡­ Hey guys, enjoyed the chapter? Please leave yourments and reviews too as it would motivate me to write further. Btw any guesses what¡¯s happening here? Right guess will get you 2 long chapters tomorrow;) Don¡¯t forget to follow me. 5/5 É« Chapter 39 Chapter 39 shback cont¡¯d¡­ ¡°But where do we find such a guy¡± As Scott released his tee, Shawn blew a sigh of relief and threw the leftover content of his ss in his mouth, feeling blessed that his words were not taken offensively ¡°Who is better and hotter than Hunter MacIntyre in Bloomerest Scott began to brainstorm ¡°Who will make my sister slick wet and leave her welk in the knees?¡± Shawn rubbed his mane. ¡°Erm, he should also be the definition of tall, dark, and handsome since your sister is no less than an epitome of gorgeousness. She makes heads turn armand whenever she goes. He should be equal if not more.¡± ¡°Hmm, the definition of tall, dark and handsome. Equal if not more¡± ¡°Where will we find such a man?¡± Senti closed his eyes as he sporcused the need to wETEATTE ¡°There is only one man with such features. And my sister past get divorced from him) Shawn ordered new drinks for them. When they arrived, he bed the skewer from it and suckert in ¡°Keep thinking, my friend I¡¯m sure youll find me better than your meer¡¯s ex husband: Does forget to look around you as well. Who knows that man is around you and you are sathing for hem in the knowledge of renting people you have in your mind¡± No sooner had Shawn finished it that Scott¡¯s eyes fitted up to his face, ¡°What, dude? Why are you eyeing me like that¡± Shawn flicked his eyes in surprise He drank everything from his ss in a go and looked down wher ming binh non has visage ¡°Come on, bro, I will marry your sister this instant. I always had crish on her But she should also agree.¡± Shawn shyly said as he refused to look up, acting like a sistern year old girl who is approached by her crush fise helps ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t know you thought I was in closepetition with Hunter MacIntyre in terms of looks. I won¡¯t say no if you want me to be your sister¡¯s ¡°There there. Cut the crap, idiot. You¡¯re not the guy I¡¯m thinking about¡± Scont He took a sip of his drink and added, ¡°And what¡¯d you say about being in closepetition in terms of looks with Hunter MacIntyre? You¡¯re not even one percent inpetition with him.¡± ¡°What the! You are such a jerk. Shawn hissed. He ordered another drink as he asked Scott who he was thinking about if not him. ¡°Fucker. I was thinking about your elder brother Tyler¡± suwny spit out the sip of scotch he had gulped. ¡°Are you kidding me. Scon? You want my brother to hook up with your sister? You must have left your brains at home.¡± Wiping a hand to his mouth, Shawnughed. He thought Scott was joking so he continued to y along, ¡°Ah, my heart is aching. When you looked at me, I thought you were thinking about mir¡± H ¡°Huh, you hold an exaggerated opinion of yourself. I¡¯m sorry to burst your bubble of smugness, but you don¡¯t strike anything like your brother.¡± ¡°If Tyler¡¯s got a charming smile that would light up a room, your smile on the contrary would dim a lightbulb. Shawn¡¯s happy expression dropped. He squinted his eyes while holding a grudge against Scott¡¯s words. But before he retorted, he heard, ¡°Your brother is a perfect match for my sister I have decided, Shawn, your brother will be the guy.¡± ¡°You are joking, right?¡± ¡°Now is not the time to joke, fucker. I am damn serious.¡± Shawn¡¯s face contorted. He leaned forward to growl at Scott, ¡°You know my brother is sworn enemy with Hunter MacIntyre, right? They both look like they will jump on each other the moment theye across! ¡°Exactly. They both are sworn enemies, That is why it¡¯ll be more fun and exciting. In fact, it¡¯ll serve that ass hole a right lesson. His ex¨Cwife in the arms of his enemy. Scott said with a sinister smirk. Hunter MacIntyre and Shawn¡¯s elder brother Tyler Murphy were business rivals. If Hunter was the wealthiest young businessman in Bloomcrest, Tyler enjoyed the same wealth and fame in RavenMoore. If Hunter was handsome with appealing height and looks that smitten the viewers, Tyler was no less. If Hunter controlled Bloomcrest, Tyler was in equalpetition as he also liked to make government officials hispdog. Both of them had the same mindset and desires- make more money, be more sessful, and slit each other¡¯s throat at the first sight. ¡°No, I don¡¯t agree with this. It¡¯ll be world war three if my brother gets involved.¡± Shawn shook his head. Think of somebody else, Scott.¡± ¡°I will bet on your brother. Nothing will annoy you more than a man who is your business rival now turned into your ex wife¡¯s lover. ¡°It sounds pleasing to the ears, Scott. But it is simr to digging the ground for mass burial. Your will take us all into the grave together¡± ¡°Chill, bro, You are being paranoid.* shback ends¡­.. They arrived at the Murphys family home to the sight of Shawn¡¯s parents and grandparents waiting to wee them. ire was awestruck, her eyes froze on the spectacr white mansion behind them. It was beautiful and her first thought was that it came out of the world of fantasies. ¡°Wee, dear. Tia, Shawn¡¯s mother, came to hug ire. By how she embraced ire, it was obvious she was acquainted with her pain. As a woman she supported her. Tia was kind enough to not use pitiful words to make her feelfortable around them. She used her gestures instead. After Penelope was also treated the same way with a hug and air¨Ckisses as they brushed their cheeks together, the girls greeted the old couple, Nathaniel and Avery Murphy. Scott observed as the old couple blessed his sister. Avery cupped ire and Penelope¡¯s cheeks as she squealed in pleasure. ¡°Finally two young and fashionabledies to spend my time with Oh, I feel young again.¡± 2/5 12.11 Wed, Jul 17 DG. Chapter 39 Tia and her husband, John, chuckled. They led the girls inside while the guys walked closely behind. They were walking together, not one inch ahead or behind. ¡°If your sister hadn¡¯t chosen Hunter all these years ago, she would have been my sister¨Cinw. My parents and grandparents dote on her. Shawn muttered near Scott¡¯s ear. ¡°It¡¯s not too long, is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. What happened to ire with Hunter is her past.¡± Shawn saw his grandma asking ire to sit with her. She was actually holding onto her hand like they were best friends. ¡°Considering my family¡¯s treatment towards your sister, I can say they¡¯re already thinking about what we want to do.¡± The corner of Scott¡¯s lips curled a little. He admired his sister as she grinned and pped at a joke Avery cracked. Shawn realized that look was something a protective father would to his heartbroken teenage daughter. He was amazed that Scott loved his sister so much. And to say, ire treated them both equally too. If she bought something for Scott, she bought two so the other one will be Shawn¡¯s. She never differentiated between them, or that he was Scott¡¯s friend. For her, they both were her younger brothers. That was the reason that pushed him to agree. ire was his sister too. His heart swelled in his chest as ire erupted.ughing like an overly amazed child. ¡°What are you both doing there standing like mannequins?¡± Penelope remarked. The boys came out of their trances as a soft smile leashed on their faces. ¡°Nothing. We¡¯ll go take some rest. Scott said before they abandoned the living room. ¡°They¡¯ve been eerily quiet during the ne ride too. I hope nothing evil is cooking in their heads. Penelope said. thoughtfully. ¡°Yeah, I rememberst time they snuck in a container of toads at your party. They jumped everywhere around, causing a ruckus.¡± ire recalled with wide eyes. Avery dismissed with a hand. ¡°Let the boys do what they want. This is their age to be mischievous. I won¡¯t deny that I don¡¯t, like to watch sophisticated wives whoe to my party run around funnily whilst holding their long and expensive gowns to save their lives.¡± ire couldn¡¯t stop her . She was liking Avery¡¯spany. Grandma Avery has her way with words and it always puts a smile on her face. She thanked Scott and Shawn for pulling her along to his grandparents¡® anniversary celebration. Nevertheless, deep down, a serpent of anguish and over¨Cthinking coiled around her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Hunter was doing ck in Bloomcrest. Was he nning his honeymoon with his new wife? Was he already on a honeymoon with her? In Bloomerest, Hunter sat buried in heaps and heaps of file stacked on his desk. His eyes were red, indicating that he hadn¡¯t slept in a while. The way he rubbed his mane, one can easily guess that he had not left his chair for hours. ¡°Sir, Stacy began timidly. ¡°I ordered food for you. You¡¯ve been working non¨Cstop sincest night.¡± ¡°Keep it aside, Stacy. I¡¯ll have it in a while. His monotonous, workaholic tone made Stacy¡¯s eyes flicker. Chapter 39 ¡°But Sir, you said the same thingst night. Please, have something. If you don¡¯t then I¡¯m afraid I will have to call Mr. Wordsmith to yank you out of your chair.¡± Hunter ever so amusedly brought his eyes up. His otherwise meek secretary was threatening him. She was uneasy but had the guts to threaten him ¡°Fitte, give it to me.¡± He sighed as he closed hisptop. Stacy¡¯s face lit up as she cleared his desk and ced the takeout the ordered for him. One thing she learned about her employer from her father was that whenever he was depressed about something, he buried himself in loads of work to keep himself upied. Sb the depressing thoughts won¡¯t cross his mind. Since the whole of Bloomcrest by now has seen his ex¨Cwife¡¯s video of bleeding once in their life so far, it wasn¡¯t difficult to identity where the cause of his depression lied. Stacy noticed the wedding band on his finger. He was still wearing it even though the news of him and his wife¡¯s divorce was making headlines. If he had it on, he may love her a lot. But then, what about Zara Levine! Scratching her head, Stacy heaved confusingly. Since she also say the clip where her employer kissed his first lover after leaving his wife on their anniversary night, her thoughts were a jumble towards Hunter He was her boss so obviously she couldn¡¯t hate or love him. But as a person who spent a great deal of time with him as his secretary, she wondered how she should judge him as another human being? If he left ire for Zara, why didn¡¯t he appear happy? Why was he still wearing his ring? Above all, if the divorce happened because of Zara Levine, why was he not going to her every night? Why pull an all¨Cnighter every day for thest seven days? Why spend his time in the office doing work and only work? ¡°Thanks for the good, Stacy.¡± Hunter dabbed a tissue on his lips. He had finished everything. Stacy didn¡¯t think he would eat more than a few bites. But seeing all the containers empty, she felt proud of herself. Her employer was probably full for the first time in all these days, ¡°Your wee, sir. I have prepared your Rest room for you. Take a nap while I do some of your work for you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡°Please, sir, you¡¯ve been working a lot. Let me take care of what is remaining.¡± Hunter tried to turn her down but Stacy added, ¡°Try and understand, sir. If you fall sick in my scrutiny, I will have to answer the board of directors. My father will be disappointed in me too because my work is to lessen your burden. And if you keep working continuously, I will be in trouble ¡°They will me me for being so young and careless- ¡°Fine.¡± Hunter got up with a sneer. ¡°Don¡¯t pull that trick on me. You want me to rest, I¡¯ll do it Stacy didn¡¯t hide her smile. She helped Hunter remove his coat. His muscles were strained so she offered to give him a message. No. Hunter pulled away from her with a jerk. ¡°Why, sir? I¡¯m a good masseuse. You must have heard it from my father¡± 4/5 1 Wed, Jul1/ OG ¨C Chapter 39 Hunter wanted to say, ¡°I dont like to take massages from anyone other than my wife.¡± Instead he responded with, Tm fine. A power nap will be enough. Excuse me.¡± He came to his rest room and sprawled onto the bed, heaving loudly.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The room was cool and the curtains were pulled on the windows. The room was suggestively dimmed as per his liking. Even then he couldn¡¯t bring his eyes to close. Because each time he brought his eyelids down, he saw ire¡¯s face. Sitting up straight, he peeled his shirt off and flexed his muscles. Heid back on the bed again, hugging a thick pillow in his arms. Nevertheless, the pillow was nothingpared to the warmth of ire¡¯s body that he was ustomed to. He twisted to the other side and tried to sleep. It was difficult. ire kepting back and forth in different dresses, with different expressions, in his mind. ¡°Why do I keep thinking about her?¡± He muttered annoyedly. Hunter attempted to practice deep breathing. Yet, each breath reminded him of how she breathed when they made love. How she moaned his name. How she looked at him with pure love and gratitude that he was hers. ¡°F*ck! Wha wrong with me?¡± He sat up, holding his head. As he clutched his hair, he reminisced how her fingers would entwine with his hair while he kissed her lips. ¡°Why do I keep thinking about ire?¡± Hunter asked himself tiredly. He turned the lights on and stared in his hands. Turning them over, he heeded his wedding ring. He held it between his finger and thumb as he slipped it out of his finger. Sudden uneasiness mmed into him. Hunter put it back. The dreadful feeling he felt every time he tried to remove the ring was back. He ran his hands through his hair. Something was happening to him. Something crazy was happening to him. As he battled to perceive what it was, a thought crossed his mind, ¡°Should I call her? Maybe if I spoke to her I wouldn¡¯t feel this way. Tbc¡­ 5/5 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 40 Hunter searched for ire¡¯s number on his phone. Her picture grabbed his attention and something twitched in his chest. No, it wasn¡¯t his heart. It was something he couldn¡¯t put his finger on. He kept staring at it. He distinctly remembered the day when she had captured a picture of herself on his phone and set it on her contact number. It was on the fifth day of their forced honeymoon that he had to go. A restless heave left his mouth as he closed all tabs and set his phone aside. Because minutes after she had set her picture on his phone, he had revealed to her the truth behind their marriage. She was taken aback, but she thought he was joking with her, because there was no way anyone could fake their feelings like he did when he proposed to her to marry him. It was actually the way he proposed to her why she waspelled to marry him as soon as they could. Lying back on the bed, Hunter turned out the lights. In the dark he recalled how she had sobbed that night. He had pretended to be asleep in the same bed as her as she had clutched her mouth, crying hysterically. However, she attempted to keep it low so he would not wake up. What she was not aware of was that he couldn¡¯t sleep that night either. He was awake with her while she cried her heart out after knowing that she married the man she loved only to be left alone in the marriage. Hunter got up rubbing his temples. Those thoughts were haunting him. ire¡¯s thoughts. Neither could he get them out of his mind nor distract himself to something else. Because everything, somehow much to his guilty conscience, reminded him of her. He went to the attached bathroom and washed his face. Taking a look at his dead red eyes, Hunter came out. He wore his shirt and hung his coat on his forearm while moving back to his working space where Stacy was sitting on a chair, taking care of the work he left undone. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± He spoke as Stacy looked over her shoulder with a surprised look as he came to his desk. ¡°But sir,¡± ¡°I will finish this work and go back home tonight.¡± Stacy didn¡¯t argue. She sat with him, helping him fimish his work By the time they were done, dusk had unfurled its velvety wings and the winds had be intensely frosty. Everyone was almost gone. ¡°There are no meetings scheduled tomorrow, sir. Maybe you can take a day off.¡± Stacy told him as they entered the elevator together. ¡°Hmm,¡± Hunter responded as he stood in a corner. This elevator also made him think about ire. Not long ago, (five days before their marriage anniversary) they were trapped here due to technical malfunctioning. But it wasn¡¯t boring because ire shed herself, sending his body in crazy heat. In an instant, he had her pressed to the metallic wall of the cubicle and made her cum on his fingers twice before he fucked her relentlessly. His thought of their steamy encounter was fragmented by Stacy¡¯s cough. Hunter turned to his side and realized that they hade to the lobby. He wished her bye and settled in his car At home, he was hesitant to move past the living room. Everywhere was dark. The lights were kept dim andck of human presence made it feel like a haunted house. Hunter licked his lips defeatedly as he ced his watch and phone on the sofa.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. His n was to take a few breaths than go crash at Cole¡¯s. He didn¡¯t want to be here. In their house which was full of her memories. DOG Chapter 40 Hunter was about to loosen bis tie and make himselffortable on the couch when he noticed movement upstairs. He saw a shadow go towards their room. He became warily aware and ascended up, going to their room. ¡°Thea, is that you?¡± He asked as he warily trudged inside his room. Wrapped in the embrace of darkness, his room gave him a feeling as that of walking through a haunted house at a fair. The curtains by the wall of windows to his right ripple in a slow breeze. Thea, you are¡­ ire Hunter froze. His heart suddenly started beating fast as he watched ire standing in the balcony, wearing gifted her. short flimsy dress he had His body ached in need and guilt. This was the dress she was supposed to wear after their anniversary party that night but¡­ Sucking in a deep breath, Hunter peered at her. The sky was starless. But the moon seemed to have grown bigger and it was surprisingly right above his mansion, showering it with trails of silver beams. Hunter¡¯s legs moved on their own. They took him to ire. She was standing holding the railing, her hair open and flowing in the soft winds. ¡°ire, how did youe here?¡± He asked, his voice a whisper. Emotions crashed wishing him. He felt so many things at the same time. Hurt, guilt, need, happiness, excitement, enchantment. He was also dazed to see ire here in their house. He wanted to ask howe? Overall, all he wanted to do was embrace her in his arms and hold her for hours. He missed her. He stopped behind her. His hands moved to her waist as he hugged her from the back. She fit in his arms, like thest piece of puzzle fitting in the big picture. Hunter inhaled her scent. ¡°I missed you so much. I missed you.¡± He muttered as he pushed her hair to one side. Her white skin glowed in the light of the moon. A tide of primal need crashed within him. Hunter clutched her waist tighter as he brought his mouth down on her skin. Before his lips grazed her flesh, his eyes promptly lifted to see her face. Hunter simply wanted to see her reaction when he kissed her. His eyes jolted wide as he felt the electric jolt of astonishment surge through his veins. She wasn¡¯t ire. Hunter immediately detached himself from the woman and grumbled from deep in his chest. ¡°Zara, what are you doing here?¡± Zara whirled around, batting hershes. Her cheeks were flushed and a shy smile was adoring her lips. ¡°I came here for you, Hunter. She came closer to him, putting her hands around his neck. ¡°And I think Ldid the right thing.¡± ¡°Zara, The need that had arisen in him died a painless death. Hunter unlocked Zara¡¯s arms and came back inside the room. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here, Zara. This is ire and my house. People will get a wrong idea if they see you here.¡± Zara shadowed her anger behind her innocent look. She followell Hunter back inside the room and held his hand. ¡°This WAS ire and your House, Hunter. It¡¯s going be ours when we marry. And why do you worry about what people will think? We love each other and that¡¯s all that matters¡± 2/4 ¡ª¡ª Chapter 40 Hunter clenched his teeth as he couldn¡¯t retort back. He stood immobile as Zara kepting closer. He didn¡¯t want to hurt her feelings by doing or saying anything that she didn¡¯t have to listen to ¡°I¡¯ll ask my driver to drive you back to the penthouse.¡± He said and started moving. ¡°Hunter,¡± Zara grabbed his wrist. Bringing his palm to her chest, she pressed it there with her hand. ¡°You feel this. My heart is beating wildly for you. When you held my waist, I became wet for you. I need you. Hunter.¡± Feeling his throat be dry, he pulled his hand back. ¡°Zara,¡± Hunter turned around. ¡°We can¡¯t do it.¡± Since he signed the divorce papers, he didn¡¯t feel himself. It was like a piece of his soul was also torn apart along with his and ire¡¯s marriage. And the thought of being with Zara as intimately as he was with ire made his mouth taste bitter. ¡°Why, Hunter?¡± Zara walked to his front and held his cheeks in her fingers. She joined their foreheads. ¡°This is all I have been craving for since you snatched me away from my inws¡® grip. I know you want it too. You just said that you miss me.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t said for you, Zara. I just¡­¡± Hunter paused as his eyes met with hers. Zara was intears. Even though he didn¡¯t want to touch her, Hunter wrapped his arms around her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Zara. I recently had a divorce and lost my baby. I need time to-¡± ¡°No, I should be sorry. I forgot you must be depressed. I was being selfish and stupid. I¡¯m sorry, Hunter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry.¡± ¡°But please, I beg you not to judge my actions. Zara sobbed. I came to your house and wore this dress because I thought you would like it. You liked all of this earlier when we were together. This is how I used to make you at ease and I thought if ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Hunter shook her by the shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin yourself, Zara. I know you mean to help me. I will be thest person to ever doubt. So rx.¡± Giving her an assuring smile, Hunter pulled her to his chest again. While he thought he wasforting her in his embrace, Zara¡¯s eyes simmered with anger. She looked like she could kill a person or two. She thought Hunter would be hers after the divorce. She was wrong though. So wrong. Because ever since that day, he became detached. He barely spoke to her like a lover or cared about her. He was constantly lost in his thoughts of ire. As if that was not alone worrisome for her, the clip of ire bleeding made rounds on the inte. Zara had felt light on her feet that ire had a miscarriage before Hunger learned about the baby. Because if he had, he would have never let go of ire. But then, he saw her seeing the clip and had quickly rushed to the hospital ire was admitted to. And unce he returned, he became even more distant towards her. Coming to his house today and wearing ire¡¯s dress was an attempt to make Hunter make a move on her. s, he had to notice her face before his lips touched her. I can¡¯t lose you now the deed is fully done, Hunter. You can¡¯t possibly fall in love with ire after the divorce. She kept her hands from trembling in fury as she kept them around his waist Hunter pulled away from her, ¡°Change into something decent. I take you back to the penthouse¡­.¡± ¡°But- 3/4 +89% Chapter 40 ¡°Where we will make dinner and watch a movie. Hunter finished with a small smile as he eagerly wanted to get is house rid of Zara. ¡°Okay,¡± Zara said and went to the bathroom. He released a breath when he was alone. Sweeping a gaze around the room, he closed his eyes. This room had witnessed some of the best intimate moments he had with ire. Not to mention, this room than it has ever been his. Hence, the faster he took Zara out of here the better. n was more hers In all honesty, he was not yet ready to let any other woman¡® grace this bedroom with her presence. Im ready m ready.¡± Zara came out within five minutes. Hunter took her down. While he asked her to wait outside so he could bring the car to the front to pick her up, Zara looked back in the darkness inside the house. ¡°No one can stop me from being thedy of this house. Not even you, Hunter. She muttered while ring still. Zara touched the achy spot between her legs and twisted her lips. I¡¯m wet as hell and the idiot won¡¯t touch me.¡± She rubbed herself. Then her lips curled wickedly. ¡°Guess I have to take care of myself till he is ready to fuck me.¡± She went to a WhatsApp group named ¡®Velvet dungeon BDSM group¨C Bloomcrest and texted: I need rough BBC Dom daddies to take care of my wet cunt. Dm me your pics. I¡¯ll choose the best ones. She smirked at the number of Dms she was receiving already, though it¡¯s not been a minute. Zara chose the best seven and made an appointment to meet them at the club tomorrow. Meanwhile, Hunter arrived and she sat in his car. As they began to drive out, she was more excited about tomorrow than the night she was going to spend watching a movie with Hunter, Tbc¡­ COMMENT 0 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 41 RavenMoore. The evening turned in with the sky covering the horizon with a yellow orangish hue. ire was awestruck so bad that rather than resting in bed beside snoring Penelope, she came down to enjoy the sunset Murphy mansion was actually perched on the edge of a cliff. It overlooked a breathtaking mountainndscape covered with greenery. It was built by Shawn¡¯s great great grandfather, who was a fan of nature and privacy. Hence he built the magnanimous mansion on the cliff and surrounded it with a fence to keep the wandering perilous creatures at bay. The Murphys called the area within the fence their sanctuary. ire sat down on a bench that was set under a tree, admiring the scenic view. Her hair floated in the air while a small smile yed on her lips. ¡°I used to sit here and admire the mountains every evening after my marriage. ire watched over her shoulder at grandma Avery. She got up to help the woman sit on the bench as she replied. ¡°You must feel like a Disney princess. This ce is so exotic. I could stay here forever.¡± ¡°Disney princess?¡± Avery chuckled. To some extent I did. A trapped princess who wanted to run away from this fantastic setting. ¡°Grandma, Uneasiness squeezed ire¡¯s chest. Avery offered a lopsided grin and heaved. She leaned back on the bench and looked straight at the peaks of the mountains. ¡°My life wasn¡¯t as fairytale as this ce suggests it would have been, dear. I have my own painful memories.¡± ¡°Just like mine, ire whispered softly. The old woman caught on to her words, ¡°Uh¨Cuh, I can bet yours is still better than mine¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know what I went through, Grandma ire¡¯s lips lifted in an agonized smile. ¡°That¡¯s where you young people falter with your opinions about suffering. It¡¯s way worse than your thoughts can suggest.¡± Grandma said, making ire¡¯s heart thrum in surprise. ¡°Bleeding to miscarriage is not enough suffering, grandma? Or having a husband that sacrificed everything for leaving me for another woman?¡± ire¡¯s eyes zed with wrath. ¡°A woman who is a more evil version of Betrix Lestrange!¡± ¡°Having to watch your husband have sex with his mistress as your punishment is the real suffering, ire. Despite being angry at him, not being able to leave is the real suffering. When you are sick in bed and he is enjoying taking head on a Friday night at the bar is the real suffering.¡± Blistering goosebumps rose on ire¡¯s hands. The back of her neck was numb and her heart beats increasing wildly as she imagined all those things. ¡°Y¨Cyou endured that, grandma?¡± Avery dipped her head in confirmation. The woman he liked was married to someone else. I reced her as his bride due to my parents¡® greed of bing rtives with Murphys. I could have said no but I was in love with Nathaniel for years. No woman could resist his striking features. So 1 agreed, but on the night of our marriage, he told me the truth¡± Chapter 41 ire watched Avery¡¯s wrinkled face quiver. She was holding back her tears. Not that it would have mattered if she let them loose. The woman¡¯s eyes denoted she¡¯d cried enough that now no tears were left that she could shed. ¡°I asked him to divorce me if he was not going to respect our marriage. He said our marriage was a business deal. It can¡¯t be broken. He advised me to have a lover if that would keep me happy in the rtionship.¡± A sad smile danced on the old woman¡¯s lips as she gazed at ire. by life with it. Just a few years more. Then I will ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about my past. It doesn¡¯t even matter now. I¡¯ve spent all my happily rest in my grave.¡± ¡°But you must know, ire, that your tragedy, is nothingpared to mine. Hunter is far better than my husband. At least he didn¡¯t ask you to y a happy dutiful wife while Ife himself fucked a number of girls at work and kept mistresses in your home. I don¡¯t support him but I feel that he respected your marriage by not letting his lover live with you in your house¡± Avery let out a sardonicugh, ¡°on the other hand, my husband made me watch him fuck his two mistresses once when I tried to run away. Nathan was twisted. He didn¡¯t let me live in peace or let me leave him either.¡± ¡°You know, ire, at a point his first love returned to our lives. I was inbour at that time. Would you believe me if I told you that he left me in the hospital so he could receive her? And he actually brought her to this mansion. When I returned home with John, I saw my husband on the floor of our son¡¯s nursery shagging her.¡± Darkness had settled overhead. Stars began to twinkle and the moon was a crescent to today. Avery looked back at ire, ¡°As far r as I know your husband persisted in the hospital while you were admitted, didn¡¯t he? He stayed there day and night until you met him. Did you meet him, ire? ire nodded. She spared the details and the feelings. But Avery was experienced enough to catch on her thoughts. ¡°It must have felt somewhat relieving, right? That he was there even after the divorce. That he respected your trauma and decided to wait. He could¡¯ve ignored it since it was over. But he waited¡± ¡°A woman wants nothing from her man more than his presence next to her while she¡¯s putting up with life¡¯s atrocities. That is even if they have parted ways after a divorce. Did he call the baby his at any point?¡± ire didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Your silence tells me that he did. Avery studied ire¡¯s conflicting emotions. She noticed the talks of her husband were overpowering the facade of happiness she had expertly worn. ¡°So he is not as bad. May be he regrets it too. May be you should *He will be everything but regretful.¡± ire snapped in a hoarse voice. If Avery thought that she could manipte her mind into believing she still had a chance with Hunter- since it was obvious that she was affected by the aftereffect of the divorce- then Avery was mistaking her quietness as her need for him. Hunter may not be as brute as Nathaniel. He had his own ws which led to the death of their baby. ire gritted her teeth. It was a Murder. She corrected it in her mind. images of Hunter from their A dull ache throbbed at her temples. ire closed her eyes to shake off the meeting. She hated him now. His presence in the hospital was nothing to her. He didn¡¯t stay five days, day and night, because he cared for her or something. He stayed because he wanted to ask why he wasn¡¯t made aware of the baby that he would have otherwise forced her to abort. He intended to rub it in her face that he was clever to have reced her with Zara. That she was not even strong enough to keep the baby in her womb ufe. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you stayed in your loveless marriage with Nathaniel if he wasn¡¯t worth it. I am not going back to that asshole if that¡¯s what you want to exin to me, grandma. You may think I am helpless and iplete without him because of my appearance. But you should know what I need is a life without him.¡± Nausea gripped ire¡¯s throat. She was on the verge of crying. Thest thing she wanted was for Avery to see how the talks of Hunter triggered her emotions. She excused herself and went back inside. Avery watched her leave with a sad grin. ¡°The girl doesn¡¯t know she can never stop loving him, let alone leave him. He¡¯s breathing within her.¡± The reason why Avery had this conversation was because she believed she could change ire¡¯s mind, and make her go back to Hunter. It¡¯s true that ire saw hell in thest few weeks. It was better than the experiences of women in her own generation though. In Avery¡¯s time, men treated their wives like pet kittens and dogs and still demanded that they stay with them obediently. Neither was Hunter anything like those husbands nor ire who suffered like those wives from her time. Perhaps, love in their lives was supposed toetel After passing the test of time. After paying a great deal of bribe to get their happily ever after. Because diamonds do not form overnight. A coal has to face many challenges along the way including immense pressure and heat before it transforms into a priceless diamond.. Simrly, their story wasn¡¯t a bed of roses. It was filled with a pati of thorns. They will have to cross this path to arrive the beautiful garden filled with vibrant and stunning roses. into Not to mention, men have always been dumb. They only realized the importance of something after it slipped out of their hands. Maybe it was the same with Hunter. ¡°Hunter, you messed up badly. The olddy thought with the rise of her eyebrows. Mrs. Murphy was a secret admirer of ire and Hunter being a couple. Their divorce blew her off and as someone who felt connected with them, she wanted to see them together again.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I won¡¯t consider it over unless I see Hunter myself. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s really anything but regretful, ire.¡± Avery mumbled and came back inside. Her husband was in their bedroom, taking note of people who were invited for their anniversaries and who were still not. She rolled her eyes since he appeared so invested as if their anniversary celebration meant life to him. ¡°Darling,¡± She called him lovingly as that¡¯s how Nathan liked her to be in front of others. ¡°Are the invitations sent to everyone?¡± ¡°Some are still left. By tonight they¡¯ll be gone as well.¡± ¡°Cool. Can I see the list please?¡± Nathan handed it to her. Avery went through the names thoroughly. Her lips stretched into a smirk as she realized that the Macintyres were amongst those who received the invitation at the earliest, them being one of the VIP guests. ¡°Here, thanks, darling, Can¡¯t wait to have everyone here for our biggest day¡± Avery shed a fake smile to her husband before she turned around. on her way to her room, she mused, ¡°Your love story requires a cupil, ire, I will dly y one i you and Hunter¡± The ? IM Drop yourments and follow me for mor more. É« Chapter 42 Chapter 42 At the dinner table the following day, Scott and Shawn exchanged puzzled looks. Today was their second day of stay and Tyler had not appeared yet. Scott gestured to his friend with his eyes as if saying: Ask your parents? Shawn nodded and broke the awkward silence, ¡°Where is my brother, mom? I didn¡¯t see him in the morning either. Is he so busy with work that he can¡¯te to visit his family?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know,¡± Nathaniel began with a wide grin as he eyed his wife. ¡°That your brother moved out of this mansion?¡± ¡°Moved out? When and how? Why wasn¡¯t I informed of the same?¡± Shawn¡¯s mom, Tia, served curry on his Lantalized. The aroma was delectable. te. The smell of homemade food by his mom and grandma made his senses ¡°The incessant discussions about marriage and kids from your grandma became unbearable for him. My poor boy had to leave in the end to find some peace. Nathaniel shared as he raised a piece of steak to his mouth. Grandma Avery rolled her eyes, ¡°So what? It¡¯s every grandma¡¯s right to y with her great grandkids. If I won¡¯t nag Tyler then who will? It¡¯s not like I have a dozen eligible grandsons, I can only count on my elder grandson now¡­¡± She brought her eyes on Shawn as she added. ¡°Until Shawnes of age.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Shawn choked on his food. He coughed with tears. Although it was joyful, Scott patted his friend¡¯s back and helped him with a ss of water. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about me getting married any time soon, olddy. I recently turned eighteen. I still have ten years to go before I consider marriage¡± Shawn¡¯s eyebrows pinched. ¡°We¡¯ll see, darling. We¡¯ll see.¡± Grandma said with a waving hand. Her reaction clearly indicated that she was acquainted with his grandson¡¯s love life. It made Shawn gulp his saliva. He did have a girlfriend. But this was his third girl in thest two months. Girls in his life at this stage were temporary. The girls knew it too, which is why they broke up with him on their own, sparing him the drama. life! He was enjoying his life like any rich family¡¯s young son would. ¡°Okay, jokes apart, I want to know where my brother has moved in?¡± ¡°In his hotel¡¯s penthouse.¡± Shawn¡¯s father informed. ¡°Since he¡¯s working on a new development in his hotels, he deemed it was better to move in one. That way he can get a better grip on the day to day operation.¡± ¡°Okay! Got it. Then Scott and I will leave first. We have to meet some friends and then I¡¯ll take him to meer my brother.¡± Others didn¡¯t object or detect anything fishy about their early departure. Shawn and Scott arrived at B¡¯dazzle, Tyler¡¯s individually established and run hotel. This wasn¡¯t included in their family business Besides taking up the family¡¯s business of construction, Tyler started his own chain of extravagant hotels. He did it for himself. So that in the future he could have something of his own, created with his own intelligence and hard work, to share with his children. The manager of the hotel happily guided Shawn and his friend up to his brother¡¯s penthouse. When the elevator¡¯s doors parted, Scott and Shawn witnessed a shirtless Tyler smoking by the window near the elevator 1/4 111 O ¡°Oh my god, is this really your brother? He¡¯s hot!¡± Scott eximed as his eyes widened in amusement. ¡°Haha, Tyler is the golden child in the family. You know, the cleverest kid who grew up to be the hottest and most handsome, and sessful. My grandfather will embellish him with precious stones and jewels if he can to intensify Tyler¡¯s worth. I can see why. Your brother can be an actor.¡± They both walked in, halting close behind Tyler whose back was at them. From what they heard from Tyler, he was upied in a phone call with an engineer, discussing blueprints of a new hotel design. ¡°I don¡¯t feel b him. bad saying that you are not even his shadow, Shawny Your brother takes all your limelight.¡± Scott whispered to Shawn chuckled while shaking his head, ¡°I know right. And I love it. My brother deserves all the praise and attention. I¡¯m happy the way I am. In fact, He raised his smug eyebrows at Scot. ¡°It¡¯s an honor that I can be considered my brother¡¯s shadow. Not everyone can be that, you know. Because Tyler is just one and I¡¯m his only younger brother.¡± ¡°What are you little beasts discussing. The boys heard as their gaze ascended, locking onto Tyler¡¯s breathtaking face. Scott was numb with incredulity. Even though this was not the first time he was seeing Tyler, this was the first time he was caught off guard like this. His best friend¡¯s brother had changed impably since thest time he saw himst year. Tyler could be any woman¡¯s fantasy with eyes like a storm¨Cravaged forest, dark green and alluring. His jaw squared. Shoulders packed with muscles and chest like the hard strong ins. Scott¡¯s gaze lingered on his six¨Cpack abs. As someone who was lean but still unable to gain abs, he hoped Tyler could give him gym lessons. ¡°Brother!¡± Shawn hugged his brother. ¡°Finally I can sight the moon in its full glory.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t youpare me with anything else?¡± Tyler grumbled Even his voice held power. Scott mused. After the brother¡¯s greeted, Shawn began to introduce Scott to Tyler. ¡°Stop being an idiot, Shawn! I know Scott. Come inside. I¡¯ll fetch something for you to drink.¡± Tyler pped his brother on the back. ¡°I forgot that you do. I just hope you won¡¯t forget me forever once you know why we¡¯re here. I can already imagine your reaction.¡± Shawn muttered under a breath. They came to the kitchen and mounted the stools arranged by the kitchen counter. Sulent smell was ring in the kitchen. ¡°Mmm, what¡¯s in the making? I love the smell.¡± Shawn remarked. ¡°I putsagna in the oven. Looking at you two I can guess I will have to share it now? Scott grabbed Shawn by the cor and whispered, ¡°Your brother can cook? Since when?¡± ¡°Dude, I thought you knew it as my best friend.¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh, you never told me anything about Tyler.¡± ¡°Because I thought everyone knew everything about him!¡± O Chapter 42 ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t. Now tell me about my sister¡¯s future boyfriend. Shawn liked the sound of it as he replied, ¡°My brother has a Culinary Arts Degree. Besides being a businessman, he is many other things. Cooking is one of his many talents. Then you know he is a great surfer, he can fly nes and choppers. He is a good carpenter who once built me a tree house. Then he is- ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two? You aren¡¯t behaving like yourselves Tyler spoke in a mild and interested voice. His hands were ced on the kitchen b while he suspiciously studied them. If it wasn¡¯t for how intimidating he looked with his dark green eyes attempting to look at their souls through their gazes, the boys would say he really looked hot standing like that. ¡°You two have been whispering like school girls to eat h other since you came here. Is there anything bothering you two?¡± Shawn prodded an elbow in Scott¡¯s ribs, indicating it was his chance to speak to his brother, ¡°Not us, Tyler. It¡¯s bothering me alone. Scott said, his voice unsure and soft. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t impregnate any girl at uni.¡± ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not the case. I would never be so careless as to end up in that situation. It¡¯s something else¡­ And we believe only you can help me.¡± Tyler stared at him for a second, not knowing how to respond. He looked between his brother and Scott before nodding his head. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it. I will not promise but if I certainly can then I will try my best to assist you.¡± Scott¡¯s face lit up. Strong hopes rolled through him. If Tyler agreed to help him, then not only will his and his parents problems be resolved but ire will also find a chance to put her past behind her back and look straight at her bright future. ¡°Thanks, brother,¡± A beam of delight crossed Scott¡¯s face as he called Tyler like Shawn would. ¡°It¡¯s actually my sister that I need your help with.¡± ¡°You sister?¡± ¡°Erm, yeah. ire. You know her, right?¡± Tyler didn¡¯t respond. However, in the back of his mind he counted the number of times he saw his sister, also famously known as Hunter Macintyre¡¯s wife, ire MacIntyre. How could he not know her? People tend to keep a note of their enemy¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. And since Hunter Macintyre was his arch enemy, he was well¨Cversed with his wife whom he assumed was Hunter¡¯s greatest strength. pity to know ire was neither Unfortunately, what he saw over the inte in thest few weeks disappointed him. It was a pity to his weakness nor his strength. Poor girl was basically a toy in Hunter¡¯s hands, ¡°What about her?¡± Tyler asked reluctantly. He can already feel this conversation going south. ¡°My sister. Erm, she needs¡­ You know¡­¡± Scott fidgeted with his words, A jab in his ribs from Shawn, which was really painful, made him wince and blurt it out in one go. ¡°My sister needs a boyfriend. Will you date her, Tyler?¡± The was really motivating. I believe all of require such break.. Expect more chapters now. Make sure to leave your reviews please so more people can find the book- Lysm 0 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 43 The sky was bluest blue and the squawking of birds flying above made ire feel thrilled. Being able to walk without cameras following her was a new feeling. It was like she was independent again. Excitement danced with abandon in her spirit as she moved further. The reason she was alone here was because of the significance of this ce. She had upon a bridge above the river of blessing. She recalled Shawn¡¯s words, ¡°The river of blessing has changed the lives of many believers, ire. You throw things you don¡¯t want in your life in the river and it blesses you with whatever you want. Just make sure that you make your wishes. wisely. Although he also said that it was a great tourist attraction, she was a little doubtful. She grazed the surroundings around her and realized that not a single soul was present here. There was just her. It was surprising for a ce of tourist attraction to be void of breathing souls. Anyway, she headed further upon the bridge until she was in the center. She peeked below the bridge by resting her hands on the railing. Her eyes fluttered in bewilderment because the water rippled intensely. Sun shone on the water, making it look like a river of glitters. Waves formed and crashed against the pirs holding the bridge together. The railings are not high. Should someone fall down from here not even their traces would be found, let alone their corpse.¡± She blew out a breath of surprise, She admired the view though. It was warm to the eyes. She somewhere thanked that no tourist was here today. Or else, she would have been ufortable in their scrutiny. A whileter, she heaved deeply as it was time to make her wish ire unzipped her side bag. She withdrew her divorce certificate and a diary with entries she made about Hunter when she was a teenager. There was also the blue baggy pants with dry blood and white shirt that she had worn that day when she miscarried her baby. A lump formed in her throat. She suppressed her tears as she longing regarded her diary and other stuff. Whatever she was going through today in the river of blessing had some of the most impactful asions of her life attached to them. She started with the divorce certificate the least wanted memory that she couldn¡¯t avoid at any cost. ¡°This divorce took away my everything. Turn it into my changing point. I don¡¯t want to remember it as the end of my happy life. Make it my ticket to eternal happiness and contentment.¡± She mumbled her wish and dropped the certificate down the bridge. ire¡¯s skin buzzed with delight as she observed the document get carried along by winds for a while. Its edges fluttered like wings of a bird but it couldn¡¯t persist. It was sucked down into the water and submerged. Then she tossed her clothes and made her wish with a heavy heart, ¡°This was my first baby. I couldn¡¯t feel him or enjoy my time as a pregnant woman. If his father was to be majorly me for his loss, I am also ountable for being careless to some degree. I let his father¡¯s actions affect me. I am sorry, baby ¡°I will always miss my baby and keep him in my thoughts and prayers. If I conceive again then I want to be the mother of the ume baby. Let the Christ bless me with the baby I lost so I can make up for all my negligence to him. I want to give the love and attention my baby deserved¡± 1/4 Chapter 43 Her chest heaved with building emotions. ire was supposed to be lighter and lighter with every memory she tossed into the river and made a wish. s, it was having an adverse effect on her. ire stood strong. She didn¡¯t let tears ooze out of her eyes as she stroked the surface of her diary. She decorated it with stars and jewels. This diary carried all her secrets. All her feelings from the moment she stumbled on Hunter as a teenager. There were cut¨Couts of his images published in the newspaper and magazines too. A faint smile quivered on her lips as shezily flipped through the pages. Then without any remorse, she let it fall and watched as it sank in the water. ¡°None of this would have happened to me if I had not encountered Hunter. I thought he was the one for me. But I was so wrong¡± She paused. ¡°I will not wish to go back in time and change my feelings for him. I really relished that time. Those memories have their own ce in my life. I will take a lesson from them. But Hunter¡­ I will not forget him. I will seek my revenge on him at any cost. ¡°That¡¯s why I wish to be stronger as my journey from now on is going to be intense. It¡¯ll require strength and a strong heart. I wish to destroy Hunter. I wish to see him bleeding through and through.¡± ire smiled wretchedly amidst teary eyes. Her heart may race at how cruel her words sounded, her mind was at peace. She liked it. Liked all the wishes she made. Satisfied with herself, she decided to spend some more time by the railing. ire held it and leaned forward, trying to look down at the currents in the water which appeared tumultuous, raging with an unstoppable energy. ¡°I always believed you were a woman of immense strength, Mrs Macintyre.¡± An unknown voice rang behind her back, startling her. Her grip on the railing loosened. She lost her bnce and her feet were airborne. Her eyes became wide as the sound of rippling water was all she could hear. Before she fell off the bridge a strong arm banded around her waist and yanked her back. ¡°Are you fucking crazy, woman!¡± ire heard a wrathful grumble as she was whirled around. Her breath got caught in her throat as she realized who the man was that saved her. ¡°Had I been one secondte then you would have lost your life!¡± She heard but she was too numb to react ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you are from the weak ones who think suicide is the solution to all the problems, Mrs. Macintyre. You disgust me. Fury mmed into ire. She pointed a finger at the man and boomed, ¡°Mind your words, Tyler Murphy. You are no one to judge me and my actions. And who told you I was here tomit suicide?* ¡°It was obvious in front of my eyes, Mrs. Macintyre! I saw you leaning forward. If I hadn¡¯t stopped you then you would have jumped down.¡± Tyler¡¯s jaw ached from all the clenching. He regretteding here to meet ire MacIntyre on her brother¡¯s insistence. Last night when Scott narrated everything to him, Tyler felt pitiful for his sister. He had refused his request since he kept his personal and professional life separate. And meeting ire would be an open vition of his principle. But he agreed because Shawn promised to bring the Student of the Year¡¯s trophy home this year. Even though he knew that Shawn getting the student of the years trophy was as impossible as sighting a lion spare his prey, he was willing to meet ire. He didn¡¯t know why but he wanted to calcte the damage her rival had done to his once radiating wife. Chapter 43 He canceled important meetings for today just so he could meet ire. But what he walked on made his body stop. functioning for a few dreadful seconds. ire was bending over the railing, preparing to throw herself att In an instant he realized the damage was irrevocable. He may have saved her from dying, he wasn¡¯t going to take the responsibility to heal her. The woman was cracked in the head. The love of his rival had wounded her terminally ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to jump down, Mr. Murphy! Why would I want to end my life? I have no reason to.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Tyler folded his hands as he eyedher, Embarrassment colored her cheeks rosy red. ire pondered, Obviously you know everything, Tyler Murphy. How will you not? You are my ex¨Chusband¡¯s rival. It¡¯s amon practice in the corporate world to keep note of everything happening in your enemy¡¯s life. I ¡°Even if I have every reason I didn¡¯te here to kill myself, Me Murphy. It¡¯s because of you I lost my bnce and almost fell down.¡± Tyler squinted his eyes at her as he muttered, ¡°Was he so important in your life that you came here to kill yourself, Mrs. MacintyreCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Why couldn¡¯t he get it? She. Didn¡¯t Come. Here. To Die. ire¡¯s anger i red ¡°First things first, I am not Mrs. Macintyre. I¡¯m ire Argent. If you want to talk to me, call me with my real name.¡± ¡°Regarding your wrong impression of me wanting tomit suicide, you are mistaken. Who woulde to kill themselves. upon the river of blessing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where you get your information from, Mrs Macintyre. This is not any river of blessing. Tyler said with a raise of a brow. ¡°And if it was someone who said that then maybe they were kidding with you¡± ¡°This bridge is notorious for its deathly history. It¡¯s a famous suicide point which was closed down for safety reasons.¡± Tyler said as he regarded her. ¡°That¡¯s why you being here only points to one thing¡­ ¡°T¡± ire lost her voice. She couldn¡¯t believe that her brother would do this to her. ¡°You little jerk, I will kick your ass when I see you next. Just see! You sent me to a suicide spot lying that it is a tourist ce that fulfills wishes. I was stupid that I believed you.¡± ¡°Erm, I didn¡¯t know it was a suicide spot. Someone told me the river below is the point of attraction here which goes by the name ¡°river of blessing.¡±¡± ¡°And you believed them? Tyler shook his head, ¡°Are you really so innocent or simply naive?¡± ire opened her mouth, then closed it. She was neither innocent nor naive. She just blindly put her trust in people. ¡°I should really not do this but thanks for saving me from falling With that, she bailed out as she didn¡¯t want to embarrass henell morE. Chapter 43 Not even she had gone ten steps ahead, she felt hot fingers curling around her wrist. Tyler was beside her. ire¡¯s cheeks heated up. So did her whole body because Tyler Murphy was indeed a piece of art. She gawked at his pretty face. Her eyes fell on his lips that parted, making her belly roll. ¡°Let me take you back home, Mrs. Macintyre A start rage and frustration rose up in her blood. As handsome as he was on the outside, his mouth was like a double- edged sword. Tim not a MacIntyre. Why don¡¯t you- ¡°You will be a MacIntyre in my eyes as long as you are attached to him. Tyler opened the door of his eyes¨Cturning ck ¡°Tam not attached to him.¡± ¡°Yes, you are. I wouldn¡¯t be here if that wasn¡¯t the case. He started the car. A good decision or else recalled wint he said earlier. ire would have jumped out. She was going to be quiet around him until she ¡°Wait. Did you just say that you wouldn¡¯t be here if I wasn¡¯t attached to my ex¨Chusband?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Are you a prophet or something? Who told you I am attached to my husband?¡± Tyler¡¯s face turned as his brows went high. ire quickly realized her mistake and uttered, I mean ex¨Chuslkind. I am not attached to my ex¨Chusband.¡± Tyler kept quiet. But ire was uneasy. A wave of restlessness washed over her. She wanted to know what he meant by ¡°he wouldn¡¯t be here if she wasn¡¯t attached to her ex¨Chusband? ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡± She asked. Tyler saw her face from his peripheral vision. She was waiting patiently but deep within he could feel her temper boiling. He pitied Scott but eventually answered. ¡°Your brother came to mest night requesting me to be your boyfriend.¡± The Chapter 44 Chapter 44 H ¡°What? Scott!¡± She bellowed with eyes bing the size of saucers whereas Tyler chuckled. Her words rhymed. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. Why would my brothere to you to be my boyfriend? Like really YOU! Of all the men on this they chose you¡± She turned to him and gave him an using stare. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence. You are my ex¨Chusband¡¯s biggest enemy and he chose you. Tyler Murphy, if you think I am foolish then you have not really known much about me. You are ire trailed off and fisted her hands on her knees. She was blurting out everything that came to her mind. Tyler was also Shawn¡¯s elder brother. She had known him for more time than she knew Hunter. Shawn often came to their house when he was a kid and then his brother woulde to pick him up. So it was really silly of her to me him for that. Tyler would never do that. HeContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. e wasn¡¯t from the men who use their enemy¡¯s wife and children to hurt them. He believed in striking openly. They arrived at the Old Murphy mansion while she was lost in her thoughts. Tyler exited the car and tossed the keys to the man on the watch by the gate. He didn¡¯t wait for her toe out as he stormed inside the mansion ¡°The nerve of this guy!¡± ire¡¯s mouth hung in irritation. She came out and followed after him inside the mansion. Her looks suggested that she was on a mission to verbally murder someone. However, her expressions softened seeing grandma Avery in his arms. Tyler swayed her around as though she was his lover. Putting her back on the ground, he kissed her cheek and as a boyfriend would, he romantically put her white hair strand behind her ear. ¡°Did you miss me sweetheart?¡± He faked huskiness. Avery whacked his bicep and cringed, ¡°That¡¯s all you can do! Flirt with your sixty seven year old grandma. Why don¡¯t you find someone of your age?¡± Tyler took her to the couch and sat beside her while Grandma continued, ¡°If not a wife then at least get a hot girlfriend, Tye. I want to blush watching you making hot sex here on the couch from behind the pirs. My eyes are growing weaker day by day. I wonder if you¡¯d ever bless me with such a scene.¡± ¡°You are getting bolder, grandma. I don¡¯t think our guests would like to hear you talking like that. Tyler said as his eyes found ire. His eyes hardened, showing his disappointment, ¡°ire is a woman of today¡¯s time. She doesn¡¯t mind it. But I believe you do, which is why you haven¡¯t banged a girl in years.¡± Grandma Avery¡¯s words made ire lower her eyes. There was no one other than her in the living room. She thought it was wise to give the grandson and grandma duo some privacy She turned around only to jumps in surprise as Penelope was standing next to her with a red face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Penny? ire shook her arm, breaking her reverie. ??? ¡°Do you think I can be that girlfriend his grandnuus wants type of gorgeous. Oh Laire, I think I have fallen in love¡± Peneloje Buttered her eyes animatedly while ire¡¯s face pine f She stomped a foot on Penelope¡¯s foot to bring her out of her wondend. ¡°Ahh¡± But she stomped too hard and Penny screamed Both the girls turned red in the cheeks as they apologized to Avery and Tyler ¡°We¡¯re sorry, grandma. We¡¯ll leave you alone¡± ¡°ire, wait¡­¡± Despite Grandma calling after her, ire dragged Penelope with her. She stopped only when they were in her mom ¡°You are so cruel, Laire. I was warming my eyes with the heat igjjging off his body. Why did you drag me here?¡± Benelope freed her hand andmed ¡°Shut the fuck up. Penny. This is not the first time you have fallen in love with a guy. You said that thrice on our way to RavenMoore. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. Men are maturing well these days Penny shyly bit her nails. ire controlled her urge to smack her on the face. She sat down on the bed and held her head. ¡°You have no idea what at Scott tried to do to me ¡°What did he do? Steal cash from your purse?¡± ¡°No, he has more money than me. Thanks to dad. He is spoiling him abundantly ¡°It¡¯s called keeping a young man full with reseire, Look, if you dragged me here to talk about your brother then In getting out of here. I didn¡¯te here to hear you ranting on Scott¡¯s adventures. Tyler is here and I want to eye¨Cr¨¦¨¦pe him.¡± Penny said as she got up. But she didn¡¯t dare move from her spo when she noticed ire. She was trembling as her nostrils. red. it was serious. She knew that look, which meant it was ¡°What did Scott do?¡± She quietly sat down next to ire, lending her her ears, The moment ire shared what happened to her, l¡¯enelope¡¯s ears became hot. ¡°Oh my god! Scott is damn clever. Though I am hurt that he chose Tyler to be your next to annoy your ex, I should praise him. The boy knows how to move the coins on a chess board. ¡°Penny!¡± ire roared. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to joke. Are you even trying to understand how wrong it is on so many levels?¡± ¡°Why is it wrong, ire? You want to avenge Hunter. Who can help you better than Tyler? They are burning in desire to bathe in each other¡¯s blood. Hunter¡¯s balls will roast at the first sight of you and Tyler together.¡± Penelope said between clenched teeth. ¡°That will serve him the best lesson. The worst you can do to a man is make him realise what he lost.¡± ire opened her mouth to speak except that Penny beat her to ¡°Look, not that it matters Hunter got the woman he loved. It won¡¯t hurt him the way you want him to hurt if you chose to move on with any other man. Tyler is your best choice. Hunter won¡¯t even care whether or not you are with another man if it isn¡¯t Tyler. This man flirting with his grandma outside can give you what you want.¡± ¡°Even if you castrate your ex¨Chusband, he wouldn¡¯t be as affected But it hurts differently when your Ex is dating your apter 44 emy. It¡¯ll blow that ass hole off the precipice. And to help you make him suffer I am ready to make the sacrifice.¡± aire¡¯s brows twitched. What kind of sacrifice was Penny talking about? ven though I¡¯m head deep in love with Tyler. I will leave him for you. I think you deserve him more than I do.¡± ou have lost your brains in Bloomcrest. ire wrinkled her nose and shook her head before she dashed out. le came to the garden to cool down. Nevertheless, her jaw dropped when she witnessed a fuming Tyler standing with umbbells in each hand. er eyebrows went high to meet her baby hair on the forehead because he was not alone. On the ground were his brother ong with hers, doing push ups nd the irony was, both of them had a pair of dumbells ced on their back as they pulled themselves up from the floor efore going back down. If you want to keep your secrets safe you better not piss me. Continue doing it. Do it as long as I don¡¯t say. ommanded while adding another dumbbell on Shawn and Scott¡¯s back The weight sent the boys prostrating on the ground. to stop. Tyler So you really don¡¯t care I guess. Let me send the evidence of your dirty adventures to your respective fathers. Let¡¯s see how well they will treat you after¡­ ¡®We are doing it. We are doing it. The boys shouted together as they started pushing themselves up again and then down. ire watched with her mouth widening. Mr. Hulk was threatening and punishing her brother and his. Why? Most of all¡­ How dare he? Her fingers balled in anger and her temper increased. She took a step towards them, only to freeze in a walking position when Tyler spoke. ¡°I took pity on you two¡¯s condition and went to meet that woman. For what? To seek insult and humiliation for using her against her husband. I wasted a precious day of my life that I could have used to multiply my money.¡± ¡°I have never felt so stupid in my whole life, It happened because 1 agreed to see her on your insistence. You two shall be vigorously punished for wasting my time.¡± ire bit her lips as she lowered her eyes. I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Tyler has never done anything wrong to me ever. I have known him all my life as Shawn¡¯s ¡®Mr. Perfect big brother. And yet I used him. I should really apologize to him.¡® She looked up and sighed apologetically, ¡°I can see it¡¯s really our brothers who caused the mess. But it was him who got the usation.¡± She was moving in his direction until, ¡°Mrs. Macintyre knows what she¡¯s doing in her life. You two don¡¯t have to worry yourselves. What goes between her and her husband is their personal matter.¡±¡° ¡°By the end of this punishment, you will have learned that you should leave a husband and wife, and their personal matters unheeded. You will learn to mind your own business.¡± ire swallowed hard, trying not to snap. Him addressing her as Mrs. Macintyre, Hunter and her as husband and wife, in spite of getting warnings snade her veins pulsate with rushing indignation. It was beyond her point of control. ire let loose her tensed jaw and stormed towards him. Chapter 44 Çú 0 COMMENT Chapter 45 Chapter 45 @ + 75% ire stood behind him and grabbed the back of his white shirt. She yanked at it until he was half turning towards her. ¡°Are you purposely doing that, Tyler? Her eyes zed over his. Although Tyler was not even one percent affected, both their brothers froze with their jaw ckening. They refused to blink their eyes or close their mouth even though there were weird flies flying around them. ¡°How could Hunter not fall for your sister, bro? Her Boldness is to die for.¡± Shawn softly mumbled to Scott who was in a state of stupor. As a brother he should hate how intensely hot they looked together. But there he was, frozen amidst doing push¨Cups with dumbbells of ten kilograms each on his back, enjoying how his sister had grabbed his best friend¡¯s brother by the cor and pulled him towards her. Their chests brushed but considering ire¡¯s mounting anger and Tyler¡¯s equally challenging hard grimacing¡­ They both barely noticed it. ¡°And your brother? I think you told me once that he broke the arm of a man who tried to grab his cor.¡± ¡°He broke both his arms actually, not one Ooh!¡± Scott¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement as if he was watching two equally expert ser yers standing against each other after an argument. ¡°Let¡¯s see what he does to my sister.¡± Shawn nodded, ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll kiss her?¡± Tch! That¡¯s too soon.¡± Scott clicked his tongue Back to ire and Tyler and their intense eye-battle, then none of them back down. They both glowered at each other until the boys couldn¡¯t take the weight of the dumbbells on their back and squashed down with a loud whimper. It distracted them and thus broke their eyelock. ¡°It¡¯s because of you my rival¡¯s wife gets to speak to me like that. Otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have taken her shit.¡± Tyler said that again, taking ire¡¯s exasperation on a whole new level. She pushed him back and yelled, ¡°I¡¯m not his wife, do you get that? I¡¯m not rted to him any more. I¡¯m just ire. ire Argent!¡± ¡°Stop being dramatic, Mrs. Macintyre. Everyone knows you love your husband a lot.¡± Scott and Shawn gulped their saliva as if it was them getting that fiery re. Whereas the man who got it was all too cool about iL ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for our brothers¡® stupidity. They thought you dont love your husband- ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Tyler Murphy! I¡¯m not a Macintyre. I¡¯m just ire. I¡¯m a divorcee.¡± She pushed him again while the voice that left her throat was clipped and heavy with pain. Tyler regarded her red face. He looked into her moist eyes and Harshly stated, ¡°You need to divorce your heart first, ire¡± ire¡¯s breathing hitched. This was the first time he was taking her name, and God it sounded perfect. Thought Shawn and Scott while ire nced at him with tears making their way down her cheeks. éT O Chapter 45 ¡°These tears and your heaving chest indicates that he still resides there¡­ In your heart. And as long as he stays there, you can¡¯t call yourself a divorcee. Because you are still married to his memories.¡± He took a step towards her. When he came close did then ire infer that he wasn¡¯t really mocking her all this while by calling her Mrs. MacIntyre or Hunter¡¯s wife. He was simply attempting to make her realize how deeply Hunter has infiltrated her being ire went back to her room. She closed the door and jumped into bed to shed tears. She didn¡¯t need her ex¨Chusband¡¯s enemy to say that. It sounded so pathetic. It made her feel weak and worthless. ire didn¡¯te out of her room for lunch or evening snacks. She remained in the bed like a panda, chills spread along her arms and shoulders. ire got out of bed and parted the door harshly as she ground her teeth. ¡°You will not understand easily, will you?¡± Tyler was d in a in thin olive green tee. Probably because he was staying the night. ¡°Why does your husband¡¯sst name work you up, ire?¡± ¡°It just does. So what? What do you care?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less, neither should you.¡± Tyler answered while his eyes regarded her face. ¡°You really cried gallons of tears, didn¡¯t you? Your face is immensely red.¡± ¡°Get out, Tyler.¡± ire used that pissed off tone with him. She was about to close the door on his face when he stretched a hand out, blocking her attempt. He moved in while ire took her steps backwards. Suddenly her skin was alight with goosebumps. She had never been with a man who was not Hunter in a bedroom alone. ¡°I am here to talk, ire. And I am happy that we are not regarding each other as anyone rted to Hunter. I¡¯m Shawn¡¯s elder brother who took up the job to talk to his worried best friend¡¯s elder sister on their insistence again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Yes, again.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Weren¡¯t you punishing them not long ago for making you do this? Her eyes squinted. ¡°I was but I cannot neglect the fact that they truly care about you Look, I don¡¯t know whether you noticed it or not but you are not suffering this pain alone. You have many with you who are suffering too.¡± Èý ||| between them. ¡°Scott is only eighteen. He should be in bed with a girl enjoying his youth. But no, he¡¯s here with you, hoping to help youe out of your misery.¡± ¡°Then my brother Shawn. Although he has nothing to do with you except for the fact that you are his best friend¡¯s sister, he¡¯s here helping Scott so he can help you. Then again, he should be in bed with a girl enjoying his night. Tyler stuffed his hands in his pocket as he took a pause. He wanted to give her time to grasp everything. ¡°They are young, ire. These nights will not return for them. They are still on your side trying to help you recover from the loss that shouldn¡¯t bother you much.¡± ¡°What do you know about my loss? Have you ever fallen in love with someone? Have you ever felt the pain of losing your child that you were excited to wee into this world? You don¡¯t, so you have no right to give me this speech.¡± ire said harshly. She looked away, ¡°Please, leave me alone. I didn¡¯te here to discuss my pain with anyone.¡± Tyler moved away from the wall. ire¡¯s guts tightened seeing him take slow steps towards her. He came to the window to the opposite end and sagged by the sill. ¡°Ezma, I met her during a charity event organized by an NGO for orphans when I was Twenty three. She was one of the orphans who moved out of there. She was assisting the caregivers with the event. Though she fell for me first. I fell for her harder. We came from different standards and background. But her love was strong. So was her attempts to woo me. Within a month I became hers. And then within a year I proposed to her. We dated for three years.¡± ¡°We were going to get married. I was so excited to be hers forever. So much so that even during business trips outside of RavenMoore, I would think about her.¡± He pointed at his ring finger. ¡°I inked her name here. She was that important in my life. I would havebined thend and sky together if that¡¯s what it took to be with her. He said and became silent. However, curiosity had flourished within her. She leaned forward desperately and asked, ¡°Then what, Tyler? One thing I know is that you are not married. You are not dating anyone either. What happened to Ezma then?¡± Her paranoid mind began to make images of what could possibly happen to her. ¡°1¨Cis she dead?¡± She gasped as that was the only possible reason why he wasn¡¯t married or dating anyone. An amused smile unleashed on Tyler¡¯s lips. He shook his head. ¡°I wish she died but no that¡¯s not what happened to her.¡± Tw ¡°Then what?¡± Tyler looked into her eyes. His lips lifted in a lopsided smirk as He said, ¡°She was a cheater. A whore who loved to jump beds.¡± ¡°She betrayed you?¡± ire¡¯s heart was in her throat. ¡°That¡¯s the correct way to put it Tyler chuckled. He didn¡¯t look like he ever told this to anyone. He was drenched in sweat, showing the tough time he was having now while he was sharing his past with her. O Chapter 45 Without thinking much, ire poured him a ss of water and brought to him. Tyler drank it and thanked her before he resumed. ¡°I returned to our apartment and found her with another man in our bed after my meeting overseas got postponed. It hadn¡¯t even been two hours since I left. She wasn¡¯t afraid or regretful. When I questioned her she carelessly shrugged her shoulders. and said that she was doing what I was most likely doing with her¡­. Enjoying her life with more than one partner. ¡°She had this wrong idea that in our rich society it¡¯s okay to have extra affairs while being married. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t hesitate to have her share of fun when she visited clubs or when I left the country for business.¡± ire looked pitifully at him. She wanted to console him when Tyler added. ¡°That¡¯s not all, you know. Before I left for the business trip, she told me that she was pregnant. That was the reason why I returned back to her. I just wanted to spend all my time with her and my baby. But that child in her womb wasn¡¯t mine either. She confessed to intending to trick me so l would father the child whose real father she wasn¡¯t sure about,¡± ire¡¯s stomach was in knots. She felt awkward when Tyler¡¯s gaze came back on her face. ¡°So ire, you¡¯re not the only one who is acquainted with the pain of loving someone and losing your baby.¡± Tyler said with a pained smile and walked out before ire said anything- That was thest things heard from him. After that night she never saw him. Three days to that night and then the preparations for Grandma Avery and Grandpa Nathaniel started. The mansion was being decorated and the scent of different kinds of flowers perfioned the air. ¡°He never struck me like someone who was once heartbroken. He looks impably fine and focused. What made him turn like that? Because one thing I¡¯m sure of¡­ That it wouldn¡¯t have been easy. I saw it in his eyes. ire spoke to herself while standing on a balcony, looking at workers doing their job. ire wanted to know how Tyler held himself together. But since then he never came back. She tried to ask Scott and Shawn who only raised their hands in surrender, Their backs were still sore. After all, Tyler made them finish a round of hundred push¨Cups with three dumbbells each ten kilograms on their back! She was standing with a dull face. ire thought it was better to go back to her room and read something. She turned around to leave. Before she retreated, in her peripheral vision she caught sight of a familiar BMW. She swung back to gaze at it and her heart seemingly fluttered back to life. The car came to a halt right in the centre, below her on the gravel path, as Tyler showed himself out of it. ire¡¯s body awkwardly felt warm upon seeing him. Not to mention he appeared dashing in his all ck three piece suit. He was here to meet his grandmother, who greeted him with a kiss. Again he picked her up and whirled her around romantically like he was her lover. While moving inside, his eyes came up to meet ire¡¯s for a nano¨Csecond before he stepped inside the mansion. Tbc_ Chapter 46 Chapter 46 75% When ire came e down to the livin to the living hall, Avery was being summoned by her husband for her opinions. She left Tyler alone in the living hall. ire took a one eighty degree gaze around her and realized it was just them. She immediately made a beeline towards him. Folding her hands, she coughed to get his attention. She felt her knees strangely shivering when he ever o uninterestedly bought his eyes up to meet hers. ¡°Do you need anything, Mrs. Macintyre?¡± ire¡¯s lips twisted. She saw the ghost of a smirk ying on his lips. He was teasing Her. ¡°I want to know how you took your revenge on Ezma?¡± She asked, avoiding his yful mood. ¡°Revenge? Why would I take revenge on her?¡± He sat straight. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t act all gentleman. I¡¯m sure you did something to Ezma to be how controlled and focused you are today. Her eyes flitted up and down his body in reference. ¡°I didn¡¯t take any revenge on her. There was no need to.¡± He offered with a slight lift of his shoulders ire scoffed. She sat opposite of him, her disbelief showing on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie, Tyler. I know your past and I don¡¯t judge you. So don¡¯t worry. It won¡¯t make any difference in how I look at you after I know your tactics for retribution. It¡¯ll be safe with me.¡± ¨C Tyler straightened his posture and buttoned his coat. He rested his hands on his knees and leaned forward. ¡°Not that I care about it, Mrs. Macintyre. You can go and tell your husband about my past. I wouldn¡¯t even miss a breath because it truly doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± ire was disappointed by his confidence. A man with such a deep past couldn¡¯t behave that way. He ought to have some insecurities, or effects of it¡­. Like it had on her. ¡°Ezma became unalive to me the moment I walked out of that apartment. Then she became non¨Cexistent when I sold that apartment off and every object in it. At present she¡¯s not even in my memories as I have flushed everything rted to her in the toilet Tyler raised an eyebrow. He was truly not affected now. ¡°I don¡¯t need memories or the people who tried to wound me severely. But yeah, I do remember the lesson they taught me. It¡¯ll remain with me forever.¡± ire was still not convinced. He must have taken his revenge of her anyway. ¡°Still you must have done something to make her pay. Tell me about that.¡± Tyler gave azy raise to his eyebrow, ¡°The only thing I did was erase her from my life. Like she never existed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bull shit. There¡¯s no way you let her go with her crimes she .This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Tyler observed her tight facial expressions. He was sorry that she couldn¡¯t find what she wanted. As for him, he did find out 1/1 ||| Chapter 46 why she was so desperate. ¡°You want to avenge Hunter, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you¡¯re asking me all this Exactly¡± Her face lit up with a cunning grin. ¡°I will not let him go easily. One way or another I¡¯ll make him pay¡± Tyler looked at her expressionlessly. Then his eyebrows knitted together in annoyance. ¡°Then be at it for the rest of your life. But you won¡¯t yield any fruit Tyler got up to leave. ¡°That¡¯s what has happened in Ezma¡¯s case, hasn¡¯t it? You tried to make her pay and received disappointment.¡± A dark smirk veiled his countenance. Tyler was amused by ire¡¯s determination. ¡°No. I didn¡¯t even try anything because you can¡¯t get anything our of revenge. It¡¯s just a waste of time.¡± He asked a servant to inform his grandma about his leave. He started moving towards the door but before that he shared thest piece of his belief. I let my case rest in the hands of the christ. I know that¡¯s not the best thing to do but it was the wisest thing¡± He ambled over to the door and halted. So did ire who was hot on his heels ¡°Revenge brings you nothing, ire. For a while it may seem like the best thing to do but it hurt you more in the end. Because by the end of it, you would have done things that were not your intention. I¡¯ll I suggest that you drop your desire for revenge and try to move on Her eyes seemed to ask how do you move on! ¡°You don¡¯t need to make them pay for your progress in life, ire. All you need is a distraction. Tyler gave her a small smile. ¡°Go back to what you loved the most. Pick up your career. Donate to orphanages. Go on adventures. Do what will make you happy and eventually you¡¯ll find yourself moving on. ire reflected on his words with a sore heart. She didn¡¯t want to ept it, but he was right. Revenge was bull shit. It was crap. It was nothing but a source that multiplied her sorrow since she decided that she wants to y it on Hunter. Ever since she made her mind to seek revenge, she lost her desire to live for herself. She lost the light of her eyes. She lost her varying emotions to the intention to see Hunter suffer like her. Otherwise she was such a vibrant girl before. She had an enchanting glimmer in her gaze that made her fall in love with herself. She was expressive and cherished every emotion she fell But now all that was left was darkness within her. The darkness that wished to consume Hunter wholly, A tear trickled below her lowershes. ire picked the salty drop on her fingertip and gazed at it ¡°The reason I wanted to seek revenge was to avoid these tears and the twisting pain in my chest. I had hoped that with Hunter¡¯s downfall I would feel stronger and happier. But I loved him. He was a part of me which I worshiped. And if he¡¯s in pain because of me, it might hurt me.¡± ire burst into sobs. ¡°Who am I kidding? It will sure as fuck hurt me. Everything rted to him did.¡± She covered her face and cried. She cried harder. ¡°Tyler is right. Revenge is not the solution. It will not bring me happiness or help me move on. It will only suck me deep in the morass of detriment and leave me deeply damaged. Like Tyler, I will rest my case in Christ¡¯s hands.¡± Chapter 46 ¡°What I need to do is detach myself from his feelings. Treat hit unalive in my life like Tyler dad Thare the lggest punishment he could have? 24 75%8 She removed her hands and looked into them. Tears fell in her pink palms. One after another. Like her hopes of seeing Hunter fall. This was her determination of revenge melting and disassociating from her. When tears no longer fell and her heart no longer ached, she grip and washed her face. ire went to the rear garden. where Scott and Shawn were ying cards with some workers that were on their tea break. She retrieved Tyler¡¯s number from Shawn and called him. He picked up after the fourth ring ¡°Hello,¡± His deep voice made her hands mmy. Yet, somehow she held herself together, ¡°It¡¯s me, Tyler.¡± ¡°Mrs. Macintyre? I didn¡¯t realize you had my number. You never called me before.¡± The teasing in his voice was palpable. But more than that, she recognized the willingness in it to help her. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call?¡± ¡°Ermm, Tyler,¡± She clutched her dress. ¡°I thought about what you said. And maybe¡­¡± ¡°Maybe??¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Right about what?¡± Tyler wasn¡¯t here but she can imagine him smiling. ¡°About revenge being a waste of time and pointless.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And I thought that maybe¡­¡± He sighed deeply on the phone, ¡°Another maybe!¡± ¡°Umm, maybe you can help me move on.¡± you want me to hen you move o ¡°How can I help you on, ire?¡± He asked, his voice calm yet very emphasizing. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me you be your boyfriend as Scott wanted?¡± Her ears became hot and cheekbones numb. She quickly shook her head as if he could see her declining to it.. ¡°You said distraction did it for you. Maybe you can help me discover the distraction I need for myself to move on.¡± He was silent after she said that, ire nervously chewed on her lips. She really didn¡¯t want him to think that she approached him with a hidden motive. So she rified, ¡°You have been through the same pain. At this point I don¡¯t think anyone else can rte with me other than you. So maybe if you helped, it would be easier and a lot quicker for me to make progress.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Tyler hummed, which made her feel shy. ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t youe to my office tomorrow, ire! I am working on a new project design and as a person bearing a degree of civil engineering you can be of great help to me. Also, this way you¡¯ll step back into your career, the only distraction I think you need.¡± ¡°You know I am a civil engineer?¡± She was amused that he was cognizant of her profession. ? Chapter 46 Tyler hummed again. ¡°And I was disappointed too when I learned that you dropped your career to marry Hunter two years ago.¡± ire¡¯s heart twitched. She really sacrificed a lot of things for a fruitless marriage. She thought she should say something to justify herself. ¡°Anyways, I have a meeting in five minutes. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow and discuss business, ire. I¡¯ll wait for you. Best of luck.¡± Tyler spoke and hung the call while she dly smiled, acknowledging his empathy. That night, ire had been super excited for the morning to arrive. It showed on her face and in her voice. Penelope couldn¡¯t be happier. She assumed it was because of the approaching night of the old Mr. & Mrs. Murphy¡¯s anniversary party. Shawn¡¯s parents were ted to see her so actively talking on the dinner table. And grandma Avery was thrilled to see her glowing face while Scott and Shawn exchanged victorious looks with each other. Although ire was fascinated as she couldn¡¯t wait to go back to working, Scott and Shawn presumed it was because of Tyler¡¯s charm. They misjudged her happiness for affection towards the elder heir of Murphy empires. Hence, the next morning when ire left to meet Tyler in his office, they smirked at each other and high¨Cfived. ¡°n B is also a sess, partner. It¡¯s time to move on to n C. A mischievous grin uplifted Scott¡¯s mouth¡­ ¡°I¡¯m working on n C. And there¡­ n C is initiated.¡± Shawn replied after pressing the enter button on hisptop. Actually he sent an attachment of pictures he and Scott captured of ire with Tyler on the bridge. They were taken from a distance and from angles that would mess with the heads of the viewers. The pictures were blurry but they showed ire in the arms of Tyler. If eager viewers zoomed in, they would see two heads close together as if they were kissing. So he sent them to a journalist whose email they found on Facebook with a fake ID. ¡°In no time these pictures will put the inte on fire!¡± Shawn eximed. Scott raised a ss of wine in toast as he murmured, ¡°As will Hunter¡¯s heart. I can¡¯t wait to see it The É« Chapter 47 Chapter 47 47 Bloomcrest, Hunter was working on hisptop. He was engrossed in his work when his phone red loudly. Lazily he lifted his eyelids and located his phone beside his mug of ck coffee. Zara calling¡­ A small frown settled between his eyebrows as he stated at it. Since that night he unwillingly spent with Zara watching a movie, she was after him like a shadow. Asking him about his days and work, about his meals, about everything he didn¡¯t want to share with her. He wearily grasped his phone and put it on silent. Then he ced it behind the heap of files on his left so that even if the screen lit up with another call he wouldn¡¯t be able to see it. Hunter went back to focus on hisptop again. But a knock on the door interrupted him. He asked whoever it was toe in and heard, ¡°Sir, Mr. Wordsmith is here to meet you. He says it¡¯s important.¡± ¡°Let him in.¡± He replied and resumed his work. Hunter was least interested in Cole¡¯s reason to visit him. Since his divorce, Cole behaved more as a pissed off human being who was in support of his ex¨Cwife, and less of a friend he needed in this time. The sound of his approaching footsteps made Hunter look up. Cole was as usually dressed in casuals with some patches of y on his hands and sleeves. What amused Hunter was the serious and stressed look he was wearing. ¡°So grim. Did you mistakenly ruin a drying sculptor in your studio and came here to vent on the?¡± Hunter rested back in his, chair as he rocked sideways. ¡°This is not the time to try your bad sense of humor on me, Hunter Macintyre. You will have a worse reaction if I told you the cause of it.¡± Cole sat across from him while drawing his brows together. Hunter chuckled, ¡°Am I trending again for a bad reason?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a new thing. I¡¯ve been trending for a while and I couldn¡¯t care less.¡± Seeing his carefree behaviour Cole pped a hand on the desk, You will care all in the world once I break the news to you. You will want the earth to open up and swallow you whole because what I am about to share with you will make you wish that you didn¡¯t exist to see this. Silence prevailed between them. Except for the constant vibration of Hunter¡¯s ringing phone nothing could be heart. Cole gnawed his teeth together as he turned Hunter¡¯sptop towards him. He typed on the keyboard and after a second he turned the screen back to Hunter who was still regarding his best friend and his startling reaction. ¡°Pray that you don¡¯t explode seeing this.¡± Hunter watched Cole say with a twist of his lips before he smoothly lowered his gaze to the screen of hisptop. He ceased all motions as his eyes hardened and a muscle at his jaw quivered. Ever so terrifyingly, his hands clutched the side of hisptop. Hunter yanked it close and read the article Cole opened on a The headline was- Bloomcrest¡¯s King¡¯s beauty is now RavenMoore¡¯s Lord¡¯s babe, 13 Chapter 47 His eyes set afire as he saw the blurry pictures of ire standing in close proximity with Tyler Murphy. They were awfully close like two lovers would. That fucker¡¯s hand was around her delicate frame while he was leaning into her to kiss her. Fury flooded Hunter¡¯s veins. He hurled theptop across the room with a horrifying roar. Cole was ¦°¦¯¦© surprised as he was looking forward to this reaction. No man, after all, in his position would like to see his recently divorced wife swaying in the arms of his arch enemy. He was deeply thrilled though because Hunter didn¡¯t love his ex¨Cwife. He didn¡¯t so much as wiggle an eyebrow when she was bound to him. Then what was that reaction for? ¡°What the hell is ire doing in RavenMoore? How did she get in touch with that bastard? And who took these pictures? I will kill the fucker whoever wrote this article about thy wife. He spat angrily while turning to the wall of windows overlooking a spectacr view of Bloomcrest. Cole noticed his muscles releasing as if he realized he had no right to call ire his wife or react so angrily over the article. ¡°I¡¯m d you realized the woman in the pictures is not your wife any more. She is free to meet whoever she wants. But ye yeah. I must say this is going to createplications if that man is indeed Tyler ¡°That is Tyler the fucking Murphy in the pictures. I can recognize him from a thousand miles away. Hunter whirled around again to gerhis phone. ¡°Going to my wife a few days after my divorce.
  1. e. Not a good move
¡°He went too far this time to bother me.¡± Hunter muttered while dialing a number. Cole scratched his temples as he rose to his feet. He gaped at the brokenptop, imagining the scenarios of a possible war between the two powerful men of their own countries. ¡°Don¡¯t me Tyler Murphy. He¡¯s not doing anything to bother you. It¡¯s ire. She went to attend his grandmother¡¯s anniversary party with her brother and his best friend who is Tyler¡¯s younger brother.¡± Hunter lowered the phone and grimaced over his shoulder. He was red and his eyes have darkened to a deeper shade of ck. ¡°You think I will buy your stories?¡± Hunter said while fisting his fingers. ¡°They¡¯re not stories but in fact secrets that I managed to get out of ire¡¯s one and only confidante. Penelope Baker ¡°Penelope Hunter bared his teeth. ¡°Do you really think she would give you the truth! She¡¯s ire¡¯s friend not vou She will never do anything that does not benefit her friend.¡± Hunter chuckled madly, ¡°Why am I even standing here talking to you? I need to know why I was not made aware of ire¡¯s departure? She left the country under my nose and my source didn¡¯t update me.¡± He was about to grab his coat and leave when Cole turned him around with his arm. ¡°You need to listen to me, stupid Macintyre. Else you will make bigger mess this time and no one will help you clean it.¡± Cole snarled at him. Then he told him everything Penelope told him about ire¡¯s tactic to seek revenge. Luck was most likely on Cole¡¯s side because Penelope was getting wasted in a bar when he called herst night. He intended to talk with ire who had changed her number. But Penelope told him things she shouldn¡¯t have in the impression of alcohol. ¡°This little demon Scott. He could only find my rival to y my ire¡¯s fake lover?!¡± Hunter threw a punch in the air while Cole¡¯s eyes narrowed, hearing him call ire his. Chapter 47 ¡°He is sessful in his attempt to bring ire and Tyler together but I don¡¯t get this one thing why is she agreeing to this? She knows he¡¯s not a man who can be trusted. Cole sat in the chair again and clutched his hair. ¡°Even if it is to piss you off, she¡¯s putting herself at stake. I assumed she¡¯s a clever woman. But here I can see she¡¯s walking right into the field covered with mines. Cole then raised his using eyes at Hunter, ¡°You pushed her to do this, idiot. I can¡¯t me her alone when I know she¡¯s got. the guts to do so because of your actions.¡± Hunter quietly listened to his usations. Then what ire had said about avenging him echoed in his head. ¡°I will make you pay, Hunter. You will pay with blood, life and soul.¡± That does not mean she¡¯ll handover her body to my rival! He thought. All the undesired memories of ire with Tyler clouded Hunter¡¯s mind. She went to Tyler to bother him. She was getting closer to the man he despised so she could see him suffering. Why him? Hunter trembled in a fit of ovepping rage. There are many other ways to make him pay. Why through Tyler?This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Why give to him? To him¡­ The man with a good face but evil intentions. More than that, Hunter was feeling wounded because she had found a man for herself while he was still trying toe to terms with their divorce. Was he not the man she loved? Didn¡¯t she promise to love him all her life? Though it was strange that he was thinking about those questions when he never recognized her love. But they were married for two years. She didn¡¯t even wait two months before walking in the arms of another man. That too¡­. That man, Tyler Murphy! ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me.¡± Hunter seethed as he shook his head. ¡°I am not doing anything to you. Cole responded as he assumed it was said to him. But when he saw Hunter dialing a number on his phone, his heart jumped in his throat. He thought the call was being made to Tyler. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stupid, Hunter. Put your phone down. ire will hate you more if she hears about this call from Tyler.¡± Nevertheless, the deed was done. The call was made, and connected too. eet voiceing from the phone caused Hunter¡¯s shoulders to ck. ¡°Hello?¡± The sweet He sat down on the desk and closed his eyes as a feeling of profound relief filled his being at the sound of that voice. He felt like life was blown back in his body. The É« Chapter 48 Chapter 48 ¦§ RavenMoore, Tyler was waiting outside his establishment to receive ire. The sight of him left her knees trembling. He was surely one of the most handsome men she hadid her eyes on. And with the three piece gray suit clinging to his body, he gave her like those fictional wless male lead vibes. ire rubbed her hands on her ck skirt. She chose a formally decent attire for today. A dark blue chiffon top with a fitted skirt ending above her knees. There was also a huge bow in the front. She made her way towards him with a soft smile touching her lips. ¡°Hi. Her voice was small and she couldn¡¯t perceive why she was feeling this way around him. ¡°Wee to my safe haven, Mrs. Macintyre!¡± Her smile diminished into a scowl. Tyler raised his hands as he chuckled, I¡¯m joking, I thought you need every bit of mood lift I could offer.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m really nervous.¡± She said as they went inside. The building was as gorgeous as from the outside. All the heads turned to see them together, ire lowered her noticed some women whispering among themselves. gaze as She didn¡¯t want to imagine what was being talked about. With her walking beside Tyler, her ex¨Chusband¡¯s arch rival, she knew she was bound to get this kind of look. she ¡°Don¡¯t mind people¡¯s gaze, ire. They¡¯re just shocked. I would react the same way if my Ex suddenly appears in public with your ex¨Chusband. It¡¯s a natural reaction. She hears Tyler say as the elevator took them upwards to his cabin. He was right. But maybe they were judging her for all the wrong reasons. Maybe they saw her using Tyler Murphy to get back at her cheating ex¨Chusband. Only she knew the reality of their rendezvous. She was trying to distract herself. Tyler was ying her mentor. But this is not how the gossipers would look at it as ire trudged after him taking small steps. Her heels ticked against the marbled floor and the sound it created, it was simr to how her heart beats sounded in her ears. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe she should not have asked Tyler Murphy, majorly popr as her ex¨Chusband¡¯s rival, to help her. Maybe she should not havee out of the Old Murphy mansion until it was time to leave to go back to Bloomcrest. ¡°ire,¡± She bit back a gasp as she felt warm hands on her arms. When she retained her focus Tyler was giving her a tough look. A look a stern mentor would give to his mentee for having a resolve that can be easily broken by his opponents. ¡°If you let others¡® opinions affect you then forget the distraction to move on.¡± He pointed behind him. ¡°The people out there don¡¯t care about your future or present. They don¡¯t know what you suffered in the past and how intensely you suffered. They only care about their entertainment. They will talk about you as long as it satisfies their hungry imaginations and keeps them entertained.¡± ¡°They will talk during the day and go back to bed at night carefreely without any tension or remorse. Because it¡¯s just a means of entertainment to them which keeps them upied in the daylight. At night they don¡¯t care who you are and what you do. You are nobody to them. And that¡¯s how you should treat them¡­.. Like nobody.¡± 1/3 Chapter 48 He let go of her shoulders and lowered his brows sternly as he asked, ¡°What do you do when a person dials your number mistakenly first and then keeps bothering you after you have specified it¡¯s a wrong number?¡± ¡°Block them.¡± ¡°Exactly. These people out there should be on your block list. If you don¡¯t put them there then they will frustrate you with their constant calls to the point till you break your phone to get rid of them.¡± Tyler moved closer so he was saying it right beside her car, ¡°But this is your life we¡¯re talking about. Don¡¯t let them push you to the point that you ruin yourself under the pressure of their judgment. Block them out, ire.¡± (An hourter) ¡°It feels so good to be back to work. Gosh, I didn¡¯t realize that I missed my job so much.¡± ire chirped in a delightful voice as her ocean¨Clike eyes radiated. ¡°I told you work will make things better for you.¡± Tyler raised his brows with a knowing grin. They were sitting in his cabin side by side. Tyler didn¡¯t introduce her to the project he referred to whenst time they met. Instead he showed her old projects of hispany to restore her confidence and love for civil engineering, ¡°I thought it¡¯ll be hard to return to work after a two year gap. I thought I won¡¯t remember anything. ¡°But you do. And the amusing part is that your theories and answers with regards to my old projects were as urate as my engineer¡¯s. This shows your potential. You will do well, ire. I trust in you.¡± Thanks. face heated up with shyness. She looked down while moving the strands of hair behind her car. ¡°I¡¯m still disappointed though. You didn¡¯t have to leave your work for your marriage¡± ire raised her eyes to notice him answering some mail on hisptop. She entwined her fingers in herp and wetted her lips. ¡°A mistake. I know. But I thought if I left work for my marriage, i¡¯ll be easier to focus on Hunter. I was certain giving him more time and attention would heal his broken heart. What I didn¡¯t know was¡­ She left her words iplete as she pressed her lips together. Tyler was gawking at her when she turned her face to him. Something about his gaze was staggering her. The way he looked made her shift in her seal. She knew it was not a diforting gaze. There was still something about it ¡°You gave your all to your marriage in these two years, didn¡¯t you?¡± His low but deep voice made her stomach churn. She nodded hesitantly as if she was epting tomitting a particr crime. ¡°Now I want you to give you whole to yourself. Goodbye to living your life for others. You will focus on yourself now.¡± She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off his face. The way he put it, the way it sounded to her ears, it was all so intense. Her skin blistered with goosebumps. She nodded with a smile blooming on her lips. That¡¯s what she was nning to do this morning when she got ready to have motivated you enough. Now you can review other projects without me sitting next to you.¡± Tyler O Chapter 48 got up while taking a nce at his watch. ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± ire was intimidated in an amused way while his shadow fell on her. He bobbed, ¡°I have a meeting in minutes. And it¡¯s a habit that I grab a slice of cheese cake with some coffee before I attend the meetingText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Not a healthy habit I must say. You look fit and it¡¯s hard to tell you consume cheese cakes on a daily basis. ¡°There¡¯s a lot about me which is hard to tell. But you¡¯ll get the hang of it. Tyler said on his way out. ¡°I don¡¯t know what he meant by his first sentence! ire mumbled as her eyebrows knitted together in doubt. The¡­ É« Chapter 49 Chapter 49Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. 49 Anyways, she pulled hisptop closer to look at the projects he left for her to study. ire was deeply engrossed when her phone lit up with someone¡¯s call. She didn¡¯t let her eyes avert as she epted the call and drew the phone closer to her ear. ¡°Hello?¡± She was captivated by the project shing on theptop which is why she didn¡¯t register that a minute had passed and still the one on the other end of the phone call had not uttered a word. It was the whisperinging from the other side that tottered her focus. She tore her gaze away from theptop screen to take a nce at her phone. ¡°Hello?¡± She spoke again as it was an unknown number. ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡± When no answer came, she decided to disconnect the call and focus back on the project. ¡®ire¡® Just as she pulled the phone away from her ear, she heard a fading out voice calling her name. She put the phone back to her ear and this time she was able to listen to the voice clearly and recognise it too. ¡°You don¡¯t recognize my number? It¡¯s strange. Her heart twisted in her chest. Her stomach trembled while her fingers began to twitch as an overwhelming feeling consumed her. ire blinked her eyes rapidly, hoping that this was a dream. It wasn¡¯t when she heard him again. ¡°I contemted my number as one of those you would know by heart.¡± She waspelled to check her phone. Her breaths became heavy because it was his number indeed¡­ Which she knew by heart. After her father¡¯s, his number was the first that she by hearted in case she needed to dial it in an emergency. ire gulped a deep breath. She instructed herself to focus. She told herself not to be staggered by his voice as she tried to muster her teetering strength to speak. ¡°Where did you get my number from?¡± She asked as there were not many who had her new number. Besides her family and Penelope, Tyler had it. ¡°You do know your ex¨Chusband is a master of creating resources and opportunities? ire¡¯s focus began to shake again at the sound of his smug voice. This voice was once the best sound in the world. ¡°Enjoy your resources and opportunities. Don¡¯t call me back again.¡± She was about to hang up on him when she heard, ¡°What are you doing in Raven Moore with Tyler?¡± ¡°What I do with who and where is none of your concer.¡± ??? O Chapter 19 ¡°It is my concern, ire MacIntyre, because you are¡­.¡± He seared and faded out making her eyes widen. ¡°Because you are my ex¨Cwife ire held the edge of the desk as she responded in a hostile tone. ¡°Indeed I¡¯m your ex¨Cwife which means I¡¯m no longer a MacIntyre. You better not associate with me that surname. I hate it and the person that I got it from.¡± ¡°You do realize you are talking to that person, right?¡± ¡°I do and I know that you are a cruel jerk. I hate you. Don¡¯t call me again, Hunter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you called that upon yourself when you flew to Raven Moore to my enemy ¡°What are you saying?¡± ire hissed. She heard him sigh, ¡°You can avenge me in other ways, ire. Come back to Bloomcrest first. You are not safe there.¡± ¡°Look, he¡¯s not a goodpany for you. You are my ex¨Cwife and as my enemy Tyler has many reasons to hurt you. So please don¡¯t be a fool ande back to Bloomcrest. Raven Moore is his country. If he does something to you then I will be able to save you in time.¡± not ¡°He can look like the best way to get back at me but he is not. You don¡¯t know about him, ire. There is more to his good- looking face which is hard to recognize. Soe back Even though she was amazed because he said the exact same words Tyler said about himsel, what boiled her blood was hismanding tone. ¡°You are crazy, Hunter MacIntyre.¡± ire chuckled furiously. ¡°And if you think I¡¯m still that old ire who could be ordered around then you are wrong. Shove your orders up your asshole. That¡¯s where they belong.¡± ¡°ire,¡± He sternly called her name to warn her. But as she said, she was not the old ire. So she was not afraid of him. ¡°Keep that warning tone to yourself, Mr. Macintyre. Your employees will be terrified of it, not me. And who told you I came to RavenMoore to avenge you? You are not that important to me. You died for me the moment you married that whore.¡± ire¡¯s words were simmeringva as she added, ¡°You are not worthy of being called my ex¨Chusband either.¡± Hunter was silent for a second which quickened her heart beats But when he spoke, she felt like stabbing him in the heart. ¡°One of my trusted men is in RavenMoore. I will ask him to bring you back to Bloomcrest. She banged her hand on the desk and screamed, ¡°Who do you think you are ordering around? Didn¡¯t you hear me earlier, Hunter Macintyre? I will not fucking take orders from you. Go to your slut if you are so desperate to make things work ording to your will.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drag Zara into this.¡± He seethed, which did not surprise her. It rather pinched her heart. ¡°And listen to me carefully, ire! If you don¡¯t leave RavenMoore by tonight with my man then I myself wille to do the deed. ¡°You¡¯ll How dare you You can hurt me differently. You don¡¯t need yourself in the way of danger to avenge me.¡± to Tears stung her eyes. ire growled on the phone, wanting Hunter to know that if he were here in front of her, he would 2/5 0 have been a melted mess¨Cin the heat of her temper. ¡°Don¡¯t think so highly of yourself, Hunter MacIntyre. I won¡¯t waste my time finding ways to punish you. The almighty god will do it for me. I have left my case at rest in front of him. If anyone will make you pay for my pain, it¡¯s Christ.¡± ¡°Thest time we met you threatened me. If you¡¯re not meeting my rival to hurt me then what are you doing?¡± She registered jealousy and anger in his voice. Her face was alight with mischief. That¡¯s true that she dropped her determination to seek revenge on him. But who said that she couldn¡¯t make him burn in jealousy? ¡°I¡¯m fucking him. Do you hear me? I¡¯m fucking your biggest rival to get over my divorce. Everyone does something to get over their ugly past. So did you, didn¡¯t you? You jumped into bed with that vixen on the first opportunity you got. I will not be surprised if she¡¯s sucking your dick now as well!¡± ¡°ire, you better not-¡± ¡°Enjoy your life with your whore and don¡¯t bother me again, Hunter Macintyre. I¡¯m happy with Tyler. And rest assured it has nothing to do with you. You are not worthy of my attention any more. You keep your slut and I¡¯ll keep my Tyler with me.¡± With that she hung up on him and switched her phone off. Five minutester ire was still shaking awfully. She filled herself a ss of water and gulped it desperately. Thest few words caused her difort Til keep my Tyler with me. Trembles coursed through her. But when she said it, it couldn¡¯t sound any better. She hoped it hit Hunter where it hurt the most Tears trailed out of her eyes. Hunter¡¯s voice was still echoing in her ears. The satisfaction she received from lying to him- [ Which was akin to throwing chili powder in his eyes- made her insides calm down. Two hourster Tyler came to his cabin. He observed her red cheeks and swollen eyes. She tried to hide it behind a smile. ¡°Enough work done today. Let¡¯s take you back home. Grandma and my mom have nned a barbecue tonight¡± ¡°Yes, sure.¡± They both left his cabin. Down in the lobby, ire faced the same overwhelming situation. Eyes still followed her and Tyler. Though she tried her best not to waver, inside the car she closed her eyes and sighed loudly. ¡°I know you told me to block them out. But the way they look at me it feels like they are using me of a crime.¡± ire said while Tyler ignited the engine. When they were on the street with other vehicles he withdrew his phone from his coat pocket and handed it to her while saying. This article will answer your doubts.¡± ¡°Which article?¡± ire lifted a single eyebrow as she took his phone. Her eyes sprung wide as she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. She read the full article and closed her eyes with a conflicting heave. ¡°Now I know why Hunter called me.¡± ¡°Hunter called you!¡± Tyler stared at her with an amused gaze. 3/5 IM §³§á§Ñ§â§ä§Ö§ä 40 ¡°After you left.¡± ¡®So that¡¯s why she cried. I thought it¡¯s my employees¡® stares. He used. ¡°I hope he didn¡¯t bully you.¡± Tyler sounded concerned. ¡°He was asking me toe back to Bloomcrest.¡± She faced Tyler, ¡°He said that you are not safe for me. That you might hurt me because of your rivalry with him.¡± She looked out of the window, ¡°He¡¯s such a bastard! Can you believe it? After hurting me in the worst way possible, he had the audacity to use you of being dangerous to me. He¡¯s such a jerk. Hunter will never change. He only knows to me others for the crime hemits daily and remorselessly Tyler¡¯s face was a mask of darkness, his eyes cold and lips tense. It seemed he was holding back a storm of feelings behind. his dark stare and tight lips. Anyone catching a glimpse of him would instinctively give him space. But ire was not looking his way, hence she was not aware of his facial reaction. ¡°He calls everyone else a monster. Someone should tell him to look in the mirror first.¡± She rambled on till they returned back to Old Murphy Mansion. When Tyler pulled the car her brows tilted. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet throughout the journey, Tyler. Did I say something that was annoying?¡± He shook his head as a smile forced itself on his lips. It¡¯s your ex¨Chusband who¡¯s annoying¡± He unsped the seatbelt to turn to her. ¡°He hates me more than I hate him.¡± Tyler, I.¡± ire regretted sharing the bits of her conversation with Hunter. Any yman in Tyler¡¯s ce, whose honest intention is to help her recover from mental damage, will feel bad if those words are said for him. She hung her arm outside the window to let the air fan her heated palm as she put the other one reluctantly on Tyler¡¯s. His eyes shot up to her face before stopping on her hand covering his. When he looked up, his gaze suggested he didn¡¯t need herfort ¡°No matter what Hunter or anyone else says about you, you will be my friend. I will never judge or doubt your intentions. I know you have no reason to.¡± His lips curved faintly as he flipped his hand that was covered by ire¡¯s. He closed his fingers around her, making her eyes erge. This was not intimate. To some extent though it was too soon her to wee physicalfort from him. But sheposed herself as she was the one who started it first ¡°Let¡¯s go back inside. W¨Cwe don¡¯t want to miss the barbecue, do we? ire pulled her hand back and made an excuse. for She came inside the mansion to find Tia Murphy¡¯s, who was sitting on the couch with a slump, back straightening and lips pressing together at her appearance. It was as if she was waiting for an unwanted guest. ¡°H¨Chello, Mrs. Murphy.¡± ire¡¯s shoulders tensed, feeling the other woman¡¯s eyes be hard on her face. ¡°Tll just go back to my room.¡± She contemted it was better to escape to her room. She had enough stress for the day, and didn¡¯t have to take someone else¡¯s cause of frustration poured on her However, as she took a step ahead. Tia blocked her way. ¡°Where are you going? I was waiting here for you.¡± ||| Chapter 50 Chapter 50 50 ire¡¯s body froze. She drew in a sharp breath while attempting to sh a smile. ¡°Mrs. Murphy, L¡­ Tension failed her. The in Tia¡¯s eyes was palpable. She didn¡¯t try to hide her disdain when she sneered. ¡°I have been fond of you always, ire. You are like my daughter. I truly sympathize with you for what you suffered. But,¡± Tia grasped her hand and squeezed it spitefully. ¡°I do not appreciate you dragging my son in your mess.¡± ¡°Mrs. Murphy, I don¡¯t know what you are saying. I didn¡¯t-¡± ¡°I will cut to the chase, ire, I saw the article and the pictures and it is too much for my bearing. How could you kiss my son A startled gasp burst from ire¡¯s mouth. She blinked her eyes frantically as she shook her head in dissent,This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I didn¡¯t kiss Tyler, Mrs. Murphy. The pictures are taken from deceptive angles to make it look like we kissed. But trust me, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Tia sniggered cruelly. Gone was the woman who was earlier consoling ire that things would be fine soon. She folded her hands and narrowed her eyes, ¡°Whether you kissed him or not it doesn¡¯t matter. My son¡¯s image is being sullied because of these pictures.¡± ¡°You are ustomed to getting attention on the inte for the wrong causes, ire. My son isn¡¯t. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be judged around because of a divorcee.¡± ire moved back as her mouth hung open. She felt her muscles bing rigid under the impact of her words. Divorcee! No one called her that yet. Not even the users who disliked her on the inte. ¡°I can understand your turmoil. You have suffered irreparable damage in the hands of Hunter MacIntyre. But do not dare use my son to wash it over. I will not let you use their enmity for your benefit.¡± ¡°You married Hunter by going against everyone. Now deal with him on your own. My son will not be your puppet.¡± Tia clenched her teeth. ¡°I am sorry if my words hurt. But the truth hurts and if you don¡¯t want me to be truthful again then please refrain yourself from seeing my son.¡± Tia walked away only toe back and say thest few words. ¡°I can understand you want to seek revenge on Hunter for using you for two years. You have every right to. What could be better than going out with a man? Take any man in the world for all I care. Just stay away from Tyler. He¡¯s been miserable once because of a woman. Don¡¯t make it happen twice.¡± Then Tia finally left for good while ire inhaled a breath. She felt wetness on her clieeks and realized she was crying- She heard footstepsing behind her. She didn¡¯t have to guess who it was after all she just came back home with the heir of this family. It was him. ¡°ire,¡± Startled by Tyler¡¯s voice, she made a hasty retreat to her room and closed the door. She removed her heels and sat down on the floor by bed. Holding the sheets in a tight grip, ire wept her heart out. ¡°I¡¯m getting to listen to mean things from people who once liked me because of you, Hunter MacIntyre, I¡¯m being seen as a ÊÀ Chapter 50 wretched divorcee. It¡¯s all because of you. You will pay for my tears and miseries one day Hunter. You will pay.¡± Bloomerest was already sour from the conversation he had with ire, Hunter came back home with a grim look. While his mood wi Zara¡¯s regr calls made it dirty. He was forced to switch his phone off. As if his phone would start working again if he carried it with him, he left it in the car. Hunter undressed and entered in a hot shower. The atmosphere was bing frostier day by day in Bloomeres Sun barely shone in thest forty¨Ceight hours and the sky. was crammed with gray clouds. A thunder rattled outside and thick drops of rain cascaded in gray trails. With a towel around his waist, Hunter stepped out. He was picking out track pants for himself when the angry thudding of high heels echoed through the room along with a pissed voice. ¡°This is not done, Hunter. I¡¯ve been trying to talk to you since morning and you didn¡¯t bother to call back. What¡¯s more you even switched your phone off as if I¡¯m worth nothing to you.¡± Zara was breathless in anger. She ced her hand on his bare back to turn him around. A current of excruciating difort surged through him. He removed Zara¡¯s hand and spun around to face her, not before taking a few steps away. Zara noticed the distance between them and squinted her eyes Then she donned a pained look as she said, ¡°Do¡¯t irritate you, Hunter? If you don¡¯t like me near you then you can tell. I will go away. Hunter closed his eyes for a second to gain someposure. He had been badly pissed by the phone call with ire earlier. As if her words were not enough, his imagination wasn¡¯t helping it either. He couldn¡¯t stop his mind from creating images of ire in bed with Tyler. As he catapulted their thoughts away, he realized how mean he had been to Zara because of them. It was ire who was getting on on his nerves but Zara getting the mean treatment. It was ire who schemed against him but Zara got his ignorance. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he watched Zara. She was the woman for whom he ruined his married life. For her he ditched ire¡¯s loyalty and broke her heart. In order to be with her, he went against the world. Regret washed over him. He closed the gap between them and held her shoulders. ¡°Why would you think like that? I can never be irritated by you, Zara.¡± As he began to take her in a hug, she moved away. By now she had thick tears in eyes and tremors from sobs making rounds through her body. ¡°I have be a burden for you, haven¡¯t I? You can¡¯t put up with me. Zara faked a heavy voice. ¡°I just wanted to be there for you. Y¨Cyou have seen the article, right? ire and your business rival. I thought you¡¯d need support since your ex¨Cwife is getting involved with your enemy. So¡­ I just¡­ I just¡­ Zara ran out of his room while holding her mouth. ? Chapter 50 Hunter ran after her. He caught her on the staircase. He e seized her arm in an iron hold and whirled her around. ¡°I was busy with recurring meetings, Zara. My work is hectic. I have told you that before. Who do you think you are dating? A clerk? Come on, I am the CEO of mypany. I have several long meetings to attend in a day, do a lot of things and look over a hundred thousand employees working for me all over the country and overseas. I have a shedload of burden on my shoulders. He said frustratedly. ¡°Just because I don¡¯t answer your calls does not mean I don¡¯t want you, I divorced my dutiful wife to be with you god dammit! Never ever repeat those words again.¡± He realized his hold was tight on her shoulders. Hunter let her go and looked away. It also sank in that he said way too much to stop her. He did divorce ire for her¡­ And now he was having second thoughts about it. Maybe he should tell her that as well? Maybe he should also tell her that he was confidently lying! His thought was broken when Zara put her shaky hands around him. The moment her body came in contact with his bare one his skin stung. Hunter clenched his teeth tighter and didn¡¯t dare move a muscle. On the contrary. Zara observed him feeling conflicted but she did not move away. She banded her arms tighter around his naked torso She kissed the hard ins of his chest and looked up with eyes brimming with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just got emotional. It gets very boring in the penthouse. I stay all by myself and there is no one else other than you to talk to.¡± Zara blinked her innocently to show how lonely she felt in his absence. ¡°Enzo is there but he is no better than a dead body. He is always sitting by the elevator in a chair like a non¨Cliving object. A- and today I¡­ I had a b¨Cbad dream. I¡­ I saw Clifford and his parents. T¨Cthey were¡­ They were beating me in my dream and ¡°Shh, you didn¡¯t see them.¡± Hunter responded to her words and embraced her protectively. Zara grinned evilly against his chest. She knew nothing would move him better than the mention of her poor dead husband. ¡°You are as good and useful as you were to me when alive. Clifford. Your mention always helps me. May God give you the biggest house in paradise and bless your soul. She wished in her mind amidst aughter while she sobbed to make it look like she was having a hard time in front of Hunter.- ¡°I just w¨Cwanted-* ¡°I am sorry for not taking your calls, Zara. I swear I will not repeat the mistake again. Please, calm down.¡± Hunter cut her off as he stroked his warm hand on her back. Zara leaned into him as much as she could. She deliberately shoved her stomach towards his manhood. She wanted to drag Hunter to the edge so she could make him spend the night with her. He did say that they were dating. They haven¡¯t done more than kisses. Even those were a thing of the past. After the divorce. Hunter had stopped looking at her. He had stoppeding to her too. Henceforth, all this drama She needed him to make a move and fuck her. If he didn¡¯t put that dick inside her, how was she going to get pregnant! She needed to have his child in her belly to end ire¡¯s chapter from their lives. Because it was obvious that Hunter was getting attracted towards his ex¨Cwife. And after what was trending on the inte about her and his enemy Tyler, he was likely to get distracted severely. After all, men only realize the value of an object when they see it in their enemy¡¯s possession. ? Chapter 50 So the faster she acted the better. ¡°Zara, Hunter grabbed her shoulders and drew her away from him.. In the background, thunder hollered like a mighty mad beast. The walls of the mansion seemed to be shaking in its intensity. The long curtains hanging on the windows rippled and floated around like a ghost. The temperature in the room went down as chilly strong winds rushed inside as if they needed shelter from the storm raging outside. ¡°I need to get dressed¡± He said. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Zara gave him a smile. Hunter smiled back and prepared to go back to his room. ¡°Erm. I¡¯ll go back to the penthouse then. Have a good night. But Zara announced before he had taken three steps ahead. As she had guessed. Hunter turned around with a rigid look. ¡°Can you hear the storm outside? It¡¯s not safe to leave now. You will spend the night here.¡± ¡°Oh no, no thanks. I can¡¯t stay.¡± Zara quickly raised her palm in a gesture of denial despite feeling happy inside. ¡°It¡¯s not toote. I will call Enzo if need be.¡± ¡°You are staying, Zara. That¡¯s it. Why don¡¯t you make us something to eat? I would love some hot soup. It¡¯s perfect for the night. Hunter concluded Zara acted as if she was reluctant. Like she didn¡¯t want to stay the night in his and ire¡¯s house. She pulled and yed with her fingers as long as she was under Hunter¡¯s scrutiny. But the moment he left, she lifted her face to unleash a satanic smile. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to hear.¡± She descended the stairs and came to the kitchen. A bowl of soup was on the me, simmering already. She reduced the me and stirred it. Inhaling the tasty smell of the soup, she moaned. She had already put the soup on the me before she went up to meet Hunter. She was aware of his taste and habits. She knew he liked to ravish soup during stormy rainy nights. Perks of being his lover! Zara withdrew a small vial with green liquid in it. She emptied it in the soup and mixed it. Taking in its smell, she moaned. again, ¡°Mmm, it smells amazing. It¡¯ll make Hunter do amazing things to me too after he consumes it. I can¡¯t wait for the long night we¡¯ll have. After this night, Hunter will never have second thoughts. ire will never bother him. She won¡¯t be able toe between us after tonight. Hunter will be trapped with me forever.¡± She caressed a hand on her f t stomach. The¡­ Oh no, Zara is about to make a dirty move! What will be ire¡¯s reaction after hearing about this! Any guesses! O COMMENT Chapter 51 Chapter 51 31 The winds became aggressive outside Hunter¡¯s vi. Curtains rolled and rumbled and everything about the night suggested the arrival of something perilous. When Hunter was done wearing his clothes, he came to the windows to close them. The outside world was fighting against the storm. From the trees to the grass, he noticed, were battling to stay put in their ces while the harsh blowing winds tried their best to tear them apart. Hunter saved himself from slipping as the floor was wet. The winds had carried rain inside. He carefully closed all of them and as he began his stride outside the room, the noise of shattering ss caused him to look back. His heart rolled in his chest and throbbed because one of his and ire¡¯s photo frames had fallen down from the wall. Hunter quickly approached it and picked up the frame. This was one of their wedding pictures, ire was literally glowing like a star herself. Not to mention that her wedding gown was a shimmery white that glimmered under the sunlight as though the sun itself was showering her with kes of light. He cleaned the picture, removing all the pieces of the ss. He stared at it, his eyes glued on her face. While he held it, he gazed at the wall at dozens of photo frames of them hanging there. Still Even after the divorce, he did not make any changes to their room. He looked back at the photo as a hand of his absentmindedly lifted. He caressed her face. His eyes didn¡¯t blink and his heart didn¡¯t stop feeling conflicted. ¡°You miss her.¡± A voice in his chest whispered. It came as a jolt. He flickered his eyes and ced the photo frame on the table beside the bed. He nced at it one more time before sauntering down to the kitchen where Zara was pouring two bowls of soup. ¡°I was about toe up to call you, Zara beamed. She ced the bowl of soup on the kitchen counter in front of Hunter as he mounted one of the stools. She handed him a spoon and eyed at the bowL ¡°Do you remember anything?¡± Hunter cast a nce at the soup and hummed ¡°Chicken soup. You used to make it for me when we were dating¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, and I added some cream in it too as you liked.¡± Aunter did not react. Zara¡¯s temper red, seeing his dull reaction. She maintained her smile and encouraged him to start eating. Hezily gripped the spoon and dipped it in the soup. The aroma was mouth watering. Any man in his ce would moan and dig into the hot soup. But Hunter wore his impassive expression as he raised the spoon to his mouth. ¡°How is it?¡± Zara asked, her skin already tingling with the images of Hunter making hard and rough sex to her. Such was the effect of the medicine she gave him. She had experience with it. ¡°Good.¡± Zara¡¯s smile faltered. She looked down at her hands and pondered, Finish this first, Hunter. You will know how hot and tasty the soup was after it goes down your system. You will yearn for the hands that made it on your dick in some time. She watched as he used a spoonful of soup to his mouth. One after another. Hunter also rubbed his neck and the sweat forming on his forehead from time to time. The medicine was showing its effect on him. He was starting to feel hot. It won¡¯t be long before he feels hot between his legs. And hard. Then it be unbearable. He would want a release. Release in the form of merciless and explosive sex. ¡°Thanks for the soup. It was good¡± Hunter tried to stand still but a blistering feeling got over him. He looked at Zara while pointing at himself, ¡°I feel weird, Zara. My body¡­ It is very hot and vibrating. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing but stress, baby Zara closed the distance and covered his face with her hands. She was drilled to feel Hunter pressing has check in her palms. He held her waist and came closer. ¡°You have been overworking yourself without any break. You need a release 8:38 PM Chapter 51 Zara bit her lips as she lowered her gaze. You are hard for me. Hunter¡± His jet¨Chued eyes stilled on her face. He was puzzled at how his body was suddenly reacting. Hunter knew one thing that he didn¡¯t want to do anything intimate with Zara. He tried to keep hisposure and walked out of her hold. ¡°I have some enuils to answer. 11. Go to my study. Zara nodded, ¡°Sure. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll go wear something sexy for you.¡± Hunter felt lead settle in his gut. He licked his lips awkwardly and moved backwards, ¡°Now that you are craving for me, how can I keep you waiting! I hope you don¡¯t mind me wearing one of ire¡¯s lingerie.¡± Hunter wanted to correct her that ire didn¡¯t have lingerie. She never had to wear them to seduce him. Just one shy smile of her lips and he¡¯d lose his senses. He let Zara scamper upstairs to their room. Then he arrived at his study room taking help of the walls as his head was ovee by persistent throbbing. His eyes have be blurry too. Standing by the support of the wall for a while, he closed the door and fastened the locks. Hunter sank in the oval shaped ck couch in the corner and closed his eyes as the burning sensation embraced himpletely. In the bedroom upstairs, Zara checked herself in the red see¨Cthrough lingerie she carried with her. It stood out on her white skin, making her look ethereal. She skipped undies as she wanted Hunter to have easy ess. She rubbed some aromatic oil on her skin and around her p*ssy, Her lips curved in a winning smile. She admired herself from different angles. Then she pinched her nipples to make them hard and spanked her visible ass. Poor ire. She lost everything to me, including her husband. Am I guilty!¡± She raised an eye at her reflection before bursting into hystericalughter. ¡°I am not Then she came down to Hunter¡¯s study room ¡°Hunter, darling. I am ready¡± She tried to turn the knob but it wouldn¡¯t unlock. ¡°Hunter! I am here. Please let me in.¡± Zara kept calling him while twisting the knob. However, it didn¡¯t take her long to decipher that he locked himself inside. Her eyes set afire as a tide of indignation rolled through her. She gulped back tears of insult as the sting of his disregard fueled her growing anger. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that, Hunter. You shouldn¡¯t have locked me out. I waited for this night for months. You will not get seethed and threw an overcoat on her body. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 32 RavenMoort ire regarded her reflection with uninterested eyes. Even though she appeared lethally beautiful in a cerulean shaded off¨Cshoulder gown, she didn¡¯t feel any tingles of excitement Today was grandma Avery¡¯s anniversary party. But heart was at unease, her chest quivering with every breath. She felt her eyes burning with the need to let out emotions that had been building within her for thest two days. She may have smiled and pretended to be happy in the old Murphy mansion. On the inside her core was trembling. Tyler¡¯s mother¡¯s words haunted her. Every time she came across that woman, her shoulders squared and she felt like hiding behind the couch. Though no one could understand her turmoil, it was getting too much now, ¡°Just tonight. I have to endure this night and then I can go back home.¡± She told herself in order to keep the bids of resilience she had left in her Intact She was motivating herself on how to survive the night when Penelope came in. It was her glimmering dark pink gown that distracted her. She turned around with a wide green as her eyebrows touched her forehead in admiration. ¡°Wow! Someone is going to make many men squirm in desire ire teased her, ¡°Not as much as you. Tyler¡¯s jaw will touch the floor once heys his gaze on you.¡± Penelope winked at her but Chire¡¯s smile disappeared. She noticed the change and held her hands. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Laire? You don¡¯t look good to me. You¡¯ve been like this for two days.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± ¡°I know there¡¯s something bothering you. Isn¡¯t it Mrs. Murphy?¡± ire¡¯s shocked eyes came to meet Penny¡¯s Before she disregarded her im, Penny added, ¡°I have seen her looking at you contemptuously. It¡¯s mostly when Tyler and you are together in the same room. She bullied you because of the article, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not ¡°I am your best friend. ire. I know you and what can make you so distressed¡± Those words from Fenny and ire¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears. ¡°She thinks I¡¯m using her son to hurt Hunter. She called me a scheming divorcee. She confided in her friend Penny immediately held her in a hug and warned her to keep herself under check. Her eye¨Cmakeup was the best thing about her look. And her tears will ruin it. ¡°She told me a handful of things too but I didn¡¯t realize she could go this far with you. Tia Murphy is a bitch. We will tell Grandma Avery about her. I¡¯m sure she will show Tia her ce for bullying you.¡± ¡°No, please, no. ire shook her head in denial. ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause a rift between the Murphy¡¯s Penny, we will go back to Bloomerest tomorrow morning in the first flight. I don¡¯t want to stay here one second longer¡± Penny s saw her face and sighed, ¡°We will. I will not keep you around that bitch ¡°Nowe on, let¡¯s get going. The party has started. All the guests are here. We don¡¯t want to miss out on the fun, alright?¡± She engulfed ire in another friendly embrace and spoke near her car, ¡°We won¡¯t let that despicable woman ruin our fun. We will do what we came here for. Okay!¡± ¡°Okay¡± A unile found its way through the mask of uncertainty ire sent Prelupe first as she needed time to switch her mood. Her heart was still beating apprehensively. Her body wasn¡¯t willing to move. She wanted to stay inside ¡°Just this night.¡± She told herself and dusted somepact to cover the redness on her cheeks. 8:38 PM Chapter 52 She smiled at herself then spun around to leave. The party was half done. Important guests who may havee to attend for the sake of maintaining a happy rtionship with the Murphys might have retreated already. ire could still go. It was required of her. Thanks to the article featuring her and Tyler Murphy. If she doesn¡¯t attend the party, everyone will get a chance to mock her. They will say that she went to RavenMoore to trap Tyler. Her absence will make rumors strong and believable that they were dating. But if she posed with Grandma Avery and her husband then she can say that she was there to share the happiness of the old couple, the Murphys and Argents being family friends. One picture with grandma Avery will clear misunderstandings and wipe out all the rumors. ire tramped down the corridor while holding her gown. Since the party was unfolding on thewn outside the mansion, she had to walk all the way from her room to the outside. What¡¯s more, the lights of the mansion were dimmed, making it difficult for her to make her way out. Her lungs burned from heavy breathing. Her gown was heavy and carrying it in her hands while she walked in six inches high heels was draining her energy. But the door was in sight. Her spirits ignited, taking her towards the door. ire was about to step out when a hand came around her waist. A cry burst out of her mouth, feeling herself being carried off the ground. She was carried to some distance on a shoulder while her throat tightened. She couldn¡¯t make a noise or cry for help. Just when she made up her mind to hit on the back of the man who dared to carry her against her will, she was ced down on the floor. ¡°You¡± ire¡¯s voice disappeared as she was pressed against a wall in the dark. Icy hands of terror epassed her. All the bad thoughts entered her mind. Was it Tia who sent a man to vite her and spoil her image for trying to trick her son? Or was it grandpa Nathaniel who was piqued because of the article and wanted to hurt her for trying to tarnish Murphy Family¡¯s name for getting clicked with his precious grandson? He was a smug old man with an ego as huge as a mountain. He could do it, considering his obsession and pride towards his elder grandson and heir to his empire. Or was it some sexually dissatisfied pervert with illicit fantasies which involved a divorced woman! Her senses blinked ck and white as she felt the man holding her hands beside her face. Then slowly his face drew close and he whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t make a noise, ex wife! You don¡¯t want people to catch us in the dark like this, do you?¡± ¡°H¨CHunter!¡± The mist of terror subsided from across her vision.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ire¡¯s body calmed down, knowing that it was Hunter. She blew out a sigh as his woodsy cologne entered her lungs with the air. Except that the old memories plummeted in her mind, waking up her anger. How dare you!¡± She hissed between her clenched teeth. ire raised a hand to punch his mouth. To her astonishment, Hunter grasped her tiny fist and pinned her hand above her head along with the other one. ¡°You jerk! Get off¨Chuhh!¡± Her jeer metamorphosed into a gasp as Hunter came closer till their foreheads touched, and lips brushed together. The¡­ If you are enjoying the story and need for updates on the book, kindly follow me on IC @author.chantinglove138 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Hunter¡¯s Por She struggled under me like a rebellious deer would from the sharp ws of a panther. Each time she made a move our lips brushed together. It didn¡¯t take her long to realize that and she froze like a statue. But her eyes spoke. They screamed at me. Cursed me. They also mocked me for cornering her in the dark like I had a right on her. That¡¯s true that I don¡¯t. But I want to have it again. I want to have my spousal right on her again. not lie to myself that I missed her. I missed every small I know I must be crazy for feeling this way but I cannot run away from my feelings I cannot habit of hers that I have refused to regard when we were together. Only after she left me did then everything came back to bise me in the ass. The trembling of her lips made my heart skip a beat. I knew she would be shaken after seeing me. That all her past wounds will rip open and bleed again. But I can¡¯t deny my desperation. I was dying to see her, which is why, when I heard from my manager about the invitation we have received for the anniversary party of the Old Murphy couple. I canceled my meetings and put aside all the crucial work to attend it This was the only way to see her without alerting her of my visit. Else she would have found a way to avoid me, and rob me of this soothing feeling. ¡°Get away!¡± Her voice was hoarse and full of malice. I studied her face. Her makeup was nude and natural. Her lips were painted red. The chills I constituted in her body were palpable. She was cold in my hold. And trembling too. A beam of light was refracting over her head on the cream wall. It allowed me to see her face. She was trying her best not to crumble and at the same time not bite my lips. I chuckled inwardly because after how I hurt her, she can do that to me. I won¡¯t be surprised at all. ¡°Let go, Hunter MacIntyre She turned her face to her right and dragged deep breaths. I saw the streams of contempt and agony cascading down her eyes and stopping on her jaw. It hung there for a second before it fell down on her trembling corbone. My hold on her hands loosened. She took the chance and snatched them out of my hot hold. I felt her trembling hands on my chest that she put to create distance. She thrusted her hands against my chest, wanting to shove me away. But I stood resiliently in my spot I watched her shoulders quake. I watched her lips bursting with pants and gasps. I saw her eyes not daring to look up. That¡¯s when the realization exploded in my mind- I didn¡¯t deserve another chance. Blowing out a sigh, leaned forward. I rested my forehead against her hair while my hands straddled her quivering frame. ire squirmed, her hands still in ce on my chest to maintain some gap between our chest. Even then she could not keep it from me as to how her heart was racing. My lips arched with a smile. At least, I still have some effect on her. Regret mmed into me as another revtion spilled into my mind¨CI always had an effect on her. Strong and immutable. And I didn¡¯t care about JL ¡°ire,¡± It was not me speaking. It was the voice of my yearning heart. ¡°Look up at me.¡± ¡°Fuck off ¡°ire,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take my name¡± 1 softlyughed against her hair. She struggled under me to get away, resulting in me moving closer into her. ¡°Why are you doing this? Why are you here, Hunter Macintyre!¡± She sneered in a hateful tone. ¡°For you¡± My hands slid down the wall and found their new spot on ire¡¯s waist She jumped at my touch on her waist. Her dark eyes, the color of raging ocean, fitted up to throw spears of indignation at me. Then her trembling hands held my wrist. She tried to shove them off but the more force she applied the tighter my grip became.. Chapter 50 ¡°Don¡¯t your beloved wife unable to satisfy you in bed? Oh maybe you found her riding your best friend in your bed and you came here to cry to me.¡± 1 looked deep in her eyes, trying to calcte the damage I have done. It was irredeemable. ¡°I came here because you forced me, ire. I told you toe back to Bloomerest with my man. You ignored my warning. So I came here myself as 1 promised. To take you back.¡± Her eyebrows pinched and lips twisted. She growled and dug her nails in my flesh. It hurt. But I can bet it is nothingpared to the pain I gave her. 1 offered her a smirk while she used her full strength to wound me. She could have gone deeper to my bones except that something got into her. She took her hands back and pressed them against my chest. ¡°Get away before I scream and gather spectators. ¡°You can try.¡± I thought she was bluffing. When her mouth parted and she dragged a deep breath to scream, I didn¡¯t think of the consequences I would have to face and put my lips on hers. I kissed her. It was soft and slight brushing of lips against hers. But then it turned ferocious. While I ravished her mouth, thrusted my tongue inside her mouth and yed with her tongue, she stood stock¨Cstill. Like she was not alive. Like I was sucking life out of her body with my kiss, hanel. When I parted away, she robotically raised a hand to wipe her mouth with the back of her h A burning sensation ran in my veins with my blood. My heart ached seeing her wipe her mouth. She loved my kisses earlier. She would lick her lips after I parted from her. But this.. This made my stomach tur ¡°Where is your room! We¡¯ll grab your luggage and leave. 1 held her wrist and pulled her with I know I was acting like a jerk. I know I had no right to drag her like this. But I don¡¯t want her to stay here one more minute. I will take her with me. We came to her room and I released her hand. I closed the door so that annoying friend of hers won¡¯te to interrupt us. 1 spun to take a look around the room and my eyes widened in shock. Her luggage was already packed. I shifted my eyes to ire. She was pale and eerily silent, I expected her to throw tantrums and p me. This reaction was making my hackles rise. But then I recalled what I heard in the party outside from Tia Murphy. She was talking with a bunch of imbecile rich wives of Raven Moore about ire. She had said, ¡°That woman is a true disappointment. I don¡¯t know why I even liked her earlier. She ispletely different from what she shows to the world. Don¡¯t take her for an innocent wronged young girl. A woman who tries to entrap another rich family¡¯s elder son after a divorce can¡¯t be innocent at all¡± She cursed ire with the other women and also added, ¡°I warned her to stay away from my Tyler. I couldn¡¯t trust her around my sons and that¡¯s why I left three maids to spy on her. You never know when such scheming whores sneak into your son¡¯s room and get herself pregnant.¡± Although I had a strong desire to p her in the face, my principles don¡¯t allow me to manhandle ady of my mother¡¯s age. I sauntered her and came inside the mansion to look for ire as I had learned the reason for her dy. away from 1 found hering straight towards me. I mean, towards the door. As there was no one beside us in the dimmed mansion, I pulled her in the corner. But not another second. I won¡¯t let her stay here. Getting a hold of her trolley bag. I stepped towards her. The moment I lifted hers, she delivered a resounding smack across my check ¡°You have crossed all the limits of cruelty, Hunter.¡± The rage in her eyes made my mouth drop. She clenched her jaw and showed me back. my hand 10 touch ¡°Where do you get this kind of courage from, luht Tell me. Where do you get this audacity to order me around after destroying my life? You killed my baby. You ruined my world and left me to die, Hunter. You didn¡¯t think once before you married another woman, behaving like I am still bound to you. Wake up, Hunter Macintyre. You are not in a dream; She snapped her fingers in front of me. and now you are here. I didn¡¯t even attempt to correct her doubts about my marriage with Zara as I stood silently, looking in her eyes. I had a lot of things to say but I let her speak. Because her voice was lulling me down to peace. Because it was restoring the functioning of my heart that hasn¡¯t been in a good condition since she left. She would stop speaking if she learned about my feelings. So I kept my lips sealed and listened to every allegation¡­ Out of which Ny Nine percent of thein were urate I was listening to everything she said until she made mention of that man whore Tyler Murphy being her new man, Chapter 53 Anger wed at my insides and my hand acted on its own ord, seizing ire¡¯s arm in a suffering grip. ¡°You can¡¯t have a new man, ire Macintyre. Not that fucker out of all.¡± I yanked her closer while her eyes froze in shock. ¡°And if you mention him again, even if it is a lie, then I will make sure you get his head wrapped in a surprise box with confetti and glitters and sent to you ¡°I will mention him. I will mention Tyler as much as I want. You can¡¯t do a thing, Hunter. I am not scared of you.¡± ¡°You will be scared of me when you see his head in a box. If that¡¯s what you want then I can do it now. TbcContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Finally, the chapter you all wanted with Hunter¡¯s Pov. The next chapter is also Hunter¡¯s Poy with a bigger twist in it. Who wants it! Trust me you don¡¯t want it to dy until the next day?? Thanks for reading. Xoxo Please follow me on IG @author.chantinglove188 if you still haven¡¯t. You¡¯ll get all the book updates and details there. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 54 Hunter¡¯s Por (cont¡¯d)Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She whimpered and pushed me back. Rubbing her arm I held in a scalding grasp, she sneered, ¡°You can¡¯t do anything, Hunter Macintyre. Tyler is not a weakling. You can¡¯t take him down. He knows how to deal with a monster like you¡± Hearing her praise that scoundrel in front of me, a vortex of fury swirled inside me. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I fixed my dark eyes on her. ¡°Don¡¯t try it. ire. I know there¡¯s nothing between you and Tyler Just because you think it that way, it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not true. Tyler promised to marry me. He promised to give me a marriage you couldn¡¯t.¡± She articted after averting her gaze. I didn¡¯t want to irk her but my lips upturned in a knowing smirk. She looks away when she¡¯s lying. ¡°Reject him. He¡¯s not worthy of you ¡°Neither were you and I still married you. What¡¯s wrong with trying it with him! He can¡¯t do any more damage, can he? You¡¯ve done everything to me. I don¡¯t have anything to lose.¡± a challenging I bit into the flesh of the inside of my cheek. Blood spread on the tip of my tongue. I gulped it as I let her eyes burn with mine in a c 1 heard Tia Murphy talk shit about you. She¡¯s alive because she¡¯s an elder, I know for a fact that your mother¨Cinw will never nder and me you for trapping her son¡± ire staggered and frantically removed her hair from her face ¡°All thanks to you. But Tyler is different. He doesn¡¯t- Tyler! Tyler! Tyler! Why do you keep chanting his name?¡± I lost my temper. Going near her again. I pointed a finger at her. Not a clever move on my part. But I couldn¡¯t help it ¡°If you don¡¯t stop it then I will really do something to him. Don¡¯t push me, Chine ¡°Why can¡¯t I push you, huh? Why? She pushed me back, provoking me. ¡°Why are you getting riled up when I mention Tyler! Why can¡¯t you see me with him? Why can¡¯t you leave me the fuck alone? Why???¡± ¡°That¡¯s because II ground my teeth together and gulped the words with a lump in my throat ¡°You what Hunter Macintyre? ire pushed me again. Because I regret divorcing you. Because I regret being an idiot and making you suffer from agonies you didn¡¯t deserve. Because I regret that you lost our baby because of me. Because I want you to be my wife again. Because¡­ I love you. ¡°You what, Hunter? Tell me. You can¡¯t justmand me like you are my owner and have no reason¡± Her tear¨Csmothered voice plummeted on my heart like lightning. Because I regret leaving you for another woman. Yes, I understand it now. I understand I made a gravely mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have left the wife who loved me like a piece of her soul for a woman who broke my heart. Even if it was for fulfilling her duties as a daughter, Zara left me. She wasn¡¯t there when I craved a lover¡¯s touch or kiss. She didn¡¯t take care of me when I was depressed after her departure. She didn¡¯t put cold cotton cloth on my forehead when I was burning in swealtry fever. She didn¡¯t prepare dishes for me day after day persistently, even though I kept rejecting them. It wasn¡¯t her who patiently waited in our marriage. ire did She did everything for me and that was why I was willing to work on our marriage. It was her love and resilience that made me believe in our bond, and agree to announce it to the world that I was hers It was because of her why I took interest in our anniversary preparations. s, I fucked up. I Fucked up a great deal. But the mouth, when I saw Zara after two years, I couldn¡¯t control myself. The time I spent with her- the time I assumed was heavenly in my life Chapter 54 came shing before my eyes. I didn¡¯t know what I was doing and ran to her, However, the true treasure was the two years of married life I had with ire. When she would greet me with smile. When she would serve food in a te for me, and sometimes feed me with her hands. The true treasure was her and I didn¡¯t see it until she left. Whoever said it, said it wisely¨CThat you only acknowledge value of someone or something when they are no longer in your life Simrly, I realized ire¡¯s worth only after she left me. Otherwise I had taken her for granted. I never cared for her feelings much less about how my actions would hurt her. I always believed that she was depended on me. That she loved me too crazily to ever think about offending me or leaving me. But after she left, it was then it came to my awareness that I was the one depended on her. I was the one who needed her. I was drunk ons stupidity. I was blinded by energies unknown that I couldn¡¯t see what ire has done for me in our two years of marriage. It was only after I pped her, only after she said she will free me that I started feeling weird. And after she signed the divorce papers and bled to miscarriage did I realize that 1 disrespected the woman who truly worshiped me. That I kicked the source of happiness and peace out of my life. I thought it was Zara¡¯s memories which were helping me survive. But after ire left me and our house, it struck me that it perseverance. Was ire¡¯s Her small meaningful gestures, her motivating notes I found in my lunchbox daily, her smiles, her touch, her shy hugs, her breathing, her scent, her voice¡­ It was them who kept me going and I never realized it until they ceased to exist in my life. And now, I¡¯m here again. In front of her. With hopes that I can get a second chance. Although as I said I don¡¯t think I will get another chance from her, I will keep trying I will repent for all 1 made her suffer and try to make it upto her. I will go on my my knees in front of a thousand cameras if that¡¯s what it takes to seek her forgiveness. I will n my own murder if that¡¯s what will make her look at me with love in her eyes again. I will bleed myself to death if that¡¯s what will make her smile happily again. I will try. I will wait. I will battle for her as she did for me in two years of our marriage. She was giving a test earlier. Now it¡¯s my tum. She was trying to save our marriage from copsing. Now it¡¯s my burn to pick all the pieces and put them together to rebuild it She was trying to prove her love for me. Now I¡¯ll do the same. I¡¯ll show her and the world that I love her. I have truly fallen in love with her. Maybe I was always in love. It took time to recognize it. I do not love Zara. Not any more. I will not be with her. I will not let anyone else have her ce. I will not see the wedding ring I made her wear on someone else¡¯s finger. I will not walk down the aisle again with anyone else except her. I won¡¯t take any other woman on our wedding bed. That house used to chim with ire¡¯sughter. It will only chim with her voice, herughter again or no one else¡¯s. I will only take ire as My wife. My woman My love. Just her. No one else. I will win her again. Rubbing a hand on my face, I blinked my weary eyes. I didn¡¯t sleep for thest two nights as I was nervous about this meeting. Its exhaustion was weighing down on me now. ¡°You have always been an independent woman, ire. No one can own you. It¡¯s just that- ¡°You know what, forget it. You have wasted enough of my time.¡± She rolled her eyes disinterestedly as she ambled towards the door. ¡°ire, I need to talk. Please listen to me I didn¡¯t hate the fact that i was pleading to her, Slie was caught off guard, yet she didn¡¯t stay. She held the knob and twisted it. ¡°I don¡¯t wait to. There¡¯s nothing left to talk about. Just leave me alone. 0 Chapter 54 That¡¯s what I can¡¯t do. I can¡¯t leave you alone. That too in RavenMoore. In Tyler¡¯s country. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about Tyler. He is a¡­¡± I trailed off as I turned around to the sight of ire staring in a state of stupor while Tyler was standing on the other side of the door, his right hand lifted in the air with knuckles facing outside as if he was about to knock on the door. A frown formed between his eyes before it turned into a dark scowl. ¡°What the fuck is he doing here? Did he bully you, ire? Tyler came inside the room, pointing at me. His appearance fueled my possessiveness. I crossed the room and pulled ire behind my back ¡°Take your ass out of here, Murphy! No fucker can talk to my wife with that rigidness in front of me Tbc¡­ Chapter 55 Chapter 55 35 ire¡¯s POV My head throbbed in an agonizing headache as I watched the two men glower at each other. Never in my wildest dream would I ever want them to have a face off Yes, here they were. Face to face. Fighting over me. For what? Their im? I scoffed and blinked my eyes. None of them were saints. They may not have let it be obvious but both of them had blood on their heads. That¡¯s how the rich be rich. By shedding blood. Sometimes theirs. Sometimes of others. Although I have not heard any news about them both indulging in criminal activities, I can confidently say they had connections with the dark side of the world. After all, a man will not threaten another with such malice if he wasn¡¯t a part of the underworld. And surprisingly, both of them were. Hence. I was numb with terror as I did not want them to get into a physical fight because of me. ¡°You do realize that you are standing in my house, right?¡± Tyler drawled in a pissed voice as his hands fisted on his sides Hunter sniggered carefreely. But I can breathe the peril underlying his silence. I was afraid Hunter might just snap his head and give it in my hands. He can do that. I know he can. ¡°Tyler,¡± I stepped out of Hunter¡¯s shadow and in front of him to face Tyler. My twitching fingers found his wrist as I gave him an understanding, trembling smile, ¡°Can yo you wait for me outside? Please¡± A growl rumbled behind my back, making the hair on my neck rise. I could feel Hunter¡¯s searing re on the back of my head. Before 1 said anything, his torrid fingers grazed my hand that was on Tyler¡¯s and yanked it back. ¡°Don¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t touch her either!¡± Tyler bellowed. He forwarded his hand to free mine from Hunter when Hunter wamed. ¡°Don¡¯te between us, Murphy. We were having a serious conversation before you came here. We¡¯re not done yet. I¡¯ve already promised ire that I¡¯ll give her your head and if you want to make it happen this instant you can continue to stand there.¡± Tylerughed. A heavy satiricalugh that grazed my skin like a touch of a glost This wasn¡¯t going well. They both were pushing each other¡¯s buttons. ¡°Hunter, shut your mouth. You want us to finish this conversation, right? We will. Be quiet for a while, I can handle him.¡± I thought I was doing the right thing when I broke in, but the way Hunter eyed me usingly as though I was taking sides with Tyler, my blood ran cold. This won¡¯t end well if he thinks I am with Tyler. He will take out my anger on him right in his family home. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, ex wifey! I will not give you his head. It¡¯s too soon to relieve him of this life. He will live for a while. As long as I want it. A devilish smirk unfolded on his lips as he read my mind ¡°You are in my country, Macintyre. Don¡¯t think you can threaten me here and I will take it lightly. Go on if you can. Let¡¯s see who will give whose head to ire Tyler pressed in I can see this situation going south. I can see blood in front of my eyes. The images of Tyler and Hunter both covered in blood caused my breathing to hitch. The two most powerful men and business rivals were quarreling over me. It can¡¯t end up in anything good. Hence, I attempted to do what I can do effortlessly take Hunter out of here. I held his arm and tried to drag him out of the room om with me. But he was so powerful and strongly rooted in his spot that I couldn¡¯t make him budge, let alone drag him out. When I looked up at Hunter¡¯s face, color drained out of my body and coldness filled me. He was smirking with red eyes, face trembling from his ? attempt to stay physically dormant so as to not pound on Tyler, and his hatred for him dripping from his smirk. ¡°Dogs mark their territories. Demons don¡¯t,¡± He said in a voice edged with steel and my heart jumped to my throat. Chapter 55 This Hunter was far different from the one who was talking to me earlier. The old Hunter made me emotional. His voice was anguish stricken. As though he was regretting. His face was contorted with sorrow and his fingers suggested that he was needy. Needy of me. But this Hunter, who was pinning Tyler with a furious look, was a devil incarnate. He wreaked of sin and devastation. A devil who was thirsty for blood. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Tyler taking a step towards us, te world for all 1 care. Spare me now¡± I jeered, my hands spreading ¡°Stop is both of you! You are making me feel sick. You can fight in the corporate wide to show my exhaustion. ¡°Don¡¯t forget you both are here to share someone¡¯s happiness. Don¡¯t be the cause of their distress. Tyler, they¡¯re your grandparents. They don¡¯t deserve this from you¡± He looked away with a growl. But I can see he understood the point. Then I turned to Hunter. He wasn¡¯t one bit sorry. ¡°And you¡± You didn¡¯t respect your own wedding anniversary ever. For the sake of God don¡¯t ruin others¡® celebration. Not everyone is careless and stone¨Chearted like you. Let them enjoy¡± Hunter looked at me stubbornly and drew his eyebrows together to show his disappointment. I think I also detected some hurt too. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s him who shouldn¡¯t havee here¡± Before I replied. Tyler stood behind me ¡°Exactly my thought You shouldn¡¯t havee here either, Macintyre. ire is not your wife anymore. She¡¯s here at my house and my grandma¡¯s guest. I will not allow you to bully her.¡± ¡°What I do with her is not your business¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. your business in Bloomerexit is RavenMoore. My country¡¯sw doesn¡¯t serve you. It serves me.¡± ¡°Do you think I give two fucks about your country¡¯sw or mine! I make my ownw wherever I go.¡± Hunter offered in a mocking tone. The two of them forgot that 1 was standing just between them. They growled and red at each other. The fact that I couldn¡¯t make myself visible in spite of wearing long berls made me whimper. Their tall height was ying at my demerit. Thus, I shoved my hands on both their chests to push them away. ¡°Stop it, guys! Stop it!¡± I screamed as fresh and hot tears blurred my eyes. I was already physically weak from the effect of Hunter¡¯s kiss. That was the first time I felt like he was invested in our kiss. The first time he held me like I meant something to him. My already broken heart was crushed further into more and more tiny pieces because of his kiss. I didn¡¯t want it and he did it. I was mad at him. I wanted to p him some more, and if I could, I would have kicked him where the sun doesn¡¯t shine. s, my anger, my frustration, my ache were molded into pure terror when Tyler made himself visible. Rather than doing what I should have done to Hunter for being a brute to me, I was pleading with him. I was holding him so he wouldn¡¯t take a leap to attack. Anger snarled within me because of both men. I spared them a warning nce and pointed a finger at them. ¡°You can rip each other¡¯s throat open and drink blood after I am gone from here. This is myst night in RavenMoore. Don¡¯t make it controversial I have already seen enough.¡± As I was saying that while looking at Hunter in order to give him the hint that his wish was going to be granted, his shoulders lost their tautness. He pressed his lips together and looked down, He was backing out. I was seconds from feeling rxed when Tyler had to ruin it. ¡°You are not leaving Raven Moore after tonight, ire. Don¡¯t forget we have a business with each other.¡± Since my eyes were affixed on Hunter¡¯s face, I watched as thest few strands of patience that he was holding on slipped out of his hand. He growled like a monster, and without thinking twice, he dropped a punch on Tyler¡¯s face. The Uh¨Coh! Not a good move, Hunter What do you think about the punch? What will it bring for him now? Chapter 56 Chapter 56 1 froze in my spot as the sound of breaking and bursting objects boomed. Hunter and Tyler were after each other¡¯s throat. At one moment it was Hunter throwing Tyler against the wall then another it was Tyler, While it felt like only a handful of seconds had ticked by, both of them were drenched in blood. My mind didn¡¯t shift gears until I witnessed Tyler breaking a flower vase on his head. It sent Hunter a few steps back. He struggled to maintain his bnce. When he had it, he bowled like a mad wolf and grabbed a broken, sharp and pointed piece of ss from the floor. ¡°Hunter, no!¡± I threw myself in front of him, staggering him in his stride. I know I shouldn¡¯t feel dizzy but that¡¯s what it does- the sight of Hunter¡¯s blood. His forehead was d in red, his left eyebrow split open from the corner and the right side of his mouth was swollen. His lips quivered as if he was on the brink of bursting out. Fear Buttered in my stomach because he looked like a monster. ¡°Please I don¡¯t know why I was begging. Was it for him to stop it! Or his blood to stop oozing out with such speed! As if Hunter saw the movements of my fluttering stomach, he clenched his hand holding the piece of ss, making it pierce his palm. I saw blood dripping from his hand before he tossed it away and groaned, his eyes averting to the window beside him. I was relieved that he dropped what could have been the weapon causing ¡°Tyler¡¯s death. It didn¡¯t mean his anger had subsided regardless. I can feel it simmering within him. Feel it building up again. Before it happened, I should have taken him away. I took a step towards him to do it. However, I was saved by the effort when loud footsteps neared. There were several, and as guessed, there came Tyler¡¯s family along with my brother and Penelope. ¡°Oh my god! Tyler, my son! Tia Murphy cried, the sound of pieces of ss crushing under her feet resounding in the air. I craned my neck to gape at my back at Tyler. Shock rendered me motionless for he was swaying back and forth. He was on his feet but his senses were crumbling. Hunter did him more damage that I can¡¯t even describe. No wonder why Tyler didn¡¯t attack even after Hunter picked up a ss piece to stab him Grandma Avery¡¯s eyes met mine, causing me to quickly look down. I couldn¡¯t believe that I became the hindrance I was preventing her grandson son from bing so as not to ruin her anniversary party. ¡°We will talk about this, Macintyre. But first, I need to take my grandson for treatment,¡± Grandpa Nathaniel announced while Shawn and John helped Tyler, following Grandpa out of the room. I can hear their withdrawing footsteps. They weren¡¯t gone out of sight yet when Tia Murphy pounded on me. ¡°Ah!¡± I wailed as she clutched my hair. ¡°You bitch! I knew that you would make my Tyler bleed. I knew it when I saw that article,¡± She yelled while my eyes squeezed tight at the intensity of the pain. ¡°Let her go, Mrs Murphy. Let her go ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my sister. It¡¯s not her fault.¡± woman was drunk on madness. She jerked me back andContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Scott and Penelope came for my help. They tried to release my hair from her hold but the w forth. She didn¡¯t even stop when Grandma Avery ordered her too. I thought I was going to pass out given that the pain filling my skull was oppressive. It made the back of my eyes throb too. It didn¡¯tst long as Hunter bellowed behind me, ¡°I will kill your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing son this instant if you don¡¯t let go No sooner did he finish that Tia let go of my hair out of the fear of Hunter. She knew this man and his limitlessness. ¡°You will not get away with this, Hunter Macintyre. You and your whore, I will fix you both. Tia sobbed while Penelope and Scott came tofor ¡°Old mistress, will you show your daughter¨Cinw o out of here or I do it?¡± Hunter¡¯s voice was hotva. I shuddered from the sound of it whereas Tia Murphy niggered daringly.. Chapter 16 ¡°You¡¯ve got the guts to bark at me in my house! How dare-¡± ¡°Ta, go check on Tyler Grandma Avery spoke with a scary undertone. I didn¡¯t hear Tia after that. I was not really in myplete sense as I was sobbing for myself. My body was icy from terror and my eyes misted with constantly steaming sears. Penny muttered sweet nothings into my ears while Scott held my hand right. I was far from rxing, and that¡¯s when I felt their armas tearing apart from my body. I was pulled back harshly. My back settled against a hard and hot body which I instantly recognized as Hunter¡¯s. He wrapped me in his arms and shushed near my face. ¡°I promise you that woman will pay for her sharp tongue¡± That would have sounded better if he said it when we were married. He was just a no one now. No one who was somebody very important to me earlier. And he didn¡¯t have to make promises to me. He was not someone who fulfilled his promises before. He was a crook, I tore out of his arms and pped him on the face again. Penny was beside me and I saw her lifting a hand to her mouth from my peripheral vision Grandma Avery was stunned, parting her mouth, measuring the moment whether or not she should interrupt us. Then there was Scott. Earlier spectating like a mute. Now rumbling grimly as if it was he who was wronged, ¡°The only promise you ever made and fulfilled is the one on our failed anniversary night¡± Hunter was caught off guard. His eyes blinked while I continued. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me spectacrly, Hunter Macintyre. Can¡¯t tell you how numb my body feels. You¡¯re doing your job honestly.¡± ¡°ire, you know I didn¡¯te here to cause a scene. I just wanted to talk with you.¡± ¡°And why did you want to talk to her, huh? What is there to talk about Scott finally broke in. He held my shoulders and pulled me back. He stood between Hunter and me like my soldier. Cold tides of dread rose in my core. I was scared for my brother. I observed what Hunter can do not three minutes ago. I pulled Scott back and came forward, indicating that I can take care of my business. My warning was going to be final and forever. I opened my mouth but Hunter beat me to it ¡°There¡¯s a lot we can talk about, young Argent. For instance, you and your bullshit idea to release a fake article about ire and Tyler. My heart lurched as my mouth dropped in daze. He was ming my brother falsely, wasn¡¯t he I slowly spun around to face my brother. My eyes moistened as raw pain scattered through my body. My brother was standing with face hung low. His hands clenched to his side. I knew that posture. It urred when he was super sorry about something. ¡°It¡¯s because of your brother you are being ndered and seen differently. Tyler¡¯s brother and he sent those pictures to a journalist who loves causing dirty controversies. Your baby brother helped them raise the wrong rumors on the inte. Bloomcrest is on fire and I doubt your parents told you about the crowd of journalists and cameramen gathering outside your house daily Hunter stopped behind me, his chest against my bare neck sent a shiver up my spine ¡°Scott?¡± Scout¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as he met my gaze ¡°Forgive me, Laire. I just wanted to help. I thought if a new guy came into your life, it would be easier for you to forget him and move on. You were so depressed and gloomy that I could note to bear with it. You have changed, sister¡± ¡°I saw you crying when you were alone and also how you hastily wiped your face when mom or dad came to see you. I wanted to see you happy again. I wanted your smiles to return.¡± He came to me and held my hands. A small smile caused his mouth to throb. ¡°You didn¡¯t see it but your silence got the better of us, too. So I thought maybe if I paired you up with an equally hot guy as him, if not better than him, maybe you will be like the old ire we loved I wanted to scream at him and say that I didn¡¯t need another man to heal me. But I was on the verge of breaking down, and I refused to show it to Hunter. Hence, I went past Scott and out of the room. Theard Grandma Avery and Scout call after me but I didn¡¯t stop. I ran like a mad woran through the corridors of the dimmed mansion. My feet ached as I was still wearing my high heels. I came to a dark corridor and slowed down my speed. Since my eyes were fogged with tears I couldn¡¯t see ahead of me and ran into someone. ¡°Clure, calm down. You are trembling Hunter¡¯s voice intrated my body like a destructive bolt of current How could be cutrian are? ANT FM Chapter 56 ¡°Don¡¯t touch me¡± I yanked myself out of his touch. ¡°You are responsible for all this. You like it, don¡¯t you? You wanted to cause me pain. See, I am broken beyond limits. Look at me.¡± I pointed at myself. ¡°My family pity me so much that they can¡¯t think straight. They want to see me smiling again somehow and they are willing to do anything.¡± My knees buckled, making me fall back against a wall. Hunter came to help but stopped several steps away. He blew out a sharp breath while his expression softened. He was looking at me like someone pleading guilty would. ¡°You are getting it all wrong, ire. I didn¡¯t¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t. Just don¡¯t!¡± I showed him a palm. ¡°I don¡¯t need any rification. I know you inside out, Hunter Macintyre. You just came here to hurt Tyler and reveal my brother¡¯s silly n. You wanted to show me how pathetic my life has be without you.¡± The¡­. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 He came forward to touch my check. I reached out and punched his jaw. He was bleeding so badly that a pool of redness had formed at his feet. Despite that he was steady in his spot, his stance strong and confident is but I hate myself for loving you. You are my life¡¯s biggest mistake. I wish I never met you. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d say this He nibbled on his bottom lip and looked down. It ched my heart. For a tall and powerful man that he was, he appeared helpless and pained by my words ¡°You have done me enough damage, Hunter. I will kill myself if you dare show your face to me again¡± His face shot up, his eyes wide in shock. ¡°You can¡¯t- ¡°You know I can do it. And I swear on my dead baby that I will.¡± He came closer while staring at my face. ¡°You will do no such thing¡± ¡°I will and you will be responsible for my death like you are responsible for my baby¡¯s¡± He wanted to retort but I said, ¡°Go away, Hunter. Just go away Just goo!¡± I yelled, holding my head. Even if he had something to say, he walked away. My body was bothered by persistent pain. I sobbed by the wall. I moved away from the wall and prepared to go back to my room. I stumbled on Hunter. He did not go far away. He was standing by a wall, taking a nce at his ribs under his coat I hid behind a pole, watching him twist his lips. He was in tears and the sight caused a stir in my chest. Then with a groan he dislodged a shard of ss from his left rib §®§å §ã§å§ã by him. traveled down to the floor. There was another pool of blood by his feet. As I trailed my eyes backwards. I picked up on a bloody track left He needs to rush to a hospital. My conscience screamed but I held up my chin. I slipped past him like he was invisible. I sensed his blistering gaze at my back. The part of me that loved him pleaded with me to stop and check up on him. He used to be my everything. Even a small scratch on the back of his hand would make my stomach turn inside out. I came back to my room Scott and Penny were sitting close to each other by the window. They stood up straight, their concerned gaze on me. I released the breath I was holding and wiped my tears. ¡°We won¡¯t stay a minute longer. Gather your stuff. We are leaving I opened the closet to get the clothes I had prepared for wearing tomorrow morning. I changed into them in the bathroom and came out with my face cleansed and washed. ¡°You are still standing there, Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± I glowered. Penny and Scott exchanged a look before Penny verbalized, ¡°Our flight is for tomorrow morning. Where will we got ¡°We¡¯ll stay the night at a hotel or a lodge. Wherever we can get ourselves checked in. But we¡¯re not staying here. We must leave.¡± I said packing my nightgown I had kept aside to wear tonight. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me? Get your ass moving now. Or are we supposed to stay so you can execute the next part of your n. hul it hurt to see Scoll so gloomy and colorless with guilt. He deserved every bit of my harshness though. I wouldn¡¯t be feeling this vulnerable if it wasn¡¯t for him. Hunter wouldn¡¯t havee here if it wasn¡¯t for him. Grandina Avery¡¯s anniversary celebration would have been a st for myself as well as for the others if it wasn¡¯t for Scott and his stupid ns I managed to prepare them to leave in about twenty minutes that followed. I felt like a coward leaving in the dark hours of night that to through the rear exit while the party was still going on. What else can I do? I can¡¯t face the crowd outside. The people outside will pin me with a degradingly contemptumaas look. Chapter 57 Although Grandma Avery told Penny and Scott that the storm Hunter brought in my room with his wrath was kept under the wraps. And that the party was progressing gloriously. I won¡¯t trust that it really was, considering the maids and gossiping servants. Every rich household has a maid or two who is a provider of inside information to a journalist or a news channel. Otherwise how else do you think what is supposed to be a secret between a couple or in a house gets out? Our cab was already waiting for us outside. Scott and the driver adjusted the luggage in the back while we sat inside the car. I was not even able to loosen my tense nerves when my eyes fell on a jet ck limousine parked not far away from us. Two men d in ck were standing on each side. The one on the right side of the car bent against the window and tapped on it. I watched, with my heart thumping in my chest, as the ss was pulled down revealing Hunter. Our eyes met for a second before I looked away. He was most likely seeing to it that I was indeed leaving the old Murphy mansion as said. My breaths got caught in my throat as our car started. I didn¡¯t dare look away as we brushed past Hunter¡¯s limousine. I didn¡¯t exhale even after we hade far away. Even if my brother and best friend observed my physical reaction, they preferred to stay quiet We found a good lodge in the main city after descending down the mountain. It was cozy and huge. I booked a room for three as I didn¡¯t want to take any chances. If only we stuck closer together then we will be able to go home without further issues. I snuck into bed not feeling the need to change clothes. The lights were turned out and the room was engulfed in ominous silence. Pulling the quilt over my head, I let my tears loose. The sight of Hunter and his blood made my chest heavy. My head pounded with all the memories of him. Especially the one where he extracted a ss piece from his flesh and I passed by him. Somehow I controlled my y sobs and tears, and turned to my side to call it a night. It¡¯s true that my body still loved him out of instinct. But soon enough, my mind would convince it to stop. No one¡¯s POVContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Hunter clenched and unclenched his jaw while staring at his right hand. A deep cut was grazing his palm. It began to bleed the second he scratched it with his pinky finger¡¯s nail. His men, who were standing outside the car, passed each other an anxious stare. They requested their boss to let them take care of it. One of them was a medical professional turned to his bodyguard. It was his manager¡¯s idea to include a doctor in his protectors unit so that if he was ever in need of medical help, he would be readily avable to treat his boss. But the doctor guy was yelled at and asked to go and do a job for him. Hunter watched him return. He peeked out of the window and the man¡¯s walk became rushed, knowing that his boss was looking at him. ¡°Magenta colored mustang with number te TM 0076. It¡¯s in the garage parked with other cars owned by the Murphys.¡± Hunter¡¯s lips arched with a knowing satanic smirk. He asked his men to wait back while he carried himself to the garage situated in the east wing of the Murphy mansion. With their party taking ce in the front towards the west wing, he couldn¡¯t care less for being caught. And even if he was caught, not even the gone ancestors of Murphys could do anything to him. Whatever he was going to do would surely bring a cyclone to Bloomcrest outside his house. He was dering a war with the Murphys. Hunter lit up a cigarette and withdrew a silver sk of whiskey. Instead of taking a sip from it, he poured the content on the car with the vehicle number his man told him about. Emptying his whiskey sk on the body of the car, he took a drag of smoke. He then flung his cigarette on the magenta mustang as it caught fire. He gaped as the mes consumed the car, turning it into a ball of fire. The right corner of his mouth lifted in a sly smirk. ¡°Tia Murphy, this time it¡¯s your car paying for your sharp tongue. Next time you say anything about my wife, it¡¯ll be your over smart son paying for your sins¡± 0 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡®Three days , Hunter was sitting in his cabin in front of an openptop, his eyes were staring at the screen but his mind was stuck to that moment ire walked past him without giving him a nce while he was bleeding in Old Murphy mansion. ¡°What else do I expect her care!¡± He sneered and held his head in his hands. ¡°She was honorable enough to not kick me in the nuts for what I did to her.¡± He couldn¡¯t take her out of his head. Hunter couldn¡¯t focus on his work either. There were her images from that night and her icy words always reeling back in his mind. He caused damage that wasn¡¯t reversible. Even if he offered his life to pay for his mistakes, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. ¡°I am sorry, Chire. I was such an idiot. Lcouldn¡¯t see your worth He muttered to himself while rubbing his eyes. ¡°But I¡¯m d it happened. If Zara hadn¡¯te into our lives, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized my love for you. It was always there between us. You have brandished me as your own and I never knew it, I would have never realized it and continued to y a happy husband¡¯s role with you forever. So it¡¯s good that it happened¡± His upturned in a small smile. ¡°Some events take ce to teach us some significant lessons in life. I learned my lesson. I learned it the hard way. I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Macintyre. I may not be able to bring back our dead baby. It¡¯s not in my power but I can give you a dozen more when we reconcile and settle down again. I promise to never leave you alone. Even if you want to see unalive, you will find me around you¡± He murmured while gaping at ire¡¯s wedding ring that he carried in his pocket every day to work, His heart was restless, his eyes itchy. He hadn¡¯t been able to catch a wink of sleep. Thanks to ire because after she came back to Bloomcrest, the only time she made herself visible was when she came out of the airport. No one saw her after that as she never stepped out of her father¡¯s marsion Hunter twisted in his seat as he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He died a man, Cirard, who was put to work to get him pictures of ire. ¦° ¡°Good afternoon, sir. The man picked up his phone right after the first ring. ¡°Are you really as good as you imed yourself to be! It¡¯s been two days and I still haven¡¯t got a picture of her. What are you doing there¨Cenjoying the weather?¡± Hunter scolded the man impatiently. I am sorry, sir. But it¡¯s not my fault. Miss Argent hasn¡¯t really shown herself since I arrived to do my assigned job. The only time I caught her glimpse was when she appeared at the window to release a moth out in the air.¡± ¡°Did you take a picture Hunter didn¡¯t know why his heart was beating fast, He couldn¡¯t bear the man¡¯s silence and hissed, which got him speaking ¡°No and yes. I mean I saw her when I had hardly arrived here the day before yesterday. I wasn¡¯t ready with my camera. But I took her pictures on my phone. It¡¯s a little blurry and-¡± ¡°Douchebag! You had captured her picture two days ago and you didn¡¯t send it to me. I will fire you and make sure you don¡¯t get a job elsewhere if you don¡¯t forward it to me this instant. He grumbled, making the man stammer. Soon as Hunter disconnected the call, his phone notified him of an iing message. It was the images Girard took of ire Hunter¡¯s eyes became warm and the restlessness in his chest came to a halt. A thankful grim spread on his lips. He caressed ire¡¯s photo. She was looking breathtaking, though she had dark circles. The pictures were awfully blurry as it was taken in a rush. But it couldn¡¯t prevent warmth from spreading in his body. He dly admired her. She was slightly beaming and her palms were open under her chin. She was caught in the act of freeing a moth out of her window from her palms. He didn¡¯t keep a track of time, and honestly there was no need to, as he had already postponed all his meetings from today to tomorrow. He even kissed her picture. Running a thumb on the picture he let out a sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about you or your words. When you said you hate me and I forced you to do in, I realized what I have lost. Down up to my sins, ire. I will repent. I will do anything to reverse your feelings for me. Can you bring it in yourself to forgive me?¡± Althoughs consciente said no, his heart skipped a beat in response. True love never dies, does it? ire always loved him unconditionally. How 0 Chapter 38 ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to see me but my heart can¡¯t withstand your coldness. Please, make yourself bener. Start appearing in public.¡± He kissed her picture on the phone. ¡°I have warned the reporters and news channels for you. They will not bother you again. All the controversies surrounding your name are taken care of. You just have to take a step out¡± again.¡± ¡°The inte will have to pass through me to get you. I love you, darling, I will make you fall for me agai He vowed to rekindle the mes of love in her chest again, and make her heart beat for him. It might take time, but then, ire gave her full life to him once She had loved him since she was a teenager. If she could persist for a decade to make him hers, why can¡¯t he?Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Hunter saved Chire¡¯s blurry picture as his lock screen wallpaper and stuffed it in his pocket. Getting up he told to himself, ¡°First things need to be done first. If I want ire back in my life, I need to crase the existence of the other woman He didn¡¯t feel even a sliver of remorse for calling Zara the other woman. It took him time to understand that but now he was going to set things riglu. Zara might have been a troubled wife in her rtionship, she was strong, Hunter promised himself to provide her with necessities that would be enough to rebuild her life. If needed, he would find her a suitable groom too, She was a sweet lovelydy. Any man would want to be with her. As he exited his cabin and darted towards the elevator, he wrote her a message, ¡°Hey, I¡¯ming to the penthouse to meet you. There¡¯s something I need to tell you¡± In the penthouse, ¡°Aah! Yeah, that¡¯s the right spot Fuck me harder, Enzol Drill your dick right through my uterus. Fuck me like a monster¡± Zara screamed pleasurably while moving her ass in sync with Enzo¡¯s, the bodyguard Hunter had left to guard her. Enzo let out a throstyugh. He smacked her a$$ with his huge palm, leaving a print. His thick and long fingers rubbed on her pussy lips before scissoring her clit between his first two fingers. ¡°You are such a dirty hot You fooled my boss with your innocence and made him divorce his wife for you. Yet here you are fucking me.¡± Enzo leaned on her and bit on her shoulder. His other hand squeezed her boobs roughly and held them in a deathly grip as he increased his speed. ¡°When you first approached me four days ago, I thought you were joking with me. Why would a sexydy like you want to be with a man like me who¡¯s hired for guarding others from his agency! I can¡¯t earn more than a few thousands for the job. Why did you choose me! I can still see you in the back of my mind when you sprung my cock free from my pants and licked me. I was blown.¡± Zara was on her stomach and her back was arched. Sheughed between her pleasured whimpers s when Enzo smacked her a$$ again. This one Was harder than thest one and it brought tears to her eyes. She blinked the tears, letting them graze down her sweaty face. ¡°Does wanting sex make me a bad girl?¡± She asked with a pour that Enzo tried to kiss. Zara wed his chest and denied him with the shake of her head, ¡°Don¡¯t want our provider to see my lips swollen, do we?¡± ¡°Hunter might be easy going with me. He¡¯s not a fool. He¡¯s a man made of sin. He can smell when it is unfurling on the bed of his owned property. Be careful. You can kiss me in other ces which can¡¯t be seen by my future husband and your boss.¡± Enzo stopped moving as he let her words process. He was fucking his boss¡® woman. The wealthiest and strongest man in the county. What would berome of him if he was caught! His forehead creased as he tried to pull away. As it happened every time, his inner voice tried to talk him out of it. However, Zara grabbed his thin and long cock and sent herself down on it. His desires returned along with his hardness. He clunched her jiggly a$$ and smacked it again. His boss had out yet seen through her innocence. Enzo did the moment she swallowed him to the hilt. He saw her as a woman who have already dog her grave. But she was to cunning to jump in it. Wretched women like her don¡¯t go to their graves earlier, do they? They rather throw other Zara k?ew what she was trading and to what extent ite extent it could go wrong And yet there they were, on the bed, feeding each other¡¯s desires. ¡°You only came back to his life for his money, dili?i you?¡± Enzo asked before he pushed her a$$ cheeks apart to o lick her ass b hole D J BHU PM Chapter 38 The Zara is bing dirtier!! E. What punishment would you give her if you u were Hunter and you discovered her true face! Thanks for reading. I¡¯m overwhelmed with your response. Plz follow me on IG @author.chantinglovel38 for more details on the book and when I take day of so you don¡¯t keep waiting! XOXO PM Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Zara giggled to it and answered. ¡°And for his dick. It¡¯s this long and this thick.¡± She showed with her hands the size and thickness of Hunter¡¯s male organ. hine en dicks like yours,) you can¡¯t make one as thick as his. And he¡¯s very good in hed ¡°Even if youbine ten ¡°Better than me?¡± Enzo turned her around to take one nipple in his mouth. Zara moaned. She guided his other hand on her free nipple and gave it between his finger and thumbs. ¡°I don¡¯t want to insult your hard work with my honesty!¡± Zara chuckled, which led to squirming pain in her chest as Enzo bit down on her nipple. ??? She was about to return the pain when she fisted his dick in her hand. Except that Enzo filled her hole again, and started thrusting in her, ¡°If he¡¯s so good then why are you here in bed with melt Zara smiled, wrapping her arms around his built shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s because that idiot is starting to realize his hidden love for his ex¨Cwife. He refused to touch me and since she left, he¡¯s moving around like a dead zombie She wrapped her legs around id his waist while enjoying his thrusts as she continued. ¡°That night when I returned wet and in lingerie, I was prepared for a hot night. I had spiked his food with tonic that increases sex hormones which can¡¯t be ignored. But that thick dick King locked himself in his study to prevent himself from having sex with me ¡°And you¡¯re afraid that he¡¯ll go back to his ex¨Cwife, aren¡¯t you?¡± Zara¡¯s lips thinned in response. ¡°But you have your own BBC to fuck you, right. You should not worry about him¡± Zara¡¯s pupil¡¯s erged in amusement. Before she articted her question. Enzo answered them. ¡°I followed you into a BDSM club in the city some while back. Quite a dirty little girl you are, huh?¡± Enzo grinned and pounded her harder, ¡°What will happen if my boss finds out about it? Zara tightened the grasp of her legs around his waist, making him wince, ¡°You won¡¯t dare do it!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t as long as you keep giving me your pussy to fuckTM ¡°Fuck me harder.¡± Zara smiled like the fox she was and unfastened her legs from around his waist. They were reaching their climax, and she was really reaching her end, when Enzo spurted ¡°Have you ever heard that hidden love whenes to the surface is super resistant and takes forever to die! He¡¯s out of your reach, baby. I think you should back out given that that man knows which woman is worth his loyalty and life¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly not you.¡± He smirked. ¡°You have men like me and the ones in the club. We will take care of your holes. Why ruin a happy household?¡± His wordsshed on her ego. Zara crawled up, causing his dick to slip out of her pussy. She kicked a foot on Enzo¡¯s thigh and he fell on ¡°I didn¡¯t take all the risk to end up as a whore for losers like you, I was born to be a queen. Hunter Macintyre w this country She pped Enzo¡¯s face with the other foot and motioned between her legs with her disappointed eyes ¡°Lick me clean, bastard.¡± ell on top of her will make me one for he is the king of While Enzo was on it, Zara massaged his scalp. He was a good fucker. She was drowning in the pleasure his tongue was extending through her. Out of nowhere she got the feeling to check her phone. No soner did she open her phone than she began to shake in fear of getting caught. She kicked Enzo¡¯s face away and sat straight. ¡°Hunter is on his way! She announced in a shock¨Cstricken tone. ¡°How much timer do we have?¡± Zara checked the time when the message was received from him. Less than ten minutes¡± She said while wiping a trembling hand to her Exce Chapter 59Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. It takes about thirty minutes to arrive at the penthouse from his vi. She saw the message Twenty minuteste. But they still had ten minutes. Zara dragged Enzo with herself in the shower to save time. They washed themselves without soap and came out wearing their clothes. While she prepared to check for visible marks on her skin, Enzo cleaned the bed in fear of Hunter. ¡°Leave the bed and check the living hall first. Hunter neveres to the bedroom.¡± She glowered at him. Enzo limped his way out as he struggled to put on his socks and shoes. By the time they made sure nothing was out of the ce that would raise suspicion, Enzo sat in his chair by the elevator with a newspaper, taking his ce. Whereas Zara went to the kitchen to heat the leftover slices of pizza from night and make some omelet. Sheid it on the small table outside the kitchen. She was pouring two sses of mixed fruit juice from the container when the elevator dinged and parted to reveal Hunter. ¡°Wee home, honey¡± Zara ran to hug him. Her eyes fell on Enzo who rolled his eyeballs at her show of tenderness. She warned him with a frown and led Hunter inside the living room. ¡°I¡¯m smiling because I am happy to see you here. Don¡¯t assume that I forgave you for disappointing me that night. Zara pouted innocently as she faked hurt Hunter remained stoic for a while before he broke into a hesitant smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for noting earlier. I had some important work to take care of. By the way, look what I bought for you.¡± Hunter revealed a folder which he carried in his coat. It was broad but it didn¡¯t surprise Zara that he could carry it in his coat. The man was a hulk himself. ¡°What¡¯s this!¡± She asked curiously as she began to open it. Anger and disappointment flooded through her. Yet she showed pure astonishment as she flicked her gaze. ¡°Property transfer papers for this penthouse. Why would you give it to me, Hunter, when everything is ours jointly?¡± Hunter lifted his face to favor her with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s more.¡± He removed other documents from the folder. ¡°Here¡¯s your new bank ount with a Fifty million dors bnce. A list of locations around Bloomcrest where you¡¯d like to see your own clinic opening. If not your own clinic then we can get you enrolled into one of the established hospitals around the country to practice your skills as a medical professional. Besides this, I also chose some ces you might want to own your house at. We can discuss that once you choose where to start your clinic.¡± ¡°I also had this beautiful bracelet customized for you,¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± Hunter appraised her enchanted expression as Zara grasped the beauty of the dazzling bracelet he put in her palm. ¡°This is.. This is gorgeous! I love them. But I can¡¯t get my head around the fact that you are giving them to me. What is the need for this, Hunter?¡± Zara observed a shift in his expression. He was suddenly looking unassertive. That was so unlike Hunter! ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Hunter? Why are you giving all these to me?¡± Zara appraised the parchment with the list of locations he selected for her clinic. ¡°And these locations are all out of the capital in different cities around Bloomcrest. Why would you choose them. Hunter? Is something happening that I am not aware of?¡± Taking her hand, Hunter offered her a half smile. It was both rueful and concluding ¡°I am giving you these because you will need them to lead your life further, Zara. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t run away from my feelings. I love ire. I realized it after she left me and I want her back in my life. It is not possible as long as you stay here.¡± Zara wished that she was not sitting there to hear his following words because a dark red mist of fury rose up over her as they resounded in her ¡°Since I have caused the damage and given her all the reasons not to trust me. ire will always be doubtful if you stay here in the capital city with us in the future. Hence you will have to move out. Move out to another city across Bloomcrest.¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Zara¡¯s An avnche of disbelief plunged within me. My fingers twitched as I kept myself from crumpling the property transfer papers in my hold. They didn¡¯t seem real. They couldn¡¯t be. Hunter cannot just get rid of me like this. ¡°H¨CHunter, you want to chase me away?¡± I feigned a hurtful voice, keeping my bone several octaves low. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to chase away the feelings increasing in my chest day by day. And they¡¯re not for you,¡± Hunter said with a straight face. nses were torrentially struck by his unexpected move. My lips quivered. I wanted to say something but the shock was intense, My senses were As I stared at the papers, my own words I smugly shared with Enzo not ten minutes ago resounded in my own ears. 1 was born to be a queen. Hunter will make me one for he is the king of this country.¡± All the risks I took and crimes Imitted came shing in front of my eyes From the murder of my husband who went bankrupt because of me to the fake rape I caused to myself. I destroyed ire¡¯s life and became the reason behind her miscarriage. I didn¡¯t do this all just for nothing I did it to see a crown shining on my head. A crown made of pure gold and exorbitant stones. Hunter can¡¯t juste out of the blue with new found feelings for a wife he treated like trash in his life. He can¡¯t just fall in love with her! My insides curled as I felt madness rising inside me. All the dreams 1 weaved over the days after killing my husband collected in my head like a spinning tornado. I can see them drowning into darkness. I closed my eyes and held onto them. My dreams won¡¯t spill into darkness, ire can¡¯t have my crown. I won¡¯t let her snatch it away from me There¡¯s no way I¡¯d let Hunter ce my crown on his ex¨Cwife¡¯s head. I will also kill ire if that¡¯s what it¡¯d take to clear my path. Reopening my eyes, I let a tear go down my cheek. It was my anger reflecting in the form of tears. Hunter noticed them and favored me with a look of apology. He came forward to hold my hand. I pulled them away and offered him a trembling smile. ¡°Finally you are acknowledging your love for ire.¡± I said in order to show that I appreciated him. ¡°I told you right that you love her. ire is a gem. You should have never divorced her in the first ce¡± I pretended to be happy for him while on the inside I hollered like a woman possessed. Only I know what was going on inside me. My body was hot like I was hurled in tire and my eyes were stinging with tears of jealousy and contempt ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Hunter asked me in a voiceced with surprise. ¡°Why would I be angry? I knew from the beginning that you were in love with her. You just needed someone to help you realize it.¡± I winked at him, keeping an innocent facade. I am happy that I became that person.¡± 2 Jesus Christ! Hunter sat on his haunches in front of me. He took my hands and kissed the back of them to show his excitement and relief. His happiness was visible on his face and in his eyes. While he was basking in delight, my stomach convulsed with fury. Somehow I kept my act together. Hunter didn¡¯t have to know what he was doing Not that it was going to matter because his wish wasn¡¯t going to be fulfilled. He was never going to be able to win ire over again. I¡¯ll make sure of that. Hence, I yed along. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you got all these topensate me because you thought you leaving me for ire would break my heart?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mad but that¡¯s what I really thought Hunter sat up next to me, my hands still in his.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. I mentally seethed seeing him look so happy. Hunter was known for being impassive. Someone in his family could die the worst death and he would not move a facial muscle. But look at the man now! Just look at the glow on his handsome face. Only because I said I was d he was going back to his wife, he was cracking out of his impassive nature as though he found heaven on earth. Clupter 60 I smiled to share what happened, keeping a huge rock on my heart, I removed my hand from under his and put it upon his own. ¡°I can never be inad, Hunter. You deserve every bit of happiness. And if ire is your source of happiness then go have her. Make her yours again¡± ¡°You are not for this mean world. Zara. The fact that I am giving up on you for my ex¨Cwife and you¡¯re supporting me shows how selfless you are.¡± I forced my lips to keep smiling. He was trying to make me feel better with those words. But no butter coating was going to heal the wounds he opened on my heart. He was fucking deciding to let me go for an undeserving bitch who couldn¡¯t even save her marriage. ¡°If I had a twin brother or just a brother, I would have seriously married you to him. Perhaps there¡¯s a better man waiting for you. He¡¯s praying harder to keep you safe for himself ¡°Maybe it was supposed to be you. My better man. But anyway, I am happy for you and ire,¡± ¡°Whoever marries you will be a lucky guy? 1 lowered my eyes and tried to be shy. Lucky? My foot I don¡¯t want to make any bastard lucky. I want to be the lucky one to enjoy your wealth and good looks, Hunter Macintyre. ¡°Take these with you, Hunter. I can¡¯t keep it I ced the stack of papers in hisp. As much as my greed screamed as me to take them all, I won¡¯t settle for anything lesser. I don¡¯t need a freaking penthouse to grow old into. That beautiful mansion he had basically built for me and moved into after his marriage with ire is what I want. I want to be the queen of the picturesque mansion. I want to sit in the manicuredwn across from the glorious building and sip my tea while admiring the sun. My dream will be my reality. So there¡¯s no way I am settling for crumbs when I can have the full loaf of bread. ¡°I will leave tonight if you want. But I will not ept your money and property. I said in the most helpless way possible. ¡°I may be a troubled widow but I am not a leech, Hunter. I will never suck on you to provide for me. I¡¯ll find a job at a flower¡¯s shop or at a mall as a goods loader. Although my image is tarnished as a homewrecker, I think I can survive if I give my hundred percent to it.¡± I pretended to be in a thought and added, ¡°I clean floors well. Maybe I can be hired as a janitor. I can also wash clothes at houses if l- You are not doing any of those.¡± Hunter said with disapproval. I looked up at him with a frown. ¡°Why are you still dining here, Hunter? Go and look for ways to get ire¡¯s attention. Don¡¯t forget you have apetition now.¡± His eyes zed in irritation. Hunter seethed and said deep from his chest, ¡°There¡¯s only one man in ire¡¯s heart. That¡¯s me. I will never have a so that he would think more and more about me. ou brainstorm!¡± ¡°Okay, I get it. You don¡¯t have apetition. But you do need a friend to help you! ¡°Spending long hours at work and meetings has made you boring and displeasing. Maybe you should learn how to be expressive and smile more often to impress ire. Remember, she doesn¡¯t want an expressionless and cold hearted husband. She needs an expressive husband who will not hesitate to sing songs to her to show his love¡± ¡°I know what I have to do to get my wife back. But you, you are not going anywhere. I will hunt you down again and lock you up in this penthouse. Zara ¡°But- ¡°Shush!¡± He put a finger on my lips, making me feign a gasp as if it hitched my breaths. Hunter pulled his hand back and shifted on the couch. Then his obstinate eyes came up to my face again. ¡°You are my responsibility, Zara. I can¡¯t let you out in the world. Your inws will harm you if you leave without my protection.¡± ¡°But I have no right to enjoy your protection either.¡± He seemed to have taken aback. Hunter tried to exin to me how we were good friends now and that ire and I could find best friends in each other ¡°You bothy are alike, Zara. You both can¡¯t see others suffering. ire will like yourpany. It¡¯s just that, she needs some time. Once we have reconciled, I¡¯ll introduce you two again. Maybe then you cane back to the capital city again and live in this penthouse¡± Oh, now I get it. This is why he wants to give me the penthouse so I cane back again and live in it 0 840 PM. Chapter 00 But I am not leaving talk less ofing back again. And what¡¯s that about? Me and ire being alike and bing friends? I cracked up internally. ire and me being alike? That¡¯s the funniest joke of the century. While I am the devil that ran away from the depths of hell fire, ire is an angel. Not to mention the only thing I want her to be is a rotting corpse. I can bet her thought is no different. I raised my face to show my tears to Hunter. He was frozen because I had stopped crying earlier. These new tears intended to show that I was internally hurt from his decision. ¡°I will wait for that time when ire will want to meet me again. There¡¯s so much I want her to know about me. So many painful incidents I want to share with someone and feel lighter.¡± ¡°But please, don¡¯t hurt me by giving these to me. I don¡¯t need your money and property, Hunter. The only reason I was with you was because of love. If I can¡¯t get your love, I won¡¯t ept this either. They don¡¯t belong with me, I can do well without these, Don¡¯t worry about me, Hunter¡± ¡°Zara,¡± Hunter came closer. ¡°You¡¯re making me feel like a bad person.¡± Hunter took about an hour to fool me into believing that it was a token of love from him. An act of showing his appreciation for being a nice person. I also yed along, acting like I got his point. An hourter when he left, I waited until he was gone. From the window I saw him sitting in his car and leaving. I came back to the living room to find Enzo studying the papers. Snatching them away from him, I tore them in the smallest pieces I could. I cursed Hunter and that bitch ire too. ¡°You wanted to be a queen, right? Looks like he doesn¡¯t even want to keep you plopped down on the couch and gaped at me. you as a concubine.¡± Enzo mocked me with a resonatingughter as he Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Zara¡¯s POV ¡°I will be a queen and I will be a queen for Hunter that¡¯s for sure.¡± I furned. ¡°Come on, baby, ept it. My boss doesn¡¯t want you.¡± Enzo came behind me to hoki my waist. ¡°Shut up¡± I tried my best not to scratch his face as I got away from him. He wasn¡¯t very handsome. He wasn¡¯t very ugly either.. ¡°He ditched you but we won¡¯t. Your BBC men and I are always there for you.¡± Indignation waltzed through me. I removed my slippers and charged them both at Enzo. They hit him on the face, causing him to fume. ¡°Feeling insulted? That¡¯s not even close to what I feel¡± The lines on his face eased out. He came up to me and kissed my lips forcefully. When I tried to shove him away, he tossed me on the couch and lifted my dress to put my bare pussy on disy. Since I was dreadful that Hunter wasing to meet me and I wasn¡¯t even close to fully dressed up, I only threw on a long dress and skipped my undergarments. Enzo took advantage of that and cupped my pussy. ¡°It¡¯s beller to ept you have lost than pretend to still be in the game, bitch.¡± He spread my legs apart and entered me in one long thrust I moaned and seethed altogether. His long thrusts calmed my mind. ¡°Hunter Macintyre is out of your reach. You lost your hold on him. ept that and let him and his wife be at peace¡± I offered Enzo a smile and pulled him for a kiss. I bit on his mouth so hard that his whole body quaked in pain. He jumped away from me, holding his mouth that was oozing with blood. I came towards him and kicked between his legs, sending him to his knees. While he winced, torn between holding his mouth or his nuts, satisfaction blossomed in my chest. That¡¯s what fuckers like him get, who think that they can insult me and get away with it. I was not done with Enzo yet. I clutched his hair and made him look at me, ¡°Hunter was his wife¡¯s man before I stole him away from her. If 1 can steal him one time, I can do it the second time again. This time it¡¯ll be once and forever¡°. ¡°You wanna know why?¡± I pulled his hair to arch his head upwards as I whispered in his ear. ¡°Men like him can¡¯t be with one woman. They need a bitch like me to stroke their deceptive dicks and keep their manly ego satisfied.¡± Letting him go, I brought my foor harshly against his back. Enzo fell on the couch while groaning. I leaned on his back, taking his dick in my hold. It was hard and throbbing. Enzo tensed under me. He was scared that I might squeeze the life out of his dick. Instead, I stroked it, making it harder. Turning him around, I let him prate me. He was still holding his mouth as I rode him. I felt bad for him. I didn¡¯t have to effuse my anger on him. Poor boy. After making him cum, 1 deep throated him. When I finished and came to kiss his lips, he had a satisfied smile. ¡°I will be a queen. Enzo. Want to help me with it?¡± I stroked his face. Hunter might be the one paying him in thousands to guard me. I will make the right use of him. ¡°What will I have to do?¡± He slid a hand under my dress and groped my breast. I let him as 1 moaned, ¡°For starters, how about you help me create a bloody scene!¡± ¡°Bloody scene!¡± I nodded at him as I put my nipples in his mouth. ¡°You heard your boss, didn¡¯t you? He wants me to leave and since I acted like I am willing to leave too, he will make it faster. So that he can speed up dies wife chasing process.¡± ¡°Now I not only want to not leave but also slow him down.¡± I moaned to show his oral skills were driving me crazy. He bought my matams and amended to make me feel nice by kissing my nipples harshly. 0 8.41 PM Chapter 61 ¡°I will do anything for you. He said quickly before attacking my titties. I held back a chuckle. Men are so stupid. They only dy need a cunning woman like me to me to distract them, and they¡¯ll agree to rip the world asunder. I should give the credits to my sexy body. And to god for blessing me with it. And also for the brains I have to make the right use of my body. Three dayster,Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Hunter called me and told me that he had chosen a nice bungalow for me in a city situated in the west of Bloomerest, overlooking beautiful flower gardens used for horticulture. He also made mention of the clinic he was making for me in the busiest part of the new city After sharing the updates on my new house and workce he told me that I was supposed to leave tomorrow evening, and that I should pack my Though I agreed with him, once the call was disconnected, I went to Enzo. He was lyingzily on the couch. I must tell you that this man was no longer acting like a bodyguard to me. He fucked me the way he wanted and whenever he wanted. His spanks have be painful. As if I would never have to undress in front of Hunter, he would leave marks on my titties and thighs. Even in sleep, he woulde to lick my pussy or grope my titties. My disapproval no longer mattered as he wouldugh at it and do the fuck he wanted to do to me. It was as if I had be his exclusive toy to y with, and despite the fact that it grated on my nerves, I let him. I needed him to stop my leave and 10 I paid the price for it with my body. ¡°Hey,¡± 1 sat ¡°Hey,¡± I sat on his stomach ¡°Need another fuck?¡± He set his phone aside and grabbed my throat to bend me for a kiss. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever get sore! I fucked the life out of you three hours ago and you¡¯re here again.¡± 1 giggled and undid his pants. I gave him a nice blow job and bent down by the table to reveal my pussy. ¡°Take me, daddy!¡± 1 seductively spoke Enzo left me crying by the time he was done. He was in the kitchen drinking milk from the container that I gathered my trembling body up and walked towards him in the kitchen naked. He spanked my ass and kissed my cor bone, I let him spill some milk on my breasts and lick them clean. He put me on the kitchen counter. devouring my nipples. His finger was about to enter my pussy when I informed him. Hunter called. He told me I have to leave tomorrow evening He stopped and gave me a narrowed stare, ¡°Your work will be done¡± I beamed and grazed his jaw with my soft hands. He sneered and pushed me away ¡°Now I know why you were on your knees like a dog, letting me fuck yout You¡¯re preparing me for tomorrow,¡± you scared?¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re a scary bitch, do you know that!¡± Iughed. ¡°I know that already.¡± The following night Enzo fucked me in all the three holes again. He was taking double the price from me for doing my job. I didn¡¯t mind because this was a small offering for an eternal gain. The next morning, he woke up tired in bed next to me. I was already dressed in my new clothes and with my I am the good innocent girl¡® avatar. He scoffed and got out of bed to take a shower. Then while I ate my breakfast with a happy smile, Enzo made some serious calls. His voice was horse and facial expressions dead. I was taking the second bite of my sandwich when he came to me. ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked. ¡°Since that day Hunter told me I have to leave.¡± I said without looking at him. ¡°Do you really want to do this! Think about it My lips curved up in a provoking smirk. ¡°Your cid dick can¡¯t take the risk?¡± Chapter 61 Enzo was red in rage. ¡°Fuck you, slut!¡± He ground out before hitting my head on the working counter. My ears boomed with a beep sound and my vision became ck. I felt myself being thrown against the fridge. I yelped in pain, falling on the floor. As blood tasted in my mouth, Enzo made a beeline towards me with a kitchen knife. My blood ran cold as I caught sight of the stainless steel de. It glowed in the light and to my teary eyes, it looked awfully scary. Enzo bent down next to me, his forehead creased in worry. ¡°Only a retard person will ask to do this. He grumbled while looking at me worriedly. ¡°What? Your balls are too cold to do it?¡± He hissed at my remark before he plunged the knife half in my stomach. I coughed up blood but the smile from my le from my lips d didn¡¯t wipe away. I was awake to see three masked mene inside through the elevator like a bringer of destruction. For a second, I was scared to half death. They were tall and brawny like Enzo himself. Enzo greeted them in the living room. They asked him whether he wanted to do it and he replied the same thing as I did. In return, the piqued masked men threw him around. They beat him ck and blue before one of them smashed a beer bottle on his head. Then the other one withdrew a gun. He said something to Enzo and then shot him in the arm. Thest thing I saw was them standing around me, taking in the look of my white dress turning red. ¡°Beauty with evil intentions looks like this.¡± I heard one say, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! She got herself attacked for a man¡¯s attention and money. Another one said. I wanted to say, ¡°Things one has to do to fulfill their dreams.¡± However, my hearing ability was bing thin. I couldn¡¯t feel my body. ¡°Who are we to discuss it! We got our money. Let¡¯s get out of here before Hunter Macintyrees. He must have been informed of the breach.¡± The third voice said. ¡°We have to leave this city too.¡± I heard their footsteps getting away. They were gone and I could still hear theirments. ¡°Beauty with evil intentions looks like this.¡± 1 chuckled as pain surged in my body. I can feel my blood under my back. Enzo was a specialized bodyguard for hire. He knew which size of on what part of the body can cause excessive blood loss but less harm to the life of the person pierce My eyes grew heavy. I was losing too much blood. I didn¡¯t have to worry. Hunter must be on his way for Enzo left him an SOS message before he was shot. By by the time ckness consumed me, Hunter was kneeling beside me, taking my name as worriedly as ever. Maybe possessively too! I know I am evil. But who made me this way! You, Hunter Macintyre. You and your monstrous fortune. The Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ire was focused on reading her old college projects. Now that she had only herself to proceed forward and begin her career, what could provide better motivation than her old projects. They were also retained by her college and kept for reference for other students. She also reconnected with a professor from college who admired her. An hour long conversation with him rekindled the fire within her. It was him who gave her a link to all the best projects done by the ex¨Cstudents gathered in one ce for reference. ire also evaluated the works she had finished before she got married. As a civil engineer, she took part in creating five most known ces in Bloomerest and in three overseas locations so far. And then she was married to Hunter and gave up on work. Not that anyone knew her. For the world ire was a princess born to her wealthy father. She was royalty with good looks and pleasant nature They took her for a papa¡¯s princess who was best at getting dressed and unting herself on the inte. One of the reasons why she was followed online was her fashion sense. Young people liked her outfits and they followed her for the same reason. Not everyone knew that besides looking pretty and royalty personified, she was highly professional, holding a degree in one of the toughest professions. A profession which is also believed that only males can have. However, the world couldn¡¯t be med for not knowing about her holding a degree in civil engineering. Because ire operated using a different name as she used to be an adventurous person who liked thrill and excitement in her life. She was a daring individual and reveled in riding motorbikes and cycling on mountains. She did everything a girl in her society would be mocked for. But the world was not one percent aware of her adventurous side. All they saw were her fanciful high heels and expensive dresses from the posts she shared on social media. She was fascinated by the fact that people saw her as a dumb princess with no talent of her own. They judged her because of her beauty and good fate for taking birth in a rich family. Just because she chose not to share the thrilling side of her life, they believed she was good for nothing pretty faced dumb woman As irksome as it was. rreal profession. Hence, she as it was, she liked it. ire wanted to keep it that way, Keep the world in the dark with regards to her re created a pseudonym and signed all the work rted contracts under her false name ¡ª Cara She was going through articles over the projects she finished in the past when she stumbled on an article, featuring a conversation with the people of a hamlet in Bloomcrest she helped to build a bridge. It was one of the smallest projects she carried out herself out of pure intention to help society. ire recalled visiting this hamlet with her college friends for a holiday. It was three years before her marriage. The holiday was supposed to be a st but they noticed the people were going through a lot of struggle. Especially children. They had to cross a river to go to school, the only school in the area. And often, a student or two drowned from overloading of boats Even the hospital facilities were avable on the other side of the perilous river. ire and her friends were told stories of some unlucky individuals who died for not getting medical help in time. Realizing that those people lived in a worldpletely different from hers- a world full of struggles and consequences, ire and her friends resolved to help them. And now, the same people were blessing her and her friends for bringing ease and relief in their life. As she read their statements, a a grateful beam radiated on her face. ¡°I should have never stopped working.¡± She murmured. ¡°I can restart again. I¡¯m so excited about it! ire praised herself for finding her lost motivation. Then she regarded the stack of papers ced on the table beside her bed. Her father give them to herst night. They were legal documents and ownership deed of a new firm her earing dad opened in her name, It was a blow to her. The fact that he knew she would want to go back to work to move on in life made her eyes water. ire was thinking of joining a constructionpany as an engineer. But her father surprised her when he handed her the papers of apany opened in her own name. He said that she had struggled enough, and the working environment in new workce often brought pressure and challenges. ire was done facing them all. Thus he decided to give her her ownpany where she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about anything other than getting sessful. She held the papers in her hand and stared at the name of her newpany her dad chose¨CCara¡¯s caravan. It was thoughtful He knew shecked support and motivation. ire saw the worst at a young age and the name ¡°Cara¡¯s Caravan¡± was more than just abination od words. It was a thoughtful and empowering name that reflected on her journey she has experienced. Just as a caravan embarks on an exciting voyage, ire¡¯spany would represent her own personal and professional journey towards users. D Chapter 62 me ¡°Cara¡¯s Caravan¡± held a motivational undertone. It signified the idea of progress, movement, and adventure. Furthermore, the name With tears in her eyes, she kissed the top of the legal papers, ¡°Thanks, dad. You know what your daughter needs during this time¡± ire lived in that moment. She took her time before she put her signatures on the papers. Then she wheeled out of her room to her father¡¯s study room. He was sitting behind his , wearing those funny pairs of specs that made him look like a racoon. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± ire¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as her father¡¯s remark made her realize she wasughing out loud. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± She came inside the room and pecked his cheek. ire sat in hisp and hugged him t ¡°I love you, dad.¡± tightly. Dominic¡¯s funny mood dropped. He was hoping to keep talking about the reason for herughter since he somewhere knew it was because of his specs. But the moment ire hugged him and withdrew a shivery breath, he was ovee by fatherly emotions. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you wearing a safety helmet again! Dominic stroked her back. He was a father who was proud of having a daughter like ire that found pleasure in going beyond the society¡¯s boundaries. He believed that a girl must not be stopped. She was as capable and strong as a boy child, and that nothing was impossible for her if she was provided with support. When ire left her work to focus on her marriage, Dominic was not happy. He tried to bring her back to work but she was drunk on Hunter¡¯s charm. He had bewitched her. She wanted to do everything to please him back then. Looking at her now, he couldn¡¯t be anymore grateful. She was finally resolving to do what he always wanted her to do- Break the societal rules and embark on an adventure again. ¡°You signed the papers?¡± He asked when she broke the hug ¡°Yes. Here are the papers.¡± ¡°Great, I¡¯ll submit the legal documents to get yourmencement certificate. It will take about a week or two.¡± Thanks. It il give me more time to review old projects and thesis for my preparation ire pulled a chuair next to him and sat on it. She took a fleeting nce at the screen of theputer beforeing to face her father. ¡°Do you know the people in a vige I helped years back to build a bridge spoke to a traveler. They were thanking me That¡¯s amazing! If If I am not mistaken, you built the bridge with your college friends, didn¡¯t you?¡± ire nodded in a yes, to which, Dominic said, ¡°Are you sull in contact with those friends of yours? ¡°I have their numbers but.. ire Faded out. She not only gave up on her career for Hunter but also her friends who stood beside her during many challenges she faced in college Dominic studied the look of longing and remorse on her face and spoke ¡°That¡¯s good you know, because you have to build your own team to start yourpany. Who can be better than your college friends? If they¡¯re not already hired, approach them. Give them an invitation to join your firm with you, ire. The more people you know join yourpany with you the higher chances it will have to excel ire stared at him, her mouth parting in daze. t you going to help me hire professionals for mypany?¡± She wasn¡¯t ready to meet new people yet. What if they mocked her? What if they called her a greedy divorcee like Tyler¡¯s mother did? Just the thought of being called a divorce made her throat tight with overwhelming emotions. The.. ire¡¯s father is so thoughtful, isn¡¯t he? What are your thoughts on ire¡¯s newpany name! Give her moral support, guys. She needs it to rebuild her life. Thanks for all the love and support. I am d you are liking the story. 28 Chapter 02 Furthermore, the name ¡°Cara¡¯s Caravan¡± held a motivational undertone. It signified the idea of progress, movement, and adventure. With tears in her eyes, she kissed the top of the legal papers, ¡°Thanks, dad. You know what your daughter needs during this time.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ire lived in that moment. She took her time before she put her signatures on the papers. Then she wheeled out of her room to her father¡¯s study room. He was sining behind hisputer, wearing those funny pairs of specs that made him look like a racoon. ¡°What are youughing at?¡± ire¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as her father¡¯s remark made her realize she wasughing out loud. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± She came inside the room and pecked his cheek. ire sat in hisp and hugged him tightly. ¡°I love you, dad: Dominic¡¯s funny mood dropped. He was hoping to keep talking about the reason for herughter since he somewhere knew it was because of his specs. But the moment ire hugged him and withdrew a shivery breath, he was ovee by fatherly emotions. I can¡¯t wait to see you wearing a safety helmet again?¡± Dominic stroked her back. He was a father who was proud of having a daughter like ire that found pleasure in going beyond the society¡¯s boundaries. He believed that a girl must not be stopped. She was as capable and strong as a boy child, and that nothing was impossible for her if she was provided with support. When ire left her work to focus on her marriage, Dominic was not happy. He tried to bring her back to work but she was drunk on Hunter¡¯s charm. He had bewitched her. She wanted to do everything to please him back then Looking at her now, he couldn¡¯t be anymore grateful. She was finally resolving to do what he always wanted her to do- Break the societal rules and embark on an adventure again. ¡°You signed the papers!¡± He asked when she broke the hug ¡°Yes. Here are the papers¡± ¡°Great, I¡¯ll submit the legal documents to get yourmencement certificate. It will take about a week or two ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll give me more time to review old projects and thesis for my preparation.¡± ire pulled a chair next to him and sat on it. She took a fleeting nce at the screen of theputer beforeing to face her father. ¡°Do you know the people in a vige I helped years back to build a bridge spoke to a traveler. They were thanking me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing! If I am not mistaken, you built the bridge with your college friends, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chire nodded in a yes, to which, Dominic said, ¡°Are you still in contact t with those friends of yours? I have their numbers but ire faded out. She not only gam gave up on her career for Hunter but also her friends who stood beside her during many challenges she faced in college. Dominic studied the look of longing and remorse on her face and spoke. ¡°That¡¯s good, you know, because you have to build your own team to start yourpany. Who can be better than your college friends? If they¡¯re not already hired, approach them. Give them an invitation to join your firm with you, ire. The more people you know join your wasn¡® professionals for mypany!¡± ready to meet new people yet. What if they mocked her? What if they called her a greedy divorcee like Tyler¡¯s mother did Just the thought of being called a divorcee made her throat tight with overwhelming emotions. The ire father is so thoughtful, isn¡¯t her What are are your thoughts on ire¡¯s newpany Give her aporal support, guys. She needs it to rebuild her life. Thanks for all the love and support. I am d you are liking the story. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Dominic 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 yourpany into existence for I know how strenuous it could be. Once I get you yourmencement 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 ire¡¯s forehead. To say she thought that everything was going to be served on a tter for her was wrong. 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. Dominic kissed her forehead and gave her his blessings. ire thanked him again and decided to leave him alone. On her way back to her bedroom, she thought, ¡°Dad built the ship for me and now I have to lower the vessel in the water and start her spuiden voyage. I can do it ire didn¡¯t waste time thinking about how she would approach her college friends she had not met or spoke with for two years. She dialed their numbers one by one after she entered her room. And god, she was d that she called them. Many of her friends were fed up or exploited by their current firms. They were hoping to get rid of them and start afresh. They agreed to meet her so they can discuss further about the mission and vision of her newly establishedpany. Other than that, she was not the only one who had a past to share. Some of them even told her that they would have been dead- because suicidal thoughts they had¡ª if it wasn¡¯t for their family, children or other obligations So it was going to be a much looked forward gathering, where she would get to hear and speak her own heart.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. What warmed ire¡¯s heart was the fact that not even one person tried to talk about her divorce or Hunter. Even though they were all there when she was crushing over him, cutting out pictures of him from newspapers or magazines to make a diary dedicated to him. They stuck to the topic of her newpany like a decent professional. When ire finished making thest call, surprisingly she had twenty two people who were willing to meet up with her and discuss the possibility of working with ber ¡°Nice. With my ideas and their experiencesbined we can build a strongpany.¡± She squealed and patted her back. She made a chat group with all of them and texted the time and location for their meeting. It was going to take ce tomorrow. Also, she made sure to add Penny to the group despite the fact that she was a fashion designer. But then, Penny had strictly ordered to add her in all the chat groups ire was going to join in because they were best friends, and best friends go together wherever they go. The same way l¡¯enelope had added ire in her chat groups containing designers and models. ire stretched her hands while getting up. She went to the window to get some fresh air. Surprisingly, her eyes zeroed on a wandering individual outside their mansion. It can¡¯t be a coincidence! I saw him earlier as well. Why is he out there!¡± A man was standing by a tree near the gates. As she kept staring at him he crawled into the shadows like he was never there. ire wanted to know who he was. She moved away from the window and towards the door. She was going to catch him as she didn¡¯t get a good. feeling. Even if he was a journalist, he was going to get a handful of scolding from her. ire came down, stomping her foot. However, she stopped short in her tracks as the sound of the news ying on the television in the adjacent ifrawing mom boomed in her ears. Suddenly she was was sitting in front of the television. washing the news. ire¡¯s heart picked up several notches while her eyes erged. That¡¯s became her ex¨Chusband was on the television, holding his bleeding newly wed wife Zara. He seemed to be rushing her out of a botel into an umbnce And the headlines sand. Himter Machayre¡¯s returned first love attacked in his penthouse. Bewildermanni Kancard through re. It was not because she saw a Bercely bleeding Zara in Hunter¡¯s arma. She could bleed to the state ofatose andd grew ridid in abonjatal bed. After all, a butch like her cannot get away with all the crimes shemitted. Karma will follow up with her tomanerow or day after bunnottow But it will happen one day 0 Chapter 63 She was shocked because Hunter was rushing her out of his penthouse. Why penthouse? Yeah, ire was acquainted with his interest in obtaining properties. And that he had several dozen penthouses like that scattered around Bloomerest in different hotels, But why not in his mansion- the same mansion that used to be her ce of residence up until a month ago? ire stood behind her mother grasping the information on the attack. It seemed that someone breached into the penthouse to kill Zara. Even the bodyguard Hunter had left to look after her was shot. Luckily, the bullet grazed his arm. But he was awfully beaten and found in a state of unconsciousness. Something akin to disgust and distress for her ex¨Chusband fluttered in her stomach. Just two days ago he cornered her in the dark in another person¡¯s house and kissed her. His hands held her waist so possessively that it felt like no other man could hold her like that. And yet, he was out there, caught in the act of taking his new wife to a hospital while the images of their unexpected kiss still flickered in her mind. ¡°I wonder why it wasn¡¯t him getting shot?¡± ire scoffed and whirled around to leave. She didn¡¯t know why but a ball of fury emerged in her chest. The feeling she had felt when Hunter had kissed her made her emotions worse. Somehow ire came to her room and easily got distracted by a message she received on her phone. It was from Pavel Maury, a Canadian model who snuck into her Dms from the chat group of designers and models Penelope had added her to years ago. He was a handsome man with amazing gray eyes. Any woman will ship and fall in love with him. But Pavel always had his eyes for ire. Despite the fact that she was married, he never got tired of flirting with her or sending text messages to her on a daily basis. Although it stopped over time, it was back again. It looked like Pavel was trying to try his luck with her again now that she was single. His text was: hey, gorgeous. How are you doing? So¡­ Now can I ask you out for a coffee? Her lips arched in a smile and she joyfully replied back in a yes. Pavel was online. He didn¡¯t take more than three seconds to see her message and write back. Thank goodness! I thought you¡¯ll turn me down again. But it¡¯s my lucky day today. I hit two jackpots. ire furrowed her brows as she asked back: What do you mean by ¡°I hit two jackpots today? Pavel responded: I bagged a contract for bing a brand ambassador for a famous brand. I will not reveal the name though. You can wait for my pictures and billboards to ?? ire smiled and wrote back: That is your first jackpot. I get it! The second being? She didn¡¯t congratte him for she was too curious to know about the second jackpot. Pavel took time to respond to her while ire smiled, feeling warm. It felt good talking to a man who was not connected to Hunter, and who wasn¡¯t going to remind her of her marital status When he did, ire couldn¡¯t help but throw her head back andugh. He texted: Second is you! I¡¯m finally getting to take you out for a coffee. I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for two and half years! The Pavel. What do you think about this character! Ji he going to get the opportunity to steal ire from Hunter and Tyler!! 842 PM Chapter 64 Chapter 64 As quickly as she burst intoughter, her expression faltered and face became dull. Old memories made her chest squeeze,Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. There were were many like Pavel who desired to take her out. But ire being ire, 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 f young age onwards she had concluded in her mind that it would be Hunter, taking her first kiss and first time. If for Hunter. From a Her mouth trembled in a remorseful smile. She wasted her teenage years and beginning of her adulthood for a man who treated her like 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 like a couple but you know.. Just¡­. from ire¡¯s ribs He left his message iplete and anotherugh expelled from She replied: Fine, I¡¯ll be ready in ten minutes. And yes, I will wear blue. She then dropped her phone on the pillow and went to take a quick shower. Aftering out, she dried her hair and did some makeup. Since Pavel said that he would call her once he arrived outside her house, she was in no hurry to pick up the dress. Only after her makeup and hair was done, she trudged towards her closet ire chose a short tight dress. And because she was pissed after seeing the news on the television, she chose a dress that revealed half of her cleavage ire looked at herself in the mirror. She looked breathtaking. The neckline of the dress was doing justice to her wless cleavage. But it was cold outside and to save herself from freezing to death, ire threw a thick ck long coat over the dress, which ended over her knees. When it was time to choose shoes, she selected knee¨Chigh gorgeous ck boots. In amplified her overall look. ¡°Goodbye to boring decent ire, Wee to this hot and cheeky ire. I love you.¡± She sent a flying kiss to her reflection in the mirror before grabbing a blue shoulder bag. Ten minutester, Pavel arrived with blue roses in his hands. He was received by Andrea on the doon ¡°Good evening, ma¡¯am¡± Pavel took ire¡¯s mother¡¯s hand and pecked on the back of it. Andrea¡¯ssbes fluttered in stupor. She wasn¡¯t sure whether the nun was here to greet her or someone else. She was about to ask him the cause for his visit when from behind her, ire answered, ¡°Mom, that¡¯s my friend- Andrea¡¯s heart swelled in happiness and shock. In happiness because her daughter was going out with a guy. She was taking a step towards a new life by going out with another man. And shocked because since when she started taking interest in blond guys? Pavel was a sexy blond guy with enchanting gray eyes. When he looked at Andrea, ber eyes became wide for his pupils were almost translucent. He looked like he was straight out of a newspaper from the modeling section. Not that Andrea knew that he was indeed a model. One thing she noticed was that Pavel was theplete opposite of Hunter in terms of looks. Pavel was fair with a pointed jaw unlike Hunter who was bronze¨Cskinned with a squared jawline. Pavel had eyes that could set your mood alight whereas Hunter had dark ck orbs such as the domineering forest during the dark hours at night. ¡°Has she deliberately chosen this man to take her out- because he is the opposite of Hunter? Andrea mused while observing the blond gorgeous guy handing the flowers to her daughter. Oh! They¡¯re twinning. Is it just a coincidence? Excitement cycloned within ire¡¯s mother ¡°Whatever it is, I like them together. I think I like my daughter better with a blonde haired guy! She squealed and waved at ire while mouthing best of luck to her. ire¡¯s cheeks were red by the time she came towards Pavel¡¯s white Audi with him. Her mother was really looking at her like Penny did when they were teenagers and she would go out on such silly dates with guys at college. Those dates meant nothing because all the guys in school knew the prince that had stolen her heart. ¡°Can you pinch me?¡± She was shoved out of her trance by Pavel¡¯s amused voice ¡°What Why!¡± Tsidi bebeve that a dream. You¡¯re going out with met I only happened in my dreams, you know.¡± Pavel shed a shy smile and ran a hand Chapter 64 through his short disarrayed hair. ¡°You¡¯re so adorable! ire grinned at him while pulling his cheek. ¡°You won¡¯t say that if you knew how I really am!¡± Pavel hissed and put a hand around her waist. It wasn¡¯t expected but ire tried to stay cheerful about it. ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t want to know what else happened in my dreams. Pavel remarked, making her hackles rise. But again ire didn¡¯t let it bother her. Pavel was a flirtatious model. She had seen him acting the same way with other females he met. Avoiding his touch and that smile, she asked him to settle inside the car. ¡°dly, my princess. You look more excited than me to get started!¡± Pavel eximed and sat behind the steering wheel. As he elerated the engine, his eyes briefly settled on her cleavage whereas his free hand rubbed between his legs. ire acted like she did not notice it as she buckled the seatbelt. And again, she let it pass not thinking that it could be worrisome. After all, any man would have a hard seeing a woman in a hot dress like that. She remained calm and positive about this night date with Pavel as they rolled out onto the street, unaware of the man who had slipped into the shadows. The man came out and stared at the gates the security guard was closing after the car. He was Girard, the man hired by Hunter to take pictures of ire and send them to him. ¡°Sir will not like this. He murmured under a breath as he kept staring at the closing doors. ¡°But I will have to forward the pictures to boss. Else he will kill me. He was afraid to share the pictures he just shot. But anyways he had to send them to Hunter because his job was to take her pictures. It wasn¡¯t for him to worry whether she was with a man or a woman As Girard hit the pictures sent, he prayed to God to keep him safe. ire with a new man¡ª The¡­ ah, a handsome new man¡­ His boss wasn¡¯t going to like it. The uing twist in the story will leave you frozen! Are you guys excited! Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Hunter 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 bodynguage 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 concem. 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 rtive to Zara. A rtive who was here toplete a formality. When it was beyond Cole¡¯s point of contemtion, he let out a grumble deep from his chest. He yanked Hunter by his shoulder so his face was parallel to his as both of them were sitting side by side. ¡°What are you- A cold¨Cblooded animal! Your girlfriend is being operated on the other side of the door and you¡¯re sitting like it¡¯s no big deal. What has happened to you. Hunter? Do women and their feelings don¡¯t matter to you?¡± Cole¡¯s eyes burned on his Hunter watched as Cole¡¯s fisted knuckles whitened from all the forceful clutching. He was suppressing his urge to punch him. ¡°ire bled for you. But you didn¡¯t care. She lost her child which was also yours. You didn¡¯t bat an eysh. Now Zara, Cole dragged a sharp breath. ¡°Shes also lying in the operation theatre, Echting for her life. But look at you! You¡¯re sitting like she¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°I want to know what is exactly going in that brain of yours? You divorced ire for Zara. But now that Zara is all yours to possess, you are doing things you shouldn¡¯t¡± Thest statement made Hunter¡¯s shoulders erect. His eyes Enally flickered as he showed minor hesitation in his features. ¡°You know about my visit to RavenMoore?¡± He asked, his tone dry of emotions. Hunter had gone to Raven Moore quietly. He hadn¡¯t left a trace behind then how did Cole discover the same? Hunter remembered that everyone in his circle was made to believe he was busy with back to back meetings. was an ident¡± Cole informed, recalling the news he I am also aware that it was you who set Tia Murphy¡¯s car on fire even though they lied that had read in the newspaper the following day after the old Murphy couple¡¯s anniversary party. But on a serious note, he was not expecting to see anything better after he was made aware of Hunter¡¯s visit to RavenMoore. He knew if Hunter was in his rival¡¯s country, he wouldn¡¯t return without causing a scene there. He actually fought with Tyler and put his mother¡¯s car ame. Although it was supposed to stay under the wraps, Cole had to know it. Thanks to his bitter frenemy rtion with Penelope Baker. definitely not caused towards her, but towards ire- she She was a persistent pain in the ass. But whenever she was riled up by Hunter¡¯s actions- took her rants and curses to Cole. She called him and poured her anger on him as if he was her punching bag. And though she could not physically take out her frustration on him, doing it verbally seemed to be enough for her That¡¯s how Cole knew about each and every movement of his best friend even when they were not on good talking terms since ire¡¯s miscarriage incident. ¡°What are you trying to do, Hunter? I seriously don¡¯t get it. In fact,¡± Cole got up He paced back and forth for a minute before resuming, ¡°I don¡¯t think I know you anymore.¡± Hunter sat still, his impassive face put on. He listened to Cole¡¯s disappointed words with his eyes staring at the floor. I wish I could tell you I don¡¯t know who I am either? He thought as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. ¡°You went to RavenMoore to bring ire back home. Why? Do you think you own her!¡± Hunter¡¯s temples began to pound under the prewure of Cole¡¯s questions. He was feeling suffocated not because he didn¡¯t have ans answers to his questions. But because he wasn¡¯t going to be believed even if he told the truth So he remained quiet and murely epted Cole¡¯s harsh words. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your concern if she was there with Tyler. If it was the article that made you go there, why didn¡¯t you look at your divorce certificate! It would have reminded you that it was not your right to feel aggravated or jealous. Or whatever it was ¡°You kicked ire out of your life when all she wanted was to be with you, Hunter. You shouldn¡¯t have felt inclined to bring her back if she was with Tyler. I know he¡¯s your business rival but he is also ire¡¯s family friend. Maybe he is not, but still, it didn¡¯t give you the right to go to his 0 42 PM Chapter 63 grandmother¡¯s anniversary party and ruin it the way you did.¡± Cole felt his anger are at Hunter¡¯s silence. ¡°I didn¡¯t break into the party. I was invited.¡± Hunter informed him as if it was going to make any difference Cole will reprimanded him. ¡°Should I honor you for epting the party invitation? And what exactly you did after going there, huh. You wounded the elder Murphy heir in his family house like you fucking owned it. You harshly spoke with Tia Murphy and then ignited her car to make it worse.¡± *1 did in because she was ndering ire. I was there when she called her names and insulted her with the other women. What would you have done if you were in my ce?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly but one thing is for sure I wouldn¡¯t have put her car on fire. Do you k know the consequences it would bring for you? Nathaniel Murphy will not sit back quietly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting to see what he¡¯ll do. Hunter n made his friend shake his head. ¡°Why am I even wasting my time on you! You¡¯re better off alone.¡± Cole moved away to the other end of the corridor. Hunter¡¯s tensed muscles began to rx as he saw that his friend was visibly avoiding talking to him further. It was better for them both. Resting his back against the back of the bench, Hunter closed his eyes. He relished the prevailing silence. It was as if the weight of the world and the chaos that his life has be was lifted off his shoulders, and he can finally breathe freely The quietness allowed him to clear his thoughts. He was taking this moment to take a break from the mess he had created from himself. He was trying to forget that he was divorced, and the woman for whom he got divorced was not in the hospital getting operated. Hunser wanted to slip into tranquility of soothing memories which took ce before his anniversary night when his phone vibrated in his coat pocket, and the tune of a bird¡¯s chiming resounded in his ears. It was the notification tune he had set for Girard¡¯s contact so that if he received pictures from him, he would know it. His eyes flew open and he sat straight with a jolt. Reaching a hand in his coat to get his phone, he withdrew a desperate sigh. It was being noticed by Cole and he closed the gap between them. Cole was standing right beside Hunter when he opened the attachment Girard sent him. Suddenly Cole¡¯s ribcage felt too short for his heart. As though his heart had grown two sizes bigger than usual. ¡°What the hell! What is this, Hunter! You¡¯ve left a spy outside ire¡¯s house. I can¡¯t believe this. Why would you do this?¡± Cole drawled, his voice heavy with rebuke. On the other hand, Hunter¡¯s eyes darkened. Darker than ck as he red at the pictures. ire was with a man. A blond man who looked familiar. As he went through photos, since there were plenty, he realized that ire was going on a date with him. The man had brought her flower. What¡¯s more! Both of them wore blue, the same color as the Blowers ¡°Hunter, I asked you something. The atmosphere had be stuffy for Hunter He could no longer hear anything as a grating sound of beeping red in his ears. His heart raced fervently through the corridors of his chest, his fingers fisting monstrously around his phone. Cole was afraid that he might smash the phone and hurt himself. Thus, with great difficulty he snatched it out of his hold. But the moment the phone slipped out of Hunter¡¯s grip, he growled like a mad man. ¡°You saw that? He¡¯s fucking holding her waist. How dare het How can ire let him hold herself like that? She hated it, didn¡¯t she?¡± He grabbed Cole¡¯s cors and hollered madly ¡°You,¡± Cole gulped the tightness forming in his throat as speaking was bing difficult. ¡°You are insane, Hunter¡± Cole jerked him away and lifted his phone to refer to it as he continued, ¡°You have divorced her. She¡¯s not yours to feel jealous. ire is free to let any man couch her.¡±Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She¡¯s not!¡± Hunter seethed, forcing a nurse to peek out of the operation theatre. and dra She asked him to be quiet. Cole apologized to her and dragged Hunter outside the hospital. They came to the campus where the winds were atrociously chilly. He pulled Hunter in a corner by the fence and released him with a jerk. ¡°Now you can scream all you want. No one will stop you here. Me neither. He said while looking around. The sky was dark with gray clouds. There was no living soul present on o the sa campus. Cole and Hunter stood in silence for a while before Cole spoke ¡°Why is she not free to let any man tou¡ª¡± 8:42 PM Chapter 65 ¡°Don¡¯t say that. I don¡¯t like the sound of it.¡± Hunter said between gritted teeth. Cole nodded, ¡°Okay, fine. But I want to know why you don¡¯t like the sound of it, Hunter?¡± Cole¡¯s voice wasced with mockery. As much as he was pissed, he was forcing himself to stay within his limits. Otherwise Hunter was doing everything that would make him pounce on him. ¡°Why can¡¯t you stand to hear it! ire is not your wife any more. You divorced her, remember! I am sure you have the e¨Ccopy of your divorce certificate in your phone. Wait, let me find it for you. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I know it, alright!¡± Hunter fumed much to Cole¡¯s astonishment. *Repeating it again and again won¡¯t bring the divorce certificate in front of my eyes to remind me. I know what I have done. You don¡¯t have to p it in my face again and again. Don¡¯t mention it!¡± This behaviour of his was absurd. It made no sense. Cole wanted to know why he was behaving this way: He frowned seeing Hunter¡¯s face, which was now full of emotions he shouldn¡¯t show. Not to mention that they reflected on his face for a woman who shouldn¡¯t concern him. Instead, he should feel this way for the woman who was in the operation room. spy after ire. Hunter? Why do you have those pictures?¡± ¡°Why did you leave a spy Although Cole knew the answer to that he knew it long back when he learned that Hunter went to Raven Moore after ire- he wanted to hear it from him. If he canmit so many irredeemable mistakes without so much as a hint of remorse, then he could alsomit his feelings with simr bravery. Cole was trying to figure out what was going on in his mind when Hunter dropped the bomb on him. The bomb that could have triggered a heart attack. ¡°Because I miss her! I can¡¯t be at peace until I see her pictures daily¡± His eyebrows drew together as he desperately articted. ¡°You want to know why I have her pictures, right? Because I love her. I love her a lot and I want to be with her again. Tbc¡­. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°You want to be with her again?¡± Cole raised an eyebrow before he exploded into peals ofughter. 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 tough out loud, He held his belly and shook his head. Hisughter resonated in the air around them. Hunter¡¯s gaze zed on his face. He fisted his hands on his sides while looking away. But Cole didn¡¯t stop. He hughed till his jaw and stomach ached. Then as he came to nce at his friend, his eyes sparked with malice and lips twisted. In this some kind of joke! ire is not a toy, Hunter, that you can throw away and want it back when you see someone else ying 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 ire waipared to a toy. Cole was shaken for a second but he stood to his ground as someone had to give Hunter a reality check. Because the way he treated his ex¨Cwife w ¡°What? My words are humiliating. Maybe they are. But you are the one who left her as theughing stock for the world. You did worse things to her. Hunter. Then I wonder why my words make your eyes flicker?¡± ¡°I am not the only one calling her a toy.¡± Cole said with a chuckle. ¡°Everyone on the inte says the same thing¡± ¡°In fact, after the article concerning her and Tyler was released, there have been more rumors. Do you want me to state them down for you!¡± Cole saw fire in his eyes that made him look away, This was the limit. He had grazed the hottest | st part of him, with his grating words, which was sore and sensitive, ¡°It¡¯s toote, Hunter. I would have been happier if you happened to perceive your feelings a month ago. It¡¯s useless now. She¡¯s gone from your life. You are not entitled to her. Leave her alone. Let her live her life without imposing yourself on her¡± Cole heaved, making Hunter¡¯s face flit up to meet his tired gaze. Cole was staring his thoughts, and what he believed was right for him and her. I¡¯m your best friend. We have seen many asions together. But this time, you messed up a great deal, Hunter. As an individual I think ire deserves a guy who is not you. You can¡¯t have her again.¡± A very familiar and sharp pain pierced Hunter¡¯s chest at the words. He tried not to stagger but it was too much to bear. His own best friend was saying things he shouldn¡¯t. 1¡­ Know I have destroyed my happy marriage with my own hands. I shouldn¡¯t bother her and all that. What about my heart? It wants to be with ber. Hunter said in an undertone, his voice edged with pain. ¡°Kill your heart. Make it stop beating if that¡¯s what it would take to stop you from stalking her like a psychopath¡± ¡°Maybe ire¡¯s family and friends told her the same thing when she fell in love with me years ago! But she didn¡¯t stop no matter what others told her. She listened to what her heart said. I¡¯m going through the same phase. A small smile touched his lips. The time has reversed. Cole. It¡¯s my turn to chase my love. If ire didn¡¯t hesitate to chase me, why should I will take my chance. Cole was amazed to see him smiling. He shook Hunter and hissed, ¡°Are you crazy, Hunter? Do you even know what you¡¯re saying! You can¡¯t have ire again. She will never take you back? ¡°I know I don¡¯t deserve a second chance and ire will never take me back.¡± Hunter¡¯s smile widened. He was really acting crazy. Thought Cole. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I shouldn¡¯t try. ire would hate me more if I don¡¯t go after her. She will regret her choice. Hunter said and turned around to make a call to his investigator While he was busy instructing him to get him all the details of the man ire went on a date with, anger ovepped and bubbled in Cole¡¯s chest. He¡¯s going to make ire hate him the most. Damn you, Hunter Macintyret You¡¯re pitifully unlucky in love. You were heartbroken the first time you loved someone and left alone. When someone else loved you, you ignored her. Now that she doesn¡¯t want to even see your face, you want to be with her again! There¡¯s no other chance to redeem yourself. The crimes you havemitted are abominable¡± Cole murmured under a breath while shaking his head. However, the determination he saw in Hunder¡¯s eyes stummed him. He looked so focused and stayed put. Chapter 66 ¡°Fine. If you think you can win your ex¨Cwife over again then go ahead with it. Good luck with it. I just hope you won¡¯t end up hurting her more ¡°What happened? Why are you looking so grim all of a sudden?¡± Cole came back to present. Hunter was brutally silent. His jaw was so tight that it looked like he might break it, considering all the force he was using to gnaw his teeth. ¡°That fucker. He is Pavel Maury, a model by profession. He¡¯s used of molesting several struggling models in the name of providing them work Hunter¡¯s eyes were pools of brewing sin as he lifted hisshes. ¡°He¡¯s taken ire to the pubs where those models imed Maury took them.¡± ¡°And¡°¡±Suddenly Cole¡¯s skin was feeling hot. Ever since issues emerged in ire and Hunter¡¯s life, he dered that he was team ire. He was supporting her even after she refused to see him. Hearing Use intel Hunter just shared, he shuddered in worry for her. ¡°The manager and the senior bartender are his allies. They work together to drug the girls and take advantage of them.¡± ¡°This sounds like raw trouble.¡± Cole confessed. ¡°They won¡¯t be able to make a sound if any one of them dared to do anything with my woman Cole¡¯s eyebrows flew high in stupor. Hearing Hunter call ire his woman sounded weird. ¡°What now? ¡°I am going to the pub. You stay here.¡± ¡°Wait, what¡± Cole frowned. ¡°Zara is your responsiby. No, Liability Maybe both. Whatever it is you are bound to her so you will stay. I will go to the pub,¡± ¡°What right do you have to go t I¡¯m her friend.¡± to the pub Hunter quivered in a mad fit of rage. ¡°And I am her¡­¡± His high¨Cpitched voice trailed out. I am her ex¨Chusband now¡± The words were a soft murmur, ¡°Exactly. You are her ex¨Chusband. She would rather want to be hurt than be saved by you. So let me go Cole had a point. Hunter wasn¡¯t ready to let him go. After all, it was him who had to make efforts to rebuild his image in her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Hence he suggested. It was another shocking revtion for Cole, He was about to ask how he can leave Zara alone while she¡¯s being operated when Hunter stated, ¡°She¡¯s in one of the best hospitals of Bloomcrest. Nothing will happen to her ¡°Your good deeds done in RavenMoore has gotten their attention, dumb fuck!¡± Cole said with a serious look. ¡°Don¡¯t make it obvious that you don¡¯t want her any more. They weren¡¯t doing anything to her because she was under your wing. If you show that you don¡¯t care at all then she¡¯s a dead body.¡± Hunter seemed to think about it. He didn¡¯t take more than two minutes before announcing. ¡°I¡¯ll leave three of my guards to look after her.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea. ¡°ire is alone with that pervert, Cole! I can¡¯t waste more time. You can stay here for her if you want. Or let the guards take care of her.¡± Hunter said with finality, leaving no room for arguments. Cole hissed as he shook his head. His best friend¡¯s way of love was different and merciless. When he thought he was in love with Zara, he treated. ire with ignorance. The cycle was moving again but this time it was Zara on the worse side of the spectrum, falling victim to his ignorance and heartlessness. In the end, they decided to go to save ire together, and as stated, three of Hunter¡¯s personal bodyguards remained behind for Zara They were driving silently in Hunter¡¯s car when Cole noticed him loading bullets in his glock. ¡°You don¡¯t need a gun to resolve this issue!¡± ¡°Anyone who touches ire is going to get a bullet between their eyes.¡± Hunter didn¡¯t look up. Bewilderment rendered Code breathless. He didn¡¯t know whether this reaction was the side effect of pure love¡­ Or a jealous ex¨Chusband¡¯s 8:43 PM Chapter 66 ¡°Where have you brought me, Pavel? I don¡¯t like this ce.¡± ire bit the inside of her cheeks, feeling anxious, 1 She swept a wary gaze around her and felt blood rushing south in her belly. The women here were poorly dressed and men didn¡¯t look decent. The music was cringe and the air sanelled of bad stink of alcohol and smoke. ¡°This is a heaven for people like us, ire, who need an escape from the harsh realities of life.¡± Pavel replied while leaning into her. She promptly moved away and forced him a nervous grin ¡°Chill you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. I am here with you.¡± Pavel put a hand on her knee. Although ire smiled at him, she didn¡¯t like his touch on her bare flesh. It was burning and making her ufortable. When she looked at him, her conscience screamed at her. was a bad idea to Chapter 67 Chapter 67 07 It 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. ire had sensed Pavel wasn¡¯t a goodpany 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 gs ¡°ire, you haven¡¯t touched your drink yet. What are you thinking? Drink it¡± Pavel raised the ss to her lips. ¡°Ern, yeah, I will. Give it to me.¡± She had to insist to him for a while to let the ss 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, ire 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 asking her to finish her drink. Why was that? Because it was spiked? ire didn¡¯t even assume the rest. She ler the drink sit in its spot as she stuck her thighs together. The ce was warm with so many bodies creating heat and unbearable stink of sex and lust. She was still cold and her nose was numb from all the deep breathing. She was trying to stay calm to avoid attracting Pavel¡¯s attention He still presumed she was an imbecile. That she hadn¡¯t detected his ill¨Comened intentions. She was merely putting up with his act so he would not be cautious of her vignce. She had to stay calm if she had to get out of there unharmed. And the chance would be thinner and thinner if Pavel got the smell of her watchfulness. Jitters spread through ire as she heard loud moansing from the adjacent booth. It made her realize they were sitting in a dark booth surrounded by men and women eating out each other. Only a few red bulbs were in every corner, lighting the ce. She checked her phone and bile rose to her mouth There was nowork. Thus, eliminating her chance to get out without Pavel. She couldn¡¯t ce a call and eventually couldn¡¯t summon a savior, ¡°ire,¡± Pavel¡¯s voice close to her face made her hackles rise. She wanted to shift but a man sat to her side, sandwiching her between the two. She would graze his back with her side if she moved. So she stayed still, allowing Pavel to breach her privacy. ¡°You are sweating, ire. Everything alright!¡± ire shivered because Pavel¡¯s voice held a scary undertone despite it being calm. It spoke of his sinful intentions ¡°I.. I want to get out of here, Pavel Let¡¯s leave here. L. ire was honest with her feelings. She still had hope that Pavel may take her back home if she insisted on him. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay, ire. I see this is your first timeing here. His words confirmed he wasn¡¯t looking forward to granting her soon. ¡°I just don¡¯t like it here. This is out of my taste. Please, take me out of here¡± ¡°Alright, fine. First drink this¡± ire was about to refuse as she didn¡¯t want to be drugged because everything about the setting seemed like it. ¡°It¡¯s water, ire. Don¡¯t worry I will not make you consume anything intoxicating if you¡¯re not feeling well¡± r wish any time Relief settled in the pit of her stomach. It was as little as a sand grain. But she was calming down. There was still hope of getting out of here, and only Pavel could do that. ¡°Thanks¡± ire kept tremors out of her tone in order to indicate she trusted him. She pretended to drink water before she loosened her hold on the ss. The front of her dress got soaked in water. She moaned in distaste as she attempted to jerk water off her dress.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Uh¨C! My hands were sweaty ire faked an apologetic look. ¡°Can you tell me where the washroom is?¡± ¡°Frm, but You don¡¯t have toe with me, Pavel, just tell me the route. I will be back in a minute? 8:43 PM Chapter 67 ¡°Okay. So it is¡­¡± Pavel smiled and gave her the direction to the restroom. ire followed the directions shared by him. But instead of taking thest turn that was supposed to take her to the restroom, she took right. The right turn was to take her out of the pub. ire took long strides as she tried not to totter and fall for her knees were shaking and the length of her exposed legs were numb despite the warm air. It was terror consuming her from bottom to top. All the control she had kept on her body metamorphosed to mush. Her nerves rushed with adrenaline as she hastily moved towards the exit. She swore not to go out with any man like this again. No matter h how closely she knew him. Not at all. ire could see a worn¨Cout door. It appeared ominously dangerous like a door to hell. A red bulb was aglow on the top, making her steps falter. ire stopped and gaped at the knob. She surmised whether she should open it. ¡°ire?¡± Pavel¡¯s voice echoed in the empty corridor. ire gawked over her shoulders and without a second thought she got hold of the knob of the door. ¡°ire, I told you not to take the right turn. It leads to the exit. Why are¡­¡± Hisst words became incoherent as she twisted the knob and pushed it §à§â§Ö§á Her eyes seemed to be nk from fear as Pavel¡¯s following footsteps thudded in her ears, ire didn¡¯t look straight as she ran into a hard chest. She let out a yelp as cold hands grasped her by the shoulders. ¡°Haha, you are a genius, Maury! The girl literally did as you have narrated. She took the right turn thinking that it would take her out of the pub, walking right into ourir though. You deserve our praise.¡± A sinisterughter buzzed in ire¡¯s ears, making terror engulf herpletely. Tbc¡­. ire is in danger. Will Hunter be able to save her? Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Her 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 l¡¯avet¡¯s smirking face, ¡°Thanks, buildies¡± He stopped right in front of ire meanwhile his eyes zed over her body like a magnifying ss on an invaluable fossil remains, ¡°I knew she wouldn¡¯t be an rasy target from the inoment we stepped inside the puls. The way she looked around and pretended to be cool about everything maile it obvious that she wouldn¡¯t fall for my niceness. So I had to do this Favel 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, ire, You refused me in the past like I wasn¡¯t worth the hassle.¡± He sneered before turning to his allies, the manager and the bartender. ¡°But after she was ditched and thrown aside by her rich husband she came to me like a moth drawn to fire. Such a loose woman she ist¡± Pavel pinched her chin, making shivers erupt at the back of her legs. But ire didn¡¯t budge. She remainedposed, thinking about what she should do next. Pavel¡¯s disgracing works became a beep sound in her mind as she contemted how to get out of here She made a rough calction in her mind with regards to the room she was in. It was small in size. Not adequately luminous. There was a shell to her left with what looked like adult toys and a huge box oftex. Fear infused in her blood, running madly through her system. It didn¡¯t take long to realize that she wasn¡¯t the first woman to end up in that room between the three men. They were ustomed to it, and looking how smug and carefree they appeared, they hadn¡¯t been caught before. However, there¡¯s a first time for everything in this world. ire vowed that she would break the cycle of their turpitude and bring it out in front of everyone. She contained her anxiety and ventured to measure the distance between her and the door. It wasn¡¯t huge just a few steps. Roughly ten. The only obstacle was Pavel since the other two men were on this side of the room. She could get out if she used her brains proficiently. And if she¡¯s to rum without her high heels, the chances of escaping would multiply That being calcted, ire forced a delighted smile. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed in you. Pavel, ire sped his fist. She stroked his fingers up and down all the way to his elbow before she trailed her hands up his shoulders. ¡°Reminiscing the way you escorted me, I expected you to simp for me. I thought I would throw some tantrums before giving in. It¡¯s a shame that you are not taking me to your ce to have a good time¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gone to my ce. You are too conceited to give me a chance. You like men like your husband. Not a model like me who get paycheck for every walk of his life. Pavel sniggered as he watched her lips pout ¡°That¡¯s your overall idea of me! I¡¯m hurt? Chine oved away. She catwalked towards the door and leaned against it. She called the distrustful eyes of the three men on her body as she crossed her legs. ¡°You should know better that a woman who is hurt in love by her Ex would never go to another man who has even the slightest resemnce to him. I came to you because you seemed different. And I¡¯ll be honest,¡± She lifted a foot to release it from the confinement of her shoe. While doing the same to her other foot, she continued, ¡°I was ttered by your outstanding performance on the ramp. You don¡¯t know it, Pavel, but I¡¯ve been following up with your work.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to believe it, and ire was not fully prepared to bail out just yet. So she must buy time for herself. And judging from the looks of each man, it needed another two minutes topletely enchant them. They were half bewitched by her act of removing shoes. Perhaps, if she detached her long cost from her body and threw it on one of them then it would give her mough time to open the door and make a run for her life. What was important now was to get out of this study room. The more time she stayed here the more difficult it would be to avoid their hands on her body. Because the men would soon nk out of the trance of allure and pound on her. She had to act before they slipped into the next mood Once she was out of the room, she could find a way our of the pub too, Hence, it was the room that she had to avoid. ¡°Penelope is my best friend. You are always wearing her designs and walking for her. Who do you think rmends your name to her every time she has to organize an event? ire raised a body¨Cbolting brow with a tempting smile, The men were in her spell. Completely immobile. To make the immobility stay longer, she removed her coat and dropped it by her foot. The men gasped. Their eyes taking in her cleavage. 0 1:43 PM Chapter 68 Nope, she didn¡¯t throw the coat on them as it would have made her look desperate for the night and broke their spell quicker. ¡°I can get you more work and make you a bigger model. You can have the model of the year award this year in your name. All I have to do to make it happen is just make a call. Just a call, Pavel. A call to change your life. ire said thest statement with a rasp, sounding like a temptress. ¡°Not just yours. Your friends can have a brighter future too. All I have to do is make a call.¡± Her hand behind her back found the knob. ire twisted it. The sound of the click could serve as a snap for the men and jerk them out of their reverie. But it didn¡¯t happen. They were rooted in their spot, her spell working on them. ire took the chance and moved away. She parted the door wide and stepped on the other side. She didn¡¯t run right away. Since they were three and she was alone in a ce she didn¡¯t know at all, she bolted the lock from the outside. The key was luckily stuck in the hole. She turned it and then tossed it in the darkness before she took off like a rocker, As she crossed the long corridor, the sounds of angry fists banging on the door r rippled in her ears. ire didn¡¯t look behind as she ran. She ran from one passage to another. It was a maze she couldn¡¯t get past through. Her heart was in her mouth when she came to the room with the dance floor and booths, detonating with loud music ¡°Where do I go? I can¡¯t seem to find the way out¡± ire breathed heavily She was looking around the room and her eyes watered, finding a certain face in the crowd. ¡°Cole* Her eyes flickered brutally as she couldn¡¯t believe her luck. She was going to be saved. The feeling of respire filled her body. She made her ways through the swarm of drank individuals syncing with the beat of the music. ire was about to reach the person but suddenly she felt herself being yanked behind.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Found her!¡± She heard a heavy voice over her head. Between her tears she looked at the man and blood siphoned from her face. The manager found her. ¡°No, help! He¡± Her cry for help was suppressed behind a hand that covered her mouth. She wriggled except that it was ineffectual. With dread epassing her fully, her hody had be weak. She couldn¡¯t ce her feet ground Lthe ire was being taken back through the corridors she just wandered through to find an escape. She was going to end up in that room again. This time no enchantment of her would work on them. They wouldn¡¯t let her try it in the first ce. She had almost given up when a cyclone of persistence unfurled in her chest, encouraging her to try again. She was her father¡¯s strong daughter. She couldn¡¯t give up. ire took a deep breath from her nose before she opened her mouth wide. Taking in the man¡¯s hand between her teeth she bit on it with full strength. He wailed in pain, his grip on her bing less rigid. It was adequate to pull out of his hold. ire yanked herself out forcefully and she copsed on the floor. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t stop. She craded and then got on her feet ire fled off without looking ahead. Her intent was to stay out and away from their hands. She ran through the corridors. Left and right. Non¨Cstop. At one point, she felt like she heard Pavel behind her. His tone put wheels on her feet and the ran faster. With every gasping breath, she could feel their presence closing in. Even if panic surged through her veins, she kept moving As ire turned a corner while looking behind her to see if they were close, she bumped into a man. Dread took hold of her. She thought it was Pavel or his two aplices. ¡°ire, you alrightr That voice, though, made time freeze. Her eyes came up and widmed in disbelief and relief. ¡°T¨CTyler,¡± Tears clogged her eyesight as ire¡¯s trembling hands fell on his shoulders. It has to be a dream. ire squeezed his shoulders to see to it if she was in a dream. Tyler couldn¡¯t be here. She had seen himst in RavenMoore ¡°What are you doing in this ce! It¡¯s a red light area. His voice was tight. What ire discerned was that it was real and the frown between his eyes filled her heart with joy against dread. ire¡¯s eyes brimmed mure as she sobbed. Tyler was here. It was him in real. Not a dream. Chapter 68 Nope, she didn¡¯t throw the coat on them as it would have made her look desperate for the night and broke their spell quicker. ¡°I can get you more work and make you a bigger model. You can have the model of the year award this year in your name. All I have to do to make it happen is just make a call just a call, Pavel. A call to change your life.¡± ire said the statement with a rasp, sounding like a temptress. *Not just yours. Your friends can have a brighter future too: All I have to do is make a call¡± Her hand behind her back found the knob. ire twisted it. The sound of the click could serve as a snap for the men and jerk them out of their reverie. But it didn¡¯t happen. They were rooted in their spot, her spell working on them. ire took the chance and moved away. She parted the door wide and stepped on the other side. She didn¡¯t run right away. Since they were three and she was alone in a ce she didn¡¯t know at all, she bolted the lock from the outside. The key was luckily stuck in the hole. She turned it and then tossed it in the darkness before she took off like a rocket As she crossed the long corridor, the sounds of angry fists banging on the door rippled in her ears. ire didn¡¯t look behind as she ran. She ran from one passage to another. It was a maze she couldn¡¯t get past through. Her heart was in her mouth when she came to the room with the dance floor and booths, detonating with loud music. ¡°Where do I got I can¡¯t seem to find the way out. ire breathed heavily. She was looking around the room and her eyes watered, finding a certain face in the crowd. ¡°Coler Her eyes flickered brutally as she couldn¡¯t believe her luck. She was going to be saved. The feeling of respite filled her body. She made her waya through the swarm of drunk individuals syncing with the beat of the music. ire was about to reach the person but suddenly she felt herself being yanked behind. ¡°Found her!¡± She heard a heavy voice over her head. Between her tears she looked at the man and blood siphoned from her face. The manager found her. ¡°No, help! He-¡°Her cry for help was suppressed behind a hand that covered her mouth. She wriggled except that it was ineffectual. With dread epassing her fully, her body had be weak. She couldn¡¯t ce her feet still on the ground. ire was being taken back through the corridors she just wandered through to find an escape. She was going to end up in that room again. This time no enchantment of her would work on them. They wouldn¡¯t let her try it in the first ce. She had almost given up when a cyclone of persistence unfurled in her chest, encouraging her to try again. She was her father¡¯s strong daughter. She couldn¡¯t give up. ire took a deep breath from her nose before she opened her mouth wide. Taking in the man¡¯s hand between her teeth she hit on it with full strength. He wailed in pain, his grip on her bing less rigid. It was adequate to pull out of his hold. ire yanked herself out forcefully and she copsed on the floor. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t stop. She crawled and then got on her feet ire fled off without looking ahead. Her intent was to stay out and away from their hands. She ran through the corridors. Left and right. Non¨Cstop. At one point, she felt like she heard Pavel behind her. His tone put wheels on her feet and she ran faster. With every gasping breath, she could feel their presence closing in. Even if panic surged through her veins, she kept moving As ire turned a corner while looking behind her to see if they were close, she bumped into a man. Dread took hold of her. She thought it was Pavel or his two aplices. ¡°ire, you alright That voice, though, made time freeze. Her eyes came up and widened in disbelief and relief. ¡°T¨CTyler¡± Tears clogged her eyesight as ire¡¯s trembling hands fell on his shoulders. It has to be a dream. ire squeezed his shoulders to see to it if she was in a dream. Tyler couldn¡¯t be here. She had seen himst in RavesMoore. ¡°What are you doing in this ce! It¡¯s a red light area. His voice was tight. What ire discerned was that it was real and the frown between his eyes filled her heart with joy against dread ire¡¯s eyes brimmed more as the sobbed. Tyler was here. It was him in real. Not a dream. 0 Chapter 68 ¡°You are cold and trembling. Take my coat.¡± He said and sought after removing his coat, his brows furrowing further, ire couldn¡¯t hold it any more. She pressed her face in his shoulder and broke down in his arms. ¡°Tyler. Tyler, I¡¯m so d that you came. Tyler, th¨Cthey were after me. T¨Cthey wanted to¡­ She trailed off and came undone in his arms. Meanwhile, Hunter, who was also looking for ire with Cole, came there. He witnessed her throwing herself in his arms and his heart raced like a racehorse behind his ribs. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 69 ire never presumed she would feel this relieved in Tyler¡¯s arms. She clutched his coat at his hack 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 contemted worse things happening to her. And why? Because she acted on impule after seeing her ex¨Chusband 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 sear it carved on her mind would stay for days. Maybe weeks ¡°ire. Tyler¡¯sforting voice made her trembling stop. It also reminded her that he was not the man she should get thisfort from. Irrespective of how safe she felt in his arms, it was risky and a bad idea. Just likeing here with Pavel had been a bad idea. She couldn¡¯t lean on Tyler not because she didn¡¯t want to but because of his and her own wellbeing. Hunter for him and Tia Murphy for her would emerge as an inevitable predicament in their lives. And the thought of them both made bile rise in her mouth. ¡°I am sorry¡± ire stammered as she detached from him and noticed the look of worry on his face. Tyler held his breaths. It didn¡¯t take him more than two seconds toprehend what possibility she was trying to bail out from. His eyes became stone, his huts clenching unt has knuckles tumed white. dbus back! ¡°Stay behind me ¡°Tyler used a hand to pull her behind his back. Although ire couldn¡¯t see, she was certain his face could make an evil entity stagger in his spot too. So it wasn¡¯t a surprise Pavel was taking shivering steps back. ¡°It it¡¯s not what you think¡° Pavel spoke timally. ire hugged her arms, feeling pieces of her angesing back together to be one and impactful again. Such a cowardly man be wat She sped her fists tight as she opened her mouth. ¡°Is it not Beurtes, how do you know what I was thinking¡± Tyler didn¡¯t give him a moment to fabricate his excuse as he swung his arm forcefully. rannreting his fist with Pavel¡® jaw. ire ¨¤ voce turned in a yelp as she covered her mouth. Her eyes nked tears and flickered in shock Pavel was on the ground holding his bleeding mouth. ¡°S¨Cshr. She a asked toe lite¡± Pavel hissed while holding has jaw together. It was broken. His words were a slur and his eyes watery, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare me her, douche Lag ¡°IP¨Cpromise she ¡°You will not go on your feet from here¡± He grumbled. Tyler took a step towards him. His bodynguage could make the devil himself want to run away Though ording to re only Hunter had that abbey, Tyler was giving her simr vibes. Will any man feel any different if he funds a woman barefoot and teary faced, bring chased by a man! Not to mention the ce they were in Thinking about all that made fire burn in Tyler¡¯s chest. He kicked Pavel. His cries didn¡¯t make him stop. He continued to thrash him until he was all blood. in him ire saw the manying stock¨Cstill. She raised her twitching hands to stop ¡°Hein out, Tyler¡± She held his arm. ¡°The pain will wake him up again and I will beat him to unconsciousness again¡± Tyler said between tightly clenched teeth He wasn¡¯t in the mood to stop, ire looked up at his face and the memories from that night numbed her body. The scabbed wounds on his face and knuckles reminded her of the fight her ex-husband and he had over her. And eventually it struck her that this was not RavenMoore. This was Bloomcrest. Hunter & territory. Tyler being here was an indication of world war three. More bloodshed, more pain, more trauma and 0 46 PM Chapter 69 more tears forming at the sight of everything began its jittery course through her body, ¡°He¡¯s gotten what he deserved. You have hurt him enough.¡± ire tried to pull him away. ¡°This is a red light area and this man is used of molesting a bunch of models in this ce. Do you know what would have happened to your image if the news got out that you visited here with him?¡± He released his hand from her hold to grab Pavel ire remained persistent. Even though the information he disclosed left her eyes wide, she focused on pulling him back. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s nothing left of my image. Let him go ande with me.¡± Not yet He will be punished forying his evil eyes on you. He concluded, causing her mouth to twist. ¡°What right do you have to punish him? Who are you to me. Tyler Murphy?¡± Her yell froze him, his hands that fell limp to his sides. ¡°Come with me at this instant.¡± She pulled him away. ire halted at a point, not knowing which way to go. Her shoulders began to tense as the images of ten minutes ago became fresh in her mind.. ¡°Come this way¡± Tyler said after detecting her nk face. While he led her out, ire¡¯s heart started catching speed in her chest. Her lips quivered as the silently thanked Tyler for making himself appear. Indeed it was stunning to see him in Bloomerest but she couldn¡¯t be any grateful. He came at the right time. If he hadn¡¯t then she would have ended up¡­ ire heaved out loudly to break free from those thoughts As they came out of the pub under the open sky, her heart seemed to abruptly stall. Difort she had felt whileing here crept through her. All the oxygen and sound that existed were abruptly sucked away, and there was simply a void of vast endlessness before her. There was no air. She felt like she was suffocating. Her heart started pounding. Beating faster and faster. She could hear it. She could feel how it was trying to free itself from her ribs. ¡°ire, Tyler shook her, his voice snapping her from her distressing reverie. When she saw in his eyes, she saw concern. And immediately hardness crept into her facial features. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± She stunned him with the steel in her voice. ¡°Let go of me, Cole. I won¡¯t let that bastard breathe!¡± Hunter ground his teeth together as he tried to release his arm from Cole¡¯s tight hold ¡°You make me want to punch that pretty face of yours. You know how dirty your behaviour looke ire will not be happy seeing you like this.¡± Cole hissed as he pulled Hunter back to the serving counter It had taken every ounce of his energy to yank Hunter out of the previous setting. The image of ire hugging Tyler had released adrenaline and shock in Cole¡¯s blood too but one of them had to remain calm. Since Hunter couldn¡¯t, he took it upon himself to keep both of them under control. ¡°She hugged him. Thest time I saw them, they were merely strangers. They havee to the point now that she¡¯s hugging him to seek relief. I can¡¯t stay with those images. I will kill him.¡± Hunter ran a quivering hand through his hair. His scalp was throbbing. It was too much to see in a few hours. Firstly he saw ire in Pavel¡¯s arms. Then in Tyler¡¯s. It was as if his worst nightmare was bing his reality. 1 would have reduced him to pulp and pool of blood had you not dragged me here¡± Hunter banged his fists on the serving surface. ¡°And with what right would you do that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any right or reason to beat that bastard. The fact that he¡¯s after ire is enough for me¡± ¡°That¡¯s your jealousy speaking. Here, drink this and cool down¡± Hunter pped the ss away and shot his fuming gaze up, ¡°ire is with him and you¡¯re asking me to cool down. I wonder if you¡¯re still my best friend¡± Cole sat back as he observed Hunter use him. As if he was the one at fault. ¡°I could have been the one holding ire. It would have been in my car she was going back home safely. But you pulled me out of there like I¡¯m not the guy ire loved but him. You made me give them privacy. You gave another reason to her to praise that ass hole for the rescue I could have easily pulled out.¡± 0 3600 PM Chapter 69 ¡°And then what?¡± Cole snapped. ¡°After saving her, what would you have told her if she asked you how you got to know about Pavel and her date? How would you answer her other questions?¡± 0 ¡°Questions concerning the spy you left outside her house. Questions about why you wanted to save her. Don¡¯t forget you brutally ditched her for Zara. You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Cole drank his drink in a long swig and set the ss down with a loud noise. ¡°How would you have answered ire¡¯s questions regarding leaving Zara in a hospital toe and save her? Zara is your wife in her eyes, isn¡¯t she? You would have looked like a fool, Hunter. It makes no sense why you will leave Zara for her.¡± ¡°So you see¡­ I just saved you from answering those questions because I know you have none.¡± Hunter¡¯s eyes lowered while his friend¡¯s voice increased and sounded above the music in his cars. Cole did have a point. Had Hunter been the one saving ire, he would have to answer all those questions. And some of the questions could be answered with one sentence¡ª¡°Because I love you. It made no sense. ire would have pasted a hard p on his face. Probably spit on his face too. She would have reprimanded him and hated him more if he said he fell for her. No man can fall for his ex¨Cwife after the divorce. After breaking her heart. After making her lose her baby. After destroying all her dreams about having a happy married life with the man she became infatuated with at a young age. ¡°I do love her but you¡¯re right she would never believe me,¡± He murmured under his breath while slumping on the counter. Cole saw the defeat taking over his features and felt bad. ¡°Your love would have be the reason for your fall in her eyes. You are not the man who acknowledges other¡¯s efforts but you will have to agree that I saved you, Hunter.¡± Hunter ordered a drink. Then another. Then another. ¡®Another one.¡± When he ordered another one, the bartender took a bewildered nce at Hunter from his peripheral vision. His forehead creased because the intimidating billionaire was looking at him only. He pretended not to notice it and went about making Hunter¡¯s drink. Hunter saw how his hands moved professionally. The more he saw the more intense his wrath became. ng to Cole, he raised a dark brow TurningCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°This bartender reminds me of that one.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Cole furrowed a brow. ¡°Pavel¡¯s bartender friend!¡± ¡°And the manager.¡± Hunter got up. His drink was forwarded. Downing it desperately, he heaved. Then he moved away from the counter saying. ¡°You stopped me from hurting Murphy. I dare you try it with Pavel and his men. The¡­ Chapter 70 Chapter 70 ??? Cole 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 ck 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 isted part of the pub that wasn¡¯t open for anyone except the stall. ¡°And I don¡¯t give two fucks why and how Murphy bear Pavel Maury. I¡¯m not going to let him go easily the y.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 the wall. Cole said with obvious mockery dripping from his tone. ¡°They must be stupid to try it since you are so clever. Huh! You¡¯re wasting our time, Hunter. Let¡¯s go back. I have a new sculpture to start working on from tomorrow. As he lifted a hand to pull Hunter with him, Hunter pounded his knuckles on the wall. The hollow sound that followed stunned Cole momentarily. That looks like¡­ ¡°A door in disguise of a wall. Hunterpleted it for him. Turning his head to Cole, be shed a sour look as if saying, ¡°You¡¯re not smarter than me and you can never be Then be turned back to the wall to ess a small element shaped like a star. It was protruded and can easily fit between one¡¯s forefinger and thumb. Hunter twisted it three stary degrees, and with a click sound, a creak parted in the extremeer where the ¡®door in disguise¡® was connected with the adjacent wall. ¡°Smart ass.¡± Hunter muttered loud enough for Cole¡¯s ears Then he slid the door to the side, revealing a room. The walls were dusted with a chickyer of dirt and a tube light obscured with cobwebs. The light reflected dimly due to the cobwebs but enough for Hunter to identify a man dressed in a bartender¡¯s uniform trying to cower away from him. He was attempting hard to be one with the wall. Not that it was going to help avoid Hunter¡¯s scathing appraisal, who was standing true to his name¡¯s meaning. The Hunter¡¯s mode was on, the predatory instincts activated. Cole pitied the man. He felt bad already for the upcorning few minutes of his life were going to be painful. He still wanted to try to save him. ¡°It¡¯s just the bartender. You can¡¯t seek pleasure from his pain alone. Although he wished both of Pavel¡¯s partners to see a brutal time for having corrupted thoughts towards hurting ire, he believed there were other ways to punish them. They requiredw to take care of it. Hunter was neitherw nor the maker or breaker of it. ¡°The manager has been smoothly escorted to my torture chamber. Pavel Maury is in the back of my car. Hunter smirked with a light tilt to his head as he lifted his gaze to meet his friend¡¯s. The animal in him made Cole¡¯s breathing be speedy. There was nothing stopping him from bing thew himself. By the mention of torture chamber he recalled the small, square¨Cshaped, years ago when an employee of his decided to disregard his vow of loyalty. An employee who bravely stole his business ¡°secret and sought after selling them to his rivals. This happened in the beginning years when Hunter was endeavoring to build his family empire bigger. The rivals and their obsession with his business tactics forced them to go to the extent to buy one of his employees against him. Hunter was deeply hurt as an employer, who hunkered after providing the best working environment and mary benefits for his employees hard work. He let his demon empower and swore to create an example both for the muscle he hired and his rivals. He also wanted to unfurl his terror for thepetitors to never even let the thought of buying his employee against him cross their mind But that was the one and only time Hunter made use of the torture room. It has been reserved as a terror¨Ccreating instrument among his rivals. Hearing Hunter make mention of it brought sweat beads on Cole¡¯s forehead ¡°The manager confessed to touching her. He deserves my attention a little more than this one. Hunter stated as he sat on his haunches in front of 0Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. 8.40 rm Chapter 70 the bartender. His breathing was rugged and noisy. The dread in his eyes could make a lion have mercy on him. It couldn¡¯t move, nevertheless, Hunter¡¯s emotions. ¦° ¡°I¡­ It w¨Cwas Pavel¡¯s idea. H¨Che would lure girls here to have some fun. I n¨Cnever liked the idea b¨Cbut the manager¡¯s offer was too tempting to pass He stammered, his mouth shaking. He blinked rapidly and continued in a begging tone, ¡°I¡­ Id¨Cdidn¡¯t touch even a hair o¨Con your ex¨Cwife¡¯s head. P¨Cplease forgive me and let me go. 1 will never do it again or work.¡± Hunter sniggered. If he wasn¡¯t pissed earlier, he was now after the bartender guy brought up ire¡­ That too in a way he wasn¡¯t willing to hear. The ex¨Cwife word increased his anger. ¡°I¡¯ll take it into consideration.¡± Hunter drawled. ¡°No hands then. Good for you.¡± A man knocked behind Hunter and Cole before entering. He had a sharp knife with a thick hilt. The sight of the glistening de made Cole¡¯s mouth hang open. ¡°What the hell is this, Hunter! You can¡¯t do this.¡± Hunter avoided him and got up again. He faced the man, who was basically one of his loyal men, and pointed with a look over his shoulder. ¡°He didn¡¯t use his hands. But his mouth is annoying.¡± Hunter spoke, recalling he addressed ire as his ex¨Cwife. Take his tongue. Cole stood there frozen while Hunter brushed past him. His nose scrunched as the throaty cries of the bartender tore through him. He watched the man struggle but Hunter¡¯s employee was double his size. He knew what he had to do with the de. It was done in less than a minute. The tongue was given a look and then tossed to the side. ¡°Work done, sir.¡± Then the intimation was made on a wireless single ear bluetooth headphone. The order of evacuation was received and the man left without a muscle on his face flinching. There was no use staying as the deed was done. Cole sighed once before he turned around to leave. However, he couldn¡¯t shove the look of Hunter¡¯s face out of his memory. The Predator in him was going to cause quite a ruckus in the name of love. The drive had been silent for ten minutes or something Just the amount of time ire needed to unfasten the knots that has be of her nerves. She was breathing fine and in the right mind to discuss Tyler¡¯s existence in Bloomcrest. She made ament, ¡°What brings RavenMoore¡¯s heat to Bloomcrest?¡± Tbc¡­ The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!