《Falling In Love With Him – Her First Love》


 Chapter 1 - Welcome To The World

    <strong>New South Wales,</strong>

    <strong>Sydney,</strong>

    <strong>Australia.</strong>

    Alexander ran his eyes from the concrete floor to the top edge of the building through the tinted window of his ck BMW. The exterior of the ss surfaces made the frontage appear as though the entire building had itself constructed with the ss.

    Letting out a nervous sigh, he got out of the car as his driver held the door open for him. His bodyguards in formal attire escorted him to the building. His tall, well-built personality, his handsome face, and the powerful aura emanating from him as he walked briskly with his jean-d long legs attracted attention. He could sense all the eyes on him watching in awe, without even ncing at them.

    As the doors to the elevator closed, Alexander looked at his reflection in the mirror-like steel walls. His face was impassive, not disclosing the true feelings he was experiencing inside. The doors opened with a ding as they reached the top floor of the building..

    "All set, the doctors need your signature on these papers to proceed," his right-hand man, Sebastian Romano said, giving him the papers as soon as Alexander stepped out of the elevator. The forty-plus male doctor with a mixture of brown and grey hair shook his hands and informed him about the condition of Mariana.

    Alexander signed the papers and nodded, giving the doctor his permission to proceed with the operation.

    An hour had passed since he signed the papers. The wait was killing what little patience left in him.

    Alexander was tired of pacing and watching the doctors and nurses running in their blue uniforms. He looked down from the tinted ss window, watching the train and other different vehicles, and the pedestrians on the busy road of George Street. Even though the September weather in Sydney was warm and pleasant, the air-conditioning running in the building made him feel cold.

    He could bet that he was getting goosebumps on his arms hidden under the long-sleeved ck shirt he wore. But he knew it had nothing to do with the air-conditioning. The worry was making him nervous. It was one of the best maternity hospitals in Sydney, yet he couldn''t stop himself from worrying.

    Alexander sensed Sebastian''s presence even before the reflection of his tall frame appeared on the ss windows. He held two disposable coffee cups in his hands and offered one to Alexander. Sipping the coffee, Alexander wished he could substitute it with a ss of whiskey or scotch.

    "You should have let Felicitye with you. You look like shit, worrying your ass off. What made you think that you could handle the situation alone?" Sebastian asked, eyeing his tired face. Though Alexander had kept his face void of any emotion, Sebastian could see the hidden worry marring his face. His green eyes looked anxious and shoulder too stiff.

    Dressed in ck jeans and a ck shirt, Alexander looked nothing like the sessful businessman he was. No one would believe that he''s one of the richest men in the world. Judging by the simple attire and the untucked shirt, Sebastian knew that he''d left home in a hurry.

    "I would rather not see her in the hospital, and you know it, Romano," Alexander said. His beautiful, beloved wife Felicity was his life. She had almost died during their son''s birth three years ago. Sitting next to her bed, holding her hand, waiting for her to regain consciousness, those critical hours spent in the hospital room were Alexander''s worst nightmare.

    Since then, just the thought of seeing his Felicity in the hospital scared him to death. He would rather die than experiencing that heartache again.

    He missed having her next to him. He knew that her presence alone could wipe out all his worries. Her smile was enough to brighten his world. But he would never bring her to the hospital.

    Alexander thought he could handle the situation alone. It couldn''t be that terrifying since the woman behind that closed door was not his Felicity. But he was wrong. Mariana suffering alone behind that door didn''t make him worry any less. In fact, it made him sad that she was alone and had no one to support her.

    "What if something goes wrong and Anna wouldn''t make it?" Alexander asked, worried. Sebastian smiled in reassurance. "She''ll be fine. Didn''t you hear the doctor assuring that both the mother and the baby are going to be fine?" Sebastian asked in return. "Why are they taking so long then?" Alexander asked, running his fingers through his raven ck hair in frustration.

    "They are the doctors, and they know what they are doing. Boss, you need to rx. You''re worrying too much," Sebastian said, and they both whipped their head towards the door as they heard the cry, a cry of a newborn baby.

    "Ah, finally!" Alexander eximed, rushing to the door. The door opened, and the doctor walked out of the operation theatre wiping the sweat on his forehead. "Congrattions, Mr Hunter. The baby girl is perfectly healthy. Her mother has passed out for now, but she should be fine when she wakes up. All went well, I must say," said the doctor, taking off his sses.

    Alexander beamed, thanking the doctor. "That''s a relief, doctor. Can I see the baby?" Excitement precisely printed on his face, he couldn''t stop grinning. The doctor informed that it would take a few more minutes before he could see the baby as the baby had to go through the cleaning process.

    They agreed to spend those minutes discussing the Do''s and Don''ts regarding the health of the mother and the baby. After finishing his talk with the doctor, Alexander told Sebastian to settle the bill and to make sure to keep everything under wraps about the baby. No one should know that Mariana had a baby, nor it''s safe to let anyone know that Alexander Hunter was the legal guardian of the baby. Either way, the baby''s life would end up being subjected to danger.

    With a single nod, Sebastian left to take care of the billing formalities.

    Alexander had enemies surrounding him in disguise. He''d already ordered his security team to stay on high alert.

    When the nurse brought the baby to him, he couldn''t wait to take her in his arms. He kissed the baby''s cheeks and forehead. "Wee to the world," he whispered.

 Chapter 2 - Abandoned By Her Mother

    Holding the newborn baby in the arms for the first time believed to be the purest joy in the world one could experience in life. Alexander was reliving one such moment.

    The baby was so beautiful that he couldn''t take his eyes off. The little bundle of joy decided to open her eyes, and Alexander''s heart melted at the sight of the most beautiful eyes. Tears of joy filled his eyes.

    "Goodness! You''re beautiful, little one, and an exact replica of your father," he said, kissing both of her eyelids one after the other. "Let''s go and meet your mama, shall we?" He cooed at the baby, admiring for a few more seconds.

    He looked at one of his trusted bodyguards signalling him to hold the baby for a while. Carefully, he ced the baby into his arms and walked in.

    Alexander felt nauseous as his eyesnded on the sleeping form of Mariana, d in hospital white gown. All he could see was Felicity''s feeble body lying on the bed, struggling to breathe, and Alexander''s heart jumped into his throat..

    He was frightened to the point where he felt his throat tightening. Shaking his head, Alexander tried to get out of that terrifying illusion. He looked away from the bed and held on to the door for support.

    After taking deep breaths several times, he moved his feet towards the bed, measuring his footsteps on the wooden ceramic tiles. His eyes wandered restlessly around the room, as they took in the sight of the white bedspread and the pillows, and the doors to the bathroom, cabs, the table beside her bed, and a single chair next to it, everything was grey coloured.

    Atst, Alexander looked at Mariana. She was still asleep and half of her face covered with the strands of her wet brte hair. He brushed away a few stray hairs from her face, tucking it behind her ear and cupped her cheek with his palm. He saw her eyelids fluttering, and she opened her eyes. He looked at her with nothing but pure affection.

    "How are you feeling, Anna?" Alexander asked, and she gave him a faint smile in reply. She looked too tired, and her pale skin looked paler than usual. He took one of her hands resting on her stomach into his hand, stroking it affectionately as in to boost her energy.

    "Do you want to meet your daughter? She''s beautiful, Anna. Thank you so much for bringing her into this world. Shall I bring her in?" Alexander asked, waiting for her to reply. Mariana smiled at his warm, weing eyes. But her reply made his smile vanish from his face.

    "No, Xander. I don''t want to see her. I''ve kept my promise. Now it''s your turn to keep yours. Please take her away from my life," Mariana said.

    Alexander couldn''t believe he heard her right. He stood there, stunned, speechless, and beyond shocked. Mariana sighed sadly at his shocked expression. "Don''t look so shocked, Xander. You very well knew I never wanted this baby. You didn''t let me have an abortion. I didn''t have any choice but to give birth to her. Now she''s all yours. You''ll be her sole legal guardian. I''m ready to hand over her full custody to you as I promised," she said, trying to persuade him while her tired eyes fought the sleep.

    Alexander shook his head in disbelief and disappointment. "How can you be so heartless, Anna? She''s your own flesh and blood. You can''t abandon her just like that," his voice was soft and pleading as he begged, but she looked away, refusing to meet eyes.

    "I want to move on with my life, Xander. You can''t force me to be a part of her life. You wanted her, and you get to keep her. I want nothing to do with her. I don''t want anything in my life that reminds me of her father. Let me go, Xander," she said. Though her face disyed no other emotion, she couldn''t hide the resentmentcing her tone.

    "She needs her mother, Anna. Can''t you stay for at least two months?" He asked, voice filled with desperation. She smiled sadly as her brown eyes turned misty, and she couldn''t stop the tears from escaping her eyelids anymore.

    "Don''t worry, Xander. I''m sure your wife will raise her like her own. My daughter can''t get a better mother than your wife. I know my best friend, Xander. She''ll love her to the moon and back. I trust you and Felicity with my daughter''s life." The trustcing her tone made Alexander smile in appreciation. He squeezed her hand, and with a heavy heart, he asked, "Where''ll you go, Anna? Is there anything I can do to make your life better?"

    "I''m grateful to you and Felicity for what you''ve done for me. I don''t need anything else. I''m going home to my parents. Just keep your promise, Xander. Give her a nice life," Mariana said, and her resolute tone confirmed that she''d made her decision.

    Alexander agreed and nodded in understanding. He took out his phone and dialled a number while Mariana watched him ordering someone on the phone to bring the papers.

    "My legal team is here. You''ll have to sign some papers before you go, Anna," he said, and she agreed.

    Within a few minutes, two men dressed in a ck suit and white shirt entered her room and presented some papers for her to sign. Mariana scribbled her signatures wherever they asked her to sign, without bothering to read.

    "You have my word, Anna. I''ll protect her with my life. She''s my responsibility now," Alexander said with assurance. He looked thoughtful for a moment before asking her once again. "Sure, Anna, you don''t want to meet her? Don''t you want to see your daughter once?" He asked, trying onest time and hoping she would change her decision.

    "I''m her mother, Xander. And I know that the moment I see her, my maternal instincts willpel me to change my decision. I don''t want that. Let me move on, Xander, please," her voice quivered and turned into a whisper at the end. He cupped her face in his palms, bent his head, and kissed her on the forehead.

    "Thank you for everything, Anna. I''ve settled the bill already. You''re free to go whenever you''re ready. Two of my bodyguards will apany you until you reach home safely. Just remember, if you ever need anything in life, I''m just a phone call away." With that promise made, Alexander walked out of her room and out of her life.

 Chapter 3 - His Perfect Family

    After instructing Sebastian to personally take care of Mariana''s security until she reaches home safely, Alexander took the baby into his arms. His heart filled with warmth as the baby''s lips twitched in a tiny smile.

    "You''re mine now, my little angel. I''m naming you as Hera. Because that''s the name chosen for you by my darling wife from the moment we learned that the baby in Mariana''s womb is a girl. You know, Hera is a Greek Goddess. And the name is just perfect for you. You''re beautiful like a Goddess. My daughter, Hera Hunter," he said and kissed her tiny lips. His chest swelled with pride.

    He remembered the day when Mariana told him about her pregnancy. He begged her to keep the baby when she wanted to abort it. He''d promised her that day, if she agrees to give birth to the baby, then he''d take all the responsibility of the baby, and she''d be free to walk out..

    Alexander had bought a house for her in another country and paid arge amount of money for the security team he''d hired for Mariana''s safety. The doctor and the nurses received a lump sum too and had sworn to secrecy.

    The doctors had assured Mariana of a safe, uplicated delivery as her pregnancy had progressed without any apparent hitch. Everything was going just fine, but call it misfortune or bad luck of Alexander because he received a call from the doctor, all of a sudden reporting him of a severeplication.

    The baby flipped into a wrong position just a week before the duobours, and it seemed impossible to bring it back into a proper position. Mariana had to experiencebour thatsted too long.

    Doctors had to operate and cut her womb open to save the lives of both the mother and the baby. But Alexander never thought that Mariana would abandon the baby as soon as she''s born. He was expecting her to breastfeed and take care of the baby as any other normal mother would''ve done.

    He prayed for her to ept the baby. But he couldn''t me her for not agreeing. She deserved to be happy. She''d every right to move on.

    <em>''I can''t control everyone''s life, after all. It''s better to leave some things in the hands of fate.''</em>

    He sighed and thought it''s time to think practically. He looked at little Hera in his arms. "You''ll have a happy, secure, and safe life forever as Alexander Hunter''s daughter. I promise to give you every happiness in the world, Hera," he said out loud, intending to keep his every word.

    His phone started to ring, distracting his attention from the baby. He managed to shift the baby into one arm carefully and took out his phone from his pant pocket. His cell phone shed his wife''s beautiful picture on the screen.

    "What is my Queen doing?" He asked into the phone, sounding too happy and heard her chuckle from the other end. "Missing her King," she replied. "Whenever you call me Queen, I feel like demanding tiaras to wear and a kingdom to rule," sheughed teasing him.

    Alexander grinned from ear to ear. "You''re my Queen, and you rule my heart. The tiaras, I could buy you as many as you want," he said, still grinning. She was his daily dose of happiness.

    "When are youing home, Alexander?" Her voice sounded desperate, and he could feel her pouting like a child. Even though it''d been just a few hours, he was already missing her. "On my way, darling," assuring, he ended the call and looked at Hera. "Let''s go home to our Felicity, little one. Your mom is waiting," said Alexander, and he couldn''t wait to see his wife.

    As Maiana had guessed, Felicity weed Hera with open arms.

    Alexander silently witnessed the beautiful scene unfolding in front of him while his wife admired the cuteness bundled up in a baby-blue swaddling nket. Little Hera slept inside, wrapped snugly in purest white, softer clothes.

    "She''s beautiful, Alexander," Felicity said as soon as she held Hera in her arms. Alexander smiled, kissing the crown of her head. "She''s yours to raise now. Anna doesn''t want toe with us. She''s going back to her parents," he said, releasing a helpless sigh.

    Felicity felt sad when she heard that Mariana refused to stay in her daughter''s life. She sat on the sofa, settling little Herafortably on herp. "Anna has every right to have a happy life, Alexander. Especially after what all she went through," she looked at Hera with a warm smile ying on her lips. "And don''t worry about this little one. We''ll raise her like our own. I already love her," she said, and Alexander had no reason to doubt her intentions.

    She removed her tinum chain from her neck and put it around Hera''s neck. It had a heart pendant with Felicity written on it, a wedding gift from her husband, Alexander. "Bless you, Hera, with all the happiness in the world. Wee home, Sweetheart," she said, kissing the tiny palm of baby Hera.

    That''s the reason why Alexander Hunter kept thanking God every day for bringing this wonderful woman into his life. True to her name, she turned out to be his happiness in every sense. He kissed her lips passionately, showering his love. He''d everything in life one could ask for, a loving wife, a son to rule his world, and a daughter to dote on. Felicity always wanted a daughter, but couldn''t conceive after theplications she went through during their son''s birth. Now with Hera, their dream to have a perfect family waspleted.

    "Sydney is beautiful and all, but I want to go home, Alexander. I miss my little troublemaker," she said, not taking her eyes off Hera. Alexander smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pecked her temple lovingly. His legal team had already taken care of the necessary procedures, and Hera''s passport should arrive on time.

    "We''ll leave the day after tomorrow for New York."

 Chapter 4 - Protecting The Silver Box

    <em><strong>Five yearster:</strong></em>

    <strong>Lake Elsinore,</strong>

    <strong>California,</strong>

    <strong>The United States Of America.</strong>

    Lips pursed into a thin line, Liezel red at her brother on the driver''s seat as she breathed through her red nostrils in annoyance, trying not to yell at him. Turning the key into the ignition, her brother Antony tried starting the truck onest time, before giving up.

    "Sorry, Lizzy, it won''t start now. I''m afraid we''ve to walk the rest of the way," Antony said, brushing his palm over his face before his fingers locked in his dirty blonde hair, pushing it over his head. He had a big goofy grin on his face as he looked at his sister to find her still ring at him with eyes that perfectly matched his blue ones. Being siblings, their eyes, hair, and other facial features were identical.

    Liezel was very much annoyed. Folding her arms, she leaned back against the bench seat of her brother''s old truck.. She was sitting in the middle sandwiched between her brother and her husband.

    She was on her way to her inws'' ce along with her husband Benson to fetch their three years old son. Her brother Antony was driving his old red truck, which suddenly broke down in the middle of the road, without any warning.

    "Why don''t you sell this trash off, Tony and buy something which actually moves on the road?" Liezel snapped at her brother.

    "Don''t be so harsh, Lizzy. It''s our father''s prized possession passed on to me, and I value it too much to sell it," Antony said, scowling at his little sister. She pushed him using both of her hands before punching his arm. Antony looked at her husband for help. Liezel is a five-foot two-inch petite woman, but she could be bossy and dangerous sometimes.

    Benson got down, lit his cigarette with a lighter, and jerked his head to the front signalling Antony toe out. Liezel watched as they shared the cigarette, taking turns, puffing it by inhaling gently into their mouth.

    She waited, hoping that the good for nothing old truck starts while her husband opened the hood of it, looking into the engine. She heard a loud hissing noiseing from the hood, followed by a loud curse from her twopanions. And she too cursed when it suddenly started to drizzle.

    The days in California warm up a little during March, but she knew there would be a slight risk of encountering some showers of rain in the evening. It was mid-march, and the temperature would drop at night. Thankfully, Liezel had packed an umbre, a heavier Jacket for herself and a waterproof Jacket for her little son.

    She watched her husband trying onest time to cure the dying engine and signalled Antony to start the truck. They were friends and partners in crime even before Liezel married him. He was a tall, handsome man with brown eyes matching his hair, long crooked nose, full lips, and a well-defined jaw. She fell for his good looks despite knowing his involvement in illegal activities. She always wanted to have a son with her husband''s face and traits, but her son took over Liezel''s features.

    Antony shook his head and got off the truck as Benson shut the hood. They''d no choice but to walk the little distance. Liezel wore her Jacket over her pink sundress and grabbed the basket of fruits she bought for her inws.

    There weren''t any road or the corner that they weren''t familiar with the city of Lake Elsinore. They were petty criminals, after all. Pickpocketing and cheating people with money were their source of ie. They help drug traffickers in delivering the package sometimes to earn extra money in and around the whole of California.

    The loud screeching sound of tires startled all three of them. They saw many identical cars following one another.

    Suddenly they heard gunshots everywhere. They hid behind their truck and watched the most horrifying war of bloodshed. Men in ck suits with guns were firing, damaging the ck, shiny SUVs and also killing people in it in the process.

    Benson and Antony dragged Liezel with them and hid behind a huge tree. They didn''t dare to step out of their hiding ce. Judging by the situation, they could only guess that the men belong to some Mafia associations.

    The big silver box grabbed their attention, the same box those men were fighting over. "The box must have something valuable inside it if these men are ready to die for it," Benson whispered, and Antony agreed. "Money, or maybe some valuable jewels?" Antony suggested, "Or drugs even," he said, grinning at his partner in crime.

    Liezel''s greedy husband and brother were plotting a n to steal the box from those men while she was scared for her life. The evening was quiet and peaceful a while ago, and the road was dead empty. Out of the blue, it turned into a Warzone.

    They all jerked back, startled when a bodynded right next to their hiding ce. It wasn''t a dead body, but an injured one nheless. A tall, well-built, muscr man crawled quickly behind the tree, and his blue eyes squeezed shut for a second as he grunted in pain. He clutched his left arm with his right hand to stop the bleeding the gunshot wound had caused. Liezel noticed, his legs began to shake, and she saw the blood wetting his thick ck jeans pant.

    "He''s shot in the leg as well," she said to no one in particr. The injured man took deep breaths, pushing his fingers through his blonde hair.

    "Please help," the man pleaded with them. He took out a paper and a pen from his Jacket and scribbled something in a hurry with his bloodied fingers. "Can you see that box over there?" He asked them, pointing at the silver box which was currently guarded by more than ten people.

    They all looked at the box and nodded. "Here, take this, help me and I''ll pay you whatever amount of money you want," the injured man said with his thick Italian ent, handing over the letter he just wrote along with a thick envelope.

    The man was smart enough to know the financial conditions of the three people judging by their appearance. They looked nowhere near the status of the middle ss. He could tell, they would do anything to earn extra money. "Here''s the deal. Deliver the box safely to the address I''ve written in this paper. I''ll meet you thereter and if by any chance my men and I couldn''t get out of here alive, then my friend John will be there to receive it. He will pay you the money. Just show this envelope to him when you meet him," with that said, he immediately jumped to his feet and surveyed the damage caused to his team.

    "Please help. I don''t have much time. I''ll bring that box to you and just run with it. My men will cover you," he said but didn''t wait for their agreement. Dragging his injured leg with much struggle, he hurried to the man guarding the box. Within a few seconds, two of his men brought the box to Benson.

    "Take this money, now hurry up." The man handed them a wad of cash. Benson and Antony exchanged looks, and the man recognized the greed coating their gazes. He knew they would do his work as soon as they saw the bundle of money. They agreed, and he went back to his men, providing them with the protection he promised as they prepared to run.

    They heard more gunshots, and the bone-chilling screams increased. Whoever those men were, they were sacrificing their lives to protect that silver box.

 Chapter 5 - Alexander Hunters Baby

    The urring gun shoot war appeared no less than an open conflict as if involving direct military engagements. It was a horrifying experience toe face to face.

    Benson was smart enough to know that it''s not safe to run in either direction. If they did, there was a chance of them getting shot by a bullet. So he decided that the best option would be to swim in theke. He knew if they jump into theke with the heavy box, the weight could cause them trouble.

    Antony pointed to the small holes on the top and sides of the box, and they wondered why. They decided to open the box and divide whatever the contents were inside into three parts and then jump into the water. But nothing could''ve prepared them for what they saw in the box. When they opened that heavy silver box, they saw a half-folded baby stroller inside, and Benson pulled the zipper of the cover.

    "Jesus Christ!" All three of them eximed simultaneously. Inside the silver box, instead of money or drugs, they found a baby.. Four or five months old baby securely fastened to the belt attached to the box stared at them with big green eyes.

    Liezel smiled at the baby and picked it up in her arms. Benson wrapped the bundle of money, envelope and the letter in a stic cover and tucked it inside his shirt. He decided, they would discuss what to do with the babyter, but for now, they''d to escape this terror first.

    Two bodies dropped at their feet as a car blew, and Liezel screamed in horror.

    "Lizzy, wake up. You''re having a nightmare. Open your eyes. Wake up, Lizzy." Benson shook his wife''s shoulder roughly, trying to wake her up from her nightmare. He heard her screaming, loud enough to wake him up from his deep sleep. She was still screaming in her sleep, thrashing and turning in the bed. He searched for the little bedsidemp, but in his haste attempt to switch it on, he identally knocked it off.

    He saw Liezel flinching and bringing her hands up to cover her face at the sound of themp crashing to the floor. The lighting through the window hardly illuminate the room, but he could see her eyes closed shut,squeezing the eyelids in absolute fear. Cursing at the mess he made on the floor, he carefully walked to the window, avoiding the pieces of ss as best he could in that hardly illuminated room.

    Opening the windows wide, he switched the lights on and hurried back to the bed. Lightly tapping on Liezel''s cheeks, he called her name loudly. Her body covered in sweat, and her cheeks were wet with tears when she opened her eyes. It took her a few seconds toe out of her fear.

    "It had almost been five years, Lizzy. You still dream about that incident. It''s time you get over it, Lizzy," he said, stroking her hair in aforting manner. The sweating had made her hair a damp mess. "I tried, Ben, you know it. But it''s hard to forget. This time it felt so real, Ben. I''m so scared," Liezel said. He sighed, wiping her tears. She hugged him tightly, still sobbing.

    "Don''t you think it''s time to share the truth? Hera will turn five tomorrow, Ben. We should tell her," she said in a suggestive tone as she stared at her husband, pleading him with her teary eyes, only to find him narrowing his eyes in warning. "And tell her what, Lizzy? That she''s not rted to us in any way? That so many people died because of her? Or that we''re hiding to protect ourselves from being killed?" He yelled, walking away from her.

    He was tired of having that same conversation over and over with his wife. Every year on Hera''s birthday, she would be an emotional mess and try to guilt-trip him. It irked him that she refused to see the logic. It wasn''t like he''d any choice. She knew very well that he was as helpless as her.

    "It''s not her fault, Ben. We never delivered her to the said address," she snapped angrily, and he looked away to hide his guilt. "We were petty criminals, Ben. We got involved in pickpocketing, alcohol, drug peddling even. But never in kidnapping and murder. Nevertheless, you were greedy enough to steal that newborn infant," Liezel said usingly. She covered her face with her palms, crying her heart out.

    Helplessly, Benson walked back to her and pried her hands off her face. Palming her face, he tried to smile. "I did it for you and Danny okay. You know I never meant any harm. I only wanted to make some money for us, to have a better life. I thought her family was loaded and we could get it out of them through her," he confessed, and her gaze softened.

    She noticed his tired face and guilt squeezed at her heart. He had dark circles around his eyes, and she could tell he was physically exhausted. He''d travelled day and night for the goods delivery and hadn''t slept a wink.

    She held his hands and tried to convince him. "We can still make everything right, Ben. Let''s find her parents. I''m tired of running. I want to stay in one ce with my son. Our only son''s childhood is suffering because of our sins, Ben. Please, let''s make it right for him," she said with a pleading tone, wiping her tear-stained cheeks.

    Benson scoffed in return. It wasn''t that easy for him to digest the truth. That day when people were dying to save that baby, he only thought of her wealthy parents and the money he could extract from them. He didn''t know then that the baby belonged to Alexander Hunter. "You know the truth very well, Lizzy. Alexander Hunter is not some petty criminal or a gang leader. Even Mafia leaders are afraid of him. He''s that powerful and dangerous. He''ll kill us, Lizzy. We can''t go to him," he said with finality trying to put some sense into her.

    He didn''t wait for her to react and went inside the bathroom to avoid further conversation before she had a chance to respond. Liezel sighed in defeat. "End of the conversation, I guess," she murmured to herself.

    Her thoughts drifted into the past, reliving the day they saw Hera for the first time. She remembered everything, even to this day.

    On that horrible day, when all the cars blew to ashes and dead bodies littered around them, their first instinct was to jump into theke to save themselves. But something stopped them from abandoning the baby. Liezel was concerned for the baby''s life while Benson and Antony had different motives. The baby was a ticket to a new refined and better future they could have if they save the life of that baby for now.

    Hastily, they dragged the stroller out of that box and secured the belts around the baby in it. Liezel put her son''s waterproof Jacket around the baby. They prayed that the Jacket and the stic cover of the stroller would keep the baby safe in the cold water. Antony removed his shirt and tore it into two parts. Benson tied the stroller on Antony''s back using the torn shirt pieces like a rope. Without wasting any more time, they all jumped into theke.

 Chapter 6 - The Boy Meets The Girl

    <strong>Kensington,</strong>

    <strong>London,</strong>

    <strong>The United Kingdom.</strong>

    A ck Mercedes Benz stopped at the side of the road right next to the Church. A young man in his early twenties got down from the driver''s seat to open the back door for the little boy and helped him out of the car. The boy dressed in a ck tuxedo with a white shirt nodded in gratitude and walked around the car to join his grandmother.

    Wrinkles formed at the corners of her eyes and around her mouth as she grinned at the boy. Their matching eyes twinkled as they looked at each other, and she held his little hand in hers. Even at the age of thete fifties, his grandmother looked young. She had her golden blonde hair tied up into a loose bun. She looked beautiful in her red knee-length, high waist umbre skirt paired with a white full-sleeved shirt.

    Putting on her coat, she turned to the young man.. "Mathew, we''re here to offer our prayers, and you don''t have to look serious all the time. Rx and smile. If you want, you cane with us," she said before pointing at the bodyguard standing near the car, "And please make sure that he doesn''t scare the people around us," she said, scowling at the said bodyguard.

    Mathew was there to protect his mistress and her grandson from any harm. It was his duty as their trusted, loyal bodyguard. He didn''t care if he offered a prayer to God or not, but he couldn''t set aside his mistress'' invitation. She was not only his boss'' wife but also his godmother. So he inclined his head once, silently obliging.

    His godmother Katherine smiled warmly at him as her hand touched his chest patting twice in appreciation.

    Securing her white bag in hand, Katherine walked with grace, her white pumps clicking against the concrete floor. She looked like the perfect English Lady that she was. Mathew apanied them to the Church after instructing the bodyguard to stay at the Church gate.

    The little boy slid his hands into his trouser pockets and watched the building before him while walking next to his grandmother. It was beautiful with Victorian architecture. The tower held a ring of ten bells, and the spire of the Church rose high above.

    His grandmother always said that visiting a Church was not necessary to offer prayers. One could worship the Lord by showing love andpassion to others. Still, she woulde to this Church every time she visited London.

    As Katherine walked to the front along with her grandson, Mathew stayed in the back, watching them like a hawk, ready jump front at any unexpected enemy. He once again reminded himself, he was there to protect them from every danger, not to offer prayers in the Church. It was his duty to guard them.

    The little boy walked in, casting his eyes down as he watched his shadow on the shiny tiles of the nave. His eyes wandered around, watching the interior of the Church. Meanwhile, his grandmother sat in the pew in the fourth row of the seating bench. He noticed how the Priest acknowledged his grandmother''s presence with a single nod. Sitting beside her, the boy listened to the choir singing.

    The whispering in the silence, the low-pitched music, the choir, hymns, singing, everything bored him to sleep. People were busy praying to the Lord, begging him to forgive their sins. He never enjoyed visiting the ces where silence dominated every other thing. To stop himself from drifting into sleep, he nced around, studying every little detail starting from the heavy iron-bound door.

    The high arched windows, stained ss, chandeliers, high altar, candle holders, the crucifix, and the statue of Christ, nothing was distracting him enough to chase away the sleep. He could smell the melted wax as the candles burned, and the quiet air tinctured with the scent of flowers, and incense. The musty prayer books, Priests in white, people kneeling in the pews, and atst, his eyesnded on something that demanded attention.

    <em>''Is it her?''</em>

    Wondering, the little boy thought to himself while he watched the girl who sat on the second row opposite to him.

    The little girl looked to the right and left, watching the people around her. Her short pigtails danced in every direction as she moved her head. Imitating the people praying around her, she sped her hands and closed her eyes. Her milky white frock enhanced the colour of her pink ribbons tied to her pigtails.

    <em>''Dear Lord, I want to see my handsome Prince again. It has been too long since thest time we met, and I''m afraid he might forget me. Please bring him to me soon.''</em>

    Struggling to keep her eyelids shut, the little girl silently prayed and made a wish.

    On the opposite side, the boy leaned forward to look at her face, and a big smile framed his face when he recognised her. He looked around to make sure that no one''s looking their way. Everyone, including his grandmother, was busy praying, their hands sped together, and eyes closed.

    He slowly got up and moved out of the row of benches, walking towards her. He was careful enough not to catch anyone''s attention. When he reached her, he tugged on her pigtail.

    The little girl turned, looking at the culprit over her shoulder, and her big doe eyes got bigger when she saw his face. She gasped into her small hand, which covered her little rosy lips. Then a cute smile reced the shocked look on her pretty face as she removed her hand from her mouth.

    Mathew watched everything from afar and shook his head. The boy was mischievous and known for breaking the rules. But he always let him have his way and was there to keep him safe from any harm.

    Putting his index finger on his lips, the boy signalled the girl to be quiet. He pointed his thumb over his shoulder, showing her the direction of the big iron-bound door at the entrance. He grabbed her hand in his, and tiptoeing together they walked out of the Church.

    She let out a soft giggle once they made it out.

    "Hi," she said, still holding his hand, their fingers locked together. He smiled. "So, we meet again," he stated, and she giggled again nodding her head. She was too excited after seeing him.

    "You remember me?" She asked, still smiling. He returned her smile. It seemed as though they couldn''t stop grinning.

    "I do," he answered her question, pulling her to one of the benches outside the Church''s entrance. She sat right next to him. "I''m d you remember me," he said, looking into her eyes. Her forest green eyes looked beautiful on her creamy whiteplexion. He noticed, she looked taller than thest time he saw her.

    "Yes, I do," she said, looking into his eyes. He remembered, they met months ago for the first time, and he couldn''t forget her pretty face since then. "What are you doing here?" The girl asked him, curiosity and excitement filled in her eyes.

    Heughed at her stupid question.

    "Peoplee here to pray. What else will I be doing in a Church, Stupid?" He asked amusedly. He stoppedughing when she scowled at him, and her lips pouted adorably. He realised that he''d made her upset.

    "Sorry. I did not mean to make you sad. You''re not stupid. My grandma wanted to pray, so I came here with her. What are you doing here?" He asked the same question which he thought stupid a while ago only to make her feel good. And she did smile before answering him. "It''s my birthday, and I''m five now." She held up her little palm to show five fingers.

    "Aunt Lizzy brought me here to pray. She always brings me here on my birthday," the birthday girl revealed with a wide grin.

    He wanted to wish her happy birthday and just realised that he never knew her name. They didn''t exchange namesst time.

    <em>''How could I be so dumb!''</em>

    He thought inwardly, scolding himself for his stupidity.

 Chapter 7 - I Dos And The Kiss

    "What''s your name?" He asked, and she looked thoughtful for a second before her eyes widened. He guessed, she''s thinking the same thing. She confirmed it when she spoke. "Oh! We don''t know each other''s name," she stated and giggled.

    "How silly! You forgot to ask my namest time, and I forgot to ask yours," she said giggling again while he nodded in agreement. She extended her hand, offering a handshake. He took it dly as she introduced herself. "My name is Hera Hunter, and I''m five years old. What''s your name?"

    His eyes widened after learning her name. He looked surprised. "Yourst name is Hunter? Mine too!" He eximed.

    With that discovery made, he gave her his happiest smile, but she looked clueless.. "Why do we have the samest name?" She asked, and her nose creased as she frowned in confusion.

    <em>''How cute she looks!''</em>

    He thought inwardly.

    For him, his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world, and next was his grandmother. The day he met Hera, she made it to the list as well.

    A wicked thought crossed his mind as he looked into her innocent eyes. "You and I have the samest name. Do you know what it means?" He questioned with a serious tone. Hera shook her head in a no. She had no idea where he''s going with that question.

    "People share the samest name when they marry. You and I already have the same name, that means we''ll marry when we grow up. We are husband and wife, that''s why the samest name. God made us for each other," he dered and bit his lip to hide his growing smile all the while trying to put on a more serious face. He was too smart for his age, wasn''t he?

    Hera looked terrified and moved away from him, scooting over a little.

    "No. You''re a liar. You''re not my husband. I don''t even know your name, and I know that brother and sister share the samest name. And parents do too," she stated, her tone resolute. Her chubby cheeks turned pink as she red at him in anger.

    <em>''Ooh! She''s smart.''</em>

    He thought, clearly impressed.

    "Okay then, tell me, Ms Hunter. Am I your parent? Or are we brother and sister?" He asked, returning her re.

    "No. But you''re not my husband. We''re not married," she said. Little Hera refused to agree with his logic. He observed she was too stubborn for him to convince. He raised his eyebrows in challenge. "Then why you have myst name already? And how do you know we''re not married?" He questioned her again, and he wasn''t going to lose this fight.

    Hera crossed her arms over her chest. He observed that she changed her expression to show something like how brave or smart she''s. "I know we''re not married because we didn''t share a kiss. I know when people marry, they kiss. Wife wears a white dress, and they say "I do" in a Church. We didn''t do any of it. So you''re not my husband," she said with finality.

    He stared into her big green eyes, and he liked the challenge she held. He would never give up until she believes his every word. He was determined to be her husband. He looked at their intertwined fingers, which they never let go. Without warning, he stood up and dragged her inside the Church.

    He smiled at her, then leaned down to her face, and kissed her on the lips.

    "E! Gross!" Hera said and ran out of the Church dragging him along because he didn''t let go of her hand. She spat multiple times repeatedly and rubbed her lips, wiping it in disgust. He startedughing.

    "That''s so gross, Mr Hunter. You touched my lips with your tongue. Your spit entered my mouth. Don''t you have manners? You don''t spit on people," she scolded him, and heughed some more.

    "Hera Hunter, how stupid are you?" He asked, stillughing at her. "I didn''t spit on you. I kissed you. That''s what husband and wife do," he said and winked at her. Hera gasped, covered her mouth with her hands, and her eyes widened in shock. Meanwhile, he felt sorry for fooling her.

    <em>''But she doesn''t need to know the truth.''</em>

    He decided as a mischievous smile yed on his lips.

    "You''re wearing a white frock, and earlier we did say ''I do'' when we talked about us remembering each other. I kissed you in the Church. You have myst name. So now we''re married, and you''re my wife. I am your husband, Mrs Hunter," he finished talking, and Hera went silent. He smirked in triumph. She''s thinking hard, and he knew that she bought his lies.

    "But I''m only five years old!" She whispered frowning. That''s all she said after all that hard thinking.

    "I know we''re too young. You''re only five, and I''m eight years old. People meet their husbands and wives when they grow up, but we met so soon because God blessed us. You don''t have to worry. It''s our secret, and we don''t tell anyone until we grow up, okay?" He asked with so much confidence that she just nodded to everything he said.

    "You''re bigger than me," she said, giggling, and heughed in return.

    "I am older than you," he corrected her. "Of course, I''m bigger and taller than you in size," he stated and flicked her little nose before kissing her cheek. She blushed and peeked at him shyly. "You look so good in this," she said, touching his bow tie, and he grinned from ear to ear.

    "Now don''t ever eww at me, Mrs Hunter. I''m your husband and can kiss you whenever I want. And happy birthday," he said, pecking her lips.

    He took out a pen from the inside pocket of his tux.

    "You have a pen?" Hera asked in surprise, and he showed her his pen. "It shines. Do you like it?" He asked as he remembered that she liked shiny things. She nodded with a grin. "It''s my dad''s gift. So I can''t give it to you. Sorry. But I have something for you. Close your eyes," he requested, and she obliged.

    He pulled out a chocte bar from his pant pocket and opened the wrapper. He wrote a birthday wish for her inside the wrapper and pocketed his pen. Folding the wrapper neatly around the chocte, he told her to open her eyes. "This is your birthday gift, and it has a message inside the wrapper. Read it when you go home," he said, giving Hera the chocte bar.

    Hera blushed in embarrassment. "Don''t you remember what I saidst time? I don''t go to school, so I still don''t know to read," she said, lowering her eyes, feeling ashamed. Her pink bottom lip jutted out in a sad pout. He held her chin, lifted her face, and smiled, looking into her eyes. "It''s okay, Mrs Hunter, keep it safe and read it when you learn how to read," he said, bringing the smile back on her face. She remembered he''d said the same thing when they met for the first time.

    She was impressed by his kind and thoughtful words back then too.

    He nced at his grandmother and saw her conversing with the Priest. When he looked at his bodyguard Mathew, he silently arched his eyebrows with a knowing smile. The boy grinned back and took Hera''s hand in his. He pecked her lips once more whispering happy birthday, and they walked back into the Church holding hands and smiling, with a promise to wait for each other until they meet again.

    She went to her Aunt, and he joined his grandmother.

    Hera folded her hands and closed her eyes.

    <em>''Thank you, dear Lord, for granting my wish. He was my Prince till yesterday, and today he became my husband. Thank you for blessing us. Please let hime back to me soon.''</em>

    Hera sent out her prayer.

    She smiled, waving bye to him when she saw him walking out of the Church with his grandmother. He winked at her before walking out of the door, and they parted ways.

 Chapter 8 - The Haunting Past

    "Where''s everyone, aunt Lizzy?" Little Hera asked as soon as Liezel opened the door-lock and they stepped into their small t of one bedroom, one bathroom, a tiny kitchen, and a small living hall. It was a rented apartment, and they were living there for the past six months.

    "Uncle Tony and Ben went out to fetch your birthday gift, Hera," Liezel answered, setting the shopping bag on the kitchen counter. She bought the ingredients to bake a birthday cake for Hera after they visited the Church. "Where''s aunt Jenny and Danny?" Hera questioned her again. Liezel rolled her eyes before smiling sweetly at Hera.

    She turned to face little Hera before she could ask her next question. "You''re one bundle of questions, sweet Hera," she cooed, pinching Hera''s chubby cheeks. "Aunt Jenny and Danny have a surprise for you, but you''ve to wait to know what the surprise is going to be," she said, kissing her cheeks and walked out of the small kitchen.

    Liezel picked up the empty coffee cups from the table ced in front of the small couch and scowled when she saw the cigarette butts on the floor. Muttering something to herself, she cleaned the hall and washed the cups. Meanwhile, Hera followed her everywhere, holding the hem of her long skirt..

    "Why don''t you bring your sketchbook and colour the pictures while I bake a cake for you?" Liezel suggested, using the towel to dry the utensils. pping her hands, Hera jumped in joy before she ran to fetch her art book. She came running back within a minute. "Aunt Lizzy, can I use Danny''s colours, please?" Hera requested with a toothy grin. Her aunt smiled at the adorable puppy face she made and nodded a yes.

    Hera went back to the bedroom to bring the colour pencils. It was in the top row of the wooden rack, and she couldn''t reach it. She dragged a stool nearby and carefully climbing on it she took the colours. She thought of the chocte that she''d kept in her little fanny pack and took it out, unwrapping the chocte bar. She ate it and giggled, covering her mouth with her palm as she saw the neat cursive handwriting.

    Searching under her neatly folded clothes on the rack, she took out the first chocte wrapper he''d given to her. Kissing the new wrapper, she hid it under her clothes along with the old one.

    Hera came back to the hall with her sketchbook and colours. Liezel watched as Hera sat on the floor, bending her head and soon got lost in her world of colours.

    A sad smile made its way onto Liezel''s face.

    <em>''Danny is going to be upset when he gets to know that I let Hera use his colours.''</em>

    Her only son hated her. He preferred going out with his aunt Jenny rather than staying with his mother. He didn''t even spend his holidays with her. He''s angry with his parents because they sent him to boarding school. He med Hera for everything. He thought they abandoned him for Hera. Little did he know that his parents were always on the run to save their lives.

    They sent him to boarding school to keep him safe. It killed Liezel not to witness her only son growing up. Even Benson hated Hera for this. They wouldn''t be able to cherish their son''s precious childhood. Because they''re busy hiding from the dangerous men hunting them since the day Hera came into their lives.

    Liezel kept herself busy in the kitchen, but the haunting past didn''t stop messing with her mind. Adding the eggs and vani, she started stirring in the cake flour absent-mindedly.

    Everything was ying on repeat mode in front of her eyes, and the illusion clouded her sense. She saw, how they escaped from that terrifying gunshots, and how they rescued little Hera. When they managed to somehow reach home without being killed, the first thing Benson did was to tear open the envelope, pulling out its contents.

    The first thing to slip out of that envelope was a copy of the birth certificate, and they came to know that the baby was six months old. There wasn''t any name written to show parents'' name. The baby''s name was Hera Hunter, and the only other name gracing the birth certificate was, "A. Hunter" the signature of Hera''s legal guardian.

    The envelope also contained a passport of baby Hera, and it revealed the name of the parents as Alexander Hunter and Felicity Hunter.

    There also was a handwritten letter ending with that same signature. The letter said that the baby''s life was in danger, and they should protect and keep it safe from the attacking enemies until hees to take the baby''s custody.

    Every word in the letter spoke with so much authority that it''s crystal clear the person behind those words was not an ordinary man. Anyone could sense how dangerously powerful the said person was.

    Benson and Antony visited the said address the very next day only to find themselves walking straight into the death trap. They witnessed another episode of gunshots.

    They couldn''t differentiate between Hera''s rescuers and enemies. They heard someone''s rich, deadly voice, issuing orders to kill everyone who''s associated with the baby. And suddenly, they were being shot from every direction.

    At that moment, their only concern was to save themselves from being killed, and so they fled from that unfortunate, unfavourable scene without looking back.

    "They came, they''re here, aunt Lizzy."

    Hera''s excited cry of joy jolted Liezel out of her illusion, bringing her back to the present. She blinked several times, trying to block the unpleasant memories, and looked at the little bundle of excitement. A smile automatically lit up her face.

    <em>''Oh, what an energetic child!''</em>

    "Hurry, aunt Lizzy. I want to see my gift," Hera said, pulling Liezel by her wrist and urged her to move fast. Liezel heard the doorbell ringing again and understood the reason for Hera''s impatience. "Hera, calm down, sweety. Let me wash my hands, and I''ll check the door okay," she said, and Hera nodded her head, bobbing it up and down. Liezel smiled secretly, knowing how excited Hera was.

 Chapter 9 - Hes Mr Hunter

    Liezel opened the door, and her brother Antony walked in along with his wife Jenny, followed by Benson and Danny.

    "Uncle Tony, where''s my gift?" Hera ran to him and jumped into his arms, staring at him with her big eyes in great anticipation for her birthday gift. Heughed at her eagerness. "Let me wish you a happy birthday first, little Miss Hera," Antony said, kissing her cheeks. She giggled when he blew raspberries. He made her sit on the kitchen counter and handed her a gift.

    Hera quickly unwrapped her gift and held a book with a purple colour cover, designed in sparkling glitter on either side. The book felt heavy in her small hands, and as she lifted it, a questioning look formed on her face while she examined the cover. "What''s this, uncle Tony?" She asked, her little nose scrunched up as she frowned.

    "It''s your secret journal. Do you like it?" Antony asked, stroking her cheek. Instead of answering his question, Hera asked another question.. "What''s a Jo, Jonra, uncle?" She couldn''t even pronounce the word correctly. Antony chuckled at the look of confusion on her angelic face. She looked even cuter.

    "It''s a journal, Hera." He tried to teach her how to pronounce it correctly but sighed in defeat when she couldn''t say it. "Okay, little Hera, you can call it a diary too. You can use it to write about your special days, your secrets, your wish, your dream, etc." Antony exined.

    Hera''s eyes filled with awe, and her tiny fingers touched every inch of the book. Surely, everyone could see that she fell in love with the book. She''s very fond of shiny things, and purple was her favourite colour, after all.

    "Uncle Tony, you said, I can write my secret in this book. Can I stick something in it too?" She asked with hopeful eyes, and he nodded his yes. She jumped from hisp, ran inside, and came running back within seconds only to ask Liezel a question.

    "Can I use the glue, aunt Lizzy?" Hera asked. "Yes, sweety, you can, but be careful. Don''t make a mess out of it," she warned, but her eyes filled with visible affection. Hera giggled and disappeared with her diary. Antony followed her into the room and observed her from the door while Hera pasted the chocte wrappers.

    He went and sat next to her on the floor. "Little Hera, what are you doing, child? Why are you pasting empty chocte wrappers in your diary?" He asked, and Hera answered with a wide grin. "They''re not empty, uncle. There''s a message in it for me," she replied and immediately covered the wrappers with her little palms when he peeked to read it. "No, you should not see, it''s bad manners, uncle Tony. It''s only for me," she said, scowling in disapproval, and Antony chuckled at her reply.

    "Okay, little Hera, can you at least tell me whose message, it is?" Antony asked, sounding curious and a huge smile spread on Hera''s lips. Her big bright green eyes widen with joy, and her reply made Antony speechless.

    "It''s from my boyfriend. Don''t tell anyone, uncle Tony, he''s going to marry me when I be very tall," she said excitedly.

    Antony''s eyebrows rose in surprise. "And who is that boyfriend, Hera? Do I know him? What''s his name?" He asked, bending to her level. Hera covered her mouth and shook her head in a no. He whispered in her ear, "Your secret is safe with me, Hera. I won''t tell anyone, I promise," he assured.

    Hera looked thoughtful for a few seconds and realised she didn''t know his name. She forgot to ask him his name this time too.

    <em>''Silly me!''</em>

    Hera scowled in disappointment for forgetting to ask name again.

    "You don''t know him, uncle. He''s, Mr Hunter," she said, and Antony''s yful mood disappeared along with his smile. Hera hid her diary under her clothes in the rack after pasting the empty chocte wrappers in it, oblivious to Antony''s tension.

    That name "Mr Hunter" scared him to death.

    Masking his fears, he decided to ignore the ugly past for the time being. He smiled at the angel in front of him. "Its cake cutting time, Hera. Let''s join everyone, and aunt Jenny has a surprise for you," he said, standing up, and offered his hand to her. Hera took his hand and dragged him to the living hall.

    Jenny''s birthday gift made Hera happy. It was a purple princess gown. Liezel gifted her a teddy bear, and Danny gave her a new set of colour pencils but didn''t wish her happy birthday.

    Liezel helped Hera with cake cutting and served everyone dinner. She realised that her husband and son didn''t even wish a happy birthday to Hera. Her son refused to talk to anyone and silently picked at his food. He was as stubborn as a mule for an eight-year-old boy.

    Danny ignored Hera all the time, no matter how much she tried to make him talk. Liezel knew he was angry with her. After dinner, he left with Antony and Jenny refusing to stay with his parents. Benson silently offered to tidy the hall and kitchen while Liezel carried sleepy Hera to the bedroom.

    "Happy birthday, Hera," Liezel whispered as she kissed on the forehead of sleeping Hera. "You''re so beautiful, Hera. Like an angel," she said, running her palm on the crown of Hera''s head affectionately. "I''m sorry for keeping you away from your parents. I''m sorry for hiding the truth of your identity. Please forgive me, child," she confessed softly, holding Hera''s little hand in hers.

    "You sound so full of guilt." Her husband''s voice startled her. He dropped something on herp. "I hope these papers will lift some of the burden of guilt from your chest," Benson said.

    Liezel could sense the sarcasm dripping from his every word, but decided to ignore him. She picked up the papers to check. It was fake adoption papers. It would prove that Hera was adopted by them and thus makes them her legal guardians.

    They''d decided to admit Hera in the same boarding school where Danny was studying.

    "I promise you, Hera. As long as I live, I''ll never let any harme to you. Good night, my child." Lizzy kissed Hera, one more time and switched the lights off thinking about tomorrow and hoping for the best.

 Chapter 10 - His Message For Her

    <em>Ten yearster:</em>

    Sliding the old, thin, yellow-coloured cotton curtains to the sides, Hera pushed the window open and stood watching the sun fall behind the horizon. With the setting sun, the orange-gold stretched far and wide in the sky, mingling with the rolling clouds.

    Hera didn''t have the clock in her room, so judging by the position of the sun, she guessed the time to be somewhere between six to seven o''clock.

    Closing the windows as well as the curtains, she walked to the small dresser ced next to her bed. Her hair was a tangled mess as she spent the afternoon rolling on the bed. She had nothing entertaining to do and was bored to death. She was back in California to spend her summer holidays with family..

    Hera studied her appearance in the mirror from head to toe. Anyone could tell that she''d gained weight. Her cheeks looked chubby, and her body more defined, adding some extra curves to her figure. Scowling at her plump figure, Hera sighed and picked up the hairbrush to tame her tangled brte hair. Once done brushing, she wore her long hair in a high ponytail.

    She pulled a ck hoodie over her tank top, matching her ck jean shorts. She kept her face makeup-free as she was in no mood to dress up. Walking to her bed, Hera pulled the journal she''d hidden under the pillow. The same purple-coloured diary gifted by her uncle Antony on her fifth birthday.

    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she opened the diary ncing at the wrappers pasted in it. She ran her fingers absent-mindedly on the wrappers, caressing the words written on them.

    Someone turned the handle and jerked the door open, disturbing her privacy. Startled, Hera quickly shut the book and turned it face-down to hide the letters written on it in bold capitals.

    "What was that? What are you hiding from me?" She heard the rich voice questioning her, and annoyed, she rolled her eyes. She should''ve known by now, only her brother walks into her room, without bothering to knock.

    <em>''As though he owns the room.''</em>

    "Will you ever learn to knock, Danny?" She asked without even bothering to hide her displeasure, and he replied in an equally annoyed tone. "Of course. Not, Hera. In case you don''t remember, it''s my home," he said smugly, giving her a slight close-lipped smile.

    "Oh, God! Not again, Danny. Grow up, will you? Why do you hate me so much?" She half shouted at him in anger. She''d no energy to fight with him, but it seemed he wouldn''t stop bothering her. She braced herself for the verbal insult. He never once was polite with her. As they grew up, his coldness and hatred towards Hera only intensified day by day.

    "And I saw it. I think I read something like, ''Alexander'' written on the cover. Isn''t it?" Her brother asked, surprising her.

    <em>''He changed the topic! Hmm, thank God for that.''</em>

    "What do you want, Danny?" Hera asked, throwing the book into her already packed luggage bag and caressed the name written on it, ''Alexander The Conqueror''. She quickly zipped it locking when he cleared his throat and pushed the luggage under her bed. "It''s time for dinner. Mom is calling you," he informed in a bored tone.

    "Okay, thanks for telling me. I''ll be out in a minute," Hera said. She raised her eyebrows in question when he didn''t make an effort to get out of her room. He scratched his unshaven chin as if in deep thought but had his eyes locked on hers. She knew that look, and it screamed trouble.

    "What is it, Danny?" Hera asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

    Danny smiled at her. The real, sweet, genuine smile. She noticed how incredibly perfect her brother looked, with his ice-blue eyes, lean, athletic body, and that charming smile gracing his lips. His soft, dirty blonde hair falling on his forehead almost covered his eyes. He''d fingerbed his hair, which perfectly defined his bad-boy image.

    Dressed in a brushed almond colour cargo pant paired with a full-sleeved maroon T-shirt, he looked very handsome. The day-old stubble on his jaw gave him a matured look. No girl would walk past him without giving him a second look.

    The clicking of a lock put an end to her thoughts, and she watched as he walked in, settling on her bed. Hera sighed audibly. "I have a message to convey, Hera," he said, adjusting the pillow behind his head before leaning against it. Hera sat on the floor with her arms wrapped around her torso and waited for him to continue.

    "He''s missing you," Danny said.

    That one statement made her shiver, and her heart skipped a beat. She knew it''s trouble. Danny spoke again, "He wants to see you, Hera. He''s truly missing you." Hera stood up quickly from the floor and marched towards him. She didn''t stop until they came up face to face. To her disadvantage, he stood up from the bed, and his six-foot height towered over her.

    "What did you say? Are you out of your fucking mind? What do you mean by he wants to see me? If you let hime here or nning to bring him here, I swear I''ll tell everyone at home how you''re helping my bullies by supporting them. I''ll tell everything to aunt Lizzy," she said, trying to threaten him but in vain. He just smirked at her. Hands shoved into his pant pockets he stood there, all calm and collective.

    "Oh! Really? What''ll you tell them exactly? How the hell is he bullying you? By getting into your bed every night?" He asked, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Hmm, I would love to see how you''ll exin your private time with him," he said while Hera''s jaw nearly hit the floor. She quickly recovered from the shock and tried to mask it with anger. She red at him, but the pink blush spreading all over her cheeks and neck betrayed her act.

 Chapter 11 - Her Protective Brother

    "What the fuck are you talking? He doesn''t get into my bed every night, and I don''t sleep with him," Hera yelled at her brother, pacing back and forth in her tiny room, avoiding eye contact. She didn''t want him to know how nervous she''s feeling inside. "I''m not sleeping with him, and I''ll never, ever sleep with him. Period. Get this straight into your thick skull." She concluded, her face flushed pink in anger.

    He barked augh, a loud one. Hera stopped pacing and clenched her teeth, ring at him.

    <em>''He''sughing at me! Oh, how I wish to smash that beautiful face of his.''</em>

    "Oh, my God! Seriously, Hera? You just started with PMS symptoms, and you''re already thinking about sleeping with him. Wow! Real progress there, Hera," he said, mocking appreciation meanwhile Hera red at him with utmost disgust. If only looks could kill..

    "Ooh! Hera is angry!" Danny stated. He widened his eyes and held up his hands in mock surrender. Heughed some more and then he became deadly serious. His eyes suddenly turned cold as ice.

    <em>''Bipr much?''</em>

    His expressions changed so fast, Hera could swear he was bipr.

    "Tell me, Hera. How''ll you convince mom and dad when I show them your picture?" He stopped for a second or two, bent his head to her level, and looked into her narrowed angry eyes. Then, he whispered his next words. "Pictures of you kissing him. In his bed." With that said, he smiled at her, a sickly sugary sweet smile.

    <em>''Ah, that sweet, innocent, heartwarming smile! Could''ve fooled me.''</em>

    Hera''s thoughts were interrupted when Danny opened his filthy mouth again. "Next time you better watch your tongue and think twice before you dare threaten me, Hera," he said through his clenched teeth, warning her. But, all Hera could think was about the pictures he mentioned.

    "You keep my pictures?" She eximed in horror. "An indecent ones at that," he added, making her cringe. "That''s so sick. I''m your sister, Danny! How could you?" She asked, disbelief written all over her face. Her brother pretended to think for a second or two before replying.

    "On second thoughts, you''re right. Honestly, it gets awkward to keep intimate pictures of your best friend with your sister. So, don''t worry, dear SISTER, I don''t have it with me," he said, emphasizing the word, sister. Could he be any more sarcastic than that? Hera knew he was mocking their sibling bond.

    "But I only have to open his social media ounts to get those cute, romantic pictures of you two," he said smirking arrogantly.

    Heraughed humorlessly at the irony.

    "Romantic? God! You''re delusional, Danny. I don''t want anything to do with that best friend of yours," Hera swore. She tried to open the door to walk out of the room, silently announcing that this conversation was over. But to her annoyance, Danny wouldn''t let go. Seizing her arm in his tight grip, he yanked her back into the room abruptly from the door. And when she looked into his eyes, he was furious.

    "Don''t you dare, walk out on me, Hera. I''m not done yet with our talk," he said, ring at her. Hera tried to pull her hand out of his firm grasp. "Let go, Danny. I said I''m not interested in that so-called best friend of yours. I hate him so much that he could go die and all I care about is for him to vanish from my life," she said, sessfully freeing her hand from his hold.

    "Seriously, Hera? Look at you, being an ungrateful bitch that you''re. Consider yourself lucky that he even looks at you. I don''t know why he''s so crazy about you, though. He can do so much better. You don''t deserve him," he stated, and he sounded so repulsive, Hera couldn''t believe he said that. His words hit the nerve. She held back the tears threatening to spill any moment.

    <em>''Consider myself lucky? Wow, how ironic!''</em>

    Hera wouldn''t be nursing a broken heart if he was crazy for her. Though, Danny''s words hurt, Hera couldn''t deny the truth in what he just said. His best friend had proved multiple times that he could do better. Hera had no idea why he even ims to love her. She wasn''t bad-looking at all. Still, she wasn''t enough for him. Her heart, her love wasn''t enough.

    Sometimes Hera would feel ugly and think herself unworthy. She''d stopped dolling up to make herself pretty. That''s why she''d no interest in wearing makeup or dressing up in fancy clothes. There''s no point in trying to impress anyone.

    <em>''Heartbreaks always suck. Don''t they?''</em>

    "I don''t want him either. I can do better too, Danny, and I assure you that I can find a better boyfriend for myself. You and he can go fuck each other," Hera said, eyes shooting daggers at him. He gritted his teeth in anger. She matched his temper equally, not ready to back off.

    "You''ll find another boyfriend?" Danny asked andughed in ridicule. "Oh, yeah, try, Hera. I would like to see who dares date you. I promise I''ll break all his bones. Nobody hits on my best friend''s girl, not under my watch," he swore.

    <em>''Of course, you would.''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly. She knew very well that he meant every word he spoke. Hisst statement broke her heart.

    <em>''Nobody hits on my best friend''s girl.''</em>

    Hera scoffed.

    She wondered how it would feel to hear him say for once, "Nobody hits on my sister". But she knew that would never happen. She always craved to feel the protectiveness a brother would provide for a sister. Unfortunately, Danny could never be polite to her, let alone be a loving and protective brother. He always chose his friend over her. He hated her to the point of repulsion, and Hera had no clue why.

    "Some protective brother you are!"

    She spat the words out in disgust, disbelief, and in an utter disappointment.

 Chapter 12 - Sibling Bond

    Hera still remembered the first day of her school. She couldn''t be happier to go to the same school as her brother. The mere thought of learning to read and write in school made her happy because she was desperate to read the message written on the chocte wrappers given by her eight-year-old husband.

    Unaware of the biggest surprise that awaited there for her, Hera was beyond excited.

    That said surprise was none other than her Prince charming.

    She met her secret boyfriend/husband, Mr Hunter, at the school on her first day itself, and it only multiplied her happiness. She never thought she''d be meeting him so soon after theirst meeting in the church on her fifth birthday where he disclosed the prophecy about their destined union in the future as husband and wife.

    Finally, she learned his first name. Her Mr Hunter was called Ace, but she preferred calling him Hunter. Because whenever she addressed him as Hunter, he would call her "Mrs Hunter" in reply, and that truly made her happy. She was d to learn the fact that Danny and Hunter have been already best friends..

    Then she met their whole gang, Hunter''s other best friends. Little did she know they were going to ruin her happiness. They stood like a strong pir between Hera and her love, separating them from each other. By the time she realized what was happening, that pir morphed into the unbreakable wall.

    Hera hated them all, with all her guts.

    They bullied her every day and made her life hell. The worst part was, Danny never bothered to stop his friends. He never even once questioned or objected their evil intentions towards Hera. They couldn''t have asked for a better friend because Danny was a great friend. He never let down his friends, but he always stood against Hera, obviously siding with his so-called best friends.

    "It''s just a prank Hera, learn to be a sport and stop being a crybaby," Danny would say to shut her up, whenever Hera went to her brother crying for help. That was his logical exnation to defend his friends.

    <em>''Yep, that made my life so easy.''</em>

    Hera could only scoff and curse in her mind at his ridiculous logic.

    Never once did he stop Hunter from making every second of her life miserable.

    <em>''Obviously, assholes are best friends, after all.''</em>

    It had always been like this between Danny and Hera. Danny would always choose his friends over his little sister, Hera. Their rtionship was remarkably bitter, and they were anything but loving siblings.

    And as for Hunter, he''s entirely a different picture altogether. Hera never even dreamt of him being so evil. Whatever fantasy she had as a child, shattered into bits and pieces when they grew up. He went on from being her Prince charming to a heartless viin in no time, and soon he turned her every dream into a nightmare.

    Danny''s angry outburst put an end to Hera''s trip to memoryne and brought her back to the present.

    "I don''t get it, Hera. What''s your fucking problem? He''s rich, popr, handsome, smart, and to top it all he''s crazy for you. What else do you want, Hera?" Danny yelled in anger. He was once again in the defence mode, and Hera knew he''d never stop defending his buddy.

    <em>''Oh, herees personal rescuer of Ace Hunter. Ever ready to do some damage control during the crisis.''</em>

    Hera scoffed in derision before answering his question. "You forgot to add some more adjectives in the description, Danny. He''s also an arrogant asshole, an egoistic Jerk, a cheating bastard, and a man-whore who sleeps with anything that spreads legs for him," she uttered each word with so much venom it made Danny speechless for a minute. The silence stretched throughout the room, and Hera thought he might leave her alone now.

    But she had no such luck.

    Hera watched as his forehead furrowed, eyes focused somewhere far, lips pressed into a thin line, and he looked as if he''s in a deep thinking mode, twisting and turning his brain. Then he nced at her with a mocking smile.

    "Hmm, that must be hard to digest, right?" He asked, only to add fuel to the burning fire inside her. "Of course, he''s arrogant. Why wouldn''t he? As I said, he''s got the looks, brain, and money. Ego is a man''s greatest weapon, Hera, and about your usation of him being a man-whore," he shrugged his shoulders as if to say, it''s nothing.

    "We''re hot-blooded men, after all. We have our needs and raging hormones to take care of. Besides, what do you expect from the man when your reaction and response is that of a dead fish every time he touches and kisses you?" He asked in a contemptuous tone. "Dear Hera, if it''s any constion, he''ll stop straying from now on as you''re mature enough to feel and reciprocate his physical desires. You''re capable of calming his raging hormones," he said, voice filled with mock sympathy.

    Hera felt like someone poured a bucket of cold water on her.

    <em>''He called me a dead fish?''</em>

    Though at her tender age, she didn''t know anything about sexual pleasures, Hera still felt insulted when hepared her to a dead fish.

    She red at him murderously, but it didn''t affect him a bit, though. He continued with his speech, annoying her to the core. "You''re a woman now, ooh, whoa!" He said, inclined his head and pped his hands as if to say he was proud of her achievement.

    "And hopefully, now you''ll understand the physical trauma we men go through because of our rebellious hormones, defying all our attempts to control. So stop being a jealous bitch, Hera and take care of your man. It''s your job to take care of his needs as his girl," he scolded her as though she''dmitted the biggest mistake of her life.

    Hera couldn''t believe she just heard him saying all that. She shook her head in disbelief. Whatever he said, it only made her feel disgusted. He meant it like she was an object made to please a man. Her pride was wounded. She wasn''t any sex toy, and she wanted to scream at Danny''s face that he was a sexist bastard.

    <em>''Take care of his needs? Does he think I''m a prostitute or some sex worker?''</em>

    "Wow! I''m blessed. What did I do to get a brother like you for life?" Hera asked, throwing her hands up in the air, and groaned in frustration as though she''s going through the greatest agony of life. Danny didn''t miss the sarcasm dripping from her words. It only made him more furious because she did make him feel like he''s the greatest agony of her life every time they fought. Well, that''s all they did, fighting, and fighting and more fighting.

    Danny was sick and tired of fighting with her, but Hera never stopped fighting over their so-called sibling bond. She never let a single chance to go waste where she would get to use him of what a disappointment he was as a brother.

 Chapter 13 - It Takes Two To Tango

    Danny hated losing, and more than that, he hated letting Hera have the upper hand. He wouldn''t let her have thest word.

    "In case you don''t remember, you were an orphan, and my parents adopted you out of pity. You''re not my sister. So it''s high time you stop ying that sibling card," Danny said, spitting out the words in anger. That was harsh, and he knew he hit a nerve.

    <em>''Ouch! That hurt.''</em>

    "I certainly remember being an orphan once. So you don''t have to freshen up my memory. I know we don''t share the same biological parents, but doesn''t I being adopted by your parents mean anything? Doesn''t it make us siblings, nheless? Come on, Danny, I spent my whole life with you. Don''t you care even a tiny bit for me?" She held up her forefinger and thumb, joining them together at their tips to make her point..

    "You must have felt something for me in all these years, a little bit of affection somewhere deep down in your heart," she said softly in a hopeful tone, half expecting he would say yes. "Am I not worthy of that much, Danny?" Hera asked, looking into his icy-blue eyes. Her head tilted to her right,rge eyes focused on his, piercing into his soul.

    Danny sighed before averting his eyes. He didn''t want to admit, but he couldn''t stand the vulnerability Hera''s eyes held at the moment. Danny aimlessly roamed his gaze around the room for a few seconds. Hezily removed his hands from his pant pockets, crossed his arms around his chest, his tongue poked the inside of his cheek, and finally, he answered her question with a very calm voice, face void of emotions.

    "Let me enlighten you if you''re not aware of this truth. My parents adopted you and became your legal guardians, yet you address them as aunt and uncle instead of mom and dad. Hell, you didn''t even agree to change yourst name, Hera, and being the hypocrite you''re, you want me to ept you as my sister?" Danny asked, tone filled with absolute hatred. His jaw clenched, and he managed to utter his next words through his gritted teeth. "News sh, Hera. It takes two to tango."

    Hera bit her lip and swallowed down a sob, trying to escape her throat. "I don''t have anything about my parents to cherish and to call my own. Hell, I don''t even know how they looked because I never once saw them in my entire life, Danny. I didn''t agree to change myst name because I wanted to have at least their name. The biggest sin of my life, right? Yes, kill me now," Hera yelled, and turned her back to him as she couldn''t hold back anymore.

    She finally gave her consent to the awaiting flood of tears to break all the barriers.

    "Right, this is all you''re capable of doing. Drama Queen, cry all you want, it doesn''t work on me. What else can anyone expect from you anyway? You''re hungry for attention all the time. How pathetic can you be?" Danny snapped in anger. His voice, tone, and his bodynguage, everything screamed how disgusted he felt about her.

    Hera turned to face him, blinking her eyes rapidly to get rid of the tears. Before she could retaliate, someone thrust opened the door barging into her room for the second time.

    Hera wiped her eyes free of tears in haste and turned to face the person with a readied fake smile.

    "Did you miss me?"

    A cheerful voice greeted from the door, and Danny ran to the owner of that voice without wasting any second.

    "Abby, you''re here!" Danny eximed in joy and hugged the gorgeous girl to his chest. His arms around her middle tightened, and he twirled her around, grinning from ear to ear. Hera watched in silence as her long hair spun along. "Of course, I missed you, Abby. Took you so long toe back," he said in an using tone, but the merry grin spreading on his lips gave away the anger he was mocking.

    Abigail was their uncle Antony and Jenny''s only daughter. She inherited her father''s looks as well as his carefree nature. Unlike Danny, Abby adored Hera like her sister. Hera couldn''t have asked for a better sister than her. She''s her best friend too.

    The way Danny behaved with Abby only added more to Hera''s agony. Their bonding filled with pure affection was visible for anyone to see and Hera envied her cousin Abigail for that. Abby had got what Hera always craved to have, that was her brother''s unconditional love and protection. They even looked alike with their matching ice-blue eyes, soft dirty blonde hair. They both had a long, thin, straight nose and childlike sweet smiles. Abby and Danny looked so simr that anyone could mistake them for twins.

    Danny gave her a long smooch on the cheek before settling her feet on the floor. "Abby, your cheeks have gotten chubby," he teased, pinching her cheeks while Abigail groaned in disapproval. Like Hera, Abby was fond of food too. But much to Hera''s annoyance, her cousin never gained unwanted fat no matter how much she ate. With her slim perfect figure, the only thing Abbycked was height. Thanks to her five feet three inches short stature, she could now walk gracefully in high heels.

    Abby grinned, pulling Hera into a hug and squeezed the air out of her. Hera obliged with equal enthusiasm. "How have you been, my energy charger?" Hera asked her cousin with a smile while Abby made herselffortable on the bed. "I missed all the cuddling we used to do in this bed," Abigail said. She giggled and pulled Hera onto the bed, but her giggle vanished as soon as she looked into Hera''s red-rimmed eyes.

    "What''s wrong?" She asked with a frown, eyeing the two of her cousins back and forth, worry marring her facial features. "Nothing," Hera and Danny answered in unison and their response came out too quickly. Abby shot them both a re, which said she''s not buying their lie.

    "How could it be nothing if you''ve been crying, Hera? Your swollen, red eyelids are contradicting your lie. Now tell me, why were you crying?" Abby snapped in anger, and her voice rose with every word.

    Hera shushed her with a warning to be quiet. "Keep your voice down, Abby," she muttered. Her cousin red in return, and Hera smiled, trying to ease Abby''s worries. "It''s nothing because I wasn''t crying. I just, hmm, you know, I had an irritation in my eyes due tock of sleep, and I was rubbing it as it was itching badly. I couldn''t sleep because, you know," Hera paused shrugging, unsure what to say. "Maybe because of my condition?" Her answer sounded more like a question to her own ears.

    Abby knew Hera was not telling her the truth. She huffed in frustration and stared at her cousin, expecting her toe clean. Smiling, Hera tried to pinch Abby''s cheeks only to get her hands swatted.

 Chapter 14 - Cousin Dearest

    "You tell me, Abby, how was your holiday with your Grandparents?" Hera asked, trying to change the topic but in vain. She knew it didn''te out more convincingly. Hera eyed Danny expectantly for some help, but he only red at her in a warning. Abby didn''t miss the looks her cousins exchanged with each other. Within a blink of an eye, she stood face to face with Danny. "What did you do, Danny?" Crossing her arms, she asked, ring at him with her sharp eyes.

    Danny feigned innocence, but before he could open his mouth to defend himself, Abby held her palm up, stopping him. "Don''t you dare lie to me, Danny. I can smell the tension cooking between you two. Spit it out, my cousin dearest," she said, eyeing him with her narrowed eyes.

    They never showed Abby the reality of their bitter rtionship. Hera didn''t want to ruin the perfect image of an ideal brother Abby had carved in her mind. So she kept all the bitterness bottled up inside her chest.. But Abby was very well aware of the unspoken truth. Only, she never pried, never pestered, and always respected Hera''s privacy. Hera knew that if she ever needs someone trustworthy to confide in, Abby would dly lend her ears.

    "It''s Hunter," Hera whispered, and Abby''s eyes widened both in worry and curiosity. "What about him? What does he have anything to do with your crying? I mean he''s not even here," Abby said, frowning in confusion. Before Hera could answer, she heard Danny groaning in frustration.

    "Danny says Hunter wants to meet me," Hera said, waiting for Abby to st Danny with her anger. But to her surprise, Abby squealed in excitement which made Hera scowl. She shook her head in disapproval.

    <em>''Are you kidding me! How can she be excited?''</em>

    "You were bawling your eyes out because of that? Are you nuts, Hera? Oh, my sweet God, he''s here to meet you? That''s so sweet of him toe all the way from London to Lake Elsinore. It''s so romantic!" Abby looked at her with dreamy eyes as if she''s lost in some romance novel. She squealed again making Hera cover her ears with her hands. With great difficulty, Hera waited for Abby to calm down her overcharged energy, and her patience was wearing out.

    "Shut up, Abby, will you? Be serious for once and think about the consequences that I have to face. If Hunteres here then who''ll take the responsibility of exining things to Uncle Ben and Aunt Lizzy? We are not allowed to bring anyone home. Remember the rules?" Hera asked while Abby''s expression changed from excitement to fear, then to guilty. She smiled at Hera sheepishly. Hera sighed audibly in relief when realization dawned on Abby.

    "Ah, finally!" Hera eximed, throwing her hands up.

    Yes, indeed, they''re not allowed to bring any friends home. It''s the rule made by Benson. They shouldn''t give out information about their whereabouts to anyone when they''re in their hometown. It had been like this since the day they got admitted to Boarding school in London. They''re not even allowed to make a phone call home from their school. Every time Hera, Danny, and Abby questioned, the only answer they got from Benson was that it was for their safety. Hera had a feeling that Danny knows more, but he wouldn''t tell her.

    "Right, I forgot our family''s rules and regtions," Abby said, rolling her eyes. "Ah, the sacrifices we had to make for all these years! How could our parents be so cruel to us? No freedom at all," she said, cing her hands on her chest and sighed dramatically. Hera rolled her eyes while Danny chuckled.

    "Huh for how long are we going to endure this torture and injustice?" Abby questioned, no one in particr before shifting her attention back to Danny. "Danny, how could you? Did you forget the rules made by your own parents? You were not supposed to tell your friends about our ce, let alone bring them home. Don''t you understand?"

    Hera watched with her widened eyes while her cousin yelled at Danny. Abby shot him a murderous re, but he only grinned in response. Hera shook her head in disbelief, and needless to say, her jaw was hanging. Danny''s nonchnt reaction shocked her.

    <em>''Is there anything that can scare this boy?''</em>

    Danny pulled Abby to his side and draped his arm around her shoulder. His other hand shoved in his pant pocket showed how calm and in control he''s. For a fleeting moment, Hera remembered Hunter and his friends. With hands buried in pockets, a cocky smirk ying on the lips, style coated with arrogance, those were the simrities they all share.

    "Rx, Abby. You know right, how Hera is? A drama queen," Danny said in a bored tone, drawing Hera''s attention. She red at her brother and her cousin, who was now grinning along with him.

    "I sure remember all the rules and no, I''m not breaking them either. I know that my parents act like as if we''re our country''s secret agents on some deadly secret mission," he paused only to roll his eyes. "We''re not allowed to give away our location," he said in a serious matured tone, trying to imitate his father''s deep voice.

    "Huh! Seriously?" Give me a break," he said, and Abbyughed at that. "Secret Agents! Whoa, that''s something to think about, Danny. Or we could be kind of royalty hiding our identities to keep ourselves from getting killed by our enemies," Abby suggested wiggling her brows, her eyes shifted between her two cousins. Hera couldn''t stop grinning at Abby''s assumption.

    "It''s for your safety," Abby said, imitating Danny''s earlier serious tone and they both burst outughing.

    Hera''s grin widened, but before it could turn intoughter, Danny said something which made her heart skip a beat.

    "He''s not here."

    Hera''s eyes widened at that short deration. She should be sighing in relief or releasing the breath she was holding. But her eyes were the most efficient among her all other sense organs. No matter what, her eyes were always the first to react when ites to Hunter.

    "I said he''s missing her and wants to see her. I never said he''sing here to meet her. Our dear Hera can brag and drag about anything and everything nearly to death." Danny said. Hera''s eyes widened again as her brother''s amused blue eyes settled on hers.

    <em>''There''s more to the story.''</em>

    "He will call you on my cell phone when he''s free time," Danny stated and took out his phone from his pant pocket and thrust it into Hera''s hand. Hera didn''t even notice when he''d walked up to her. She was too shocked to react and respond.

    "Now, be a good girl and talk to him when he calls, okay? And be nice. He''s really missing you, so don''t mess with his feelings." With that said, he kissed Abby on her temple and shot a warning re at Hera before walking out of her room. Finally, Hera released the breath she was holding, and it wasn''t anywhere near to relief.

 Chapter 15 - Its Just A Cell Phone

    "Are you okay, Hera?" Abby asked once Danny was out of earshot, concerncing her every word. But Hera''s eyes were glued to the cell phone from the moment Danny thrust it into her hand. She forgot that Abby was still there with her, waiting for her to answer and watching her every reaction.

    However, the only reaction Abby could detect on Hera''s face was her widened eyes ready to pop out of their socket at any moment. Oblivious to her surroundings, Hera stood like a statue in stunned silence. Abby decided she''d had enough, and snapped her fingers in front of Hera''s eyes. But it didn''t help to get her cousin''s attention, and she snorted annoyed.

    "Stop eyeing that poor device as if it''s going to explode any moment now killing us both. It''s just a damn cell phone for God''s sake, Hera," Abby snapped in anger and finally got Hera''s attention.

    Hera took her eyes off the cell phone and looked at Abby''s ring eyes. She blinked twice, thrice, trying to refocus on what her cousin said, and finally, Abby''s words registered. "It''s not just a cell phone.. It''s a cell phone that''s going to make me talk to Satan!" Hera eximed in horror which made Abby grin, and Hera red at her. She threw the phone as if it burnt and itnded right at the edge of her bed. Abby rolled her eyes at her cousin''s childish act.

    "You know right, how desperate are the female poption of our school to talk to that so-called Satan of yours? They''ll kill to be in your ce," Abby said, removing her Jacket as she made it to the bed and Hera followed inattentively. "If only I could trade ces with them," Hera muttered, and her lips twitched slightly shing a sad smile. Abby could see how to hurt Hera was feeling about it. She hugged her and tried to calm her nerves so that she could lessen her pain.

    "I know, you deliberately threw the phone using less force so that it won''t fall on the floor. You know right, Danny would kill you if you even made a small scratch on it?" Abby asked, trying to lighten Hera''s sour mood. Sheughed as Hera gasped in shock, widened her eyes in horror, and quickly crawled to the bottom of her bed to pick up the phone. She checked for any damage and sighed in relief, finding none.

    "Oh, for God''s sake, why does Danny even need a cell phone? You and I don''t have one and aren''t we surviving, Abby? Why should teenagers need a phone? Why don''t people ban these goddamn cell phones?" Hera whined while Abbyughed. "Not for God''s sake, but maybe for your Satan''s sake, I guess?" Abby said, attempting to joke, but it only made her get shoved roughly onto the bed because her joke only added more to Hera''s annoyance.

    Hera was about to lose her mind for sure. She cursed her uncle Ben for gifting his son a cell phone on his eighteenth birthday. They weren''t allowed to have a cell phone for safety reasons as they put it. Benson, however, decided to grant his son with some extra privileges since he was practically an adult and bought him thetest version of an iPhone, which Hera and Abby didn''t get.

    <em>''I wonder, from where they get that much money to spend though.''</em>

    Hera remembered how they both fought back with their parents for not letting them have a cell phone. But now, she''s dly thanking her lucky stars for being on her side for once. Thank Goodness that she didn''t have a phone. Imagine if her Satan had her number what would''ve happened. That thought made her shudder in fright.

    "Okay, drama queen, stop exaggerating, will you? He''s not even here, so stop twisting your panties for no reason. If he wants to talk, then talk to him. It''s not a big deal, and you don''t have to worry when I''m here. I won''t let you get into trouble, okay," Abby said, smiling with assurance, and took both of Hera''s hands in hers.

    "Oh, wait for a second, Hera," Abby said, smiling cunningly. "I''ve got a better solution to your problem. Why don''t I speak to your boyfriend on your behalf instead?" Abby suggested while Hera frowned, giving her cousin an unimpressed look. "He''s not my boyfriend," Hera said bitterly.

    Abby''s smile changed into a wide grin. "Are you sure you''re not interested in him anymore?" She asked but didn''t wait for Hera''s reply. Squealing with excitement, she said, "Fine then, it''s decided. I''m going to seduce him using all my charm at once. Oh, I never believed I would get a chance to bang him in this lifetime," she confessed, and Hera gasped, pping Abby''s arm.

    "Stop speaking out your evil thoughts. We''re not even adults yet, and you''re nning on seducing a boy already. We shouldn''t be harbouring such sinful thoughts at the age of fifteen," Hera said, scolding her cousin. Abby fixed Hera with a hard stare, "Oh,e on, Hera, don''t be such a baby. I mean, look at him, who wouldn''t want to get a taste of that fine specimen? I could eat Ace Hunter alive if I get a chance." She said, licking her lips as if eyeing her favourite dessert.

    Hera released a frustrated groan, and Abby eyed her suspiciously. "I thought you didn''t want him. Why are you acting like a jealous girlfriend? I can almost feel your ws digging into my throat, and you look like you''re ready to drink my blood. Hera, don''t be such a meanie. Don''t you know, sharing is caring?" Abby asked in a fake, pleading tone. Hera shook her head and shoved Abby gently and tried not tough.

    Abby was part relieved and partly worried as Hera only managed to show her a faint hint of a smile. She remembered the days when only Hunter''s name used to make Hera, beam with happiness. She was so madly in love with him once. Abby wondered what happened between them that made Hera hate him so passionately. She had no idea what caused them to break up. Hera refused to talk about it, and Abby respected her decision.

 Chapter 16 - Nothing Lasts Forever

    They wereying on the bed lost in their thoughts probably reminiscing their childhood days. The silence was oddlyforting. They smiled at each other, and Hera decided to break the silence. "I wish we could spend more time here like we use to do. I miss our childhood, Abby," Hera said in a softer tone and turned to her side, looking into Abby''s smiling eyes. Hera admired Abby''s Sunkissed skin as it looked gorgeous. The freckles on her nose and cheeks gave her a fairytale princess look.

    Hera silently envied her cousin. She had grandparents who loved her to the moon and back, and every year Abby spent her summer holidays with them. Hera never had a chance at such happiness.

    Abby grabbed Hera''s hand, and they intertwined fingers. They scooted closer and silently stared at the ceiling. Hera remembered her childhood days, the time when she believed that Liezel and Benson loved her and that she''s a part of their family.. But as they say, nothingsts forever. Things change, people change, and so did Hera''s life. Everything changed after her fifth birthday.

    None of her family members came to their boarding school to visit them. All the students would go home on weekends to spend time with their families while Hera, Danny, and Abby would spend their weekends either with their friends or by themselves.

    Hera was thankful that at least during Winter and Summer breaks they''re allowed toe home. They could visit their family for Christmas.

    Danny hated her because he believed Hera ruined his happy family. It was only him and his parents before her. But now they wouldn''t even care about him. It used to kill Hera whenever Danny used her of ruining his perfect family. But now she could understand how it feels to be abandoned by your family, and she knew how much it hurt Danny. She could now rte to his pain.

    Benson never showed that he cared in any way, and his attitude towards Hera became colder as the time passed. But it hurt Hera so much when Liezel stopped caring. As soon as Hera started for school, her most favourite person, her aunt Lizzy distanced herself from Hera day by day.

    Like Danny, Liezel too used Hera of ruining her family. She med Hera for Danny''s hatred towards her. Hera once overheard Benson and Liezel fighting, and they were arguing about how life had turned into a disaster since the day Hera came into their lives. Liezel even said that she regrets the day she decided to bring Hera home.

    That''s the day when Hera realized that she didn''t belong in their family.

    Her aunt Jenny changed too. Her world only revolved around her daughter Abigail and she never even nced at Hera. But Jenny loved Danny though because he yed the role of a perfect brother to her daughter. The only person that remained the same was her uncle Antony. Not that he showered her with love, but at least he cared. He would still smile at her with affection and would ruffle her hair in greeting.

    Why was her life so hard? Why no one gave her the affection she deserved? Why was she so unlucky when it came to love? Hera often wondered but never really found an answer to her queries. Maybe it''s her fault for always hoping against her ill fate.

    <em>''Maybe it''s time I should stop hoping for the best.''</em>

    A nudge to her shoulder jolted Hera back to the present. Abby''s smiling face came into view. Hera returned the smile and stayed silent for a few more minutes.

    Hera let her eyes wander and survey the room for a few seconds. It was special because it''s where they slept every time they visited Benson''s parents. The room was pretty small yet big enough for both of them to share. They yed home, built their own castle with bedspreads and pillows in that tiny room. They shared their secrets hiding under theforter, and this was the ce where Abby cuddled every time Hera cried.

    She''d promised Hera that one day her Prince charming woulde and take her to his castle, and then she would live happily ever after with him.

    True to Abby''s words, Hera did find her Prince charming. He made everything better. He was there to wipe her tears when she cried. He was there to lend his shoulder to lean on when Hera neededfort. He was always there to kiss her sorrows goodbye. With him by her side, Hera couldn''t have asked for any more happiness. He was her Paradise, her eternal bliss. But nothing good stayed for long in Hera''s life.

    "Are you feeling better now?" Abby asked, and Hera wordlessly inclined her head in an answer. "Good then. Darling, cousin, it''s time to join our family before they could send another search party for us. Let''s go," Abby said, getting off the bed. She draped her Denim Jacket over her white sundress and gestured Hera to get ready.

    Hera asked Abby to give her a few more minutes. She agreed and reached for the door. "And, Hera, don''t mind whatever bullshit Danny uttered earlier making you upset. Just ignore him, and I''m always here if you need me," Abby said with a warm smile, and Hera smiled in gratitude. "Thanks, Abby. I''ll join you in another five minutes," she said, her tone was assuring enough for Abby to give her the needed space.

    Hera locked her door and walked up to the window. The crowd gathered in their backyard all seemed to be lost in the aftereffects of alcohol already. She scrunched her nose up in disgust. She could see their flushed faces and how shamelessly they were flirting with the opposite sex.

    Hera wished she could stay locked in her room, but she knew it''s a futile wish. She had no choice but join them because it would be rude to stay away from your own family get together party.

    She pulled the curtains blocking the view and bent down, looking under the cot to pull out her luggage bag. She took out her Diary and hugged it to her heart. The white gold anklet she''s wearing in her left ankle shimmered in the evening dim light. She touched it rotating around her ankle and held the little heart charm attached to it. And just like that, memories started to haunt her mind. She read the words engraved on it, "Hunter''s Archer" and her traitorous heart clenched in ache whispering the phrase without her permission.

    "I miss you too, Hunter."

 Chapter 17 - Family Get Together

    Their backyard was not that big, except for the in grass there wasn''t anything much around, and it felt crowded as Hera made her way to a nearby table. She walked on the grey carpets spread on the lush green grass. A fire pit added to the yard kept the air warm andforting in the chilly evening.

    She took a seat at one of the six tables. It was small and round-shaped with three chairs. As she bent to pull the chair, her long ponytail fell forward, creating a brown puddle on the white table. She threw her hair over her shoulder and noticed the youngsters upying other tables. Danny was sitting among them and made sure that no one dared to look at her way.

    Hera wanted to go to her brother to ask about Abby as she was nowhere in sight but decided against it. She thought better to avoid him. Liezel came to her with a big te and served the food with a smile on her face. Hera thanked her and returned the smile. It was all for the show, she knew..

    Hera shoved a spoon full ofsagna into her mouth and chewed leisurely savouring the taste. She moaned in pure satisfaction. "Aunt Lizzy, you''re indeed an amazing cook," she mumbled to herself.

    Aimlessly, Hera''s eyes wandered around, taking note of her surroundings. Her eyesnded on her uncle, Benson, and watched him as he enjoyed his barbeque with Antony and his other guests. They were sitting in a circle on the carpet surrounding the fire pit. She was right about her thoughts earlier that all the men were already drunk.

    Her grandparents dancing to some stupid music ying in the background caught Hera''s attention. It was so cute and romantic. They seemed so happy with each other. Just then, Abby came and hugged them each, and they kissed her forehead. Hera''s stomach knotted in jealousy, and she cried inwardly, if only they could show her such warm affection.

    When Hera was seven years old, Benson and Liezel told her about her parents. Benson had a younger sister named Felicity, and she was in love with a man who her parents didn''t approve. Her boyfriend was a bad man, a gang leader, precisely awbreaker. Presumably, he deserted her when she was pregnant with Hera. Felicity died after giving birth to her and had asked her brother Benson to name her daughter as Hera Hunter. Since then Benson and Liezel raised her as their own.

    Little Hera couldn''t see through their lies and believed their every word. If only she knew that it was a concocted story. But she was too innocent and ignorant to detect their true selves. She trusted them with her gratitude-filled heart and thanked God for blessing her with a family.

    Hera could only guess that Hunter must be her father''s name. Benson refused to tell her any more things about her father in detail. They all said that her father was dangerous, and Hera was better off without him.

    Just like her uncle Benson, her grandparents too kept Hera at a distance. They never showed her any affection. It''s hard to believe sometimes that she''s their granddaughter. ording to the story told by her uncle Benson, they disowned their daughter for being in love with a gang leader. Sadly, they didn''t ept Hera as a family either. She silently suffered and endured their dislike as they ignored her existence.

    Hera''s wandering eyes moved further tond on Liezel and her femalepanions. She could hear whatever stupid conversation they were engaged in, even from where she was sitting, and that was remarkably too far. Drunk women couldn''t be any better than drunk men, could they? Liezel giggled in a very udylike manner to whatever Jenny told her.

    "Yes, I prepared all the food tonight, and I made sure to cook all Hera''s favourite dishes. The party is in her honour, after all," Liezel said, proudly boasting to everyone how much she enjoyed cooking all the food tonight. And apparently, she''d cooked all Hera''s favourite food because she loves Hera so much. Hera''s lips twitched into a sarcastic smile as she heard her aunt''s every word.

    All her female friends looked in Hera''s direction, eyeing her full te before turning their attention back to their hostess. "Oh, no wonder, her te is so full, and she can''t stop stuffing her little mouth with food," someone said, and Hera heard them allugh good-naturedly. Liezel''s face lit up as she smiled, too proud of herself.

    <em>''You''ve got to be kidding me! Does she even know what my favourite food is?''</em>

    Hera looked at the chicken wings andsagna on her te. She was enjoying eating it until she heard Liezel''s lies. Hera scorned bitterly, and the emotions on her face disyed obvious disdain. She knew for sure that her aunt prepared that food only because it was Danny''s favourite.

    Hera loved food, and she would eat anything with pleasure if it''s edible enough to eat. Her te didn''t have anything made of fish in it, nor was there any steak, two of her most favourite foods. But how would Liezel know? She needed to care in the first ce if she wanted to know what Hera liked and disliked. Hera knew that Liezel stopped caring long back.

    "My babies are going to leave in just another two days. Oh, I''m going to miss them terribly," Liezel said in a concerned tone and her lip corners pulled down to show her sadness. Jenny gave her a side hug and nodded, exhibiting the same emotions.

    Hera mentally rolled eyes at what Liezel just confessed. She must admit that it was quite convincing, though. She got worried when all the females started walking towards her, and soon they were all seated together. Hera looked around her table, eyeing every person. She realized that she didn''t even know half of these people gathered here, enjoying the dinner and probably chit-chatting about Hera''s life.

    It was Liezel''s idea to invite these people to join their celebration because she imed to be the one with all the traditions and values. So she thought it necessary to host this celebration. And it''s about PUBERTY RITUALS, a party to celebrate Hera''s newly achieved adulthood.

 Chapter 18 - Puberty Rituals

    <em>''Coming of age rituals?</em><em></em>

    <em>Seriously?</em>

    <em>I mean, who throws a party to celebrate one''s menstruation?''</em>

    Hera thought it was disgustingly ridiculous. Why should it be announced to the whole world that a girl is starting to have her periods? "It''s rituals, and I''m old-fashioned," that''s what Liezel said to justify her action when in reality People in California don''t even practice such rituals anymore. She just needed an opportunity to show off how good at heart they were.

    <em>''After all, they''ve adopted an orphaned girl and gave her such a good life. Or maybe, it''s just an excuse to get drunk.''</em>

    Someone called Hera''s name and pulled her out of her thoughts. Hera tried to listen with great difficulty whatever they''re preaching her right now, and it''s no more different than what Liezel and Jenny told her a week ago.

    Poor Danny had to sit through when they were having this "adult talk" because it was supposed to be his duty as a brother to protect Hera, now that she''s a grown-up woman. He was so disgusted listening to his mother and aunt talking about sex that he almost threw up.. Hera bit back a sarcasticugh at the memory.

    <em>''As if Danny gives a damn about his so-called little sister. If only he could care for me.''</em>

    Fundamentally, it was about how a girl at fifteen will be now going into a new phase of life where she needs to think more like an adult and be more mature. And they educated her about randomly having sex, boyfriends, unsafe sex, getting knocked up, h h h.

    <em>''Utter bullshit.''</em>

    Hera didn''t need their preaching. For sure, Mother Nature took her sweet time to bless Hera with puberty. But it didn''t mean she was ignorant. All her female friends, including Abby, acquired their license to womanhood way before Hera did. Probably a year and a half earlypared to Hera''s. So Hera knew everything because friends do talking.

    Soon these women felt that they''d taught Hera enough and they left her table to join the adults to enjoy their drink. Hera inhaled the evening air and rxed in her chair. She couldn''t be happier, as they left her alone to enjoy her food in peace atst.

    Right at that exact moment, Danny''s cell phone which Hera had kept in the chair next to her pinged, indicating an iing message and Hera choked on her food when she saw her Satan''s name shing on the screen. She coughed, and her eyes watered as the food entered the wrong pipe. She drank water andposed herself quickly, not wanting to grab attention. The phone kept alerting about the iing messages. She grabbed the phone and shoved it inside the pocket of her jean shorts without ncing at the screen again. She couldn''t dare.

    Hera stood up from the chair and eyed her unfinished food. She never appreciated the idea of wasting food. But right at that moment, wasting food was thest thing she was worried. She was nervous and needed someone for moral support. Hera quickly nced around, searching for her cousin and found Abby dancing with a boy. She could see how good-looking he was.

    Hera stared at her beautiful cousin while Abbyughed heartily at something the boy said. Her soft dirty blonde hair moved in sync with the soft wind, fanning her oval-shaped face. He gently tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear, making Abby blush.

    Unlike Hera, her cousin was a social butterfly and could easily mingle with anyone. Hera decided not to ruin her fun and started walking in the direction of their back-gate entrance to the kitchen. She saw Danny and sighed in relief that he''s busy kissing a random girl behind a tree.

    Hera made a beeline to her room without any second thought.

    Hera locked her room and leaned against the closed door. She ced her palms on her chest and closed her eyes for a few seconds.

    "God! Are you nning on killing me, you stupid heart? Slow down, will you?" She scolded her racing heart, which was beating so fast that she felt like it might jump out of her chest. She waited for her heart to settle down until her breathing became normal.

    She jumped on her bed and took several deep breaths. She wasted enough time trying to dodge the dreaded moment. But how long could she avoid it? She wasn''t allowed to ignore him. Eventually, Hera took out the phone from her pocket and swiped the screen. Thankfully, Danny had given her the password to unlock the screen before giving his phone to her. Otherwise, she would''ve needed her annoying brother to open the phone lock, and she didn''t need amanding Hitler dancing on her head right now.

    The notification bar showed, twenty-four messages and two missed calls. "Oh, my God! Did he call? I missed it!" She said aloud, panicking.

    "He''ll be furious that I didn''t answer his call. What should I do now?" She asked herself as her heart started to race again, making her nervous. She brushed her sweaty palms on her jean shorts, wiping them.

    Slowly gathering all the courage from every fibre of her body, she checked the missed calls first, and to her relief, it wasn''t from Hunter. It was from Evelyn, one of Hunter''s best friends. Her name itself brought a smile to Hera''s face. Unlike the rest of his gang, she was a sweetheart and the only odd one out in their group.

    Evelyn was beautiful, smart, and the blue-eyed angel of the school. Most importantly, she wasn''t a mean bitch, unlike her other best friends. She''s kind, friendly, and liked to be a help wherever it was needed. Every boy in their school had a crush on her. But she had her eyes and heart set on only one person, Daniel Aiken aka Danny. However, Hera''s stupid brother Danny had always ignored Evelyn''s every attempt to win his heart, or so it seemed.

    Hera opened the message inbox and found out that Evelyn had sent twenty-three messages. Hera giggled quietly. For someone ignorant of Evelyn''s feelings, Danny for sure chatted a lot with her, and he''d saved her contact name as Princess Evelyn.

    Out of twenty-four messages, one message came from Hunter. Hera paused and debated whether to open or not to open Hunter''s message. She thought maybe it was for Danny. ording to what her brother said, Hunter was supposed to call her. He wouldn''t message her, right? Hera jerked back in surprise when the phone pinged again, notifying an iing message. It was from Evelyn, and Hera identally touched the screen, opening the message unknowingly.

 Chapter 19 - Hes No Prince Charming

    <strong>Princess Evelyn: "Hera sweety, I''m guessing Danny''s phone is with you because he''s not answering my calls and messages?"</strong>

    Hera''s eyes widened in surprise as she read the message addressed to her.

    It was as though Evelyn could see her checking the messages right now. Hera smiled and typed the reply.

    <strong>"Hey, Evie, how are you? And yes. I''m having Danny''s phone."</strong>

    <strong>Princess Evelyn: "Did your Prince charming call?"</strong>

    Evelyn had attached a winking emoticon at the end of her message, and Hera rolled her eyes. "No greetings, no how are you, nothing. Huh, Hunter and his friends!" She mumbled to herself while typing the reply.

    <strong>"You and I both know, Evie.. HE IS NO PRINCE CHARMING. And no, Satan has not called yet. How do you know that he was going to call me?"</strong>

    <strong>Princess Evelyn: "Hera, you know right, we don''t keep secrets? Of course, I''ll know everything my friends do or going to do. We''re best friends forever, after all."</strong>

    Evelyn ended that message with a dancing emoticon. Hera could practically feel the smug smile on Evelyn''s face as she read the words coated with arrogance and pride.

    Hera shook her head and smiled sarcastically. "Of course, you are," she said to herself.

    <strong>Princess Evelyn: "Okay, Hera, let me check what''s stopping him from calling you. Give me a minute, I''ll check on him once."</strong>

    Hera bit her lip nervously while her eyes widened in rm.

    <em>''Oh, no. Hunter will think I''ve been waiting for his call.''</em>

    Hera didn''t want Evie to call him to ask why he didn''t call her yet, and she still had to check Hunter''s message. Hera immediately dialled Evelyn''s number, and she answered it in one ring. Hera didn''t even wait for her to say hello. "Evie, please don''t call him. He''ll think I''m desperate," Hera said, her tone pleading as the words rushed out of her mouth.

    "Well, aren''t you?" Evelyn immediately asked, her tone held a teasing note, voice filled with amusement. Hera bit her lip and couldn''t deny it. Was she desperate? She didn''t want to admit it, but of course, she was desperate. She couldn''t wait to hear his deep, harmonious voice. She hated that she''d been missing him so much that it hurt. But when did her heart listen to her mind? Hera sighed in defeat. Evelyn sensed her silent plea.

    "It''s fine, Hera. Just rx. I won''t call him if you don''t want me to. Tell me, how are you? I missed you, Hera. Come back soon, okay? We all are waiting for you toe back so that we can celebrate," Evelyn said in a cheerful tone while Hera frowned. "Celebrate what, Evie? What did I miss?" She asked cluelessly, and Evelyn giggled in response.

    "Oh, yes. Congrattions, Hera. Atst, Mother Nature decided to bless you and opened the bridge to womanhood. Isn''t that reason enough to celebrate? We are hosting a party in your honour," Evelyn said in her sweet voice.

    <em>''Oh, no, not again. No more party, please. Wait a minute, what?''</em>

    Hera pursed her lips in anger as she realized what Evelyn meant. "Oh, my God, Evie, how do you know about it?" She asked. It was a rhetorical question. She already knew the answer to it. "Don''t tell me Danny told you," Hera said through her gritted teeth making Evelyn snicker. "But he did tell me, Hera," said Evelyn, still giggling.

    Hera balled her fist in anger and wished Danny''s face was in front of her to take the punch. She groaned in frustration.

    <em>''Talk about embarrassment.''</em>

    "Evie, why would you and Danny even discuss my newly attained puberty? It''s gross," Hera whined in disapproval. Evelyn rolled her eyes and groaned. "Hera, why wouldn''t we? It''s our rule, no secrets between friends," she said in a duh a tone, stating their obvious rule.

    "But, Evie, it isn''t yours or Danny''s secret to share. Oh, my God! Does it mean your whole gang knows?" Hera asked, having a feeling of shameful difort. She couldn''t stop cursing Danny. Was he for real? Why would he discuss her with his friends? He should join Hry, School''s gossip column writer. They would make a good team together without a doubt.

    <em>''He sure enjoys GIRL TALK.''</em>

    Hera gasped loudly when the realization hit her. "Oh, shit! Evie, Does Hunter know?" Evie hummed in response andughed when Hera said how much she hated all of them. "Oh, yeah, he can''t wait to see you, Hera. Finally, you two can get back together, and this time, you can reciprocate his feelings and desires. I''m so happy for you both," Evelyn was saying when Hera heard someone calling Evelyn''s name in the background. Hera could guess, it was Samantha.

    Hera was not ready to exchange any pleasantries with any other member of Satan''s team at that moment. So she hung up with a quick goodbye. Hera''s mind went on a whirlwind tour as recollected what Evelyn said.

    <em>''What did she mean when she said, I can reciprocate his feelings and desires now?''</em>

    That would never happen, not again. Hera was not that dense to plunge into that deathtrap repeatedly. You wouldn''t jump into the fire knowingly, right? Hera would never dig her own grave. He was trouble. He was a pain. He was a nightmare. He was not going to hypnotize her mind and rule her heart again. She won''t let him in, never again.

    With that decision made, Hera opened his message to see what he''d got to say and it only made her scoff.

    <strong>Ace: "Sorry, LOVE, couldn''t call you. I''m kind of busy with something important. I can''t wait to meet you, though. See you soon, Goddess Hera."</strong>

    He had texted such a short message and didn''t even mention the reason for being busy. Hera was avoiding the moment, not wanting to talk to him. She should be d that she got off with it, but it only made her heart sulk in disappointment. Why? Because unknowingly, she was counting the minutes and seconds waiting for his call the whole evening. What was he so busy with that he couldn''t spare a minute to call her?

    She reread his message, and her mind remembered everything Danny said.

    <em>''He is missing you, be nice, don''t hurt his feelings, oh h h h. So much for missing you.''</em>

    Danny''s phone pinged again showing an iing message. This time Hera didn''t hesitate opening the message. It led her to their group chat. Whatever she read there, made her even more furious. They were all discussing her, and she decided to read the whole conversation starting from the beginning.

    And what did she discover?

    Hunter''s best friends were teasing him about "his girl" being a ripened fruit now, and that he was the only one to taste and enjoy it. She cringed at the mess they called "thoughts."

    <em>''How disgusting!''</em>

    Hera closed the message inbox and carefully ced the phone on her bedside table, not wanting to cause any damage to it and threw herself on her bed with a thud. There were days when she couldn''t wait to go back to London. But now, she''s dreading reaching her destination. Her gaze turned to the ceiling above her, and she sighed helplessly.

    As Abby said, for sure, her Prince charming came to her rescue when she was in desperate need of love. However, her Prince charming had turned himself into an evil monster now. Who would save her from this heartless Satan?

    <em>''Can anyone please tell me that a knight in shining armour still exists? There''s a damsel in distress to rescue here.''</em>

 Chapter 20 - Welcome Back

    "SPALEV HIGH, here Ie," Hera yelled out loud dramatically, spreading her arms wide open against the sky, feigning enthusiasm. Sighing, she dropped her arms and clicked her tongue helplessly as the moment she''s dreading to face had finally arrived.

    Summer holidays were over, and now she was back to school. It was her first year as a high school student. The first day of high school should always be exciting, but not for her. The school had forever been her worst nightmare, and stepping into high school was not going to change anything. So why would this year be any different?

    <em>''Probably this year won''t change for any good either. Well, not until a certain someone leaves SPALEV High.''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly.

    Abby just finished talking to her parents on the phone. She was informing them that they''d reached safely.. All three of them knew that it would be thest time they were allowed to make a call home until their next holidays.

    Hera looked up, eyeing therge buildings standing proudly in front of her and sighed audibly. Her eyes wandered through the school''s campus. She didn''t even know how many acres ofnd it consumed. Well, that''s because she wasn''t any good with numbers, meaning she didn''t know anything aboutnd dimensions or measuring tapes or scales. In short, she sucked at Math.

    The property was too big. The school had three different blocks dividing Primary school, Middle school, and High school, respectively. It had an Assembly hall where they held daily prayers and its where the Principal would conduct a meeting for all the students and teachers simultaneously. It included an auditorium as well where they would conduct recreational activities and celebrations. Curricr and creative activities such as dramatics, music, and debates also carried out there.

    It had the biggest library in the school and amon canteen for everyone. They had a sports club whiches with all the facilities to y indoor games. It had a fully equipped gym and a boxing ring to practice all types of martial arts. It had a basketball court, Tennis court, and big ygrounds for ser and cricket as well. Next to it stood their Dormitory building which takes 10 minutes to walk from the school.

    "I wonder how our parents managed to send us into this school. I don''t know how can they even afford to pay our fees?" Hera wondered aloud.

    SPALEV, which stands for "Shaping Personality And Learning Ethical Values" was an elite private school in Central-West London, meant only for rich kids. Every student there had a loaded family background except Hera, Danny, and Abby.

    "Our parents?" Her brother''s questioning tone caught Hera''s attention, and she peeked a nce at him. The expression on his face was taunting her, and she had long been familiar with that look. She couldn''t understand why he despised her so much. She loved him like any other normal sister would love her brother. Danny and his family always med her for their miseries.

    She didn''t ask for any of this bitterness, and it wasn''t her fault that his parents abandoned him. If he couldn''t ept her as his sister, then at least he could treat her better like he treats his cousin Abby, right? After all, even Hera was his cousin before his parents adopted her. But he always despised her anyway.

    Hera sighed in relief when she heard her friend''s voice, yelling her name. She would always wee any distraction that could avoid the discussion about why he hated her so much.

    "Hera, I missed you so much," her friend Celine hugged her, knocking the breath out of her. Her other best friends Andrew, Asher, Jarred, and Brittany, jump hugged her. They dragged Abby along with them making her cry startled and eventually, they all fell on the ground,ughing crazy. The only good thing that happened to Hera in this boarding school was her best friends. They make her life worth living against all other odds.

    Ignoring the high school freshers, Danny pocketed his phone and walked past them in the direction of the Office, to visit their school''s Principal.

    "I missed you too, guys. How have you been, and what are you all still doing at school? Well, not that I''m not happy seeing you all, but its time for you to leave. So what held you back?" Hera asked no one in particr and looked at each of her friends, grinning broadly. It was Friday, and after school, they all usually go back home to their parents at the weekends.

    "Isn''t it obvious? We''ve been waiting for you two, silly," Celine said with a duh tone. Hera''s eyebrows went up in surprise. They had never been in touch during the holidays as they''re not allowed to use the phone or inte from their native locations due to the so-called safety reasons. "And how did you know that we''reing today?" Hera asked her blonde, petite friend.

    "Aw, Sweety, did you forget that you''re not just any ordinary student here? The most popr guy of SPALEV high is crazy for you, and that automatically makes you special. If his gang is talking about you, then it means you''re all over the bulletin board," Celine said with a teasing smile. Hera rolled her eyes at her friend first, then she widened her eyes, shocked.

    "What the ..." Hera''s words got cut off by Brittany''sugh. She had an idea of what exactly Hera was about to say. "Don''t worry, Hera. Celine didn''t mean to say that it''s literally on the bulletin board. What she meant was that they''ve been talking and words spread faster than you think in SPALEV high when it involves the famous gang," Brittany, prettiest blonde girl in Hera''s gang said.

    "Imagine the bulletin board filled with the news about your menstruation cycle!" She said and burst outughing crazily, and Celine and Abby joined her making Hera cringe with disgust while the boys looked horrified. Obviously, they weren''tfortable talking about a girl''s period.

    "Oh, my God! Won''t that be hrious," Celine said in between herugh. Hera could imagine that horrible thing happening as anything would be possible, knowing that evil gang of Hunter''s. After all, they would do anything to bully her.

 Chapter 21 - Tired Of All The Hatred

    Hera genuinely thought that they had put it on the bulletin board of the school to humiliate her. That would be one loud, unforgettable, public humiliation. How would she survive her remaining days in the school after going through such degradation?

    <em>''Dear</em><em> God, I don''t deserve that. I couldn''t be that badly cursed, right?''</em>

    "Wait. What? Do they know about my situation? Ah man, they had spread the news throughout the school already. Somebody kill me now," Hera whined stomping her foot in anger while her friendsughed at her misery. "Why do they hate me so much?" Hera groaned, annoyed.

    "Aw,e on, Hera. It''s not that bad. Stop exaggerating," Abby said, elbowing her in the side, stillughing along with the others.

    "You look different, Hera.. Something''s changed," Jarredmented, eyeing her up and down from head to toe. Hera lifted her head, looking into his light blue eyes. He was six feet tall and had a lean body.

    "Yeah, right, you kind of look hot," Asher voiced out his opinion, and Hera scowled, giving a dirty look to both the boys. Her friends were all blonds with blue eyes. Brittany immediately pped his head from behind, making him curse in reflex. "What was that for?" Asher asked, shoving Brittany''s shoulder. "You just called her hot, you jerk. Don''t be such a pervert. You''re not supposed to feel that way for your best friend. That''s so gross," she said, scolding him.

    However, for Hera, it''s the least of her worries. What''s bothering her the most was the fact that her friends knew about her situation. But they hadn''t heard it from her, and that indeed was annoying her.

    <em>''Thoserades of Satan don''t have any right to invade my personal space. There''s something called privacy for God''s sake!''</em>

    Hera thought and cursed her luck inwardly.

    "Damn, girl. I didn''t mean it that way. She seems somewhat different," Asher said to Brittany. "A good different, that is," he added when she red at him.

    "And she''s grown taller," Andrew said while he studied her appearance in detail, but it wasn''t anything in a creepy way as he''s the most decent guy in their entire school.

    Hera knew what they''re hinting at. Her physical appearance had changed a bit. She''d put on some weight, obviously all thanks to her aunt Liezel, who thought it''s that time of your life where you need to feed your body with enough vitamins to build a healthy foundation for a growing girl''s personality. So, she made her stay back at home though her holidays were over, making her miss the school for ten days in the process. And she did make Hera stuff her tummy with food and food and more food.

    Hera surprisingly got emotional and cried when Liezel said, that''s what a mother would do when her daughter hits puberty. No matter what, Hera could never be an ungrateful person. She was thankful for everything her adopted parents had done for her.

    A loud honking of a car made them all jump in surprise. They all turned to the car only to witness ra White winding her window ss up sitting in the back seat of her car but not before ring at Hera with pure hatred. Hera bit her lip hard, and her fingers closed into a tight fist digging her nails into her palm to distract her mind, but the pain didn''t do anything to stop her memories rising to the front from the deeply hidden bottom of her brain.

    <em>''I''m tired of people hating me. Why don''t they just let me live in peace?''</em>

    Abby wrapped her arm around Hera''s shoulder in a protecting manner while ring at the car going away from them. "Ignore her, Hera," she said, rubbing Hera''s arm infort.

    "Hey, it''s okay." Hera heard her friends whisper in unison. When she looked at them, they all were giving her a sympathetic look. Hera lowered her head, avoiding their eyes. "It still hurts. It hurts so much, you know," she said in a broken whisper and tried hard not to cry.

    "Wee back, Hera," Asher yelled out loud out of the blue, startling Hera. She looked at him with her widened eyes, which screamed: "Are you crazy?"

    Asher grinned and started to tickle Hera, making her squeak in surprise. She found herself giggling, which soon turned into outrightughter. All of her friends joined Asher and held her in the ce when she tried to run away. Hera fell on the ground, begging them in between herughter to stop tickling her.

    Finally, with a promise from Hera that she''s not going to mope around thinking about the past, they stopped torturing her. Those tears threatening to spill out of her eyes earlier, which she tried so hard to hide, escaped her eyelids anyway. But they weren''t tears of sadness anymore.

    Hera wiped her cheeks, erasing the trace of those tears. They called for a group hug, and Hera genuinely smiled, hugging them all. No matter how unpleasant the situation got, her friends always made it better for her. Every single time.

    "Okay, enough drama already. Kids, behave," Andrew yfully scolded them all, grinning wide. "Oh, we are one bunch of nasty teenagers, alright. Don''t ask us to behave, Mr Virgin pants," Asher said, and they allughed at his words. Andrew red and tried to punch him, but Asher easily dodged it.

    "You should be happy that at least, Virgin pants sound better than Virgin Mary," Abby said, pinching Andrew''s cheeks which made him groan in disapproval. "Yeah, right, because Virgin Mary is rightfully Hera''s title," Jarred said, flicking Hera''s nose while Celine and Brittany high fived him. Hera rolled her eyes at her immature friends.

    Hera couldn''t be happier to know that all her friends had decided to stay back so that they could make it up to her for thosest ten days she missed. Her friends decided to wait in the corridor until Hera and Abby finish their meeting with the Principal.

    When Hera reached the Principal''s office, she scowled at the first person she saw. Principal''s PA Julia Rooney and Hera never liked each other. She''d always been a bitch to Hera for some unknown reason. "Ah, look who''s finally decided to grace us with her presence!" Julia said, and Hera faked a smile at the mean Personal Assistant.

 Chapter 22 - Meet And Greet

    "Ms Rooney, I''m here to see Mrs Mathew. Can I go in?" Hera asked.

    "Of course, Ms Hunter. Waltz in like you own the ce," Julia said, waving her hand. Her sarcasm made Hera clench her teeth, yet she smiled sweetly consuming her anger. Abby heard Danny''s distant voiceing from the Principal''s office since the door was standing ajar. Before Hera could retaliate, Abby immediately pulled her behind.

    "Ms Rooney, we''re here toplete the formalities of our admission process and my cousin Daniel is already inside. It''ll save us time if you let us in since he''ll be dealing with our admission process too. Please, Ms Rooney," Abby said, requesting sweetly.

    Hera cringed at the sickly sweet voice of Abby that was obviously fake. She even saw her cousin pouting, making a puppy dog face, which usually works fine with everyone.. Surprisingly, it worked on Julia too. She gestured them to go in with the tilt of her head. Hera didn''t miss the look Julia passed on her as if she''s some filthy trash.

    "What a bitch," Hera muttered under her breath while walking past her, and smirked in satisfaction when she saw Julia''s red angry face.

    <em>''Good that you heard it, bitch, because you were supposed to hear it.''</em>

    "Excuse me, what did you say?"Julia asked, ring at her. Hera turned to face her by putting on a sweet, innocent expression on her face. "Very kind of you, Ms Rooney, thank you," Hera replied with a polite smile. But she knew very well her tone was anything but polite.

    As soon as they entered the office, their Principal, Mrs Sandra Mathew''s friendly smile greeted them. She informed them that Danny had already handed her the check their parents sent for her. Since Danny was officially eighteen years old now, he took care of all the formalities of the admission process. So they could collect their books and uniforms. But of course, they had to listen to their Principal''s pep talk about following the rules, to be an obedient student, h h h before they got dismissed.

    Mrs Mathew could be an uptight person when ites to School Rules.

    Once Mrs Mathew shooed them out of her office, they all went to see Mrs Paige Wilkins to collect their books. As they entered her office, she received them with a warm wee. She was the Head of Department and also taught them English. Mrs Wilkins was every student''s favourite person among all the teaching staffs of the school. She''s kind, sweet and very friendly. She was a finedy in herte thirties with a pretty face, chocte brown hair with matching brown eyes, five feet three inches tall.

    "Wee back, kids, look like you enjoyed your summer holidays. Took you long enough to rejoin the school, I see," she said with a teasing tone, and they all returned her smile with equal affection. "Oh, look at you, all grown up and beautiful," Mrs Wilkins said, smiling at Hera and she blushed at her teacher''s kind words.

    After chitchatting for a while about the things they did during their holidays, Mrs Wilkins signed a paper, permitting them to collect their books. They met the staff in charge of book distribution in the office, and he handed them their books along with their schedules, their new locker numbers and exined how to use thebination codes. With thest information about how to collect their uniforms, he dismissed them.

    On their way out as they crossed Julia''s table, Hera''s surprised eyebrows arched up when she saw the look on her face. With a sweet smile stered on her lips, Julia ridiculously fluttered her eyshes. Hera nced over her shoulder only to find out that it was her brother Danny''s approaching figure behind them, Julia was openly ogling.

    Once they were at a safe distance, Hera elbowed Abby, and they both noticed that Julia still had her eyes fixed on Danny.

    "Good day, Julia," Danny greeted with a charming smile while he walked past her. Hera''s eyes widened as a saucer and Abby gasped in shock as they exchanged a knowing look.

    <em>''Meanie Rooney actually blushed!''</em>

    "Have a nice evening, Mr Aiken, the handsome. See youter?" Julia asked, and Danny winked at her in response. Hera cringed in disgust while Abby''s face mirrored Hera''s expression. The way Julia was flirting with him, they could tell, she was sending him signals.

    "Please don''t say that he''s screwing her too!" Abby whispered so that only Hera could hear. Hera shrugged her shoulders. "I''m not saying anything," she replied and shook her head.

    "Ew ew ew... Disgusting," they both said in unison and pulled a face as if they were about to puke before they burst outughing.

    As promised, Hera''s friends were all waiting for her when they walked out of the office. Hera and Abby joined their friends when Danny called out Abby''s name loudly. She turned to him, and they bid goodbye by hugging each other. He looked at Hera, who had her gaze already fixed on him and Abby, watching them with her eyes full of longing.

    "You both have an hour to settle down, and then we''re leaving," Danny stated in his usualmanding tone to which Hera and Abby both agreed without any objection. He went near Hera, and for a second she went stiff when he hugged her. Hera was shocked that her brother was hugging her. He''d never done that.

    "Don''t worry, Hera, he''s not here," he whispered in her ear only for her to listen. With that said, he walked ahead of them towards their dormitory. Abby smiled at Hera knowingly. It''s not every day that her cousins hug each other. It''s a special moment. Hera shrugged nonchntly in response.

    Danny''s words echoed in her mind.

    <em>''He is not here. What does he mean?''</em>

    However, she decided to ignore it for the time being and joined her friends. On their way, her friends started to fill her in about everything that happened in thest ten days. Hera held her breath, bracing herself for the worst since she knew their conversation would eventually lead to Hunter. She had a feeling that she would hear something or the other thing about her tormentor, which won''t be in her favour.

 Chapter 23 - Their Mighty President

    "So, what did I miss? Mind updating?" Abby asked as they walked ahead. She stopped walking and turned around to face them directly when she noticed her friends exchanging looks with each other. They all had an amusement dancing in their eyes. "Well?" She prodded, waiting for them to spill everything that happened in her absence.

    "The heartthrob of SPALEV ... our very own Ace Hunter," Celine started, and every next word that came out of her mouth made Hera''s heart skip a beat. It didn''t help either that she''s dragging and prolonging her statement to create a dramatic effect. "Has been elected as our new President, undisputed," Celine dered in a high pitch tone.

    Hera rolled her eyes while Abby frowned in confusion. "What''s new in that, Celine? He''s always been the President. He''s an undefeated King of SPALEV since forever," Abby stated, and she too rolled her eyes at the end.

    Hera stopped at the bulletin board as some pictures caught her attention. There were different pictures of Hunter on the bulletin board. One with their Principal in the assembly presenting him the certificate and a trophy for being the topperst year. One more with the teachers in the auditorium congratting him for being elected as the President of the student council. Another picture with their ser team coach along with his team on the field. He''s the captain of their ser team.

    Nothing was new though, as Abby said he''d been enjoying all these titles since forever.

    "What''s new? Okay, let me spell it for you. It''s new because this year as we''re entering high school, wee under the direct rule of our Mighty President, Mr Ace Hunter," Andrew spoke, tone filled with absolute frustration. That revtion hit Hera hard. With a short, sudden intake of breath, she bit her lip as Andrew uttered those words out loud. Her breath caught in her throat as Hunter''s piercing eyes sliced hers through the picture.

    In their school every year there would be an election to elect members of the student council, starting from Grade Six to Grade Eight" for middle school and "Grade Nine to Grade Twelve" for high school. Three students from each Grade would get elected to the student council as President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, ss Representatives, etc.

    Hunter had always been the President and no points for guessing it there. Because it''s obvious, he had been that much popr among students as well as teachers since day one.

    Since Hunter was three years senior to Hera, she never came under his control when he was the President of middle school. Unfortunately, now, as she was a High School Fresher, the Devil would definitely make her life a living hell.

    "Oh, fuck my life," Hera said, turning her back to the bulletin board and let out a sigh of defeat. She red daggers at her friends when they allughed at her expense. Asher wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her to him sideways and tried to console her. "Oh,e on. It can''t be that bad, Hera. We''re with you on this," he said in a soft voice, tone filled with pity, but the smirk stered on his face told otherwise.

    <em>''Oh, he''s enjoying this too much.''</em>

    She pushed him off her and stood in the corner, scowling. Abby continued to go through the bulletin board, and she spun around to face Hera. Her lips pulled inwards, forming a thin line before she opened them to speak.

    "Hera, Bianca is his Secretary," Abby said.

    Hera''s shoulders slumped, and she groaned out of frustration. "Oh, wow! Just the thing I needed right now. I''m so damn lucky." She said, smiling. Her friends shared a quietugh at her sarcasm, not wanting to piss her off. The irony of the situation only made Hera realise just how horrible her life this year was going to be.

    Her personal Satan would rule her life and to top it all, one of his best friends, and the Evil Queen, Bianca the Bitch was the new Secretary.

    <em>''Could High School be any better?''</em>

    "And Danny is the VP," Abby announced much to Hera''s dismay. Hera scoffed. "He wasn''t even present here to participate in the election, for God''s sake," she spoke in disapproval. Jarred filled in the info for her, it seemed teachers nominated Danny''s name since they could choose their favourite students as candidates in their absence. And of course, Danny had won.

    Hera nced at the bulletin board onest time before taking off. She thought it enough already, and the load of books she''s carrying sucked all the strength out of her. She just wanted to get rid of them. Hence their next destination was therge locker hall. Abby and Hera quickly found their lockers with their friends'' help and dumped their books into it before they marched towards their dorm.

    "Oh, my God!" Hera eximed out loud as soon as they entered the new Block of Dormitory meant only for the High School students. Her eyes were bathing in the pure beauty of her surroundings. Not that the Block made for Middle Schoolers was any less inparison, but this one looked way more improvised in a better way.

    "I know, right?" They heard themselves unanimously agreeing on the mutual feelings about the view in front of their eyes, and theyughed together, jumping up in overjoy. They walked further into the building, examining everything around them until they reached their dorm room.

    The building had separate blocks for boys and girls. They showed Hera themunity hall for watching TV, a gym, a big library, and of course Hera''s favourite Kitchen along with a spacious dining hall.

    Everything looked so neat and shiny around them. Obviously, Mr and Mrs Rogers were known for their discipline, hygienic Kitchen and nutritious yet delicious cooking. Mr Jacob Rogers was in charge of the Dormitory, and his wife Roseline Rogers was the head of the food department. They were a sweet couple in their forties. But if anyone broke the rules, he or she would get to witness the exact opposite of sweet. Nobody would dare get on their wrong side.

    After thoroughly inspecting every minute detail of the surroundings, the boys agreed to wait in themunity hall until theye back to them since they were not allowed in the Girls'' Block without Mr Rogers'' permission. Hera and her friends finally reached their room.

 Chapter 24 - Her Wishful Thinking

    "This is our room?" Hera questioned while she twirled in pure excitement eyeing every single wall, every corner of her dorm room in appreciation. It had six separate beds, two small couches, wardrobe, study table, bedmps, windows, curtains.

    Walls were painted pure white, and the beds, pillows, bedspreads, were white as well. Cots, couches, study tables, window sills were brown. nkets and curtains were in silver-blue. Hera liked the hanging screen in-between each bed acting as a barrier, allowing them a little privacy. The wardrobe had a full-length mirror. Hera instantly fell in love with her new room..

    "My goodness! I''m ready to spend my whole life here literally. Like seriously, I never want to leave this ce," Hera eximed in pure joy. But her delight soon turned into sadness as something broke inside her heart.

    <em>''What did I just wish for?''</em>

    Her uncle Benson and aunt Liezel''s house was never a home for Hera. She used to count the days and pray for the winter and summer vacations to end soon so that she could go back to school. Her Boarding school was no less than a home for her. Because Hunter had been there waiting for her always.

    Hunter had promised Hera on her every birthday that he would build a home for her. That''s where she was going to live in future after leaving boarding school. Hera was living in her private world of fairy tale he had made her believe in. It had been her only dream to make a home with him.

    She''d heard everyone around her say what they want to be when they grow up, some said doctors, some chose business. They talked about modelling, acting, dancing, photography, teaching, etc. But Hera wanted none of it, and she was never good at studies either. Every single time she thought about her future, the only thing she could think of was to marry her Prince Charming, her Hunter.

    In her childhood days, whenever her teachers asked what would she want to be, she would proudly announce that she would be somebody''s wife. She didn''t mind everyoneughing at her then. Nothing mattered because she knew, she wouldn''t want to be anything else other than being his wife, and to spend her forever with him.

    <em>''That was my only aim, the only ambition, only wish, only desire. To be your wife, Hunter.''</em>

    But her wishful thinking proved out to be worthless. A single teardrop escaped her eyelids rolling down her cheek.

    <em>''How foolish was I?''</em>

    "Wait till you see the bathroom. It''s gorgeous, Hera," Brittany eximed, and Hera brushed the tear away hastily with the back of her hand before Brittany could notice.

    "Howe, all of you assigned to stay in the same room again?" Abby asked. Her words were coated with disbelief and jealousy as well. Abby and Hera were of the same age, but still, they never got to be together in ss, nor were they lucky to be in the same room as they were in different sections of the same Grade. This year was no different, either.

    "Well, you have me to thank, Hera, darling. I requested Mr Rogers to let us share the same room as we didst year and luckily he agreed. It wasn''t easy though, I had to butter Mrs Rogers, and in turn, she influenced her Husband''s decision without much effort," Celine bragged with a satisfied smile and wiggled her eyebrows at Abby, teasing her.

    Hera examined the bedding arrangements as soon as she opened the door and entered inside. She saw four beds and study tables aligned in straight rows in front of her. Its background showed the ygrounds of their school through the huge ss window. She saw two more beds and study tables arranged on the left side of the door.

    Hera discovered the couches and the wardrobes fixed on the right side and the door leading to the bathroom.

    "Why do we have six beds?" Abby asked,ying her bodyfortably on the secondst bed in the right corner while Celine sat on the bed next to Abby''s, patting the ce with the t of her hand, gesturing Hera to sit next to her.

    "Oh, we forgot to tell you. We''ll be having two more roommates. The high school dorm room has six roommates in one room," Brittany stood on the opposite side, leaning against one of the study tables as she spoke exining further. "Thatst bed in the right corner is mine and Celine took the one next to it," she inclined her head and pointed her finger at Abby before she continued, "Yes, the same one right now Abby is ruining with her constant rolling and mind you, she still didn''t take off her shoes."

    Scowling, Celine threw a pillow at Abby. Brittany rolled her eyes while Abby threw it back to Celine. Hera shook her head,ughing at them.

    "The one on which you and Celine are sitting right now belongs to one of our new roommates, and the bed in the left corner is yours, Hera," Brittany said to which Hera raised her eyebrows. "And, Brittany, why would you choose my bed on my behalf?" Hera asked, and Brittany huffed before answering Hera''s question.

    "As I said the bed you''re sitting on has taken by our new roommate. And the beds this side," she pointed her thumb showing the two beds on the left side of the door where she''s standing right now, "The one on my right belongs to ra and the other one, though unupied, I''m sure ra won''t be pleased to have you sleeping next to her. So the only avable bed for you is the one in the left corner." Brittany finished and pursed her lips.

    Hera sighed and nodded in understanding. How could she forget that ra was their best friend too? So when Celine requested Mr Rogers to let them all stay in one room, obviously it included ra as well. She hated Hera, but she still was friends with her other best friends.

    Right then, a new girl emerging from the bathroom whom Hera was not familiar with caught her full attention. The girl had hazel eyes, brown hair, cute button nose, and full lips with a pretty face. Her pale skin was glowing under the light. Hera''s wandering eyes stopped studying her appearance when the girl smiled at her way.

 Chapter 25 - Everyones Invited

    "Who''s our new friend here?" Abby questioned, drawing everyone''s attention. Brittany and Celine smiled at the new girl before introducing her as Adide Fischer. She''d joined the schoolst week and just arrived today morning to get settled in. Hera instantly liked her smile and friendly approach. It seemed natural to make friends with her.

    "You are too pretty, Adide," Abby said,plimenting her and Hera agreed. "Pretty name as well, Adide," Hera said, and the new girl giggled at theirpliments. "Thanks. It''s a French name. You can call me Adi, and I''m one of your roommates by the way," she said, offering a handshake.

    "Yeah, right. French bitches are pretty," Brittany said and pulled a face as if she couldn''t digest the fact. Adide giggled some more at her funny face, not at all offended by her words.. Instead, she returned theirpliments with her own. "You bitches are gorgeous too, and I love your ent. You all sound so sexy. I''m a sucker for a British ent, and it''s the sexiest one in the whole world," Adide said, winking and all of them grinned together.

    "You know, Adi, actually it''s all about perception. It inherently sounds sexy when someone talks in your native tongue, but in a slightly different way than you would talk. So we find it cute, different, more attractive. That''s why it''s interpreted as exotic. So it''s not only British ent, but also all other foreign ents are sexy because they sound so much different from each other. And, I love your French ent, it sounds so attractive," Hera went on and on continuously talking.

    Abby jabbed her finger into Hera''s side, interrupting her. "What?" Irritated, Hera snapped, and her cousin red in return. "Enough, Hera. You made your point, and I''m sure Adi understood. We''re not having a debate here, so shut up now," Abby said, and Adide nodded in agreement. Hera looked sheepishly at Adide while everyoneughed at her.

    Scowling, Hera pushed Abby, making her fall back into the bed abruptly and grinned when her cousin lost her bnce and fell off the bed.

    "Anyways, to summarize my point of view, all ents sound sexy to me," Hera concluded her point and smiled at Adide. It didn''t take much time for the new girl to be one among their group as they all got alongfortably. Abby left a few minutester to explore her own room located four rooms away from Hera''s.

    "So what are you wearing for the party?" Brittany asked, and Hera nced over her shoulder before turning around to face Brittany from the half-shut door of the wardrobe. She almost was done by arranging her clothes. "What party?" Hera asked, making her friends grin evilly at her. Hera''s senses alerted in caution.

    "Don''t tell me you didn''t know that your man is throwing a party in your honour to wee you. Or had we just ruined his surprise for you?" Brittany asked in shock, which turned into horror in no time. Celine''s face held the same expression. "Oh, shit, he''s going to kill us, Hera. Please act surprised at the party, okay?" Celine begged, afraid as if someone had a gun pointed at her temple.

    Hera scoffed. "He''s not my man, and there''s no party as such," she said, dismissing the topic. Something clicked, and Hera ruffled her brain cells to run back to trace the memory of her conversation with Evelyn. She did mention something about a celebration.

    <em>''Of course. How did I forget? Evie said they were hosting a party for me!''</em>

    Hera banged her forehead against the wardrobe and groaned. She never thought Evelyn could be serious about the party.

    "Are you sure there''s a party for real? Because it''s Friday today, not Saturday," Hera asked, sounding hopeful. "Of course, Genius, it''s Friday today. The party is tomorrow night, and our President wants everyone to attend it. If you need more solid proof, then I assure you that Brittany and I heard about it from none other than Queen Bianca. And everyone from High School is invited," Celine said with a wink.

    She sounded too excited for Hera''s annoyance. "And you are going as well?" Hera asked in disbelief, earning an eye-roll from her friend.

    "It''s not that you can turn down the invitation from the Queen herself. Of course, we are going. Then why do you think our guys stayed back?" Celine asked, and Hera didn''t know how to react to the newly gathered information. She was frustrated. She slumped against the wardrobe and dropped her butt on the floor in a huff.

    Brittany called her name. When Hera looked at her friends, both Celine and Brittany tugged her to her feet and hugged her assuring that it would be alright. Hera sighed, nodding her head. Adide cleared her throat, interrupting their moment. "Am I invited as well? I hope you''re not nning on leaving me alone here," Adide said, looking at all three of them.

    <em>''What say do I have in it?''</em>

    Hera wanted tough at the irony. If only Adide knew the truth.

    Hera pushed the half-unpacked luggage bag deep into the wardrobe, not bothering about the remaining clothes. She''s not in a mood to deal with unpacking anymore.

    Celine replied to Adide''s question when Hera Didn''t say anything. "Adi, of course, you cane. Didn''t you hear what we said earlier? Queen Bee herself said everyone''s invited. We all are going. Besides, who would want to miss the party when the campus heartthrob is the host?" They allughed, and Hera pouted, looking at them with her doe-likerge green orbs. "And here I thought that my friends stayed back because they missed me!" Hera said, faking disappointment.

    "You wish," Brittany and Celine said simultaneously. "Ah, sorry to burst your bubble honey," Celine added grinning at Hera.

    Hera red at her friends, mocking anger. She looked up at the ceiling, folded her hands, fingers intertwined as she said, "Thank you, God. What best friends I''ve got! What would I do without them?"

    Her sarcasm made her friends scowl while Heraughed.

 Chapter 26 - Hes Not Her Boyfriend

    Hera watched in silence meanwhile her friends got busy choosing their outfits for the party. She shivered nervously, not having a clue of what to expect from the so-called wee party. She could already guess that it was going to be nothing but trouble for her. She grimaced at the thought.

    "So, Hera, tell me about your boyfriend," Adide asked out of the blue.

    Hera frowned in confusion.

    <em>''What was Adide talking about?''</em>

    She couldn''t remember when their conversation topic shifted to Hunter. Well, that was what going to happen if she continued to zone out in between the conversation. Adide yfully rolled her eyes at Hera''s confused state. "I said, tell me more about your boyfriend who also happens to be the heartthrob of the school," she asked again. Adide genuinely appeared curious to know more about Hunter.. She''d heard enough praises about him to get her interest piqued.

    The smile on her face and the excitement in her tone said how greatly Adide loved the gossip with juicy details.

    Hera scoffed. "He''s not my boyfriend," she said in a dismissing tone and pulled a face at her new friend to make it clear that she''s thinking ridiculous. Except, her new friend didn''t believe her. "Why would the school''s heartthrob host a wee party for you if he''s not your boyfriend?" Adide questioned, wiggling her eyebrows. She ignored how Hera snorted in response.

    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Adide waited for Hera to answer. Hera''s patience was wearing off slowly. Adide was not shutting up her mouth, nor was she ready to give up on the topic. Hera agonizingly realized that she''s worse than Abby. Her cousin wouldn''t shut up with her questions once she gets determined to pull out the answers from you.

    Hera grabbed her toiletries along with a towel and clean clothes. Deciding to take a shower, she made her way to the bathroom without answering Adide.

    "God! She''s such a bitch," Adide said, scowling with distaste. "What''s that arrogance for?" She was annoyed by Hera''s behaviour.

    Hera heard what Adide said, but ignored her and closed the door to the bathroom. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes to calm her nerves. Hera knew that was rude of her to ignore Adide. The problem was she didn''t know how to answer that question.

    <em>''Who is Hunter to me? What''s our rtionship status?''</em>

    She pondered on that question for a second before discarding that thought. She shook her head in denial.

    <em>''No, he''s not my boyfriend. He''s not anything of mine.''</em>

    Hera could still hear voices behind the closed door. Brittany and Celine were trying to defend her rude behaviour. "Don''t judge her so soon, Adi. You don''t understand her situation, it''splicated, and please, she''s not a bitch, okay," she heard Celine say. Her friend sounded so defensive. Hera smiled, knowing they have got her covered. They''re best friends, alright.

    She tuned out their conversation and opened her eyes. Immediately a wide grin adorned her lips. Finally, Hera got the chance to explore their bathroom, and as Brittany said, it was gorgeous.

    <em>''All thanks to the thick wallet of the students'' wealthy parents.''</em>

    It was nothing like themunal showers with a screen partition they had in the middle school dormitory or in the school gym that they used after physical education. It''s spacious with six separate showers with ss partition. A thick ss door promised the required privacy with a touch of elegance. It also had four washbasins and toilets.

    Hera enjoyed the hot shower, washing off all the dirt and tiredness from her body. Quickly getting dressed in a simple white T-shirt and ck jeans, she walked out of the bathroom.

    After packing her backpack with necessities for two days, she stood in front of the mirror, brushing her wet locks with a hairbrush. Hera sensed eyes on her and nced up into the reflections depicted in the mirror. She found three pairs of eyes set on her.

    Hera was very well aware of the fact that they all were talking about Hunter before stopping their conversation abruptly when she walked out of the bathroom. She sighed and slumped herself down onto her new bed.

    "It''s okay. You can continue from where you left. I know you were discussing my non-existing love life with my supposed to be Prince Charming," she said. Hera shot a faint yet sweet smile towards Adide as an apology, and the broad grin she earned in return said that Adide had already forgiven her. Just like that whatever awkward encounter they went through earlier, went out of the window.

    "What''s it like then? A typical bad boy of the school falling for the nerdy, ugly, boring, good girl? A cliched high school romance?" Adide asked with a mischievous glint in her greenish-brown eyes.

    Taken aback, Hera''s eyebrows scrunched a little. Adide straight out called her ugly. But her smile suggested she didn''t mean any harm. So Hera chose to ignore the sting.

    Hera didn''t know how much her new friend hade to know about Hunter and her story. She was sure her friends might have sugarcoated everything. It''s not exactly their fault. She knew that every girl in school had a crush on him. He''s every teenage girl''s fantasy. He''s the heartthrob, thousands of schoolgirls want to date.

    Even Hera''s friends were crushing hard on him. Could she me them?

    Hera once again got lost in her thoughts. Sensing herck of interest, Brittany answered Adide''s earlier question. "Oh, she can''t be a good girl if she knows how to curse. Certainly, she''s not a nerd if she''s struggling with her grades to pass," Brittany smiled at Hera before continuing.

    "Ugly?" She shook her head negatively. "Not at all. Can''t you see how beautiful she''s?" She asked, and Adide showed her thumbs up in acknowledgement. Celine agreed as well while Hera blushed at thepliment. Of course, she''s beautiful. Even Hera knew that. Though shecked a bit of confidence, she''s definitely not ugly if not sexy or hot.

    "And boring? Maybe a little," Celine said, making Hera stick her tongue out. Her friendsughed at her childish response. As they continued to describe Hunter, Hera was sure that Adide would be just one step behind in joining Hunter''s female fan club by the time her friends finish describing him.

    <em>''How cliche will that be?''</em>

    Hera mentally scoffed.

 Chapter 27 - Hes Everybodys Favourite

    Pretending she wasn''t interested, Hera walked to the window and tried to ignore her friends. She looked at the empty fields trying to distract her mind, but she couldn''t tune out their voices no matter how much she tried. It''s Hunter they''re talking about, after all.

    "He has a motorbike all right," Celine started. Hera silently listened while Adide squealed with excitement. "And the trademark leather jacket all the bad boys are supposed to possess. Like a typical bad boy, he secretly goes to nightclubs. Fighting and racing are his hobbies. If you provoke him, he could be dangerous. He breaks all the rules all the time, and nobody dares to mess with him," Celine continued, and Hera scorned at her way of describing.

    She''d made him seem like a superhero. She wasn''t depicting him as a bad influence at all, as though she was talking about a knight in shining armour..

    Besides, Hera knew that even with all of these bad qualities, it still didn''t tag him as the typical bad boy of the school. Why? Because he''s the school captain. He''s a Principal''s pet, an apple of all the teachers'' eyes. He''s the topper of the school. Frankly, he''d put all the nerds of their school to shame. He always topped in all the fields, be it studies, quizpetitions, writingpetitions, sports, etc. He''s the master of all games.

    Moreover, his family was loaded, and they sponsor arge amount of money for the school''s welfare. To top it all, God had blessed him with a sinfully handsome face and a body with an enormous amount of sex appeal that was hard to resist.

    Hence, she could neverin or report against him, no matter how much or how bad he bullied her every day. It wouldn''t bring any change to her life anyway.

    <em>''That bloody Satan! Oh, he''s everybody''s favourite, alright!''</em>

    Only Hera knew the real face of Hunter. She had seen his true colours. At this point, Hera wanted tough at her pathetic excuse of a life.

    A loud knock on the door made them all turn their heads, and Abby pushed opened the door since it was never locked. She had already showered and all set to go.

    Adide let out a gasp of astonishment, making Hera wonder what caught her attention. Abby giggled knowingly. Hera eyed her handsome brother leaning against the door frame with his signature pose, adorned with pride and arrogance.

    "Please tell me, Hera, he''s not your boyfriend," Adide asked, her voice no more than a whisper and she oddly sounded breathless. Hera rolled her eyes. "No, he''s not," she immediately supplied.

    "Oh, my goodness! He''s the most handsome and hottest guy I''ve ever seen in my life," she said and sighed dreamily. "Is he taken?" Adide whispered again. "No, he''s not," Brittany and Celine whispered in unison.

    Abby grinned at her friends'' flustered faces. They all looked cute with their hot and rosy cheeks. "Word of advice, Adi. He''s the man-slut of our school, and also happens to be my cousin. Stay away from him, Adi, he''s bad news," Abby said in warning. Adide winked before whispering her next words. "I''ll be d to be his personal slut any day."

    Celine and Brittany giggled along with Adide while Hera and Abby rolled their eyes at the stupidity of their friends. They''re used to girls fawning over Danny all the time. "Don''t waste your time on him, Adi, he''s not worth it," Abby whispered in Adide''s ear.

    Hera pulled out her hair-band from her wrist and tied her wet hair into a loose ponytail before picking her backpack up as Danny jerked his head, motioning her to follow him out. She walked out along with her friends, silently following her brother.

    "How did he enter the girl''s block? And I wonder nobody stopped him. This block is forbidden for boys, right?" Adide whisper asked no one in particr. Hera ignored it and went to themunity hall to meet her guy friends, but of course, only after seeking Danny''s approval. She hugged and kissed them all before bidding her goodbye with a promise to meet tomorrow night at the party.

    Hera walked with disinterest, dragging and urging her unwilling feet to move forward, subconsciously counting her footsteps.

    "I know, right. It''s so much more, better than thosemunal showers and bunker beds. I''m in love with my new room," Abby was saying, sharing her excitement with Brittany.

    Her cousin''s cheery voice faded into the background when Hera heard the unmistakable familiar sound of the engine roaring to life as she neared the gate. Hera''s breath hitched as she looked at Hunter''s ck, shiny, Range Rover waiting for her at the gate. She was only ten feet away from reaching it. As she crossed the distance, her palms started to get sweaty.

    Hera cursed under her breath for being unable to tame her heart''s wild hammering. She was nervous.

    With a hasty goodbye to her friends, she grabbed Abby''s wrist, pulling her to the front. She needed moral support, okay.

    In all honesty, Hera was ashamed to admit she was selfishly using her cousin as a shield.

    Danny settled himself in the passenger seat without wasting any time. Hera caught a glimpse of the person behind the wheel when Danny opened the front door. It was John, Hunter''s driver, and Hera heaved a sigh of relief that her Satan was not in the car. Abby sat in the middle seat, followed by Hera. John gave Danny a fist bump in greeting and smiled at Hera and Abby through the rear-view mirror.

    Soon they reached their destination South Kensington, one of the fanciest neighbourhoods in London. It took only twenty minutes for John to drive them to their destination.

    Anxious, Hera bit her lip as the car entered into therge gate of the white, gorgeous mansion, standing proudly in front of her with a charming front garden. She got down from the car and stood nervously, adjusting the strap of her backpack.

    <em>''Pft, I surely will get a heart attack soon.''</em>

    Feet glued to the spot, Hera hesitated to step forward. She was facing the entrance of Hunter''s mansion. She didn''t want toe here, but she had no luxury of refusing. She couldn''t afford to anger him by disobeying his order. Otherwise, Hunter would not only make her life hell, but he would also bully her friends. She would never want her friends to get hurt because of her.

 Chapter 28 - Satans Hell

    <em>''I''m not afraid of him.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''I''m not afraid of him.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''I can do this.''</em>

    <em>''I''m not afraid of him.''</em>.

    Hera chanted a little encouraging prayer inwardly.

    To her surprise, Danny and Abby didn''t get down from the car. They took off with a brief exnation that Danny had to take care of something important. It seemed he''s getting some stuff for the party. Hera didn''t ask for the details as she thought, she''s better off trouble.

    Abby said she needed to be somewhere and apanied Danny. She had got her own set of friends, and unlike Hera, she often went out with her friends whenever and wherever she wanted. It''s not that Hera didn''t want to hang out with her friends, it''s just that she''s not allowed to go. Danny never questioned Abby, and it never bothered him where she went or what she did. But whenever it came to Hera, he would be themanding Jailer, controlling her life and she no more than a prisoner.

    Abby had gotten what Hera wanted for herself, but never had it. The freedom to live her life as she would please.

    And not to forget, she had Hunter, the evil master to answer as well. He literally ruled her life.

    The beautiful mansion was a refreshing sight for one''s eyes, yet it didn''t soothe Hera''s anxious nerves. People dream for years to own such a building. It''s a three-storey mansion, after all, and the house was ridiculously huge.

    The only thing Hera loved about it was the two gardens, both in the front and back of the mansion. The basement had a garage where Hunter''s expensive cars were parked. There''s a swimming pool in the backyard right in the middle of the back garden. The ground floor had a fully furnished kitchen, a dining hall, a living room, and it had eight guest rooms for the staff, including Hunter''s bodyguards.

    The second floor had twelve bedrooms, and they each came with an attached bathroom and toilet. It''s divided into two parts, six rooms on each side and a living hall in the middle. Hunter''s friends and his bodyguard Mathew used the entire floor.

    The third floor had Hunter''s huge bedroom and an equally huge library next to it with an interconnecting door. It had a swimming pool for his personal use and his gym. On the other side, it had a soundproof home theatre and a game room.

    It wasn''t just a mansion. It was Hera''s paradise once.

    <em>''Not anymore. Dreams nevere true.''</em>

    Now it had be nothing but Satan''s hell in her eyes. She sighed before ringing the doorbell. The House Keeper Jessica Lanson, a lovely woman in her mid-thirties, weed Hera with a broad smile. Hera took a deep breath and entered the house. The cook, servants and maids, everyone greeted Hera. After exchanging pleasantries, they all went back to their business and Hera flopped herself on the soft sofa cushion.

    "He''s not here," Jessica whispered next to Hera, making her jump in surprise, and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

    <em>''He''s not here. He''s not here. He''s not here. Oh, for fuck''s sake, give me a break.''</em>

    Like, how many times had she heard these same words in the past two days? It''s as if people around her were chanting it like a spell. Well, shouldn''t Hera be thankful to them for providing her with that exclusive information? But she''s well aware that it was just the calm before the storm. Meanwhile, she might enjoy her limited time of freedom until the calm remains. That''s why she didn''t dare question his whereabouts.

    And Hera noticed the mansion actually filled with blissful silence without its usual chaotic state. She couldn''t resist voicing her thoughts as she didn''t see any of Satan''s crew yet, and the lovely Housekeeper Jessica exined the reason behind the serene atmosphere. Nobody''s home except for the servants. Hunter''s friends were all gone out since morning and would be homete. Hera''s face lit up as that information automatically brought a relieved smile on her face.

    <em>''Whoa! Seems like, it is literally my lucky day.''</em>

    Jessica asked one of the servants to take her backpack to her room upstairs, and Hera immediately jumped to her feet to stop the servant. She instead requested her to carry it to thest unupied guest bedroom on the ground floor. Jessica''s perfectly shaped eyebrows shot up in silent query, but Hera ignored it and asked to feed her stomach. She rubbed her tummy to emphasize that she''s starving and to her luck, her stomach growled in agreement.

    After eating the food to her heart''s content, Hera decided to sleep until the calm remains intact. She walked out of the dining hall with a request to Jessica that she shouldn''t be disturbed till morning. While she passed through the living room, Hera''s feet halted. As if she''s spell bounded, her eyes roamed around andnded at one particr point. An enormous picture hung on the wall demanded her full attention.

    Hera walked up to it to have a closer look. It wasn''t that she was seeing it for the first time. No, she''d seen it countless times, it''s Hunter''s family picture, after all. The only picture he had of his parents in the whole mansion. Needless to say that it''s very precious for him.

    What made the picture unique was that instead of facing the camera, they were showing their backs to it. Hunter was only a toddler in it, and his parents were both holding his tiny hands in theirs. Hera could see the wedding bands on the couple''s ring fingers.

    Hunter''s mother was wearing an elegant knee-length ck dress that hugged perfectly to her well-toned sexy figure. Her strawberry blonde hair was long, thick and wavy. Her legs were long, and her milky white skin was shining. Her wrist adorned with a sparkling diamond bracelet which shone as bright as the sun. Anyone could guess that she''s a beautiful woman, even from behind.

    Hunter''s father was a very tall, well-built, strong man. His pitch-ck hair was slightly messy due to the wind. His back looked exactly like that of grown-up Hunter. Hera subconsciously smiled.

    <em>''The handsome devil got his good looks from his father for sure.''</em>

 Chapter 29 - Overwhelming Emotions

    In contrast with the glowing smile on her lips, Hera''s eyes turned misty. She was too overwhelmed by her emotions. The portrait filled with genuine innocence and pure bliss one could wish for never failed to leave its strong impact on her heart.

    In the picture, Hunter''s father was pointing his finger at something in the distance, and little Hunter''s focus was urately where his father was pointing his finger. His mother''s head was slightly bent, and she had her attention focused on her son. Hera couldn''t see her face as her thick, long hair med in the middle, covering it from view. But Hera could feel that she''s smiling in the picture. The picture depicted their happy family perfectly.

    Hera never met Hunter''s parents, nor had she seen them, not even in pictures. She had asked Hunter once, "Why don''t you have any other photo of your parents?" She remembered he''d said something like this, "My parents are insanely rich, and they don''t want to jeopardize their only child''s safety by exposing their identity."

    No one in the school had indeed seen his parents as they never came to see him. Hunter would visit his home to meet his parents during the holidays.. Though everyone knew that his parents were filthy rich, Hunter never showed off his money.

    His part of the story sounded precisely like Hera''s. But it was just that, the reason for her adopted parents'' absence or secrecy was out of her knowledge. Whereas, Hunter''s parents'' actions were justified because they were genuinely concerned about their only son''s safety. Hunter''s well trained, loyal and trusted bodyguards who followed him everywhere like a shadow were the very proof of that. They would die for him without any regret and would kill anyone and everyone to keep him safe without any second thought if the need arises.

    Hera knew how much Hunter''s parents loved him. They talked to him at least once in twenty-four hours without fail, no matter how busy or how far they were. Hunter never went to bed without wishing his parents Goodnight, despite the time difference between London and New York. Though Hera longed for the love and affection of a family, she never envied Hunter''s happy family. Instead, she''s happy for him that God had blessed him with his parents'' unconditional love.

    Hunter had promised Hera that his parents would love her equally once she meets them officially as his girlfriend. Because his mother always wanted a daughter. Hera blindly believed everything because he said so.

    <em>''Oh, God, I was so naive! How dumbly I dared to dream of a happy ending for myself.''</em>

    Shaking her head in self-pity, Hera looked at Hunter''s toddler form in the big portrait. His attire matched his father''s. Dressed in a white half-sleeved shirt tucked into his ck jeans, feet nketed in ck zipper leather boots, he looked adorably handsome even with his back turned to her. She remembered why she''d fallen in love with him at first sight. She was hardly four when they first met, and he was the most handsome boy she''d ever seen. His beautiful eyes and charming smile had bewitched her heart, mind and soul ever since.

    Hera scoffed, finally snatching her eyes and mind off the memories and dragged her tired feet to her new room in the far corner.

    Deciding to not dwell on her hopeless thoughts anymore, Hera went to bed without wasting any more time, and she was out within a few minutes fast asleep. She didn''t know how much time had passed since she slept like a rock. However, someone was cruel enough to disturb her peaceful sleep.

    Hera groaned and finally threw the quilt away.

    How ironic was it that she slept so peacefully at the ce which she ims to hate so much? Trying to keep her sanity in check, she med it on the jetg she suffered. Before she could dwell on that thought, she heard the constant knocking on the door, which soon turned into loud pounding.

    It seemed like if she took another second more in opening the door, that impatient person would surely going to break the door. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she padded to the doorzily. Her hand wrapped around the knob and a sudden thought made her stop dead in her tracks.

    <em>''Is it time to face the devil already?''</em>

    Her eyes were wide awake, now every trace of sleep flown out of the window.

    <em>''No, it can''t be him. Hunter would never knock.''</em>

    With thatforting thought, she opened the door and faced the very handsome evil spirit. "Did you die in your sleep?" A six-feet tall, male figure questioned, his deep voice filled with annoyance. Before Hera could open her mouth to reply, he answered himself. "No, you didn''t, you''re very much alive!" He said, eying her from top to bottom before continuing. "Thought you died or something. What took you so long to open the door?"

    Hera pulled an angry face and mock red at him only to get crushed in a bear hug the very next second. "Missed you, Pixie. How have you been? Did you miss me?" He asked, releasing her from his tight grip. He smiled at her, and his angelic face turned into more enchanting. "Why''ll I miss the cruel, ugly demon?" Hera asked, mocking disgust, but a smile made its way slowly into her lips.

    She called him ugly only to tease him since he''s the exact opposite of ugly. Aqua blue eyes, short but cute straight nose, pink, full lips, lean, athletic body, everything about him was beautiful. Hera couldn''t help but return his contagious smile.

    "And didn''t you notice? I''m taller now. It''s time you stop calling me Pixie," Hera said proudly. He pulled her hair yfully and flicked her nose. "Yet you barely reach my chest. Still not tall enough, Pixie. And you''ll always be my Pixie." Heughed and brushed past her, walking into the room.

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat when she noticed him carrying a box in his hand. He sat on the couch and looked up to find Hera still glued to the same spot at the door. He observed, she''s nervous and had her eyes fixed on the box in his hand. She already knew what the box contained inside. It''s a gift for her. She grabbed all the courage she had and finally asked him.

    "Eric," she whispered his name, and he silently arched his brows signalling her to continue. "Is he home?" Hera asked with uncertaintycing her tone. Her brain had started to swim in the pool of questions. She wondered, why didn''t Huntere to meet her yet? What''s stopping him? Why did he send his best friend to deliver the gift when he could personally do it by himself?

    <em>''What are you plotting this time, Hunter?''</em>

 Chapter 30 - Sweet Gift

    Eric thrust out his palm, gesturing Hera to join him. Sighing, Hera walked to the couch and took his hand. Eric tugged her hand, making hernd next to him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to him. Hera looked into his aqua blue eyes and smiled halfheartedly. She watched as he leaned back and stretched his long legs. He was wearing grey sweatpants with a thin, loose yellow T-shirt which didn''t do anything to hide his abs.

    Hera was still waiting for him to answer her earlier question. Eric shoved his hand into his pant pocket and pulled out a fresh red rose. Hera''s eyebrows went up in surprise while she eyed the rose as if it''s a contagious disease.. Eric smiled knowingly and pinched her cheek before giving her the rose along with the gift box. She was reluctant but epted it anyway. It''s not like she had a choice.

    "Rx, Pixie. You don''t have to panic. He''s not here. He''s in Italy," Eric said. "Italy?" Hera asked in disbelief. She eyed him suspiciously as if he''s lying to her. He grinned softly. "Yes, its some family emergency," Eric shrugged nonchntly, and Hera understood, he didn''t want to borate. She nodded her head, unsure. "But this rose looks freshly plucked?" She stated which sounded more like a question. He agreed.

    "Lanson plucked it in the morning and kept in the fridge to keep it fresh or something. He issued orders to her," Eric said, and they both chuckled. Hera could imagine Hunter,manding the housekeeper.

    <em>''Typical Hunter.''</em>

    "Family emergency, you say? Is everything alright?" She prodded hoping he would provide some closure on that. "Nothing you should be worried. Now tell me, what are you doing in the guest room and why aren''t you in your room?" Erick asked her and smoothly changed the subject.

    <em>''Did he change the topic? Avoiding answer means trouble.''</em>

    She couldn''t help but worry about Hunter. His father''s parents lived in Italy, and Hunter loved his grandparents. Hera hoped they were all good.

    "It''s not my room, Eric. Master bedroom belonged to the master of the house, and thest time I checked, I''m not one. I''m staying in the guest room because I''m a guest," Hera said, sounding tired. Eric looked at her like he wanted to drag her to the said master bedroom. But instead, an eyebrow was raised in silent question. Running his fingers through his soft honey blonde hair, he sighed in annoyance when she didn''t speak.

    "Of course, it''s your room too, Pixie. You better shift out of this guestroom before Ace gets to know. You know he won''t like it. You don''t want to provoke him, do you?" Eric asked, to which Hera just shrugged her shoulders, showing indecision. He shook his head in defeat.

    "Lanson said, you didn''te down for dinner as well," he stated in a scolding tone. Hera looked at the rose in her hand and twirled it absent-mindedly. "I wasn''t hungry, Eric. I ate enough earlier, and I''m still full. Just want to sleep till morning," she said and red at him as she suddenly realised something evil that he did to her. "I was sleeping peacefully until the ugly demon decided to ruin it," she used.

    Heughed and kissed her on the cheek. "Go back to bed now. And, Pixie, If he knows about this room issue, you better keep me out of it. Your fucking boyfriend will kick my ass, and I''ll kill you with my tickling weapons if that happens," he said, wiggling his ten fingers to show her the said tickling weapons. Heraughed, and he walked out of the room, bidding her good night. Hera locked the door and went to bed with the gift box.

    "My Boyfriend!" Hera said, testing the sound of the words. Sheughed sarcastically at how absurd it sounded to hear. She didn''t realise that she was crying until the tears left the wet trail on her cheeks. Despite their break up three years ago, Hunter still owned the title as her boyfriend.

    Ironically, she''s staying under his roof, feeding her stomach in his kitchen, sleeping on the bed in his house, holding a gift from him.

    <em>''Can my life be any more fucked up than this?''</em>

    Once her tears dried off, Hera washed and cleaned her face in the bathroom. After dreading for some time, she finally decided to open the gift box. Hunter had wrapped it with purple colour glitter paper, her favourite colour. Smiling to herself, Hera inhaled the sweet aroma of the contents in the box, bringing it closer to her nose.

    Hunter was aware of her sweet tooth. He''d been gifting her box full of sweets since their childhood for every special asion. A birthday gift, as a "parting gift" during winter and summer breaks, as a "missing you gift" when they were not able to spend time together during tests and exams, as an "apology gift" whenever he made her angry or upset and of course as an "I love you gift" too.

    The only difference between then and now was that he used to mean it from the heart until they broke up, but now, she''s not so sure what purpose these sweets served or what she supposed to feel.

    He used to handpick every sweet, all her favourites, yummy and delicious. Sometimes they were expensive, imported choctes from all around the world.

    Hera folded the wrapper neatly after carefully unwrapping the box. With shivering nervous hands, she opened the box and just like she guessed, the box revealed the choctes of different types and shapes. She took out the first sweet that caught her eyes, and it felt so light, it''s weightless. Wondering what she would find inside, she opened it, and a huge grin spread across her face automatically.

    It was weightless because it''s Candy floss.

    Hera quickly filled her mouth with candy floss, and it melted in no time. "I could kiss your feet right now, Hunter. So it''s a good thing that you''re not here," she murmured, swallowing the sweetness. Savouring that heavenly taste, she looked into the wrapper to find any written message for her.

    It was Hunter''s unique style. He never gave her a card or those cliche gifts boys usually give girls. He always wrote his message inside the wrapper of the sweet. Hera ignored the disappointment she felt as there''s no message.

 Chapter 31 - Time To Face The Devil

    She picked up another one from the box, and another and another, but still found no message. One-fourth of the sweet was candy floss. Then she found a hard candy, then some big bar of choctes made of coconut, milk, etc. She almost ate half of the box, yet no message. Hera felt her heart go wild with anticipation. "Fuck you, Lucifer. By this rate, I''ll die of a sugar high soon," she cursed Hunter and wanted to p him.

    Hunter had done it every single time for years now. He would gift her a box full of sweets, and she would search for that one messenger sweet. He had named it "Sweet messenger". She swallowed thest bite of the bar she''s eating and decided to check onest sweet for the night. She''d stuffed her stomach so full already, it''d given her an initial sugar rush, and she''s afraid she might get a severe stomach ache.

    She slowly munched the heart-shaped fruity sweet, filled with strawberry taste which drew out a moan of satisfaction from her mouth.. She thought she could stuff her tummy with one more, and just like that she ate a few more.

    Finally, Hera realised that she had had enough quota of sugar for the day and decided to sleep. She lifted the ss full of water from the bedside table and drank half of it. Then she put the rose in that ss and kissed it. Hera was about to close the lid of the sweet box once she dumped the empty wrappers in the trash bin. But then a big oval-shaped sweet caught her attention.

    It almost looked like an Easter Egg, designed like a globe, painted in blue and white with a sprinkle of sparkling glitter. She couldn''t resist and took it out ready to unwrap it. How desperate was she for that Sweet Messenger?

    <em>''He could kill you, and you would still be crawling out of your dead body to lick his feet. So much for hating him.''</em>

    Her subconscious mind mocked her traitorous heart because, after everything he had made her go through, her pathetic heart still craved for him.

    Squeezing her eyes shut, Hera groaned acknowledging the cruel reality that her mind just made her realise. Pitying her vulnerable heart, she closed the box.

    "Okay then, let''s sleep now. I need to restore my strength for tomorrow to face this neverending saga of my love life," she muttered and scoffed.

    She went to bed, bouncing her head on the soft pillow as she used to do in her childhood days and eventually let the sleep consume her consciousness.

    Something disturbed her sleep again, and she looked around the room with her half-opened sleepy eyes. It was still dark. Rolling onto her side, Hera switched on the bedmp on her left. The clock on the wall showed it''s ten past five in the morning.

    Hera groaned and sat up. It''s useless to stay in bed anymore since she could never get back to sleep once it was disturbed. Cursing her inability, she crawled out of bed. Dragging her feet in slow,zy steps, Hera Walked over to the window and drew the curtains aside. She pushed open the ss windows, letting the fresh air fill the room.

    Though the sky looked dark due to the dim morning light, the view from the window looked beautiful nheless. Admiring the greenery outside, Hera breathed in the sweet fragrance of the morning breeze before pondering on the reason that woke her up.

    It was a weird feeling since she felt as if someone was watching her sleep. Goosebumps appeared on her skin, producing an uneasy, fearful sensation making her shudder. Hera checked the room and the lock twice to make sure she''s safe and that no one had trespassed viting her safety.

    Since she couldn''t go back to sleep, instead of wasting time, she thought it''s better to take a bath. The hot water shower eased her nerves and erased her uneasiness. Draping the towel around her body, Hera walked out of the bathroom.

    The brightness in the room was very dim for her to make out anything, and Hera could hardly see with the lights off. The curtains closed as well. She frowned in strange confusion. She remembered opening the windows when she woke up. She certainly remembered switching on the lights before going to bath.

    Unaware of the hungry eyes feasting on her almost nakedness, she went to the switch. Still holding that confused frown on her pretty face, she switched on the lights and turned around to face the mirror. Hera jumped, startled and her eyes went wide like saucers as soon as she gazed into the most beautiful yet dangerously intoxicating eyes of the devil himself through the mirror.

    There he stood tall in all his handsome glory, leaning against the closed door, dressed in a ck T-shirt paired with ck shorts, feet d in ck flip-flop sliders. She turned her back to the mirror, readying herself to look into the eyes of her tormentor.

    "Oh, my God! What the fuck, Hunter?" She eximed, hands on her chest, trying to catch her breath. "You scared me to death. What the hell are you doing in my room?" She asked in an unsteady voice which failed to hide her nervousness, but she didn''t get any reply.

    He''s looking at her with an emotion she couldn''t identify. Hands stuffed in his short''s pockets, predatory eyes fixed on her, his tongue darted out, running over his bottom lip before pulling it in between his perfectly arranged pearly white teeth. He looked like a starving wild animal ready to pounce on her. That intense stare made her suddenly remember that she''s standing in front of him wearing just a tiny towel.

    rmed, her hands moved up to make sure towel stayed tightly secured around her body.

    Hera felt like her lungs were closing off, and she couldn''t breathe. His intimidating stature was scaring her to hell.

    "You were supposed to be in Italy. Howe you," whatever words she was about to utter died in her mouth as he pulled himself off the door and took a step forward. Instinct kicked warning her, and she bolted to the bathroom. She was about to lock the door, but he caught her with reflexes too fast for her to beat.

    With his one hand, he pushed the door, restricting it from closing, without using much effort, and she stumbled back further into the bathroom. He used his other hand to grab her arm and pulled her into his chest. Hera gasped, and Hunter''s lips curled into a sexy smile while she tried to protest against his stronghold.

    <em>''Any girl would die for that dazzling smile.''</em>

    Hera cringed at that disgusting thought. It couldn''t get any more ironic. She wasn''t just any girl because only she knew the evil lurking behind that smile.

 Chapter 32 - So Much For Loving Him

    "I can feel your heart-beat. It''s going wild. Are you nervous, my Goddess?" He whispered in her ear before biting it with his sharp teeth. Wincing, Hera pushed him off and took a step back. She moved her face to the side, avoiding his eyes as his stare made her ufortable. His gaze was fixed on her heaving chest, watching the rise and fall of her breasts. Her breathing was heavy.

    In the next moment, she found herself pressed up against the door, and his torsopletely attached to hers. Her wrists were locked in his fingers on either side of her head.. She struggled to free herself, but in vain. She was no match for his physical strength. Defeated, Hera red at him in anger.

    "Leave my hands, Hunter. Let go of me and get out of this room unless you want me to scream rape," Hera spat in a very harsh venomous tone. The sound of his amusedughter vibrated right through her body and echoed in the quiet bathroom. "It''s cute that you think someone will dare enter this room without my permission," Hunter said, still trying to suppress hisughter.

    Hera forgot to breathe while he brought his face closer, and the tip of his nose touched hers. "And where did you learn this new word? What do you know about rape?" He asked, and his perfect dark eyebrows furrowed as he frowned in curiosity. She was about to answer, but he shut her up sessfully even before she could open her mouth as his lipsnded on hers. Meanwhile, his hand tried to grab the towel off her body.

    The action made her panic, and she bit his lip without thinking, hard enough to draw blood. It was a reflex action. He winced and pulled away for a moment to touch his lips. His eyes turned cold in anger conveying the message that he didn''t like the coppery taste in his mouth.

    Capturing her left wrist in his hand, he dragged her out of the bathroom and the next thing she knew, she was unceremoniously dumped on the bed. Hunter was fast and didn''t give her a chance to get out of the bed. Within seconds he was on top of her and imprisoned her with his body. This time she did scream, but as he said, her cry for help went unheard. Who would dare go against him and help her?

    He pulled his body away from her for a few seconds to remove his T-shirt, still trapping her waist sessfully between his thighs.

    "What''s wrong with you, Hunter? Have you gone mad or what? Whatever evil your dirty mind is nning, please stop it or else I''ll call your little slut Samantha," she warned him through her gritted teeth. He grinned in response while he mped a hand over each of her wrists. "You''ve no idea, Love, how long I''d been waiting for this moment, and Samantha can go to hell," he said, staring at her lips.

    His naked torsonded on hers, and this time his touch turned even rougher. Hera squirmed in difort as his fingers dug into her soft flesh, holding her in ce. "Hunter, please stop. Don''t do this. It''s wrong," she protested helplessly. "No, it''s not," he stated.

    He looked as if possessed by some negative dark energy, his eyes piercing daggers. His lips and teeth were assaulting her neck mercilessly. He appeared so dangerous, she screamed out of fear. He didn''t even stop to take a look at her frightened self.

    "I don''t like it, Hunter, stop it. I don''t want this. Stop please," she begged him. "Sorry, Goddess. But I don''t want to stop. I can''t," he confessed and kissed her to make her shut up. Her damp hair and the towel were making the bedspread wet.

    "I want to see these lovely ripened Apples. How juicy are they? Please let me see them, Goddess," he said. It wasn''t a request, though. Her eyes widened with fear, and her heart leapt into her throat. Her breathing became unsteady, and all, Hera could hear were the sounds of his heavy breathing and the loud ticking of the clock.

    <em>''Oh, no! What do I do now?''</em>

    His hand moved to remove the towel. Meanwhile, Hera held on to it to save her dignity.

    "If you do this, Hunter, I''ll never forgive you. I''ll hate you forever," she said in warning. It was an understatement to say that she panicked, but she still attempted to appear fearless nevertheless.

    Inside, she was anything but fearless and her heart wept with only one thought.

    <em>''So much for loving him.''</em>

    That arrogant smirk ying on his lips, filled with evil intentions only added more to her fear. His grip on the towel tightened, and he almost pulled it off when she bit his hand sinking her teeth into his flesh.

    "Help me, Matthew, Lanson, John, Eric, Evie. Help. Somebody, please help me," Hera screamed for help calling every person whom she thought could stop him. Her cry surprised him, but it didn''t take much time for him to recover from it. He checked his hand and red at her murderously when he saw it bleeding. She watched in horror as his handsome face turned into an ugly scary one.

    His hand went around the nape of her neck, and his fingers gripped her hair in his fist, pulling it painfully. She cried helplessly.

    "Why are you making a big deal of it, my Love? Isn''t it the reason why we broke up in the first ce?" Hunter asked through his clenched teeth, his voice thick with anger. "Hunter, you''re hurting me. Please stop," she whispered in pain, but her pleading got royally ignored while she struggled to free herself.

    "This is what you wanted all along, right? You wanted my attention and my time. You hated it when I slept with other girls because I belong to you. You wanted to be my top priority. We vowed to each other that I''m yours and you''re mine. ONLY MINE," he swore, voice emphasizing hisst two words. "And anyway, it''s about damn time to taste and eat that little Cherry of yours," he dered.

    By this time, she''d lost her pride and shamelessly let her tears flow as she had no strength left to fight him. "Why are you so evil, Hunter? You''re a Monster," she spat, voice dripping with hatred.

    Heughed at her misery.

    "Oh, you haven''t seen the Monster yet, Goddess. Let me show you," he said while he lifted himself off her and stood on his knees to unbutton his shorts. Hera used the opportunity to find her escape. Using all of her power and strength, she pushed him off her. To her luck, he tumbled out of bed andnded on the floor with a thud.

    Hera immediately jumped to her feet. But before she could leave the bed, Hunter''s hand reached out and caught one of her feet, dragging her back to him. She pped him in an attempt to free herself, adding more fuel to his fire.

    Groaning, Hunter cursed in rage.

    "You, fucking bitch!"

    Even before Hera could blink, he pulled the towel off with one forceful tug.

 Chapter 33 - Her Nightmare

    Hera''s hands reached out in desperation, trying to seize the towel back. She''s not sure whether it''s because she pulled it too hard or he purposely let it go she fell off the bed, and her head hit the floor hard. Squeezing her eyelids, she winced in pain.

    Rubbing the sore spot with one hand, Hera frantically searched for the towel. Only she didn''t find one. She looked down at her body, and to her surprise, she wasn''t naked either. She found herself fully clothed in the same clothing she changed into before going to bed yesterday night. The dampness she felt had nothing to do with her hair. It waspletely dry, and there''s no wet towel anywhere near her.

    For obvious reasons, she was sweating like a pig.

    Hera couldn''t understand anything as confusion clouded her mind. She looked around, searching for Hunter but couldn''t find him. There''s no trace of his presence in the room at all. She realised that he''s nowhere in sight.

    "What the hell just happened?" Perplexed, Hera asked aloud in the empty room while her heart was still beating crazily. Slowly, her brain started to function, and she realised what just happened.

    "My God! It was a dream? But it felt so fucking real!"

    She was dreaming. No, it wasn''t just a dream. It was a nightmare. She felt dampness sliding down her cheeks and realised that she''d been crying in her dream. Wiping the trace of tears, Hera looked around.

    She hadn''t switched off the lights, and she even forgot to close the sweet box. But how did that happen? She vaguely remembered closing the box and going to sleepst night as soon as her head hit the pillow. Now everything made sense. She had somehow dozed off while eating those sinister sweets. She let out a few strong curse words using Hunter of everything.

    <em>''Did they drug me or something?''</em>

    Hera suspiciously eyed the sweet box before ncing up at the wall clock. An involuntary gasp escaped her mouth when she checked the time. It''s ten past five in the morning.

    "What the actual fuck?" Hera was stunned by the unbelievable coincidence. Didn''t the clock show precisely the same time in her dream as well?

    The unpleasant bits of memory from her dream created a chilly feeling and made her shudder. She climbed the bed, settling herselffortably, and took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Once it returned to normal, she thought about taking a bath, but the time showing on the clock made her rethink. She wouldn''t want her nightmare toe true, would she now?

    Hera leaned her back against the beautifully carved headboard, drawing her knees up to her chest. That nightmare was seriously screwing with her conscious mind as it started to rey. She recalled everything steps by step and tried to decipher the source of her horrible dream. In all honesty, she knew what triggered the nightmare.

    Whatever Hunter said in her dream, she''d heard him say those exact words at the time of their breakup. It wasn''t just a dream. It was a part of her past. She''d been through that hell in reality. An involuntary shiver ran through her body. Just remembering that unfortunate day makes her sick to her stomach. Ignoring the uneasy feeling, she thought about the scary dream once again.

    "What a nightmare!" She eyed the sweet box in disapproval, clearly judging it as the culprit. "Must be because of the sugar high," she guessed. "Or maybe that bloody message I read."

    Hera pulled out her purple diary which she''d kept under the pillow yesterday night. She opened it to the page where she''d pasted the wrapper of thest messenger sweet. Her fingers ran over the stylish cursive handwriting of Hunter written in purple colour. He''d used the permanent glitter paint marker to scribble on the silver wrapper. She read every message one by one he''d sent her since the day they first met each other.

    She spent more than an hour reliving the bitter past before she decided to freshen up.

    When Hera entered the bathroom, she remembered that she forgot to bring her toiletries and stuff. But to her surprise, she found all her things neatly arranged on the ss shelf already. It wasn''t hard for Hera to guess, Jessica had instructed the servant to do so when he was bringing Hera''s backpack. Hera silently thanked the Housekeeper.

    After attending to her nature calls, she brushed her teeth. Then she shamelessly enjoyed soaking herself in the bathtub filled with hot water. It was pure bliss. Using her vani body wash, she cleaned herself thoroughly. The steamy hot bath rxed her nerves, and she forgot the time. The water started to feel less warm, forcing her to leave the bathtub. She jumped under the shower, shampooed her hair before rinsing it off. Hera always loved the smell of her strawberry, fruity shampoo.

    Once done, she grabbed the towel from the towel bar of the shower door. Her thick, long hair needed too much time to get dry. She didn''t have the hairdryer, so she towel-dried it, blotting and squeezing it gently. Her hair was still damp but no longer dripping wet.

    Wrapping the towel securely around her body, Hera walked out of the bathroom. She took out a new pair of jeans and a T-shirt from her backpack along with her inner-wear to get dressed.

    Someone knocked on the door, demanding her attention which turned into a loud bang.

    <em>''Again?''</em>

    She threw up her hands in frustration.

    <em>''Will I ever get a minute to rest in peace?''</em>

    "Who''s that?" She asked, not trying to hide her annoyance. "Pixie, open the damn door," Eric growled, he sounded so impatient. Rolling her eyes, Hera held the door wide open for him, bowed dramatically and gestured him to enter. Ericpletely ignored her sarcastic weing gesture while his eyes annoyingly scanned her from head to toe.

    "Why are you naked?" He snapped at her, clearly disapproving her indecent exposure. She rolled her eyes at his immature behaviour. "I''m not naked. Can''t you see the towel wrapped around me?" She asked, and he snorted before replying. "A tiny towel which is hardly covering anything. Didn''t you bring clothes to wear?" Hera gritted her teeth for a second before sighing in defeat.

    "Oh, dear evil Spirit, to what do I owe this visit? What did I do to deserve this honour?" Hera asked, fluttering her eyshes. She started with a sugary sweet tone, but she snapped at the end. Eric red, thrusting his phone at her face and the name "Ace" shed on the screen. To her horror, Eric had already received the call.

    "Get dressed ande down for breakfast." Ordering her sternly, Eric gave his phone to her before he made his exit, closing the door behind him. She cursed inwardly as her stomach flipped, and heart fluttered.

    Hera scoffed at the thought of people feeling butterflies dancing around in their stomach.

    <em>''What butterflies? I can feel the whole fucking zoo in there, partying in full swing.''</em>

    Locking the door, Hera brought the phone to her ear. She felt the blood rush to her heart with a thud. Her anxious heart was going crazy. "Hello," she mumbled quietly. "Why are you naked?" Hunter''s deep, rich voice roared in her ear through the speaker without any positive greeting, and she pulled the phone away in reflex.

    <em>''What''s his problem?''</em>

    Hera scowled, only to realise he couldn''t see her face. She groaned in irritation. "How are you, Hunter? I''m good. Thank you for asking," she said. Hunter ignored her sarcasm, and when he spoke, his voice was furious. "Why the fuck are you naked? How dare you''re prancing naked around my friends? He barked, his angry tone was so high-pitched, she flinched.

    Hera hissed through her clenched teeth. "I''m not naked, and I''m definitely not prancing around your friends. I''m," she was saying, but he cut her off rudely before she could finish whatever she was going to say. "I know, wrapped in a towel. I heard that. A tiny towel which is hardly covering anything and with no other garments beneath it sounds naked to me," he proimed, disapproving.

    She wanted tough at his idiotic logic.

    <em>''I just showered and came out of the bathroom for God''s sake! Did he expect me to bath fully clothed?''</em>

    "I was in my room. Alone. I wasn''t prancing around your friend. Why don''t you question him before using me of anything? And he came barging into my room. I didn''t even ask him toe," she said everything in one go and stopped to take a deep breath before continuing. "And I can roam around naked if I want to. It''s none of your business, Hunter," she snapped furiously.

    Fist of all, how could he use her of such indecent behaviour? And second, did he think she was a shameless pest like him? A cheating bastard using her of such immoral conduct.

    <em>''Huh, that was your signature persona, Hunter, not mine.''</em>

    Hera wanted tough at his hypocrisy.

 Chapter 34 - Sweet Messenger

    Hunter''s voice sounded pretty harsh when he spoke, and it was very evident that her defiance offended him. "Anything and everything that concerns you is my business, and he''s lucky that you didn''t make hime. Or I would have chopped his dick off by this time. And, Goddess, get this engraved in your little brain. I''m the only man you''re ever allowed to makee, and you''lle, only for me," he solemnly dered.

    Hera frowned in confusion.

    <em>''What nonsense is he talking about?''</em>

    "What? Come where?" She asked. Her words painted with utter confusion. Hunter let out a soft chuckle at her clueless tone. Her innocence always made it even harder for him to resist her. He knew she had no idea he was talking dirty. "I don''t know, Love.. Anywhere you want. Maybe all over me? Because I surely wille all over you," he said. His voice suddenly made a hundred and eighty-degree turn, from furious barking to sweet velvet music.

    Hera only scowled at his bipr disorder.

    Unaware of the hidden meaning in his words, ignorant Hera scoffed. "Huh, what''s new in that? You''reing all over me since forever. Did you forget how you turned my life into hell? You''re my personal Satan, after all," she said, adding extra bitterness to her tone. "I''m just waiting for the day when you''ll get out of SPALEV High. That day I''ll get rid of you permanently," Hera said, expecting her bitter words to hurt him.

    Contrary to her expectation, Hunter chuckled softly, not at all affected by her bitter tone. "Keep dreaming, Goddess, because that day will nevere. Trust me when I say, you''ll end up marrying me no matter what and my heart is your final destination. Like it or not, that''s where you''ll reside for the rest of your life," he said, voice dripping with amusement.

    He sounded so confident, Hera wished she could spit on his smug face.

    <em>''Did he think I''m still that five-year-old naive innocent girl he can manipte with his charm?''</em>

    She wanted to voice out her thoughts, but instead, she asked, "What do you want, Lucifer? Why did you call?"

    "Did you receive my gift?" Hunter asked.

    Of course, she did. A short, low "hmm" was her only reply. Hera couldn''t help but blush as she remembered his message. Suddenly her face turned into crimson red, and she silently thanked God that it wasn''t a video call and he couldn''t see her blushing.

    "So, did you find the Sweet Messenger already?" He asked in a gentle tone. Meanwhile, Hera''s heart skipped a beat before shooting up, skyrocketing in full speed. She could almost see his arrogant smirk.

    <em>''Asshole, he knows I''d read his message!''</em>

    Hera didn''t know how to answer his question. Panicking, she put him on hold and threw the phone on the bed. She was furious at herself for blushing at the mention of his messages. She couldn''t deny that her heart was a crazy mess and her brain a nervous wreck. She needed something to distract her racing heart, and Hera sat on the floor, ignoring the fact that Hunter was still on the phone.

    The sweet box caught her attention, and she thought anything that could divert her thoughts from him would be a wee distraction. She got lost in her thoughts reminiscing about those yummy chocte desserts she enjoyed devouringst night.

    <em>''How heavenly they tasted!''</em>

    That Easter Egg sweet she chose was red, juicy strawberries filled with melted chocte inside. Finally, she had found the Sweet Messenger and read the message after eating the chocty strawberries.

    <em><strong>"Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>You''re the Strawberry, and I am the cream. Let me lie in your bosom so I can melt around you.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>And now that you''ve eaten my Strawberry it''s only fair you let me eat yours. I''m dying to bite that little Strawberry.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>P.S There are three Sweet Messengers in total."</strong></em>

    Once she read the message, Hera sighed in mock exhaustion as if it was a punishment that she had to eat those sugary treats, where in reality she was floating on cloud nine.

    "Oh, that''s just great! Now I''ve to find two more sweet messengers. And what strawberry the Idiot wants to eat? I don''t have any," Hera scowled, not having any clue. Then a smile stretched across her face when she reread the message. Hunter had written, "Now that you''ve eaten my strawberry," he was so sure that she would read the messenger note only after eating the sweet.

    "You know me so well, Hunter," she had said in an impressed tone.

    Rummaging through the box, Hera moved on to find the next one. She chose two more sweets which looked special from the rest. She unwrapped the first one which was full of cherries, coated with vani frosting. Hera popped them into her mouth one by one without wasting any time. And of course, she''d chosen the right one. It had his message inside.

    <em><strong>"Kiss you, think about you,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Hug you, drool over you,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Miss you, dream about you,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>These are the things</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I can do anytime,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Anywhere and all day long.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I Love You, Hera Hunter.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>P.S. I knew you would pop them into your mouth without wasting any time. Honestly, Love, I know a better way to stuff that little mouth of yours ;-)</strong></em>

    That message ended with a winking emoticon. Hera frowned, thinking about what he''d written with a wink. He was talking in riddles, and she had no idea what thatst sentence meant. She ignored it soon enough as the tasty juice of cherries coated her taste buds meanwhile rereading the message.

    That "kiss you, hug you, miss you, with an I love you" made her blush once again, and Hera could feel her cheeks getting hot. Not that it''s the first time he''d said I love you to her. He''d been telling that to her ever since they kissed in that church for the first time. Sadly, that fantasy she once believed in was nothing more than a deceiving illusion now. Yet, here she''s, blushing like a bloody bride over his bullshit charade.

    Something clenched inside, and Hera couldn''t help but feel vulnerable. Her emotions still danced around his very name. His words touched her heart, reaching deep down to her core.

    <em>''Why, Hunter? Why do you still hold all the reins of my heart?''</em>

    Suddenly, she heard the shrill sound of the phone ringing behind her, and she jumped out of her short shback like a startled rabbit. Hera remembered putting Hunter''s call on hold. He''d to disconnect the line and call her again. Her eyes widened at the realisation as she knew he would be angry. Attempting to swallow the dryness in her throat as well as her nervousness, she picked up the phone and received his call.

    Her hold on the phone tightened, and she sat on the bed, clutching her heart with her other palm. To her relief, Hunter didn''t ask for any exnation as if he understood why she''d put him on hold.

    "Don''t tell me, Goddess, you ate the whole box actually in one go! You know right, all you''ve to do is check the wrappers to see the message? You don''t have to eat a box full of sweets," Hunter said, and a soft, low-toned chuckle followed, invading Hera''s ear. Taunting, mocking, humiliating, or whatever he was doing, she should''ve at least known that he''sughing at her expense.

    But the only thing her brain could grasp and react to was his amused chuckle which sounded like soothing, melodic music, and Hera resisted the urge to hum along with the rhythm of hisugh.

    <em>''It''s so not fair he''s good at everything without even trying. Why God? Why?''</em>

    Hera scolded herself inwardly for getting distracted by that sexy sound of hisughter, and she tried to remember what he was saying. Oh, right, about eating those sweets. He was insulting her, wasn''t he? Hera had nothing to retort because he was right. She almost ate the whole box of sweets.

    The silence stretched, and Hera did not attempt to break it.

    <em>''What should I do if he asks about that "I love you" message?''</em>

    She silently sent a prayer to the universe to save her from this awkward encounter. He''s going to grill her with his arrogance if he came to know how ridiculously his message made her blush. She didn''t need him to humiliate her any further. She''s not ready to face this embarrassment.

    "Goddess?" Hunter called her questioningly, and she quicklyposed herself. It''s a good thing that it wasn''t a video call and she felt d that he couldn''t see her flushed face.

    "Tell me, Love, How was it? Did you enjoy the taste of my big Sweet Messenger?" Hunter awaited her reply while Hera grimaced and made a sound of gagging as if she didn''t enjoy eating those heavenly sweets.

    She wouldn''t want to appreciate his sweet efforts, would she now?

 Chapter 35 - Hurting Each Other

    Of course, she enjoyed the sweets, but he didn''t need to know. Hera wouldn''t want him to feel anymore smug than he already was. That arrogant Jerk has an ego as huge as a cow, so no need to boost it any further, right?

    "Huh, it was just like you, deceiving. Nice and beautiful to look from outside while the inside is ugly, hard and bitter." Hera said, trying to portray the feeling of distaste with her words as much as she could. Only she didn''t get the results she was anticipating. She wanted to insult him. But Hunter onlyughed in response.

    "Goddess, you''re only deceiving yourself and no one else. You and I both know, you''re lying. You''re right about the hard part, though," heughed again, and now Hera knew why. Thinking about that big Sweet Messenger, she blushed crimson red once again. Because somehow she guessed it, that the context of his conversation directly rted to his manhood..

    That big sweet messenger was a big sausage-shaped chocte mousse covered in caramel. The moment she put it between her lips sucking it, a feathery caramel sweet melted away deliciously. Greedily she took arge bite, and before she could get lost in the smoothness of the mousse, something hard, cracked in between her teeth ruining the feeling of silky heaven in her mouth.

    She had spit it out onto her palm, eyeing the disgusting remnant in distaste. Then only Hera had noticed the chocte mousse filled with almonds, cashews, and other dry fruits in between. "Bloody, Satan. I fucking hate you for doing this to me," she''d cursed him loudly then.

    Hera hated dry fruits and especially in her sweet desserts. Hunter knew it, yet he purposely ruined the warm sweetness she was basking in before she found those nuts. She''d thrown it into the waste bin with an angry scowl.

    "Sorry for ruining the chocte mousse, Love. I know how much you hate dry fruits," Hunter said, still trying to tame his amusedughter. His voice brought her back to the present, and she cringed at his earlier reference to his hard manhood. She remembered what he''d written inside that wrapper.

    Hera could see the words dancing in front of her eyes even now.

    <em><strong>"So many fruits to taste. Those juicy twin Apples, that fresh pink Strawberry and of course, that special little Cherry.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Oh, I''ll enjoy devouring those new fruity desserts. Can''t wait.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Anyways, it''s about damn time to taste and eat that little Cherry of yours.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>P.S. I''m the STRAW to your BERRY."</strong></em>

    He''d even sketched a picture of a small cherry and a big straw prating the inside of that cherry.

    "Now that you''ve read my messages, let''s talk about it, shall we?" Hunter asked, sounding very enthusiastic all of a sudden. Hera scoffed.

    "There''s nothing to talk about, Hunter," she said dismissively, but the Satan had no ns of ending her torment. "Oh,e on, Goddess. It''s as clear as day that you''re actually dying to talk about it. I know, you''re confused about some part of the message. So before you overwork your little brain straining yourself, let me brief it for you," he offered generously.

    Hera groaned in annoyance realising that he won''t let her off the hook, without grilling her for sure. He didn''t even need her confirmation to go ahead because he continued anyway. "I''m sure you''re aware of the twin apples I''m talking about, right?" He paused as though giving her time to think and grasp the hidden meaning.

    <em>''Shameless Pervert, you''re talking about my breasts. I know.''</em>

    Hera''s face flushed with embarrassment. Meanwhile, Hunter continued with his absurd banter.

    "You probably have no clue about the strawberry and cherry I''m hinting at, right, Goddess? Well, let me spell it for you. I''m talking about the fresh pinky strawberry and the little sweet cherry you''ve hidden in that little heaven between your thighs. Yep, that''s the heaven my hands, mouth, tongue and my cock are dying to explore," he finished with a dreamy sigh.

    As her heart thumped crazy, wild, Hera feared that it would burst out of her chest. Could he be any blunter with his intentions? His every word sounded so dirty that he made her speechless, literally. Her body felt feverishly hot, and she cursed inwardly for getting affected by his words.

    "Goddess, I''m damn sure that your heart is content with bliss now that you''ve eaten so many sweets. It''s about damn time that I get to taste and eat my share of yummy dessert, especially my favourite fruit strawberry," Hunter stated, and Hera''s jaw dropped dumbfounded.

    <em>''Holy fuck! Somebody, please kill me.''</em>

    Hera dropped her head. Eyeing the floor, she prayed for it to open so that she could jump into it.

    <em>''This morning couldn''t be any more pleasant, could it?''</em>

    She thought sarcastically.

    "Goddess, you there? Did I make you speechless? Or am I scaring you, Love?" Hunter asked when Hera didn''t utter a word. Ironically, he sounded worried, and she couldn''t hide her resentment anymore. "No, Hunter, you didn''t. You should''ve known by now that I''ve stopped reacting to your bullshit long back," she snapped. It''s her defence mechanism. She couldn''t let him know how much he still affected her.

    Hunterughed humorlessly before his angry voice echoed through the phone.

    "Seriously, Love, you too should''ve known by now. I know you inside and out like a back of my hand. Touch your heart, and I bet on my life that it''s racing a marathon. But it shouldn''t be if you''ve stopped reacting to my shit. Just wait until I get ess to your private parts and I''ll show you how much I can affect you," he said, and Hera didn''t miss the unsaid promisecing his words.

    "In your dreams, Hunter. I would rather die than let you have your way with me. Because I despise you so much, words couldn''t measure the amount of hatred I feel for you. You''re not even worthy of my hate," Hera said, cursing him for robbing her heart only to ruin it. Her eyes watered as emotions went out of control, and she breathed slowly trying not to show her weakness.

    It hurt her so much to say those words out loud. Hunter didn''t say anything, and the painful silence stretched. Hera thought he hung up and checked the phone, but to her surprise, he''s still on the line.

    Neither of them attempted to break the ice, and they let the silence stretch hiding their inner turmoil from each other. A beep in between disturbed the unpleasant silence. Hunter checked his phone only to see another iing call. He couldn''t be any more thankful. For a moment, he felt as though someone invisible a guardian angel maybe heard his unsaid prayers. It was Bianca''s call.

    Hunter couldn''t forget Hera''s hateful words.

    <em>''I despise you so much. You''re not even worthy of my hatred.''</em>

    Her words kept reying in his mind, torturing him to death. It hurt so much to hear her say that out loud, and at that exact moment, he wanted nothing more than to hurt her in return. He wanted her to know how much her words wound him. Every time she imed to hate him, it felt like she''s stabbing a dagger into his heart mercilessly. He wanted her to feel his pain.

    Bianca was the perfect weapon to attack Hera with because she hated Bianca with a passion. So without thinking any further, Hunter did what he wished to do, that was to hurt her.

    "Bianca is calling me, Goddess, I''ll have to take it. Maybe she has something important to say, and I need to talk to Samantha as well. Her phone was unavable when I called her. I''ll talk to youter, okay," he said. The tone he used was so rude as though he couldn''t wait to get rid of Hera. He sounded annoyed and bothered even.

    A sharp intake of breath was what he heard from the other side of the line. He smirked in satisfaction as he sensed Hera''s resentful longing.

    <em>''Bull''s eye. It hit straight home.''</em>

    As soon as Hera heard him take Bianca''s name, she snorted and spat angrily at him. "Don''t even bother, Hunter. I don''t have all day either to waste my time talking to you. I have better things to do," she said with the same disinterested tone he used for her. Hunter replied in an equally harsh tone. "Like what, Goddess? Burning with jealousy or cursing Bianca? Or maybe plotting to kill Samantha?" He asked, mocking her.

    He knew that taunt would provoke her, and he seeded.

    "That Bitch and Witch can go to Satan''s hell. And jealousy is thest thing I would feel for you, Lucifer," Hera said, trying her best not to show the hurt she felt. The stench of pure anger came out of her each word. Heughed, taunting her. "Sure, Goddess, I believe you. Why would you be jealous of Sam and me? Even If I fuck her in front of you, it won''t be a gut-wrenching feeling, and you won''t go puking all around, right?" He asked in a snarky tone.

    Hera couldn''t breathe. For a moment, she felt as if her heart stopped beating, and she wished it would never beat again.

    <em>''Why can''t we stop hurting each other? It hurts so bad, Hunter. Please stop.''</em>

 Chapter 36 - Duties, Distractions And Celebrations

    Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes, but Hera willed her heart not to crumble in front of him.

    Every word he spoke shattered her world.

    It was a very low blow, and even Hunter knew it. Bringing up that ugly past was the worst move, but it did the trick anyway. He was sessful in hurting her. When she spoke, her voice sounded so broken.

    "Fuck you, Hunter," Hera uttered, gritting her teeth.. "Trust me, Goddess. You will," Hunter promised and with that said, he disconnected her call and connected Bianca''s.

    Bianca spoke to him for about ten minutes. She was checking on him to make sure he''s okay. At least that''s what she said. But Hunter knew her better. She was with Eric when he called him on his phone. Bianca had known he was in a phone conversation with Hera. She''d purposely called him to interrupt their conversation.

    Hunter and Bianca were best friends from day one. He knew all her ws as well as her perfections. It was apparent she''d called to annoy Hera. Because she knew if Hunter chose his best friend over his love that would make Hera pissed. It had always been a cat and mouse game between Bianca and Hera.

    After Bianca said bye to him, Hunter''s thoughts went back to his conversation with Hera.

    <em>''Words can''t measure the amount of hatred I feel for you.''</em>

    How easily she''d stated as though she''d meant it. Hunter knew he deserved her hatred, but still, her every word tortured him to death. The pain soon turned into anger. He felt his rage overtaking his senses. He raked his hand through his hair to push it back as it fell on his eyes, almost blinding his sight. But he felt like pulling out his hair instead.

    The growing fury inside him was making him mad, and he wanted to hit something to vent out that anger. The more he thought about her, his need to see her intensified. He missed that blissful feeling of having her in his embrace. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss the hell out of her.

    <em>''How I wish I could reach you right now, Love.''</em>

    Even though Hera wanted to hurt him with her words, he knew she''s feeling the pain too. Whatever bitterness swallowed their special bonding, Hunter med himself for it. They''d a perfect and beautiful rtionship in the past, and he''d ruined it by his reckless actions. He didmit some nasty mistakes without thinking about the consequences he would face.

    It didn''t take more than a minute for Hera to end their rtionship. She broke up with him just like that.

    "Huh, like I''ll ever let her go. You''re mine to own, Hera Hunter," he said out loud as if to assure himself.

    A knock sounded, disturbing his alone time and before Hunter could dismiss whoever was on the other side of the door, that intruder rudely barged in.

    "There you are, my favourite bad boy of all," a busty blonde with a pretty face in her early twenties said and walked in, unting her long legs. She was wearing a dress which was close to nothing. The swell of her breasts, her cleavage, her belly button, her thighs, everything was on disy for him.

    "What do you want?" He barked. It wasn''t a good time to test his temper.

    <em>''What was her name again? Fairy, Cherry, Sherry?''</em>

    He couldn''t even remember her name. But he surely remembered herrge breasts. He''d banged her many times in the past. When Hera and his rtionship was going through a rough phase, he visited his grandparents in Italy to have some alone time and to nurse his heartache. Two years ago, he met her in Mn during his summer holidays. She was older, experienced, and too good in bed. He needed a distraction, and she yed the role perfectly.

    The thought about his past encounters with the girl made him cringe in disgust.

    "Get out," Hunter snapped, but it didn''t affect the girl. She jumped into his bones without much warning, and before he could pry her hands off him, she attacked his lips. His feet stumbled back, making him fall on his bed. She was now straddling him, her dress rose, exposing her redce panty.

    A tall frame holding the door handle distracted Hunter, and he saw his bodyguard Mathew looking at him with a disapproving scowl. He tapped a finger on his wristwatch, signalling Hunter that he would get only ten minutes to finish the deed. As soon as Hunter nodded, he pulled the door, shutting it behind him.

    <em>''Maybe this is what I needed to ease my mind. A quick, good, hard fuck.''</em>

    Without any second thought, Hunter''s hand reached his bedside drawer searching for a condom. Exactly after ten minutes, he heard a knock and knew it was Mathew. "I''m all done here, Matt," Hunter yelled in his rough voice. Mathew pushed open the door and eyed the young woman with distaste. Hunter knew what Mathew was thinking. But nothing happened between them.

    She didn''t get to fuck him because Hunter couldn''t do it. Every time he tried, his heart resisted and continually fought with his mind and all he could see was Hera''s sad face, using him of betrayal.

    "Chief, it''s time for you to get ready for the meeting, and ire''s mother was looking for her," Matthew said and left, leaving the door to his bedroom wide open.

    Hunter picked up his attire from the wardrobe selected by his mother for their special event. ire watched while Hunter got dressed. He knew she was eye-fucking him. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, observing his physical features. Not to be rude or something, butdies die for his attention, and Hunter knew it. Handsome face, the tall, well-built personality of his to me.

    Dressed in a midnight blue formal shirt paired with cream-coloured dress pants and a suit jacket, Hunter proudly agreed that his mother''s choice had always been the best.

    Once he tucked his shirt in and fastened his belt buckle, he looked at the satin, skinny-tie matching the colour of his shirt perfectly. ire offered to help him with it, but he refused. "Only my mom holds the copyright to that, baby," he said, and winked at her before fixing his hair, styling it with his fingers.

    He left the first two buttons of his shirt undone, and the unfastened tie was hanging around his neck. Hunter never learnt to make a tie knot. He had his mother to do that for him. At boarding school, his friends would make a knot for him, but he never let anyone help him wear it around his neck, except his mother.

    He didn''t want to wear a tie, but his mother had sternly ordered to wear it because it wasn''t just a celebration party. His grandfather was going to hand him over his entire business legally. Hunter would meet his business associates, shareholders, andwyers, and he would sign legal documents. He would attend a formal meeting with their legal team this evening.

    Putting on his brown shoes, he picked up the folder from the table, ready to walk out of the room. ire took it from his hand while he pocketed his phone. Hooking her arm through his, she walked out of the door along with him.

    Mathew was patiently waiting for him outside his bedroom door, leaning against the railings on the second floor. As soon as he saw the folder in ire''s hand, he immediately snatched it from her hand. He gave Hunter a disapproving look which he ignored and gestured ire to go ahead.

    Hunter stood at the bannisters and looked down from there. Stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets, he spoke to Mathew with a hint of amusement. "It''s not like she can run away with the folder or tamper with the legal documents in that folder, Matt. Not, at least with so many CCTV cameras watching and so many armed men guarding at every corner of the huge mansion," he said, smiling at him.

    Matthew shrugged his shoulders, still watching the girl with his hawk-like eyes. "Can you me me? She''s a Baresi, and we don''t trust them," Mathew dered with a definite conclusion.

    Hunter was slightly surprised to hear that. "Then howe you let her enter my room without permission? She came barging in breaching your security," he said, watching the people gathered in the living hall, all suited up and drinking his grandpa''s expensive alcoholic beverages. They''re all-powerful and dangerous men. Well, not as powerful and as dangerous as his grandfather and father, of course.

    "Don''t me me, Chief. It''s your grandmothers. It didn''t take much effort for the cunning girl to manipte their minds and convince your grandmothers that you and she are very close friends. I faintly heard her saying something like dating and that you two know each other from London. They let her in without any distrust, and I don''t dare to go against their word," Mathew said and turned his face to look at Hunter.

    "But Of course, I let her in only after she passed through our security check. You should never trust a Baresi," Matthew said, his tone held an undeniable warning. Hunter nodded his agreement before asking, "Is that why we''ve doubled our security today?" That was a rhetorical question and Matthew didn''t bother answering either.

 Chapter 37 - New Boss

    A smile made its way into Hunter''s face when he saw his father wrapping his arm around his mother''s waist. He could tell that his father''s heart fluttered as his mother smiled for him. She''s the most beautiful woman, and her gorgeous smile alone brightens their whole day. She moved gracefully like a Queen along with her husband, ying the role of the perfect hostess.

    The diamonds adorning her slender neck, earlobes and her wrist shimmered as she moved. Her long sweeping silk gown matched the colour of Hunter''s shirt perfectly while his father looked handsome as a devil dressed in all ck as usual. No wonder Hunter too loved dressing in ck.

    Hunter continued watching as men and women greeted his mother with a lovely smile as if they''re delighted to meet her. Where in reality they''re dying with jealousy. Jealous of her beauty, of her man holding her so possessively. Men were hiding their lustful desires behind those friendly smiles.

    Hunter clenched his fist in anger.. "Motherfuckers. I''ll slit their throats," he said through his gritted teeth. Mathew chuckled softly.

    "I don''t think you need to dirty your hands, Chief. Those motherfuckers are allowed to look, only because your Dad loves showing off his pride. If they so much asy a finger on her, he would dly slit their throats with his bare hands. And besides, don''t be fooled by that angelic beauty. She can be your worst enemy to mess with if you pissed her off," Mathew said, his tone filled with amusement. Yet it held so much pride and respect for Hunter''s parents at the same time.

    Mathew was one of their most trusted men. That''s why his father chose him as Hunter''s security in charge. All of his staff in London from housekeeper Lanson to servants and drivers were all his bodyguards, disguised as his household employees.

    Hunter grinned wide as his eyesnded on the waving hand of his grandfather. He was as fit as ever and dressed in a grey suit and white shirt, the man in his early seventies looked pretty charming for his age. "Hey, you young man,e over here. Your old man needs you," his grandfather said, gesturing him to join him. As Hunter began descending the stairs, two more armed men joined Mathew to escort Hunter safely to his grandfather.

    His mother reached him first and kissed his cheek. She grinned when she looked at his undone tie hanging around his neck. Hunter''s father silently watched his wife''s handiwork as she made their son''s tie, knotting it perfectly. His smile never wavered from his face.

    "Aw, look at my boy, all grown up and turning into a handsome man. Like father, like son," she said, eyes shining with pride and love. She brushed her fingers through his hair, trying to fix it as well and Hunter groaned. "Mom, you just ruined my perfectly made hair," he said and tried to fix it back, only to get his hands swatted away by his mother. She gave him a dirty look, and he gave up trying.

    Both his maternal and paternal grandparentsughed at the mother and son''s interaction. Hunter''s smile grew into a toothy grin as he saw his familyughing. They were happy because of him, and he couldn''t ask for anything more. He was thankful for their unconditional love.

    <em>''Handsome men and beautiful women in the family contributed to these good looks I''ve inherited.''</em>

    He thought admiringly.

    Hunter''s father winked at him yfully before he spoke to his wife. "Don''t you think, darling, the only missing thing is a bride standing next to him?" He asked, smirking at his annoyed son. "It would''ve been perfect if," he stopped mid-sentence as he heard Hunter''s disapproving grunt. "Dad!" He said, gritting his teeth and warning his father to shut up.

    As soon as the word "Bride" left his father''s mouth, his mother''s eyes lit up like a shining diamond. She''s a hopeless romantic. That''s why Hunter still kept Hera as secret. If his mother knew about him being in love with Hera, that crazy woman would make them marry the next day. She wouldn''t even care that Hera was still a minor and Hunter was damn sure, both his mother and Hera would get along just fine. They''re very much alike.

    Thankfully, before his mother could react, Hunter''s grandfather took him to meet the people gathered in his study. He introduced them to each other, and Hunter learnt they were the most important and influential men from all over Europe. Every one of them offered to stand by him in difficult situations no matter what. They swore loyalty to him.

    Once they were seated, Hunter''s father joined them with his legal team, and Mathew passed the folder in his hands to him. Scooting over a little, Hunter made room for his father and the head of their legal team Thomas Costa. "Have you read it thoroughly, Junior?" His father asked, offering him his pen while Thomas spread the papers in front of him.

    Nodding his agreement, Hunter signed the legal documents. His grandfather pulled him in for a hug and patted his back. Hunter could see how happy and proud he felt.

    Meanwhile, his father checked all the papers, discussing with Thomas. Hunter had nothing to worry as his father would hold power of attorney in his name. Though everything got transferred into his name on the paper, he was still an eighteen-year-old young boy. He had to study andplete his education before stepping into his father''s shoes.

    "You only have to wait for your mother''s parents to transfer their assets into your name, and then with both your grandfathers'' assets, you''ll be wealthier than your father," Thomas said, shaking Hunter''s hand. "I suddenly feel so sad for not having a daughter and missing my chance of having you as my son-inw. Why couldn''t Eric be born as a girl?" Thomas said, faking disappointment. "And you two are not even gay best friends," he added jokingly. Hunterughed in good humour.

    He watched as his father passed a ss of whiskey to Thomas, and they clinked their sses in celebration. Thomas Costa was not only their Lawyer but his father''s best friend as well. Hunter was d that his son Eric and he were best friends too.

    "It''s time to celebrate. Let''s join the party," Thomas said once he officially finished with all the legal formalities. Hunter walked out of the study silently following as his father and Thomas walked ahead along with his grandfather.

    Francesco Giovanni Carlo, the man in his early seventies, clinked his ss to announce a toast. It didn''t take more than a few seconds for the guests to focus their attention solely on him. After all, he''s the most feared man in the whole of Europe. No one would dare to upset this dangerous and powerful man. The name "Carlo" was enough to induce terror among people.

    "Thank you, everyone, for gracing us with your presence. As you all know, I have decided to step down from the Organisation. And from now on, my grandson will take over my business and our Organisation. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, your new Boss," Francesco said, wrapping his arm around Hunter''s shoulders.

    Toasts raised in congrattions, and they weed Hunter into their dangerous world.

    "Honestly, I expected more, Alessandro. He''s just a kid. Surely old Carlo has lost his mind. He can''t be serious about announcing the kid as his sessor. I don''t think this boy even know how to hold your pen, let alone sit on your father''s chair," Luca Baresi, the bulky man dressed in an Italian designer ck suit said, sipping his scotch leisurely. He let his eyes measure Hunter from head to toe. Though Hunter possessed that same intimidating aura of his grandfather, Luca didn''t show any sign of acknowledgement. His face held a disappointed look.

    The dangerous, cold smirk which never fails to scare people to death appeared on the face of Alessandro. He gestured his son to join him. As soon as Hunter made his way to them, Luca Baresi greeted him with his unweing cold eyes as if ridiculing his presence.

    Hunter clenched his jaw, cocked one of his eyebrows up as if challenging him before he smirked at the bulky man arrogantly. The man found himself sweating despite being under the air-conditioned roof. Hunter''s perfect height and personality with that attitude, confidence, arrogance and that dangerous smirk, the man realised matched perfectly with Alessandro''s.

    Before Alessandro could put the now frightened man in his ce, someone else beat him to it.

    "If he can fuck the Baresi women to their satisfaction, then you should reconsider calling him a kid, Baresi," Francesco said, smirking at Luca.

    Luca and Hunter both choked on their drinks simultaneously. The former''s face flushed with anger while thetter''s with embarrassment. Hunter looked at his grandfather, who shot him a knowing smile with a wink. If Hunter wasn''t wrong, his old man, even looked proud.

    <em>''Bloody hell! How did he know?''</em>

 Chapter 38 - A Troublemaker

    Hunter was ready to jump into his grave right then and there. It appealed moreforting than facing his grandfather at the moment. He never felt this awkward feeling of being at the peak of embarrassment.

    <em>''Fucking hell! Thest thing I want is my grandpa keeping track of my sex life.''</em>

    Hunter red at Matthew with an using gaze. His trusted bodyguard shook his head in denial.

    He nced at his father through his peripheral view and to his surprise, even Alessandro held the same witty yet smug expression.. Meanwhile, Luca Baresi looked ready to kill.

    "What do you mean, Carlo? I may not be as powerful as you are. But it doesn''t mean I''ll fucking stand here like a dog and lick your feet while watching you insult my family," Luca boomed with anger and took a threatening step towards Francesco. With one quick step, Hunter stood in front of his grandfather protectively. His height easily towered over Luca, and the menacing look in Hunter''s eyes made him shiver in fright. Within a blink of an eye, men surrounded Luca, pointing their guns at him.

    "Don''t forget, Baresi, you are talking to my father and remember your ce. You''re allowed only to wiggle your tail, not your tongue. I''ll make you disappear from the earth within minutes if you even dare think about harming him. And what my father stated earlier, he meant what he said. You should question the women in your family instead of us," said Alessandro, who now had his hand wrapped around Luca''s throat, squeezing enough to make him struggle to breathe while Hunter avoided eye contact with his father.

    "And address my son with respect, Luca. He''s your new King. The only way you''ll greet him is either as Chief or Boss. You may call him Mr Carlo if him being so young bothers you. He''s a Carlo, and no one needs to teach him how to rule. It runs in our blood. And trust me when I say, he doesn''t need any weapon to kill," Alessandro said through his gritted teeth. The warning only intensified Luca''s fright.

    Francesco signalled his men to back off and stopped his son from harming Luca any more.

    "You heard my son, Baresi. Don''t forget what he said. Wiggle your tail all you want, but not your tongue. Now stop shaking your body like a stripper. We don''t harm our guests. You can rx now and enjoy the party," Francesco said in an amused tone, but Luca didn''t miss the hidden mockery behind his smile. A single nod from him and his son Alessandro let go of Luca''s throat.

    "I''ll go and get a drink for myself," Hunter muttered and tried to escape, but he''d no such luck as Alessandro decided to apany him. Reaching the bar, they ordered drinks and Hunter took a long sip. Breaking the silence, finally, he dared to ask. "How did you know?" Alessandro chuckled at his son''s question and turned sideways to face him.

    "You mean how did I know about you fucking Baresi women?" He asked in return, and Hunter lowered his gaze, looking into his ss. He cringed at his father''s question. Both his grandfather and father had said women using the plural because Hunter had screwed ire''s younger sister as well.

    "Did you seriously think I wouldn''t know about what''s happening in my only son''s life?" Alessandro asked while Hunter pursed his lips in embarrassment. "Does my mom know?" Hunter asked, eyes searching for his mother. "Well, can''t be sure. That woman has her spies nted everywhere," Alessandro stated, andughed in good humour. But Hunter didn''t feel the amusement.

    He looked at his father for reassurance and Alessandro shook his head in a no. "Oh, thank the Lord," Hunter sighed in relief. "You two won''t tell my mom, right? She can''t know about it, please?" He nervously asked in a requesting tone, his voice hopeful. Alessandro smirked at his son before replying. "I''m not sure about, that old man," he said, pointing his finger to where Francesco, his father, stood talking to his guests. "But I can assure you that your secret is safe with me, Junior." Alessandro grinned as Hunter''s tensed posture rxed.

    "Thanks, Dad. I owe you for this. That crazy woman has a weird way of punishing her only child. And I''m not ready for the punishment," Hunter confessed while his facial muscles tensed in worry. His father chuckled and said, "But we love that crazy, weird woman." They bothughed at that. "That we do," Hunter agreed. They both loved that woman to the moon and back. But her way of punishing had always frightened them both.

    Whenever they would get into trouble and make her upset or angry, her only way to punish them would be giving them a silent treatment. She wouldn''t talk to them for one whole week. Hunter didn''t get to see his parents every day, but he spoke to them regrly over the phone. He wouldn''t give his mother a chance to punish him because of his stupid mistake.

    "And that''s why I need to keep my image clean to stay in her good books," Hunter stated with determination, smiling subconsciously as his eyes fell on his mother. Alessandro patted his son on the back in appreciation. He knew how much his son valued their presence in his life.

    "And, Dad, is he going to be a trouble? That Baresi man, I mean," Hunter asked, worry written all over his face. Alessandro chuckled, shaking his head in ridicule. "Don''t worry about him. I''ll handle that scum. That spineless coward is all bark and no bite anyway," he said and took a sip from his ss.

    Rotating the golden brown liquid in his ss, Hunter hesitated before speaking. "Dad, about those girls, I didn''t know they belonged to Baresi family, and I swear I didn''t approach them. They made the first move and willingly came to me. I''m sorry if I caused trouble," he said awkwardly apologizing. Alessandro smiled in return.

    "You know, your mother calls you a troublemaker, right? But I bet she wouldn''t have it any other way. You''re never a trouble for us, son. You are our pride," he said, ruffling his son''s hair affectionately. "Have fun, Junior. Just be careful and don''t forget to use protection," he said and winked at Hunter. Tossing the contents of his ss into his mouth in one go, Alessandro left him to join his friend Thomas.

    Meeting and greeting people since morning, Hunter got bored as the evening wore on. He was tired of people teaching him about why, when and how to handle their business. He didn''t need a tutorial. As his father said, it runs in their blood. And besides, he''s trained in every style of martial arts already. He knew how to use all types of weapons. He never missed his target, and his shot always hit bull''s eye.

    He slowly swirled the ss of whiskey in his hand, eyes wandering here and there, not particrly looking at anyone. He returned the ss to the bartender. He''d enough and didn''t want to get drunk. His phone buzzed in his pocket, alerting him of an iing message.

    Hunter grinned once he got a glimpse of the message. It was Lanson''s message. She had sent him a picture.

    Hera''s picture.

    Hera was all dressed and ready for the party. She looked stunning in the ck dress she''s wearing. It was a strapless, off-shoulder dress reaching up-to her mid-thigh. It had small slits on either side so that she could walkfortably. Hunter himself went shopping and bought that dress for her. The shopkeeper told him not to worry about the fitting as the dress was figure-hugging and made with stretchable fabric. And it fitted Hera perfectly.

    He''d nned a weing party for Hera a week ago. But unfortunately, he had to miss it because of today''s event.

    As he zoomed the picture, his eyes scanned every inch of her from head to toe. She looked different, looked even more beautiful than before. Now Hunter regretted buying that dress for her. He could imagine the lustful eyes of the other boys, roaming all over her body, eye-fucking her. Unfortunately, he won''t be there to smash their faces.

    Hera was smiling sweetly for the camera. Her long, soft, brte hair fell on her shoulders, covering her upper torso. Hunter wanted to run his fingers through her silky hair. His thumb subconsciously caressed her lips on the screen of his phone.

    <em>''Those intoxicating eyes and those enticing lips.''</em>

    His lips ached to kiss her. He brushed his face with his palm and sighed in frustration.

    <em>''Damn, she''s turning me on.''</em>

    Just one look and he''s going insane, that''s how much she affected him. He couldn''t wait to go back to her.

    He was fourteen when he had sex for the first time. And needless to say how amazing having sex felt. Ever since he learned about sexual pleasures, his heart, his body and his manhood craved for only one person.

    His Hera.

 Chapter 39 - He Attracts Women

    Hera was his Goddess, his angel of love, his happiness. He never wanted anyone else, except his Goddess. But he''d no choice but to quench his thirst elsewhere with every other avable substitute. It would have to do until his Goddess showers mercy upon him. He couldn''t get intimate with Hera yet because she was too young for that.

    However, his attraction towards Hera kept growing intensely and resisting her became more and more difficult each day.

    Changing hormones, demanding for sexual pleasure turned him into a sex addict, a man-whore. That''s what Hera used of him. Since the day his dick learned to stand up in attention, he''d been digging into every dirty hole.

    <em>''What you didn''t know, Goddess, was that you were all I ever wanted.''</em>

    After all, Hera was the blissful heaven he never wished to leave.. Sighing dejectedly he spared another longing look at her face in the picture before pocketing his phone.

    "Needpany, pretty boy?" A soft female voice said, interrupting Hunter''s private thoughts. The woman in her mid-thirties held out her palm, offering a handshake. He remembered the woman. She was the one who dared to flirt with his father a while ago in front of his mother. The woman was lucky that she''s still alive.

    Dressed in a crisscross open back ovep asymmetrical dress, she looked pretty hot. No need to wonder how did Hunter know so much about a woman''s dress. He knew his mother''s designer and her young daughter very well.

    Like a proper gentleman, he stood straight to greet her and took her awaiting palm in his. Surprising him, instead of shaking their hands, she pulled him into her arms. "Hmm, you feel so good. I''m impressed with these muscles," the woman whispered huskily, rubbing her hands over his arms. Hunter''s eyes widened in disbelief. "You have a rock-hard body. Just what a woman loves to rub her soft body against," she said, and undoubtedly he heard her moan in pleasure.

    She sounded drunk, so Hunter thought to ignore her indecency and tried to detangle himself from her hold in a subtle way. He didn''t want toe off as rude.

    But to his shock, the woman shamelessly pushed herself flush against his torso, crushing her breasts into his chest. Her hands started exploring his back. Though she was a pleasant sight for every hot-blooded male, Hunter didn''t want another trouble to add to his list. He pushed her off him abruptly when her hand reached his butt. The woman was practically trying to seduce him with his parents standing just at twenty feet away from them. He''s not at allfortable with her absurd way of approach.

    He caught sight of his mother walking towards him and sighed in relief when she neared him. The seductress noticed that something behind her distracted Hunter and tried to grab his attention back to her. Keeping one hand on his shoulder, she leaned herself against his body while her other hand went below his belt and brushed against his crotch.

    <em>''What the fuck!''</em>

    "My my! Your little friend down there already got excited. I can show you a good time. Let''s go somewhere quiet," standing on her tiptoes, she whispered in his ear. She was talking about his semi-hard manhood which was aching for his Hera. Hunter felt offended because the woman addressed his prized possession as "Little friend".

    <em>''Little friend? There''s nothing little about my buddy.''</em>

    His pride down there got excited for his Goddess, not for this slut. He wanted to say that to her face but stopped himself from insulting her because his mother taught him well. He reminded himself that she was a guest tonight.

    "Keep your hands off my boys, Lettica, unless you want me to rip them off," his mother''s warning tone sounded loud and clear. She walked in between and stood in front of the woman, guarding Hunter like a shield.

    Hunter finally rxed but felt sorry for the woman. His mother never believed in empty threats, and he knew how dangerous it would be to provoke her.

    "Don''t be so rude, Mrs Carlo. It''s not fair that only you get to own all the hot men. Sharing is caring, you know." Lettica said, pouting her red-coated lips innocently. Hunter observed his mother smirking at the woman arrogantly. He could guess, from where he got his share of arrogance.

    "Desperate, aren''t we? But I don''t share, honey. My boys are mine to own," she said, turning around to look at her only son. Wrapping her arms around Hunter''s mid-torso, his mother hugged him. He''s so tall she could reach only to his chest. She kissed him on his chest with so much affection filled in her eyes. But it automatically changed into a death re when she turned to face the said Lettica.

    "You''re lucky that you''re a guest tonight, Lettica because my parents and my Inws won''t let me kill a guest at home. Now be gone before I change my mind and dissect your body, part by part," she said, dismissing the woman. She walked around him, reaching for the barstool and Hunter politely pulled it to her.

    "Bloody Cougar! She thinks she can molest my baby boy?" She murmured to herself, but loud enough for the woman to hear. Lettica stomped her foot in anger before walking away.

    With a soft chuckle, Hunter sat next to his mother, and asked in a gentle tone, "Can I buy you a drink, my beautifuldy?" She smiled every trace of anger was now gone. "Yes, you can, darling," she said in approval, and he ordered a red wine for her. Hunter shifted in his chair, adjusting into a morefortable posture facing her. "That Cougar part was rude. You didn''t have to say that," he said in mock pity trying not tough. But couldn''t help and join when his motherughed.

    "You know what? I think your dad was right. I need to find a bride for you. That''s the only way to keep these whores away from you, and also, I''ll have a daughter-inw to spoil," she said, and Hunter choked on his drink, coughing and spluttering whiskey out of his mouth that he was about to swallow a second ago. "Mom, what bride? I''m only eighteen for God''s sake!" He eximed in disbelief and to his horror she sounded damn serious.

    <em>''She doesn''t need to know that I''ve already found my bride and got married to her long back.''</em>

    "Yeah, right, eighteen. But that did not stop these women from getting into your pants," his mother said, snorting before rolling her eyes. "My boys attract women like a ma without even trying," she said, amused but irked at the same time.

    <em>''Ah, man! So much for keeping my image clean. Nothing escapes this woman.''</em>

    His father was right, after all. The woman had her spies nted all over.

    "You''re the youngest of all at this party right now. Yet, all the females irrespective of age, are ogling you without any shame. Can you see that girl in a ck dress which is doing nothing to hide her womanly assets?" She asked, and Hunter saw her pointing at ire. He pursed his lips silently praying for an escape while his mother red at the girl. "She''s twenty-one, and that short girl in pink standing next to her, she''s her younger sister," she said with the same disgusted tone.

    Hunter knew that girl. Meeting ire had led him to her younger sister, and they had tumbled into bed a few times. He bit his lip, avoiding his mother''s eyes.

    "She''s the youngest daughter of Luca Baresi. She''s neen, and don''t even count those older women lusting after my eighteen years old son. The one earlier molesting you was thirty-five. And look at that woman over there talking to your grandma. She''s in her early forties. Shamelessly eyeing my little boy as if he''s a delicious meatball and she couldn''t wait to devour him. I''m sure her panties are dripping wet by now, that is if that cunt is wearing one," she said.

    Hunter couldn''t take it anymore. "Oh, God! Seriously, this woman has no filter. Mom, that sounds so gross," Hunter said and grimaced in disgust. His mother elegantly lifted her ss to her lips. Taking a sip of her wine, she smiled at him sweetly. "Thinking of the filter, have you been using one? I don''t want my baby to catch dirty cooties," she said in a tone as if she was reprimanding her five-year-old child.

    "Where is that husband of yours when we need him?" Hunter groaned, eyes searching for his father. His mother giggled, "Think of the devil, and he appears," she said, grinning at her husband who didn''t waste any time and attacked her lips, kissing her passionately. Hunter rolled his eyes at their public disy of affection.

    "I never thought I would say this, but, Dad, please keep her mouth upied if that''s the only way to make her shut up. Though it''s awkward to watch my parents make out in front of my eyes," Hunter said, looking away from his parents. He turned his barstool in the opposite direction and heard them chuckle in response.

 Chapter 40 - Finding An Escape

    "What was that earlier with Luca?" Hunter heard his mother asking his father. He couldn''t help but feel guilty for causing the trouble.

    Alessandro looked at his son before answering his wife. "Don''t worry. It''s nothing I can''t handle. That dick was just being full of himself. Now that my dad stepped down from his position, that bastard thinks he can threaten him," Alessandro said with a mocking chuckle.

    "What are they nning? Are the Baresi men using their women to trap my son or what?" She asked, anger and disgust dripping from her words. Hunter choked on his drink again. Cursing loudly, he ced the ss on the table, pushing it away. Alessandro faked a cough to hide hisughter. "Why do you say so, sweetheart? What happened?" He asked his wife, winking at Hunter. The ghost of a smile on his father''s amused face irked Hunter more..

    Meanwhile, his mother exhaled in anger. "I caught the Baresi women plotting how to get into my son''s pants. Lettica was literally grinding him in front of me, can you believe that? My poor boy, he looked so frightened," she said and brushed her fingers through Hunter''s hair affectionately. "Mom, stop exaggerating. It was nothing. Besides, the woman was drunk," Hunter said, annoyed.

    Her perfectly shaped rainbow-like eyebrows rose, challenging him to defy her. "Don''t forget, my boy I''m the woman who pushed you out of her vagina and brought you into this world. I''ve seen you naked countless times since your birth, and I know now that your little penis is not so little anymore. I know when my baby is happy and when he is scared. So you better think twice before defying me," she said, scolding him.

    <em>''Ah, that blunt mouth without a filter again.''</em>

    Whatever Hunter was going to say in reply, got cut off with Alessandro''s loudughter. He red at his father for having fun at his expense.

    "What the fuck? I thought Lettica was trying to seduce me!" Alessandro eximed, faking hurt as if he was disappointed that Lettica was hitting on his son instead of him. One re from his wife and he lifted his hands in surrender as hisughter died down in a sh. "Just kidding, sweetheart. I know what Lettica did to our little boy. You know, nothing escapes my X-ray vision," Alessandro said, pecking her lips.

    Hunter groaned in annoyance while his parents discussed him as if he''s not there. He ignored them and searched for his grandparents. Instead, his eyesnded on Luca Baresi. The man was talking to Lettica who not so surprisingly had her eyes fixed on Hunter. "Who''s Lettica by the way?" Hunter asked no one in particr, his eyes still watching Luca and Lettica. Alessandro told him that she''s Luca''s mistress and the woman talking to his grandma earlier was Luca''s wife.

    Maybe his mother was right. They all were hitting on him or trying to hook up one of their daughters with him. He cringed thinking about the trap his mother mentioned earlier. He needed to get out of there as soon as possible before they could try something nasty.

    Someone tapped on his shoulder and Hunter turned to face a young, pretty girl. The friendly smile she greeted him with said that they''d met before. But for the love of God, he couldn''t remember her.

    "Mr and Mrs Carlo, do you mind if I borrow your son for a while? My parents are busy with your other guests. I am alone and bored. I could use somepany," the girl requested politely with a sweet smile. Hunter watched while his mother smiled at the girl as she nodded her approval. "Why would I mind, honey? He''s all yours tonight. Just bring him back to me in one piece, unless you want me to strangle your neck," Hunter''s mother said with a yful tone. But the girl didn''t miss the threat hidden behind her sweet smile.

    Alessandro bit back a grin while Hunter just rolled his eyes.

    <em>''Mother Hen.''</em>

    Hunter leaned towards his father, whisper asked him. "A little help, Dad. What''s her name again?" Alessandro smirked, "Honey or baby will do just fine, Junior," he replied, winking at him. "And if she causes any trouble, don''t hesitate to use your gun," he said in a warning tone.

    "Oh, he meant the real gun and not the one in your pants," his mother added, whispering in his ear. Hunter scowled in disapproval. The woman had been eavesdropping on the father and son''s conversation. "Mom, give me a break, will you?" Hunter asked before he walked out of the bar following the pretty girl.

    Alessandro signalled Mathew to follow his son, and he didn''t waste a second before hovering over Hunter''s shadow.

    <em><strong>At Hunter''s mansion in London:</strong></em>

    Hera was sitting by the window, staring at nothing in particr, lost somewhere in the ugly past, since herst conversation with Hunter. He surely knew how to hit where it hurts the most.

    She cried her heart out after he hung up on her so rudely. Once done with her sobbing spasms, Hera washed her face once again. Her hungry stomach rumbled. She was starving, and all that crying drained her energy out, reducing it to nothing. She got dressed in her peach colour T-shirt and faded blue jeans and went to the dining hall to have her breakfast. Her feet halted and refused to move any further when her eyesnded on the two people sitting at the dining table.

    Bianca, the evil Queen with gorgeous porcin skin, sat in direct view of Hera. Her fingers thread along the length of her long, natural blonde hair while she talked animatedly. Sitting next to her was her witch of a best friend, Samantha.

    Hera anxiously bit her lip.

    When Bianca''s sky-blue eyes met with hers, they widened in surprise, but an evil smirk immediately graced her thin lips when she noticed Hera''s swollen red eyes. She knew what she had done to her.

    <em>''Bitch. Her timing could never go wrong.''</em>

    Hera averted her eyes only to meet Samantha''s death re. Her almond-shaped baby-blue eyes filled with hatred and her short, button nose scrunched up in disgust. "Ah, you didn''t die yet. Why don''t you already? My life would be so much easier," she spat in disdain. Samantha''s hateful words didn''t even register in Hera''s mind. Because the only thing she could think of, remember, and feel was Hunter''s heartbreaking words. As soon as she saw Samantha''s face, his angry voice echoed in her ears. Heartbreaking

    <em>''If I fuck her in front of you, If I fuck her, I fuck her...''</em>

    Dirty images from the prior memories shed behind her eyes, and she felt the exact opposite of what he had said earlier.

    <em>''You won''t go puking all around.''</em>

    Even before her brain could order her legs to move, her feet automatically turned, and she sprinted off back to the safety of her room. After a few minutes, Hunter''s housekeeper Jessica Lanson came into the room with a tray full of food in her hands. She brought breakfast for Hera, only to find her puking her guts out in the toilet. Immediately she came running to her side. After washing off, she made sure that Hera ate her food.

    "I saw you running back to your room in a hurry. I figured something happened between you and the girls?" Jessica asked. Hera kept quiet while Jessica consoled her with her sweet words and warm embrace. "You know right he is yours to stake ownership? He is only toying with Samantha to get your attention," said Jessica.

    <em>''And boy, did it work?''</em>

    "You don''t have to feel hurt or awkward around her. Just give it back, and she''ll back off. I know that Bianca too acts childish sometimes and all you''ve to do is ignore her," Jessica tried to console her. Hera smiled sadly, not saying anything.

    Jessica was a lovelydy. But she was a bit young for her job. Hera couldn''t figure out why she''s even working as a housekeeper. All Hera knew was that Jessica Lanson was from New York and was working for Hunter''s parents. They sent her here to take care of their son. She''s very fond of Hunter, and she took good care of his friends as well. They all knew each other from New York, except Samantha.

    Samantha joined Hunter''s team during their seventh grade. She was from Canada and new in school. The bonding between her and Bianca clicked instantly. Jessica knew the tension between Hera and Hunter''s friends. She had alwayse to her aid whenever Samantha created trouble. But Jessica was lenient towards Bianca because, for Hunter, she''s special.

    Hunter and Bianca''s friendship go a long way back. She had a pretty well-known Surgeons in the whole of the USA for parents, and they work for Hunter''s father. Hera never understood what that meant. Whether her parents were Hunter''s family doctors or they work in their hospital, Hera had no idea, and she never thought to ask either. The only thing she knew for sure was that Bianca was so special, Hunter called her "Sunshine".

    No need to say the nickname irked Hera to a great extent.

    Hera spent the whole day sitting alone inside the room. Thankfully, she didn''t have to go for lunch because Jessica sent it to her room. She heard a soft knock before the door was pushed open.

 Chapter 41 - Shes Aces Girl

    Jessica peeked her head inside with a warm smile. Hera moved away from the window to her bed and returned Jessica''s smile.

    Jessica held a package in her hands. She read the unasked question in Hera''s curious eyes. "It''s for you, Hera. Open it," she said, giving the package to Hera. Jessica looked way too excited, but Hera chose to ignore. A midnight ck material greeted her eyes when she opened the parcel. Sitting on top of it was a heart-shaped sweet. The outer side of its wrapper said it''s a "Love Candy".

    <em>''Oh, what a perfect name! Could it be any better?''</em>

    Hera thought sarcastically and rolled her eyes. Oh, no prizes for guessing who the package came from by the way..

    "If you need help with putting on the dress, simply yell my name, and I can do your hair if you want," Jessica offered. Smiling, Hera nodded. "Thank you, Ms Lanson," she said, earning a yful re from the woman. "What did I tell you about calling me, Ms Lanson? It''s Jessica for you, honey," with that said, she left the room, leaving Hera to get dressed.

    Hera unwrapped the sweet but didn''t eat it as she remembered his jab.

    <em>''You don''t have to eat it to read the message.''</em>

    Putting aside the candy, she read his message written inside the wrapper.

    <em><strong>"Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Wear the dress and enjoy the party.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Wish I was there to help you with the dress ;-)</strong></em><em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Miss you, Love."</strong></em>

    The word "love" made her cringe. What they had between them was anything but love. She took out the dress from the box and walked to the mirror.

    The dress looked too short for her size. Unsure, it would fit or not, she tried the dress on and to her surprise, it suited her body size perfectly. The ck dress looked good against her creamy whiteplexion, but her face told a different story altogether. Herrge eyes looked awful due to her intense crying, and her long, straight-edged nose was red at the tip. Her hair was a tangled mess. She didn''t brush it in the morning as she was too busy sulking.

    <em>''Definitely, I could use the magic of your hands, Jessica.''</em>

    Hera thought to herself.

    And magic, Jessica did. She applied some gel, and her hair transformed into a velvet curtain from a tangled mess. She used some makeup, making Hera''s swollen eyes look lively. A touch of lip colouring, a light shade of blush on her cheeks and Hera was wlessly ready.

    "You don''t like to wear any other essories, I guess?" Jessica asked, already knowing the answer. Hera shook her head, proving Jessica right. "You don''t need them anyway. You look gorgeous without any essories. There''s a ck stiletto in the shoe section of the wardrobe. Don''t forget to put them on. And now, let me take a picture of you," Jessica said, taking her cell phone out.

    After clicking some pictures of Hera, she went out saying she needed to run some errands.

    Hera checked the stilettos. One nce at them and she kept them back in their ce. She''s hardly used to such things while sneakers and flip-flops were her kinds of things. Hera stood in front of the mirror, her feet bare. The only essory on her was the white-gold anklet in her left ankle. She liked the way she looked and decided to join the so-called "wee party".

    <em>''Satan is not in his hell right now. Maybe I should have some fun at this party and enjoy my freedom as well.''</em>

    The party had already been in full swing. Music was sting loud enough to block all other sounds. Teenage boys and girls were everywhere, dancing, drinking, teasing, ying games, lost in their private world. Hera scanned the crowd of teenagers searching for familiar faces.

    Asher''s gaze found her first, and soon the rest of her friends too joined her. They were all drinking a beer. Celine offered Hera one, but she declined it. She couldn''t find Abby anywhere.

    <strong>"HERA... HERA... HERA... HERA....."</strong>

    Startled, Hera jumped as she heard the crowd chanting her name and with utter confusion, she followed the waves of the chanting voices echoing in the back yard. She was stunned at what greeted her eyes.

    An arch decorated with glittering, colourful papers and balloons made her gasp, and Hera facepalmed while her eyes read the words written on it in bold capitals.

    <strong>"WELCOME TO HERA''S QUINCEANERA"</strong>

    Below the arch, small rectangr tables were arranged together on the makeshift dais to make a high tform.

    "Whoa! Didn''t know, people in London celebrate Quinceanera too," Adide yelled in excitement while Hera still stood dumbfounded. "What does all this mean?" Hera asked no one in particr. Her friends looked at her as though she''d grown two horns on her head.

    "Don''t tell me you don''t know what a Quinceanera is!"

    "Hera, it''s a girl''s fifteenth birthday."

    "It''s a party to celebrate the transformation of a girl into her young womanhood."

    Her friends eximed one after the other. Hera groaned in annoyance. "Shut up, all of you. I know what is Quinceanera okay. I meant to ask, why are they celebrating it? It''s not even my birthday!" She half yelled, tone filled with irritation.

    "Who cares, Hera? Let''s rock the party, baby," Asher said, dragging Hera into the crowd. Jarred and Asher couldn''t wait to join the dance floor to feel the hot girls. After some time Celine, Adide and Brittany too left to join the dance floor. Andrew being the gentleman, stayed with Hera.

    Hera watched as Bianca started walking towards her. Andrew stood in front of her in a protective stance. Hera narrowed her eyes in anger as Bianca pushed Andrew out of her way. She took Hera''s hand and pulled her towards the dais. Two boys came out of nowhere, lifted Hera at Bianca''smand and ced her on the table. Both Bianca and Samantha climbed on the table, joining Hera.

    "Dear friends, meet Hera. The honour of tonight''s party. She is fifteen now, and that''s what we are celebrating tonight. She''s earned the license to please you all handsome boys after all. If you''re lucky tonight, she might open her legs for you," Samantha announced to the crowd of teenagers in her overjoyed voice. Meanwhile, Hera cringed in disgust. She tried to walk out, but those two boys from earlier blocked her way from either side, and Bianca smirked at her in victory.

    "And here''s your chance to win your private time with our dear Hera. Whoever seeds in showing her a good time tonight, I mean, if you can make her feel all hot and bothered, then you''re the lucky ones," Bianca finished her speech with a wink. And the boys who were already drunk and wasted, hollered loudly, whistling in appreciation.

    "And here''s a hint, how to win her over. Use your hands, fingers, legs, lips, tongue, dick, whatever body parts you''re good with," Samantha said, adding more to Hera''s fear. They left her on her own and jumped down from the tables. The boys started to gather around Hera, and she panicked, not knowing how to escape this trap. She searched for her friends and noticed, they were all struggling to reach her. They were pushed back by the senior boys.

    A hand snaked around her waist and frightened Hera. She screamed for help.

    Someone ripped that hand off her and pped the culprit hard.

    The ring music stopped.

    "Back off, you asshole, you don''t know what you''re messing with and stay away from her if you don''t want to die tonight," a soft but furious female voice said. Hera blinked her tears away and looked at the blue-eyed angel who appeared out of nowhere for her aid.

    "Evie," Hera whispered her name, almost inaudibly, but the girl heard it. Her tone revealed how relieved and grateful Hera felt to see her interfere. Evelyn pulled Hera into her embrace, soothingly stroking her head. "Sorry for this, Hera. Are you okay?" She asked in her concerned tone. Hera simply tightened her hold in reply and Evelyn understood how much the incident scared her.

    "Hey, didn''t your friend say we can do whatever we want with her? Then why are you spoiling all the fun? The boy who got pped earlier protested and tried to grab Hera''s hand again. Furious, Evelyn turned around to strike the Jerk, but Danny beat her to it. "How dare you touch her? You dickhead, don''t you know she is Ace''s girl?" Danny asked, punching the boy right in his face. Soon Eric and others joined the fight.

    Hera never felt this happy to see her brother.

    A big fight started, but Hunter''s friends conveniently dominated them all. The boy and his gang got beaten to a pulp. Few of them apologized, and the rest got thrown out of the mansion. Murmurings were heard, highlighting the phrase "She is Ace''s girl" when a warning given to the rest of the teenagers.

    And after that, she was left alone, thankfully. If beingbelled as "Ace''s girl" keeps her safe from these dreadful drunk teenagers, she''s not going toin tonight.

    Finally, her friends reached her. Adide came with two cups of water and offered one to Hera. She dly epted and took a sip from it.

    Suddenly, someone wrapped arms around Hera''s waist from behind and lifted her, scaring her to death.

    Hera screamed.

 Chapter 42 - Meet The Angels

    Hera peeled the arms off her and turned around to face the person. She let out a sigh of relief when Evelyn smiled at her. Though Hera tried to be brave, she couldn''t forget the uneasy feeling she went through a while ago. She was frightened.

    The smile vanished from Evelyn''s face when she saw the rmed look on Hera''s face. "Oh, my God! Did I scare you, Hera? I''m so sorry if I did. Are you okay? You look frightened!" She asked, wordsced with concern. Evelyn''s smile had always been beautiful, so friendly and full of life that Hera felt awful for making her worry.

    "It''s not you, Evie. I was a little shaken by the earlier events. It was scary," Hera admitted with a sad smile. Evelyn pulled her into a tight hug, which Hera dly returned. "Missed you, Hera.. Holly Molly! You look so much different. Taller and prettier," Evelyn said, smiling, her words coated with genuine appreciation. Hera smiled shyly, not knowing how to respond to herpliment, but at the same time, it made her feel fine becauseing from Evelyn, it was a hugepliment.

    Evelyn herself was an epitome of beauty and grace with her oval-shaped face, sapphire blue eyes, straight Greek nose and a small mouth with red, full lips. Her white, even teeth looked perfect when she grinned. She had wless ivory skin and dark blonde hair. Tall, slender, model-like personality only made her look more enchanting.

    "I''m sorry for what my friends did to you. Please don''t mind them, Hera," Evelyn apologised genuinely, and Hera could detect the sincerity in her tone.

    Someone cleared their throat, and Hera found two handsome boys grinning widely at her.

    "Baby girl, missed me or what? My baby has grown up so much in less than two months," a handsome boy with golden blond hair and cerulean blue eyes said, kissing Hera''s cheek. Then he frowned, looking down at her dress. "Why the fuck are you wet?" He asked, twisting his lips in disapproval. Hera had spilt water on herself from the cup she was holding when Evelyn hugged her from behind, startling her. Before Hera could reply, Adide squealed, making Hera jump.

    "Oh, my good Lord! So fucking hot. Are they angels from heaven? Please say yes, Hera," Adide said. Eyes fixed on the two boys in front of her, she was practically drooling, and her jaw nearly hit the ground. So were Celine and Brittany''s.

    Evelynughed while Hera scoffed.

    <em>''Oh, the irony!''</em>

    "Yes, Adide, you guessed it right. They are angels, like literally," Hera said, turning to the golden blond-haired boy with cerulean blue eyes. She noticed a bruise on his big, long nose and under his chin. He was hurt in that fight earlier, but that bruise didn''t do anything to lessen his good looks.

    "Adide, meet angel Michael. Michael, this is Adide, my new friend." Hera introduced, and they shook hands. "Call me Mike, Adide. And you have a beautiful name to match your beautiful face," Michael said and pulled her into a tight hug. One hand went around her waist while the other went up, caressing her back. He was grinning from ear to ear.

    "Motherfucker is feeling her up," Evelyn whispered to Hera andughed when Hera scowled in disgust.

    Rolling her eyes, Hera turned to the one with honey blonde hair. His beautiful aqua blue eyes were busy checking out Adide''s figure. Hera wanted to throw up. He wasn''t even trying to be subtle with his action.

    "And, Adide, meet angel number two Gabriel. Gabby darling, meet Adide," Hera said, smiling sweetly and the said Gabriel rolled his eyes before pulling her hair yfully.

    "Thank you foring to the party, Adide. By the way, I go by the name Eric. And your name is as sexy as you are," Eric said before kissing the back of Adide''s hand while she giggled like an idiot.

    <em>''Could he be any more cheesy?''</em>

    Adide pulled Hera a few feet away from them and whispered in her ears. "Please tell me which one of them is your boyfriend so that I can call dibs on the other one," she said in an exaggerated tone, and Hera smirked. "Neither, Ade, you can call dibs on both of them. All yours," she said with assurance, winking at Adide.

    Adide pumped her fist in the air as if to celebrate a victory. Jumping up and down, she squealed once again, adding a further effect to her victory dance. Hera didn''t want to judge her new friend, but couldn''t help thinking whether to describe her excitement as too cute or too slutty. Adide''s behaviour every time she met a good-looking boy was too much, to be honest. Hera felt like a mother, reprimanding her young daughter, but she resisted doing the same.

    <em>''Is it even considered normal for a girl to react the way Adide does whenever she meets a new boy?''</em>

    Sighing, Hera decided to ignore it, ming the hormonal changes of the teenage girl. Shaking her head as in to snub her thoughts, Hera smiled, turning to Evelyn.

    "And this is Evelyn. The original one of them all, the true angel," Hera said, making Evelyn giggle. She greeted Adide with her angelic smile.

    "Thank you, Evie. What you did there for me, I appreciate it," Hera said, expressing her gratitude. "Speaking of that, we need to take care of something. Come with me," Evelyn said, taking Hera''s hand. She told Hera''s friends to enjoy the party and assured them not to worry about Hera before dragging her along to somewhere.

    "Don''t drink anything that a stranger offers you, Pixie," Hera heard Eric''s stern voice, warning her seriously. Both Evelyn and Hera rolled their eyes at that.

    Evelyn was leading her to the pool where Bianca sat with Samantha. Hera stopped in her tracks, and her back stiffened. "Trust me, Hera. It''s going to be fine," Evelyn said. She tugged her hand, urging her to go with her. Hera watched while both of them red daggers at her. Evelyn cleared her throat, and her friends detached their hateful re away from Hera.

    "Sam, Bee, I want both of you to apologise to Hera for what you did earlier," Evelyn ordered in her sweet voice, her tone soft as if talking to her toddler siblings. Samantha snorted, and Biancaughed, giving her a high-five while Evelyn red in a silent warning. "Evie,e on. It was just a prank. I was only trying to have some fun," Bianca said, pulling an innocent puppy look.

    "Seriously, Bee? What you two did to her, it wasn''t funny. It was cheap and cruel. She''s too young and innocent to face such cruelty. You crossed a line this time, and I want you to apologise," Evelyn scolded and held her palm up, stopping her friend when Bianca opened her mouth to protest. "Apologise right now, or I won''t talk to you anymore," she threatened, and Bianca hissed through her gritted teeth. "Fine. Sorry, Herraaaa," she drawled Hera''s name in distaste.

    Evelyn crossed her arms around her torso and eyed Samantha, daring her to deny an apology. Samantha clicked her tongue in objection. "Don''t even think about it, Evie. If you think it was cruel, then she deserved every bit of it. You can''t expect me to say sorry to her. I just hate her so much. She''s trying to steal my boyfriend for God''s sake," Samantha yelled in exasperation. Evelyn shook her head in pity.

    Meanwhile, Hera flinched at her harsh tone. As much as she wanted to disappear from her sight, Hera knew it would be rude to leave Evelyn''s side. After all, she was fighting Hera''s battle.

    "If he can''t stay away from her, then it''s his problem, and you should talk to him about it. After all, he''s YOUR BOYFRIEND. Don''t dump your shit on Hera," Evelyn said, gritting her teeth. Samantha knew Evelyn was mocking her when she said, "Your boyfriend". She smiled, and it was a painful one. "You know, Evie, sometimes you make me wonder if you are our best friend or Hera''s," Samantha spat angrily. Evelyn knew her harsh words cut through Samantha, but she needed to hear it.

    "Just because I''m your best friend, it doesn''t mean I''ll nod my head up and down like a puppet to everything you say or do. Hera is my little sister, and you can''t bully her in front of me and expect me to turn blind-eyed. And, Sam, I assure you, Ace won''t like it either when I tell him what you did to her," Evelyn said, justifying her action. Samantha ignored her threat and started walking away in the opposite direction.

    Evelyn exhaled in frustration. Her stubborn friend was only inviting trouble. "I didn''t hear your apology, Sam," Evelyn said in a stern voice. Samantha thought it was pointless to apologise to Hera. She hated it but had no choice and epted her defeat for the time being. "Sorry," she yelled without turning to face them.

    With onest re at Hera, Bianca went after her friend.

 Chapter 43 - He Made Her Blush

    Evelyn grinned in victory and arched a brow at Hera as if to say, "See I did it." Hera couldn''t disagree. Evelyn had made the impossible possible. She made Bianca and Samantha apologise to her which Hera had never imagined happening.

    Evelyn pped her hands, grabbing attention. "Everyone, this is my friend Hera. Whatever my friends said earlier about her, they were kidding. It was a joke. So I request you all, please don''t bother my friend anymore. Unless, of course, you want to mess with Ace," Evelyn said and knew she''d drawn the line that no one would dare crossing after hearing herst sentence. Everyone exchanged nces before they nodded their agreement.

    Just like that, Evelyn set everything right, and Hera smiled in gratitude. Then out of nowhere, a boy pulled Evelyn to his chest and kissed her full on the lips.. Hera''s eyes went wide, and she watched in shock while Evelyn pushed the boy into the pool. Danny appeared right next to her in no second, shooting death re at the boy. He was about to jump into the pool, but Evelyn caught his arm and stopped him.

    rmed, the boy put his hands up in surrender. "It was a dare. Please forgive me. I promise it won''t happen again," the boy shouted from the pool in his defence. Watching Danny''s furious reaction, Evelyn smirked in satisfaction and jumped into the pool, swimming towards the now panicked boy. She grinned wide when Danny also jumped into the water right behind her.

    Hera gasped while Evelyn didn''t waste any time and kissed the boy as soon as she reached him. The kiss turned into a full-on the make-out session, and they both got lost in it. Everyone hollered cheering for them and jumped into the pool one by one to join them. Hera moved back frantically to avoid the sshing water.

    Danny pulled them apart and punched the poor boy in the face, and Hera turned around, not wanting to witness the drama. As she walked away from the pool, Hera heard Abby yelling her name. Abby was sitting with a random guy at the edge of the swimming pool. Hera could tell, they''re having fun. Her cousin being an extrovert was very much outgoing and sociable unlike her and could make a stone talk if she wanted to.

    Smiling, Hera mouthed, "I''m fine," walking past her. She found an empty table for herself.

    A few minutester, she was bored to hell and thought of ditching the party as she didn''t have anypany. A tap on her shoulder startled Hera, and she turned arounding face to face with a handsome boy about Danny''s age. He was holding a te filled with Sandwich biscuits in one hand and somehow effortlessly managed to carry two cans of beer in the other. He smiled, and it was too cute to ignore.

    "Do you mind if I take a seat next to you? I''m kind of alone and bored," he said in a sweet, requesting tone. Hera smiled and gestured him with her hand to take the seat. She did a quick survey of his appearance, and he''s certainly a sight for sore eyes. His brown eyes and his smile were very captivating. His nose was short, but it suited him. Though not as tall as Hunter and his friends, the boy was fit and fine.

    Dressed in faded blue jeans with a grey dress shirt, he looked like he worked out regrly in a gym. Hera was pleased by his physical appearance.

    He cleared his throat, and Hera blushed in embarrassment.

    <em>''Oh, my God! He caught me checking him out.''</em>

    "No, no, please don''t stop. A beauty such as yourself admiring my looks is truly a privilege, and I''m certainly notining," the boy said and winked. Meanwhile, Hera smiled shyly.

    "It''s your party, I guess?" He asked. Not knowing what to say, she simply nodded in response. "Not a social butterfly?" He questioned. Shrugging, Hera replied, "Me either."

    He chuckled at her reply, and Hera looked at him, frowning in confusion. "What''s so funny?" She asked, looking at him sharply. "That was supposed to be a question, you know? Never mind, you answered it anyway," he said, still grinning and Hera pursed her lips in embarrassment.

    "Oh! Sorry, I''m slow sometimes," Hera admitted awkwardly.

    "Don''t be. Noel Russel," he said as he extended his right hand, offering her a handshake.

    "I''m Hera," she smiled and shook his hand. He then lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, making Hera blush. Attempting to perfect his not so perfect British ent, he bowed in front of her before saying, "Pleasure meeting you, my Lady."

    Hera grinned at his cheesy attempt but didn''t feel awkward. His presence was projecting only positive vibes which made herfortable enough and soon Hera found herselfughing heartily at his stupid jokes. For reasons unknown, he looked very familiar to her, but she couldn''t remember ever meeting him.

    "You''re eating those biscuits with beer? I haven''t seen anyone doing the same until now," Hera asked, eyeing his te and he looked at his te as if he just remembered about it. "Oh, no, they''re for you," with that said, he offered her his te.

    "I found them in the kitchen when I was watching you from there. Thought it might benefit me. You know, like, making friends with you, talking and bonding over a biscuit treat?" He asked suggestively. She nodded while munching on the biscuit. He opened a can of beer, and instead of taking a sip for himself, he offered it to Hera when he caught her eyeing it somewhat intrigued.

    Dumbfounded, Hera straightened her back, not knowing what to do. He surprised her by offering it to her. She frantically looked around to check if any familiar pair of eyes were watching her before epting it with a smile that very much appreciated his gesture. She had never tasted any alcoholic beverages until now, and she''s afraid, if anyone from the Evil gang saw her drinking, she''d be in trouble.

    Hera scoffed inwardly and rolled her eyes.

    <em>''What are they, my parents? Damn it! How desperate am I to taste it?''</em>

    Hera had no choice but to wait as she felt eyes watching her. Pushing the beer can aside to her right, she settled for the biscuit instead. Noel noticed but didn''t force her either.

    Hera''s eyes darted to the high school teenagers dancing with no care to the wild music. She watched while those drunk, absent-minded, crazy, hormonal teenagers got busy rubbing each other''s bodies inappropriately. She cringed with disgust but smiled when her eyes found a few familiar faces. Her friends, doing the same none the less. Andrew, Asher, Jarred, Celine, Brittany, all were drunk to the point of oblivious. But Hera knew, they''re having the fun of their lives with hot senior high school boys and girls, grinding their bodies like some wild animals on heat.

    Hera''s new roommate Adide didn''t seem to have a problem in mingling with the drunk teenagers who were still strangers to her. Adide winked at Hera and mouthed "Boyfriend" when her eyesnded on herpanion sitting next to her. Hera grinned and shook her head in denial.

    Noel saw their silent interaction.

    "If I''m not wrong, she mouthed boyfriend," he stated, and Heraughed. "My new friend is kind of obsessed with my boyfriend. She mouths the same every time she sees me with a new boy," Hera replied, still smiling. Noel didn''tment anything in return. Hera felt relief that he didn''t dig more into that "boyfriend" saga.

    Hera''s eyebrows went up as she caught him staring at Adide. She was dancing with someone Hera didn''t know. She couldn''t see the boy''s facial features well from where she''s sitting, but she could tell he''s a good-looking guy.

    Hera observed as Noel ran his eyes over her new friend''s form. He had a knowing smirk ying on his lips. Undoubtedly now he was staring at Adide.

    "You know her?" Hera asked him. She was curious to know why he was staring at Adide. He shook his head in a no but still had his eyes glued to the dancing duo. "The one she''s dancing with or should I say, the one who''s working his way to get into her pants, is my best friend," said Noel. His expression had changed, and Hera didn''t know how to judge the look on his face. She decided to name it as jealousy, though she wasn''t sure.

    "So, is he a French too?" Hera asked conversationally. He brought his attention back to Hera, and he looked surprised as his eyes widened and his brows rose. "How did you know that I''m French? I don''t remember telling you," he said, and Heraughed good-naturedly.

    "Don''t look so shocked, Mr Russel. My friend over there with yours is French. And your ent matches perfectly with hers. So it''s not exactly rocket science for me to discover," Hera rified his curiosity, making him grin in appreciation. "Hmm, beauty with brains. I like that," he said, and thement made Hera blush.

    <em>''Bloody hell, why is he making me blush so much?''</em>

 Chapter 44 - Give Her A Break

    Hera was neverfortable withpliments. It always made her feel flustered and shy. So to avoid the awkwardness, she absent-mindedly grabbed the beer container and thought of finally tasting it. Hera brought it to her lips to take a sip when a hand from behind jerked hers. Someone snatched the beer can from her, making it spill all over the table in the process. She was angry and wanted to burn the person who dared to snatch it from her.

    She turned tosh out at whoever it was, only to freeze in her ce.

    Furious cerulean blue eyes were ring daggers at her.

    She gulped in fear.

    "You, bloody bugger, she''s under-aged to drink alcohol," Michael spat, looking over her head. He had his jaw so tightly clenched she wondered he could even utter those words through his gritted teeth.. Suddenly, the movement of someone falling at her feet demanded her attention and Hera screamed in horror.

    Noel was on the ground with an injured nose and lips. He was bleeding. Danny grabbed him with his shirt cor and made him stand before twisting Noel''s hands behind his back in a tight grip. Noel winced in pain and grunted when Eric punched his jaw again. "I thought, you would know after that fight, she''s off-limits to you and every other male here? You fucking dare to touch her?" Eric''s voice was icy cold making Hera shiver. She was scared for Noel''s life.

    "Please don''t hurt him, Eric. We were only talking, and he didn''t touch me. Please stop, Eric. He''s bleeding," Hera tried to pull him away from Noel, but her strength was useless inparison to his. She turned to Michael and urged him to stop his friends. She returned her shocked gaze to Noel when she heard him chuckle.

    "Chill, dude. I didn''t know someone had already imed their stake, not that I was hitting on her anyway. As she said, we were only talking. I was asking her to help me with her friend over there," Noel said assuredly, pointing his finger at Adide to make his point. Micheal, Eric, and Danny, all three of them turned to Hera for confirmation, and she vigorously nodded her head in agreement.

    "Consider it yourst warning. Next time, you won''t be walking on your legs," Michael''s voice was calm, but his lips shed a dangerous smile. He paused for a second or few before continuing. "Don''t ever try to hit on her. Not unless you have a death wish," he concluded, eyes piercing as a sharp knife. Noel silently agreed. Erick and Danny shoved him hard, making him fall on his ass again. He looked up at Hera, and she mouthed "Sorry" before Michael dragged her out of his sight.

    Hera wanted to cry but somehow managed not to as she didn''t want to give them the satisfaction they craved. It had always been like this. They acted as her bodyguards in Hunter''s absence. They wouldn''t hurt her, but they would hurt every other person who tries to get close to her.

    He dragged a chair in front of her. The screeching sound made her cringe. She didn''t dare disobey his silentmand and took her seat without protesting. He disappeared into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Eric and Danny ced a table in front of her.

    Hera nced around once and realized that they''d chosen a convenient ce. Well, Convenient for them at least as they could keep an eye and watch her from anywhere now. From the kitchen, the bar, the pool, the makeshift tform they''d created, she''s in their direct line of sight from every direction.

    A hand came into her view, holding arge cup, which got quite rudely ced on the table. Hera dragged her forest green orbs up to meet Michaels blue ones. "Apple juice. If you want to drink something else, there''s orange juice in the refrigerator," Michael said. He leaned forward, pointing his forefinger at her and Hera jerked back in her chair reflexively.

    "If I see you touch the beer container again, I swear, I''ll slice the fingers of that person who dare passed you that container," Michael said, waiting for her agreement and Hera nodded in defeat. She was smart enough to know, not to trigger his temper anymore because his threats were never empty.

    And then they all went back to the party, leaving Hera alone.

    "This is supposed to be my wee party," Hera said out loud in utter disappointment. What kind of wee was that? She shouldn''t talk to anyone, not allowed to drink, no swimming and dancing, no game, and no fun.

    "Ah, man! They forgot to tell me if I can breathe or not," Hera murmured sarcastically to herself. Sipping her apple juice, she tried to ignore the fact that she''s bored to death. Her eyes surveyed her surroundings once again, hopelessly searching for something that would kill her boredom. And it stopped at angel Gabriel aka Eric.

    Eric was sitting on a countertop at the bar and had his eyes fixed on Hera like a hawk. The school''s gossip girl, Hry was standing by his side running her hands on his thighs, caressing them. Her hands were inching slowly towards that male organ. Hera averted her eyes in disgust. The girl had no self-respect and was shamelessly trying to seduce him. Not that he''s not enjoying her hands on him, but the smug bastard was treating her no less than a whore.

    He would use her until he got bored and then she would get discarded like trash.

    Someone banged the table and Hera jumped in rm. Her nostrils red as she inhaled and exhaled in frustration when she saw the face of the intruder. She was one step away from ripping her hair out.

    <em>''Not again, dear Lord, give me a break.''</em>

    "What do you want, Samantha? Why don''t you just leave me alone?" Hera asked, gritting her teeth. Samantha stared at Hera. Her face was nk, void of any emotion, but her eyes told a different story. They were tired, looked sad even. She pulled a chair and surprised Hera by sitting next to her.

    "You are all alone having fun with yourself, I see," she said with a sarcastic smile and looked around as if searching for something or someone. "Looks like, nobody is bothering you now. Of course, you are Ace''s girl, after all. Who will dare to mess with Ace Hunter?" She asked a rhetorical question. Her voice slurred, she was drunk and wasted already. Sheughed humorlessly, and Hera could tell, she sounded so hurt.

    "You know what, Hera? I was practically grinding some dick a while ago in front of my friends. Guess what? They didn''t even react. Nobody cares, you know. And our Hera here barely looks at some guy, and they all bring hell on earth," Samantha said in a yful tone as though she was gossiping with one of her best friends. But Hera saw through her facade. It was simr to the calm before the storm situation.

    Hera couldn''t understand, what was Samantha trying to imply? She was confused and waited for her arrival at some sensible context. What was this girl up-to-now? She didn''t have to wait much longer as Samantha finally snapped. "I am his fucking GIRLFRIEND," Samantha said, her voice slowly rising. She poked her index finger into Hera''s chest in anger. "Yet, you are the one addressed as HIS GIRL," she stated.

    She banged the table hard again with her little fists. If it had hurt her delicate hands, she didn''t show any sign of it. Hera flinched in reflex and got a little worried. Samantha was going crazy, and she needed her friends because only they could help or calm her. Hera''s eyes involuntarily searched for Hunter''s friends.

    Eric was now busy sucking Hry''s face.

    <em>''Not helping.''</em>

    Hera shook her head, and her next option was her brother. Unfortunately, Danny too was busy sucking a face. It seemed Evelyn and Danny were having a "Who would kiss better"petition in the swimming pool. They were kissing others to make each other jealous.

    Hera found Noel sitting at the same table where they sat together previously. She was surprised to see Adide sitting next to him and the boy she was dancing with earlier. She wasughing at something the other boy said. Strangely, Noel had his eyes fixed on Hera and this time he didn''t seem friendly at all. It was kind of creepy and sensing trouble Hera averted her eyes.

    She needed not to worry about him as he was just another stranger to her. She could think about his eerily disturbing demeanour,ter. For now, getting rid of Samantha seemed more urgent for Hera. She continued her search and found Michael and Bianca. They both were busy racing to win the "Who''ll drink more booze" game. Michael''s eyes caught Hera''s. He observed her surroundings for a few seconds, then went back to his drinking game.

    <em>''Of course, the bastard will ignore now.''</em>

 Chapter 45 - Whats So Special About Her

    Michael ignored her and Hera red at him in return. She knew why her plea for help got royally ignored. Because it''s Samantha, who''s troubling her and the bitch was one among them. Why would they go against their own friend? But very conveniently they woulde raging war against Hera if she even nced at a boy. Just like as Samantha said earlier.

    "Why are you so special, Hera?" Samantha asked, demanding Hera''s attention. Hera didn''t know what to do with her. She''s too drunk, and it''s useless to expect her to behave.

    Samantha gave Hera the once-over and grimaced. Her face scrunched up in disgust as though Hera was a dirty litter. Honestly, Hera couldn''t me the girl. She grew conscious in the presence of Hunter''s friends..

    Samantha was beautiful in the hot way boys prefer. Not an ounce of unwanted fat found anywhere on her tall, slim body. She had worn her long, curly ash-blonde hair into a twisted side ponytail. It rested gracefully on her shoulder, and the short bangs on her forehead made her look innocent.

    Her short, button nose, full lips, fair skin with pink undertones, her baby-blue eyes, everything contributed more to her attractiveness. Her ck tight short skirt had a slit on one side, and she had matched it with a pink silk slip top. From head to toe, she was sexy. If Evelyn was a fairytale princess, then Samantha was no less than a Disney Barbie. Hera couldn''t figure out what made Samantha so insecure in front of her.

    "What''s so special about you, Hera? I don''t know what he sees in you," Samantha said, and this time her tone certainly sounded clueless. Sometimes, Hera too wondered the same. She had been just in, ordinary, simple. In short, no match for Samantha''s gorgeousness. "You don''t even know how to please him. Look at yourself, Hera, you''re such a child. All you do is bother him. A crybaby, that''s what you are," she said, and her scowl deepened.

    Hera sensibly thought she would rather shut her mouth than provoke her. Samantha waved her hands in every direction gesturing Hera to look around. "He nned all this. Everything was his idea. Needless to say that the money came from his own pocket. Ace wanted to make you feel special and please you," Samantha revealed andughed as if mocking her. "What a pity! In the end, the host himself couldn''t make it to his party." She pped her hands gleefully.

    The satisfaction she''s trying to fake, only made Hera pity her. Then she went silent, her head and upper torso lyingfortably on the table in a sleeping posture. Thinking that she''s passed out, Hera tried to touch her to wake her up, when she suddenly spat in anger shocking Hera. "Do yourself a favour, Hera. Go die somewhere before I strangle your neck," she said, and her baby-blue eyes turned a shade darker in anger before they shimmered with unshed tears.

    Hera wanted to reach out and help, but the unweing look on her face made her back off. Samantha yelled for her to leave, and Hera''s feet took off.

    Eric gave her a look when she walked past him. His silent re asked, "Where are you going without my permission". Hera wanted to roll her eyes but decided against it. "I''m calling it a night," she said over her shoulder and left. She was tired and just wanted to sleep peacefully until morning. She left that "supposedly her wee party" and walked into the house through the back door.

    Some of the junior students were already dozed off because of the high quantity of Booze they had consumed. Of course, Hera had no idea who they were as she never spoke to them. They''re Hunter''s friends, not hers. Some of them lost in a deep sleep in the guest rooms they''d upied downstairs. Some were dry-humping, or whatever they were doing, she ignored them all and ran upstairs hastily. If there''s any safe ce in this mansion where nobody would disturb her peacetime, it''s the bedrooms upstairs.

    She walked up to the one she was searching for and swirled the doorknob. Luckily, she found it unlocked. She entered the room and locked the door from inside. Eyes closed, she inhaled sharply to calm her racing heartbeats. But the intoxicating scent surrounding the room only made her heart more restless.

    His natural scent, the aftershave and the cologne he used seized her sanity. It''s him she smelt everywhere. Hera slowly slid down the door she was leaning against. She''d slept countless times on this bed.

    She was in Hunter''s bedroom.

    Her eyelids pried open, sinking into every inch and every detail of the room. Flood of Memories started pouring out of her heart. She hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on her folded hands.

    Hangovers were for the drunk people to experience the morning after. Hera didn''t drink, but yet she could detect the headache lurking around her temples. It was a hard day, and she''s too tired to stand on her legs for another minute.

    The distance between her and the bed was not that long, but she couldn''t move an inch. She felt as though something heavy tied around her ankles held her glued to the spot. Hera felt that heavy tugging in her chest too. The headache was getting worst, and Hera let her mind wander to distract it from the throbbing pain. She recollected the day''s events and felt sorry for herself because she spent half of the day crying and the rest went by enduring humiliation.

    Hunter was not there to trouble her, yet she went through all the same torture.

    They''d been bullying her and causing trouble for her since the day they met. Hera realised that it''s high time she should take control of her life. She wouldn''t let them treat her like a ve, and definitely, she wouldn''t let Hunter walk all over her like she''s some old, used doormat. No, not anymore.

    She needed to get away from this ce and him. Samantha said she''s a crybaby and Danny implied the same. Were they wrong when they thought of her as pathetic? Hera realised that it''s admittedly pitiful of her because despite everything she still gave Hunter so much power over her life.

    How did she allow his presence to affect her so much? She needed to stop grieving over him. Hera made a promise to herself that she would never cry for him ever again.

    It''s time to get rid of the bitter past from her memories and to make new happy ones. Sure, they wouldn''t let her have a boyfriend. It shouldn''t matter as she would have plenty of time for the boyfriend in the future. For now, her focus should be on carving a simple happy life for herself.

    "I can''t let Hunter bully me forever," Hera whispered to herself. Determined to do what she wanted with her life, she crawled into the bed. "The first thing to do in the morning is to get out of here," she muttered, resting her head on the soft pillow.

    But Hera couldn''t sleep a wink that night.

    Whenever she visited this ce, she always slept in his bedroom. They hugged and cuddled on this very bed. Hunter used to say that a husband and wife should sleep together and that they do more than cuddling and kissing. Naive Hera always believed him and obeyed his everymand. He used to kiss her Goodnight and in the morning greeted her with a kiss.

    It was just a peck on her cheeks and lips until her twelfth birthday.

    After her twelfth and his fifteenth birthday, he asked her permission to kiss her the way he wanted to kiss her. That had been his birthday gift. The peck got reced by smooch since then. He taught her how to kiss, here on this same bed.

    That''s what Danny meant when he said, she sleeps with Hunter on his bed. Now that Hera remembered, Hunter did take pictures of them kissing and sleeping together.

    Every time after kissing her, Hunter would ask how did she feel about it. Hera never knew how to answer that question. All she could feel was a tickling sensation, everywhere his lips and hands touched. Other than that, the only feeling she could identify was the feeling of being close to him, to be kissed by him with love. Hera felt safe in his arms because she always believed that he''s her home.

    One day, out of the blue, Hunter confessed that he wanted to do more than kissing. He desired to touch her, but Hera wasn''t ready, and she felt awkward by his unexpected request. Hera thought it was absurd. He''s the one who educated her about what the husband and wife do in the bedroom. Hera was innocent and scared to death. Hunter wanted to ease her fears, so he promised her that they would wait for their wedding night, and he would never do anything to hurt her.

 Chapter 46 - Think Of Lucifer And He Appears

    Subconsciously smiling at the memory, Hera checked Hunter''s wardrobe and found his sweatshirt and gym shorts. She changed into his clothes and gotfortable. This room, this bed, held sweet memories. Though she didn''t know much about intimacy at that age, she still felt that those moments they spent together were special.

    Since Hera and Danny couldn''t go to their home during weekends, they all used to spend that time here with Hunter and his friends.

    Hunter''s parents were in another country. Mathew, his bodyguard, also acted as his guardian in their absence. Hunter''s parents had given that power to him.. School authorities never questioned Mathew whenever he came to take Hunter home. Hera never understood how or what Mathew did, but somehow he managed to persuade the school, and they let him take Hera, Abby and Danny as well along with Hunter.

    As for Hunter''s friends, Eric''s father was a well known Attorney. He worked for Hunter''s father, and also they were best friends. Michael''s father worked for senior Hunter as well. But Hera didn''t know much about him because Michael never talked about him. Evelyn''s parents were in film production, and Bianca''s parents were doctors.

    They all knew each other from New York since birth. So it shouldn''t be a surprise that they were staying together in London. That''s why Hunter''s father bought them this gigantic mansion.

    First thing Hera did in the morning was to get out of Hunter''s Mansion as she''d promised herself. Thankfully, his driver John was ready and agreed to bring her to her dormitory. She thought to leave a message for Danny, but surprisingly Jessica had already been there in the kitchen. Hera asked her to convey the message to Danny and left before anyone could wake up and stop her. Jessica was kind enough to pack some sandwiches for Hera, which she epted with gratitude.

    Her Sunday was not bad at all. Honestly, Hera enjoyed it. She walked in the park, visited the game room, and she watched TV for some time. Later, her friends came back with a hangover, a good enough excuse for their whining. She finished arranging her wardrobe. She had a good time with her friends. Except, it felt a little awkward when ra returned to her room. She behaved normal with everyone and ignored Hera like always.

    Finally, Monday arrived and so did Hera''s first official day of high school.

    Hera didn''t want to bete for school on her first day. So she woke up early and got ready on time. At least for once, she tried to be on time because tardiness had be second nature to her.

    Hera joined the students gathered in the Assembly for school prayer. Out of habit, she let her gaze wander randomly.

    A tall figure with charcoal ck hair caught Hera''s attention and she double-checked before her eyes went wide. The most good-looking boy in their campus and the heartthrob of SPALEV HIGH had his eyes fixed on her. Students were standing in rows and columns while the members of Student Council and ss Prefects stood in the front, facing them. Principal and teachers were right behind the members on the dais.

    Hera reflexively lowered her head and nced down at her new uniform. A Navy blue zer and skirt which reached her mid-thigh paired with cobalt blue top and an ink blue tie. She thought she looked good. But this same colour uniform looked magnificently royal on his body, making her a little conscious about her looks. He looked super handsome in his navy blue dress pants and zer, with a dress shirt and a tie that matched with hers.

    Hera scoffed in disdain.

    Even his shiny ck shoes and ck belt demanded attention. His fair skin looked slightly tanned, making him look even hotter.

    "Good God! I''ve never seen anything so mesmerising in my entire life. And what the fuck! Why is he staring at you, Hera?" Adide whisper yelled somewhat sounding jealous and upset at the same time. Hera ignored her and gave him her dirtiest look while he winked at her.

    "Did he just wink at you?" Adide asked, the disbeliefcing her tone matched with her shocked face. Hera squeezed her eyelids shut in sheer embarrassment. Meanwhile, her friends tried to smother their giggles, so did the other girls around them.

    "Yes, Ade. He did. That''s our school''s pride and Hera''s man, one and only Ace Hunter," Celine whisper answered. Hera hissed at her friends. "Shut up, both of you. I don''t want to get detention on my first day," she scolded, trying not to shout in anger. "He''s so hot. I''ll dly die and go to hell for him, and what detention are you talking about?" Adide asked in her cheerful voice. Hera rolled her eyes as the other girls agreed with Adide.

    As soon as the prayer finished, Principal Sandra Mathew cleared her throat, checking the microphone in front of her.

    "Dear students, I have something important to tell you. Your President here hase up with a brilliant suggestion to help students improve their grades, who are struggling with their studies," she paused to look at Hunter with a proud smile before continuing.

    "The members of the Student Council will help you, and their friends will tutor you during their free time. We can make good use of detention ss as well instead of wasting your time there. Whoever gets detention will be tutored if he or she is not good enough with grades. Or if you''re intelligent, then you''ll tutor the not so smart students. Your President, and his team, along with your ss prefects, will be avable to help you at any time. He''ll be in charge of detention ss as well," said the Principal.

    Hera''s jaw almost touched the ground. She wasn''t happy one bit. He would purposely write a detention slip for her and Hera was sure about that.

    <em>''Bloody hell! How damned will I be?''</em>

    Hera looked at him while their Principal gave a pat on his back and nodded in appreciation.

    And the Jerk smiled at Hera.

    "He is charming, isn''t he?" Hera heard murmurings and giggles. His female fan club went gaga over his charms, and Hera groaned in disapproval. She couldn''t wait to get out of there.

    Hera went to the locker hall and turned to her locker, working on thebination to open it, and she heard fingers snapping behind her. Without turning around, she sensed the emptiness around her. She could tell, everyone vacated the locker hall.

    <em>''Of course, he can make people vanish by just clicking his fingers.''</em>

    Hera scoffed internally.

    <em>''Bloody Thanos!''</em>

    She closed her eyes, trying to make her racing heartbeats steady. Hunter could make her that much more nervous. She felt his presence without even turning to look. She could feel him without him touching her.

    And Hera forgot to breathe. Her heart conveniently chose that time to skip a beat or two.

    <em>''Stupid heart, not the right time to betray me.''</em>

    She reprimanded her heart and mentally banged her head to the cold metal of her locker.

    "Took you so long toe back to me, Goddess," he whispered, his hot breath brushed the side of her neck and a shiver ran through her involuntarily. "Think of Lucifer," she muttered. "And he appears," Hunter finished the statement for her, followed by his melodic chuckle and he moved closer.

    Hera''s books dropped to the floor. She felt the front of her body, pressed up against the cold metal of the locker. She pressed her palms to the metal locker to push him off her, but only felt his hard body sinking further into her from behind. His fingers wrapped around her wrists tightly. He kissed her jaw and then went down to her neck, pulling her uniform shirt top aside in the process.

    He bit her shoulder de, nipping and sucking.

    Hera gasped audibly. Her eyes went wide.

    For once, she was thankful to be sandwiched between him and the locker. If not, she would''ve copsed on the floor already, either by shock or by fear. He never did this before. Surely they''d hugged and kissed each other before though never had he touched her absurdly.

    All this was new to Hera.

    His lips were doing things to her, and she felt millions of butterflies dancing in her stomach. His divine and hypnotising voice brought her out of her reverie. "Missed me, my gorgeous Goddess?" Hunter asked, and Hera tried her best topose herself steady.

    "Oh, the irony!" She sneered. He moved back a little withdrawing his body from hers, allowing her to turn around and face him, but still kept her caged between the locker and himself. His eyebrows arched up in challenge, his jaw clenched before he spoke, and his voice sounded angry.

    "What does that supposed to mean, Goddess?" He asked and looked down deep into her forest-green eyes as Hera slowly nced up at his face.

    <em>''Why does he has to be so tall? Always towering over my small form.''</em>

 Chapter 47 - Opposites Attract

    Hera took advantage of the closeness at that moment to study his handsome face.

    It wasn''t a deliberate action.

    Apparently, her eyes had a mind of their own and undoubtedly pleased with the visual exploration.

    His charcoal ck hair was short on the sides and long enough in the front to cover his eyes. He had styled it using the grooming gel and parted to the side. Hera knew he had fingerbed it and she could see the trail his fingers left behind..

    <em>''How perfectly itplemented his face.''</em>

    His thick dark eyebrows were perfectly shaped, and she would do anything to trade his thick, long eyshes with hers.

    <em>''Oh, and those maic eyes!''</em>

    She fell in love with his beautiful eyes on that day when she met him for the first time. She could see the light freckles on his nose. It never ceased to amaze Hera how they both had the same straight-edged nose, but his nose was slightly longer than hers. And those deep dimples whenever appeared on his cheeks made her want to blow raspberries.

    His clean-shaven jaw looked so sharp she resisted the urge to run her fingers over it. Astonishingly, they both had a simr heart-shaped mouth with full lips. Hunter had always teased her that she couldn''t get enough satisfaction with just borrowing hisst name, so she had to steal his nose and lips as well.

    <em>''His soft, intoxicating lips are looking so temptingly delicious.''</em>

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat, and her eyes went wide involuntarily.

    <em>''Oh, my God! Did I just think of kissing him?''</em>

    With an audible gasp, Hera came back to her senses as she felt his hot breath on her lips. He had crouched down a little to match her height. She tried to remember thest bit of their conversation.

    <em>''Yeah, right, did I miss him?''</em>

    He had asked her a question. Hera cleared her throat to make sure she wouldn''t stutter because of their proximity.

    "Well, you know, perfectly you''re the reincarnation of the Satan himself and if I''m supposed to be the Goddess as you say that means we''re two dead opposite people. Hence, why there won''t be any kind of possible union between you and I. Missing you is thest possible thing on my mind, Mr Hunter," said Hera.

    Of course, she lied.

    He never left her thoughts, but he didn''t need to know the truth. He''s on her mind all the time, and he''s all she could remember.

    Weirdly enough, she did miss him.

    A smile graced his lips, slowly spreading wide into a grin, which soon turned into amusedughter. Hera red, wishing to throttle him.

    <em>''Oh, even his teeth are perfect. A set of white pearls. One can never find any w in him, not fair at all.''</em>

    "Goddess, I knew you sucked in Math and Chemistry. Now I''ve to tutor you Physics as well," Hunter said, feigning disappointment. Clueless, Hera could only utter one word, "Huh?" Hunterughed again at her dumbfounded expression.

    "It''s static electricity, Love. Opposites attract. Don''t you know that?" He moved to close the distance, and she gasped in surprise when her breasts crushed against his chest. "You and I are the perfect examples of it, Sweetheart. We''re the dead opposite, that''s the reason why we attract each other. If I am the Satan and you''re the Goddess, then you''ll be this Satan''s Goddess. Forever. Nobody else''s. Only mine," he finished.

    Worried, Hera eyed everywhere, praying for someone to interrupt them while his face inched closer. The tip of his tongue came out to wet his lips, and Hera knew what''sing next. Her eyes widened, and he didn''t waste a second before crashing his lips on hers.

    Hera was running out of breath, and Hunter was in no mood to release her lips. The more she tried to resist, the tighter his hold became. His hard torso was pushing more into hers with much pressure, and the heating from his body made her feel hot. His one hand rested on her waist, holding her in ce, and the other went up to her hair. Her hair came undone, tumbling over her back as he pulled the hair tie, releasing her hair free. His fingers disappeared into her hair.

    <em>''He just ruined my perfectly made ponytail.''</em>

    That did it for Hera. Well, only she knew how much effort it took to brush those stubborn tangles.

    Using both hands, she pushed him hard on his chest with all her might. "Stop it, Goddess," he grumbled against her lips, still not ready to release her.

    "I can''t breathe," she managed to whisper in between the kiss, and he took a step back, pulling away. But he didn''t look pleased.

    <em>''What? Am I not allowed to breathe anymore?''</em>

    Hera tried to fill her lungs with much-needed oxygen while Hunter groaned in irritation. "You just ruined my perfectly made hair," Hera used ring at him. He ran his eyes on her long brte hair, which reached up to her waist. He wound a fistful of hair around his palm and inhaled the smell.

    It smelt like strawberry. "I like it this way. It looks perfect now," he said, nodding in approval.

    <em>''Is he for real?''</em>

    Untangling her hair from his hand, Hera pushed him hard on his chest again. Her sudden action caught him totally off guard, and he stumbled on his feet.

    "Listen carefully, Hunter, because this is thest time I''m telling you this. You can''t juste and kiss me whenever you want because you''re not my boyfriend. So don''t ever kiss me again and don''t touch my hair. You have no right to do so. Please ept the fact that we are not together anymore. Whatever we had, it ended two years ago. Let''s part our ways without holding any grudge. You''ve moved on and let me move on too," she said everything in one go, and surprisingly, he was too calm after listening to her every word.

    But Hera knew him better. She got tensed as his eyes darkened.

    <em>''Dear God, did I say too much?''</em>

    She knew him inside and out. His silence was not a good sign. She was very well aware of that dangerous bad boy he kept hidden behind this good boy facade. He smiled. That charming smile would woo anyone, but Hera knew the danger lingering behind that smile. He took a step forward, and she found herself sandwiched between him and the locker once again. Hera gulped in fear, trying to swallow the uneasiness.

    "Whatever we have, it''s never going to end, Goddess. It stays forever. Parting ways with me is your one wish that''ll nevere true," he said with his usual arrogant tone, a smug smile glowing on his face.

    Hera''s expression was apprehensive as she watched his hands move. He wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer. His other hand went around her neck, grabbing a fistful of hair. He tugged it slightly, angling her face to his.

    "And about kissing you? That, Sweetheart, is my right. Who says I can''t kiss you? Who''ll stop me anyway?" He asked rhetorically, and to prove his point, he kissed her again. And the kiss showed her just how angry he''s. He wasn''t kissing because Hera felt like he''s punishing her. She struggled, trying to resist, but his hold only got tightened. Once he''s satisfied, he let her breathe.

    Hera wiped her wet lips with the back of her hand, repeating the action while scowling in disgust. Hunter smiled as one of the sweetest memories crossed his thoughts. His gaze glued to her swollen rosy lips while he remembered their first kiss. The images blurred before vanishing from his thoughts when Hera opened her mouth only to irk him more.

    "You have a girlfriend, Hunter. For God''s sake, at least think about Samantha. She genuinely loves you. Why are you ying with her feelings? She doesn''t deserve this. I don''t want her to get hurt because of me. I know what it feels when someone breaks your heart," she spat indignantly. A dark look crossed over Hunter''s face. A muscle twitched as he clenched his jaw.

    She had hit the nerve.

    "Samantha can go to hell for all I care. She is not my fucking problem. She knew what she''s signing up for and if you''re so worried about her then say the word I want to hear, and I''ll dump her this instant," he said with finality. Hera knew what he was demanding from her. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was between them. She shook her head in disbelief. Crossing her arms around her torso, Hera scoffed.

    "You have some nerve! You want me to take you back?" Sheughed bitterly. "Very well then, stop sleeping around, be a Saint and thene to lick my feet begging for forgiveness. I''ll think about taking you back that day," Hera said with an empty promise. She''d no intention of heeding to his ridiculous demands.

    "I promise you, Love, when the dayes I''ll do more than licking," Hunter uttered, gritting his teeth. His fist at the nape of her neck tightened, and he kissed her one more time. It was a quick, angry smooch. He released her from his hold and pulled back.

    Hera let out a short, sharp cry of pain, startling him, and his hand froze midway.

 Chapter 48 - Hes Beautiful

    Hera''s nose scrunched up as she winced in pain while her fingers clutched a handful of hair. They both looked at her long hair to check what caused her distress. Some of her hair got stuck around Hunter''s wristwatch. And some got tangled with the chain and steel medallion pendant he''s wearing around his neck.

    "Shit. How did the chaine out of my shirt?" Hunter muttered cluelessly as his facial muscles pulled down in a frown. Hera tried to pull her hair out of his watch, only to yelp in pain. "Stop pulling it, Goddess. You''re only hurting yourself. Let me help you," Hunter said in a softer tone. He forgot his anger as soon as he realized that she''s in pain.

    After some struggle, he finally seeded and freed her hair from his wristwatch. Next, he tried to untangle the strands from his chain.. But the damn thing wouldn''t budge. After his fourth try, he gave up. Hera too couldn''t free it.

    "See, it''s a sign. You''re stuck with me for life, Mrs Hera Hunter," he stated, attempting to lighten the moment and kissed the tip of her nose. Hera red, and he chuckled.

    Hunter looked thoughtful for a few seconds, and then he carefully removed his chain from his neck. "Here, take this. Tie it around your hair or do something to keep it there securely. It should do for the time being. We will work on itter," he suggested, but Hera refused. "No. I don''t want your chain. Just wait for two minutes, I''ll get it out," she said, trying to free those few strands of hair from the chain but in vain.

    Hunter breathed in irritation.

    "Goddess, you''re runningte for your ss. You can waste your time standing here, messing with it. Or you keep it tied to your hair for now, unless you want me to write a detention slip for you," he said. His voice turned harsh in warning at the end. Hera was reluctant but had to agree anyway. "And please keep the chain safe, don''t lose it okay. You know right how precious it is for me?" He asked, and Hera nodded her yes.

    Using the chain along with the medallion as a hair tie, Hera tied it to her hair as Hunter suggested. She picked up her hair tie from the floor and tied it around the chain to secure it safely.

    Though it solved the problem, the solution was temporary, and she knew it would be messierter. Maybe she would need to cut a few strands of her tangled hair to free it from the chain.

    With onest peck on her lips, Hunter let her go. He watched until she disappeared into her ss.

    As usual, the school was boring for Hera. And she didn''t see Hunter the whole day. After school, Hera got to know through her friends that he had a ser match practice today and all her friends went to see the match except Hera who refused to go and went back to her dorm room.

    She thought that it''s better to have some time alone.

    Hera finally cleared the mess of tangles and freed her hair from the chain. But the look reflected in the mirror made her cringe. Her soft hair was no less than a bird''s nest now.

    When she held the chain in her hands, admiring its beauty, slowly, her thoughts drifted into the past. It brought back memories of their first-ever meeting.

    <em><strong>Ten and a half years ago:</strong></em>

    Hera was four and a half years old when she visited London for the first time, along with her aunt Liezel. They came to take Danny home. It was his winter holidays.

    Liezel went inside the school to bring Danny. Meanwhile, little Hera was ying near the gate of the school. It was cold as the weather was windy and rainy. Hera heard a whining outside, and she followed the source of that sound. As she expected, it was a cute little puppy. It was trying to climb up from the big hole under the tree.

    "Aw, you are so cute. What are you doing there? Are you hurt?" Hera cooed in her sweet angelic voice.

    The muddy ground was damp and slippery because of the rain. Hera carefully walked near the hole. She concluded that maybe because of the wet mud, the puppy slipped into the hole and was now struggling toe out. She tried to reach the deep end with her little hands to rescue the puppy.

    But sadly she couldn''t reach it.

    Sheid on the ground and crawled to reach inside. Her green colour frock was now mud-stained.

    All her attempts to rescue the puppy went in vain. Her lips trembled and eyes watered.

    "Don''t cry, little girl, we''ll get him out. I''ll help you," a young boy said, and Hera lifted her head to look into the most beautiful eyes. She''d never seen that colour in anyone''s eyes until then.

    It was purple.

    The boy had big, shiny, bright purple eyes. He looked older than her. He was so good to look at that Hera forgot she was crying a few seconds ago.

    "You are so beautiful!" She voiced out her thought unknowingly. She was in awe of his beauty.

    With a lovely smile, he held out his hand for her to take. Hera ced her little palm in his big one. His skin looked fairer than hers. d in a white full-sleeved T-shirt with a ck fitting trouser, he looked so pretty. Once he lifted her off the ground, the boy helped Hera dust off the dirt from her dress. Hera blushed when he wiped her tears with his fingers.

    He took out a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the mud from her forearms and her legs. The white piece of cloth now looked brownish with mud-stain. He asked her to hold it for a while and looked at the puppy. It was still whining, trying to get their attention.

    The boyy down on the ground, and his handfortably reached the end of the hole. He pulled the puppy out of the hole without much struggle. He noticed it had a small wound in the right front leg. He gave her the puppy to hold and took the handkerchief from her.

    Little Hera watched in pure admiration while he tied the cloth around its injured leg.

    "He''s the cutest puppy I''ve seen so far. What''s his name?" He asked, and Hera embarrassingly told him that it''s not hers. "Can you help it in finding its home? I can''t keep it. My aunt will scold me," she sweetly requested him. She was so worried about that little puppy he didn''t want to make her sad. He immediately promised her that he would find its owner.

    A car honked nearby and the boy turned yelling ing" to someone in the car.

    "Is that yours? It''s so big and beautiful!" Hera said, looking at the car in awe. It was a ck Mercedes. She didn''t know then. He proudly announced, "Yes, it''s mine. Do you like it?" He asked, smiling at her wonderstruck face. She nodded her head in excitement.

    "I like everything that shines. And your eyes, I like them too. They''re so big and shining so bright. Very beautiful. The colour looks so nice. And your smile is also very beautiful." Hera said in pure admiration.

    His smile widened into a grin. He liked that the girl liked his eyes and she actually made him blush.

    He loved her eyes too.

    "Your eyes are beautiful too. I love that green. It looks like a deep green forest I desire to explore," he said, feeling proud of himself for being so imaginative.

    Little Hera giggled.

    "What is that in your neck?" She asked, pointing her finger at his neck when she saw something ck. He lowered his head, looking down under his chin and pulled out a chain from inside his shirt. It was a ck steel chain with a steel medallion pendant attached to it. He showed it to her. It had a picture of a bird, and Hera didn''t know what type of bird it was. It had words engraved around it. Her curious gazepelled him to exin it to her.

    "Here, look at this. It''s a bird called Phoenix. It''s written "Alexander The Conqueror" in here. It''s the Greeknguage. It was my Mom''s gift to my Dad. He gave it to me. It''s a charm pendant. My Dad said it''ll protect me from every evil. I never take it off," he said.

    "It''s beautiful and looks nice in your neck," Hera stated.

    Heughed. "You said beautiful, like five times already," he said still grinning wide. She blushed again. Her rosy lips and cheeks turned a shade darker.

    A horn honked again, disturbing their peaceful conversation.

    "Listen, you just wait here, I''lle back in a minute, okay," he said, handing the puppy to her and ran to his car. He came back a minute after like he said. He took the puppy back from her hands and gave her a chocte bar.

 Chapter 49 - Pleasant Memories

    "It''s for you. I have written a message inside the wrapper. Read it after eating your chocte," the boy said and smiled.

    Eyeing the chocte bar, little Hera blushed again, but it had nothing to do with her shyness. It was because of pure embarrassment.

    She was embarrassed by what he said. She extended her little palm hesitantly and peeked at him from under hershes.

    "I don''t know how to read. I have not gone to school yet," Hera admitted shyly, looking at her toes. The boy just smiled at her charmingly. "That''s okay, keep the wrapper safe until you learn to read. You can read it then," he said suggestively.. Hera agreed with a pleased smile. She kissed the puppy before saying goodbye to him.

    The boy kissed her cheek, making her blush again, and they parted ways.

    And of course, Hera did keep the wrapper safely until she learned to read.

    The message inside was the sweetest one. It said,

    <em><strong>"You are so beautiful.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>The most beautiful I have ever seen.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Like a Goddess.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>And your forest green eyes are beautiful too.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I love them.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>It''s my favourite colour from now on.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Until we meet again, think about me and miss me.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Because I will do the same."</strong></em>

    At that time, though Hera couldn''t read what he''d written for her, she was undoubtedly impressed with his handwriting. She thought it was beautiful.

    <strong>Present-day:</strong>

    The memory lit up Hera''s face with a warm smile. Hunter had teased her for using the word "beautiful" again and again. Indeed, everything about him was beautiful. That day, she''d fallen in love with him, with his beautiful eyes, his beautiful voice, and his beautiful smile.

    <em>''He was perfect in everything, even at that young age.''</em>

    The colour purple had be her favourite colour since then. Hera kept Hunter''s chain safely inside her backpack. She knew it''s very special to him and he never takes it off. She would return it to him tomorrow.

    Hera went to her wardrobe and took out the zip ma purple wallet from her luggage bag. There, inside that wallet, she''d kept her mother''s chain hidden. It was hers to own, yet like a thief, Hera had stolen it from her aunt Liezel because Liezel refused to give it.

    Her aunt had said it would give away her identity to her gangster father if she wore it, and it would put their lives in danger.

    Hera stole it years ago. But she never wore it. It''s a white-gold chain with a heart pendant. She held the heart pendant in her palm, letting the chain dangle through the gap between her fingers. She felt the familiar feeling of longing that she''d been feeling for years now. She touched the name engraved on it, caressing it with her thumb.

    <em>"Felicity"</em>

    <strong>It was time for dinner.</strong> But Hunter was in no mood for the food. Or so he wanted to believe. But to be honest, he didn''t have the courage to face Hera right then. Her words echoed in his mind throughout the day.

    <em>''I know how it feels when someone breaks your heart.''</em>

    Hunter knew what exactly Hera meant when she said that. She was mocking him for hurting her.

    <em>''I did hurt her. After all, I broke her heart, didn''t I?''</em>

    He was exhausted. He spent all his energy on the ser field, using it as a distraction to drain his tension and stress away. But nothing helped. What he did two years ago was haunting him like an unsatisfied evil spirit, torturing him to hell.

    Hunter couldn''t forget that ill-fated day. He died and went to hell that day. He was enjoying kissing her lips one moment, and the next moment everything between them shattered into nothingness. It killed him to witness Hera''s heartbreak. And to top it all, he''s the one who hurt her. He made her go through that hell. He still remembered how she cried, how broken her spirit was.

    He could still see everything that happened on that unfortunate day, ying in front of his eyes, as if he''s watching a live telecast of his favourite game on the big screen.

    <em><strong>Two years ago:</strong></em>

    They both had a free period, and Hunter asked her to spend that time with him. He wanted her all to himself. Hera obediently followed him while he led the way, her right wrist tightly sped in his left hand.

    Hunter let go of her wrist once he pulled her into the room. Hera giggled while watching his handsome back as he turned around to lock the door from inside. She ran her gaze around the room, which was encrusted with dust and decay. They were in the abandoned old chemistryb located in the school''s old block, deserted after the new block forboratories got built. It was one of their secret spots since it provided them with the needed privacy, free of intruding students and teachers.

    Hera watched while he cleaned the dust-filledb countertop with his handkerchief and gestured her to sit. Trying to look arrogant, she smirked, nodding once in approval before jumping onto the countertop with his helping hands on her waist. Hera remembered him saying he''d something important to talk.

    "You said you wanted to talk. What''s it?" Hera asked, making herselffortable on the cold countertop. Hunter smiled softly. Little did Hera know, talking was thest thing on his mind. He desperately wanted to kiss her. He didn''t get a chance to kiss her the whole day. He had sses, thenb, gym ss, Council''smittee meeting. His day was tiringly busy.

    Hera rolled her eyes as soon as his hand retrieved the chocte bar from his pocket. "What is it that you can''t tell me directly and needed to depend on the messenger sweet to say it? What have you done, Mr Hunter?" Hera asked, fingers already working on the wrapper. Once the wrapper came off the chocte, Hera frowned as she couldn''t find any message.

    She nced at him, furrowing her brows. "Hunter, there''s no message," Hera stated. Hunter held her wrist and guided the chocte in her fingers to her mouth. She bit it and chewed the sweet, her closed lips forming into an adorable pout while she ate. It was a bar of in milk chocte. Hunter leaned forward and kissed the corner of her lips. "I missed you, Mrs Hunter," he whispered against her cheek.

    Caught off guard, Hera stopped munching, and he could see the excess saliva forming in her open mouth. Grinning, he closed her mouth, using his thumb and pointer finger before clutching her jaws softly. He massaged her cheeks with his fingers, yfully reminding her to chew the chocte.

    "We had breakfast together, and you saw me at the assembly," Hera said with her mouthful. Her face held the look as if she wanted to ask why was he acting so dumb. "Yet, I missed you so much, Goddess," he said, pecking her cheek. His grin grew wider. His gaze filled with absolute bliss, it reminded Hera how happy and proud he looked every time he held the winning trophy after his ser match or while receiving the best student award.

    Hera giggled, shaking her head at his tant admiration. She ate her chocte while he watched. Hera brought the remaining chocte near his mouth, offering him thest bite, but he refused and made her eat it. While Hera was chewing the mouthful of sweet, Hunter leaned forward and without warning covered her mouth with his. She hummed her protest as he savoured the sweetness coated on her lips.

    It didn''t take much time for him to get lost in the kiss. It was pure ecstasy until Hera decided to ruin it.

    "Hunter, what''s that? I felt something poking my stomach," Hera asked in between the kiss. He ignored her and continued with his kissing, sucking and nibbling her lips. Her palms which were resting on his chest, pushed him hard to get his attention, and thankfully it worked. "What happened, Goddess? Did I hurt you?" He asked, breathing heavily and voice filled with concern.

    Hera shook her head negatively, and her eyes travelled down to his belt, then lowered below the belt. Her eyes widened in surprise, and then they immediately lifted to meet his darkened purple ones. Hunter pulled his lower lip in between his teeth, assaulting it before he pushed himself off her and turned his back to her. He cursed under his breath while raking his fingers through his hair.

    Grabbing his arm, Hera turned him to face her. He could read worry, fear as well as anger charged in her eyes.

    "I asked you what''s this?" Her finger was using the culprit below his belt. She was pointing to the unmistakable bulge in his pants. "What are you hiding in there, Hunter? Are you carrying a gun?" Hera asked, getting angrier each second.

    She was so naive that he wanted tough at her innocence, but he bit back hisughter. It wasn''t the right time to get amused as he had a more pressing matter to take care of.

 Chapter 50 - Some Unpleasant Memories

    "What are you up to, Hunter? Did you steal Mathew''s gun? What for and what are you not telling me? Are you in trouble or something? Did you have a fight with anyone? Why do you need a gun, that too in school? Does Mathew know that you''ve brought his gun to school? Do you," Hera was saying, but he cut her off with an irritated grunt and Hera looked at him with an indignant expression.

    "Goddess, please stop. How am I supposed to answer when you''re not even stopping for me to speak?" He asked, throwing his hands in the air. She kept on asking questions, adding more to his annoyance.

    <em>''How am I supposed to tell her that it''s a boner? She''s given me a fucking boner!''</em>

    Her smile, giggle andugh, that melodic music, they always did magical things to him. Every time she widened her big eyes, whenever she hugged him, when they kissed, every single time, she would turn him on unknowingly. Day by day, his situation was getting worse. It had be impossible for him to resist her anymore. He wanted to do so much more than just kissing her, but he couldn''t. He''d no choice but to wait.

    <em>''She''s only thirteen for God''s sake!''</em>.

    "Hunter, I swear I''ll p you if you don''t answer me now," she threatened him. But her voice gave her away. He could tell, she was scared. Afraid that he might have gotten himself into trouble. He could detect worry as well. And she''s angry too, that he''s carrying a gun and suspected he was about tomit something wrong.

    Hera knew that Mathew keeps a gun with him. He said it''s for Hunter''s protection and he had a license to use it. So she assumed that Hunter had stolen his gun and kept it hidden in his pants.

    "The bell is about the ring. Go back to your ss, Goddess. We''ll talk about itter after school," with that said, he ran away from her to escape the awkward situation. He didn''t give her any chance to protest and disappeared just like that.

    Hunter was on his way to the boy''s washroom to take care of his stupid problem when someone crashed into his chest. The girl said sorry, not sounding sorry at all. He knew her, she''s a high school senior, but he couldn''t remember her name. She''s two years senior to him. She shamelessly brushed her hands over his chest, his washboard abs and finally stopped at his not so invisible boner.

    "I can help you with that," she stood on her tiptoes, pulled his face down to hers and whispered in his ear before licking the underside of his jaw. She didn''t even wait for him to give his consent. sping his arm in her hands, she just dragged him along with her to the nearest empty ssroom.

    The girl moved her hand all over his torso, exploring the hard nes of his abdominal muscles. Hunter impatiently guided her hand down to where he wanted it, and she didn''tin about his urgency. She touched him intimately and started to work on his boner. She was good at what she was doing to him and gave him what he needed. But he needed it to be quick as he didn''t have much time.

    Hunter moved his face away when she tried to kiss him, and she breathed his name in a hushed tone urging him to give in. No surprise there, of course, she would know his name. He''s their President after all.

    The girl started to chant his name, and he guessed she was trying to sound seductive. But annoyingly, her voice got louder, and he finally kissed her to shut her mouth. Out of nowhere, a sobbing sounded, catching his attention. He turned to look, and his world froze.

    <em>''And boy did it split open his heart.''</em>

    Tears were streaming down from her beautiful forest green eyes, dampening her rosy chubby cheeks. She had her lower lip in between her teeth, trying to stop her sob. The tip of her nose was as red as a tomato. Her palms were clutching her heart as if she was in great pain.

    There stood his Goddess right in front of him watching everything through the half-open door.

    <em>''When did she open the door?''</em>

    Hunter didn''t hear the door creak when she pushed it open. Hell, he couldn''t even remember if he''d shut the door in the first ce. Little did he know, Hera followed him and watched every bit of a sin he justmitted.

    Hera''s eyes slid down to his unbuckled belt, to his undone zipper where the girl had her hand, and then with one swift move of her eyelids, Hera locked her gaze with his. The look she spared him at that moment, it killed him. Her face, her eyes, held so many emotions, all at once.

    He saw disbelief, hurt, disappointment, anger, hatred and finally disgust and loathing.

    Hera shook her head slowly back and forth, wordlessly telling him exactly how much he''d disappointed her.

    Hunter watched with shocked wide eyes when she took a few steps backwards before turning on her heels and stormed out of his sight. Away from him. It was toote, and he would never be able to undo what he''d already done. He packed his bruised pride into his pants and was about to go behind her when the girl held his hand, feeling offended.

    "Hey, let me finish it. Where are you going? She demanded in utter annoyance for being ignored, but he wouldn''t stay for the world because his world was about to fall apart. Hunter pulled his hand off abruptly and took off following behind his Goddess.

    She ran and ran, so fast that Hunter thought he would never reach her.

    She ran floor after floor, climbing a flight of stairs after stairs. Not knowing where she''s running to, Hera kept running aimlessly. Finally, she felt exhausted as her legs gave out, and she stopped. She looked around, not knowing where exactly she''d reached.

    She heard footsteps thumping behind her, and when she saw him, her lungs forgot to function. She shook her head frantically, warning him note near her.

    "Please, Love. Let me exin," Hunter pleaded. His hand reached out to touch her, and she stepped back in disgust. It shattered all his hopes. Her stomach agonizingly revolted. She didn''t have to use words to describe what she''s feeling. He could read it on her face. That gut-wrenching feeling, he''s feeling it too.

    Hera felt sick enough to puke, and she puked her guts out. Hunter held her from behind, but his touch only intensified her heartache. She puked until she fell into oblivion, losing her consciousness.

    Hunter carried her to the school clinic. She was given medication and asked to take bed rest. Hera was d to skip the rest of the ss for the day. She kept silent, not even sparing him a look. To be precise, shepletely shut him off. Her silent treatment was scaring him to death. He carried her to his car. By the time they reached her room, she was burning with a high fever, and she slept the whole day.

    When she woke up, she was in Hunter''s mansion. She found herself on his bed, and he was sitting right next to her, holding her hand in his. He never left her side. She jolted up and moved back from his touch as if something burnt her.

    "I''m so sorry, Love," he whispered in his broken voice.

    "Don''t call me that," Hera spat, and her furious gaze locked him in his ce.

    "Sorry!" She repeated it as if measuring the weight of it. "You''re sorry for what, Hunter?" She asked. He opened his mouth, but she cut him off before he could say anything. "Save it. I don''t need your exnation. An exnation is nothing but a subtle way of manipting the truth. Isn''t it?" She asked rhetorically. He flinched when she looked at him with so much hate it felt like she pped him.

    As thoughpelled by the vulnerable, defeated look painted on his tired face, she suddenly changed her mind. "Fine, go ahead and say what you want to say. I''m listening, Hunter," she said, and her challenging gaze was provoking. Hunter groaned and cursed in anger clutching his hair in his fists. Never in his life had he ever felt so frustrated and angry. Hera patiently waited until he overcame whatever inner conflicts he was trying to suppress.

    "You won''t understand, Goddess because you don''t feel it. It''s so frustrating that I can''t do anything with you other than kissing and I want more. I get turned on just looking at your smile, every fucking time. Yes, Love, that was a boner in my pants. Not a gun. And you can''t do anything to help me with it. Do you know how desperately I want to make love to you? But I know I can''t because you won''t know a thing about it. You won''t feel anything," he said usingly and Hera swallowed hard.

    "You don''t understand what I feel for you. It''s difficult to exin or make you understand. It''s so hard for me to resist you, Goddess," he admitted, followed by a defeated sigh.

 Chapter 51 - Its Over

    Hunter watched as his Goddess smiled, but nothing was amusing about it. It was a sarcastic smile. She was mocking him. "So what? You can''t resist me, so you''re allowed to screw other girls? And why I won''t understand? Because I''m still a child? Is that what you want to say? You should''ve thought about our age difference before falling in love with me," she said, mimicking his using tone. "Don''t put words into my mouth, Goddess. I didn''t mean it that way," he replied, his voice and tone both filled with annoyance.

    <em>''I knew it''s a waste of time. You won''t understand, Goddess.''</em>

    He groaned in frustration. The defeat was an awful feeling.

    "I may be a child still, but I''m mature enough to know what you did was wrong. You cheated on me, Hunter.. You were supposed to wait for our wedding night. You''ve promised me, remember?" She questioned. Her voice was furious.

    Hera brought up her pointer finger and poked his chest where his heart resided. "It was mine, Hunter. Your heart, body and soul were all mine. That''s what we promised each other. Your virginity was mine, but you lost it to someone else. I may not know what exactly husband and wife do in private. But I know for sure that my husband is not allowed to touch other females," she said and scoffed.

    Hera''s every word was so right, and it left Hunter speechless. He had nothing to justify his actions. He felt ashamed of himself. So he admitted his fault.

    "I''m sorry, Love. I truly am sorry. Please forgive me. I promise you it won''t happen again. I swear this will be thest time," he begged for forgiveness. She looked at him suspiciously. He could see the wheels turning in her head. She was in deep thought. Her brain worked, something clicked.

    Herrge doe-like eyes widened.

    She said he lost his virginity. She didn''t mean to say it as it just slipped out of her mouth in the spur of the moment. She was angry and wasn''t thinking. But he didn''t correct her or deny it.

    "Oh, my God! You aren''t a virgin anymore. You really lost it to someone else. If you weren''t made aware of my presence, you were going to fuck that girl. And it wouldn''t be the first time, would it?" She asked, but it was a rhetorical question. She knew the answer without him answering.

    Hunter rubbed his face with his palm, certainly a sign of tiredness. His other hand was resting on his waist. He was still in his school uniform, minus the zer, and his tie. Hera nced down to find herself dressed in his shorts and sweatshirt. The thought of him changing her clothes made her feel sick to her stomach again.

    <em>''His hands! Same hands, which were touching that girl''s body a while ago.''</em>

    And she puked again, all over his room. She fell on her knees, and he rushed to her side, only to get pushed away.

    "You were screwing every other thing that wears a skirt. And here I''m, a stupid brainless dumb child, dreaming about bing your wife, about our wedding night, of having a happily ever after with you," she said,ughing at herself, which turned into a painful sob. "Don''t touch me with your dirty hands. It makes me sick," she said and crawled back trying to get away from him.

    "I''m done with you, Hunter. It''s over," she announced before dropping to the floor, unconscious.

    An hourter, though her temperature was still high, Hera was sleeping soundly in his bed because of the strong medication. Hunter watched while Hera sumbed to oblivion. He was sweating as he''d turned the air-conditioning off so that Hera won''t get cold. He needed some fresh air and wanted to go out to clear his mind, but he would never leave Hera alone in her current state.

    He wanted to forget everything that happened, but he couldn''t. Hera''s using eyes never left hunting him. Conflicting emotions overwhelmed his heart.

    <em>''I''m done with you, Hunter. It''s over.''</em>

    His brain hopelessly reminded him of how Hera had uttered those words with so much finality.

    Suffocation wed at his throat.

    Hunter sucked in a sharp breath.

    He was angry at Hera but more enraged at himself for messing it up. He knew what he did was wrong. She''d every right to hate him and to punish him. But if she thought that she could walk away from him, then she''s delusional.

    "I won''t ever let you go, Hera Hunter. Because you''re mine," he said, cupping her cheeks in his palms and watched her sleeping form. Her brows twitched downward and her forehead furrowed while she cried in her sleep as if she''s in pain. It tugged at his heartstrings and his eyes watered. He soothingly caressed the top of her head and stroked her hair before covering his face with his palms.

    He didn''t know how to stop the ache in his heart and finally broke down in tears.

    She hated him, and he was afraid she would never forgive him.

    She would wake up every now and then crying in her sleep because of the nightmare and each time would refuse to stay at his ce. But her protest got ignored, and he didn''t let her go, nor he let anyone else look after her. He took care of her until the doctor dered Hera was fine.

    Although she desperately wanted to get out of his sight, she had no choice but to wait until she recovered as he didn''t let her move out of the bed. But Hunter knew in his heart that she would leave him as soon as her temperature returned to normal. He was dreading the moment when she wouldsh out at him, but the moment came too soon.

    "Just because you''re taking care of me, don''t think I''ll forgive you, Hunter. I remember what I said, and I meant it. Whatever we had, it''s finished, Hunter. It''s over," Hera said determinedly.

    "Not going to happen, Sweetheart. You''re mine, and it stays that way," he said softly, trying not to lose his temper. She was still fragile, and he didn''t want her to leave yet.

    "No, Hunter. It won''t stay that way. You lost me the minute I saw you touching that girl. Do you know what I went through or how I felt at that moment? My heart broke. It felt like you were piercing a dagger into my chest. My dreams shattered into millions of pieces. I couldn''t breathe, Hunter. I felt like you were choking me to death. I died, and you''re the one who killed me," she stated, not missing his gaze for a second.

    Though her every word weighed with unbearable agony, Hera wasn''t crying for once. Her snow-white skinplexion grew into a mixture of reddish-pink as she shouted at him furiously.

    Hunter pulled her into his chest, locking her in his arms. She hit him with her fists, screaming and cursing, revolting against his tight embrace to free herself. But he wouldn''t let go.

    Tired and helpless, in the end, she cried.

    "Please don''t cry, Goddess. You know I can''t see your tears. It''s killing me too. I know I did the wrong thing. Trust me, Love, it''s hurting me just the same. Whatever you felt, I felt it too. Because I love you so much, you''re my world. And I hate myself for hurting you. Please give me onest chance. Please forgive me," he begged without hesitation. But it didn''t change her mind.

    She refused.

    "I will never forgive you, Hunter. You cheated. Once a cheater, always a cheater. I don''t trust you anymore," she said, eyes empty without any emotion. She was determined to end their rtionship.

    He was mad.

    With a swift, sudden intake of breath, Hera asked, "Oh, my God! Were you sleeping with Bianca too?" Her abrupt question shocked him to the core. His feet faltered, and he released her from his arms. His eyes narrowed into slits in anger. Judging by the look on Hera''s face, he knew she was considering it to be true.

    <em>''How can she even think about Bianca so lowly!''</em>

    "What the fuck? Are you out of your mind, Hera Hunter? How could you even think that?" His voice boomed throughout the room like thunder. He was furious. Hera scoffed in return, not at all convinced by his outrage. "Why not, Hunter? Isn''t it obvious that it wasn''t the first time you cheated on me? And now that I think about your equation with Bianca, I''m not sure anymore. Maybe that''s the reason why you always took her side every time we fought," she said defiantly, not heeding to the warning in his eyes.

    "Shut up, Hera. That''s bullshit. What fight are you talking about? We were kids, and we all fought with one another for some or the other reason. That was childish, then we all grew up and moved on. You''re obviously still stuck in that childish jealous game. Grow up, Hera, will you?" He asked.

 Chapter 52 - Its A Break, Not A Breakup

    <em>''Did he just call me childish? Of course, I''m always a fucking child in his eyes.''</em>

    Hera red daggers at him, wishing her looks could kill him right now.

    He was mocking her, wasn''t he? Heraughed humourlessly. He addressed her as Hera. He rarely used her first name, and he would call her Hera only when he gets angry.

    And Hunter was angry because she med Bianca.

    <em>''It''s always Bianca.''</em>

    Hera''s dislike for his so-called best friend only increased. "Of course, Hunter. I''m the child.. Don''t you remember? That''s why you were screwing some whore, not me. I''m sure Bianca is one of your sluts too," she spat, with all the bitterness she could add.

    "Enough," he shouted, and Hera screamed frightened when he picked up the bedmp and threw it at the mirror. ss shattered everywhere.

    Their fight had suddenly be something else and shifted onto Bianca. Hunter knew Hera hated her, but it didn''t mean he would let her me his best friend with such filthy usation. He would endure any punishment for hurting his Hera, but not this. Bianca had nothing to do with their fight. She was innocent.

    "Bianca is my best friend. We''re buddies, and I don''t sleep with my friends. You crossed the line, Hera," he shouted, pointing an using finger at her. Hera looked at him in disbelief. "I crossed the line, Hunter? Seriously? Don''t you think, that''s a bit riching from you?" Hera asked in a ridiculing tone. Ignoring her question, he walked to the dresser and picked up the keys.

    "Get ready. I''m taking you back to your room. You need time to forget all this. Right now, whatever I say won''t make any sense to you because you''re angry and you won''t think sensibly. It''s the space you want, right? I''m giving it to you. But remember, it''s a break. Not a breakup. You''re mine, and you''ll always be," he pronounced in his rude as fuck attitude.

    Hera stepped away from him, disagreeing with everything he said.

    "I''ll never forget what you did to me. And I''ll never forgive you. You, cheating bastard, I''ll never take you back," Hera swore. Within a blink of an eye, he crossed the distance, and they were face to face. Before she could take a step back, he grabbed her hair, keeping her face where he wanted. "Don''t you ever dare call me a bastard again. Because I''m not one, and I don''t take it nicely when someone insults my mother," he warned through his gritted teeth.

    And then he kissed her to make her shut up.

    "Now, tell me, Love, did that kiss make you feel anything?" He asked in that mocking tone.

    Of course, it did. Hera felt insulted and hurt.

    However, she kept her mouth shut because he looked enraged, and she was scared.

    "The answer is, no," he answered himself and scoffed at her. Hera couldn''t understand why he was mocking her. She didn''t even know what he meant with that punishing kiss. He walked out of his mansion, and she silently followed. She couldn''t be happier to get out of that hellhole.

    When they reached their dormitory building, he didn''t get down from the car. He waited until she entered the gate of the building. She nced over her shoulder and mouthed "I hate you". Sparing her onest look, he pressed the button, and the windows closed, making him disappear from her sight. Hera watched as the car sped off.

    Hunter couldn''t sleep that night. All he could think was her hateful words.

    <em>''I''m done with you.''</em>

    <em>''It''s over.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''Whatever we had, it''s finished.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''I don''t trust you anymore.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''I''ll never forgive you.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''Bianca is your slut.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''I''ll never take you back.''</em>

    <em></em>

    <em>''I hate you.''</em>

    He was angry, he was restless, and he was beyond hurt. All rational thinking left his senses, and in that reckless state of mind, he made a stupid decision. He asked Samantha to be his girlfriend. He knew that she liked him, and he shamelessly took advantage of her feelings. His only motive behind this was to hurt Hera. Samantha dly agreed to be his girlfriend. She finally got what she''d always wanted, the tag of his girlfriend.

    Samantha had known Hunter for five years now, and her crush on him gradually transformed into love in no time. Though she never made it to the list of his best friends, Hunter still considered her a friend nheless. She was part of his gang and best friends with Bianca and Evelyn.

    He shouldn''t hurt her.

    As soon as his anger died down, Hunter realized that he''s using Samantha to his advantage, and he genuinely felt sorry. He decided toe clean the next day and confessed that he wasn''t serious about asking her to be his girlfriend. He knew it would hurt her if he revealed how he''s only using her to spite Hera.

    So instead of telling her the truth, he simply said that he wanted to try a casual rtionship and have some fun. He thought his absurd proposition would piss her off and she would tell him off. But to his surprise, instead of feeling offended, Samantha agreed to his proposal. She conveniently said, if it''s fun and entertainment he wanted, then she would be his entertainment. In return, he should officially present her as his girlfriend to everyone at school.

    She surely was ready to be his fake girlfriend with benefits, of course. She wasn''t a fool to let go of the golden opportunity that magically fell into her palm. She was aiming to be his real girlfriend soon.

    If Hunter had been smart, he would''ve said no, but he didn''t know how to handle the mess he''d unintentionally caused. However, it worked in his favour, and he got what he wanted without feeling the burden of being guilty.

    He couldn''t wait to see Hera''s reaction.

    Hunter had warned Samantha that she shouldn''t expect anything serious out of this settlement. She assured him that it would be strictly a "no strings attached" thing between them, and she would never cause any trouble. She confessed that she likes him so much it''s enough for her to get addressed as his girlfriend.

    "I''ll win your heart someday, Ace," Samantha had said. But Hunter knew that would never happen. Hera had already stolen his heart and owned it for life.

    It didn''t take much time for Hera to learn the truth of theirmitted rtionship, courtesy of Samantha, of course. It was an understatement to say, her wounded heart shattered into nothingness, and Hera died a little every day.

    Hera wanted revenge as well.

    She tried to get close to other boys to get back at him. And it worked. Hunter died with jealousy and anger every time he saw her with other boys. To keep her away from other boys, he started to scare them away. He and his friends would beat the boys to pulp whoever dared to befriend her.

    Hunter was egoistic, and Hera was stubborn. Neither of them wanted to give up their pride. Their love-hate rtionship continued without interruption until today.

    To Hera, it was their breakup, but for Hunter, they were only on a break and never broke up.

    <strong>Someone nudged Hunter''s shoulder,</strong> bringing him back to the present. So lost in his past, he was totally oblivious to his surroundings. Danny''s eyes wordlessly asked, "What''s wrong?" Shaking his head in reply, Hunter recovered from the aftereffects of his short trip to the past.

    "Why are you not hungry? I thought you''ll swallow the whole pig alive after that tiring ser practice," Hunter heard Bianca say. But he didn''t have the answer to her question. He didn''t want to reveal what happened between Hera and him, so he feigned a headache.

    Hunter vaguely remembered telling his friends to have dinner without him because he was tired and wanted to sleep. He wasn''t hungry anyway.

    Eric cocked his brow in silent question. He knew his buddy was faking it. Hunter shook his head, silently beckoning him to keep his mouth shut. Eric agreed, but the look on his face said they were going to talk about itter.

    "Let''s just go out. We will eat outside. What say, Ace?" Bianca asked, and Hunter agreed without any protest. At least, they didn''t force him to have dinner at their dormitory. He would preferably jump the gate off and sneak out of that ce than meet Hera''s using eyes. He needed to clear his mind to get rid of the haunting images from the past.

    Images of his Hera crying were still disturbing him.

    That night, they all snuck out secretly. Obviously, breaking the rules had always been fun. They ate out, and Hunter got drunk to forget Hera''s tear-filled ssy green eyes.

    In the dormitory, Hera felt relief that Hunter didn''te for dinner and she didn''t have to face him. She was pleased to know that none of his friends was around. At least, she could have her dinner in peace.

    Hera found her group of friends and joined them.

 Chapter 53 - Shes A Blood-Sucking Leech

    Hera made her bed before scattering her books on it. Homework was an unweed bitch, but she managed toplete it after some whining and cursing. She distanced herself from her friends for the night as they were busy indulging in a conversation with ra.

    Obviously, ra wouldn''t appreciate Hera''s participation.

    Hera noticed she looked happy. She was smiling a lot since their dinner.

    Hera bundled up herself in her fluffy warm nket and closed her eyes. Her mind recollected the day''s events as sleep refused to apany her tired eyes.

    <em>''It''s a sign. You''re stuck with me for life, Mrs Hunter.''</em>

    Hunter had said it countless times in the past. It never failed to make her heart flutter. ra''sughter disturbed Hera''s thoughts, and she peeked above her nket in her direction. She was really in a good mood.

    Now Hera''s sleepless mind went back to the dinner that evening, remembering Noel''s conversation with her.

    When Noel waved his hand at Hera in greeting, which she returned with a smile, he surprised her by joining her group. What surprised her more was her ex-best friend ra''s behaviour. She smiled and talked to him as if they knew each other from before. As if they were close friends. Even Adide appeared to be very familiar with him.

    Hera couldn''t pinpoint what it was, but the closeness between ra and Noel was hard to ignore. It was like either he was her caring boyfriend on a date or a protective brother visiting her after a long time. He carried her te, pulled her chair for her and sat next to her. With a warm smile, he pulled the ss of water to ce it near her te.

    So, where are your bodyguards? Howe you''re not surrounded by those watchdogs tonight?" Noel asked Hera in a yful tone, putting an end to her thoughts. Her friendsughed at his questions, but Hera didn''t like his attitude. The way his tone sounded, bitter and hateful, Hera felt there''s more to know about him. There was something dangerous about him.

    He was totally different from what he appeared on the first day she met him. It was like meeting two separate people. That sweet innocent boy-next-door look was gone. Now she could tell, it was all a facade. She had a strong gut feeling, either he''s hiding something, or he''s nning something dangerous.

    Hera didn''t bother answering his question. She ignored him and tuned out of their conversation.

    Letting out a bored huff, Hera decided to let go of Noel''s thoughts and her heart helpfully guided her mind it''s way back to Hunter. He always had easy ess to invade her heart and mind.

    <em>''Where is he? Why didn''t hee for dinner?''</em>

    She hadn''t seen him the whole day after their morning encounter. He didn''t evene back to collect his medallion pendant from her.

    <em>''What is he so busy with?''</em>

    Sleep finally blessed her tired soul, and her breathing evened out as she drifted into a dreamless slumber.

    <strong>Sunlight stinging</strong> behind her swollen eyelids drew a disapproving groan out of her. The morning came too early for Hera''s dissatisfaction.

    She showered and got ready in haste as she didn''t want to bete for breakfast.

    Hera stuffed her mouth with food.

    <em>''Hmm, this is heaven.''</em>

    She could eat it the whole day because the food was so delicious. Food had always been her priority. It''s the only thing in the world which could sessfully distract her mind from Hunter.

    "Ew, look at that, eating like a pig. Some things are never going to change, I guess," someone said in a disgusted tone, but Hera didn''t need to look up to know who the annoying voice belonged to. It was Bianca. Chairs screeched around her and Hera peeked through her narrowed slits. She saw Samantha and Bianca standing next to her.

    Pursing her lips into a thin line, Hera exhaled in annoyance while they pulled the chairs and settled themselvesfortably. She nced around once searching for someone particr. She was d to know he wasn''t around, and the rest of his group was missing too.

    Hera ignored them and went back to her food, but it seemed like the Queen Bee had no intention of leaving her alone.

    "Hmm, it tastes fine. Here, go ahead, you can drink it now," Bianca said, licking her lips. Hera stopped chewing her food, her spoon froze in the midway, and she swallowed her half-chewed food forcefully while witnessing Bianca''s nuisance. She just dipped her tongue into ra''s ss of apple juice. Samantha followed her best friend''s deed and did the same with Adide''s.

    "Leave her alone, Bianca," Hera said sternly to which the bitch justughed. "Drink it before I make you," Samanthamanded in her mean voice, dragging Hera''s attention from Bianca. She was clutching Adide''s cheeks with her fingers, trying to pour the juice into her mouth forcefully.

    Hera admired her courage when Adide jerked Samantha''s hand off her mouth. "Don''t think so. Now that you''ve dipped your tongue into it, I''m not drinking that gross thing," Adide said while ra watched silently. "Drink it. Or do you want me to add my spit into it?" Samantha cooed in mock delight, earning augh from her evil best friend.

    Bianca took the ss from her and held it over Adide''s head. "Or do you prefer showering in an apple juice instead?" Her tone held a warning, daring the new girl to disobey her order. She was about to pour it on her head when Hera caught her hand. They''re bullying her friends, and she couldn''t just sit and watch. Bianca red at her. "How dare you, Piggy? Leave my hand this instant or," Hera cut her off in the middle. "Or what, Bianca?" She snapped, gritting her teeth.

    ra suddenly gasped, and Hera did too when she looked at her ex-best friend. Drenched in the sticky liquid, ra stared at her bully in stunned silence. Samantha had poured the juice on ra''s head and wasughing cruelly at her misery. "Or, this, Hera," Samantha said, answering Hera''s earlier question before bringing her attention back to Adide. "Now drink it, Bitch," she said, thrusting the ss into her hand.

    Hera snatched the ss from Adide and was about to throw the contents on Samantha when arge hand mped around her wrist, stopping her midway. Hera turned to smack the intruder but stopped when she saw who dared to stop her.

    "What''s wrong with you, Pixie? Have you lost your mind so early in the morning?" Eric scolded Hera making her scowl. He freed the ss from her hand and kept it on the table. "I was having my breakfast peacefully until this bitch friend of yours decided to ruin it for me," Hera said, fixing her using gaze on Bianca. Her face was flushed red with anger, and she looked ready to murder his friends.

    "What did I do, Hera? I was only trying to have some fun. It was just a prank," Bianca said, ying innocent. But of course, she never had to fake innocence to win her friends'' support. They''d support her anyway, no matter what.

    <em>''That deceivingly innocent face.''</em>

    Hera eyed in disgust as Bianca fluttered hershes and thin lips stretched into a smile slowly turning into a grin revealing her short white teeth. The smile was fake, mocking Hera so rudely. Hera couldn''t tell if Eric saw the innocence or not, but she didn''t miss the witch lurking behind the facade.

    <em>''No, she''s not a witch. She''s a bloodsucking creature, a cunning one at that.''</em>

    And that''s what she''d been doing for all these years, sucking Hera''s blood. Well, not literally, just figuratively speaking.

    And she looked ready to suck the blood. Hera could easily envision the image. Ghostwhite skin, rainbow-like carved eyebrowsplimenting the twin shining bright blue eyes, high cheekbones and in between rested that perfect long nose. Thin lips parted to reveal sharp white fangs. A pink tongue darted out, swooping over them after swallowing a mouthful of crimson liquid, a trail of thick blood running down the side of her chin.

    Curly blonde hair whipped in the sharp wind, flying all around her face while she grinned maliciously. Her slim body d in figure-hugging ck leather pants and jacket, adding more hotness to her already sexy self.

    The seductive image her illusion formed only irked Hera to the limit, and she screamed inwardly to vent out her frustration. She could imagine herself turning into a green monster in jealousy.

    <em>''It''s not fair because she was supposed to look ugly. How can the bitch look perfect in that situation?''</em>

    Like the gorgeous vampires in the novels and movies, Bianca would make a hot bloodsucker. Hera begrudgingly erased the vision and tried to think of something else which would suit her evilness better.

    <em>''A leech or maybe a hyena?''</em>

    An ugly looking tiny hyena, baring its crooked yellow fangs to snatch the rotten piece of meat from the fox''s mouth appeared to be a better scenario. It was satisfactory to watch Bianca as a dirty hyena scaring the fox off. It suited her.

    Hera wished if only Bianca looked that ugly in real.

 Chapter 54 - She Made A Big Mistake

    Hera clenched her fists. She so wanted to punch that gorgeous face. She was going to break Bianca''s pretty nose if she stayed facing her one more second. Hera closed her eyes for a few seconds and took deep breaths to control her anger. Wanting Bianca to vanish from her sight, Hera turned to face Eric. "She was bullying my friends," she stated, herrge green eyes drilling holes into Eric''s blue ones.

    "So you decided to bully mine?"

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat thrice before resuming its normal state as she heard the angry, deep, rich voice ask that question. She slowly whirled around to face the devil, her cruel Heartbreaker.. Hunter walked further into the dining hall, covering the distance between them. Hera eyed her brother, Danny, as he walked in with Evelyn and Michael.

    Hera couldn''t stop her eyes from wandering as they checked Hunter''s appearance. He was wearing a white dress shirt with faded blue jeans. As usual, he looked hot with his untucked shirt and undone cuffs. His white sneakers looked dirty. He brushed his hair back from his eyes, and Hera shifted her eyes off him as he neared.

    All of them were dressed casually, except Evelyn. She was in her school uniform, all prim and proper. It was too early to wear uniforms. Students would usually get ready to school after breakfast. But Evelyn preferred perfection, being the sophisticated princess everyone expected her to be. Other students started to fill the dining hall.

    Finally, they stood facing each other. Hera saw through peripheral view how Bianca smirked smugly at her.

    Biting her lips, Hera finally lifted her eyelids and faced Hunter. "Your friend is the very definition of "bully", Hunter. Do you think anyone can bully her? She was threatening my friends. Look what she did to ra," she said, gesturing him to see her soaked form. ra cowered in fear while Hunter gave her a quick once-over.

    When he shifted his eyes from ra to Hera, he looked furious, and Hera took a step back in reflex.

    "What is she doing here? Why are you with her, sharing the same table?" He asked, face turning red with anger. Hera looked at Eric and Evelyn for help. Eric shook his head as if he''s disappointed in her. Evelyn tried to interfere, but Danny held her back. Hera took another step back and shook her head in denial. "No, Hunter, I didn''t speak to her. Your friends poured juice on her, and I just tried to help her," she said, justifying herself.

    Her voice came out so weak, Hera cringed inwardly for sounding so pathetic. Hunter shot a re at ra, and she ran out of the dining hall. Hera sighed as she felt utterly helpless and couldn''t help ra.

    Hunter had made this rule. No one was allowed to get close to Hera. Not even her own friends. They''re allowed to sit and talk to her only in the ss and in her room. ra was a different case altogether. She and Hera were forbidden to have any sort of contact.

    Hera noticed through her peripheral vision. Celine, Brittany, and Jarred were all watching silently while Andrew and Asher were ready to fight for her. Hera shook her head, warning them to stay out of it. She knew for sure, Hunter and his gang would hurt her friends if they dared to interfere. Hera scoffed when she heard Bianca''s whiny voice because she knew the moment she opened her mouth, the bitch would be spinning a web of lies.

    "I didn''t do it, Ace, it was Sam. I was just trying to get to know Hera''s new friend. You know we do that with all the freshers. Just a little teasing and leg-pulling, that''s all. Hera just needs a chance to fight with me," Bianca said before grabbing Hera''s arm and forcing her to look into her eyes. "Especially when ra is involved," she finished, gritting her teeth.

    Hera wrenched her arm free from her hold and mouthed "fucking bitch" when Bianca smirked at her. Undoubtedly, she intended to add fuel to Hunter''s fiery anger.

    Hunter looked at Adide, then at Bianca,stly at Hera. "She said it. It was just a prank," he shrugged his shoulders, and Hera resisted the urge to p him. "And I don''t think your friend here has any problem with that," he stated very rudely before ncing at Adide. "Do you?" He asked. The girl didn''t miss the hidden threat in his tone, though Hunter appeared nonchnt. Adide simply shook her head like a robot in response.

    Hera couldn''t hide her shock as her jaw dropped in disbelief. She was trying to protect them, after all. It seemed like both ra and Adide preferred to ditch her at the wrong time.

    <em>''Oh, what great friends I''ve got!''</em>

    "What happened, Ade? Is he too hot for you to go against him?" Hera asked. The sarcasm in her tone was too obvious. "Why do you have to be such a slut all the time, Ade?" She spat, and her friend looked away in shame. Hunter sneered arrogantly. He knew his face value, didn''t he?

    "Why don''t you stay out of it, Goddess?" Hunter''s sharp voice cut through the silence.

    <em>''Of course, he''ll take Bianca''s side.''</em>

    Hera knew, his logic and sense would fly out of the window when ites to his best friend. It always did.

    "Why don''t you keep your sluts away from me instead, Hunter?" Hera asked, looking him in the eyes. Her anger took over her senses, and she didn''t care anymore. She adamantly stood in her ce when he took a step forward. His fist clenched, and his eyes grewrger in anger. "Mind your tongue, Hera," he warned. Without thinking, Hera grabbed her ss of pineapple juice and poured it on him. She was too lost in her fury to think about the consequences.

    Everybody went quiet. It was pin-drop silence kind of quiet. It was never this quiet, not even in the exam hall. It was toote for Hera to realize what she''d done.

    Covering her mouth with her palms, Hera gasped in shock.

    <em>''Oh, my God, what the fuck did I just do?''</em>

    Yes, she poured her juice on him. No, scratch that and realign the statement. She threw the contents of her ss which was, of course, her favourite pineapple juice again, on Hunter.

    Now he stood ring at her in the middle of the lunchroom soaked in pineapple juice. His once perfectly pressed crisp milky white shirt now stained with the light yellow of the sweet liquid. The droplets were running down further into his faded blue jean pant soaking it as well.

    <em>''Oh, my favourite pineapple juice.''</em>

    Hera wanted to whine, but thankfully, remembering the current dangerous situation, she resisted. She did her best not to cower in fright.

    Attempting to sport a smug look, Hera tilted her head, lips twitching in an uneven smile. "It''s just a prank, Hunter. Hope you don''t mind," she said, fixing him with a hard stare. She wanted him to know how it felt when Bianca used that phrase to justify her evil deeds. Even he said the same thing a while ago, right?

    Her smile faded when Hunter shot a lopsided grin at her. It vanished within the blink of an eye and his jaw clenched hard, a cold stare aimed at Hera. She gulped. Her feigned bravery evaporated into thin air.

    "My my, what mistake youmitted there, Goddess! Unforgivable," Hunter said, gritting his teeth. Hera ignored his dangerced tone as she eyed the exit, measuring her chance of escape. She felt relief washed over her when she crossed the table and took charge towards the door.

    But people, guess what? Her luck sucked because it was never on her side.

    She only took four steps ahead when his fingers wrapped around her right wrist, depriving her any pleasure of escape.

    Finally, it dawned on Hera, what she''d gotten herself into. Unshed tears started to sting her eyes. She bit the side of her lower lip. It''s an understatement to say she''s nervous. She''s scared to death, afraid for her dear life. She looked at her friends, and they all had identical expression pasted on their faces, shocked and worried for her. Yet no one had been daring enough to stop him or save her. Now she would be punished and humiliated in front of the whole school.

    Well, what did she expect? It''s her stupidity to even think of crossing his path, let alone throw juice on his face in front of the school. Who even dare mess up with the Satan himself?

    <em>''Of course, Hera Hunter does.''</em>

    Hera bit her lip, staring at him with wide, scared eyes. He''s not going to forgive her for this insult. After all, he''s the school''s President, and she''d insulted him in front of the whole school. Everybody saw what she did, and he would never let this slide without punishing her.

    He pulled her wrist with enough force for her to crash into his chest.

 Chapter 55 - Her Knights Without Homework

    Breath whooshed out of her lungs in an audible gasp as she collided into his hard chest.

    Hera''s other hand went up in reflex, using it as a shield to separate her upper body from his. Her heart started beating wildly, hammering in her chest because of their proximity. Her palm was now resting on his chest right where his heart resides. And surprisingly, she felt the rhythm of his heartbeats matching perfectly with hers. His hand still held her wrist captive behind the small of her back. His hold was not hurting her, but it was tight enough to keep her securely locked.

    His warm body against hers felt hot as if the temperature in the hall suddenly went up, and yet, it only made her shiver. His wet shirt and pant were soaking her dress too. She was wearing a white, short-sleeved, fit and re peplum dress which reached up-to her mid-thigh. Hunter pulled her body flush against his, making her gasp in surprise.

    <em>''Bloody fucking hell! Why am I feeling this weird shit in my stomach again? He''s oddly making me nervous..''</em>

    Her earlier fear was gone and now reced with something else which she couldn''t name yet.

    Hera sucked in a breath when she looked into his eyes. Those gorgeous purple eyes never failed to mesmerize her. She''s so close to him that she could see his dted pupils, how they''re widening in size. She could see the different shades of purple around those ck pupils. It starts with a light shade of pink, then ayer of violet surrounds the pink, and then dark purple dominates violet, finally leading to smudges of midnight blue which circles them like an eclipse.

    The tip of his nose was almost touching hers. Hera didn''t notice how that even happened. He''s above six feet, and she''s so tiny with her five-six height reaching only up to his chest.

    <em>''Was he slowly inching closer by leaning his face to mine, or am I being delusional?''</em>

    Droplets of her pineapple juice were intermittently dripping down from his hair to his eyshes and nose, finally settling on her dress, forming a wet yellow stain. His eyes slid down to her chest, and she followed his gaze only to gasp again. The wet blotch on her white dress made it almost transparent, and her ck brassiere was visible for him to see now.

    His other hand went up to push his hair back from his forehead, raking his fingers through them. Then his palm brushed down his face, wiping the droplets of the juice. Hera was helpless in stopping her eyes from following the movement of his hand, and she watched while holding her breath.

    Suddenly, she heard everyone around them chanting.

    <strong>KISS ... KISS ... KISS ...</strong>

    Hera flinched as the silence broke and the trance lifted. rmed, she tried to free herself from his hold. But Hunter only strengthened his hold, stopping her from running away from him. His eyes shed a warning, his signature cocky smirk graced his lips, and he firmly pulled her body against his. His eyes slid to her lips, and Hera looked around in panic.

    "Ace?" Samantha called him, her voice hopeful as well as helpless at the same time. Hunter ignored her as if she didn''t even exist. But Hera heard her loud and clear.

    Just like they say, it''s a Deja Vu moment.

    Recognition of bitter memories dawned on her as Hera recalled their unfortunate past. She couldn''t even look into anyone''s face. She was embarrassed and ashamed, she was sad, and she was scared.

    <em>''Oh, God! Why? Why me all the time? Not again, please. Why does it always happen to me?''</em>

    Hunter leaned forward, and his lips brushed against hers as he whispered just for her to hear. "Don''t you think, Goddess, a kiss is very less of a punishment for what you did?" Before Hera couldprehend what to say in reply, something startled her. Her eyes went wide in horror, mouth agape as she realized what just happened. Andrew ruthlessly pushed him off Hera before punching him in the stomach.

    Hunter stumbled upon his feet and bumped into one of the tables behind him. But he didn''t fall as he managed to steady himself.

    Michael and Danny rushed to their friend, ready to take over the fight. But thankfully Hunter stopped them from hurting Andrew, or so Hera thought. She watched in horror and heard her friend curse at Hunter. "You, fucking dick. She''s telling the truth. That bitch Bianca was," Andrew couldn''t finish what he was saying. Hunter punched him in the face, bruising his jaw, and he fell on the floor.

    Blood dripped from the fresh-cut in his lip. Hunter kicked him in the stomach hard. When Andrew tried to get up, he mmed his foot on his chest and kept it firmly there, pushing him back, restricting his effort to get up. Hera heard him groan in pain. She stood in stunned silence. It was an understatement to say she was shocked.

    "Dude, back off. He''s right. Your friends were bullying her. And I can see, you''re no different either," Noel interfered, surprising Hera. He''d been doing that a lottely, surprising her that is.

    Shaking his head, Hunter groaned in frustration, signalling the new boy not to interfere. Noel ignored the silent warning and pushed Hunter away to help Andrew, only to receive a hard punch in the ribs.

    Asher and Jarred joined the fight, and so did Danny and Michael. It was clear, Hunter and his friends held an upper hand. They were all trained in martial arts, after all.

    "Should''ve done your homework before trying to be a knight and messing with me, kid," Hunter said, kicking Noel repeatedly in his ribs. Hera was afraid he might have broken his rib cage.

    <em>''Where are the people in charge when they''re needed?''</em>

    Finally, Hera bundled up the courage. "Can someone please call Mrs Roseline?" She asked no one in particr. She looked towards the kitchen and found her gaze locked with Eric''s. Though he wasn''t fighting, he was keeping an eye on all the doors so that he could alert his friends from the staff if they walked in. Hera''s eyes used him of not helping her to stop the fight. He shrugged it off as if it''s nothing.

    Once satisfied with the grunts and groansing from Noel''s mouth, Hunter went to Danny, who was hitting Andrew in the stomach. Hera saw that her friends were all in so much pain. They looked like they''re going to pass out any minute. Grabbing Andrew by his cor, Hunter whispered so that it wouldn''t reach Hera''s ears. "You, little cunt, you think you can steal my girl from me? The minute, you make a move on her, that''ll be thest day of your life," he dered.

    Andrew was shocked that Hunter knew about his feelings for Hera. He liked her, since fourth grade. She was the only one who stood up for him when other senior boys were bullying and robbing his lunch every day during fourth grade. But he never got the courage to confess his feelings. He didn''t want to jeopardize their friendship either.

    Hunter was about to punch him in the face when he heard Evelyn''s tensed voice. "Ace, stop it. It''s enough. You''re scaring Hera," she said, and the warning in her tone made him nce at Hera, who was on the verge of tears. He let go of Andrew''s cor. Eric whistled at the same time, in a warning. Students moved quickly, settling themselves on the table and chairs which were nearest to them, except Hera and Hunter''s friends.

    Hera wanted to reach Andrew and help him, but she stopped herself as Hunter was standing in the way. She couldn''t dare to cross his path.

    A tall woman in her forties walked in gracefully with poise and confidence. ck hair styled in a bob cut, the woman looked quite domineering in her ck, loose trouser paired with a grey turtleneck jumper neatly tucked in and matching pumps heels in feet. Her brown skin only served as a bonus to her attractive facial features. All she''d to do was just to stretch her wide, full lips into a smile and she would be the closest thing to one''s caring mother.

    With her pretty face pulled down in a scowl, she was anything but pleased at the moment. When her confident stature could intimidate grown-up men, turning them into scared puppies, how would these high school teenagers stand a chance in front of the matron''s intimidating personality?

    One look around her surroundings and Roseline Roger folded her arms across her chest, eyes narrowed into slits, her voice came out in a no-nonsense tone. "What''s going on in here? Why were you fighting? And what''s that stain doing on my floor?" The matron asked, pointing to the spilt sticky juice on the floor.

    No one answered, and Roseline gasped when she noticed Hunter''s soaked form.

 Chapter 56 - Can The Day End, Already?

    To Hera''s displeasure, the matron''s disapproving tone from before suddenly turned into a sweet,passionate one as she spoke to Hunter. It shouldn''t be a surprise, though. How could Hera forget he''s everybody''s favourite at school?

    "Ace honey, how did you let this mess happen in your presence? And I can see that you''re a mess too. Would you like me to call your Principal and let her know about the incident?" Roseline asked, concerncing her tone.

    Hunter shot his signature smile at her that could charm the devil himself. "Oh, no, Mrs Rogers. Please don''t trouble yourself. I''ll take care of it just fine. It was just a boys'' thing about a ser match, and nothing serious that I can''t handle. You know, it''s ser, and we''re boys, do the math, Mrs Rogers," he said with a yful wink.

    Hera couldn''t help but drop her jaw in disbelief when the matron smiled at him encouragingly. Of course, she''s convinced that he would handle the matter.. Why wouldn''t she? After all, he''s the President of the Student Council.

    <em>''If only she could know, he''s the one who created this mess in the first ce.''</em>

    Hera wanted to say that out loud but decided against it. It wouldn''t make much of a difference anyway. He could manipte people to do his bidding by just smiling at them.

    "And about me being a mess? Well, you have Hera to me for that, Mrs Rogers. I wasn''t here to wee her when she returned from her holidays. So this is how she took her anger out on me. It seems like my girl missed me a lot," he said in an extremely amused tone. He gave a sheepish smile to Roseline, shrugging as though he was utterly helpless in front of Hera.

    Hera wanted to punch him and wipe that deceiving sinister smile off his face. Much to his added delight, Roseline gave a disapproving look to Hera.

    "You, youngdy, whatever your reason was, I don''t appreciate you staining my ce. And keep your personal matters private. You know very well, I don''t approve any kind of public disy of affection in my territory," she said, tone ending on a cautionary note but to Hera, it sounded more like condemning.

    <em>''Oh, how I wish you were a few minutes early with your visit.''</em>

    "And you''ll help the cleaning staff with chores when youe back from school. That''s your punishment for ruining my once spotless hall. And no more discussion on that, Miss Hunter," she said and silenced Hera when she tried to object. Hera''s protest and plea of her being innocent in the matter fell on deaf ears. Defeated, Hera epted her punishment.

    Mrs Rogers ordered other students to run off and get ready for school if they''ve done with their breakfast. She didn''t forget to tell the boys to get their bruises treated at the school''s clinic.

    "And Bianca will join Hera as well in helping the staff with chores," Hunter announced surprising everyone, especially Bianca and Hera. They both looked stunned. But it was no surprise that the matron didn''t interrupt or questioned Hunter about it before agreeing with him.

    "Ace?" He heard Bianca, calling him in a shocked voice, and she looked utterly betrayed. Whatever phrase she nned to use in her defence, died down in her mouth when Hunter shook his head. "Not a single word, Sunshine, admit your fault and do your part of the punishment." With that said, he walked out. But not before shooting a warning re at Andrew and Noel.

    Bianca followed him out while others stayed back to finish their breakfast. No-one stopped her when she entered the boy''s wing and followed Hunter to his room. After all, they''re extraordinary and enjoy special privileges, unlike other regr students.

    "Ace. Ace, I''m talking to you," Hunter ignored Bianca and didn''t bother responding. She walked around to his front, blocking his way and forcing him to face her. He could detect the pent up anger marring her pretty face.

    "Why did you do it, Ace? Did you take her side? How could you? She was lying to you. You know I didn''t do anything wrong. Hera was with ra. She fought with me because of her. I attacked in self-defence," she said indignantly.Though her im of self-defence sounded too ridiculous, Hunter didn''t say anything. He wasn''t in the mood for an argument.

    His best friend was angry, and she sounded hurt too. Why not? He didn''t take her side as she expected.

    Hunter sighed in annoyance. He was still angry at Andrew, and he needed to cool off his rage. "Look, Sunshine, I don''t care what you do or did to that fucking ra but keep Hera out of the mess. Please don''t hurt her. You''re only hurting me by hurting her," he said in a defeated tone as though already fed up with his best friend. Taken aback, Bianca could only whisper his name in response.

    "I know when you''re lying, Sunshine. And I know when Hera is telling the truth," he stated before he mmed the door to his bathroom, leaving her alone in his room. His voice, his tone and the look on his face, it felt like a blow to her. Bianca was shocked. It wasn''t every day that her best friend ignored her so rudely.

    <strong>On the other side</strong> of the girl''s wing, Hera washed off the sticky stains from her body and was getting ready for the school. ra was silently putting on her uniform.

    "Hera, what happened down there?" Adide asked, her tone sounded clueless. Hera red before answering her. "I don''t know, Adide, maybe I was being a fool and tried to help my friends. That''s what happened there," Hera said, gritting her teeth. Adide ignored Hera''s biting tone. "Not that, Hera. I''m talking about what happened between you and Ace. You looked so panicked, and he went out of control. He was so aggressive," she stated in an upset tone.

    Hera scoffed and nced at ra only to find her scrutinising eyes already fixed on her. Celine and Brittany exchanged looks as well, and Adide didn''t miss anything.

    "Why are you asking now, Ade? You were perfectly alright, getting bullied by them. Or, were you too busy eye-fucking him that you''d no time realise I was fighting for you?" Hera asked with a sneer. Adide shook her head at the insult. "No, Hera. I didn''t react because I was sensible. Not because he was too hot for me, or I was trying to be a slut, as you assumed. The minute he walked in, I noticed how ra cowered and how you panicked. I know there''s more to the story. You can tell me, Hera," said Adide.

    Though her tone was demanding, she waited patiently for Hera to reply.

    Hera turned her back to Adide and started brushing her hair in front of the mirror,pletely ignoring her. Meanwhile, their sixth roommate Hry watched everything silently, pretending to pack her backpack.

    "It''s none of your business, Ade," finally, Hera replied.

    Startled, they all flinched at the sudden disturbing sound when the door to their room got violently pushed open, hitting the wall behind with a loud bang. Hera pulled her hair in frustration while she watched Bianca enter her room, followed by Samantha.

    <em>''God! Can this day end, already?''</em>

    "Ace is angry with me because of you." Bianca seethed in anger as soon as sheid her eyes on Hera.

    <em>''Oh! That''s new.''</em>

    Hera wanted to do a victory dance in celebration. It was so satisfying to watch Bianca lose her shit over Hunter because he was angry with her. Yet, Hera maintained a nk face and decided not to react. Honestly, it''s not worth it.

    <em>''Wait. What? That meant they fought, right?''</em>

    That surprising knowledge widened her eyes. The tingling sensation around her lips tickled her heart, but Hera bit back the blissful grin threatening to spill just in time as she noticed Bianca on a fire-spitting dragon mode.

    Why wouldn''t she? After all, it wasn''t easy to win against a pissed off Hunter even for the evil witch.

    "Listen, Hera. You''ll go to, Mrs Rogers and confess that you''re the one who''s responsible for all that mess. I''m not helping with chores. That was your punishment, not mine. And you''ll tell Ace that I have nothing to do with whatever happened with you and this bitch here," Bianca said, pointing at ra all the while ring daggers at her. She caught her arm, stopping her movements when ra tried to walk out. "Not so fast, Ms White," she hissed through her gritted teeth.

    ra winced as Bianca''s nails dug into her skin. She dragged her towards Hera and made them stand face to face before smiling mockingly at Hera. "If you don''t do it, Piggy, then I''ll shave your little friend''s head with this," Bianca said, taking out an electric shaver and trimmer boys use to trim their beards from the pocket of her uniform zer. She pulled ra''s hair harshly and smirked in satisfaction when she winced crying.

 Chapter 57 - One Of The Hardest Days

    Adide snatched the electric shaver from Bianca''s hand. "If you don''t get out of here in the next minute, I''ll go to the school authorities to file aint against you," she warned Bianca. Her voice sounded so threatening it surprised Hera. She even ripped Bianca''s hand from ra''s hair.

    Hera was confused as well as intrigued by Adide''s new behaviour. She looked so scared and timid at the dining hall, and suddenly she''s acting so brave and concerned for Hera and her friend ra.

    <em>''Why would be she so interested in my life all of a sudden? She hardly knows me.''</em>

    Bianca looked furious. She yanked Adide''s hair with one hand and with her other hand, she grabbed her wrist and twisted her hand. Helpless Adide cried out in pain. "You think you can threaten me? Didn''t your boyfriend Noel tell you not to mess with us?" Asked Bianca..

    Hera was surprised to hear that. Bianca addressed Noel as Adide''s boyfriend. They hardly know each other for two days.

    Adide''s short height gave an advantage to Bianca, who was towering over her. She then pushed Adide, making her fall t on her face. "Alright, you ugly duckling, go ahead and file yourint. Let''s see what happens. Anyways, I didn''t do anything. Let me remind you if you don''t remember. It was Sam and Hera. They two poured the juice dirtying the Lunchroom. Then why should I share their punishment?" She faced Hera and asked, "Right, Hera?"

    Celine and Brittany helped Adide and pulled her up. They inspected her face and saw how the tip of her nose turned red, her chin got hurt too, and it started to swell already. Her eyes were ssy, and she limped slightly, struggling to move her feet. Adide had a bruise forming on her knee as well. Hera shook her head, signalling her not to interfere anymore and mouthed sorry to her.

    Hera shot a meaningful nce at Samantha, before smirking at Bianca. Crossing her arms, Hera looked straight into her eyes, "Because Samantha is your best friend. Won''t you do this much for her, Bianca?" She asked and the way she cooed made Bianca clench her fists. She knew what Hera was trying to do, provoking Samantha, making her doubt the genuine authenticity of their friendship.

    "And if I tell Hunter that she''s the one who started it, then he''s going to be pissed with her. You and I both know, I actually did a favour for her by not taking her name and ming you instead. Do you still want me to tell him the truth? You know what will happen to your friend if I open my mouth," Hera finished and nced at Samantha, smiling sweetly at her.

    Samantha knew that smile was sarcastic. Hera was mercilessly mocking her. She could clearly read pity as well as a taunt that Hera''s eyes were portraying for her. She couldn''t stand that gaze anymore, and anger rushed out of her.

    "Why don''t you get the message, Hera? What part of ''stay away from my boyfriend'' do you not understand?" Samantha asked. Hera arched her eyebrows up, eyeing her with an ''Are you serious?'' expression. Again, her eyes were mocking Samantha.

    Hera smiled before answering her. Her tone was soft as if she''s talking to a small kid. "Maybe if you and your friend were not so dead set on proving your abilities of how good you two are in licking the leftovers on others te, nothing would''ve happened in the first ce," Hera paused for a few seconds to breathe before continuing. Lips turned downwards in a scowl, Hera shrugged. "Can''t me you though, you being your usual self, that is being the female dogs you two are," Hera smirked in satisfaction watching their faces turn into an ugly shade of red in anger.

    "Did you enjoy my boyfriend''s attention, Hera?" Samantha asked in a biting tone. "I know that''s what you always wanted. You''re doing all this drama because," before she could finish whatever she''s going to say, an abrupt rapping sound distracted her, and she stopped.

    Hera sighed in relief when a knock on the door interrupted their conversation but immediately scowled after seeing the person who entered the room through that door. "Think of Satan, and he appears," she muttered inaudibly, but Celine''s smirk said she''d heard it.

    <em>''Huh, here goes my serenity out of the window. Guess it''s one of my hardest days.''</em>

    Hera looked around, ncing at all the faces in the room. Still dressed in her sleepwear, Brittany rushed back into the bathroom to avoid an awkward encounter. ra''s eyes widened in fear, while Celine sighed dreamily, bashing her eyshes. Again Adide surprised Hera as she looked at him somewhat in hatred.

    Bianca''s smile grew wider as Hunter''s handsome face came into view and without wasting time, Samantha jump hugged him. Meanwhile, the bad boy had his eyes fixed only on Hera. She didn''t bother studying his face for any expression.

    Hera rolled her eyes when Samantha giggled like crazy without reason. "Good morning, baby," cooed Samantha after kissing him on the cheek.

    Celine''s shoulders shook in a quietugh as she watched Hera grimace at the scene. "Oh, thank God! She only kissed him on the cheek instead of making out with him. That would have been grosser to watch," she whispered in Hera''s ear.

    "Morning, Sunshine," Hunter greeted Bianca before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Hera observed how delicately his fingers held her arm and Hunter didn''t miss how Hera''s gaze indignantly followed every movement of his hand. Her face contorted in a disgusted scowl before she looked away.

    <em>''What the fuck! Didn''t the bitch say he''s angry with her? They were supposed to be giving a cold shoulder or avoiding each other or something.''</em>

    "Morning, Ace, what are you doing here so early? Thought you would be in the assembly now," Bianca spoke in her sweetest tone, voice filled with affection, eyes glimmering with content that he let go of the tension between them.

    <em>''Obviously, the bitch switched into an innocent puppy mode.''</em>

    "Why didn''t anyone stop him? This is girls'' block, and boys are not permitted to enter, right?" Adide whisper asked, only to receive a re from Celine. Her eyes asked the silent question, ''Why are you so dumb?'' She should''ve known by now that Hunter was allowed to do anything and everything as he pleases. No one would ever question him.

    "I need to talk to Hera," Hunter announced. His nce fell on everyone in the room, and he added, "In private."

    Hera''s friends exchanged a nervous nce with her and Hera smiled in assurance as if to say, she''s going to be okay. She hoped so too.

    "Which one is yours?" Hunter asked Hera, eyes roaming all over the room. Hera understood, he meant which was her bed. She ignored his question while he walkedzily, inspecting every corner of the room.

    He was so tall, walking in the middle of her room filled with short height girls, they all looked tiny in front of his giant form. All her friends were shorter than Hera with five to five-three height.

    Samantha and Bianca were taller than Hera maybe they''re around five-seven or five-eight.

    Adding to Hera''s annoyance, Hunter stopped right in front of her bed. He discovered it because of Hera''s backpack, which was resting on her bed. A slight frown marred the smoothness of his perfect face when he saw two hair ties on the table next to it.

    "Does anyone have a scissor?" He asked no one in particr, yet obediently Celine provided one for him. He took it from her hand with a smile. Hera didn''t miss it when her friend''s fingers brushed against his in the process. It was purely an innocent act. And her friend blushed before peeking a guilty nce at Hera sheepishly.

    Hera looked at her with an using re.

    <em>''Bitch, you fucking blushed!''</em>

    Hera knew it wasn''t intentional. He''s so bloody good looking it''s like a reflex action for every girl to blush when he smiles at them. Yet sometimes it''s hard for her to acknowledge the fact that her friends have a crush on him. Hera bit her lip hard as an unweed thought crossed her mind out of nowhere.

    <em>''Would my best friend betray me if she got a chance with Hunter? After all, Celine has the biggest crush on him since forever.''</em>

    Hera believed Celine would never hurt her and scolded herself for doubting her friend''s loyalty.

    Meanwhile, picking up the hair ties, Hunter ran the scissor on them, cutting them into pieces before Hera could stop him. Her eyes went wide in surprise. "What the ff..," Hera mped her mouth shut when his deep voice rung in the room, issuing an order. "You have five minutes to collect your shit and leave this room," said Hunter.

    And just like that all of them moved in a hurry like a robot programmed with amand.

 Chapter 58 - She Doesnt Need Hair Ties

    Bianca picked up her electric trimmer, eyes shooting daggers at Hera. Hunter''s eyes held a silent question to his best friend when he looked at the trimmer. ''What are you up to?'' He looked cute with one eyebrow raised in curiosity. She just winked at him with a smile and walked out of the room.

    Hunter silently stood leaning against Hera''s study table, crossing his foot over the other, hands buried deep into his trouser pockets. He watched while Celine grabbed her backpack and thrusting ra''s into her hand, she walked out, dragging her along and disappeared.

    Adide adjusted her backpack on her shoulder, and Brittany came out of the bathroom just in time, dressed in her uniform, her hair tied into a messy ponytail..

    "Do you want me to stay, Hera?" Adide asked, her stance held confidence, but it crumpled the moment Hunter spoke. "No. She doesn''t," he said, standing next to Hera. Hera nced up to look at his face. A nerve twitched in his jaw, and hisrge eyes were wide with anger. His words came out so harsh, Adide flinched and took a step back. His tone left no room for further interaction. Adide nodded and walked out, followed by Brittany.

    Hunter looked over Hera''s head, and it surprised her when he spoke to Samantha. Hera thought everyone left, and she forgot Samantha was still standing there, watching everything silently. When Hera sneaked a peek at her, she was ring daggers at Hera, seething in anger. "Why are you still here, Sam?" He asked. Whatever Samantha was about to say in reply got cut off by his stern order. "I said, leave."

    Throwing onest menacing look at Hera, she made her way to the door. To Hera''s surprise, Hunter followed her, only to lock the door from inside. Hera caught a glimpse of a teardrop running down Samantha''s cheek before she disappeared from Hera''s sight. Agonisingly Hera realised that he mmed the door on Samantha''s face.

    <em>''Poor thing! Please don''t punish me for this lord. You know I''m innocent in this.''</em>

    Before Hera could notice, he was standing right in front of her within an arm''s length. His hands clutched thepels of his uniform zer, and he removed it before tossing it on her bed. Her feet shuffled, unconsciously taking a step back. He moved forward, and with each step, she kept walking backwards.

    Hera''s eyes roamed all over his body without her permission. He looked so handsome in his uniform. He''s a pleasant sight for the sore eyes.

    His blue dress shirt fitted his muscr chest perfectly, and she could even see the shape of his abs through the material. She couldn''t ignore his bulging biceps as they flexed every time he moved. His long legs and toned thighs looked so strong while he walked. And that ck belt with silver buckle around his waist made her blush for some unknown reason.

    When her eyesnded on his shiny boots which seemed to get closer with each step, she realised what''s happening.

    It wasn''t long until her hip collided with the edge of the table. Hunter nted his palms on the table from either side of her, caging her in between.

    Biting her lip nervously, Hera tilted her head up. His purple orbs were slicing through her green ones. He''s standing so close, all that she could breathe was his cologne, his aftershave, and his very own unique scent which smelt like the earth after the first rain. So masculine and yet so sweet.

    The movement of his left hand going up drew her attention to it. His fingers stroked her hair in admiration before grabbing a handful of it. "Didn''t I tell you, Sweetheart, that I like your hair this way? Long, soft and waving down to your waist. It dances along with your hips when you walk. You don''t need hair ties," he said before sniffing her hair.

    Hera stared into his eyes with an audible gasp when he tugged her hair.

    His lipsnded on hers without warning.

    Hera felt him closing the distance between them. His right hand went around her waist, pulling her body more into his chest. The kiss started soft and slow, though his lips were firm against hers. Hera felt him running his tongue over her lips in between the kiss, but she didn''t know what to do, so she let him do whatever he wanted. She heard him groan in appreciation. She knew he was moaning in pleasure. That sounded so hot, making butterflies swirl and flutter in her tummy.

    <em>''That''s a warning bell, and I should stop him before he gets carried away.''</em>

    Hera was familiar with every move of his lips against hers. She could tell when his teeth would move on her lips, scraping, nibbling in between before sucking sweetly. It''s like as if he couldn''t get enough of her lips. She remembered Hunter''s every kiss and knew when he would be intense and lose control. And to prove her right, Hunter''s hand around her waist got tightened, and his kiss turned a bit hard.

    Hunter caught her lower lip between his teeth, tugging a little harder and Hera moaned in protest, which sounded more like a cry. To soothe the stinging sensation, he used his tongue and lips sucking on her lips slowly. She didn''t even remember when her hands moved. Now her right hand was on his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeats, and her left hand was holding his right arm for support. Hera used her hand that was resting on his chest to push him, but he didn''t budge.

    Hunter pulled away reluctantly when Hera pushed him hard enough, using her both hands.

    Hunter took a few steps back and stood silently watching her. Hera was aware of the movement of her chest, swelling with every intake of breath while she tried to control her heavy breathing. Without looking she could tell he''s doing the same. Hera heard the sound of his heavy breathing in the silent room. When Hera looked at him, she found his eyes already fixed on her. Nervously, she ran her tongue over her lips, and his eyes followed the gesture.

    Hera knew her lips were swollen, red because of their intense kissing. She watched as a satisfied smirk graced his lips. He looked proud while observing his handiwork, or should it be called lip work?

    His eyes slowly slid down to her neck, then to her heaving breasts. Hera couldn''t help but blush. She couldn''t tell if it''s because of embarrassment or was it a pleasant feeling.

    Hunter''s gaze fell at her feet, then slowly travelled upwards. She was barefooted, and yet to put on her shoes and stockings. Her creamy white legs and thighs were on disy for him to savour. She was in her uniform, minus the zer and tie. Her shirt top not tucked in yet. He was taking his sweet time exploring her curves. His eyes were shining bright with appreciation as he checked her full busts, narrow waist and wide hips.

    He liked her newly acquired hourss figure.

    His tant perusal made her shiver.

    Hunter took a step forward, and on an impulse, her hands clutched the edge of the table for support. Suddenly her legs felt too weak to carry her weight. Hera wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

    <em>''Am I burning hot with fever or the temperature in the room just got hotter?''</em>

    Hera was extremely anxious. She chewed her bottom as his eyes went back to her barefoot, lingering on her left ankle. She knew what he''s staring at, her white gold anklet. When he looked into her eyes again, her heart skipped a beat. They both were reminiscing about the same memory. For a moment, she got lost in his eyes. He made her go back to that day when they met for the first time.

    <em>''So many beautiful memories, until you ruined them all, Hunter.''</em>

    "Will you stop staring? It''s creepy and annoying as hell," she tried her best to sound annoyed, but her breathless tone gave out her pretence. Hunter smirked knowingly.

    "You started it, Love. You were ogling and drooling a while ago over this," he said gesturing to his body. The gesture was anything but innocent. He ced his left hand on his chest, right under his throat before brushing over his upper torso, slowly moving down until it reached under his belt. Meanwhile, his gaze roamed over her bodyzily, as if he''s imagining touching her body in the same manner.

    Hera felt so dirty.

    Her heartbeats turned wild. A blush had spread over her already flushed face.

    She abruptly turned her back to him, avoiding looking into his eyes. She needed to distract herself from his hypnotising gaze. Hera pulled the drawer of the table, taking out another hair tie. She moved away from him, quickly walking to the mirror. "Leave, Hunter. I''ve to get ready," she said and silently thanked her feet for not betraying her trust. Otherwise, she would''ve fallen t on her face.

    <em>''That would be quite humiliating.''</em>

 Chapter 59 - Vanish From Her Life

    It was hard, pretending to be unbothered by his presence. Hera tried her best to ignore him and started to brush her hair. He had messed it thoroughly while kissing her.

    <em>''I swear, he has a thing for my hair.''</em>

    She saw his reflection moving to her bed through the mirror. He was checking everything with keen interest. After scrutinising her bed, pillow,forter, and curtains, he moved to the drawer of the table. Hera sighed, defeated. She''d kept a packet full of hair ties in there. She already knew what he would do with them.

    "Did you forget that it was your gift to me?" Hera asked, still looking into the mirror..

    The drawer stuffed with shiny hair clips and hair ties of different colours brought a tiny smile into Hunter''s lips, her birthday gifts given by him. "You were a little girl then. These colourful ribbons, clips and hair ties looked good on your short hair. I don''t like them now," he affirmed. Thankfully, he didn''t cut them. cing them back into the drawer, he asked her, "What do you want for your birthday?"

    Hera''s heart missed a beat, and her eyes widened. She mmed the hairbrush on the dresser to draw his attention and tied her hair into a loose ponytail. Hunter closed the drawer shut and turned to face her.

    Their eyes met through the reflection in the mirror.

    Hera muttered through her gritted teeth, "For you to vanish from my life." Surprisingly, she said that without missing a beat.

    Hunter''s lips twitched and greeted Hera by his signature smirk. He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets and walked to where she stood. "That''s so brave of you, Love. You''re daring to either defy or ignore my every word these days. But it''s not good for your health, Goddess," he said, standing behind her.

    Hera didn''t miss the hidden threat. Ironically, she trusted him enough to believe he would never hurt her physically.

    He brought out his left hand from his pant pocket andbed his damp hair with his fingers.

    <em>''He''d showered again.''</em>

    She bit back a smile.

    <em>''Twice within an hour. Thanks to my pineapple juice.''</em>

    She felt the hair rising on the back of her neck as he leaned over her shoulder to have a good look at his reflection. Their cheeks almost touched. She slowly turned her face to his by an inch or two to examine his clean-shaven jaw. It looked soft, clean, and his face was glowing.

    <em>''Oh! Is his skin glowing or what? He''s looking resplendent. Thanks to my pineapple juice again. And why does he smell so good?''</em>

    Her breath caught in her lungs when he met her gaze. He winked before grinning. She averted his eyes in embarrassment and took a step away from him.

    <em>''Stupid, idiotic eyes, stop wandering around.''</em>

    She felt her cheeks burning hot, and the mirror provided the required witness of her spreading blush.

    <em>''Shit, shit, shit, he caught me staring at him! Somebody, please kill me now.''</em>

    "Don''t feel shy, Goddess. It''s all yours to look and admire, to touch and feel, to kiss and lick. Do whatever you want. No one will dare stop you," he said, voice a soft, husky whisper in her ear. His lips slightly grazed her ear, and the newfound sensation she felt, made her shiver.

    She shoved at his chest, pushing him off her personal space and grabbed her uniform tie. He stood next to the mirror leaning against the wall, silently watching as she adjusted her tie around the cor of her shirt top. She knew where his eyes were wandering, but decided to ignore.

    "What happened to your new friend? She seemed a little off or something," Hunter asked conversationally. Hera''s brows lifted and the look she gave him said, she was surprised. "Oh! Did you notice? I thought nothing catches your attention in the presence of that bitch best friend of yours. Weren''t you too busy greeting your Sunshine? ''Morning sunshine, morning Ace," she tried to imitate their tone, but failed, resentment clearly written all over her face. "As if you two didn''t meet at breakfast in the dining hall a while ago," she sneered augh.

    Hunter let out a quietugh, making her scowl. "What?" she snapped in anger. "You know, I can totally understand if you have problems with Sam. But to my surprise, she was never an issue between us. It''s out of my logic, why my rapport with Bianca bothers you all the time. You know she''s my best friend," he stated, looking at her expecting an exnation. But Hera would never go there. She knew that it''d only fuel their fight and cause more troubles for her. They''d fought countless times on that issue.

    Hunter was right, though. Samantha was never an issue between them. Hera knew that whatever he had going on with Samantha, it''s meaningless. Just a pretence, at least from his side. He''s using her to spite Hera. To be honest, Hera truly felt sorry for Samantha.

    But with Bianca, it''s something else. Hera never liked her. Not just because she bullied Hera since day one or that he always took her side. It''s more than that. Her friend Brittany once mentioned that childhood best friends would eventually turn into lovers in the end. At least that''s what every romance novel said. That thought stuck in Hera''s brain forever.

    Their understanding, the closeness they shared, that bonding always bothered Hera. She was jealous of their unbreakable friendship, jealous of Bianca''s beauty. With height around five feet and eight inches, she''s tall, and with her slim, hot body, she looked like a runway model. Blue eyes, blonde curls, she was gorgeously beautiful. And that smart brain of hers was only an added bonus.

    Hera didn''t realise she was pulling the stic hair tie too hard until it tore. She threw it with an angry huff. She was trying to perfect her earlier loosely made ponytail. "Coming back to how my friend got hurt, Bianca pushed her. She pulled her hair, twisted her hand and," she stopped to re at Hunter because he wasn''t listening to a word she''s saying. His eyes were focused on her lips, watching how they move while she talked.

    "Your Sunshine came here to threaten me," Hera said, catching his attention. His gaze now left her lips and shifted to her eyes. His face didn''t show any change of expression, but Hera knew, she''d got his full attention. "She said that I should go to Mrs Rogers and get her name cleared by taking all the me on myself. You saw that electric shaver, right? She said, if I don''tply, then she''ll shave ...," she stuttered and stopped herself from uttering any word further.

    <em>''What the hell is wrong with me? I was going to take ra''s name and dig a hole for myself.''</em>

    Hera bit the inside of her cheek before changing her statement. "She threatened to shave my head bald with that trimmer," she said carefully, gauging his reaction. Hunter pushed himself off the wall, and he moved so fast, she didn''t have the time to step back.

    With a quick spin, he turned her around and gently pushed her against the wall. Hera found herself trapped. Hunter''s palms were resting t on the wall on either side of her, caging her in. He was looking down into her eyes. Hera manured the courage, looked him in the eye. "What?" She asked, slowly pushing his hands away. She wanted it to bounce like an angry protest against him, but it came out only as a breathless whisper.

    Hera cursed in her mind. He''s too close, and the closeness made her tongue-tied.

    He moved his left hand and ced his forearm on the wall above her head, and his right hand settled on her waist. He had his jaw clenched, and Hera swallowed hard.

    <em>''Why does he look angry all of a sudden? What did I do now?''</em>

    He leaned forward to close the distance. Hera held her breath when his hand on her waist shifted and lifting her shirt up it went inside,ing in direct contact with her skin.

    His lipsnded on her right cheek, slowly moving downward. He kissed her jaw, then the side of her neck, inhaling her natural scent sharply. "You smell so nice, Goddess. I''m getting addicted. And your skin is so soft, it feels like butter, " he whispered as his voice turned hoarse. His hot breath caressed her skin like a soft feather tickling her.

    <em>''Holy hell! I can feel butterflies fluttering inside my tummy. Is this what hormones make you feel?''</em>

    His fingers on her waist dug into her flesh squeezing a bit roughly. His left hand came down too, and she felt it inching closer to breasts. Hunter pushed himself, furthermore, crushing her soft body with his. His body heat made her feel insanely hot, his lips and hands moving urgently all over her body were evoking unfamiliar sensations inside her. It somewhat felt nice. Yet, quite contrarily she''s frightened with his rude, almost violent actions as well.

 Chapter 60 - Nightmare Should Never Come True

    Hera hissed when he bit her skin right under her corbone.

    <em>''When did he undo my buttons?''</em>

    She used her fingernails and scraped his skin on the side of his neck to make him stop and pushed him off her with her other hand.

    "What the hell, Hera? Can''t I kiss you properly at least for once, without you trying to ruin it for me?" Hunter said, gritting his teeth in anger. Hera scorned. "Oh, wow! So this is what our conversation is going to turn into, every time we talk about your Sunshine threatening me?" Sheshed out bitingly.

    Hunter red at her for a few seconds before turning his back to her. Groaning in frustration, he ran his fingers through his hair. When he turned to face her again, they matched the rage for rage.

    "Don''t bring Bianca into everything. What do, You and I kissing has anything to do with her?" He asked incredulously.. Heraughed sarcastically at his question. "Do you think I''m a fool? Of course, everything you do has something to do with her. I said she''s threatening me, and you ignored it like my existence doesn''t matter at all," she said while pushing him hard on his chest using her both hands, and he staggered back in surprise.

    "And you were doing more than kissing and you did it only to distract me from the context of our conversation," she said usingly. Hunter took a step forward, and she took one back. "And stop touching me," she shouted in his face. Hunter grinned wickedly and asked, "Why? Is it bothering you? I''m making you nervous, am I not?" He moved one more step closer to her. "Now you''re feeling it, don''t you? That''s what I always wanted you to feel," he admitted, tone surprisingly sounding softer.

    Hera took a step back to keep a safe distance from him and shook her head in disagreement. "You''re delusional, Hunter. You don''t make me feel anything, except disgust," she managed to sound almost sincere.

    Hera didn''t miss the nerve twitching when Hunter clenched his jaw.

    "You know, Goddess, research study says if you''re attracted to someone, your heart rate rises. And interestingly, if your heart rate is high, it makes you appear more attractive to the other person as well," he said. He came close enough, leaving only a few inches of distance between their bodies, his face still held that cold demeanour. "And, my Love, your heartbeat goes crazy when Ie close to you, giving away your pretence. Needless to mention that it makes you look so attractive, I can hardly resist the temptation," he confessed.

    She never expected what he did next. She found herself getting picked up in his arms bridal style, and then he slowly lowered her into the nearest bed. He was half hovering over her while hisrge hands arrested her wrists. He kept his body inches away from her and had his feet firmly mped to the floor. "You know what, Goddess? I actually can tell when you''re lying," his tone was dangerously low as if it''s supposed to be a secret. Hera watched as his purple orbs burned with anger.

    "But you''re forgiven because I know your heart is still mine to rule. And as for Bianca''s threat is concerned, you don''t need to worry about her. I know, she will never dare to hurt you. She threatened to shave ra''s head, not yours. Am I right?" He asked rhetorically.

    Hera''s eyes stung with unshed tears as anger burst through her veins. "Get off me, you useless dick," she spat, and he smirked arrogantly, closing the distance between their bodies.

    "You''ll soon know how useful my dick is," he said and shut her up by attacking her lips with his and kissed her hard. No doubt, he was gnashing his teeth in rage, sending vibrations through his lips.

    Hera resisted and tried to pull away, but he held her jaw in ce, restricting her movements. He kissed her thoroughly enjoying until he was content while she squirmed under his hold. She felt his right hand, stroking her thigh while his body was pressed against hers, keeping her in ce.

    <em>''D��j�� vu? No. No, this can''t be happening. My nightmare should nevere true.''</em>

    As her brain cells processed what''s happening, it was as if a sh of lightning with a simultaneous crash of thunder hit her brain when she felt something long and hard poking down there. She''s painfully aware of that thing since the day of their breakup.

    <em>''A fucking boner!''</em>

    That horrible day when she caught him cheating on her, that hideous image of him doing dirty things with a girl that was not her, rushed floating behind her eyelids. She remembered, how stupidly she''d asked him, why was he hiding a gun in his pants.

    <em>''Could have I been any more idiotic?''</em>

    Was it so hard to believe that a thirteen-year-old girl who knew to use f-words didn''t know a thing about a man''s boner?

    Hera learned to curse at the age of eight. She''d tried to store every swear word to her memory every time she heard senior students swearing. Her only purpose was to curse Bianca with the most obscene swear words, even though she didn''t know the meaning of it. And that''s how and why she learned the f-words. It took years for her toe to know the actual meaning of the f-word.

    When Hunter heard her curse for the first time, he was angry and scolded her nicely before teaching her the actual meaning of those ng words.

    Whatever Anatomy Hera learned in school was limited to the description of male and female body parts. She''d learnt about the reproductive system, a regr study about sex organs and reproductive cells of both the gender. She knew about the penis but never had she seen one in reality. She had no one to educate her about a man''s erection or an erect penis.

    Though she knew what a man and woman do in private when they get intimate, she had no idea how they do it. She never watched porn either. How was she supposed to know about a boner?

    Like as always, it was Hunter who filled in the required knowledge and made her learn about a boner. She saw the real one, moving and doing the nasty. Didn''t she watch him performing porn live that day?

    <em>''And the best porn performance of the year award goes to Ace Hunter.''</em>

    A sickening feeling erupted from her heart, and her hands subconsciously went inside his shirt, digging her nails into his chest muscles, bruising his skin.

    Assuming that she was struggling to breathe, Hunter slightly pulled away, lifting his head. She immediately pushed him away and got down from the bed. His hands reached out to stop her but retreated right away when he saw the menacing look Hera was aiming at him. She righted her clothes while he stood watching her in silence.

    "That thing," she said, pointing her forefinger at his crotch, "It never lets me erase those dirty images from my memory," Hera stated, words coated with absolute loathing. Hunter lowered his head in shame. He could sense the hurt of betrayal she''s trying to suppress.

    "Your genius brain seems to know about every research study and the reactions of the human body. So tell me, Hunter, what''s going on in that brain of yours? Why that disgusting thing in your pants gets activated suddenly? What''s the meaning of all this? Your actionstely are very impulsive. You seem to be unable to keep your hands off me," said Hera.

    Hunter didn''t know what to say, his brows furrowed as he frowned. His fingers subconsciously scratched his chin. Her direct approach actually made him speechless. He sighed in frustration. Hera watched while he weirdly adjusted his pants. He shoved his hands in his pockets and kind of lifted his pants to readjust them. Hera turned her back to him. It was awkward.

    "I can''t bear you and your friends abusing me anymore, Hunter. Please stop before its toote. Can''t you see, you''re hurting me?" Hera pleaded with her disheartened tone. "Abusing? What the hell, Hera?" She heard him say in an indignant tone before he held her arm and pulled her, forcing her to face him. The vertical lines marred the smooth skin on Hunter''s forehead as his thick eyebrows furrowed together. Hera could read the disbelief written all over his face. He seemed offended and hurt.

    "When did I abuse you? Give me one example, have I ever raised my hand on you?" He asked in his furious tone. Hera fixed him with her icy re. "This," she said and gestured at how his fingers gripped her arm, "You keep dragging me as if you''re dragging an animal with its leash. Touching me everywhere and kissing me against my will whenever you want. And don''t you know, you''re obsessed with my hair? You can''t resist pulling it," Hera said with a sarcastic sneer.

 Chapter 61 - Give Him A Benefit Of Doubt

    Shaking his head in disappointment, Hunter let go of her arm. He scoffed before asking, "Really, Love? Was I really abusing you? Be honest and tell me, did I seriously hurt you?" Hera averted her eyes from his using ones as she couldn''t bear the hurt pasted all over his face. She regretted her choice of words because Hunter never hurt her physically. But it''s not the time to back off. So she held onto her only weapon, anger.

    "You don''t have to get physical to hurt someone. Harassing mentally and ying with one''s emotions is the biggest torture, Hunter," Hera said in a definite tone.

    Hunter''s nostrils red as he breathed in anger. Wrapping his fingers around Hera''s arm again, he dragged her back to her bed and made her sit. He stood leaning against her study table, arms folded around his torso. His expression determined while Hera''s looked confused.

    He spoke before she could ask what''s he doing..

    "Let''s get done with it. Let''s talk, tell me what''s in your heart? I want to know where we stand in each other''s life. Just omit everything you''ve stored inside," he said, surprisingly sounding calm, waiting as if he''d all the time in the world. Biting her bottom lip, Hera nced at his intimidating stature. Her wandering gaze shifted to his crotch before it came up to his face.

    She knew that it''s too dangerous to provoke him at a time like that, yet her curious self couldn''t resist asking him.

    "Is that thing switching on again?" Her finger was pointing at his manhood. "Why don''t you touch it and check?" Hunter snapped, and his reply made her shut up. "Can we talk now?" He asked, sounding irritated. Hera took a deep breath before answering him. "What''s there to talk? I clearly know where I stand in your life and what my status is. Your friends made it very clear during my wee party," Hera said defeatedly. She couldn''t avoid this talk forever.

    Hunter frowned. "Keep my friends out of it for once, will you? And what are you talking about?" He asked. Though he looked annoyed, his tone sounded clueless. Heraughed, ridiculing the confused look on his face. "Stop pretending, like you don''t know anything. I''ve read your messages, Hunter and your friends let me know, exactly what your intentions are," Hera said, eying him in distaste while Hunter sighed in irritation.

    "Will you stop beating around the bush and get to the point? My patience level is limited, and you know it, Goddess, so stop testing it," he snapped at her.

    "Aw, how sweet and understanding you are," she shot back with sarcasm. One look at Hunter''s hardened, angry face, and Hera got the warning loud and clear. So she jumped right into the concerned issue without wasting any time.

    "Your friendsbelled me as a certified whore, or at least that''s what they made me feel. Because they very confidently believe that now I''m willing to spread my legs for everyone, so anyone cane and fuck me if they want," Hera stopped when he uncrossed his arms and red at her.

    "Hera," he simply called her name, but she heard the warning in his tone. Sheughed humourlessly. "What, Hunter? You don''t believe me?"

    <em>''Of course, he won''t ever believe me over his friends.''</em>

    That knowledge hurt the same it did all the other times, and Hera gulped down the sourness it spilt in her mouth.

    "I''ve read your messages in your group chat, and it was pretty obvious how untouched Hera and her virginity is your ultimate prize. It was so exciting to know how you''re going to enjoy getting into my pants, how excited you''re to scribble one more victory on your scoreboard. Oh, wow! How lucky I am to have the honour of bing one of your sluts," Hera said, intertwining her fingers in a praying manner, stering a mocking happy grin on her face.

    "Shut up," he shouted suddenly, making her flinch. "What the hell are you talking about, Hera? Are you even aware of what you''re saying? I wasn''t even here in the first ce. How the hell would I know what my friends were discussing in my absence? I haven''t checked or replied to any of their messages," he said defensively. His hands were clutching the edges of the table, and he was so angry it seemed like if not for the table, he would''ve smashed every other thing in her room.

    Hera was well aware of his bad temper.

    "Then what that party was for, Hunter? Why the whole school gets an invitation and why so much hype about my periods? Why, Hunter? Is it because now that my body reacts to your touch, do you want to sleep with me? Is that why your dickes to life every time you touch me? Do you want to fuck me?" Hera asked, tone filled with disgust and anger.

    The way she asked herst question made him wince.

    "You know, Love, at least on some special asions like this, you could spare me with a benefit of the doubt," Hunter said softly. His eyes and his voice told her how much her words hurt him. "As I said, I wasn''t even here. That was supposed to be your wee party. I nned it, even before school started. It was your first day of high school, and I wanted to make you feel special. I don''t know what happened in my absence, but at least give me a fair chance to prove my innocence," he begged.

    He moved closer, and Hera stood up from the bed cautiously.

    Hunter looked straight into her eyes, a tiny smile ying at the corners of his mouth. That smile, squeezed Hera''s heart painfully because it was a sad, disappointed smile. She could feel the unmistakable pain filled in his eyes.

    <em>''He''s hurt, and I''m the one hurting him.''</em>

    "The way you implied I want to fuck you, you made it sound so cheap. You''re insulting my feelings for you, Goddess," said Hunter, and though it hurt to see him so defeated, Hera stillughed at him. "Come on, Hunter, I was not born yesterday. If you don''t want to fuck me, then what else do you want to do? That thing in your pants is more than enough proof to prove your innocence," she said in a matter-of-fact tone.

    She watched him clenching his fists in anger. She arched her eyebrows up and smirked, confirming that she''s mocking his so-called innocence.

    "Hmm, fucking sounds cheap, you say? What''s it, then? Yeah, right, it''s called making love, isn''t it, Hunter?" Hera asked. "So you want to make love to me? Now that I''m capable of producing offspring, do you want to make babies with me?" She sneered as she walked back to the mirror. She ran the hairbrush twice brushing her hair and gathered all her hair to one side. Since Hunter likes her hair down and free of hair ties, she decided to do the opposite. She''s going to do a side braid.

    Splitting the hair into three sections, Hera started to braid her hair. When finished, she ced an stic band around the end of the braid, securing it. She was scowling the entire time. The silence suddenly made her realise Hunter was oddly silent. She turned around searching for him, only to find him standing, exactly where she left him. However, an amused smile was ying on his face while he had eyes fixed on her.

    <em>''He sure is bipr.''</em>

    "Talking about babies now, are we?" He asked with a chuckle. "I assure you, we''ll certainly talk about making babies someday in the future. But now is not the right time, my Love. We''re too young for that discussion. We have a long way to go, but eventually, we''ll get there. When we''re officially married, we''ll think about making babies," he promised.

    Hera red at him with her murderous look. Her breathing rhythm changed into heavy and without blinking her eyelids, she threw the hairbrush at him using all her strength. It was so sudden Hunter couldn''t dodge it. He didn''t expect her actions to be so violent. It hit him right under his jaw on the left side before falling on his feet. He clutched his jaw, wincing in pain.

    "I hate you, Hunter. I really do. I hate you so much," she said before leaning against the wall next to the mirror. She closed her eyes to hide her pain from him and bit her trembling bottom lip. A teardrop escaped through her left closed eyelid first and then another one from the right eye. His words hurt so much that she couldn''t stop the flow of tears.

    Hunter and Hera had talked about their future so many times in the past. They''d talked about their babies and dreamed about their happily ever after. But now it only made her feel as if he''s rubbing salt on her wounds.

 Chapter 62 - Think Wisely

    She heard the sole of his shoes whispering against the floor as he walked to her. She didn''t open her eyes but felt him getting nearer to her. Hunter wiped her tears with the back his fingers. "I''m sorry, Love. I''m so sorry," he said, kissing her eyelids one after the other. She didn''t have to say it out loud for him to know what she''s feeling. He kissed her cheeks and whispered against her lips, "Tell me, how can I erase that bitter memory. What should I do? I''ll do anything," he confessed, tone filled with utmost sincerity.

    Hera opened her eyes, her bottom lip jutting out in an angry pout while she tried to control her sobs. She violently pushed him away. "You can''t undo what you already did," she said in her trembling voice.

    "Don''t I know that? I know I can''t undo it. I made a mistake, I admit.. Now, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to hang myself to death to prove my love to you?" Hunter yelled in frustration.

    He was angry and didn''t want to do anything that he would regretter. So he walked backwards, taking a few steps away from Hera, keeping a safe distance.

    "You''re holding on to that one mistake I did. Why can''t you forgive and forget? Since that day, not a single day goes by without you mentioning that mistake and using me. You keep saying that I hurt you. What about me? Have you ever thought about what I went through or what I''m feeling?" He asked, sounding utterly helpless. Hera silently slid down and sat on the floor. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

    Leaning against the wall, Hera watched him as he paced back and forth.

    "Every time I try to reach out, you keep backing out. I''ve begged for your forgiveness and apologised countless times. I try mending our broken hearts, but you never acknowledge my efforts," Hunter said, and Hera''s eyes widened in rm when he stopped suddenly facing her. "You''re hurting me too, Hera," he mumbled, and his voice quivered. It was almost inaudible, but she heard him.

    He crouched down to her level and sat on his heels before his knees hit the floor with an unenthusiastic slouch. Hera watched as he took her left hand and ced it on his chest. His palm covered over her hand, trapping it in ce. "Trust me, your bitter words and your cruel actions, torture me no less than a death sentence," he admitted defeatedly. Hera''s tears were threatening to spill out of her helpless, tired eyes once again. His voice sounded so hurt, and his heart skipped a beat a few times.

    Hera couldn''t ignore his heartbeats beneath her palm as it vibrated, reaching out to her own heart. She felt it every time it missed a beat.

    "If only you could forgive me, Love, our lives would have been so much better," he said and lowered his head. Hera sensed all his emotions at once. He was angry, he was hurt and disappointed, and he sounded defeated too. She could read an unmistakable regret and longing as well.

    Hera withdrew her hand from his chest. She couldn''t help but share the same emotions he''s going through. It was their truth. She couldn''t deny it they have that effect on each other. They could read each other''s emotions and feel each other''s pain.

    "Bitter words, cruel actions, you say?" Hera forced the words out and paused for a second, looking at his face. All she could see was his long straight nose beneath the mop of his charcoal ck hair as he still had his head bent, drilling holes into the floor with his eyes.

    She smiled sadly to herself before continuing, "Really, Hunter? You''re one to talk. If my actions are torturing you so much, then why don''t you leave me alone? Just get out of my life and let me live in peace. As you said, our lives will be so much better," Hera stated and swallowed hard as her throat constricted with pain. The more she tried to hold back her tears, the more it hurts to breathe.

    "Trust me, Hunter, we''ll be better off without each other," she suggested, and Hunter lifted his head at that. Their eyes met in a staring contest.

    He shifted, changing his posture, sat with his knees drawn up, arms around knees. His Adam''s apple bobbed up and down in his throat as he swallowed before he opened his mouth. He asked in a stiff, angry tone, "And, how many times should I repeat that whatever you''re suggesting is never going to happen? Not in this lifetime anyway," he said. His tone was matter-of-fact, brooking no argument. Yet, Hera scoffed, looking away.

    "How many times had we talked, discussed, argued, and fought over this matter, Goddess? I was telling you this onest time, and you better save this in your memory." He paused for a second or two, to make sure she''s listening before he said, "Only I get to decide what I want or what I don''t want. Because it''s my game, so my rules," he stressed.

    Pointing his finger at her to emphasise his words, Hunter further said, "You are," then dabbed that same finger into his chest and said, "Mine. You''re mine, Hera. We''re made for each other and meant to live together forever, and nothing''s going to change this," he proimed. Hera widened her eyes, ready to disagree. He shook his head, silently warning her not to utter a word when she tried to speak.

    It only irked her more because it was her life too, and he was the only one allowed to choose and make decisions. How fair was that?

    "I love you, Hera Hunter and I know you care about me because you love me too. I''m very well aware of your feelings. You can''t deny or hide it from me," he said, hand reaching out, fingers delicately touching the anklet in her left ankle. Hera averted her eyes and pulled her foot back immediately, avoiding his touch because she heard what he didn''t say. She could tell he wanted to voice it out but decided not to. She didn''t dare to look into his eyes, afraid that he might bring up that matter.

    "For how long are you going to punish me for that one mistake, Goddess? Just because of that one mistake, please don''t ruin our lives. No matter how much you try, you can''t suppress the love we have for each other. Let''s stop hurting each other and pretending that it doesn''t hurt us in return," he said, tone soft and voice pleading. Hera was stunned. He''s not even giving her a chance to react or respond. He''s going on and on, lecturing her about their love life.

    <em>''Smart-ass thinks he knows everything. When did he write the thesis on love?''</em>

    Hera thought in utter irritation.

    "Today or tomorrow, you''re going to end up being my partner for life because I''ll never let you go. So why waste time? Think wisely. Please let go of that wretched past and move on. All I''m asking is for a chance. Let''s give it a fresh start. I promise I''ll make it right this time, and I''ll make sure that you won''t regret it," he finally stopped and waited, obviously expecting her to make a wise decision.

    Hera tried to grasp everything he said and silently thought about it, weighing her options. It''s time for her to decide and choose. She sighed audibly and shook her head in a no, as a response to his expectant eyes. "Think wisely, you said?" she asked, and Hunter actually looked worried for a second before masking his emotions. She knew, he still loved her and him being afraid of her rejection made her smile inwardly.

    <em>''That means, he still cares, right? Something is better than nothing.''</em>

    He''s right earlier when he said that they could read each other''s feelings without being said out loud. Of course, Hera cared about him too, because he was not only her first love but also her best friend. They were each other''s happiness. They grew up together, dreaming of building a future together. They''d shared their joys and sorrows. They were each others support system.

    And Hunter was Hera''s everything.

    Hera kept her face nk and tried her best to hide her emotional turmoil and hoped that her face wouldn''t give up any of her true feelings.

    "News sh, Hunter. It''s my life, and it''s definitely not your game. And, no one will y the game if the rules only apply to one team. I''m through with ying by the rules of someone else''s game. So, from now on, I''ll be the one making rules. My life and my rules, so let me y it my way," she demanded, though it came out as more of a request. Hunter narrowed his eyes, and the nerve in his jaw ticked.

    Imitating his earlier actions, Hera shook her head, signalling him not to interfere until she''s finished.

 Chapter 63 - Fresh Start It Is

    "You want a fresh start?" Hesitantly Hera asked. He could be ying with her feelings, and she wouldn''t know until her heart gets broken. But Hunter gave his answer with a firm nod of his head while keeping his eyes fixed on Hera.

    She arched her brows up as if she''s surprised. "Are you kidding me, Hunter? You and I both know, you know not a thing about being loyal. You can''t ever stop fucking pretty girls. Your dick will die for sure with depression, Hunter," Heraughed at that thought. He was a heartless yer. How was she supposed to trust him?

    Hunter''s lips twitched in a barely-there smile before he said, "Try me, Love. You never know until you try," he replied, and his challenging tone did surprise Hera.

    <em>''Dear God! Is Satan actually agreeing to y by my rules?''</em>

    Letting go of her knees, Hera sat cross-legged, adjusting her skirt.. "Alright, Hunter, if you insist, I agree. Fresh start it is. But I have my conditions, and you''ll agree to it," she said without any uncertainty. Hunter silently gave her his consent by nodding his head and gestured her to continue. A knowing smile appeared on Hera''s face. When she spoke, she did not doubt what she wanted.

    "Fine then. First of all, give me my freedom back and let me live a normal high school life. And, most importantly, stop hurting my friends. Could you do that for me?" She asked doubtfully. He slightly frowned at herst request but didn''t say anything, yet.

    Sensing his silentmand to continue, Hera further said, "I want you to be the best person I''d once known you as. Erase those ugly memories from my mind and give me new pleasant ones. Could you work for my forgiveness and earn my trust, Hunter?" She asked, still sounding unsure. Hunter nodded without hesitation while they stared at each other for a few seconds.

    "Don''t just talk, put your words into actions and show me that you''re willing to win my heart. Instead of making empty promises, prove it with your actions. Make me fall in love with you again," Hera finished and took a few long breaths. She said everything like she''d practised it by heart word by word.

    Hunter was still quiet, and his silence made Hera nervous.

    When he finally broke the silence, Hera was not expecting what he said. "Does that new guy Rascal also included in your friend list?" Hunter asked, and his question caught her by surprise.

    <em>''After everything I said, that''s what he''s worried about?''</em>

    Hera thought incredulously and sighed, rolling her eyes.

    "It''s Russel, and yes, he is. He''s everything a girl looks for in the guy, you know. He''s a gentleman, and I like him. Tall, dark and handsome, isn''t he?" she asked, smirking evilly. Her voice emphasised more on the word ''dark''. It felt good to see him getting riled up with jealousy and her heart fluttered. Hunter stood up, and she lifted her head to look at him.

    "He''s my friend, and you''ll not hurt him if you''re serious about that chance you asked for, Hunter," Hera said, warning him. Though the new boy was mysterious and gave Hera the chills in the wrong way, she wouldn''t want Hunter to hurt him. Noel meant nothing to her, yet she didn''t want him to get hurt because of her.

    Hera watched while Hunter shoved his hands into his pockets and threw his head back, looking up at the ceiling.

    <em>''He''s trying to subdue his anger.''</em>

    Hera cautiously observed him. When he looked down into her face, the way he breathed through his red nostrils, it confirmed her thought.

    Clenching his jaw, he uttered, "Fine," through his gritted teeth. Hera looked at him with uncertainty in her eyes and raised eyebrows, silently asking for reassurance. He casually walked to the mirror and checked his appearance. His neatly pressed uniform shirt now had wrinkles all over. He remembered Hera''s hands clutching and crushing his shirt earlier. He tucked his shirt into his trousers properly and fixed his tie.

    Combing his hair with his fingers, he said in a calmer voice, "Fine." He turned to her and continued, "Anything and everything for you, Love. But, don''t you dare forget, you''re mine and as long as you remember that, I''m fine with your rules," he concluded.

    Hera''s eyes widened in disbelief, and her jaw fell open. It was hard to believe that he agreed. He smiled and shot a wink at her way.

    Hera bit her lip to hide her smile. She could live with that for now.

    <em>''Finally, a new ray of hope.''</em>

    Without saying anything, she picked up her shoes, walked into one of the chairs, satfortably and lifted her leg to wear her stockings. She spoke, without looking at Hunter, "Now get out and let me get ready."

    Hunter cleared his throat to get her attention. "Can we kiss and make up, Goddess?" He suggested without any shame, and Hera rolled her eyes. "You''ve to work for that, Mr Hunter," she said and lifted her head to see when he stood right in front of her.

    Without uttering another word, he pulled her from the chair and wrapped his arms around her waist. His lipsnded on hers in the next second, and he stole his kiss. Hera''s hands were dangling on his either side holding her shoes, one in each hand, her body flushed against his. Hunter said in between the kiss, "I am working for it, Mrs Hunter."

    After their short "kiss and make up" act, he observed her braid with a frown. Luckily for Hera, he didn''t touch her hair. He walked back to her bed and grabbed his jacket. Hera was subconsciously watching him putting on his uniform zer. She observed a visible reddish bruise had already formed under his jaw. She did that to him when she hit him with her hairbrush, and the skin around his neck also had some bruises.

    Hera bit her lip while her heart cried with guilt.

    "Now, it''s time for your punishment, Goddess. Don''t forget to collect your detention slipter," he said in his no-nonsense tone catching her attention. Her jaw dropped again with a "Huh." Clearly, she was confused and clueless. He chuckled at her dumbfounded expression, and Hera asked in disbelief. "For what joy?"

    He bumped his shoulder with hers yfully and smirked. "For what you did in the dining hall. Did you think, I''ll let you off the hook so easily?" He asked, grinning smugly.

    Hera red at him, the guilty conscience vanishing from her heart. "You, bloody Lucifer, you just agreed minutes ago to be the nicer version of yourself!" She eximed in disbelief. He shrugged his shoulders carelessly and said, "Well, you chose to make new rules for your life, and you can follow them with pleasure. But you know me better, Goddess. I always y by my rules, be it my game or life." He dipped his head to her face and kissed her left cheek, startling her. She wasn''t expecting that.

    "And, Goddess, rules are meant to be broken, by the way," he said, kissing the left corner of her lips. Hera scowled and pushed him off while he grinned at her.

    Hunter looked at her beautiful face and couldn''t resist kissing her beautiful eyes. After kissing both of her eyelids, he asked in his sweet tone, "Where''s my medallion?"

    Hera reached for her bag and took out his chain. Still scowling at him, she threw it at his chest, but he effortlessly caught it without a miss. Once it settled around his neck, he hid it properly inside his shirt. He took out a chocte bar from his zer breast pocket and gently threw it at her. Hera caught it without much difficulty.

    After a quick smooch on her lips, gifting her a wink, he pulled the door open and walked out. Hera sighed exhaustedly. She dumped the chocte bar in the deep end of her desk drawer in anger.

    "Now, how do I conclude this? Did he agree to follow my rules or not?"

    Annoyed, Hera muttered to herself.

    Getting herself neatly dressed in her uniform, Hera stepped out of her room. Startled, she took a step back and blinked twice to see if the person standing in front of her disappears.

    <em>''Oh, am I imagining things now?''</em>

    Hera was surprised to find ra, still standing there as if she''s waiting for her. It reminded her of their old times when ra used to wait for her. Everyone had known Hera for her tardiness, and ra always apanied her and shared detention sses with her whenever Hera gotte. They were best friends once. They did everything together.

    Hera took a deep breath and attempted for a smile before she dared to look at her. ra stood there, leaning against the railings, hugging her bag to her chest.

    <em>''Was she waiting for me?''</em>

    Hera found herself hoping for that to be true. However, it got shattered the moment she looked into her ex-best friend''s ring eyes.

 Chapter 64 - Unexpected Encounters

    Hera frantically looked around as if searching for the invisible danger. ra''s lips twitched, giving her a slight hint of a smile, which appeared more like she''s mocking Hera.

    "Don''t worry, Hera. Ace didn''t see me. I was hiding behind this pir," said ra. By the look of loathing on her face, Hera guessed, probably she had heard her conversation with Hunter. ra confirmed it when she spoke again. "So, a second chance for him, huh? You couldn''t resist, could you? After everything he did, you still agreed to give him a chance. It didn''t take much effort for him to convince you, Hera," she said, shaking her head in disgust.

    She walked closer and continued venting out her hatred, tone filling with disgust while she did so. "You let Ace kiss you. I''m sure it won''t take much time for him to get into your pants. Because you''ll willingly spread your legs for him, won''t you? What a shameless slut, you are!" She spat in disgust.. If the hatred in someone''s tone could kill, Hera would''ve died already.

    Hera winced at her harsh words and didn''t miss the look of satisfaction that crossed ra''s face. Hera wanted to defend her actions, but decided against it and averted her eyes. She knew ra wouldn''t understand her reasons. Hera turned to walk away when she heard her yelling in anger, "Oh, my God! You''re not even trying to deny my usations, Hera."

    Hera stopped walking and turned abruptly to face her, startling ra. "Can''t you stop this game of hatred, ra? I''m tired of fighting with you. For how long are you going to prolong this? Whether you agree or not, ra, the truth is, whatever I did a year ago, it was for keeping my friends safe," Hera said, looking into her eyes without the slightest hesitation. "So stop hating me. I don''t deserve it, ra. Believe me, whatever I''m doing now, is also to keep my friends safe," Hera said defensively. She couldn''t hide the resentment she felt, though she tried hard.

    raughed, ridiculing her reasons.

    "Of course, Hera. I believe you. Kissing him, letting him have his way with you, giving him a second chance, everything is for saving your friends," ra said, mocking her before she walked ahead without giving Hera a chance to retaliate. "Yeah, I should forgive you and forget as you did for Ace. It''s so much easy to let go the hurt of betrayal, right?" ra muttered under breath.

    Hera bit her lip, exhaled sharply, trying to suppress her frustration. After taking several deep breaths, she silently followed ra to school. The biting tone and the sarcasm ra threw at her kept pestering her thoughts.

    As soon as they reached the school, they heard the bell going off. Sprinting through the stairs, they ran racing each other. By the time they reached the floor to their ssroom, the second bell rung, warning them that they werete. Hera and ra urged their feet to quicken their pace. Thankfully, they made it to the ss just before their English teacher, Mrs Paige Wilkins entered the room.

    Meanwhile, the students and the teacher exchanged greetings, Hera settled into her seat.

    "I heard about what happened," the gorgeous teacher started before she opened the book. At the bewildered look on the faces of her students, she rolled her eyes and borated, "I''m talking about the fight at the breakfast table over a ser match," she said. It was Hera''s turn to roll her eyes, and sheughed inwardly.

    <em>''Yeah, right, a fight over a ser match.''</em>

    Hera thought sarcastically, searching for her friends who got injured because of her. Andrew, Jarred, and Asher looked horrible with their bruised face, which already turned purplish.

    The murmurings among the students stopped when the teacher cleared her throat to grab their attention.

    "I hope, you will utilise your time in the detention ss wisely," she said, walking back and forth on the dais. "Instead of wasting your time on these petty issues, make good use of it and start making preparations. Because, your first round tests will be starting from thising Monday," she said, looking at every one of her students. She heard helpless groans and disappointed sighs in return. Chuckling to their reactions, she opened the book and started the lesson for the day.

    By lunchtime, Hera felt exhausted. Why wouldn''t she? She had an English assignment toplete and chemistry forms to learn and memorise by heart because the teacher wanted her to write detailed notes of the first two chapters. Remember, she''d missed school for ten days? She''d a lot of catching up to do. And to top it all, tests were on the way.

    "Why are you ignoring me, Hera?" Andrew asked her for the umpteenth time on their way to the food court. Subconsciously, Hera''s eyesnded on the big white name board with "Luncheon Bar" written on it in ck, as they neared. The school owned it and whatever the fund raised from it will go to charity. She''d been ignoring Andrew and her other two male best friends since morning. She was angry because they interfered in her matter and got hurt, despite her warning not to do so.

    <em>''They haven''t learned a thing from their past experiences, have they?''</em>

    She was giving them a silent treatment. They reached an empty table with four chairs. Celine and Jarred pulled two more chairs from the other table so that they all could sit together. She was allowed to sit with them only until Hunter arrives. Asher took Hera''s bag and kept it on the table next to them. "Please take your seat, my Lady, this table is reserved for you," he said, bowing to her. Hera bit back a smile and ignored him again.

    Out of the blue, a harsh light hit on Hera''s face, distracting her. Squinting her eyes, she used her hand to protect her face from the sharp brightness. When she tried to search for the source of the light, it vanished. While searching for it, her eyesnded on Adide. She was once again sitting with ra, Noel and a few of his friends, who were not familiar to Hera.

    Ignoring them, Hera went to buy her lunch. On her way back, she bumped into someone and immediately looked up to apologise. She was surprised to see a stranger, a tall, bulky man with handsome features. He''d brown eyes, thick dark eyebrows, slightly crooked, long nose. He looked like a man in his early fifties or something.

    "I''m sorry, sir. I was not watching where I was going," Hera said, sincerely apologising. The man smiled, and it made him look younger than his age. An expensive three-piece suit adorned his form in the perfect fit. He wore an overcoat and a hat. From head to toe, everything he wore was in ck. When he removed his hat, Hera saw his ck curls of hair.

    <em>''Oh, wow! He looks like Sherlock Holmes!''</em>

    Hera returned his smile, and the man replied, "It''s okay, dear. I''m at fault too. I didn''t see youing either." His ent sounded different, and his voice came out a bit rough as if he''s trying to control his overwhelming feelings. Hera chose to ignore it as it was none of her business. "Don''t mind me, sir, but I never saw you here before. Are you joining our teaching staff or something?" She asked, her tone held genuine curiosity.

    "What''s your name, dear?" The man asked before answering her question. "It''s Hera. Hera Hunter," she supplied with a smile. Hera was surprised when the man smiled because his eyes showed appreciation and his smile said he knew something Hera didn''t. He introduced himself as Johnathan and cleared her earlier curiosity. "My niece studies here. I oftene to check on her. You and I didn''t cross paths before, that''s why you never saw me," he rified while his eyes roamed around the food court as if searching for someone.

    "My niece just left. She''d some important work in the library regarding her assignment. I hope she''s good with her studies?" His tone strangely turned his sentence into a question.

    Hera felt strange. His actions and his words didn''t sound convincing. Her gut feeling said the man just lied to her. Hera wanted to ask who''s his niece but decided to let it go. Again, it''s none of her business. But the man had other ns. He finally asked Hera after a moment of hesitation, "Tell me, Hera Hunter, how''s the school? Are you good here? Teachers, other staff and students treat you nicely, I hope?"

    Hera was totally confused and didn''t know how to respond. He sounded genuinely concerned, and Hera couldn''t decide if she''d imagined the affection she feltcing his tone, or it''s for real. She wasn''t used to such interrogations. She never had anyone to show parental concerns regarding her studies or her wellbeing. It felt strange.

    <em>''Why is this stranger so interested in me?''</em>

    Sensing her hesitation, Johnathan said, "Never mind, Hera dear. I''ll take my leave. Nice meeting you, dear one."

 Chapter 65 - Token Of Blessings

    For some unknown reasons, Hera couldn''t leave the stranger''s proximity. She felt oddlypelled to stay there. It didn''t feel right to leave him alone yet because she woulde off as disrespecting. It seemed as if they''re connected or rted to each other somehow. She watched while Johnathan grabbed a tissue from the nearest table and wiped his overcoat, and Hera noticed, she''d spilt some of the ketchup on his suit.

    "I''m sorry about your suit, Mr Johnathan. Ipletely ruined it. Wish I could help you somehow with it," she politely apologised and bit her lip, waiting for him to say something. He sensed the guilt coating her words and grinned before offering her a way to make it up to him.

    "Actually, if you want to help me, you can give me this food," he said, gesturing to the te she''s holding. "I''m starving right now. It feels a bit awkward to go there and buy myself because the ce is full of teenagers and also I''m an outsider and don''t know if I''m allowed to eat here," he admitted with a sheepish smile..

    Hera looked thoughtful for a few seconds.

    "Oh, don''t worry, I''ll pay you for this, and you can buy yourself another te," the man offered immediately. Smiling, Hera agreed, and the man took out a fifty-pound note from his breast pocket and held it in front of her. Hera gasped, "My God! That''s fifty pounds! Sorry, I don''t have a change of that," she said, shifting her feet awkwardly.

    Johnathan chuckled at her reply as if she said something ridiculous. "That''s fine, dear Hera. Keep the change," he said in an amused voice, and Hera felt offended. She frowned.

    <em>''Is he giving me a tip? Or did he think I''m a beggar or something?''</em>

    His eyes widened a bit as he realised what Hera must''ve thought. "I''m sorry, Hera, that didn''te out right. What I meant to say was, you can keep the change as a token of blessings. Think that your uncle or an elder from your family is blessing you," he said, insisting her to ept the money. Reluctantly, Hera agreed and took the money.

    Johnathan looked at Hera for a few seconds as if he was trying to memorise her face before he walked away with her food.

    When Hera unfolded the fifty-pound note, she gasped in surprise. It had another note inside, but it was not Ennd''s currency. It was a two hundred Euro note.

    <em>''Euro! European Union currency.''</em>

    Hera looked for the man to return the money, only to see that he''d already walked out. He sat in a ck, shiny car, and it vanished from her sight within the blink of an eye.

    <em>''He said it''s a token of blessings, right? That means I can keep it.''</em>

    Sighing, Hera pocketed the money. She bought another te for herself with her own money and walked back to her friends. She was enjoying her Vegetarian shepherd''s pie.

    "Huh-uh," Brittany nudged Hera''s shoulder. "Herees our mighty President," she said, catching her attention. Hera watched as Hunter and his friends walked towards the Luncheon Bar together, matching steps for steps like they''re participating in a parade march. None of them had their bags and books.

    Bianca had her zer wrapped around her waist with its sleeves tied together on the front side. Her uniform skirt showed off her perfectly toned long legs as she walked, swinging her tiny waist and hip in a sexy way. She had her hair braided into a one-sided it, and she smiled at something Eric said. Her porcin skin was shining under the Sun.

    Eric had his hand wrapped around Bianca''s shoulders as two male best friends would do. His other hand was in his trouser pocket. He looked too good in his uniform without the zer.

    Danny and Evelyn were walking ahead of everyone. Her hair swept into the air as she walked. She just ran her fingers over them, and like magic, Evelyn''s hair settled in ce perfectly. Pink lipstick and pink blush enhanced the beauty of her Ivory skin. Danny walked casually, ncing everywhere, but not looking at anything or anyone in particr. He''d both his hands shoved in his pockets.

    Michael and Samantha were walking together on Eric''s left. Michael had held his zer over his right shoulder with his thumb and forefinger, his other hand in the trouser pocket. Samantha walked like a Queen as if she was blessing the ground by just touching it with her feet.

    Hunter was walking by Bianca''s right side. Hera felt difficulty in swallowing her food suddenly, and she drank water to wash it down. Her eyes refused to move away from the pleasant sight. He looked too hot, even though he had that "faraway look" on his face. For reasons unknown to Hera, Hunter looked upset and distracted. Like his other friends, he had his hands shoved in his pockets as well.

    Hera was in a daze for a few seconds as she watched them all walking with such simrities.

    <em>''Wow, what perfect coordination!''</em>

    Style, swag, and arrogancebined all at once. It looked like they were all walking on the ramp for some fashion show. They had so much inmon, resembling in everything as though specially chosen to be in that one group.

    All of them had blonde hair and blue eyes, but of course with slightly different shades. Hunter''s friends were all typical New Yorkers. Whenever theye back from holidays, their sun-kissed, tan skin would turn into its original pale tone because of the chilly weather of London.

    Hunter was the only odd one in that group with his charcoal ck hair and purple eyes. His skin tone was also different from his friends. He took after his British grandmother''s wless fair skin, which would turn into dark pink whenever heughs or gets angry.

    <em>''Such sinful good looks! What a waste. Not fair, dear God, not fair. Why were you so biased when you created them?''</em>

    Arrogance and dangerous aura poured out of their personalities and pooled around them, as the students in the food court watched those sex Gods with astonishment.

    <em>''Why do all the bad boys and bad girls are always blessed with good looks?''</em>

    "I hate blondes," Hera muttered with her stuffed mouth. None of her friends reacted, and suddenly silence graced her surroundings. Confused, Hera turned to look at her friends. They were all looking at her with simr expressions. They looked hurt as well as insulted, and Hera choked on her food when realisation dawned on her. All her friends were blondes as well, again with different shades.

    "I meant to say, I hate Hunter and the team," Hera said, looking sheepishly at her friends and bit back a smile.

    Hunter surprised her by noting to her table to sit with her. He and his friends sat in the middle of the food court, away from Hera. Still, Hera could see Hunter as he sat facing her. That irritating harsh light hit her face once again. But she couldn''t find the culprit. Every time she looked up, it disappeared. identally, Hera''s eyesnded on Hunter. He wasn''t looking at her, his gaze fixed on something or someone to his left. Hera followed his eyes, and it ended on Noel''s face.

    Catching Hera''s eyes, Noel grinned and lifted his hand, showing her the small mirror in his hand. The sunlight reflected directly on her face through the mirror. Noel was the culprit, and Hera''s eyes shifted back to Hunter.

    She could sense his anger.

    <em>''Oh, God! No, this is not good.''</em>

    Hera felt her heart racing as her eyes kept studying his every movement, watching him like a hawk. His friends discussed something among themselves before they left the table to buy their lunch while Samantha stayed back with Hunter. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the round wooden table. His hands unconsciously yed with the paper tissue, making some patterns.

    Samantha was bbering something unaware of his sour mood. His posture, his behaviour seemed pretty natural for everyone. His deep purple eyes shone brightly in the warm sunlight, and his skin tone turned pinkish. Nothing looked out of the ordinary as he raked his fingers through his charcoal ck hair, casually brushing the inside of his palm over it, smoothing the hairline. But Hera could see through him like a mirror. His demeanour looked anything but ordinary.

    Hera knew, he was suppressing his anger, because she clearly saw, how his hand literally shook before it made contact with his hair and his jaw clenched while he ground his teeth.

    <em>''Don''t I know how possessive he could get?''</em>

    Hera groaned as that irritating light reappeared on her face. Idiot Noel won''t stop teasing her, adding more to her trouble. She watched through her squinted eyes as Hunter''s lips pressed into a thin line. Crushing the tissue into a ball, he took a deep breath. He didn''t even lift his head, but it''s understood, he''d sensed the sh of light passing through his left side towards Hera''s direction.

 Chapter 66 - Somethings Wrong

    Samantha grabbed one of Hunter''s hands to get his attention. Hera''s breath hitched, and she dropped her spoon on the table in reflex.

    She watched with distaste while Samantha intertwined her fingers with Hunter''s and brought their hands to her chest. Her face showed concern as she spoke.

    Maybe she''s asking him, what''s wrong and why he''s upset. Hera felt something aching in her chest as she witnessed Samantha, getting closer to him. A gasp escaped through her lips unknowingly, when Samantha''s lipsnded on his right cheek. "Couldn''t she freaking stop herself from kissing him for at least ten minutes?" Celine whisper asked in Hera''s ear as though she could read her mind..

    <em>''Dear Lord! I can''t be jealous. Am I though? No fucking way!''</em>

    Who was she kidding? She knew, no matter how much she denied, she''s jealous and to prove the point, her stubborn eyes refused to move away from the not so pleasant sight.

    Her heart sighed in relief when Hunter snatched his hand out of Samantha''s grasp like he''d touched something dirty. Scowling, he wiped his cheek with the tissue where she''d kissed him a few seconds ago. Finally, Samantha got the message. She moved back a little in surprise, and her back collided with the chair. He didn''t bother looking at her face, but Hera saw the hurt that crossed her features. Soon his friends joined them with a tray of tes filled with food.

    Bianca ced one in front of Hunter.

    "This is new! Howe, they decided to leave you alone?" Jarred asked, nudging Hera''s shoulders. All her friends looked shocked while Hera''s brain pondered on Jarred''s question.

    <em>''Could he be possibly considering to follow my rules?''</em>

    Although Hunter looked upset and angry, he didn''t react immediately. He''s trying to keep it calm. A tiny smile graced Hera''s lips. Maybe things would get better?

    She zoned out of her friends'' conversations because, for some stupid reason, she''s more interested in assessing the things urring at the table where Hunter sat.

    <em>''Now that I agreed to give him another chance, doesn''t it mean that he''s officially my boyfriend now, again?''</em>

    Hera frowned as the thought crossed her mind.

    <em>''Then shouldn''t he be calling it off with Samantha already?''</em>

    They all wereughing at something Danny said, and Samantha threw a tissue ball at him, mock ring at him. They''re Hunter''s friends. There''s no ce for outsiders in their group. Hera could never be part of their group. Jealousy was spreading its wings wider inside her. If he''s her boyfriend, did it not mean that she''d the right to feel jealous? She''s no better than him when it came to being possessive.

    Contradicting feelings were making her confused as well as angry. She wanted to protect her friends, and that''s the only reason he''s getting another chance. At least that''s what she believed. But it seemed like her traitorous heart already decided to betray her.

    <em>''Was ra right all along?''</em>

    Hera was angry at herself for being jealous. She shouldn''t be jealous. She shouldn''t be feeling anything for him in the first ce.

    "Who cares, guys? Look at the bright side we can all have lunch together!" Brittany eximed in delight. Hera began shoving food into her mouth with her hand, keeping her eyes on Hunter. He''s awfully quiet and didn''tugh or smile at anything his friends said. Instead of eating, he''s just stabbing the fork at the food with disinterest. As far as Hera knew him, he''s never a picky eater, nor fussy either. That''s the only thing they both had inmon. They love food and would eat anything edible.

    As if sensing her eyes on him, Hunter looked up, and their eyes met. After a few seconds of staring, he shed her a smile. It filled her heart with warmth because no matter how upset Hunter appeared, his smile reached his eyes. Despite being angry, he smiled genuinely for her.

    He''s the one to look away first. Bianca said something demanding his attention. Snatching the fork from his hand, she swirled it into his te full of noodles and held it near his mouth to feed him. Hunter looked to be in a dilemma for a few seconds, contemting whether to eat it from her hand or not. Bianca won in the end, and he reluctantly opened his mouth.

    After eating one more bite, Hunter stood up abruptly. He nced a look at Noel before saying something to his friends. Pocketing his cell phone, Hunter walked out of the Luncheon bar. Hera watched in silence as he turned to look at her onest time from the exit.

    <em>''Definitely, something''s wrong.''</em>

    Hera was confused as well as worried. He''s not the one to waste food. What''s bothering him so much that he didn''t even eat his lunch? None of his friends attempted to stop him. Hera wondered, what reason did he use.

    Brittany''s foot kicking her shin under the table made her snap out of her little reverie. When Hera looked around her friends, she''s surprised to see Noel joining her group, followed by Adide and his two other male friends. Everyone at their table exchanged nces when they noticed that Noel was holding ra''s hand.

    "Hope you guys don''t mind if we join you?" Noel asked, looking at everyone before pulling the chair for ra. He didn''t even wait for their approval. Rolling her eyes, Hera went back to her food, totally ignoring him.

    "Your watchdogs are all plotting my murder in their minds," Noel said, getting closer, and Hera red at him in return. He pulled a sarcastic face and said, "Oops, sorry I meant your bodyguards. They didn''t attack me yet like that day. I''m wondering, how much more minutes until they snap my neck," he said, amusement apparent in his tone.

    "Speaking of snapping your neck, why were you annoying me so much with that mirror?" Hera asked, giving him a disapproving look. "He stole that mirror from my wallet purse," Adide used him, to which Noel grinned showing his white teeth.

    "Are you hitting on my friend?" Celine blurted out, and Hera kicked her foot, making her yelp in pain. She felt hot breath on her cheek and realised that Noel was too close for herfort. "You got that right, baby. I''m certainly hitting on your friend," he said, still keeping his eyes on Hera. "I like you, Hera," he confessed without any hesitation.

    Heraughed, ridiculing his confession. "Hold that thought, Romeo," she said while she shifted her chair, moving away from him a little. "I''m not falling for that," she said, waving her index finger back and forth. She looked briefly at Adide before continuing. "Are you and Adi a thing now? Because I heard someone say that you''re her boyfriend and Adi didn''t attempt to deny it," Hera said, arching an eyebrow at Adide before fixing Noel with a suspicious look.

    Noel seemed offended, and Adide shook her head in denial. "Come on, Hera, you don''t believe what that bitch Bianca said, do you?" Adide asked. Hera chose to ignore her question and instead looked at Noel to rify it. He smirked before he asked, "Are you jealous, baby?" Hera rolled her eyes. He''s trying to be yful, and she''s having a hard time trusting him.

    Grasping the look of distrust on Hera''s face, Noel reced his yful manner with a determined one. "Don''t you remember what excuse I usedst time to convince your watchdogs? I said that I''m asking you to help me with Adi. Maybe that''s why they think that I like Adi. It''s a good thing, right? I can use her as a cover," he said suggestively and moved his chair, closing the distance Hera tried to create earlier.

    Hera didn''t miss, how Noel''s two friends shared a knowing look as if they heard him say something he shouldn''t. She tried to remember their names but failed. Wasn''t she lost in Hunter''s thoughts when introductions took ce?

    "I seriously like you, Hera. Go out with me?" Noel asked, tone sounding expectant. His unexpected question caught Hera by surprise, and she resisted the urge to run away.

    <em>''Holy Spirit, this boy is trouble. I better stay away.''</em>

    Before she could refuse, Andrew beat her to it. "No, she won''t," he said through gritted teeth. He looked beyond angry. Hera couldn''t read what he''s thinking, but she definitely saw something strange in his behaviour.

    "Yeah, right, she won''t because she already has a boyfriend," said ra, surprising everyone. Hera''s jaw dropped in shock while her head whipped around in a sh to look at ra. Usually, she wouldn''t interfere in Hera''s matters.

    Hera couldn''t believe that she was using her situation to her advantage.

    <em>''We were best friends once, for God''s sake.''</em>

    Cursing in her mind, Hera red at her ex-best friend, warning her to shut up. ra smiled as she''d every intention of defaming Hera''s image in front of her friends. "Hera agreed to give another chance to Ace. Now they''re together," ra announced and looked at everyone before adding, "I''m surprised she didn''t tell anyone yet. I guess she''s waiting for the right time," she said, shrugging nonchntly.

 Chapter 67 - She Felt Cursed

    ra kept her burning gaze fixed on Hera when she asked, "Or were you nning to keep it a secret from your friends, Hera? Tell me, dear Hera, what is it that you can''t stay away from him? Is it because he''s too hot to look or because he''s filthy rich? You''re no different than any other sluts of our school, are you? Bloody gold digger!" ra spat the words out in an using tone, face scrunched up with disgust.

    Hera was speechless. Though she''s used to ra''s hatred towards her, she worried about her friends'' reaction. She didn''t know how to tell her friends, but she didn''t want them to find out through a third person, either. "Is it true, Hera?" Andrew was the first one to ask. When Hera didn''t answer him immediately, he snapped at her, "Why, Hera? After everything he made you suffer, you still went back to him. For God''s sake, have some self-respect, Hera," Andrew said, clearly disappointed in her.

    Hera didn''t want to discuss it in front of Noel and his friends. So she suggested that they should talkter in private, but Andrew was not ready to listen. He''s angry.

    "I thought you were upset because we didn''t listen to you and got into a fight. I thought you were worried about us getting hurt.. Now I know the actual reason. So, you, not talking to us, this silent treatment drama is all a cover-up, right?" Andrew asked. Hera didn''t expect the harshness in his tone, and it hurt. She shook her head in disbelief. "How can you say that, Andy? Of course, I was worried about my friends," Hera said defensively, eyes ssy as unshed tears filled her eyelids. His words cut deep. Her teary eyes didn''t stop him from hurting her more.

    "You know why I hit him, Hera? Because I wanted to protect you. I didn''t want you to go through that humiliation you felt two years ago. Now I feel like a fool. Seems like, you''re upset because I didn''t give him a chance to finish what he started. You absolutely had no problem kissing him, and you were never going to stop him. Were you so desperate for him to kiss you, Hera? Did you forget what he did to you two years ago?" He asked and paused for a few seconds while he shook his head in disgust.

    "Maybe, you deserved it," Andrew concluded, and Hera felt like he cursed her.

    By the time he finished, everyone was dead silent. He went too far, and they all knew it. His face showed so much revulsion it felt like a p on Hera''s face. She identally looked at Hunter''s table and saw Eric watching her. She grabbed the tissue and wiped her hand clean before picking up her things. She eyed her half-eaten lunch but knew she wouldn''t be able to eat it anymore. Her appetite died with his harsh words.

    "You know what, Andy, I''m done with giving you exnations, and I don''t need your advice. I surely don''t need your permission either. It''s none of your business anyway," she said, looking into Andrew''s angry eyes. Then she said, addressing all her friends, "I''m telling all of you, please stay out of it. I don''t want any of you to interfere in my matters from now on." With that said, she walked out.

    Luckily, the bell rang at the right time, and Hera had never been this grateful for it. Sadly, she couldn''t grasp a word her teachers taught in the rest of her sses as Andrew''s hateful words kept forming ugly dents in her heart. The more she thought about it, the more it made her feel suffocated.

    As thest bell went off, Hera picked up her backpack from the floor and ran out of the ssroom in a hurry. She''d forty-five minutes long detention ss to attend as well.

    Hera saw through her narrowed slits as her three male friends followed her silently. She lifted her brows questioningly at Asher. "We have detention too," he answered her unasked question. When they reached their destination, Hera saw Noel sitting in thest bench. He grinned widely at her and gestured to join him. She settled in the second row instead. There were four more students from the other sses.

    After a minute or two passed, in walked a tall, lean boy with a golden skin tone. His confidence demanded attention. "Hello, everyone. I''m Jake from eleventh grade. As you''re aware of the new strategy with the detention sses, we can help each other with our studies. So, tell me, how can I help you?" He asked while taking off his uniform zer. Draping it on the back of the chair, said Jake stood against the table, leaning casually, arms crossed. His eyes scanned the room while a friendly smile stayed glued to his lips.

    Noel moved from thest bench to where Hera was sitting. "Jake, I''m your senior. How are you going to help me with twelfth grade''s study material?" He asked, smirking at Jake. His voice and his bodynguage carried an unmistakable arrogance. Jake nodded in understanding before rifying his doubt.

    "It''s not that difficult of a task, dude. If you need tutoring, you''ll have to move into the ssroom next door. Evelyn, one of my seniors, will be there to guide you. If you''re good with your grades, then you can help one of these," he said, gesturing his hands at the others in the room.

    Noel leaned more towards Hera. "Is Evelyn the one who helped you at the party?" He whispered, asking Hera, and she nodded with a smile. He immediately admitted to Jake that he needed help with history, so Jake sent him to Evelyn''s ssroom. After that, Jake decided who would tutor who. Lastly, he addressed Hera.

    Before Hera could ask for any help, he offered to teach her chemistry forme. "I''m good with chemistry, so let me help with your homework," he said, opening the chemistry textbook. Hera dropped her jaw in surprise. He even brought a chemistry textbook of Grade nine. It seemed like he came prepared to tutor her. Somehow, he already knew about her chemistry homework.

    "Matter and its Composition," Jake began, "Let''s learn the Law of Conservation of Mass." He continued exining everything in detail. Hera couldn''t understand everything in one go, but he''s patient enough to teach her again. Then he asked her to exin, ''Posttes of Kic Theory of Matter'' and miraculously Hera remembered everything he taught her.

    After a while, Asher tapped her shoulder, signalling that it''s time to leave and then only Hera realised how fast the time passed. But before she could leave Jake stopped her. "Give me half an hour more, Hera and I''ll finish ''study of Gas Laws'' as well," said Jake, surprising Hera once again.

    When he was so willing to help her, how could Hera refuse? So, she agreed. Halfway through and Hera couldn''t stop the yawn that escaped. He tapped her nose with the back of his pencil, and Hera scowled, rubbing the tip of her nose with her fingers. "You look like you''re going to pass out any minute now," he said, shaking his head but didn''t stop. He went on and on with his tutoring. Meanwhile, Hera tried so hard to concentrate.

    "And that''s what P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2 means," Jake finished, and Hera sighed in relief when he closed the book. He gave her a folded paper saying it would help her with her homework.

    <strong>PE ss was Hunter''sst ss</strong> for the day. They had ser game practice, but Hunter couldn''t concentrate on his game. Everything Hera said in the morning, was still lingering on his mind. As a result of which, he''d even missed two chances of scoring goals. There''s no coordination between his feet and the ball. He misjudged and failed to follow the next moves of his teammates. The coach, as well as his teammates, all got pissed at him for hisck of concentration.

    After practice, all his friends went back to the gym to shower like they usually do. Hunter didn''t wait for his friends and walked ahead directly to his room. He wanted some alone time for himself, so he decided to shower in his dorm room. He left a message on Eric''s phone on his way. Otherwise, they would worry about him.

    Hunter got surprised as he saw Samantha sitting on his bed when he came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. He''s in his khaki shorts. His upper torso was bare with a white, fluffy towel hanging around his neck. Samantha didn''t miss how his body stiffened, and his facial features hardened when he saw her. Shutting the book close, which she was pretending to read, she crawled to the edge of the bed.

    Samantha had changed out of her uniform, now dressed in a cream colour short dress, which showed off her upper thighs for him as she sat crossing her left leg neatly over her right leg.

 Chapter 68 - Its Time To Have That Talk

    cing her hands on either side of her, Samantha leaned back resting her body weight on her hands. Her waxed, smooth, fair skin was glowing.

    Ignoring her presence, Hunter started to towel dry his hair. He''s standing in front of the mirror, but his eyes were downcast, not looking into anything.

    "What''s wrong, Ace? Why are you avoiding me?" She asked, watching his bare upper body from behind. "I''m not in a mood to talk, Sam. Please leave me alone," Hunter said in a t voice, without lifting his head..

    They both whipped their heads around eyeing the door simultaneously as someone swirling the doorknob caught their attention and the door to his room opened wide. Eric entered first, followed by Evelyn and Bianca. Hunter tossed the towel on his bed and turned to face the mirror.

    "How many times have I told you not to keep the wet towel on the bed? You don''t listen, do you?" Samantha asked rhetorically, cing the towel neatly on the back of the wooden desk chair. Hunter still didn''t react and wasbing his damp hair with his fingers when Danny and Michael walked in together. Freshly showered the boys were all dressed in their gym uniform, a yellow T-shirt, and grey shorts.

    Eric pulled a chair, turned it around and sat, cing his legs on either side of the chair, typically using the back of the chair as an armrest. Michael too copied his edgy backward chair-sitting style. Danny sat on one of the bed, leaning his back against the headrest he gotfortable. Evelyn settled herself next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. As usual, she''s in her designer clothes, white, ripped jeans with a pink turtle neck sweatshirt.

    Bianca had a small box in her hands. She walked up to Hunter''s bed. "Ace, I bought your favourite sandwiches for you. You didn''t eat your lunch, so I know you''re hungry. Come on, have it now," she said, cing the paper box on his desk. She removed her jacket, revealing her ck crop top, which she paired with denim shorts. Picking up Hunter''s iPod and headphone, sheid on his bedfortably and got engaged in his music collection.

    Samantha went around and stood beside him, running her fingers through her long, curly ash-blonde hair. As she saw his reflection in the mirror, a loud gasp escaped her mouth, and she covered her mouth with her palms in shock as if she''d seen a ghost. Hunter knew, exactly, what brought that overdramatic reaction out of her.

    He stared at himself through the mirror, checking the reddish bruises on his neck and chest. His thoughts immediately got surrounded by Hera. Even though lost in the music, Bianca had her eyes focused on Hunter, and she got confused as she saw Samantha''s pale face. Taking off the headphone, she came around, wrapped her arms around Samantha''s front from behind.

    Worried, Bianca asked, "What''s wrong, Sam? You look like you''re going to pass out. What happened?"

    Ignoring them both, Hunter walked to his wardrobe to get dressed. He took out a grey half sleeved sweatshirt. He''s about to wear it when Samantha snatched it from his hand. Using all her strength, she turned his front for his friends to see the bruises. "This happened," she said, pointing to his neck and chest with her hand, anger evident in her tone.

    While Bianca and Evelyn looked shocked, Eric and Michael didn''t react at all. Danny frowned, giving Hunter a sharp look. They all exchanged a knowing look and Eric was cruel enough to rub salt on her wounds. "You should''ve been more careful, Sam, before leaving those marks on him. Or were you upset that he wasn''t unting it around? He asked, arrogantly smirking at her. Samantha red at him in return, clenching her fists. The Bastard knew it wasn''t her. He''s mocking her. So she turned to the one who would listen and believe her, her best friend forever, Bianca.

    "I''m not the one responsible for it, Bee. I didn''t do it. That can mean only one thing, he''s screwing someone else," said Samantha, her lips quivering. Her face flushed red as she''s on the verge of tears. Bianca pulled her into her embrace, trying to console her.

    Pulling a sarcastic face at her usual attention-seeking drama, Hunter snatched his sweatshirt back from her hand and pulling it down over his head, shoved his hands in the sleeves. Once it properly hugged his torso, he pocketed his cell phone. When Hunter was about to walk out on his friends, Michael stopped him. He stood in front of him, blocking his way, and one of his hands was resting on Hunter''s chest prohibiting his next move.

    "We need to talk, Ace. What''s bothering you? You were acting weird the whole day. You didn''t eat, and you couldn''t concentrate on our game. You had neither interest nor energy. You are avoiding your friends, no interaction, nothing. Why so? Get it out, what''s wrong?" Michael asked, and his actions only made Hunter angry.

    He nced down to the hand on his chest before grabbing it by the wrist and violently shoved it away. His rude reaction caught Michael by surprise. "Bro, you''re upset for reasons unknown to me. So, please don''t take it out on me, I only want to help. You were never like this. Talk to us, Ace, what happened?" Urged Michael, trying to block his way again. His face showed concern and his voice held genuine worry.

    Hunter didn''t want to offend his friends, but they were not leaving him alone either, provoking his anger further. Still, he tried his best to not tosh out at his best friends. "Let me go, Mike. All I need is space now. We''ll talk about itter, I promise," he said, hoping that his friend would understand. He took two steps ahead when Samantha gripped his hand. He grunted in frustration when she stood in front of him. He shot her a re in silent warning, but in vain.

    Samantha crossed her arms around her chest and looked at him, challenging him to walk out on her. "Look, Sam, I''m not screwing anyone. Besides, even if I do, it''s none of your business in the first ce," Hunter made it clear, but it seemed to leave the least effect on her.

    He cursed out loud when Bianca beat him to the door and locked it. "No, Ace, I think it is our business. You can''t ignore us like this. What you need is to talk to us openly, instead of hiding alone in the excuse of needing space. Ace, this is serious, and I want you to answer Sami''s question. She deserves exnations for your," she paused, searching for the right word, but shook her head as if to say ''never mind'' and said, "Whatever actions. She''s clearly upset, and you owe her answers. And I want to know it too. The truth,e on, say it," Bianca said, her tone demanding.

    Hunter nodded in agreement, surprising everyone. "Fine, let''s talk. It''s time anyway," he said and turned to face Samantha. She gulped nervously, seeing the look on his face. He looked like he was actually counting on this opportunity. She could tell, the oue of this interrogation wouldn''t bring her anything pleasant. But she took her chance.

    "If you''re not fucking anyone else, then who did this?" Samantha asked, pointing her finger at his bruises. "Don''t tell me some guy scratched you in a fight. I''m not a fool, Ace, I know how and when guys get such bruises on their body. So, tell me, Ace, who is it?" She was impatient to hear his reasons or excuses to be precise, but she wasn''t expecting the ''I don''t give a fuck'' attitude.

    Hunter casually shoved his hands into the pockets of his shorts and smirked at her in his usual arrogant style. He could see the wheels turning in her brain, working rapidly to draw a definite conclusion of his reactions. She''s not that dumb after all.

    "Hera?" She guessed by herself and went silent with that because that''s a rhetorical question. She already knew its Hera.

    <em>''It has to be Hera. It''s so obvious. He has not even denied it.''</em>

    She looked at him, eyes filled with absolute fury, clenching her fists, she bit her lip to stop the scream that she wanted to let out. The room was so quiet they could literally listen to everyone''s breathing rhythm. Hunter chanced a nce at everyone because he could feel, Samantha''s question shocked everyone.

    Michael and Eric silently raised a brow at him simultaneously. Meanwhile, Danny too held the same expression, but he couldn''t hide the disapproving scowl stretching across his face for too long. Hunter read the unasked question in their eyes. They were all dying to know the answer to the same question. Did he really sleep with Hera? He sighed and shook his head just once in denial. It''s a barely-there move. The girls didn''t see his action, but the boys saw and understood it very clearly.

 Chapter 69 - Unpleasant Interrogation

    Bianca''s angry voice caught everyone''s attention. "Ace, were you cheating on Sam? How could you?" Eyes filled with usations, she looked like she''s going to punch him in the face. "Who did you sleep with, Ace? Tell me, did you do it with Hera?" She pushed him hard on his chest and made him stumble backward. Her actions surprised him. When she tried to push him again, Hunter lost his temper too.

    "Enough, Sunshine, stop fighting with me because of her," he said, pointing his hand towards Samantha. "She''s not my fucking girlfriend that she''ll feel cheated," he shot back, bitingly. Bianca took a step back in shock. She never expected him to shout at her. He did it unknowingly in anger. Samantha too, took a few steps back in fear as Hunter focused his attention on her.

    "And you, stop acting like a jealous lover for fuck''s sake, Samantha because we both know, nothing''s going on between you and me," Hunter stated. Seeing him, grinding his teeth in anger, Samantha couldn''t stop the flow of tears.. His words hurt her deeply. Hunter rewarded her with a sarcastic smile after seeing her reaction. "Truth is always a cruel bitch, isn''t she?" He asked, voice filled with mock sympathy.

    "Stop it, Ace. You don''t have to be rude. We may not be in amitted rtionship, but the whole school knows me as your girlfriend. So, yes, Ace, I feel offended, and cheated, because they''re going tough at me. And it''s all because of Hera," said Samantha before she copsed on his bed, crying hysterically. Meanwhile, Evelyn, along with the boys, watched the drama silently.

    Samantha looked miserable. Bianca couldn''t take it anymore andsh out at Hunter. "You''re the one acting like a cruel bitch, Ace. Why are you doing this to her? Can''t you see, you''re hurting my friend? I won''t let you do this anymore. Apologise and make it right," she demanded.

    Hunter cocked his head to one side and looked at her, face showing disbelief written all over. "I''m hurting your friend, really, Sunshine? Oh! That''s riching from you," he said before letting out a humourless chuckle after seeing Bianca''s clueless reaction. "Then what did you do with Hera at the party? Who gave you the right to insult my girl?" Hunter spat out the words furiously.

    Bianca''s eyes immediately searched for Samantha''s only to find expressions identical to her own. They both knew they were in trouble. "What are you talking about, Ace and don''t try to change the topic," Bianca said, pretending to be ignorant, though she knew he''s not buying it.

    "Right, don''t you dare change the topic because you''re not escaping it this time, Sunshine. So, let us talk about the main attraction of that happening party, shall we? Tell me, which one of you decided that it''s okay to introduce Hera as a slut? Who dared to call her a slut in the first ce?" His voice was not blooming with anger, but instead, Hunter used a very calm tone which surprised everyone. But they knew it''s the calm before the storm.

    Samantha was burning with jealousy because all she heard was that Hunter addressed Hera as ''my girl''. She wiped her tears and pulled Bianca behind her beforeing face to face with Hunter.

    "It''s me. I was the one who called your girl a slut," she used her fingers to quote the words, your girl. "There, I admitted it. Now what? What are you going to do, Ace?" Her challenging tone only made him clench his fists, but he would never hit a girl. Samantha ignored the warning his eyes held and went on with her hatred for Hera. "Besides, what wrong did I do by calling her a slut? Isn''t she one?" She asked, smirking in satisfaction.

    Bianca was shocked to see her friend daring to provoke him. They''re supposed to object and disagree with his every usation by pretending to be ignorant of the matter. But her friend was being stupid and foolishly digging her own grave. She tried to stop her by pulling her hand only to get shoved back.

    "It''s hardly a week after she came back, and it only took two days for her to influence your mind. How did that happen, Ace? It happened because that slut spread her legs for you. God knows, who else had been there before you!" She shook her head, scrunching her face in disgust. She had not finished venting out her venom yet but got interrupted when she heard Eric call her name. His voice held a definite warning, but she chose to ignore him at the moment.

    "Enough, Sam, you''re crossing your limit," Danny uttered through his gritted teeth, his voice a threat. Samantha smiled at him, mockingly. "Aw! Look at you, aren''t you the protective brother!" She cooed. She couldn''t be any more sarcastic. Danny never showed his concern openly for Hera. But what she didn''t know was, he would never let anyone call his baby sister a slut. He advanced towards her, and everyone could see how angry he was. Before he could reach her, Hunter beat him to it.

    Samantha recoiled after seeing the look in his eyes. She''s definitely scared now.

    "Call her slut one more time, Sam, I swear I''ll rip your tongue out," Hunter said, voice filled with unmistakable menace, his sharp jaw clenched and a nerve ticked with each word he uttered. "Anyway, I''m sure you know better than Hera, what it''s like to be a slut, don''t you?" He asked. Samantha gasped audibly, her face pale as a ghost.

    "Ace!" Bianca and Michael both uttered his name simultaneously. Bianca sounded angrier while Michael sounded offended. "What?" he barked, looking at them both, mirroring their angry looks. "Do you want to say something, Mike?" Hunter asked casually, his voice sounded smooth, but the boys detected the hidden meaning behind it.

    Michael held his hands up in surrender after reading Hunter''s using eyes. He backed off and silently settled into his chair. Eric quirked his brow at Michael, fixing him with a ''you asked for it'' look.

    "I wonder why she isn''t defending her honour! Don''t you want to know why she''s not offended?" Hunter asked Bianca. His eyes ridiculed when he nced at Samantha. "Because she''s just that, a slut," he spoke through his gritted teeth.

    "Sorry, Ace. But its the heights of hypocrisy, don''t you think?" Bianca asked. "You''re calling her a slut, then what are you? You have a girlfriend, yet you slept with Hera. Stop using Samantha. You''re the one wrong here," her finger jabbed his chest, emphasising her anger. It seemed as though words were not enough to express her disappointment.

    "If you call her slut one more time, Ace, I''ll p you. You can''t insult our friend like this. And how dare you, deny her of your rtionship with her? For two years, the whole school perceived her as your girlfriend. You''ve been sleeping with her for almost two years. Yet, you''re telling her not to act like a jealous lover? Do you even know how much you''re hurting her? All you see and think about is Hera. You don''t see anyone else''s feelings when ites to that bitch," used Bianca. She was so angry that her eyes watered.

    Wiping her tears, she nced at Samantha before addressing Hunter again. "After all that you put her through, she stilles running to you at your beck and call. She sneaks out of her room to meet you as soon as you message her, not even caring if it''s midnight. And you called her a slut! For what, for that little bitch Hera? I don''t know what lies she fed you, Ace. But Samantha and I didn''t do anything that hurt your precious Hera," she said defensively.

    Hunter''s eyes briefly met Michael''s, who in turn twisted in his seat awkwardly. Bianca breathed hard in anger as she saw a sarcastic smile gracing Hunter''s lips.

    "I never thought, Sunshine, that you''ll lie to me. Evie had already told me everything in detail about what you and your friend did to Hera," stated, Hunter, dark purple eyes fixed on her without blinking.

    Both Samantha and she red at Evelyn directing their anger towards her. Evelyn shrugged her shoulders, not at all affected by their reactions. "What? Stop ring at me with those using stares. I didn''t make the first move. Ace approached me first and asked. I told him the truth because it''s our rule," she air quoted and said, "No secrets, and we don''t lie to each other."

    Hunter walked up to his bed, where Samantha sat and took a seat next to her. "You know, if I want to meet my girl at midnight, I''m man enough to go to her, instead of asking her toe to me at the odd hour," he whispered so that only she could hear. Samantha didn''t dare to look at him. He scoffed, then shifted his gaze back to Bianca, who monitored his every move like a hawk.

 Chapter 70 - Guilts And Regrets

    Hunter got up from the bed, shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked back to where Eric and Michael were sitting, and stood to lean against the desk. "Anding back to my being a hypocrite, either your friend here is lying to you, or she''s delusional," Hunter stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Bianca frowned in confusion at what Hunter said.

    She tried to say something but got cut off by Hunter. "Let me finish, Sunshine," he said, "I''m not involved in anything with your friend. Whatever arrangement we had, I ended it a year ago. At least I''m sure I made it very clear to her. So, technically speaking, I''m not cheating on anybody." His voice and tone were confident and determined.

    Bianca shook her head in disappointment. Hunter knew she didn''t believe him. He only told her the half-truth. What he didn''t tell her was that he never once misled Samantha.. Their rtionship was just a pretence to make his Hera jealous, and Samantha too knew it very well. They never really had anything between them. Hunter never slept with her.

    "What are you trying to say, Ace, that Sam sees someone else secretly? Why will she use your name and lie to me, anyway?" Bianca questioned. Her tone was attacking. Hunter made a face and shrugged as in to say, ''How would I know?''

    "Look, Sunshine, that''s not my secret to share. You can have this discussion with your friendter. Right now, she''s the least of my worries," Hunter spoke with disinterest while Bianca looked at Samantha with her eyes demanding answers. But as soon as her friend avoided her eyes, she realised there''s more to the story, and she was too quick to judge him.

    She should''ve known that Hunter never lies.

    She was embarrassed and felt humiliated. All because she trusted Samantha blindly.

    Bianca took one of Hunter''s hands into hers with a slight hesitation and looked at him with an apologising gaze.

    "I''m sorry, Ace. I''m sorry for lying to you. Please don''t be cross with me?" Her eyes were pleading him too. She continued with a softer tone to say, "What happened at the party is not like what you think. Evie loves to add spice to make things more interesting. It wasn''t as bad as Hera made it look," she attempted at some damage control but in vain.

    Hunter sighed in irritation, but Bianca didn''t notice. Again, she''s trying to put all the me on Hera even though she just apologised for lying. Next came her usual excuse. "It was only a harmless prank, Ace. I was just," she was saying, but suddenly flinched and backed away from him as Hunter suddenly shouted.

    "Enough, Bianca, I''ve tolerated enough of your bullshit but not anymore. You know I never expected that lying to me will be so easy for you. I can''t believe you''ll do something this low. For what, Bianca, for your petty jealousy?" Hunter sounded so done with her. Biting her trembling lip, Bianca stared at him with her wide eyes, which immediately watered. Hunter always called her Sunshine. She might have really hurt him, and she felt it in her heart too when he didn''t use his given nickname for her.

    "We are all best friends, Bianca. I can read every one of you like a book. I knew how insecure you felt around Hera. I knew how her presence in my life always made you jealous. You hated it when she had my attention. As your friend, I understood your feelings. I always took your side when you and Hera fought. Do you know why?" He asked as Bianca''s ssy eyes met his angry ones.

    He''s raising his voice at her, and she didn''t like it.

    "Because I didn''t want to hurt you. I didn''t want you to feel that I chose my love over my friend. But it was never because I didn''t believe Hera. Did you honestly think that I never knew what you did?" Hunter watched as Bianca dropped her head down in shame.

    Taking Bianca by the hand, Evelyn pulled her along and made her sit on the nearest bed. Bianca started to weep silently. She was so ashamed of herself that she couldn''t look into Hunter''s eyes. She never lied to him, except about Hera. Their bonding was getting stained because of Hera. She couldn''t decide whether to hate Hera for this or to let go of their indifference.

    Eric passed tissues to Danny, who offered it to Bianca. Meanwhile, Samantha watched them as a pang of jealousy hit her hard. They were all fighting, yet they''re together and there for each other. Samantha was the only one left alone with no one to console her wounded heart.

    Hunter grasped the water bottle from the table and passed it to Bianca. It broke his heart to watch her in distress. It was never his intention to hurt her. But it needed to be done. It''s time for him to fight for his love. They should know what Hera meant to him. Hera shouldn''t suffer anymore because of him and his friends.

    Once Bianca stopped with her sobbing, he continued from where he left.

    "Since grade one, my best friends are bullying my girl. Every time her homework magically vanished, and she got punished," he moved a bit to the side, cocked his head to look at Eric. "I knew exactly how it got vanished, Eric. When the teachers doubled her homework the next day as a punishment and asked her to write the homework twice, I sat next to her until she finished her homework to make her feel better," he revealed the facts unaddressed until now.

    Eric''s face showed how guilty he felt.

    Next, Hunter''s eyesnded on Michael. "I knew it every time, Mike, how your foot would identally get caught in-between Hera''s and how she would trip after that. I always kept sweets in my pockets and gifted it to her to make her stop crying whenever you made her cry," he used. No one made any sound, silently listening to Hunter''s every word. It made them feel sorry to know how much they''d hurt him unintentionally.

    Danny pursed his lips into a thin line and ran his fingers through his messy, dirty blond hair. His shoulders slumped in defeat as soon as Hunter''s eyesnded on him. He knew it''s his turn to face the interrogation. He''d lost count how many times he''d hurt his baby sister.

    "You''re no exception, Danny," Hunter said, and his friend defeatedly agreed with a nod. "But I know, you carry your own baggage as well. All you''ve to do is to realise that Hera had nothing to do with whatever went wrong between you and your parents. It was never her fault, Danny. I never interfered in your matter because I knew, despite all that shit you''d to go through, deep down you care for your sister, even though you never showed it to her. We all have hurt her in one or the other way, but I want to make it right," he said, looking at everyone in the eye.

    A defeated sigh followed as he paused for a few seconds. His eyes were lost somewhere in the past as if he''s reliving those moments.

    "I knew how Bianca used to spill water secretly on Hera''s bed and made everyone think that she peed in her bed. Whenever she cried because of the humiliation you made her go through, I didn''t report it to the authorities. But instead, I consoled Hera saying that you were only ying a prank, and convinced her to forgive you for my sake," he said, running his fingers through his damp hair. They weren''t the best memories to remember.

    "I knew it when my friends added disgusting bugs into her lunch box. Instead of fighting with all of you, I chose to share my lunch with her. I ignored it all because, I thought, it was part of growing up." Hunter paused, waiting for everyone to think and realise what he''s trying to make them understand.

    He could feel their regrets. He saw the undeniable guilt in their eyes. He shrugged when everyone looked at him. "We all make mistakes, and then we learn the right things from the wrong. We were naughty, mischievous kids, and we enjoyed pulling pranks on others. You were all trying to have fun, and I let you pull some pranks on her. But I realised now that I should have stopped you all from having fun at her expense, and it was my fault that I chose to ignore it," he said, admitting his part in their wrongdoing.

    "I did it because I didn''t want to lose my friends. You are all part of my life, and I love you all," Hunter said, looking at each one of his friends with a warm smile before approaching Bianca.

    He knelt in front of Bianca and wiped her tear-soaked cheeks with his fingers. Holding her hands in his, Hunter waited for her to look at him. Once she did, with a tone of finality, he confessed.

 Chapter 71 - He Wasnt Any Better

    "Hera is my life, Bianca. I would never want a life without her being in it. I would die if anything bad happened to her," Hunter admitted without missing a beat. Bianca blinked rapidly, letting go of the tears clouding her view. He wiped her tears again. "I''m in love with her, and you all know it, yet, it didn''t stop you from hurting her. And this time, you''ve crossed your limits and please don''t deny it," said Hunter. Though there was a soft edge to his tone, his eyes held a definite warning. She nodded and lowered her eyes as more tears started flooding out.

    "Why do you hate her so much, Bianca? What did Hera ever do to you? Please know that you''re equally important to me. You don''t have to feel insecure or jealous of her," Hunter assured her. He let go of her hands and took a seat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as she burst out crying hysterically. He pulled her close, hugging her sideways..

    "Do you know that Evie used to help Eric in tampering with Hera''s homework?" Hunter asked her, still hugging her and rocking slowly from side to side. "And look at them, now they''re like sisters, and Eric is more of a brother than Danny had ever been for Hera. I''m not asking you to be her best friend overnight. All I want is, for you and Hera to befortable enough when we all sit together. Can you do that for me?" He asked softly and turned her to face him, his hands resting on her each arm.

    When they saw eye to eye, Bianca wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest, hugging him tightly.

    Still sobbing, Bianca tried to form a proper sentence in between her hups. "I''m sorry, Ace. I really am. I promise not to trouble Hera anymore. Sorry for lying to you. Sorry for hurting you so much. Please forgive me?" Her pleading didn''t go waste. Without any hesitation, Hunter immediately nodded.

    "Can you go back to calling me Sunshine now? It sounds better than my actual name when you say it," Bianca confessed in a softer tone as she made a puppy dog face. Peering into her sky blue eyes, Hunterughed softly. "Sunshine, you''re forgiven," he said and kissed her temple.

    "You''re aware of it right, that you''re wetting my shirt? I''m fine with the salty tears, but I don''t want your dirty mucus anywhere near it. That''ll be gross," he said, pulling a disgusted look on his face and made everyoneugh. Bianca pulled away from him and yfully pped his chest, but a smile graced her lips in the end. Evelyn grabbed a few more tissues from the box and helped her clean the trace of wet tears.

    "Stop these tears now, will you? You''ve wasted enough of your energy in shedding them out already," Hunter said, rubbing her arm with his hand in aforting manner. "If it makes you feel any better, please know that you''re not the only one at fault here. I wasn''t any better either, in fact, the worst of all. I''ve hurt her the most. Being the biggest asshole I was, I couldn''t keep it in my pants and screwed up everything," he admitted with much regret.

    He took a deep breath and silently eyed the ceiling before closing his eyes. Sensing his guilt, Evelyn wrapped her arms around his chest from behind, providing thefort he craved at that moment.

    "Pft, that was one hell of a speech man! Your throat must be dead now," Eric said yfully with an exaggerated voice, before throwing a water bottle at him. Hunter caught it, letting out a light chuckle. Drinking the water to his heart''s content, he listened to what Evelyn about said.

    "Okay, everyone. Now that we are done with the kiss and tell, or kiss and make up, or whatever, it''s time for a group hug," Evelyn screamed with her cheerful voice. Soon everybody joined her, pulling Bianca and Hunter in a group hug.

    Samantha watched in envy as they all hugged each other. Being ignored hurt her even more, multiplying her bitterness. Her hands clutched the bedspread in her fists absent-mindedly as her eyes stung again with new hot tears.

    <em>''Why does love hurt so much?''</em>

    The fury in her eyes intensified as she realised how least she meant to them. No one even tried to nce at her way once as though she''s invisible. What they didn''t know was that a disappointed woman in love is no less than a wounded Tigress. She would wait for her chance to fight back sooner orter, and when that timees, she will spare no one mercy.

    At first, they were all upied by consoling Bianca, and now they were busy teasing her to make her smile and feel better. Out of the blue Hunter''s eyes shifted to Samantha, and she immediately lowered hers. She watched through her peripheral view as his long legs ate up the distance between them. She heard him call her name when he stood right in front of her, and she fidgeted in her ce awkwardly.

    "Look at me, Samantha," he said and waited till she followed his request, and when she did, he smiled at her. That angelic smile ying on his lips made his beautiful face appear even more heavenly, and something tugged at her heart. She realised she loved him too much to let him go.

    <em>''How can I give up on him? How can I lose him to Hera? Not possible, not in this life.''</em>

    "Samantha," he paused, scratching his forehead with the back of his thumb and looked somewhat hesitating. She waited, wondering what did he want to talk to her now, after crushing her heart so mercilessly. With a determined sigh, he started. "Look, Sam, I''m sorry. Sorry for calling you," he hesitated again before continuing, "You know, what I called you earlier, I''m sorry about that," said Hunter. Samantha winced and looked away.

    "I didn''t mean it okay. I was angry and lost my mind. No girl would want tobel herself as a slut. I never wanted to hurt you. I just wanted you to realise that it hurts the same for Hera too. I hope you understand," Hunter said, tone filled with a sincere apology.

    Samantha sucked in a breath and fought hard against her tears to keep them at bay. She wouldn''t want to appear any more pathetic than this in front of him. "I''m really sorry for hurting you. It was never my intention to insult you the way I did. Can you please forget and forgive?" Hunter asked. It took a few seconds for her to realise that Hunter was waiting for her to respond, and she inclined her head reluctantly.

    "So, no hard feelings, then? Are we good?" He asked, his voice still coated with slight hesitation. Samantha was surprised to know that he genuinely sounded concerned. She finally dared to look at him and smiled in reply. But Hunter noticed, how that smile didn''t reach her eyes. Still, he stuck out his hand and pulled her in for a hug as soon as she took his offered hand in hers. The gesture melted her, and her heart yearned to be in his arms forever. Contrary to her desire, Hunter pulled away too soon, and it hurt.

    <em>''If you can''t be mine, Ace, then Hera can''t be yours either. I won''t ever let that happen.''</em>

    With that oath sworn silently, Samantha shed him a fake smile.

    Eric called Hunter to apologise again and exined to him that whatever happened at the party, none of them was aware of the little stunt Bianca and Samantha pulled. When Evelyn pped the boy, and the music stopped, then only they noticed the drama unfolding. Hunter subtly responded by saying, "Let''s close this chapter." He nodded with a smile, acknowledging his apology. Relieved, Eric returned his smile, and so did others.

    With a purpose for needing fresh air, Hunter parted ways with a warm smile and this time thankfully no one had stopped him.

    Everything that happened still bothered him. Hunter knew that the mastermind behind everything was Samantha, yet he asked her to be friends with him again since he didn''t want to hold grudges. However, he couldn''t ovee the guilt punching him in the gut. He desperately needed to hear someone say he did the right thing.

    Didn''t Hera forgive him and agreed to give him another chance? Then why shouldn''t he do the same?

    Forgiving them was not easy for him. But it broke his heart when Bianca cried so much because of him, and Samantha was hurt too. Even though he boasted about his admiration for his best friends and imed that he didn''t want to hurt them by choosing his love over their friendship, yet did the exact thing. No matter how much he denied, he knew that he selfishly chose Hera over his friends.

    Hunter wished to talk to his parents. He''d no doubt, just hearing their voice would erase all his worries because they would know to say the right words. But how would he tell them about his problem without revealing his rtionship with Hera? Hunter had made ns to take Hera home after his finals and would officially introduce her to his parents. Until then, they would have to keep a low profile.

 Chapter 72 - Everybody Deserves A Second Chance

    ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DORMITORY,

    Hera was all alone in her room. What were her friends busy with, she''d no idea whatsoever. Maybe they''re all still angry with her, and that''s why avoiding her? Very much possible. But Hera weed the alone time. She needed it. She shoved the backpack under the table, tossed her uniform jacket on the desk, and grabbed a loose sweatshirt and jeans to get changed.

    But her feet halted suddenly, eyes guiding her back to her uniform zer. Somehow, the intriguing stranger''s handsome face made an appearance in her mind invading her thoughts. Hera took out the crispy notes Johnathan the stranger gave her. She held it in her fingers, and her thumb automatically moved over them in a light caress. It felt warm and soft to the touch.

    Something tugged at her heart and brought a soft smile onto her face..

    "Token of blessing," she whispered inaudibly. She remembered how the said stranger had looked at her. As though he knew her from before and she meant something to him. Hera tried to imagine how it would feel if she had a loving family, and the elders could send her a token of blessings in the form of money or gifts.

    She wouldn''t want a literal gift though, because a simple warm smile or an affectionate gaze would be enough for her. All she needed was a loving family to have as her own.

    "Your niece is lucky to have an uncle who cares so much for her, Mr Johnathan," Hera said aloud into an empty room.

    Smiling sadly, she deposited the money into her purse safely and locked it away.

    She thought to freshen up and made her way to the bathroomzily. As she grasped the door handle to push it open, it suddenly got yanked back, opened wide, revealing Adide''s form. Startled, Hera jumped back. "Dear God! You scared me, Ade!" She eximed with a disapproving scowl on her face.

    Adide pushed past her and started to put on her clothes. "So, are you back with your ex-boyfriend then?" She asked in the middle of putting on her woollen shirt, and her voice came out muffled beneath it. Hera sighed in irritation. "Ade, I''m not entitled to exin myself to anyone," she snapped. She didn''t want to be rude, but she was tired of giving exnations.

    <em>''It''s my life for God''s sake! Don''t I have the right to choose and decide for myself?''</em>

    Adide sneered at her in disgust. "Your friends are right. You are so selfish, Hera. You don''t think of anyone else except yourself," she stated, voice filled with such malice, it shocked Hera. Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped as she looked at Adide''s innocent face.

    "Why so cruel, Ade? You don''t even know me, and yet you''re judging me so, brutally!" Hera said, offended. Adide turned to face Hera eye to eye, and said with a grimace, "I know more than enough, Hera. You''re so obsessed with Ace Hunter that you don''t even mind being a doormat. After what he did to Nate, it was pathetic of you to go back to him like a desperate puppy." Hera winced at her harsh words. Before she could recover from the shock, Adide walked out of the room, mming the door shut behind her.

    Hera felt anger bursting through her as she couldn''t even get the chance to defend her honour.

    <em>''A doormat! Is that what I am?''</em>

    The question echoed in her mind. She was drowning in Adide''s usations. Her face, her voice, as well as her words, exhibited the only emotion which Hera could only define it something as payback or revenge or vengeance. Hera couldn''t understand why, though. They hardly knew each other. What could have gone wrong in just one week?

    "How does she know about Nate?" Hera whispered to herself, suppressing an unpleasant feeling crawling through her heart. "That bitch ra!" She hissed through her gritted teeth.

    Letting out a frustrated groan Hera kicked the nearby desk in anger, only to groan in pain as her toes hurt like a bitch. It seemed the wooden desk was cruel enough to return the favour, and she reached her bed, cursing the non-living thing for kicking her so mercilessly. Drawing the soft vite coloured curtains close, she jumped onto her bed, lying on her stomach, hiding her face in the soft pillow.

    She turned and tossed in a desperate attempt to block the memories from the bitter past. Guilt was already starting to gnaw its teeth at her, and nothing was easing her anxiety.

    People were always so quick to judge. They never understood their rtionship. What Hera and Hunter had between them was beyond hate and hurt. She fell in love with him the second sheid her eyes on him. She loved him all her life, and he was her everything. Hera would never hurt him intentionally, no matter what. It''s true, he''d done so many wrong things in the past and had hurt her. Now that he wanted to do the right, shouldn''t she give him a chance?

    Hera couldn''t refuse when Hunter asked for a second chance because she read the guilt and regret in his eyes. And besides, Hunter was not lying when he said, by hurting each other, they were only hurting themselves. They were moving in a circle aimlessly, and now Hera wanted to stop and try the different path to their destination.

    In her heart, Hera believed that she''s doing the right thing. But her friends were pointing fingers at her. ra and Andrew thought that giving Hunter another chance was her biggest mistake because, in their opinion, he doesn''t deserve it. But Hera thought otherwise. Everybody deserves a second chance in life, don''t they?

    In all honesty, it''s not about Hunter, getting another chance. Actually, Hera wanted a second chance for herself. She didn''t want to spend every second of her day thinking about what-ifs. It''s better to repent now than regretter, right? Whether it''s good or bad, right or wrong, she wanted to choose by her own will. She would bear the consequences by herself if anything went wrong in the future because it would be her decision, and she would have no one to me but herself.

    <em>''Love doesn''t need to be perfect, but it needs to be true.''</em>

    And her love for Hunter was true. That''s why she''s ready to risk her heart again for him. But to get rid of the using fingers pointed at her, Hera needed certainty. She wished someone could tell her that she''s doing the right thing, but she knew it''s hardly possible judging by the current circumstances.

    <em>''Please, God, please give me a sign. Something or anything to assure me that I''m on the right path.''</em>

    Hera prayed desperately.

    With a helpless sigh, she sat up and changed into her ck sweatshirt and ck jeans pant, the thought of washing face and getting fresh was long abandoned. Her hands absent-mindedly searched for a hair tie in the desk drawer, and her fingers met the long-forgotten chocte bar she''d tossed inside in the morning.

    "Are you kidding me!" Hera eximed in disbelief eyeing the chocte bar in her hand. She asked for a sign, and the sweet given by him magically appeared in her hand. Sheughed at the coincidence. She''s not that stupid to take it as a sign.

    "How can a bar of sweet be a sign?" Sheughed again. "Come on, dear Almighty, give me some solid and valid sign which I can rely upon," she snapped at the unseen supreme power eyeing the ceiling.

    As she eyed the sweet, her stomach growled on cue reminding her that she''s hungry, and with hunger came the reminder that she''d chorus to help with, in Mrs Roger''s kitchen. Without sparing another second, she peeled the wrapper off carefully and scowling for no reason, shoved the wrapper under her pillow. She finished eating the sweet in five big bites. It was voured with mango on the top and vani on the inside. Chewing and savouring the sugary juice on her taste buds felt heaven in her mouth.

    Letting out a contented sigh, her hand automatically reached under the pillow and pulled the wrapper out.

    <strong><em>Dear Goddess Hera,</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>We are going out on Friday at 6 PM.</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>Wear something pleasant andfortable if you want me to buy you a lot of candyflosses.</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>Be ready on time, and don''t keep me waiting.</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>PS. It''s a date ;-)</em></strong>

    Hera''s breathing faltered, her heart mmed against her chest in a violent rhythm, and she whispered to herself in a shaky voice.

    "It''s a date."

    There''s no use in trying to stop the growing blush on her cheeks. "And the Satan is winking at me!" She read the message, again and again, to confirm that it''s written correctly. Hera and Hunter had gone out many times along with his friends, but they had never been on a date. It would be their first official date.

    The temperature suddenly increased, and she felt hot all over.

 Chapter 73 - Its About Doing The Right Thing

    "Could this date be a sign? I''m not sure," Hera mumbled. Shaking her head in disagreement, she got down from the bed and knelt on the floor to lift the corner of her bed. Picking out the purple diary she''d kept hidden under the bed, she ced the wrapper inside. Fanning her heated face with her hand, Hera went to the window and opened it wide. Closing her eyes, she let the cold breeze break-in and inhaled deeply.

    Slowly Hera opened her eyes only to jump back in surprise. Her eyes widened as theynded straight on Hunter.

    There he''s, sitting all alone on the bleachers on the ser ground, rotating the cell phone in his hand absent-mindedly. Hera observed his form, appreciating the way his sweatshirt fit his body so perfectly. Her eyes ran over his strong legs, muscr thighs d in shorts. He''s as handsome as ever, even in those in sweatshirt and shorts.

    <em>''Stop drooling, Hera, you''ve turned into a creepy perverttely!''</em>.

    Hera scowled at herself and turned around to make sure that she''s still alone in the room.

    "Oh, my God! You, stupid brain, stop corrupting my innocent heart, will you? I''m not a pervert, and I''m definitely not drooling. I was only worried because you know how the weather gets in London, and he had dressed only in his shorts in this chilly weather. What if he gets sick?" She stopped babbling andughed nervously. She was alone and talking to herself like crazy. Rolling her eyes, she focused her attention on Hunter and watched him running his fingers through his hair.

    He looked upset and lost deep in thoughts.

    Hera sighed and frowned, watching Hunter frown as well. He looked down at his phone, and suddenly a smile broke into his lips stretching into a wide grin as he pressed the phone to his ear. And just like that, his face lit up, and he started speaking animatedly. Watching his tensed demeanour shifting into a rxed one, Hera smiled too. She knew that happy grin. Hera could tell, he''s talking to one of his parents and her shoulders loosened in relief.

    The mist of sadness which bothered him since the morning lifted, and with that Hera recognised something.

    The sign she''s looking for, it''s there right in front of her eyes. Hera realised that the smile on his face and his happiness meant the world to her. She would do anything to keep that smile intact on his face.

    Unexpectedly Hunter nced up, looking her way and in a reflex Hera immediately ducked. But it was toote because he''d already caught her staring at him. Hera felt stupid for hiding.

    "Why the hell did I do that?" She hissed through gritted teeth, annoyed at herself. "And how in the hell could he sense my eyes on him every fucking time? I was quite secretive about it, wasn''t I?" She murmured, still ducking and scowled at her stupidity because she was whispering as though Hunter could hear her voice.

    Still crouching on her knees, Hera crawled her way back to her bed. Once she settled back on her bed, she took a few deep breaths to calm her crazy heartbeats. Grabbing her water bottle from the desk, she drank half the bottle in one go.

    She needed something to distract herself or else her heart would jump out of her chest. She checked the time on the wall clock, and there''s still time for her assigned punishment in the kitchen. What better way than the homework to distract her mind? Hera took out her chemistry book toplete her assignment and got settled in the chair. She remembered the paper Jake the tutor of her detention ss gave her.

    She unfolded the paper to check, and her eyes went wide with surprise.

    "Oh, my God!" Sheughed in somewhat disbelief.

    "Okay, first, we have a date, and then you showed me, Hunter, sitting right in front of my eyes and now this. Dear God, I''m convinced already so you can stop with the hints now," sheughed softly before focusing her attention back to the paper in her hands.

    She would recognise that handwriting, even with her blindfolded eyes. Running her hand over the neat handwriting of Hunter, she shook her head vigorously as in toe out of her wayward thoughts. Her eyes watered, and she suddenly felt her heart heavy with overwhelming emotions. It brought back memories from those days when he used to help with her homework.

    HUNTER SMILED TO HIMSELF. He knew Hera wouldn''te back to the window again to acknowledge his presence. It''s cute how stupidly she ducked her head when he caught her staring at him. His smile stayed intact on his lips as he walked back to his dorm.

    His mood lifted, and he felt relieved. Thanks to his Goddess and of course, his parents too.

    As he expected, talking to his parents really helped. He was pleasantly surprised when his phone rang right at the exact time when Hunter wanted to call them. He silently thanked the universe for their telepathicwork, appreciating the strong, steady connection.

    As usual, his lovely mother had answers to his every query. She squashed every disturbing thought from his mind that was bothering him. All it took was merely a simple statement. "It''s not about who you favour or support it''s about doing the right thing," his mother had said.

    Very sensibly, Hunter had concocted a story about a random girl getting bullied by his friends and how he felt guilty for not protecting the girl, even though he wasn''t part of the bullying. But his mother, ever the clever woman had asked, "Who''s the random girl you''re interested in all of a sudden and fought with your best friends to protect her?" Hunter had heard his fatherughing at that.

    That''s the moment when Hunter absent-mindedly looked up towards Hera''s windows and saw her angelic face. He witnessed her eyes going wide as their gazes met before she disappeared from his view.

    Long story short, his parents concluded with, he shouldn''t have a second thought if he believes he''s doing the right thing. Being one''s best friend doesn''t mean he''s not allowed to have a difference of opinions, and besides, true friendship would survive every obstacle in the end, no matter what. "I would rip the world apart if anyone dared to hurt my woman," Hunter''s father had said.

    His father had made him realise where Hunter hadcked in protecting his girl, though he didn''t say anything directly. He didn''t have to confess for his parents to know when he''s interested in someone special. They knew him inside and out.

    That night, both Hera and Hunter had dreamt about their happy future.

    And

    The next day, Hera woke up with a smile stretched across her face.

    NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION to her roommates'' res, Hera got dressed in her olive green skirt and matching zer with a white top minus the tie, their uniform for Wednesdays. She left the room early as she couldn''t stand their judging brutal stares anymore.

    Hera walked up the stairs, reaching the floor to her ssroom. She hugged her shivering self as the chilly weather brushed against her. As she manoeuvred her way through the crowd of high school students, she paused, looking around in rm. She felt like someone was watching her, and true to her instinct, she found a tall boy with brown hair along with two other boys ring at her with their hate-filled eyes.

    <em>''It seemed like everyone is dead set on hating me these days!''</em>

    She wondered whatever she did to earn their hatred.

    They stood a few feet away from her right next to her ssroom door. With a frown of confusion clouding her features, Hera tried to remember any previous encounter with the boys as they all looked vaguely familiar to her. Her eyes ran over their form and noticed that they had injuries all over them. The brown-haired boy had a bandage on his nose as well as his left hand. His jaw bruised, eyes swollen, and there were cuts under his eyes and on his lips too.

    She could tell the injuries were fresh.

    Suddenly Hera gasped in shock as recognition dawned on her. He''s the boy from the party, the one who tried to grab her inappropriately. Hera shifted nervously under his sharp gaze.

    The other two boys were the ones who lifted her onto the makeshift dais. They too had cuts on their lips, and their eyes and jaw swelled as well. Something behind Hera caught their attention, and Hera observed, while they got tensed. Casting onest nce at her, limping the way they disappeared in the crowd. No doubt, their legs injured too.

    Hera sighed in relief and wondered what made them so tensed. They looked horrified in truth. Curious, she turned to find out the source of their horror, and her eyesnded on the heartthrob of the school, President Ace Hunter himself.

 Chapter 74 - Hes The Definition Of A Bad Boy

    Hera found Hunter sitting on the stairs surrounded by his gang of friends, and their backpacks kept to the side on the floor. They talked animatedly,ughing and high-fiving at something they were discussing.

    Hera''s lips twitched downward morphing into a scowl as she watched the scene unfolding in front of her. Hunter was sitting sideways on the stairs, leaning against the balusters, with his knees drawn up, elbows settled on his drawn-up knees, and his olive green uniform jacket was off, resting on his thighs.

    Bianca was sitting beside him one step down to his left. She bent her head down, sloping towards him, finally stopping to rest her head on his thigh, and her hands wrapped themselves around his knee. Out of the blue one of Hunter''s hands came down and absent-mindedly started to stroke her soft, long blonde hair.

    Something pinched Hera''s heart painfully after witnessing their gesture of affection.

    <em>''They are just friends, don''t be jealous, Hera.''</em>

    Her mind tried hard to make her heart understand, but the acidic taste of jealousy never left her taste buds..

    <em>''Not just friends, they are best friends.''</em>

    Her conscience spat in resentment.

    Meanwhile, sitting close to him on his right side was Samantha, admiring his handsome face as he grinned at something Eric said. Hera could tell that Samantha didn''t listen to a word they said as she looked lost in her private world. Hera could rte herself to what Samantha was feeling at the moment.

    <em>''Wee to the club, Samantha. Oh, the irony!''</em>

    Rolling her eyes, Hera smiled sarcastically.

    The first bell went off, and Hera jolted back from the bitter feeling spreading across her thoughts. His friends stood to their feet, collected their backpacks, and went off to their respective sses. Hunter was still there talking to some other senior students whom Hera didn''t know. She watched as he stood up, dusting the dirt off his pants. His shirt rode up while he was putting on his jacket, and he very gracefully tucked his shirt back into his pants.

    He looked extra sexy in the white shirt without a tie. The white and olive green colourbination worked wonders, adding to his hotness, as he slid one hand into his pant pocket and the fingers of his other hand curved themselves around the golden buckle of his brown belt.

    Hera watched silently, as Hunter bent down to pick up his ck coloured backpack after shaking hands with the boys. Settling the strap of the bag on his shoulder, he turned to walk away. As usual, sensing her eyes on him, Hunter whirled around suddenly, and a warm smile spread across his face as soon as his eyesnded on Hera.

    That mesmerising smile made her heart skip a beat or two.

    The second bell went off startling Hera from her trance. Still smiling at her, Hunter waved his hand, and Hera returned his smile as a robot onmand. Turning around Hera walked back to her ss, and once she made it to the door, she turned to find him still standing there watching her.

    He lifted his hand again, fingers moving as if ying the chords on the piano and shot a wink at her way. Waving bye to him, Hera went inside the ssroom.

    Something rmed her, and with a sharp intake of breath, Hera turned, swiftly running back to the door. But Hunter had already left for his ss.

    <em>''I swear, I saw his right hand had a bandage wrapped around his palm!''</em>

    With that discovery, her heart raced a marathon, but she couldn''t do anything about it as the teacher walked into the ss. The minute she set foot inside the ssroom, another dilemma knocked on her brain cells. She''s not on talking terms with her friends, and the most prized question was where to sit.

    She and Andrew always sat together in the ss. Now that they''d difference of opinions shing between them, she''s not veryfortable with the idea of sitting next to him.

    Hesitating, she passed his chair and moved on to the one behind him. Their eyes met for a brief second, but it was enough for her to recognise the look of hurt that crossed his face. Hera averted her eyes reluctantly and tried to concentrate on what the teacher was saying. But her mind was hardly ready to follow her intention, as there were other things to fret over.

    <em>''How the fuck did I miss the bandage on his hand? Oh, right, I got caught in the spell that sinister smile of his cast around me.''</em>

    She wished she could curse loudly but did it inwardly anyway, scolding herself for being so ignorant. She was too busy dealing with her jealousy and adding more to the fire her perverted heart couldn''t stop ogling and drooling.

    Putting two into two together, she guessed that maybe Hunter had something to do with the injuries of the boy from the party and his friends. She''d found evidence, hadn''t she? His hand had a bandage too, and that could only mean one thing. He fought with them, and she had an exact idea of why. She''s very well familiar with his temper as well.

    <em>''I''m risking my heart again by investing my trust in you, Hunter. Please don''t make me regret my decision.''</em>

    Hera silently prayed.

    A FEW HOURS LATER, in the school library, Hera mmed the book shut. "Stop it, Noel, you''re annoying me now," she hissed, which he answered with a grin.

    It was her twenty-minute break time, and since her friends were not so weing towards her, Hera decided to visit a library. Noel followed and was bothering ever since pestering her to go on a date with him. No matter how much she tried to ignore him, Noel was too stubborn to give up. The librarian got pissed and had already warned them twice to behave, or else she would kick them out.

    "Did you forget what happened at the party and the dining hall? Your bruises hardly healed, Noel. Why do you want to risk your safety for me? Trust me, you''ll get into trouble if anyone sees us together," Hera said and tried to make him understand but in vain. She thought about the injuries of the boys from the party and was genuinely worried for Noel.

    "I''m not afraid of your little boyfriend and his dogs," he dered, leaning back against the chair. Hera shook her head. "You should be," she warned him.

    "Oh, believe me, nothing about her boyfriend is little," a female voice announced from Hera''s behind, and she nced over her shoulder to re at the girl. Hera gritted her teeth in anger when the girl winked at her. Huffing out her annoyance when Hera turned to face Noel, he shook his head as the corners of his mouth turned down in pity.

    "See, that''s his reputation. Why do you want to go back to that dick? Do you fancy, a bad boy falling for the good girl kind of romance?" Noel asked, smiling at her in a way that ridiculed her choice. Hera got up, shoving her books into her bag and fixed him with a re when he opened his mouth to say something.

    "You don''t know him like I do, Noel. He''s not a bad boy from a romance novel, where the good girl meets and brings out the hidden good boy inside. Ace Hunter is literally the definition of a bad boy. Don''t be fooled by that angelic face. He''s way too dangerous than you think," with that said, Hera walked away from him and nced over her shoulder onest time to warn him not to follow her.

    Finally, it was lunch break. When Hera walked into the food court, she saw her friends sitting far away from their usual spot. She silently walked past them and went to her regr table. It''s nothing new as Hunter never allowed her to sit with them. Hera was good with sitting by herself, but the fact that they were all ignoring her didn''t sit well with her.

    Buying a te of pasta, she walked back to her table after grabbing a water bottle and a paper cup.

    Hera felt a shing of light and thought Noel was again using the mirror to annoy her. But when she looked up, it wasn''t him. She saw two strangers, sliding into a fancy car with big lens cameras in their hands. Hera could swear, they''d taken pictures of the students inside the food court.

    Dressed in ck from head to toe, they looked like secret spies, and Hera felt suspicious. She''s not familiar with the model of the car, but she could tell, that shy car was expensive. Hera watched in silence as the car disappeared. She wondered, why would a stranger take pictures of school students?

    <em>''Maybe they are some documentary filmmakers.''</em>

    With that thought, she ignored the suspicious episode.

    Her face glued to her te on the table, eyes cast down as she plunged into the food. She ate silently, unbothered by the chaotic teenagers around the luncheon bar.

 Chapter 75 - Its An Open Ultimatum

    A tall form shadowed her figure, and Hera lifted her eyelids watching while Hunter got settled himself on the chair next to her left, surprisingly without his gang. Her mouth watered when she eyed his tes, one filled with frozen dessert, Arctic roll and strawberries and the other with his favourite sandwiches with lots of cheese dripping out of it.

    A smile broke into her face when Hunter silently pushed the te towards her, recing her pasta with his dessert.

    She moaned in pure bliss after filling her mouth with the first bite and heard Hunter groan in disapproval. "Bianca is right, Goddess, you need to learn some table manners," he said and averted his eyes. Hera noticed his clenched jaw and ignored his usual reaction to her moans as she never understood the actual reason for his displeasure.

    "Speaking of Bianca, something incredible happened yesterday at Mrs Roger''s kitchen," Hera said, capturing his attention. He swallowed the food and licked his lips, and Hera broke the eye contact. His lips were a dark shade of pink, and for some crazy reason, Hera felt the urge to taste them. Clearing her throat, she shoved another bite into her mouth before getting back to their conversation.

    "She apologised for what happened at the party and said that she''s calling a truce for a while," Hera stated, her wide eyes silently asking, ''Can you believe it?'' Hunter grinned in delight, asking, "Did she?" Hera didn''t tell him the details, like how she even taunted Bianca by telling her that at least for once she got the punishment she deserved..

    Shockingly, Bianca didn''t fight back but instead said that Ace wouldn''t want them to fight. So, for her best friend''s sake, she would stop bullying her.

    Hera stopped eating and observed his features while he ate his sandwich. He''s eating with his left hand, and his bandaged right hand was resting on the table. All she could see was the movement of his clean-shaven jaw as he chewed the food, his pink lips and his tongue darting out now and then running over those lips. She sensed a strange hunger inside, but definitely not for the food.

    <em>''Can anyone make eating the sandwich look sexy?''</em>

    Hera sighed in irritation.

    <em>''Rich kids and their sophistication!''</em>

    No wonder his friends called her a pig every time they saw her eating.

    Hunter looked up, and a brow arched up in question. She''d been staring at him for too long. Hera realised she''d stopped eating and took a big bite of the frozen sweetness. "What happened to your hand?" She asked conversationally, keeping her tone soft, and he shrugged in reply. She kicked his shin under the table and narrowed her eyes into slits.

    Wincing, Hunter said he got hurt during the ser match.

    He lied, of course, she knew.

    Testing the water, Hera softly announced, "Someone asked me out on a date today." His eyes snapped up to meet hers immediately, and Hera smirked in satisfaction.

    "Who''s it, that new guy?" He guessed, and Hera''s mouth fell open while she wondered how did he find out so urately. He snickered, "Who else at Spalev High will dare to ask my girl on a date unless they''re new and have no idea what they''re messing with?" He asked amusedly. Hera scoffed at his cockiness and moved her knife and fork in a stabbing gesture at him.

    "What''s his name again, ah, Rascal, right?" Hunter asked with disinterest, a brow rose in utter arrogance, voice dripping with ridicule. Hera rolled her eyes at his enormous ego. Gritting her teeth, "Noel Russel," she supplied, and Hunter''s eyes roamed around the food court until they rested on the person in question. To Hera''s absolute shock, he yelled, "Hey, Russel," and motioned with his hand for him toe.

    As though he''s waiting for the offered opportunity, Noel got up from his ce and walked briskly to Hera''s table. She''s a bit scared thinking what Hunter might do to him. But surprisingly, he asked him to join them for lunch, and Noelplied, immediately settling into a chair to Hera''s right.

    A wide grin on his face as his hand reached out to grab one of Hunter''s sandwiches without any trace of hesitation. Meanwhile, Hera watched, holding her breath. Hunter swatted his advancing hand, very rudely shoving it away.

    "You invited him to join lunch, remember?" Hera asked, ring at him while Hunter shifted hisplete attention to Noel. "Get your own te, dude. I don''t share," he said, voice calm as the quiet morning breeze.

    Hera ducked her head, spying the food on her te. Suddenly, she wished she could exclude herself from this awkward situation. It''s something about the way Hunter said about not sharing. She knew he wasn''t talking about the food.

    "And, Russel, a word of advice. Don''t ever hit on a girl already taken. Because it won''t do any good for you, especially when the girl is mine," Hunter said, issuing a subtle warning.

    Hera bit her lip, eyeballs moving back and forth shifting between Noel and Hunter. He didn''t sound threatening at all with his voice soft and kind. But Hera knew him better. His hand was rotating the fork carelessly over the te of pasta he switched with Hera, and the only sign giving away his concealed anger was the ticking nerve in his jaw.

    <em>''It''s not advice, but an open ultimatum.''</em>

    Hera hoped, Noel would catch on the hidden threat for his own sake, but to her annoyance, the idiot chuckled infuriating Hunter.

    "Come on, Ace, we can deal with it like two adults instead of indulging in petty fights," said Noel, leaningfortably against the chair. Hunter stopped twirling his fork, and he motioned for him to continue with a jerk of his head, and Noel did.

    "Look, Ace, I know that you two are a thing. But I like Hera. It''s not exactly apetition, but I''m very persuasive, and I n on winning her. Let her decide who she fancies. If you''re confident about your rtionship, it shouldn''t bother or scare you," Noel implied as he waited for Hunter''s response.

    Hunter lifted an eyebrow, and surprisingly, Hera saw a hint of a faint smile ying at the corners of his mouth.

    Noel continued as he said, "I think it''s only fair I get at least one chance to try my luck, that''s of course if you''re not feeling threatened or something." Once finished, he winked at Hera. Her back stiffened at his audacity.

    <em>''The Bastard is purposely provoking my Satan.''</em>

    Hera looked at Hunter only to find him already looking at her. To her horror, he smiled, and his dimples appeared, creating a deep dent on each of his cheeks. Startled, Hera jumped when his right hand went under the table, resting on her thigh before giving a gentle squeeze. Not knowing what to do, or how to respond, she averted her eyes.

    She tried hard to distract herself from the warm sensation Hunter''s touch was eliciting within.

    She looked down into her te again and pulled her upper lip in between her teeth. The tension was too much to bear.

    "Alright, you got yourself a chance. Try your best, Russel and let''s see if you can change my girl''s mind and heart," said Hunter, looking sharply at Noel, his words painted in an undeniable challenge. "But remember to stay in your limits. If you dare to cross the line and try something dirty, you won''t be possessing a dick anymore to do anything with any girl," he warned, not bothering to be subtle this time.

    Noel quietly listened to everything Hunter said and nodded. He kept his face nk, not giving out anything.

    "To your advantage, I''ll be busy in theing week, so, all I have is right now. Why don''t you be a good boy and give us some space for now?" With a charming smile, Hunter suggested. Without wasting any time, Noelplied and took one of Hera''s hands in his while Hunter watched his every move without blinking. Noel kissed the back of her hand before walking away from their table.

    Hera looked like a lost puppy wondering what just happened, and Hunterughed at her dumbfounded face. Noel slowed his steps and nced over his shoulders as he heard Hunter''s amusedughter.

    <em>''Laugh how much you want, for now, Ace Hunter because I''ll be the oneughing at you after I finish you. The best part is, you''ll never know what hit you, and I''ll hit you where it hurts the most.''</em>

    With that promise made, Noel waved his hand at Hera and jogged his way back to his table. Hera faked a smile in reply before eyeing Hunter through her narrowed slits.

    "I''m not an object you can bet on," she snapped in anger.

    Honestly, Hera was terrified inside. She could sense it in her guts that something was not right as in Noel had some hidden agenda over them. He''d appeared out of nowhere barging into their lives, invading their personal space.

 Chapter 76 - Stupid Nerd Forgot Their Date

    "Goddess, keep it cool. It''s just for fun, okay, and besides, the boys hit on a beautiful girl all the time. Didn''t you say you want a regr high school life?" Hunter asked. He looked unbothered, but Hera knew it''s not true. She knew his possessive nature would creep out of him any minute when jealousy burns his sanity. She secretly enjoyed whenever the very perfect, daring and dashing Ace Hunter appeared to be scared of losing her.

    She was waiting for the mask to slip off his face, and she didn''t have to wait much longer.

    Very soon she watched his smile fade away bit by bit.

    "Why, are you afraid that you''ll fall for his charm?" Hunter questioned, his tone daring her to say yes.

    <em>''Hmm, herees the Satan I know very well.''</em>.

    With a long tired sigh, she shifted in her chair toe face to face with Hunter. She swatted his hand off her thigh, and he winced slightly before taking his injured hand away from her.

    "What''s going on, Hunter? What are you nning?" Hera folded her arms in front of her and waited for him to answer, her tone sharp and using.

    "Your food is getting cold, eat it. We don''t have the whole day," he said, totally ignoring her question. Hera gritted her teeth in anger, obviously annoyed at the way he dismissed her. "I''m eating a frozen dessert, you Genius," she said with a sarcastic smile.

    She shook her head. "No, Hunter, answer me first. Why were you so nice to Noel? Neither you snapped, nor you fought with him. You didn''t lose your temper either. You did the exact opposite of all that!" She eximed. "I''m starting to think something is wrong with you. What is it, Hunter, are you sick?" Hera asked with mock concern.

    Hunter stared at her with an unimpressed gaze for a few seconds.

    Hera watched as he licked his lips clean before shoving another forkful of pasta into his pretty mouth. Swallowing the chewed food, he looked at her, all traces of yfulness gone now. "Would you rather have me punching the shit out of that douche? Trust me, Goddess, I would prefer that too. I''m actually dying to disfigure his face. But I''ve promised you, haven''t I? I won''t hit or hurt him as long as you consider him as your friend. I''m trying to be the better person here," he said shrugging.

    He ate one more forkful and shoved the te towards her. "I''m full," he said, dabbing his lips with a tissue.

    Hera silently watched as he lifted her water bottle and drank directly from it. His Adam''s apple moved up and down while he swallowed the water down his throat and something clenched inside Hera''s stomach weirdly. All these new feelings were hard for her to understand and resist, as well. She averted her eyes as he finished drinking water.

    "Goddess, as I said, I''ll be busy until next week," he stated. Pocketing his cell phone, he walked around and bent to her level. Hera straightened her posture, eying him with her widened eyes. His uninjured hand came up, and his fingers brushed against her temple before disappearing into her hair.

    He twined a fistful of her hair around his fingers, and she nervously looked away.

    <em>''Bloody hell! Is he going to kiss me? Here? In front of everyone?''</em>

    Hera fidgeted in her seat, and his fingers tightened their hold on her hair, tugging slightly, angling her face to his convenience. He was careful not to hurt her with his grip on her hair. She held her breath when his lips came in contact with her skin. Not on the lips, but instead theynded on the tip of her nose, pecking it, and then he dragged them up to kiss the ce in-between her eyebrows. After that, he kissed the corner of her eyelids right near her temple.

    The soft silky touch of his warm lips on her skin made her heart flutter, and she blushed.

    Hera was aware of his lips moving to her ear and shivered when they touched the tip of her ear as he whispered in a soft voice, "Keep blushing, and I''ll kiss your lips." Her eyes widened in rm, and she tried hard to hide her blush by scowling at him.

    Hunter pulled away, standing to his full height and watched her face in amusement. He scanned the food court searching for his friends, and when he''s about to walk away, Hera stopped him.

    "You said, you''ll be busy," she stated, looking into his purple orbs that shone brilliantly in the sunlight. Hunter noticed, she''s holding her breath, and he could sense that something was bothering her. He nodded a yes to her question waiting for her to continue.

    "With what, Hunter?" She asked, her impatient eyes fixed on him as she forgot to blink. "Why do you want to know?" He questioned her not showing any emotion on his face, and she blinked, taken aback before her wide eyes narrowed into tiny slits as she gritted her teeth. "Well, I think I have the right to know who you''ll be busy screwing with," she spat out the words, making him smile which quickly turned into a wide grin showing his white set of pearls to her.

    "Don''t worry, my Love, it''s just me and my books. I''ve tests to prepare for, so I''ll be busy with my books," he said, putting more emphasis on thest two words. Hera scoffed, "Of course, stupid nerd and his stupid books." She smirked when he raised a brow with an annoyed expression that said, ''Really?'' Hunter chuckled at her cute smirking face. She looked adorable, even though she''s trying to be mean.

    "Stupid is not the term your heart chose to describe me. I heard it say, hot nerd," he said, winking at her, and she gave him a dirty look.

    "Okay, Goddess Hera, until we meet again be a good girl and don''t cause trouble for me," he said, smiling at her, though she didn''t miss the warningcing his tone. Hera replied with a scowl when he turned to walk away, "Sure. I''ll be a good girl, Daddy," she drawled with a sugary sweet tone. Hunter paused mid-step and turned to her. Hera watched him drawing his lower lip between his teeth. He''s looking at her in a strange way which she couldn''t exin.

    "Hmm," he hummed, inclining his head in approval. "Daddy sounds good on your lips. I like it," he said. Hera''s scowl intensified as a cocky smirk appeared on his handsome, arrogant face. "Hunter, you''re not my Daddy! It was supposed to be sarcasm," she eximed, and heughed softly. "I can be if you want me to," Hunter said with a sly wink, making her frown in confusion.

    Hera looked thoughtful for a few seconds, and then her eyes widened as if she read the hidden meaning of his statement. "Oh, shut up, I''m not having babies with the Satan," she snapped in irritation. Hunter smiled, shaking his head. "You look sexy when you''re stupidly ignorant," he stated as he walked back to her.

    Bending to her level, he pushed her long hair from her shoulder, letting it fall over her back. He touched her skin with his lips again, and this time theynded at the junction where her neck and shoulder meet. He kissed her softly, and Hera inhaled sharply when his hot wet tongue touched her skin along with his lips, tasting her skin. She felt feverish and dizzy. "Until next time, Love," with that said, he made his way to the exit, signalling his friends to join him.

    Hera drank a mouthful of water to cool herself as soon as Hunter left. She straightened her hair, running her fingers through it while her eyes roamed around, wishing that no one saw their intimate gesture.

    <em>''No such luck, I guess.''</em>

    She lowered her head in embarrassment as she found all the eyes fixed on her. Ignoring her surroundings, she silently started eating her strawberries, then finished the sandwich Hunter left in his te, uneaten. Swirling her fork into her pasta, she recollected their conversation.

    <em>''Daddy sounds good on your lips.''</em>

    Hunter''s words echoed through her thoughts, and she sighed sadly. She never had anyone to call Daddy. All her life, she wondered how it would feel to call someone Daddy and Mummy.

    <em>''What I would give to experience that feeling.''</em>

    She shook her head,pelling herself not to wander along that road. Sipping water from her cup, she noticed that her pasta was getting dry. She finished it quickly and left the Luncheon Bar.

    On her way back to her ssroom, another thought started bothering her. She frowned as she got lost in her private thoughts. Hunter nned a date on Friday that would be a day after tomorrow, and he also said he would be busy until their tests get over, which start from thising Monday.

    <em>''Did he forget that we have a date?''</em>

    Scowling, she wondered in disappointment.

 Chapter 77 - Fate Has Other Plans

    ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HERA''S WORLD,

    Somewhere around London, her very existence stole someone''s peace of mind.

    The floor-length creamy white curtains which separated the room from the balcony flew around, surrendering its will before the strong wind. Johnathan watched inattentively from the balcony of his hotel room, leaning against the cold, steel railing. His one hand gripped the railing for support while his other hand lifted the cup of tea to his mouth.

    Sipping the English tea, he nced down, following the ruffling sound of the silk robe he wore. The weather was windy, and the soft, thin material of his attire hardly blocked the cold, chilling him to the bone. He weed the harsh air biting into his skin as his punishment, anything to relieve him from unwanted thoughts.

    He thought if his body grew exhausted, he could get some rest, but he knew it wouldn''t happen. The harsh chilly weather was hardly cruel to be regarded as exhausting.

    Movement at the door caught his attention as one of his bodyguards opened the door and in entered his right-hand man and trusted friend Rouvin..

    He tilted his hat in greeting to the guards, and they lowered their heads with respect. Walking on the cream carpets, Johnathan made his way to his cosy sleigh bed as Rouvin walked inside the bedroom.

    "Your Highness," Rouvin said, bowing his head in respect. Johnathan smiled and gestured him to take his seat. Rouvin undid the buttons of his overcoat and settled on the brown leather sofa, his hat resting on his thigh.

    "Drop the title, Rouvin. How many times have I told you to use my first name when we''re alone? You are my friend, and besides, I would like to keep my identity hidden as long as we''re staying in London," said Johnathan. Rouvin nodded with a smile. They went to school and college together, and have known each other since forever. Despite being the royalty, Johnathan never treated him like a servant. In fact, he always treated his people with humbleness and respect, be it a servant or amoner.

    Even though the hotel suite Johnathan stayed in was stylish and sophisticated, Rouvin wanted to book "The Goring" an exquisite hotel just across the road from Buckingham Pce, since the hotel was fit for royalty. But Johnathan refused and chose the one they were staying now.

    "Help yourself with the tea, Rouvin. It''ll help with the cold, and I can see, you clearly haven''t adjusted to the London weather yet," Johnathan said. He ordered his guards to give them privacy, and with a bow, they went out pulling the door shut behind them. As soon as they had the privacy they needed, Rouvin pulled out an envelope from the inside pocket of his overcoat and handed it to Johnathan. He sipped his tea while Johnathan opened the envelope.

    A smile greeted his tired facial features just by looking at the contents. They were photographs of Hera. "You know when Hera enquired me about my identity to know who I am, I lied to her that I was there to visit my niece," Johnathan said.

    "You weren''t lying," Rouvin stated, voiceced with sympathy. Johnathanughed humourlessly. "Oh, the irony! You know, Rouvin, no child should have an uncle like me. If it wasn''t for me, then Hera could''ve lived under the protection of Alexander, and in the loving arms of Felicity. I robbed her chance at having the loving family that she deserved," he smiled sadly, and a tear escaped from the corner of his left eye.

    "What a beautiful young woman, she''s grown up into!" Johnathan said in an affectionate tone, caressing her face with his fingers while his eyes filled with guilt. Rouvin agreed with a smile. "Do you remember, John, what you said fifteen years ago?" Rouvin asked, and Johnathan looked at him cluelessly. "You said, she doesn''t need any paper to prove her identity. Her face is enough proof."

    Johnathan smiled, looking at Hera''s face in the photo. His eyes had that faraway look as if still trapped in those old days of his ugly past. Rouvin cleared his throat to pull back Johnathan out of his thoughts.

    "You were right, John. Her face holds an absolute identification. She''s an exact replica of her father," Rouvin finished talking as he sipped his tea leisurely.

    Johnathan directed his attention back to the photographs, observing other people. Apart from Hera, he could recognise only Danny, her brother. Two pictures demanded his curiosity, one where everyone wasughing except Hera. Lost in her thoughts, Hera had her eyes glued the one boy, the most handsome of all. In the other picture, the same boy was kissing Hera''s temple.

    "Who''s this boy?" Johnathan asked, tone demanding answers as he showed the picture to Rouvin.

    Rouvin bit back a secret smile as though he''s waiting for this moment and ced the empty cup on the ss top coffee table. "The information I have collected about the boy will blow your mind," said, Rouvin. Jonathan furrowed his brows before asking, "Are they seeing each other?"

    Rouvin shrugged, unsure of the answer. "The gesture is hinting the same, John. Don''t you think?" He asked. Johnathan remained quiet, motioning him to continue. "I couldn''t gather much information about him. The school refused to reveal any personal detail. It''s as if the authorities got paid to protect his identity. No matter how much I tried, it''s a squandered attempt," Rouven revealed.

    Johnathan looked thoughtful for a second or two before he said, "Rouvin, my friend, if even you couldn''t collect details about him, then it could mean only one thing. His background is influential." Rouvin shook his head, "The correct word would be powerful. Okay,ing back to the boy, his name is Ace Hunter." Johnathan straightened his back after hearing the boy''sst name.

    Rouvin waited until he''d Johnathan''s full attention, and when they made eye contact, he revealed, "He''s Alexander''s son."

    Johnathan''s jaw dropped in disbelief, and the photographs fell on the floor as they slipped off his hands. He looked so shocked that Rouvinughed at him. "Told you, it''ll blow your mind," he said once hisughter died down.

    Johnathan recovered from the shock and watched Rouvin collecting the photographs from the floor. "Ace Hunter is not what Alexander named his son, Rouvin. Just because hisst name is Hunter doesn''t mean he''s Alexander''s son," Johnathan said in an unimpressed tone. He looked pissed, and Rouvin sighed. "Why he''s called Ace, I have yet to discover that mystery. But trust me, John, I have solid proof to prove that he''s Alexander''s son," Rouvin said, as he moved closer to Johnathan showing the pictures to him once again.

    "They all are best friends. Look at this boy," he said, pointing at Micheal in the picture. "He''s Romano''s son. Remember the one who died trying to protect Hera at the time of her kidnapping?" Johnathan nodded, and Rouvin continued. He showed another boy in the picture and said, "This boy''s name is Eric Gabrial Costa. Does his face or his name ring a bell?"

    Johnathan''s brows went up in surprise. "My my, he''s Costa''s son, isn''t he?" Rouvin agreed, "Thomas Costa, one of Alexander''s best friends."

    "Still, Rouvin, it doesn''t prove anything," Johnathan said, shrugging his shoulders in dissatisfaction. His friend grinned confidently before pulling out another picture from his pocket. "Then, I believe this will convince you. Ace Hunter has a bodyguard who follows him everywhere like a shadow," he showed the new picture to Johnathan. "This is the bodyguard," he said.

    "Mathew!" The name escaped Johnathan''s lips as soon as he recognised the person in the picture. Rouvin chuckled, "And besides, I don''t know, how did you miss his eyes?" He asked, sounding surprised. Johnathan looked at Ace Hunter''s face and noticed his dark purple eyes. He went speechless for a while.

    "How can I not recognise these eyes? He''s Felicity''s life and Alexander''s world, after all," Johnathan stated. Heughed humourlessly out of the blue and caught Rouvin by surprise. "Is this what they call, ''Man proposes, and God disposes''?" He asked his friend.

    "Look at Hera''s destiny, Rouvin. For all these years, though so many evil and selfish people were scheming to ruin her life, fate still had other ns for her. She somehow found her ticket back home," Johnathan said. He threw his head back and closed his eyes, letting the tears flow. Rouvin gave a pat on Johnathan''s shoulder as he heard him sigh in relief.

    "Alexander would eventually meet her, but I won''t be there to apologise for my sins," Johnathan said with a sad smile. Rouvin disagreed. "You kept Hera alive, John. She didn''t die because you saved her. Won''t that be enough for Alexander to forgive you?" He asked, trying to console him. Johnathanughed without humour at his friend''s logic.

    "No, Rouvin, it won''t be enough to erase my sins. Alexander will never spare my life. He''ll never forgive me. After all, I''m the one who dared to kill his beloved wife," Johnathan confessed in a defeated tone.

 Chapter 78 - Backstabber

    It was past midnight when he walked back into his suite after strolling through the hotel lobby. Johnathan couldn''t sleep a wink no matter how much he willed. If it wasn''t for his friend Rouvin, attached to the hip, he could''ve stayed in the lobby for a little while longer. But Rouvin wouldn''t let him stroll around alone as he''s worried for Johnathan''s safety.

    Johnathan slumped on the soft bed resting against the headboard and stared at the picture in his hand. He noticed that Hunter looked nothing like his parents.

    Felicity would say, "You little trouble maker" every time he did something naughty. It was one of Johnathan''s fond memories. A smile worked its way onto his face as he remembered Felicity''s beautiful face.

    "And, what a trouble maker you were!" Johnathan vocalised as he remembered Hunter''s childhood. He was barely three and yet had the genius brain that would manipte anyone to do his bidding. His father''s gun used to be Hunter''s favourite toy.. Felicity would burst out in anger every time Alexander let him touch his loaded gun.

    "All you''d to do to wipe your mother''s anger out was to look at her with your big beautiful purple eyes, and your lips pulled out in a sad pout. She would sigh and forgive all your mischiefs just like that." Johnathan chuckled reminiscing the sweet memories. How he wished he could undo everything he did. He''d destroyed Felicity''s happy family.

    <em><strong>Fifteen years ago:</strong></em>

    Johnathan loosened his red tie before he slid open the ss windows. Dressed in a royal blue three-piece suit, he looked charming like the prince he was. He sighed as he adjusted the binocr properly to look out through the window.

    He''d rented a vi in the same locality so that he could see everything happening in Alexander''s ce.

    Alexander took the champagne bottle from the ice-bucket and poured two sses. He clinked his champagne-filled flute with his wife''s and, Johnathan watched through the binocrs as they sipped their champagne.

    "Who even drinks champagne at breakfast? The crazy Italians, of course!" Johnathan scoffed muttering to himself. He followed Alexander to Havana in Cuba all the way from New York. Alexander was out on a family vacation, but Johnathan had yet to see Alexander''s son and daughter.

    His heart clenched as he saw Alexander pulling his wife into hisp, and they kissed. They looked so happy and so much in love.

    Johnathan couldn''t watch anymore as their kiss turned into an intense makeout session. He looked away as his envy-filled chest felt heavy. He threw the binocr cursing loudly.

    Johnathan had loved her since the moment he set eyes on her. He''d done everything to win her heart, but it was never enough topete with Alexander because Felicity was in love with Alexander, since forever.

    stair, his older brother and Alexander were best friends. Though Johnathan never liked Alexander, he still stayed around for Felicity.

    "It''s not the time to mourn over your broken heart, fucking stop being a pathetic loser and focus on the mission at hand," Johnathan scolded himself and straightened his suit. He''d promised his grandfather and his father before leaving Greece that he would fulfil their wish at any cost. But the hidden guilt had already started to show its ugly face, and he couldn''t make it go.

    It was screaming in his face, "Backstabber."

    Johnathan knew that his brother would never forgive him for what he''s going to do with his best friend''s life. That''s, of course, if Alexander allowed him to walk out alive. He checked his wristwatch for the time and decided it''s time for the action. He dialled a number on his phone and issued orders to initiate the n.

    He picked up the binocr from the floor, and to his relief, thankfully it didn''t break. He watched Alexander walk out of the house as he expected. He''s talking on the phone, and by his bodynguage, Johnathan knew his n was working just fine.

    <em>''Thirty more minutes to go.''</em>

    Johnathan finished his breakfast and waited for the time to tick away.

    On the other side of Johnathan''s windows, Felicity was worried and adding more to her worries her husband was not telling her the reason behind his restless behaviour.

    She knew something was wrong, but he just asked her to take a stroll on the beach until he finishes his call. She looked down into her arms when she heard her little girl gurgling happily. Setting aside her worries for a while, Felicity cooed at the baby.

    It''d been six months since Hera came into her life andpleted her happy family. She always wanted a daughter, and she couldn''t thank Mariana enough for blessing her with a daughter.

    Johnathan smiled to himself as he watched her, strolling on the beach with a baby cradled in her arms. Dressed in a red strapless, off-shoulder knee-length dress, she walked barefoot under the warm sunny weather.

    The impression of her footsteps followed her one after the other as she walked on the white sand. The slow wind blew her strawberry blonde hair, and she jerked her head to the left to prevent the hair from falling on her eyes.

    <em>''Time to bask in the serene beauty called Felicity.''</em>

    Johnathan couldn''t afford to lose the opportunity, so he didn''t waste time before invading her bliss-filled bubble. He was so going to burst it. He increased the speed of his footsteps and stopped at an arm''s length right before her, waiting for her to notice him. Without lifting her eyes off the baby, Felicity walked right into his chest.

    Gasping in shock, she stepped back apologising.

    "I''m sorry I didn''t see where I was going. I was talking to my little girl and I," she stopped as her eyes widened in recognition. "Oh, my God! John, is that you?" She eximed with a broad smile on her face. Johnathan chuckled at the pleasantly surprised look adorning her face.

    "Small world, isn''t it?" He asked, eyes appreciating her beauty as his heart skipped a beat. "When was thest time we met? I never expected to see you here in Havana. How have you been, Felicity? Did you say, your little girl?" He asked, looking at the baby. He sounded surprised.

    As though she''d been hit she stepped back and clutched the baby to her chest. She was speechless and looked shocked. Johnathan smiled secretly as her eyes automatically darted towards her husband.

    Alexander was pacing in thewn, his phone still glued to his ear. Dressed in ck jeans with a ck dress shirt untucked, he looked the usual deadly dangerous. Johnathan wondered what made Felicity fall for that devil.

    He knew what they were hiding from him. They had no idea that he''s aware of the baby''s truth. Johnathan knew that Mariana was the biological mother of that baby.

    <em>''Maybe the baby took after her mother, and that''s why Felicity didn''t want me to see her.''</em>

    Felicity turned back to him, gesturing to follow her as she walked towards her husband.

    As soon as Alexander''s eyesnded on him, he disconnected the call with an ''I''ll call you back.'' He was not happy to see Johnathan''s face, and he didn''t even try to hide his displeasure. Felicity went inside their rented two-bedroom beach view luxury vi, and when she reappeared, followed by a maid with a tray of coffee, the baby was not in her arms anymore.

    "Why are you here, John?" Alexander''s blunt question didn''t surprise him. "Business trip, Xander. Just running some errands for my father," he replied.

    Alexander clenched his jaw by the mention of his best friend''s father. Johnathan knew his situation very well. Alexander would''ve dly killed his father if it wasn''t for his brother stair.

    Though Felicity asked him to stay for lunch, he could see that her husband didn''t want him anywhere near them. He politely declined her invitation. "I have an important meeting to attend, but I''ll try if I can make some free time, no promises though," with that said, Johnathan left.

    An hourter, a tall, muscr man in his early thirties got down from the ck Mercedes, followed by four other men and entered into Alexander''s Vi. Johnathan watched everything from his room through binocrs.

    Sabastian Romano was Alexander''s, right-hand man. Apart from his family members, there were only a few people who had the privilege of earning Alexander''s trust. Sabastian was one of those few. "Are you sure, Romano, that it''s the Baresis?" Alexander asked him. Baresis were their longtime nemesis and since the older Baresi had asked Alexander''s father, Francesco for a favour, they''d agreed to sign a truce. ordingly, it forbade them from harming each other''s family.

    Matteo Baresi had known that his sons were thirsty for the power which the Carlos had. But he''s aware of the possible consequence of their greed for power. Carlos ruled the Mafia organisations all over the world. His sons wouldn''t stand a chance of surviving against them. Francesco was generous enough to agree and ept his proposition and gave him his word that they would never harm his family.

 Chapter 79 - The Beginning Of The Destruction

    ''You know me, Chief. I never proceed if I''m not one-hundred per cent sure," Sabastian assured. He''de with a piece of confirmed information that the Baresis were nning to kidnap Alexander''s son. They would use him to ckmail Alexander and take down the Carlos from their throne. Sabastian knew where Franco and Marco, the Baresi twins were hiding and he''s waiting for Alexander''s order to attack.

    Felicity watched shell-shocked as she heard her husband''s conversation with Sabastian. The thought of losing her only son scared her to death. Sabastian stopped mid-sentence as he saw her frightened face while she looked white as a ghost. Frowning, Alexander looked over his shoulder to see what caught Sabastian''s attention and he cursed at what he saw.

    Brushing his palms over his thighs, Alexander straightened his pant as he stood up from the couch. Felicity looked on the verge of tears, and he didn''t waste a second before pulling her into his arms. One hand wrapped around her waist, he ran the fingers of his other hand through her hair and kissed the top of her head..

    "Don''t you trust me, Felci? You don''t have to fear anything. You have my word, Sweetheart. I would never let any harme to him," he said, rocking her body in his arms and assured her. He could feel her worries and fears without her needing to use words to convey her feelings.

    "Now be a good girl and let me handle this. Just rx and take care of Hera and yourself for me, okay?" Alexander suggested, his tone of voice soft and affectionate. She agreed with a nod but refused to leave his side. He pulled her to the couch next to him without any objection.

    Dialling a number, he waited for it to get connected and the person answered it from the other side after a second ring. "Matt, where''s my son?" He asked impatiently and Mathew, the personal bodyguard of his son, answered immediately.

    "He''s busy," Mathew paused to nce at the boy. "ying with his grandpa''s gun," he whispered thest part. Alexander knew why the bodyguard whispered. If it reached Felicity''s ears, she would have the bodyguard''s head for letting her little boy touch the dangerous weapon. But Alexander knew how adamant and stubborn his son could get. He would never listen to Mathew if he refused toply with his request. That boy listens to no one except his mother.

    Running his hand through his hair, he nervously nced a chance at his wife. Felicity got rmed and immediately cried, "Is he okay?"

    "Stop panicking, Sweetheart. He''s fine," Alexander said. Moving a few feet away from her, he covered his ear with a hand before getting back to Mathew on the phone. "Watch him like a hawk and don''t let him out of your sight, not even for a second, Matt. He''s in danger and please be careful with his," he paused and looked at his wife before continuing, "With his toy. You''ll not leave the ce until I say otherwise," Alexander ordered strictly.

    Mathew, a young man in his early twenties, was well trained in martial arts and he''s also a sharpshooter. "Yes, Chief," came a short and crisp reply from him.

    Alexander dialled his father''s number, and to his relief, he picked it up on the first ring.

    "Dad, the truce we had with the Baresi family, is off. I''m going to wipe out that name," Alexander jumped straight to the point, and his father didn''t sound pleased with the deration. "No, Alessandro, whatever your reason is, you can''t do that. I''ve given my word to Matteo that no one will touch his family." Francesco''s voice boomed from the other end, and Alexander couldn''t care any less.

    "They breached the rule first. Motherfuckers dared to think that they can harm my son," he snapped in anger, and his father went silent for a second or two while Alexander waited for his reply. Francesco looked at his grandson.

    The little boy had his focus glued to Mathew''s hands, watching and listening carefully to his words as he removed the magazine from the barrel chamber of the gun. A proud smile graced Francesco''s face as he watched Mathew teaching his three-year-old grandson how to fire a bullet.

    He cleared his throat and asked his son on the phone like a businessman, "What''s in it for me?" Alexander chuckled at his father''s question. "You''ll get to keep your grandson with you until I clean up this mess," said, Alexander. Francesco hummed, pleased with the bargain. "I''m a very greedy man, and your offer is irresistible. You know I would do anything for my grandson. I''m out of this, Alessandro, and don''t worry about your son. He''s safe here," with that said his father disconnected the call.

    Alexander was tucking his loaded guns into the waistband of his pants while Sabastian instructed the men what to do. One took the position at baby Hera''s room, another received orders to stay with Felicity at any cost, and two others positioned at the door. Another team of guards was guarding at the gate. Alexander asked the maid and the cook to leave.

    "They''re outsiders, and I don''t trust them. Here, keep this with you all the time," Alexander gave a loaded gun to his wife. "I''ve taught you how to use it, and I want you to use it when you need to, okay?" He asked Felicity, holding her face in his palms. She nodded and hugged him tightly, not wanting to let him go. He held her while she cried silently. She''d never been this vulnerable, was always a brave woman.

    Alexander could understand why she''s scared because this time it''s about their child. He wiped her tears and kissed her on the lips. "It''s not the time to panic, Felci. I want you to be brave for me," he whispered against her soft lips.

    "Keep your phone with you. There are two cars, onees with the driver, and this is the key to the other car in case you need it. Don''t step out until my men give you clearance," Alexander said before inspecting her loaded gun once again.

    Felicity moved away to keep the weapon and the key on the small ss table with three legs in the centre of the living hall. Sabastian gave her a smile filled with assurance. "I hope you''re aware that this vi has a back entrance too, Sabastian," she said, and he immediately jumped to his feet and jogged out.

    "He''d no idea about the backdoor it seems?" Felicity muttered to herself, but her husband heard her. He held her hand, and she turned to him with a faint smile on her lips. "I''ve covered that door too, Sweetheart, you don''t have to worry," he said in a soft tone, pulling her into another kiss.

    "Why are you acting like you''re not going to return home anytime soon? You know how much you scare me when you do that, Alexander. Why do you have to go, anyway? Our baby boy is safe with his grandparents in Italy." She asked, tone filled with worry. Alexander smiled warmly at her, caressing her cheeks.

    "I know, he''s safe with my parents, but I can''t sit quietly with my arms crossed when a snake is crawling under my feet. I''ve to smash it before it lifts the head to bite me. They''re nning to harm my child, and I can''t let them walk out of this without any harm. It''s necessary to show them what they''re daring to mess with," he said, his tone held a promise.

    After assigning four more men to guard the back door, Alexander left with his men, and Johnathan smiled as he saw Felicity waving bye to him.

    And that was the beginning of the destruction of Alexander and Felicity''s perfect life.

    <em><strong>Present Day In London:</strong></em>

    "I need your help," Hera said, bursting through Abigail''s door. Her cousin''s eyebrows rose, and before she could say something in return, Hera beats her to it. "Don''t judge me, Abby, I''m going on a date with Hunter," she quickly added. It was already Friday, and even the thought of going on a date with him made Hera a nervous wreck.

    Hera wasn''t sure if he still remembered their date or had already forgotten it. She wouldn''t be surprised if he did. After all, his books held priorities. How would he top the rank otherwise? It''s not easy to maintain that ''Topper'' tag, and he''d been doing that since forever.

    <em>''Never lose hope.''</em>

    Hope was the one thing Hera believed in, and she sincerely hoped he wouldn''t leave her stranded on their first-ever date. It would be heartbreakingly disappointing, wouldn''t it?

    Holding onto the loose thread of hope, Hera decided to get ready for the said date anyway. She was beyond excited for her first date but tried her best to hide it because she didn''t want her cousin to preach her about her choice as her friends did. She wouldn''t entertain anyone dissecting her love life again. She''d had enough already.

 Chapter 80 - Awaiting The Prince Charming

    To Hera''s surprise, Abby squealed in excitement. "I''m so happy for you, Hera and you know I''ll never judge you. I thought it''s no secret that I truly ship you guys?" Abigail asked rhetorically, earning a smile of gratitude from Hera.

    Hera then noticed she was packing her luggage, and Abby informed her that she was spending her weekend at her friend''s house.

    Hera opened up her heart and talked about how her friends ridiculed her decision. Abby listened to everything patiently, giving Hera all the attention she needed. She convinced Hera that people would judge her either way, so she shouldn''t bother thinking about them. Abby told her to do what her heart desired.

    "Follow your heart. That''s what every epic love story in all the romance novels says anyway," Abby said, and Hera grinned nodding in agreement.

    Hera felt relieved after talking to her cousin, as she always knew to say the right thing. She should''ve known that her cousin would never judge her and would understand her priorities as her best friend.

    "Now tell me about the help you need?" Abigail asked with a reassuring smile. As soon as Hera revealed her ns, her cousin widened her eyes, and her mouth fell open in shock. She asked multiple times whether Hera was sure about her ns. Finally, she agreed to do it but hesitated a bit as she''d never done it before. Hera suggested that all they required was Danny''s phone to watch a few videos on YouTube.

    "Why don''t you go and take a shower meanwhile, I finish packing my luggage?" Abby asked, and Hera agreed. She was d that all her roommates had already left and the room was all hers. After a while, Abby came with Danny''s cell phone, and they watched the videos online. They spent almost an hour watching videos. Two and a half hourster, Abby finished dolling up Hera for her date.

    Hera wore the ck dress Hunter bought her for the wee party. She wanted him to see her in that dress because she needed to know if shees close enough with Bianca''s grace and beauty.

    Abby used the concealer on her face, and after spreading it evenly on her skin, she appliedpact powder.

    Dusting off the excess powder, she applied the blush on her cheeks, defining her cheekbones. She used the eyeshadow matching the blush perfectly. Abby finished with dabbing a nude lipstick on her lips.

    Hera didn''t want any sticky mess on her face, so Abby kept it simple and easy. They didn''t even think about using eyeliner and mascara because they both knew it would turn into a disaster. Last time they tried using an eyeliner, Hera had to wash her face thrice to clean up the mess as she could never sit still and it would burn like hell hurting her eyes.

    Hera giggled as it tickled her when Abby ran her fingers over the swell of her breasts, applying a pink cream blush that came with a hint of sparkle. Abby showed earrings which she borrowed from her friend and Hera shook her head, refusing to wear them. She never liked wearing any jewellery or essories. With a groan, Abby put them back into the box.

    "There you go, my lovely Princess. Now we await the arrival of your Prince charming," Abby said, arranging Hera''s hair on her shoulder. She smiled, watching Hera through the mirror as her cousin blushed at her choice of words. Hera returned her smile, which said she''s pleased with the result.

    <em>''Now, what if my Prince charming has forgotten our date for real and doesn''te to pick me?''</em>

    Hera was on the verge of losing her hope, the anticipation slowly dying down. All the hard work, time and energy, her effort to earn his appreciation, everything would be wasted. She would be left heartbroken and not to forget the humiliation it would bring along.

    Suddenly, the doorknob rattled as someone twisted it back and forth, and Hera''s heart skipped a beat. She knew it was Hunter as he''s the only one who never knocks her door apart from her brother. She was very familiar with the way he twists the knob. Always impatient, with much-added urgency, and the aggressiveness it carries had always been hard to miss.

    "Ah, boys and their impatience!" Abby said, rolling her eyes. Hera took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. Abby sprayed perfume on Hera''s wrist and asked her to rub it on her other wrist, then a little spritz on the inside of her thumb which she rubbed behind Hera''s ears.

    "You''rete," Hera heard him yell from outside, voice filled with annoyance as his knuckle banged the door. Hera looked at the clock, and she still had ten more minutes until its six. She took out a ck scarf from the closet and covered her head with it. Abby whisper yelled at her, scolding her for ruining her perfect look.

    "What? I want to surprise him," said Hera, and Abby snorted in return. "Surprise or shock?" She questioned for which Hera scowled at her. Abby was a little afraid as she thought that Hunter might take out his wrath on her.

    "If he doesn''t like it and gets angry, you''ve to save me from his fury," Abby warned her cousin and walked to the door. She pulled the door shut behind her, not letting him in and received a re from him for doing so. "Bring her back by ten, and darling, you look yummy," she said with a teasing smirk. "Fuck off, Aligator," Hunter said, poking her in the forehead. Abby scowled at him for the absurd nickname and dly escaped before Hera coulde out.

    She nced over her shoulder and yelled, "How difficult is it for you to use Abigail in ce of Alligator?" Hunter ignored her yell of disapproval as he heard her stomping her feet in anger while she walked away.

    Hunter impatiently kicked the door with the tip of his boot and yelled once again, "You''rete." With his head bent down and hands slipped into the pockets of his pants, he was eyeing his boots absent-mindedly, when Hera opened the door. Hunter''s eyes shifted from his boot to her feet covered in flip-flops. Her white gold anklet shone brightly against her ck footwear.

    With a sharp intake of breath, Hera took a step back and watched Hunter doing the same. He walked backwards until his back rested against the steel railings. Her heart filled with overwhelming emotions as his handsomeness was too much for her to resist.

    <em>''Goodness, we match!''</em>

    Hera''s eyes automatically wandered all over him. He wore ck jeans with a ck dress shirt, it was untucked, and he kept the first two buttons unbuttoned. His ck medallion rested on his chest, adding more to his hotness. With his cuffs undone, he''d finished his look with a ck leather jacket and ck boots. His hair free of hair gel flew all over his eyes.

    <em>''What made you step back, Hunter? Did I disappoint you already?''</em>

    Hera couldn''t stop herself feeling inferior in front of him. He looked so handsome and hot as hell. Hera could only describe his looks as a heavenly sight for anyone to admire.

    Hunter''s eyes slowly travelled up her legs and stopped on her milky white thighs where her dress ended. A slow smile appeared on his lips as he recognised the dress. He''d only seen her wearing it in the picture. She looked sexier in real as his gaze headed further upward.

    If he thought she looked hot in the picture, he now felt it didn''t do any justice in capturing her beauty.

    "What happened to the high heel footwear that came with the dress?" He asked without lifting his eyes from the top edge of her dress as it held his undivided attention. "I can''t walk in that even if my life depended on that and you know it. So, I gave them to Evie, and surprisingly, we''re about the same size," Hera answered him calmly, but inside she was anything but calm. She was aware of his eyes now feasting on her curves.

    "I paid for them!" He muttered under his breath as he finally moved his eyes up to meet hers.

    Hera bit back a smile as she saw him frown.

    "What the," he stopped himself from cursing and asked, "Why are you covered in that scarf? It doesn''t go with the dress. Can you please take it off?" Smiling sweetly at him, Hera nodded a yes. "Anything for you, my Prince Charming," she said, and slowly removed her scarf.

    She smirked with pride as she got the expected reaction from him. She ran her fingers through her hair, arranging it on her bare shoulders just like Abby did earlier. She watched in amusement as Hunter''s jaw clenched and his fingers closed into fists. "How do I look, Hunter? Did you like my new look?" She asked, while her fingers pushed back the bangs falling over her eyes.

 Chapter 81 - Heartwarmingly Cheesy

    Gone was her waist-length long hair he loved so much. Now it reached only her shoulders, resting right on the upper swell of her breasts.

    <em>''She has cut her hair!''</em><em></em>

    <em>''She has cut her hair?''</em>

    Hunter silently examined her new look. Abby had cut her hair intoyers, and now Hera had bangs covering her forehead. She looked great with short hair too, but he loved her long hair better. Her forest green eyes looked mesmerising as usual, drawing his full attention to them like a ma.

    Though she didn''t need any makeup to enhance her beauty, he could see that she''d done something with her face. Her pink lips were glossy and shining, tempting him to taste them. The exposed skin under her neck was sparkling.

    <em>''You are an ethereal beauty, my Goddess Hera..''</em>

    But he was not in a mood topliment her as he knew she''d cut her hair only to annoy him and so he decided to ignore her earlier question.

    "You''rete," he said, repeating the words for the third time. He wanted it to sound casual, but it came out as an angry snap. Hera threw her head back inside the door to look at the clock and smirked before taking his left hand in hers. She tapped on his silver wristwatch for him to see, and said, "Nope, I''m on time. We''ve one more minute until its six."

    "Oh, how nice of you, I''m grateful," he replied sarcastically. Hera shamelessly admired his back as he walked ahead of her, hands buried in the pockets.

    "You know, a guy usually asks the girl for her permission before taking her out on a date. And for your information, it''s a date only if the girl agrees," Hera said, still trailing behind him slowly. "And your point is?" Hunter asked, looking over his shoulder. His tone was rudely disinterested.

    Hera jogged until she matched his steps and wrapped her hands around his arm. He looked down at her hands and then at her face. It''d been years since she held his hand, and the gesture warmed his heart. "My point is that you never asked me," she looked up ring at him. "You dered that we''re going on a date, demanding that I should be ready on time," she snapped, tone sharp as a knife.

    He shrugged his shoulders and clucked his tongue, adding more to her frustration. "What does it matter? You agreed anyway, and you''re going with me, aren''t you?" He asked rhetorically.

    <em>''Wow! Could he be any more arrogant?''</em>

    "You didn''t even bring flowers for me! Some gentleman you are," Hera said, rolling her eyes at him. Soon they walked out of the gate of their dormitory building. Hera slowed her steps and withdrew her hands from the crook of his arm as she saw Mathew making his way towards them. He greeted Hera and handed Hunter the keys to his ck sports car, Audi R8.

    Hera watched as Hunter moved across to the driver''s seat and she threw up her hands in frustration before blowing a raspberry. He pulled his door open and looked at her gesturing her to get in. Adamantly Hera stood still, with her arms crossed around her chest, like a child throwing a tantrum.

    "What now?" He asked impatiently, and Hera faked a sweet smile still not budging.

    "How chivalrous you are!" Her sarcasm made him clench his jaw. "No asking out, no flowers, and you don''t even open my door for me. Oh, I''m enjoying my date so far," she mocked, faking excitement. He walked back to her and opened the door for her with a smile.

    With a huff, Hera turned to get in and saw a bouquet of purple orchids resting on her seat. Her green eyes found his purple eyes and Hunter smiled again, while his hand reached out to pick up the bunch of flowers. Hera gasped and jumped back in surprise as his hand brushed against the front of her breasts.

    Hera lowered her head to hide her blushing cheeks from him, and he cleared his throat to get attention. His face showed no sign to make her believe that the earlier action was intentional.

    "Here, these are for you, I got your favourite flowers in your favourite colour," he said, with a lovely smile. Hera epted the bouquet, her smile as radiant as his. "Now shall we go?" He gestured for her to sit in the car and closed the door after she gotfortable in the seat. Hera was admiring the flowers, and her smile refused to die down for some unknown reason.

    Startling her Hunter''s hand came into view, in-between the flowers and herself. She looked at him with her widened eyes, confusion filled in them. Hunter half lifted his body leaning towards her, and she pushed herself more into the seat, trying to create some distance.

    <em>''He smells so good, heavenly.''</em>

    She held her breath while he tried to fasten her seat belt. Meanwhile, her heart went crazy, scaring her that he might hear her loud heartbeats. Securing her seat belt, he smiled and started the engine, one hand on the gear, and the other clutched the steering wheel. Hera released the breath she''s holding and tried to return his smile, but all she could do was stare at him.

    She was nervous, and thankfully he focused his eyes on the road.

    "Where''s Mathew?" Hera asked, trying to ease the tension between them. Hunter briefly nced at her before answering her question. "I asked him to stay away and give me some privacy for tonight. But I''m sure he''s his ways to stay close to me," he said, words followed by the softughter, and Hera smiled with a nod.

    Silence filled the car and Hera needed some distraction to avoid staring at him.

    She dropped her gaze back to the flowers and frowned in confusion when she saw a silver foil inside the bunch of flowers. She carefully separated it from the flowers andughed when she opened it.

    "Oh, my God!" She eximed loudly.

    Inside the foil was arge portion of candy floss split up into three smaller bites wrapped around the end of snack sticks like lollipops. She found a note attached to each one of the sticks, a sweet messenger. Still giggling merrily she ate the candy floss, and Hunter smiled to himself in satisfaction.

    Hera licked her lips, and it was toote to realise that she ate her lipstick as well.

    <em>''We haven''t even reached the ce, and I already messed up my makeup even before my date officially started. Just great!''</em>

    Hera scolded herself inwardly. Sighing audibly, she picked up the sweet messengers to read the messages.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Thank you for saying yes to our date and making my evening extra special.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m honoured.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>P.S. I vow to make this evening the most memorable evening for you as well.</strong></em>

    Hera smiled pleasantly before reading the second message.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>You''re very precious to me.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I can take on the world when you stand by my side.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>P.S. You''re my strength as well as my weakness.</strong></em>

    After reading the second message, her eyes watered as his every word touched her heart. Cheesy but heartwarmingly touching. She turned fully to look at him only to find his eyes fixed on the road ahead. But the broad grin spreading across his face told her that he knew. Biting her lips in anticipation, Hera read the third message.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m sorry for all that time when I hurt you.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Please forgive me.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>P.S. I love you so much. I don''t ever want to lose you.</strong></em>

    She carefully ced the notes inside the dashboard. She didn''t bring handbag or purse with her. "Remind me to take thister," she said, her voice was thick with overwhelming emotions, and Hunter hummed a response. He knew she''d kept all his messages since their first meeting.

    Hera couldn''t resist anymore and taking off her seat belt, she moved towards him and kissed him on the cheek. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she rested her head on his shoulder as silent tears escaped her eyes.

    Hunter dropped a kiss on top of her head. "I meant every word," he whispered in a soft tone. "I know," Hera said, wiping her tears, "I forgive you, Hunter."

    She heard him sigh in relief and he pulled over to the side. When Hera looked at him, he''d tear in his eyes. Before she could say something, he''d her locked in his arms.

    Hera tried to pull away from the embrace, but Hunter held her tight in his arms. He inhaled sharply before releasing her reluctantly. When Hera looked into his eyes, his sight dipped to her lips. Hera nervously licked her lips as his eyes never left her lips.

    Hera knew he wanted to kiss her, but he never made a move. After waiting for a few more seconds, she moved back to sitfortably in her seat and heard him sigh.

 Chapter 82 - Mr Know It All

    She peeked a nce, silently waiting for him to say something. He looked shattered. Hera knew he was struggling with words, trying to figure out how to voice his thoughts amidst battling against his overwhelming emotions.

    Looking ahead of him, Hunter held the steering wheel tight in his hands, knuckles white as a sheet. But he didn''t start the car. The silence stretched for a few more minutes, and Hera looked down into herp, twiddling her thumbs, not knowing how to break the silence.

    She sensed it even before his hands reached out, taking both of hers in his. Her sense organ weed the warm touch against her cold ones. Meanwhile, her disobedient heart jumped, missing a beat or two.

    "Hera," he said softly calling for her attention, and she was surprised to hear him call her by her name. He rarely used her name to address her. She could even count all those times when he called her Hera, mostly when he''s angry at her.. He squeezed her hands in his lightly, and she finally looked him in the eyes.

    Hera bit her lip when she saw the whites around his purple orbs turned red at the corners as emotional tears made his eyes ssy once again.

    Lifting her hands to his mouth, he kissed each of her knuckles.

    "Thank you," he said. "You don''t know for how long I''ve waited to hear you say this. I know I don''t deserve it, but thank you for forgiving me," he said in gratitude. Hera smiled and slowly pulled her hands back. "Hunter, I forgive you for hurting me, because I know you regret it. But you can''t take me for granted anymore. You''ve to work hard to win my heart and to make me fall in love with you again. Remember, that''s our deal?" She asked, confidently holding eye contact with him and he nodded his reply.

    Hera observed how he tried to mask his emotions, and just like that his confident, arrogant self reced his vulnerable self. Though Hunter didn''t like to show his vulnerability to anyone, Hera knew him better. No matter how much he tried to conceal it behind his smile, she could read his eyes.

    "I wouldn''t fret about it too much though," Hunter said, gifting her one of his charming smiles. He started the engine and resumed his driving. Frowning in confusion, Hera turned her head to look at him, thinking about what he meant by saying that.

    One look at her face and Hunter knew she was confused.

    "Goddess, you know, ording to research in Psychology, we like people who like us," he said. "It''s called ''Reciprocal Liking''. People are prone to return the liking when theye to know that someone likes them. As we already love each other, all I''ve to do is rectify my wrongdoings. You said you forgave me, and that''s all that matters to me. I won''t lose you again, Goddess. I''ll make you fall in love with me again, and this time it''ll be forever," he vowed, intending to fulfil his promise.

    <em>''Huh, herees Mr Know It All.''</em>

    Hera scoffed at him. "A few minutes ago you were mushy with all that emotional stuff, and now you''re back to your usual cocky self. Can you be anymore bipr?" She asked. Hunter chuckled, making her scowl. She shook her head, choosing to ignore his rudeness. "You and your research study! Where do you get all that information from?" She muttered under her breath, not expecting him to answer because it''s a rhetorical question.

    Hera enjoyed the view through the window while Hunter concentrated on his driving. After a 40-minute drive from crowded London, Hunter finally hit the break, announcing that they''d reached their destination. A valet opened the door for Hera, greeting them upon their arrival before he took the keys from Hunter for parking the car.

    Hera looked ahead appreciating the beauty of the mansion standing proudly before her eyes. She could tell by its unique traditional architecture that it was centuries old. "Do you like it?" Hunter asked, watching her smile in approval. He brought her to a country retreat near London.

    Hera immediately fell in love with the ce. It''s peaceful and romantic as well.

    A young, pretty woman was leading their way to their reserved table, and Hera was speechless as she walked across the beautifulke surrounded by greenery from all sides. "Oh, my! This ce is a dream destination. It''s so beautiful that I feel like we''re on our honeymoon and I would love to live here forever," Hera said, skipping her steps, half jogging like a little kid.

    Hunter increased his pace to match her steps and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, pulling her to him. The pretty woman coughed in an attempt to hide herugh, and Hunter cleared his throat to get Hera''s attention. Confused, Hera mouthed, "What?" He cocked his head, staring at her with narrowed eyes waiting for her to realise.

    Hera gasped, facepalming. "Oh, my God! Did I think that out loud?" She looked expectantly at Hunter, and he inclined his head with pursed lips. Hera blushed in embarrassment as she noticed the woman walking ahead of them was still trying to stifle herughter.

    Thankfully, they reached somewhere, and the woman left them alone as a man joined them, introducing himself as their Butler for the evening. The ce was dark, with no lightings. Hera was confused as well as worried and looked at Hunter, questioning him with her eyes. He stepped back, smiled at her and made a motion with his hand, indicating that she should go first. The Butler too stepped aside, making way for her.

    Taking a deep breath, Hera put one foot forward, and a light lit up under her feet, forming a square. Shocked, she jumped back colliding with Hunter''s chest. "It''s okay, pathway lighting," he whispered in her ear holding her arms. Hera rxed under his soft touch and exhaled deeply before continuing her short journey to her first date.

    With her every step, pathway lit up spilling the light around. The lighting looked like it''s just enough and not too bright, almost like little lines of fire under her each step.

    She stopped when they reached a pond and turned to Hunter, and he jerked his head, signalling her to proceed. Stepping carefully on the stone path across the pond, Hera made her way to the table surrounded by water on all sides, and Hunter silently followed her. Heraughed in excitement as she explored the settings made around her.

    The Butler pulled a chair for her, and she settled in her seat, thanking him, while Hunter took a seat opposite to Hera. She didn''t notice the Butler holding out a Menu card for her as her eyes wandered around. "Please excuse us for five minutes," Hunter politely requested, and the Butler left them alone.

    Trees surrounding the pond provided them privacy, and the Landscape lightings added more luxury to the trees and pergs as the light looked like floating candles surrounding them. Different nts with colourful flowers made the ce look peaceful, and she loved the swans and ducks swimming in the pond in pairs.

    Hunter couldn''t stop smiling as he watched her observing her surroundings with so much delight. Her smile warmed his heart to the core. He hadn''t seen her this happy since years, and he wished that it never fades.

    "Hmm, candle-lit dinner in a night garden or should I say night pond?" Hera asked, smiling at Hunter and touched the bunch of red roses in a ss vase ced in the middle of the table. The white table cloth made the red roses look more bright and lively.

    "Do you like it?" He asked, and she didn''t miss the nervousness in his beautiful eyes. She inclined her head with a broad grin. "It''s dreamy and romantic," she said, winking at him and Hunter let out a quietugh. "I''m d you approve of it," he said, signalling the Butler, who was waiting patiently at the corner.

    Hunter watched while trying not tough as her scowl intensified. After reading the Menu for about a minute or two, Hera finally mmed it on the table. "You know I get confused when I have so many options to choose. You choose and order something delicious. I''ll eat anything anyway," she said to Hunter and smiled sheepishly at the Butler waiting for their order.

    Hunter returned the Menu to the Butler and nodded his head. Hera raised her brows in question. "You didn''t order anything," she stated, and he told her that he''d already ordered as he knew, she would do what she did. Hera made a face which said, ''Oh, really?'' His signature arrogant smirk was his reply which made Hera roll her eyes at him.

    The Butler came back with their food. Hera checked the food Hunter had ordered, fish and chips, spicymb offal tbread, rump steak, mixed veg, mashed and roasted potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding with two sses of pineapple juice.

    <em>''Everything he ordered is my favourite!''</em>

    She nodded her appreciation and mouthed, "I''m impressed."

 Chapter 83 - Admiring The Beauty

    The food tasted delicious, and Hera tried hard not to moan.

    "How do you know about this ce?" She asked, eating thest of her chips. "It''s where my grandparents met. My grandma used to work here as a manager," Hunter replied, and they talked about his grandparents for a while, how they met and fell in love and got married. His face lit up, he liked talking about his family, and Hera felt so happy watching him smile andugh.

    "Why did you cut your hair?" Hunter asked, his tone was harsh, and Hera looked up from her te. His face held a serious expression. She gulped her food and sipped a mouthful of her juice and thought what to say and shrugged nonchntly. "I wanted a makeover," she said, "To look good?" Her statement came out as more of a question, and he nodded, with a nk face.

    She knew he didn''t believe her.

    <em>''You already know exactly why I cut my hair..''</em>

    "You look good," he said half-heartedly and to annoy him more, she smirked and replied curtly, "I know." She tried to sound arrogant, but he didn''t react at all.

    "I can''t eat anymore of this," Hera groaned, looking into her te of spicymb. Hunter swapped his te of fish with hermb and ate silently with his head lowered. Taking advantage of the situation, Hera watched him silently and her mouth watered.

    <em>''He looks as yummy as the food on my te. I could eat him for dessert.''</em>

    The fork dropped into his te with a clink from Hunter''s hand, and he lifted his head to look at Hera. He looked shocked, and Hera frowned. She gave him a quick single up-down eyebrow sh, silently asking, "What?" He shook his head in slow-motion and went back to eating his food. She''d no idea she was thinking aloud, and he chose to keep it that way. Hunter bit back a smile while he let her enjoy her view and ate his food silently.

    Hera smiled at the Butler and leaned back into the chair, giving him more room to clear the table. When Hera''s gaze flicked onto Hunter, she found his eyes already fixed on her with a ghost of a smile dancing on his lips.

    His purple eyes looked dark under the dimly lit light.

    <em>''So beautiful, so captive!''</em>

    She could get lost in that deep valley of his eyes forever, and they were so bewitchingly mesmerising, she couldn''t look away. A brief memory from their childhood shed across her thoughts. Hunter had said during their first meeting that her eyes look like a deep green forest he desired to explore. Hera subconsciously smiled at the memory. For her, his eyes were like an endless abyss, a deep purple ocean she would never hesitate to drown in.

    Hunter''s one eyebrow cocked up as in to ask ''What are you looking at?'' Amusement waltzed in his eyes, and his smile grew into a wide grin.

    <em>''And the devil knows what I''m looking at.''</em>

    Hera turned her head to the side, narrowed her eyes at him. "Don''t look so ttered, I was not admiring your beauty," she said, scowling at him. Hunter clucked his tongue as he said, "I bet."

    Even under the dim light, he could see her face turning into a darker shade of pink as she realised that he caught her in her act. She was doing exactly the same what she just denied, admiring his ''Beauty'' that is. His eyshes were thicker and longer than hers, guarding those purple, shiny marbles under them.

    "Beauty is not the right word to describe me. You could say handsomeness or hotness," he said, shrugging his shoulders and pretended to think for a second. "Sexiness would sound even better," he suggested with a wink. To hide the growing blush from spreading anymore on her heated cheeks, she rolled her eyes and mouthed ''Whatever'' dismissing him.

    "Your dessert, my Lady," the Butler said, intruding their private time and ced the thing he carried onto the table, and with a perfect bow, he left them alone. Hunter watched as Hera frowned in confusion.

    "Why is it all wrapped up? What, am I not supposed to eat it now? We are leaving already?" Hera asked, examining the small bowl covered in a silver foil.

    Smiling warmly, Hunter asked her to open it, and Hera carefully removed the foil paper. The first thing she saw was the note attached to the lid.

    <em>''A Post-it note!''</em>

    And for once it wasn''t in purple, it''s a yellow note. Hera loved purple, but Hunter didn''t know that it was not about the colour. It''s his eyes she loved the most. He thought she loved everything in purple and Hera never attempted to correct him.

    Hunter snatched the Post-it note before Hera could see the message written on it. He opened the lid covering the bowl and ced it in front of her. "Eat your dessert first, Goddess," he said, answering her questioning gaze. Grabbing her eyes away from her favourite shining purple gems, Hera looked at the dessert.

    pping her hands like a happy child, she giggled when she saw what the dessert was. "What''s this, Hunter?" She asked, eyeing the contents in the bowl. Needless to say that her mouth watered. "It''s a purple Ube cake roll sandwiched between ck-currant and Vani ice cream. Taste it," he said, watching as she dipped the spoon into the soft surface of the cake.

    Her eyes locked with his, and she asked with a disapproving scowl, "Dry fruits and nuts?" Hunter chuckled at her scowling face and shook his head negatively. "Just raisins and chocte chips," he said, and she hummed an approval before taking a bite. Hunter leaned back, rxing his posture, one hand on his thigh and the other resting on the table.

    Eyes widened, and a smile lit up Hera''s face as she tasted the dessert, but she resisted the urge to moan this time as well. She knew he would scold her, lecturing about table manners if she did. She held up the spoon, silently offering him a bite, but he shook his head in a no. She chewed her bottom lip nervously, while he rapped his fingers on the table in a slow-motion, eyes turning into a darker shade of purple. He''s staring at her without blinking.

    <em>''Good God! He looks like a hungry lion ready pounce on me.''</em>

    She waved her hand in front of his eyes, bringing him back to earth from his private thoughts, and he cleared his throat. "Do you want to dance?" He asked out of the blue, surprising her. She shook her head, vigorously. "Not a chance, you know I don''t dance. Because I can''t dance and I don''t want to make a fool of myself here in front of everyone," she said with finality.

    "Goddess, no one''s here, it''s just us," he said, extending his palm, waiting for her to ce hers in his. Sheughed, ridiculing his n, "Mr Hunter, there''s no music!" She said. He winked in return and snapped his fingers.

    Like magic, music started, and Hera''s jaw dropped in surprise.

    He stood up, moved across and took her hand in his. "May I have the pleasure of having this dance with you, my Lady?" He asked in his perfect British ent, and without waiting for her reply, he pulled her up from the chair. Hera hesitated and refused to acknowledge his request. "Come on, Mrs Hunter. It''s our song, and you don''t have to feel ufortable. We''ll do our thing in our way," he said, and Heraughed at his choice of words.

    She knew what he meant by our thing.

    The song ''Crush'' by Jennifer Paige started to y in the background. Before Hera could resist, Hunter dragged her across the table, and they started slowly moving their feet in sync to the music. He had his arms locked around her waist while hers wound around his neck.

    Hera could hardly remember thest time they danced together for this song. That was two years ago, before their breakup.

    Hera was eight years old when she first heard the song. One weekend on a Saturday evening, Hunter was listening to it ying on a repeat mode in his music system at his mansion. Hera couldn''t understand the meaning of the song at that tender age, but she instantly liked the music and the tone of the song. It sounded soothing and blissful, but she''d noticed that Hunter looked sad.

    When she asked him why he''d been listening to it if the song made him sad, then he told her a story behind that song.

    Years ago, his parents were on a road trip with their friends. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, in the middle of the road, his father stopped the car and proposed marriage to his mother. The same song was ying in the background through the radio in the car at that time. Since that day it''d be his mother''s favourite, and his parents would dance to the song at least twice a week.

    Hera understood why the song made him sad, even before he admitted.

 Chapter 84 - Picture Perfect

    That day, Hera had learned the reason for his sadness.

    He loved watching his parents dance to that song. They always looked so happy, and the smile on his mother''s face would brighten their world.

    Hunter listened to that song every time he felt homesick and missed his parents. So Hera decided to erase that sadness and to give him another reason to be happy. She''d danced with him to that song each time. He''d taught his parents'' dance moves to Hera. They would listen to that same song whenever they felt lonely, and Hunter would dance with her. Since then it has be their favourite too.

    <em><strong>"It''s just a little crush.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Not like I faint every time we touch ....."</strong></em>

    <em><strong>-A song by Jennifer Paige</strong></em>

    Grinning and giggling in between, Hera sang along the lyrics while Hunter unwound her hands from his neck. He held her right hand in his left hand and ced her left hand on his right shoulder. His right hand made its way around her waist, securing her firmly against his front.

    Hera looked into his hooded eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. She used to feel special every time he held her close to his heart. His warm embrace always made her feel safe and loved. He was her home until he broke her heart. She could tell by the way he''s looking at her that he too was remembering their special moments. His eyes turned misty, and Hera felt like drowning in them.

    <em>''After everything you did, I still couldn''t stop loving you. Why?''</em>

    Her eyes closed shut, capturing his handsome face in them, and her heart fluttered when his lipsnded a kiss on each of her eyelids. "I love you, my Goddess," he whispered, before engulfing her in a tight hug.

    Heraughed when Hunter twirled her around again and again.

    "Stop it now, Hunter, you''ll drop me into the pond if you lose bnce, and I''m feeling dizzy already," she scolded, mocking seriousness but herughter never quieted. He stopped, but never let her go out of his arms. They rocked side to side, enjoying the warmth in each other''s arms while the song kept ying on repeat mode.

    Suddenly, he pushed her forward, holding both of her hands in his and Hera squealed in surprise before he pulled her back. She gasped as she collided flushed against his chest. He smiled charmingly at her while she blushed. Holding her hand over her head, he turned her to the right, spinning her around and repeated the move as Heraughed away in joy.

    They danced and danced as the song kept ying. As usual, Hera stepped on his foot countless times, and in return, he threatened to drop her into the water. Even though they''d practised the same dance steps for years, Hera still couldn''t learn how to not step on his foot.

    Atst, he attempted a fancy dip, his favourite of every dance move. Hera was always afraid that he would drop her, but he never once did. He''d always been graceful and held her safely in his arms.

    Hunter studied her face as the toothy grin broadened on her face. The water beneath her looked like a ck pool, and the colour of her eyes darkened, making them even more beautiful in the dim light.

    <em>''The perfect green, my favourite colour.''</em>

    He thought in appreciation. He could see the reflection of the trees and the moon in the water, but nothing looked more ethereal than the girl in his arms.

    Hera''s grin slowly faded as she saw the look in his eyes, and she shivered under his intense gaze. She knew he wanted to kiss her, and proving her right Hunter''s face inched closer to hers. The wind blew his hair, making it stick out in ces, and he looked adorable as ever when it fell on his brows, almost covering his eyes. But he kept staring into her eyes without blinking.

    Silence filled except for the song ying in the background, but they could hardly listen to it. Lost in their own world, all they heard was their own heartbeats thumping crazily against their chests.

    Hera closed her eyes in anticipation and waited for his lips to greet hers. He watched her breasts move up and down as her breathing turned heavy while she licked her dry lips.

    Hunter''s eyes followed the lines of the blue veins in her neck and the hollow of her throat as she swallowed her saliva in an attempt to moisten the dryness in her throat. Everything she did was driving him crazy, and he desperately wanted to peel her dress off to feast on the rest of her beauty.

    He felt like his heart stopped, and he couldn''t breathe, only to realise that he was holding his breath. He shook his head and erased all the sinful thoughts.

    <em>''You''re too precious for me, my Love. I would die before losing you again.''</em>

    Hera was waiting and waiting for the kiss, which never came. She slowly opened her eyes, and he pulled her up, steadying her on her feet. Her face flushed beautifully with a darker shade of pink, and he kissed her on the forehead. Hera avoided his eyes, and he knew she was nervous.

    She wondered what went wrong and why he didn''t kiss her. He turned her to the swans and ducks floating in the pond. Hera sat on the edge, bending her form she tried to touch them, but her hand couldn''t reach. "Give me your phone. I want to capture this beautiful scene," she said, thrusting her palm out, but kept her eyes on the swans and ducks.

    Squatting next to her, he handed his phone to her and watched as she unlocked his password-locked cell phone. Standing up, he turned away from her, pretending to watch the other side of the pool, but he was only trying to hide his joy from her.

    Ever since he got a cell phone, he''d kept the same password, and Hera knew his password. It made him extremely happy that she never once thought that he might have changed the password after their supposed breakup because his password was her birthdate.

    "Hunter," he heard her calling his name and wiping his grin off he nced over his shoulder. She wasn''t looking at him. She was angling the phone to capture the perfect picture of the pair of swans. "Do you have any indecent photos of me on your phone?" She asked, confusing him. Hunter frowned and walked back to her.

    "What do you mean by indecent?" Hunter asked, genuinely sounding clueless, and Hera looked up at his tall frame giving him a suspicious look. "You know, Danny was ckmailing me when we''re back at home. He said you have indecent pictures of us together," Hera revealed as her eyebrows furrowed while she scowled.

    Hunter crossed his arms andughed, making her scowl turn deeper. "What''s so funny?" She questioned, ring at him.

    He dragged a chair towards her and sat on it with his legs wide, manspreading. cing his forearms on his thighs, he sped his hands together. Hera leaned back in reflex as he leaned forward, bringing his face to hers. He had a yful expression on his face. "Goddess, we never did the dirty. So, what indecent pictures are you talking about?" He asked in an amused tone, and that arrogant smirk on his handsome face only made her feel stupid. But Hunter thought, she only looked cuter.

    "I don''t know, he said pictures of us in bed and us kissing," she said, avoiding his eyes. "That''s hardly indecent. Anyways, you knew whenever I clicked pictures of us," he stated, and she nodded. "What was Danny ckmailing you for?" Hunter asked which Hera ignored answering. She asked him to show his social media ount instead.

    "Touch the app, and you can see the pictures. But you don''t have to worry as my ount is private and only my friends have ess to it," he assured her, which meant Danny wouldn''t dare trying anything dirty to upset him. Hera nodded and focused on clicking the pictures.

    She took pictures of the swans, ducks, trees, flowers, chairs and the table, the pond, everything surrounding her. She even managed to take a picture of a fish in the water. Hunter quietlyughed when she took pictures of roses on the table.

    Snatching his phone from her hand, Hunter took her pictures, capturing her every mood. She smiled,ughed, scowled and made funny faces. He posted her picture on his social media ount in which she was sticking her tongue out immaturely. Hera shot him a re, and he got a chance to click a few more pictures of her cute angry face.

    Atst, she asked him to join her for a selfie, and when he was about to click, she kissed him on the cheek surprising him. Heraughed at his shocked face. The moment was picture perfect. His heart did somersaults, and he couldn''t stop smiling. He made it the wallpaper on his phone screen, and Hera smiled in approval.

 Chapter 85 - His Caveman Tactics

    Hunter had his eyes glued to Hera''s face while her hand yed with water. The smile never left her face and Hunter couldn''t take his eyes off her. A movement somewhere in the far disturbed him, demanding attention. He scanned the surrounding but didn''t find anything suspicious, though his gut told him something was wrong.

    He called for the Butler and paid the bill. Hera watched as the Butler smiled in gratitude when Hunter tipped him generously. "And you can stop the music now," Hunter said with a chuckle, and the Butler joined. Hera never noticed that the song never stopped ying. Bidding them both Goodnight, the Butler left.

    "They might think that we''re crazy for ying that song on repeat mode," Hera said grinning. Hunter smiled shrugging as if to say ''I don''t care''.

    "It''s gettingte, we should leave now," Hunter said, capturing Hera''s attention. The disapproving scowl on her face said she didn''t want to leave yet. "I love this ce, Hunter," she said, looking around. "Okay, fine. Can we at least take a walk before we leave? I want to see theke, and the greenery looks so beautiful from here," she added when she saw him shaking his head dismissing her request.

    A few secondster, when he couldn''t say no to her adorable pout, he agreed. "Okay, but first, let''s use the washroom," he suggested but didn''t wait for her reply. He pulled her along with him and walked away from the pond. Hera was confused at his sudden change of behaviour. His shoulder was stiff with tension, and he looked worried.

    They reached the restrooms, and he was still following her. Frowning, Hera tugged at his hand, "Hunter, this is thedies restroom, and you''re still following me!" She whispered yelled. Ignoring her protests, he kept walking. "I''ll walk you to the door," he said, making her roll her eyes. Her annoyance reached its level when he entered thedies restroom along with her.

    Resting her hands on the hips, Hera red at him while he checked every door and window like a maniac. He finally gestured her to use the restroom, and Hera widely held out her palms and gave him a ''Have you lost your mind'' kind of look. "Just making sure it''s safe in there," he said. The seriousness on his face didn''t wash out and shaking her head in disbelief, Hera went in to do her business.

    As soon as Hera went in, Hunter pulled the restroom door shut behind him and searched every corner for the unknown danger.

    He paced back and forth, eyeing every nook and cranny and stepped back when he heard shuffling of feet. ncing one more time at Hera''s direction, he made his move and found a tall and lean man in ck shirt and pant hiding behind a wall. With three quick strides, he reached the man and pulled him out by grabbing the cor of his shirt.

    Hunter didn''t give the man a chance to react. He moved fast, kicking the stranger in the stomach and the man bent over, his arms wrapping around his midsection in reflex. The said man was trying to catch his breath in between the angry grunts when the sole of Hunter''s shoe rammed into his chest in a hard strike. He staggered back while Hunter followed, hitting him again,nding a solid punch to the jaw. The man dropped to the floor with a thud, grunting in pain.

    Hunter sensed someone''s approaching boot steps from his behind. Without wasting any time, he turned to him and grabbed the intruder with his wrist. Still holding his hand captive, he turned around in a sh, crouched down a little and pulled his new target over his head, mming him into the floor.

    The man from earlier with an injured jaw tried to get up, and Hunter noticed he''d a gun.

    Grabbing the second intruder with the cor of his shirt, Hunter lifted him from the floor and wrapped his arm around his neck from behind using him as a shield while the man struggled to free himself in a vain attempt. Pulling out his gun from the waistband of his pants, he aimed it at the one standing before him.

    "No, no, Chief, it''s our team," Hunter heard Dave, one of his bodyguards shouting. He came running and introduced the men as their team members. Exhaling in frustration, Hunter asked, "What are you doing here, Dave?"

    "Watching your back," Dave said, helping the men.

    cing his hands on his hips, Hunter huffed, annoyed. "Your men attacked me," he said usingly. Dave attempted to smile, nervously ncing around them. "They didn''t. You misjudged, and they were only trying not to die in your hands," he tried to justify.

    "Where''s Matt?" Hunter asked, throwing a quick nce to the restroom door. "Somewhere in the entrance," Dave replied. Hunter shook his head in disapproval and said sorry to the injured men. He asked how many more were there and Dave informed that they were twelve of them.

    "Alright, now disappear," Huntermanded as soon as the sound of the running water in the restroom stopped. He tucked his gun back to its ce, straightened his shirt and jacket, fingerbed his hair and opened the door.

    Hera eyed him with a frown. "Your face is flushed, what did you do in this short break to get that pink face?" She asked. Rolling his eyes, he ignored her question and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. "Move your legs fast, will you?" He said, dragging her out of the restroom.

    He tried to appear calm, but his mind was doing a marathon, imagining all the bad scenarios that could happen. He was worried sick thinking about why Mathew brought so many guards. Usually, it would be just Mathew or Dave or John, and they always kept a low profile. If twelve guards were present in the same ce to protect him, that meant trouble.

    The most he worried about was his Hera''s safety. He couldn''t bear the thought of something bad happening to her. He would die, saving her life if it was what needed.

    He wanted to leave the ce immediately, but he''d promised Hera to make her evening special, and he didn''t want to end their date abruptly. He knew it would upset her. Unknowingly, he''d tightened his hold on her wrist as he was afraid to let go of her hand.

    He found his men taking different positions behind the trees. Carefully watching his surroundings, Hunter brought her to theke.

    As they strolled around the green grass, surrounding theke, Hera saw a middle-aged couple holding hands, fingers intertwined and walking towards them. They looked so happy and at peace.

    Hera''s eyes moved behind the couple only tond on an old couple. They were holding hands too. Their shoulders shook as theyughed together. The olddy wrapped her arms around her aged husband and rested her head on his chest. Hera smiled unknowingly at the happy couple as the older man tightened his hold on her shoulder in a protective manner.

    They looked so happy, and she could feel their unconditional love for each other. The trust in their eyes and the smile on their faces showed how much they cherish each other''s presence. They looked so proud of each other.

    The middle-aged couple nced over their shoulder as if to check on the old couple. Hera guessed they might be family as they all exchanged smiles. Hera looked away and nced to her left, eyeing another young couple. She''d to bend her head a little to look at them as Hunter''s tall frame was blocking her view. They looked only a few years older than Hera and Hunter. They had their fingers interlocked too, as they walked.

    The green monster inside Hera twisted with envy as her eyes automatically drawn to her own hand. Hunter still held her hand with his fingers securely wrapped around her wrist. Hera sighed in disappointment. Every other couple in her sight had their fingers intertwined, and they looked so much in love and happy and romantic, while her boyfriend held her wrist as if she''s a criminal and he''s a cop arresting her for the brutal crime.

    <em>''Bloody Satan and his Caveman tactics!''</em>

    Scowling, Hera looked at his face and found him studying around their surroundings.

    <em>''As if a monkey would jump out of these trees and steal his precious cookies!''</em>

    Hera scoffed internally. He looked like Sherlock Holmes searching for hidden clues to solve the mystery.

    She shrugged her hand, grabbing his attention and pulled her wrist out of his possessive grip. Hunter gave her a ''What is wrong with you?'' look. He didn''t look happy but looked mad instead.

    <em>''He''s angry and tensed all of a sudden. Why? What''s bothering him?''</em>

    Ignoring his grouchy look, Hera rolled her eyes at his mood swings. "I''m tired, let''s sit here for a while," she stated and slumped her lower half on the plush green grass before Hunter could refuse.

 Chapter 86 - Women Deserve Equality

    Hera didn''t miss how his eyes kept roaming all over the ce, scanning every corner before joining her on the ground.

    "I think, I ate a lot," Hera said, removing her flip-flops. As she crossed her ankles, Hunter''s eyes followed her legs from toes to her thighs on the green grass. Her skin looked as smooth as fresh cream. Leaning back, Hera ced her palms on her either side, arms and shoulders supporting all of her body weight. The sparkling skin under her neck captured Hunter''s interest, and he was having a hard time keeping his hands to himself.

    "Thank you for feeding me food. It was delicious, and I''m grateful," said Hera, sighing with content.

    With much difficulty, Hunter averted his eyes from her skin. Dragging his legs up, he looped his arms over his knees.

    He thought of cing his jacket around her shoulders, as the evening air turned slightly chillier.. He knew that Hera doesn''t appreciate the chilly weather of London much, since she could never bear the cold for too long. And besides, Hunter needed her to reveal less skin for him to stay sane. He didn''t want to do something he would regretter.

    He was about to take off his Jacket when Hera turned to face him before she kicked him harshly on his legs, making him lose his bnce, and he fell to his left side. He looked at her with his round, shocked eyes. Her actions caught him by surprise.

    "What was that for?" He asked incredulously, his voiceced with shock. Hera red at him, "You arrogant Jerk when someone says thanks and shows gratitude, you are supposed to say wee or at least say that it''s okay. You don''t just incline your head like a buffalo." She snapped in anger, and a deep throaty chuckle greeted her angry outburst.

    She kicked him, again and again, scowling in disapproval as his chuckle turned into a burst of loudughter. Within seconds she jumped on him, forcing him toy on his back. Hunter''sughter immediately died down as he realised their position. She was straddling him, and his heart stopped.

    His breathing turned heavy as he tried hard to ignore the growing torture in his pants that she''d unknowingly caused. He focused his concentration on the dull pain his gun inflicted on his back when she pushed him to the ground. Nothing was working in his favour, and he couldn''t feel any more helpless.

    With a grunt of frustration, he took both of her hands pulling her to his chest. Hera gasped at the sudden action, as she found herself flushed with his upper torso. He lifted his hip, pushing against hers, and her body went still feeling the hardness in his pants.

    <em>''Oh, my God! Why is his thing switched on?''</em>

    "Goddess, if you don''t want us doing the dirty, I suggest you get down before I change my mind and trust me, I''m a mere second away from losing my restraint," he said in a husky tone. Hera avoided eye contact and got down in a sh. She cleared her throat, righted her dress, and sat back on the grass, exactly where she was before the awkward incident followed.

    Hunter stood up, facing away from her. Hera peeked a nce and saw him adjusting his pants and pulling his shirt down. Blushing crimson red, she looked away from him while he tried to calm his racing heart. She let her eyes wander and immediately regretted. The old couple from earlier was sitting on a wooden bench and had their eyes fixed on them.

    "Oh, bloody hell!" She cursed loudly, and Hunter followed her sight. The older man looked at him with a knowing smile. Hunter faked a smile in return and sat next to Hera. An awkward silence filled the air for a minute or two. He nudged Hera''s shoulder, demanding her attention. Pulling her lower lip between her teeth, she tilted her head to one side, peering at him through hershes.

    "You wasted your time with all that makeup and stuff in vain. Especially with that artificial blush, you don''t need it, Love. Your cheeks naturally turn into an adorable shade of pink when you get angry or when you blush," he said, winking at her. Hera scowled and kicked him again.

    "What was I thinking? You know not a thing about being a gentleman!" She eximed, giving him a displeased scowl, and he red at her. "What does that supposed to mean?" He asked, offended by her statement. "I was preaching you about responding to greetings and gratitude when I know you don''t have a decent bone in your body," she said, and Hunter shifted in his ce, changing his position, now he sat facing her directly.

    "borate and exin," he demanded, faking a harsh tone.

    Hera scoffed, making him frown. "Well, for instance, when couples who are in love take a walk around, they hold their hands, fingers intertwined. You don''t drag your girlfriend by her wrist like an uncivilised Caveman," she spat everything in one go and stopped to take a deep breath before continuing with her angry outburst. "And the first thing any gentleman would do in this chilly weather is offering thedy his jacket," Hera said suggestively and looked at him expectantly.

    Hunter bit back a smile. Wasn''t that what he wanted to do in the first ce before she diverted his attention with her kick? But instead of offering his jacket to her, he thought of annoying her some more.

    "For the record, before using men of not being a gentleman, every woman should know that we men feel cold too. After all, we are also human. And don''t women demand equality? They do deserve it, don''t they? I think every respectable woman should open her own door, wear her own jacket, and pull her own chair by herself. I prefer my woman to be like that, strong and independent," he ended by shrugging his shoulders, and his lips twitched into a smirk.

    "Oh, really? If I were Bianca, you would''ve wrapped your jacket around me, without even me mentioning it," she spoke with utmost distaste, and he could sense jealousy dripping from her each word. "You don''t think about this equality shit you''re talking about when ites to her. You always held the door open for her, and you always pulled a chair for her and," she stopped mid-sentence. Hera realised toote where she''s going with that.

    Hunter''s face went nk, and he stared at her in stunned silence.

    Hera pursed her lips and cursed inwardly for her stupidity.

    "And for Evie," she added, trying to conceal her mistake, "And Samantha." She closed her eyes and bit her lip when he clenched his jaw in anger.

    She heard the rustling as he removed his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulder.

    "You should''ve dressed more conservatively, knowing that you can''t bear cold for too long. So, instead of ming me for not being a gentleman, you should''ve worn something else that revealed less skin. Don''t you think?" He asked in a teasing manner, trying to lighten up her mood, meanwhile struggling to suppress his anger.

    However, his words only heightened her anger.

    "Conservatively," she said as though testing the sound of it. "Revealing less skin? Seriously, Hunter? Did you forget you bought this dress for me?" She asked, throwing the jacket on his face.

    With an angry exhtion, he caught the jacket and threw it on the ground.

    "Didn''t you say that I should wear something pleasant? I thought you would like this dress since you bought it, and I wanted to look good for my first date, sue me now," sheshed out and stood up, trying to walk away, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back. She red at him, silently demanding to let her go.

    "I also said to wear somethingfortable, which you are clearly not. I didn''t mean to offend you when I said less revealing, conservative dress. I only said that because you were shivering in the cold," Hunter said, trying to justify.

    He grabbed the jacket and held it for her to wear it. "I''m sorry I was rude, and you look beautiful in this dress like a Goddess that you are. I really wished it revealed less skin though for my own sanity. I''m having a hard time keeping my hands to myself," he admitted, smiling apologetically and zipped the jacket for her when she wore it. "Please let''s not fight anymore," he requested in a softer tone.

    Hera knew what went wrong. It was Bianca. She''d always managed to find a way to barge in between them. She didn''t even need to be present there physically.

    <em>''Only her name is enough to ruin my best day. God, dammit, why am I so jealous of her?''</em>

    The silence stretched, and Hera weed it. She didn''t know how to undo the mess she created in her stupid jealousy.

 Chapter 87 - His To Protect And Cherish

    Hera''s fingers picked at the grass absent-mindedly, while her eyes were downcast as the green ground beneath her feet looked more appealing. Meanwhile, Hunter''s eyes automatically followed every little movement her fingers made.

    His mind juggled between many things. He was afraid of starting a conversation. Every time they argued over Bianca and his friendship, it always led to an ugly fight between them, and they both knew, it won''t be any different this time either. Hunter never understood why Hera felt so jealous of Bianca. He thought both of them were ridiculously stupid for feeling that way.

    He decided it''s better not to prolong the topic. He wouldn''t want to upset Hera with their differences regarding Bianca''s presence in his life. Everything was going right until Hera brought her between them.

    And besides, he''d a more serious matter to worry about tonight. Never in his life had he felt so terrified about the danger lurking around.. He''d seen his grandfather and father fight such dangers very often, and they''d taught him well too. Hunter knew how to fight with his hands and legs, and he knew how to use weapons. He would survive the dangers of death threatening attacks single-handedly, even without the help of his well-trained bodyguards.

    Dying or killing never frightened him as it was part of his family business. After all, he was born into a most powerful mafia family. He''d witnessed all types of dangers while growing up. They were nothing more than exciting, thrilling adventures for him until now. The girl sitting beside him was no less than oxygen for him. He wouldn''t be breathing anymore if anything to happen to her. The thought of losing her scared him to death.

    If only he could tell her why he was so protective of her. She wasining about not holding hands like the other regr couples normally would do, a romantic gesture.

    <em>''That''s the problem with my life. It''s anything but ordinary or regr.''</em>

    Unintentionally he''d jeopardised the safety of her life tonight, and he couldn''t wait to get her out of that ce. That''s one of the reasons why he never took her out alone on a date.

    "I''m sorry too," Hera mumbled, catching his attention. He moved forward, and their faces were mere inches apart now. They stared at each other for a moment, before his lips twisted into a crooked smile. One eyebrow went up as his eyes twinkled with mischief. "So we''ll kiss and make up then?" He asked, and jabbed his index finger, tickling her side. She squealed in surprise before swatting his hand away.

    Heraughed out loud as he continued to tickle her mercilessly. They were rolling on the ground, pushing and pulling each other just like they used to do when they were little children. Hera kicked him in the stomach and ran away from him. Hunter''s heart leapt into his throat in fear.

    Just the mere thought of not being near her to protect her life with his at such a life-threatening difficult time had aroused an unpleasant violent thrash inside Hunter''s chest.

    He went chasing after her, and Hera increased her pace as she nced at him over her shoulder. She lost her bnce and was about to collide with the old couple sitting on the bench when Hunter''s hand snaked around her waist and pulled her back to him, but he couldn''t prevent their fall.

    Heranded straight on him, absolutely unharmed while Hunter grunted in pain. Stillughing, Hera said sorry to the old couple. After helping her stand up, Hunter got up too, and readjusted the position of his gun into the waistband of his pants at the small his back, pretending to straighten his shirt. The olddy was grinning from ear to ear, watching them, and her husband said, "You two kids remind us of our old days."

    "You mean to say you had a hard time too?" Hunter asked, feigning pity and groaned as Hera stomped her foot on one of his. The older man chuckled, shaking his head. He looked at his wife with a warm smile on his lips as he said, "You''ve no idea, young man, what I went through for her but wouldn''t trade her for the world."

    Hera watched them with awe while Hunter had his eyes fixed on her. "Oh, what beautiful eyes you''ve got, young man! And, you two will make a beautiful bride and groom someday," the olddy said, looking at them. Hera''s eyes went wide after hearing that, and when she looked at Hunter''s face, he was pink-faced. "Oh, my God, you made him blush!" Hera eximed, and burst outughing again.

    Scowling at her, Hunter grabbed her wrist in his hand and bidding a quick goodbye to the elderly couple, he walked ahead, pulling her along. Waving her hand to the old couple, Hera hurried her feet to match his long strides.

    "Do you think I''ll still look beautiful when I get old and wrinkly?" Hera asked in a faraway tone. "Don''t worry, Love. I would still love you with your old, wrinkly, and not so beautiful face because you are mine to protect and cherish. Forever," he said without looking at her. Hera bit her lower lip but still couldn''t stop the toothy grin spreading across her face.

    "Why do you keep dragging me, you Idiot?" Hera asked, trying to pull her hand out of his grip. Still grasping her hand tightly in his, Hunter kept walking briskly. He messaged Mathew, informing him that they''re leaving and within seconds, he got the reply that he would call the Valet to retrieve his car. Hunter understood what Mathew meant. The vehicle had to undergo a thorough check before he could get near to it.

    Hunter started the car as Mathew gave him a nod to proceed. "He did have his way after all," Hera mumbled, waving her hand at Mathew. "Wear your seat belt, Mrs Hunter," said Hunter and Hera buckled up herself. She watched as two identical ck cars escorted them, one drew ahead of them, and another one followed them. She wondered, why so much of security all of a sudden.

    She nced at Hunter while his focus was solely on the road. She let him drive in silence, and her thoughts drifted back to their moment at the pond. She loved every second of their date. He made her feel special tonight. But the only thing that bothered her was this annoying question in her head.

    <em>''He never once kissed me this evening! Why?''</em>

    She could bet on her life that he wanted to kiss her. In fact, he looked desperate to kiss her the whole evening. Hera smiled unknowingly, remembering her first kiss. Their wedding kisses, on her fifth birthday, and he''d said, "I''m your husband, and I can kiss you whenever I want."

    "Hunter?" Calling for his attention, she shifted in her seat to face him. His knuckles clutching the steering-wheel, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, the veins on his arms and hands, and the oversized ck dial watch with a white gold chain on his wrist, everything looked so sexy. She was lost in thoughts when he gave her a quick nce. He cleared his throat, and Hera blushed in embarrassment.

    <em>''God, why do I have to be so obvious? Every fucking time.''</em>

    After chiding herself for a few more seconds for being such an idiot, Hera straightened her posture. "Who was your first kiss?" She asked, sounding genuinely curious. He looked at her as if she''s crazy. "Answer me, Hunter," she demanded in all seriousness when he ignored her question.

    "Hera," he said as he did a double-take on the side mirrors before cutting a left turn. Frowning, Hera thought why he took her name, and when he didn''t say anything else, she blinked rapidly processing the meaning of his word. That was his answer. He actually meant to say she was his first kiss.

    Heraughed in a scornful derisive way. "Oh, don''t give me that crap. I was five, and you were eight. I hardly knew the concept of kissing a husband. I was an innocent child, and that kiss doesn''t count," she said.

    She looked thoughtful for a second before continuing.

    "The word ''Innocence'' reminds me," she nodded her head and narrowed her eyes as if she''d discovered something unusual. "You were too smart for your age. For an eight-year-old, you knew too much about the wedding and kissing. In short, you were anything but innocent," she stated, her tone was usatory.

    Hunter shot a nce at her with a strange look in his eyes, which Hera couldn''t read. He didn''t say anything to make her understand either.

    Hera heaved a long sigh. "You know when you hit puberty and felt the desire to kiss someone for the first time," she paused, waiting for him to look at her.

    Hunter saw her assaulting her lower lip with her teeth. She looked hesitating for a few seconds before she asked her question.

    "To whom did you give your first kiss filled with affection or desire?"

 Chapter 88 - Back To Square One

    Hera was nervous and held her breath as Hunter didn''t answer her right away. She felt as though her poor heart was going to explode, awaiting his reply because he was taking forever to respond. As the seconds tick by, Hera started regretting asking the question. She realised she didn''t want him to answer that anymore.

    <em>''What if, God forbid, he takes Bianca''s name?''</em>

    Hera thought she would die if he did take Bianca''s name. With the close bonding and unconditional support they held for each other, Hera wouldn''t be surprised if they did it together. They would do anything for each other after all.

    "You were my first kiss, Goddess. Attraction or affection, desire or love, call it by whatever name you want. It was always you. I never wanted to kiss anyone other than you," he paused, looking at her. "It was my first time when I kissed you on your fifth birthday.. You said I was anything but innocent, believe it or not, I never kissed anyone before or after that, except you," Hunter confessed, while Hera silently listened.

    "Do you remember what you said after our first kiss?" He asked before shooting a quick nce at her as if he was searching for something in her eyes. Frowning as though she didn''t remember anything, Hera shrugged nonchntly. A smile graced his handsome face as he recalled their wedding kiss. "You said I touched your lips with my tongue and my spit entered your mouth," he said, and then his lips broke into a silentugh.

    Hera turned away in embarrassment and smiled, looking out of the window. It was already getting dark, and if not for the streetlights, she would hardly see anything. "Five years old wife of mine said I don''t have manners because I spit on people," Hunter said, voice filled with amusement. Hera watched as his eyes crinkled, and his upper body began to shake while he continued tough.

    Ten yearster, he still remembered their conversation, and that memoryne engulfed her with overwhelming emotions. At that moment she saw her Prince charming that he used to be, who made her fall in love with him, her Mr Hunter. Caring, loving, and innocent too. She was staring at him with misty eyes as her lips stretched into a warm smile subconsciously.

    "You were right about the spitting part, though," he said, bringing her back to earth from her fantasy world. "The very thought itself is gross. Kissing someone else and sucking their saliva always felt disgusting," he said while his hand changed the gear and the car started moving faster. Hera''s smile disappeared, and she looked at him with disbelief.

    "You''ve kissed other girls many times, Hunter. Stop pretending to be a bloody loyal virgin lover," Hera said with a tone filled with disappointment and smiled mockingly. His grip on the steering wheel tightened. Hera saw him swallowing before he clucked his tongue in disapproval. "At least not until you kissed someone else first," he spat in anger, and his words, as well as eyes, were using. "I was angry and hurt, filled with spite, and I wanted to return the favour," he said.

    Hera looked away from him as she felt mad at herself because of the guilt she felt. Someone else got hurt in the past because of their stupid revenge game.

    "Such a hypocrite you are! It was just a kiss, and it was nothingpared to what you did," Hera said bitingly, without looking at him. The silence that engulfed the air surrounding them didn''t feelfortable and adding more to the unwee awkwardness, Hera brought up the one subject that Hunter never wished to converse with her.

    "Who was your first?" She asked and paused for a second or two. "You know what I mean," she said, expecting him to answer her question, but Hunter kept driving in silence. Her nostrils red as she breathed in anger while trying not to snap at him. "I know for sure that the girl I caught you with wasn''t your first. Who took your virginity, Hunter?" She finally dared to ask the one question she was dying to ask for years.

    When Hunter nced at her, she tried to keep her face nk, void of any emotions, but her voice dropped to a whisper at the end.

    Hunter could read her eyes, he saw the hurt she''s trying to hide, and a knot formed in the pit of his stomach. "You said you forgave me," he whispered almost inaudibly, desperately wanting her to say yes. Hera snorted, "But I never said that I won''t ever talk about it and sometimes, it feels good to rub it in your face." Hera stated shrugging and pretended to look ahead. But she viewed through her peripheral vision, how his jaw muscles tightened. She could tell that he was grinding his teeth in anger.

    Licking his lips, Hunter nced at the rear-view mirror once, and a sigh escaped through his lips. His side profile turned from beautiful to a troubled frown. "Can we not talk about it, please?" He asked, his tone was pleading.

    "No," said Hera, as she was determined to get answers.

    "You know, Hunter, I thought getting intimate with someone for the first time would be a special moment, and one would remember it for life. So it has to be with someone special, but I guess I wasn''t that person for you. You gifted the privilege of taking your virginity to someone else which was supposed to be my right. At least, I deserve to know who stole that right from me," Hera said. Her tone was aggressive, and her words filled with so much bitterness. Hunter winced at the menacing look she shot him.

    Cursing under his breath, Hunter pursed his lips into a thin line.

    "I don''t remember her name," Hunter said, sounding weak. Hera detected nervousness in his tone as he continued to reveal the identity of the girl who ruined Hera''s idea of a fairytale romance. "She was a high school senior then. She''d red hair and was a cheerleader," said Hunter.

    Hera''s brain ran through memory files, and then she remembered the only red-haired cheerleader of their school.

    <em>''How could I not remember her? That gorgeous, redhead bitch!''</em>

    "Of course, it had to be Georgia out of all the girls in the school," Hera said, her voice cynical. The girl was so hot and popr in school that every boy had a crush on her. Not like they wanted to date her, but they all wanted to sleep with her. She was a perfect beauty, but also a slutty bitch who practically poured herself into every boy''sp.

    Discovering the truth that her Hunter was one among those boys made Hera angry and disappointed at the same time. She tried to control the rise of bile in her throat but failed badly.

    "So, was she any good? Did you enjoy doing it with her?" Hera asked, and this time she sounded hurt and broken, making him curse again. Hera looked away from him as one of his hands on the steering wheel tightened, and his other hand hit the steering wheel with the heel of his palm in anger. "We were having such a good time, but of course you''ve to ruin it," he stated disparagingly. Hera folded her hands across her chest, blew out the air in frustration, and then looked ahead.

    She looked no more than an innocent toddler throwing tantrums, and Hunter sighed, looking at her. "Please don''t do this, Goddess. If we don''t let go of the past, then how''ll we make new memories? You said I''ve to make you fall in love with me again. How am I supposed to do that when you''re so stubbornly holding on to that bitter past?" Hunter asked, pleading her with his eyes.

    "Well, you should have thought about every other scenario before cheating on me," she snapped defiantly at him. "And we are back to square one!" Hunter muttered under his breath. "I''m sorry, Goddess. I truly am sorry, and you know it," he confessed apologetically. "I bet you are," she replied sarcastically. Clenching his jaw in anger, Hunter increased the speed of the car, totally ignoring her.

    "Tell me, Hunter, did you enjoy screwing half of the female poption of our school? Do you have any particr favourite one? Who was the best among them? Was Georgia a one-time thing, or you liked it so much that you did it more than once with her?" She shot question after question adding more to his already frustrated mood.

    He hit the breaks suddenly, startling her as her body rushed forward by the sudden impact, but the seat belt pulled her back, holding her securely in the seat. He removed his seat belt with lightning speed and bent towards her, hovering over her form. Hera''s breathing elerated in rm as the look in his eyes, and the anger radiating through his intimidating posture scared her.

 Chapter 89 - Meeting Someone Special

    Hunter ignored the high-pitched sound as the cars escorting them came to a screeching halt. He heard the sound of the doors clicking open and mmed shut, followed by hurried footsteps. None of it mattered, his attention fixed solely on Hera.

    He ced one hand behind her on the seat, and the palm of his other hand rested on the door, caging her in. Mouth agape, eyes widened to their full size, holding her breath, Hera stared in stunned silence. His face was mere inches away from hers. "If you don''t shut this pretty little mouth of yours, Goddess, I''m going to do it with you, right now, right here, in this very car," he said slowly through his gritted teeth.

    Pulling her mind out of the shock, Hera blinked a few times rapidly. ring at him, she tried to say something, but he cut her off as soon as she opened her mouth.

    "I swear, Hera, I mean it," he said in warning, his minty hot breath fanning her face. He would never do that to her, but he lied anyway because he wanted to shut her up, and it worked. Hera swallowed hard and tried to appear unaffected by their proximity.. She didn''t want him to know how intimidated she felt about him.

    Still shooting daggers at him through her murderous eyes, Hera tried to push him off her. When he didn''t budge from his position, she flipped him the bird before she mouthed, "Fine," gritting her teeth.

    A knock on the window pulled his eyes off her. Moving back to his seat, Hunter pushed a button to slide the window down. Before Mathew could question him, Hunter said everything was fine in a dismissing tone, and resumed his driving. Hera kept her mouth shut for her own good, and Hunter didn''t make any attempt to speak either.

    Hera felt hot and sweaty. Her heart was still beating crazily. She crossed her arms and ran her palms over her arms absent-mindedly, through the Jacket she wore. His scent, the heat emanating through his body, his minty breath, everything still lingered around her. His earlier words and actions made her nervous.

    She didn''t know how to describe her feelings, whether it was fear or disgust or excitement. Or maybe she felt all of them at once. The air-condition running in the car didn''t help to cool the heat she felt.

    When she couldn''t handle the awkward silence anymore, Hera turned on the radio.

    <em><strong>"I know I''ve done wrong,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I left your heart torn,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Is that what devils do?"</strong></em>

    <em>''Are you fucking kidding me?''</em>

    Hera scowled as the song ''Love Me Again'' by John Newman yed on the radio. She didn''t even listen halfway through the song before she turned it off by jabbing her finger harshly when it yed the part where the singer''s voice buzzed asking,

    <em><strong>"I need to know now,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Know now, can you love me again?"</strong></em>

    To her annoyance, Hunter turned it on again. It only irked her more because she knew it''s one of his favourite songs. Hera ignored him and turned to the window, looking out. She scoffed inwardly.

    <em>''As if the stupid lyrics in the song would make me forget how you left my heart torn.''</em>

    As Hera kept her eyes on the passing road, despite the electric lights, London seemed like an ''alien city'' to her at night. The images through the window appeared blurry as Hunter was driving too fast, and soon Hera felt her eyelids getting heavy and dozed off with little effort.

    Hunter nced at her when he sensed her head hitting the window and slowed down the speed of his driving as he noticed her sleeping. Managing the steering wheel with one hand, he pulled her by the arm and made her sit properly. Pressing a button for the seat settings on his door, he adjusted her seat for her to sleepfortably.

    After driving for another thirty minutes, they reached the ce. Hunter followed Dave''s car into the gate, and the car came to a halt as he hit the brakes. He got out of the car and came round to Hera''s side. He opened the door slowly trying not to startle Hera, but she woke up with a jolt at the sound of the door opening.

    "Where are we?" She asked, clueless while checking her surroundings. He helped her get down from the car and walked ahead, taking her hand in his. Hera observed his guards as they listened to whatever Mathew was instructing them. "We''re staying here," Hunter announced and Hera''s surprised eyes asked, ''We are?''

    "Yeah, a slight change of ns. I only wanted to show you this ce earlier, but you wanted to spend more time at the resort, and now we''rete because of that. So we''re staying the night here," he exined while looking down at her as though scolding a spoiled little brat.

    Ignoring him, Hera gave the building a quick once-over, and the first thought that crossed her mind was that the old house belonged in a storybook.

    "Wow! It looks like a fairy book castle." Hera voiced her thoughts out, admiring the two-storey, Stone house with a rectangle main body and grey peaked rooftops. The top was a gentle arch rather than t. It had an outdoor stone staircase to the main door in the front and the outside patio covered in grey tiles over concrete. The traditional gardenpleted the lookplimenting perfectly.

    "I have a surprise for you. Come, I want you to meet someone," Hunter said, taking her hand in his and walking her to the backyard. Hera eyed the premises protected with perimeter security with cameras everywhere as Hunter brought her to the garden in the backyard. It was bigger than the one in the front.

    "It looks lovely in the morning," Hunter said, watching her, watch the premises. Hera nodded and asked, "Whom did you want me to meet?"

    Hunter grinned, and Hera watched him, cing his right index finger into his mouth. He whistled loudly, and Hera squealed in surprise as she heard loud barking.

    Four dogs rushed towards them out of nowhere, tackling them to the ground. "Oh, my God!" Hera eximed in between her giggles as the dogs licked every inch of her face. "I missed you too, my babies," she said, hugging and kissing them all one by one.

    "I didn''t see them in the mansionst time," Hera said, scratching one of the dogs behind the ears and looked at Hunter for an exnation. "I figured they love it here more than in the mansion," he replied, with a shrug.

    Hunter had five dogs in total, two ck and white English Shepherds, named Sparkle and sh. One brown and white Retriever named Dazzle and one ck t-coated Retriever named Shimmer. Hera chose the names for them.

    "Where''s Shine?" Hera asked Hunter looking everywhere for the Golden Retriever. It was the same puppy they rescued together years ago, because of whom they met. Hera remembered asking him to help find his owner, but Hunter never tried to find his owner. He kept the puppy for himself as a reminder of Hera. He named him Shine because she liked shiny things.

    Hera remembered the day when Dazzle and Shimmer were born. They were Shine''s offsprings.

    Hunter walked to the side and opened the gate of the first kennel. Hera heard the low whining and watched as Shine came out jumping on him. It ran to her, wagging its tail as she called his name.

    "He looks so weak. Is he sick, Hunter?" She asked in a soft voice filled with worry, and Hunter could tell that she was afraid to hear the answer. "He''s getting old, Goddess, and he needs to rest. He''ll be fine, don''t worry." Hunter''s smile was assuring as he answered her question.

    He watched, smiling at Hera as Shine attacked her showing his affection. Hunter sat down, leaning against one of the kennels, with his one leg resting on the ground while he had the other one drawn up. Taking his phone out, he started filming the scene unfolding before him.

    Hera looked at him, a cheerful grin adorned her face as mischief danced in her eyes, and she shouted to the dogs, "Let''s eat him up." Hunter didn''t have the time to brace himself as the dogs jumped on him. Heraughed wholeheartedly and snatched his phone to click pictures.

    She squealed when Hunter''s hand came forward and pulled her to him, making hernd straight on his chest. The entire upper part of her body wasying on him, with her legs on the ground. His arms snaked around her middle, pressing her to him with a tight hold.

    "I want to see you like this, always," Hunter said, kissing her eyelids. Confused, Hera asked, "Like what?"

    "Smiling and happy, and not fighting with me," he said, and Hera rewarded him with a warm smile. "I don''t like it either when we fight," she admitted, wounding her hands around his middle. Faking anger, he asked, "And whose fault is it that we always end up fighting?"

    Hera rolled her eyes before grinning broadly.

 Chapter 90 - The Sun To Her Sky

    "Of course it''s yours, Mr Hunter. Isn''t it obvious?" Hera said in a duh tone. "It''s always your fault," she stated, keeping a straight face. Hunter tickled her sides, grinning from ear to ear as Hera giggled continuously. Meanwhile, the two ck and white Shepherds chewing on the sole of his shoes were demanding Hunter''s attention.

    "Hey, that''s not edible for you to chew. It''s not your food," Hunter scolded his dogs, but it sounded more like he cooed at them. "You can eat that if you want," he said, pointing his finger at Hera''s footwear and shot her a yful wink. Hera pped his chest in reply.

    Hunter groaned when Shine tried to crawl between them whining for attention. Still giggling, Hera hugged the Golden Retriever, resting her backfortably against Hunter''s chest.

    "I don''t want to know when he," Hera paused, not wanting toplete that sentence and angled her face to her right to look at him over her shoulder.. Hunter understood what she couldn''t say. "I said he''ll be fine," he said, kissing the back of her head and his hand around her middle tightened, his chin resting on her shoulder while his other hand stroked Shine''s neck.

    "Why can''t he be with us forever, Hunter? It''s so unfair. Dogs are so adorable, and they are loyal, loving, and trustworthy. They deserve to live forever," she expressed in a depressed tone. Cupping Shine''s face in her palms, she let him lick her face all over. The sadness in her voice pinched Hunter''s heart.

    "We have Dazzle and Shimmer as his reminder, and Shine''s memories will stay with us forever," Hunter said, giving his phone to her to click a selfie.

    He stretched his legs, allowing more room for Hera to sitfortably between them and hugged her from behind. Their face next to one another, touching cheek to cheek, Hunter smiled for the camera. Hera hugged Shine, and with two dogs each by their sides, she clicked a perfect selfie.

    The dogs went back to their kennels on Hunter''smand. "It''s gettingte. We should go to bed," Hunter stated. Meanwhile, Hera closed her eyes, ced her hands on his, which rested in the middle of her front. She hummed a response but didn''t make a move to get up.

    Smiling to himself, Hunter removed his hands from hers and slowly pulled down the zipper of his jacket which Hera still had on. Startled, she opened her eyes and turned to him, asking, "What are you doing?" Her hands clutched the jacket tightly.

    He freed the jacket from her hands before taking out the ''Sweet Messenger'' note from the inside pocket of it.

    He held it out for her to read, and Hera''s heart skipped a beat before going wild as she read the message.

    Her heart was going wild for no reason. It was doing somersaults only because Hunter wanted to kiss her.

    <em>''It''s just a stupid kiss, you stupid heart! There''s no need to jump out of your ce. It''s so pathetic.''</em>

    Hera''s mind mocked her heart for its stupidity. Her eyebrows lowered as she frowned in irritation because she wanted to listen to her heart. Ignoring her annoying, logical brain, she followed her heart.

    Hunter silently held the note, waiting for her to respond. Meanwhile, Hera read the message again and again.

    <em><strong>I never say no to you when you want to eat the desserts though I dislike sweets so much.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>You know I love tasting the dessert only from your lips because it tastes sweeter and yummier on your lips.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>For me, it''s the only way that makes any dessert worthy of tasting.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>In simple English,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>May I kiss you?</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>PS. I''m desperate and begging you to say yes.</strong></em>

    The goofy smile wouldn''t leave Hera''s face. Her brain also registered something new. He was asking for her permission, and that was a first. Hera disguised her smile into an arrogant smirk and turned in his arms to face him.

    He smiled as his purple eyes locked with her green ones before shifting down to her smirking lips. When his eyes met hers again, true to his words, the look in his eyes conveyed her, exactly how desperate he was.

    "Satan, the lord of evil, is asking my permission to kiss me? That had never happened before!" She said, sounding surprised and his eyes went back to her lips again, intensely staring at them.

    One side of his mouth went up, and the other side down, he scowled in disapproval as he answered her question. "Goddess, you made these new rules, remember? These were your exact words, and I quote," he said air quoting his next pronouncement.

    "You can''t juste and kiss me whenever you want."

    Hera jerked away surprised, her eyes went wide, and her mouth formed an ''O'' shape for a second before she shut it, swallowing her saliva.

    <em>''Did I really say that? When?''</em>

    Hera tried to remember.

    <em>''Is that why he didn''t kiss me yet?''</em>

    His lips slightly parted, and his pink tongue ran over, wetting them. His eyeballs moved back and forth, following hers as they gazed into each other''s eyes. Hera knew, he was waiting for her to say yes, but she chose to ignore his pleading eyes. She smirked again, tilting her head to one side. "Hmm, you''re learning," she said, poking the tip of his nose yfully.

    "I''m earning," Hunter said, staring at her lips. Hera got up, and her feet turned to walk away, but his fingers arrested her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. He looked up at her face, and Hera read the question in his eyes, loud and clear. Using her other hand, she silently unwound his fingers from her wrist, and he let go of her hand.

    He looked hurt and disappointed at her rejection but didn''t try to force her. Hera smiled at the adorable puppy face he made.

    "If you want to kiss me, then catch me first, Mr Hunter," she said, before sprinting away from him. Hunter sat there, dumbfounded. It took time for him to register what Hera just did.

    Grinning, he leapt to his feet and took off chasing her.

    Hera ran as fast as her feet allowed and pretended to run to the right, fooling him while she ran to the left. She managed to y him a few more times, but it didn''t take much time for his long legs to beat her. As his hand caught her wrist, Hera stomped on his foot and tried to run away, but the death grip on her wrist prevented the opportunity.

    She wasughing so hard that her eyes watered. Hunter pulled her to him with such force, she collided into his chest, with an oomph.

    He captured both of her wrists in his hands and folded her hands behind the small of her back. Precisely, he locked her in his embrace. He moved forward, leaving her no choice but to walk backwards. As Hera looked up to meet his eyes, the sparkle in his eyes brightened, and Hera felt as if she''s watching the sunrise.

    <em>''You''re the Sun to my Sky, Hunter. So warm, bright and colourful.''</em>

    For Hera, his importance in her life was beyond description, just like the sunrise. Her heart fumbled with joy, and the butterflies fluttering in her stomach made her feel hot beneath her clothes. Their heavy breathing, theughter in between, their heartbeats, and the desire they felt for each other, everything was in sync.

    Hera gasped audibly as her back gently touched the solid surface behind her. Hunter released her hands but still held her caged in his arms. Nervously, Hera stared into his eyes, his face slowly inching closer, and their lips just inches away from touching. Before his lips couldnd on hers, the two-letter word ''no'' escaped her lips in a whisper. She turned her face to the left to evade the kiss.

    The hurt that shed in Hunter''s eyes felt like a sharp knife piercing her heart as he stared at her with stunned silence. Hera shot him a toothy grin, and Hunter attempted a smile, but it never reached his eyes.

    "You know right your dogs just licked every inch of our exposed skin? I don''t want their spit to enter my mouth, and it''s gross tasting their saliva or mucus," Hera said, scrunching up her nose in disgust, and Hunter chuckled dryly. "We even smell like dogs right now," she said, giggling sweetly. "Let''s get cleaned up first? Hera asked, and this time Hunter smiled, nodding in agreement.

    His hand around her waist pulled her off the hard surface, which now Hera realised was a door. The inside of her palms rested t against his warm chest as he held her close to his torso. He took out the keys from his pant pocket, and she heard a lock clicking open behind her.

    He held the door wide open with one hand and let her turn around as they entered in. His hand found the switch and the light spread throughout, illuminating the ce.

 Chapter 91 - Filled With Warmth And Love

    Hera learned that they entered the house through the back door, which led to the kitchen. Hunter locked and double-checked the door while Hera scrutinised the kitchen.

    The grey and white floor looked like a chequerboard, and it had a ck te roof and a grey stone chimney. The counter was pure white matching the cabs.

    A small rectangr white dining table with four grey chairs ced around itplimented the kitchen perfectly. Hera dragged the tip of her fingers on the shiny table as she moved ahead, wondering how neat and tidy everything looked.

    "You didn''t tell me whose ce is this," Hera said, following Hunter into the living hall as he switched on the lights. "My grandma''s. My dad spent his early childhood here," Hunter said, waiting for her to join him at the spiral staircase. Hera was busy admiring the interior of the house.

    The solid oak doors and the square windows set in the grey stone walls were mullioned and edged thickly in white.. The sses set in the windows were thick as a beer bottle. The furniture was sparse and simple. The firece still worked, and there was a woodpile in the corner. Everything in the house was traditional in an old-fashioned way, simple yet beautiful.

    So far, Hera liked every visible part of the house. The interior decoration, the colour coordination, the arrangement of the furniture, everything was wless. She could tell someone had put heart and soul into it in an attempt to shape the house into a perfect home filled with so much warmth and love.

    "I''m guessing the colour grey is your grandma''s favourite?" Hera asked, walking to where Hunter stood. Nodding his head, Hunter smiled and added, "And white is my grandpa''s." They both chuckled at that. The spiral staircase led them to the bedrooms upstairs, and Hunter showed her to the master bedroom.

    Hera smiled in appreciation, studying the appearance of the room. It contained a king-sized bed, neatly made. The cot had a mahogany headboard and was not pushed up against the wall but more central. A nightstand and a dresser with a full-length mirror, a small table, and a single chair upied the room.

    Once again, the colours used were all grey and white except for the bed covers and the curtains. They were purple, almost matching the colour of Hunter''s eyes. Hera looked at him with a warm smile, and as though he could read her mind, he said, "My grandma has purple eyes too."

    For some unknown reason, it made her feel at home and filled her heart with warmth. "I forgot my orchids in the car. Can you bring them to me?" She requested, and he agreed.

    "That''s the bathroom," Hunter said, pointing to the door in the left corner. "You can use it. I''ll use the one downstairs." He took out two clean towels from the cab for her and made his way to the door. Hera''s eyes went wide as she realised she didn''t have anything to wear. "What will I wear?" She blurted out, stopping him mid-step.

    His forehead furrowed. Clearly, he didn''t think about it either.

    He appeared to be in deep thought for a second or two. One hand buried in the pocket of his jeans Hunter raked his fingers through his hair all the while keeping his eyes on Hera.

    Hera watched him with her widened eyes, clutching the towels to her chest as he started to unbutton his shirt without giving her any prior warning. She swallowed nervously, goosebumps forming on her arms, "What the fuck!" She eximed. "What are you doing, Hunter?" He undid thest button and removed his shirt, standing with his naked torso in front of her.

    Her eyes involuntarily measured every inch of his exposed skin. His hard chest, washboard abs, and the muscles of his biceps, everything looked so beautiful. Clearing her throat, she dragged her eyes off his body and met his amused purple orbs.

    Gifting her a sly smirk, he threw the shirt on her face. She dropped the towels on the floor in the process of catching his shirt. He took a step forward, and she yelled in panic. "Stop right there, or I''ll break your nose," she warned, but couldn''t do it without stuttering.

    Tilting his head to the side, he narrowed his eyes, and the look on his face screamed, ''Could she be any more idiotic?'' Hera gave him a dirty look in return. Grinning, Hunter shook his head.

    "Mrs Hunter, you need to get your mind out of the gutter. I''m only trying to help. You can sleep in my shirt tonight. I''ll arrange something for tomorrow morning," he said, amusement dancing on his handsome face. Embarrassed, Hera hurried and disappeared into the bathroom.

    After hiding his gun under the bed, Hunter removed his medallion, watch, and the wallet, cing them carefully on the dresser along with his cell phone. Shutting the door close, he went downstairs. He needed to talk to Mathew to get some closure on the earlier incident.

    Mathew confirmed what Hunter already knew. He knew someone was following and watching them in the resort.

    "I''ve to run some errands first to get you that closure. Before I leave, let me know if you need anything," Mathew asked. Hunter told him to bring something to wear for Hera in the morning.

    Dressed only in Hunter''s shirt, Hera came downstairs searching for him. The dim light in the hall led her to the firece. There she saw him, cing the dry wood into the fire while sitting on his heels. She noticed the makeshift bed and a red nket near the firece.

    Hera saw the Orchids in the ss water jug ced on the dining table in the kitchen as she made her way to the makeshift bed.

    "I couldn''t find any flower vase, so I used the water jug instead." She heard Hunter say. It amazed her how he could read her mind all the time. Her Mr Hunter had always been so observant and attentive. He could answer her queries even before she voiced them out. Sometimes it scared her that Hunter knew her so well. He could read her so urately.

    With a heart-warming smile, he extended his hand for her to take and helped her sit. Sitting on the bed, with her legs bent to one side, Hera watched him while he walked back to the firece and ced two more logs on top of the burning fire.

    He''d showered and wore khaki shorts with a white half-sleeved V-neck T-shirt. His hair was damp, and he''d fingerbed it to one side.

    Like magic, he presented tworge mugs of hot chocte out of nowhere, and Hera''s heart swelled with admiration as she dly epted the sugary drink. The lively mes crackled as they burn the dry wood and shed red reflections filling the hall with warmth. Hunter sat on the floor, holding the warm mug while his eyes fixed on her.

    The heat they derived from the fire had already dried his hair. As he pushed one of his hands through his ck mane of hair, the silky strands fell back over his forehead, making him look adorable, and Hera absent-mindedly ran her fingers through her damp hair which smelled like him. She''d used his shampoo and the soap.

    His skin appeared resplendent in the red glow the mes were casting on him, and his eyes were hypnotically pulling her to him like a ma.

    <em>''Handsomest of all.''</em>

    "You''re staring," Hera stated the obvious. Hunter didn''t even react, nor his eyes shifted. Hera licked the sweetness on her lips after swallowing a mouthful of her hot chocte. "And, it''s rude," she said, hoping he would say something. His silent stare made her nervous, and she hid her face behind the mug, trying to avoid his piercing eyes.

    Hera finished the drink all at once.

    Holding the empty cup in her hands, she watched Hunter finally lifting his mug to take a sip. After two or three sips, he stood up, walking to her, and Hera''s heart was threatening to burst out of her chest because it was beating that wild. He silently took her empty cup and walked into the kitchen.

    Hera straightened her legs on the makeshift bed and pulled the shirt to cover her exposed thighs as he walked back to her. She pulled the nket over her legs to hide them from his view. Biting her lower lip, she blinked her eyes rapidly, a nervous trait. She watched him while he joined her on the bed.

    "Are we sleeping here?" She questioned in a barely audible voice. He still didn''t say anything, and she started to worry. He sat opposite her and imitated her posture by stretching his long legs. They were facing each other.

    Hera silently followed his every move while he knelt in front of her. Hunter stood on his knees, and his hand clutched the nket in a tight grip before pulling it off her. She gasped, before whispering his name.

 Chapter 92 - At Her Mercy

    Hera couldn''t read the expression on his face except for his hooded eyes and tightened jaw. His body blocked the only lighting from the firece, illuminating the hall as he hovered over her.

    Her arms crossed over her chest reflexively, with her forearms covering her breasts while her eyes widened, and her breath hitched. Hunter uncrossed her arms and ced them on either side of her head. He caught her wrists holding her in ce and ever so slowly lowered his head. He kissed her eyelids one after the other, pecked the tip of her nose, then kissed the side of her mouth.

    Hera shivered in anticipation as he left open-mouthed kisses on her cheeks, under the jaw and at the base of her neck. Warning bells rang in her mind as he pushed her thighs apart with his knees and settled his lower body between her legs. "What are you... " her words died in her mouth as he kissed her question away. Hera''s eyes fluttered closed on their own ord.. He opened his mouth on hers and kissed her until she could hold her breath.

    Hera turned her face to the side, breaking the kiss to fill her lungs with the much-needed oxygen.

    He let go of her wrists and leaned further into her. Pressing their bodies together, he captured her lips again. Subconsciously Hera''s mind tried to concentrate on the feeling of his lips. They were soft and yielding. She always wondered and wanted to know what the natural taste of the lips would taste as.

    Every time they kissed, she''d felt the freshness of the mint of his toothpaste or the mouth freshener he used.

    <em>''Could saliva have a particr taste?''</em>

    She tasted the sweetness of the hot chocte they drank a while ago, apart from that she couldn''t discover anything else, but that thought didn''tst long because her body started to react to his touch. The heat she felt through his body was doing weird things to her inside. She wanted more of that delicious sensation.

    His hands cupped her face as his kiss turned wild. As if having their own mind, her hands found their way and went inside his shirt. His body felt feverishly hot under her touch. Much to her disappointment, he pulled away, putting an end to their intimate escapade. He fell on his back beside her, his breathing was fast and hard, matching hers.

    Her lips were wet and swollen. She felt as though they were vibrating, and she licked them to soothe the burning sensation.

    Hera turned her head to the side to look at him. She was frustrated and angry that he left her dissatisfied. "You forgot to ask," she snapped. Still trying to calm his breathing, Hunter replied, looking at the ceiling, "You said we need to get cleaned up first. We are clean and fresh." He offered his reasons. Though his tone was soft, it only irked her more.

    "Speaking of clean and fresh, howe you''re wearing a fresh set of clothes?" Hera asked, her tone using. Hunter turned his head to look at her. His brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to discover the reason for her usation. "I''d left a spare I visitedst time," he answered. She red in return.

    "Then why didn''t you offer me this new set of clean clothes?" She asked, using again. "Because I needed it. I don''t like wearing used clothes after the shower," he said. "Neither do I," Hera was quick to retaliate, "And you made me wear your dirty shirt," she said, scowling in disapproval.

    "Okay, then change and put your dress back on if you think my shirt is dirty," he suggested, earning an intense scowl in return. "Mr Hunter, didn''t I say I don''t like wearing dirty clothes after showering?" She asked incredulously. Her forehead furrowed, her nose wrinkled and her ring eyes silently used again as if to say, ''You''re not paying attention.''

    "Why don''t you take off your shirt and wrap a fresh towel or something?" Hunter asked. He was on the verge of losing his temper. Hera scoffed, "Of course you would fancy that, why wouldn''t you?" She muttered under her breath. Hunter bit his tongue to avoid saying something that would spoil her mood further.

    He was distracted for a few seconds as he watched her. She was rubbing the tip of her nose with the back of her hand as if it was itching. She looked cute even while scowling. Her lips were cherry red and swollen to their fullest because of their kissing. She was drowning in hisrge shirt, and he could hardly see her hands hidden inside the long sleeves.

    "Do you want me to take off this so that you can wear it instead?" He asked, pointing to the T-shirt and shorts he wore. Hera looked at him as if he''d suggested something very inappropriate and Hunter braced himself. He already knew she would snap again for whatever reason.

    "And let you waltz around with your naked self? No, thanks. I''m not a pervert like you," she said, again using. Closing his eyes for a brief second, Hunter sighed. "Hera," he called, tone warning her. "What?" She spat indignantly.

    "Are we fighting again? If yes, please tell me why?" He asked impatiently, matching her snappy tone. Hera didn''t want to tell him why she was angry. She couldn''t tell even if she tried because she was ashamed to admit it.

    Hera was upset.

    She didn''t want him to stop kissing her. She was enjoying the warmth of his arms around her too much. She desired to touch and explore his skin as he did hers. But as soon as she touched him, Hunter immediately stopped her hands from inching any further.

    It hurt, and she couldn''t help but feel insecure.

    Hera was inexperienced, and it irked her that she didn''t know how to keep him satisfied.

    "Why did you stop? Didn''t it feel good?" She finally asked timidly.

    Hunter turned his head, meeting her eyes. Before he could say anything, she jumped on him. Hunter groaned as her elbows hit him in the ribs. Hera held his wrists on either side of his head like how he did to her. His eyebrows arched up, touching his hairline, eyes widened, and lips parted in shock. She caught him by surprise as he wasn''t expecting her to jump him like that.

    He was speechless, and Hera smirked in satisfaction.

    Lowering her head slowly, she kissed his Adam''s apple before running her tongue under his jaw as she left open-mouthed kisses on her way. She felt the beating pulse at the base of his neck and nibbled the spot with her wet lips. "Goddess, we need to stop, please," he said in a broken whisper. His fingers formed into tight fists, eyes closed, and he was struggling to breathe.

    Hera loved what she was doing to him. His reaction pleased her. He looked so lost, helpless, and vulnerable.

    <em>''And at my mercy.''</em>

    Finally, she attacked his lips, kissing him exactly how he kissed her, hard and wild and with much-needed urgency.

    Suddenly, Hunter winced squeezing his eyes shut and groaned as if he was in pain. And he was in pain, literally. Startled, Hera pulled away as the coppery taste of blood spread all over her tongue. She''d bit his lip unknowingly and so hard that it started to bleed. She gasped loudly before her palm went up to cover her mouth.

    "I''m sorry, Hunter, I''m so sorry," she said, her voice shook as she was on the verge of crying. Whatever she felt at that moment was beyond embarrassment. She even felt ashamed of herself for seeming so desperate. She rolled off him and sat up to examine the damage she''d caused.

    Even under the darkness, the dim light of the red mes was enough to detect the blood on his mouth. Hera couldn''t believe, she''d bit him hard enough to draw blood.

    Hera was panting hard, her heartbeats rapid, and face flushed red, she watched with her guilty eyes while Hunter pulled his injured lip into his mouth and after a deep breath, he opened his eyes to meet hers. Seeing her face filled with worry, he smiled to ease her nerves. "It''s okay, Love. Don''t look so worried," he said and grinned only to wince again.

    He licked his lips as it started to bleed again, and Hera noticed, it didn''t look like a skin break or a scrape. Instead, it appeared like a deep cut on his upper lip.

    She touched his lips with her fingers, tracing the bruised swollen lips. Hunter hissed in pain when her finger came in contact with the cut, and Hera pulled her hand away with lightning speed. "No need to be guilty, Goddess. You have nothing to be sorry about," he assured. "This is all yours, and you can do whatever you want with this," he said with a teasing wink, motioning towards his body from top to bottom.

 Chapter 93 - Hitting Puberty Influences Emotions

    "Does it hurt?" Hera asked as she lowered her head, avoiding his eyes. Whatever Hunter was going to say was interrupted, and he got up from the makeshift bed, walking briskly towards the staircase. "My phone is ringing, I''ll be right back," he said without turning around.

    She didn''t hear the phone ringing, but the way his hurried footsteps climbed three steps at a time confirmed it. It was close to midnight, and Hera knew it was his parents calling. They were aware of Hunter''s habit of goingte to bed as he would be busy with his books at night.

    Hera fell on her back on the bed, legs crossed at the ankle and eyes fixed on the ceiling, she got lost in her private thoughts. The image of Hunter wincing at her touch crossed her mind, and her heart sank in shame. She tried to recollect everything that happened while kissing him.

    <em>''I did everything exactly how he taught me! Where did I go wrong?''</em>

    Hera wondered..

    She pressed her lips to his, kissing him, and then sucked his lips one after the other. She gently nibbled in between with her teeth. That''s how he kissed her all the time. She imitated everything she learned from him. She couldn''t understand when or why she got aggressive to the point of hurting him.

    Hunter came back and joined her in the bed. Putting his arms around her, he pulled her to him and brought her back from her guilt trip. Pressing himself more into her, Hunter held her tight against his chest. She stared at him while he kissed her on the forehead. Hera closed her eyes and tried to rx under hisforting warm embrace.

    Resting her head on his chest, Hera listened to his heartbeats, thumping in a soothing rhythm. They stayed silent for a few minutes. She opened her eyes and lifted her head to look at him. He gave a faint smile while his hand was gently caressing her hair affectionately. cing her palms on his chest, she bent to kiss him on his cheek.

    "Hunter, why did you do it? Why didn''t you wait?" Hera asked, voice no more than a whisper, and then looked at him with her big eyes. Confused, he frowned as he couldn''t make out what she was saying. "You know, for our special day or wedding night or whatever the fuck I assumed it to be. Why didn''t you wait for it?" She asked, resting her chin on her hands, her brows furrowed, making her eyes appear smaller.

    Hunter''s face mirrored her expression. Brows furrowed, eyes looked smaller, and he scowled. His look said it all. He didn''t want to go on that road again, but Hera''s eyes were screaming for him to answer her question. His hold around her tightened in reflex.

    "I want to know, Hunter, if kissing someone else felt gross, then why didn''t you feel disgusted when you were screwing someone else? Why did you cheat on me? What made you break your promise to me?" Her tone was assertive and voice demanding. Her straightforward approach told him that she expected nothing but honesty.

    "I don''t know, okay," Hunter half yelled in frustration, but immediately softened his tone, realising that he yelled at her. "I was young, immature, and desperate. The hormones, I guess," he shrugged, unsure, "Made me want to explore more about the newfound discovery." He finished and held his breath, bracing himself for Hera''s reaction.

    "Desperate, you say?" Hera asked through her gritted teeth, ring at him. Her fingers curled into fists as if ready to punch him, "As in, desperate to fuck someone?" He flinched at her venomous tone as it stung him at heart. "What did you want to explore? Can you tell me more about that newfound discovery that made you cheat on me? What was it, Hunter, that you couldn''t resist breaking my heart?"

    Hunter looked at her hands as her fingers clenched, clutching his T-shirt in her tight fists. She was trying to hold back her frustration. "Before we could move on from the past, I want to know where we went wrong in the first ce. So let''s talk about it starting from the discovery that young, immature, desperate, hormonal teenager had to go through." Hera said, taking a deep breath.

    Hunter didn''t miss how she''d repeated his every word as if she''d memorised those words.

    "And, speak only the truth, Mr Hunter," she added. Hunter was quiet for a few seconds, and she looked at him with her widened eyes and raised brows. Hisrge hands covered over her fists and he took a deep breath.

    Much to his disappointment, Hera removed her hands from his hold and left the bed. She walked to the firece with a pillow in her hands. She sat, crossing her legs in front of the bright mes. Her elbows dipped into the soft pillow resting on herp as she held her palms up to feel the warmth of the fire.

    When Hunter maintained his silence, Hera turned to him with a silent stare. She watched as he got up, reached her with two long strides, and sat at the edge of the bed, cing his feet on the floor. He leaned forward, crossed his arms, resting them on his thighs. Impatiently Hera arched her brows and gestured for him to speak.

    Her gaze followed his hand as it moved up to his face. He silently pointed his finger to the cut on his lips. "Why did you do it?" He asked. Taken aback, Hera frowned at his question.

    <em>''Why did I do it?''</em>

    She couldn''t answer that question as she didn''t know why she did it. Her lips pulled down, her frown deepened, and she shook her head. "I don''t know. I just felt like doing it, and I got carried away, I guess," she said, shrugging.

    "Did you like it?" Hunter asked again, and she shot him a re before turning away from him. "Are you trying to avoid answering my questions, Mr Hunter? Don''t you dare distract me from our actual conversation by asking nonsense questions and I hate it when you do that brainwashing thing," she said, without looking at him.

    Hunter smiled to himself and winced when the cut stung.

    "When you hit puberty, it affects your feelings as well. The hormones your body is producing cause you to have sexual feelings. The body feels excited, and you want to be close to the person you''re attracted to. That''s why you''re encountering such strange feelings. Hitting puberty influences our emotions, and it brings unexpected changes. Even I went through the same phase," he said, and Hera turned to him with a sarcastic smile.

    "You''re doing it, manipting my mind with your research stock of knowledge," she said, ring at him with her using eyes. Hunter shook his head in denial. "I''m not manipting or brainwashing you, Goddess. It''s a fact every teenager goes through. I know that no exnation will justify my wrongdoings, but I want you to understand my part of the story. Didn''t you say you want the truth? I''m speaking the truth," he stated.

    Hera focused her gaze on the reddish-orange mes, melting the wood into ashes in the firece. "Go on," she prompted him to continue. Hunter sighed and lowered his head, running his fingers through his hair. He hesitated for a minute while Hera waited in absolute silence.

    "One day, while I was washing in the shower, something felt good, and that feeling came out of the blue. I had no idea how or why it felt so good," he paused, frowning when he looked at her confused face. Apparently, she''d no idea where he''s going, with the shower and washing.

    Hunter shook his head, disbelief written all over his face. "God, this is more awkward than I thought. I can''t exin everything in detail to you," he said, hoping for her to drop it.

    "Why not?" She questioned, challenging him. "You don''t have to give me a demo literally. You only need your tongue to do it. Come on, keep talking, I want to know the exact reason why you went to other girls," she said with finality, and he groaned in irritation.

    "I was cleaning the gun in my pants, and rubbing my fist over it felt good," he said, watching Hera as she scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Now don''t ask me to exin how it felt, because I can''t," he immediately added when he saw her furrowing her eyebrows and she gave him a dirty look in return.

    "I wanted to talk to someone about those feelings, but had no idea how to voice it out. It wasn''t easy to talk about sexual desires for the first time. Thankfully Mike did it before I could, and turns out that I wasn''t the only one to discover that new feeling. We browsed on the inte to learn more about it and watched some videos," Hunter said thest part with much hesitation, and Hera''s jaw dropped in disbelief.

    "You watched porn," she stated, and he didn''t deny it.

 Chapter 94 - Heartfelt Confessions

    Hunter poured his heart out while Hera listened. He was a reckless teenager and had blindly followed his friends because he wanted to explore the journey of sexual needs his hormones caused. Watching porn didn''t help either as it only intensified the temptation. He confessed that being an immature hormonal teenager, he couldn''t say no when that red-haired cheerleader willingly offered to entertain them.

    "Please don''t me my friends. It was entirely my fault, and I''m the only one to me. Being the dick I was, instead of using my brain, I let my dick do all the thinking," he admitted. Hera was in bewilderment. She couldn''t conclude whether his honest confession made her feel relieved, or it added more to the pain of betrayal.

    They silently stared into each other''s eyes for a minute or two. Hera knew he regretted betraying her trust in the past with his immature actions, and as though he could read her mind, he said, "I regret every second of it, Goddess. I could never forgive myself for breaking your heart, but still, I''m begging for your forgiveness." He poured all his honesty into his confession and hoped she would acknowledge it..

    "Forgive me for being selfish, but when ites to you, my being selfish is an understatement. I''m sorry, but I can''t let you go, Love. Please don''t leave me ever," Hunter pleaded.

    His eyes, his voice, his tone, and every word he uttered were begging her to forgive him. All she had to do was scooch over a bit, and she joined him at the edge of the bed. Sitting beside him, she rested her head on his shoulder and looped her arm through his. Leaning on one another, they sat side by side with their heads touching.

    The stretching silence no longer felt ufortable as Hera tightened her hold on his arm. However, Hunter was worried, wondering what Hera might be thinking. She called his name softly, and he hummed his reply.

    "Why didn''t youe to me then?" Hera asked, and Hunter pulled his head back to look into her eyes. Eyebrows brought together, and his forehead wrinkled as he frowned, puzzled by her question. Hera looked up and held his gaze, "You should''vee to me instead of going to other girls. You should''ve spoken to me about it." She was still speaking softly. She wasn''t fighting anymore, and she didn''t sound sad either. But Hunter could detect the disappointment.

    "Did you think I wouldn''t have understood if you''d told me? I would''ve let you do it with me if you''d asked me. I would''ve never denied you if you wanted it. I would do anything for you, Hunter," she concluded, and her lips stretched into a bittersweet smile.

    Hunterughed bitterly at her innocent as well as an absurd suggestion. "You don''t know what you''re talking, Goddess," he said, his eyes watered, and he looked away in shame. "You were only eleven, not even a teenager," he said, and Hera sucked in a sharp breath. Hot tears stung in her eyes, and her heart cried along too. "You''ve been cheating on me for that long?" Hera asked, her voice broken and barely above a whisper.

    Hunter''s eyes widened in rm as he realised the mistake he had done. Unknowingly, he''d revealed more than she needed to know. "If I could go back in time and change anything, I''d do it in a heartbeat and erase every single second of the time that I hurt you," he said, cupping her face in his palms and his thumbs wiped the trace of tears on her cheeks. He bent down, touched his forehead to hers, and together, they silently cried their hearts out.

    Looping one arm under her legs and supporting her back with his other arm, Hunter carried her bridal-style and gently ced her on the bed. Hera let him kiss her as he joined her on the makeshift mattress. He kissed every inch of her visible skin.

    The warmth of her hot skin stung his wounded lips as he felt a slight burning sensation, but he didn''t care and worshipped her with his kisses. Hera felt his emotions through his kisses. She felt his guilt, his regret, his silent apology, and his promise to love her forever. Cuddling into his warm embrace, Hera drifted off to sleep.

    Hunter spent the whole night watching her, like a lion guarding his lioness. The earlier events at the resort still bothered him, and he couldn''t sleep a wink worrying about her safety. For a moment, he thought about their future filled with endless dangers and death threats.

    His smart brain said that Hera would be better off without him, but as he said, his heart was too selfish to let her go. He thought about his mother and how his father kept her safe for all these years. His parents love each other unconditionally and their lives filled with pure bliss. Hunter smiled involuntarily, looking at Hera''s sleeping form.

    <em>''If Dad could keep his wife safe and happy, so could I.''</em>

    Hunter made his decision.

    <strong>HOURS LATER,</strong>

    The barking of the dogs woke up Hera, from her blissful sleep. She opened her eyes, but they automatically shut their eyelids to avoid the light. She allowed them a few more seconds to rest and chase away the sleep. Stretching her arms, Hera finally abandoned the nket and observed her surroundings. She was back in the bedroom, and Hunter was nowhere in the room. He''d left the bedsidemps on.

    Smiling, she left the bed. Switching off the lights, she walked to the window and slid the curtains open. She groaned, covering her eyes with the back of her hand as the warm, bright sunlight filled the room. Hunter''s melodiousughterpelled her to open her eyes, and she looked down the window to find him ying with his dogs.

    He''d already showered and dressed in light blue washed jeans with a white dress shirt. He kept the shirt untucked, and sleeves rolled up to the forearms. He wore white sneakers, and his wristwatch reflected the sunlight, shining like a shlight as he moved his hand to throw the ball for the dogs to catch it.

    Hera walked back to the bed and saw a small ck rectangr box on the white nightstand. A chocte bar sat on top of the box. Smiling, Hera unwrapped it to read the message.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>A pleasant morning to you.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Get ready ande down for breakfast.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I will be waiting for you in the backyard.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>PS. Your smile lights up my world. Can you please smile for me, Goddess?</strong></em>

    And she smiled involuntarily. She didn''t even have to try as her lips were in sync with her subconscious mind.

    Her smile turned into a wide grin, and she wrapped the chocte bar neatly before cing it on the nightstand. She opened the ck box, revealing the soft green fabric inside. It was a checkered shirt dress, and she liked it. But she noticed that it was one size bigger than her actual size. Luckily it had a thin belt made of cloth in the middle, and the sleeves were long enough to reach her forearms.

    Hera did her morning business, brushed her teeth, and took a quick shower. After towel drying her hair, she shook her head, trying to untangle the knots in her hair andbed her fingers through it, sweeping it back from her face. Dressed in her new dress, which reached just above her knees, she went to the backyard through the kitchen door in search of Hunter.

    A toothy grin graced her face while her eyes roamed around. As Hunter said, the garden looked even more gorgeous in the daylight. She couldn''t study the details properly at night. She walked on the concrete floor, which led to stone steps. Skipping two steps at a time, Hera reached the middle of the garden.

    She saw the furniture arranged in the corner, a ck round table and a set of four ck chairs with Pista green cushions ced on them. Hera decided not to disturb Hunter as she found him in deep conversation with Mathew.

    She walked in therge garden, appreciating the beauty of it. There were so many different nts, bearing unique flowers that she couldn''t identify their species. Pink, purple, white, and other colourful flowers shimmered like a jewelled crown on the green nts. The lush grass looked soft enough to tempt her toy on it and roll around experimentally.

    Hunter''s dogs were eating their food in the kennels, and Hera went to greet them.

    "I have to inform your Dad," Mathew said, and Hunter frowned shaking his head. "You have Dad''s permission to handle the matter however you want, and it wasn''t the first time that you''re dealing with this kind of situations. Why do you want to bother him, Matt? I don''t want him to worry, and you know my Mom, she''ll get sick worrying about me until she sees me and she won''t let my Dad rest either," Hunter said, trying to convince Mathew but in vain.

 Chapter 95 - Accept The Truth And Move On

    "The digging ended up leading me to someone rted to your parents'' past. The person behind this whole incident was one of your Dad''s old acquaintances. So I''ve to report him before taking any further actions," Mathew said, taking out his phone and Hunter immediately stopped him, reminding him the five-hour time difference between London and New York.

    Mathew checked his wristwatch to see the time showing eight in the morning.

    "It''s still three am in New York, Matt. Let them sleep peacefully, you can call himter," Hunter said, watching Hera as she roamed around, admiring the garden.

    "Matt, do me a favour. Please keep my girl out of this mess while you report to my Dad. I would rather tell them personally than letting them know about her through a third person. I want to introduce her to my parents after graduation. Until then, please keep her under wraps," Hunter said without taking his eyes off Hera..

    Mathew nodded, typing something on his phone. Hunter wouldn''t understand the urgency the situation demanded. Mathew couldn''t wait to inform Alexander about his discovery, so he sent a short message on his phone.

    <em><strong>"Johnathan is here in London."</strong></em>

    AT HUNTER''S MANSION, Evelyn tidied her room after getting dressed in her three-quarter lengthvender-pink trouser paired with a white top. Instead of brushing her hair, she let it mould into tangled curls. Her natural dark blonde hair bounced in the air as she descended the staircase, skipping quickly, her steps graceful.

    Bianca and Samantha didn''t join Evelyn and the boys for their morning workout session in the gym. Now it was time for breakfast, and Evelyn had searched every corner of the mansion for them. She finally found them sitting at the swimming pool. She took notice of their appearances, still dressed in yesterday''s nightwear, they sat in the lounge chairs.

    "Sam, it''s not even eight in the morning, and you''re getting drunk already," Bianca said, trying to snatch the can of beer from Samantha''s hand. Samantha looked at her best friend''s scowling face and smiled sarcastically at her disapproving tone. "He''s taken her out on a date, Bee. What else can I do other than drowning in my sorrow?" Samantha asked with a scoff.

    True to her words, she was drowning herself in the alcohol ever since Hunter confessed his love for Hera in front of his friends.

    "He made his choice, and you should respect his decision. Stop acting like a brainless drunkard, Sam, you need to ept the truth and learn to move on," Evelyn said from the door, and both Bianca and Samantha nced over their shoulders to look at her. Samantha swallowed a mouthful of beer and exhaled deeply in annoyance.

    "It''s easy for you to say, Evie. Because you didn''t get your heart broken by your boyfriend," Samantha snapped in anger while Evelyn walked to where they were sitting. Bianca shook her head, signalling Evelyn not to be rude.

    Evelyn joined them and sat on the lounge chair next to theirs. She tried her best to make Samantha see the reality but in vain. She was hopelessly drunk and refused to understand the logic in Evelyn''s wise words.

    "What does he see in her anyway? She''s just a little brat, give her some sweets to eat, and she''ll be happily tainting her mouth like a toddler. Does she even know the meaning of dating? What do you think they''ll be doing on their date, Evie?" Samantha asked, her tone was mocking, and her voice filled with detest.

    Evelyn silently exchanged looks with Bianca, who shrugged, showing that she too had no idea what to do with her.

    Meanwhile, Samantha continued with her bickering. "Trust me they wouldn''tst for more than two months, I can bet on my life. Her childish behaviour will frustrate him, and he''ll soon realise his mistake," she said begrudgingly. Eveline knew she was only trying to convince herself with that misconception.

    "Ace doesn''t love her, Evie, he''s just obsessed with her. He doesn''t want to give up on Hera only because he''s yet to get her out of his system. Once he''s fucked her to his heart''s content, he''ll discard her like the trash she''s," Samantha said, opening another can of beer.

    Though Bianca kept quiet for Samantha''s sake, she didn''t appreciate her choice of words. She could understand her dislike for Hera. But in the process of expressing her hatred she harboured for Hera, Samantha was ndering Hunter''s character as well. Bianca knew he wasn''t lying when he said Hera was his life. She knew him inside out. They weren''t best friends for nothing.

    Unlike Bianca, Evelyn couldn''t hold back her anger anymore. "Sorry to burst your bubble, Sam, but Ace does love her. When two people love each other, they deserved to be together. So stop pitying yourself and get a life," she said, snatching the beer container from her.

    Samanthaughed bitterly, using Evelyn with her sad eyes. "I know, Evie, why you always take Hera''s side. Because of Danny, right? You want to impress him and stay in his good books," she stated, eyeing Evelyn with the same pitying stare she held in hers.

    "Well, news sh, Evie, that asshole doesn''t give a fuck about you. So don''t expect him to return your feelings. You won''t get anything by siding with Hera, because Danny doesn''t give a fuck about his sister either," she said and smirked in satisfaction when she saw the hurt shing on Evelyn''s face.

    Evelyn rose to her feet and stood ring at Samantha.

    "Enough, Sam, you don''t know what you''re talking. Don''t say things which you''ll regretter," Bianca scolded her drunk friend while Evelyn threw the beer can on Samantha''sp. "I''m done with putting sense into her useless brain, Bee. Good luck with handling her mess," Evelyn said, giving up and went back to the house, leaving them behind.

    Bianca knew that Evelyn had always been in love with Danny, but as Samantha said, he had no idea about her feelings. Bianca wondered why couldn''t Samantha understand Evelyn''s state. All three of them were going through simr situations. They fell in love with someone who would never reciprocate their feelings. But still, Samantha didn''t think once before hurting Evelyn.

    "That bitch doesn''t even know how to please him. All she does is fight with him, and throw tantrums. Does she even love him, Bee? Hera doesn''t deserve him," Samantha kept rambling, and Bianca wrapped her arm around her shoulder, trying to console her as tears rolled down her cheeks.

    "Ace loves her, Sam, you need to understand the truth," Bianca said, but got cut off in the middle as Samantha took her hands in hers, pleading with her tear-filled eyes. "Help me, Bee, help me get him back. I love him, and I can''t live without him," she begged. Bianca sighed, and her shoulders dropped in defeat.

    "Hera is a selfish bitch. How cunningly she stole Ace from me! She acts all innocent, but she''s not. Can''t you see, Bee, how she''s influencing Ace''s mind? He said he always chose his friends over his love, but in the end, didn''t he chose Hera over his friends?" Samantha asked, her tone resentful.

    "He manipted everyone''s thoughts with his words and made us feel guilty. It''s just the beginning, Bee. It won''t be long until he leaves his friends for her," she dered while every word she said echoed in Bianca''s mind.

    It didn''t take much effort for Samantha to convince her best friend that Hera would one day break the bond Bianca shared with Hunter. She added more doubts andyers of negative thoughts to Bianca''s insecurity. She easily brainwashed and made her believe that indeed, Hera was a threat to their friendship.

    Very cleverly, Samantha also reminded Bianca that Hunter never went out without them until now.

    "If Ace chooses me as his girlfriend, you don''t have to feel insecure, Bee. I would nevere between you two because I know how important he''s for you. We could all stay together as best friends forever, Bee. Ace would never have to choose between you and me. Help me break them up, Bee," Samantha said, watching Bianca getting lost in her thoughts.

    She could see that Bianca was affected by her words, and she hoped that her n would work. Bianca felt broken inside as Samantha''s view seemed right.

    <em>''Hera has the power to steal Ace from me, but can I steal Ace''s happiness because of my insecurity and jealousy?''</em>

    Bianca didn''t want to do that, and it didn''t feel right either.

    "Ace said, he can''t live without Hera, and I can''t hurt him, Sam," she murmured helplessly. "You don''t have to hurt him, Bee. All I''m asking for you is to help me. Convince him not to break up with me, Bee," Samantha asked. "It doesn''t change anything, Bee, Hera was always tagged as ''his girl'' though I had the title of his girlfriend before. What does it matter? Let him be with her, but ask him to let me keep the title," she suggested.

 Chapter 96 - Evil Intended Minds

    Bianca eyed her friend with an ''Are you serious?'' look. But she wasn''t really surprised her friend would ask something so stupid. "Why would he agree to do that, Sam?" She asked incredulously. Samantha smiled with conviction, "That''s where youe, Bee. You''ve to convince him somehow. Help me this one time, Bee and I''ll win over his heart. I''ll make him love me." Samantha begged, and Bianca shook her head in disapproval.

    She knew that would never happen. Samantha couldn''t understand how deep Hunter''s love was for Hera.

    Bianca was deep in her thoughts, torn between the two options she''d to choose. She cared deeply for both of her best friends, Ace and Samantha. She didn''t want either of them to get hurt..

    <em>''This insoluble dilemma!''</em>

    She screamed mentally in frustration as she''d to choose between the two unfavourable alternatives. In the end, Samantha won because her tear-soaked cheeks, her hopeful eyes, and her vulnerable state had dominated Bianca''s conscience.

    "Fine, I''ll help you with this onest time. You''re my best friend, and I''ll do anything for you. But, let me clear one thing for you, Sam. Ace is not just my best friend, but also very special and precious for me. If a timees where I''ve to decide between you two, without any second thoughts, I''ll choose him. So be careful with whatever you''re nning to do. If you hurt him, I''ll never forgive you," Bianca warned and concluded with finality.

    Her words cut through Samantha''s heart, but she masked the hurt. She mentally scoffed at their friendship of years.

    <em>''Some best friend you''re.''</em>

    Samantha couldn''t help but feel a bit bitter. She smiled anyway, nodding her head. Bianca made it clear who her priority was.

    It didn''t matter to Samantha as her priority was Ace Hunter.

    <em>''Everything is worth trying if I could win back Ace.''</em>

    <strong>IN THE DORMITORY OF SPALEV HIGH,</strong> Noel and Adide were having a secret conversation in the empty corridor.

    "You seemed like smitten by Hera for real," Adide said. Her eyes, as well as her tone, were usatory. Noel grinned at her, "Are you turning into a green monster, Ade?" He asked, teasing her. Adide moved away, creating some distance between them as they heard footsteps.

    They quickly left in search of a better ce that would offer them the needed privacy. They walked into the library, and to their delight, it was empty.

    "Jokes apart, Ade. We need to make some changes into our earlier n," Noel said while Adide listened with keen interest. She tried to make Hera hate Hunter by pointing out his wrongs. She realised it was difficult than they thought to break them up. The depth of their feelings for each other was too deep. Hera still went back to him, no matter how much they criticised and opposed, trying to convince her.

    It wasn''t that easy to manipte Hera. The sweet, innocent girl surprisingly had a strong will power inparison to her soft heart.

    "How about seducing them and creating misunderstandings?" Noel suggested, and Adide shook her head in a no. "You know I would do anything for you, Noel. But seducing Ace Hunter is out of the question. Even though he''s the most handsome guy in the school, he''s too scary, and I get nervous around him," Adide confessed.

    In the beginning, Adide thought of making Hera jealous by getting Hunter''s attention. It was their initial n, but after meeting him, it seemed impossible. He was the total opposite of warm and wee. His cold attitude and dangerous aura had frightened her. Noel, however, convinced her to do his bidding.

    "What happens when I seed in seducing him? After all, he''s the campus heartthrob and school''s president. What if I truly fall for him?" Adide asked in a yful tone. Noel mock red at her before pulling her into his arms, and he attacked her mouth with his.

    Lost in their own world, Noel and Adide didn''t see Abigail walking into the library, and she identally saw them kissing.

    <strong>ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CITY,</strong> oblivious to evil intended minds conspiring against her, Hera grinned watching the serenity surrounding her. The wind whistled, and the pretty little flowers danced, swaying along with the melody. The air smelt sweeter than sugar as she inhaled deeply.

    Two strong arms wrapped around her middle from behind and Hera looked over her shoulder toe face to face with a smiling Hunter. Resting his chin on her shoulder de, he kissed her on the cheek, under her jaw, and hugged her tight. Hera moaned in disapproval, "Hmm, it''s scratchy, get off me, Lucifer," she said, trying to free herself from his arms. He hadn''t shaved, and the day-old stubble prickled against her smooth skin.

    Hunter chuckled, kissing her neck and turned her around in his arms. "But Lucifer wants to kiss you, Goddess," he said covering her mouth with his before she could utter a no. He kissed her thoroughly, and Hera was panting for oxygen when she pulled away. Scowling at his grinning face, she wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

    Hera looked at his swollen pink lips, scrutinising the wound she caused the other night while kissing him. The horizontal cut on his lips now slightly turned into purplish colour. She frowned as she visualised the incident once again.

    <em>''How did I bite both of his lips at the same time?''</em>

    Her mind was contemting hard. One could understand biting one of the lips identally. But how the hell did she not know that she''d bit both of his lips so hard? She presumed it to hurt, but judging by the grin on his face, it seemed as though he didn''t care one bit.

    A peck on her lips put an end to her wandering thoughts, and she looked into Hunter''s smiling eyes.

    "You know, Mrs Hunter, standing in the middle of all these greenery and flowers, with this green dress on, you look like a tall, fat grasshopper," Hunter said, teasing her. Letting out a quietugh, Hera jabbed her elbow into his stomach. He fake cried, clutching his middle with his hands. She stepped on his feet, putting all her strength on them as if to crush Hunter''s feet under her weight.

    Hunter chuckled at her scrunching cute face as she frowned, concentrating on his feet. He wound his arms around her beforending a kiss on her forehead. "You''re never going to crush me with your weight, Goddess. I''m stronger," he said in a taunting tone. Scowling, Hera jabbed her finger at his wounded lips, and Hunter winced.

    Sheughed in victory while attempting to get away from him, but Hunter caught her quickly.

    Taking her hand in his, he led her to the breakfast table. Smiling in delight, Hera eyed the tes filled with simple toast sandwiches. "Bread and butter?" Hera asked, taking the chair beside him. "And strawberries with fresh cream, and orange juice," Hunter added as he poured the juice into their sses. "I could only arrange these for breakfast, sorry," he said, smiling apologetically.

    "I''ll buy a nice breakfast for you once we reach the city," he said. He knew how much Hera loved food, and toasts weren''t enough to quench her hunger. She nodded and took a bite of the sandwich. "You look nice," he said, pointing to her new dress.

    Hera scowled. "It''s not in my size," she said in disapproval. Hunter chuckled and informed her that Mathew bought the dress. Hera blushed in embarrassment as she remembered, the dress came with innerwear as well. How awkward was it to imagine Mathew buying innerwear for her?

    Hunter cleared his throat, and Hera peeked a nce at him. "Finish your breakfast, Goddess, we''re leaving in an hour," he said. Hera lifted her eyes to meet his shining purple orbs and asked with her mouth full of food, "So soon? I loved this ce," she said, chewing her bread. Hunter smirked, leaning back in his seat. "You said the same thing before leaving the resort too," he said, teasing her.

    Hera ignored him and ate her toast in silence.

    "Don''t worry, Goddess. We''lle back some other time, I promise. But for now, I''ve to reach home as soon as possible. I don''t have much time to prepare for the tests," he said, drinking his juice. Hera rolled her eyes and blew a raspberry.

    "I''m sorry for cutting your honeymoon short though," he said, and Hera gave him a dirty look, kicking his foot under the table. Hunterughed, winking at her.

    They finished their food in silence, and Hunter packed the remaining strawberries in a small fruit container for Hera. She reminded him to bring the orchids from the kitchen. "No need, I''ll buy you fresh flowers if you want," he offered, but Hera wanted to keep the orchids until they stay fresh.

    Those orchids were too precious for her.

    After all, it was the first time that her Mr Hunter had bought her flowers.

    "I want it, Hunter," she snapped in an annoyed tone and Hunter held up his hands in surrender. He nodded and obediently rushed to the kitchen to fetch the flowers.

 Chapter 97 - The Devil Trusts No One

    After bidding goodbye to the dogs, Hera and Hunter settledfortably in the back seat of the ck Mercedes. Mathew buckled up in the front passenger seat and signalled Dave to proceed with his driving. Hunter wanted to drive in his sports car back to the mansion, but Mathew didn''t approve it. He''s more concerned about Hunter and wouldn''t leave him alone until they reach home safely.

    Hera unwrapped her chocte and ate it with the strawberries. Hunter grimaced in disapproval while she showed him the finger. Watching them, Mathew smiled and turned to the front, checking a message on his phone.

    He pursed his lips in anger as he read the message. Johnathan had already fled the hotel in the middle of the night.

    Hunter had asked Mathew to keep Hera''s existence a secret, and Mathew respected his privacy. He was thinking about how much to reveal in his report to Alexander..

    Mathew was an orphan and barely eleven years old when he ran away from the orphanage home in Brescia city of Northern Italy. It was more of a hell than a home for the homeless ragamuffins. What he''d witnessed at that very young age, terrified him to death. The Matron and her assistants in the orphanage were monsters with no hint of humanity. Children suffered from sexual assaults and subjected to brutal abuse every day.

    The orphanage home was no less than a brothel as boys and girls were used as prostitutes to please the wealthy monsters in human disguise. Mathew silently endured everything sinful happening in the orphanage. He wanted to help the victims and save the rest of the children from getting abused, but he was too young and helpless. He didn''t know whom to approach for help as he couldn''t trust anyone.

    Finally, the moment he was dreading came. A woman dressed in expensive clothing visited the orphanage. Mathew watched as the woman surveyed the abandoned children standing in a line. He couldn''t guess her exact age, but he knew that she was at least three times older than him. Mathew''s heart jumped into his throat as the woman eyed him like a hungry wild animal salivating over a bloodied fresh meat.

    He knew it was his turn to go through the physical as well as emotional assault his fellow orphans had already endured. He was smart enough to sense the danger and dared to run away from them, but unfortunately, the eleven-year-old boy couldn''t run far enough, before they caught him. Instead of being a coward, he tried to be brave and threatened them of going to the police.

    The Matron''s hired goons were dragging his body in the dark alley of an old road after beating him to the verge of unconsciousness. Suddenly, arge white car stopped in front of them, blocking their way. A tall man dressed in an expensive tailored suit got off the car, and he eyed the injured boy.

    Mathew gazed at the man with his half-opened eyes before losing consciousness. The Matron and her goons looked like they''d seen a ghost, and they were frightened to death. The man standing before them was Francesco Giovanni Carlo, the most powerful and most feared man in Italy. On hismand, his men rescued the boy, and when Mathew opened his eyes, he was in Francesco''s house.

    Francesco not only saved Mathew''s life but also helped the other children of the orphanage by finding a new shelter home for them. The Matron and her men were taken away by the police, and the orphanage was closed down. Mathew was so scared to go back to the shelter home that he adamantly refused to leave Francesco''s side.

    Francesco, along with his wife Katherine raised him as their own and became his parents. Mathew got a new home and a family he always longed to have. He found a protective elder brother in Alexander.

    Mathew never had ast name until he met Francesco. The orphan boy now became one of the Carlos. It didn''t take much time for him to learn that Francesco Giovanni Carlo was a dangerous Mafia Don. People eyed him as a bad man, but for Mathew, he was his guardian angel, a godfather. He was his God who gave him a new life.

    That day Mathew swore to serve his godfather until hisst breath. Nothing could buy his loyalty towards Carlos.

    Mathew gazed at Hunter and Hera through the rearview mirror. Hunter fell asleep due tock of sleepst night, and Hera frowned in worry as his head kept hitting the ss window. She gently pulled his head upon her shoulder and let him sleep infort. Mathew smiled to himself as he saw Hera hooking her arm through Hunter''s.

    Mathew was not just Hunter''s bodyguard. Hunter was his godson, and he would do anything to protect him. He remembered the times when Felicity tried to teach her son to address Mathew as ''Uncle''. But her little troublemaker refused toply and always addressed Mathew as Matt. He would say, "Matt is my buddy, not my Uncle, and I''ll always call him Matt."

    Hunter was three years old when the Baresi men plotted to kidnap him. Mathew was overwhelmed with pride when Alexander gave him the responsibility of keeping his son safe. Alexander trusted only a few men, and Mathew was one of them. He had followed Hunter everywhere like a shadow since then.

    Neither Mathew nor Francesco knew about Hera''s existence in Alexander''s life as he''d kept it under wraps. All Mathew knew was, Felicity was attacked and shot by Johnathan, a younger brother of Alexander''s best friend. But he never knew why.

    Mathew wondered why Alexander had left him alive till today. He couldn''t wait to tell him about Johnathan personally.

    Alexander was searching for Hera for the past fifteen years. What he didn''t know was that Hera was growing up along with his son under the protection of his most trusted man, Mathew.

    <em><strong>Fifteen years ago in Havana, Cuba:</strong></em>

    Alexander didn''t know that when he left with Sebastian, he unknowingly paved the way for Johnathan to aplish his evil n.

    Johnathan waited long enough to make sure that Alexander was way too far away to return home in time. He walked by foot, and when he reached Felicity''s temporary home, it wasn''t that easy to gain ess. Guards with loaded weapons stopped him at the gate and didn''t let him in. Much to his annoyance, they even threatened him to run off. Otherwise, he''d be shot dead.

    Johnathan was never this happy before to use his power as the royalty. But to his irritation, all went in vain as the guards didn''t let him in even after checking his identity proof. Him being the royalty didn''t matter to them one bit. He silently appreciated the loyalty of Alexander''s men.

    Alexander was lucky that his men swore loyalty to him. They would dly sacrifice their lives for him, but would never dare to betray him.

    However, there would always be at least one rotten mango in the cart spoiling all the rest. Johnathan had sessfully found one such lousy mole in Alexander''s loyal troop, Sabastian''s cousin Deacon. With his help, Johnathan acquired all the information he needed to know before nning his next moves.

    It was not that difficult to find partners to his crime as Alexander was never short of enemies. Johnathan sought help from the Baresi brothers, and they dly agreed to take part in the conspiracy. Their only condition was that they wanted Alexander''s son as payment.

    Johnathan told the guards that he''s a guest and asked them to check with Felicity as she''s expecting his arrival. One of the guards talked on the phone, and after a thorough check, they let him in. But of course, he''d to deposit his licensed gun with them before going inside. Johnathan let out a worry-filled sigh, as he entered the house. Why wouldn''t he worry? After all, he was setting foot into the battlefield without any weapon for his protection.

    Felicity was shocked at Johnathan''s arrival and worried about his wrong timing. Her only fear at that time was revealing the truth of Hera''s birth to him. Nheless, she greeted him with a genuine smile, and he hugged her in return. They exchanged pleasantries and talked about each other''s families.

    Even though it was past lunchtime, Felicity still asked him to have lunch, but the food was Johnathan''sst priority that day. He could tell by the tiredness on her face that she didn''t have lunch yet. He declined the lunch offer and settled for the coffee instead. Johnathan was surprised when Felicity went to the kitchen to bring him coffee. He couldn''t see the cook and the maid nted by him anywhere.

    <em>''Of course, Alexander has got rid of them already. The Devil trusts no one.''</em>

    Johnathan cursed inwardly and hoped that his chosen household staff in Felicity''s home had fulfilled their part of the job before Alexander fired them. Adding more to his already pent-up pressure, the guard in the living room was watching him like a predator.

 Chapter 98 - Invading Alexanders Paradise

    A man guarding the closed door to a room captured Johnathan''s interest. He guessed the baby must be in there. He pretended to drop his phone and quickly nced under the furniture in the living room. To his relief, he found a gun hidden under the couch in the corner and pocketed it when the guard was not watching.

    Felicity came back with a tray in hand and a smile on her lips. She dismissed the guards demanding privacy and Johnathan rxed, returning her smile. It seemed luck was on his side for a change. She made two cups of coffee and Johnathan''s heart filled with warmth because she remembered how he liked his coffee..

    "Here''s your coffee with a lot of cream and three cubes of sugar," she said, handing him the cup of coffee. Thanking her, Johnathan took the cup from her hand and kept it on the ss table before asking for a ss of cold water. "Of course, John, how could I forget that you need a ss of cold water after consuming the hot sugary caffeine? I''ll be right back," with that said, Felicity walked back to the kitchen, and Johnathan''s guilt pinched his heart once again.

    Watching her disappear into the kitchen, he rubbed his palm over his chest as if to soothe his aching heart.

    Alexander used to boast that his wife has the purest heart, and Johnathan knew that it was true. Waving his guilt away, he immediately checked the bowl filled with sugar cubes. As he expected, he found sleeping pills at the bottom hidden with sugar cubes.

    Silently thanking the maid and the cook for their great effort, he added two pills into Felicity''s cup and used the spoon to dissolve it. He sipped the coffee from his cup as Felicity came back with a ss of water. She ced the ss in front of him and lifted her cup of coffee from the tray.

    "So, where''s your little girl?" He started the conversation, his tone sounding casual. She visibly tensed and he didn''t miss the fear that shed in her eyes before she masked it. She answered him with a warm smile, "She''s sleeping, John. You''ll meet her when she wakes up." Felicity inwardly prayed that Hera would not wake up until Johnathan leaves. She didn''t want him to see her.

    Johnathan shook his head as if she disappointed him. He held her gaze as he ced the cup on the table. "Felicity, don''t bother lying to me, you don''t have to. We all know that you can''t conceive anymore because of theplications you went through during the birth of your son. So tell me about this new baby in your life? Are you by any chance trying to hide her from me? Who is she?" He asked, expecting her to be honest with him.

    After all, they were friends for years, and he believed that he was worthy of her trust for loving her unconditionally. He ignored the ugly irony thatughed in his face for his audacity. For someone who''de prepared to ruin her happy family, he sure dared to demand her trust.

    Felicity finished her coffee, and Johnathan took her cup from her hand with a satisfied smile. She let out a tired sigh before answering him. "As you know, John, I always wanted a daughter. So I adopted a baby girl, and now my family isplete. That''s all you need to know because I''m not answering any more questions about her. So, drop it, John. Let''s talk about something else?" She suggested, hoping he wouldply.

    Johnathan nodded and changing the topic, he asked her about her time in Havana, and they talked about life in general. Meanwhile, his eyes kept searching every corner of the Vi for her little boy.

    Felicity looked sleepy, and he knew she was going to pass out soon. He had to know about her son before she embraces unconsciousness, so he asked impatiently. "How''s your little boy, Felicity? Hope he''s not causing any more trouble for you." He faked a chuckle, and she returned it with her genuine one.

    "Oh, he''s fine, John. Still the same trouble maker though. I hope he''s not giving his grandparents a hard time. He''s in Italy," she said, smiling proudly, her eyes shone with happiness as she thought about her son. Johnathan''s face paled a bit at her revtion.

    No one knew about the existence of baby Hera in Alexander''s life. Baresi brothers agreed to help him in kidnapping both the children from Alexander''s house. Johnathan would take the baby girl while the Baresi brothers get to keep Alexander''s son. Now that the little boy was not there, it scared Johnathan, but he had no other choice. He had to go through the n if he wants to kidnap Hera and he could never do it without the help of the Baresi brothers.

    He watched as Felicity rubbed her temples and she mumbled, "I feel dizzy all of a sudden, I think I''m going to," before she could finish whatever she was going to say, her body went limp on the sofa. Without wasting any second, Johnathan dialled Franco Baresi''s number. Within minutes he heard gunshots confirming that they''d attacked Alexander''s paradise.

    Johnathan locked the door from inside and watched through the window while both Alexander''s and Baresi''s men fought, firing bullets at one another. Dead bodies littered and Johnathan felt nauseous watching the blood spill everywhere.

    He turned a blind-eye to merciless killing and took a seat next to Felicity''s sleeping form. He was more worried about her safety, and he knew Baresi brothers would want her as payment, considering Alexander''s son was not an option anymore.

    It took less than thirty minutes to eliminate every one of Alexander''s men, and they sincerely fought until theirst breath to protect their boss'' wife. Franco Baresi was not happy that he lost most of his men. His twin brother Marco was impatiently waiting in his car, anticipating to see Alexander''s helpless son wailing like a wounded, scared puppy.

    It would be a priceless joy to encounter such a miracle when Alexander kneels in front of them, begging for his son''s life.

    Unfortunately for their disappointment, they had no such luck. As Johnathan spected, when Franco couldn''t get a hold of Alexander''s son, he went ballistic. But as soon as his eyes found the limp body of Alexander''s wife, heughed like a maniac, yelling for his brother toe inside. He thought he''d won over Alexander, but Johnathan would never let them harm Felicity.

    "We all know very well, Franco, if you even dare touch her, none of us will see tomorrow''s Sun. Alexander will not spare a single second before destroying our entire bloodline," Johnathan said, trying to put some sense into Baresi brothers'' brain. It was a different thing to kidnap his child and ckmail him for money or power, but to touch Felicity was never an option.

    The twin brothers were not ready to return empty-handed, and their next alternative turned to be the baby girl Johnathan wanted. They were intrigued and curious to know who that baby was and why Johnathan wanted the baby. When Johnathan didn''t provide facts to quench their curiosity, they searched every nook and cranny until they found what they needed.

    They found a folder in the bedroom closet, which had baby Hera''s healthcare, medical chart, a passport, and a copy of a birth certificate inside. "Bingo, we hit the jackpot," Marco said to his brother in victory. No matter how hard Johnathan tried to bargain, his n backfired as the Baresi brothers demanded him to choose between Felicity and baby Hera.

    Johnathan was helpless, and he couldn''t risk Felicity''s life. He knew who his priority would be. The sole purpose of his visit to Alexander''s perfect family was to take away baby Hera from them. It didn''t matter who took her away, Baresi brothers or Johnathan. He could somehow steal the baby from them again, but he would never be able to steal her from Alexander without their help.

    It was too easy for him to decide, and the twin brothers couldn''t be happier as they took away Alexander''s daughter. As soon as they left, Johnathan called his friend Rouvin and instructed him to follow the twins and monitor their every move. He exined his situation and ordered to send his bodyguards to escort him safely in case Alexander returns before his exit.

    Meanwhile oblivious to the obstacles her family would face, Felicity went off on her journey of dark slumber. Johnathan watched her sleeping with his guilty eyes filled with regrets. She just had to open her eyes, and she would see her paradise crumbling into nothingness.

    "Please don''t hate me, Felicity. I''m sorry for doing this to your family. I had to do it. I didn''t have a choice. Would you ever forgive me?" He asked, wishing she could listen to his confession. Asleep, she looked so peaceful, yet her brows furrowed in the middle, as though her subconscious mind was battling against her unfortunate time.

 Chapter 99 - Sins Of His Disastrous Past

    Johnathan''s hands reached up on their own ord and cupped her beautiful face. Bending his head, he kissed her forehead, and his fingers caressed her cheeks. He wished he could stop the time and live in that exact moment forever. Contrary to his wishful thinking, the one thing he didn''t have with her was time.

    He''d to leave before Alexander returns, but how could he when Felicity was unconscious and all alone? Her house was a wreck, tainted with blood and surrounded by dead bodies because of him. She would wake up to this disaster, and he was the one destroying her happy family. His eyes watered as the realisation broke his heart.

    The longer he looked at her, the more he desired to possess her. The longing he''d felt for her through the years was unbearable now, and for a fleeting moment, his thoughts wandered.

    <em>''What if Alexander never returns? Could the Baresi brothers help get rid of him?''</em>

    Baresi family always wanted to take down Alexander and Johnathan was sure they would be d to help him killing Alexander. He yearned to take Felicity with him and vanish from this world..

    <em>''Isn''t this the magical moment I''d been waiting for all my life?''</em>

    He''d been just a phone call away from deciding Alexander''s fate.

    <em>''Could ite true?''</em>

    He scoffed at his pathetic self and squashed aside his wavered thoughts as the reality hit him hard on his face. Even if Alexander dies, Felicity would never take and ept any other man as her lover. He knew that she loved him more than anything else in this whole world, and she would never forgive him if anything happened to her beloved husband.

    Atst, he came to his senses. Shaking his head, he let out a dry chuckle. This unrequited love would only wreak havoc on his conscience, leading him to disaster, and nothing else. He couldn''t afford to waste any more time as he needed to reach Hera before Alexander. Or the worst could happen if he lost track of the Baresi twins.

    With a heavy heart, Johnathan decided to leave Felicity on her own as he didn''t have any other option. He thought to inform the resort management to provide security for her. Rather would it be better to bring his guards to watch her until she regained consciousness? Thetter sounded the best option, and he chose to order his security team to watch over her from a safe distance until Alexander makes it at home.

    The sound of a car entering the premises drew his attention and Johnathan took out his gun from the inside pocket of his suit jacket in reflex.

    He ran to the window to check, and his eyes widened as he saw the person getting out of the car. As though paralysed in their spot, Johnathan''s feet refused to move while his heart raced at tremendous speeds. Hot beads of sweat formed at his hairline and the nape of his neck. The skin felt mmy as the sweat trickled down his back.

    It was an understatement to say that he was frightened. While he watched, Alexander jumped out of the car and rushed to the door. Panicked, Johnathan dragged his frozen feet, and miraculously it obeyed hismand as he ran inside in lightening speed. He pocketed his gun, slumped on the couch opposite to Felicity and imitated her sleeping form, pretending to be unconscious.

    Johnathan vaguely felt someone''s hand shaking his shoulder, and he heard a distinct voice calling for him. "Your Highness," a familiar male voice said, jolting him out of his guilt trip. Johnathan opened his eyes to find himself seated, buckled up in his private jet. He was panting hard. He rubbed his chest to soothe the pain and realised that he was reliving the disastrous moment from his past sins. Those nightmares never let him rest in peace.

    "Are you okay? You''re sweating very badly, what''s wrong?" Rouvin asked, frowning in worry, concerncing his tone. Johnathan looked at the lovely stewardess standing next to Rouvin, and she greeted him with a readied smile. "How may I help you, Your Highness?" She asked nervously.

    "Fetch me a cold napkin and a ss of whiskey would help," Johnathan said, returning her smile. He rxed in his seat and ignored Rouvin''s concerned gaze. It was because of him that Johnathan had to flee from London like a spineless coward. As soon as Rouvin learned that Mathew had discovered their location, he immediately readied the jet to fly back to Greece, much to Johnathan''s disagreement.

    It was killing him from inside as he remembered what he did fifteen years ago. That day, the woman he loved more than his life was lying on the floor, struggling hard to stay alive while he escaped to save himself from getting killed. He didn''t even look over his shoulder once to check whether she died or survived. He''d abandoned the only woman he''d ever loved in his life to die alone and fled from there like the coward he was.

    It was no different this time either.

    In his life, all he''d done was to run.

    <em>''I''m sorry, Felicity. Please forgive me.''</em>

    If only he could apologise to her in person. He wished he could turn the clock back so that he could go back in time and change the past. He wished he''d a chance to see her again. His throat constricted with pain as he tried to suppress his sob.

    <strong>IN LONDON AT SPALEV HIGH,</strong>

    Not wanting to crush the delicate flowers, Hera carefully held the bouquet of orchids in her arms, and silently followed as Hunter walked ahead of her, entering the dormitory. The guards didn''t even fake an attempt to stop Hunter as they reached the girl''s block. Scowling, she gave a dirty look to the watchman, and he gave her a slight nod in greeting, ignoring the look of disapproval painted on her face.

    The sound of their footsteps echoed as they walked through the empty corridor. Hera rolled her eyes while Hunter walked like he owned the ce. Hands shoved into his jeans pockets, with powerful long strides, he walked spilling arrogance. Possessed by his typical bad-boy aura, he was back to his arrogant Jerk self again.

    <em>''No more sweet talk and no more romance.''</em>

    Hera sighed and shook her head in displeasure as the sweet, romantic side, he disyed during their date, suddenly vanished into thin air.

    <em>''The honeymoon is over now. For real.''</em>

    Hera''s pace got slower and slower as she was busy giving a pep talk to her whining heart.

    <em>''Yippee! My Satan is back. Finally, yeah!''</em>

    Hera hollered sarcastically in her mind.

    As if sensing her sarcasm, Hunter paused and turned around to look at her. The look in his eyes screamed, ''You''ve been taking forever to match my steps.''

    Scowling at him, Hera half-jogged and tried to cope up with his long legs. Once they reached her dorm, Hunter opened the door and walked in first, gesturing her to follow. The room was empty with all her roommates gone for the weekend.

    cing the orchids on her desk, Hera crossed her arms and leaned sideways against the wall while watching Hunter with her forest green eyes, expecting him to leave. Ignoring her questioning gaze, he settled on her bed after taking off his shoes. Hunter rolled over and propped his head up on one elbow, seizing her eyes with his intense gaze.

    A little nervous, Hera averted her eyes from his maic ones. She sat quietly on the other bed opposite to hers and tightly held the bed cover in her fists. She looked at him from the corner of her eye only to find his eyes still fixed on her.

    They were supposed to stay at Hunter''s mansion, but Hera refused to go there with him. She oddly felt disturbed and wanted some alone time for herself to think. However, she couldn''t tell Hunter the real reason behind her refusal to go with him. So, she instead used his obsession over his books as an excuse. Heughed when she said she wouldn''t want to distract him when he would be busy preparing for the uing tests.

    Nheless, it worked, and he agreed.

    Hera thought that after dropping her at the dormitory, Hunter would return to his mansion. But he decided to stay in his dorm room as well because he didn''t want her to be alone in the building. Hera had scowled and rolled her eyes at him, ridiculing his reasons. But he never once thought of changing his decision. He said he would get sick worrying about her safety.

    Hera swallowed hard before breaking the silence. "Stop staring, Lucifer. You''re making me ufortable," she said, keeping her eyes down as though her flip-flops looked very charming at the moment. Her eyes widened as theynded on his feet. Suddenly, he was standing right in front of her.

    Hunter took her hand in his, pulled her up with such force she collided into his chest.

 Chapter 100 - Easier Said Than Done

    He turned around and the next second Hera found herselfying on her back in her bed and he was hovering over her.

    He caught her wrists, forcing them down on either side of her head. "Why are you ufortable, Goddess?" He asked softly, and Hera detected the anger lurking in his eyes. She gulped as her throat suddenly went dry.

    <em>''Uh-huh, I made him upset.''</em>

    It seemed, her choice of words didn''t go right with him, and Hera didn''t want him to fight with her anymore. "No, I didn''t mean to say ufortable," she said, and the substitute word that came to her mind next was ''awkward''. She wasn''t that dumb to say it out loud. She knew he wouldn''t favour that word either.

    "I mean to say self-conscious. You make me nervous when you look at me like that," Hera said, admitting the truth..

    "I look at you like what, Goddess?" He whispered against her lips. "Like, you want to devour me in one bite," she said, holding his electrifying gaze. His eyes softened, and lips twitched into a crooked smile. "That I want to, Goddess. I truly wish I could," he said before locking lips with hers. He released her lips, and his head dipped into the crook of her neck.

    Hera''s heart thumped at a rapid speed, and her breath came in jagged gasps as his wet hot tongue tasted her skin. Her eyes closed on their own ord, and she tried to resist the urge to moan. He pushed the cor of her shirt dress back and eyed the hickeys he had marked yesterday.

    He sucked hard marking her again. Subconsciously he pressed his lower body into hers and rmed Hera opened her eyes in a sh.

    "You should leave now. I don''t want you to point your finger at me if you score less in your test papers. You will have to study for tomorrow''s test, remember?" Hera said in a broken whisper. "And I''ve to prepare for the tests too. I can''t afford to flunk either," she said, trying to push him off her but he wouldn''t budge.

    Hunter smiled into her skin. "You''ll get a tutor if you fail. Who would you prefer, Bianca or Samantha?" He asked in a teasing tone, flicking her nose yfully.

    Hera scowled. "As you know, I''m allergic to bitches and witches. So, I would preferably choose the hot and sexy guy who tutored me chemistryst time. His notes were helpful, and I could easily understand it. What was his name again?" She asked, pretending to think, and Hunter raised an eyebrow while his beautiful eyes looked amused.

    With his signature smirk stered on his lips, he couldn''t look any more arrogant.

    "That hot and sexy guy would be too busy to prepare notes for you. Hence he can''t help you," he said, pecking the tip of her nose. Hera rolled her eyes. "I was talking about Jake, not you and you''re annoyingly arrogant, Mr Hunter," she said in a disapproving tone. Shoving him off, she pointed her finger to the door, gesturing him to leave. Hunter got off the bed and tugged her to her feet.

    Hera watched in bewilderment as he got down on one knee and his hand went inside his jacket.

    <em>''Is he going to pull out a ring from his pocket or what?''</em>

    Hera widened her eyes in disbelief.

    <em>''Please don''t tell me he''s going to propose!''</em>

    "Hunter, we''re too young to get married, and I''m not even an adult yet," Hera blurted out, and Hunter stared at her with his mouth open. A few secondster, her room echoed with hisughter as the melodious rich sound floated through the air.

    She crossed her arms, arched her eyebrows, eying him indignantly. He toned down hisughter and reached for her hand. "I promise you, Love, we''ll reach there," he said sincerely, and a crimson red smeared across her cheeks as she blushed hard.

    He grinned wide while his hand reached inside his breast pocket once again. "A beautiful flower for my beautiful Goddess," he said, presenting a red rose to her. Hera''s wide grin perfectly matched his as she took the rose from him. "It was there inside your jacket all along? I wonder, how did you not crush it yet!" Hera said, teasing him.

    Hunter had plucked it for her from his grandmother''s garden before leaving the house, and he had made sure to remove all the thorns from the stem so that she wouldn''t get hurt.

    He took out a chocte bar from the other pocket. "And a sweet for my Sweetheart," he said, and Hera''s eyes grew smaller as sheughed merrily. Standing to his full height, he looked down into her eyes filled with affection. "I should get going now. Don''t get into trouble while I''m gone," he said, brushing his lips on her forehead. "If you need me, you know where to find me, Goddess," he said, and Hera nodded her response.

    His hand went around the nape of her neck, his fingersced themselves in her hair and with his free hand, he brushed away stray hair, tucking it behind her ear.

    "When will it grow back to its original length?" Hunter asked, frowning.

    Smiling, Hera wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. Standing on her tippy toes, she ced her lips on his, and they shared another passionate kiss. "I love you, Mrs Hunter," he said, kissing each of her eyelids. She watched him while he walked backwards blowing kisses her way, and waved goodbye.

    Leaning against the door, she watched him talking to the guard at the gate. Whatever he said, the guard nodded to that. As Hunter made his way to the exit of the Girl''s block, Hera''s smile slowly disappeared.

    She emptied her wooden pen stand and ced the orchids in it, using it as a flower vase. She let out a tired sigh while her fingertips caressed the orchid petals delicately.

    It had been an hour since Hunter dropped Hera to the dormitory.

    Something was bothering her ever since they returned from their date. Hera pretended to be ignorant even though she knew in her heart what was bothering her exactly.

    Her shoulders sagged as if something massive weighed her strength down. She inhaled in urgent need of oxygen as she dropped her head on the pillow. Lying on her back, Hera closed her eyelids shut. Her hands rested on her stomach, still holding the red rose by the long stem.

    Subconsciously, her fingers loosened the grip on the stem, and the rose fell to her chest.

    Hot tears escaped through the corner of her closed eyelids, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back. Every minute of thest two days started ying in reverse behind her closed eyelids. A cascade of images appeared and ran through in a slideshow in her head.

    Every memory, good and bad, their conversations, their fight, the overwhelming emotions, the moment they cried together when they confessed their feelings, the hug, kiss, and the dance, pulled her into the world of hallucination, recreating every moment. She saw everything happening in front of her eyes as though reliving those moments again.

    <em>''You were only eleven, not even a teenager.''</em>

    What Hunter said, echoed inside her head. He had been cheating on her for so long, and naive Hera didn''t even have a clue. She remembered what she had said the day they broke up. "Once a cheater, always a cheater." She couldn''t forgive him that day, and she said she would never take him back.

    But what did she do now? He took her on a romantic date, and she forgave him just like that. Was it so easy to earn her forgiveness? Sweet talk, delicious food, exotic location, and a dreamy atmosphere was enough to manipte her heart.

    Ridiculing the amount of self-respect and self-esteem she had, Heraughed in anguish. Didn''t she feel ashamed of herself? Her thirteen-year-old self sounded more sensible than her.

    "I forgive you, Hunter," she said out loud as though testing how would she feel after admitting to it openly. That day when she saw the guilt in his eyes, she couldn''t bear to see him suffer anymore. So, on the spur of that overwhelming moment, she uttered those words without any hesitation. She didn''t want him to feel hurt any more than that.

    "Did I truly forgive him?" She asked herself. She knew better than anyone else that it''s easier said than done. She could forgive him for hurting her, but did she has the right to forgive him for what he did to her friends? It wasn''t her right to decide and grant him forgiveness on her friends'' behalf. Her friends had the right to hate her for going back to Hunter.

    Hera opened her eyes. Wiping the wet trail of tears on her temples, she took the rose and ced it in-between the orchids. Sitting on her bed, she unwrapped the chocte bar, expecting it to be a messenger sweet.

 Chapter 101 - Whats Love Without Trust?

    A new set of hot tears burned Hera''s eyes, and her lower lip trembled as soon as she saw the sparkling ink inside the wrapper. But she couldn''t make out what the message said as the salty water in her eyes blurred her vision.

    She blinked once, twice, thrice, and squeezed her eyes shut to get rid of the tears. Brushing the back of her hand on her wet cheeks, she wiped them clean and read the message.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>My heart and soul belong to you,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>My world revolves only around you,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>My love is truly meant only for you.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>.

    <em><strong>P.S. I need you like a heart needs a beat.</strong></em>

    Atst, her strength to endure the pain reached its peak, and Hera broke into tears once again and cried her heart out. The room was silent except for her sobbing. Breathing in short breaths, Hera struggled through a hup. Hunter''s confession only added more to her agony.

    "I love you too, Hunter and I don''t want to lose you. I can''t live without you. You''re my lifeline, and you know it," she professed out loud, clutching her knees to her chest. She looked around her empty room and was thankful that she was alone. She needed this privacy to vent out her bottled up pain. She stole the tissue box from ra''s desk drawer and blew her nose into the tissue.

    The sad smile on her face soon morphed into a burst of bitterughter. She remembered how ra used to sob whenever they parted during their winter and summer holidays. Hera used to buy her a tissue box as a parting gift.

    "You never apologised to my friends, Hunter. ra was right. I''m such a selfish bitch," she cursed herself for being a hypocrite.

    No doubt, Hera and Hunter loved each other unconditionally. Nheless, Hera wondered, how far would she go to protect him. She couldn''t forget even to this day what happened with Nate. Shouldn''t he be sensible enough to acknowledge his wrongdoings? She had no right to forgive him for what he did to Nate. It was up to ra and Nate. "When you took Bianca''s side, why shouldn''t I take ra''s side?" She asked Hunter even though he wasn''t there to answer.

    Hera would never hurt Hunter intentionally. Eventually, she would forgive him for cheating on her.

    But what he''d unintentionally revealed to her, that phrase wouldn''t let her mind to rest in peace.

    <em>''You were only eleven, not even a teenager.''</em>

    It kept on bouncing in full swing against the inside wall her mind. She could neither forget it nor ept it. Both the Angel and Devil inside her head started to manipte her heart. Undoubtedly the Devil was dominating the Angel. He was winning the battle.

    Something sharp was continuously piercing her heart ever since Hunter admitted that horrible truth. Hera was still a virgin, but he wasn''t anymore. He was literally her first everything, but she wasn''t his first, and that thought hurt like hell.

    The realisation hit her hard.

    Her broken heart yearned for justice while her wounded pride craved revenge.

    Hera remembered him, saying countless times that she''s the one who ruins everything for them each time. She loved him to the moon and back, but could she trust him not to break her heart again? What''s love without trust? She had no idea how many girls he''d been with and used for his enjoyment under the guise of an immature hormonal teenager.

    Hunter had meant to say that she was a child and couldn''t have understood his feelings. "So what about now, Hunter? Am I mature enough to understand your feelings?" She asked and silently pondered about it for a few minutes. What would happen if she says that she''s not ready for it yet? Would he wait, or would he force her? Or would he go to other girls seeking pleasure?

    Could she trust himpletely that he wouldn''t cheat on her again? Because she wanted to wait until their wedding night as they had promised each other.

    Hera''s eyes widened as something Evelyn said came to her mind.

    <em>''Now, you can reciprocate his feelings and desires.''</em>

    Danny too said Hera was like a dead-fish. Though he meant to use it more as a jab, it stung a bit too deep. "Did they all mean to say what I''m thinking?" She snorted derisively, shaking her head. "How can I live in peace while this fear of him cheating on me keeps haunting me all my life?"

    Didn''t she vow when she left Hunter''s mansionst time that she would never be a doormat? Then how could she let him take her love for granted? It''s high time she took control of her life.

    Hera was risking her heart again for him, but could she survive another heartbreak? Hunter would never understand her fear and her pain unless and until he suffers a heartbreak.

    "To protect my heart and for him not to break my heart, he should feel what I felt. If he goes through heartbreak, then he''ll know how I felt," Hera nodded with determination and erased every trace of her tears with the tissue. She was desperate and wanted him to know what he did to her, and what she went through.

    "You''ll know my pain, Hunter because I''ll make sure you feel it," she vowed.

    <strong>ACROSS THE EIGHT OCEANS,</strong>

    Montir,

    New Jersey,

    The United States.

    In another part of Hera''s undiscovered world, maids and servants talked in a hushed tone while they cleaned the Mega-mansion of their master, Alexander Hunter. They worked hard, making sure that the white tiles on the floor shone wlessly, matching the ss on the floor-to-ceiling windows.

    Meanwhile, cing the ss jug of freshly squeezed orange juice on the shiny ss table in the dining hall, the cook readied the breakfast and arranged the dishes.

    It was hard as it was to please the Mistress of the house. After all, she was the most popr diamond merchant as well as a jewellery designer. Her style and elegance shone as brightly as the diamonds she designs. She was not just a good wife, but also a sessful businesswoman. She preferred perfection in everything, and hated anything less than that, not to mention her obsession for cleanliness.

    The cook wanted to use the inte and inform them toe down for breakfast, but she couldn''t dare disturb her Mistress. Alexander had strictly instructed his staff not to disturb her sleep ever. Alexander''s personal assistant, secretary, and his bodyguards, all seated on the sofa in the living hall, patiently waited for their boss to grace them with his presence.

    Alexander quietly stayed in bed, though he was long awake as the woman next to him cuddled deep into his naked chest and tightened her arms around his middle. It was way too early for her to wake up, and he didn''t want to cut short her peaceful sleep. So he stayed still, holding her in his arms. An iing message on his phone woke him up in the middle of the night as his phone pinged.

    He''d made love to his woman until she was exhausted enough to fall asleep. It was three o''clock in the morning when the phone pinged, and Alexander couldn''t go back to sleep since he read the short message sent by Mathew.

    <em><strong>"Johnathan is here in London."</strong></em>

    He needed to call back Mathew immediately, but he didn''t. Because it would awake the woman in his arms and she would worry stressing over his son''s safety. Alexander knew he could trust Mathew with his son''s life. He sent a quick reply to Mathew.

    <em><strong>"Is my son okay, Matt?"</strong></em>

    Mathew''s reply came after two minutes.

    <em><strong>"Yes, he''s fine. Rest assured, brother. You know I wouldn''t let any harme to him, right? I wanted to call you immediately, but your son stopped me by reminding the time difference. He didn''t want his mother to worry about him. Since I couldn''t wait, I sent you a message."</strong></em>

    Alexander''s lips stretched into a proud smile. He knew his son was very courageous to face any danger and would handle it sensibly. He typed his reply discretely, making sure not to wake his wife up.

    <em><strong>"Wait for my call, Matt and take care of my son."</strong></em>

    Mathew sent a message in assurance, and Alexander kept the phone aside. He looked down at the woman sleeping soundly in his arms. He tucked her hair behind her ear, admiring her beauty. d in a pure white silk nightgown, she looked breathtaking.

    Alexander tensed as he envisioned her appearance changing into a lifeless, limp body. His Felicity on the verge of death appeared in front of his eyes, and he could still smell the stench of the spilt blood even after fifteen years.

    He shut his eyes in agony and the boiling fury inside, couldn''t wait to get hold of Johnathan. His fingers itched, desperate to strangle his neck until he stopped breathing. He cursed that unfortunate day when he left to hunt the Baresi twins, leaving Felicity and Hera alone at home.

 Chapter 102 - Its A Trap

    Alexander shuddered, remembering the horrifying scene from the past.

    That day, Sebastian was driving too fast, and Alexander couldn''t wait to reach their destination. "Something is not right, Romano," Alexander said. Instinct was telling him to back off. He had a strong feeling that he was heading the wrong way.

    He remembered what Felicity had said before he left home, and her words echoed in his mind.

    <em>''As if you''re noting home anytime soon.''</em>

    She had pointed out that their son was not even there, and hence, Alexander didn''t have to go. When she spoke those words, itforted him to some extent, and he had sighed in relief because the Baresi brothers would never reach his son. He was safe with his grandfather in Italy..

    Alexander''s heart panicked as his brain collected his thoughts and calcted them. Baresi brothers were nning to kidnap his son, but they didn''t know that his son was not with him in Havana. So they were still going to attack. Now Alexander was far away from home while his Felicity and Hera were alone.

    His eyes widened with fright, but his face turned red with fury. "I should''ve known, it''s a trap," he spoke through his gritted teeth. His hand came crashing into the dashboard as he punched it in anger.

    Sebastian nced at Alexander, and the look on his face scared him. Before he could open his mouth to ask what was wrong, Alexander spoke. "Hit the U-turn, Romano. My world is in danger," hemanded.

    Sebastian wanted to go ahead with his previous n, but Alexander''s tone left no room for further discussion. One look at his boss'' murderous eyes was all it took for him to turn the car, and he sped off.

    "Who was your source, Romano?" Alexander asked. "Deacon tipped me about the location of the Baresi twins," Sebastian answered, and Alexander cursed. Deacon was Sebastian''s cousin, and Alexander never trusted that parasite. He didn''t have a single bone of loyalty in him. "I thought you were smarter than that, Romano. How could you trust that filthy excuse for a human?" Alexandershed out, usingly. Sebastian couldn''t dare answer that question.

    Alexander took out his phone and dialled his wife''s number, but to his horror, she didn''t answer his call. He tried calling her again and again. However, she never returned his call. He dialled the number of the chief of his security in charge who was supposed to be guarding Felicity. "Why the hell are they not answering my phone?" Alexander yelled, punching the dashboard again.

    He checked the time on his wristwatch. An hour had passed since he left home. "We''re running out of time, Romano. Please take me to my Felicity," he said, looking out of the window. He didn''t want to show his vulnerability, yet his voice came out broken, and his tone was pleading Sebastian.

    Sebastian didn''t miss the panic in his voice. He knew that Alexander was frightened to death. After all, Felicity was his life and the thought of losing his love was killing him. "I''m almost there, Alessandro. She''ll be fine, don''t worry," he said, trying to lessen Alexander''s fear. He was not only his boss but also his best friend. Sebastian had the liberty of addressing Alexander by his first name, but he rarely used it.

    Alexander pulled out his gun, checking its barrel. Sebastian sent a silent prayer for Felicity''s safety. He knew in his heart that he was going to face something terrible.

    <em>''You''re going to die in my hands today, Deacon.''</em>

    Sebastian vowed. He changed the gear, his foot increased the pressure on the elerator pedal to its limit, and he drove faster.

    Sebastian hardly hit the breaks, and Alexander jumped out of the car and ran through the gate to his rented vi. His bodyguards ran along covering him, with their guns ready to aim at the target. His heart sank to his stomach as his eyes witnessed the horrifying scene. His men were all dead lying in the puddle of blood. Sebastian followed right behind but came to a sudden halt as he saw their men''s lifeless bodies.

    Alexander ordered his men to check and help if anyone was still breathing before he rushed to the door. It banged against the wall as he kicked it and barged inside. To his shock, Felicity hadn''t locked the door from the inside. His panicked, loud, heartbeats violently thumped against his eardrums. His frightened eyes frantically searched every corner of the house within that one second, desperate to find his soul mate.

    Shocked, Alexander''s feet staggered back, and he copsed against the wall. He felt his whole body freeze as his eyes finally found his Felicity''s unmoving body lying on the couch. His eyes watered, and the tears blurred his vision. Terrified, Alexander couldn''t breathe anymore. His lungs constricted, and his heart stopped.

    Sebastian shook him violently, bringing him back to his senses. Alexander nced at him and inhaled sharply, but still didn''t make an attempt to get up. Sebastian pulled him up and pushed him in the direction of Felicity. Once her figure registered in his eyes, Alexander sprang quickly to reach her and crossed the distance in a sh.

    He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into his arms. Bending his head, he brought his ear to her chest and heard her heart beating steadily. He exhaled, releasing the breath he''d been holding and hugged her motionless form into his chest.

    "Isn''t he stair''s brother?" Alexander heard Sebastian asking. Shifting Felicity''s weight into his right arm, he brought his left arm to his eyes and wiped his teary eyes with his sleeve. He nced at where Sebastian stood and watched him pointing a gun at Johnathan''s chest. Holding the gun in his right hand, Sebastian checked the pulse on Johnathan''s neck with his free hand.

    "He''s alive," he stated.

    Alexander checked Felicity''s body for any injuries, and he was relieved that he found none. Then he checked her neck, arms, wrists, and inner thighs for any sign of track mark of injections fearing she might have got drugged. However, he found no such mark. One of his men stood, aiming the gun at Johnathan. Sebastian had kept him on standby mode.

    "Didn''t anyone hear the gunshots or the blood-curdling screams of the dying people? What was the resort management team doing during this chaos? Shouldn''t they take responsibility for the safety of their guests?" Sebastian muttered to himself as his men checked every corner of the house for any hidden danger.

    Alexander ced Felicity carefully on the couch. He quickly marched into Hera''s room, crossing the dead bodies on the floor. Bracing himself for the worst, Alexander pushed the door open. As he feared, little Hera had already got seized from her safe haven. Alexander noticed her medical file scattered on the floor, and it didn''t take much time for him to know what else was missing. They had stolen the copy of Hera''s birth certificate and her passport.

    He kneeled and collected the scattered papers from the floor. Exhausted, his legs gave out, and he slumped down onto the floor. He felt so helpless he couldn''t hold back his emotions anymore. Crumbling the papers in his hands, he covered his face and cried his heart out. Once the shock wore off, he pulled himself together and got back to his feet.

    He took a moment to get rid of the tears. "There''s no room for self-pity, you''ve more important things to take care of," Alexander clenched his fists and cursed. There was no time to waste. He''d to hurry before they take Hera out of the country.

    Alexander walked into the kitchen and collected tap water in a ss. As he settled next to his wife''s sleeping form, he noticed the two empty cups of coffee on the ss table. There was no doubt in his mind when he guessed that the drug must be in the coffee.

    Sebastian watched him eyeing the coffee cups and voiced out his thoughts. "They must have drugged her coffee," he stated, and Alexander nced at Johnathan''s sleeping form. "Wake him up, Romano," he ordered before sprinkling water on Felicity''s face. She didn''t react, and Alexander poured some water into his palm and sshed the water on her face with a little force.

    Felicity groaned in protest, and Alexander sighed in relief.

    Johnathan was trying so hard to keep his eyes shut while Sebastian searched him. Sebastian found a gun in his jacket and held it up for Alexander to see. "Do you think our men let him in without checking?" He asked, and Alexander walked to him with the ss of water in hand.

    Johnathan''s heart was thumping so loud that he feared they might hear it. He couldn''t thank his lucky stars enough, for he had switched his phone off and threw it under the furniture before Alexander entered the house. He knew, his call logs would provide enough evidence for Alexander to prove him guilty.

 Chapter 103 - Tall, Dark, Handsome Devil

    The cold water hit Johnathan''s face harshly as Alexander sshed the whole ss on him in anger. He jolted up in a sh but soon realised he''d to fake a shocked state. "What happened? What was that?" He stuttered, pretending to be surprised. Alexander''s lips twitched in a wrathful smile, and his eyes burned with fury.

    Before Johnathan could blink, Alexander''s fistnded on his face in a hard punch. Johnathan didn''t see iting. It was so sudden he couldn''t dodge it and fell off the sofa. Grunting in pain, he looked at Alexander pasting a confused expression on his face.

    "I don''t have time to waste, John. So open your mouth before I put a hole in your head with my gun. Where''s my daughter?" Alexander cut straight to the point, and Johnathan''s face went pale.

    "What are you talking, Xander? I''m sorry I didn''t follow," he said, but couldn''t hide the fear in his voice.. "I was drinking coffee with Felicity, and suddenly I felt dizzy. That''s all I remember. What happened here?" He asked, sounding clueless as his eyes roamed around the hall.

    He feigned sincerity, trying his best to appear innocent, but Alexander was not buying his act. Another punch and Johnathan''s nose and lips started to bleed. Alexander grabbed him by his shirt cor and lifted him before pushing him back onto the sofa. Johnathan cowered back in fear as Alexander ced his foot on the armrest.

    "You felt dizzy because there was added drug in that coffee. But strangely, my wife is still in a state of unconsciousness while just a ss of water woke you up," he said in a calm voice. "She made that coffee, how would I know anything about the drug?" Johnathan was too quick to ask. Alexander hummed a response while Sebastian sat sideways next to Johnathan and adjusted the barrel of his gun. Johnathan gulped nervously.

    Alexander removed his foot from the armrest and walked back to Felicity. He tapped her cheeks, called her name, but didn''t get any response from her. "Doctor will be here in ten minutes," one of his men informed Alexander. He ordered them to take care of the dead bodies first.

    Alexander was a well-known, sessful, legitimate businessman in the world. He didn''t want to involve the police in this mess as it would take time for them to investigate the killings and his daughter''s kidnapping. Besides, as a Mafia leader, he could take care of his problems much quicker.

    He took out a handkerchief and dabbed against Felicity''s face, wiping the water drops. Tucking her hair behind her ears, he softly kissed her forehead. When he looked at Johnathan, all the tenderness vanished from his face, morphing him into the devil everybody knew him as in the Mafia world.

    "You showed your face after years, and chaos evoked in my peaceful world. My men let you walk into my house without taking away your gun, they were attacked and killed, my wife is still unconscious, and my daughter disappeared," Alexander said as he paced back and forth. He shoved his hands into his pant pockets and stopped in front of Johnathan.

    "I wonder, why were you not attacked when they killed all my men? Why did my enemies feel so generous and decided to spare your life? Unless you are with them administering this whole conspiracy?" He asked, but it was a rhetorical question.

    Johnathanughed, shaking his head. "You''re crazy, Xander. You''re assuming things I don''t even know. Why would I harm your family in the first ce?" He asked, pretending to be offended while Alexander clenched his fists in anger, ready to disfigure Johnathan''s face.

    The arrival of the doctor interrupted them, and luckily it bought Johnathan some time to think about his escape. Alexander waited impatiently while Sebastian and others checked the team of doctors before letting them attend Felicity. The female doctor in herte forties gave them a disapproving look but didn''t dare say anything after seeing the guns in their hands. It wasn''t that hard for them to guess what had happened there.

    "It''s necessary because we need to be cautious about who to trust. I''m sorry for the inconvenience, doctor, hope you understand," Sebastian apologised once they passed the security check. He showed her the way in, followed by a female nurse, a male and a female doctor in their early twenties.

    Sebastian nced at Alexander and read the unasked question in his eyes. "Her assistants or interns, something like that," Sebastian provided, and Alexander nodded.

    Alexander carried Felicity to their bedroom and ced her on the bed carefully. "She''s drugged, but I didn''t find any track mark of injections," Alexander shared with the doctor. He was d the doctor still checked for the marks on her body.

    "Goodness! She''s beautiful," the young male doctor whispered, looking at Felicity and his youngpanions agreed.

    After a thorough checkup, the doctor confirmed that Felicity indeed was given sedative-hypnotics. Her lips were dry, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Much to Alexander''s relief, the doctor reported that Felicity would sleep some more, and other than that nothing to worry.

    Alexander wanted her to open her eyes and look at him. He was going crazy as he couldn''t see her smile, and he yearned to hear her voice. As if sensing his inner turmoil, the doctor spoke. "She might suffer a severe headache after waking up. I advise you to let her sleep it off, and she''ll be fine," said the doctor. Alexander shook his head, "I don''t have time, doctor. We need to leave as soon as possible. Please wake her up."

    Contrary to the worried look on his face, hismanding voice sounded too harsh, and the doctor couldn''t hide her uneasiness. He was as intimidating as the devil. Meanwhile, the young females admired his godly features. He looked hot with his ruffled hair, untucked shirt, and sleeves rolled up. He was the perfect definition of ''Tall, dark, and handsome''.

    "The sedative is too strong, and she might also suffer from a stomach ache, dizziness, burning or tingling in the hands, arms, feet or legs. Her body will be uncontrobly shaking because of weakness. Please take my advice, it''s better if she sleeps," the doctor said, trying to convince Alexander but in vain. "Wake her up," he spoke slowly, but the tone he used left no room for further discussion, and the doctor had no choice but toply.

    Sebastian came rushing to the room with a piece of new information. "It''s a good thing that we backed off and returned home. We wouldn''t have met any of the Baresi brothers there. It was a bait to keep you busy elsewhere when they attack your family," he informed. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he inwardly med himself for ever believing his cousin.

    "They wanted to kidnap your son, and you would''ve never returned home alive. It would be so easy to ckmail your father with your son''s life once you''re out of the picture. They nned to kill two birds with one stone. You know what I mean, right?" He reported while Alexander listened, eyes nted on his wife as the nurse hurried with a wet, warm towel.

    "We went the wrong way while they fled in the opposite direction with your little girl and Deacon was not reachable," Sebastian said, and his eyes lowered in shame as he revealed thest part of information about his cousin. He left the room silently, and Alexander watched the nurse wiping Felicity''s face, neck, arms and legs. The young doctors tried to make her drink water under the supervision of their senior doctor.

    Alexander needed to get back to Johnathan, but he didn''t want to leave Felicity alone. He couldn''t trust anyone now. He walked to the bed and touched Felicity''s cheek with the back of his fingers before addressing the doctor. "If anything happens to her, none of you will walk out alive," Alexander said, without taking his eyes off his wife. The doctor didn''t miss the promise in his threat.

    He kissed Felicity on the forehead and walked out of the room. Immediately, two men with guns in their hands took positions in the room, monitoring every move of the doctor and her team.

    Alexander rushed out of the room to where Sebastian held Johnathan captive. He grabbed Johnathan''s cor with his right hand, yanked him up from his seat, and pushed him hard onto the floor. Johnathan yelped in pain as his face collided with the hard floor. Alexander continuously kicked him in his abdomen without wasting any more second. He was raging in utter fury.

    Kneeling in front of his target, he punched him in the face again and again. Helpless, Johnathan cowered back trying to cover his face with his arms.

    Everyone could see that Alexander was losing his patience. He stomped one of his feet on Johnathan''s chest before snatching the gun from Sebastian''s hand.

 Chapter 104 - Chasing The Morning Mist Away

    "You know me, John. I''m the worst person to mess with, and as you can see, my patience is running out, so don''t push me to my limits. Besides, I don''t have time to tolerate your shit, and this is yourst chance, John," Alexander said, pointing his gun at Johnathan''s forehead. "You either tell me what I want to hear or keep your mouth shut and die," he said in a menacing tone while his fingers tightened around the trigger.

    Johnathan gulped in fear, begging Alexander to believe his innocence. Lost in his fury, Alexander would''ve already shot Johnathan if not for the soft voice whispering his name behind him. He heard Felicity calling for him in her weak voice, and Alexander looked over his shoulder to see her standing at the door to their bedroom.

    Her left hand was on the door, seeking strength to support her weak body. Her face held a terrorised look as her eyesnded on Johnathan''s dishevelled appearance, sttered on the floor. His nose and lips were bleeding, and his perfectly styled hair had turned into a ruffled mess. His once perfectly ironed wrinkle-free suit was now badly rumpled. He was hurt severely and groaning in pain..

    The attending nurse rushed to Felicity''s side and wrapped one arm around her waist to support her weight. "I''m sorry, sir, she''s not cooperating. I tried stopping her, but she refused to stay in bed after hearing themotion taking ce here," the doctor said apologetically in a nervous tone.

    Felicity brushed the nurse''s hand off her waist and shook her head in refusal while the young doctors offered help. Her gaze shifted to her husband. "What happened, Alexander? Why do you have your gun pointed at John?" She asked as her gaze moved back and forth, shifting between her husband and Johnathan.

    "Why, Alexander?" She asked in a shaky voice while her eyes stared at him in disbelief. She tried moving forward, dragging her numb feet to reach her husband. Alexander swiftly moved, covering the distance in a few long strides. She held on to his arms for support and Alexander cursed under his breath as Felicity''s eyes roamed around, scrutinising every corner of the house.

    There were no dead bodies as Alexander''s men cleared the mess. But still, Felicity could make out the leftover stain of the blood, the gunshot holes on the walls, doors, the shattered window sses on the floor, and the ruined furniture in the hall.

    She studied Johnathan''s face and looked at Sebastian standing next to him with a gun. She remembered having coffee with Johnathan before everything went ck and sucked her senses into oblivion. She gasped in shock, and Alexander pulled her, embracing her in his arms as she trembled in fear. He could already read the thoughts running in her mind even before she voiced it out.

    "Where is Hera, Alexander?" She whispered, and it broke Alexander''s heart to hear her panicked voice.

    The ache in his chest intensified so much that his arms subconsciously tightened around her delicate form, wishing he could absorb every source of the pain from her body.

    The soft groan of protest made Alexander open his eyes, and the angel in his arms smiled, chasing away the mist of images from the past.

    "I''m not running away from you ever, stop squeezing me to death," she said in her seductive morning voice.

    Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she focused on him while she shoved herself deep into his arms, moved her face closer to his and nted a kiss on his lips. "Morning, my life," she said while Alexander gazed into her Hazel eyes. "What time is it? Please don''t tell me I overslept," she spoke in a whiny voice, stretching her armszily.

    Alexander grinned, "No, you didn''t. It''s only time for breakfast," he said, teasing her. She huffed, pouting at him. "Do you want to sleep some more or would you prefer breakfast in bed?" Alexander asked his wife, and she shook her head. "I''ll take a shower and get ready. It''s alreadyte, and the staff must be waiting. I''m also a bit nervous about today''s event," she confessed, wrapping her arms around his middle.

    Her father was a sessful diamond Marchant, and she was the only heir. She not only took over her father''s business sessfully but also made it to the top. Her designs ranked in the top five throughout the world. Even the Kings, Queens and every royalty around the world favoured wearing her custom made crowns.

    Alexander left a kiss on the crown of her head. "You don''t need to be nervous, Sweetheart. You''ll win everyone''s approval like you always do. When you put your heart into your efforts, nothing can stop you from aplishing your dreams," Alexander said, boosting her confidence. With a heartwarming smile, she kissed him before disentangling herself from his embrace.

    Alexander patiently waited until she disappeared into the bathroom, and he heard the water running. He dialled Mathew''s number and waited for him to answer, impatiently.

    What Mathew disclosed over the phone, infuriated Alexander.

    "I''m sorry, brother, but that bastard had left in the middle of the night, and unfortunately his private Jet took off before I could reach him. What was I supposed to do anyway? It''s not like I have the liberty to touch him. You''ve issued orders that we are not allowed to attack or harm him in any way, remember?" Mathew asked without bothering to hide his frustration.

    Alexander snorted, he was beyond frustrated.

    It was true that Alexander didn''t have the privilege to kill Johnathan. He''d given his word to stair''s father. He wouldn''t touch Johnathan unless he dared to cross Alexander''s path again.

    "We''d enough excuse to harm him, Matt. The bastard broke the rule and was lurking around my son. My charity ended there because he was only allowed to live until he stays away from my family. You let the perfect opportunity to slip off your hand," Alexander barked into the phone. Mathew didn''t know how to defend his actions.

    "I should''ve called you right after discovering the information about his location. It was my fault, and I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have waited," he said, admitting his mistake.

    Alexander brushed his hair back with his palm and tried to control his temper. He knew Mathew wasn''t at fault and he didn''t deserve his anger. It was another lucky day for Johnathan, and the bastard would live for a few more days.

    Mathew reported everything and confirmed that his son waspletely safe. There wasn''t any attack made, but Johnatahn''s men had followed him and took some pictures, apparently to report it to Johnathan. Alexander gave some instruction, telling him to be on high alert. Not that he needed to ask Mathew to keep his son safe because he knew he would. Alexander could trust him blindly.

    He took a shower in another bathroom, got ready in a ck suit and was waiting for his wife in the dining hall while his PA reported his schedule for the day. After approving the security arrangements, Alexander gestured the chef to serve the food to his team. It was the rule made by his wife long back. Maids, servants, office staff, whoever visited the house would never leave without having food.

    Alexander kept his phone aside and focused his eyes on the gorgeousdy descending the stairs. Dressed in a ck form-fitting sheath dress, she took his breath away. Nipped at the waistline, it sat just above her knees and looked ideal for her hourss figure, ttering her beautiful curves. Her slender, never-ending legs demanded attention as her ck heels clicked against the white marble tiles.

    Alexander chose the dress in red, but she decided on the ck because he wouldn''t wear anything other than ck and she wanted them to match for today''s event. The white, exquisite pear-shaped diamond pendant held by a thin tinum chain rested excellently on her slightly exposed cleavage. He couldn''t see her earrings as her long wave of hair flowing on either side of her shoulders hid them from view.

    She wasn''t looking at him but was acknowledging the greetings of their staff members with a polite nod. Alexander grinned when she looked at him, silentlymanding him with her eyes to join the breakfast table. She appreciated the efforts of their household staff.

    Meanwhile, Alexander wanted to ravish her then and there. But he knew, she would get cross with him if he ruined her makeup that was on point, and it''s hard to pursue her after that. He had his eyes glued to her lips. Her natural beauty shone through the subtle makeup, but her lips were bare without any lipstick painted.

    Alexander beamed wickedly, eyes filled with delight because her bare lips meant he would get to kiss her thoroughly after breakfast. He couldn''t wait.

    Suddenly, his phone went off, and startled, everyone looked at the disturbing device resting next to his te.

 Chapter 105 - Being Delusional Wont Help

    His wife red in disapproval, and her eyes held a ''Are you daring to disobey me'' look. Alexander connected the call and smirked at her before hitting the loudspeaker option. "I told you no phone calls during," she was saying, but paused as soon as she heard the voice. "Pleasant morning, My Lady," Hunter''s cheerful voice sounded through the speaker.

    Alexander watched while a warm and gentle smile bloomed across his wife''s beautiful face.

    "Are you fine, Junior?" Alexander asked before his wife could reply, and she looked at him frowning. "What''s wrong? Is he okay? Why did you ask him that?" She asked, tone demanding for an immediate answer. Alexander yfully rolled his eyes. "Junior, answer my question and put your Mom at ease," he said, scowling at his wife.

    Hunter took the hint and knew his mother was already worried.

    "Mom and Dad, I''m absolutely fit and fine.. Don''t worry about me. Everything''s fine here," Hunter assured. "I called to wish you, Mom. It''s your special day, and I wanted to cheer for you. Wishing you luck, Mom, you don''t need it though. I know you''ll conquer everything you put your heart into," Hunter stated, pridecing his words. Alexander looked at his wife to find her eyes already resting on him.

    He could see, along with her lips, her eyes were smiling too. Their son said the same thing Alexander had said, and they both meant it.

    "Hey, fairy godmother, we want to wish you too," she heard Eric and Michael yelling into the phone simultaneously. "How are my boys doing? I hope you''re all behaving and not causing any trouble?" She asked, grinning wide. They could detect the happiness in her voice. They said what she wanted to hear, and Alexander shook his head, smiling at their lies. He silently wished for the kids to stay safe and happy forever.

    It was her special day because she would beunching a new set of diamond essories, matching wedding jewellery for couples, designed by her. She would donate the money to charity. As a good, devoted husband Alexander would be standing next to her, giving his unconditional support and love. He would apany her and attend theunch event as well as the press meet. He couldn''t be any more proud.

    Though he''d postponed all his meetings for the day, Alexander couldn''t wait to reach his office. But he''d to wait until the event ends because he couldn''t let his wife know what he wanted to do.

    It''s time he''d that talk with stair''s father, the scoundrel they call a King.

    <strong>AT KENSINGTON, LONDON,</strong>

    The weather was chillier than usual. It was a perfect evening to nurse a ss of chilled whiskey or brandy, or a cup of hot chocte if one preferred a sugary treat.

    In that cold atmosphere, someone''s blood boiled hot with a raging temper. "Are you out of your mind?" Hunter yelled, not caring that they were in public and stood abruptly from the chair. Bianca flinched at his harsh tone. It hurt to be at the receiving end though she knew she deserved it.

    "I thought we''re through this conversation, Sunshine. Didn''t I make it clearst time that there''s nothing between Samantha and me?" Hunter asked, clenching his teeth. He was trying so hard to control his growing anger. Bianca caught his hand and pulled him back to his chair.

    Not wanting to create a scene, Hunter obliged. They were attracting unwanted attention.

    They were in London''s most colourful pub the Churchill Arms, one of Hunter''s favourite ces to hang out in Kensington. The pub served the best drinks with a great Thai restaurant in the back.

    From the time Hunter returned to his dormitory, Bianca was continuously throwing a tantrum like a five-year-old kid wailing for his mother''s attention. She keptining nonstop that he went out alone to have fun with Hera while leaving his friends behind. The reason was enough to guilt-trip Hunter. He could neither study nor could he rest as Bianca didn''t let him breathe in peace, pestering him over and over again.

    She looked no less than a spoilt little brat crying for her favourite candy or a toy while she demanded him to take her out for lunch and dinner. Finally, they decided to go out in the evening and settled on the Thai food and drinks for the menu.

    As soon as Hunter parked his ck Range Rover, Bianca dragged him away from their friends, throwing an excuse over her shoulder that she needed to speak something important. Her friends rolled their eyes and went to the pub to order drinks for everyone. It wasn''t anything new for them as they were aware of her usual drama. None of them objected because they were used to her, throwing fits all the time.

    Meanwhile, Samantha secretly smiled at her with an encouraging gesture. Linking her elbow with his, Bianca walked with him arm-in-arm until they reached the far corner table. Mathew had already reserved the tables for them, which provided utmost privacy.

    Hunter too knew what she meant by important talk. It would be her nagging about his priorities, especially about Hera. It happened every time Hunter invested more time and attention into Hera. For the love of God, he never understood the deal between her and Hera. Even his Goddess acted the same if his priority slightly shifted towards Bianca.

    He guessed jealousy was the second nature for girls or maybe it''s the default for them.

    He wished they could get along. Sometimes it got too hard for him to juggle between his best friend and girlfriend. He didn''t want to hurt either of them.

    Once they settled in their seats, Bianca opened her mouth, and for a few seconds, nothing came out, as though she was searching for the right words to say. She was hesitating, he observed and smiled, gesturing her to speak. "Promise me, Ace, you won''t get angry with me. Just hear me out before jumping into conclusions, okay," she said and requested him not to interfere until she finished talking.

    Bianca continued to speak, and Hunter regretted letting her have this conversation with him. He wasn''t expecting her to utter bullshit about Samantha''s feelings for him. He shouldn''t have agreed to this in the first ce, but he''d promised her, and with great difficulty, he allowed her to finish her talk. Bianca kept talking rubbish while requesting him not to break Samantha''s heart.

    "You don''t know how obsessed Sam is, Ace. I''m afraid she would harm herself if you dumped her now. Please give her some time to digest the truth that you don''t love her anymore," Bianca said, pleading, she tried her best to convince him.

    "For the record, I never loved anyone except Hera, and you know it too, Sunshine. Fucking stop making up things for God''s sake. How many times are we going to have this conversation? You''re not helping her but only making things more difficult for her by doing all this," he stated the obvious. His tone didn''t cover up the irritation he felt.

    Eric whistled and signalled them to join as their drinks and food were ready. Ignoring him, Bianca went on with her n. She had to do it for Samantha.

    "Think about it once, Ace. It isn''t going to change anything. Everything would remain the same, and Hera would still be yours. All you''ve to do is let Samantha pretend to be your girlfriend like before. After graduation, we''ll walk out of SPALEV High, and Samantha would go back to her ce. All I want is to protect her from self-harming until then. Do it for me, Ace, for friendship''s sake at least," Bianca urged him to ept her suggestion.

    Hunter only shook his head in disappointment. She wouldn''t understand the logic. Being delusional won''t help Samantha one bit.

    Hunter nced at Samantha once and found her swirling the contents in her ss absent-mindedly. She looked lost and wasn''t eating anything either. Meanwhile, his friends were chatting animatedly.

    Evelyn pped Eric''s hand away, stopping him from stealing something from her te. Michael was gulping his drink like there''s no tomorrow. Danny was busy checking something on his phone. Bianca nced at their friends and knew, Hunter was thinking about Samantha. Adding to Bianca''s advantage, Samantha had pulled a perfect depressed face. Their n was foolproof.

    "Don''t you think it''s wrong to give someone false hope? Sunshine, it won''t take much time for the obsession to turn into craziness," Hunter said softly still observing Samantha. Bianca scoffed, and Hunter''s attention shifted back to her.

    "Speaking of obsession, don''t you think even you''re obsessed when ites to Hera? All you want is to have her in your bed. Maybe you''ll get bored once you get her out of your system and it''ll wear off with time," she stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

    Hunter stared at her in stunned silence. After a few seconds, he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration and looked away from her.

 Chapter 106 - Hiding Things Equals To Cheating

    Hunter was already missing his Goddess and wished he could see her smiling face right now. He wanted Hera to join them, but Bianca didn''t want her with them, and Hunter had agreed reluctantly. If only he could get away from there and go back to his Hera. The idea was too tempting, to be honest. He was this close to act on his instinct.

    Bianca waved her hand in front of him to get his attention and Hunter snapped out of his stupor. He sighed and bit his lower lip to stop himself fromshing out at her.

    "Sunshine, I never thought you would judge me so poorly. Anyway, I don''t expect you to understand what I feel for Hera," Hunter said nkly, and Bianca straightened her back in rm. She didn''t realise her words hit him hard.

    "You have no idea, Sunshine, how much you''ve hurt me this time and to make it worse, Hera thinks that whatever wrong you do to her it''s done with my consent," he said and held up his palm to stop her when Bianca tried to say something. He shook his head as in pitying himself..

    "It killed me every time Hera said that she hates me. And you still expect me to keep unting Samantha as my girlfriend in front of her? You''ll never understand what it feels to love someone with all your heart and soul, even though the person will never reciprocate your feelings. I''ve been there, done that, but I''m not risking my chance again for anyone, Sunshine. I''m sorry," Hunter was saying, but paused as he realised what he''d said.

    His eyes widened, and so did Bianca''s, disbelief and hurt were written all over her face. She didn''t have to say it out loud, as he could read it in her using eyes. He''d hit a nerve.

    "How could you say that, Ace? You of all people should know that I know exactly how it feels when you love someone with all your heart, and they won''t return your feelings," she said. Her tone was soft, but her voice broke at the end. Hunter winced and shut his eyes close, wishing he could take back his words. He regretted the minute it came out of his mouth.

    "Well, that didn''te out right, I''m sorry. I mean to say it hurts when Hera says that she doesn''t love me anymore because I''m crazy about her and I can''t afford to lose her again," Hunter said. His words rushed out, attempting some damage control.

    Even though his words cut through her heart, she endured the pain, and to some extent, she understood his fear of losing Hera. She knew how much it hurts when you love someone with every single cell of your existence, but it still wouldn''t achieve the desired results. She could rte to that feeling.

    Despite everything, Bianca would still shamelessly use the situation to her advantage. She''d promised Samantha, and she would never back out on her words.

    She cried, not attempting to stop her tears. Her n was simple, and guilt-tripping Hunter always worked.

    "You and I are very familiar with that awful feeling, Ace. Then think about Sam, she is going through the same heartache. Doesn''t she deserve at least to keep her pride? She would be devastated if peopleughed in her face. Please, Ace, do it for me?" She begged in her pitiful tone, and all Hunter wanted to do was ease her pain. He silently nodded his agreement with a defeated sigh.

    When they joined their friends, Hunter silently ate his food and was thankful for the drinks. He thought, one of his bodyguards could drive his car, and he decided to get drunk.

    Hunter didn''t even nce once at Samantha. All he could think was about Hera. Bianca said Hera didn''t need to know anything and she wouldn''t know if Hunter decided not to tell her. But he didn''t want to hide things from her anymore.

    There was only one thought running in his mind.

    <em>''Won''t hiding things from her mean cheating nheless?''</em>

    Samantha could see how upset Hunter seemed, and she exchanged a knowing look with her best friend. Bianca''s lips twitched upward, and the hint of that tiny smile confirmed that she''d done it. Samantha''s heart beamed and sighed in satisfaction while she returned Bianca''s smile.

    <strong>MEANWHILE, IN THE DORMITORY,</strong>

    Hera slept in her room until it''s time for dinner. All that hard thinking she did and her little crying episode had worn her out, and setting aside the thought of her uing tests, Hera cuddled willingly on her bed.

    The dining hall was almost empty as there were only a handful of students who apparently couldn''t go home just like her. The absence of the crowd and the silence feltforting, and she was d that Hunter didn''te to join her. He would have started a series of the questionnaire if he saw her swollen eyes and she wouldn''t have a reasonable answer to justify. Lying to him wasn''t an option for her.

    <em>''He''s a fucking human lie detector.''</em>

    She had her dinner and went to themunity hall to watch TV. Nothing on the TV caught her interest, and she went back to her dorm. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she med it on the tiredness the journey caused. Admiring the beautiful smiling face of Hunter behind her closed eyelids, Hera surprisingly slept peacefully.

    Morning befell, and Hera was bored to death.

    She felt quite robotic doing the regr stuff. To take a shower, have breakfast, lunch, dinner and go back to sleep. Now she was missing her friends.

    Sighing in boredom, Hera finally decided to do some studying. She had an English test the next morning. She thought, how hard could it be? She was speaking English all her life formunicating after all. But as usual, the moment she held the book in her hands, she felt sleepy.

    By the lunchtime, Abby came back from her friend''s ce, and Hera was relieved to have somepany atst. Her cousin helped her a lot, and they did a good volume of hard work preparing for the test.

    Abby and Hera took their seats with their tes full and a ss of warm milk next to it. Hera didn''t fancy in milk with a teaspoon of honey in it, especially during dinner, but it was a mandatory rule made by Mrs Roger, and everyone should follow. Hera thought she could have her dinner peacefully like yesterday, but the bubble busted as Hunter made his way into the hall with his friends.

    He looked hot with his full-sleeved white T-shirt and ash coloured shorts. Hera bit back a smile and looked down at her attire. They were matching. She wore an ash-coloured top with white pyjama pants.

    Her heart skipped a beat when their eyes met, and he smiled at her.

    <em>''My heart could never resist the effect of his presence.''</em>

    Grudgingly Hera admitted to herself.

    What caught Hera''s attention was Samantha walking beside him, and Hunter didn''t look pleased one bit. Bianca too was oddly upset over something. Hera couldn''t help but worry about him because she sensed the cold vibes erupting through his stiff personality. And just like that, she knew something was wrong.

    <em>''Could it be possible they fought?''</em>

    Every time Hera assumed or hoped that Hunter fought with his Sunshine, it indeed got crushed to nothing as she never got to witness that bliss. Hera ignored them and focused on her food while they settled on their chairs. She was listening as Abby filled in with thetest gossip surrounding the school. She drank half of the milk, swallowed the liquid with a grimace and kept the ss aside.

    Pleasant cologne filled the air around her, and Hera shifted her gaze up to meet Eric''s aqua blue eyes. He pulled the chair next to Hera joining her table. "Pixie," he said, nodding in greeting. "Hello, Danny''s cousin," he said to Abby without even ncing at her.

    Abby scowled at him. "I have a name, you know?" She snapped, gritting her teeth. "What''s with Ace Hunter and his friends not addressing me by my actual name?" She muttered in a disapproving tone.

    Eric snorted before stuffing his mouth with food. "I like to consider myself less rude than Ace. That''s why I thought it would be rude to call you Alligator. Danny''s cousin sounds better, doesn''t it, Danny''s cousin?" He asked, shooting her a wink. Hunter always addressed her as Alligator. Hera giggled while her cousin flipped him off. "It''s Abigail," she provided only to get ignored by Eric.

    Hera leaned closer to Eric and covering her mouth with her palm, she whispered in his ear. "What''s wrong with Hunter and your evil captain?" Eric smirked, he knew who the evil captain was. "They fought," he whispered back and bit back a smile when Hera widened her eyes in shock. "And Ace isn''t talking to Bianca," he stated before he burst outughing.

    <em>''The Jerk, he is simply messing with me.''</em>

    Hera pursed her lips into a thin line and red at him with herrge eyes.

 Chapter 107 - Unbreakable Bonding

    Hera hit him on his arm with her tiny fist. She winced when it hurt her more than it hurt him and tried to shove him away. Ericughed some more at her futile effort. He was amused, and she felt stupid.

    Deciding to give him a silent treatment, Hera chewed her food harder. Meanwhile, Eric gulped down half of the fluid in his ss in one go and poured the remaining half into Hera''s ss, filling it to the rim. "Hey," Hera yelled in protest, catching Hunter''s attention. Laughing, Eric ran away from her as she tried to pull him back.

    "Eric Gabriel Costa,e back here, right now," she yelled but in vain. The said angel only snorted hisugh in response. "Whoever named you Gabriel is a sinner for life and angel Gabriel must be feeling ashamed to share his name with you," she shouted at him and gave him the middle finger. Grinning wide, Eric jogged backwards to the exit. "I love you too, Pixie," he said, blowing her a kiss before he disappeared from her view..

    Scowling, Hera stabbed her food with the fork. She nced up in surprise when Hunter appeared next to her. He looked at Abby, and she shifted to another chair, making room for him. Leaning to her ear, he whispered harshly only for her to hear. "If you dare to touch her hair ever again, I''ll cut your fingers off," Hunter warned before smiling innocently for Hera.

    Abby scurried away, shifting to another table with her te. "Just so you know, she asked me to do it," Abby said in her defence, but Hunter didn''t pay any heed to her words.

    He sat, silently waiting until Hera finished her food. Hera turned to look when Hunter nced over her head, and she chose to ignore the icy re Samantha shot her way. His friends walked out of the hall, and the remaining students emptied their tes in a hurry and scampered out as soon as Hunter''s eyes met theirs.

    <em>''Their President issued a silent warning, of course.''</em>

    "What''s wrong?" Hera asked softly. Hunter smiled, frowning a bit. "Nothing, why would you ask that?" He asked, but didn''t give her a chance to reply. "What''s wrong with your eyes? Why are they swollen?" He asked, and Hera rolled her eyes. He avoided answering her question.

    "I overslept considering I had nothing else to do," she said, earning a grin from him. "You overslept thinking you don''t have anything to do when you''ve test to prepare for?" He asked in an amused tone. Hera watched while he nced around and the two people from the staff at the kitchen counter walked out as though allowing them the privacy they needed.

    Hera arched her eyebrows as in to ask, ''What did you do?''

    Smiling, Hunter leaned forward and his mouth covered hers in a searing kiss. His fingers got tangled in her hair and tilted her head to get better ess. Hera''s eyes closed on their own ord, and she let him have his fill.

    Abby was still there waiting for Hera, and maybe that''s why Hunter didn''t mind her presence. Hera was sure her cousin would be scowling in disgust right now.

    "What was that for?" Hera asked in a breathless whisper when he pulled away. He grinned. "A Good luck kiss for the tests," he stated, and Hera rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right, you''ll get a half or one mark short if you don''t have that good luck on your side," she said sarcastically. Hunterughed and kissed the tip of her nose. "It was for you. You needed that good luck kiss, Goddess," he said.

    Shaking her head, Hera grasped the ss of milk. "You haven''t touched it, and it''s still filled to the rim. But why did I taste milk on your lips?" He asked curiously, and Hera exhaled in anger. "Ask Eric. Your Jerk of a best friend poured his share into my half-empty ss," she said, scowling at the fluid in the ss. Hunterughed, and after kissing her forehead, he left.

    Grinning, Hera watched as he took her ss of milk away and left it on the kitchen counter on his way.

    <strong>LATER THAT NIGHT,</strong> at the dorm room, Hunter and his friends were all busy with their books, preparing for their tests. As soon as Hunter told them that he was staying at the dorm because Hera was staying back, his friends decided to join him.

    Hunter was sitting on a chair with his feet propped up on the table. His eyes were glued to the book, resting on hisp while his hand rotated the pencil between his long, rough fingers, absent-mindedly.

    While he turned the next page of the book, Hunter lost the grip on the pencil, and it slipped through his fingers and fell on the floor. He bent to pick it up, but his hand couldn''t reach it as it fell under Danny''s cot. He called him, asking him to pick it up for him, but Danny acted deaf. Scowling at his friend, Hunter threw the small, white eraser at him, hitting him harshly on his thigh.

    Danny winced, rubbing his thigh. Groaning, he red at Hunter. "What?" He snapped in anger. Hunter pointed his finger at the pencil, signalling him to pass it. Danny got out of his bed, picked it up, and he threw it back at Hunter without warning. Hunter cursed, rubbing his knuckle where it hit him. Ignoring him, Danny grabbed his hoodie and walked out of the room, mming the door behind him.

    "What''s wrong with him? He''s acting weird," Hunter said, looking at Eric. Ever since he returned from his date with Hera, Danny was acting somewhat different. They never turned a cold shoulder on each other, and the way Danny behaved with him convinced Hunter for sure that something was bothering his friend.

    Eric shrugged nonchntly. "He''s been like that ever since you went out with Hera," he exined, confirming Hunter''s suspicions.

    It was too frustrating to stand it. First, it was Bianca, who made him upset with her absurd proposition, and now Danny was adding more to his annoyance.

    Michael chuckled, and Hunter sent him a re that asked a wordless question, ''What''s so funny?''

    "Don''t tell me you''re that dumb not to guess what''s up with Danny''s ass," he said in an amused tone. Eric tried hard to suppress his grin while Hunter sighed in frustration. He snapped the book shut, and threw his head back eyeing ceiling. He wasn''t dumb, and he knew what made Danny lose his shit.

    "The hickeys on your neck and the bruise on your lips were hard to ignore," Eric stated, putting the final stamp on Hunter''s thoughts.

    "Out little Hera is too quick to learn how to make hickeys!" Michael said, nodding his appreciation. "You taught her well, buddy," he said, giving a thumbs up to Hunter.

    Hunter threw the book on the table and changed from his shorts to sweatpants while his friends silently watched. He grabbed his sneakers, putting them on he walked out of the room in a hurry.

    He jumped the railings and jogged towards the back of the building, signalling the watchman to keep an eye and alert him of any danger. It wasn''t hard to find his friend because Hunter knew where Danny would be.

    Lost in his thoughts, Danny was sitting on a makeshift stone bench under a big shady tree, just a few feet away from the back gate entrance of the premises. It was a perfect seating area built by Hunter and his friends long back. It was their secret ce and the official hideout for their meetings with absolute privacy they needed.

    Danny remembered the day he first became friends with Hunter. It wasn''t a big deal as they clicked the moment they smiled at each other. But the bonding grew into an unbreakable friendship when Hunter punched the boy in the face who bullied Danny for crying. He was having a hard time adjusting in the boarding school all alone and lonely. He''d missed his parents and hated Hera with a passion.

    He never feltfortable in confiding his inner turmoil with others and hated that despite being a five-year-old big boy, he cried for his parents'' attention like a baby.

    But his friends neverughed at him and gave him thefort he craved. The day Hunter found him sulking in the lone corner of his dorm room, he made the rule that there would never be any more secrets among them. And just like that, Danny opened up his heart, and vent out the bottled up pain in front of him.

    Hunter had said that day, whatever parents do, they do it for the good of their child. When Hera joined them in the boarding school, though Hunter loved her, he never tried to meddle between Danny and Hera. He understood that Danny''s hurt and gave him the space he needed.

    Hunter was far more mature for his age.

 Chapter 108 - She Wants A Wedding Night

    Danny trusted his best friend and never doubted his love for Hera. Though he always said Hera didn''t deserve Hunter''s love, he never meant it. He''d taunted her for not being good enough for his friend, but he only said that to hurt Hera. Simply a jarring insult, nothing malicious. In all honesty, Danny was more than happy that she fell in love with his best friend.

    He''d insultingly said that Hera acted like a dead fish around her boyfriend, but now, the mere thought of their intimacy was bothering him. He didn''t know how to put it into words.

    Though he never admitted that he cared for his little sister, it was the truth, and he couldn''t deny it anymore.

    A cigarette between his fingers glinted with dark orange at the tip as Danny puffed and whiffed the smoke.

    Hunter silently sat beside him, and neither of them spoke for a while. When Danny couldn''t stand the silence anymore, he threw the cigarette pack on Hunter''sp.. Thetter picked up the cigarette pack, pulled a cigarette out from it and ced it between his lips. He kept the packet aside on the bench, and his hand disappeared into his pant pocket only to reappear within seconds with a lighter.

    It was Danny''s way of acknowledging the presence of his best friend. It wasn''t unwee or unexpected. He knew Hunter woulde after him.

    Hunter lit the tip of the cigarette and sucked the air in hurriedly before exhaling the white smoke out. Danny was in shorts, but his hoodie kept him warm whereas Hunter''s thin full-sleeved T-shirt did nothing to ease the chilly weather. He was thankful for the warmth the cigarette provided from inside.

    "Smoking in the School''s premises, you''re breaking the rule, buddy. If anyone sees we''ll be in trouble," Hunter said, feigning a worried tone. Danny scoffed, "Look who''s talking about rule-breaking!" He said while Hunterughed at his friend''s jab. It wasn''t new for them because they broke rule all the time.

    He saw Eric and Michael jogging their way to the stone bench, and Danny too looked up at the sound of their approaching footsteps.

    "School''s mighty President and vice president sitting together, puffing the cigarette in the school premises. Wow! What an inspirational sight!" Michael said, tone filled with amusement before pulling out his cell phone to click a picture of them. "The Principal and the teachers would be so proud if they witness this iconic moment, won''t they?" He asked with a wide grin before taking a seat on the bench, and Eric followed with a chuckle.

    Hunter grinned at his friends. "Took you long enough to follow me. Of course, you had to put on sneakers and get dressed like you''re on some secret mission," he said, eyeing their attire. They were in sweatpants, hoodies and sneakers.

    Eric pointed his finger at Hunter''s feet, and by the re directed at him, Hunter knew what it meant. He rolled his eyes, "I didn''t know where he could be. What if I''ve to jump over the gate and go look for him on the other side?" He asked in a duh tone, stating his reasons for the sneakers.

    Eric scoffed before asking, "Did you expect us to jump the gate off barefooted?"

    Michael''s raised brows and his eyes asked the same question. Hunter smiled sheepishly and nced at Danny right in time to witness his lips twitching upwards into a tiny smile.

    Michael grabbed the cigarette pack and took out two cigarettes and offered one to Eric. Danny passed his lighter to him.

    Meanwhile, holding the cigarette between his index and middle finger, Hunter subconsciously caressed his bruised lips with his thumb.

    Danny looked at Hunter''s neck before he turned his head to the side, and his lips twitched downwards in a disapproving scowl. He flicked his thumb downward multiple times to get rid of the ash before he inhaled the smoke again.

    Hunter didn''t miss the scowl on Danny''s face. "Hera and I fought. Your sister got mad over something I said, and she attacked me, biting anywhere she could," he said and chuckled before adding for Danny''s sake, "To punish me of course because she was angry with me," he said. He didn''t want Danny to know the actual reason. Hera was angry because he stopped himself before the situation could get more intense.

    But Danny wasn''t dumb. He could recognise a hickey when he sees one. After all, they all explored this journey of sex education together and learned everything together.

    "Danny, you don''t have to worry about Hera. I wouldn''t force her against her will. You could trust me, buddy," he said, waiting for his friend to acknowledge his honesty. "I do, Ace. You know I do," Danny said without any hesitation. They nodded and bumped their fists with each other and grinned.

    "Besides, your sister is crazy romantic. I have a long way to go before she lets me have my way with her. She wants a wedding night. You know, a wedding bed decorated with red rose petals and scented candles, all that shit?" Hunter asked with a wide grin, and his three friendsughed at this revtion.

    "Ace, my boy! I pity your dick. I won''t be surprised if it shrinks to tiny day by day. That poor fellow has to endure so much, and I don''t think his suffering is going to end anytime soon," Eric said,ughing and Danny too looked very amused.

    Hunter kicked Eric on his thigh. "I''ll chop yours if you dare call my dick tiny again," he said in a warning tone before he gave up the pretence andughed with his friends.

    "Ah, can you guys be any more idiotic? Why would he wait and suffer?" Michael asked with a serious look while eyes specially fixed on Danny.

    "I mean, think about it, all he''s to do is to decide when he wants that wedding night to happen. Did you forget they''re already married? Ace needs just a bunch of red roses to arrange the petals on the bed, and he is all set to deflower our little Hera," Michael said much to Danny''s annoyance. "Come on, Danny, tell me now, could you still trust him?" He asked.

    "Mike, shut up," Hunter said, gritting his teeth in warning, but Michael only smirked at him. "What? Don''t tell me you''re not nning this. I''m just stating the truth. I dare you to deny it," he said, challenging him. Hunter smacked him on the side of the head, and Michael cursed, wincing.

    Ericughed while Danny red at Michael. "Mike, you better run for your life," Eric said when Danny stubbed out the cigarette butt before disposing of it in the trash bin.

    Michael jumped to his feet while Danny chased him. "Bro, you''reing after the wrong person, I was only trying to make you see the reality," he yelled, running away from Danny. Eric took out two mouth freshener from his pant pocket and offered one to Hunter. Amused, they watched with a wide grin while Danny and Michael fought each other. After blowing a few punches at one another, they returned to join Eric and Hunter.

    And just like that, everything went back to normal between them and Danny wasn''t upset anymore. After spending a few more minutes of talking andughing, they decided to head back.

    Hunter stopped and looked over his shoulder, and Danny did the same. They both looked over the gate, eyes searching for any sign of danger.

    "I felt like someone was watching us," Hunter said, but couldn''t see anyone at the gate.

    Danny hid his tension and tried to rx his tensed posture. He didn''t miss the mop of tinum curly hair pulled into a messy ponytail before it disappeared behind the wall near the gate. He wanted to believe that he didn''t see the tall, lean man in a biker outfit, giving him a re in a warning. Danny desperately wished for it to be his hallucination and prayed hard for the danger to vanish.

    "Can we check on Hera?" Danny asked suddenly, and he failed to hide the panic in his voice. Hunter regarded him with suspicion, and Eric voiced out his thoughts. "What''s with you today? You''re thinking about Hera too much," Eric said. Danny rolled his eyes and tried his best to act cool. "Hera is alone in her room, and I just want to make sure she''s okay," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

    "It''s cute you''re worrying your ass off for Hera. She would be delighted to know you care so much," Hunter said, teasing him.

    "Looks like someone wants to get their ass kicked," Danny said in a mock cheerful voice, his tone yful but when Hunter looked at him, Danny''s jaw was set and eyes narrowed. The look said, he wasn''t joking at all. Hunter snorted. "Calm your tits, I won''t tell her until you want me to," he said and pulled out his phone.

 Chapter 109 - Fairy Tale Princess

    At first, Hunter thought of calling Evelyn, but he knew how much she loved her beauty sleep, and Samantha was not an option he would choose. So without much thought, Hunter dialled Bianca''s number and put her on speaker so that Danny could hear.

    "Ace, what''s wrong? Why are you calling at this hour?" She asked, genuinely worried. "Do me a favour, Sunshine, I want to speak to Hera," he said, and Bianca started towards Hera''s room without asking any more questions. After what happened yesterday between them, she didn''t want to upset him again. She could do this for him.

    Hunter heard a knock as Bianca reached Hera''s door.

    Hera''s sleepy voice sounded through the speaker. "What do you want, Bianca?" She asked tiredly, but Bianca didn''t answer. She silently gave her phone to Hera and watched while she spoke to Hunter.

    "Goddess, I just wanted to wish you Goodnight," he said, and Hera groaned in disapproval.. "I was sleeping, and you woke me up to say Goodnight?" She asked incredulously. Hunter chuckled at her irritated cute voice before he looked at Danny. "Sorry, Love, you''re alone in the room, so I''m worried. I just wanted to make sure you''re okay," he said, repeating Danny''s words.

    "I''m not alone, Hunter. Abby is staying with me," Hera said, and Hunter saw Danny sighing in relief for the second time.

    "Goodnight, Goddess. Sleep well," Hunter said and disconnected the call after thanking Bianca and wishing Goodnight to her as well.

    <em><strong>IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF EUROPE,</strong></em>

    Ekali,

    Athens,

    Greece.

    AT CASTELLANOS MANSION,

    Johnathan lifted the silver spoon to his mouth and hummed his appreciation as the sweetness coated his taste buds. The happy giggle he earned in return sounded like a sweet melody in his ears.

    "I learned it through the inte, and I made it myself without any help," his sixteen-year-old daughter stated excitedly. "You''re the first to taste it. Do you like it, Papa?" She asked, taking a seat beside him on the bed.

    "It''s the best sweet I''ve ever tasted in my life," Johnathan replied with a hint of pride. He had eaten tiramisu many times, but the Italian dessert never tasted this delicious before. What made it special was that his beloved daughter had prepared it. She aced it, though it was her first time cooking. He grabbed his wallet from the bedside table and pulled out all the crispy notes from it.

    "Here, this is your reward for being an excellent chef, my dear Helena," he said, holding out the wad of cash for his daughter. The lovely vibrant smile she gifted him while grabbing the money warmed his heart. Their hugging session was rudely interrupted as Myra, Johnathan''s wife entered the room with a disapproving groan.

    "Your grandfather won''t be pleased if he learns about your close acquaintance with the kitchen staff and to add more to his displeasure you''re engaging yourself in the household work. Helena, you''re a princess and act like one," Myra chided her only daughter. Both father and daughter rolled their eyes in sync andughed together.

    Helena walked up to her mother and hugged her from behind, wrapping her arms around her middle. "Mom, you need to chill. I know what grandfather would say and you of all people should know that I don''t care about his medieval beliefs," she said and hopped back on the bed to loop her arms with Johnathan''s.

    "Monarchy doesn''t even exist in our country anymore. Grandfather needs to update his facts," sheughed, and her mother scowled, shaking her head in resignation.

    It was time for dinner and Myra was worried that if her husband and daughter didn''t make it in time, she would be held responsible for it. She wasn''t ready to face any more usation from her father-inw. He was already disappointed in her as she failed to meet his expectations in bringing up her daughter. Because ording to him Helenacked the etiquettes and mannerisms, must for a royalty.

    Myra was helpless since her daughter took after Johnathan in character and behaviour. They were both kind souls and would treat every human with respect and care, regardless of their social and economic status.

    After a subdued demand by her mother, Helena finally heeded to hermand and left to join the rest of her family for dinner.

    Johnathan''s mood changed into his usual gloomy state as soon as his daughter left his room. Myra suppressed the urge to grab his arm and demand for his attention. It wasn''t anything new. She got used to her husband''s inattentiveness long back, and now that she''d mastered the art of faking emotions, it''d be easy to digest the ugly truth that Johnathan didn''t love her.

    She''d learnt that he would never love her and epted her unhappy marriage as her fate.

    It''s not new. History has proof, every foundation to the royal entity stood on crushed hearts and brutal sacrifices.

    <em>''It would hurt less once you stop expecting.''</em>

    Myra consoled her yearning heart and watched with her sad eyes as her husband disappeared behind the door to their ensuite bathroom. She was in love with her husband and couldn''t stop loving him even after his tant rejection since the very beginning of their marriage. She was d, at least Johnathan loved their daughter unconditionally. Her birth was the best gift Myra could ever have in her life.

    Myra''s eyes skimmed through the hanging pictures decorating the wall above the mahogany cot, gaze brushing over the moments seized in them. A smile lit up her face when she stopped at one particr picture, her favourite of them all. Her newborn daughter cradled in Johnathan''s arms while he smiled down at the baby with so much love in his eyes.

    Helena was the bridge to their broken marriage, which kept them glued together despite Johnathan''s unwillingness. He would never leave Myra for the sake of their daughter''s happiness. Thanking heaven for the gift, Myra left after arranging her husband''s attire for the evening on their bed.

    After a thirty-minute long shower, Johnathan got dressed and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked handsome in his ck silk formal shirt tucked into his trousers, except for the defeated look in his eyes. Masking his disappointment with life, he buried all the bitterness behind a practised perfect smile ying on his lips and made his way out.

    Johnathan''s eyebrows lifted as he surveyed the big dining hall. It was time for dinner, yet surprisingly, none of his family members was around, though the dining table next to the royal kitchen had already set. It was unlikely that anybody would dare to disobey their King.

    He found his wife issuing orders to the kitchen staff. As though the woman felt his eyes on her, Myra looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. His smile was stiff, and it felt heavy in his heart to force it anymore on his face. She eyed his broad shoulders before locking gaze with him. He knew what she''s contemting on to ask or not to ask. He deliberately forgot to put on his suit jacket.

    Etiquettes only irk him more.

    <em>''To hell with formal attire and the formalities.''</em>

    With a slight nod of acknowledgement, Johnathan proceeded towards the spacious living room as gestured by his wife. As he neared, he heard the soft melody ying through the piano. A genuine smile graced his lips for once, softening his hard facial features.

    <em>''Gis is ying the piano, no doubt for her dear grandfather.''</em>

    He pushed open the door, and his gaze ran over the spacious hall. The boring, dull grey colour themed manor looked colourful for once as he witnessed his family seated together.

    The music now sounded clear and louder, and Johnathan listened to the soft note the white and ck keyboards on the instrument produced as the delicate fingers running over them guided. His niece was multitalented, and he couldn''t be any more proud.

    Leaning against the frame of the door, he watched silently.

    Thevender silk gown Gis wore,plimented the colourful fresh flowers decorated in the vases around the grand piano. Her grace and beauty matched perfectly with the portraits and pictures of their ancestors adorning the wall. Long hair, fair skin, pleasing personality, she was picture perfect.

    <em>''A fairy tale princess indeed.''</em>

    Johnathan smiled. He was d that the girls in their family took after their mothers and got blessed with gorgeous looks.

    And suddenly a thought invaded his mind out of nowhere.

    <em>''Hera looks nothing like them.''</em>

    The smile vanished from his lips, and Johnathan couldn''t squash the guilt away.

    He nced at his own daughter sitting next to his mother. Helena wore a cream colour slim skirt, resting just above her knees. No pieces of jewellery except a thin wristwatch. His daughter loved the simplicity.

    <em>''Like father, like daughter.''</em>

    Johnathan felt a warm tug at heart at that thought. Her blonde hair tied loosely to the side, draped on her shoulder. She had her arm locked around her grandmother''s.

 Chapter 110 - Dutiful Heir

    Johnathan''s smile grew into a grin as he watched his mother rxing on the sofa. She was caressing Helena''s arm lovingly while a glowing smile yed on her lips. Her warm eyes fixed on Gis. Wrinkled or not, her face looked as vibrant and gorgeous as ever. Johnathan thought his mother was the most beautiful woman on earth, but again, he knew he''s biased. It''s his mother, after all.

    <em>''What child wouldn''t feel his or her mother is the most beautiful human being on the?''</em>

    There were rare asions Johnathan got to see his mother smile wholeheartedly. He was d to see her grin, which matched in sync with her eldest grandchild Helena. The emotionless robotic life she had to share with her husband had worn out her feelings. She''d forgotten over the time what it would feel to smile and be happy. Her Majesty, Catherine Castenos yed a perfect Queen all her life and fulfilled her duties to perfection.

    Now she seemed just tired..

    She was tired of her responsibilities and duties, tired of her heartless husband, tired of life in general. That bitter perception made Johnathan finally nce at the ruthless man, sitting opposite to his lovely mother, the person he hated with all his guts. The heartless dictator, manipting their lives since as long as Johnathan could remember.

    There on the purple velvety oversized, bejewelled single sofa chair which was an urate replica of the official royal throne set in their throne room, was seated his father. One hand loosely gripped a cane made with ebony wood shaft and a gold dragon head, studded with diamonds while the other rested on the armrest, fingers adorned with diamond and rubies.

    <em>''My father, my poor excuse of a father. Or should I say, His Majesty, the King?''</em>

    Johnathan scoffed inwardly. Could he me him, though? Even today, people in their country bowed in respect and obeyed his everymand as though he''d descended from heaven. They worshipped him as they would do their God. Even without a crown or a kingdom, he still ruled. And there he sat on the chair like the King he was with his leg crossed over the other, feet d in shiny boots.

    Christopher Dennis Castenos looked majestically handsome for his old age despite his balding grey hair. His striking facial features never contradicted the power or authority his tall, intimidating aura possessed. d in the ck tailor-made suit with a white silk shirt inside, he looked like a bridegroom, his pocket square matching perfectly with his wife Catherine''s pink knee-length dress.

    Though his father was extremely good looking, Johnathan was d he inherited his mother''s features instead because he hated that man. He couldn''t love him despite being a dutiful son all his life. He never had a fond memory of his childhood with his father.

    Johnathan and his brother grew up without the privilege of a father''s embrace, love and affection.

    All he''d done throughout their lifespan of time was to protect his name and guard his possessions, his heirloom, his throne, his crown. Nothing else mattered for Christopher beyond these material issues.

    "Emotions, bonding and love would only make a man weak in his spine," his father would say. Johnathan remembered those words like a mantra and tried his best to follow the pathetic principle implied by his ancestors, but it seemed he''d failed miserably.

    The soft sound of apuds invaded his ears and broke Johnathan''s train of thoughts. His niece Gis was grinning from ear to ear while her family showered her with praises. She was more than happy to oblige as her grandfather insisted for her to y once more for him.

    Johnathan caught his father, ncing at him once before ignoring his presence altogether. He was expecting the harsh criticism or a jarring insult for not being on time, but surprisingly it never came.

    Now that Johnathan wandered his gaze around, he figured why it didn''t happen yet. He noticed his sister-inw, Greta sitting alone on the single sofa chair without her husband. His father''s favourite son and his elder brother stair had yet to make an appearance to their family dinner. That''s the reason why his father didn''t scream at him, telling him what a disappointment he was as a son.

    <em>''Because mighty stair is busy probably with something important.''</em>

    And the King didn''t mind when it''s his beloved dutiful son who kept him waiting. Johnathan bit back the bitter bile before it could slip, pass through his tongue and leap out of his mouth. He wasn''t a stranger to that envious feeling, but he''d learnt how to mask it properly over the years.

    As though sensing his disappointment, Helena came forward and hooked her arm through his. With a warm, encouraging smile, paying on her lips, she dragged him inside and made him sit next to his mother.

    After some twenty minutes, the royal house butler bowed apologetically for intruding before whispering something into Christopher''s ear. Judging by his father''s acknowledging nod, Johnathan knew his brother stair had made it home. He now remembered stair was out of the country on a business trip.

    That''s how Johnathan got the chance to leave home and visit London in the first ce. His only purpose was to meet Hera as discretely as possible.

    Greta smiled as her eyes met her father-inw''s, and she received a curt nod in return. She sprang to her feet, ready to leave the hall, probably to wee her husband home. The Vintage dark blue knee-length dress with frills swayed as she walked and the matching pumps greeted the expensive red carpet softly.

    As on cue, footsteps echoed before the tall figure entered the living hall. He looked as stunning as he looked in his twenties. With his father''s look inherited, he was the very definition of handsome. Johnathan noted as he walked, steady footsteps echoing in the same rhythm. His cream coloured in dress shirt looked a bit rumpled and his tie loosely hanging around his neck. His PA followed right behind with his ash grey coloured suit jacket, neatly folded and hanging on her arm.

    stair turned around as if suddenly remembering something and finally dismissed his crew for the night. The butler collected the suit jacket and the briefcase from the staff who looked relieved to be excused.

    Though he looked worn out for the night, stair smiled as his eyes settled on his family members. Greta greeted him with a brief hug and a kiss on his cheek. She had to stand on her toes to reach, and stair leaned down to her level with a polite smile, returning her embrace. He left a chaste kiss on her forehead, and Johnathan appreciated when his smile reached his eyes. The affection stair disyed was genuine.

    Johnathan knew his brother was good with his duties and responsibilities. He would never walk away from his liabilities. But Johnathan could bet his life, that''s all it was for stair, an obligation, another duty to fulfil.

    Both the brothers had a cursed fate when it came to their love lives. They both had fallen in love with a woman they couldn''t have. Broken hearts, unfulfilled desires, shattered dreams, they''d seen it all and couldn''t love anyone else again. They were nothing more than an empty shell from inside. Though, unlike Johnathan, his brother never showed any remorse or acted coldly towards his wife. Greta and stair had formed a close bonding, and they shared a cordial friendship.

    But that''s where stair had drawn the line. It''s afortablepanionship and nothing more.

    Johnathan watched as his brother bowed respectfully in front of their father. The said King smiled affectionately at his son, his sessor to the throne, the next untitled King. After greeting his parents one after the other with a warm hug, stair weed Gis into his open arms while a broad grin spread across his features.

    "Anna darling,e here," stair said as he waited for Helena to ept his hug. That nickname never failed to irk Johnathan every time his brother addressed Helena as Anna. The mention of Anna''s name brought out his crimes that he''d kept hidden deep in his heart.

    Baby Hera''s innocent face shed across his eyes, and Johnathan wondered if his chest would ever stop aching because of his guilt.

    <em>''Would my sins ever let me be in peace?''</em>

    Helena''s sweet giggles eased the pain in his chest, and Johnathan smiled, looking at his lovely daughter. He would bring her the moon and the stars if he could, he loved her that much. It was his way ofpensating for Hera''s loss. He robbed her identity and her rights to everything she deserved. So what if he couldn''t give his love to Hera? He would shower that on Helena.

    But how would Hera getpensated if he loved Helena in her ce? Johnathan never bothered to understand that logic. It was his way of coping with his guilt. It didn''t matter how sick and illogical his idea of penance seemed.

    stair''s gaze finally settled on him. Johnathan sucked in a sharp breath as those forest green orbs pierced through his brown ones.

 Chapter 111 - Honesty Looks Good On Him

    The food on Hunter''s te remained untouched. He was busy admiring his favourite art on earth, his Goddess, wishing he could devour her instead. He hadn''t met her yet today and now its already noon. He wasn''t kidding when he said he would be busy with his books and she was his biggest distraction.

    From the moment Hera walked into the luncheon bar, Hunter couldn''t take his eyes off her. She was scowling all the time. Watching her cuteness brought a smile to his face. Hera dumped her bag on the table and went to buy her te of food. Hunter''s eyes followed her everywhere, subconsciously. Hands shoved inside her pockets, she joined the line, patiently waiting for her turn.

    Hunter watched when the boy standing ahead of Hera, turned to look at her. With a nervous smile, he stepped back, allowing Hera to move forward in the line. Frowning, Hera went ahead of him despite not wanting and the process repeated again and again until she reached the front..

    Hera scowled hard but helplessly epted the favour. It was awkward. She knew why they were all being extra polite with her.

    <em>''Don''t they all know, Hera is Ace''s girl!''</em>

    She thought disapprovingly. It was too embarrassing, and she felt conscious whenever she was the center of attention.

    Hunter smirked with pride. He appreciated their gesture. It pleased him how the boys were too scared to hold eye contact with her even for a few seconds.

    Meanwhile, Noel reached Hera''s table, and Hunter didn''t miss when he put a folded paper into her backpack. He''s trying to be discrete with his whatever actions. ncing at Hera once, he sheepishly walked away. Hunter ignored him and once again fixed his eyes on his Hera.

    Hera uttered a thank you to everyone and went back to her table with her food.

    Legs wide, Hunter sat manspreading. One hand resting on his thigh, he held the spoon in his other hand,zily ying with the food. He observed Hera''s scowl disappeared from her face as soon as she set the te on the table. She smiled to herself before digging in.

    Hunter smiled wide. He knew food always made her happy. Struggling with a melting ice cream cone in one hand, Hera started eating her food with her other hand.

    She would lick the ice cream in between every morsel.

    Her tongue darting out to lick the ice cream did things to Hunter. She looked so innocent yet so seductively tempting. Hunter exhaled a long breath before a groan rushed out of him, and he didn''t bother hiding his frustration. Dropping the spoon, he rubbed his palm over face downwards. Eric turned over his shoulder to find the cause of Hunter''s distress, and he couldn''t stop himself from rolling his eyes. Hera was in direct line of their vision.

    Michael beside him giggled soundlessly, and Eric knew he too had discovered the reason for Hunter''s frustration. Bending their head, they hid their faces while their shoulders shook in a burst of silentughter.

    Bianca and Samantha sitting on Eric''s left were sharing an earpiece bopping their heads in sync to whatever music they listened to while they revised their notes for the test at the same time. Oblivious to her surroundings, Evelyn watched the video of Victoria''s Secret Fashion Show she''d saved in her phone. She''d her head leaned on Danny''s shoulder.

    So lost was Hunter in his fantasy that his gaze didn''t waver from Hera, not even for a second. Now he had his elbow on the table with his face in his hand, propping up his chin, his food on the te long forgotten. Licking his lips, he sighed before pulling the bottom one between his teeth.

    Danny kicked his shin under the table, and it was hard enough to hurt. Hunter winced before fixing his best friend with a re. "Fuck, it''s so embarrassing! You''re not even subtle about it, you know," Danny stated with a disapproving scowl. "I can''t even sit with you without feeling awkward nowadays," he admitted, face wrinkling in disgust. Hunter conveniently chose to ignore him.

    Eric and Michael didn''t even try to hide their amusement anymore. They tossed back their heads andughed out loud, giving each other a high-five. Crumpling the paper tissues into a ball, Danny threw it at them. He scowled ring at them, and Evelyn watched their exchange with a confused frown on her face.

    Meanwhile, Hera''s smile disappeared all of a sudden.

    Hunter''s eyes surveyed to know who dared to upset his Goddess.

    Hera watched while her friends pulled the chairs and joined her table. She knew they were all still angry with her and their sudden approach surprised her. She nced at Hunter''s table, and he looked away, picking up his spoon.

    Hera knew he was watching her.

    He always does.

    That knowledge brought bothfort and a shy awkwardness as well. Because she knew how protective he''s of her and at the same time, he''s always so tant about his staring.

    Hunter never bothered to be subtle in his actions, always straightforward, cut to the point in his every approach. Hera loved that quality in him. It always made him look good.

    <em>''Honesty only adds more to his attractiveness. He looks sexier when he''s blunt.''</em>

    Celine cleared her throat, catching Hera''s attention. She started with the apology, and soon others followed. They admitted how wrong they were for judging her, but only did it because they cared about her and were upset that Hera didn''t speak to them first. Hera understood and being the better person she chose to acknowledge their apology.

    They sorted out their differences. Only, Andrew didn''t speak to her yet. He was silently staring, and Hera felt awkward.

    Hera noticed how her friends'' gaze looked rmed all of a sudden and their back straightened. Before she could turn to know what caught their attention, she felt a feather-light, soft-touch on the side of her neck. Fingers traced up delicately and caressed her cheek. Casting her eyes down, Hera avoided her friends'' eyes.

    She knew who the fingers belong to, and she didn''t need to know whatever judgment her friends'' eyes held at the moment.

    Hunter left a wet smooch on her cheek and whispered, only for her to hear, "Goddess, if you don''t want me to kiss you then I suggest, you finish your food fast and leave." He walked around her and took a seat beside her. Hera ran her fingers on her cheek, wiping it where he''d kissed. She ducked her head and shoved her mouth with a forkful of noodles.

    The ice cream started to melt, staining her palm and fingers. Shifting the cone to her other hand, Hera brought the sticky hand to her mouth, ready lick it clean. She heard Hunter clicking his tongue and peeked a nce at him. He shook his head in a no and took her hand in his before smiling warmly at her. Grabbing a few tissues ced on the table, he wiped her hand clean.

    Hera blushed hard under his intense gaze. Somehow the action of him holding her hand and cleaning it felt more intimate than kissing. She knew her friends were watching and she wasn''t a big fan of public disy of affection.

    Once he let go of her hand, Hera finished her ice cream first and then started eating her noodles.

    Jaw set hard, fingers clenched into fists, Andrew kept ring at Hunter all the time. He was having a hard time controlling his anger. He wished he could smash Hunter''s face.

    Hunter smirked smugly, and shot a ''Do you have a problem?'' look at Andrew.

    "Suck it, you fucker," Hunter mouthed at him. Unaware of the building tension, Hera grabbed her backpack as soon as she finished eating her food. Her boyfriend stood and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a side hug. He kissed her temple, and Hera''s heart melted at the affectionate gesture.

    With quick, "Bye, see youter," she left the luncheon bar in a hurry.

    <strong>HOURS LATER, IN THE CLASSROOM,</strong>

    Pursing her lips into a thin line, Hera exhaled in a huff and packed her things. She eyed the paper on her desk, and a displeased scowl marred her beautiful face. Shaking her head as in to clear her disappointment, she grabbed the sheets and handing it over to the teacher, Hera walked out of her ss.

    She ignored the disapproving look the teacher aimed at her.

    It was her English test paper. It wasn''t really her fault that things didn''t go as she anticipated. She thought she could manage it, but contrary to her thoughts, the supposed easy subject was anything but easy.

    <em>''Merchant of Venice is a romantic tale of lovers!''</em>

    Hera thought begrudgingly. She couldn''t believe she''d screwed up. Inwardly, she screamed, cursing herself for being such a dumb girl. She couldn''t remember the romantic sequences between lovers. Her little brain got confused between the characters, and her English test went down to the gutter.

    She hoped she would pass somehow.

 Chapter 112 - Hes Hers To Love Or Hate

    Hera was too tired and all that she wanted to do right at the moment was to curl on her bed and sleep to the oblivion. But that had to wait. She''d agreed to meet Andrew after the test, and she always preferred keeping her promises.

    Right after their lunch break when Hera reached her ssroom, Andrew approached her and finally spoke to her. He''d politely asked if she could meet him after the test and Hera couldn''t refuse. Andrew said he wanted to talk to her alone, so they decided to meet behind the old abandonedb building.

    With a tired sigh, she dragged her unwilling feet towards the back of the old building of the school.

    She found the less ufortable ce on the ground and sat leaning against the tree trunk. Though Hera hated waiting, she still did it patiently for her friend. As the minutes passed by, her eyelids started losing their strength and were half-closed already while she struggled to stay awake.

    She felt someone tapping her shoulders, but the drowsy state felt too nice to wake up from, and she hugged herself tightly.. But the intruder wouldn''t leave her alone. Slowly, the sleep waned out, and she felt the lighting go dim behind her eyelids and sensing someone''s shadow over her, Hera squinted her eyes, slowly prying them open. Andrew''s tall frame hovered over her form, and her head tilted upwards, returning his smilezily.

    She rubbed her eyes with her fists and Andrew chuckled at her cuteness. At some point of time, she''d lost her hold on her backpack. Now ity upside down on the grassy ground by her side. Her ankles crossed over the other, Hera realised she''d fallen asleep.

    <em>''I hope I didn''t drool in my sleep.''</em>

    To be safe, Hera carefully wiped her lips and chin with the back of her hand.

    The overgrown grass tickled around her hands while she supported her weight on her palms, and straightened her posture against the tree. Now that she was fully awake, the awkwardness returned, and Hera didn''t know how to start the conversation.

    Thankfully, Andrew did it. He waved his hand in greeting, and Hera could tell it was awkward for him as well.

    With a little hesitation, he joined her on the grass, leaning against the tree trunk. Hera scooted over, making room for him while taking off her uniform jacket. "So how did your test go?" He attempted to kill the awkwardness with a small talk. Hera shrugged and grimaced. "Don''t ask. I would rather talk about the grass we''re sitting on or the trunk of the tree behind us," she said, shaking her head. He chuckled, and Hera mimicked.

    A minute or two passed in silence and finally, after what felt like hours, he took one of her hands in his. She didn''t try to withdraw, and Andrew exhaled before looking her in the eye. "I''m sorry, Hera," he confessed. "You should be, Andy," Hera attempted to sound mean but couldn''t fight the smile threatening to grace her lips.

    "It''s the longest we went without talking to each other. Why did you distance yourself like that, Hera? It isn''t the first time we fought, then why?" He asked, sounding offended.

    Hera snatched her hand out of his and shifted in her ce to sit facing him directly. She appeared to be offended as well.

    "Because this time, it was different. You were mean, rude, and," Hera paused when she couldn''t find the right word and shrugged simply with an angry pout. Andrew sighed. "You''re right. I was wrong, and I''m sorry. But you don''t know the full story, Hera. You don''t understand why I reacted that way," he said with a sad, dull look. Hera sighed at his defeated face.

    "Andy, it''s okay. I understand why you did it. I know you care about me, and you were worried. But please stop if you''re going to lecture me about how bad Hunter is for me. I don''t want to fight with you again," Hera said, pleading with her eyes. She liked Andrew, and she valued their friendship, but she needed him to understand that some things in life were too personal and too precious to throw it under other''s feet for them to crush it mercilessly.

    Andrew can judge her all he wants, but she wouldn''t let him badmouth about Hunter. Good or bad, right or wrong, he was hers to love or hate. No one else should have a say in it.

    "Hera, I like you," Andrew said cautiously, measuring her face with his eyes as though searching for something and Hera didn''t know for what. Frowning, she held his gaze for a few seconds before responding. "I know, Andy and I like you too. But why are you telling me this?" She asked, confusion floating in her pretty eyes.

    Andrew sighed, disappointed. "No, Hera, you''re not listening. I said I like you, as in I really like Like you," he said, hoping she would understand. "Since grade four, Hera. I like you so much," he confessed. His breath hitched while he waited for her to say something.

    Andrew actually wanted to confess how much he loves her. But he was afraid to tell her the whole truth because he didn''t want to scare her or worst lose her friendship. So, I like you sounded better than I love you in his mind. It would have to do for the time being.

    Hera gaped at him, biting her lip anxiously. The revtion made her speechless, and she couldn''t believe she heard him right. "What are you saying, Andy?" Hera asked, giggling nervously.

    "I was jealous, Hera. I hate Ace because he has what I wanted for so long. You love him, and it''s hard to digest the truth. It hurts, Hera," Andrew said, grabbing her hands and holding on to them desperately. Suddenly, Hera felt ufortable and wanted to retreat her hands, but she didn''t want to hurt his feelings.

    <em>''Dear God, how to reject someone''s feelings without hurting their feelings?''</em>

    Hera was lost, not knowing how to respond. Slowly, she tried to pry her hands out of his, and Andrew acted impulsively. Hera didn''t have the time to prepare or avoid what happened next. He kissed her on the lips. Hera was shocked and couldn''t move for a few seconds. Andrew tried to pull her into his arms, and that''s when Hera pushed him away. On instinct, Hera looked around as if to check if anyone saw them.

    Hera felt insulted, and her eyes watered. But it only made Andrew angry, and he forced her in for another kiss again.

    Hera couldn''t stop the tears and pped his chest to free herself from his hold. "Oh, God, this is so embarrassing," Hera cried, hiding her face with her hands. "You''re going to reject me, aren''t you, Hera?" Andrew asked rhetorically. "We''re friends, Andrew. I don''t feel that way for you," she stated. "You don''t force yourself on anybody and kiss them without their consent, that''s not how you confess your feelings," Hera yelled indignantly.

    When Andrew said he wanted to speak to her alone, this wasn''t what she expected. She could rte to the pain of heartbreak, but she was helpless. Her heart belonged to someone else, and no matter what, nobody would ever rece him. She could never return Andrew''s feelings.

    Her rejection didn''t sit well with Andrew, though. He was blind with fury, and his wounded heart only yearned for Hera. He wanted her for himself. She was his first love, after all. At that moment, he hated Hunter more than he hated anyone in his entire life. When he spoke, he couldn''t hide his jealousy.

    "Why him, Hera? What does that bastard have that I don''t? And why are you acting all innocent?" He asked, eyes filled with so much disgrace. Hera flinched at his harsh tone and took a few steps back creating a safe distance between them. "You like it every time he forced to kiss you," he said usingly.

    Heraughed bitterly. "Oh, my God!" She eximed in disbelief, shaking her head. Hastily, she wiped her tears with her both hands and picked her bag and the zer from the ground, ready to walk away, but Andrew blocked her way. Hera took a deep breath to stop herself from exploding in anger. Even though his action hurt her feelings, she''s not going to hold it against him. She understood, he''s heartbroken and disappointed.

    "Andy, I know it feels bad, but it''s not the end of the world okay. You''ll get over it," Hera tried to console him using a softer tone. Shocking her, he grabbed her hand and pushed her against the tree they were leaning against a few minutes ago. Now his aggression started to scare her. "All Ace Hunter ever did was to hurt you, but you always go back to him. Why is that, Hera?" He asked, now caging her body with his. He had her hands captured in his in a tight grip on either side of her head.

 Chapter 113 - He Gets Away With Everything

    The rough, dried outer bark of the tree stung her skin harshly, and Hera winced at the difort. Panicked, her gaze wandered, searching for something or someone.

    "Andy, you''re making a mistake. Please stop it. You''re going to regret this," Hera said, still trying to be nice to him. She didn''t want to provoke and give him any more reason to get angry. He''s not thinking straight as of now. Hera watched stupefied and upset while Andrewughed. He sounded maniacal, and Hera could only pity him.

    "What? You''re trying to threaten me that your boyfriend is going to beat me to a pulp?" He asked, still chuckling in mock amusement.

    <em>''He won''t just beat you to a pulp. He will kill you..''</em>

    Hera wanted to say that out loud but stopped herself. She wasn''t threatening him. She''s genuinely concerned for him and was afraid she wouldn''t be able to stop Hunter from doing that. Andrew attacked her lips once again putting an end to Hera''s thoughts. She kept her lips sealed tight, and when she couldn''t bear the torture anymore, she lifted her knee and kneed him in the groin.

    Andrew fell on his knees, grunting in pain. He grabbed her wrist when she took a step away, his grip was tight enough to bruise, as if he''s afraid she would disappear if he loosened his hold.

    Hera didn''t know where the courage was flooding from, but she decided to stay. She didn''t want to leave him alone with his broken heart. "I wasn''t going to run, Andy," she said, keeping her voice down as if speaking to a weeping child. Andrew''s head whipped up, and his look softened as if he''d realised that he''d done something wrong.

    Hera crouched down to his level and hesitatingly touched his shoulder with her free hand, offeringfort.

    "Why can''t you return my feelings, Hera? It hurts so much," he said while rubbing his chest with his other hand. His grip on her wrist never loosened, and the tip of his nails was digging into her skin painfully. "Hera, please don''t break my heart," he helplessly begged her. "I wish I could, Andy. But you''ve to understand I already have a boyfriend. No matter how toxic or silly it looks when Hunter and I fight, he would never break up with me. We would never part with each other," Hera said with conviction.

    Andrewughed sarcastically. "You said it yourself, Hera. How toxic is your rtionship with him? Admit it you don''t love him. You''re with him only because he''s not letting you go. You''re afraid of him, scared for yourself, for the safety of your friends. That''s not how people love each other, Hera," Andrew said, once again judging her brutally.

    At this point, Hera was on the verge of losing her patience. "I meant to say it might look toxic to others, but only we know what we feel for each other. Andy, you can''t force the feelings. The heart chooses what or who it wants to choose," she said, hoping he would understand the logic. But Andrew didn''t want to ept the reality. He started verbally abusing Hunter, spitting his hatred out.

    As she expected, he kept on rambling about how bad Hunter was for Hera. Hera was tired of arguing with him, and she lost it when he tried to kiss her again. He thought if they kept kissing, Hera might change her mind and ept his feelings. She shoved him hard before fixing him with a death re.

    "Don''t make me hate you, Hera. Why can''t I kiss you? Ace does it all the time, against your will if I might remind you. But you don''t stop him ever. Remember two years ago when he kissed you and humiliated you in front of the whole school?" He asked, and Hera clenched her teeth in anger. Andrew smirked in triumph as hurt shed across her features. He knew he struck the nerve.

    "If I were you, Hera, I would never look at his face again, not even to spit on him. How could you forget all that and forgive him? Why don''t you like it now if you liked it then, huh? How am I wrong if I forced you to kiss me? Or do you have a thing for getting humiliated before a witnessing audience?" He asked, feigning curiosity.

    This time Hera couldn''t stop herself and pped him hard, leaving imprints on his cheek.

    "Don''t talk like you know everything and don''t even try topare yourself with Hunter," Hera uttered through gritted teeth. "He had a reason for what he did. We have a history that you don''t know. I met him even before I joined SPALEV High and I''ve loved him since the very moment I saw him. You don''t know shit about our rtionship, Andrew. So don''t you dare throw your poor judgment on my love life," Hera paused to wipe away the trace of tears on her cheeks. She hadn''t realised when she started crying.

    Andrewughed brokenly, and Hera noticed he too had tears in his eyes. He''d been shedding tears silently.

    "So, he gets away with everything only because you love him?" He asked in utter disappointment.

    "Yes, because we belong to each other. No matter how much we beat around the bush, in the end, we find each other. We''re each other''s final destination." Hera said without a trace of hesitation. Andrew''s fingers clenched into fists, and Hera stepped back as he advanced, a menacing look marring his face into something ugly.

    Hera shook her head, warning him to back off. This time she didn''t bother to filter her thoughts before voicing out. "You won''t live another second more if he gets to know. Believe me, Andrew, I know him," Hera said, tone filled with unwavering confidence. Grabbing her bag and the zer, Hera turned to leave when she heard him calling her name.

    Hera felt a pang of hurt when she saw him rubbing his chest. He was sobbing, the broken, ugly crying kind of sobbing. "It hurts so much, Hera. Why should you be happy when you''re making me so sad?" He asked in between hups. "I want you to hurt the same in your chest. I curse you, Hera. You''ll never get to keep him. I curse you not to have your happy ending, I curse you with all the hurt in my heart," Andrew smiled.

    Though he looked miserable, that smile was evil, eyes filled with hatred and Hera sucked in a sharp breath.

    Teary eyes widened into their full size, Hera looked at him in disbelief. "Andrew," she whispered his name only for him to curse her again.

    "Go fuck yourself, asshole," Hera said.

    The hot tears swimming in her eyes blinded her vision, and she blinked, pushing the salty water out and turned on her heels.

    Hera took off without turning back once until she reached the premises of the new building.

    She ran until she entered the new building through the back gate until she reached the floor to the washroom.

    The school hour was over, so to her absolute luck, she found the washroom empty. Hera dropped her bag and her uniform zer on the floor and slumped against the wall. The flow of tears seemed never-ending.

    <em>''God, why is my life so difficult?''</em>

    Hera groaned in anger and wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks with the back of her hand while she tried to suppress a sob.

    Andrew''s angry voice echoed in her head, ying his hateful words repeatedly.

    <em>''I can''t believe he did that to me! And he''s the audacity to curse me after all that.''</em>

    Gritting her teeth, she huffed out her anger. The sound of the gushing water in the tap felt like music to her ears as soon as she turned it on because it somehow blocked Andrew''s voice to some extent. She washed her face, rinsed her mouth, rubbed her lips clean multiple times.

    Hera waited until her tears dried down, and finally, her hups stopped. The ugly bruises Andrew''s nails and fingers left on her wrist, throbbed painfully under the water. She hated how the imprints looked so bright on her creamy white skin, a reminder that Andrew did that to her.

    Putting on her zer, she sighed in relief when the sleeves hid her bruises from sight. She fingerbed, fixing her hair before she left the washroom.

    Hunter was with his friends outside the library. Eric stood in the middle, leaning his back against the wall, arms folded in the front, one knee bent with a foot resting against the wall. Danny had his arm around Michael''s shoulder while his other hand rested in his trouser pocket.

    Michael was busy, spinning the book on his finger, bncing it excellently. Samantha stood next to Hunter, clinging on to his arm. Hunter had his hands shoved in his pockets. They all stood in a circle while they discussed the Mathematics paper they had for the test.

    "Pixie," Eric called when he saw Hera walking out of the washroom. Lost in her thoughts, Hera didn''t hear him.

 Chapter 114 - Her Love Story Has So Many Villains

    Hera slowly walked, feet too tired to pick up any more speed than thatzy dragging. Hunter didn''t see hering as he was facing his front, gaze focused on Eric. But Eric noticed her as soon as she walked out of the washroom from the other corner. And he didn''t miss how distressed her appearance was. She looked as if she would pass out at any moment.

    "Pixie," Eric called as she neared, but lost in her thoughts, Hera didn''t hear his voice.

    Frowning, Hunter turned and saw her. Hugging her bag to her chest with one hand, she rubbed one of her eyes with the back of her free hand as if she''s wiping the sleep away. Her face was bare without any hint of makeup, and he could tell she''d just washed her face. Pale pink dusted on her cheeks, the tip of her nose looked reddish than usual.

    He watched as she walked past him without sparing a nce. But he was quick to catch her wrist, and Hera winced at the sudden contact.. As soon as she recognised who the hand belonged to, she quickly concealed the frown on her face with a vibrant smile. But he saw through the facade. Hera''s heart skipped a beat a few times when their eyes met. She desperately hoped he wouldn''t see the hurt in her eyes. But she knew that was in vain because Hunter notices everything.

    "Goddess, what''s wrong?" He asked, concern dripping out of every word.

    His eyes darted down to his fingers wrapped around her wrist, and Hera immediately snatched her hand away before he could see it. Hunter''s frown intensified at that reaction.

    Hera scowled when her eyesnded on Samantha standing next to him. She was still clinging to his arm, even when Hunter held Hera''s hand and had focused all his attention on his Goddess. Samantha red, gritting her teeth and Hera dly returned the sentiment.

    <em>''Why is my love story filled with so many negative characters?''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly. She never hated Samantha before, but right now, she wanted to w her skin, rip her hair out and whack that hand that touched her Mr Hunter.

    Her Mr Hunter was frowning deeply, and Hera knew he wouldn''t let it pass without proper reason. His hand came up, fingertips lightly touching the skin under her eye. "Have you been crying, Goddess?" He asked, and Hera''s eyes watered at the concerned tone, at his affectionate touch and the warmth his gaze showered on her. Before a teardrop could rush out of her eyelids, Hera dropped her bag and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him to her chest tightly.

    Hera was thankful for the instantfort his arms around her middle provided.

    Samantha stepped back, and Hera couldn''t care about her jealousy anymore. She''s hugging her boyfriend. Hunter belonged to her. Why should she feel anything other than pride and contentment?

    <em>''As Hunter would say, Samantha and Andrew can go to hell for all I care.''</em>

    Eric had a worried look stered on his face while Danny''s showed no emotions. He maintained a perfect poker face he always had reserved for Hera. Michael looked confused, and his brows furrowed in a frown.

    Hera closed her eyes as Eric, Michael, Danny, all three of them stared at her. Whatever vulnerability her gaze disyed, she didn''t want them to see it.

    Danny left them alone, walking in the direction Hera came through, the back gate of the building. Michael silently followed him as if an invisible rope tugged him along.

    Hera felt Hunter''s hand stroking her hair in aforting gesture, and she knew her time was up. Now he would demand answers, and she''d have toply.

    Inhaling his fresh scent, the earthy aroma, her favourite smell, she tightened her embrace, pushing more into his torso. She didn''t care when the tears escaped her eyelids. She let them pour down onto his shoulder, wetting his shirt. "What happened, Love? Why are you crying?" Hunter asked softly, tone lighter than a feather.

    Hera thought what to say. She couldn''t lie, he would know. After rehearsing the line a few times in her mind, Hera finally spoke. "I''m going to fail the test," she said.

    <em>''It isn''t exactly a lie, so he would believe me, right?''</em>

    She hoped he would believe her.

    "Is that it, the reason behind your fat tears?" Hunter asked, kissing the side of her head. Hera knew he didn''t believe her. She buried her face in his chest, and some more tears dripped away. "Don''t worry about it, okay. I''ll help you study next time," he offered.

    Samantha let out a sarcasticugh, and Hera opened her eyes.

    "Queen of dumbness, it''s English, and it''s Merchant of Venice!" Samantha said incredulously as if that was supposed to solve every misery of Hera''s life. Hera didn''t have to look at her to know that she''s eyeing her with such disgrace as an evil prince would do to a lowly peasant.

    "Well, everything I studied and memorised got jumbled. Sue me now, my little brain was so confused, it couldn''t remember the answers," Hera snapped in irritation, pulling away from Hunter. "Then go back to your dorm and do some serious studying instead of wailing like a child," Samantha snapped back, tone matching Hera''s biting one. Ignoring her, Hera focused her attention on Hunter.

    "I''m tired and want to rest. Can I go now," Hera asked softly, looking into his eyes. She did not doubt in her mind that he wouldn''t let her go alone. Before he could object, Hera leaned up, bncing on her tippy toes and kissed the corner of his mouth. Her red-rimmed eyes pleaded with him. Hunter smiled, "Evelyn and Bianca are in the library getting some books. We''re waiting for them. We can leave as soon as theye," he said, tucking her hair behind her ears.

    "I can''t wait, I really want to sleep now," Hera whined, and Hunter immediately agreed to go with her.

    Hera stiffened.

    <em>''Oh, huh! It''s not good. I can''t let him go with me. He shouldn''t know the truth.''</em>

    "I''m not a child, Hunter. Stay with your friends and give me some space to breathe," Hera snapped in annoyance. Hunter red in warning, but before he could say something, Eric spoke. "I''ll go with her then," he offered. "Come, Pixie, let''s go," he said, picking her bag from the floor and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

    Hunter looked reluctant but agreed when his best friend looked him in the eye, nodding in assurance. Hera smiled when Hunter kissed her forehead. He didn''t utter a word when she left with Eric. She nced over her shoulder to find him still looking her way, his face stoic while Samantha smirked arrogantly at her.

    Once they walked out of the gate, Eric grabbed her elbow, stopping her. Hera frowned, wondering why he stopped. Before she could ask, Eric carefully took her hand in his and pushed the sleeve of her zer up, checking her wrist. Hera gasped, trying to retreat her hand, but he didn''t allow it. "Who did this, Pixie?" He asked, cut straight to the point. "And no lie, I want the truth," he said in warning.

    Hera gulped nervously. "Can you please let it go? I don''t want to talk about it," Hera said, attempting to dodge it. "Whom are you protecting? He asked and didn''t move from his ce. Arms crossed across his chest, eyes fixed on her with a sharp look, made her even more nervous. He could get very intimidating when he wants to, and Hera looked away, avoiding his eyes.

    She had enoughmon sense to know that lying won''t help her anymore. Taking a deep breath, Hera faced him. "Eric, please don''t tell him," she begged him. Though his intimidating stance didn''t change, he nodded his agreement. "Hm, okay. Give me the name, and I won''t tell Ace," he negotiated. But Hera only gaped at him with an open mouth. How could she believe that? He would never hide things from Hunter, and she knew they don''t lie to each other.

    Her boyfriend''s best friend stared at her without blinking. Hera sighed in defeat. She''d no choice but toply. "I promise I''ll tell you. But not now, Eric. I want to forget it. Please give me some time," she requested. Eric dropped his hands and exhaled in a huff, clearly annoyed. But his gaze softened, and with a reluctant smile, he agreed.

    His arm came back around her shoulder, and they resumed walking. A few secondster, he spoke again. "Are you hurt?" He asked softly, and Hera tilted her head up to look at him. "I know you''re hurt emotionally. I want to know if you''re fine physically. We can see a doctor if you want," he suggested, and Hera smiled in gratitude. She assured him that she didn''t need to see the doctor.

    Suddenly, Hera''s pace slowed down, and Eric looked at her questioningly.

 Chapter 115 - Home, Sweet Home

    Suddenly, Hera''s pace slowed down, and Eric looked at her questioningly. He followed her gaze and found ra White speaking to a girl. She was standing in their way, and as soon as her eyes fell on Eric, she quickly tried to move away. In her haste, her foot faltered, and she fell, her books scattering on the ground.

    Hera rushed forward to offer help. It was more of a reflex. But soon froze on her spot and retracted her hand. Hera turned around to look at Eric. As she''d feared, she found him ring at her with his jaw set in a hard line. His fingers tightened around the strap of Hera''s backpack on his shoulder. He too was rooted in his tracks. Biting her lip nervously, Hera pleaded with her eyes.

    His chest would expand with every intake of breath, and Hera could tell how angry he was.. Despite all that, Hera took her chance and decided to help her ex-best friend.

    Hera crouched down, and with a little hesitation, she touched ra''s elbow to help her onto her feet. But it seemed to be a mistake. As soon as Hera ced her hand, ra shrugged it off very rudely and took the other girl''s help instead. Though the rejection stung a little, Hera didn''t mind it and helped her pick up the books. With gritted teeth, ra muttered in reply, "Don''t pretend as if you care."

    Before Hera could say something, ra snatched her books from Hera''s hands and briskly walked away, but not before casting onest look at Eric.

    "Are we done?" Hera heard Eric snapping in anger and silently followed as he walked past her. The silence felt suffocatingly ufortable. Hera realised she couldn''t afford to upset him at the moment. But she didn''t know how to wield the situation without triggering his temper. To her benefit, Eric spoke first.

    "You need to learn how and where to limit your charity, Pixie. Why do you even bother when you know how she''s going to react?" He asked, scolding her in a disapproving tone. Hera red in return. "Well, can I me her, though?" She asked rhetorically. Eric came to an abrupt stop and looked her in the eyes. Every trace of softness gone now, he looked dead serious.

    "Pixie, you''re breaking the rules, and it''ll only bring you trouble. Don''t test your luck, especially for that girl. She''s not worth it," he stated and resumed his walk. Hera sighed in annoyance. The tone he used to say ''That girl'' irked Hera more. "Do you know something, Eric? You''re her first crush. She liked you, as in not like a silly teenage crush. She liked you like crazy," Hera revealed only to get zero reaction from him.

    <em>''Why do I even bother?''</em>

    Hera shook her head in disappointment. It was all in the past, and she shouldn''t be eating her poor brain over this now.

    <em>''ra must hate him now as much as he hates her. You were to me Hera Hunter.''</em>

    Hera scowled at herself. She couldn''t deny that truth.

    "Rest well, Pixie and don''t waste your time thinking about worthless people. We''ll speak about it tomorrow. Remember your promise," Eric said after dropping her to her room. Hera held his hands in hers and thanked him for understanding. "Please promise me you won''t tell him, right?" Hera asked nervously, tone unsure. Eric inclined his head once in response, his eyes dropping to her hands.

    Hera didn''t miss how his gaze darkened with anger. His eyes seemed apologetic for something he''s not responsible for. Hera feared he might change his mind and tell Hunter.

    Kissing the crown of her head, Eric asked her to stay safe and left.

    First thing Hera did after entering her room was to shower. She cleaned herself while wishing to wash out the memories as well. She didn''t go for dinner that night. She wasn''t ready to face Hunter yet. Her friends asked if something was wrong and she faked a headache. Because revealing the truth wasn''t that easy. And what could she have said? That one of her best friends attempted to molest her or forced himself on her?

    Could she even go for the word molester while addressing the issue about Andrew? It didn''t feel right to use him. Sure, he was at fault, but Hera wasn''t angry at Andrew. She couldn''t me him because she''s familiar with the pain of heartbreak. He wasn''t evil or immoral as a person. He was hurt and wasn''t in his right mind, and Hera had already forgiven him for hurting her.

    It''s the curse that broke her heart. She couldn''t forget what Andrew had said, that she would never find her happy ending, that she would lose Hunter because of his curse. The thought of losing Hunter again scared her.

    <em>''How will I survive if his curse came true?''</em>

    Hera crawled under theforter and snuggled deep into her pillow. She pretended to be asleep when her friends asked her to go for dinner.

    <strong>LATER AT NIGHT,</strong> somewhere around ten o''clock, the door handle rattled twice, then a few secondster fingers rapped on the locked door, an impatient rhythm of a rat-a-tat. Hiry, Hera''s sixth roommate, a girl with a medium height, opened the door. Her surprised gasp was loud enough to miss, and Hera heard it.

    A few secondster, she took Hera''s name, calling for attention and informed that she had a visitor.

    rmed, Hera jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom to fix her eyes, or hair or whatever on her face could give away the truth, she''s trying so desperately to cover up because she knew, who''s waiting on the other side of the door.

    <em>''A visitor at this hour means, it''s undoubtedly Mr Hunter.''</em>

    When she checked the mirror, for sure, her hair was a mess, and she managed to tame it to some extent by running her fingers through it. She sshed water on her face to soften the swell of her red-rimmed eyes and blew her nose to be on the safer side.

    She remembered to check if the long sleeves of her night attire, a baby blue, floral pyjama set managed to hide the bruises on her wrists and thankfully it did. Wiping her face in haste, Hera made it to the door.

    She smiled as wide as she could when Hunter''s angelic, beautiful face came into view. She pulled the door shut behind her before cing her palms t on his chest. Hunter quietlyughed as she pushed him, forcing him to walk backwards until his back touched railings behind him.

    "I could guess what you''re here for, but still I''ll be polite and let you exin yourself," Hera said, standing on her toes to greet him with a soft soundless kiss on his cheek. Hunter smiled when she sniffed, inhaling his scent. He noticed her bare feet when she pulled away. But didn''t have the heart to scold her for her carelessness at the moment. She looked tired enough to make him want to take care of her.

    "You didn''te for dinner," he stated, scowling in disapproval. Hera yfully rolled her eyes. "I wasn''t hungry and didn''t I say I was tired? I slept off," she reasoned before feigning apliment that he disturbed her peaceful slumber.

    "Come with me," he said, and Hera nodded without the slightest hesitation. She moved a foot away and made a dramatic hand gesture to imply an ''After you.''

    Annoyed, Hunter sighed tiredly. She didn''t even think of going back inside her room to put on a slipper. Shaking his head in disapproval, he bent forward before cing a finger on his lips, signalling her to be quiet. But Hera still managed to squeal in surprise when he lifted her into his arms in bridal style. It was cold as ice outside, but he made her feel warm. Hera wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his chest.

    <em>''Home, sweet home.''</em>

    She closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth and sighed in satisfaction while he walked to wherever he''s taking her.

    A few minutester, Hera felt him cing her on a cold bench, and she opened her eyes to find themselves in the school''s prayer hall. She smiled at the small crucifix above her on the wall and joined her fingers bowing in respect. That small prayer hall held so many beautiful memories.

    Before she could walk on the path of those memories, a rustling sound beside her demanded attention, and Hera turned to see Hunter, taking off his ck jacket, revealing a round neck, full-sleeved olive green in sweatshirt inside. He gestured to her to stand up, and she obeyed as he ced the jacket around her and helped her put it on.

    Hera smiled in gratitude. It''s a blissful feeling to know he''de prepared to keep her safe in the harsh cold. A knowledge that no one ever cared for her more than he does.

 Chapter 116 - Safe And Sound In HIs Arms

    The oversized jacket swallowed half of her form. Hera looked like a big fluffy teddy bear, and Hunter cooed, pinching the tip of her nose. Scrunching her nose, she swatted his hand away, her palms hidden inside those ridiculously long sleeves of the jacket, and Hunterughed, looking fondly at her.

    He pointed his finger to her right, and Hera turned to find a paper bag on the wooden bench. She opened it and couldn''t stop grinning from ear to ear. Inside the bag was a yellow lunch box with a tiger face picture on it.

    It was his old lunch box that he used to carry in his bag when they were kids. And he''d shared food with her countless times from this very same box. She smiled at the memory when his friends used to spoil her lunch with disgusting bugs. It no longer felt bitter, guess she''d grown up and moved past it.

    <em>''I''m your tiger, and I''ll always fight for you and protect you from everyone.''</em>

    Hera remembered how Hunter used to say thoseforting words before presenting her his lunchbox, and he''d promised to keep safe forever.

    He opened the lid, and Hera smiled as her gaze fell on the green sticky noteying t on the silver foil wrap. That''s how Hera knew, the food inside the foil wrap would be a dessert because she found the Sweet Messenger. Hunter shook his head when she tried to pick it, and Hera obediently retracted her hand.

    "That''s right. You get to read it only after you finish eating," Hunter said before cing the messenger note inside the pocket of her jacket.

    Hera hummed in appreciation as she eyed the food inside, her favourite pudding, a rich, moist sponge cake covered in asticky toffee sauce. The dessert would''ve been perfect if there was a scoop of vani ice cream on the side. Her sweet tooth could get greedy when it came to desserts, but it would do for now. The appreciation shone brightly in her big forest green eyes.

    "The ice cream would have melted by now," he said as though he read her mind. He took the spoon from her hand and fed her by his own hand until thest bite. Hera dly enjoyed the attention and affection he''s showering on her.

    After she drank the water to her heart''s content, Hera thanked him for the food. "I''m full. My stomach and my heart both are content. Thank you, Mr Hunter," she expressed her gratitude. cing the box, spoon and the water bottle back into the paper bag, Hunter sat on the floor, arms folded, resting on Hera''sp. Propping up his chin, he looked at her.

    He looked so handsome, Hera couldn''t resist kissing his cheek, and those purple orbs shone beautifully in the dim light. She kissed his eyelids one after the other. After a beat, Hunter asked, "Now tell me, what are you hiding from me? What''s bothering you, Love?" His tone wasn''t demanding, but instead, he sounded hurt.

    His forehead furrowed as worry formed vertical lines on it, concern filled eyes boring into hers expecting answers. Leaning forward, Hera ced her mouth on his and felt his lips stretching into a smile, but he didn''t kiss her back. Sighing, Hera pulled away. "Are we ying twenty questions now?" She asked, teasing him.

    He didn''t return the smile either.

    "Can it pass?" She asked. "It''s nothing that you should worry about, just a silly fight with my friend and I was upset. I''m fine now," she confessed, revealing the half-truth. Not that she could lie to him, right?

    "You weren''t upset, Hera. You looked shattered," he stated the obvious. Hera bit her lip and took a deep breath. He called her by her name. Without warning, she kissed him again. She covered his lips with her open mouth, tongue smearing her saliva around and she didn''t hesitate when she bit them as if biting and tasting her favourite vour of the soft melting ice cream.

    She wasn''t trying to distract him. She was confessing through her lips what she couldn''t do with words. He''s worried, and Hera wanted tofort him.

    "I''m sorry I''m hiding it from you. But please let it go, Hunter. I promise I''m over it. I''m safe and sound, unharmed in your arms, aren''t I?" She whispered against his lips as tears rolled down her cheeks. Hunter wrapped his arms around her middle and brought her to his chest in a tight embrace. And he kissed her back, pouring his heart into it.

    A few minutester, everything seemed alright.

    They were gazing out the window, not looking at anything, in particr, their only view being the empty yground. Hunter stood leaning his hip against the bench, and Hera stood between his legs, resting her backfortably on his torso, his arms wrapped around her chest, hugging from behind.

    "Why was Samantha clinging to you so desperately?" Hera asked, diverting his attention. "Because she was desperate?" He jokingly offered and grinned wide when Hera red at him unimpressed. "She was clingier than usual," she shared her observation. "I wonder why, though?" Hera turned her head over her shoulder to look at him properly.

    "You know, she was trying to send a message through her re," Hera said, but Hunter kept his mouth shut. "I know you two weren''t official, but it would still please me if you break up with her even if it''s for namesake. I''m notfortable with the way she started behaving these days around you. It''s kind of creepy," she said bluntly.

    Hunter knew what exactly Samantha was trying to imply. He was d that his Hera was quick to discover her motive.

    Deciding to be honest with her, Hunter revealed the truth. "I need to confess something," he said, kissing her cheek softly. Hera nodded, indicating that she''s listening. "The said breakup has to wait for a bit longer," he started with his confession but stopped when Hera removed his arms off her abruptly. He let out a soundlessugh at her reaction but immediately held up his hands in surrender when she turned around to re at him.

    "Hear me out?" He asked cautiously. Huffing out in anger, Hera moved away from him and took a seat on the bench. Arms crossed around her middle, lips jutting out in a pout, Hera kept ring at him. He exined every bit of his conversation with Bianca about not breaking up with Samantha. "And you agreed?" Hera asked indignantly, eyes wide with disbelief.

    "Let her keep the title, Goddess. What difference would it make? Bianca said she''s afraid that Samantha would do something dangerous like maybe harming herself. I don''t want that," Hunter admitted and Hera scoffed. She understood what they were trying to do.

    <em>''Guilt-tripping my Mr Hunter.''</em>

    Sighing, Hera moved back into his arms. Her forearms glued to his chest as he pulled her more into him, tightening his hold. "You know right, they both are trying to manipte you? Plotting against us to rip us apart and you blindly agree and for what? Because you can''t say no to your Sunshine?" Hera asked, shaking her head, unimpressed, the resentment clear in her tone.

    "Yes, the way Bianca asked me, I couldn''t say no," he agreed without any regret and Hera red at him, disappointed. "I''m honest, and as long as we trust each other, nothing else matters," Hunter stated. "Samantha can enjoy her so-called title, and Bianca can believe I''m fine with that," he said, kissing her forehead.

    Hera peered at him, lips pressed, eyebrows arched up. "You''re ruining their ns by being honest with me and telling me the truth. I guess, they intend to create misunderstandings between us," she said, and her boyfriend just shrugged in a ''What can I do?'' manner.

    "My my! I thought you used your manipting skills only with us lowly peasants. I never thought you''d use it against your Sunshine too. Captain Bianca thinks she''s brainwashing you to do her bidding when in actuality it''s the other way around," Hera smirked, her eyes widened pushing her brows up as she nodded in appreciation. "Poor Bianca, her smart-ass doesn''t know what a motherfucker her best friend is," she stated, shaking her head in mock pity.

    "You know me so well, Goddess and I love your smart brain. But I don''t think I appreciate that title. Just for the record, the only mother I''ll be fucking would be my children''s mummy," he said with a straight face and Hera bit the inside her cheek blushing hard. She yfully pped him on the cheek andughed along with him.

    After spending a few more minutes in the pleasantly quiet atmosphere, Hunter suggested they should head back to their rooms now as the breeze started to get chillier. Hera hummed her agreement. His hand came down to hold her wrist, and she immediately swatted it away. "If you want to hold my hand, let''s intertwine our fingers together. I''m not letting you drag me with my wrist," she said, trying hard to hide the evidence of her distress.

 Chapter 117 - Celestial, Ethereal, Hera

    Hunter scowled, mocking an offended look. "I was trying to help you get on my back to give you a piggyback ride. You''re barefoot, Goddess Hera," he said, scolding her. Hera lowered her gaze to look at her feet and then sheepishly smiled when she locked eyes with him.

    Hunter smiled at her with so much fondness in his eyes. Hera''s heart filled with warmth. She couldn''t tear her eyes away from his beautiful smile. His handsomeness was beyond heavenly.

    <em>''Is there any other synonym to describe a heavenly beauty?''</em>

    Hera wondered.

    "Yes. Celestial or ethereal.. Why do you ask, though?" Hunter asked, frowning a little. Hera''s eyes widened, and her mouth formed a perfect ''O'' shape as she realised she''d voiced out her thoughts. "I know another synonym that you could easily remember," Hunter said, and Hera looked at him expectantly.

    "Hera," he said, and smirked when Hera took a few seconds more to understand what he actually meant. Hiding her blush behind a mock scowl, Hera clicked her tongue, "How cheesy," she said, sounding disinterested. Inside, her heart did a flip, multiple times.

    It started drizzling outside, and the cold intensified, all the more warning for Hunter to quicken his pace. Hera was perched on his back, hugging him like a ko bear, arms and legs wrapped around his torso.

    "You''re actually quite dumb for someone who''s school''s topper, you know?" Hera opinionated and Hunter scoffed in return. "Huh, look who''s speaking about dumbness!" He said in mock exmation. "Goddess, you literally cried a while ago because you''re going to fail your tests," he stated, his tone was taunting, and he sounded bitter. Hera knew why he seemed upset. Because he knew that the reason she provided was just that, another reason she used to cover up the original one.

    "Don''t you think it''s a bit ironic for you to call me dumb?" He asked, still sounding annoyed. Hera removed one of her hands from his neck and tugged at his hair, a bit harshly, and Hunter winced, groaning right after. She didn''t let go until he threatened to drop her.

    "Mr Hunter, ept it, you are dumb. If not, why would you wear shorts in this harsh weather? When not dressed in your sophisticated fashion crazed rich boy style, you''re always in shorts. We live in London for God''s sake, and it''s definitely not summer," Hera said in a duh tone. Hunter rolled his eyes, though she wouldn''t see it.

    "It''s simple, you said it yourself. When I don''t need to dress in formals or fashionably, I prefer to wear shorts because they''refortable. And besides, you love it when I''m less clothed. Admit it, Goddess, your perverted mind and your not so innocent eyes enjoy ogling this hot, sexy body," he said, waving a hand at him, travelling the length of his body.

    Hera pinched the side of his neck before she tightened her arm around his neck, in a mock attempt of strangling him. "Do you want to die today, Mr Hunter?" She asked. "Who''ll give you a piggyback ride then?" Came Hunter''s snarky reply.

    "Hmm, fair enough," she muttered. Giggling, Hera tried to kick him when he pretended to drop her. Resting her head on his shoulder, she hugged him tightly, and they covered the remaining journey to her room infortable silence.

    Once they reached, carefully setting her down, Hunter cupped her face in his palm and dropped a lingering kiss on her forehead before calling it a night. Smiling, Hera leaned against the door, waving her hand in goodbye.

    When she walked into her room, inside, her friends were busy preparing for the test. They''d joined the two tables to sit together for theirbined study, ra and Adide included.

    Hera whined dramatically, eyeing her books as she remembered she''d to study for tomorrow. Brittany asked her to join them, and Hera hesitated, looking at ra, who chose to bury her head in her book and ignored Hera. It''s alright, though. Hera felt at ease and joined them, sitting next to Brittney. Adide shifted, changing her ce, and Hera didn''t miss the scowl on her face.

    Hera didn''t feel bad as she wasn''t that attached to her anyway. She decided she wouldn''t be able to maintain a close friendship with her anymore. Thatfortable warmth a friend would make one feel, Hera no longer felt that around Adide.

    The wind outside chose to change the stance, and the raindrops started pouring in from the window, wetting the floor. Celine muttered a curse as she shivered in the intense cold before shutting the windows. Hands safely tucked inside the pockets, Hera appreciated the warmth the jacket provided.

    Hera noticed how ra kept stealing nces at her.

    <em>''What? Does she have a crush on me now?''</em>

    Hera thought sarcastically and chose to roll her eyes in her mind to add the dramatic effect.

    She remembered how she and ra used to study together during tests and exams. But they hardly read whenever they were together, and thebined study never proved useful for them. Talking, giggling, gossiping, teasing each other, they would do anything and everything but study.

    Hera sighed, assuming maybe ra remembered it too.

    Setting aside the memories forter, Hera tried to concentrate while Brittany exined ''Clockwise and anticlockwise moment of force''. Somehow, physics made more sense when her friends taught her than it did when the teacher taught. Hera hoped she would remember everything in the morning.

    When they settled on their respective beds muttering a tired Goodnight, and the lights went off, Hera took out her little shlight from the drawer, along with her purple diary. Completely hiding under the nket, she switched on the shlight. Hera brought the messenger note out from the jacket that she decided to wear to bed, not caring an ounce about the crease or wrinkle she would cause ruining the expensive fancy thing.

    She never forgot the note. It was there, tucked inside the whole time and she waited patiently, till she found the privacy to read it. Smiling, she held the note under the light and silently read it.

    <strong><em>Goddess Hera,</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>I love you so much that hurts me more than it hurts you when you''re hurt.</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>Please don''t be sad because it clouds the light and brings darkness to my world whenever you''re unhappy.</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>Your tears are more precious than any treasure in the entire universe. Please don''t ever shed them away, wasting it.</em></strong>

    <strong><em></em></strong>

    <strong><em>PS. Your smile means the world to me, and I would dly die or kill to bring you every happiness in the world.</em></strong>

    A dampened smile stretched on her lips, and the dampness had nothing to do with the rain pouring outside.

    <em>''Idiot, how can I be happy if you''re dead?''</em>

    Hera giggled quietly eyeing the handwriting. He''d scribbled the words using such a tiny font to adjust everything in that small piece of paper.

    Andrew, Samantha, ra, no one and nothing mattered at that time. Hera would face all their hatredbined together and would still smile if Hunter stood beside her.

    Even with that assertive thought nketing her mind, it still went ahead on the journey, back to the past Andrew had mentioned, a memory before their breakup.

    <em><strong>Two years ago:</strong></em>

    Hera sighed, restless and a little panicked. The boy sitting next to her in the empty room smiled at her reassuringly. He held her hands in his and Hera reluctantly looked into his eyes. "Nate, I don''t think it''s a good idea. I''m not feeling thatfortable. What if someone walks in and catches us? We''ll be in trouble, and I''m scared of Danny. I don''t know how he''ll react if he gets to know," Hera said, unsure. The worry, the fear it was evident in her voice.

    She lied. She wasn''t afraid of Danny as much as she was of Hunter. She was frightened inside but didn''t admit that to Nathan.

    Nathan squeezed her hands in aforting gesture. His brown eyes smiled along with his thin, wide lips, and Hera studied his face sucking in a nervous breath. He looked confident, his posture at ease, and he was looking at her so fondly. He was a good looking boy with a boyish smile, curly hair, standard height with an athletic physique.

    He was one of Hunter''s ssmates and yed in a ser team with him. He wasn''t friends with Hunter, but he was with Hera.

    They were in the old chemistryboratory, alone inside the closed door. It didn''t have the proper lock, broken long back, but Nathan was sure no one woulde here at this hour. They both had skipped the ss.

    Cupping her face, he leaned forward, their lips mere inches away. He would kiss her in any second now. Her heart was threatening to leap out of her chest, not with excitement or anticipation. She was scared because the guilt started to make itself known slowly. She was about to kiss someone that''s not her Hunter.

    Taking a deep breath, Hera closed her eyes and felt Nathan aligning their lips together.

 Chapter 118 - Branded As His

    As if the universe heard the name her heart kept chanting and decided to send him a telepathic message, Hera suddenly heard Hunter''sughter. Panicked, she shoved Nathan away, and her eyesnded on the boy standing in front of the window.

    Hunter might have heard the thud with which Nathan fell off the chair when Hera pushed him. He looked through the window, straight into Hera''s guilty eyes and hisughter died down until the smile on his face entirely faded. Meanwhile, Nathan groaned and asked, "What the hell, Hera?" But Hera was lost in her own thoughts to process what he said.

    <em>''How could Nate forget to close the fucking windows!''</em>

    Hera cursed inwardly. She watched terrified when Danny aimlessly threw the cigarette pack in anger and marched towards the door. Hera guessed they were here to take a smoking break. Nathan looked too scared to utter another word and scrambled to his feet in a hurry when the door mmed into the wall, revealing Hera''s brother. Danny didn''t waste another second as soon as he reached him and grabbed him with his uniform shirt cor.

    Hera ran to her friend''s rescue, but a hand wrapping fingers around her wrist in a tight grip restricted her from taking another step forward..

    It was Hunter''s hand, and when Hera locked her eyes with him, her mind ran empty of thoughts, looking at how the expressions on Hunter''s face changed from confused to hurt.

    Hisrge eyes erged to their full-frame, lips parted, he stared at her in stunned silence. He looked beyond shocked as he figured what just happened there. In bold capitals on his face was written disbelief for anyone to read, and he wasn''t even breathing.

    He didn''t use her of anything yet, but Hera heard him loud and clear, what he couldn''t voice out. He was struggling to form words, but she read it in his eyes.

    "It''s not what you think," she whispered in a barely-there voice, but the way Hunter flinched, she knew he heard her and Hera immediately regretted as soon as those words left her mouth.

    <em>''How cliche could it get?''</em>

    Her hand fell to her side as Hunter dropped it, releasing his hold on her wrist. Before Hera could offer her excuse or exin to him, he rushed towards Nathan. The murderous look he wore on his face frightened Hera, and she screamed when his fist rammed into Nathan''s face. His cheek, nose and jaw bruised to form a purplish red in no time.

    Hunter gripped Nathan''s shirt in one hand, and he pulled his other hand back, fist ready strike again when Hera screamed again, begging him to stop. Hunter turned his head in her direction, ring at her with his raging eyes. But something on her face or in her eyes must havepelled him to stop because he shoved Nathan away. Hera winced when she saw him colliding hard against the wall behind him.

    She stepped back in reflex when Hunter walked to her, covering the distance in two long strides. He grabbed her wrist again and walked out of the room. She had no choice but to follow him. She was too afraid to question him and didn''t dare to ask Danny not to hurt Nathan anymore. Michael shut the door from inside once they walked out.

    To her horror, there was already a huge crowd gathered in the old building witnessing the drama. Girls gossiped loudly about Hera''s character and boys cheering, enjoying the violent scene inside the room.

    Hera could see, the whole school had gathered around, students surrounding everywhere, judging eyes nailed on her. They parted like an abandoned wave would in a monstrous sea when Hunter walked between them, pulling Hera along.

    When he made it to the centre of the crowd, he stopped, pulling Hera to his side. "Listen up everyone," he started, his booming angry voice demanded everyone''s attention. Scared, Hera''s eyes widened, and for the first time, she dared to lift her head to look at him. She was worried and confused as she couldn''t understand what Hunter intended to do at the moment.

    "This is Hera Hunter," he said, pointing at Hera as if introducing her to his friends. But the calm in his voice faded in the next second, and the anger returned. "She''s off-limits to every male species on this. So keep hands and eyes off my girl," he said sternly, and Hera heard the gasps, immediately followed by cheers as soon as thest two words left his mouth.

    Hera shrank back, hiding behind him.

    "First andst warning to everyone, touch her, and I''ll kill you," Hunter announced to the crowd. He turned around, and Hera stepped back instinctively. Still holding her hand in his, he followed until her back hit the wall. The anger was still there, clouding his eyes and recing the warmth with cold fury. Hera didn''t know what he was trying to do, but her eyes pleaded with him anyway.

    Finally, he released her wrist and lifted his hand, bringing his forearm to her lips while Hera stared in clueless confusion.

    The sleeve of the shirt covering his arms came in contact with her mouth as he brushed it against her lips. No doubt, now Hera knew, what he''s doing, erasing the trace of Nathan''s lips on hers.

    Hera shook her head when Hunter ced his hands, palm t on either side of her head.

    "No, Hunter, please don''t," she begged him. The tears cascading down nonstop from her eyes kept blurring her vision.

    Hera kept blinking rapidly, to clear her vision. Hunter leaned forward, and his warm breath danced around her trembling lips. "Tell me, Hera, do you like him?" He asked. Hera shook her head frantically, denying the usation. "He''s my friend, Hunter," she answered.

    Hunter scoffed, and a taunting smile followed. Hera lowered her eyes in shame. "Look at me," hemanded, and she couldn''t disobey. "Do you like him more, or do you love me less now?" He rephrased his question. Hera sucked in a sharp breath as if struggling to inhale oxygen. His question took her breath away. He doubted her love for him, and it felt like he rammed a dagger into her heart.

    Hera averted her eyes as she couldn''t look him in the eye.

    Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she dared to look into the eyes of the people surrounding her. Somehow, she was able to figure a few familiar faces among the crowd through her blurry vision. Her friends were there too, looking sad, helpless and ashamed of themselves for not being able to help her.

    All the other students in the school were cheering for him, enjoying the free show. Eric stood a few feet away, quietly witnessing everything. Hands shoved inside the pockets of his trousers he maintained a perfect poker face, not showing any sign of anger or pity to her. Hera couldn''t tell if he was judging her for cheating on his best friend or not.

    Michael and Danny joined him, but Hera didn''t see Nathan anywhere. Samantha red at her in disgust while Bianca, the evil captain of their gang made a puppy face, mocking pity but only for a few seconds. Soon she was smirking smugly. Hera didn''t know what was so amusing.

    Evelyn, the angel, as usual, looked at her in worry and nudged Eric''s elbow, questioning him with her eyes. Hera guessed, even Evelyn wouldn''t dare to interrupt Hunter right at that moment.

    Breaking the train of her thoughts, Hunter spoke. "You''re so lost, Hera. It seems like you don''t have the answer to my question," he said, sounding disappointed. Hera stared at him. Her throat felt dry, and she swallowed her saliva to ease the difort. "I guess, you don''t prefer me kissing you anymore," he said, quietlyughing. Somethingpelled Hera to stop him when he attempted to move away.

    "Please don''t doubt my love for you, Hunter. Give me a chance to exin," she whispered, begging him.

    Hunter stared at her for a few minutes without showing any emotion.

    "Please," Hera uttered a single word, not knowing what she was begging for exactly.

    Without warning, Hunter crashed his lips onto hers harshly with all the anger he''s seething in.

    Michael whistled, and Bianca followed, whistling along. Danny looked away, pursing his lips tight. As the crowd hollered with excitement, Hera mped her eyes shut, silently praying for the nightmare to end.

    She could still feel the eyes nted on her. The whole school was witnessing the scene, and Hera couldn''t be any more ashamed. The humiliation was hard to digest.

    That''s the day when Hunter branded her as his in front of everyone at school. She had been tagged as ''Ace''s girl'' since then.

    To her horror, Hunter suddenly broke the kiss, and pulling away from her, he left.

    Hera watched helplessly, not knowing what to do. Her Hunter was walking away from her without sparing a nce at her. The crowd slowly disappeared, some casting a pitiful nce at her and someughing at her for their own amusement.

    Hera was too shocked to react.

 Chapter 119 - Immature Teenagers

    Hera tossed and turned as sleep took its sweet time to seize her consciousness. Hugging herself, she took a deep breath, inhaling Hunter''s scent his jacket had caught on. It brought a surefort as Hera struggled to keep her tears at bay. It was all in the past, but still so fresh in her memory like it happened just yesterday.

    That day, when Hunter left her alone, Hera slumped to the floor, and cried her heart out, hiding her face in her palms. No one was next to her to console. She didn''t need them anyway. The only one she wanted was Hunter, but she doubted he would appreciate her presence right now. Only one thought kept digging deep in her brain.

    <em>''Would Hunter forgive me?''</em>

    She was afraid he would break up with her.

    Michael, Samantha and Bianca left as soon as Hunter decided to abandon Hera.. Probably to offer moral support and console their best friend. He was heartbroken, after all.

    Eric stared at her for a while, still maintaining a nk look. He and Evelyn spoke in a hushed tone. Hera didn''t know how much Eric revealed to her, but judging by the shocked surprise pasted on her face, maybe Eric told her what Hera did with Nathan. Evelyn looked like she still wanted to help her, but she hesitated and followed Eric when he walked away.

    Danny was standing right in front of her. Hera wished for the ground to open so that she could jump in and vanish from his sight. Before that, she wanted to know what happened to Nathan. But couldn''t dare to ask him.

    "Why, Hera?" She heard her brother ask, but she didn''t give him any answer. She didn''t want to. The only one who''d the right to ask was Hunter. She owed answers only to him, but he was nowhere. Scoffing in disappointment, Danny too walked away. Fortunately, her brother barked at the crowd to get lost, and they did. They weren''t interested in Hera''s tears or her agony anyway. The entertaining drama was over for them.

    A few minutester, everyone dispersed and left her alone. Hera was thankful she could finally breathe in peace.

    The distance she''d to cover to reach her dorm seemed agonisingly longer than usual because she''d to do a walk of shame. She counted seconds, minutes, hours, waiting for Hunter to approach her, but he never did. She hoped he woulde, at least to grill her for answers or to scold her for the wrong shemitted, or to me her for hurting him.

    Anger, hatred, or usation, anything would do.

    Hera was hurt too. Despite it being her fault, she didn''t think she deserved that humiliation. Because she wasn''t actually cheating on him, but he didn''t even give her a chance to exin, and she hated that.

    Somehow, her friends understood she needed space, and didn''t ask questions. Hera skipped the school theing day, but she couldn''t fake illness or make any more excuses after that. She had to attend the sses. She sessfully managed to avoid Hunter for two days. She spent her lunch breaks alone in the empty ssroom and was deliberatelyte to school so that she could skip the assembly.

    Hera and Hunter didn''t speak for almost a week after Nathan''s episode. Well, they had to meet first to face each other, right? Both of them weren''t ready yet. Hunter was hurt, still trying to make any sense out of it. It was hard to believe Hera did something like that, something like cheating on him or at least attempted to cheat.

    Though they both were reckless, immature teenagers, Hera believed, Hunter was acting more immature than her by not seeking to confront her because she felt her situation was more sympathetic than his. She was only thirteen years old, and imagine being in her ce while her boyfriend chose to kiss her in front of the whole school. Not that she minded kissing him, but it was something too intimate, too personal and not meant to disy for others to inspect and dissect for their pleasure.

    That kiss wasn''t anything romantic in the first ce. It was more of a mauling. Hunter''s only intention was to hurt her as she did him. Hera too was angrybecause he''d no right to humiliate her like that. He could''ve chosen any other way to punish her like avoiding her or not speaking to her, which he was doing right then anyway. But he preferred to punish her by insulting her in front of so many people.

    She couldn''t forget that incident and those judgmental eyes never left her alone, imprinted in her mind, in her thoughts.

    Apart from that, branding her as his, only added to the humiliation. It felt as if she was nothing more than an object he owned. Like a dog with a cor and a leash, Hera had to wear that invisible tag of his name. Wherever she went, students whispered that she''s Ace''s girl. No one would dare to look at her directly, especially boys. Everyone avoided her like a contagious disease.

    No one knew about their rtionship status before he announced it to the whole school. When they spent their lunch breaks or free time together in the school or the dormitory, other students always believed that Danny''s sister was part of his group of friends. Whenever Hunter showed protectiveness, they assumed that he''s protecting his best friend''s sister. No one else knew they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and the love of each other''s lives aside from Hunter''s friends and Abby.

    Atst, Hunter made the first move because he couldn''t stay away from Hera any longer. And surprising him, Hera met him halfway through. They couldn''t ignore the big fat elephant standing between them forever. Eventually, they''d have to confront and address the issue.

    Hera hugged him, and her heart sunk to her stomach when she felt him stiffen in her arms. She sighed in relief when he returned the hug, though a bit reluctantly before his arms wrapped around her.

    They both uttered sorry simultaneously and letting out a nervousugh they apologised again. Finally, ready to resolve the issues, Hunter apologised for the humiliation. "I did it because I want everyone to know that you''re mine," he admitted straight away.

    When Hera''s turn came to justify, the first question Hunter asked, made Hera speechless.

    "It''s not the first time you kissed him, is it?"

    Biting her lip, Hera looked away in shame. The minute she opened her mouth to exin, she knew she would sound stupid. But she would tell him the truth, no matter how absurd the reason seems. She knew he would believe her because somehow, he always could distinguish between her lies and truth.

    It was months ago, at Nathan''s birthday. He''d invited her along with his few other friends to his home. It was a small family gathering. As cliche as it appeared, they yed truth or dare, and Nathan chose dare as his task.

    His friends asked him to kiss Hera as a dare. If not, he would have to strip naked and clean the Girls'' toilet in the school in front of his crush as his punishment. He pleaded Hera to help him, and she had no choice but to agree. It was just a simple peck on the lips and over in a second.

    Hera kept it secret from Hunter because she was afraid he would brand it as cheating. But somehow Hunter had already known it.

    "I found out the day after his birthday," Hunter revealed, shocking her. He didn''t tell her that Danny and he both had warned him to stay away from her. When Hunter saw them together, locked inside that empty room, he''d known it, that bastard Nathan was ying a dirty game. Because their warningst time didn''te without throwing some fists.

    Hunter knew Nathan was taking advantage of Hera''s innocence. Confirming his theory right, Hera confessed everything.

    "Nate said he likes someone and wanted to know if it''s just a crush or more than that. He wanted to kiss me to confirm the stage of his crush. He wanted to test if it feels the same to kiss others. He doesn''t trust anyone else to be honest with him, so he asked me to help him," Hera said, timidly. She was afraid he wouldn''t believe it. When she said it out loud, it sounded ridiculous in her own ears.

    "That''s stupid," Hunter said, his tone filled with resentment. "That fucker was just taking advantage of you," he concluded. Hera shook her head, disagreeing.

    "He wasn''t. There''s more to the story," Hera admitted, speaking softly, afraid he would judge her lowly. Hunter''s brows furrowed as he frowned. Wordlessly, he stared, urging her to continue. "A few days before I heard Samantha talking about us with Bianca. She said you''ll break up with me soon because," Hera gulped nervously before continuing. She was thankful that Hunter didn''t interrupt her.

 Chapter 120 - If Only He Knew

    "You''ll break up with me because you''re not happy with me. It seemed you only see me as a bother. Samantha and Bianca were cing a bet on us, Hunter. I heard Samantha say that I''m a senseless child who doesn''t know how to kiss. She also indicated that you two kissed, and you loved it so much that you didn''t want to stop kissing her. Her voice and tone held so much confidence I can''t help it, but doubt myself," Hera paused to take a deep breath, and Hunter noticed how her lips quivered, and her eyes shone with unshed tears.

    Hera confessed how much she was afraid of disappointing him and losing him in the process. So she decided to learn it, to perfect it.

    "I wanted to make you happy, and I willingly agreed to kiss him, so I can learn how to kiss the way you want it. Nate said he''ll teach me how to properly kiss until I be perfect in it," Hera finished. Hiding her face from him, she wiped her tears. Hunter immediately pulled her into his arms. "It''s okay, Goddess," he said while she cried into his chest.. "How can you blindly believe what Samantha said? She was lying, Goddess," he said. Hera heard the chiding in his tone and nodded in response.

    "I would''ve been very pleased to practice it with you if you''d asked me instead of asking him. After all, you wanted to learn it to kiss me," Hunter said, half-joking and half-mad. "How''s Nate? I didn''t see him anywhere after that," still glued to his chest, Hera asked, words dipped in desperation, and Hunter scowled not impressed at all.

    "If you''re worried about me killing him, then rest assured. I didn''t touch him after that. If you want to know his whereabouts, you can ask Danny," he said, irked at her concern for Nathan. When Hera pulled away to look at him, pleading him with her eyes, a few more fat tears rolled down her cheeks. A helpless sigh escaped him, and Hunter decided to put her misery to rest.

    "Danny didn''t kill him either. He should be fine," he spat out the words. But the tears wetting her soft, chubby cheeks won against his resistance. Wiping them away with his fingers, he smiled at her. "It''s okay," he said again and kept repeating it while petting her head in an attempt tofort her.

    Everything seemed okay after that because he said so.

    Everything felt right when he kissed her.

    With a warm smile ying on her lips, Hera put an end to her memory trip. Coming back to the present, she touched her lips with the tip of her fingers, reminiscing that precious moment. As promised, Hunter practised kissing with her a lot, and she could still feel and remember their every kiss. She''d kept them safe, saving permanently into the memory storage of her brain.

    Sure, they were and still are immature teenagers. But they''d learned their lessons from their mistakes through the years. People didn''t know what they put each other through. What all they''d faced and how they came out of it, fighting against all odds. Andrew, Samantha, and others would never understand their rtionship. Whether it''s a toxic shit or a heavenly bliss, Hera and Hunter knew their hearts wouldn''t survive without each other.

    Finally, sleep spread its wings, and Hera willingly flew away into the clouds of darkness.

    <strong>AT CASTELLANOS MANSION,</strong>

    Morning came too early for Johnathan''s displeasure. He was dreading it like a gue because he''d a meeting with his brother. Yesterday, after dinner, stair said they need to talk, but he was too tired and wanted to sleep. So he asked Johnathan to visit his study tomorrow morning instead.

    Thankfully, the breakfast in the dining hall was less troublesome because Johnathan had nopany except his lovely mother along with his wife. It seemed his father had left early to sign an important deal, and stair preferred breakfast in bed much to Johnathan''s relief.

    His daughter and niece were missing too. "Gis and Helena are both with stair," his mother helpfully supplied. Johnathan gulped his breakfast in a hurry, ignoring his mother''s disapproving scowl. He couldn''t wait to get over with whatever talk stair wanted to have with him.

    Johnathan already had an idea though what would be the context of their so-called talk.

    A whileter, the butler came to deliver the message. His Royal Highness Prince stair needed him in his study.

    Johnathan reluctantly walked into the wide-opened door. He never feltfortable stepping foot inside his brother''s study because it was full ofstair''s stuff, his personal memories. His trophies, his certificates, his picture, adorning every side of the wall irked Johnathan more. His brother relished photography when he wasn''t busy with business, making more money.

    His uneasiness faltered a bit when Johnathan heard a melodious voice, singing an English song. His daughter''s vocals sounded heavenly whenever she crooned. Gis weed him with a sweet, enthusiastic giggle and Johnathan took a seat beside her on the cushioned sofa.

    Johnathan''s eyes settled on the picture on the wall on their own ord. He couldn''t me himself though it was in direct line of his view anyway. It was one of stair''s favourite pictures taken by himself. Inside captured was Alexander and Felicity with their little boy. They stood with their backs to the camera, holding each other''s hand.

    Ripping his eyes away from the picture, Johnathan asked Gis in a whisper, "What are you two doing here?"

    "Daddy gave us both permission to skip school today because we wanted to spend time with him and he''s skipping his office too," Gis answered. Surprised at that news, Johnathan eyed his brother. His clean-shaven face appeared more rxed today. With his wavy curls slicked with sufficient gel, neatly brushed back, d in a smoothly pressed white silk shirt paired with cream trousers, stair looked royally magnificent.

    In contrast to his brother''s appearance, Johnathan dressed in full sleeved simple grey T-shirt and blue jeans he looked pretty ordinary.

    Helena''s singing kept stair smile intact on his face.

    Johnathan''s eyes shifted to the guitar in his daughter''s hands. It was the best-branded electric guitar in the world. The tones reflected rich and full as she yed her fingers along the metal strings. The sound of the melody was honey-sweet, and Johnathan felt his chest puff up with pride.

    He never understood why his father always disliked Helena''s passion for the guitar, though he appreciated Gis''s musical talents. If ying the piano brings pride to the princess, how would singing or ying the guitar bring disgrace? Why shame Helena for ying the guitar when Gis got all the praise for her musical talent?

    Alwaysoptimistic, Helena gracefully ignored her grandfather''s disapproving scowl and snide remarks every time she yed her guitar. Johnathan had even brought her a custom made ssical guitar.

    Meanwhile, stair''s gaze subconsciously shifted to the pictures on the wall. Johnathan didn''t miss how his brother''s smile disappeared from his face, and he knew why.

    His eyes followed his brother''s gaze andnded on the portrait with a golden frame. Johnathan swallowed his guilt along with his saliva. That portrait was a painted version of the photograph stair kept in his office and his bedroom.

    The picture depicted six best friends sharing one of their best moments with each other.

    It was a candid picture showing their genuine emotions. stair and his best friends, Alexander, Thomas, Felicity, Mariana and Jessa allughed heartily while looking at each other. They were rehearsing Julius Caesar for their college drama. Exhausted, they took a small snack break to regain their enthusiasm.

    Eventually, stair decided to have some fun and changed the betrayal drama into a romanticedy, and the messy encounters they invented led into a burst of ridiculousughter.

    Mariana leaned on Alexander''s torso, covering half of his body with hers as they both doubled over with their full-bodyughter. One of Thomas'' hands suspended in the air as he attempted to throw an empty can of soda at stair, a wide toothy grin stered on his face.

    Felicity''s limp body dangling in stair''s arms pretending dead while Jessa was on the ground, got down on one knee, holding a ring in her hand. In their new version of a romanticedy act, stair had killed his wife Felicity, and Jessa was proposing him over Felicity''s dead body.

    Johnathan knew every detail of that photo sequence because he''s the one who captured that moment in the camera.

    Gis apuded and both the brothers jumped out of their stupor. Helena had finished her song and now was grinning wide, expecting praises of course.

    Promising an evening out to his daughter and niece, stair asked them to leave them alone with Johnathan for a while, and the moment Johnathan dreaded came.

    "I''m d you weren''t in New York, but why London?" stair didn''t beat around the bush. His smile disappeared, bringing out the cold, ruthless, calcting businessman in him. Johnathan knew, like always, his brother''s men had been monitoring his every move in his absence.

    <em>''If only you knew brother, who I visited in London.''</em>

 Chapter 121 - His Only Chance At Survival

    His Majesty The King, Christopher Castenos was a vile man. For someone born to rule a country, he had no morals. Behind that mask of a wise King that Christopher wore, lies the real monster, hidden. He''d ruined many lives, crushing mercilessly under the heel of his polished, expensive boots, yet they remain untainted in the eyes of his subjects.

    What was Alexander Hunter made of if he could intimidate such monstrous evil King just with his rich voice?

    <em>''Only one word could define him to his true identity, the devil.''</em>

    Alexander was the devil himself that ruled all the monstrous evil entities.

    Christopher still hadn''t forgotten the insult Alexander threw at him sixteen years ago. He didn''t even hesitate once before putting a dagger to his neck. He would''ve slit it open and killed Christopher if stair hadn''t interfered at the right time.

    "Chose, stair, your bastard of a father or me?" Alexander had asked his best friend, struggling through his gritted teeth to utter those words.. He was burning with fury. Always the dutiful son, stair didn''t even blink before sacrificing their precious friendship. Alexander had looked so disappointed and defeated.

    "If I evere across this bastard again, I swear, stair, him being your father won''t be reason enough for me not to kill him and this is his only chance at survival. And as for our friendship is concerned, mark my words, you''lle to me, stair, begging for my forgiveness," Alexander had sworn that day before leaving Christopher''s mansion.

    Christopher scoffed in disdain, remembering Mariana''s defeated face as Alexander wrapped his hand around her wrist and dragged her away, out of their sight and out of their lives. That woman dared to assume she could give birth to that curse of a child and ruin his royal bloodline.

    He would rather bury his entire bloodline than letting anyone corrupt the purity of his genes. Hence killing that illegitimate child was an easy decision to make.

    His derision extended to his second-born, Johnathan. He couldn''t evenplete one, simple task of kidnapping and killing an infant. His son turned out to be all bark and no bite. Christopher waited for years to get confirmation on the child''s death. When Alexander spoke to him fifteen years ago, he had said it with such conviction that he almost believed the cursed baby might have survived.

    "She''s Alexander''s daughter, Christopher. That''s reason enough for whoever has taken her not to kill her. She''s the only shield protecting them from my wrath right now. They know if they kill her, they could lose their only chance of surviving death. It might take days, or months, or even years, but I''ll find her," Alexander had barked furiously.

    He was d that Alexander never once visited him after stair cut off his friendship with him. Nothing would''ve stopped him from killing Christopher if they faced each other directly. Phone calls had been their only way ofmunication.

    His idiotic son signed his own death sentence when he fired a bullet at Felicity. Christopher had to resort to begging to save him and keep him alive. "Onest chance, Alexander. Spare his life for stair''s sake," he''d said. Very cunningly he''d yed the perfect role of a defeated, helpless father, but to his disappointment, nothing had worked in his favour.

    Alexander had only one weakness, his wife, Felicity, and he wasn''t ready topromise. Christopher knew, if Felicity died, he would never let Johnathan live another day more.

    stair didn''t know about Mariana''s pregnancy, and the King used it to his advantage. He had ckmailed Alexander with Mariana''s child.

    "If you touch Johnathan, I''ll reveal Mariana''s secret to stair. Think about it, Alexander, will he survive your betrayal? Do you think he''ll ever forgive you if I tell him how you and Mariana stabbed him in the back?" Christopher had asked rhetorically. He knew he''d won.

    Yet another phone call from Alexander that he received a day ago triggered the past episodes, and Christopher was still not over that fear.

    Christopher couldn''t resist the terrorising shiver that ran over his form, chilling him to the bones. His veins popped out, underlining his skin along with the goose bumps standing to their full attention. He could still hear the thundering anger thatced around Alexander''s deep voice.

    "I won''t even give you a chance to beg for your pathetic son''s life the next time I get a hold of him, Christopher," that''s how Alexander greeted him over the phone.

    It''d been years since Christopherst heard Alexander''s voice, but he could still recognise it immediately. His own deep, authoritative voice that he uttered a hello with so much confidence died down in his throat sinking below his guts as soon as he heard him.

    Christopher knew then that his useless excuse of a son had broken the truce. Alexander had given his word to spare Johnathan''s life until he trespassed his territory.

    A knock on the door put an end to his train of thoughts and his secretary peeked in before informing him of someone''s arrival, the detective with his loyalty dedicated to the royal family of Castenos throughout his life. A fifty plus aged man with a regr height, a thin body, d in a three-piece brown suit entered upon his permission. He removed his beret hat, revealing his bald head before bowing to pay his respect. "Your Majesty," he greeted.

    "Take your seat, Nicos. You surprised me every time with how you''ve maintained your personality. I still don''t see your pot belly," he attempted to joke and gave him a weing smile. The detective nodded in acknowledgement. "At your service, Your Majesty," he said, taking a seat. Nicos knew the King too well to expect any more hospitality than that, and they dived straight into business.

    The detective submitted his report about Johnathan''s recent travelling destinations. He''d visited California and stayed for a day in a cheap hotel in the city of Lake Elsinore. By cheap hotel, he meant it was a three-star hotel, too low for their royal status. He didn''t leave the hotel until it was time to leave the country again, but the detective suspected his right-hand man Rouvin visited someone outside the hotel. Unfortunately, the man was too clever to leave any clues behind. Nicos couldn''t find out the reason for their visit to California.

    Though Christopher was disappointed, he didn''t show it because he knew Nicos was the best at his job and if Rouvin managed to outsmart him, he deserved appreciation for his intelligence.

    Jonathan had then visited London and stayed there for two days and two nights in a hotel, at Kensington. Nicos didn''t find anything suspicious, other than how Johnathan left in the middle of the night. He was in a hurry to leave the country as if running away from something or someone.

    Christopher shook his head. "No, Nicos, something is not adding up. Alexander said John was in his territory and had his men secretly follow his son around. If John didn''t visit New York, then how did he break the truce? Where did Johnathan meet Alexander''s son? I need answers, Nicos," he said, lifting the ss of water to his mouth. He felt so frustrated he wanted to smash the ss on the nearest wall or break his table into pieces.

    But showing his weakness or helplessness out to someone inferior to him would tarnish his reputation. Moreover, the luxurious ssic royal furniture held more worth than Alexander''s life in his eyes. He grimaced at that very name, Alexander.

    "There must be someone or something that required Johnathan''s visit. Otherwise, why would he go there, Nicos?" He asked, rubbing his chin with the back of his fingers. Nicos shrugged in response before he spoke. "He visited a boarding school in London. Probably to offer donations or sponsor someone''s education. His Highness never backed out from charity, after all, he''s known for his generous heart," Nicos said with an admiring smile.

    The King pushed his royal executive swivel armchair, the wheels spinning smoothly on the spotless, shiny marbles, the brown, smooth leather filling up the creases, flexing back to its original shape as he abandoned the chair and walked to the windows. Thebination of white and cream curtains drawn aside exposed the sunlight into the spacious office through the massive ss windows.

    One hand resting inside the pocket of his trousers, the fingers of his other hand rapped against the ss window, while Christopher nced out.

    He smiled, abination of a cunning and wry smile. He couldn''t wait to explore and exploit Alexander''s weakness against him.

    "If John was near the vicinity of Alexander''s son, then it could mean only one thing. His son is either in California or in Ennd. Search, Nicos, search every corner of these two countries. I need something to hold against that devil. Bring me the whereabouts of his boy, Nicos," Christopher roared as he couldn''t hide his frustration anymore. He was tired of constantly losing against Alexander. He needed a solid anchor to bring him down for once at least.

    "Find out where that boy is studying. You could start by paying a visit to that boarding school you mentioned," Christophermanded.

 Chapter 122 - Never Quit Until You Win

    "I needed space, so I took a break to spend some alone time in peace. Is that a crime now?" He asked incredulously. stair eyed him with an exhausted sigh, and Johnathan rolled his eyes. "Come on, brother, don''t pretend like you didn''t have your men monitor my every move. If they missed any information by any chance, I''m sure our dear father has the detail report on his desk. He''ll be pleased to share and help you with that," he said with a deadpan face.

    "Father informed me that you disappeared as soon as I left. I''ve to keep a record of your every move to prepare myself in advance to get you out of trouble if the situation gets difficult," stair retaliated and didn''t bother to hide his disapproval.

    "Do you miss him?" Johnathan asked, and his brother frowned, not understanding his sudden question. "Your best friend," he supplied, helpfully before stair could ask who. His lips twitched in a dry smile followed by a scoff. "I was fulfilling just my duties, John. I''m obligated to my responsibilities.. Alex wouldn''t understand my point of view. I sacrificed my everything, yet he called me selfish," stair said, gazing into Alexander''s eyes on one of the portraits.

    Johnathanughed in dry humour. "You can hardly call it a sacrifice, brother because you stubbornly gave up everything to keep your tittle of a dutiful son," he stated. "Of course, he would call you selfish, because you are," Johnathan said, shaking his head in disappointment.

    Their father, Christopher, disapproved stair''s friendship with Alexander from the very moment he discovered his connections with the Mafia. It didn''t help much that his best friend was himself the Lord of that crime world. His father was worried that his close acquaintance with Alexander would bring disgrace to his name and tarnish his royal status.

    Though Christopher knew how madly Alexander was in love with Felicity, he always used him of having an illicit rtionship with Mariana. He tried his best to break them up because he wanted Felicity married to one of his sons. It didn''t even matter to him that she doesn''t have royal blood in her system or didn''t hold any noble title to her name. Because she came from money and her father was the diamond merchant.

    One could say, Felicity grew up ying on the pile of diamonds. It came in abundant quantity. She''d further impressed him by gifting him her first-ever designed crown, studded with diamonds. But to Christopher''s disappointment, one day out of the blue, she got married to Alexander.

    Being the crown princees with an inevitable disadvantage. stair was the next in line for the throne, and he couldn''t just say no when his father demanded his loyalty to his crown, to his people, to his country. He''d to cut off all his connections with his best friends and lose them forever.

    Alexander didn''t know the full story behind stair''s decision to abandon their friendship. Christopher Castenos was not a good man, and he''dmitted plenty of sins. stair couldn''t risk Alexander''s life and agreed to his father''s every absurdmand to stop him from killing Alexander.

    His freedom, his happiness, his dreams, nothing weighed more value than Alexander''s life.

    "It doesn''t matter, John. I made sure that all my friends are safe and that''s all I ever wanted," he said with a satisfied smile, there were no regrets and Johnathan smiled sadly at his brother. "Alexander is the devil every living being is afraid of, and if you think he needed your protection, then you''re a fool," he stated the obvious and stair agreed.

    "Did you honestly believe he couldn''t handle our father?" Johnathan asked. stair sighed as he touched his own signature scribbled on his favourite photo hanging on the wall, disying Alexander''s happy family. stair had made two copies of that picture and gifted one to Felicity. He captured it without them knowing when they were busy entertaining their little boy, that''s why their backs faced the camera. It was a perfect candid moment, a precious memory.

    "I was more afraid because he could absolutely handle our father on his own. I didn''t want either of them dead. It''s better to not have him in my life than not having him alive," stair concluded.

    Almostpelled to be honest with his visit to London, Johnathan was on the verge of revealing the truth. But thankfully, he came back to his senses before he could dig his grave. stair would kill him if he knew what he did to best friend''s family behind his back even before Alexander could get his hands on Johnathan.

    A charity event always turned out to be the best excuse, and Johnathan used it again to his advantage.

    <strong>IN GISELA''S BEDROOM,</strong> Helena yed another sweet melody on her guitar while her cousin listened attentively. It was a surprise gift for stair''s birthday she''d been preparing. "How is it?" She asked. Gis nodded in approval. "Okay, dear cousin, I showed you my gift, and now it''s your turn. Show me yours," Helena demanded. Giggling, her cousin walked into her closet and came back with her painting canvas board.

    "I can''t show you Dad''s gift yet because it''s unfinished, but I''ll show you something that you''re more interested in," Gis said before revealing the canvas to her.

    Helena parted her lips in surprise, and her eyes widened before her palms covered her mouth. Then, after a few seconds, she grabbed one of Gis''s pillows and screamed into it while her cousinughed at her overdramatic reaction.

    "My God! Gis, it''s beautiful," she said, staring at the purple eyes which stared back from the canvas. "It looks so real," she whispered in awe, admiring its beauty. Gis seemed to be unable to stop giggling. She''s a skilful painter, and Helena was good with drawing charcoal sketches and shading. They both had the habit ofpleting each other''s work.

    Helena had drawn a sketch, and now Gis filled it with paint, adding more lively colours, making ite alive. "He looks so wonderful I already started missing him, Gis," she said, fluttering her eyes dreamily before giggling along.

    "Did he ept your request yet?" Gis asked, and Helena sighed in disappointment, shaking her head in reply.

    They both spent their summer holidays in New Yorkst July. It was hard for them to enjoy the holidays in their own country because of their high status. They were royalty, after all. An evening in the club, without guards hovering over them was all they needed and they managed to keep their security at bay for a few nights while their stay at New York City.

    Gis was barely fifteen, and Helena was sixteen. Their underage status forbids their entry to nightclubs. Luckily the hotel they stayed in had a club inside, and their guards managed to get the girls ess. They couldn''t stop dancing the whole night. It was pure fun until they searched for the girl''s toilet.

    Some big boys who were absolute strangers blocked their way out in the toilet and started harassing them. Their guards were out of earshot, and girls couldn''t call them for help. Terrified, Helena sobbed when the drunk teenage boys pushed her against the wall, and Gis screamed for help. Their touch started to turn dirty. Another boy grabbed Gis and tried to kiss her. Suddenly, the door opened, and someone peeked inside. Luckily her scream had been heard it seemed.

    Gis screamed her lungs out, begging for help while looking into the most beautiful purple eyes she''s ever seen. After a few seconds, the boy who entered at the right moment like a knight in shining armour started throwing his fists and kicking his legs.

    Within a few minutes, he took them all down, all alone by himself. He was a good fighter, trained for years no doubt. He helped Helena consoling her with soothing words when she looked traumatised. Gis ran out to call her guards, and by the time she came back, Helena was in his arms. He carried her out and stayed with them until he felt it''s safe to leave them alone.

    From that very moment, both of them liked that boy. It was love at first sight experience for them, and they decided whoever wins his heart first will get to keep him. But unfortunately, they never saw him again during their stay in New York, and stupidly enough, they forgot the introduction part.

    One thing both the cousins had inmon was a trait they learned from their cunning grandfather. That''s never to quit until you win, and since then they kept on finding ways to find and reach him.

    They''d heard his friends call him by name Ace and that''s enough to search him on social media, but without thest name, it wasn''t an easy task to find the right Ace. Eventually, they seeded and found him on Instagram, but his ount was private. Both of them had sent him request months ago, and they''re still waiting for him to give ess.

    Sitting together on the edge of the bed, they both kept staring at the painting, admiring the angelic look. Helena sighed, admitting how she couldn''t wait to meet him again and Gis couldn''t stop describing how handsome he was. They agreed how he was everything a girl dreams to have in her lover. They remembered how hot he looked while fighting those assholes, like a hero in an action movie. They beamed, remembering how beautiful his smile was.

 Chapter 123 - Its Okay To Forgive

    <em>''If only I could skip this stupid test.''</em>

    Hera sighed for the ninth time. She wished, though, how nice it would be if she could skip school because she was dreading it. She wasn''t ready to face Andrew. Hera kept her head bowed down the whole day, avoiding eye contact with anyone and bumping into other students in her wake, muttering apologies.

    She was afraid she might see Andrew. Somehow, she managed the day in school without meeting him. But the dreading feeling never faded a bit, even after the school hours got over because now she''d to face Eric. She was even more worried now.

    She went to the dining hall a bit early to finish her dinner quickly. Luckily, she didn''t see Hunter or Eric anywhere yet, and within a few minutes, she gulped her food down and left in haste..

    At around ten ''o''clock, someone knocked on the door to her room, and before anyone could open it, Hera hid under theforter to be on the safer side. But it wasn''t her lucky day as it seemed. Eric stood at the door, calling for her. Grinding her teeth, Hera cursed inwardly.

    <em>''Aargh, fuck my life. Why doesn''t someone ever stop them from entering the Girls'' block?''</em>

    She considered for a few seconds whether to pretend asleep or not, but knew he wouldn''t leave without speaking to her.

    Muttering another curse, she walked to the door. "I''m teaching you maths, let''s go," Eric said without much preamble. Hera looked at him as if he said he''s going to lock her in the dungeon. Exhaling in annoyance, she pointed at the clock on the wall. "It''ste, I was going to bed, and I have chemistry tomorrow, not maths," she said matter-of-factly. Eric opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. "I''ve already read everything, and you don''t need to tutor me," she said.

    Eric red at her. He knew what she''s trying to do, but he won''t let her avoid it anymore. They needed to speak. "Good, then grab your maths books and follow me," he said, turning on his heels and scowling Hera went to get her books.

    He brought her to the library in the dormitory and sighing, Hera took a seat beside him. She noticed it was empty. No other students were there except them, and she felt relieved at the privacy. "Where''s Hunter?" She asked, afraid he would join their conversation. Eric understood the worry underlying her tone. "He won''t join us, don''t worry," he said, easing her tension.

    "You cried so much yesterday that your swollen eyelids were enough to convince Ace how much you need tutoring to save yourself from failing other subjects. He offered to do it himself, but I convinced him how you two would do nothing other than distracting each other," Eric said, and Hera thanked him for being so understanding. Eric shook his head, clicking his tongue. "It''s not an excuse, Pixie. I''ll teach you maths for real because I''m not betraying my best friend by lying to him," he said. Hera nodded in response.

    "But first, we need to talk. So start speaking, Pixie," he demanded, and Hera knew, she''d no way to escape from this and decided to tell him the truth. "Andrew said he likes me," Hera started and peeked at Eric through hershes, afraid of his reaction. But surprising her, Eric only hummed in response as if he''d known it all along.

    Hera told him how Andrew hated Hunter, how heartbroken her friend seemed after her rejection and how he cursed her. She revealed everything except the kissing part and how he forced himself on her.

    "Everyone says I should hate Hunter after what all he did," Hera said, tone of voicepletely disheartened. Nodding in understanding Eric tilted his head to look at her face. She''d her head dropped, trying to avoid eye contact. He ced his big palm on her head, guiding her to face him directly.

    "Do you though?" Eric asked softly and smiled when Hera looked at him. She took a deep breath as if something profoundly weighed her shoulders down. "Shouldn''t I?" Hera questioned back, voice a soft whisper. Eric smiled wide, and his arm went around her shoulder to give aforting hug. "But you don''t want to, Pixie," he stated the obvious and Hera agreed. "I can''t hate him even if I want to," she admitted.

    "I understand where you''reing from, Pixie. You don''t have to feel guilty," Eric said, and Hera smiled in appreciation.

    "Andrew cursed me, Eric. He said I''ll never get my happy ending with Hunter. Samantha did too, and ra hates me because forgiving himes so naturally to me," Hera said, sounding guilty again. Eric still held her close to him, hugging her sideways. His grip on her arm tightened as if trying to assure her she wasn''t alone.

    "People tend to spread hatred when they''re jealous or hurt. It''s a natural human trait, Pixie. You don''t have to take it seriously or believe everything they say. It''s your life, and only you should have the right to decide what you want or what you don''t want. It''s not like their curse wille true, or they can change your destiny," Eric said, easing her worries to some extent.

    "They don''t understand what it feels like to love someone all your life. It''s not easy to let go of your childhood sweetheart or your first love, especially when you love with your whole heart and soul," he said, pausing to smile at her affectionately. "And you''ve loved Ace from the moment youid eyes on him. It''s okay to forgive, Pixie. I know how it''s impossible to hate someone you love. It shouldn''t matter if people are judging. The only thing that matters is what your heart wants," Eric said, and this time he managed to bring a smile on Hera''s face.

    "For someone who doesn''t do dating or romance, you sure know a lot about love," Hera said, her tone teasing, genuine affection and appreciation filled in her voice. Eric grinned, eyes crinkling at the sides. "Finally, you smiled," he pointed out, and Hera smiled again, nodding.

    "Pixie, I may not know a thing about romantic love, but I know the affectionate, caring love. I love my parents, I love my godparents, I love my friends, and I love you. If any of you did something wrong or hurt me in some way, I''ll be disappointed and hurt. I''m sure it''ll make me angry too, but I would never be able to hate any of you because I love all you so much. It may take time to forget or heal, but eventually, I''ll forgive. That''s what you''re doing, Pixie. You were angry with Ace, but you never hated him," he concluded, and Hera stared at him in awe.

    "Thank you for showing me your angelic side today, Gabriel the angel," Hera said in a teasing manner, but Eric read the emotion behind her words. She meant it from the heart. "How do you know such wise things to say? And why do you know me so well? How can you read me so urately?" She asked, eyes getting wet in the corners. Eric groaned before yfully ring at her. "Don''t tell me you''re going to cry now. Pixie, you know I hate it when girls cry," he said, tone chiding her.

    A tear escaped her eye and Eric wiped it with his thumb. He gave her a minute to recover from her overflowing emotions before taking her hands in his. He patiently waited until she felt ready to speak again as if he knew there''s something more she''s hiding from him.

    When Eric pushed back the sleeves of her full armed, loose, warm red sweater, he observed the bruises were fading. He ran his thumb on them, and Hera bit her lip as she felt the anger radiating from him.

    "Did he do this?" Rhetorically Eric asked. "What else are you not telling me?" Hera retreated her hands from his grasp in a reflex action.

    She took his hands in hers and held them before her in a praying manner. "Please don''t tell him. You promised, Eric," she begged him through her eyes. Eric scoffed and removed his hands from hers. "How do you expect me to keep my promise when you''re still hiding the truth from me?" He asked indignantly. Grabbing her wrists again, he eyed the bruises and asked, "Can you be honest and tell me what else did he do?"

    "He forced himself on me and kissed me," closing her eyes, Hera blurted out the truth. "He did what?" She heard Eric ask and the anger ringing in his deep voice forced her to open her eyes. Before she could say something, he shook his head in a no. "Don''t ask me to lie to my best friend. He needs to know," he stated, and Hera held on to his arm, begging again.

    "You know what''ll happen if he knows. Please Eric," she said, trying to convince him but in vain.

 Chapter 124 - She Doesnt Know A Lot Of Things

    "Okay, fine, then report him," Eric said, without missing a beat. Hera withdrew her hands off him so fast as if she felt electrocuted. "What?" She asked, shocked. Lips parted in disbelief Eric stared at her before getting up from his seat while Hera shook her head. He moved around, facing her directly. "You''ve two choices, Pixie. Ether you report him, or you tell Ace," he said, eyes fixed on her without blinking.

    "What choice are you giving me, Eric? It''ll both lead to the same result. Andrew will be in trouble, and here I''m trying to," Hera was saying, but Eric cut her off. "You''re trying to what? Protect him?" He spat out the words with such spite, Hera flinched. "Are you fucking kidding me, Pixie?" Why do you want to protect him?" He asked, but didn''t give her the chance to answer it. "Because he''s your friend?" He asked and let out a sarcasticugh while Hera red at him. She was getting angry too..

    "Didn''t you say it by yourself a while ago, Eric that it''s okay to forgive?" Hera asked, and they kept fighting over it. Hera couldn''t understand what''s wrong if she wanted to forgive her friend. She argued about how she was sure that Andrew must be regretting his mistake already, and Eric was pissed because she failed to differentiate between the right and wrong.

    Pursing his lips into a thin line, Eric squeezed his eyelids shut as if he''s trying to control his anger and his forehead furrowed in the process. He exhaled through his nose before looking into her eyes. "Pixie, friend or not, hurt or not, it doesn''t give him the right to force himself on you. Anger and heartbreak, they don''t justify rape or molestation," he said, trying to educate her and held up his hand to stop her when she tried to speak.

    "Tell me honestly, if stuck in a ce alone with him, will you befortable around him? Can you trust him again that he won''t repeat it?" He asked as if speaking to a child, voice of tone soft and low. Hera parted her lips but hesitated to answer right away. She realised, her answer to Eric''s question was a no in big, bold capitals. She stared at Eric, tongue-tied. Folding her arms on the desk, Hera leaned forward, hiding her face.

    Meanwhile, Eric patiently waited for her to ept the truth. A few more secondster, Hera spoke. "I''m afraid of Hunter''s reaction. He won''t let Andrew go unharmed, and you know it," she said, tone deted. Eric sighed, looking at her slumped form and walked back to sit beside her. Running his hand over her headfortingly, he spoke. "That''s why you need to report him to the Principal''s office and buy me some time until I convince Ace not to touch him," he said.

    Hera lifted her head at that and looked at him sharply. "You were never going to hide it from him in the first ce, were you?" She asked, using him. Eric shrugged, "No secrets between best friends, that''s our rule," he stated.

    "Of course," Hera muttered and scoffed.

    "Don''t worry your little brain thinking about that fucker, Pixie. He''s not worth it. I assure you I won''t let Ace kill him," he said, and Hera stared at him with her widened eyes. "You talk about killing so smoothly as if it''s an everyday thing for you guys and that really scares me sometimes," she confessed, looking a little unsettled.

    "Don''t feel guilty, you silly girl. Andrew doesn''t deserve your forgiveness. He needs to get punished for his wrongdoing," she heard him say and sighed as if exhausted. They weed the silence for a while both lost in their thoughts.

    "I was so scared you know," Hera spoke, breaking the silence. "When he did that, his touch so disgusting, it made me feel so humiliated. All I could think then was about Hunter. His face kept appearing in front of my eyes as if I was hallucinating him, watching me with his piercing eyes. Like, I''m betraying him somehow," she revealed.

    Hera disclosed her feelings for the first time after Andrew''s incident and the thoughts, the fear, the pain she''d kept hidden, all rushed out as she bared her emotions out in the open for Eric to see. He gave her space, maintaining a respectable distance, afraid she might get ufortable, but Hera just moved closer and hugged him tightly. Eric rubbed her back in a soothing gesture, whispering, "It''s okay."

    When she pulled away from his chest, she stared at him expectantly. Eric watched her for a few seconds in confusion before understanding her need to hear rifications. It seemed she''d more questions, and she was confused too. Eric tried his best to assure Hera that she didn''t betray Hunter, and she wasn''t at fault. It''s natural for anyone to feel disgusted or insulted when someone touches them against their consent.

    "You kept seeing Ace, maybe because you wanted him toe to your rescue," Eric said shrugging. "You love him with all your heart and soul, don''t you? That''s why you couldn''t reciprocate Andrew''s feelings or encourage his touch," Eric said, but immediately regretted saying all that philosophical, deep shit because what Hera asked next made him speechless.

    "Doesn''t Hunter love me then? He''d touched and kissed other girls. Samantha was with him, posing as his girlfriend for two years. I''m sure they''d done more than kissing. Every girl in the school speaks of his big one-eyed snake," Hera said in utter disappointment. Despite the seriousness of their conversation, Eric couldn''t help theughter that tore out of his mouth.

    "One-eyed snake? Really, Pixie? Where did you learn to describe the dick so creatively?" He asked, looking at her scowling face. "Evelyn said every boy has a one-eyed snake in his pants," Hera said so innocently, Eric smiled, shaking his head.

    "You''re asking the wrong person, little girl. Speak to your Hunter about it," he said, answering her earlier question.

    Hera red at him disagreeing. "Well, you don''t keep secrets, and you know your best friend better than anyone. I''m sure you have the answer to my question, and besides, he won''t mind you, I know it. You can tell me," she urged him. Eric sighed, not knowing how to dodge it anymore.

    "I think you already know the answer, Pixie. You two had too much fun making each other jealous after the supposed breakup. Half of the girls in school just took advantage of your situation and cooked stories to fulfil their fantasy. You know, to earn the privilege of knowing school''s president intimately," he said. Hera eyed him with her narrowed eyes, using him of lying to protect his friend.

    "You mean to say he didn''t sleep with them?" She asked in disbelief, tone ridiculing. Eric shrugged, his lips twitching downwards, "You already knew the truth or maybe pretended to be ignorant. Instead of using and fighting with each other, you should have spoken about it. You let Nathan influence your mind too much," Eric said, tone a bit attacking. Hera looked away, biting the inside of her cheek.

    "You don''t know a lot of things, Pixie. But it''s not my ce to tell you everything. Sometimeter, when all this shit gets sorted out, talk to him about it," Eric sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I''m afraid I''m going to get grey hair soon because of you two. You give me a lot of stress, and I''m sick of meddling in your shitty romantic love business," he said faking disgust. Hera smiled at that, and it turned into a wide grin when Ericughed.

    "Let me share a secret with you. You know, Mike and Sam are fooling around," he said, whispering into her ear. Confused, Hera looked at him with her questioning eyes, and Eric scowled, unimpressed. "Fuck, you''re so dumb," he said. "Mike is screwing Sam and Ace knows it. So, any scary thoughts you have of Samantha, you can throw it into the trash bin. She''s just ying dirty only because she doesn''t want to lose against you. Nothing''s going on between them," he concluded.

    "Does Mike like her?" Hera asked. Eric shook his head. "She thinks by using Mike she can make Ace jealous or maybe she wants us to fight with each other, I''m not sure," he answered, and Hera sighed, shaking her head. She understood what Samantha wanted to do. Eric guessed it right to some extent. If her n worked, Danny, Michael, Ace, Hera and Bianca were all going to be cross with each other. It would lead to an ugly fight.

    "Stop it, Pixie, you''re worrying again. Whatever her n is, Sam could never break our friendship. Everything''s fine between us," Eric said, assuring her with a lovely smile, a contagious one because Hera smiled too.

    After that honest conversation, Eric decided to teach her maths because he needed to prepare her for the test and also it would clear their head from all the stress they just went through.

    Eric''s phone pinged and he checked it only to confirm if it''s from Hunter. Sure it was. A smug smile lit up his face as he typed his reply.

 Chapter 125 - Its Against Their Rules

    Hunter paced restlessly in his room. It''s been so long since Eric left to meet Hera, but he didn''t want to interfere with their conversation whatever the context of their talk was. So, no matter how impatient he felt, he waited.

    Meanwhile, Danny and Michael exchanged looks as they watched him. Michael was ring at Danny, a silent show of disagreement. They were hiding something from Hunter because Danny didn''t want him to know. "It''s not our ce to tell him," he had said to convince Michael. Though Michael was against it, Danny suggested it''s for the best, and reluctantly he agreed. But now Michael was having a hard time keeping it from Hunter. It''s against their rule.

    Hunter pulled the chair to his desk and sat with one ankle on the other knee. Grabbing his cell phone, he finally shot a message to Eric..

    <em><strong>"Are you done yet?"</strong></em>

    To his relief, Eric replied immediately.

    <em><strong>"Done."</strong></em>

    Sheathing himself in his ck leather jacket, Hunter pocketed his phone. After putting on his sneakers, he covered his hands in ck knitted woollen gloves. "I''m out to meet Hera," Hunter yelled over his shoulder before pulling the door shut on his way out. Judging by his appearance, Michael and Danny guessed he wouldn''t be back soon.

    As soon as Hunter reached the library, his eyes found his Hera and his best friend within no time. But instead of going in to join them, he stood at the entrance silently watching them. Hands in the pockets of his shorts, legs crossed at ankles, shoulder leaning against the opened door, he smiled as he saw Eric bopping the tip of Hera''s nose gently with the pencil.

    Hera opened her eyes with a jolt and shook her head, trying to keep the sleep away. Eric scowled at her, clearly annoyed.

    Hunter''s shoulders shook with silentughter as Hera scowled back at his best friend while rubbing the tip of her nose. "Maths makes me sleepy, it''s hardly my fault," Hera said in her defence. Eric red, pulling at her hair and Hera pped his hands away. "Pixie, it''s not even thirty minutes since we started," he said and sighed irked. Hera giggled, tickling his sides and theughter immediately reced the scowl on his face.

    Hunter was d to see her smiling. Whatever conversation Eric had earlier with her, it worked. Hera no longer looked hurt or upset, all thanks to Eric. Hunter knew she lied to him about crying over her poor performance in the test.

    It hurt that she lied to him, but Hunter respected her choice and gave her the space she needed. Her red-rimmed swollen eyes worried him to his limits, and he knew there had to be a solid reason behind it. Hunter couldn''t wait to discover who made her cry. The way she winced when he caught her wrist confirmed it, whoever hurt her wasn''t a girl, and the possibility of a boy hurting her scared him more. He was desperate to smash their face, to transform it into a ball of meat.

    When Eric offered to walk her to her room, it was a silent understanding between two best friends and Hunter knew Eric would manage to convince her to open up to him.

    Hera''s eyes identally found Hunter and widened in surprise. Hera smiled, pleased to see him. Hunter returned her smile but didn''t budge from his ce. He kept staring at her.

    "So, here''s your answer, the smallest value of X, when X is a real number, is 2.25," Eric said. He was teaching her ''Linear Inequations'' from Algebra, but Hera wasn''t paying attention. She was too busy trying hard not to blush under Hunter''s intense stare. Eric mmed his fist on the desk, and Hera jumped, tearing her eyes off Hunter. "You''re not concentrating," he said, and leaned back, throwing the pencil on herp. He looked pissed, and Hera smiled sheepishly.

    "He''s making me nervous with that stare. How can I concentrate when he''s looking at me like he wants to eat me?" Hera whispered, gesturing him to look at the doorway. Eric raised a brow and shook his head, grimacing at his friend. He sure was looking like he wants to eat her.

    "You''re interrupting our study session," Eric said, mocking anger. Hunter picked up two small paper bags from the floor and walked inside, giving one to Eric. He opened it to reveal the ''London Dairy Tiramisu'' ice cream jar. "You''re no longer considered an intruder," Eric said, grinning. Hera immediately leapt to her feet to grab the other paper bag from Hunter''s hand, but he held it high over his head.

    Hera pouted, scowling at him, but Hunter ignored her. "I can teach her the rest. You can leave if you want, Eric. I can see how annoyed you seem and she''s not paying attention anyway," Hunter said to Eric.

    Eric clutched his chest with both of his palms as if he''s in pain. "Ah, you''re such an angel, dear friend. I don''t know how to thank you. You''re a life saviour," he said, pulling Hunter into his chest in a dramatic embrace. "She is killing me," he used in mock horror. Hunterughed while Hera pped Eric''s back, offended by his words.

    Eric decided to leave them alone and pulled Hera into a hug. Standing on her toes, Hera kissed him on the cheek, a gesture to show her gratitude for all the help, concern andfort he offered. Kissing the crown of her head, Eric pulled away from the hug. Hunter had his eyes fixed on the smiling blue-eyed boy.

    As soon as their eyes met, Eric read the unasked question and inclined his head once, a barely-there movement as his answer. Hunter stiffened because his best friend just confirmed his suspicions right. Gritting his teeth, he exhaled as his nostrils red in anger. Eric shook his head in warning, signalling him to control himself. Meanwhile, Hera eyed the paper bag, ignorant to their silentmunication.

    "Be good, and don''t do anything you''re not allowed to," Eric said to Hera before yfully pulling her hair. Masking his anger, Hunter smiled at Hera when Eric left them alone.

    Someone behind them demanded attention by clearing their throat, and they turned around to face Mr Jacob Rogers, in charge of the Dormitory. He didn''t look pleased to find them together at this hour though, disapproval clearly written all over his face. Before he could ask what they were doing, Hunter offered his answer ready.

    "I''m tutoring her," Hunter said. "At this hour, my boy?" Jacob asked him, unimpressed. Meanwhile, Hera hid behind Hunter, afraid of the interrogation. "I had to make preparations for my tests as well. I didn''t have the time, Jacob," Hunter answered shrugging.

    <em>''Oh, why am I surprised? Of course, he''ll be on a first-name basis with everyone. Did you forget, Hera, he''s everybody''s favourite?''</em>

    Jacob sighed as if he''s helpless when Hunter smiled innocently, silently asking for his permission to stay longer.

    "Don''t linger for too long," with that said the man left.

    Hera gasped, and her eyes went wide in surprise when Hunter locked the door to the library from inside as soon as Jacob left. "What are you doing?" She yelled at him in whispers. "Grab your books," he said, and Hera packed her bag. He took out a shlight from his jacket, and Hera''s jaw dropped, wondering what he''s nning to do. After switching it on, he asked Hera to hold it.

    Hera watched in bewilderment while Hunter switched off all the lights in the library. He grabbed the paper bag containing the ice cream jar and exchanged it with the shlight in her hand. Hera held her breath in surprise when his hand reached out, intecing fingers with hers. She bit her lip to hide her smile and followed him as he led the way.

    He brought her to the middle of the library, surrounded by rows of bookcases all around them. Keeping the shlight in the middle in a standing position, he let the light rays illuminate the ceiling. Choosing afortable ce for them to sit on the floor, he unzipped the zipper of his jacket. Hera stood in front of him, silently watching until Hunter gestured her to sit between his legs. He held his jacket wide open for her to fit in.

    As soon as Hera made herselffortable, leaning her back against his chest, Hunter wrapped the jacket around her. Hera felt warm and safe. When he opened the ice cream jar, Hera giggled and ate it, humming her approval with every bite. Hunter removed his gloves and wrapped his arms around her middle. No one spoke, and Hera weed the feeling of protection his arms brought. All her fears and worries automatically vanished from her thoughts.

    When Hunter moved her hair to one side of her shoulder, his fingertips brushed over the exposed skin of her neck. Hera forgot to swallow the ice cream numbing her tongue when she felt his warm lips touching her cheek, the tip of his nose cold against her skin as he breathed her scent in.

 Chapter 126 - Of Course, Hes Lucky

    She licked her lips nervously and sharply inhaled when she felt his head angling downward, and Hunter kissed her jaw. It wasn''t just a peck, Hera felt the stinging when his teeth grazed her skin before brushing his hot tongue over it.

    Alert, and rmed, Hera straightened her posture, and involuntarily she shivered at their intimate proximity. The ice cream jar slipped from her hand, and her other hand moved in reflex to catch it. But as clumsy as she was Hera misjudged the timing, and the cold contents sank onto her palms, spilling out of the jar, the ice cream numbing her hands in the process. Too lost in the sensation of his hot mouth on her skin, she couldn''t move and stayed glued to his chest.

    The jar hit Hunter''s knee, spilling the remaining portion of the ice cream on his thigh, and it didn''t help that he wore his shorts as usual. He hissed at the sudden cold sensation on his bare skin, pulling away from Hera.

    Giving him space, she moved away from him while Hunter grabbed the tissues from the paper bag, wiping the trail of melted ice cream on his skin. When he looked at Hera, she had her eyes glued to his hands, watching how they moved on his thigh. Lost in her fantasy, Hera seemed to contemte whether or not to lick his thigh clean with her tongue. Unmoving, she sat like a statue, spilt ice cream smeared on her palms..

    Hunter smirked to himself as a warm feeling rushed everywhere in his body. He knew that look too well, and his heart skipped a beat at the intensity Hera''s eyes held.

    Clearing his throat, he caught her attention, and Hera shifted her gaze back to his face. With a wolfish smile dancing on his lips, Hunter took Hera''s hands in his. Hera frowned in confusion as he brought them to his mouth. Her forest-green eyes lingered on his pink, full lips longer than necessary while his tongue darted out, licking them. She gasped when he licked her palm and Hunter smiled against her palm before putting two of her fingers into his mouth.

    Hera''s breath hitched while her heart skyrocketed in full speed. Meanwhile, her boyfriend''s tongue devoured every inch of her fingers as if it tasted sweeter than the ice cream.

    <em>''Dear God, this is so dirty! I''m not supposed to like it, right?''</em>

    Hera''s mind disputed. Contrary to her thoughts, her heart somersaulted inside, basking in the wet warmth of his searing hot mouth. His advances these days were getting more bold and rude as hell.

    <em>''How disrespectful would it appear if anyone caught us like this?''</em>

    Before he could lick her other hand, Hera jerked it away from his reach. Scowling, she searched for the water bottle in her bag. Hunter saw through her sham of a scowl how hard she''s blushing under it.

    He watched, smiling like a lovesick fool he was, while Hera made a thick mat of tissues on the floor before washing her hands into it, drenching the paper in the process. "You''re so smart," Hunter said, watching her with his heart eyes. Hera giggled, sprinkling water on his face. "You''ve ice cream smeared around your lips," he pointed the spot with his finger. Before Hera could wipe it away, he caught her hand. "May I?" Hunter asked in a whisper, and Hera silently stared as he leaned forward.

    Covering her mouth with his, Hunter licked everywhere, cleaning her lips with his hot tongue. Hera gasped into his mouth, and Hunter''s lips twitched in a smile against hers. They kept their lips locked together until they could hold their breath. Somehow, Hera felt the kiss turn dirtier too. He kissed her differently today as if he''s trying to imprint his lips on hers forever. His tongue moved so aggressively, possessing every corner of her mouth as if he''s washing off a sin out of it.

    Hera felt his chest rumbling as he struggled to breathe. Worried, Hera pulled away from the kiss only to find his eyes watering. "What''s wrong, Hunter?" She asked, wiping his tears. Instead of answering her question with words, he chose to reply with his lips. He kissed her again, showing how much she meant to him.

    Hera kissed him back, trying to keep up with his pace and let him have his fill. His tears dampened her cheeks as well, and at that exact moment, she felt it in her heart, the reason behind his distress, and she found herself guilty for not telling him the truth sooner.

    "Can you let me breathe for a second?" Hera asked, in a breathless whisper and giggled when he pulled away in a sh. Smoothing the lines of worry on his forehead with her fingers, she kissed his lips once again. Before she could voice out her question, Hunter answered it. "I''m fine, everything''s fine. I love you so much, my darling wife," he said, kissing her again.

    Hera smiled and brought their foreheads together while her palms cupped his face. "You''re lucky, the feeling''s mutual, Mr Hunter," she admitted with a sure conviction. "Of course, I''m lucky," he agreed. Hera blushed and hid her face in his chest. Hunter leaned against the wall, resuming their earlier sitting position. Pulling her into his chest, he helped her wear his woollen gloves. They sat in quiet for a while, listening to each other''s breathing rhythm.

    Hera groaned in disapproval when Hunter took out her books from the bag. "Let''s do some studying now," he said, and she pouted, fluttering hershes at him but it seemed not working this time. "Hera Hunter, pull your dirty mind out of the gutter now. Stop eye-fucking me for once and learn something useful from your books," he said, scolding her.

    Hera red at him before pinching his nipples hard, and Hunter hissed, pping her hands away.

    She scowled, hands reaching out to pinch him again. Holding her hands in his, Hunter clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Do you want me to return the favour?" He asked, no hint of yfulness detected in his tone. Hera gaped at him, then shoved him roughly before pulling her hands away from his. "Thought so," he said, grabbing her books.

    "Okay, I''m going to solve these problems now. Goddess, watch and listen carefully, learn and remember, ask if you''ve any doubt," he said, getting all serious with his tutoring business.

    Hera settled her back against his chest, once again taking her seat between his legs. Hunter opened her maths book and kept it beside him on the floor. Hera had her legs pulled up, her feet firmly nted on the floor. Hunter supported the notebook on her joined knees, and his fingers moved the pencil smoothly on the paper while he taught her the remaining maths exercises.

    One and half hourter, Hunter managed to teach her almost everything in that limited time. In between their study session, Hera muttered, "I''m sleepy," and rested her head on his chest. His fingers stroked her hair affectionately, and Hera promptly fell asleep on him. He didn''t have the heart to wake her up and pulled her more into his jacket, hugging her tightly to keep her warm in the cold.

    Sometimeter, his cell phone went off with an iing call. The shrill sound of ringing jolted him awake, and Hunter realised he''d fallen asleep as well.

    Silencing his phone, he checked Hera, and she was still fast asleep, lying on top of him, her body aligned together with his from her head to toe. Hunter was on his back t against the cold floor, and his legs felt numb because of the cold.

    He checked the time and cursed under his breath. It was almost two in the morning. No wonder Danny kept calling him. Clearing his dry throat, Hunter finally received the call. "Where the hell are you, asshole? Have you seen the time?" Danny barked into the phone.

    "Fucking shut up, Danny," Hunter said, groaning, his voice was raspy because of the sleep. "Hera and I are still in the library. We fell asleep," he said.

    "What? Are you kidding me?" He heard Danny yelling before putting aside the phone on the floor.

    Hunter rubbed his palm over his face, wiping the sleep away. He wrapped an arm around Hera''s middle, holding her securely before moving them to a sitting position. She groaned in protest and refused to wake up. Sighing, Hunter picked up the phone and spoke to Danny.

    "Stop screaming, you dick head. I''ll drop her to her room and see you in a while," he said and disconnected the call, ignoring the curse his best friend threw at him.

    When Hera refused to budge from her position and curled up more into his chest, he kissed her until she fell short of breath and opened her eyes.Whining, Hera fought with him for waking her up. When he showed her the time and made her realise how they fell asleep in the library, she med him for not waking her up sooner. Shaking his head, Hunterughed.

 Chapter 127 - Nothings Going To Change Her Mood

    Holding each other''s hand with their fingers intertwined, Hera and Hunter silently walked in the empty hallways until they reached Hera''s room.

    It''s sote, way past her bedtime, and Hera felt awkward to knock the door to her room. Resting her palm t on the locked door, she hesitated to knock. Rolling his eyes at her, Hunter did it for her, and his fist banged the door a bit harshly, earning a scowl of disapproval from her.

    Hera pursed her lips when the door opened, revealing her ex-bestie. Adding more to Hera''s embarrassment, ra''s judging eyes red at her as soon as theynded on her. Hera tried to free her hand from Hunter''s hold, but he refused to let go. Wrapping an arm around Hera''s waist, he pulled her close and kissed her full on the mouth while ra watched, hatred dripping out of her eyes..

    It was all for the show. Hunter knew Hera was neverfortable with their public disy of affection, but he went on with it anyway.

    Hera knew why he did it, for ra to see them.

    Disappearing into the room, she left them alone, and Hera looked at her boyfriend with a ''Was it necessary?'' look. To her annoyance, Hunter nodded. Shaking her head, Hera grinned in silentughter. He touched her swollen lips with his thumb, wiping the wetness around it. He seemed proud of his work, a satisfied smile gracing his lips. Hera mocked a grimace and hit his shoulder with her fist.

    "Go before anyone else sees, it''s already sote," Hera spoke in whispers. Taking her hands in his, he kissed her gloves-d knuckles one after the other. With a Goodnight kiss on her forehead, he gestured her to go in. He waited until he heard the lock clicking from inside.

    Hunter checked his call logs on his way back and cursed when he saw two missed calls from his parents. He forgot to wish them Goodnight.

    "How did I fall asleep in the goddam library?" He muttered before dialling his father''s number on the phone. He''d always been a light sleeper, but magically with his Hera in his arms, even the cold floor couldn''t stop him from falling into a deep slumber.

    Inside the room, Hera jumped on her bed as soon as she kicked her footwear off. She''d asked Eric to keep her secret until their tests get over and she would tell Hunter by herself when Eric gives her green signal.

    With all the worries tossed out of the window, Hera went to sleep with a relieved smile.

    Next day, her smile remained intact on her face the whole day. Her test paper turned out just okay, and she''s confident she would pass.

    "This short hair looks nice on you, Hera baby. You almost made me miss my little Hera with pigtails," Michael said before pulling her hair yfully. Hera swatted his hands away and tried to rearrange her hair on her shoulder. He''d deliberately messed it to irk her.

    ''No problem, Mike. You can annoy me as much as you want. Nothing''s going to change my mood today, I''m happy," Hera said, hastening her pace, a little bounce in her steps. They were on their way to the school library. Apparently one of them would tutor her again.

    Hunter was walking ahead of her with his group of friends. Hera and Michael were trailing behind, bickering with each other, busy with their usual silly fight. "Stop making that disgusting sound, you mannerless child," he said, grimacing at her pouting lips while Hera chewed a bar of caramel chocte, munching it with her open mouth, lips smacking in the process.

    "Call me a child again, and I''ll kick your groin, making sure you won''t ever be able to produce a child," Hera retaliated. Michael snorted in reply. "Can you see any of my friends right now?" He asked and confused, Hera looked ahead only to find them all gone. All of them had already reached the library. "For someone who can''t even keep up with my pace while walking, you sure talk too much. Bigmouth sh smacking disgusting lips," he said grimacing again.

    "I would like to see how you kick with these short legs. Can it even reach my groin?" Michael said and chuckled at the offended look on her face. "I don''t have short legs," she said, gritting her teeth. "Sure," came his sarcastic reply. Hera stopped in her tracks and red while he purposely increased his pace. Huffing out her anger, she charged towards him with the full intention of kicking his groin.

    Michael had already seen iting, and before Hera could lift her leg to kick him, his foot came forward jamming between hers, sessfully tripping her. Hera unceremoniously slumped on the floor while heughed, mocking her. "Did you see, Hera baby? I''m taller, quicker and smarter," he said, crouching down to her level. He jumped to his feet and quickly moved out of her reach as Hera followed behind, determined to gift him with that kick for real.

    Michael''s amusedughter echoed around the empty corridor. When he didn''t hear her footsteps, he turned over his shoulder to find Hera rooted to the spot. "What happened, baby girl? Are you tired?" He asked, jogging back to her. One look at her startled face and rmed Michael''s eyes scanned the hallway, searching for the source of her fear, and he found it immediately.

    Hera watched in stunned silence as Andrew walked out of the boys'' washroom. He was limping, face ugly with bluish bruises marring his skin. Wherever his skin was visible, Andrew had cuts and swellings. He looked sickly miserable.

    Their eyes met, and Hera took a step back in reflex. Michael was in front of her in a sh, shielding her from Andrew''s view. Hera''s eyes shifted onto Michael, and she observed how his hands formed into tight fists, and his knuckles turned white. The anger radiating from his body was hard to miss. A nerve ticked under his muzzle, and Hera knew he was grinding his teeth under his clenched firm jaw.

    When Hera looked at Andrew, he red at her with all the hatred he could muster. Hera flinched when a hand wrapped around her wrist. She visibly rxed and sighed in relief when she noticed it''s Michael''s hand. He pulled her behind him, protectively. Eyes burning with fury, Michael returned Andrew''s re. Hera didn''t miss how Andrew cowered in fear and briskly walked in the opposite direction. Yanking her hand from Michael''s hold, she marched towards the library.

    Everything clicked into ce as Hera put two and two together. She was so angry a tear escaped her eye, and Hera furiously wiped it away with the back of her hand. She barged into the library, eyes frantically searching for Eric and Hunter.

    She found them sitting in the corner of the library, their usual spot, a big round table filled with their books. Two of the eight chairs were empty, obviously one for Hera and one for Michael. Bags perched on the floor next to their chairs, they all had their olive-green uniform zers off.

    Hera''s anger only intensified when she spotted Samantha, sitting next to Hunter with her head resting on his shoulder. He was busy writing something in the book while Danny dictated from the fat textbook in his hands.

    "Bitch, you won''t ever spare a chance of being your slut self, would you?" Hera spat in anger as she neared their table, eyes sharply fixed on Samantha, the resentment in her tone very obvious. "Hera?" Evelyn called for her, disapproval dripping from her voice. Samantha shot daggers through her eyes while Bianca just stared at Hunter as if contemting if she should interfere or not.

    Hunter silently stared at Hera, waiting to hear the reason for her disturbance. Eyes infuriated, she red at him, and Hunter frowned in response. It couldn''t be because of Samantha, he knew it. Ignoring him for a few seconds, Hera looked pointedly at Eric, who sat next to Evelyn.

    "You told him," Hera stated usingly at Eric before returning her attention to Hunter. "You promised you wouldn''t hurt my friends, yet you did that to Andrew. He looked so broken. How can you break your promise to me?" Hera asked. Now the softness in Hunter''s eyes disappeared in a sh as his features shifted into a rigid angry one. Without answering the question, he nkly stared at her.

    "He didn''t," she heard her brother Danny saying matter-of-factly, his demeanour calm and collected. "We did. Ace didn''t touch him," Michael said, appearing behind Danny. He looked mad and threw his zer on the chair. "He deserved more than what we did to him," he added, mming his fist on the table. Eric scolded Michael to control his anger, reminding him they were in the library.

    "What''s happening? Will someone exin to me? I''m clueless here," Evelyn said. Hera ignored everyone and nervously gulped when she saw how Hunter''s lips twitched into a smile. "I''m also clueless here, Evie," he said, addressing Evelyn, but held his gaze focused on Hera.

 Chapter 128 - The Feeling Of Being Useless

    "Tell me, Hera, why are you using me when I didn''t touch your precious friend?" Hunter asked, still keeping his calm. He wasn''t shouting, nor he looked angry, but Hera braced herself anyway, awaiting his falseposed demeanour to copse. "Did he do something which I''m not aware of?" He asked, faking an intrigued tone and Hera didn''t miss the mockery behind it.

    Hera was speechless, her anger reced with worry now. She was clueless about how to exin herself without fueling his fury. "Can we not talk about it here?" She asked timidly, keeping her voice low, eyes cast down. Startled, she stepped back when Danny stood up, the chair causing that ugly screeching sound before he kicked it with his foot in anger. Then the chair toppled over..

    "Boys, you''re student council members, please behave," they heard the librarian say in disapproval. Eric nodded apologetically at the kind woman. With a tired sigh, he pulled Hera towards him before offering her a seat next to him. Hunter was still seated in his chair, his temper surprisingly, still intact.

    Evelyn held on to Danny''s arm and pulled him back when he prepared to leave. Bianca too showed genuine interest after seeing her friends'' reactions and asked Danny to exin. He only shook his head, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. Michael spoke and told them everything.

    That day when Hera cried with an excuse of failing her tests, Danny silently left as if unbothered by her tears and Michael followed him. But the truth was he saw her running into the girls'' washroom, wiping her eyes furiously. She came from the opposite direction of her ssroom. Danny noticed she entered the building from the back entrance, and that was suspicious enough.

    When she lied to Hunter, it confirmed she''s was hiding something because Danny knew his sister too well. When Hera lies, she always avoids looking into the eyes. Danny and Michael''s search led them to one of her best friends, crying and kicking the ground in anger, and they didn''t want to believe the first thought that entered their mind.

    <em>''He was her best friend and wouldn''t attempt anything immoral with her, right?''</em>

    Danny had thought, and as if reading his mind, Michael''s eyes held the same question.

    Ignoring his instinct, Danny could''ve ruled it out as a typical silly dispute between friends, but Andrew spoke digging his own grave. He''d mocked how Hera had sent her bodyguards to fight him. "Yes, Daniel, I touched your sister. What''ll you do now, kill me?" He''d asked with a mocking chuckle. As soon as he admitted touching his sister, Danny lost his senses, and with one solid hard punch, he broke nose. Both he and Michael beat him to their satisfaction.

    Danny was enjoying it too much when Michael stopped him. His buddy had stated that Hunter deserved to get his hands on Andrew as well and he''d sessfully convinced him not to kill him before that. They hid it from Hunter because Danny wanted to give Hera a chance to tell him by herself.

    "Be d that we didn''t kill him yet," Michael said with a grimace as if disappointed in himself for not doing that.

    "Why would you hide something like this, Hera? You should''ve reported him immediately," Evelyn spoke after listening to the full story. Hera was more angry than worried now because Hunter didn''t open his mouth yet. Frustration was wing at her skin. "Because it''s my choice and only I should have the right to decide," Hera offered as her defence.

    She saw through her peripheral vision how Bianca shook her head in disagreement. "What''s wrong is wrong, Hera. You shouldn''t protect him," she said as if she understood Hera''s reasons. Hera nced at her in surprise.

    "Maybe, it''s okay because he''s her friend. Hera doesn''t mind him touching her, I guess?" Samantha said, mocking her with her amusedughter. "Shut the fuck up, Sam, or get the hell out of here," Danny snapped in anger, gritting his teeth.

    "Or maybe it''s a precious memory she wanted to keep to herself," Hunter said bitingly, tone harsh and sarcasm dripping from his every word. Finally, he''d reacted, and Hera saw the mask slipping. Hera watched, holding her breath while Hunter stood up, grabbed his jacket from the armrest of the chair, and picked up his bag ready to storm out. "I''ll report him," Hera said hurriedly. Hunter mocked a smile, "Thanks, so nice of you," he spat before walking out of the library.

    Hera ran after him calling his name for the ninth time, but he didn''t stop. His pace so fast she couldn''t keep up and jogged after him. He looked so furious, Hera was afraid to touch him.

    "Oh, for fuck''s sake," Hera cursed when she discovered he''s walking to the parking lot. "Are you kidding me? Out of all the day, he''s to chose to bring his car today? It''s hardly ten minutes walk from the dormitory to our school!" She eximed in frustration before running at full speed to stop him.

    Panting hard, she jumped into the passenger seat as soon as he opened the lock to his ck Range Rover. She watched through the ss as Hunter muttered a curse. He tossed his zer inside along with his bag and mmed the door shut. To Hera''s shock, he didn''t get in the car but walked towards the bleachers.

    "Fuck, fuck, fuck," Hera kept cursing as she followed him. "I''m done with the running quota for the day. I need to save what little energy left in me to fight with you," she said, attempting to humour him but in vain. Loosening his tie, he red at her while Hera slumped herself on the bleachers. "I promise I''ll report him. But wait until the tests get over. Facing him so soon would disturb me," she said, hoping he would agree.

    Hands shoved in his pockets, he finally turned, standing directly in front of her. The breeze ruffled his hair, messing it thoroughly, and the fringe covered his forehead. With his tie loosely hanging, shirt tucked into the waistband of his pants, he looked so hot, like a young, billionaire businessman from romance novels. Hera wished she could move her fingers in his hair, brushing it back to its ce. She felt disappointed when he did it by himself.

    "Just because you''re being generous and agreed to report him, don''t think I''ll spare him. I''m not as generous as you''re," he said, again mockery dumped at Hera.

    "This is why I was afraid to tell you. I don''t want to witness a repeat episode of Nate," she admitted in a low voice. Hunter scoffed, tearing his eyes off her as he looked away. "What Nathan did was nothing inparison to what Andrew did," Hunter said, kicking the nonexistent stone. "And you expect me to not to touch that bastard?" He chuckled humourlessly and shook his head. "Not happening, Goddess," he stated.

    Mouth agape, Hera stared, not knowing how to convince him. She wished she could cry and melt his heart with her sad eyes. Her tears always made him give up to her wishes. But to her distress, tears wouldn''te now when she needed them because she couldn''t fake it for the love of God. She couldn''t use it against him while she''s at fault and guilty.

    "Do you know what it feels when the person you love the most doesn''t trust you?" He asked, and Hera stared at him hurt and offended. "Of course I trust you, Hunter," she was quick to disagree, but he shook his head as if she lied to him. "You always know when I lie, Hunter," she said, and he smiled.

    "Exactly, Goddess, that''s the problem. I knew it when you lied. Do you know how much it hurts when you know that something is wrong with your lover and they don''t trust you enough to tell you the truth?" He asked, and the paincing his tone only added more to her guilt. He looked away, turning his back to her. Hera wanted to reach out and pull him into her arms but didn''t dare to do it. She couldn''t afford to interfere and upset him further. So she waited and patiently listened while he spoke.

    "You don''t understand, Goddess, how it feels when you know someone dared to hurt your girl and you weren''t there to protect her. Do you know what I went through when I saw you crying? When you flinched at my touch," he paused. Crouching down on his heels, he took her hands and finally saw the fading bruises on her wrists. His chest expanded as he took a deep breath, and Hera could see how hard he''s trying to fight his anger. "I didn''t flinch at your touch, Hunter, I winced because it hurt," Hera admitted.

    "I felt so useless because I couldn''t protect you. You didn''t tell me the truth, and it made me so helpless. I so desperately wanted to chase away your worries, your fears, and to soothe your pain, but you wouldn''t let me," he confessed, sounding so hurt.

 Chapter 129 - Keep It To PG Level

    "You did, Hunter. You always do," Hera said, removing her hands from his hold only to cup his face in her palms. The anger shone brightly in his eyes, darkening the shade of his purple orbs. He let his guard down, revealing the hurt he''d been hiding for so long, and Hera couldn''t bear seeing how vulnerable he appeared. He was her strength, her guardian angel. He''s feeling so low and helpless, and she hated that she brought this upon him.

    "You''ve always kept me safe, Hunter. Your presence is enough to chase away my fears, and your touch magically erases all my worries. Your smile heals all my pain, and I never felt safer anywhere other than in your arms," Hera admitted, brushing her lips softly on his forehead. "I didn''t tell you the truth only because," she paused, inhaling deeply. Hera tried to search the right words, framing her sentence in her mind, rehearsing before voicing it out.

    "Andrew is my friend, like how Nate had been once. I never wanted them to get hurt, nor I wished to be the root cause of their sufferings.. Just like how you felt helpless because you couldn''t be there for me, I feel guilty if he gets hurt because of me even though he''s at fault. I wasn''t protecting Andrew just because he''s my friend. I hid the truth from you only to protect you from getting hurt. I don''t want his blood on your hand," Hera was saying, but stopped when Hunter pulled away from her.

    Of course, he wouldn''t agree with her reasons. "Your time''s up," he said, taking her wrist in his hand. Hera sighed in annoyance. He wouldn''t listen to her. Now Eric was her only hope. She let him pull her to her feet, and they walked back to his car. Hera couldn''t help trying her luck once again.

    "Nate''s using eyes keeps haunting me, you know," she started, but Hunter didn''t pay any heed. He kept walking, pulling her along. "I couldn''t forget the look on his face as if I betrayed him. I sometimes get nightmares of that day when you," before Hera could finish that sentence, Hunter turned abruptly, and she collided into his chest. She bit her lip, and her eyebrows rose while she nervously studied the building anger in his eyes.

    Hunter''s jaw clenched while he stared her down, gritting his teeth. Hera took a step back and gulped.

    <em>''I hate you right now, Nate. I wish I could undo befriending you.''</em>

    The regret pinched at her heart. Hera''s free hand reached out to touch his face. He was frowning with such intensity, she wanted to erase his stress lines, but he backed off. His rejection stung, but she swallowed her pride.

    "What did you say, Hera? As if you betrayed him?" He asked, tone ironic. Hera took a step closer to him. He''d his fingers still wrapped around her wrist, and she ced her palm t on his chest, a subtle attempt at appeasing his anger. "He''s the one who betrayed. What great friends you''ve, Hera!" He chuckled, mocking their so-called friendship.

    "Nathan was the one who yed dirty, and now Andrew, both of them were using you to their advantage in the guise of friendship. You never saw their true nature," he said, shaking his head in disappointment. Hera couldn''t deny, Hunter was right. "Goddess, I would die with self-loathing if I let that fucking cunt walk away, unharmed," he swore, and Hera helplessly shook her head, wishing he would let go of his anger.

    "Let the school authorities take action against him, Hunter. Didn''t I agree to report him? Please listen to me?" She pleaded, but in vain.

    "I''m done with your bargain offer, Goddess. Let it go it''s not interesting me in the least," he said in a detached tone and let go of her wrist. Hera speechlessly watched while Hunter marched towards his car in no time and jumped into the driver''s seat. Fastening his seatbelt, he honked the horn twice, a wordlessmand for her to get in. Huffing her annoyance out, Hera obeyed.

    A few minutester, they reached their dormitory, and Hunter left without even acknowledging her presence. Shocked, Hera stood rooted to the spot.

    <em>''What the fuck just happened? He fucking ignored me as if I''m invisible!''</em>

    Frustrated, Hunter groaned. He''d had enough already. Now Eric won''t let him breathe in peace.

    "Drop it, Eric, stop acting like a saint. You aren''t fooling anyone here. It''s not like we haven''t drawn blood before," Hunter snapped at his best friend. He was trying to do what Hera couldn''t, to convince Hunter not to harm Andrew. But it wouldn''t work. Hunter''s fingers itched to strangle Andrew to death, and he couldn''t wait.

    "Come on, Ace, we''re grown-ups now. I don''t want our fathers toe running to our rescue if we get in trouble with thew. We live in a foreignnd, Ace and we don''t make the rules here," Eric reasoned, trying to put sense into his brain. He knew, how senseless his best friend could get when blinded with anger.

    "Then don''t involve yourself, Eric. No one''s asking you to fucking join hands with us," Danny spat out the words in rage. "Actually, I don''t need any of you. I know how to handle that wanker myself," he said, looking at Hunter with distrust filled eyes. Because he''s upset, Eric could make Hunter do his bidding.

    Danny knew Hera was to me. She''d managed to convince Eric somehow, and when Eric Costa decides to speak sensibly, no one could outsmart that genius Lawyer genes in his blood.

    Hunter scowled at Danny with a ''What did I do?'' look. Before they could put their thoughts into words, Danny''s phone went off. Pursing his lips in displeasure, he walked out on them choosing to answer his call in private.

    Michael snorted. Pushing himself off his bed, he sat on the chair,propping his feet up on his study table. "When has that stopped us? Eric, we don''t make rules. For the record, we''re rule breakers, both literally and figuratively speaking," Michael said matter-of-factly.

    Folding his arms around his chest, Eric exhaled. He was leaning against Michael''s desk, facing him directly. So it was easy to re at Michael before Eric fixed his gaze on Hunter.

    "I''ve given my word to Hera that I''ll keep you from harming that bugger, and I don''t want to disappoint her," he said, looking at Hunter. "Hera won''t forgive you if you repeat Nathan''s incident. Let''s not scare her anymore. She''d seen enough, Ace," he suggested. Hunter shook his head, and his eyes held a clear disy of disagreement.

    "Eric, you''re not changing my mind on this, so please quit it. Don''t make me say something I''ll regretter," Hunter said. "I don''t care what you said to Hera. That boy is not going to escape this," Hunter said with finality. Giving up, Eric nodded. "At least, can you wait until the authorities decide?" He asked. Before Hunter could object, he held up his palm to stop him.

    "The other day, Hera mentioned how we talk about killing so casually as if it''s our day-to-day things. I''m sure you wouldn''t want her to know your real identity yet," Eric stated. Meanwhile, closing his eyes shut with a frustrated groan, Hunter dropped back onto his bed where he was seated. He heard Michaelughing at his distress.

    "You only have to wait until he gets expelled. Don''t think we have the smart brain for nothing. Let''s not be dumb and put our smartness to great use, okay. Let Hera believe he left the school safe and sound. Once he''s out of SPALEV High, he''s all yours," Eric dered defeatedly, and Hunter opened his eyes, a smile making its way onto his lips. But he noticed the look on Eric''s face and knew he would add a ''but'' to his deration.

    Proving him right, Eric started his next phrase with that same word. "But, keep it to PG level. Break a few of his bones, smash his flesh a bit, a little blood to draw and that''s it. You''re not going to kill him. I don''t want any R-rated level of bloodshed," he finished. Hunter inclined his head. It would do for the time being.

    And time yed hard against him, refusing to sumb. Hunter counted days, hours and minutes until their tests came to an end. Reluctantly Hera reported what Andrew did. The authorities called for his parents'' presence. Hera panicked to face it alone and was scared of the oue, but thankfully Hunter and Danny were allowed to stay with her inside, the perks of being the student council president and vice president.

    With all this unpleasant chaos taking ce, Hera was grateful for one thing. Her brother stood up for her for the first time in her life ever, ying the perfect protective brother she''d always longed to have. He didn''t utter a word tofort her, but Hera felt the deep-rooted affection he''d kept hidden from her. She discovered how much he cared for her.

 Chapter 130 - She Saved His Life

    <strong>AT CASTELLANOS MANSION,</strong>

    Another day for Johnathan to mark in his life. By now, death seemed more enchanting than the sinful life he''s living. Johnathan held back the anger bubbling inside. He couldn''t wait to get out of his father''s sight.

    After he met with stair, it was his father''s turn to scrutinise and criticise him, but he''s used to the notion of getting grilled mercilessly by Christopher. It''d almost be second nature to him, but only his words burned harsher than the fire. Head bent, eyes downcast, Johnathan was good at pretending to listen.

    "Where did you meet Alexander''s son?" Christopher asked. Johnathan was startled at the sudden question, but masked the shock immediately with a look of confusion. He''d prepared himself for the queries about his disappearance from the country. But never expected his father asking about anything rted to Alexander. The King appeared to be nonchnt, but Johnathan knew his father better..

    Christopher Castenos hated Alexander to the core, and if he suddenly developed an interest in his son, there could only be one hidden motive. He wanted to get his hold on Alexander''s weakness. They''d caused enough damage to Felicity and Alexander''s life, and Johnathan wouldn''t agree to any of his father''s absurd demands from now. He wouldn''t be a pawn in his dirty game anymore.

    He knew his father had his men monitor his every move just as his brother did. So he couldn''t lie about his visit to London. He would rather die than sabotage the safety of Felicity''s son. Though he was worried about his father finding Ace Hunter, he knew for sure, Christopher wouldn''t dare to touch that boy. Alexander would skin him alive if his father even looked at him.

    "Why would you think I met Alexander''s son? How would I know where he is?" He asked in reply. His father scoffed, fixing him with an ''I know everything'' look. Johnathan remained unaffected and bravely declined every assumption and usation. "I visited a few orphanages and schools to offer financial support. I''m sure your spies reported that already," he said with disinterest, mimicking his father''s rxed demeanour.

    Johnathan was more afraid of Christopher discovering about Hera''s existence. He''d worked so hard for years to keep Hera alive, and if Christopher reached her before Alexander, God knows what would happen.

    "Alexander said he would kill you the next time he gets his hands on you. How many times should I bow my head before him in defeat? I''m tired of losing against him and all because my worthless son couldn''t take responsibility and fulfil his duty for once," finally, Christopher gave up the pretence of a caring father and snapped at Johnathan.

    <em>''So the devil already issued a warning of his arrival.''</em>

    Johnathan bit back a smile. He knew how much Alexander intimidated his father. He could only wish for Alexander to reach Hera before his father could harm her.

    "Should I keep begging him for your pathetic life? Why couldn''t you do as told and stay away from him?" Christopher shouted at him, his frustration reaching its peak. Johnathan smiled, satisfied at his father''s dismay. "You don''t have to worry about my life. If dying in the hands of Alexander would ease my guilt or wash my sins, I would dly volunteer," Johnathan said and stood up from his seat.

    "With your permission, Your Majesty," he said and bowed before his father. Meanwhile, the King watched in condemnation as his son left his study.

    Johnathan was tired to the bones when he went to bed. Changing into his night attire, he switched all the lights off.

    Everything around him seemed soaked in the orange light illuminating the bedroom. The only source of light he''d left on, came from the tablemp.

    A silhouette appeared before him until he could recognise the outline of the person as Myra.

    The woman had the most expensive silk robe on, dressed for the bed. She walked, swaying her hip elegantly and a warm smile yed on her lips. No doubt she looked pretty as a picture. But she wasn''t enough for him as his heart never stopped craving for Felicity. He couldn''t love any other woman while she upied the throne in his heart.

    Johnathan closed his eyes and turned to his side, pretending to fall asleep. But he couldn''t dodge the look of hurt and disappointment crossing Myra''s beautiful face before he closed his eyes. He was guilty of not providing thefort and love a woman craves from her husband. His broken heart wouldn''t agree to settle for anyone other than Felicity.

    Even now, when Myra appeared from the closet and walked towards his bed, all he could see was Felicity walking to him. Hallucinating Felicity had be an incurable disease which he embraced warm-heartedly. He didn''t ever wish to rece her either. It had always been her, and Johnathan wouldn''t want it any other way.

    The scenes from his past started ying behind his closed eyelids, and each of it highlighting her presence. Johnathan didn''t know if it''s a hallucination or he''s going crazy, but he didn''t want this sorcery to end.

    He could endure anything if it meant seeing her beautiful face.

    Like every other night, he saw Felicity once again. She was walking in slow steps as though lifting her feet caused her pain. She looked so fragile, tired and weak. He couldn''t help but worry for her, and he knew, it was his entire fault.

    As their eyes met, Johnathan gulped in fear, fear of getting caught and proved guilty in front of her. She removed her gaze off him only to look at Alexander. As her eyes roamed around her wrecked home, terror written all over her face, Johnathan wished he could undo everything he''d done that day.

    Alexander carefully carried Felicity in his arms and ced her on the soft sofa, adjusting the cushion behind her. She didn''t need to voice out her thoughts. He''d revealed everything before she could ask. Alexander neither lied, nor tried to hide the truth from her.

    Johnathan was beyond shocked while Alexander briefed everything exactly how it happened as though he was there, sitting between Johnathan and Baresi twins, listening to their n.

    He knew every single detail of their n. He knew how Marco and Franco, the Baresi brothers, nned to kill him and kidnap his son and how Johnathan was their pass to breach his security team. He exined how Johnathan had drugged her coffee, which caused her unconsciousness.

    Much to Alexander''s frustration, his wife shook her head in dismissal. Despite all the details provided, Felicity adamantly refused to believe Johnathan could be guilty of Alexander''s usations. It broke his heart further because she was fighting with her husband for his sake. She cast aside the issue of drugged coffee as if it didn''t matter to her one bit, as if it didn''t make any sense.

    When Johnathan finally dared to look at her, she was battling hard to keep her eyes open. Though tears were streaming down her cheeks, the drowsiness of the drug didn''t wear off yet. "You need to rest, Felci, please let me take care of you. We''ll talk about itter," Alexander said and ignoring her weak attempt at the refusal, he lifted her into his arms.

    Johnathan could see Alexander''s broad back through the open door of their bedroom as he carefully ced Felicity on the bed.

    The team of doctors waited in the living room, giving the privacy the husband and wife required. They were more than happy to avoid Alexander''s vicinity for as long as they could prolong after grasping the dangerous atmosphere surrounding them.

    Alexander cupped Felicity''s face and whispered soothing words, all the while leaving a trail of sweet kisses on her cheeks. It was painful to watch their interaction, so affectionate, so intimate, Johnathan felt his heart bleed. He looked away from them though he couldn''t help listening to their conversation. He heard the fit Felicity threw at her husband in their bedroom.

    Involuntarily, his eyes moved, and he chanced a nce at them again. Felicity shoved at Alexander''s shoulders with her soft hands, trying to free herself from his hold but he only pulled her more into his chest. She wasn''t bothered the least bit about being discreet while she fought with Alexander.

    He watched while Alexander left her on the bed for a few seconds. When he returned to her side, he held a ss of water in his hand. Felicity drank half of the contents in one go, and Alexander wiped her lips with his thumb. Setting the ss on the nightstand, he walked to the door only to shut it close.

    Felicity''s eyes met with Johnathan''s for a brief second, but before he could read emotion in them, Alexander''s sword-like sharp eyes pierced into his. Johnathan sighed exhausted, and Felicity''s face disappeared behind the door.

    Johnathan breathed out another sigh. Had Felicity not interrupted, he would''ve died by this time. Alexander wouldn''t have wasted another second more before drilling the bullets into his head. She saved his life for the time being.

 Chapter 131 - Who Convinced Who

    Sebastian hummed his response through the speaker of his cell phone. He paced in the living room as he listened attentively to the caller. However, his alert and cautious, eagle-like sharp eyes never once shifted from Johnathan.

    Johnathan had no clue who he''d been speaking to, but as soon as he disconnected the call, he marched towards him. The intensity of his anger from earlier had only doubled if that''s even possible. Johnathan cowered back on instinct. Sebastian crouched down on his heels and grabbed Johnathan''s hair in his fist, roughly yanking his head back. "Quick question and it''d be in your favour if you answer quickly too," he said warning beforehand.

    "I need your cell phone. Where''s it?" He asked. Johnathan gulped. "I don''t have it with me. It must be in my vi.. I think I forgot to carry it," he replied, lying so effortlessly.

    <em>''Maybe lyinges naturally to people when subjected to violence.''</em>

    He hoped the man in front of him would buy his lies easily too.

    "You think your royal brain is smarter than usmon people, don''t you?"Sebastian asked with a sneer, but shockingly, he didn''t opt for violence anymore. "You know what? It''s one of your luckiest days," he said before pulling himself up, and Johnathan watched with a bewildered look on his face while Sebastian upied a seat on the sofa. His gun no more hanging above Johnathan''s head.

    It felt as if hours had passed, but the truth was he''d only spent a few minutes when the door to Alexander''s bedroom opened, and he made himself visible to Johnathan.

    Alexander exchanged looks with Sebastian beforeing face to face with Johnathan. Whatever wordlessmand he issued through his eyes, it seemed Sebastian understood. Sticking the gun into the waistband of his pants, he walked out. A few of Alexander''s men followed out while others stayed with their boss.

    When Johnathan dared to look into Alexander''s eyes, he looked beyond frustrated. Johnathan didn''t dare to breathe and gulped in fear. The cold fury in Alexander''s eyes stayed intact even when his lips twitched into a smile. "Words of wisdom, John, keep your brain shut along with your mouth if you want to stay alive," Alexander said. It scared the hell out of Johnathan.

    Though Alexander''s voice was soft, tone neutral as if speaking to a friend, Johnathan felt the threat, his smiling lips and predatory eyes promised.

    Johnathan was confused at Alexander''s so-called words of wisdom. Didn''t he say earlier that Johnathan would die if he kept his mouth shut? It took a while for him to understand what Alexander actually meant. He would die if he used his brain to think his escape or sabotage Alexander''s attempts to rescue his family.

    <em>''What are you nning, Alexander? What goes on in that brain of yours?''</em>

    Johnathan''s mind went crazy, analysing Alexander''s every move.

    Ever since both husband and wife had their conversation behind that closed door, Alexander might havee to some conclusion. Johnathan couldn''t hear them once Alexander shut the door to their bedroom. They spoke in hushed tones. Who convinced who?

    <em>''Did Felicity convince Alexander or did Alexander change her mind?''</em>

    He needed to know their n. His knee started shaking with nerves as he got more and more impatient. Alexander noticed and scoffed. "It''s okay, John, take a seat on the sofa and rx. I''m not going to kill you. ns changed for the time being," he said, gesturing him to get up from the floor.

    Johnathan quietly observed everything while Alexander spoke to the doctor before he collected medicines for Felicity. He listened attentively while the doctor exined the procedures and the precautions to follow. Sebastian took out a bundle of notes, and the doctors got rewarded generously for their service before they got dismissed.

    A few minutester, Felicity emerged from her room dressed in a beautiful ck and sandy brown skirt and top, a one-piece dress with full-arm sleeves, that fitted her form perfectly and rested right above her knees. A ck coloured clutch in hand, her strawberry blonde hair tied into a tight ponytail, ck heels d feet moved slowly but gracefully, as she covered the distance to reach Alexander.

    Everything faded into a mist as Johnathan watched her smilezily at her husband. Her face makeup-free and her lips curved into a beautiful pout as her naturally soft, cherry red, heart-shaped mouth stretched. Alexander dropped a light kiss on her forehead before hiding her hypnotising eyes behind the pink shaded, big rectangr sses.

    No one could tell she''s the same woman who had shed tears for her child and looked so weak and distressed a while ago.

    Johnathan could see the unconditional love filled in Alexander''s eyes for her, and her gaze held so much pride and trust in them for him. Johnathan wished if only he could be at the receiving end of her devotion.

    "Ready?" Alexander asked Felicity as Sebastian threw his thumb over his shoulder, motioning him it''s time to proceed. Felicity turned around, a soft smile ying on her lips.

    She was breathtakingly beautiful and sure took Johnathan''s breath away.

    "Are youing, John?" She asked. Two men carried their luggage while two other men stood behind Johnathan, guns ready in their hands.

    <em>''As if I have a choice.''</em>

    Johnathan followed them into the car. One of their men settled himself behind the wheel, while Sebastian took the passenger seat. Alexander sat beside Felicity after helping her into the back seat. Johnathan had to sit in another car with Alexander''s men.

    An hourter, sat on the small couch was Felicity nursing a cup of hot coffee in her hands, a loaded target pistol resting beside her.

    Johnathan still couldn''t understand what had Alexander been thinking.

    Keeping all his sense organs on high alert, Johnathan had been grasping onto every word that came out of Alexander''s mouth as he spoke to his men. Their n was so urate. It didn''t take more than twenty minutes for them to find the whereabouts of Baresi brothers.

    Alexander left Felicity in a small motel on the highway, of course, bodyguards with loaded weapons surrounded her. He thought it would be safer in a small ce full of people as it would draw less attention and would be easier for his men to keep her safe in public. Johnathan was amazed at how confident, bright, and fearless Felicity appeared even without Alexander''s presence.

    She carried herself with much arrogance like the rich heiress she was, quite contrary to her previous vulnerable self. Though he admired her brave and poised appearance, Johnathan couldn''t stop the envious feeling. He realised, her heart and her emotions were unguarded only for Alexander to behold. Without his presence, she wore this unbothered, uncaring persona only to shield herself from everyone else.

    Alexander had booked thergest room avable in that small motel. Two of his guards stayed inside while two others guarded the door. Johnathan could bet he''d the whole motel surrounded by his men. He wondered how he''d arranged such tight security in this foreign territory within minutes.

    <em>''No wonder the devil ruled wherever he visited.''</em>

    He''d heard Alexander promising Felicity that his return wouldn''t take more than an hour and he would be back with their baby very soon. Johnathan wondered how did Alexander even think of leaving her alone. It was so unlike him to let Johnathan even breathe the same air as Felicity after suspecting him of betrayal.

    Johnathan knew one thing for sure the Baresi brothers wouldn''t see another day.

    "Here, this is yours," Felicity said, pushing the cup of coffee on the small coffee table towards Johnathan. He grimaced after seeing the dark brown liquid. He heard Felicityugh and brought his gaze to her. "Sorry if it doesn''t suit your taste. I didn''t make it and if you''re hesitating for other reasons, rest assured, it''s not drugged," she offered her defence.

    Johnathan looked perplexed as he couldn''t tell if she genuinely cared or mocking the sincerity of his friendship by offering that exnation. The way she smiled at him made him nervous. Johnathan leaned back, straightened his posture and inhaled deeply. "Don''t tell me you''re doubting my innocence and suspecting my involvement in all this," he said, trying to keep expression neutral.

    Felicity turned her head to the side to look at the guard speaking on his phone. It was Sebastian''s call checking the safety of Felicity every few minutes as per Alexander''s instruction. Johnathan needed to call Rouvin, but he didn''t have his phone.

    "I''m really sorry, Felicity that this is happening to your family. But please understand I have nothing to do with this. Alexander is suspecting the wrong person. I have an important meeting to attend, Felicity. Would you ask your guards to let me go?" He requested. "I promise I''ll help in finding your daughter in whatever way I can," he added as if offering favour. Felicity smiled in reply, but Johnathan noticed how it didn''t reach her eyes.

    "Why did you do it, John?" She asked, cut straight to the point just like her husband. Johnathan stared, speechless for a few seconds.

 Chapter 132 - What Did She Bargain His Life With

    "You can''t believe your crazy husband, Felicity," Johnathan snapped, losing his cool.

    She only chuckled, ridiculing his using tone. "John, if my Alexander says you''re guilty, then you''re guilty," she said, dering her verdict. The confidence in her eyes shone bright, proving how much Alexander''s words meant to her. She trusted him with all her might. Even though it''s the truth, Johnathan felt hurt and looked at her in disbelief.

    "Then why were you arguing with him? You fought with him defending my innocence in this conspiracy," he reminded her, his frustration reaching its limit. "I thought you genuinely trusted me and valued my life because of our friendship. It felt so good to assume you care about me too," he said, feeling disappointed.

    "Don''t you get it, John? I was protecting your life," Felicity said, giving him a sad smile. Pursing his lips, Johnathan clenched his fists and looked away for a brief second. When he met her gaze again, he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.. He felt speechless. "Of course, I care about you, John. If your friendship didn''t mean important to me, why would I try to save your life?" She asked, resentment dripping from her voice.

    "It''s useless if I ask how could you do this to me or why did you do this, h h h, because nothing you offer as your reason would justify your actions, John. I don''t care how helpless you''re under your father''s tyranny. But you shouldn''t have joined hands with him, John," she said, shaking her head in disappointment. "You assisted my enemies in kidnapping my children, and I''ll never forgive you for that," she voiced out. Johnathan was still quiet and had his head ducked in shame.

    "Never thought you would hurt me like this though," she admitted in a low whisper.

    Atst, Johnathan found some nerve to face her using eyes and spoke. "If you knew I was the culprit and trusted your husband''s every word, then why did you pretend otherwise and fought with him?" He felt like a child fighting for his favourite toy, silly and kiddish. But he couldn''t avoid this jealousy.

    "I told you I was saving your life. If not, do you think Alexander would''velet you breathe for a second more?" She asked rhetorically. Johnathan scoffed, anger building up in his chest. "It would''ve been less painful if you''d let me die instead and I don''t think that devil is so foolish to kill me without finding out the whereabouts of his daughter," he spat out the words in pure hatred.

    Felicity shook her head and ignored the jealous fit he threw. She rubbed her temples with her fingers in a circr motion, and her eyes pinched shut as her headache intensified. Johnathan''s chest ached with guilt at that sight.

    "If you knew, then why did your husband leave you alone with me? What did you bargain my life with?" He asked, curiosity written all over his face. "Howe Alexander is not scared of losing you? How do you know I won''t kill you?" He spoke using a hypothetical tone, earning a smile from Felicity.

    He heard it before he saw it. The guard who stood behind her with his hands sped behind his back moved in a lightning speed. Johnathan saw the gun in his hand as he aimed it directly at him, finger hovering over the trigger point. Another guard standing a few feet away to his right side was in front of him before Johnathan could even blink. Thankfully, they didn''t pull the trigger, and Johnathan was very grateful for they looked at Felicity for permission.

    The guards moved back, returning to their previous positions as Felicity didn''t show any sign of acknowledgement. "This headache is killing me," she muttered under her breath. The guard behind her moved and immediately brought her a ss of water. "Keeping hydrated helps with the headache and caffeine works fine too," he said, pointing at her coffee cup. He also produced a coldpress to apply to her head and neck.

    Felicity rolled her eyes, though a smile graced her lips. Her husband had made them memorise everything the doctor advised. Her poor bodyguards had to babysit her as per hismand. She sighed, lifting the coffee cup to her lips.

    "So you''refortable around me only because of your guards," Johnathan stated, catching her attention again. She shook her head in denial. "Maybe because I''m stupid enough to trust stair''s brother, even after what you did," she answered, shrugging nonchntly. Her reply irked him more as if someone rubbed salt over his wounds.

    <em>''All I''m to you is just that, stair''s brother.''</em>

    A whileter, Alexander called, and Felicity wouldn''t stop beaming. Why would she? Her husband said he''d found his enemies and sessfully retrieved his daughter from their clutch. Felicity heard the sweet gurgling of her baby as Alexander cooed at her. Her tired eyes shimmered as tears of happiness flew out.

    Alexander didn''t say what he did to the Baresi twins, and Felicity didn''t ask either. But Johnathan heard the loud cry of agony in the background through the speaker of the phone. It was Marco''s voice begging Alexander to spare his brother''s life as Franco, his twin brother, screamed in sheer horror.

    As soon as the call ended, Johnathan leapt to his feet, but the guards stopped him from reaching Felicity.

    "For God''s sake, Felicity, ask them to stay away. Don''t forget I''m a royalty and your husband would face the consequences," he said. It wasn''t his intention to issue a threat. It was his frustration and anger speaking. He knew, threatening her would only bring him more trouble.

    "Ask them to let me go, Felicity. Your husband is bringing your child home. What am I waiting here for?" He asked, yelling in anger. He couldn''t afford to fail his father in this mission. He couldn''t let Alexander win this. "I''m sorry, John, I can''t do that," Felicity spoke. "You can''t leave until Alexander returns, but don''t worry, John, you''re safe. I promise I won''t let Alexander touch you," she assured him. It only angered him more.

    "I don''t need your help or your pity, you self-centred, selfish woman," he shouted at her and Felicity stood up from the couch and moved closer to the guard on instinct as he advanced towards her. The guards drew out their guns, ready to pull the trigger. rmed, Felicity screamed not to shoot, drawing the guards'' attention to her.

    It all happened within a few seconds, as soon as the guards'' attention wavered, Johnathan jumped on the couch and grabbed Felicity''s pistol. Before she could stop him, he''d fired and killed her bodyguards. Two bullets pierced right through their heart, and Johnathan couldn''t be any more proud. "Right on target," he muttered. Felicity watched shell-shocked while heughed maniacally.

    He brought the endpoint of the pistol''s attached silencer to his mouth and blew air on it for the added effect as a viin in the movies would do.

    "What the fuck, John! What did you do?" Felicity asked after her shock wore off. Johnathan walked to her where she was crouched down, checking the pulse of her guard. She grabbed the gun from the dead guard''s hand as he neared her.

    "You didn''t have to do this, Johnathan. If Alexander," she was saying, but he cut her off in the middle, sneering at her. "If Alexander what? Come on, Felicity, why do you look so offended? Your dear Alexander does this every day as if killing is his side dish before the full course meal. I don''t see youining then," he said, scowling at her.

    "Have you ever thought about how much I suffer every day because of you? You never thought anything beyond your Alexander, and now it''s your child, your family," he spat the words, grimacing in disgust. "God, that bastard child is not even yours, Felicity. I hate picturing your happy family with Alexander. I hate him so much," he admitted.

    Felicity still held the gun aimed at him, but it didn''t affect him one bit. He continued rambling out his pent up jealousy. "I don''t understand why you love that devil so much. That bastard child is so important to him that he left you here alone with me, not even caring I might kill you. What a pity, Felicity, Anna gave him what you couldn''t, a daughter he wanted toplete his family picture," he said, eyeing her with sympathy.

    He was trying to imply that Alexander and Marianna cheated on her. Though she believed he was uttering bullshit, his words still stung. She couldn''t give a daughter to her husband.

    Felicity pped him hard, leaving the imprints of her fingers on his cheek. His head whipped to the side, and the sound of the p echoed in his ears. "You can shoot me if you want, Felicity. I would dly die for you. This p is nothing," he said. She shook her head, disappointed and scoffed at his stupidity.

    "It''s your jealousy speaking, Johnathan Castenos. I love Alexander with all my heart, body and soul, nothing you say, or do is going to change that. I''m lucky because undoubtedly my husband reciprocates everything I feel for him," she stated. He didn''t miss the pridecing her tone.

    She took a deep breath as Johnathan pointed the pistol at her.

 Chapter 133 - Her Life Is Busy

    Hera felt like an idiot for trying so hard to protect Andrew. It was foolish of her to assume he would regret his wrongdoings. "She''s lying," Andrew said with a straight face, not an ounce of guilt or regret discovered in his eyes or his voice as he looked her in the eyes. His parents came with their attorney and threatening the school authorities with awsuit for defaming their name and reputation.

    "How dare you use of my boy with such heinous crime and jeopardise his future," Andrew''s father shouted at every school administrator present in the office. He demanded an urgent meeting with the trustees and asked to expel Hera immediately for lying. Their attorney asked to present evidence or witness to prove her usation. If not, they would take legal actions against Hera and sue the school for defaming Andrew''s name.

    It was the status and money behind their name speaking, and the school authorities felt helpless under their power. "Hera dear, can you prove it?" The principal asked, voice soft and her approach, careful, but still, her words weighed like a hard p on the face for Hera. She looked piercingly into Andrew''s eyes. "Andrew, admit what you did. I''m not lying," she demanded.. Anger burned throughout her form, clenching her fists, she resisted the urge to p him.

    A satisfied smile yed on his lips, eyes filled with hatred, he shook his head in denial. He basked in the way Hera''s eyes widened at his response as she breathed heavily trying to control her anger.

    "You fucking bastard, admit it or I''ll kill you," Hera heard her brother say threateningly. Danny crossed the distance to hit Andrew, but Hunter immediately grabbed his arm, effectively restricting his attempts. Danny''s chest heaved, true to his words, he looked ready tomit murder.

    "Daniel Aiken, manners and mind yournguage," Mrs Sandra Mathew,their principal said, scolding and warning him to behave.

    Andrew very conveniently turned everything on Hera. ording to his story, Hera liked him and couldn''t handle his rejection. That''s where her usation came from as a result of her anger and jealousy. Andrew didn''t forget toin about how Danny and Michael injured him to avenge Hera.

    Meanwhile, Hera fell short of words to say anything against Andrew''s false usation. She couldn''t believe she tried to protect this two-faced snake of a friend. She took a few steps back until her back hit the wall. sping her hands behind her back, she leaned against the hard surface and silently watched, ring at Andrew.

    <em>''Another ex-best friend to add to the list.''</em>

    Hera felt so disappointed for ever trusting him as her friend.

    Andrew''s father demanded the principal to call Danny and Michael''s parents to this meeting. He wanted the trustees to take action against both of them as well for physically injuring their son.

    Hunter scoffed inwardly. One phone call from him and his father would make the trustees or founders stand in line before Hunter. And he was so tempted to make that phone call whenever Andrew''s parents and his attorney demanded to call the trustees. But as Eric said, he didn''t need his father toe running every time to his rescue. He would handle it by himself just fine.

    It''s what Hunter wanted anyway. Now, neither Eric nor Hera would have any excuse to stop him after all.

    Danny looked furious, but Hunter never let go of his arm. "It''s okay, buddy, we''ll get him. Just be patient for a little while longer," he said in a low whisper only for Danny to hear and his best friend heeded to his advice. Hunter nced over his shoulder to check on Hera. She had her head lowered, hands sped behind her. Rocking back and forth on her feet, she paid no attention to her surroundings anymore.

    "Should I make a call to my father then, Mrs Mathew?" Hunter asked his principal, and she didn''t miss the smugness coating his voice. Hunter''s parents were Michael''s guardians. If they wanted someone from Michael''s family toe, they would face none other than Alexander Hunter himself. The school authorities knew very well if that happens it wouldn''t be in favour of any of them.

    The principal waved her hand in dismissal, her eyes assuring him she would handle it.

    "Mr Jacob, firstly, stop threatening and scaring my students with thewsuit. If you''ve forgotten, let me remind you they are both still adolescent minors," Sandra Mathew said, expressing her displeasure. "Secondly, there is no evidence or witness to prove any of them guilty. So it''s unfair on Hera''s part if you''re dering her alone as the culprit. My advice is, let''s drop this issue with a warning to both the children," she said, reasoning her decision.

    Andrew''s parents weren''t happy with the criticising tone the principal used against them. But they knew she spoke sensibly and considered her advice. After some exnations and arguments, she managed to convince them. But they demanded punishment for Danny and Michael for their violent approach.

    "They both are one of the best students in our school, Mr Jacob. Don''t think that my boys got elected to the student councilmittee for nothing. If the said violence has happened, then there must be more into the matter, but since we agreed to drop it, let''s not dig deeper anymore," she advised and looked at Danny sharply with her disapproving eyes.

    "But I''m not going to ignore their mistakes. If they''re at fault, I assure you they''ll receive their share of punishment as well," Mrs Mathew said, concluding the issue.

    Hera would clean and arrange the books in the school''s library and assist the librarian for two weeks as her punishment. Andrew would help the staff in the school''s food court and Mrs Roger''s kitchen for two weeks. Danny and Michael would tutor their juniors for one month after their sses. Their punishment was longer because they weren''t responsible enough and didn''t set a good example being the student council members.

    Hera walked out first, ignoring Andrew''s mocking smirk and Danny dashed out next, not trusting his patience for another second in Andrew''s presence. Hunter thanked the principal and others before exiting.

    Hands shoved in his uniform pant''s pockets, leaning his shoulder against one of the round columns nearby, Hunter waited, watching Andrew bidding goodbye to his parents.

    Hunter pulled himself off the column when he saw Andrew reaching closer and blocked his way. Thetter stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes fell on the former. Hunter''s lips twitched, pulling up into an uneven smile, meeting the outlines of his eyes. Andrew couldn''tbel it as sarcastic or mocking because he genuinely appeared to be happy. Despite the charming smile on his lips, Hunter''s handsome face terrified him.

    Andrew''s steps faltered as Hunter took a step closer. "Count your days, you little cunt and keep your sense organs at alert, you never know when and how death will hunt you down," Hunter said, grinning at him as he walked backwards, snapping his fingers.

    Andrew released the breath he''d been holding and looked away from him. That smile was sinister, menacing and the delight that lit up Hunter''s eyes was purely sadistic. He could put every negative character in the stories and movies to shame. He could surpass every evil entity in the universe and the intensity of its evilness. Hunter wasn''t the hero, Andrew realised, but it was toote.

    In the nexting days, Hera''s life wasn''t easy. Andrew''s fabricated storey spread like wildfire in the school, and soon Hera had to face her friends'' judgement yet again. She told them the truth, but they''d a hard time believing her side of the story. Because ironically, Andrew was known for his best behaviour in the school. He was the caring, gentle, boy-next-door kind of a sweet boy.

    Hera didn''t mind the judging eyes anymore, and she didn''t need such friends who wouldn''t trust her anyway. Her days went quite busy as she''d sses to attend, then she''d to work in the library and assist the librarian in her free time. She would eat her breakfast, lunch and dinner with Hunter and his friends.

    Hunter and Danny made sure one of them would always apany Hera everywhere after her sses.

    Their principal, Mrs Sandra Mathew, called her to speak to her personally. She''d expressed her apology in person for not being able to provide her with the fair justice. Her excuse was they didn''t have evidence or witness, without which she was helpless. "You should''vee to me immediately, child," she''d said sympathetically.

    Hera met Andrew several times as they share the same ss. She spotted him a few times whenever she visited the luncheon bar. He would re at her every time they made eye contact. Hera would dly return his re with matching intensity without the slightest hesitation.

    Michael spent his free time with Hera in the library, tutoring her. Hera had flunked her tests. Except for Maths and Chemistry, she''d failed in all the other subjects. "Were you sleeping in the ss when teachers taught grammar?" Her English teacher had expressed her disappointment in front of the whole ss.

    "Elementary school kids know about punctuation marks better than you. How can you fail English?" It hurt when her favourite teacher Mrs Paige Wilkins scolded her. Pursing her lips, with head bent, Hera had swallowed the insult.

    So, life was busy, and Hera didn''t have the time to think about the viins in her life.

 Chapter 134 - She Wouldnt Trade It For The World

    Hera giggled at the pretty boy who wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Aqua blue eyes sparkled with familiarity as she looked into them. "What are you staring at, Pixie? You''ve seen this countless times, yet you keep gawking at it every time like it''s your first time," Eric stated. "And why do you know it that I stare at it every time, you stalker?" Hera asked, bumping her shoulder into his chest yfully.

    Eric''s chest and his arm around her shoulder shook with his joyousughter as he pulled her closer and pretended to choke her. "You never know what mischief you''re up to or what trouble you''re going to invite for yourself. Stalking is necessary, Pixie," Eric said. It was supposed to be a joke, but somehow Hera felt the deeper meaning behind it.

    Hera remembered their old days, how she used to hate Eric and Michael for bullying her. She got punished countless times for not doing her homework because of Eric''s mischiefs. It felt like yesterday when she would trip and fall t on her face because Michael felt, it was hrious to see her cry. Her brother Danny would roll his eyes, calling her a cry baby..

    Things have changed for the better now, and Hera was grateful to have them all in her life. Eric had be her best friend she could share every secret with and Danny her protective brother while Michael reached one step closer to that prankster, annoying brother one could have.

    "She''s beautiful," Hera stated while admiring the woman in the picture. "How do you know? You can''t see her face," Eric said. Hera smiled, inclining her head. "I just know," she said. She could only see her side profile, nothing more than a mere glimpse, yet Hera could detect the hint of a lovely smile on her lips. "She is," Eric agreed. "The wonderful woman, my godmother. She''s the perfect definition of the word felicity," he said, so much admiration filled in his voice.

    Hera''s eyebrows nted downward as she frowned in confusion. "What?" she questioned as soon as Eric mentioned that name. "Nothing, Pixie. You''ll love her when you meet her," he shared his opinion. Hera''s heart skipped a beat at that. She knew she would meet Hunter parents someday, but the very concept made her nervous.

    <em>''What if they don''t approve? Would Hunter let me go for his parents'' sake?''</em>

    It was a frightening feeling because never once in her life had Hera imagined her future without Hunter, not even during their breakup phase. She smiled subconsciously looking at the toddler form of Hunter.

    "Is it a photograph or a painting?" She wondered aloud. "It''s an oil portrait of a photograph," Eric supplied helpfully, clearing her query. "Wow! They posed so wonderfully for the photo," Hera said in awe. Eric chuckled at her ignorance. "They weren''t posing, Pixie. It''s a candid picture and the talent of the photographer. He''d revealed the unsaid emotions perfectly," Eric exined.

    Hera was amazed to hear that. Her gaze slid down, and her hand reached up, fingers caressing the name written on the right end corner of the picture. "stair Cas tell anos, did I pronounce it correctly?" Hera asked.Eric hummed, repeating the name "stair Castenos."

    Even though Hera had seen this picture almost all her life, she''d somehow missed that name scribbled in a tiny font. "Is he the photographer or the painter?" She asked, and to her amazement, Eric revealed he was both. The name stirred something inside her chest as if she''d known that person. But Hera knew it was a ridiculous thought. She never heard that name in her life.

    "stair Castenos," Hera repeated as if testing the sound of it. "I love that name and Castenos sounds so hot. What if I change myst name to it?" Hera asked conversationally. "Hera Castenos," she tried experimentally. Before Eric could reply to her, someone pulled her hand, keeping her away from Eric''s reach. Startled, she squealed before pping her boyfriend''s chest.

    Scowling, Hunter locked her in his arms as they stood facing each other. "I like your name, Hera Hunter. Why do you need a new one? Yourst name is perfect, and I would fancy you to keep it," he said, kissing her cheek, no lips actually touching, just cheeks and no smacking noises. "Sure, you do," Hera stated, rolling her eyes. "Don''t you dare forget, Mrs Hunter, you''re married to me and no way I''m allowing you to change yourst name," he said, his tone of voice pressing all of a sudden.

    "God, you''re impossible. What''s there to get so riled up? I was casually speaking," Hera said, annoyed at his mood shift. "But I''m serious," Hunter said, staring into her eyes. Sighing, Hera reached up, leaving a kiss at the corner of his mouth. "I wouldn''t trade it for the world," she promised, whispering against his lips.

    "Oh, God! Here we go again?" Eric said, pulling a disgusted look on his face. Hera blushed and pulled away while Hunter chuckled. Eric left them alone, walking into the kitchen where Danny and Evelyn were trying to cook something. The kitchen was a mess, and he immediately regretted cing his foot inside.

    "Eric Costa,e back here," Hera and Hunter heard Evelyn yell while Eric ran out of the kitchen through the back door. She needed help with the cleaning and Eric bailed on them. It''s Friday evening, and they all had decided to give the household staff a break for the evening.

    "What was your task? Howe she let you out of her sight?" Hera asked, and Hunter smirked cunningly. "Washing utensils, but Samantha offered to take over, and I being the gentleman I''m dly obliged," he said, earning a scoff in return. "You never fail to live up to your name, Lucifer. You''re so evil," Hera said, scowling before shifting her attention back to the portrait.

    "Who''s this?" She asked, her pointer finger brushed over the edges before underlining stair''s name on it. "He was best friends with mine and Eric''s parents," he answered. "Was? You used past tense," she stated, and he nodded. "I never saw him around. I don''t know what went wrong or what happened to him, but they don''t speak about him," Hunter said shrugging nonchntly.

    He took her wrist in his and pulled her along to his bedroom. Hera hid her smile, pulling her lip between her teeth as she eyed his fingers possessively wrapped around her wrist. Once he shut the door, his hands framed her form against it, palms t on the hard surface on either side of her head. Smiling, Hera stared as his purple orbs pierced into her green ones.

    Hera could spend eternity staring into her Mr Hunter''s anime-likerge eyes. But she was anticipating a kiss, and it annoyed her when he didn''t make a move yet.

    "And it''s been ages,dies and gentlemen since he started staring into my eyes.''

    Huffing, Hera blew raspberries into his cheek, right on the dent caused by his dimpled cheeks. Her poor toes protested, feeling too tired to stand on their tips anymore, so Hera ced her hands on his shoulders, supporting her weight on them. She leaned forward while her hooded eyes stayed fixed on his lips. To her annoyance, Hunter leaned back before their lips could touch. Hera red at him after noticing how smug he appeared while a teasing smirk yed on his lips.

    "What? You were taking forever to kiss me!" Hera said in her defence, irked at his amused face, his eyes dancing and bright. When his upper body shook with quietughter, Hera shoved him off and walked away from him. The extension of the room leading to his balcony made the bedroom feel open and airy. The round surface of his contemporary bedroom had grey and brown dramatic curtains. Hera walked past the cushioned chairs and the four-legged rectangr ss teapoy and reached the railings.

    Hunter followed her to where she now stood, her fingers clutching the grey coloured wooden railings. The cold breeze felt nice against her hot, flustered skin and the flyaway hair around her face smacked her in the eyes. Hunter''s broad form caged her from behind, his arms outstretched, palms covering hers on the railings.

    Hera let her shoulders slump, causing her form to appear smaller against hisrge one. She was embarrassed because she initiated the kiss and he didn''t reciprocate. "I love you, Goddess," he whispered in her ears, his hot breath drawing a shiver from her.

    His Goddess removed her hands from his hold and walked back into the room. Hunter followed her inside again, amused at her tantrums. Hera jumped on his bed, udylike before kicking her footwear off. Her flip-flops went flying, hitting him right on his chest. Hunter scowled in disapproval at her not so good manners.

    After neatly cing her footwear in its allocated ce, he returned to find her perched on his bed.

    <em>''What the fuck!''</em>

    She was eagle spread on the bed, forming the perfect X shape with her legs and arms.

 Chapter 135 - Until Death Claims His Last Breath

    Hunter''s mind dived straight into hell, dirty thoughts invading every fibre in his body. Hera had her hands and legs spread wide, and keeping his hands to himself felt like the hardest thing to do right then for Hunter. He never felt so helpless it was so not easy to restrain himself anymore with his Hera.

    <em>''Fuck me.''</em>

    Throwing his head back, he groaned in sheer frustration and slid his hands into the pockets of his shorts. Fingers formed into fists inside and he hoped he would seed in keeping them hidden and locked in there. All those porn he''d watched wouldn''t match one bit the vision of Hera''s body spread on the bed made him feel. His blood rushed to the south jamming in one particr part of his body.

    <em>''If only I could keep you tied to my bed forever, Goddess.''</em>

    He wished he''d harness to do just that and the image of her hands and legs bound to his bed wouldn''t leave his vision..

    A few minutes ago, she looked all chubby and cute dressed in his ck and white checkered shirt and shorts, until she decided to torture him. His shirt was too big for her, and it swallowed and hid her shorts from the viewpletely. It possessed the whole of her torso and Hunter never felt so stupid for envying a piece of clothing.

    The milky white, creamy soft flesh of her thighs, her perfect round breasts, all were inviting his itchy hands to explore them. He so wanted to touch her and run his tongue all over her meaty bones.

    "Fuck, I''m so screwed," he muttered under his breath. The sweet sound of Hera''s giggle disturbed his not so pure thoughts. He managed to tear his eyes off her body and looked at her face.

    "All of this big soft bed is only for me, and you''re sleeping on the floor tonight," Hera said, her voice overly cheerful. Hunter felt as though someone poured a bucket of cold water on him, and he instantly felt guilty for having those sinful thoughts. Because his Goddess was innocent to the core and nothing she did was in any way amounts to sexual.

    She wasn''t attempting seduction on him, and he could bet on his life that she knows not a thing about it. Well, she never had to do anything to lure him. He was already head over heels for her, and she could turn him on with just sparing one look at him.

    "Why would I sleep on the floor?" He asked, smiling at her victorious smirk. "Because I''m upying the bed, and your body and legs are too huge to fit on the sofa or couch," Hera said, sounding very amused. Hunter chuckled and crossed the distance, reaching the edge of his bed, but he didn''t dare to get on it yet. "We''ve other bedrooms in this mansion, Love. I could always sleep in one of them," he said shrugging.

    Pulling herself up, Hera sat cross-legged on the bed and pped her hands like the innocent baby she was. "But you don''t like sleeping on other''s bed, Mr Hunter," she stated. "And unfortunately for you, all of the guest rooms have used beds," Hera said, mocking pity. Hunter gave her an unimpressed look and shook his head.

    "You''re so dumb, Mrs Hunter. We haven''t had our dinner yet, and you''ll have to go down for that. Meaning, I have plenty of time to im the ce in your bed," he said, shooting her a wink. Hera clicked his tongue before she dropped back on the bed. "Then I''m not leaving this room. I''ll have my dinner in bed," she made her announcement.

    Hunter stared for a few seconds, a brow rose, and he smirked. Hera eyed him suspiciously. Before she could ask what was going through his mind, Hunter climbed the bed. "I could always throw you out of the bed if I want to," he said. Hooking his arms under her knees and over her shoulder, he tried to lift her off the bed. But Hera adamantly refused to give up and held on to the bedspreads not budging from her position.

    Hunter couldn''t lift her into his arms as she kept her legs and hands stiff against the bed. He groaned, annoyed. "Fuck, you''re heavy," Hunter said. "I told you, you''ll grow fat very soon if you keep on eating the number of sugary sweets to consume every day," he said, scowling in disapproval. Hera kicked him in the chest in retaliation. Hunter huffed out his growl at her violent approach.

    "Admit it, Mr fit and fine with muscles and washboard abs, you''re only a show-off. You can''t even lift me into your arms and cowardly calling me fat," Hera said bitingly, she looked offended. Hunter red at her as he seemed offended as well. Hera watched with her intrigued eyes as the bed dipped under his weight when he ced one of his knees on the bed while his other leg remained firmly nted on the floor. She squealed when he swooped her up in his arms without warning.

    "Put me down, you Lord of evils," Hera scolded while he walked to the balcony, carrying her in his arms as if she weighed nothing. She screamed in horror when Hunter bent over the railings and pretended to throw her off the balcony. Her fingers held onto his ck T-shirt in tight fists for dear life. Laughing merrily, Hunter pulled himself back and slowly put her down on the floor.

    Fists still clutching his shirt in a tight grip, Hera red, eyes shooting daggers at him, her face flustered pink. She looked terrified, and Hunter immediately wrapped arms around her middle, hisughter died down, worry recing it. "I was kidding, Love. I''m sorry if I scared you," he apologised, brushing his lips on her forehead. "What if you lost your grip?" She asked in a breathless whisper.

    Hunter removed his arms from her waist, and his palms covered her fists. She never let go of his T-shirt. Hunter smiled before kissing her eyelids. "Goddess, I would never leave your hand until death ims myst breath," he vowed, wordsced with absolute sincerity. Hera shook her head and withdrew her hands. "You''re so dramatic," she muttered, walking back into the room.

    She sat on the grey and white coloured, L-shaped corner sofa and contrary to her earlier position on the bed, she pulled her knees to chest, wrapped her arms around it and made herself appear as small as possible. Hunter sighed, looking at her sad face.

    "I said I''m sorry, Goddess," he said, crouching down at her feet. Hera red with an angry pout gracing her full lips. "What now?" He asked, sighing again.

    "You called me fat," she used. Hunter couldn''t hide his smile at that, but it instantly dropped as Hera spoke her next words. "That''s why you went after other girls. You prefer those hot, skinny girls, don''t you?" She used again. Hunter shook his head in denial.

    "It was a joke, Goddess, and you''re not fat. You''re fit and healthy. Believe me when I say you''re the only one I want. I love your chubby cheeks, your plump body, your fleshy thighs. I love it when my lips sink into the softness of your cheeks when I kiss you. You don''t know how much I''m dying to touch every inch of you with my lips. I would die a happy man worshipping the ground you walk on, Mrs Hunter. I love you so much," he confessed, pouring his emotions out.

    Hera shook her head frantically, dismissing his confession. "You''re lying now. Whateveres out of your mouth first-hand is the only truth, and you said I''m getting fat," she pointed out, tone argumentative. Hunter smiled softly before taking his seat next to her. He pulled her into his arms.

    He kissed every inch of her face starting with her temples, then her forehead. He kissed her eyelids, her plump cheeks one after the other. He kissed the tip of her straight-edged nose. Hera giggled breathlessly as his lips kissed the underside of her jaw, tickling her skin. Finally, his lips settled at the corner of her heart-shaped mouth with fuller lips.

    Hera pouted in disappointment when he pulled away without kissing her full on the lips.

    He pulled her onto hisp, and once she settledfortably against his chest, his hands fastened around her middle.

    "You know, Goddess, research study says, most guys like dating skinny girls, but they like girls with a t stomach and fat chest more only when they''re messing around, to be precise when they''re thinking with their dicks," Hunter stated. Hera tilted her head, supporting it on his shoulder and looked at him with a disapproving scowl painted on her face. Hunter poked her cheek with his finger before kissing the spot.

    Hera parted her lips to say something, but her words died down when hisrge palms gripped the flesh on her hip. Hera sucked in a sharp breath.

    "And that research report further states that a mature man prefers a girl with soft, tender meat on her bones that would make any man want to sink his teeth into," Hunter said, and Hera blushed furiously. "I love my girl just the way she''s because she''s perfect," Hunter concluded.

 Chapter 136 - Shes Got The Most Expensive Surname

    His palms pressing against her flesh felt searing hot even through the shirt she wore, and an involuntary shudder exploded inside her. Hera rolled her eyes, trying to appear unaffected by the warm sensation his touch sent throughout her body. It was a subtle attempt to hide her blush. She smoothly removed his hands from her hip before getting out of hisp.

    She let herself be seated next to him on the sofa, creating a respectable distance between them. "You and your massive brain with universal knowledge!" Hera said, dramatically shaking her head. "I don''t understand why do you even know such things. Your selection of research study topics that you chose to educate yourself startles me sometimes," Hera said. Smiling, Hunter fondly stared at her while she scrunched her nose up, frowning at him.

    "Stop staring, Lucifer, you''re making me feel hot," Hera said, fanning her face with her fingers. Her tone yful, teasing him, but Hunter saw through it, her intense blush spreading all over her cheeks before it reached the tip of her ears and then down her neck. His hand found her waist, pulling her closer to him. He chuckled when Hera leaned toward his face and smiled up at him suggestively..

    "How eager are you for that kiss, Mrs Hunter?" He asked, teasing her as an audible grin followed his words. He''d noticed how Hera had started initiating the kiss these days, and it never failed to make his heart skip a beat. It gave him immense pleasure knowing he''d all her attention centred on him. Hera leaned forward, and Hunter hissed when her teeth grazed his skin under his jaw, biting a bit harshly.

    "Do you want me to change myst name from Hunter to Castenos?" She snapped, the tip her nose turning red in anger as she red at him. Ignoring her question, he pinched the upper swell of her well-developed breasts, which peeked from the tank top she wore under his shirt as his retaliation to her vicious bite. Hera pped his hand away before hovering over his torso, her knees digging into the soft cushion of the sofa on either side of his thighs.

    She cradled his face with her hands and kissed the other side of his jaw before biting there too. "Teach me how to make hickeys properly," she whispered, lips trailing down to his neck just near his jawline. Hunter inhaled sharply, eyes darkening, and all the yfulness was gone as they stared into each other''s eyes.

    "You already know how to mark me, Goddess. Your teeth do it just fine," he said but told her anyway, how to nip at the skin, bite and suck it to create the perfect hickey.

    He felt Hera smile against his skin right before sucking it harshly. Hunter made a weird noise which sounded like something between a painful grunt and an approving moan of pleasure. "You sound so hot when you make such notices," Hera said, inhaling his scent. His chest vibrated against her, and she loved the feeling it formed inside her stomach.

    <em>''Fuck butterflies. This thing feels even better than their fluttering wings in my tummy.''</em>

    Hera reached back up to his mouth. She finally smashed their lips together and who was he toin. He returned the kiss with the same intensity. When she felt breathless, she pulled away and smiled in satisfaction, her tongue licking the taste of his lips on hers.

    "I really love that surname though," she said andughed when he scowled in return. Hera''sughter turned into a startled gasp as Hunter suddenly pushed her down the cushion and hovered over her form. He shut her up with a kiss, and he kissed her just the way she liked it, teeth sinking into her soft lips hard, rough, and tongue invading her mouth possessively.

    Hunter''s cell phone went off with an iing call. Cursing, he broke the kiss and left Hera''s proximity to retrieve his phone from the dresser. It was Bianca''s call, informing him the dinner will be ready in ten minutes and arranging the table was Hunter''s duty. Humming his reply, he disconnected the line while his eyes scanned his reflection in the mirror.

    Hera had decorated his jawline and his neck everywhere with her hickeys. She left one on his cheek too. A brow rose in surprise before he grinned, impressed by her work. Hera watched while he took out a hoodie and wore it. It covered his neckpletely when he zipped it, and Hera red in disagreement.

    "I don''t want your brother to feel awkward, and I''m sure Michael won''t shut up rubbing it on Danny''s face," he offered as an exnation. Hera tsked still scowling at him.

    "Speaking of Michael, you said yours and Eric''s parents are best friends with that stair dude. What about Mike''s? He never talks about his parents," Hera said, curious eyes fixed on Hunter''s expectantly. Hunter nodded as he joined her on the sofa. "At the principal''s office when they mentioned about calling his parents, you offered to call yours instead," Hera pointed out. He smiled at her with an ''I''m impressed'' look.

    "You''re learning to observe things I see," he said, teasing her. Hera rolled her eyes when he momentarily got distracted only to measure the length of her hair with his hand. "Did it grow a bit?" He asked, frowning at it. When he noticed Hera giving him a ''Are you serious right now'' look, he let go of it with a scoff.

    "Are you, by chance, trying to avoid answering my question?" Hera asked. Hunter smiled a bit sadly, Hera noticed. "You said it yourself he never mentions his parents and it''s not my ce to tell you the reason. Something unpleasant happened in the past with our parents and let me say it affected many lives, including Mike''s. He hates speaking about," Hunter paused, searching for the right word but didn''t find any.

    "An ident, an attack, a killing, I don''t know how to describe it. But Mike lost his family. I offered to call my Dad that day because Mike is my adopted brother, and my parents are his guardians," Hunter revealed shocking Hera with that piece of information. "You can ask him if you want to know. Maybe he''ll open up to you about it. But a fair warning, he doesn''t like talking about them," he said, and Hera inclined her head not knowing how to respond.

    After a moment''s beat, Hera kissed him again to lessen the tension in the air. Hunter went oddly silent after that revtion.

    "stair Castenos, the name sounds so grand as if he''s some royalty," Hera said, nodding in approval. She wanted to divert his attention from whatever cause that troubled him. Hunter hummed his agreement. "He is," he said. "Haven''t you heard that name before?" Hunter asked, and Hera shook her head.

    "stair Castenos was a crown prince of Greece, but I don''t know about his current status or title. No idea whether he''s the King or not because monarchy doesn''t exist in their country anymore," Hunter said, shrugging his shoulders.

    "A crown prince or a King, you say? My my! How rich is your background if your parents are friends with a royal family?" Hera asked in wonder. Her genuinely astonished eyes widened as curiosity danced in them. Hunterughed good-naturedly, Hera felt relieved that he no longer looked upset and his mood had lifted. "I''m richer than that, said King. You''ve got the most expensive surname already attached to your name, Hera Hunter. So drop that ridiculous idea of changing it," he said chiding her.

    At the dinner table, Danny''s phone kept ringing, and Hera noticed how her brother gulped his food hurriedly. He received the call and replied with a short ''I''ming,'' He didn''t wait for others to finish their dinner and left the table in the middle.

    Hunter followed his best friend to his room where Danny was wrapping himself in his dark hoodie, getting ready to out. "Where are you going and who was that on the phone?" He questioned without beating around the bush. Danny threw some excuse of meeting a girl. Hunter stared, surprised at the lie. "Danny, you''re breaking our rule," he stated indignantly. Danny chose to ignore the usation.

    "You''ve been getting a lot of those calls at odd hours recently. What are you hiding, buddy? Are you into drugs or something?" Hunter asked, blocking his way when he made a move to escape him without answering. "Fuck, Ace, stop assuming and what''s with the usation? I''m not lying, okay. Just not ready to speak about it yet. We''ll talkter. It''s not that big of a deal anyway. Can you let me go now?" Danny asked.

    "You''re not escaping this?" Hunter warned, and Danny agreed.

    At the dinner table, Hunter walked into Samantha and Hera bickering. Adding more to his annoyed mood, Bianca and Eric fought over the food, arguing who''s cooking tasted more edible. Michael was having fun at their expense, and Evelyn ignored them, shaking her head as if tired of their silly antics.

 Chapter 137 - Replacement Of Goods Worth Millions

    "What mature friends I''ve got. I''m so proud,''" Hunter said sarcastically. He seated himself next to Hera, and he was not surprised at all to find his te almost empty. Hera had finished hers and started eating from his te.

    "I told her to have some table manners and not to eat everything like a pig, but it''s Hera we''re talking about," Samantha said, twisting her face in disgust. Hera ignored her insult and looked at Hunter, hershes fluttering. She was trying to act cute, and her Mr Hunter snorted with a shake of his head. "You took your time to get back, and I thought the food was going to get cold," she offered as her defence and served a fresh te for him.

    Their dinner menu was quite simple with Yorkshire pudding and Shepherd''s pie with some roasted vegetables stuffing in the side. It was Evelyn''s idea to use chicken instead ofmb meat in the pie. Danny had suggested making some muffins or toast sandwiches with cheese as a substitute if they messed up with the recipe.

    It wasn''t that great, but they''d managed to make it taste edible..

    "Technically speaking, Danny and I made most of the cooking. So you two stop arguing. Just lending a helping hand now and then doesn''t make it your dish," Evelyn said, pointing her spoon at Eric and Bianca, mocking them for their silly im over the dishes.

    Bianca tried to disagree with Evelyn but closed her mouth when she got a ''Not again'' look from her friends. Evelyn was right after all.

    The context of Hera and Samantha''s bickering was unknown. To be precise, they just kept their stupid banter on by just taunting or mocking each other''s every move or every word. It was childish of them. So nobody bothered to stop them and chose to ignore.

    Eric rose his brow at Hunter, a silent question. Hunter didn''t need the words he knew it was about Danny.

    They exchanged a look, and Eric sighed. They''d been nning to corner Danny for a few days now. Something was troubling their best friend for sure. Hunter noticed how Evelyn had lost her usual cheery appearance. She and Danny did the cooking together, a perfect duo when they chose to ace their target. Now she looked disappointed.

    It wasn''t a secret that Evelyn liked Danny, but thetter always chose to be ignorant. Though he never showed it in the out, Hunter and the boys knew Danny felt the same for her. Their attraction was undeniably mutual. So whatever Danny was going through, it couldn''t be a girl problem for sure.

    <em>''I hope you''re not into some addictive drugs, buddy.''</em>

    Last time when Hunter visited his parents, his mother had caught on the faint smell of cigarette on his clothes, and she gave him a silent but stern stare. She didn''t have to word it as he could read the disapproval and disappointment in her eyes. He wanted to quit smoking but thought he could prolong it a bit.

    He knew it was harmful, but gave himself a concession of being a reckless teenager burdened with study and sports and all that. He sometimes needed that distraction, a rxing warm burning inside that would calm his nerves when he''s tensed. He would quit it after his graduation and hoped his friends would do too.

    Hunter wished he could help Danny in some ways. But that had to wait until his best friend decides toe clean with him. He believed Danny would tell him eventually. They never kept secrets.

    "I''m feeling cold. Can you lend me your hoodie, Hunter?" He heard Hera asking, and she sessfully brought him out of his stupor. He fixed her with an unimpressed look. He knew she was trying to win their bickering game against Samantha. Hera smirked and looked at him expectantly. With an annoyed exhale, he pulled over his hoodie, revealing the hickeys for everyone to see.

    He knew Hera wanted to make Samantha jealous, and after seeing her artwork on his skin, Hunter had no doubt Samantha would go speechless.

    Hera smirked at Samantha, and it was too arrogant of a look to digest. Dead silence surrounded the table until Michael chose to open his mouth. "Whoa! Brother, you''re making progress with that wedding night n, I see," he said, earning a scowl from Hunter. Hera ripped her eyes off Samantha at that and looked at Michael suspiciously. "What wedding night?" She asked, confusion as well as curiosity clouding her thoughts.

    As expected, it rendered Samantha speechless, but Hera had already lost interest in that game. Michael''s words caught her full attention now. Eric sneered at her widened innocent eyes. "You have no idea what they''re talking about, Pixie. You''re too pure for his sinful scrutiny," Eric said, eyeing Hunter with a knowing look.

    "Eric, you''re starting to act like Danny," Hunter said and held his palm up to stop him from speaking. "It''s not apliment by the way, and besides, I''m the innocent one here," Hunter said, looking offended.

    Michael and Eric bothughed sarcastically at him. "Of course, you''re," they said in unison, exchanged looks and then burst outughing again. Hera looked clueless and asked if they could exin so that she could understand the context of their talk. Samantha appeared upset for obvious reasons.

    Meanwhile, Bianca scolded them for being disrespectful at the dinner table and asked everyone to finish their dinner in silence. Evelyn mouthedter to Hera when she looked at her with questioning eyes.

    Danny reached his destination in thirty-five minutes and waited for the man who''d been pestering him with those annoying odd hour phone calls Hunter had mentioned earlier. He chose to hire a cab instead of using Hunter''s car for a specific reason. He needed to be discreet about this meeting.

    More than twenty minutes had passed since his arrival, and the damned person he''s supposed to meet didn''t grace him with his presence yet. Danny wished he could go back to his friends and enjoy his evening with them without this invisible sword hanging above his head, thirsty for his blood. He never thought just one mistake would lead to such a dangerous path.

    Danny thought of calling the bastard''s phone tosh out for wasting his time, but he knew he couldn''t risk it. He didn''t have that privilege.

    Finally, a bike stopped in front of him and jumped down from it was a twenty-six-year-old man with his curly hair pulled into a ponytail. Last time Danny saw him lurking around his school premises, he''d dyed it with a tinum blond colour. Now it''s golden blond, and Danny grimaced at the amount of gel or whatever cheap oil he''d used. It''d soaked his face along with his hair.

    He was an inch taller than Danny but thinner with skinny bones and all. His cheekbones jutted out when he grinned, showing his yellowish teeth. He looked like a wild horse baring its teeth at another horse as a threat. "Jack, you need to stop annoying me with those phone calls," Danny started, but the man held his hand up, signalling him to stop.

    "What''s with the attitude boy? Do you think you''re in a position to anger me?" The man in a ck biker outfit asked rhetorically. He had chosen the narrowest alleyway, void of people for this meeting. Danny saw two more bikes with three of Jack''s friends waiting at the other end of the alleyway.

    <em>''He''s right. I need to be sensible and keep my temper at bay.''</em>

    "I told you, Jack. I''ll return your money. Give me some time," Danny said, requesting in a low voice. Jack snorted, petting Danny''s cheek. "And I told you, Danny, my goods were worth millions. You can''t afford to repay me even if I agree to give you time," he said, sounding annoyed. "I only want my goods back or recement worth of it, and you know it''s already been decided what''s worth of my goods," Jack reminded him.

    Danny clenched his fists and gritting his teeth he red at Jack. "My sister is not a thing to rece your goods with, Jack. Find another way because I''m not letting anyone touch her," Danny dered without the slightest hint of hesitation or fear. Jack shook his head,ughing at Danny''s audacity. "You can''t change my mind, boy. That girl belongs to me, and after seeing how hot she looks, I won''t settle for anything less," he concluded.

    Danny couldn''t resist punching his face after hearing that. Jack''s friends immediately came running for his aid and pulled out a gun, aiming it at Danny. Jack grinned, impressed with the courage of the teenage boy standing before him. A sharp edge of the knife cut through Danny''s skin across his abdomen, drawing blood. It was just an abrasion, a warning for daring to hit him.

    Danny clutched the wound and winced at the burning pain, his blood wetting his shirt. "She''s only fifteen years old, Jack. She''s just a child. Please, I beg you," Danny pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears. "I''ll work for you as long as you want,even after repaying your money. But please keep my sister out of it," Danny offered hopefully only to hear Jack and his friendsughing at his desperation.

 Chapter 138 - The Last Meal Of Her Life

    Danny ignored the concerned look the security guards passed him. They might have noticed the grimace on his face. He couldn''t help how it distorted in pain every time he took a step forward. Danny inserted the key into the hole, twisting it to open the lock and wondered why his best friend didn''t opt for the fingerprint or password-based digital door lock system. He''s crazy rich, after all.

    The mansion had everything designed in the old-fashioned style, including the handle door lock. On second thought, Danny actually felt grateful that it didn''t have the digital lock system. If it required entering a password, Danny was sure he would''ve messed it up because right now he couldn''t think or remember anything except running into the safety of his room before anyone sees him.

    It waste when he reached home, and he prayed that none of his friends would be awake, but it seemed he''d no such luck. The living room on the second floor had dim lighting, and Danny guessed his friends were in the home theatre on the third floor.

    <em>''How did I forget? Friday night is our movie night.''</em>.

    He felt a pang of guilt in his chest for ditching his friends at the dinner. He took off to his bedroom, and after double-checking the door to make sure he''d locked it, he removed the ugly yellow trench coat and grimaced in disgust before dumping it in the trash can. It reeked of alcohol and tobo. Jack''s friend exchanged it with his hoodie because the wanker liked it.

    "Don''t leave the wound open for too long, boy. Tend to it before it gets worse and apply something on it," Jack had said, mocking sympathy. Danny cursed the drug dealer and removed his shirt carefully and threw it into the trash can as well. The wound wasn''t that deep, but it still stung like a bitch.

    He took a bath and applied an antiseptic cream on the cut. He bandaged it himself and got dressed in his sweats before knocking the door to the home theatre. No one paid attention when he entered as they all looked busy. Danny''s eyes involuntarily searched for his sister and found her sitting in thest row with his best friend.

    They weren''t watching the movie, but instead, Victoria secret fashion show yed on the screen. Danny smiled, immediately guessing it was Evelyn''s pick to watch it. He found her rocking her head and shoulder in sync with the music while Shawn Mendes performed. He felt like a sore loser for ditching her tonight after all that hard work they did in the kitchen.

    Meanwhile, Eric and Michael had their eyes glued to the screen. The beauty and hotness of the skinny models had their undivided attention. Bianca and Samantha were having fun dancing to the tune of their favourite singer. Danny silently marched towards Evelyn and took his seat beside her.

    "Sorry for ditching you, Princess," he whispered in her ear. Her smile was blinding, and he felt like it instantly healed the wound in his abdomen. She looked more beautiful than those angels on the screen.

    <em>''God, I''m fucked for good.''</em>

    He couldn''t help but smile like an idiot at her weing gesture.

    He ignored when Michael gave him a questioning look while Eric red in return, clearly pissed at Danny.

    He chanced a nce at Hera and Hunter. His sister was busy ying Candy Crush Saga game on Hunter''s phone. Danny could hear the faint sound of the game even in the middle of the loud music. Hunter wasn''t watching the screen, Hera being the object of his sole attention, a smile yed on his lips as he stared at Hera.

    He pinched the side of her neck in an attempt to shift her attention back to him and grinned when Hera''s fist punched his arm before she shoved him away. He repeated the action, and his Goddess red before pinching his cheek harshly. Hunter grabbed her hand and pulled her onto hisp, trying to kiss her. Danny looked away from them and sighed, the conflicting emotions overflowed weighing his shoulders down.

    Jack had offered another way to repay him, but Danny wasn''t sure if that eased his worries one bit. "If your little sister agreed to work in my strip club for a month, it would earn me the lost money back. Because the regr guests of my club are all rich fuckers," Jack had said. Danny wanted to strangle him when he grinned, satisfied with his suggestion.

    Reluctantly Danny had inclined his head, not that there''s any other way to escape it. That helpless nod had made Jack agree to let him off the hook for the time being.

    "We''re calling it a night," Hunter announced suddenly, putting a halt to Danny''s chain of thoughts. He watched as his best friend carried his sister in his arms in bridal style and walked out of the theatre.

    Hunter kicked the door shut with his foot and walked to the bed. Hera squealed when he threw her on the bed, and her form bounced on the soft mattress. Laughing, he pulled his T-shirt over his head and tossed it right onto her face when she teasingly whistled at him.

    Hera rolled over onto her back, making room for him. She smirked before biting her bottom lip with an appreciating gaze fixed on him, feasting on his naked torso. Propping her head up on an elbow, she looked down at Hunter as he settled beside her. He arched his brow with a knowing look before rolling his eyes at her.

    "Stop staring at me like I''m thest meal of your life. You''re scaring me, Goddess," Hunter said, giving her an unimpressed look. Hera chuckled cutely and pecked him on the mouth. "You''re thest meal of my life, Mr Hunter, a favourite one at that," she whispered as if it''s supposed to be a secret.

    He held his breath as her hands roamed over his torso experimentally. Shaking his head, he pushed her away, and Hera pouted in disappointment. "You''re breaching the line, Goddess. I don''t want to do anything that you would regretter. So I''m warning you, don''t y with me, I''m this close to losing my restrain," he said, warning her. "I only wanted to kiss you," Hera offered in her defence.

    Hunter red at her with his narrowed eyes, causing Hera to roll her eyes in return. "Lucifer, stop acting like you don''t want to touch me. Innocence doesn''t suit you," she said usingly. "And what wedding night was Mike speaking about?" She asked. When Hunter ignored her, she gave him a dirty look.

    "I hate it when you hide things from me. You have this rule of ''no secrets'' with your friends, but you keep secrets from me," Hera said, throwing a pillow at him to emphasize her anger.

    Snorting hisughter, Hunter silently arranged the pillow back to its original ce before grabbing his cell phone. "Goddess, give me ten minutes. I need to talk to my parents," he said, leaving a peck on the crown of her head. Hera scoffed and red at his retreating frame as he walked away from the bed towards the open balcony.

    "I''ll kill you if you don''t answer my question after finishing your call," Hera yelled, threatening him with her fingernails which she assumed to be her ws right then. Hunter grinned at her before pulling the ss door shut behind him.

    It took him more than ten minutes to finish his conversation with his parents, and Hera decided to brush her teeth in the meantime.

    When she returned from the bathroom, her eyes rounded in surprise before narrowing into slits. Hunter was on the bed, with books perched around him, some of his books and some belonged to her. Arranging the wet towel on the backrest of the desk chair, she marched towards him.

    She didn''t miss how Hunter eyed towel disapprovingly where she''d left it on the chair. "It has a particr ce made for it you know," he said, confirming her thoughts. "You, neat freak, stop trying to divert my attention. I told you, you''re not getting a veto on that question," Hera said, joining him on the bed.

    Hunter silently offered his phone to her while she eyed it cluelessly. "If you drop that topic, you get to y games, and I''ll study until we fall asleep or I''ll answer that question and tutor you till you fall asleep. Choose your options, Goddess," he said and smirked at her annoyed face. Hera mouthed "Fine," before snatching the phone from his hands.

    Candy Crush and Word Cross couldn''t keep her interested for more than thirty minutes, and when she got bored, Hera opened his Instagram. He hadn''t posted any new picture, since their date. She read somements under his posts and then scrolled through the explore page to kill time. Hunter, the bookworm, he was known for, had already lost track of time, immersed deep in his book.

    Hera''s thumb scrolled upward again as a picture demanded her immediate attention. She''d almost missed it while scrolling down. She thought she''d seen a sketch or maybe it''s a painting she wasn''t sure. Hera had very little knowledge regarding art and artistic things.

    Her eyes widened to their full size, and she sat up, crossing her legs as she found it. It was Hunter''s picture. Someone had drawn his sketch.

 Chapter 139 - Its Their Love Story

    Hera zoomed in the sketch, and her breath hitched as her heart skipped beats several times. But it wasn''t a pleasant feeling, not like when her heart somersaults or butterflies swing their wings in her stomach every time she admires Hunter''s good looks.

    It was an unpleasant, insecure, jealousy kind of ugly feeling. Someone had drawn Hunter''s sketch, thick lines made with ck ink or charcoal, Hera wasn''t sure, but one thing she was sure about was that it''s Hunter''s face smiling at her through the phone''s screen and whoever made it had seen him up close, known him with familiarity.

    For a fleeting moment, Hera thought maybe it''s someone else''s face with Hunter''s resemnce, it could be anyone.

    <em>''Huh, who am I kidding?''</em>

    She knew Hunter like how she knows breathing or how her heart remembers to beat. She couldn''t be wrong.

    <em>''It is my Hunter''s face in the sketch.''</em>

    The caption read, ''My Knight in shining armour, though the armour is only visible to me''..

    Hera could detect an inside joke or some intimate moment hidden in that caption.

    The post had already earned more than six hundred likes, andments were still pouring in. Taking a deep breath, Hera clicked on the ount owner''s name and opened their home page only to find more sketches of Hunter.

    <em>''What the actual fuck?''</em>

    Hera checked the disy picture to know if she could recognise the ount user, but she couldn''t identify the person. It was a girl for sure. A ck beret hat covered her forehead, and arge, rounded brown sunsses hid her eyes and concealed half of her face. Her fingers made a victory sign against her crimson red lips. The girl had purposely chosen the picture with a clear intention of keeping her identity hidden.

    The disy name too was no less of a mystery.

    <em>''He//Cano''s.''</em>

    Hera''s eyebrows nted downward in a scowl.

    <em>''What kind of a username is that?''</em>

    Hera checked all the sketches one by one, and it appeared to be a picture sequence of a particr moment or a story. Hunter was lifting a half-filled ss to his mouth in one picture, and then he grinned at something or someone in the other sketch.

    One particr picture was impossible to ignore. Hunter seemed sweaty, and hair was an unruly mess, eyes widened in anger, nostril red, and his lips pulled tight into a thin line as his fist ready to m into something. The caption said, ''My Hero'' with the capital H.''

    <em>''Dear God, this simply can''t be created just by someone''s imagination.''</em>

    Hera held her breath and looked at Hunter sitting right in front of her on the bed.

    <em>''You have met this artist for sure.''</em>

    She contemted on showing the sketches to him and asking him about it. He was busy writing notes, and Hera smiled as she observed his fingers moving gracefully on the paper, the pen between his long fingers looked so hot as he scribbled the words in his beautiful handwriting. Hera eyed his bare wrist and instantly missed the feeling of his hand holding hers.

    A slight frown on his forehead made his eyebrows pull down as they slope inwards, eyes concentrating whatever he was reading from his textbook.

    <em>''My hot nerd.''</em>

    Hera decided not to disturb him for a while longer and went back to scrutinise his sketches in the stranger''s work. She read thements under each post. Some said the person was a great artist and some praised Hunter''s handsome face.

    Hera grimaced when she read some pervertedments about how they would let him fuck them until they would lose the ability walk because he''s so hot. All those lustful, vulgar desires expressed so tantly, Hera''s nose scrunched up in disgust.

    However, Hera forgot all the other things when she saw the next picture. He//Cano''s had reposted someone else''s post, and it took Hera''s breath away.

    It was one of He//Cano''s'' sketch, and the other artist had filled colours into it. If Hera had anymore doubt left if it was Hunter or not, now it had beenpletely ruled out because Hunter''s purple eyes stared into Hera''s soul through the picture. The artist had left no stone unturned while creating this masterpiece.

    ''Adding colours into @He//Cano''s'' Hero. Once done, you''ll get to see my Prince charming hidden inside as well. Wink wink''.

    The caption said.

    Hera searched the username it was ''IamGCadreamergirl''. She had set Hunter''s purple eyes as her disy picture.

    Hera clicked on another picture with a caption of "Here''s my Prince charming".

    It was a mesmerising painting of Hunter. She''d created every part of his body with such perfection it rendered Hera speechless. The reflection of the bright lighting shimmered like diamonds on Hunter''s charcoal ck hair. His hair was short as if he''d gotten himself a haircut recently. It seemed a bit dampened maybe because of sweating while his wless fair skin beautifully flushed with dark pink.

    <em>''What were you doing to get all sweaty and flustered, Hunter?''</em>

    Hera believed in the saying, eyes were windows to the soul, and the girl had proved it by the way she''d painted Hunter''s eyes. Hera could see the whole gxy in them, shining and shimmering. The colour she''d used was the perfect shade of purple matching exactly how they seem in real. His dark, thick eyshes and eyebrows matched the colour of his hair.

    His long straight-edged nose widened a bit at the bottom and his eyes crinkled at the corner as he grinned. His perfect pearly white evenly arranged teeth twinkled while his pink, full lips stretched wide. A cupid''s bow, a diamond or heart-shaped, Hera fell short of words to describe how beautiful his lips looked when he smiled.

    It wasn''t his usual charming smile, though. It was a smile one would offer whileforting a scared puppy or a frightened child, ensuring safety or protection.

    Adorable twin dimples winked seductively through the dent of his cheeks. Hera''s thumb absent-mindedly brushed over them through the phone''s screen. The sharpness of his jawline was visibly prominent in the painting, and he hadn''t shaved, a bit of stubble signifying more of his male hotness.

    He looked so cute and lovely with a child''s innocence, and at the same time, he managed to look hot and sexy as well.

    The shape of his upper torso, his washboard abs peeked through the tight ck button-up shirt he wore. He''d left the first two buttons undone, and his ck medallion rested on his hard chest.

    The girl who had painted him on the canvas didn''t miss anything. She''d disyed his undone cuffs with his ck Rolex shining on his wrist. His strong muscr thighs, his long legs d in ck jeans, feet covered in ck boots, the way he stood, his body posture everything felt so real as though he would walk out of that painting.

    <em>''Can I really me these girls falling for you, though?'' Boyish, charming, handsome, you''re all of these, Mr Hunter. You''re every girl''s fantasy.''</em>

    Hera could tell the two artists who captured his stunningly gorgeous, good-looks so perfectly through their art were undoubtedly in love with him.

    <em>''In love with my Hunter.''</em>

    Hera''s skin prickled as something stung in her chest. The green monster of jealousy banged its fists against her heart furiously. Her chest heaved as her breathing turned heavy, anger rising to its peak. He was only hers to love and cherish. No one was supposed to know him with such familiarity.

    Every small detail in the painting suggested the girl had touched every inch of him with her own hands before touching him with the paintbrush. The thought made Hera feel so enraged.

    Lost in her conflicting emotions, Hera was about to throw the phone, and her hand rose above her head, ready to smash it against the hard floor when Hunter looked at her. He stared at her frowning in confusion. "What''s wrong, Goddess?" He asked, concerned.

    Hera stared at him for a few seconds before jumping on him, her arms embracing around his neck in a tight grip.

    "Oops," he said and chuckled before he wrapped his arms around her. "What made you upset, my Love?" He asked softly. Hera didn''t answer, but instead inhaled his scent and closed her eyes as if assuring herself that he was still with her, securely locked in her embrace.

    The picture sequences wouldn''t leave her thoughts. Hera could see and read the story it depicted, loud and clear. A girl, the damsel in distress, and her Knight in shining armour who fought heroically and saved the girl, stealing her heart in the process. They would fall in love and get married and live their lives happily ever after.

    Pain twisted inside her chest, squeezing her heart mercilessly. They were so talented and shared something inmon with Hunter.

    Hunter himself was an excellent painter, and Hera couldn''t even draw the stick figures for the love of God. She felt so useless and worthless.

    <em>''You''re mine, Hunter, my Knight in shining armour, my Prince charming, my Mr Hunter and nobody else''s. It''s our love story, and we''re each other''s happily ever after.''</em>

    "I love you, Hunter," she whispered shakily, and Hunter said, "I love you too," without missing a beat.

 Chapter 140 - Reminiscing His Cherished Memories.

    "Wow! It''s so beautiful, Gis. You''re the best at what you do," Helena said, appreciating her talent. Her cousin grinned, a blush on her cheeks providing the evidence of her shyness. "Helena, stop it. Don''t embarrass me as if I did it alone. It''s your work, after all. I just filled some colours into it," Gis said, looking at her gift she''d made for stair''s birthday.

    "Don''t be modest, sweet cousin of mine, it doesn''t suit you," Helena said, teasing Gis. Helena knew how much her cousin loved the attention, and it pleased her immensely when people praised her for her talent. Gis chuckled, yfully hitting Helena''s arm. "But seriously, Helena, it''s our teamwork. We did it together," she said.

    Helena had drawn stair''s sketch, and Gis painted it with colours.. It turned out so beautiful she decided to gift it to her father as his birthday gift. "He has such captivating, expressive eyes I wish I inherited them," Gis said, looking into her father''srge beautiful eyes. Nodding her head, Helena hummed her agreement. "No wonder Aunt Greta gets lost in them so often," she said, rolling her eyes before both of them burst outughing.

    Helena quietly observed while Gis typed her texts. She had found Eric''s profile on social media through suggested posts, and she instantly recognised him as Ace''s friend. Luckily for them, they could see his posts as his ount was made public and Ace''s name in his friend lists confirmed he''s was the right person to contact. She''d sent him a friend request and sent a message asking him to reply.

    Helena read the message once again before hitting send. Gis had mentioned about their brief meeting in New York City and requested Eric to convey her message to Ace as she and her cousin couldn''t thank him enough that day for all the help he offered. They both sent him a request and prayed he would respond soon.

    "What if he likes me, Gizi? Won''t you feel heartbroken?" Helena asked conversationally. "What if he likes me instead?" Gis questioned back. Helena chuckled stating that her chances were more because she''s older. Her cousin rolled her eyes in dismissal. "I''m just a year younger than you, and besides I''m not the one used to giving up. So it''s you who is going to experience heartbreak," Gis said, mocking pity.

    "Not a chance, GC a dreamer girl. You keep dreaming while I get to fuck his brains out," Helena said. Laughing, Gis shoved her away in retaliation.

    In another bedroom, stair paced back and forth, waiting for the sleep to conquer him. He''d spent his day with his daughter and niece. They visited Hymettus, less than a quarter of an hour''s drive from downtown Athens. They spent their time exploring the rich natural wonders of the ce. It''s a nice escape from his daily money-making, robotic life to the heady world of nature, fresh air and wildlife.

    He''d enjoyed his photography and loved every minute he''d spent capturing the moments in his camera. His body was dead tired, yet sleep wouldn''t show mercy and kept him awake to suffer alone in the middle of the night. He noticed how his wife Greta was fast asleep and envied her ability to fall asleep as soon as she rests her head against the pillow.

    All stair could see around him was the crimson colour. Everything in his bedroom was themed red, decorated as per Greta''s taste. He couldn''t find his favourite colour, blue anywhere in his bedroom. His furniture, his curtains and nkets, the picture frames on the wall, everything was red.

    He walked to his closet and brought out his old album hidden and locked away in one of the cabs, his collection of memories with his best friends captured in photographs. He took a seat on the red couch and flipped the cover open, revealing the first picture of himself with his best friend, Alexander.

    Felicity had taken that picture after stair taught her a bit of photography and it was her first picture she took using a professional camera. stair smiled as he stared at the photograph. It was blurry, and he could hardly see their faces, but he''d kept it because it was one of his pleasant memories.

    Anything rting to Felicity had to be pleasant because that brat was everybody''s favourite despite her being the epitome of annoyance. Felicity was Alexander''s lover, stair''s best friend, Thomas'' guardian angel, Mariana and Jessa''s sister from another mister. She was so selflessly pure at heart that her smile alone could heal every ache.

    As he flipped the pages, studying the details of every photograph, his thoughts drifted into the past. He remembered how he met Alexander and how out of the blue one day Felicity barged into their lives to be the most precious treasure. He chuckled recalling how Thomas tried to woo her and failed countless times because she''d her eyes set on Alexander since day one.

    Marianna hated Felicity before bing her best friend because she had a huge, fat crush on Alexander before Felicity appeared in the picture. Jessa even dared to bully her until Felicity showed her true bratty self, revealing how arrogant, rude and evil she could get if she wanted.

    She''d be important to everyone within no time and who would resist her charms when she decided to conquer their love.

    stair remembered the day Alexander proposed to her in the middle of their road trip and how he didn''t have the ring to give her. stair had removed his tinum in ring from his forefinger to save his best friend from the crisis. Felicity hadughed so loud when the ring slipped out of finger because it was too big for her finger.

    stair and Alexander had spent more than twenty minutes searching on the dirty muddy road to find the ring back.

    From Alexander and Felicity''s wedding to their firstborn, stair cherished every memory he''d captured in his photography. He reminisced how he and Thomas had fought for the title of the little boy''s godfather after his birth. Felicity had said they both could share that right and very cleverly made them nod their head in eptance.

    He ran his fingers over the picture of the baby boy in Alexander''s arms. stair took it in the hospital room, where Felicity had struggled so hard toe back to life.

    Saying goodbye to his best friends was one of the hardest things stair had to do in his life. Alexander''s disappointed stare and Felicity''s shake of the head in disapproval still haunts him in his lonely time. He remembered even to this day how her eyes watered when he lifted her trouble maker, her little boy into his arms and kissed him goodbye.

    He had touched the ck medallion around the little boy''s neck. stair had designed it before Felicity decided to use it and gifted that custom made charm medallion to Alexander.

    Alexander gifted it to his son the day he was born as a wee gift. "It would protect you from every harm, Junior," stair had repeated Alexander''s words before blessing the little boy and walking out of their lives for good.

    Closing the album cover, he sent it back to where it belonged, away from his sight, into the cab before locking it.

    Greta''s calm face made him smile as he walked to his bed. His daughter Gis had her mother''s features, beautiful and graceful. It seemed today was stair''s night to reminisce his cherished memories. He remembered the day Gis was born, and he wanted to name his daughter as Hera.

    Felicity had chosen names for her kids even before she got married to Alexander. She loved the name Hera and decided to name her daughter the same. Felicity and Alexander always wished to have a daughter. Unfortunately, Felicity couldn''t conceive again because of theplications she went through during the childbirth. stair had promised her that she would be the godmother to his daughter.

    The day his daughter was born, stair wanted to keep his promise to his best friend, but he''d already lost his friends by then. Felicity couldn''t hold his daughter in her arms and shower her love as she''d wished countless times.

    By naming his daughter as Hera, he wanted to make up for Felicity''s loss. It was his way of apologising for hurting them, the best way to mourn their lost friendship. It would''ve been his tribute to Felicity for all the happiness she brought to his and Alexander''s lives.

    But he couldn''t even do that for his best friend. His father, the King, his majesty, Christopher Castenos, had said, "Nothing that rtes or leads to Alexander Hunter should be heard or seen in my presence because I wouldn''t approve of it." Being the dutiful heir, he''d sacrificed his wish once again.

    He checked the time on his phone before putting it aside, and the date disyed on the screen reminded him only fourteen days left to his birthday, the day he would get to reconnect with Alexander. No matter what, Alexander and Felicity never missed wishing him happy birthday. All three of them hadn''t changed their numbers and knew the reason behind it.

    Alexander and Felicity would both send him a text message individually. stair had never replied to their messages, but it didn''t stop them from wishing him on his birthday.

    With a sad smile ying on his lips, stair closed his eyes and called it a night.

 Chapter 141 - Shes Crazy In Love

    "Can you tell me what''s bothering you?" Hunter asked, tucking a stray hair behind Hera''s ear. "Can you kiss me?" She asked, and pecked his cheek once more before licking her lips to emphasise her suggestion. Hunter noticed how her eyes stayed glued to his lips. He sighed, and his shoulders visibly slumped down.

    She knew it irked him more every time she kept things bottled up inside. Hera presented him with her dazzling smile before pouting her lips, inviting him to kiss it, and as she expected, he couldn''t resist. Returning her smile, he captured her lips in a sweet sensuous kiss.

    When she satisfyingly felt breathless Hera pulled away from his lips and the content smile stayed intact on hers.

    <em>''How much do you love me, Hunter?''</em>

    She wanted to ask but thought it was stupid because she already knew the answer to that question.

    "I love you, Hunter," she said instead, and Hunter smirked in return.. "You''re saying that a lot this evening, Goddess," he stated.

    <em>''Of course, you noticed. You always do.''</em>

    "But I love you more, Hera Hunter," he said, and Hera''s lips stretched wide into a grin even though she kept her bottom lip seized between her teeth. Her palms rested t on his chest, fingers locked together, chin propped on them, half of her upper body still pressed to his.

    His heart thumped wild under her palm. The heat radiating from his naked torso burned her deliciously through the shirt she wore. She wanted nothing more than to wrap herself around him, body to body, skin to skin, their heartbeats in sync with each other. She could spend eternity locked in his arms and die with a contented heart if he was the one she gets to see and touch before herst breath.

    "You''re zoning out, Goddess," Hunter said. "Don''t think you can hide your distress from me. Come on, speak now," he demanded. "I''ll tell you if you tell me about that wedding night," she bargained, earning an eye-roll from him.

    "Goddess, it''s nothing. You know, how you have something called ''girl talk'' between your female friends, we boys have it too. And I don''t think you would appreciate it if I shared it with you," he said and sat up, leaning against the headboard as Hera did the same. "I''m not hiding or keeping things from you. It''s just that the subject of boys talk is sometimes uninteresting or inappropriate for girls," he concluded.

    Hera nodded in understanding and Hunter''s brows quirked up, questioning when she kept staring at him. Hera grinned goofily before speaking. "Could you at least assure me this, if that wedding night was yours then you were with me that night?" She asked, and Hunter looked at her incredulously.

    "Of course, you were with me, Goddess. What kind of ridiculous question is that? Where else would you be on our wedding night? I need my wife with me on my wedding bed to share that wedding night. I can''t celebrate my wedding night alone, can I?" He asked rhetorically, and his tone very amused.

    Hera giggled quietly and leaning down to his lips she stole a kiss, a very wet, noisy smooch. Hunter looked at her expectantly, and that was her cue to speak.

    He noticed how her shoulders stiffened before attempting to rx. Wordlessly, Hera opened the posts and showed him all the sketches one by one. Hunter was confused and clueless. "Do you know any of these girls?" Hera asked, and he shook his head, the corners of his mouth pulled down as he shrugged. He couldn''t remember meeting them ever, and it didn''t help that he could hardly see the girl''s face.

    The sketches didn''t freshen up any memory either, but one caught his attention where he had his fist ready to destroy something. It wasn''t anything unusual for him because he often got into fights.

    "I have no clue," he said, scrutinising the sketch. "I look hot, though. Don''t you think?" He asked sounding too arrogant, and Hera rolled her eyes, scowling at him in disapproval.

    "Why were you upset?" He asked. His tone was humorous as if Hera did something strangely stupid by getting upset over those sketches. Hera sighed and exined whatever she thought and felt earlier. Hunter listened to everything she said with keen interest, but he kept scowling at her the whole time. Once Hera poured her heart out, he rolled his eyes at her.

    "Jesus Christ, You''re so crazy in love and so fucking cheesy with your feelings," he said mocking disgust on his face.

    Hera red and pinched his nipples.

    Hunter grabbed her hands, pulled her under him and crashed his lips onto hers. He effectively deprived her mouth and her brain of words and thoughts.

    Hera chuckled into his mouth, tasting him on her tongue and breathing him into her lungs. He didn''t have to use words as she felt what he wanted her to understand. He was trying to erase all her doubts and insecurities. His heart, his dedication and his love belonged only to her.

    "You can block those ounts from my profile if you want," Hunter muttered in between the kiss, but Hera was invested too deep into the kiss to reply. That issue didn''t matter to her anymore.

    It was weekend, and it wasn''t working one bit on Danny''s favour because he had less of a chance to escape his friends. If there was anything he hated the most, it was getting grilled with questions. It wasn''t easing his nerves, knowing he was at fault. He spent most of his time with Evelyn avoiding Eric and Michael but knew he couldn''t do it forever.

    Come by Saturday morning, Evelyn decided it was time for the girls to get pampered and took Hera along with Bianca and Samantha to the beauty salon to get all prim and proper. She had nned her schedule for the whole day, and ordingly, they would go shopping after.

    Each of the boys cornered him one after the other as soon as they got a chance to interrogate him. Danny snapped in frustration that he wasn''t a child, and they were definitely not his parents to keep track of his every move.

    "For fuck''s sake, stop monitoring my every step as if I''m your precious baby learning to walk for the first time, it gets annoying when you hover over my personal space," he yelled at all three of them. It wasn''t like he could tell them the truth, right?

    They were on the third floor at Hunter''s gym with the much-needed privacy to get Danny open up.

    They stood surrounding him, and Danny felt like a thief getting caught red-handed. Pushing himself off the chest press machine, he leaned forward, supporting most of his body weight on his knees. He dabbed the towel on his neck, wiping the sweat before tossing it aside. Hunter and his friends watched while Danny sighed in defeat and ran his hands through his hair.

    Head lowered and eyes cast down, Danny thought he could lie. It wasn''t that difficult if he could hide the guilt. He had his story ready and memorised, but it''s amon trait to struggle before getting started.

    "Are you going to open your mouth today itself or are you going to take an eternity to form your words into a sentence?" Hunter asked, sarcasm dripping through his voice. And lying came a bit easy to Danny after that because he didn''t have time to think anymore.

    "I''m involved with a girl, but it''s not anything serious. I like her and no, she''s not from our school. I met her outside a few weeks before, and I hid it from you all because I thought you wouldn''t understand or approve of it," Danny babbled without meeting their eyes. "Why wouldn''t we approve?" Eric asked while Michael muttered at the same time, "I thought you liked Evie."

    Hunter didn''t utter a word yet. "She''s older," Danny said, slowly lifting his head to look at his friends'' reactions. "She''s a college senior," he added. "Evie will be so disappointed," Eric stated with a scoff.

    They grilled him some more with their cross-questioning and Danny maintained his lie very conveniently. One look at Hunter''s face and he knew, his best friend didn''t buy his shit one bit, but to his credit, Hunter didn''t utter a word, and Danny could live with that for the time being.

    In all this lying crap, the only thing that bothered Danny was Evelyn. He knew the boys would share this info with her, and as Eric said, she was going to be so disappointed. Danny didn''t want to hurt her feelings, but right now, saving himself from this crisis was more important.

    Danny had his little sister to keep safe and had a very little time to n his next moves. He had to find a way to deceive Jack before Hunter discovers the truth. Because if he didn''t, Danny knows for sure, Ace Hunter would kill him before Jack could.

 Chapter 142 - Predator Ready To Rip His Prey Into Shreds

    "This one looks perfect," Evelyn said, holding the full-arm A-Line maxi dress in blue colour with a cute bow tied around the waist. Hera liked it, but she was hesitating to try it on. They were dress shopping in one of the boutiques in the King''s Road in Chelsea.

    Evelyn, Samantha and Bianca bought so many things from dress to essories to footwear that Hera felt conscious in their presence. They all came from money, and she couldn''t help but feel inferior among them. It felt awkward when Evelyn suggested they buy the dress for her birthday. Hera didn''t want to ept, but she didn''t know how to decline politely either.

    Thrusting the dress in her hands, Evelyn pushed her into the trial room, and Hera stood before the full-length mirror staring at her reflection. The soft material clung to her form, fitting so neatly that Hera actually considered buying it. A soft knock and she heard Evelyn ordering her to show herself out. Hesitatingly, Hera stepped out and let out a nervous chuckle when her friend held thumbs up in approval.

    "We''re buying it," She dered, but Hera was quick to decline.. "Thanks, Evie, but it''s too expensive, and I can''t afford the price," Hera said timidly. Evelyn, the kindhearted sweetheart that she was, understood the reason for Hera''s hesitation and granted her the kindest smile.

    "I''m so sorry, Hera if I made you ufortable. I should''ve told you before, but I forgot. My bad," she said, pinching Hera''s rosy cheeks before shoving the shiny ck card on her Hera''s face. Startled, Hera moved her face away, and Evelyn grinned in response. "Ace said this is unlimited, and you can buy whatever you wish with this," she revealed and wiggled her eyebrows.

    Grinning, Hera rolled her eyes when Evelyn winked at her suggestively. "I''m guessing you don''t mind spending your boyfriend''s money? Hmm, boyfriends are there to pamper girlfriends after all. It''s how they should show their love anyway," she said and dragged Hera to try on other dresses without giving her a chance to say no. Not that Hera minded spending Hunter''s money anyway.

    It wasn''t the first time he bought her a dress. "What''s mine is yours, and what''s yours is mine," he had said the first time he bought her a gift. Honestly, Hera never felt awkward or ufortable using Hunter''s money.

    <em>''It will be mine someday in future, right? He''s mine, and so is everything he owns.''</em>

    Whether its fate or her blind belief, it didn''t matter. Hera believed they belonged to each other ever since the moment theyid eyes on each other. Hunter said they owned copyright over everything belonging to each other.

    "Hera, look at this one, you''ll look like a princess in this," Evelyn''s cheery voice rang in Hera''s ears, and she nodded in agreement. The strapless, straight neck, fit and re long dress invender colour looked gorgeous. "Isn''t this your favourite shade of purple colour?" Evelyn asked rhetorically. Hera liked the dress, but she wanted a white dress.

    It''s for her birthday, and she never wore anything other than white on her birthday. So with her lips pursed, Hera shook her head apologetically. Evelyn sighed, putting aside the dress as if parting with it made her sad. Samantha and Bianca joined them, and Hera''s eyes went wide by seeing the shopping bags in their hands.

    <em>''Were they shopping for their wedding or what?''</em>

    Hera thought sneeringly.

    "Aren''t you done yet?" Samantha asked in a bored tone. Evelyn just waved her hand in dismissal and pulled Hera''s hand, guiding her to another section of rows. Hera saw Bianca offering a pack of cookies to Samantha as she took a seat beside her on the couch. Evelyn burst the bubble gum bubble in her mouth, seizing Hera''s attention back to her.

    "Take your time, darling. No one''s in a hurry, okay," Evelyn said while Hera smiled in gratitude.

    After scrutinising a few more rows, finally, Hera found a dress that she liked. It was a sleeveless fit and re dress with a halter neckline. The length of the dress reached the ankles from behind and rested below the knees in the front. It had waist-tied bowknot in the side.

    But there was only one problem. The dress was in blood-red colour. Hera asked the shop assistant if she could get the dress in white.

    Hera couldn''t hide her smile when the female assistant brought her the dress in pure white, and it had an addedcework designed around the neck and the res. Hera rushed to the trial room, and her smile stretched into a wide grin as soon as she saw her reflection.

    <em>''I hope you like me in this dress, Mr Hunter.''</em>

    The fitting was perfect too, and Hera thought the dress made her look beautiful.

    Evelyn pped in approval when Hera showed herself out. "You look so pretty, Hera," she said, nodding. Bianca looked up from her phone and gave Hera a once over before ignoring her altogether. She promptly went back to whatever she was watching on her phone.

    Hera bit her lip when she met eyes with Samantha. She looked unimpressed if not disgusted and the mocking sneer felt like a sharp needle pricking.

    "Girl, that''s a bridesmaid dress. Whose wedding are you attending?" Samantha asked sarcastically.

    <em>''Mine, and you don''t have the privilege of being my bridesmaid.''</em>

    Hera wanted to say that out loud but bit back the words swirling on her tongue. Bianca elbowed her best friend, and her eyes held a silent warning. All three of them knew why Hera wanted a white dress and Samantha couldn''t curb her jealousy.

    "You need one more dress, Hera. Buy something you feelfortable in because we''re going out tonight," Evelyn said. Hera looked at her with her curious eyes, a frown of confusion visible on her face. "We all are going to the street bike racing, and Ace wants you to be there with him. So you''reing with us," she provided helpfully.

    <strong>THE GRAND CHEROKEE JEEP</strong> in brilliant ck crystal pearl colour, skidded to a halt as Hunter hit the brakes. They waited for a few minutes at the back gate of their school, waiting for someone.

    Hunter stepped down and stood leaning his hip against the bo of his jeep. Danny joined standing next to him with a lit cigarette shimmering between his fingers, calm and collected, as usual. Meanwhile, Eric ever the observant let his eyes wander and took a nce at their surroundings. He noticed right on time when Jack, their friend, jumped over the gate.

    Jack muttered apologies for beingte once he reached them. He shook hands with Hunter and his friends and bumped fists in their typical boys'' greeting style.

    "Are you sure, Jake, I don''t want to face disappointmentter," Hunter said, pulling himself off the bo of his jeep. Michael climbed behind the wheel, eager to reach their destination. Jake had promised Hunter to bring his prey to the given destination, and he was there to confirm the same.

    As soon as Jake entered the jeep, Danny took a long drag of his cigarette and huffed out the smoke hurriedly before passing it to Hunter. He too did the same before crushing the residue cigarette on the floor with his shoe d foot.

    ording to Jake, it was an easy task. "All I had to do was pass a verbal invite. What teenager would miss free booze and ignore the entry pass to their seniors'' party?" He asked rhetorically, and Michael sniggered. "The bastard had his time to enjoy that booze I hope," Danny spat.

    It was the fake party invite, but their prey bought it anyway. They''d hired the perfect spot with a few strangers, some adults and some teenagers losing their minds over the intoxicating drugs and free liquor. Hunter would finish his job and leave after that. "It''s almost time, he should''ve reached by now," Eric said, checking his wristwatch.

    A few minutester, Michael smirked as his foot pressed hard against the brake pedal. Startled, the three boys in T-shirts and faded jeans faltered on their steps as they heard the tires screeching to a halt. They stepped back and moved to the side of the empty road to avoid getting themselves killed in an ident.

    The door opened, and Hunter revealed himself, stepping down from his jeep and smiled wide as Andrew''s mouth fell open in a terrified gasp. He watched with his horror-filled eyes as Hunter''s hand reached down under the seat, and out he pulled a baseball bat.

    Andrew gulped in fear while Danny took a seat on the bo, he had a baseball bat in his hand too, waiting for his chance to break Andrew''s bones. Michael jumped out of the jeep and bending down he pulled out the dagger from his boot. Twirling the de between his fingers, he joined Hunter, maniacalughter leaving his mouth.

    Meanwhile, Eric and Jake warned the other two boys, giving them a chance to escape. They were smart enough to take up on that offer.

    Swinging the bat, Hunter walked to the frightened boy. Andrew didn''t have the chance to run as Danny, Michael, and Jake surrounded him. Hunter''s smile disappeared as he neared, his jaw clenched, eyes burning with fury. He appeared no less than a hungry predator ready to rip his prey into shreds. "Told you, boy, to count your days, didn''t I?" He asked.

 Chapter 143 - She Cant Wait To Show Him

    Andrew took a step back and found his back colliding with someone and turned around in a panic to see it was Jake. He red at him with using eyes, and Hunterughed, liking his helpless situation too much. Even though he was afraid for his life, Andrew couldn''t help with the anger and jealousy he felt for Hunter.

    Hunter clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock pity. "Aw, he feels betrayed, Jake," Hunter cooed and pped Jake on his back. It was more of a gesture of appreciation for the help he contributed. "You''re such a prick, Jake. How can you double-cross him like this? The poor boy is devastated because of how you helped me trap him," he stated the obvious. His friendsughed at Andrew''s misery.

    "If you touch me, Ace, you''ll have to face my father, and mywyer will drag you to the court. None of you will survive after that, and I''ll make sure of it," Andrew said through his gritted teeth, trying to threaten Hunter. Thetter only snickered at the former''s futile attempt as if he cracked a ridiculous joke..

    "When I set my mind on something, even my father wouldn''t dare to interfere because he knows I wouldn''t listen to anyone and nothing can hold me back, and you think yours will stop me?" He asked, his face a mask of fury as hisrge eyes widened to their fullest and headbutted him across the face with full force.

    Andrew didn''t see iting, and he staggered, swaying a little before falling on his butt, grunting and cursing in pain.

    "Ace, I said you can''t sport any trace of injury on your body. Keep this in mind, no cut, no wound, no scar, and no damage. I don''t want his so-calledwyer to get his hands on any evidence," Eric said, mocking Andrew for mentioning hiswyer. Scowling, Hunter turned to face Eric.

    Perched on the hood of his jeep was his dear friend, feet dangling back and forth while his hands mped the edges, supporting his body weight. His smirk disappeared while a scowl reced it and he red at Hunter in disapproval.

    "Don''t tell me you''re still against the idea of killing him," Hunter said, sounding annoyed and without warning turned around to kick Andrew, jamming his foot right into the boy''s testicles. It hurt so much, Andrew couldn''t even scream. He sobbed breathlessly and doubled over in pain.

    "If he dies, disposing of his body would only be an added nuisance, and I don''t want to deal with that, Ace," Hunter heard Eric whining behind him. He rammed his foot again and again until he felt satisfied. "You dared to touch my girl that too against her will," Hunter said, crouching down to his level. His fingers curled into Andrew''s hair and yanked his head back.

    "You think you deserve to live?" He asked and shook his head, answering himself in a no. His hands reached out, grabbing the bat from the ground, and Andrew''s frightened eyes widened as Hunter swung it to the side of his head before it came crashing down on his face. "It wouldn''t satisfy me until I break every single bone in your body," Hunter admitted.

    Andrew cried, begging him to let him go while Hunter smiled, seeing him writhing under his feet. He so wanted to crush his skull with his boot. "You fucking bastard, did you stop when Hera cried, begging you to stop?" He asked and rammed the baseball bat into his knee. Everyone heard the bone crack while Andrew screamed his lungs out.

    Danny tsked, shaking his head in mock sympathy. "No, Ace, he didn''t," he helpfully supplied the answer which Andrew didn''t give. Michael grimaced at the blood, oozing down Andrew''s face and his knee. "Fuck, he looks so ugly. Kill him before I throw up," Michael said much to Eric''s annoyance.

    "dly," Hunter replied and raised his bat aiming at Andrew''s head, determined to split it open into two. Before he could bring it down, Eric and Jake held his hand, restricting it from meeting its target. Andrew sighed in relief but didn''t get the time to inhale the air back into his lungs as Danny''s bat met with his ribcage.

    Hunter red at Eric, only to get shoved back. "I think you''ve caused him enough damage," his best friend stated. Hunter shook his head in disagreement. "He didn''t die yet," he said indignantly, but Eric didn''t budge from his ce, sessfully blocking Andrew''s form from Hunter''s view. Michael groaned, and Eric red at him in a warning.

    "What? I didn''t get a chance to show my baby''s talent yet," Michael whined, pointing at his baby, the dagger in his hand.

    Hunter yanked his hand out of his friends'' grasp. "Eric, I only agreed to keep the violence to PG level because you wanted him to get expelled, but I didn''t see that happening. So as you promised, he''s mine to punish now," Hunter reasoned, charging towards Andrew. "And this piece of shit even dared to mock Hera and used her of lying," he said, kicking him in his broken ribs.

    Andrew was on the verge of losing his consciousness and Eric pursed his lips in frustration when Hunter and Danny simultaneously hit Andrew. The former''s blow aimed at the right ankle while thetter''s at his left ankle.

    Michael walked back to the jeep to fetch a water bottle and emptied it on Andrew''s face bringing him back to consciousness. Hunter snatched the dagger from Michael''s hand and grabbed Andrew''s wrist with his free hand. Jake looked away, and Eric cursed while his other two best friends cheered for Hunter to do whatever he nned to do.

    "Let him live, Ace. I told you Hera wouldn''t approve it," Eric said. "I promise I''ll make sure he leaves the school. You won''t ever see him," Eric''s voice held undoubted promise, and he looked determined. Hunter nced at Eric once before turning his attention back to his target.

    His friend''s watched him cing Andrew''s hand on the ground, fingers spread wide. The dagger pierced into the skin tearing the flesh before breaching past the hard bone as Hunter smashed it applying full force. He had cut the middle finger of Andrew''s right hand.

    Eric knew, his mention of Hera''s name had worked in his favour. Hunter returned Michael''s dagger and watched quietly as his friend washed it clean with water. Danny literally pissed on Andrew''s face before following Hunter to his jeep.

    "Jake, you leave with them, please," Eric asked his friend. "Michael and I will be back once we take care of this mess," he said to Hunter pointing at Andrew''s half-conscious form.

    "This is hisst chance to survive. If I see him again, he''s dead," Hunter promised, and Eric nodded his agreement.

    <strong>CURSING INWARDLY,</strong> Hera sighed.

    <em>''Street racing! Oh, God, isn''t that illegal? What will I do there?''</em>

    Hera scowled but didn''t say anything in return to what Evelyn just mentioned. She knew Hunter liked bike racing too much to her annoyance. But this would be her first time attending or witnessing it.

    They hadte lunch and decided to head back as Evelyn wanted time to get ready for the racing event. "You came from the beauty salon just a while ago, Evie," Hera said, teasing her.

    None of the boys were around when they made it home, and Hera ran upstairs to get changed quickly. Not that she needed time to get ready or apply make-up. Her face was glowing because of the facial mask and massage she underwent in the beauty salon, and Hera wasn''t interested in an artificial made-up doll face.

    She had plenty of time to spare as the girls would no doubt take their own time to get ready. Hera couldn''t wait to try the dress on in the privacy of Hunter''s bedroom. She locked the door and rushed to the bathroom to take a quick shower.

    Putting on her new dress, Hera ran her palms over it, smoothing the lines and loved the way the soft texture felt against her smooth skin. cing her hand over her mouth, she grinned.

    "Oh, my God!" Hera whispered to the empty room as she saw herself in the full-length mirror in the bedroom. Holding the re of her dress from both the sides, she twirled and giggled loving the way it flew around, spinning along. "I can''t wait to show you, Hunter," she said aloud, admiring herself and pped her hands in excitement.

    Hera changed into the new outfit she bought for their night out and slid her feet into the new pair of leather boots. She tied her hair into a tight ponytail and smeared her lips with the dark pink lipstick she borrowed from Evelyn. The colour looked gorgeous against her milky-whiteplexion.

    Satisfied with her appearance, Hera wrapped a ck scarf around her neck and covered herself in her new ck trench coat with satin beltedpel.

    When Hera came down to the living hall to meet others, she was stunned at what she saw. Evelyn, Samantha and Bianca looked like hot models in their ck leather jackets and ripped jeans, feet d in high heels.

    <em>''I can never look better in their presence, can I?''</em>

    Hera thought disappointedly.

 Chapter 144 - She Wants To Kiss Him

    Hera was fidgeting the whole time she sat in the moving vehicle. It wasn''t Hunter''s car, but Evelyn said they were friends with the one driving it and it''s safe. Ever since Andrew''s episode, Hera couldn''t trust anyone and considering what Bianca and Samantha did in the party, she couldn''t help but feel a bit on edge in their presence.

    Evelyn sat in the front passenger seat and was busy conversing animatedly with Liam, the boy behind the wheel. Hera sat in the back seat, sandwiched between two boys who were strangers to her while Bianca and Samantha took seats in the third row.

    Hera''s back stiffened in rm, and she looked sharply at the boy seated to her right as suddenly his hand made its way to her thigh, palm and fingers pressing hard against her flesh under her thick trench coat. Hera kept ring at him, but the boy didn''t seem to notice what he did. Heughed at something Evelyn and Liam said, and Hera thought maybe it was unintentional and innocent.

    Hera nced over her shoulder to find Bianca and Samantha lost in their world, earpieces plugged into their ears.

    When he didn''t attempt to remove his hand even after hisughter died down, Hera didn''t think it was innocent anymore. She pried his hand off her thigh.. To her annoyance, the Jerk looked at her but didn''t seem sorry at all. Through the peripheral view, she noticed the other boy beside her left when his shoulders shook in a quiet snicker.

    Hera didn''t feel safe orfortable anymore. For a fleeting moment, she even thought maybe it was another humiliating sick prank of the besties seated behind her.

    <em>''Why did I agree to go with these strangers? Where are you, Hunter?''</em>

    Hera moved to the edge of her seat, trying to get closer to Evelyn and prayed for the journey to end already.

    A ck jeep suddenly honked, overtaking their car and Hera sighed in relief as she immediately recognised its Hunter''s jeep. It blocked their way, and both the vehicles came to a halt and as on cue, the door to the front passenger seat opened. A hand covered in the ck leather jacket held the door open, and the ck jean-d legs with sneakers in feet stepped down from the jeep.

    Hera watched with her widened eager eyes as Hunter turned around, his long strides eating up the distance to reach her. The boys on her either side opened the doors and got down, making way for her. Thanking her lucky stars, Hera jumped out and ran into Hunter''s arms before he could greet her.

    The force with which Hera collided into his chest made him take a step back because of the impact it caused. Her arms around his neck tightened as she pressed herself more into his chest. She sniffed him, inhaling deeply before tilting her head up to look at him.

    She smiled basking in the full attention, zeroed on her. Hunter kissed her forehead in greeting, and Hera noticed he didn''t return the smile. He was busy studying her face, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

    "Sorry, Love. As you know, we gave the staff their weekend off, so I didn''t have anyone to drive you. I couldn''t dare to trust Evie or Bianca''s driving skills with you inside the car," Hunter said, making her grin wide. Hera heard Bianca yell at him offended by the second reason he offered while Evelyn tried to kick his thigh yfully with her heels.

    Grasping Hera''s wrist in his hand, Hunter looked at Liam. "You said you''re driving alone, Liam," he said, eyeing the other two boys and Liam looked a bit nervous. Hunter''s tone was using, his stare not so friendly anymore. "Sorry, Ace, my friends didn''t have the drive sost-minute changes to the n," the boy offered his defence timidly. With a single nod, Hunter pulled Hera towards his jeep, and she dly followed.

    Danny was on the driver''s seat, and Evelyn didn''t waste a second more before taking the seat beside him in the front. "Get in, Sunshine," Hunter said to Bianca, holding the door open for her but she didn''t want Samantha to feel left out, so she preferred sitting with her in the rear seats.

    Hera grinned, recognising Jake and greeted him with a handshake. She sat between Hunter and Jake in the middle. She appreciated the gesture as Jake maintained a respectable distance between them.

    Hunter wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and Hera leaned her head on his shoulder.

    "You look super hot with this," Hera whispered into Hunter''s ear pointing at the ck bandana tied around his head. He chuckled when she tantly checked him out from head to toe taking in his sinful good looks. He had dressed in ck jeans paired with a simple V-neck in ck T-shirt.

    She could make out the lines of his solid chest and abs through the snug-fitting T-shirt. His leather jacket and the bandana added more to his bad-boy persona.

    "Do you like what you see, Goddess?" Hunter whispered, and Hera nodded enthusiastically. With her hand shielding her mouth, she whispered in his ear. "Of course, I do."

    "You two are annoying," Evelyn said without ncing at them and increased the volume of the music system. Hera could tell she was smiling though she sounded annoyed. But her brother was annoyed for sure, and his scowl was prominent. Evelyn yed the song "Ouws of Love" by Adam Lambert on repeat mode. No one tried to object because princess Evelyn gets away with everything.

    "Are we getting closer? Closer?

    Nights are getting colder, colder."Adam Lambert''s voice resounded through the speakers, so romantic and perfect. Hera mouthed the lyrics and smirked when Hunter rolled his eyes, slight pink dusting over his cheeks.

    "Are you blushing?" She whispered, and he shoved her away, scowling at her.

    Hunter noticed how her gaze lingered at the visible shape of his washboard abs and bit back a smile. Hera caught him smirking and brushed the back of her fingers over his jaw. He hadn''t shaved, and Hera always loved the rugged look on him. The slight stubble on his face made him look so matured and more handsome.

    He caught her hand and stopped it from exploring further when it brushed the corners of his mouth. Hera smirked noticing him swallowing, the bulge of his Adam''s apple moving slowly. It looked so hot and attractive, Hera wanted to kiss and run her tongue over it.

    As if reading her mind, Hunter shook his head. Jutting out her bottom lip in a disappointed pout, Hera looked at him expectantly.

    "Everywhere we go we''re looking for the sun," Hera suddenly decided to sing along and unashamedly used her tuneless voice trying to sound as discordant as possible and screamed into his ear. Sheughed when it annoyed Hunter, and he covered his ears with his hands, trying to block her voice.

    Moving his hands away, she whispered again, "I want to kiss you."

    Hera dramatically sighed when Hunter ignored her and started a random conversation with Jake.

    They reached the industrial estate in Dagenham and Hera was shocked to see hundreds of spectators though the Council decided to crack down on illegal racing in their area. Bike racers were test riding, making sure everything was working fine with the machine. The bikes looked more attractive than the bikers.

    <em>''But my Hunter looks the most attractive.''</em>

    Hera thought, eyeing the said attractive boy beside her. Hunter was on the phone checking where Eric and Michael were. She waited until he ended the call and nudged him in the side with her elbow.

    "I put so much effort into getting ready for you, and you didn''t even spare a proper nce at me," sheined. Hunter smirked, making an borated show of checking her out. His hand reached over her head, and Hera protested when he pulled her hair tie and freed her hair.

    Her hair had grown an inch or two, and that observation made him happy. It danced around her face, like the waves swimming in the ocean, and it made her face glow like the milky white full moon in the dark sky. Heraughed when his fingers held the single strand of her hair because she knew whenever he secretly measured the length of it.

    Herughter pulled his attention back to her face. The soft skin of her bare face looked so fresh. Herrge, forest green resplendent eyes were her perfect jewellery, and that little heart-shaped mouth with her full lips painted in dark pink Hunter couldn''t wait to taste them.

    She swatted his hand away when he tried to touch her lips. "You''ll ruin my lipstick," she said. Hunter scoffed in return. "And here I thought you wanted to kiss me," he said, rolling his eyes.

    "Maybeter," she said and winked. "But now, tell me how do I look?" She asked, widening her eyes for the added effect. Hunter chuckled at how cute and innocent she looked.

    "Well," he paused and shrugged. "I can''t see anything beneath this knee-length trench coat of yours. Have you worn anything inside or are you naked underneath it?" He whispered, leaning to her ear.

 Chapter 145 - Shes The Prettiest

    She held her breath and waited for him to move away, but his lips lingered near her ear, hot breath tickling the tip of her earlobe. A shiver ran through her form due to his proximity. Hera withdrew her hands from the pockets of her trench coat and ced her palms on his chest.

    She had the full intention of shoving him away until she felt the hard ridges of his abdominal muscles under the thin material of his T-shirt.

    <em>''Holy shit! What the fucking hell? What is he so delicious for?''</em>

    "We''re in public, Goddess, behave yourself," Hunter said, scolding her. A scowl of pretended displeasure stered on his face while amusement danced in his purple eyes. "And can you please stop blushing so hard?" He asked, smirking when she red at him.

    "I''m not blushing. My skin looks flushed due to the chilly wind, and also that''s the reason why I shivered. It has nothing to do with you," Hera said bitingly. "Sure," Hunter said, throwing sarcasm at her way.. His smirk vanished, his eyebrows arched up and he watched while his Goddess crossed her arms over her chest, frowning in displeasure.

    Her snow-whiteplexion flushed beautifully, her anger filling more colour to her skin. The resplendent pink dusted on her cheeks almost matched the shade of her lipstick. Hunter was so desperate to kiss those lips pushed out into a cute pout.

    It was so obvious, Hera could feel his desire radiating through his eyes, and her angry pout changed into a pleased, arrogant smirk. As though she read his thoughts, Hera said, "Guess you''re not going to get the chance to kiss them." The indifferent shrug of her shoulder made him sigh, and he looked at her as in to say, ''Here we go''.

    "I''m sorry, Goddess Hera, forgive me I was an idiot for daring to upset you," he said, bowing his head in front of her and Hera couldn''t hide her smile. "That''s better," she said in a tone of approval, giving him an impressed look.

    "Now will you show me what''s under this coat or what''s not under this coat?" Hunter asked, hisrge eyes filled with excitement, drawing a giggle out of her. Biting her lip, Hera turned to face him directly and very slowly unbuttoned her coat. Hunter''s jaw dropped open, and he gaped at her form when she held thepels of her trench coat wide open revealing her dress.

    "The fuck? Don''t fuck with my mind," he muttered, and Heraughed. "How do I look? She asked again. Her attire was so simple, yet it looked so hot on her. It was a simple figure-hugging, V-neck ck T-shirt with short sleeves. She''d paired it with cotton cargo shorts with shiny silver zippers dangling in the middle and at the sides of her pockets as well.

    The colour of her shorts matched perfectly with her dark pink lipstick. Itplimented her skin tone so beautifully. Her long legs were on disy, and her soft meaty thighs looked so inviting Hunter was having a hard time keeping his hands to himself. The heels in her ankle boots made her a few inches taller.

    Her top tucked into her shorts in the front, and it had words written in white on the top, right on her full breasts. It read, "My Boyfriend''s."

    Hunter swallowed hard, and Heraughed at his misery. "I take it, I look good?" She asked rhetorically. He nodded as he was speechless while Hera smirked at her boyfriend''s muted self. "I''m not so familiar with the signnguage, Mr Hunter. I need you to voice it out in words," she said, sounding so smug.

    Hunter took one of her hands and ced it against his chest, palm t. Hera looked confused, and he smiled before guiding her palm downward. She felt the hard ne of tight muscles under her touch and blushed when he stopped her hand right above his belt buckle.

    "If you want to know the ratings of your hotness, Goddess, then move your hand a bit lower, and you''ll measure the exact level of its effect," he said without blinking. Hera''s eyes widened when the meaning behind his words sank in and blushing furiously she snatched her hand back.

    "We''re in public, Lucifer, behave yourself," she threw his words back at him and chuckled when he pulled her into his arms. With her heels, the height looked perfect for him to kiss the crown of her head, and he did.

    "So, do I look good?" She asked again, and he nodded his agreement. "As good as Bianca is looking tonight?" Hera asked in a whisper, staring into his eyes. Hunter looked away from her, his gaze searching for his best friend. He found her flirting with one of the bikers and Bianca was undoubtedly the epitome of hotness. Hera matched her no less in good looks.

    But Hunter didn''t know how to make Hera see her worth. It irked him more whenever shepared herself to others or felt insecure. He took her hand and ced it on his chest again, right over his thumping heart. He cradled her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes.

    "You''re beautiful, I''m so proud you''re all mine," Hunter dered before kissing her on the cheek. "Bianca is hot, but I''m not attracted to her. My friendship with her is strictly tonic," he said. Hera smiled pleased at his answer and the way her eyes gazed into his with so much love it made his heart skip a beat and Hera felt it under her palm. Her eyes grew smaller as her smile widened. It filled his chest with a pleasant warmth.

    Hunter sucked in a sharp breath, and his heart obediently skipped a beat again.

    "You take my breath away whenever you look at me. My eyes never get tired of admiring your beauty. You''re so pure inside and out. I love you so much, Hera Hunter," he confessed. Hera leaned up and kissed the corner of his mouth.

    "You''re ethereal, Mrs Hunter, so gorgeous and so sexy, one second I want to worship you with flowers, gands, incense and candles. The next second I wish to pull you under me, taste every inch of you with my tongue, ravish your body and fuck your brains out until you pass out with pleasure," Hunter said. He was blunt with his confession, his voice soft, and eyes mapping the shape of her lips.

    Hera scowled, scrunching her nose up for the added effect and pped his chest. "I understood that I look good, and you''re attracted to me. You don''t have to make it sound so intense, Lucifer. You''re so shamelessly blunt with your words," she said, pulling away from his embrace. He was quiet, and Hera contemted whether to oblige his unsaid request or not. She knew he wanted to kiss her.

    Hera sighed, looking around. "There are so many people surrounding us," she was saying, and when she looked at him again, he shut her up by covering her mouth with his. His arm went around her waist, pulling her flush against his torso, the softness of her breasts crushing into his hard chest.

    Startled, Hera pulled away from the kiss when she heard loud honking. Her eyes found Eric and Michael, getting off their bikes.

    "Careful, bro, you don''t want to ride your bike with your boner stuck between your legs. I don''t think sporting blue balls while racing would make you feel much pleasant," Michael said, cing his helmet on his bike. Ericughed while Danny pushed Hunter out of his way. Hunter rolled his eyes before wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

    All his friends joined him, and the organiser announced the price along with the rules. It was time to start the race. Participants mounted their bikes, and theirdy luck kissed them, Goodluck.

    "And you, Pixie, have some shame. How can you torment your brother so brutally?" Eric said, pulling Hera away from Hunter''s reach. He was teasing her, but Danny wasn''t in the mood for fun. Hera watched while her brother ascended one of the bikes, and she wondered aloud, where did her brother get such an impressive thing. It sure looked expensive. "It''s mine," Eric said.

    Hunter was speaking to one of the fellow bikers, and he looked older. Hera realised most of them were college students. She hid behind Eric''s tall frame when the older boy looked at her, ncing over Hunter''s shoulder. Eric wrapped an arm around her shoulder protectively, as if he sensed her uneasiness.

    "You can keep the price money, buddy. I want something in ce of my trophy," the biker was saying. Hunter nced over his shoulder to know what caught his attention, and his eyes found his Hera. He chuckled at his biker friend. "That''s my girl, Victor, not your trophy," he said with a subtle warning. Victor nodded and smiled, waving his hand at Hera.

    "She''s the prettiest," Victor stated. Hunter knew him for quite some time now, and he could say Victor was his friend. But that didn''t give him ess to his Hera. Hunter wouldn''t hesitate to slit his throat if he dared to touch his Goddess.

    "Let''s ce a bet," Victor said.

 Chapter 146 - Its A Deal

    "I was undefeated until you stepped in, Ace, and I am determined to get my number one title back tonight. So let''s ce a bet. If you win, I''ll do whatever you want. But if I defeat you, I get to swap my trophy and prize money with your girl. What do you say?" Victor asked. Hunter shook his head, a polite refusal, a friendly smile still intact on his lips.

    "What are you afraid of, Ace? You were never the one to back out from a challenge," Victor stated, eyes curious but his tone mocking. Victor descended from his motorbike and looked at Hera once again.

    Hunter followed his sight to see her bickering with Michael. They were fighting, and Victorughed when they both grabbed each other''s hair tugging it. They looked like two toddlers fighting for the same toy or toffee.

    Victor looked at Hunter to find him smiling.. "None of your friends is trying to stop the fight or helping your girl, and you seem unbothered," Victor stated the obvious and Hunter chose to ignore responding to that. Instead, he answered his earlier question. "I''m not afraid of your challenge, Vic, but she''s not something I would share," he said.

    "Hm, she must be special then," Victor said, and Hunter agreed. Hera raised her fist in the air in victory when Michael held up his hands in surrender. The biker chuckled at her cute victory dance. "Your girl has stolen my heart, Ace. I want to go on a date once with her," the older boy shared his desire.

    "You''re too old for her, Vic," Hunter stated. Victor looked offended, and Hunter chuckled. "You wound me, buddy. I have a crush on her and age doesn''t matter where the heart and feelings are involved," the biker said. "See you, Victor," Hunter said, walking away and Victor tried hisst bait.

    "Are you afraid that she''ll fall for my charms because I''m older, and a matured man inparison to her high school going little boyfriend?" The biker said, effectively making Hunter halt in his tracks. When he turned around to re at Victor, the self-proimed mature man sniggered. "God, you always fall for that bait, boy," he said, pping his hands andughed.

    "Come on, Ace, You''ve snatched my victory so many times. Give me this one chance or are you already afraid that you''ll lose this time?" He asked, smirking arrogantly, his eyebrows arched up, daring him to deny it. Hunter scoffed, matching arrogance for arrogance. "You''ll never win her against me, Victor," he stated confidently and offered a handshake. "It''s a deal. Let''s race," Hunter said.

    Victor kick-started his motorbike while grinning at Hunter. Still keeping one of his feet on the ground, he let his motorbike lean significantly and turned it in circles repeatedly. Hunter gave him an unimpressed look as Victor did an borated showoff. "Can''t wait to beat you, boy," the biker said. "In your dreams, loser," was Hunter''s crude reply.

    Victor rode off to join the other motorbikes taking positions at the starting point.

    When Hunter rejoined his friends, Michael and Danny were waiting for him with his motorbike. He found Hera gawking at his bike before an impressed smile made its way onto her lips. "Do you like it?" Hunter asked, and Hera bobbed her head excitedly without tearing her eyes off the bike.

    Hera had gone on a bike ride with Hunter before, but this vehicle was new. She''s seeing it for the first time.

    <em>''Maybe he used it only for these illegal street racing events.''</em>

    Hera could only assume the reason.

    She knew not a thing about motorbikes, but it looked hot like a bad boy with his rugged looks, rough and tough, fit and fine. It was all ck and shiny, and Hera could bet it cost a fortune.

    <em>''Dangerous, hot and sexy, just like the owner.''</em>

    Hera thought and shifted her eyes to nce at Hunter. He was admiring her the same way Hera did with his bike. She bit the inside of her cheek to lessen the heat spreading all over her face and neck.

    <em>''God, why do his eyes make me blush all the time? His stare gets so intense sometimes I could hardly survive it.''</em>

    "Only a few more minutes left. So, let your Lady wish you luck," the announcer yelled. Evelyn didn''t waste any more time and climbed behind Danny''s bike. "It''s dangerous," he said, and Evelyn grinned, kissing his cheek with her cherry red lips before hugging him tight from behind.

    "Are you participating in the race?" Hera asked Hunter, she looked shocked. Hunter nodded, and she whined in response, throwing her arms in the air. "I thought we''re here to watch the race. God, I''m so scared," she admitted, ring at Hunter and his friends in disapproval. "Correction, baby girl, you''re here to watch, and we''re here to race," Michael said, blowing her a kiss and winked as he kick-started his bike.

    "Seriously, this is crazy. What if something goes wrong? One of you could die or get hurt badly," Hera said, trying to stop them, but she knew it was a vain attempt. Danny already rode off to the starting point.

    "Rx, Goddess, stop panicking and kiss me luck," Hunter said, tilting his head down for the kiss but Hera shoved him away. "Maybe, don''t die ande back alive for that kiss?" Hera said indignantly. Hunter grinned in response before speaking. "I promise you, Goddess, I won''t die without iming that kiss now," he vowed.

    Hunter waited for a few more minutes, but Hera didn''t budge. She scowled in resentment when Bianca reached out and kissed his cheek, wishing him victory.

    "Stop fidgeting, Pixie, you look ridiculous," Eric said, breaking the staring contest between Hunter and Hera. She was continually shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "It''s not the first time. We''ve done it plenty of times," he revealed. Hera knew, but she never witnessed it before, and she was genuinely worried about their safety.

    "Evie is stupid," Hera muttered, worry filling her voice. "Danny is never bothered about winning. He enjoys riding the bike. So don''t worry about it too much. Evie will be fine because he won''t risk their safety," Eric assured her. "All of them are going to be okay, stop torturing your little brain," he said, pulling her to his side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

    "Why are you the only odd one out in your group?" Hera asked, smiling warmly at him. Hunter honked, signalling her that he was off for the ride. Hera shrieked suddenly and jumped back when he made a show of moving right into her but hit the brakes when he was mere inches away from her.

    Heughed heartily raising the elerator for the added effect. Hera''s hand flew, trying to hit him on the shoulder, but he caught her wrist in the middle and pulled her forward. Hera kicked his shin when he attempted to steal a kiss and turned away from him. His lipsnded on her lower jaw instead, but he didn''t look disappointed.

    Hunter kissed her jaw and pulled her closer before giving her a long smooch on the cheek. "I''m not dying today, I promise," he whispered, only for her to hear. Hera sighed and nodded in acknowledgement.

    He did fist-bumping with Eric and Bianca. His friends gave thumbs up and hollered for the victory as he rode off. Bianca wanted to join him, but she thought Samantha would feel left out. But to Bianca''s surprise, her best friend ditched her and chose to apany Jake on his motorbike.

    "He looks hot with that bandana," Hera said to no one, but both Eric and Bianca heard her.

    <em>''If only you knew, Pixie.''</em>

    Eric inwardly scoffed because Hera didn''t know Hunter had used that bandana to hide his bruise from her.

    Bianca rolled her eyes at Hera''s words and went around Hera to take ce at Eric''s other side.

    "You didn''t answer my question," Hera said to Eric. He frowned before recollecting their previous conversation. "You mean, why am I the odd one out?" He asked to confirm, and she nodded.

    "I know you love riding bikes, but why didn''t you join them? And you never take part in the fight when your friends do. You always keep yourself out of the mess. Notining though, I appreciate it. I only wonder, how are you so determined?" Hera asked, and as usual, her eyes widened in curiosity.

    ''Hm, you''ve done your homework for once, I see," he said, and both of themughed at the knowing meaning behind his words. "You were such an evil prick to me back then," Hera said usingly, but the smile didn''t waver from her face. "It was fun tormenting you," he admitted only to get a p to his arm.

    The participants lined up waiting for the signal, and a girl in ripped jeans and pointed heels raised her hand holding a red hat. Like how it happens in the movies, she blew the horn, and the racers twisted the throttle of their bikes, ready to guide the speed of elerator.

    The race began as soon as she dropped her hat.

 Chapter 147 - Karma Isnt On His Side

    Eric and Bianca whistled in unison as the motorbikes roared to life and the racers sped off. There was a makeshift fence, a crowd barrier to keep the spectators out of the way. Hera noticed how Eric pulled Bianca to his front and hooked an arm around her neck from behind in a headlock hug.

    <em>''A gesture of protection.''</em>

    Hera observed with an impressed look of appreciation. Bianca leaned back on his chest, settlingfortably against his torso.

    <em>''Whoever he falls in love with, the girl would be lucky.''</em>

    Hera grinned wide when Eric''s free hand reached out to grab her hand and Hera immediately obliged by cing her hand in his. He held it in a tight grip. She could feel the vibes of a protective friend and a possessive brotherbined.

    "You know it''s not safe to drink and drive, right?" Eric asked and Hera''s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she didn''t interrupt him and jerked her head urging him to go on. "So the sensible thing to do is to opt for a cab ride instead of drunk driving," Eric continued, and Hera listened with full focus.

    "When we go out together for a drink, we usually have drivers to take us around. But when we don''t, we decide and choose a designated driver before getting drunk. We always make sure, one of us will stay sober to drive ourselves back home safely," he said, his eyes focused on the road even though he could see no trace of a motorbike.

    Some spectators were cheering from up above the abandoned buildings. Hera protested when Bianca wanted to go there because Hera was not brave enough to witness the race. What if she saw one of her beloveds getting hurt? So Hera insisted they stay and wait where they were right now. Thankfully Eric understood her fears and agreed to her demand.

    "My parents are well-known attorneys, and I being the only inheritor is obviously going to take over in future. My dad is the one who handles legal matters for Ace''s family. me it on my genes, but my senses are always on alert observing everything in detail," Eric smiled at Hera, and she returned his smile.

    <em>''So the smart brain is a family gift.''</em>

    Hera thought admiringly. Eric shrugged as if it''s no big deal and continued. "You know, to find loops and to make a note of it. That way, I can help my dad in resolving the matters if we get in trouble. I don''t think anyone else can report or exin it to him better than me," he said. Hera nodded, impressed, and Erin bumped his shoulder with hers yfully.

    "So to punctuate the answer to your question, I''m the sober driver. My friends are all short-tempered and sometimes act impulsively," stated Eric with an unimpressed frown and Bianca pinched his arm around her neck in protest. Hera watched while Eric yfully pretended to strangle Bianca.

    "I don''t indulge or involve myself in the fight because I''ll be busy making sure my friends don''t get into serious trouble. Unless and until they need my help I don''t prefer interrupting," Eric revealed. Sensing Hera''s eyes on him, Eric tore his eyes off the road and looked at her to find her smiling at him with pride shining in her eyes.

    Hera leaned forward and kissed him the cheek.

    He arched a questioning eyebrow at her as if to ask ''What was that for?'' Heratched on to his arm and rested her head against it. "Nothing," she muttered under her breath. But Eric heard what she didn''t say. It was a gesture of gratitude. She was thankful and proud of the protective instincts he harboured for his loved ones.

    If she hadn''t looked away from him, she would''ve seen how Eric''s cheeks turned pink as he blushed at the impliedpliment.

    The announcer''s loud voice boomed as he conveyed the information regarding the development of the racers'' status.

    Grinning wide, Bianca turned to Eric. "Who''s it going to be, Mike or Victor?" She asked. Hera frowned while she listened to their conversation and soon realised they were cing bets.

    <em>''Mike or Victor? Why not Hunter? Do they think he''s not going to win?''</em>

    Hera thought and was surprised to know Bianca wasn''t counting on Hunter and was expecting Michael''s win instead. But Hera didn''t ponder much about it because she didn''t care about the race. All she wished tonight was for Hunter, Danny and their friends to return safely.

    She didn''t know how the racing rules worked or where they would end once taking off the starting line. The only thing she knew was they would have to reach a specific spot, sign their entry and return to where it all began and whoever makes their way back first would be the winner.

    "It''s Victor," Eric said after a thoughtful moment. He wanted to take Michael''s name, but something forced him to think otherwise. He''d watched the exchange between Hunter and Victor and the rigidness in his best friend''s posture said something wasn''t right. For a moment he regretted not being there with his best friend right now. But Hunter didn''t trust anyone else with Hera''s safety.

    Mathew was busy with something personal, and Hunter somehow managed to convince him to let them have fun for the day without the guards hovering over their heads. So, their bodyguards too got off their duties for today along with other staff. Though reluctant, Mathew agreed, but he would monitor their location with their cell phones. He would be there if they needed him.

    Both Eric and Bianca knew Hunter would win for sure. They were cing their bets to guess who woulde second. As far as they knew their best friends, Michael wouldn''t mind losing against Hunter, but he wouldn''t let his guard down with the outsiders.

    <strong>HUNTER INCREASED THE SPEED,</strong> hands and feet coordinating perfectly with each other as he manoeuvred his bike through the narrowed streets, moving past abandoned textile mills, warehouses and factories. Michael and Victor both were right behind him, inching closer by every passing minute.

    Danny was nowhere near them, and Hunter knew it was more of a private long ride or intimate lone time spent together for Evelyn and Danny. They would be enjoying their night out.

    Hunter, Michael and Victor, all three of them were neck to neck, ahead of others. They were all trying to outsmart each other with their dangerous moves. The two best friends inclined their heads in understanding while Victor stayed ignorant of their silentmunication.

    Victor tried to overtake Hunter from his left, but thetter very cunningly leaned his bike to the same side with a clear intention of crashing into the former''s. Cursing aloud, Victor pulled himself off of Hunter''s way and moved away in time. He yelled in panic while his eyes bulged out of their sockets as his bike lost its bnce. He almost got hit by the fellow racer in the process.

    Luckily, he managed to control the bike but didn''t get the opportunity to move past Hunter.

    The two highschoolers cornered him from either side. Lifting the visor of their helmet, they both grinned wickedly at the older boy.

    Both of them tried to jam their wheel into Victor''s simultaneously, and he had no other option but to slow down his speed to get away from them. "Hey, wanker, this is not allowed. You can''t block my way it''s cheating," Victor yelled, his voiceing out muffled under his helmet. Hunter and Michaelughed at him, amused by the older boy''s frustration.

    "Vic, we''re participating in a street racing which itself is illegal, and you''re preaching about rules here?" Hunter asked and his best friend high-fived him, stillughing at the older boy.

    Theirughter died down suddenly as another racer kicked Hunter''s wheel, sessfully making him lose control of his bike. His left hand and leg got stuck between the vehicle and the concrete road as the motorbike skidded dangerously. Hunter couldn''t evade the fall and went along with the dragging force until he managed to stop it.

    Michael got down from his bike and ran to assist his best friend. Hunter''s knuckles were already bruised and started to bleed. The impact of the fall tore the skin on his knee along with the material of his jeans. Three more bikers stopped to witness the incident.

    "On some other day, I would''ve stopped to help, but today I need to win against you, Ace. Guess karma''s a bitch and clearly, it isn''t on your side today," Victor said, righting his helmet and twisting the throttle of his bike. His motorbike took off within seconds, the image appearing smaller and smaller as the distance increased.

    Hunter and Michael whipped their heads simultaneously in the same direction as they heard the push button of a switchde knife snapping open. Within minutes few other bikers appeared, and Hunter now realised they weren''t there for the race. He counted their heads, and they were ten in total, including two boys from earlier he saw in Liam''s car.

 Chapter 148 - Hes To Endure It For Now

    rmed and alert Hunter and Michael both leapt to their feet in seconds, eyes sharp and focused. Michael looked at Hunter with concerned eyes as his best friend winced clutching his left thigh just above the injured knee. His attention shifted back to the ten men surrounding them as they sliced the knife in the air experimentally, the hissing sound whooshing by.

    "Damn, where''s my baby when I need it," Michael muttered wishing he had his de with him. Hunter frowned beside him. "I thought I returned your knife, Mike," he said, earning a scoff from his buddy. "Eric took it. Smartass said he couldn''t trust me with it around that Andrew boy and I forgot to take it backter," he exined, sounding annoyed. Despite the pain, Hunterughed at Michael''s displeasure.

    One of the ten men cleared his throat, and the boys scowled at him for intruding their conversation. They were conversing so casually as if they couldn''t see the apparent danger and it irked the man more. He moved his knife in a circr motion, the tip pointing at the men surrounding them. "Kids, don''t you think you''ve more pressing matters to worry about than flirting with each other?" The man asked rhetorically, the annoyance clear in his voice..

    "Oh, shit," Hunter said, his eyes wide, the panic evident in his voice. The man smirked, pleased by that reaction but Hunter ignored it. "Guys, please give me five minutes," Hunter said to no one in particr and didn''t even wait for their response before focusing his attention on Michael.

    "Mike, you need to leave like right now," he said, earning a scowl from Michael. "Like hell I am," was Michael''s displeased reply. Why would he leave his best friend alone at the time when he needed him the most? It''s not like they hadn''t faced dangers such as these before andst time he checked, he wasn''t a coward.

    "Ace, how can you even think of suggesting that? Do you think I can live without you if anything happens to you? Don''t you know you''re the love of my life?" Michael asked, clutching his chest with his hands as if he''s in pain, his exaggerating tone too dramatic to ignore. Hunter red at him for a second before kicking at his shin.

    He immediately regretted his action because he used his injured leg to kick. It hurt like hell. Michaelughed, doubling over, having fun at Hunter''s expense.

    Hunter rolled his eyes at his childish act before getting all serious. "Mike, I''m serious, you''ve to leave," he was saying when Michael scoffed, cutting him off. "What the fuck are you talking?" He asked indignantly, now his tone filled with absolute irritation as all the yfulness vanished.

    Hunter sighed, irritated as well.

    "Let me finish first, Mike. Victor and I have ced a bet, and I can''t afford to lose against him. You need to leave because you''ve to win the race," he said, and his best friend narrowed his eyes on him before asking, "What the hell did you bet on?" His tone of voice filled with suspicion as if he already knew what mistake Hunter had made.

    Proving his assumption right, Hunter hesitated to answer that question. He pursed his lips, and hisrge eyes widened as he looked at Michael, blinking innocently. Michael knew that look very well. It resembled the guilt of a kid caught red-handed while stealing the toffees from the jar.

    And Michael had guessed the object of their bet urately.

    "Are you fucking kidding me?" Michael yelled, anger filling the space.

    Hunter looked guilty, yet he yelled back at Michael. "How would I know these motherfuckers would block my way? I could''ve won the race before Victor could even see the finish line from afar. It''s a piece of cake. Haven''t I done it before?" He asked, sounding all too defensive. Michael sighed, shaking his head in defeat.

    "Why do you bother then? It''s just a stupid bet. You could refuse him, or we could beat him to shut him up if he protests," Michael suggested.

    Hunter shook his head in disagreement. "He''s a friend, Mike and he''s not a bad guy. I don''t want to fight him. I want to give him a fair chance, and besides, I never back out on my words. You know how much I hate the thought of breaking promises," he said, reasoning his decision. Michael gave him a disapproving look but agreed anyway.

    "Do you want me to inform Mathew?" He asked already knowing Hunter would refuse. "Let the man breathe, Mike. I can handle it," Hunter assured. "Don''t you dare call Eric," he added quickly, making Michael chuckle. "Eric would beat your ass for sure. He had had enough quota of the mess to handle for the day," Michael stated, and Hunter agreed.

    "You took more than five minutes boy," one of the men with the grating voice said, sneering at the young boys. Both Hunter and Michael rolled their eyes and cursed in unison at the interruption. They never liked to be told what to do. Annoyed, Michael ran his hand through his hair. Hunter signalled him with his hand to leave.

    Michael looked pointedly at Hunter. "Are you sure you can handle this alone?" Michael asked. "Don''t die," hemanded, finger pointed at Hunter in warming, his tone stern, and the look in his eyes hard. As if an elder brother would warn to fix his mischievous, naughty kid bother to stay away from trouble.

    His best friend looked offended by his words that he doubted his power or ability to take these men down single-handedly. He scoffed at Michael, fixing him with a dirty look.

    "Mike, trust me, I got this," he said. "By the way, I''m the elder brother if you''ve forgotten," he added as an afterthought, annoyance dripping from his tone. Michael ascended his motorbike while scoffing at Hunter. "Yeah, of course, the twenty-one days of an age gap is so huge, it automatically earns you the title of an elder brother," he said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

    "You''re wasting time, brother," Hunter snapped while Michael showed him the middle finger in retaliation. He pushed the start button instead of kick-starting the bike to save time.

    The tallest of the men yelled at hispanions to stop Michael. One of them heeded to themand and moved towards Michael''s motorbike to stop him. Hunter watched as his hand reached out to grab Michael''s arm.

    Before the man''s hand could touch his best friend, Hunter took a step back before taking one forward, leaping up in a high jump, he flipped himself in the air. His foot connected with the man''s head in one quick hard front flip kick. The man''s tall form staggered a few steps back before copsing on the ground with a loud thud.

    The abrupt fall of the man impeded the path of other fellowpetitors trying to overtake one another. The passing racers moved past the body, missing him with mere inches and cursed before riding ahead as if they didn''t see anything.

    "What the fuck? Are you sure he''s the high school kid?" One of the men who appeared to be their leader asked his fellowpanion. He was stunned by the action that just urred. They weren''t expecting the school going kid to knock out a grown man double his size.

    Hunter watched as Michael left, the pace in which his bike moved was so fast as though it was floating in the air.

    He took off his half finger leather gloves and put them away into the pockets of his jacket. He nced at his bike and grimaced at the ugly dents bruising its once spotless, shiny body. The MV Agusta F4 udio was a limited edition model with all the high-endponents and equipment.

    Hunter was determined to avenge the damage caused and engrave those ugly dents on the man''s body who dared to hit his precious motorbike. He removed his jacket and deposited it on the seat of his two-wheeler. Holding the edges of his T-shirt, he stretched the material downwards straightening it.

    He looked every one of the intruders in the eye and snapped his fingers to get their attention.

    "Okay, everyone, let''s have a quick introduction session before proceeding further. What''s this all about, and how do we know each other?" Hunter asked. The remaining nine of them surrounded him, forming a circle and their knives ready in their hands to tear into his flesh at the very first chance.

    The leader showed his crooked teeth in what''s supposed to be evilughter, one of it seemed ted in gold. "You have a bounty on your head, boy. We''re bounty hunters and here to hunt you," he said,ughing again. Pursing his lips, Hunter nodded, stretching his fingers to improve the range of motion.

    Wincing, Hunter cursed. The experiment only increased the pain in his knuckles. The earlier kick intensified the ache in his knee, but he''d to endure it for now.

 Chapter 149 - He Is The Hunter

    Stretching his hands and legs once more, Hunter prepared himself for the fight. He snapped his fingers twice and gestured to the bounty hunters toe forward.

    "Let''s finish this fast because I don''t have time to waste," he said, setting his feet in position. He smiled, revealing his teeth and the men couldn''t stop pondering how gorgeous the boy looked with that charming smile lighting up his beautiful face. They could tell for sure he''s the most attractive boy in the school all the girls go gaga over.

    "Oh, I forgot my part of the introduction, how rude of me," Hunter said, scowling at himself in mock-disapproval. "I am the Hunter," he said and the arrogance in his tone angered the opponents facing him. They knew that sentence was iplete when he said ''I am the Hunter'' because he didn''t add ''I would be the one doing the hunting'' to finish the sentence.

    The bounty hunters could hear that unsaid statement ringing in their ears.

    The bulkiest of them all spat to his left, the anger intensifying in his eyes. His approach was slow and cautious, the switchde spinning between two fingers..

    Hunter scoffed, observing the movement of his fingers with his unimpressed eyes.

    <em>''It looks fascinating when Mike spins the knife in his hand.''</em>

    Hunter thought, feeling proud of his best friend because Michael could spin the knife through each one of his fingers and his fingers move faster.

    Snapping into attention, Hunter rocked back and forth on his heels, getting into a defensive stance with his fists ready to blow punches.

    The bulky man''s earlier slow pace morphed into hurried, long strides as he neared. His lips pulled back in an aggressive snarl exposing his short teeth. He pounced when they were a few feet apart, and his mouth opened, yelling a curse as he swiped his knife in an attempt to slice Hunter''s throat.

    Hunter tilted his head back, effectively dodging the knife and rammed his fist into the man''s open mouth. The training in his earlier days had taught him that a solid punch to an open mouth could lead to a broken jaw. Mathew was proud of his progress when he trained him because Hunter was a fast learner and turned out to be the best at everything.

    He took a step back as the man copsed to the ground with a broken jaw and a bloodied mouth. Grunting and groaning in utter difort, he grew into a crying mess. Hunter pulled his foot back before thrusting it forward with full force, and it collided with the bounty hunter''s head in a hard kick.

    The remaining eight men looked at one another, shock and disbelief were written all over their faces as they saw their fellowpanion lying unconscious. Their heads inclined in unison as their eyesmunicated in a silent agreement and they decided to attack the boy together. He seemed to be a hard nut to crack, and the bounty hunters were embarrassed to witness a mere schoolboy taking their kind down with a single kick.

    Shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, Hunter braced himself into position as the hired killers cornered him, forming a circle around him.

    They couldn''t help but wonder if the teenage boy was supposed to look this predatory as he spread his stance. With his eyes burning with raging fury, teeth clenched and his jaw set in a hard line, he looked no less than the devil ready to devour their souls. They moved around him in a circle with their knives swinging in their hands.

    Hunter moved, eyes focused on each of his targets.

    The wound on his knee was getting worse with each movement of his leg. The burning sensation it brought along made him wince, and he hissed out a curse.

    Jumping off his right leg, cing his right hand down in front of his right leg, Hunter flipped himself as soon as his hand touched the ground. nting his left hand down his left leg moved over in a perfect cartwheel kick and knocked out one of them. He jumped back to his feet without wasting any more second.

    The enraged killers sliced their knives in every direction determined to stab him or tear his skin however or wherever they could. Hunter was tired, and he hoped his leg wouldn''t give out too soon, or he would die tonight. Dodging the des as best as he could, Hunter managed to trick them before hopping in the air once again. This time he went for a boxcutter trick, kicking his legs round and round.

    Thebination of tricks he used was confusing for the killers to guess his next moves. It was an acrobatic circus show for them to witness for free. A straight hard kick to their temples and Hunter managed to take down three more of them.

    Breathing in heavy pants, he nted his feet down. "Six down, four more to go," Hunter said, nodding his head in satisfaction. But he was too tired to lift his leg in any more action now. The wound started to bleed heavily by now, and he was distracted for a brief moment as he eyed his injured knee.

    Taking advantage of his preupied mind, the leader of the killers'' gang swiped his knife. The sharp de sliced through the rough material of his jeans, but Hunter managed to escape it before it could cut his flesh. While attempting to dodge it, his feet staggered, and he fell on his back.

    His eyes widened in rm as the man straddled him and lifted the de to plunge into his stomach. He caught his wrist and wrestled to free himself. Another one stomped his foot on his injured knee, and Hunter let out a painful grunt. He used his uninjured leg to thrust it against the one who still had his foot on Hunter''s knee. He managed to trip the man off his feet.

    Using all his strength, Hunter rammed his head forward, headbutting the leader hard across his nose. He didn''t have the time to measure the intensity of the damage he caused as he saw the other men gather around him. He pulled his right knee to his chest and sent it back hard against his opponent''s chest, sessfully kicking him off his body.

    Groaning, Hunter managed to get back on his feet, but his left leg almost felt useless as he couldn''t lift it to walk. The pain was too much to bear.

    "Get that bastard, we had enough of that son of a bitch," the leader barked at his men. He didn''t see the impact his words left on Hunter. His clenched jaw set in a hard line and his eyes grewrger as he red in utter fury. No one would live to see another day after insulting his beloved mother because he wouldn''t spare the culprit''s life.

    "Damn with the PG level," Hunter muttered and rolled his shoulders. His fingers pulled up his pants at his thighs, allowing more room for his leg to move freely. He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it over his head. Sweat had dampened his hair and his T-shirt. He stood to his full height, his stance intimidating, ferocious eyes daring his prey to run as his fingers beckoned them toe forward.

    All of them moved simultaneously, prepared to attack him from all sides. Two of them tried thrusting their des at his torso, but Hunter caught their wrists in his hands. He was struggling to keep their knives from touching his body.

    Meanwhile, the third man closed his arms around Hunter''s neck from behind in a headlock. The leader sneered as he marched towards the caged boy, his nose bleeding ugly from the earlier hit. He didn''t seem to mind the blood running down to his mouth, coating his golden tooth with red.

    Hunter lifted his right leg and struck his knee into the first man''s crotch. The poor man groaned in pain and dropped the knife as his hands travelled down to clutch his injured groin.

    Still holding the second man''s wrist captive in his hand, Hunter pulled his free hand back, fingers closing into a tight fist. He moved his hand at lightning speed, and his fist met with the ribcage of the man. He screamed in agony as the bones cracked inside his chest.

    Hunter grabbed the hands of the third man. Forcing his wrists apart, he freed himself from the headlock.

    He pulled his opponent''s head closer to his shoulder by fisting his hair. Hunter lifted his right leg over his shoulder and connected his foot with the man''s forehead. He didn''t give the injured man time to recover from the impact of the hit. He pulled the man over his head and mmed him into the concrete road. The man cried aloud, his harsh scream of agony resounding in his ears.

    Hunter heard the cracking, but he wasn''t sure how many bones he broke. The leader of the gang approached in full speed and lifted his leg to kick Hunter''s stomach. But Hunter moved faster. Raising his right knee to the waist, he quickly extended his foot at the target. The mastered front kick pushed the attacker away.

    However, before Hunter could pull his leg back, a knife sliced in, cutting through his flesh. Closing his eyes shut, Hunter groaned in sheer agony.

 Chapter 150 - His Life Is Too Precious

    He had no time to pay attention to the wound or to examine the impact of the damage it caused. He couldn''t allow himself more than a second to close his eyes and sharpen his senses to bear the pain. If he took even a second more to linger his attention elsewhere, he would die for sure.

    Hera''s beautiful face shed across his vision. He remembered how she looked at him when he left. Her eyes were anxious, her lips pouting in disappointment while her cheeks tinted pink with anger. He missed her smile already. He had promised her that he wouldn''t die today and his best friend had ordered him not to die.

    He opened his eyes in time and caught the hand that stabbed him. The man was about to strike him again. Hunter recalled, he was one of the two who he saw in Liam''s car.

    Hunter remembered knocking him out a while ago, but he wasn''t paying attention to the littered unconscious bodies on the ground.. He never second-guessed they might regain their consciousness and get up at some point in time.

    <em>''A grave mistake on my part.''</em>

    He noted, learning his lesson from his mistakes.

    The main of the bounty hunters got back to his feet and rushed at Hunter again. He lifted his foot to kick, his aim was Hunter''s injured knee, but Hunter took a few hurried steps back missing the kick by mere inches. His leg hurt from the strained movements, and he yelled in frustration. He was pissed more at the feeling of helplessness than at the ache caused by his injuries.

    Coming closer to the killer, he punched him in the abdomen, effectively throwing him off bnce and when the man staggered back and doubled over clutching his stomach, hended another hard punch to his jaw. Hunter groaned, along with the killer as his knuckles hurt.

    A smile made its way into Hunter''s face as he imagined Michael''s reaction to his death if he died today.

    <em>''Mike would throw a fit over my dead body that I dared to ignore hismand.''</em>

    He imagined how hrious it would be to see Michael yelling and kicking his dead body. It was Hunter''s way of distracting himself from the pain, and it worked. It always did.

    Liam''s friend shifted his knife to his free hand and attempted to stab Hunter again. His other hand stayed still arrested in Hunter''s tight grip. The muscles in Hunter''s neck tightened as he clenched his jaw and his fist collided with the man''s face, no doubt smashing his nose in the process. When he yelled in pain as the blood started to whoosh out both from his mouth and nose, his cries felt like music in Hunter''s ears.

    Hunter didn''t waste another second and rushed towards the leader. The frustrated hired killer swung his knife, hoping to stab him. He wasn''t aiming at any particr part. At this point, he just wanted to hurt the boy anywhere he could. Huffing out a curse, Hunter attempted onest front flip kick, his breathing in short gasps.

    The kick wasn''t that hard, but it delivered the required result, and the bounty hunter copsed.

    Hunter sat on the side of the road, allowing himself a few seconds to rx. His legs hurt too much, and he was sweating because of the hot burn his muscles underwent, and he felt feverishly hot. He checked his knee and grimaced at the wound. It was swelling across his knee, and the stabbed wound on his right thigh was worsening as well. The blood had soaked the material of his pants around it.

    Wincing, he tried stretching his knee straight. He knew he wasn''t sporting a broken knee. His bones were all intact. His father had taught him about human anatomy better than any teacher or books would. Hunter knew where to hit to break which bone or what nerve to press to cause severe damage.

    The hurt intensified, so much that his eyes watered. He closed his eyes for a second, and his mother''s angelic face smiled at him behind his closed eyelids. He imagined her fingers running through his hair as heid his head on herp. She would''ve died if anything had happened to Hunter today.

    That thought made him snap his eyes open.

    "Fucking stop acting like a pussy. You''re not going to die because of a leg injury," Hunter scolded himself for getting emotional. He wasn''t afraid of death, but he was frightened of the thought of hurting his mother. She wouldn''t survive the news of his death, and he knew he was his father''s world.

    Hunter couldn''t afford to lose his life. It was too precious for so many people. His parents, grandparents, best friends, Mathew, his Hera, they all owned his life. He knew how much his life meant to them.

    "Goddess, I miss you," he whispered into the air. Hera loved him so much, and Hunter wouldn''t want her to shed tears because of him. Supporting his weight on his hands, he slowly stood to his feet. The man from Liam''s car stirred at the same time, and Hunter dragged his feet towards him.

    As the man pulled himself to a seating position, bending to the man''s level, Hunter used his fist to punch him on his jaw. The man dropped himself to his back and grunted in broken sobs. "What''s your connection with Liam?" Hunter asked. His victim opened his eyes to look at him, and the cold stare in Hunter''s intimidatingrge eyes made him recoil in fear.

    "Nothing," he started, shaking his head. "He was just a living GPS to track your current location. I offered money, but the boy refused, bbering about betraying a friend and all. But my de made him change his mind immediately," he exined. Hunter nodded and walked back to the head bounty hunter.

    Hunter pressed the man''s cheek with his boot, and the killer stirred, opening his eyes. He yelped, cursing and crying when Hunter ced his right foot on his neck and applied pressure. His opponent''s hand moved, searching near his body for his discarded knife. Luckily he found it, but before he could grab it, Hunter''s foot pressed hard against his throat, cutting his air supply.

    "Who sent you?" Hunter asked while the bounty hunter struggled to breathe. "Give me the name, and I''ll spare your life," he offered generously. As if noticing it now, Hunter looked around and scoffed. He was really generous today. He hadn''t killed anyone yet.

    The big man squirmed under his foot, and Hunter noticed him as his face turned pale, eyes rolling back. Hunter lessened the pressure on his windpipe, letting the man suck in the air, filling his lungs with much-needed oxygen. When he felt he''d inhaled enough air, Hunter pressed his boot-d foot hard again.

    "I don''t know him," the bounty hunter spoke in a broken whisper. Deciding to show some mercy, for the time being, Hunter removed his foot and took ce beside him on the road.

    Hunter pursed his lips, took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. It hurt to move. The metallic scent of his own blood smelt disgusting, and he scrunched his nose up in a grimace, his pants torn and ruined with bloodstains.

    <em>''I would die of blood loss if I didn''t do something to stop the bleeding.''</em>

    Hunter thought and rolled his eyes. That was too exaggerating to imagine because he knew his injuries weren''t that serious. The man''s gruff voice captured his attention back.

    "We sealed the deal over the phone, and the man sent someone with your picture and the money," the hired killer confessed. Hunter nodded, his expression thoughtful. "The one who ced that bounty on my head, didn''t that motherfucker give you my name?" Hunter asked. The man shook his head in reply.

    Hunter smiled charmingly with the innocence of a child before revealing his real name to the killer, and the said killer''s eyes widened at the revtion.

    Panicking, the man used all his strength to get up and tried to move away from him, but Hunter shook his head in warning. "You know why am I sparing your life?" Hunter asked but continued without waiting for the reply. "You didn''t know who I am. So, I''ll forgive your mistake. It''s your lucky day because I feel generous today," He said, and the bounty hunter sighed in relief.

    "But don''t forget to tell that coward to start counting his days. Whoever he is, the day I get his name, I''ll hunt him down no matter where in the world he''s hiding," Hunter vowed. "Now tell me about the one who brought you my picture and the money," he asked.

    The bounty hunter hesitated before opening his mouth. But he knew he couldn''t waste Hunter''s time, so he spoke. "His name is Jackson, and he contacted me through one of my friends. My friend is a local drug dealer. Sometimes he participates in street racing, but today he''s not here. I don''t have Jackson''s number or address," he exined, hoping the mafia boss in front of him would believe him.

 Chapter 151 - A Fair Racing

    "Can I have your phone?" Hunter asked politely. The bounty hunter was taken aback at the sudden change in his attitude. Without daring to question Hunter''s reason, he handed his phone. Going through the contact lists, Hunter asked for the man''s number who wanted him dead.

    The killer obediently showed him the number in his phone saved as ''Big money''. Hunter shifted, stretching his torso a bit to pull out his phone from the front pocket of his jeans. He added the number to his contact list. Once going through the killer''s call log list, he checked the details of their call history and timings and tossed his phone back to him.

    Hunter dialled Michael''s number but got no response. His eyebrows furrowed in a frown as he focused on the screen, redialling the number. His instinct kept on nagging something was wrong but not because Michael didn''t answer his call. Hunter could understand if his best friend didn''t hear the ringing sound in the middle of his motorbike''s loud roaring..

    Hunter was worried because Michael didn''t return yet, nor did Victor. He contemted whether to go in search of Michael or wait for him toe back. Hunter checked his wristwatch. Judging by the speed of his motorbike, it shouldn''t take him this long.

    <em>''He should''ve made it to the other end and returned by now.''</em>

    Hunter was in deep thought, a frown still intact on his face. The difort his blood-soaked clothing on his legs brought was hard to ignore anymore. He wanted to change out of them immediately, and his wounds needed urgent medical aid.

    <em>''Or should I go back?''</em>

    He would have to face Hera, and Eric would get pissed because he hadn''t reached out to him for help. Hunter groaned at that realisation. He hated confrontation, and it wouldn''t be easy to exin everything in Hera''s presence. Her reaction scared him the most.

    <em>''My bleeding wound will frighten her for sure, and she''ll get sick worrying about me.''</em>

    The defeated bounty hunter was quietly watching, observing the different emotions ying on the boy''s face, a very contrasting image to the one he faced earlier. He was a predator with one single goal of wiping out his attackers. He maintained a perfect poker face when he was fighting. But now he seemed distracted, and for a fleeting moment, the killer thought he could stab him in the chest and kill him.

    He flinched, jumping out of his thoughts when suddenly he heard Hunter curse. The boy looked frustrated for some reason.

    "Dude, you can leave, what are you still waiting for?" Hunter asked when he saw the man rocking back and forth in front of him. "Leave before I change my mind. I usually don''t feel so generous about not killing my enemy," he stated in a bored tone. That was on point, and the bounty hunter couldn''t thank his lucky stars enough. He had made the biggest mistake of his life by epting that bounty.

    He wouldn''t have dared if he had known who the boy was. The man inwardly scoffed at himself. What was he thinking by attacking the Lord of the mafia world? The name, Alexander was enough to cause terror, and now he understood therger than life aura the boy possessed. No wonder he fought back so hard and looked so monstrous. The killer had harboured new-found respect for the boy.

    Not everyone from the crime world gets the privilege of meeting the Lord of the world mafia organisation himself.

    Hunter tried to stand up and winced before cursing. He limped with the first step but managed to steady his feet after the second one. Apparently, resting or rxing was a bad idea because it only made it worse to lift his feet. He grabbed his jacket and wore it. His fingers pulled at the bandana tied over his head and secured it around the wound on his thigh, using it as a makeshift bandage.

    Meanwhile, the bounty hunter watched, tongue-tied. He couldn''t help but appreciate the brave boy for how courageously he fought back, all by himself, alone and without any weapons to defend himself.

    Hunter sighed, eyeing his damaged motorbike. He would need strength to lift it to the standing position. Focussing all his energy, he adjusted his feet before holding the handlebar firmly with one hand while his other hand held the grab rail. As soon as Hunter pulled the bike, the man understood the boy was leaving.

    "Don''t you want to meet my friend or Jackson? I''ll take you to them, and I won''t betray you I promise," the killer said. Hunter pursed lips and groaned, his legs hurt when he lifted it to mount his motorbike. He pushed the start button and smiled when it roared to life.

    The rest of the remaining riders arrived and rode past while Hunter twisted the throttle of his motorbike experimentally. He heard someone yelling his name and lifted his head to find Jake parking his bike. Samantha was with him, and she appeared a bit puzzled when she noticed the men lying around unconscious. Before any of them could ask questions, Hunter dismissed their concerned looks.

    "It''s fine, Jake. All''s good, let''s go," he said and gestured to his friend to go ahead. Samantha''s eyes ran over his body, and she gasped. He shook his head in response. She couldn''t understand what he meant by that gesture. Was he telling her not to ask questions, or was he trying to assure her that he was all right? But she kept her mouth shut after assessing the damage around her.

    She wasn''t that dumb to not understand there was a fight and he was injured. But the intimidating, no-nonsense attitude he wore scared her more, and she didn''t dare open her mouth. Jake restarted his motorbike and waited for Hunter to join.

    Hunter looked at the injured bounty hunter who was anxiously awaiting his reply. "Thank you for the offered help. But I don''t need it. Take your gang and leave before my men reach you if you want to live," he said, his tone disinterested, face void of emotions. Twisting the throttle, he took off, and Jake rode along. He had decided to find Michael first. He knew that asshole was up to something.

    They only covered a few miles when Hunter cursed loud and parked the bike at the left side of the broad empty road. As he expected, his best friend was there in the middle of the road, fighting with Victor, their motorbikes forgotten at the sides.

    "The fuck, Mike?" Hunter rushed towards them, grabbing Michael by his jacket and freed Victor from his death grip. "I told you to race him to the finish line, not to finish him," Hunter yelled, pissed at him.

    Victor was still struggling to breathe, gulping the air in as if he was taking hisst breath. His forehead seems bruised, and Hunter guessed Michael had headbutted the poor boy. Other than that he could find no injuries on his body. But he saw how Michael had Victor in a headlock, choking the older boy.

    When Hunter red at him, Michael returned his re before scanning Hunter''s tall form. Once he regarded the injuries, his gaze softened, but the concern remained only for a few seconds before his gaze hardened in anger. "And you said you''ll manage on your own. I can see how well you managed," Michael snapped, his tone sarcastic. Hunter rolled his eyes.

    "I didn''t die," Hunter stated. "Now can you exin this shit to me?" He asked while Victor crawled to the side, leaning against his motorbike. He looked exhausted, and Hunter turned his attention back to Michael. He arched an eyebrow, a silentmand for him to justify his actions.

    Michael exhaled through his nostrils, annoyed at Hunter. "Look, Ace, I don''t care if you treat him as a friend or not. But don''t you think, the fucker would''ve stayed to help instead of taking advantage of your helplessness if he treated you as a friend? How can I let him win against my best friend?" Michael asked, yelling in frustration, and Hunter only shook his head at his reasoning.

    "Mike, it doesn''t matter if he''s a friend or not. You forgot, I said a fair racing," Hunter reminded him. "You could''ve won against him, and that''s what I asked," Hunter said, sounding disappointed. Michael sighed, his shoulders stiff. Running his fingers through his hair, he red at Victor.

    "It''s going to be a fair race now. I left Victor''s hands and legs intact. I only hurt his cute little tummy," he said, smirking at Hunter. "I only wanted to stop him until youe back. Now you can race him, let''s go," Michael said. Clenching his teeth, Hunter tried to curb his anger. He so wanted to punch his best friend now.

    "What if I hadn''te back?" He asked indignantly.

    "Well, I was going toe back to help you and to bring you back. I would never let you lose against anyone," Michael reasoned, tone matching Hunter''s harsh one.

    "Thank you very much foring back to help me," Hunter said, throwing sarcasm at him.

    Ignoring his best friend''s jab, Michael walked towards Victor and offered his hand to help him. Victor stared at the hand, distrust written all over his face.

 Chapter 152 - She Knows When Hes In Pain

    Michael crouched down to his level and pointed his finger at Hunter''s injuries. "Look, Victor, my friend here is also hurt, and I think now you two are even and it would be a fair race topete." With that said, he mounted his bike and jerked his head signalling Hunter to proceed.

    Hunter lowered his head, eyeing his dirtied huntsman leather boots and bit back a smile. His chest expanded with pride as he took a deep breath. He would''ve been vocal with his appreciation for what Michael did for him, but he and his friends never needed those formalities among them. To mention thanks to him would be awkward, and besides, Hunter didn''t believe a mere thank you could show the depth of his gratitude.

    Michael started his bike and raised the elerator before honking the horn. Hunter lifted his head at the sound and saw Michael rolling his eyes at him. He looked annoyed.

    "Are you two waiting for the priest to announce you as man and wife or what? Come on, get up and move your arses," Michael said, irritationcing his tone. Jake tried to stifle hisughter under his helmet.. "All the other riders have surpassed us already," Michael grumbled impatiently while putting on his helmet.

    Ignoring his whining, Hunter looked at Victor. "Sorry about him," he said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder, pointing at Michael behind him. His tone was apologetic while his eyes showed sympathy. "Are you alright?" He asked, gently cing his hand on Victor''s shoulder, a friendly gesture. Victor nodded his response before taking Hunter''s offered hand and stood up. Hunter couldn''t help but wince when he put pressure on his legs while pulling Victor up.

    Victor nced at Hunter''s legs, taking a note of his injuries. "What happened with your legs?" He asked, concerned eyes surveying the damage. Hunter shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. However, with whatever little information he grasped through Hunter and Michael''s conversation, Victor could guess what might have happened.

    Meanwhile, Samantha too had her eyes zeroed in on Hunter''s injuries. She had so many questions to ask, but she was hesitating.

    "I''m sorry, Ace. I thought they were just nasty, obnoxious fellow riders trying to make their way towards the victory like us. I didn''t know you got attacked and this badly injured. Trust me when I say I''m not someone who''d bail on a friend. Had I known the real situation I would''ve stayed to help," Victor exined in his defence.

    Hunter nodded his acknowledgement, a weing smile ying on his lips. Whenever he offered his friendship to someone, he could always see it in the person''s eyes whether their part of the contribution was genuine or not. Hunter knew Victor''s intentions weren''t evil. He could see it in his eyes that he meant what he said.

    "It''s okay, Vic. We''re good," Hunter said. Victor ascended his motorbike and red at Michael. "You could''ve told me the truth instead of attacking me without my knowledge. I would''ve dly agreed to help," he said, and Michael scoffed in return. "Believe me, Victor, my dear friend here will kick your ass without warming too if you dared to dream of his girl," he warned. "We''ll see," was Victor''s short reply.

    Pulling the visor of his helmet down, Michael sped off.

    "You''re lucky to have a friend like him, you know," Victor stated the obvious. "I know," Hunter said, agreeing. He couldn''t stop aiming his arrogant smirk at Victor. He was proud of his best friends, after all.

    "Alright, now let''s move and see if you could truly beat me," Victor said before he took off in full speed.

    "Are you okay, Ace?" Samantha asked, concerned. Not wanting to anger or annoy him, she decided on the convenient question for now. Smiling assuringly at her, Hunter told her to get on Jake''s bike, and their race began officially.

    On the other side, Eric was worried because the announcer still didn''t take Hunter and Michael''s name. Almost all the riders reached the other end already. His gut feeling told something else other than the race kept his friends upied. Bianca looked worried too, and they both exchanged a knowing look when Hera voiced out her worry.

    "How much more time, Eric? It''s been so long since they''ve gone," Hera said, concerned. She was impatient and started fidgeting again. It was gettingte, so Eric suggested he would drive her back if she preferred going home. Hera shook her head.

    All three of them sighed in relief when finally they heard the announcer mentioning their friends'' names. An hour and another few minutester, they made it to the finish line.

    It was no surprise who the winner was. Hunter had won the race, and Michael finished in second ce.

    Hera and Bianca yelled in unison and high-fived each other in celebration. The moment they realised what they just did, it felt awkwardly stupid for them. They made eye-contact and nodded once in acknowledgement and immediately moved away, maintaining an arm''s length distance between them.

    Hera noticed Eric was awfully quiet. He had his eyes fixed on his friends while they received the trophy and the prize money. He didn''t miss how Hunter was limping the whole time. Hera couldn''t see it yet as therge crowd of spectators in front of her blocked her view. She could only see Hunter and Michael''s face.

    A few handshakes, a few hugs, a few cheerful yellings of congrattions and then the best friends made it to where Eric and the girls waited for them. Bianca jump hugged Hunter as soon as he neared them and grinning broadly he wrapped arms around her middle returning the hug.

    Huffing out her disappointment, Hera waited for her turn. Patience was something she wasn''t familiar with when it came to her Hunter. When Bianca left his embrace to greet Michael with her tight hug, Hera squealed in excitement and ran to him. Standing on her tippy toes, Hera pulled him into her arms. Wrapping his arms around her waist, Hunter lifted her off her feet.

    Hera grinned from ear to ear but as soon as she looked into his eyes, her smile disappeared. He looked exhausted, and her eyes grew wide as she noticed the bruise on his forehead. Her eyebrows pulled down into a frown, but before she could open her mouth to ask questions, Hunter covered her mouth with his.

    He kissed her aggressively as if he hadn''t done it since ages. The urgency, the hunger, the need, his desperation, Hera felt everything in that possessive kiss. Hera moaned in protest when she couldn''t breathe, and he pulled away from the kiss. She stared at him in stunned silence, her hot breathing in short pants, fanning his face.

    Hera loosened her arms around his shoulders and tried pulling away from the embrace, but Hunter only tightened his hold around her middle, her feet still hanging in the air. She parted her lips, but the words died down in her mouth as he kissed her again. Hera could only hear the sound of his heavy breathing in her ears and the loud pounding of his heart thudding against hers.

    Hunter was reluctant to let go, and he kissed her hard as if he couldn''t breathe if she pulled away, brandishing his lips on hers.

    Something felt awful as she noticed her surroundings were too quiet for her liking. Hera bit his lips hard to stop him from devouring her mouth as the kiss turned too dirty. Closing his eyes, Hunter leaned his forehead against hers and inhaled her scent.

    "What''s wrong?" She whispered.

    "Later," he whispered back.

    He slowly let her down and smiled once her feet nted firmly on the ground. He noticed the unshed tears in her eyes and sighed.

    <em>''Of course, she would know when I''m in pain.''</em>

    Once he noticed the awkward silence around them, Hunter pulled Hera to his side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder to keep her in his proximity. He looked at his friends and flinched when he met Eric''s emotionless, cold eyes. His aqua blue eyes turned a shade darker. Hunter knew he was pissed and he hoped at least his best friend wouldn''tsh out at him in Hera''s presence.

    It''s not how he wanted Hera to learn about his true identity.

    "I had a little ident, and my legs are injured but nothing serious," he said, revealing the half-truth. Hera tilted her head to look at him, and Hunter pulled her closer as if drawing strength from her presence.

    What he needed the strength for, she didn''t know, but she could sense the tension in the air.

    Bianca saw the injuries on his legs and gasped. "Oh, my God!" She whispered.

    Before anyone could say anything else, Victor arrived at Hunter''s side, saving him from the confrontation for the time being.

    "Hey, I would appreciate an introduction," Victor said, patting Hunter''s back. His eyes met with Hera''s, a flirty smile ying on his lips. Hera remembered seeing him earlier. She peeked at Hunter through hershes and noticed how he smiled at the intruder.

    Hunter''s friendly smile directed at the older boy assured her that he wasn''t someone she should fear.

 Chapter 153 - He Owns All Of Her

    "Goddess, this is Victor," Hunter said, his tone casual but Hera detected the exhaustion in his voice. "He''s a friend," he added as if to confirm her thoughts.

    <em>''He always knows what I''m thinking!''</em>

    Hera''s lips twitched on their own ord in a barely-there smile. She tried hard to hide her smile because if she didn''t, unshed tears would flow out of her eyelids. Hera blinked back her tears before ncing at the stranger. Somehow, he didn''t look scary anymore.

    <em>''Because Hunter is standing right beside you.''</em>

    Her smart brain supplied helpfully. It was true, though. With Hunter by her side, spreading his stance protectively, nothing and no one would scare her off..

    Hera smiled at the new boy and took notice of his form. He was bulkier than Hunter in size but shorter in height. The length of his hair long enough to reach his shoulders, thick mane of blond curls. His skinplexion was wheatish, an Asian, Hera guessed. He had a big pointy nose. The look in his brown eyes was soft, and his smile friendly.

    "Victor, she''s Hera," Hunter said to Victor. Hera took his offered hand and shook it once before retracting her hand. All the while, Hunter never let her go from his side. She felt his fingers closing over her arm in a gentle yet possessive grip when Victor''s gaze lingered on her face longer than necessary. Hera hugged her boyfriend with both arms and smiled at him.

    Victor cleared his throat, and Hera returned her attention to the new person. "I lost the race, but a man can dream, right? Thought I could try my luck once," Victor said, and Hera seemed confused at what he said.

    <em>''He didn''t make any sense did he?''</em>

    "Victor here wants to take you out on a date, baby girl," Michael said in an amused tone, bringing Hera''s attention to him and she scowled at him as if he''d said the most absurd thing.

    "What? It''s true, ask him if you don''t believe me. I don''t understand though, what he saw in you," Michael said, grimacing at her in disgust. Hera moved away from Hunter, and before Michael could see iting, she grabbed his hand and bit it hard. Michael yelped, rubbing his thumb over the impression of her teeth on his wrist.

    "Have I ever told you how much I hate you?" Michael asked, baring his teeth at her. Hera grinned, showing him the middle finger. "Every day of your life, angel Michael," she said, her tone sickly-sweet.

    Before both of them could continue with their bickering, Victor cleared his throat again.

    "Would you like going out with me for lunch tomorrow, Hera?" Victor asked. Taken aback, Hera nced at Hunter. Standing on her toes, she leaned on his torso and whispered in his ear. "What''s this all about, Hunter? Is he really asking me out?" Hunter inclined his head once in reply.

    "Hey, let her decide, Ace," Hera heard Victor say. Hunter didn''t look angry or upset. Instead, he smiled at her, but Hera could see the pain hidden behind that charming smile. He was trying so hard to hide it from everyone. Hera couldn''t dare to look at his legs and injuries yet.

    <em>''He looks so exhausted. I can only guess how severe his injuries are and how hard he''s struggling to bear the pain.''</em>

    Hera crossed Hunter''s tall form and stood in front of him as if to shield him from the unseen danger. She looked Victor in the eye, her gaze sharp, the smirk ying on her lips smug. Her fingers deliberately worked slowly while undoing the buttons of her trench coat. Hunter knew what his Goddess was up to, and he smirked at Victor, pride and arrogance, adorning his smug looks.

    Hera pulled thepels of her trench coat and held it wide open for Victor to see. Just like how she showed it to Hunter earlier, she let Victor read the two words written on her top, "My Boyfriend''s".

    Victor stared for a moment and then broke out into a wide grin.

    Hera looked over her shoulder to wink at Hunter, and he chuckled both amused and impressed by her smart move. Hera turned to face Victor again. "Sorry," Hera said, her tone sympathetic. Her lips pursed, eyebrows slightly arched up as she tilted her head to the side and shrugged. Victor''s shoulders shook in quietughter. He looked amused instead of feeling offended or disappointed.

    "Your boyfriend''s, huh?'' He asked, and Hera nodded, jerking a thumb over her shoulder, pointing at Hunter behind her. "He owns all of this," she said, pointing at herself. A hand snaked around her waist, and Hunter pulled her back to his chest.

    "Wow! She''s a keeper. Dude, you''re the luckiest asshole on earth," Victor said to Hunter. Hera tilted her head to the side and nced upwards to see Hunter''s face. The smile that graced his lips had filled Hera''s heart with warmth. Despite all the difort and uneasiness his injuries brought, his delighted smile was genuine. She had made him smile, and she was proud of herself.

    Hera reached up and pecked his cheek before living him alone with Victor. She saw Eric going to fetch their jeep a while ago. Hera knew something was bothering him. Eric didn''t even speak once to Hunter and Michael since their return. She joined him taking a seat in the front passenger seat.

    "Why are you angry at him?" Hera asked, her tone so soft as if she was worried she would scare him. "None of your business," was his rude reply. Hera didn''t mind his harsh tone because she knew he wasn''t in his right mind. Something was disturbing him for sure, but Hera didn''t know what. It''s so unlike him to act cold and aloof.

    He seemed moody, and Hera decided it''s better to wait until they reach home. Hera sighed and looked out of the window. Squinting her eyes in curiosity, she watched while Michael handed money to a stranger and he was instructing something. Jake stood beside him, arms crossed over his chest. Hera wanted to ask Eric about it because Eric knows everything. But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to ruin his mood further.

    She shifted her gaze to where Hunter and Victor stood. Hera could see Samantha staring at Hunter. She wore a very concerned look on her pretty face.

    <em>''God, Samantha, blink once in a while. You won''t lose your eyes if you take it away from my boyfriend for a second.''</em>

    Hera shook her head. She wasn''t jealous of Samantha. She was worried that the girl was so obsessed with her Hunter. It wasn''t healthy, and it wouldn''t bring her any good. Bianca was standing next to Hunter, but Hera couldn''t see Hunter''s face. He had his back turned to her, his hands perched on his hips while he spoke to Victor.

    "So what''s my penalty? What do you want as your reward? Tell me, Ace, and I''ll do whatever you want," Victor said, staying true to his words. Hunter shook his head and took a deep breath to rx his form. He didn''t have any more strength left in his legs.

    "I''ll cash it some other time, Victor. Till then, don''t forget, you vow me," Hunter said, jabbing his finger at Victor''s chest. But there was no heat or anger in his voice. He was teasing Victor. After a brief hug and a pat on their back, they bid goodbye to each other.

    Bianca took Hunter''s hand and ced it around her shoulder, her eyes wordlessly offering him support. "Lean your weight on my shoulder and walk slow," she said. Hunter smiled in gratitude but then shook his head. "It''s okay, Sunshine. I''m fine. I''m not that fragile, you know," he said, his tone teasing. But Bianca held on to his hand when he attempted to retreat it.

    Hera watched as Bianca supported Hunter''s weight on her shoulder and helped him. He was trying his hardest not to put too much burden on his friend. Hera could see how Hunter struggled to lift his feet, and her heart broke at that sight. "Eric, please tell me, he''s not sporting a broken leg," she said, her voice barely audible. But she knew Eric heard it because he scoffed at her words.

    "He wouldn''t be able to walk with a broken bone, Pixie. Rx, he''ll be fine," he said without taking his eyes off the steering wheel. Hera bit her lip and swallowed the lump in her throat. She wouldn''t cry, not in front of everyone.

    <em>''My Hunter is already so badly hurt. It''ll break him from the inside if I cry.''</em>

    She blinked rapidly and fought to keep her tears at bay. She wouldn''t add more to his worries. She righted her posture in her seat and fastened the seatbelt as everyone made it to the jeep. Michael and Jake took seats in thest row while Bianca and Samantha joined Hunter in the middle seat.

    Hera viewed through the rearview mirror how Hunter winced while getting on the jeep. Her stomach churned as she suppressed the urge to cry.

    <em>''Wish I could take all your pain, Hunter.''</em>

    Her heart skipped beats several times as Hunter''s eyes met hers through the mirror. She bit her lip as her eyes watered. He shook his head, his purple orbs daring her to disobey.

 Chapter 154 - She Felt Left Out

    Suddenly, a chilled water bottle appeared in front of Hunter''s eyes, forcing him to remove his gaze from the rearview mirror. Michael held the bottle in his hand offering water to Hunter and effectively broke the staring contest Hera and Hunter had going on.

    Hunter took the bottle from Michael''s hand and unscrewing the cap drank half of the bottle in one go. Hera still kept staring at him through the mirror. Had the situation been different Hera would''ve been fascinated by watching his Adam''s apple bobbing up and down. Butterflies did flip their wings fluttering inside her tummy, but it didn''t bring along the pleasant feeling it usually brought.

    She felt the wrenching in her guts as Hunter tried to stretch his legs and grunted with the effect as if his whole body was in pain. Samantha took the water bottle from his hand while Bianca helped him move his legs to the centre console area. Hera''s eyes went wide, and her lips parted in shock as she finally saw the wounds on his legs.

    The torn material of his jeans pants disyed the depth of his injuries. The wound at his knee showcased the bloodied flesh inside the torn skin. Hera couldn''t see the cut on his thigh as the bandana kept it hidden under it.. His pants soaked in his blood and abrasions were all around his knuckles. Her lips wobbled, and she bit the inside of her lip hard to keep her sobs locked inside her throat.

    Unfastening her seat belt, Hera turned around to look at Hunter only to regret immediately. Hunter had his eyes closed shut, his forehead furrowed, eyebrows pulled down, sloping inwards while his handsome face scrunched up in pain.

    <em>''What I would give to erase every trace of the pain from his body.''</em>

    Hera wished she could borrow his pain and free him from every suffering. She wanted to cup his face in her palms and kiss every inch of it. She didn''t like those ugly lines of worry marring his gorgeous face. Sensing the moment he was going to open his eyes, Hera turned back and fastened the seat belt again.

    She didn''t dare nce up at the rearview mirror again, afraid she wouldn''t be able to stop her tears if she met eyes with her Hunter. For some reason, Bianca''s smart brain thought it would be nice to tear his pants off, and she took out the paper cutter knife she always carried in her pockets. Hera saw through her peripheral when Bianca started to cut the rough material of his jeans.

    Meanwhile, Hunter winced at the sudden increase in his pain and cursed, but he didn''t attempt to stop Bianca and kept his eyes shut. Hera wanted to smack Bianca''s hand off but didn''t dare to interfere.

    <em>''For God''s sake, can''t she see that she''s hurting him?''</em>

    Hera''s anxious heart was running a marathon, and every time Hunter hissed wincing in pain, Hera felt as if Bianca''s cutter knife was cutting the wall around her heart instead of Hunter''s pants. Hera clenched her fists tight and closed her eyes, willing the uneasiness to subside.

    "Fucking stop it, Bianca, you''re not the doctor here," Eric''s angry voice boomed inside the jeep all of a sudden. Both Bianca and Hera flinched at the harsh tone. Hera nced at Eric only to find him in the same position from earlier, hands holding the steering wheel, eyes looking at the road ahead.

    "I thought it would help him feel better if I removed the clothing around the wound. It''s swelling badly, and the soaked material clinging tight around it is only worsening his pain," Bianca said, exining in her defence, her tone sounded angry, but Hera sensed the hurt in her voice. All of them had their reasons for their grumpy mood, but Hera didn''t care, though.

    Her only concern then was her Hunter, and she was thankful for Eric''s interruption. His anger had stopped Bianca from going further with her n. Bending to her side, Hera peeked at Hunter to see him throwing his head back on the headrest of the seat. His eyes closed as if he was going to sleep.

    Meanwhile, Samantha took his hand in hers and started to blow air around his bruises, to soothe his pain.

    Something bitter inside her mind irked Hera. She was sitting in the frontfortably with all the ce to herself while Bianca and Samantha took care of her Hunter. Shouldn''t it be Hera''s responsibility as his girlfriend? Instead, all his friends were tending to his needs.

    <em>''Why didn''t Evie kiss his booboo yet?''</em>

    Hera thought sarcastically and then realised, her brother and Evelyn never made it back. At the same time, Eric started the jeep. Shifting it to the reverse gear, he pulled the vehicle out of the parking ce. Eric nced at Hunter while he looked behind to reverse the jeep safely, but his gaze didn''t linger any longer than a blink of an eye.

    "Where''s Danny and Evie?" Hera asked panicking when Eric started to drive without waiting for them. "They left an hour ago. Don''t worry, baby girl," Michael said, putting her at ease.

    "And what about your bikes?" Hera asked no one in particr. She just wanted to break the awkward silence. Again Michael told her that someone would bring it home safely.

    No one spoke again, and the awkward silence stretched.

    They dropped Jake back to his ce first, and Jake breached the silence for a few minutes when he greeted them all goodnight. The boys didn''t forget to thank him for all the help he rendered. Eric invited him to stay for the dinner, but Jake politely declined the offer. They had decided to have dinner out, but now they had to change their ns because of Hunter''s injuries.

    Hera sighed in relief when they reached home. Eric tossed the keys to Samantha, and she ran to unlock the door while Michael and Bianca helped Hunter out of the jeep. Parking the vehicle in the garage, Eric entered the house.

    Samantha gathered the scatter cushions on the sofa and arranged them properly to make room for Hunter. So that he could rest or sleep,fortably stretching his long legs. Limping with his steps, Hunter slowly made it to the sofa and stood leaning his hips against the back of the furniture.

    Hera silently watched, not knowing how to approach him. The tension still lingered in the air. Hera waited for someone to break the awkwardness.

    Hunter''s head jerked up when Eric tossed the jeep keys on the ss teapoy aggressively. Before Hunter could open his mouth to say something or exin himself, Eric marched towards him and his fist connected with Hunter''s jaw. Though he deliberately applied less force, the blow was hard enough to make Hunter lose his bnce.

    The three girls screamed Eric''s name simultaneously, but he paid no heed to anyone. He pulled Hunter back on his feet, and his fist was ready to hit him again when Michael held his forearm, effectively stopping him.

    "He''s already hurt, Eric, stop this madness. It''s not like he wanted this," Michael was saying but his sentence punctuated with a grunt as Eric yanked his hand back and his fist rammed into Michael''s abdomen instead. Holding his breath, Michael mouthed a curse as he couldn''t breathe because of the impact of the punch.

    "What the hell are you mad at me for, Eric? It''s not my fault that he asked me not to call you," Michael offered his defence. Eric shoved him hard on the chest. "Then fucking stop interfering," Eric snapped and moved back to Hunter. He threw a punch at Hunter again, but this time Hunter seized his fist with his hand before it could reach his face.

    "What the hell, Eric? Have you lost your mind? For fuck''s sake, it fucking hurts," Hunter said indignantly. Eric looked furious, and no one tried to stop him. He was about to hit him again when Hera spoke.

    "Eric, whatever your reasons are, can''t they wait? Right now, he needs urgent medical aid. He''s hurting, Eric," Hera said, stating the obvious. Taken aback, Eric stared at Hera as if he had forgotten that they hadpany. Hera stared back, her widened eyes daring him to defy her.

    One look at her pale face and Hunter knew she was terrified. But she hadn''t shed a single tear yet, holding herself so bravely. Hunter noticed how steady her voice came out when she spoke to Eric.

    "It''s okay, Goddess, I''m fine," Hunter said, smiling at her. He winced when he tried to move his feet, and his friends were beside him in an instant, helping himy down on the sofa. Michael lifted Hunter''s legs carefully cing them on the soft cushion. Samantha ran to the kitchen and brought the first-aid kit from one of the cabs.

    Bianca took out the scissor and started cutting Hunter''s pants, and this time no one stopped her. She cleaned the wound at his left knee first.

    Meanwhile, Hera took a seat on one of the sofa chairs, opposite Hunter''s sofa and silently watched. She held back her tears as she oddly felt left out.

 Chapter 155 - Would He Approve Her Intervention

    The sleeping position only intensified the pain in his wounds when he stretched his legs, so Hunter pulled himself together and sat upright on the sofa. He stared in silence while Eric pulled off his boots one after the other. The disapproving scowl was nted on Eric''s face the whole time. He was still angry, and Hunter could guess that his pissed off best friend decided to let it go only for Hera''s sake.

    Hunter tried his best not to wince every time Bianca touched his wound. He knew Hera had her eyes fixed on him, watching his every move and scrutinising his every emotion that yed on his face. Bianca dealt with his injuries with the utmost care, and her hands expertly moved as if she had done this regrly.

    Her medical expertise would''ve surprised everyone if they hadn''t known about her family''s medical history. She didn''t hesitate while touching the ugly deep wound, nor did she cringe once seeing the blood around it. The spirit she used to clean and sterilise the wound stung like hell, and she would gently blow air from her mouth to soothe the burning sensation.

    After his knee, Bianca cleaned the bruises on his knuckles. Eric took position behind the sofa, his both hands nted firmly on the backrest, his body bent forward as he followed the movement of Bianca''s hands, observing everything with keen interest..

    Samantha and Michael hovered over the sofa on either side of Bianca while she slowly untied the bandana wrapped around Hunter''s thigh. As soon as she removed the makeshift bandage, Hunter let out a strangled moan, cursing under his breath.

    "It hurts, sunshine," Hunter said and hissed when Bianca turned his thigh in another direction to examine the depth of the injury. Samantha winced at the sight of the cut as if she was the one bearing the pain. Both Eric and Michael cursed in unison.

    Their reaction immediately made Hunter regret opening his mouth. He was holding back for Hera''s sake, and now she would know the extent of his injuries. All his bravery, his pretence of being fine turned out to be in vain. rmed and anxious, his eyes searched for Hera.

    Hera ducked her head as soon as he made eye contact with her. But he saw the panic in her eyes before she could hide it from him. She was ying with her fingers, fidgeting and squirming in her seat. She appeared so timid, sitting at the corner of the sofa all alone and lost in her thoughts, her teeth abusing her bottom lip mercilessly. Hunter noticed how her face flushed pink while she tried to keep her emotions in check.

    Hunter bit his tongue to stop the groan when Bianca dabbed the cotton dipped in spirit on his wound. He kept his eyes on Hera, but she never lifted hershes to look at him again.

    "Fuck, it''s deep, bro. I can see the veins and arteries in the muscle. It would definitely need stitches," Michael said, grimacing at the cut. He looked at Bianca expectantly, his eyes asking her to assure him the damage wasn''t dangerous. Bianca sighed and shook her head, and Michael frowned in return as he couldn''t understand what her gesture meant.

    "We should take him to the hospital. I''ll bandage the wound to stop the bleeding for now," Bianca said, looking at Eric.

    Eric shook his head in disagreement. "The doctor will be here in a few minutes," he announced. Eric had called for the doctor before they left the industrialplex. "We can''t take him to the hospital without Mathew''s permission," he said, annoyance coating his tone.

    Hunter tore his eyes off Hera at the mention of Mathew''s name and looked into Eric''s using sharp eyes. "I''m not a child, Eric. Mathew doesn''t need to be my cane to support my every step. He''s on a date. For heaven''s sake, let him live a normal life for once," Hunter said, matching Eric''s heated re.

    "Well, you should''ve thought about that before you chose not to call me for help," Eric spat the words out in utter rage. "I handled it just fine, Eric, didn''t I?" Hunter asked, sounding equally enraged.

    "Yeah, I can see how great you handled yourself," Eric said with a scoff and the sarcasm dripping from his words irked Hunter more. Hunter exhaled through his nose, annoyance written all over his face. Eric''s words reminded him of what Michael said before. Like a deja vu moment, it was repeating his earlier confrontation with Michael.

    It annoyed him so much that they both think he needed help to save himself from getting killed.

    "You could''ve died, you insufferable dickhead. How would I have shown my face to my godmother if something had happened to you?" Eric shouted at him, all the suppressed anger rushing out in an instant.

    Eric''s angry outburstpelled Hera to lift her head, and she saw him pacing back and forth, his face flushed red with rage, his fists tightly clenched as if he was struggling to keep himself from striking Hunter.

    "Wow, aren''t I lucky! My best friends have so much faith in me," Hunter said sarcastically. "I could say the same, you asshole," Eric retaliated. "You didn''t trust me enough to call out for help," he said usingly, hurt evident both in his tone and in his eyes. Hunter pursed his lips at that, a trace of guilt letting its presence known.

    He never wanted to hurt his friend, nor did he ever doubt him. It stung when Eric used him of not trusting him.

    "I was dying every minute worrying about you, Ace. Because you were taking too long toe back and I wasn''t there with you to protect you," Eric said, shoulders dropping in defeat. He looked so disappointed and his voice finally lost its strength.

    Hunter was losing his patience too. Guilt only added more to his temper. He didn''t like seeing his best friend look so defeated, but at the same time, the using tone Eric used urged him to fight back in his defence.

    "Eric, just as you were afraid that something would happen to me I was scared too. Every time I involve my friends in my problems, I fear the same. I don''t want any of you getting hurt because of me," Hunter was saying, but suddenly he yelped in pain. Bianca had chosen that moment to press a bit too hard on his wound.

    Concerned, Hera''s eyes widened in rm, and she tilted her head to the side to check on Hunter when she heard him groan. Michal and Samantha had blocked her view. She saw how Hunter took a deep breath and exhaled through his mouth while his eyes squeezed shut as he winced.

    Anger burst through Hera as she noticed how much Hunter was struggling. She wanted to push Bianca away from him but knew the girl wouldn''t appreciate her interference. It was as if Hera never existed for them anyway. They wouldn''t wee her into their conversation. Their interaction seemed too intimate, too personal and Hera felt like an outsider.

    Hunter knew Bianca did it deliberately. "What the fuck is wrong with you, sunshine? Are you trying to kill me or what?" He cursed, ring at her. Bianca''s hand moved, and before Hunter could analyse her motive, her palm met with his cheek. Hunter was stunned because his sunshine had pped him.

    It wasn''t exactly a p but more of a smack on the jaw. It shocked Hunter nheless.

    "Don''t curse at me again, Ace. I''ll dig your wound deeper if you do," Bianca threatened, her eyes spilling anger.

    Hera was stunned too. She never thought she would see something like this. She always wished Hunter and his friends would fight, and their friendship would break. It was her jealousy. She hated all his friends in the beginning. But now, when she was actually witnessing them fight, it didn''t make her feel any good as she assumed it would.

    She just wanted tofort her Hunter, take care of him, kiss his pain away and keep him in her embrace, safely hidden from the rest of the world. But she couldn''t dare move her feet towards his direction.

    <em>''Would he approve my intervention when his best friends are fighting with him?''</em>

    For the first time in her life, she felt she didn''t have any right over him. She felt so helpless. Hunter never saw her insecurities or her miseries. Hera just wanted to run into his arms. But she was afraid he would reject her advances.

    <em>''He would never take my side when ites to his dear sunshine.''</em>

    Hunter wasn''t angry with her. He was just annoyed that she interrupted. "What was that for, sunshine?" He asked, voice no more than a whisper, his eyes wide with disbelief and shock.

    "You implied that you don''t want to include your friends in your problems. How can you say that, Ace? Friends won''t calcte loss and profit. If we''re involved and get hurt, it''s not because of you. It''s for you. There''s a difference," Bianca said.

 Chapter 156 - Theres More To The Story

    Hunter stared at Bianca. He didn''t know he offended their feelings. He looked at all his friends, and all of them wore a hurt look on their faces adding more to his guilty conscience.

    "I would dly get hurt or sacrifice my life if I have to die to save your life. That''s what friends do for each other. Eric is pissed because you''re asking him not to do that. Friends protect each other and stand by each other no matter what. Aren''t you going to do the same if Eric was in your ce?" Bianca asked rhetorically. She knew for sure that Hunter would die for them too if needed.

    Hunter lowered his head, closed his eyes and sighed before getting up from the sofa. "Bloody hell, it hurts so bad," he muttered and ced his hands on his hips. After taking several deep breaths, he took a few steps forward with much difficulty and reached Eric..

    "Eric, I''m sorry, buddy. I didn''t mean to offend any of you. I didn''t call you for help only because I was terrified of losing any of you. Just how you wanted to protect me and keep me safe, I wanted to do the same for my friends," Hunter said and tried to pull Eric into a hug, but his best friend was still furious, and he kicked Hunter''s shin in retaliation.

    Hunter cursed, moving his foot back.

    Hera had never seen the two of them fight before. She thought it was so disappointing to see the two best friends fighting with each other. But now she knew, they were fighting for each other. Finally, they hugged, and at the same time, the doorbell rang interrupting their moment.

    Michael jumped over the sofa and briskly walked to the door, expecting to see the doctor on the other side of the door.

    He huffed as if he was disappointed when he met Danny and Evelyn instead of the doctor. They brought takeaway food with them.

    Hera silently watched everyone as they conversed with each other. Hunter exined how he lost his bnce as his bike skidded, resulting in his injuries. Danny apologised for not being there for him and fought with Hunter because he didn''t call him immediately for help.

    Hera resisted the urge to roll her eyes at them.

    <em>''Deja vu?''</em>

    She thought sarcastically.

    <em>''How many times are they going to fight over the same context?''</em>

    But Hera couldn''t resist rolling her eyes when Evelyn actually kissed Hunter''s booboos to make it better.

    <em>''Seriously?''</em>

    Hunter looked at Hera and smiled, but it vanished from his face when Hera responded with a fake one. He was disappointed when it didn''t reach her eyes. Hera could detect the uncertainty in his eyes. For some reason, he hesitated to approach her. Not that she expected him to walk the distance between them with his injured legs, but she knew he avoided speaking to her for sure.

    She heard them speaking about shifting him to his bedroom. The boys were deciding who should carry him upstairs as Hunter couldn''t climb the steps. He refused though deciding to stay on the sofa until the doctor finishes his medical scrutiny.

    <em>''Did they forget that there''s an elevator in the house?''</em>

    Hera scoffed, rolling her eyes, but none of them noticed.

    "Do you want me to make you a ss of scotch? It will help with the pain," Michael suggested, but before Hunter could ept the offer, Eric scolded them.

    "He''s not supposed to drink alcohol because he''s to eat medicines," Eric reminded them. Hunter wasining about the messy bloodstain and the disgusting smell. He wanted to shower first, but the doorbell rang for the second time, and the doctor finally made it.

    The doctor didn''t waste any time and proceeded to examine Hunter''s injuries. Hera excused herself under the pretence of getting changed and ran upstairs as soon as the doctor mentioned stitching the wound.

    "You don''t need to call Mathew. I''ll inform him myself so don''t worry about him, doc," Hunter was saying when his voice faded as Hera reached his bedroom and locked the door. She wouldn''t be able to watch her Hunter suffer anymore when the doctor tends to his wounds.

    Hera took off her trench coat and tossed it aside on the couch. Her boots went under the furniture as she carelessly shoved them away. Closing her eyes, she sent a prayer to the almighty to give her Hunter strength to bear the pain.

    <em>''And, dear Lord, please make sure it doesn''t hurt him much.''</em>

    She jumped andnded face t on the bed. Lying on her stomach, resting her head on the soft pillow, she inhaled the scent, the smell of the earth after the first rain, petrichor. Her favourite fragrance in the world, her Hunter''s natural scent, soothed her anxious heart but the emotions it brought along broke the dam of her tears.

    She let herself cry into the feathery, soft pillow. She had too much to think, and it was so hard to hide her pain and suffer quietly. Hera wasn''t sure what made her upset, whether Hunter getting hurt or his friends staking im over him. All in all, it resulted in them ignoring her presence and she feeling abandoned.

    Like it used to be in the earlier days, his friends stood as a wall between them, separating them from each other. She couldn''t even touch him or sit next to him. All she wanted to do was to whisper a few words to show her affection, kiss him once and to feel his heartbeats against hers to assure him of her love.

    Even though she was just a few feet away from him, the distance between them was so much that it felt like centuries would pass before she could reach him again.

    Hera knew she was being dramatic and overreacting. His friends were all so good and were selflessly taking care of him. She should be happy and thankful that they love him so much. But here she was burning with jealousy, and God knows what else. It was silly of her to act in such a way, but that''s what she truly felt.

    Call her childish or stupid or jealous girlfriend, Hera hated everyone. How could she like anyone who would take her Hunter away from her?

    "I''m all alone like always. I miss you, Hunter," Hera whispered to the pillow and closed her eyes, tears still flooding around her cheeks. "Eric said you could''ve died. What if it hade true?" She questioned the empty room and cried harder. She was terrified of losing him when he said he met with an ident.

    But she knew Hunter wasn''t honest with his ident story. She could tell for sure, either he was lying, or he wasn''t telling the whole truth.

    <em>''There''s more to the story, and he isn''t telling me.''</em>

    If it was just an ident as he said then why would Eric be so pissed at him? That cut on his thigh, it didn''t seem like an injury caused by the skidding bike. Hera wasn''t that dumb. She could guess only a sharp weapon would slice the flesh so brutally.

    <em>''You didn''t call me for help.''</em>

    <em>''You could''ve died.''</em>

    Eric''s words echoed in her mind. It kept ringing in her ears. Hunter was worried about his friends'' safety. He said he wanted to protect them but from what or who?

    Hera wanted to sleep and forget all her worries for now, but sleep wouldn''te. She was hungry, and if she wanted to eat, she had to go down and face them all again. Hera wasn''t ready for that.

    <em>''Is he in danger? What are you hiding from me, Hunter?''</em>

    She asked, but for the love of God, she couldn''t reach any conclusion. Hunter wasn''t there to put her mind at ease.

    Amidst all these questions lost was her mind, analysing and assuming the right scenario. She thought so much that it didn''t ur to her when sleep had imed her consciousness.

    Later at some time in the middle of the night, her forearms felt numb. She subconsciously realised that she was still sleeping on her stomach, her hands crushed under her body weight. Groaning in protest, Hera turned on her side to release her hands from the unpleasant pressure.

    When she tried prying her sleepy eyes open, the light stung in them.

    "Who left the fucking lights on?" She whined and turned around to bump into the warm body next to her. rmed, her eyes flew open wide andnded on the beautiful boy sleeping beside her.

    "Hunter," she whispered, and her hands moved on their own ord to touch him. She wanted to make sure she wasn''t dreaming. Every trace of the sleep gone, she was wide awake, and the steady rhythm of his heartbeats under her palm brought a smile to her lips. She propped herself on her elbows and let her thirsty eyes to quench its thirst by feasting over his angelic face.

    He had showered and changed into his ck pyjama shorts paired with his naked torso, quite contrast to the white bandages on his wounds.

 Chapter 157 - All She Has To Do Is Extend Her Hand

    Retrieving her hand from his chest, Hera sat upright cross-legged. He looked so peaceful while sleeping, silky hair scattered all over his forehead, dark, thick, fluffy eyshes fanning his cheeks. His lips remained closed, pressed together while he breathed softly through his nose.

    He looked so proper and sophisticated with his mannerisms even while asleep. Hera had never heard him snore, but he had mentioned a few times, teasing her that when she was in a deep sleep, her lips part and she snores.

    Subconsciously, Hera''s lips stretched into a smile.

    Her eyes got smaller while her smile grew wider. She hadn''t realised there were tears in her eyes until the salty, transparent pearls slipped out of her eyelids, running down her plump rosy cheeks. Wiping the trace of tears from her cheeks, Hera sniffed as discreetly as she could because her Hunter was a light sleeper. The slightest of the sound would disturb his sleep.

    The stubble on his jaw grew thicker as he hadn''t shaved in two days.. His chest rose and fell with every breath he took. One of his hands rested over his abs while the other stayed at his side. Hera stared at the Band-Aids covering the abrasions on his knuckles and then her gaze shifted to the bandages on his legs.

    She remembered how she ridiculed Evelyn in her mind when she kissed his wounds. Hera never intended to make fun of the idea when Evelyn did that. It was only Hera''s jealousy, her disappointment that Evelyn got to do it instead of her. She could kiss it now, but Hera still hesitated as she was afraid she would wake him up.

    Moving a bit closer, Hera carefully smoothed the hair away from his eyes, brushing it over his temples.

    <em>''Stop it, Hera, you''ll disturb his sleep. He needs to rest.''</em>

    The rational part of her logical brain helpfully supplied before she could nt her lips on his forehead while her heart fought hard to resist the urge to kiss him.

    Leaning forward, she inhaled his scent, earthy smell mixed with spirit, or disinfectant, or whatever healing medicine the doctor had applied on his wounds. Her nose scrunched up as she scowled in distaste. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped arms around her legs, her face resting sideways on her folded knees.

    Eyes fixed on Hunter''s sleeping form, Hera watched.

    Tears streamed down, running on the bump her nose and dampening her temple on its way before it soaked into her hair.

    The morning hadn''te yet, but she felt as if the Sun in her sky had risen already. Her Hunter shone brighter than warm sun rays, spilling the warmth around her heart and lighting up her world. The very moment made her realise something. She was the happiest when she was with him and the saddest when she wasn''t with him.

    Hera smiled through her tears as she recognised the reason for her insecurities. Honestly, she wasn''t jealous or insecure because of his friends. It was her fear. She was scared of the barriers distancing them from each other. She was scared of losing him.

    All her life, she had no one to care for her except him. With a mother she had never seen, a father she couldn''t ever reach, guardians and adopted family who never brought the feeling of safety or security in her entire life, never had Hera felt loved.

    Hunter was all she had to im as hers. He was the only one who took care of her, who loved her unconditionally since the moment theyid eyes on each other. She wouldn''t know how to survive without him, and the mere thought of losing him had shattered her heart.

    Hera was hurt because her Hunter was hurting. She was upset as she was helpless and couldn''t protect him from getting hurt. She hated herself because she couldn''t take his pain away. She felt lonely and left out when he didn''t reach out to her.

    With him by her side, everything would automatically turn right. All she wanted him to do was hold her hand, and she would fight the world for him.

    "You are all I have. I love you, Mr Hunter," she whispered, a soft smile ying on her lips as she wiped her tears.

    Startled, Hera let out an audible gasp when she saw Hunter''s lips twitching into a smile.

    "You are awake," Hera stated, her tone using but there was no anger or objection behind it. Hunter opened his right eye first, squinting he peeked at her before his left eye joined itspanion. Amid his dark thick stubble, a set of pearly white teeth gleamed as a quiet smile yed around his pink, full lips, the dimples on his cheeks adding the extra charm to his gorgeousness.

    Hera sighed.

    "How long were you faking it?" She asked. "I woke up when I heard you groan and curse the light. You know I''m a light sleeper. How do you expect me to stay asleep when you turned, and your body bumped straight into me?" Hunter asked, his voice sounding raspy from the sleep. Hera scowled and shook her head in disapproval.

    "So, you were pretending and having fun at my expense while I stared at you?" She asked, changing her position and sat cross-legged again. "How the hell on earth do you always know when I''m staring at you?" She asked, eyes growingrge in wonder. Hunter grinned from ear to ear before speaking.

    "You meant to say when you were ogling and drooling?" He asked, his tone teasing and eyes amused.

    Hera was about to hit him when he reminded her that he was already hurt. Sighing, Hera looked at his bandages, and her gaze softened when she met his eyes. "How are you feeling now?" She asked, her voice concerned.

    "I''m fine, Goddess, don''t worry. The doctor has given pain relievers, and it''s working fine," he said, lifting his hand to brush her hair back. "Why were you avoiding me?" Hera asked bluntly. Hunter pulled his hand back and stared at her for a few seconds. His smile vanished, and he seemed offended.

    "You''re the one who did all the avoiding, Goddess. You didn''t even lift yourshes while I waited the whole time hoping you would spare me a nce," he said, sounding disheartened. Hera lowered her head ashamed, a shadow of guilt clouding her eyes.

    <em>''I was busy wallowing in self-pity because I was jealous and insecure.'' </em>

    "I''m sorry, Hunter," she admitted, still avoiding his eyes. Hunter didn''t reply immediately, and when the silence stretched, Hera looked at him only to find his eyes piercing into her soul. His elbows supported the weight of his upper body as he lifted himself and leaned against the headboard.

    "I knew why you were avoiding me, Goddess. I knew it wasn''t easy for you to see me hurting. You were hurt too, and I understand how you felt. That''s why I didn''t try to reach you. I kept my distance because I didn''t want to hurt you any more than that," Hunter confessed. Hera opened her mouth to apologise, but he pressed a finger to her lips, stopping her from speaking.

    "I love my friends, Goddess. They are all important to me," he admitted while Hera frowned and looked away from him.

    "I''m in love with you, Hera, since the moment Iid my eyes on you and you know the depth of my feelings. You''re my lifeline, Goddess. My friends were only trying to help me. At that time, tending to my needs was their priority. No one was trying to take me away from you. There''ll never be a barrier that can keep me away from you. I''m always yours," he dered with finality, his eyes waiting for her to look at him.

    Hera pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, biting hard to stop it from trembling but she couldn''t restrain her tears from streaming down her eyes. Hunter''s hand reached out, and his fingers wiped her tears.

    "All you have to do is extend your hand, Goddess, and mine will always be ready, waiting to hold it, forever," he concluded.

    Hera moved briskly on her knees to reach him, and her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, pulling him into her embrace. She didn''t have to say a single word, and he read her mind, understood her emotional turmoil just by looking into her eyes.

    "How do you me know so well?" She asked, sobbing into his shoulder. Hunter pulled her more into his chest, not leaving an inch of space for the air. The gesture was enough to answer all her questions.

    When Hera pulled away, Hunter cupped her face in his palms, and his thumb wiped the moisture under her eyes. His eyes dipped to her lips, and he moved forward to kiss her. But before their lips could touch, Hera crawled back moving away from him.

    Her smile was watery when he frowned at her. Holding her finger up to stop him, she ran into the ensuite bathroom.

    Hunter scoffed and muttered a curse, annoyed at being refused.

    "I''m d you could hold it for so long and didn''t pee on our bed. I''m so proud," Hunter said, sarcasm dripping from his words and he heard her giggling inside the bathroom.

 Chapter 158 - They Hate Each Other

    She didn''t even change before going to bed, and if Hunter hadn''t tried to kiss her, she wouldn''t have realised she didn''t brush her teeth today before going to sleep. She hadn''t known she would fall asleep amidst crying her heart out. Now that her soul was at peace, she remembered she didn''t have dinner either.

    Hera sshed the cool water over her face and flinched at the cold sensation it brought. Her reflection stared back through the mirror, and she grimaced at her swollen eyes. Once she finished brushing her teeth, Hera checked in the mirror to see if her teeth were shining. Satisfied, she walked out of the bathroom.

    Hunter scowled when Hera walked into the room, wiping her face with the hem of her top. His face scrunched up in disgust.

    "There''s a stocked pile of fresh towels in the cabs for a reason," he said in disapproval. Hera grinned broadly in response and tugged the hem of her top further up to wipe her forehead. Hunter was about to scold and lecture her about her mannerism, but his words died down in his mouth..

    Hera didn''t see how his jaw dropped open.

    His breath hitched while hisrge eyes widened to their full size.

    The sight in front of him stole his breath away. His heart skipped a beat and went on a wild hunt after that.

    Hera''s soft tummy and her belly button were on disy, and he could see the hem of her ckcy bra inside her top. Hunter moved his eyes up to look at her face, but she was busy wiping her face dry, oblivious to the sexual tension she unknowingly created. Hunter''s gaze dipped down to her exposed soft meat on their own ord.

    He inhaled sharply and crossed his arms in front of him, fingers gripping each arm tightly as ifpelling himself to keep them locked there. The vision in his mind only fucked with his sanity.

    <em>''My boyfriend''s. Huh, those sinful words. How the fuck am I supposed to resist the temptation?''</em>

    Once the meaning behind those words registered in his brain, he couldn''t stop imagining.

    He envisioned lifting that top a bit further up as his eyes wished to bask in the bliss without any barrier. His fingers itched to touch the mellowness of those full breasts, hands desperate to hold them and feel their weight. He wanted to sink his teeth into the soft flesh of Hera''s tummy. He couldn''t wait to mark her skin with hickeys all around that navel.

    Grinding his teeth, Hunter cursed inwardly.

    <em>''Fuck, who''s going to tell this innocent creature that it isn''t the right time to turn me on?''</em>

    Hera finally looked at him, and Hunter managed to rip his gaze off her body in time to meet her eyes. His Goddess blew him a kiss and disappeared into the closet again.

    He squeezed his eyelids shut, threw his head back, slightly banging into the headboard and groaned in utter frustration. He could bet, Hera wouldn''t even know what impact her innocent action brought on him. She didn''t have a single clue about the sinful images his mind and heart were drooling over.

    Hera emerged from the closet, and Hunter sighed defeatedly. She had changed into one of his ck T-shirts but had kept her new shorts on, which was barely visible under thatrge shirt.

    Hera jumped on the bed, and Hunter pulled his head back in reflex as she was about to bump into him. She giggled, and he smelled the freshness of the minty toothpaste in her breath.

    "It''s almost three am in the middle of the night. You woke up to brush your teeth now?" He asked, sounding surprised. But Hera saw the scowl on his face, his lips twitching downward, unimpressed. Without warning, Hera moved closer, and Hunter''s eyes widened in surprise.She kissed him on the forehead and smiled against his skin.

    "I forgot to freshen up before going to bed," she said, kissing both of his eyelids one after the other. "And you wanted to kiss me," she stated, dropping another kiss in the area between his eyebrows and above the nose. His heart skipped a beat at their proximity, and her hands exploring his naked torso didn''t seem innocent anymore.

    "Bad breath and all that, you know. How can I turn you off?" She asked, kissing the tip of his nose. Hunter''s hot breath fanned her chin.

    <em>''Oh, if only you could see how turned on I am right now.''</em>

    She cupped his face in her palms, angling his face to kiss him on his cheeks. "I never saw you and Eric fight before," she said and kissed the left corner of his mouth.

    Hunter didn''t miss the sudden change in the topic. He grabbed her hands and stopped it from moving further. Before he could say something, Hera kissed the other corner of his mouth and giggled. "Your stubble is pricking my skin," she stated before kissing his jaw. Hunter sucked in a sharp breath, and Hera loved the way his Adam''s apple moved as he swallowed.

    She sniffed at his skin before kissing his Adam''s apple. Hunter forcefully pushed her away when Hera tried to straddle him.

    "Hera," her name slipped out from his lips in a breathless whisper. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Are we ying a seduction game now?" He asked rhetorically. He knew she was exactly doing the same.

    "I''ve only learnt it from you, and you said we''ll talkter," Hera said, fluttering her eyshes. Hunter silently stared at her for a few seconds, and it seemed Hera enjoyed the staring contest. Hunter looked away first, and Hera smirked in victory.

    "Don''t think you could do much with your legs this badly injured anyway," Hera said, inclining her head as she eyed his bandaged wounds. Hunter red at her, sharp eyes narrowing. He scoffed before pulling her back on hisp, forcing her to straddle him. Hera squealed fearing that she might hurt his injuries and struggled to get off hisp.

    "What do you know about seduction, Mrs Hunter? Whatever you''ve learnt so far is just the first page of the book. You don''t even know that there are many ways to make love and you think these little injuries will keep me? If I want to devour you now, no one and nothing will stop me," Hunter said, gritting his teeth. "And seeing how desperate you seem right now, I don''t think you would want to stop me," he added and smirked arrogantly.

    Hera returned the re while Hunter pulled her more into his chest. Sinking her teeth into his chest, she bit hard in retaliation. He hissed and cursed under his breath. Taking advantage of his distraction, Hera tugged her hand out of his grip and moved away from him. He watched while she shifted to the edge of the bed.

    With her legs stretched out, arms crossed around her chest, Hera sat imitating his position. They sat in opposite directions, staring at each other. His eyes slid down to her chest as it rose and fell with every breath she took seething in anger. Her arms folded around her breasts only pushed them up more, enhancing their size and shape.

    Huffing in annoyance, Hera uncrossed her arms, and Hunter''s eyes met with hers. A smug smirk graced his lips, and she flipped him the bird in reply.

    Bending his torso, Hunter leaned forward, and his hand reached out in a sh. Before Hera could analyse his move, his fingers wrapped around her ankle and he pulled her in one swift, forceful tug. Hera kicked him on his chest with her other foot before Hunter caught it as well. He grabbed her hands and pulled her to him. When she couldn''t win against his grip, Hera cursed.

    "Motherfucker, how are your legs not hurting now? What illegal drugs did that doctor feed you?" Hera asked through her gritted teeth. "Told you, nothing will stop me," he stated very rudely before attempting to kiss her. Hera bit his lips to stop the kiss, but he didn''t seem to mind it.

    "I hate you," Hera said against his lips. "I hate you more," Hunter replied. Hera gasped in shock and pulled away. "What?" Hunter asked when she red at him with hurt stered all over her face. "You''re not supposed to say that," Hera said bitingly, her tone using.

    "Well, you insulted me first. How can you doubt my ability to make love to you and use my injuries to mock me?" Hunter asked indignantly, sounding offended as well. Hera gave him an incredulous look. "You misunderstood me, you asshole," she yelled. "I meant to say that if you decided to dodge answering my questions, you wouldn''t be able to run away from me now that your legs are injured," Hera offered in her defence.

    They red at each other in utter silence for a few more seconds until Hera decided to speak.

    "You said you hate me," she used.

    Hunter scoffed.

    "You said it first," he stated usingly, finger pointing at her.

    "You said you hate me more," she said, resentment filling her tone.

 Chapter 159 - No Need To Overanalyse

    Hunter tried moving his left leg a little but winced when his knee hurt. He hissed and shifted in his ce. Somehow, it seemed easy to manage the stitched cut on his right thigh whenpared to the wound on his left knee.

    Meanwhile, Hera kept ring at him, and the angry pout stayed glued to her lips. She winced along when he did but didn''t budge from her ce. She had kept an arm''s length distance between them.

    His wounded knee hurts too much, even with the slightest movement. cing a pillow behind his back, he leaned into it.

    "What do I say whenever you say I love you?" Hunter asked and arched a brow, unimpressed when she didn''t answer him immediately. He threw his head back and groaned in annoyance. Hera bit back a smile and cleared her throat to get his attention. She offered a nonchnt shrug, and her response irked him more..

    He tried to grab her hand, but she managed to move out of his reach in time and smirked at him. Hunter moved swiftly, bncing most of his body weight on his right leg and caught her hand. Hera let go of her resistance when he winced while attempting to pull her closer.

    A hand went around clutching the nape of her neck and pulled her closer while his other hand cupped her chubby cheek, fingers caressing the soft skin before it disappeared into her hair. His fingers curled in a gentle yet firm grasp. Hera feigned resistance until his lips captured hers and moaned a protest when he bit her.

    He kissed hard and held her firmly against his chest as if he was afraid she would vanish if he let her go, and Hera went along basking in the sweet torture his determined mouth inflicted.

    Pulling her bottom lip into his mouth, he nibbled and sucked hard as if he wished to swallow it. He kissed her as if he couldn''t get enough of her mouth. He was breathing hard through his nose and the sound that emerged through his throat while sucking and gulping, it sent a shiver through Hera''s body.

    Butterflies pped their wings in full swing, and her tummy fluttered pleasantly while her heart somersaulted. Every time Hunter moaned in pleasure, Hera wanted to listen to that sound repeatedly.

    He kissed her with such passion, Hera struggled to match his intensity. Hera noticed when he withdrew his hand from the nape of her neck. It moved to her front, brushing along the underside of her jaw, the hollow of her neck. He caressed her corbone, and his grip on her hair tightened, angling her face to his convenience while he deepened the kiss.

    The hand resting on her corbone inched downwards, moving in slow motion. Hera was fully aware of it when his palm resting against the upper swell of chest moved further and fully covered her breast. She could feel the warmth of Hunter''s palm even through the soft cotton T-shirt she wore. He applied pressure, fingers closing around the shape in a gentle squeeze.

    Startled, Hera gasped and pulled away while her fingers gripped his wrist in reflex, bringing his hand down. Her head ducked as soon as Hunter looked at her. She sat, folding her knees underneath her thighs, her body weight resting on her heels. Her face flushed red as she blushed furiously.

    Hands ced on her naked thighs, Hera picked at the hem of her shorts. She avoided looking into his eyes as she felt awkward. Her heart raced a marathon, violently banging against her chest as if it would burst out any moment.

    Hunter''s eyes moved up travelling along her fingers wrapped around her knees, to her naked thighs under her forearms then to her torso, her heaving breasts. His gaze lingered on her flushed face. Her cheeks dusted with natural pink while she blushed, the tip of her ears and her nose, the snow-white skin under her neck matched the colour on her cheeks.

    Hunter let out an audible sigh and Hera lifted hershes and looked at him without raising her head. He was staring at her. She didn''t miss when his eyes scrutinised her swollen lips and Hera bit it subconsciously.

    He groaned again, and his hands moved to cover his face hiding it behind hisrge palms. When he uncovered his face, he mouthed, "Fuck". He threw his head back, eyeing the ceiling, frustration visible all over his features.

    Meanwhile, Hera watched him run his fingers through his hair, brushing it over his head. Usually, he uses gel on his silky-soft hair to keep it in ce but right now his gel-free hair dared to disobey hismand and fell back on his eyes, resuming their earlier position on his forehead.

    "I''m sorry, I couldn''t resist and got carried away," he confessed. Hera hummed her response before inclining her head. Without warning, she moved and crashed her lips on his. Hunter''s surprised eyes grew bigger while he inhaled sharply. Hera giggled breathlessly against his lips. It was better to kill the awkwardness since prolonging it seemed worse.

    Kissing seemed far better than to peek awkward nces at each other, and besides, she didn''t want him to feel as if he did something wrong.

    Hunter kissed her back but obediently kept his hands to himself. He opened his mouth over hers and kissed her with an intense urgency while Hera tried her best to keep up. "I''m sorry if I made you ufortable," Hunter whispered in between the kiss. Hera smiled against his lips.

    "Your stubble is giving me a little trouble," Hera said, pulling away and giggled when he yfully red at her. "No, Hunter, you didn''t. It was," Hera paused, thinking the right way to express it.

    "I wasn''t ready?" Unsure, she offered, shrugging. "It was unexpected, and I don''t know," she said. Hunter silently stared into her eyes, gauging her reaction.

    Hera rolled her eyes at him.

    "Stop it, Hunter. You don''t have to overanalyse everything. It''s not your research study material, and you''ll know if I lied," Hera stated and kissed him on the forehead. "And you can kiss me however you want and whenever you want. But don''t try to distract me from the topic. You are not getting away from answering my questions, Lucifer," she said sternly, warning him.

    Hunter agreed, but Hera could see he was thinking hard. Sighing, Hera pulled at his cheeks before blowing raspberries with her lips. Hunter yfully swatted her hand away, and Hera''s reaction was rather overdramatic. She gasped and clutched her wrist as if it''s broken before dropping it on hisp.

    It was purely an innocent act, but it quickly turned awkward when her hand identally fell on his crotch, and she felt his boner. Now it was Hunter''s turn to gasp. Hera was rmed when he hissed in pain.

    Hera stared at him with her wide eyes before voicing out her thoughts.

    "Why do you look like you''re in pain? Are you hurt there too," she asked, pointing her finger at his pride. Hunter scowled and threw a pillow at her. It hit her on the head. Hera threw it back at him, and he shoved it away with his forearm.

    "Answer my question, Hunter," she said, sounding annoyed. "No, it works just fine with the baby-making process. So don''t worry your little brain too much. Your future babies are safe," he replied, mimicking her annoyed tone.

    "Fine, then let''s get back to the big issue. What happened at the race? I''m not dumb to believe your bullshit. So be honest and tell me the truth. Why did Eric say you could''ve died?" Hera asked, jumping straight to the point. "Who hurt you, Hunter?" She asked, moving closer. She took a seat beside him, leaning against the headboard.

    Hunter took her hand in his, and his free hand went around her shoulder, pulling her closer. Hera ced her head on his shoulder, waiting for him to speak while he arranged his thoughts in his mind.

    "Name, fame and money nevere for free. There''s always a price to pay," Hunter said. Hera noticed how his facial features lost all the softness, his jaw set, shoulders stiff, and he seemed tense.

    Hunter thought how much to reveal. He wanted toe clean and tell her the truth. But considering how she reacted after learning about his injuries, he didn''t think she was ready. She was too young and immature to understand the truth of his dangerous world. She would be terrified of his family background.

    "My father has too manypetitors and business rivals. His enemies are dangerous, and since I''m the sole inheritor and only weakness of my parents, I often get targeted by his enemies," Hunter revealed, eyes fixed on Hera, studying her every expression. He noticed how her eyes widened. She held her breath, and her face already turned pale.

    Hunter could read fear in her eyes.

    <em>''Goddess, will you stay by my side even after learning about my true identity?''</em>

 Chapter 160 - Hes Powerful

    Hunter pulled her more into his chest and looked down at their joined hands. He gently squeezed her hand in assurance. Hera tilted her head up to stare at him. Hunter loosened his hold on her shoulder and rubbed her arm soothingly.

    He greedily stole a kiss.

    Hunter was afraid of losing her. What if she decided it was better to leave him after knowing his truth? Why would she willingly put herself in danger and stay in his life? He knew he was selfish, but he couldn''t risk losing her. He would have to wait until she grows up and harbours enough courage to get exposed to his real world.

    One look at her frightened face and he changed his mind. Hunter strongly believed in his gut feeling, and he never proceeds if he gets a second thought. He knew Hera wouldn''t be able to digest the hard truth yet. And thest thing he wanted was for her to be scared of him..

    <em>''You''re not ready yet, Goddess. I''ve to wait a little while longer.''</em>

    He decided it wasn''t the right time.

    "I was attacked today. One of my father''s enemies sent people to hurt me," Hunter said. He didn''t say they were here to kill him. Hera''s eyes watered, her mouth fell open, and sheunched herself on his upper body. Arms wrapped around his shoulder, she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

    "I''ll die if anything happens to you," she confessed, her tears soaking his naked skin. "Don''t ever leave me, Hunter," shemanded, and Hunter agreed without missing a beat. "I mean to say don''t die," she rified. One arm locked around her middle, with his other hand, he affectionately caressed her hair. Hunter smiled at her statement.

    "You don''t know my family background. What if you get exposed to danger because of me?" He asked, testing the water. "Who knows, maybe you would want to do nothing with me then," he said and felt Hera tighten her hold around him.

    "All you''ve to do is stay alive. As long as you''re breathing, I''m fine with everything, Hunter, because I know, nothing can harm me with you around. You''ll keep me safe, right?" Hera asked. She sounded so confident and determined, Hunter sighed and released the breath he had been holding. It was all he needed to know, nothing else mattered to him. He kissed the side of her head and hugged her tight.

    "I''ll die if I need to, Goddess, but no harm would you reach you as long as I''m breathing," he promised. Hera removed herself from his hold and smacked him on the chest. "I said, don''t die. I''ll kill you if you dare to leave me," she vowed. Hunter pulled her back to his embrace and kissed her on the mouth.

    "I love you, Goddess," he confessed.

    Hera scoffed at him.

    "You said you hate me more a while ago," she said, using him again and poked her finger into his chest.

    "Ah, right. You were busy devouring me, and that topic got discarded somewhere because you had your perverted mind dumped in the gutter," Hunter replied, tone yful. Hera red at him and lifted her hand to smack him again, but he caught her wrist.

    "I''ll rify that, but you''ve to say you love me first," Hunter said. Hera gifted him with a wolfish grin. "You love me," she stated. Hunter stared at her with mock-anger and watched herugh wholeheartedly. Herughter was always contagious, and Hunter couldn''t resist joining her.

    "That I do, Goddess," he admitted.

    Hera smiled pleased.

    "I love you," she confessed. "I love you more," was Hunter''s reply. "See, that''s what I say every time you dere your love for me. It''s not just be my habit, but it''s more like a default setting now. So when you said I hate you, I simply said I hate you more. It''s not like we meant it, right?" Hunter asked.

    Hera shut him up with a kiss, and everything turned out to be perfect in their love story for the time being.

    <em>''I''ve to talk to Mathew in the morning, and he wouldn''t keep it from Mom and Dad.''</em>

    Hunter pushed that thought aside for now and kissed his Goddess, pouring all his love into it.

    <strong>A FEW DAYS LATER;</strong>

    <strong>IN THE CASTELLANOS MANSION</strong>

    He leaned back in the sofa chair, ankle propped on his knee, his polished shoe shining and spotless. His other foot nted on the floor tapped once in a whilezily. Usually, it would seem like a nervous trait if one tapped their foot, but the evil glint in his eyes disyed how pleased and rxed His Majesty Christopher Castenos was.

    Fist closing over the head of the jewelled cane, lips twitched in tiny as a satisfied smirk yed across them, Christopher looked at the detective sitting before him. The man''s frame appeared to be too small for the mahogany wooden carved furniture. The King preferred it more when his subject felt timid and tiny in front of hisrger than life persona.

    Christopher gestured to him to have his coffee, and the detective obeyed, instantly lifting the cup to his mouth.

    "You never disappoint me, Nicos," he said, appreciating the detective''s efforts. "The boy''s name is Ace Hunter, and he studies in the same school His Highness visited in London," Nicos reported and passed a folder with details. Christopher waved his hand in dismissal, and the detective ced the folder on the big desk in the centre of the royal furniture set.

    They were in Christopher''s formal, working ce. The detective ran his gaze around the oval-shaped office while his thoughts disappeared, walking down the memoryne of the past few days when he saw Ace Hunter. He wondered in pure admiration as the visions of the boy fighting those grown-up goons double his size reyed in his mind.

    The lion always hunts alone, and the boy turned out to be an ideal example of the phrase. He looked no less than that ferocious animal hunting down his prey.

    "Though his name doesn''t match with the one Your Majesty provided, he''s the only one in the school with Alexander and Felicity Hunter as his parents," Nicos said. Christopher nodded and listened while the detective described the boy''s personality.

    "If I have to describe the boy in three words, I would say he''s intelligent, fearless and skillful. He''s trained to rule," the detective said. Christopher grabbed the folder while Nicos exined how the boy fought against the hired professional killers and emerged victoriously.

    "He didn''t even need any weapons. I was amazed at his fighting skills. I can define him in one single adjective. Powerful, yes, he''s powerful," Nicos said, his voice filled with amazement while admiration dripped from his tone.

    Though Christopher pretended to be unaffected or unimpressed by the man''s description, his fingers automatically flipped the folder cover open. As soon as his eyes fell on the pictures, it shook his pride for sure. The photographer had captured the boy so perfectly it looked astonishing from every angle. It was a photo sequence of the fight.

    The rage in his eyes, the confidence in his stance and the arrogance in his smile, he sure was powerful. Christopher couldn''t help but admire the boy.

    "Your Majesty, I don''t think it''s a good idea if you''re nning to harm the boy. I''ve seen him fight, and I can bet on my life, Your Majesty, nothing and no one can scare that boy. He would destroy everything within a blink of an eye," the detective said. He could feel the goosebumps rising on his skin just by remembering the boy''s enraged face.

    "Who were they, Nicos? Who dared to ce the price on the boy''s head?" Christopher asked, ignoring the detective''s warning.

    The man hesitated to answer but spoke anyway.

    "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I didn''t think it was my ce to lurk into that territory. He''s Alexander Hunter''s son, after all. How could I dare poke my nose into the matter? I couldn''t risk my life. I''m sure the boy''s father will take care of it," he replied, his tone apologetic.

    The King nodded once in acknowledgement. "Of course, Nicos, I appreciate your service. Your existence is needed. I wouldn''t want Alexander to rip your head off," he said jokingly. The detective was thankful for the King''s yful mood.

    Christopher pointed at the fat white envelope on the table. As soon as the detective picked it up, the King dismissed him. The bundle of money inside the envelope weighed enough to satisfy the man. He bowed his head to show his respect, offering his greetings, he left.

    The King smiled as he picked up the photographs and his eyes scrutinised every detail on the boy''s face. He was tall, handsome, daring and dashing. But the most striking feature of the boy was his eyes.

    He remembered the little boy with purple eyes running around his throne. stair would act scared every time the boy pointed his toy sword at him and threaten him to kill. stair would willingly ept the defeat and offer the throne to the boy. It was the boy''s payment for sparing his life.

    Christopher scoffed at the memory.

 Chapter 161 - Future Son-In-Law

    Alexander''s son undoubtedly had the charm of a prince. Christopher knew he would one day rule his father''s dangerous world.

    <em>''You are born to rule, boy.''</em>

    The thought crossed his mind as he admired the boy''s striking features.

    Going through the photographs, he wondered. "If only Felicity had agreed to marry my stair. You could''ve been born as my grandson," he thought aloud.

    The boy looked nothing like Alexander, but Christopher saw the heir to Alexander''s empire. One simrity between them screamed its existence, the devil lurking behind their angelic face.

    <em>''Like father, like son..''</em>

    Christopher was impressed by the boy''s skills. His courage was admirable. If Alexander didn''t hate Christopher''s guts so much, Christopher would''ve presented the boy with an official proposal offering one of his granddaughters'' hand in marriage. Alexander''s son had everything Christopher wished to have in his future grandson-inw.

    Christopher had always wanted a male heir, a grandson to take over his title. He wished Gis was born as a boy to grace his throne and to continue his legacy. However, he had no option but to settle for a suitable grandson-inw now.

    "But, boy, what a pity! You''ll only be ruling the crime underworld. Isn''t it a curse to be born as Alexander''s son?" Christopher sneered, looking at the handsome boy in the photographs. He was beyond pleased that he now had something to use against Alexander, his biggest weakness, his only son.

    As the detective said, Ace Hunter didn''t seem like a regr teenage boy who could be threatened or attacked. He sure had inherited Alexander''s every trait and talent and was trained skillfully. Christopher had to modify his nning a bit. Attacking or harming the boy couldn''t be considered as an ideal option anymore. He had to approach him in more subtle ways.

    If only his favourite granddaughter could lure the boy to her. The idea didn''t seem that repulsing when he processed the thought in his mind. If the boy gets caught in Gis''s heavenly beauty, he could be a puppet in their hands. How fascinating would it be to use the boy against his own father?

    <em>''It shouldn''t be that hard to lure the teenage boy to a beautiful girl.''</em>

    Gis was not just any girl, she was a princess, and the boy would get to be a prince if he married her. He wouldn''t have ever dreamt of getting his hands on a princess for sure. It would be his honour and once in a lifetime opportunity. Once he falls into Christopher''s trap, he could mould him as he wished. And if that n failed to seed, he could always kill the poor boy.

    At least, he would have something to hold against Alexander and bring him to his demise. Christopher Castenos would give anything to see that devil on his knees.

    <em>''You should be on your knees, begging for forgiveness, begging for your life. I shall make sure it happens.''</em>

    The King vowed.

    <strong>JOHNATHAN WAS AMAZED.</strong> Ever since Rouvin showed him the photographs of Ace Hunter hunting down the professional killers single-handedly, he couldn''t tear his eyes off the picture sequence. The boy had earned his respect. Felicity always used to boast about her little son''s intelligence.

    <em>''Why doesn''t my little trouble maker have a brain suitable for his age? He is too smart for a tiny toddler.''</em>

    He remembered her often saying. He could still hear her sweet voice ringing in his ears. For sure, her son had all the ability to step into his father''s shoes already. Alexander had money and had earned a respectable status as a legitimate businessman. He ruled everything and everyone around him both legally and illegally. People both respected and feared him.

    Johnathan could only imagine the boy surpassing his father''s achievements. He was capable and would prove to be a perfect sessor to Alexander in the business world and the Mafia world.

    <em>''Any father would love to have a son like him.''</em>

    Johnathan had groggily answered his phone in the middle of the night when Rouvin had called him. He couldn''t help but curse the man for disturbing his sleep. He rarely got to sleep peacefully.

    "I have outstanding news for you, Your Highness," he had said, and Johnathan heard the amusement in his tone. He sounded so smug as if Johnathan would reward him for ruining his blissful slumber. Johnathan wrapped himself with his robe and padded to his study as Rouvin suggested they would need privacy to discuss something important.

    The pictures Rouvin sent him on his phone had made him speechless.

    "We''re almost getting a live feed, John," Rouvin had proimed. He had his men discreetly monitoring the boy''s outdoor activities on Johnathan''s request. They had reported about the illegal racing and sent him the live pictures. Rouvin couldn''t wait till morning and had forwarded the photos taken on the spot to Johnathan.

    Anyone would be stunned after witnessing the boy''s violent side. It was totally in contrast to the charming, sweet boy looks he generally presented. He appeared almost demonic as if he was thirsty for human blood. ording to Rouvin''s information, they were out to kill the boy.

    "Where''s Hera, Rouvin?" Johnathan had asked him, but he wasn''t worried. There was no need to fuss over Hera''s safety anymore as he could see Ace Hunter was capable of keeping her safe. The terror he saw on the face of the professional killers put him to ease.

    "She was with him in the beginning. Now probably waiting for him at the finish line," Rouvin had replied, his tone casual and rxed.

    Thanking Rouvin, Johnathan had ended the call. To his delight, after a few minutes, Rouvin had sent him the video of the fight. Johnathan felt goosebumps appear on his skin while watching Hunter''s power-packed blows. The boy sure knew where to hit and how to dodge.

    The next day Rouvin had brought him the photographs.

    "A gift for you. I''m sure it would be a pleasure watching your future son-inw in action. He sure looks like a hero from an action movie, isn''t he?" Rouvin had said in a teasing manner.

    <em>''Your future son-inw.''</em>

    It kept bouncing against the walls in his mind, echoing in his ears. Johnathan would love to have him as his son-inw. His daughter Helena and Ace would make a good pair. They were two good-looking people. He knew it was wrong and selfish of him to think that way. But he was a human after all, like any other father he desired the best for his daughter.

    Johnathan didn''t know what would be Hera''s future with Ace Hunter. Would Alexander approve it?

    Hera was born to fight. She had a long way to go and more demons to face.

    Johnathan could reveal Hera''s whereabouts to Alexander if he wanted. But he couldn''t dare reach or contact him not only because he was afraid to face Alexander, but also his father Christopher would know about Hera''s existence. He believed when Johnathan said years ago Mariana''s baby died in that bloodshed.

    He would want to keep it that way. Hera would be alive and safe until his father stayed unaware of her. Alexander could fight his father, but Johnathan didn''t dare to go against him.

    At least that''s what Johnathan convinced himself. But deep down, inside his heart, he knew there was one more reason that he didn''t want to acknowledge.

    He was still not over his hatred for Alexander. He hated that Alexander had everything in life, Felicity, her unconditional love, their precious son. He had name, fame, money and power, whereas Johnathan''s life was merely apromise. He had stolen Johnathan''s happiness, his true love.

    How could Johnathan let him have everything? It gave him the slightest bit of satisfaction that at least Hera''s disappearance from his life caused a little difort in Alexander''s paradise.

    <em>''You deserve it, Alexander.''</em>

    He knew Alexander would feel disappointed whenever he spent time with his family. Guilt would eat him alive until he finds Hera. Johnathan wanted him to suffer for a few more days. He knew it was his petty jealousy and should''ve died by now. Though he had passed the age of an immature love-sick boy, he would still dly contribute if he could disturb Alexander''s peace and bring him the slightest difort.

    Johnathan knew he wasn''t a good human being, but wasn''t there a saying everything''s fair in love and war?

    In another part of the mansion, the women in the royal family discussed the uing birthday event they were hosting in honour of stair. Helena was bored with the same old traditional gatherings of their family. She wished she could host a party where she could get drunk and dance to rock music all night without a care in the world.

    She was ying with her ss of strawberry juice when her cousin Gis jumped from her seat with a loud shriek. Startled, Helena dropped her ss on the expensive carpet, the pink liquid staining her naked toes.

    Gis grinned sheepishly, apologising to their mothers for causing nuisance and grabbed Helena''s hand dragging her into their backyard patio.

    "Guess what, Helena," she said, her voice soft as if she was whispering a secret but her eyes wererge, and Helena could read the excitement written all over her cousin''s face. She was so excited she didn''t wait for Helena to guess.

    "Eric saw my message!" she eximed, showing the Instagram chat history on her cell phone.

 Chapter 162 - Good Riddance

    "Come on, Hera, how can you not know?" Asher asked in an using tone. Hera couldn''t believe her friends were ming her. Andrew had been missing the school for thest week, and they thought it had something to do with Hera. Ever since Hera used Andrew of his misconduct, all friends held different opinions. Though they knew Hera wouldn''t lie and me anyone falsely, her friends had a hard time believing such dirty usations about Andrew.

    "I bet, Hera, your boyfriend has something to do with it," ra''s voice chimed in adding more fuel to the fire.

    "Isn''t it how Nate disappeared a year ago?" Adeline asked while her question left a strong influence on Hera''s friends. All of them knew Nathan had left the school after he and Hunter fought.

    "And your boyfriend didn''te to school for a week now. I wonder why, though?" Adeline remarked, feigning curiosity. Hera gritted her teeth as she struggled to keep her anger at bay..

    Hunter had a fever and was still recovering from his injuries. He was alone at home under the supervision of Mathew and Jessica. Hera wanted to stay with him. But being the dictator he was, he refused and demanded she concentrate on her studies. Whining and begging Hera had requested him to let her see him after the school but he had tantly refused.

    She needed permission from the school if she wanted to leave the premises on the weekdays. But unfortunately, Mathew refused to help her because Hunter had asked him not to.

    Hera missed him the most at the moment. No one would have dared to block her path or question her if her Hunter was in the school. She wondered why she even ever thought of considering those people as her friends. Could she really count them as her friends if they made her feel unsafe and needed someone to protect her?

    "What do you know about Nate, Adi? Don''t act like you know everything about my life, and besides, it''s none of your business. So keep your nose out of my matter," Herashed out, but it didn''t affect the other girl in the least. It angered her that they thought Hunter had something to do with Andrew''s disappearance.

    "I don''t give a fuck about that Jerk, so don''t bother me with it. Not that it''s any of your business, but I was with Hunter this whole time, and he didn''te to school because he''s unwell," Hera defended.

    "Andy likes you, Hera. I''m not defending him against what you used him of, but we all believe Ace did something to him. Nate paid the price for loving you. We''re worried about Andy, Hera. So ask your boyfriend," Jarred said, and the rest nodded in agreement. The look in their eyes felt like a hard p. Hera just wished for the weekend toe fast so that she could go back to her Hunter.

    Masking the hurt in her eyes, Hera smiled arrogantly at Jared. "Good riddance," she said, shrugging her shoulders and left without waiting to see their response.

    "You are a curse, Hera. Whoever loves you, you only bring destruction to them," she heard ra say. She was following right behind Hera. Ignoring her ex-best friend, Hera walked briskly. They had a ss together. "So your boyfriend is ill. Hope he dies soon," ra wished, and Hera stopped in her track to re daggers at her.

    "I wish, Ace Hunter will die like a stray dog," ra said and smiled in satisfaction at the hurt look that crossed Hera''s features. "It won''te true just because you wished for it. You''re not a witch, ra or are you?" Hera asked. "And stop presenting Nate as a scapegoat at every chance you get. You and I both know he''s not innocent," she concluded.

    The rest of her day in school was less eventful until she reached her dorm. She didn''t want to spend a second more in her room with her roommates. They no longer made her feelfortable in their presence. When Hera went to Abby''s room, he found her cousin on her bed, lying on her stomach, her face hidden in the pillow.

    When Abby lifted her face, Hera gasped. Her cousin had been crying, her eyes swollen red. The girl had such strong will power it wasn''t easy to make her cry.

    "What happened, Abby? Why were you crying?" Hera asked. A fresh set of tears rolled down her cheeks at that. "She isn''t telling us. I think I saw her fighting with your brother. I''m not sure though," one of Abby''s friends replied helpfully. Hera wiped Abby''s tears and hugged her, rocking their bodies slowly.

    "Did you and Danny fight?" Hera asked. It was unbelievable, though. Her brother and her cousin never fought. They were like twin siblings, always taking care of one another. Abby''s friends left the room, giving them privacy to speak. "Do you want to talk about it?" Hera asked. She waited for her cousin to make up her mind. Hera wouldn''t force her if she didn''t want to talk.

    Abby hesitated for a while, crying some more. "Danny shouted at me, and he said some mean things, Hera," she spoke, struggling through hups. "He''s into some bad stuff, Hera. I''m not sure, but I guess it''s drugs," she said, and Hera gasped covering her mouth with her hand.

    Hera was beyond shocked. She couldn''t believe her brother would do something this reckless.

    <em>''Does Hunter know? They don''t keep secrets from each other.''</em>

    Hera didn''t think Hunter would hide it from her if Danny is into drugs.She would know if it was true. Abby might have made a mistake.

    "He''s in trouble, Hera. I know for sure. There was an older guy who was threatening him. They were speaking something about bringing a girl to the club. I don''t know, Hera, I couldn''t understand. Danny fought with me when I questioned him," Abby revealed. Hera was afraid to speak to Danny. If he was rude to Abby, then how would he react if Hera interfered?

    They were never on good terms to have a friendly conversation with each other, let alone share their deepest secrets. Hera had to wait until Friday so she could ask Hunter about it. Maybe he could speak to Danny.

    In the mansion, Hunter was bored to death. His fever had taken a turn for the better, and his injuries were healing right. He was waiting for the boys toe back from school. Jessica had been smothering him with her extra care these days. He couldn''t me her though she was acting on his mother''s orders.

    Thankfully everything went smooth with his father when they talked on the phone. Hunter revealed everything without hiding anything from his father. "Proud of you, Junior," his father had said admiringly after enquiring about the depth of his injuries. Hunter gave him the phone number he had taken from the bounty hunter.

    "I''ll take care of everything, Junior. Don''t worry about anything," Alexander had said. Not that Hunter needed reassurance from his father. He knew whoever dared ce that bounty on his head wouldn''t get a chance to escape death.

    Mathew had scolded Hunter for not informing on the right time, and he had another Deja vu moment convincing his buddy Matt.

    "You should''ve killed everyone. I would''ve handled everything after. Why did you let those bastards go?" Mathew had asked, pissed at Hunter''s generosity. Luckily, Alexander didn''t grill him as much as he expected. Hunter had managed to defend Mathew and protect him from his father''s wrath.

    Hunter took responsibility for his mistakes and admitted it was his fault for keeping them ignorant of the situation. But he had heard his father''s pissed off voice warning Mathew not to leave him alone on his own ever again.

    It was a lot harder than he thought to console and to convince his mother. It broke his heart to see her beautiful face crumple while she cried. Her tears had hurt more than that cutter knife which sliced his flesh. She refused to believe when Hunter assured her that he was fine. She had ordered Mathew to show every inch of Hunter''s body through the camera.

    It both irked and amused Hunter when Mathew literally did what his mothermanded him to do. Though his father stayed quiet, Hunter could see his eyes following the camera movements just as his mother did. She was adamant on flying down to London as she couldn''t afford to trust anyone with her son''s well-being.

    However, Hunter managed to convince her with his father''s help, and she agreed to his request on condition that he should video call her twice a day. Hunter obediently followed her orders and called her every morning and night. She would scrutinise the progress of his recovery through the camera every single time.

    The doctor had to report everything directly to his father. It might seem like his overprotective parents were suffocating him with their too much care and affection. But in fact, he enjoyed their attention. He was missing them so much that he actually felt thankful for his injuries, he got to bask in their love.

    He had always been his father''s pride and his mother''s little trouble maker, and they were his entire world. He couldn''t thank God enough for blessing him with their presence in his life.

 Chapter 163 - Hes Not The Best

    Hera was reluctantly adjusting to her new lifestyle without any trustworthy friends around her. It was lonely without Hunter. She missed him so much. He had called on Bianca''s cell phone a couple of times at night, and Hera was thankful that their evil captain didn''t refuse to bring her cell phone to Hera.

    But she didn''t feelfortable at all while speaking to him in front of Bianca. It was awkward to listen to him confessing his feelings, and more importantly, Hera couldn''t respond to his cheesy and sometimes dirty flirting. So she had asked Hunter not to call at night time, especially on Bianca''s cell.

    "You didn''t let me stay with you, so you don''t get to speak to me," Hera had said using her petty anger as a weapon.

    Eric kept her informed about Hunter''s health progress. He and Michael made sure she was safe in Hunter''s absence. Michael still kept herpany in the Library. One of them would walk her back to the dorm from school and vice versa..

    She didn''t get to meet Abby much, nor Danny was anywhere near her sight. It seemed both of them preferred avoiding Hera for reasons unknown to her.

    It was lunch break, and Hera thought it was better to sit alone in an empty room instead ofing face to face with people she once considered friends. She had been avoiding going to the luncheon bar all week. Though Eric and Michael made sure to join her whenever they''d free time, Hera didn''t want them to waste their precious time for her sake anymore.

    Moreover, it irked her to entertain Samantha''s death re she persistently threw at her. That''s why she stayed back in the empty ssroom once all her ssmates left. She was hungry, and the tworge energy bars she consumed before Noel appeared to annoy her didn''t curb her hunger.

    Hera was tired of avoiding and ignoring Noel. The boy wouldn''t take the hint. He kept cornering her whenever they crossed the path. Hera wouldn''t repeat the mistake of trusting other boys after what Andrew did. She wasn''t stupid either to not grasp the boy had some hidden agenda. She sighed and got up from the chair, packing her bag.

    Noel blocked her way when she tried to cross him to reach the door. She huffed her annoyance out and fixed him with a re. Before Hera could speak, Noel beat her to it.

    "Don''t waste your energy in vain to threaten me with your watchdogs," he said and fleered. Hera was tired of his insults and sarcastic remarks. Holding her head high, Hera maintained eye contact when she spoke. "If you get caught harassing me, they would rip your limbs for sure just how the hunting dogs would hunt," Hera retorted.

    "Hmm not bad for aeback," he said, cocking one eyebrow, lips twitching in a smirk. Hera tilted her head, mimicking his arrogance. "If you don''t move and waste any more of my time, I''ll scream bloody murder," she warned. Noel grinned at that as if she shared the funniest joke.

    "Seriously, Hera, harassing is too big of a word. I''m hardly harassing you," he said, sounding offended. "And by the way, by referring to the hunting dogs, you proved it that they are dogs," he said, his voice boisterous, eyes sparkling with joy while he snickered. Meanwhile, Hera pursed her lips and resisted the urge to pluck his eyes off his sockets.

    "Why are you bothering me, Noel? What in the hell do you want? If you''re here to ask me about Andrew again, I don''t know anything. Now can you please fuck off?" She asked, sounding not so polite. Noel looked pissed but why would she care?

    "Wow, Hera, I never took you for someone with so much arrogance.Your boyfriend is rubbing off on you, I see," he said. "But don''t you think it''s unfair on my part when I''m the disappointed one?" He asked. Hera frowned in confusion. "I have no clue what you''re talking about, Noel," Hera said. Heughed humourlessly. The hurt that crossed over his face didn''t seem like he was faking it.

    It only made her more confused. "You stood me up, and you don''t even look guilty," Noel stated, his tone undeniably using. Heraughed nervously. "When did I do that? You''re not making any sense here," Hera replied.

    Noel shook his head in disappointment. Shoving his hands in his pant pockets, he kicked the imaginary stone. "At least you could have said no. I wouldn''t have made a fool of myself, you know. I waited the whole evening expecting you toe at any moment. I thought you''re taking extra time to get ready for our date or something," he said.

    When Hera still refused to admit that she was at fault, Noel eximed in frustration. "For God''s sake, Hera, stop pretending."

    "When did you ask me out, Noel? I would know if you did, right?" Hera asked, tone equally matching the level of his annoyance. Noel revealed how he dropped a note in her bagst week. He thought she would straight up reject if he asked her directly. So he wrote a confession letter, a love letter to be precise.

    Noel had mentioned the time and the ce of their meeting in the letter. He waited at the same spot for two hours. Hera felt pity, but how could she take the me when she didn''t know anything about it.

    "I''m sorry, Noel, believe me, I never found any letter in my bag," she said and to make sure she searched for it after asking him where he had put it. To her surprise, she found it, a white rectangr envelope in the front pocket of her bag. Hesitating, Hera opened the cover, and she instantly felt guilty.

    ck ink scribbled on the pure white paper that had a broad red border was very eye-catching, and she found a few dried rose petals along with it. But Hera didn''t read the letter. Folding it, she put it back into the envelope. She took a deep breath and looked at Noel, giving him an awkward smile.

    "You should''ve told me directly, Noel. I''m sorry you had to go through that. It''s not exactly a secret that I have a boyfriend. You already know," she said, letting out a little chuckle. "I would''ve rejected it anyway, Noel because I''m not the cheating type," she stated. "But your boyfriend is," came Noel''s quick response.

    Hera stared at him, mouth agape.

    <em>''Ouch! That hurt.''</em>

    She didn''t expect that harsh reply.

    "It''s none of your business," Hera snapped, and when she tried to walk past him, Noel grabbed her hand. Hera flinched immediately yanking her hand back. The action unsettled her nerves, and he held up his hands in surrender as he saw the look of horror on her face.

    "Hey, rx okay. I''m not going to hurt you. I''ve heard the rumour about you and that Andrew guy. I don''t know how much of it is true, but you can trust me, Hera, I''ll never take advantage of a helpless girl," he said, assuring her. Hera walked past him without giving him any response. She was thankful that he didn''t follow her.

    Distantly she heard him requesting her to at least read his letter once.

    That night while packing her backpack for tomorrow, Hera remembered Noel''s letter. She took out that envelop from her bag and was going to tear it before throwing it into the waste bin. But as Hunter had mentioned once, maybe it was the effect of reciprocal liking.

    Contemting whether to tear it without reading or to peek in once, Hera sighed.

    <em>''That ''please'' he added after requesting me to read it, God, he sounded so desperate.''</em>

    Hera felt pity and decided to read it.

    She started reading the letter, but she didn''t expect what he had written.

    <em><strong>"Dear Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m not good at writing confessions, yet I''m trying it out for you. I didn''t want to give you the chance to reject me, that''s why I''m asking you out on a date through this letter.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I know you think I''m showing interest in you only to win that bet against Ace Hunter. But believe me Hera, I like you for real. I''m not the best, but I''m better than your abusive, stalkerish, maniptive boyfriend. You deserve better, Hera, and I bet he doesn''t know shit about romance and treating his partner with respect. I would treat you right.</strong><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>However, if you can''t go out on a date with me, then at least, go out as a friend. I promise I''ll prove my worth and would never mistreat you or take advantage of you. Let''s start with a friendship. I''m a good friend, and I can guarantee you that much.</strong><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Will you be my friend? If you consider me worthy of your friendship, please doe.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''ll be waiting at the school gate for you.</strong><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Looking forward to finding a friend,</strong><strong></strong></em>

    <strong><em>Noel."</em></strong>

    He had written the date and time on the left side of the bottom.Hera scowled at the part where he had used Hunter as unworthy and scoffed.

    <em>''Noel thinks I deserve better, and obviously, you''re not the best, Mr Hunter.''</em>

 Chapter 164 - She Walked Right Into The Trap

    Hera muffled herughter with her hand. She couldn''t wait to tell Hunter and see his reaction. He sure would act nonchnt, but Hera knew how easily he could get jealous. Hera smiled and shook her head. Folding the letter, she tore it into two equal parts and repeated the action until it turned into tiny pieces. Collecting the remnants in her palms, she dumped it into the trash can.

    Hera identally looked at ra''s bed before going to sleep. She already had her eyes on Hera, watching keenly. Hera pulled the nket up to her neck as she felt the urge to hide under it. ra''s scrutinising gaze felt heavy on her, and nervously Hera''s fingers fidgeted under the nket.

    "Judging by how heartlessly you tore the letter, I''m guessing it wasn''t from your precious Hunter?" ra asked. Hera kept her lips sealed, not wanting to engage in her petty games. "So you''re ready and fixed on your new victim then? Who is this time? Is it Noel?" She asked and sneered as if she already proved Hera guilty..

    "Neither Nate nor Andrew were innocents, ra, stop attacking me every single time. You knew I was never at fault," Hera stated, holding steady eye contact. ra just scoffed in return. "I hope the poor guy survives somehow," she said. Her eyes narrowed, and she looked deep in thought for a moment.

    "Do you really believe that Ace has nothing to do with Andrew''s disappearance?" ra asked. "Huh, as if he would let the poor boy live after your usation," she muttered and covered her face with the nket. Hera couldn''t take it anymore, and she tossed aside her own nket before she made it to ra''s bed.

    Hera yanked her nket off and faced her ex-best friend''s furious gaze while they red at each other. "Did you forget Hunter''s rule, Ms White? You''re not allowed to speak to me," gritting her teeth, Hera reminded her. "Then why don''t you get lost, Hera? You reek of disgust," ra retaliated.

    "Then stay the fuck away from me," Hera warned and went back to her bed. She heard ra muttering something which she chose to ignore and closed her eyes. She pulled the nket over her head to block the temptation of responding to ra''s pettiness. Thinking about Hunter, she drifted off to sleep after some time.

    Hera was almost getting used to the loneliness. Her days had be robotic, from dorm to school and vice versa. There wasn''t much to do apart from her short visit to the library. Hunter''s friend Jake would meet her once a while in the library and help with her homework. Eric would let her use his phone during their twenty-minute break.

    The only time of the day, she would speak to Hunter.

    Though Hunter''s friends kept herpany at the breakfast and dinner in the dormitory, his absence made her feel abandoned. She missed his presence. She missed the way he used to get annoyed because of her nonexistent table manners, his amused smile that would brighten the flush on his face whenever she fought with Michael.

    She even missed watching him speak animatedly to his sunshine Bianca.

    Everyone at school and dormitory started gossiping about her from the day she reported about Andrew''s wrongdoing. The students at school kept their distance from Hera. No one dared to walk past her afraid of Ace Hunter''s wrath.

    It was the same experience she faced after Nathan''s incident. Hunter had ordered everyone not to look at his girl then.

    She would sit alone in the ssroom, the empty seat next to her always reminded her of Andrew''s absence. No one sat in her proximity. There was no one to interrupt, and nobody disturbed her peace. Well, except for one boy with brown eyes and curly hair.

    Noel seemed determined and quite persistent too. Hera walked towards the ser ground and sat on the bleachers. She quit the idea of spending her lunchtime in the empty ssroom after what happenedst time. When Noel gripped her wrist that day, she panicked and realised staying alone in a vacant room was apparently not a good n.

    Noel followed even though she wiggled her finger, gesturing him no to. She unwrapped her sausage roll and a small box of curdled milk. Dipping the roll into the white liquid, she took a bite, and her lips curled into a smile with her mouth full.

    <em>''Hunter would have scowled in disapproval, and his nose would have scrunched up in disgust. Oh, how I miss those cute, endearing faces he makes.''</em>

    Hera chewed and ate noisily, chomp chomping every bite. Lost in her thoughts, she forgot Noel was watching her.

    <em>''Hunter would groan in annoyance before opening his sexy mouth to scold me.''</em>

    She took arge bite after that thought and giggled.

    "Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet, Eating her curds and whey," Noel said and chuckled when she lifted her head to look at him. She looked surprised as if she didn''t know he was standing beside her. With her mouth full, lips pushed out in a pout, eyes wide, and cheeks puffed up, Noel found her incredibly cute.

    "A big, fat, annoying spider came and frightened Miss Muffet away," she spat out the words in annoyance after swallowing the remnants of the chewed food. Laughing good-naturedly, Noel sat beside her.

    "Why do you dislike me so much, Hera? I only want to know you. Did you read my letter? Can we be friends now?" He asked.

    "What''s your secret agenda with my boyfriend?" She asked without answering his questions. "You don''t want to get to know me, Noel. You only want to defeat Hunter but in what game I don''t know. It''s as if you''ve some hidden motive against him and you seem so desperate to hurt him," Hera stated the obvious while Noel stared at her in surprise.

    His jaw dropped, and it shocked him that Hera guessed his intention so urately, blunt and straight to the point.

    "Be honest and tell me the truth then maybe I''ll consider your suggested friendship," Hera said. When he didn''t speak immediately, she ignored him and went back to her food. She wasn''t expecting him to be honest and reveal his secrets anyway.

    She heard him sigh after a few minutes.

    "You boyfriend had stolen someone I loved from me," Noel said. Hera stopped chewing her food and turned her head to the side to look at him. He had his fingers interlocked, arms resting on his thighs. He didn''t make eye contact but instead stared nkly into the distance.

    "Did your girlfriend cheat on you with him?" Hera asked hesitatingly. He looked lost somewhere deep in his thoughts. She waited for him to gather his thoughts.

    "He had hurt me by hurting the person I loved. So I want to return the favour," he admitted. Hera forced a smile when he smiled at her.

    "But not by hurting you, Hera. I n on wooing and winning your heart. If I seed and steal you away from him, I know it would hurt him the most. I like you, and I''ll not give up until I win your heart. I would automatically win against Ace, and he would be emotionally hurt and heartbroken. That would be my revenge," he admitted. Hera shook her head in disagreement.

    "I''m sorry for your loss, Noel. But I''m not an object for you to use against him. I don''t have anything to do with your revenge game, and besides, I already told you, I don''t cheat," Hera said. Noel''s lips slowly twitched into a smile before it widened into a grin.

    "If you fall for me, I''ll love you so much, you would never want to go back to him, and I''ll make sure you returned my feelings," Noel dered with determination. Hera lifted her eyebrows at his confidence and scoffed.

    "If you''re so sure about your love for Ace, then why are you hesitating? Give me a chance and let''s see if I win or you lose. We''ll start with friendship. You don''t have to go out with me. Spend your lunch breaks with me at school. I have your boyfriend''s permission to court you anyway," Noel stated.

    Hera flinched and moved her head back in reflex when Noel''s hand reached out to her lips. His fingers touched the corner of her mouth, and he wiped the crumbs and curd smeared there. Forcing a smile, Hera wiped her mouth clean with the tissue.

    "Your boyfriend cheated on you yet you took him back," he stated and Hera''s gaze sharpened. He held his hands up in surrender.

    "I''m not judging you, but I''m definitely judging your boyfriend. Let''s see, if you cheat on him, would he forgive you so easily as you did him or not. I know you''re not the cheating type but at least use me to test and measure the depth of your boyfriend''s feelings. What say, Hera?" He asked.

    His tone held a challenge, daring her, tempting her to ept it. The knowing smile that graced his lips irked Hera more. The smug look stered on his face said he did not doubt his victory.

    She knew, no one and nothing would change her feelings for her Hunter and vice versa. She would never lose and nor would she let her Hunter lose.

    And Hera epted the challenge.

    Noel smirked.

    <em>''It was easier than I thought. You walked right into the trap, dear Hera.''</em>

 Chapter 165 - Utilise The Time Productively

    His arms crossed around his chest, hip leaning against the rounded edge of the table, Eric stood, his back turned to Hera. Michael lifted his foot and ced it on the armrest of the chair Noel sat on. Hera rolled her eyes at the exaggerated action unfolding in front of her.

    She and Noel were having lunch at the school''s food court before Michael had rudely interrupted their conversation.

    Noel didn''t even blink while his eyes red at Michael. Thetter had his hands shoved in his trousers'' pockets, one foot firmly nted on the ground while the other stayed on the armrest. He leaned forward, looking into Noel''s eyes..

    "Try something dirty, and I''ll slit your throat," Michael said in warning. He didn''t make any effort to hide his distaste. Michael looked sharply at Hera, the displeased scowl spreading across his face. He didn''t utter a word to her. Hera watched as his right hand made its way out of his pocket and a finger lifted in her direction. He moved it back and forth wiggling twice.

    It was a wordless message, warning her to be careful and also an assurance of protection. She knew nothing would harm her in their presence. They never left her on her own during Hunter''s absence.

    Hera blew him a kiss and grinned. Her eyes filled with relief, pride and gratitude. Michael turned his back to her and walked back to his table. Eric smiled at Hera and left. She noticed how Eric gestured to Noel with his fingers that he had his eyes fixed on him.

    She wasn''t sure if it was just a coincidence or a deliberate move, but she had noticed how Jake and his friends would be around her, always watching from a distance if Michael and Eric were not there.

    Noel snapped his fingers in front of her eyes and brought her attention back to him. "Do they get paid enough for their job? They''re surprisingly good at it," Noel said, referring to Michael and Eric. His sarcasm didn''t hide his frustration. Hera detected the anger in his tone.

    <em>''He is pissed at them for always treating him like a stray dog.''</em>

    Hera bit back a smile. Wasn''t he the one referring to them as dogs? He never missed a chance of insulting them.

    <em>''Oh, the irony!''</em>

    "They''re my brother''s and my boyfriend''s best friends and wouldn''t hesitate to sacrifice their lives to save their friends. I know how much you dislike them, but I would appreciate it if you stop insulting their friendship," Hera said with a polite smile.

    Bianca would re at them whenever she saw them together. Hera didn''t miss how Noel''s eyes would scan her from top to bottom. There was something in his gaze, Hera couldn''t pinpoint what. Sometimes he would even dare to pass a few flirtatiousments, but surprisingly, Bianca ignored it every time.

    Samantha seemed to be very pleased these days. Hera had no idea what made her look so smug.

    A few dayster,

    Hera didn''t think she would like spending time with Noel. He stayed true to his word and never once made her second guess her decision. He was a proper gentleman. Now Hera didn''t hesitate to have lunch at the school''s luncheon bar. They would eat together, enjoying each other''spany.

    She wouldn''t make a mistake of trusting him blindly, not after what Andrew did. Hera made sure whenever she was with Noel they were in the crowded ce. She didn''t forget, in Noel''s mind, she was just his means to hurt Hunter. Nothing would be more dangerous than involving yourself in a revenge game, right?

    Hera kept their talk limited to casual conversation. They spoke about their likes and dislikes, hobbies, favourite movie and food, etcetera. It took only a week for Hera to befortable around him. He now reminded her of the boy she met at the party, easy-going, fun to be with, cool guy. She could now safely say they were friends.

    Despite his true intention, Noel proved to be a goodpany. Not that Hera would share her deepest secrets or anything, but he still appeared to be a good friend, especially when her own friends deserted her.

    He would pull a chair for her and sometimes insist on carrying her bag, but Hera disliked such cliched cheesiness. He wasn''t her boyfriend for God''s sake.

    "You don''t have to carry my things to get certified as my friend," Hera had said, swatting his hands off. "How would I show you the better version of me and rece Ace in your love story then? I''m trying to upgrade my status from friend to boyfriend. Let me court you properly," he said.

    However, Hera admired his honesty. He never let Hera forget even for a minute that he wanted to defeat Hunter.

    <strong>IN THE MANSION:</strong>

    "Mom, you just saw me walking perfectly fine," Hunter said, whining into the camera. His mother was hell-bent on keeping him locked in the room. She was even ridiculing the doctor for advising him to start walking already. "Mom, it''s been almost two weeks, and I didn''t even have a broken bone. It''s merely a scratch and already healed," he argued back.

    Hunter couldn''t wait to go back to school. He was bored staying inside the four walls. The doctor had just removed the stitches, and Hunter only experienced a slight difort when the nurse cleaned after. That had been his biggest mistake because his mother had seen the way he clenched his teeth. Now she wanted him to rest for another two weeks.

    "Boy, either you follow my word, or I''ming to London," she threatened. Hunter pursed his lips and sighed in defeat. His head dropped, and he sat on the bed quietly. He stared at his wound on the knee, apart from the slight pinkish scar, it hadpletely healed.

    The stitched cut on his thigh had left a scar too. His mother spoke to the doctor about the marks, and he had said it would fade away with time. Hunter and Mathew bit the inside of their cheeks to keep themselves fromughing when she gave the doctor an unimpressed look.

    When she suggested the scar revision surgery, the doctor looked offended. He tried to assure her that his medicinal creams would work effectively. Hunter had to plead with his father to convince his mother in the end. She had agreed, but there was a condition. She wanted her son toe home for a week after his scars heal.

    Hunter agreed to her condition without any protest. He missed home too. Why would he reject an opportunity as such where he could hug and feel his parents'' love and affection physically?

    Later, when he was alone and missed Hera, he realised the bigger existing problem. He would have to leave Hera alone. He groaned in helpless frustration and sank into the bed.

    <em>''I should utilise the time left productively instead of sulking.''</em>

    He gave himself a pep talk and smiled, remembering Hera''s birthday. He wasn''t sure about the gift until yesterday. He thought of so many things, and nothing seemed satisfying. But now he knew exactly what would be the perfect gift for her birthday.

    He heard the door click open, and a few secondster, he heard a heavy thump of footsteps on the stairs. He could guess it was Michael trying to race Eric to their rooms. Hunter had refused to let the girls stay at the mansion because he was tired of Hera and Bianca''s pettiness. Even though there wasn''t any verbal abuse, they were silentlypeting for his attention.

    They fought over who should be allowed to feed him the medicine or go down and fetch him water or bring his food.

    "Hey, inefficient person," Michael yelled as his greeting and Hunter grinned pleased to see his friends. "Hey, loser," Hunter replied.

    He jumped on Hunter''s bed, spreading himself on his stomach, feet still covered in shoes. "You''re lying on Hera''s side," Hunter said, informatively, displeasure dripping out of his tone. Michael saw the scowl on his face andughed. He propped himself up on his elbow and faced Hunter.

    "You say that as if my baby girl is any different from me. We''re the same, that''s why we repel each other so much, brother. The truth is she''s actually worsepared to me. And please, we all know who the neat freak here is. So stop using the poor girl as your cover up," Michael said, using the chiding tone while his eyes shone with amusement.

    Grabbing the pillow, Hunter threw it on Michael''s face and grinned when Michael screamed, attempting a girlish voice.

    "What the hell is wrong with you two juveniles?" Eric asked, entering Hunter''s room. He had showered and dressed in a neatly pressed yellow cotton shirt with ck cargo pants. "And, Mike, change your uniform first," he scolded. His two best friendsughed like crazy.

    "Go shower before I kick your arse," Eric said to Michael. Rolling his eyes, Michael took out his phone from the pocket and sat up on the bed. "Give me a minute, Eric. I have something interesting to show Ace," he said grinning wide.

 Chapter 166 - Its A Thirst Trap

    <em>''For sure he and Hera have the same mannerisms.''</em>

    Hunter thought and red at Michael with a displeased scowl while his best friend sh brother kicked his footwear off. He rolled down his socks and sent them in the same direction his shoes went.

    Meanwhile, Eric sat on the white sofa chair, and Hunter left the bed to take his seat on the white sofa opposite Eric''s. Hunter opened his books while Eric emptied his bag on the square ss coffee table set between the sofa set. It was their study time. They would exin and discuss with each other whatever they learned in school.

    Hunter had missed school, and thanks to his friends, he could keep up with all that he had missed. His notes were all up to date.

    "Where''s Danny?" Hunter asked..

    Eric shrugged in reply. Michael climbed the sofa from behind and slumped next to Hunter. "That dickhead has lost his sanity. Don''t know what''s going on with him," Michael said.

    "Before we left school premises, he said he''s an appointment with his matured girl," Eric said, fingers quoting thest two words. Hunter''s brows arched up while Michael snickered. "Appointment?" Hunter asked incredulously. "Is that stupid into a sex worker or what?" He asked, shaking his head both in disbelief and disappointment.

    "Can I talk now? I have something interesting to show you," Michael said impatiently. He didn''t wait for his reply and took out his cell phone from his pocket. He opened his Instagram ount, and once he found the saved post, he tossed the phone to Hunter''sp, who caught it with an unimpressed frown.

    Once he saw the post, his eyebrows furrowed as his frown deepened. He remembered Hera showing those posts and how it had made his Goddess upset. He was confused by seeing his own face in some stranger''s social media ount. He eyed Michael, and his eyebrows lifted in a single up-down sh. Michael read the confusion in his looks andughed.

    "Bro, it''s a thirst trap. Can''t you tell by just looking at the painting? Whoever created this was mind-fucking you when they did," Michael said, amusement dancing in his eyes and his tone sounded far too entertained. The corners of Hunter''s mouth twitched downward in distaste. "Mike, I don''t even know who this is," Hunter said matter-of-factly.

    "And yet, they know you so intimately that they could capture your emotions so well in their art," Michael stated.

    "Intimate?" Hunter thought aloud as he remembered Hera stating the same. Michael chuckled beside him. "Oh, I can''t wait to show this to my baby girl and see her reaction," he said, sounding too amused. Hunter rolled his eyes and sighed. Bending forward, he picked up one of his books and flipped the page, not concentrating on anything.

    "Hera knows. She already showed it to me before you," Hunter revealed, making his best friend huff in disappointment. "Aw, man, you always have to ruin my fun," Michael said usingly. Hunter let out a quietugh.

    "So who''s this? Do you know her?" He asked, and Michael shook his head. "I would''ve remembered the pretty face if I''d met her," he replied. Both Hunter and Eric snickered at that. "No, you wouldn''t have remembered," Eric said. Michael red at his friends as he seemed offended. "Well, look who''s speaking. You are the worstpared to me. You won''t even remember their names after screwing them," he stated, and Eric shut his mouth.

    Hunter looked at Eric, who lifted his brows questioningly. Eric exhaled through his nose and took out his phone. "I don''t remember meeting them either," he admitted. "But I think I can answer your queries," he said before showing him Gis''s messages.

    Hunter read the messages while Michael peeked into the screen, doing the same. He vaguely recollected a fight in the New York club''s restroom. He now remembered helping two girls, but he could hardly recognise their faces. It was still blurry in his memories.

    "It seems she''s sent you a friend request," Michael said and instantly checked Hunter''s phone. He found the two girls'' names among the other requests and showed it to Hunter.

    Returning Eric''s phone, Hunter took his phone from Michael. His friends watched while he rejected the requests without any second thoughts. "I don''t need them to thank me again and again. I wasn''t expecting anything in return when I helped them. Any of us would''ve done the same if we found a girl in danger, right?" He asked rhetorically. His friends agreed.

    Eric went to his profile settings and made his ount private to avoid further interaction with the girls. Hera wasn''t that dumb to not grasp how the girls were hitting on her boyfriend. Eric knew if Hera had already seen the posts, then it wouldn''t be a favourable move on his part if he entertains the stranger''s request. It wouldn''t bring any good to Hera and Hunter''s love life, and Eric would never be the cause of hurt for his best friend.

    <strong>IT WAS FRIDAY</strong>, and Hera had just finished her sses. She ran into her room as fast as her legs could move, changed out of her uniform and took the fastest shower of her life. She brushed her teeth twice because she wanted to match Hunter''s pearly white grin when they greeted each other.

    She brushed her short hair and smiled, noticing the growing length. Putting on her dress, Hera bent down to grab her flip-flops from under the bed. Her damp hair kept dribbling water drops into her dress. She packed her bag at super speed.

    She couldn''t wait to see Hunter.

    A broad grin stered on her face, Hera jumped into Hunter''s Range Rover while his driver John held the door open for her.

    "Finally," she muttered as soon as she settled herself in the seat and fastened the seatbelt.

    "How much more time till we reach, John?" Hera asked impatiently. Her knee kept bouncing while her fingers rapped against the leather seat the whole time. Johnughed at the urgency in her tone. As he promised, he brought her to the mansion in twenty minutes.

    Hera greeted Jessica at the kitchen counter before sprinting off to Hunter''s bedroom. The household staffughed at the girl''s impatient behaviour as she ascended the steps two at a time.

    Hera pushed the door open without knocking, only to find the room empty. She tossed her bag on the neatly made bed. Thrusting her footwear under the bed, she pushed the door to the bathroom again without knocking.

    "The fuck,"'' she muttered into the empty bathroom. Puffing up her cheeks, Hera huffed out in anger. Her anxious feet took her to the balcony, only to face disappointment once again. "Where are you, stupid Hunter?" She muttered, cursing again.

    Hera stood in front of the mirror, and her eyes narrowed while she guessed where she could find her Mr Hunter. She brushed her damp hair with her fingers. Pulling the cab drawer of the dresser, she found her strawberry voured lip balm and moisturised her bare lips. She had forgotten to do that in her dorm room. She was too excited to meet her man to pay any heed to her makeup.

    Hera turned around, surveying the empty bedroom.

    Smiling, Hera snapped her fingers. "I know where you would be," she said out loud and moved towards the door to the adjoining library.

    This time she didn''t forget to knock on the door. However, she didn''t wait for anyone to acknowledge before thrusting the heavy door open. Hunter turned his head over his shoulder, and Hera was pleased with the way his face lit up by seeing her. His lips twitched into a smile before it broadened into a wide grin. He stood from the chair and took a few slow steps towards her.

    Hera ran into his open arms and wrapped herself around him. She felt stupid for getting emotional, but her eyes watered. It felt like they had spent years apart.

    Hunter pulled away from the hug first and cupped her face in his palms. Hera smiled before it transformed into a wide grin resembling the one on his lips perfectly.

    His heart skipped a beat, and Hunter inhaled sharply before kissing her tears away. It amazed him how her smile never changed. The innocence in her eyes, the honesty in her emotions, the purity in her smile, it was still the same. It never let him forget the day he met her for the first time. It was the same smile she gifted him that day when he pulled the puppy out from the hole.

    It reminded him of the day he met her in that church on her fifth birthday. She greeted him with this same smile when he tugged her pigtails. She smiled the same when he kissed her goodbye that day.

    Hera reached on her tippy toes and ced her lips on his. Hunter smiled against her lips and let her lead the kiss.

 Chapter 167 - Love Hormones

    When she pulled away from the kiss, Hera grinned and wiped his lips with her thumb, erasing the colour of her lip balm smeared around his mouth.

    Sheughed and took a few steps back when his eyes roamed over her form. She crossed her hands behind her back and let him savour his view.

    She had dressed in a ck and white georgette short dress. It was white from top to bottom on her left side and ck on the right side. It was off-shoulder and reached up to her knees. Her slender neck, the smooth skin of her arms and long legs were on disy. The belt fastened around her middle showed off her curves.

    Her feet bare, the white gold anklet shone against her fair skin.

    "Where did you toss your footwear?" He asked, giving her a disapproving look. Hera ced her feet on his and twined her arms around his neck.. She kissed him again, and he never seemed toin. She felt him smile before kissing her back, and this he took in charge.

    "I missed you," Hera whispered against his lips. Hunter tightened his arms around her and squeezed once in acknowledgement. "But I missed you more," he replied when she pulled away from the kiss. Hera tilted her head to the side and red at him through her narrowed slits. "Liar," she said bitingly. "If you were going to miss me, then you wouldn''t have sent me away," she used.

    Hunterughed at her pouty face.

    His fingers wrapped around her wrist, and he pulled her to the bedroom. He ordered her to sit in front of the dresser and switched on the hairdryer.

    Hera''s smile stayed intact the whole time as she watched him drying her hair. "Stop smiling like an idiot. What was the hurry that you didn''t have time to dry your hair?" He asked, scolding her for being so careless. "You know you''re prone to cold. What if you get sick?" He questioned again. He kept on lecturing, and Hera still couldn''t stop smiling even though she was getting scolded.

    His eyes focused on the movement of the dryer while his long fingers buried themselves in her hair. His eyebrows furrowed as he frowned in concentration. His wet tongue would lick his lips in between his speech to keep them moisturised. Her eyes stayed glued to his mouth, and all Hera could think was to kiss him.

    "Get your mind out of the gutter, Mrs Hunter," she heard him say and looked into his eyes through the mirror.

    "Oopsie, you caught me," she said, fluttering hershes at him. "Do you mind me if I work on my heart''s desire, sir?" She asked, keeping her tone flirty. Hunterughed when she winked at him suggestively.

    "Keep sending me signals, and you will regret when I fail to resist," he stated in a subtle warning. Hera scowled in return. "Huh, you''re so dumb, Mr Hunter. You''re reading it all wrong, you know. I''m not sending you any signal. It''s an invite in bold capitals, I''m holding right in front of your eyes. Read it properly," she said, shaking her head as if hemitted something shameful.

    Hunter cleared his throat and kept aside the dryer. Thrusting the hairbrush in her hand, he crossed his arms and stood behind her. "What, are wepeting for a staring contest now?" Hera asked, rolling her eyes. He kept staring and didn''t utter a word after that. She sighed and tossed the hairbrush on the dresser. The disturbing sound it made caught his attention, and Hera bit back a smile when Hunter pursed his lips.

    "Why are you not speaking? What did I do to offend you now?" Hera asked, sounding annoyed. She turned around and stood facing him directly. Suddenly she regretted teasing him earlier. She noticed what she couldn''t see in the mirror, the intensity in his stare. Hera averted her eyes and looked down, travelling from his nose to his lips. Her gaze slid down further, watching how his Adam''s apple moved while he swallowed.

    <em>''Uh-uh, Hera, what did you do?''</em>

    She eyed his biceps, how they crossed around his defined chest, and her eyes kept wandering on their own ord, moving down to his washboard abs. She heard him curse and lifted her eyes back to his face hurriedly. Hera noticed how his pupils dted, and the colour of his eyes changed to a darker shade of purple. His jaw clenched, and his arms tightened around his chest. She noticed how his knuckles turned white.

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat and then took off to thump violently against her chest.

    <em>''Big mistake.''</em>

    Her over-smart brain answered her earlier question.

    "Why do you look angry? What did I do?" Hera asked and cursed mentally for stuttering.

    She remembered Hunter speaking about pupils once. He had taught her about why they dte in the first ce. It could be because of love, lust, fear or anger.

    Hera knew it wasn''t fear or anger.

    By now, she was aware of his massive brain, the universal stockpile of knowledge it possessed.

    Hunter had taught her that when a person got romantically or sexually attracted to someone, their brain would get a boost from the chemicals named Oxytocin and dopamine. Those chemicals would affect the size of the pupil. It could also mean the desire for biological reproduction.

    <em>''These chemicals are love hormones.''</em>

    Hera remembered him saying.

    <em>''Oh, I dug myself this hole. Dear Lord, I created this sexual tension.''</em>

    Hera cursed inwardly and took hurried steps backwards as he suddenly moved, forcing her to do the same. As a cliched scene in every romantic novel, her back collided with the wall behind her. Hunter ced his palms on either side of her head, framing her form.

    He closed the distance and pressed his torso against hers. Hera sucked in a sharp breath before she gulped nervously.

    "Don''t tempt me, Goddess, I don''t know for how long I can resist," he confessed, his voice a breathy whisper against her ear. The hot air brushed against her neck, and Hera couldn''t stop the shiver it drew out of her. When she looked into his eyes, he looked so defeated, as if he was in pain.

    "Stop ying with me," he said. Hera frowned, but before she could say something, he moved, putting some distance between their bodies. He turned around, and Hera grabbed his hand in reflex. Hunter shook his head in warning.

    She held his hands in hers and brought them back to her face. She guided him to cup her face and peppered wet kisses around his sharp jawline. Hunter closed his eyes, and his breath came out in short pants. Hera ced her palms against his and slowly dragged them down to her neck, then moved a bit lower, stopping them right above the swell of her breasts.

    Hunter''s eyes snapped open, and he yanked his hands back at lightning speed as if he got burned.

    Hera grabbed his hands again and entwined their fingers together.

    "Don''t do this, Goddess," Hunter said, his voice a barely-there whisper.

    "I wasn''t ying with you. Do whatever you want, Hunter. I''ll never object. I mean it," Hera promised.

    Hunter''s eyes grewrge, and the emotion burning in his eyes was undeniably anger. Untangling their entwined fingers, he pulled his hands away. Hera watched a nerve ticking under his clenched jaw. He held her gaze captive while he took a few steps away from her. A hand went around his neck, and fingers grasped the material of his ck T-shirt before he pulled it over his head in one swift move.

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat, and her stomach flipped nervously. She gulped down her fear and watched him close the distance again.

    <em>''Now that I gave him the green signal to go ahead, shouldn''t he be pleased or something? Why does he look angry?''</em>

    His pace was slow, steps cautiously measured, and the intensity in his eyes scared her. There was no trace of any emotion on his face. He wasn''t smiling, nor was he angry anymore. He had pulled a perfect poker face. Hera wanted to ask what went wrong but couldn''t muster the courage.

    His hand reached out to take hers. Subconsciously Hera took a step back only to realise she was already leaning against the wall. She had nowhere to run. She thought he was going to kiss her, but he didn''t. He stared at her wordlessly, and his silence started to scare her. Hera looked down, running her eyes over his naked torso, but it didn''t distract her as she expected.

    "I''ve never done it with a virgin before. Fair warning, Goddess, first time hurts," he said, leading her to the bed. Hera noticed how his voice sounded distant, and itcked emotions. He had a faraway look in his eyes. Hera swallowed to moisten her dry throat.

    Meanwhile, Hunter waited for her to climb the bed and getfortable. Scooting over, she made some room for him.

 Chapter 168 - Shes Ready

    When she looked at him, all the pretence of bravery went out of the window. Hera gulped and looked away. Hunter snapped his fingers, demanding her attention. Hera nced up and found him a few feet away from the bed where he was rooted to the spot.

    "Strip."

    Only one word slipped out of his pretty mouth, and Hera''s jaw fell open while her eyes rounded in surprise.

    <em>''Did he say strip? Did I hear him correctly, or am I dreaming or something?''</em>

    Hera thought she imagined it, but Hunter proved her wrong when he opened his mouth.

    "You heard me right, Goddess. Strip," he said, tone demanding her to obey. Shocked, Hera rapidly blinked as if trying to wake up from the dream..

    His left hand slid inside the pocket of his ck shorts, and Hera''s eyes dropped to his mouth as his tongue darted out, wetting his lips. Subconsciously Hera licked her lips too. She watched with her wide eyes when Hunter pointed his thumb at himself, wagged it back and forth and made an borated show of disying his torso.

    "Aren''t you drooling over this?" He asked, sounding too arrogant. But Hera noticed how he still maintained that poker face. "It''s only fair if you returned the favour," he insinuated. Hera gaped at him in stunned silence.

    "Now strip," hemanded.

    "Oh, my God!" She whispered and covered her mouth while Hunter''s fingers loomed over the sp of his shorts. He unbuttoned it before gripping the zipper with his fingers, ready to slide it down. Hera tore her gaze off his fingers and lifted hershes to meet his. He had his eyes already set on her.

    "Hunter, I," Hera started, but her words melted in her mouth and ran down her throat as she swallowed. She forgot how to use her tongue when he moved his feet and made it to the bed. Hera instinctively covered her face, hiding behind her palms. She pulled her knees to her chest, her toes curling around the bedspread.

    "Why aren''t you taking your clothes off? I''m waiting," he said. He seemed annoyed, but Hera couldn''t look at him. She kept her face hidden from his view. Her heartbeats skyrocketed when she felt the bed dip under his weight. It promptly skipped a beat after beat when she felt his finger grazing over her toes. It was a soft, slow, delicate touch, and Hera trembled under it.

    She sensed his fingers moving up, and he yed with her anklet for a second or two. His free hand gripped her wrist and pulled it away, revealing her flushed face. Hera avoided meeting his eyes, but her gaze automatically shot up to meet his when he yanked her ankles, forcing her to stretch her legs straight andy on her back.

    The moment he hovered over her form, Hera knew she wasn''t ready yet. It was stupid of her to think she could do it, but how to rectify her mistake now? It was toote to back off, and besides, she didn''t want to disappoint her Hunter.

    Squeezing her eyelids shut, Hera closed her eyes when Hunter pushed her thighs apart with his knees. Her lips parted, and her breath hitched as he settled himself between her legs. Supporting his body weight on his elbows, he leaned down. Hera shivered as his hot breath tickled the shell of her ear.

    "Are you sure you''re ready?" He whispered in her ear. Hera nodded her silent approval without opening her eyes. The back of Hunter''s fingers brushed over the smooth skin of her neck. She felt her dress sliding down her arm as his fingers pushed down the fabric.

    What Hera didn''t know was that Hunter wasn''t looking at her exposed skin. He was busy analysing every emotion ying on her face.

    <em>''God, why can''t he move his hands faster?''</em>

    Cursing inwardly, Hera took a deep breath while Hunter moved his fingers in slow motion as if he had all the time in the world. But Hera couldn''t take it anymore. She was so nervous she wished for it to be over sooner.

    "Dear Lord," she whispered when she sensed his hand moving down towards the hem of her dress. His palm pressed t against her thigh, burned her bare skin as he pushed the dress up, revealing the smooth, plump meat on her thigh inch by inch.

    Hera''s hand moved subconsciously and grabbed his wrist, stopping him from going further up. It was more of a reflex action. She panicked and couldn''t think before acting. However, she quickly realised it gave up her pretence, and to cover up her mistake, she brought his hand to her chest, allowing it to rest against her cleavage.

    <em>''Fuck, why am I panicking? It''s okay, Hera, rx. It''s only your Hunter.''</em>

    She tried her best not to be so obvious. She wouldn''t want her Hunter to be dissatisfied with her.

    "Can you kiss me, Hunter?" Hera asked in a breathless whisper. She needed a distraction, alright.

    She heard him scoff, and she no longer felt the warmth of his body against hers.

    Hera opened her eyes, and the intensity of her nervousness doubled when she saw him leaving the bed.

    "What''s wrong, Hunter? Did I do something wrong?" Hera asked, stuttering in panic. She swallowed to ease the dryness in her throat. Hunter grabbed his T-shirt from the floor, and Hera watched with her widened eyes as he did the buttons of his shorts before pulling the T-shirt down his head.

    "Hunter, what happened? Why did you stop?" Hera asked. But she already knew she messed up. The anger burning in his eyes proved it. She waited for him to speak while her heart rushed against her chest.

    Hunter turned his back to her and was about to march out of the room. His long strides ate up the distance between the door and him. Hera came out of her daze as soon as she heard the door lock clicking open. She saw him pulling the door handle, and in the next moment, the door was wide open.

    Hera didn''t waste another second and ran after him. Before Hunter could step out of the room, she grabbed his wrist with both her hands.

    One hand still clutching the door handle, Hunter turned to his side and scowled at the two little hands arresting his wrist in a tight grip. He lifted his gaze to meet hers, and his sight lingered at her corbone. Her dress was still hanging loosely at her arms, showcasing the upper swell of her breasts.

    Clenching his jaw tight, Hunter looked away and exhaled through his nose. Hera looked perplexed by his temper and scowled in frustration.

    "Why are you pissed at me, Hunter? I didn''t even do anything," Hera spoke indignantly. The resentment in her tone only provoked his anger more. He jerked his hand away from her grasp.

    "Huh, so much for offering myself to you on a silver tter," Hera muttered under her breath. Hunter mmed the door shut, and Hera flinched at the harsh sound. She took a step back when he whirled around abruptly. The cold fury raging in his eyes startled her.

    He grabbed her hand, drawing her closer to him. Hera obliged without any resistance, but she couldn''t stop the involuntary gasp when he lifted his hand and moved it towards her chest. Holding her breath, she watched him with herrge eyes while his fingers grasped the top edge of her dress. The back of his hand went inside her dress as he gripped it tightly and pulled it up, covering her exposed skin.

    Hera blushed in embarrassment. She felt guilty for assuming wrong.

    "Tell me, Hunter, what''s bothering you?" Hera asked, staring at his angelic face while Hunter was busy making her dress presentable.

    He took a step back, keeping an arms-length distance between them.

    "No, Hera, you tell me what''s bothering you?" He asked, his no-nonsense tone annoyed her. But the way he drawled her name annoyed her even more. He said it as if it left a bitter taste on his tongue.

    <em>''So, no Goddess for now. Okay then, Hera it is.'' </em>

    The moment he uttered her name, she knew something she did unintentionally had made him upset.

    <em>''But it isn''t fair. You shouldn''t be angry when all I wanted was to make you happy.'' </em>

    Hera sighed and tried not tosh out. She was ready to take that plunge in their rtionship even though it wasn''t easy for her to make that decision.

    "What would bother me, Hunter? Wasn''t I ready to please you however you wanted? I was willing to let you do anything," she stated.

    "Exactly my point, Hera. Why?" He asked. His voice rose with every word he uttered as his anger intensified. "Why, all of a sudden, you decided to sleep with me when you''re not even ready to take that step?" He questioned. Hera frowned in confusion. "What makes you think I''m not ready? Of course, I''m ready. I want this, Hunter," Hera admitted.

 Chapter 169 - Its Not The Time To Be Bitter

    Hunter scoffed and shook his head in disappointment. "Of course, you are ready. That''s why you were trembling with fear, praying for your dear life with your closed eyes as if I was strangling you to death with my touch," he said and scoffed again, which turned into a sarcasticugh. Hera''s eyes widened in rm, and she shook her head frantically in denial.

    "You''re misinterpreting everything, Hunter. Obviously, I''ll be scared because it''s my first time, but I wasn''t scared of your touch," Hera gave her exnation sounding far too defensive. Hunter looked away and ran his fingers through his hair. "Fucking hell," he cursed before looking her in the eye.

    "Don''t forget, Hera Hunter. I know when you''re lying," he stated, pointing his finger at her. Hunter knew she wasn''t ready for this, but something had forced her to take this step. He was angry because she was not telling the truth. Hera took a deep breath and tried to appear unaffected by the way he red at her.. She felt like a child getting scolded for stealing cookies.

    "Why would I lie to you, Hunter?" She asked in return, keeping her poised facade on.

    "You wanted us to wait for our wedding night. Then how did you change your mind? What made you act so recklessly? Why did you feel the urge to please me all of a sudden?" He yelled in frustration. "Do you think I''m a sex addict or what?" He asked. The answer to his question was ready on the tip of her tongue. Hera wanted to say yes, but she stopped herself in time and swallowed before it could roll out of her mouth.

    <em>''It''s not the right time to be bitter.''</em>

    The sensible part of her brain provided helpfully.

    So Hera bit her lip and shook her head in response.

    "Did I ask you to please me, Hera?" Hunter asked. He sounded defeated, and Hera realised she''d chosen the wrong word to convey her point.

    <em>''Oh, God, he''s viewing everything wrong. How do I convince him that I want this.'' </em>

    Hera delved deeper into her thoughts. How would she tell him about all that hustle-bustle going on inside her chest without hurting his feelings? She needed to choose her words carefully. She took a deep breath, and with a determined sigh, Hera covered the distance between them and took his hand in hers.

    She was ready to swallow her pride if he rejected her advance. She was expecting him to yank his hand right away. Hera smiled and thanked her lucky stars when he didn''t resist. She guided him back to the bed and made him sit on the edge. She was relieved that he didn''t fight her on this.

    Hesitating, Hera let herself seated on his uninjured thigh and twined her arms around his neck. She immediately missed the feeling offorting his hands around her waist would provide because Hunter didn''t return the hug. But she was d he subconsciously parted his legs, allowing more room for her. She licked her lips before nting a wet kiss on his cheek.

    She decided to be honest with him. There was no benefit in lying to him. Hunter would know it if she did.

    "You didn''t ask me to please you, but I wanted to anyway. Because I''m afraid," Hera spoke in a soft whisper. "I''m afraid that," she paused, unsure of how to voice out her fears. rmed, Hera looked at his face as he removed her hands from his neck. "That I''ll cheat on you," hepleted her sentence for her.

    Hera shifted, cing both her legs to one side of his and settledfortably on hisp, careful not to put too much weight on his wounded thigh though it had healedpletely. She held him in a tight embrace, afraid that he would pull away.

    "Haven''t your smart brain heard of this phrase, out of sight, out of mind?" Hera asked, but Hunter didn''t reply. He kept his head down, not looking at her. Hera cupped his face in her palms and forced him to meet her eyes.

    Hera locked lips with him as soon as she saw the defeated look on his face. He was ashamed, and the guilt was hurting him.

    Hera broke the kiss as he didn''t kiss her back.

    "We haven''t seen each other for a week, and I missed you so badly. Hunter, I wanted to make sure you feel the same. I was afraid that you would forget me," Hera confessed. Hunter''srge eyes pierced into her soul as he stared at her without blinking. He ced her palm against his heart and leaned forward to ce a kiss on her forehead.

    "It wouldn''t beat another second more if I forget you," Hunter promised with all honesty. "Because you''re here in my heart, reminding me of your presence with every beat thumping against my chest," he said. Hera let out a slight chuckle at his confession. "Between you and me, you''re always the dramatic one, Mr Hunter," Hera said, trying to ease the hovering tension.

    "You let other girls entertain you when we broke up. I constantly worry that you''ll go after them again in my absence. I wanted to take that leap in our rtionship because I don''t want you to go in search of sexual pleasure somewhere else. I can''t get rid of this fear. Every time we are distant from each other, I get sick thinking about it. It makes me feel insecure," Hera confessed her deepest fears and finally felt relieved.

    It was a huge burden over her chest, suffocating her ever since he cheated on her.

    Hunter wrapped his arms around her middle and closed his eyes while inhaling her scent. They were touching nose to nose, forehead to forehead.

    "I''m the only one to me. I was immature and stupid. It''s not your fault that you feel insecure. It was my mistake, and I promise I''ll earn your trust back. Just be patient with me. I would never hurt you again, I promise," Hunter vowed.

    Hera sniffed, and Hunter shook his head, wordlessly asking her not to shed tears. He kissed her fears away.

    "I''m tired of people taunting me that my boyfriend is a cheater. I want to show them that I''m absolutely capable of keeping you interested and entertained. They keep reminding me that you''re too good for me," Hera admitted with a sulking pout. Hunter smiled and kissed her pouty beaks. He could understand her conflicting emotions.

    She was too young and immature. It was easy to confuse her and influence her mind. Hunter knew she was insecure because of his betrayal, and it was his responsibility to make her feel secure again.

    "You don''t have to sleep with me to please me, Goddess. You are my happiness, my blissful heaven. I''ll never lose you again because you''re too good for me, the best of all," he stated with conviction. The determination in his eyes, the fond smile on his lips assured her of the same.

    "Now tell me the truth, when you said you''re ready, were you?" He asked. His tone and the look in his eyes said he already knew the answer. Somehow he could always detect her lies. Hera smiled sheepishly and shook her head, earning a chuckle from Hunter.

    "When I said strip, you looked at me with yourrge eyes as if I asked you to plunge the dagger into my heart," he said, keeping a straight face, and Hera started to giggle before bursting out in heartyughter. He was relieved that she finally felt at ease andughing with her whole heart.

    "Seriously, Goddess, don''t ever force yourself to do anything when your heart refuses to take part in it. The day you feelfortable stripping in front of me, nothing would stop me from devouring you," he admitted without a trace of doubt or shame. Hera kissed the tip of his nose, nodding her agreement.

    Hera attempted to steal a kiss, but Hunter moved his head back and scowled at her, refusing to oblige. Hera scowled and mouthed, "Fuck you".

    Hunterughed and said, "Not now, Goddess." She tried to p him, but he dodged it easily. Hera was nning to jump on him to get her kiss, but the door swung open suddenly, revealing the intruder. Hera scowled when Bianca barged in without much preamble.

    "Don''t you know how to knock? Where are your manners, Bianca?" Hera asked in a disapproving tone. For once, Hera got the chance to dig at Bianca''s mannerless behaviour, and she wouldn''t let it pass. However, Bianca ignored her existence and ran to hug her best friend. Hera scowled and moved away to avoid the collision. Hunter smirked at Hera''s displeased face and returned Bianca''s hug.

    "I can''t tell you in words how much I missed you, Ace. How are you feeling now?" Bianca asked, pulling away from the hug. She checked his injuries like a qualified, professional doctor before kissing him on the forehead.

    "I missed you too, Sunshine," Hunter said. Hera flipped him the bird, and Hunter bit back his smile.

 Chapter 170 - Compensating For His Sin

    Bianca flipped her hair when her fringe fell over her eyes as she crouched down to open the bedside drawer. She grabbed all the medicines from inside and spread them on the bed. Meanwhile, Hera watched in confusion.

    "What are you doing, Sunshine?" Hunter asked, mirroring Hera''s confused expression. "Feeding you your medicine, what else?" Bianca asked in a duh tone.

    "Hera, be a good girl and fetch a ss of warm water for him. Come on, run off now," shemanded. Hunter''s brows arched up in surprise, and he eyed Hera with an amused smile dancing on his lips. Hera crossed her arms over her chest in a defensive mode.

    <em>''Is she kidding me or what?''</em>

    "Firstly, you don''t get to order me and secondly, why don''t you run down and bring him water while I feed him the medicine?" Hera asked, sounding defiant. Bianca stared at her disapprovingly.. "Huh, what can I expect from an adolescent child," she muttered under her breath, but Hera heard it and judging by the way Hunter muffled his snicker behind his hand, he heard it too.

    "Dear Hera, he needs water to consume these capsules and tablets. You can''t feed him until you bring water," Bianca said informatively, her tone incredulous. Hera scowled in return and scoffed indignantly.

    "Huh, what can one expect from an adolescent, immature child like you," Hera retorted. She continued ignoring Bianca''s re. "Don''t you know about this simple precaution that the patient needs to eat food before consuming any medicine? He has to have dinner first, Bianca. He can''t take medicines with an empty stomach," Hera stated smugly.

    Utterly embarrassed, Bianca gawked at her. "And to think youe from a family of efficient doctors. What a shame!" Hera said and snorted, ridiculing Bianca''sck of knowledge. "How ignorant are you," she stated.

    Bianca clenched her fists, and she looked ready to wage war against Hera. Before she could utter an insult, Hunter started fake coughing to get their attention.

    "Ladies, for your information, I stopped the medication a week ago with the doctor''s approval. I no longer need it as my injuriespletely healed," Hunter revealed and both the girls looked at him incredulously as if he offended them. He rolled his eyes at their pouting faces.

    "Sunshine, let''s have dinner together. I missed all my friends and our time together. Can you go down and check what''s there for dinner? I''m starving," Hunter said, gifting his best friend his charming smile, which he knew she couldn''t resist. Bianca was pleased with his request, and very enthusiastically, she nodded.

    "I''ll go check right away, Ace and I''ll make sure it''s for your liking," Bianca said while Hera huffed her anger out. Bianca stole all the attention from Hunter, and her sweet voice, her pleased smile irked Hera more.

    "I''ll go assist Bianca and everyone with the cooking then," Hera offered, imitating Bianca''s eager smile. Hunter frowned as if Hera spoke the aliennguage. "No, Goddess, she doesn''t need your assistance. Bianca can manage very well on her own," Hunter said in a dismissing tone which pleased Bianca immensely.

    Hera felt extremely offended by Bianca''s smug smirk.

    She turned to re at Hunter as soon as Bianca walked out of the room.

    Hera parted her lips to curse at him, but Hunter kissed her words away. "I stopped you because I wanted to spend some more quality time with you to make up for the lost time," he offered in his defence when he broke the kiss. Hera shoved him and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Don''t lie, Lucifer, I know you''ll always take her side," she said usingly.

    "I can actually imagine and see my future in front of my eyes in high definition. I know how my married life will be. I can see how my darling husband will put me on hold to talk to his dear Sunshine," Hera said bitingly, her beautiful face scrunching in displeasure. Hunter grinned at her while she fixed him with a dirty look.

    "If she calls you or knocks on our door on our wedding night, then you''ll leave everything behind to run after her. I bet it wouldn''t matter to you even if we are in the middle of intense lovemaking," she said, her tone filled with bitter jealousy. Her boyfriend rolled his eyes at her dramatic narrative.

    He crouched down to her level to meet her eye to eye, hands on his knees, a teasing smirk ying on his lips. "Intense lovemaking it is, huh?" Hunter asked suggestively and wiggled his eyebrows.

    Hera shoved him away, putting distance between them. Hunter sighed audibly to get her attention and made a sad face.

    "I promise I won''t receive any phone calls on our wedding night, and any person withmon sense wouldn''t knock on the door with a ''do not disturb'' sign. I''m setting my priorities, Goddess. I''ll choose intense lovemaking with you over every other thing," he promised.

    Hunter kissed her again to wipe the scowl off her beautiful face. "If you''re going to fight with me, I''ll never stop kissing you," Hunter warned and smirked when she walked back and slumped on the bed.

    "So, how was school? What did you do without me for a week?" Hunter asked, changing the topic. He knew how petty Hera could get when they fought because of Bianca.

    Hera smiled at the mention of school. After all, she waited for so long to tell him about her new friend.

    <em>''Now it''s my turn to annoy you, Mr Hunter.''</em>

    "I made a new friend," Hera announced excitedly. Hunter''s nose scrunched up as if he was disgusted. "Your choice of friends started to scare me recently," he admitted and eyed her with an unimpressed scowl. Hera gifted him a goofy smile and peered through her flutteringshes. She was trying to be yful, he noticed.

    "You''re going to love this one," Hera stated, drawing out an eye-roll from her boyfriend. "I''m sure I''m going to love him so much that I may ditch you and marry him instead," Hunter said sarcastically. Hera gave him a lopsided grin and scoffed. He always loved her arrogant self more. She looked hot when she was rude. "Yeah, right, as if you can live without this," Hera said, motioning a hand over her form.

    Hunter mock-red, eyeing her disapprovingly. Hera pinched his cheek until it turned. He captured her wrist and moved it away from his face. Hera giggled and left a long noisy, wet smooch over his dimple where she had pinched. Hunter scowled in disapproval and wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. "Oh, my God! My Satan is blushing," Hera whispered, faking excitement as she face-palmed herself.

    He shoved her away, and Hera fell to her side on therge bed,ughing heartily.

    "Noel and I are good friends now," she said, capturing his full attention. He knew it as his friends had already told him everything. "The poor boy had asked me out weeks ago, but unfortunately, I never saw his letter. So topensate for the disappointment I caused him, I agreed to be his friend," Hera said. Hunter stared at her face with keen interest while she spoke animatedly.

    "How can you not see the letter when it was lying in the front pocket of your bag?" He asked and shook his head, tone sounding unimpressed. Hera eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know about it, Lucifer?" She asked but didn''t wait for him to reply. "You knew he had left a letter in my bag, and you never told me?" Hera asked, using him.

    "Apparently, his girlfriend cheated on him with you. He wants revenge, and topensate for your sin, I agreed to be his friend," Hera said, without hiding anything from him. When Hunter didn''t reply, she red at him before biting the flesh under his left vicle.

    <em>''If his girlfriend cheated on him, then what is my fault in it? Shouldn''t he take his revenge on her?'' </em>

    Hunter thought but didn''t dare to voice it out. Hera would feel offended for sure because he cheated on her as well. Hunter wouldn''t risk hurting her pride. So he bit his tongue to stop uttering something stupid and jeopardising their rtionship. Hissing in pain, he apologised for cheating.

    Hera checked the imprint her teeth left on his pale skin and hummed in satisfaction.

    "You threaten every boy who tries to befriend me, and now that I think about it, I never did anything to punish you for cheating on me," Hera stated, appearing to be in deep thought. Hunter straightened his posture in rm. "What do you mean you didn''t punish me? For God''s sake, you broke up with me for two years," he reminded her. Hera smiled at his panicked tone. "That wasn''t enough," she said and smirked when Hunter widened his eyes.

    "Mr Hunter, cheat on me again, and I''ll chop your dick off," she vowed. Obediently, Hunter nodded his agreement.

 Chapter 171 - Shes Alive And Safe

    "I knew it''s that bastard Luca even before you tracked that phone number to reach the culprit. Who else will dare to think of hurting my son, Matt?" Alexander asked rhetorically. He knew it the minute he heard about the bounty hunters hurting his son. The Baresi family never stopped conspiring against Alexander.

    Alexander had made two biggest mistakes in his life. He had left Johnathan alive after he ruined his happy family.

    He spared Johnathan''s life because Christopher had ckmailed him, and Alexander didn''t want to hurt stair more than he had already suffered. For the sake of his best friend, he had let Johnathan live..

    His second mistake was letting Luca Baresi live. Luca''s father had begged Alexander''s father to save his son''s life for old time''s sake.

    Even though they were from the mafia world, they had particr rules regarding alliances or the truce they make with others. They wouldn''t back off so easily from their word, at least not without a valid reason. But Francesco Carlos had refused to help him because Matteo Baresi''s sons dared to touch his family.

    Matteo had begged both the father and son to forgive this one mistake of his sons. When Alexander didn''t budge, the older Baresi bartered in an attempt to keep at least one of his sons alive. Alexander was hell-bent on wiping the trace of Baresi''s existence, and Matteo knew he would kill his whole family. So he chose to save his youngest son''s life instead.

    Alexander could kill his twins Franco and Marco, but in return, he had to spare Luca''s life because the young boy had nothing to do with his brothers'' conspiracy. Matteo had begged on his knees and pleaded with Alexander to oblige the truce they had signed, and Alexander had shown mercy. He took pity on the older man and agreed to let go of Luca Baresi.

    Luca wanted revenge because Alexander had destroyed their reputation and ruined their position in the mafia world. He had given them a chance to survive but only after making sure they had no power left to stand against him. Baresi'' were like measly peasants or more like worthless germs now. They were nothing more than an empty shell surviving on Alexander''s mercy.

    "So what do you want me to do, brother?" Mathew asked over the phone, and Alexander sensed the eagerness in his tone. Apart from what the Baresis did with Alexander, Mathew had one more legitimate reason to hate the Baresis. It was Lettica, the girl he had fallen in love with, his first love.

    Mathew was head over heels for Lettica. But it didn''t take much longer for him to experience his first heartbreak. He had caught her sleeping with other men. What he didn''t know was that she was only using him to extract innermost secrets about Alexander from him to weaken Carlos'' power. Mathew was merely a pawn in her game.

    Lettica wanted to find a loophole in the mafia organisations to bring Alexander''s empire down. When he found out that she was Luca''s mistress, Mathew felt like a fool for falling right into their trap. A heartbroken young man had cursed her and called her names, and he had vowed never to fall in love again.

    He loved her so much that he would have forgiven her for cheating on him. It wouldn''t have mattered to him that she was Luca''s whore, but it hurt more knowing that Lettica never once returned his feelings. She was Marco Baresi''s girlfriend and wanted revenge for his death. Mathew was her gate pass to breach Alexander''s security.

    However, Mathew''s loyalty lied in Francesco Carlos'' family. He would never betray Alexander, no matter what. He quickly came out of that heartbreak stupor. But his heart was never the same. He couldn''t trust and love another girl after that. He wanted what Alexander had with Felicity. Mathew could never forgive Lettica for ruining it for him.

    "Let him live, Matt," Alexander said. Mathew was confused at what Alexander said. He thought he would get his permission to kill Luca Baresi, but he wasn''t expecting Alexander to extend the bastard''s lifespan.

    "Sometimes, it''s fun to watch our enemies squirm under our scrutiny. Just imagine, Matt, what he must be going through thinking that I already know he tried to kill my son. Let him lose his sleep and peace with this fear of losing his life. I know it''s as easy as snapping fingers for you to kill Luca, but I want him to live to see my son ruling our world. I want him to know what he has messed with and how capable my son is," Alexander said.

    Mathew tried to convince him otherwise, but Alexander didn''t change his mind. He wanted to give his boy a chance to decide. After all, his son was the one Luca tried to kill. So Alexander thought it''s only fair if he gave him the power to choose how to punish Luca for daring to touch him.

    "It''s time for my boy to take reins into his hands anyway. All you''ve to do is stay by his side in my absence," Mathew heard Alexander say, and he had no choice but to ept his chief''smand.

    Luca and Johnathan were lucky because Alexander wouldn''t kill them until he retrieves his daughter. He didn''t want to risk his chance by killing them early. Only Sebastian knew baby Hera''s exact location, and Alexander never doubted his loyalty. He knew his daughter was alive and safe somewhere.

    He had searched every corner of Cuba and California but couldn''t achieve his desired oues. If they could keep Hera out of his reach, then it meant only one thing. Whoever had his daughter was either Sebastian''s loyal friend or Johnathan''s.

    At least, Hera was not in Greece, and Christopher was unaware of her location. Alexander was grateful for that. She would be safe until that vile King learns about her existence.

    Alexander knew for sure that Luca didn''t know about Hera, but he couldn''t say the same for Matteo Baresi. Revenge could make anyone lose their sanity.

    Alexander slid his phone into his pocket and went in search of his wife. It was time to go to bed, and she was nowhere around. He didn''t have to think much to guess where he could find her.

    As he expected, she was in the small nursery he had built for baby Hera years ago. He opened the door to the ash grey walls with a white ceiling. Nothing had changed over the years. Everything in the room stayed as it was when his daughter used to sleep in there. White framed photographs adorned the wall above the traditional dresser, and Felicity had chosen the whimsical pendant light.

    The ceiling-high linen curtains matched the grey walls. The pink and white, spill-proof material covered the stylish, ageless, multi-purpose bed. There was a small chest to tuck away the essentials. The little floating shelf library on the other side of the bed disyed the bedtime storybooks. Even the basket and bin stayed intact in their ce.

    Alexander looked at the empty crib and remembered how he had painted the cream coloured wooden crib into ck. Felicity had fought over his choice of colour and chose the white rocking chair that sat next to the crib. The cheerful gallery wall, the floating shelves and the plush animal mount brought tears into Alexander''s eyes.

    In the middle of everything, he found his wife on the floor, sitting sideways with photo albums scattered around her. Tenderly, her fingers caressed the photo, and Alexander knew she was lost deep in her thoughts.

    <strong>ON THE OTHER SIDE IN LONDON,</strong>

    Hunter hissed again for the ninth time as Hera kept torturing the soft skin under his neck. She wasn''t making hickeys as he thought she would. Hera was biting harshly to force him to do her bidding.

    "Show me my gift, or you''ll never get to leave this room, Mr Hunter," Hera asked, threatening him for the fourth time. She wanted to see her birthday gift, but Hunter was not letting her. "It''s called the birthday gift for a reason, Mrs Hunter, and it''s not your birthday today," he snapped, shoving her away from him.

    "Last chance, Hunter, show me, or you''re going to die," Hera said, wiggling her fingers, ready to tickle him to death. Annoyed at her silly antics, Hunter groaned. "There''s no gift. I haven''t finalised it yet," he said, scowling at her.

    "Okay, fine. Then I won''t show you my dress. It''s only fair," Hera said and lifted her eyebrows to show him attitude. "No, it hardly counts as tit for tat. Let me think of something else," Hera muttered and thought for a few seconds. Then she smiled cunningly at Hunter. "We won''t kiss until my birthday," she dered smugly.

    Hunter scoffed in return.

    "Huh, jokes on you, Goddess. You can''t stay without kissing me for more than twenty minutes when I''m in front of your eyes," he said, daring her to stick to her decision. Hera red at him while he smiled charmingly.

 Chapter 172 - She Couldnt Afford To Die

    Alexander walked inside, careful not to startle her with his sudden intrusion. With his long legs crossed at the ankles, arms folded across his chest, he stood, leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window sill. He noticed his wife''s dress, a white sleeveless, form-fitting, maxi dress with a high slit. It had floral prints in red.

    Alexander''s lips twitched in a faint smile as he checked his own attire, a contrast to her white dress. The trousers and shirt he had on were all cks. He had tossed aside his tie and suit jacket somewhere when he returned home. He was d that his wife managed to fill colours to his ck and grey life with her presence.

    Otherwise, his colourless life would have been boring without her. She nced at him once, with a fond smile on her lips, a gesture to show him she weed his presence. Her gaze went back to the photo album in herp, and Alexander knew she got lost in her thoughts again.

    His phone vibrated in his pocket with a text message.. He pulled it out to read it.

    <strong><em>Hospital: The patient is fine. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>Even though there are no changes in the patient''s progression, all the inner organs function perfectly except for the sleeping brain. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>We are taking care of the patient, and you don''t have to worry. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>We''ll inform you as soon as we find any improvement. We are trying our best. </em></strong>

    Alexander nodded as if the person on the other side of the phone could see him. With a heavy sigh, he pocketed his phone.

    ncing once at his wife, he turned around to look out of the ss window. It was the same news he had been receiving for years from the hospital, like from an autoresponder. He was tired of reading the same message, again and again, every day.

    Every time he would expect to read something different, only to get disappointed. His green eyes stung with unshed tears.

    Fat, salty tears rolled down Alexander''s cheeks as he pinched his eyelids shut. He desperately hoped to receive that good news he had been waiting for years. He wished the hospital would message him saying the patient woke up.

    He cursed mentally as his doomed past started reying behind his closed eyelids. He wished he could reverse the time and undo all the sad memories from their lives because he knew the woman sitting a few feet away from him was suffering from the same ugly, cursed past as well.

    <em><strong>FIFTEEN YEARS AGO,</strong></em>

    "I know how to defeat Alexander. I know what would make that devil fall to his knees. All I have to do is pull this bloody trigger and let the bullet pierce your heart, Felicity," Johnathan said while Felicity stared in disbelief. She never thought Johnathan would think of killing her. Didn''t he dere his undying love for her at every possible chance he got?

    She had a gun in her hand, and she had promised Alexander that she would shoot Johnathan if needed.

    <em>''I can''t die. Alexander will never forgive me if I leave him.''</em>

    But it was harder than she thought to hurt Johnathan. He was a friend, after all. How could she kill him? She had no other choice left. She would have to kill him or at least hurt him enough to keep herself safe until her husband returns. She couldn''t afford to die.

    <em>''I have to survive for my Alexander, for my little girl and my little trouble maker.'' </em>

    Felicity blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay.

    She was a brave woman, and she would never let herself seem weak in front of the coward she and Alexander once considered as their friend. She knew she needed to process the situation sensibly. Felicity thought maybe she could distract him enough with her emotional talk until Alexander reached home.

    "You''re married, for God''s sake, Johnathan," Felicity reminded him, keeping her voice soft and low. Her gaze sharp, measuring his every move.

    "Stopparing your life to Alexander''s at every step. You have your own family, a wife who loves you and a daughter you should protect and love. Let me live my life in peace, John. It''s only your obsession to defeat Alexander. You want to have everything he has. You don''t love me, John," Felicity said, trying her best to make him understand.

    "Yes, you''re right. I want everything Alexander has. I want you because you''re Alexander''s everything. If I can''t have you, neither should he. I was tired of seeing him victorious all the time. Let him know what it feels to lose once, Felicity. I want him to know how I suffered all these years yearning for you," Johnathan said, aiming the gun to her forehead.

    Felicity sighed, she was tired, and the drowsiness was threatening to return. Keeping her gun aimed at him, she slowly crouched down and sat on the floor with her legs crossed. Johnathan watched her while she took a deep breath as if it was difficult to breathe.

    "Don''t ruin your life with your own hands, John. If anything happens to me, then Alexander will kill you," she said. The mad man in front of her chuckled maniacally. The more she mentioned Alexander''s name, the more he got insane. Johnathan was blinded by hatred then, and without thinking, he pulled the trigger and shot her.

    The bullet pierced her chest, right across her heart, and the blood gushed out, staining her ck and sandy brown dress. Felicity couldn''t even scream as she was shell-shocked, staring at stair''s brother with her wide hazel eyes. The shooting pain invaded her senses and pulled her out of her shock.

    Felicity looked down at her chest and gasped at the bullet wound.

    The gun slipped out of her hand as she clutched her chest with her palms, trying to stop the bleeding. But the fatal wound only intensified the pain,pelling her to remove her hands instantly.

    She tried to get up but had no strength to do so. With the help of her hands and legs, she inched backwards until her back touched the wall. Leaning against the hard surface, she hissed, cursing at the horrible pain.

    Alexander''s angry face appeared in her thoughts.

    <em>''No, no, I can''t die. My Alexander wouldn''t survive if I did.'' </em>

    "Johnathan, stop this madness. You''re better than this," she said, breathing in gasps. Johnathan shook his head. "No, Felicity, I''m not. If I were better, then you would''ve epted my marriage proposal when my father suggested it. I could never hold a candle to Alexander in your eyes. But now I''ll make sure to ruin his life for good," Johnathan vowed while Felicity struggled to breathe.

    He stole the phone from the dead guard''s pocket, and his fingers furiously punched the numbers, calling Rouvin.

    "John, where are you? Are you okay?" Rouvin asked as soon as Johnathan greeted him over the phone. Johnathan was d that, for once, his friend had decided to drop the title.

    Rouvin informed him that he was close to Alexander and he knew his exact location. That brought an evil grin onto Johnathan''s face. He crouched down to Felicity''s level to see eye to eye, and his grin grew wider.

    Her knees pulled to her chest, and her hands rested limply around her stomach while Felicity tried hard to stay conscious. Her dress soaked wet with her blood.

    Felicity scoffed at the crazy man in front of her. He had lost all his sanity.

    Johnathan narrowed his eyes and red at the wounded woman sitting on the floor. The anger, the disappointment and the pity in her eyes everything was directed at him all at once. It provoked his anger further.

    "Rouvin, I want you to take your men and attack Alexander as soon as possible. He''ll receive the worst news of his life in a while, and I promise you, he won''t be able to function after that terrifying news. Kill him if you have to or help the Baresi brothers. Do whatever it takes but bring his daughter to me. Don''t disappoint me on this, Rouvin," Johnathan said.

    Once he heard Rouvin promising to do the same, Johnathan disconnected the call and focused his attention on Felicity.

    "My father wants that bastard child dead, Felicity, and I won''t fail him in this because you and I both know Alexander wouldn''t survive after learning about your death. I told you, I''ll defeat him," he said, grinning with satisfaction. Thinking about Alexander finally brought tears to Felicity''s eyes, and with that, her determination to stay alive until he came for her doubled.

    "John, one thing Alexander hates the most is betrayal, especially if the backstabber has disguised himself as a friend. Leave before he makes it home, John. You don''t have much time. Run for your life, now," she said, warning him. Johnathanughed bitterly and shook his head in disbelief.

    "Why, Felicity? Why are you still trying to protect me? Don''t tell me you still consider me a friend," He asked, dropping his shoulders in defeat, but the jarring sneer told her otherwise. Now it was Felicity''s turn to let out that bitterugh. She shook her head. "No, Johnathan Castenos, you''re not worthy of my friendship. You''ve lost that honour. I''m not doing it for you. I''m doing it for stair," she rified before closing her eyes.

    "Leave, Johnathan," she said. Her voice came out in a barely-there whisper as she was on the verge of losing her consciousness.

 Chapter 173 - She Wont Survive

    <strong><em>FIFTEEN YEARS AGO,</em></strong>

    <em><strong>ALEXANDER''S MEMORY;</strong></em>

    Alexander was d that this time Sebastian found the correct location of the Baresi brothers. They stopped at a two-storey building in Old Havana that looked nothing more than a cheap motel. ording to Sebastian''s knowledge, Marco and Franco took the help of the local gangsters. They assisted with Hera''s kidnapping and now probably providing them shelter to hide from Alexander.

    The inside of the building was far too big from what it appeared from the outside. Surprisingly it turned out to be ate-night club where all the local criminals spend their nights indulging in illegal gambling. The upper part of the building was a brothel.

    Barely clothed young women danced to the unharmonious loud music while the drunken men showered them with dirty, crumpled bills. Alexander couldn''t wait to get his hands on the culprits. The noisy club stunned into silence at the mention of Alexander''s other identity, the name Carlos was enough for the petty criminals to drop their attitude and bow before him in surrender.

    No matter what reward or how much money the Baresi brothers promised or paid the local gangsters, it didn''t take more than a minute for them to betray the Baresis. They willingly gave away their hideouts at the mere mention of Alexander''s name.

    "Get out if you don''t want to die," Alexander yelled on his way to the brothel upstairs. The tourists, the gamblers, the female dancers, everyone raced out of the club like rats abandoning a sinking ship, scared for the safety of their lives.

    Alexander raced his men to the rooms and led the way as he couldn''t trust anyone. He wouldn''t risk failing the chance and lose his baby again. He heard a shrill cry of a woman on his way. Some were moaning in sexual pleasure, and some faked it while some cried in agony. The ce reeked of sex mixed with disgusting sweat everywhere.

    On Alexander''s beacon, Sebastian reached the room where the woman''s cry resounded. He kicked the door open to find a man brutally abusing the naked woman''s body while he forced her to please him. By going near, Sebastian learned that the poor girl was too young to be a sex worker. He barged in only to help the crying girl on his boss''mand, but he didn''t expect to find his prey there.

    It was Marco Baresi, attempting to rape an underage girl.

    Marco turned around to curse at the intruder. rmed, he instantly jumped to his feet and searched for his gun in the pockets of his pants as soon as he saw Sebastian''s face. Thetter grinned at the man''s ridiculous appearance as Marco''s pants were halfway down his buttocks.

    "Found one of the pests, boss," he yelled in an amused voice for Alexander. Before Marco could pull the trigger, Sebastian shot at his hand and jerked his thumb over his shoulder, showing the door for the girl to escape her nightmare. He marched towards his target in three long strides and rammed his knee into Marco''s exposed male organ.

    Picking up her discarded clothes from the floor, the girl sprinted off the room, not even caring that she was naked. Meanwhile, Marco doubled over in pain. Sebastian didn''t give him time to recover and kicked him in the balls continuously until his face turned pale and he struggled to breathe.

    Alexander''s feet halted when he heard the faint sound of a baby crying in the opposite direction.

    He rushed forward following the sound, but his men beat him to the door and broke it for him. They entered with their guns pointed at the possible attack and cleared the way for their boss. Ignoring Franco''s cries while his men pounced on him, Alexander''s eyes explored the stinking, dirty small room searching for his baby.

    Relief flooded through his system when his eyesnded on the baby wailing on the carpeted floor. Wiping his watery eyes with the back of his hand, Alexander rushed at little Hera and cradled her in his arms. Cleaning the tear stains off her chubby cheeks with the cuffs of his sleeve, he kissed her forehead, sending a silent prayer to God.

    His smile was watery when the baby stopped crying, only to recognise his familiar face and theforting touch. It broke his heart when little Hera wailed again as if toin about her struggle. Alexander apologised while kissing her tears away. He felt as if his daughter was punishing him for taking so long to reach her.

    The cries of agony that tore out of the Baresi brothers'' mouth gave immense satisfaction to Alexander. He had turned his back to his men while he yed with his daughter to make sure she felt safe again in his arms. He made silly faces and entertained her with weird noises as baby Hera responded in her babynguage and giggled at everything her father showed her.

    After speaking to Felicity over the phone, Alexander was ready to leave for home. Handing the baby to one of his men, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to get his hands dirty. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could go home.

    Sebastian enjoyed the show with a wide grin stered on his face while the two pathetic brothers screamed and yelled, begging Alexander for mercy. It wasn''t metaphorical when Alexander said he would skin the twins alive for daring to touch his daughter. He held the dagger in his hand, a sinister smile ying on the lips as he literally began to peel the skin off one of the brothers.

    He started with Franco''s face and grimaced in disgust as the man''s blood soaked his hands while the dagger cut the underside of his jaw.

    Alexander didn''t even care to identify their faces anymore. The only thing that mattered to him was the sheer cry of agony they let out. The brothers would take turns begging for each other''s life.

    His phone vibrated in his pant pocket, and the Lord of the mafia world huffed in displeasure, not happy by getting interrupted. Wiping his hands quickly into the white napkin, he pulled out his phone. His expression shifted into a frown as he saw the number disying on the screen. It was the guard assigned to keep Felicity safe.

    Alexander clenched his jaw as soon as he heard Johnathan''s vile voice greeting him. "Why do you have ess to my guard''s phone, John?" He asked, but before he could listen to Johnathan''s answer, he heard gunshots. He saw Sebastian taking his position to guard Hera and pulled out his gun in a counter-attack.

    Unexpectedly, they got attacked by an unknown enemy.

    Pressing the phone to his ear, Alexander tried to listen to whatever Johnathan wanted to say while trying to reach Hera. The noise erupting from the rapid gunfire made it difficult to hear his voice. He signalled Sebastian to take over and shielded his daughter from danger.

    "Felicity has been shot, Xander. She''s dying. Pleasee as soon as possible. If you don''t, you won''t get to meet her before she takes herst breath," Johnathan said, his voice coated with mock sympathy. Alexander wished his hand could reach the bastard''s neck and strangle him to death. "Do you want to die, Johnathan? Choose your words carefully because it could get you killed," Alexander warned him.

    The resonatingughter from the other end disturbed Alexander and his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach as he recognised the arrogance of victory in Johnathan''s voice. "Where''s Felicity? Give the phone to her," Alexander barked into the phone. Johnathan took a few more seconds to waste on his cruelughter while Alexander''s mouth went dry as he panicked.

    "Let me speak to her, Johnathan," Alexander said, his defeated voice begging while his panicked heart raced at an unnatural pace.

    "I said she''s dying," Johnathan said in a slow voice as if giving time for Alexander''s mind to process the meaning behind his words. "Someone has shot her right in the heart. I''m afraid she won''t survive until you return. Come fast, Xander, you don''t have time to waste," he said in a disapproving tone. Finally, his words registered in Alexander''s mind and the phone slipped out of his hand.

    He knew Johnathan wasn''t lying.

    <em>''The bastard had betrayed her again.'' </em>

    The tears blurred his vision while he slumped to the floor. He vaguely noticed people helping his enemies. But nothing mattered at that time. All he wanted was to die and end this heart-wrenching pain that burned inside his chest.

    <em>''She''s dying.'' </em>

    <em>''She won''t survive.''</em>

    Johnathan''s voice echoed in his mind, and Alexander couldn''t bear the ache it brought along.

    <em>''What would I do without you, Felci?''</em>

    "Alessandro, watch out," he heard Sebastian yell, but he couldn''t move. A bullet pierced right through his chest, and Alexander released the breath he had been holding. The new pain that shot through his body somehow eased the pain Johnathan imposed on his heart. It was nothingpared to the pain of losing his love, his Felicity.

    Alexander couldn''t wait for death to im hisst breath.

 Chapter 174 - Shes His Weapon

    Hera couldn''t sleep. Her heart was way too excited, and it kept her awake all night. It was her birthday in two days, after all.

    The gust of cold air seeping into the room through the open balcony made the curtains dance to their tune. Hera left the bed hurriedly. Tiptoeing to the balcony, she locked the ss door before it could disturb Hunter. Her Hunter was a light sleeper, and the smallest of the sound would make him awake from sleep.

    The stupid wind dared to ruffle the curtains while she was afraid to breathe louder, thinking he would wake up from the sound. Hera felt offended.

    She red at the soft curtains for taking the liberty.

    <em>''Stop flirting with the breeze, you shameless piece of shit.. I''m going to rip you apart and throw you into the trash if you dared to disturb my boyfriend''s sleep.'' </em>

    She threatened the lifeless piece of cloth in her mind before returning to the bed.

    Hunter was lying on his stomach, with his arms wrapped around a pillow, and his head turned in one direction. The soft glow of the bedmp casting on his face made him look resplendent. The orange light shimmered as if the fairies were sprinkling him with fairy dust.

    <em>''Be blessed, my love.''</em>

    Hera made a wish.

    Slowly, without making any sound, she got down from the bed and searched for her backpack. She remembered she had tossed it on the bed.

    <em>''Where did it go? Where has he kept it?''</em>

    Hera red at sleeping Hunter. Because of his habit of keeping things at their ce, she had to search for it now.

    <em>''Why does he have to be a neat freak? Stupid perfectionist.''</em>

    Hera walked to his study table and sighed as discreetly as possible when she found it. She walked as far as she could from the bed and slowly pulled the zipper, opening her bag. She took out her purple journal and sat on the carpeted floor. Legs stretched straight, crossed at ankles,

    she leaned her back against the ss door of the balcony.

    She smiled, thankful for the lights as she opened the journal. Hunter had a habit of sleeping with the lights on because he couldn''t sleep in the dark.

    Hera ran her fingers on the first post she had pasted, his first-ever message for her.

    <strong><em>You are so beautiful.</em></strong>

    <strong><em>The most beautiful I have ever seen.</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Like a Goddess. </em></strong>

    She could never get tired of reading his messages.

    With a fond smile lighting her features up, she nced up at Hunter''s sleeping form with her affectionate eyes.

    <em>''So beautiful like a Goddess.'' </em>

    Hera appreciated his given nickname for her, his gesture of love.

    Her heart skipped a beat, remembering how that name rolled off his tongue.

    She flipped the page to read his first birthday message for her. She could still feel it like yesterday that they met in that church and vowed to love each other forever. They were married to each other on that precious day.

    <strong><em>Happy birthday to the love of my life.</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Yes, Goddess Hera, </em></strong>

    <strong><em>You are the love of my life because I love you</em></strong>

    <strong><em>since the day we met. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>How nice it is that we can wish each other on this day every year? </em></strong>

    <strong><em>I''ll wish you a happy birthday, </em></strong>

    <strong><em>and you''ll wish me back with a happy wedding anniversary. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>PS. Hera Hunter, don''t ever forget that we are now married, and you are mine. </em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong>

    <strong><em>I love you, wifey. </em></strong>

    Hera reread the message for the ninth time. The blissful bright smile fixed on her face started to hurt her jaw now, but she couldn''t tame or curb it.

    <em>''You''ve always been the charmer, you cunning devil.''</em>

    Hera couldn''t believe an eight-year-old boy could be such a charmer. How did he know to write so deeply at that age? It took years for Hera to understand the depth of his messages.

    <em>''And you are mine.''</em>

    Hera smiled at his deration and shook her head.

    <em>''How possessive was he? Arrogant, rude, asshole.''</em>

    Every year on her birthday, Hera and Hunter would go to their school''s prayer hall without a miss. Hunter would make them repeat their marriage vows in front of the crucifix. He had written the vows by himself because Hera couldn''t write one for herself as she was too young to think of proper meaningful wedding vows.

    Her eyes shifted to Hunter on their own ord, and her heart chanted the vows like a prayer. It was reflexive because it happens by default now.

    <strong><em>I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow </em></strong>

    <strong><em>and forever.</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I willugh with you, and I will cry with you.</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I will love you through the best and the worst. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>I will love you in sickness and in health. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>I will always be there for you. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>I promise to love and cherish you till death do us part. </em></strong>

    Hera would always forget the sickness and health part. Hunter would get mad at her and throw a fit that she would leave him if he got sick because she didn''t recite that vow.

    Hera chuckled silently at the memory.

    Hunter would buy her a white dress, and he would wear a white shirt with ck trousers to match her attire.

    Eric would act as a marriage officiant and pronounce them as man and wife. He would immediately turn his back to them after saying, "You may kiss the bride."

    Hera would blush in embarrassment and shy away from the wedding kiss even though Eric would never look.

    "Ew, it''s so gross," Eric would mutter. It was just an innocent peck on the lips, but Hera would still feel awkward and avoid meeting Eric for a week after that.

    "How do you know so much about wedding customs and all that?" Hera had asked the first time. Both the best friends had given a simr answer to her question. "Our parents always renew their wedding vows on their wedding anniversaries, and we have watched it in so many romantic movies also."

    Hera wouldn''t know the meaning of the word "Romantic". She was too young and innocent. So she had nodded her head as if she understood because she could always ask Hunterter in private.

    Thinking fondly of their past, Hera couldn''t help being nostalgic. She kept her diary aside, and her gaze fell on her anklet. It was her tenth birthday gift from Hunter.

    "It''s your tenth birthday, so the gift has to be something special," he had said while presenting her the gift. "And I''m thirteen years old now, a teenager, a big boy. Being your boyfriend, it''s my responsibility to make sure your gift is worthy," Hunter had said, pridecing his tone.

    It was a white gold custom-made anklet with tiny white diamonds framing the little heart charm attached to it. Hera didn''t know it was so expensive. Neither had she known it was real gold and diamonds. Hunter didn''t tell her for years. When she grew old enough to identify or distinguish, she asked him. "Why do these little stones shine so much like real diamonds?"

    With a slight frown, Hunter looked at her. His gaze was unimpressed as if wondering why she was so dumb. "Because it is?" Hunter replied, his tone sounding unsure. Hera stared at him incredulously. She had fought with him, scolding him for spending so much money.

    "Rx, Goddess. It''s not that big of an issue you''re making it," Hunter said nonchntly. "I bought it for you from my mother''s workshop. It''s my design. I drew it, and someone made this anklet for me. And if you''re worried about money, don''t be. It''s nothing," he said. Hera sighed at his rudeness.

    <em>''Arrogancees with money, I guess?'' </em>

    She had kept it hidden under her socks from then. She was afraid she would lose it. It was too expensive and too precious for her. Hera had tried to remove it a couple of times, but the hook wouldn''t budge from its ce, so she gave up.

    <em>''Hunter''s Archer.'' </em>

    She read the engraved words.

    Hera never understood why he chose the word, Archer. When she asked him, Hunter looked offended.

    "Wow! So much for being your husband," he said. "Keep thinking, Mrs Hunter, maybe you''ll figure it out someday," he said bitingly. Hera was clueless as to why he sounded so bitter. Cursing him, she let it go. She tried asking him a few more times on different asions, but every time Hunter would simply re at her in reply.

    They both had the samest names, Hunter. Maybe the word Archer had something to do with him. Hera hade to her own conclusions.

    Archer means a person who shoots with a bow and arrows.

    Hunter means a person or animal that hunts.

    Archer + Hunter = A person who hunts with a bow and arrows.

    <em>''Maybe Hunter meant to say I''m his weapon.''</em>

    Hera smiled at her memories, at her stupid logic and walked back to the bed. She was still not sleepy, but she couldn''tin. She would get to admire her best friend, sh her boyfriend, sh her husband while he slept peacefully.

    "I love you, Hera Hunter''s Archer," she whispered, cing a soft kiss on his head.

 Chapter 175 - Its So Unfair

    <strong><em>FIFTEEN YEARS AGO,</em></strong>

    <em><strong>WHEN ALEXANDER LOST HIS LOVED ONES;</strong></em>

    He heard the cry of a baby.

    Alexander came back to his senses at the sound of his daughter''s cry.

    <em>''My little girl.'' </em>

    His panicked eyes frantically moved in search of the source of that scared voice. He found little Hera on the floor behind him. His men circled around his daughter were fighting against his enemies. They were protecting his daughter without caring for their own lives. Alexander''s chest filled with gratitude. He couldn''t thank them enough for their loyalty. .

    Sebastian yelled his name again, and Alexander nodded in acknowledgement, signalling him not to worry about him. His daughter''s sobs demanded his attention, and Alexander jumped to his feet. The sound of the gunshot and the people''s shouts and screams frightened baby Hera.

    Alexander looked down at the wound on his chest. He didn''t believe he would survive, and he had to reach Felicity before it''s toote. However, Alexander had to save his daughter first. He nced around to study the depth of the damage caused. Most of his men died, and he couldn''t trust anyone else other than Sebastian in this foreign country. He couldn''t risk losing Sebastian''s life too.

    He reached for his little girl and took her in his arms. His blood ruined the baby''s blue hooded nket wrapper. He rocked her in his arms and cooed at her until she stopped crying. Amidst all the shooting and killing, Alexander found a safe corner. Struggling with his injured shoulder, he put Hera into the stroller and fastened the belts securely.

    He admired the red-violet grey coloured stroller, reminiscing how fondly Felicity chose this colour after searching the whole shop before buying it for Hera. His daughter finally smiled at him, and her toothless grin somehow soothed Alexander''s pain. He noticed the blood on her nket and pursed his lips in mock fear.

    "I ruined your pretty nket. Mum won''t be happy," he said, and little Hera gave him a happy giggle as if he cracked a joke which she perfectly understood. Alexander''s smile was watery when he heard herughter.

    "I don''t want to lose you, Sweetheart, but you have to leave daddy for now," he said while kneeling in front of the stroller. "It would be so unfair on us if we lose mum. I have to save both of you," Alexander confessed in a stuttering whisper, his voice raw with emotions and his eyes wet with tears.

    He grabbed the feeding bottle from the side pocket of the stroller. Hera kicked her tiny legs inside the stroller happily while her father fed her milk, hoping it wouldn''t be thest time.

    Alexander searched for a piece of white paper in Hera''s folder he had retrieved from Marco. He didn''t find any, so he tore one of the papers from Hera''s medical report and decided to write on the backside. He took his pen out from his shirt pocket, a gift from his father.

    <em>''What if I die? What would happen to my father, my mother? How would my little boy and my little girl survive in this cruel world without me?'' </em>

    Alexander thought, looking at his father''s pen. It had so many fond memories. Shaking his head, he wiped his hands on his pants to clean them as neatly as possible. He didn''t have time to waste, so he signalled for Sebastian toe to him.

    "Do me a favour, Romano," Alexander said and paused to fill his lungs with sufficient air. Sebastian wore a concerned look and asked if he was okay. Alexander nodded with a faint smile. "What do I need to do, Alessandro? Tell me, I''ll do anything," Sebastian promised.

    "I''ll give you an address in California. You have to take my daughter there," Alexander said. "Why, California?" Sebastian interrupted to ask. "Look, Sebastian, I don''t know if I''ll survive or not," Sebastian heard his boss say and shook his head in disagreement. Before he could protest, Alexander stopped him. "Let me finish, Sebastian. Felicity got shot," he delivered the news, and Sebastian gasped before cursing.

    "It has to be Johnathan. That bastard called me to tell me she''s dying," Alexander answered Sebastian''s unasked question. "I need to go to her as soon as possible," he confessed. "We''ll go right now, Alessandro," Sebastian assured. Alexander shook his head. "No, you''re noting with me. If Felicity and I both died, I need someone I could trust to keep my daughter safe," Alexander voiced out his concerns.

    "No one''s dying today, boss. You''re wasting our time. Come on, get up now. We need to go," Sebastian said, his tone sounding impatient and annoyed.

    "They are attacking me from every side, Sebastian. I''m worried about my parents and my son. I don''t know if they are safe in Italy anymore. Right now, my priority is keeping my little girl safe. Take her to California, and you can move to Italy once you get clear knowledge of the situation in Italy," Alexander said. He didn''t know for sure if the Baresis had nned to attack his parents'' home too.

    Sebastian understood the delicacy of the situation and didn''t protest anymore. He covered his boss, providing him with the security he needed while he wrote a letter.

    <em><strong>John, </strong></em><em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Remember your promise? </strong></em>

    <em><strong>It''s time to live up to your words. You owe me this favour. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>My little girl''s life is in danger, and I want you to keep her safely under your roof until Ie to retrieve her. Sebastian will bring her to you, and he''ll take care of everything. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m handing over my precious treasure to you, John Williams. Don''t make me regret trusting you. If you fail me in this, I won''t hesitate to kill you, John. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>A. Hunter. </strong></em>

    Alexander folded the letter in half and wrote William''s address in another piece of paper for Sebastian.

    "You remember John Williams, right?" He asked Sebastian, and he nodded. John Williams was an ex-cop, and Sebastian had met him once or twice.

    Alexander gave him the folder with Hera''s passport and other required papers. "Leave this country immediately. Take her to Williams and wait for confirmation from my father. Once he gives a green signal, you can take her to Italy. Wait for my call and call me only if you need me," Alexander ordered.

    Sebastian watched while Alexander kissed his daughter goodbye.

    "What about you and Felicity? You''re hurt, Alessandro. How can I leave you on your own?" Sebastian asked. Alexander could see the hesitation on his face. "Don''t worry about me, Romano. I won''t die until I reach my Felicity. Now take my baby and leave," he said, the voice of tone leaving no room for further discussions.

    Sebastian tucked the folder inside his jacket and checked the stroller making sure everything was alright. He smiled sadly at the baby as little Hera had her eyes fixed on Alexander. His boss had tears in his eyes while he gestured for Sebastian to leave.

    Alexander took charge of the situation and made sure Sebastian made it out of the building safely.

    One of the twins blocked Sebastian''s way and tried to snatch the baby from him. Sebastian elbowed him and heard Alexander yelling amand to leave. As soon as Sebastian left, Alexander gave no more than a second for the Baresi brother to look up. He rammed his shoe into his head hard enough to make him copse.

    Alexander fired his gun only to find it empty. Cursing, he grabbed the gun from one of the twins and shot him right in the middle of his forehead.

    He couldn''t recognise who was who because of their faces covered with blood. He didn''t bother to check either. His perfect aim didn''t miss a chance and every bullet he fired reached its target.

    Another twin attempted to escape but in vain. Alexander grabbed him by his hair. He wanted to slice every part of the bastard''s flesh and pull out his every organ, but he had no time to y games.

    "Onest question, Baresi. Did you attack my parents'' too?" Alexander asked. He wanted to know if these two brothers were here, then where was their third brother Luca Baresi. The man shook his head in denial. But Alexander wouldn''t trust anyone until he spoke to his father.

    He knew his father would handle it. It wouldn''t make much of a difference if the lion got old, right? No living being would dare to attack it from the front and risk its life. After all, Francesco Carlo was the terror every criminal was terrified of, and he had people who worshipped him for the good deed he had done for the needy people.

    Alexander knew his son would be safe under his grandfather''s watch. He was more worried about Hera''s safety. He couldn''t trust Christopher Castenos and his poor excuse of a son Johnathan.

    "You don''t deserve this easy death, Baresi, but I''m in a hurry right now," Alexander said to his prey. The said Baresiughed, looking at the bleeding wound on Alexander''s chest, but he couldn''t hide the terror in his eyes. "Not bad, huh, Alessandro. I aimed it perfectly," he said. He was the one who shot him.

    Alexander took out his dagger and kept the sharp edge under the man''s jaw while his free hand gripped his hair in a tight fist, tilting his head upward. One clean swipe and the blood spilt like the water flow in a water fountain.

 Chapter 176 - Hes Also A Human After All

    Alexander had sent half of his team to apany Sebastian because he wanted Sebastian''s protection more than anything at the moment. He needed to be alive to keep Hera safe. So he made sure no danger would follow Sebastian and kept his enemies at bay as best as he could.

    Since both the Baresi brothers were dead, he no longer wanted to waste his time there. The enemy they were fighting now was unknown, and Alexander knew the hired goons when he saw one, and the culprit could only be either Christopher or Johnathan.

    He knew the mastermind operating behind Johnathan was his best friend''s father.

    <em>''Christopher Castenos, pray that my Felicity lives because if she dies, I''ll not let anyone live.'' </em>

    Alexander vowed.

    Alexander didn''t want the rest of his men to lose their lives. It was no use to die fighting these people.. So he instructed his men to find an escape. But before that, he pulled out all the avable cash from his pockets and retrieved all the money from the dead twin brother''s bags. The bundle of notes added up to arge amount for anyone to ignore. Alexander threw it in the air, grasping the attention of his enemies immediately.

    "It''s nothing inparison to what I''m going to offer you," Alexander said and lifted his hand in the air, a shiny ck card with golden letters written on it stuck in between his pointer and middle finger. Those people were petty criminals and local gangsters joining hands with his assassins for the offered money. They weren''t there to help the Baresi brothers but to kill him. Alexander knew it was only the greed of earning extra money.

    The card flew as he threw it in their direction.

    "You can draw more than what you got paid from my enemies using this card," Alexander said. He uttered a few numbers giving them the pin required to draw money.

    Some of them didn''t believe him and still attacked his team. They thought it would be easy to take the crime Lord down because he was injured. Alexander shook his head and chuckled at their stupidity. He was trying to give them a chance to survive, but it seemed his generosity was in vain.

    "It seems none of them is lucky enough to stay alive. Boys, let''s finish them and leave," Alexander said to his people. He had only five of his men with him, and they agreed while aiming their bullets at their targets without wasting time. Some of their opponents were busy collecting the crumpled bills from the floor, resulting in a dispute among themselves for money.

    Alexander saw one of his attackers found his card and ran out of the building as soon as he grabbed it from the floor. Some followed him to get it for themselves. The remaining seemed too dedicated to theirmitment and attacked Alexander and his men. It wasn''t a difficult task to kill them all. It was just that Alexander wanted to save time.

    He could do just that by eliminating all of them at once. He wondered how much the Castenos had paid to hire so many of them in a foreign country. It took approximately twenty minutes at the most to emerge victoriously. Alexander sighed, gritting his teeth and granting himself a few more minutes to waste. He needed to steady his breathing as it was getting hard to inhale air.

    The gunshot wound would hurt the whole of his chest every time he took a deep breath. He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, remembering Felicity''s smiling face. It reminded him that he had to stay alive until he reached her. He could bet her smile had a healing power because he felt energy burst through his system.

    With a single nod of his head, his men escorted him out of the building right away. Alexander kept his pain hidden away so that his loyalpanions wouldn''t worry. The wound was nothing new, and it wasn''t the first time he had got shot. He wasn''t afraid of death anyway.

    His men admired his bravery, his courage, and they knew nothing in the world scared their boss. He wasn''t their leader for nothing.

    Alexander took the seat in the middle of his five-seater SUV, and one of his men joined him, taking a seat beside him. With hismand, the second man took his seat behind the wheel. The third man upied the front passenger seat while the remaining two men sat in the back seat.

    The driver carefully manoeuvred the car on their way back to the motel where Alexander had left Felicity, and the ck, shiny SUV sped off.

    One of his men offered to check and tend his wound, but his boss dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Alexander couldn''t afford to waste any more of his limited time. "I''m fine, Ian," he said before addressing the driver. "Dave, just drive as fast as you can and take me to my wife as soon as possible," he said.

    Death wouldn''t scare him a bit. He wasn''t afraid of dying, but Alexander was also a human after all. He was frightened of losing his loved ones.

    Alexander dialled the first number saved on his speed dial, and a relieved sigh tore out of his mouth when his father answered the call after two rings. "Dad, is everything okay at home?" He asked, trying his best to hide the panic in his tone. His father chuckled as he detected the worrycing his son''s voice.

    "Who would dare to invade the lion''s den, Alessandro?" Francesco asked rhetorically. The smugness coating his father''s tone brought a smile to Alexander''s face. "The twins are taken care of, Dad, but I''m worried that Mateo Baresi and Luca are also involved in this conspiracy. Would you be careful until I make it home?" He asked, and this time he couldn''t hide the anxiety that bothered him.

    "Don''t worry about me, son. I will handle everything here. Just give me thirty minutes, and Mateo Baresi''s throat will be under my shoe, begging for his entire family''s lives. I give you my word," Francesco assured. Alexander never doubted that his father wouldn''t keep his word. "Take care, Dad," he said. Francesco hummed his response before asking, "Are you alright, Alessandro?"

    Alexander''s eyes watered again, and he couldn''t hide his fears from his father anymore. "Felicity has got shot, Dad. I''m afraid of losing her," he admitted. His father paused for a few seconds, allowing his son to let it out of his chest. When Francesco spoke, Alexander felt half of his fear gone, and new hope rose in his heart.

    "When you brought that girl home for the first time, I threatened her to leave you only to get told off by her. She''s the only one apart from your mother who didn''t get affected one bit by my threats, even after learning about my real identity. She had won my approval with her honesty, and I admired her courage," Francesco Carlo said, pride and admiration dripping from his tone.

    "She is wiser, braver and smarter than you and me, Alessandro. Don''t worry. Nothing will happen to her. Felicity is a born fighter, and she''lle out of it victoriously. Even if she gets fed up with us, Carlos, she would never leave her little trouble maker alone under our care for too long," Francesco said in a teasing manner, and Alexander smiled at his father''s words.

    Francesco knew his son was hurt, but he was more worried about Felicity because he knew how much his son loved her. Whatever physical injury Alexander had suffered was nothing inparison to the pain of losing his love. He wouldn''t survive if he had to lose her.

    "Take care, son," his father said. The softness in his tone conveyed how much he was concerned about his son. "Where are my Mum and Junior?" Alexander asked. "My little devil is ying hide-and-seek with his grandma. Do you want me to tell him?" His father asked in return. Alexander didn''t want to trouble them yet with the bad news, and he knew it would be impossible to handle his son after that.

    That boy would demand his grandparents to bring him to his mother immediately. He would turn their lives upside down until they fulfilled his demand.

    "You know him, Dad. He would stop at nothing until he sees his mother, and I don''t want to put his life in danger. Right now, he''s safe with you. You can tell my Momter," Alexander said.

    As soon as he ended the phone call with his father, Alexander dialled Sebastian''s number. Sebastian informed him that he had already reached the airport without any trouble. He had hired a private jet and would leave in a while. Alexander was d that money could do anything. Sebastian could arrange everything in such a short time because of that.

    "Stay at the said address until I say otherwise," Alexander reminded him once again. He had told him that everything was alright in Italy and that he could leave as soon as he gives him approval. "Call me only when you need me, Romano," Alexander ordered. He meant to say Sebastian could reach him only if he was dying and needed his help.

    Lastly, Alexander dialled Felicity''s number.

 Chapter 177 - Was The Sacrifice Worth It

    To his relief, someone received his call, and Alexander pinched his eyelids shut when he heard Felicity''s faint voice calling his name.

    "Alexander," Felicity said. Alexander swallowed in an attempt to moisten his dry throat and choked back his sob. He wished he could hug her, what he would give to pull Felicity into his arms now. "I''m okay, darling, don''t be afraid," he heard Felicity saying in her sweet, angelic voice, soforting and so relieving.

    It amazed Alexander that she could sense his fears without him being vocal about it, and she couldn''t even see his face to guess what he was going through. Yet she knew what to say to ease his worries.

    But the tiredness in her tone alerted him more.

    "Felci, my angel, please tell me you''re not dying," Alexander heard himself begging his wife, not caring how weak his voice sounded or how vulnerable he appeared in front of his men. "I''m not dying, Alexander," her reply came instantly, and relief flooded through his whole system. "Are you telling the truth? Don''t you dare die on me, angel, I need you," He threatened while desperationced his tone..

    He needed to confirm that he wasn''t going to lose her.

    "I wouldn''t dare," Felicity admitted.

    "Have I ever lied to you, Alexander? I wouldn''t dare to break my promise to you. I won''t die until you hold me in your arms, but you''ve toe soon. I don''t know for how long I''ll be able to hold in," Felicity confessed, the volume in her voice dropping by the minute. Alexander clenched his fist around the cell phone and gritted his teeth in anger while his heart missed several beats in sheer panic.

    "Dammit, Felci, you''re not helping," Alexander snapped in utter frustration. Felicity chuckled, and her voice came out in a breathless whisper. "Don''t make meugh, you devil," she scolded him. "Oh, fuck, this hurts like a bitch," she cursed and paused to fill her lungs with oxygen. Alexander''s heart jumped to his throat. "Angel, tell me where it hurts," he asked, voice soft and tone gentler.

    "This bulletproof jacket you made me wear, it slipped or something, I don''t know. Somehow the bullet pierced my skin at the sternum, and the bleeding wouldn''t stop. If you don''t hurry the fuck up, Alexander, I might die of blood loss," Felicity admitted, hissing in pain. "He aimed it for my heart but missed it, and after he shot me, I pretended to lose consciousness so that he wouldn''t shoot again," she said.

    Alexander sighed in relief. As his father said, Felicity was cleverer, and she managed to fool that scum of a Prince. The bullet didn''t hit her heart, and somehow that made Alexander hope for the good.

    "But no one is here to help me," Felicity said, drawing all his attention back to her. "He caused chaos before he left, and after seeing my blood-soaked clothes and the dead bodies around, people fled faster than the wind. I thought of driving myself to the hospital, but I quit the idea as I''m not sure if I would survive until I reach my destination," she paused, and Alexander heard her groan in pain as she shifted from her ce.

    "I''m almost there, Sweetheart, just a few more minutes. Please wait for me," Alexander said and barked amand to his driver to hurry.

    "You didn''t tell me that my Dad threatened you when I took you home for the first time," Alexander said, his tone using her of keeping things from him. He wanted to keep her mind upied so he could distract her from the pain until he reached her. Felicity tsked, and he could imagine her shaking her head while scowling at him. "When were you going to tell me, angel?" He heard himself asking.

    "Ah, he finally mustered the courage to admit his defeat in the open, I see. He thought he could scare me. It was fun telling him off," Felicity said and chuckled. "And you know me, Alexander, I''m not the bitching type," she said in her defence. "It''s our secret to keep," she whispered into the phone, and Alexander let out smallughter. A severe pain shot through his chest as his shoulders shook with hisughter.

    "Are you hurt, Alexander?" Felicity asked him out of the blue, her voice filled with dread, and he knew she detected it from his shakyughter. He cursed himself for not being careful enough. He couldn''t stop the hiss that escaped his mouth when his chest hurt. "I''m fine, angel. Don''t worry," he assured her. Felicity scoffed in return. "Don''t lie, Alexander. I know it when you do," she said in an unimpressed tone.

    Alexander chuckled again. He missed this, their banter, her anger and her bickering. Soon enough, he heard her cursing him for his carelessness, disapproval as well as worry filling her tone.

    "We''re each other''s soulmates, Felci. Of course, we would get hurt together," Alexander said in a teasing manner, an attempt to lighten the moment. "I spoke to Dad, and Junior is fine," he said, changing the subject, and it worked. "I miss my babies, Alexander. Is Hera okay?" She asked. "Both of them are safe. You have nothing to worry about, angel," he said, reassuring her.

    When Alexander reached the motel and found her sitting at the corner in the reception hall, the mere sight killed him. Perched on the dirty floor with her back leant against the wall was his Felicity. The blood pooling around her, her dress soaked wet with it. She could hardly keep her eyes open, yet she struggled to stay awake and not lose consciousness.

    She greeted him with a faint smile when he crouched down to her level, and their eyes met.

    "See, I kept my word. I didn''t die until you came," Felicity said, smiling at her husband.

    Her smile died down when she looked at his wound. Before she could ask anything, Alexander spoke.

    "No one''s dying, Felci. It''s okay, I''m here now," he said as his hands reached forward to frame her cheeks with his palms. Alexander paced a soft kiss on her forehead. He checked the depth of her injury before cradling her form in his arms. As Alexander lifted her into his arms, Felicity touched his wet shirt. Her fingers tore at the buttons impatiently, and a loud gasp escaped her lips after seeing his injury.

    Alexander watched and shook his head while her eyes watered.

    The pain, the regret and the fear he discovered in her eyes hurt him more than the bullet wound. Air left his lungs, and he found himself struggling to breathe as Felicity went limp in his arms.

    No matter how much he tried, she didn''t open her eyes. After enduring the pain for so long, she finally gave in to the darkness.

    His legs gave out, and he was about to copse, but he managed to steady himself.

    There was only one thought hovering over Alexander''s senses.

    <em>''I''ve to save her.''</em>

    Every second was precious, and he couldn''t afford to waste it. He was thankful that his mind and his body were both in sync and worked efficiently.

    He was d that his legs obeyed when his brain ordered to move.

    Gulping his fears down, Alexander moved fast and carefully settled her unconscious body in hisp. He ordered Dave to drive to the nearest hospital.

    Alexander kept checking for her pulse.

    Meanwhile, his heart hammered violently against his chest in utter fright. Alexander wiped his eyes clean as tears blurred his vision.

    <em>''Count your days, Johnathan.''</em>

    It was the hardest of his struggles. Every time Alexander tried to feel her pulse against his fingers, his heart would race against the walls of his chest, threatening to burst out of his ribcage. What if he couldn''t find her pulse?

    <em>''What if her heart stops beating?''</em>

    The thought killed him, and he died a million deaths each time.

    Alexander Hunter had two different identities, the most feared devil in the Mafia world and the very sessful business tycoon in the legitimate money-mongering world. But he felt the most helpless and worthless at the moment.

    <em>''What the use of all the power and the money I own?''</em>

    With all that power and the money he had, Alexander couldn''t do anything to lessen her sufferings. He couldn''t take her pain away.

    <em>''Why did I agree to your suggestion?''</em>

    Alexander cursed his ill fate, remembering the time when he decided to let Johnathan apany Felicity.

    The moment he agreed to Felicity''s ridiculous proposition, Alexander knew he would regret it, but he was helpless. He could never say no to this woman, and now he paid the price for that mistake.

    She had begged him to give Johnathan another chance for stair sake. She had put her own life in danger only to save that spineless coward. If he hadn''t given in to his wife''s unreasonably absurd demand, he could''ve sessfully avoided the most unfortunate event of his life.

    <em>''If only the sacrifice is worth it.'' </em>

 Chapter 178 - Happiest Birthday To Dear Hera

    He lit thest candle and inhaled to smell the scented candles. The fragrance in the air smelt of vani, cinnamon, rose andvender. With a satisfied smile ying on his lips, he watched the lighter in his hand, the fire dancing in a rose gold shade. The room temperature was warmer now, with so many candles gleaming around.

    Shutting off his slim windproof cigarette lighter, Hunter looked around and admired the little decoration he had arranged for Hera. It was his Goddess'' birthday, after all. He had filled the flower vases, water jugs and sses in his room with purple orchids, and his bed looked extra colourful with red rose petals scattered on it.

    His phone went off, and so did the vintage wall clock in his adjoined library. It was twelve ''o''clock at night.

    He ced the lighter next to the gift boxes on the ss table and walked to his bed. Switching the bedmps off, he climbed on the bed. Now the fire shimmering from the candles illuminated the room with a soft orange glow..

    "Happy birthday, Goddess," Hunter whispered into the air. His lips stretched, his smile grew wider into a grin, his eyes smiled along as he eyed the girl sleeping profoundly on his bed. She looked so peaceful and so at home. Bending his head down, he touched her temple with his lips, cing a soft, gentle kiss.

    He wanted to wish her a happy birthday, exactly when the clock would strike at midnight. So he stayed up, but Hera fell asleep.

    With his lips pursed, he sighed. He was disappointed because Hera didn''t see the arrangements and wasn''t awake to appreciate his efforts. The cake stayed untouched on the ss table, along with the bouquet of red roses and her birthday gifts. All he needed to do was wake her up so he could wish her a happy birthday and ask her to cut the cake.

    But how could he? He didn''t have the heart to disturb her sleep. She looked so serene while sleeping.

    Hera turned on to her back, and all the disappointment disappeared from his chest when he saw her beautiful face. The sight was so beautiful that Hunter had to swallow hard.

    His heart missed a beat.

    <em>''How can I resist this angelic beauty? Sometimes I wonder if you''re really a human. You''re a celestial creature, Hera Hunter.'' </em>

    He kissed her on the forehead, whispering a happy birthday once again. Hera sighed in her sleep and kicked the nket off with a protesting groan. Hunter had closed all the windows, and the air conditioner was off. He noticed the room temperature was turning too warm, and Hera was notfortable.

    He switched the bedmps on and left the bed.

    "Wish you could see all this, Goddess," he mumbled, and with a long sigh, he blew the candles out one by one. All his hard work went in vain. The smell of the burnt candle wick and the melting wax lingered in the air, so he opened all the windows to get rid of it.

    When he returned to bed, he saw how the hem of her nightdress rode up, revealing her inner thighs. He was surprised that, for once, she had dressed in her own clothes. Otherwise, he had always seen her in his shorts and T-shirt. He couldn''t understand why she even bothered to pack her clothes beforeing to stay with him on weekends.

    The ck sleevelessce dress looked cute on her. Hunter fixed her clothes, concealing her exposed skin and draped the nket over her. Checking his phone onest time, he ced it beside his pillow and joined Hera on the bed.

    Sliding under the nket, Hunter ced his hand on her middle and pulled her closer. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he inhaled her scent and closed his eyes, allowing the sleep to consume his consciousness.

    A whileter, something disturbed Hera''s sleep, and she squinted, prying her eyes open. She frowned, looking to her right as she found Hunter groaning in his sleep. rmed, she tried to get up only to find herself trapped in his hold. His grip on her waist was a bit too strong, and he sighed against her neck.

    Hera noticed the lines of worry forming on his forehead and guessed he might be having a nightmare. The air running around in the room felt chillier. Hera nced at the windows when the curtains flew up in the air, and the rustling sound was too loud for Hunter''s sharp ears.

    Turning to her side, Hera pulled Hunter into her arms. He was shivering in the cold. She scowled while mentally cursing herself because she had the whole nket trapped under her body. It was clear that he didn''t have anything to keep him warm. Running her fingers through his hair, Hera nted a kiss on the crown of his head. She smoothed the lines of worry on his forehead, whisperingforting words into his ear.

    Once she made sure Hunter went back to dreamless sleep, she kissed him on the cheek and removed herself from his embrace. She pulled the nket over his legs and covered him till his neck.

    Hera thought of closing the windows and proceeded to do the same when a strange smell drew her attention. She sniffed the air and smelt the burnt candlewick. She could also detect the faint fragrance of the scented candles.

    "Oh, my God!" Hera whispered while her eyes scanned every corner of the room.

    Shutting the windows close, she turned around, admiring the sight around her, the candles, and the flowers andstly, her gaze fell on the gifts on the table. Her heart cried at the realisation. She instantly knew Hunter had lit them all only to snuff them out. She jogged her way back to the bed and noticed the rose petals scattered around.

    Turning around, she smiled while her eyes watered. She realised she just walked on the rose petals. Hunter had spread the rose petals everywhere on the floor too.

    "Thank you, Mr Hunter," she whispered before cing a soft peck on his lips.

    Deciding not to disturb his sleep, she walked back to the table to check the gifts. She almost felt bad for walking on the petals and tried her best to avoid crushing them under her feet, but her heart somersaulted anyway.

    Hera picked up the bouquet of red roses and inhaled their fresh fragrance. She was desperate to open her gifts, but that had to wait. She found Hunter''s silver coloured shiny lighter on the table. Kissing the roses with admiration, she put them back, and her fingers grasped the lighter.

    <em>''You have done all this for me. How can I not value it?''</em>

    She could tell why he had snuffed the candles out after lighting them. She looked at her sleeping boyfriend.

    <em>''You didn''t want to disturb my sleep and wake me up. So you let your efforts go waste just like that?''</em>

    Warmth filled her heart that he treasured her so dearly. With a pleased smile brightening her face, Hera lit all the candles one by one. The fragrance filling in the air spread all over and wooed her heart. Hera took a deep breath and grinned in appreciation. She cupped every flower vase with her palms one after the other and kissed all the pinkish-purple orchids.

    "Time to open my gifts," she whisper-yelled and took a seat on the sofa.

    She picked the smallest one first, a tiny rectangr box with shiny silver wrapping. She opened it to reveal her sweet messenger. He had written the message on a thin white paper. Hera eyed the sweet it was a in milk chocte bar.

    She took a bite and munching the sugary treat, Hera read the message.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em><em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Life with you is special, </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Because you always make every day special. </strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Thank you foring into my life. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>You mean the world to me. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>I love you so much. </strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Happy birthday, Goddess. </strong></em>

    Hera bit her lip and nced at Hunter. Eyes filled with happy tears, she whispered to him, "I love you too, Hera''s Hunter."

    Her eyes widened in appreciation as she eyed the lovely flowers, and the smile wouldn''t leave her face. Her jaw already hurt with grinning so wide. She noticed a little card attached to the bouquet of red roses and opened it to read another message.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>The light in your eyes makes every path under my feet brightest. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>And the smile on your lips makes every moment of my life happiest. </strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Keep smiling, my love.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I wish you the happiest birthday, dear Hera Hunter. </strong></em>

    Hera giggled and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. The tears wouldn''t stop, but she didn''t mind them for once.

    Another white box revealed a long satin dress in pure white, bridal wear. It was sleeveless with a thin strap on one side to support the dress at her shoulder and had ruffles in the middle from top to bottom.

    Hera picked up the pack of hard candy sticks from the box hidden under the dress.

    She quickly grabbed the message card attached to it.

 Chapter 179 - Its All Hers

    <strong><em>Goddess Hera,</em></strong>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Let me tell you a secret. </strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Do you know?</strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Every time I buy you a dress, a provoking thought crawls into my mind.</strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>I wish I could select all of your clothes and press delete, and I so want to do bad things with you. </strong></em>

    Hera blinked in confusion and reread the message to make sure she read it correct. When the meaning behind his confession dawned on her, Hera blushed and then scowled. .

    <em>''What the actual fuck! God, he''s so shameless at times.'' </em>

    "Yes, Mrs Hunter, you''re always in my inappropriate thoughts," Hera heard his deep, raspy voice from behind and jumped in surprise.

    <em>''Huh, how does he always read my mind?''</em>

    Hera looked at him, scanning in detail from head to toe. He had his arms crossed over his chest, a charming smile adorning his lips. Hera had always admired his beautiful purple eyes, but she loved them more when he woke up from sleep. They looked intoxicated, and Hera could never resist their maic pull.

    His silky hair fell on his eyes, and Hera reached out to brush it back with her fingers. "You need a haircut," she stated, and he shook his head in objection. "I''m nning to grow it long," he said. Hera hummed her response before turning to grab the new dress. She held it in front of her body and grinned. "I like it," she admitted merrily, her voice cheery.

    "Happy birthday, love," Hunter said, and Hera jumped into his arms, uttering thank you repeatedly. "You''ve lit the candles again," he said when she pulled away. Hera felt content when she saw the delight dancing in his eyes. "You''re not allowed to get disappointed, not on my watch," she dered, earning a chuckle from her boyfriend.

    "Thank you, Mr Hunter. I''m impressed," Hera said and leaned on her toes to kiss the tip of his nose. "You haven''t checked other gifts yet," Hunter said, pointing to the boxes on the table. Nodding her head, Hera disappeared into the bathroom with her new dress while Hunter frowned in confusion before taking a seat on the sofa chair.

    Swiping his finger through the fire me, Hunter yed with his lighter when he heard Hera clearing her throat. Shifting in his ce, he turned to look over his shoulder and his eyebrows arched up in surprise. Hera giggled when he stared at her with his mouth open.

    "Like what you see, Mr Hunter?" Hera asked while covering the distance between them. Hunter leapt to his feet and smirked while giving her a once over. The new long gown fitted her form perfectly, hugging her at all the right ces. The soft satin material highlighted her bust, her slim waist, her hips and her long legs. Hunter''s gaze lingered at her bare shoulders, admiring her corbone.

    "Are you done, ogling?" She asked, lifting her hand to his mouth. "You have drool here," she whispered teasingly while running her thumb over his lips. Hunter let out a delightedugh before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulled her closer for a kiss. Hera closed her eyes in anticipation, but she never felt his lips against hers. When she opened her eyes, she found him smirking arrogantly.

    Hera fixed him with a dirty look before shoving him off her way while Hunterughed at her expense.

    "Why are you wearing this dress now? You''re supposed to wear it tomorrow. It''s your wedding dress," Hunter said. Hera sat on the other end of the sofa, creating distance between them. She was angry because Hunter dared to deny her a kiss.

    "How do I look? Do you think buying it for me is worth it?" Hera asked. Hunter looked at her with his curious eyes. "You look beautiful, and you made the dress look more than it''s worth it," he confessed without a hint of doubt. Hera grinned, nodding in appreciation.

    "You were telling something about deleting my dress. I wanted to see if your opinion changes," Hera said and gave him a single up-down eyebrow sh, a silent question. Hunter ran his tongue over his lips and looked thoughtful before replying. "You forgot the ''I want to do bad things with you'' part," he pointed out and snorted hisughter when Hera red at him in displeasure.

    "You always look beautiful. You don''t need pretty or fancy clothes to prove it, Goddess," Hunter stated in all seriousness.

    Meanwhile, Hera gave him a deer caught in headlights look.

    <em>''Oh, my! Why do I even mess with this maniptive genius? He always knows what to say.''</em>

    Hunter snapped his fingers, and Hera blinked in surprise,ing out of her thoughts.

    "Though the dress looks hot on you, I would still prefer deleting it. I bet you would look far more beautiful without it," Hunter said and winked at her. Picking a single rose from the bouquet, Hera threw it at him. "Of course you would want me naked," she said, scowling at him. Hunter''s amused chuckle filled the room. Hera pretended anger and looked away from him.

    "Awe, don''t be shy, Goddess. It''s only me. You don''t have to feel embarrassed. If it still makes you ufortable, you can always wear me on your naked body. I would look good on you," he stated, his arrogant tone held pride. Hera sighed in annoyance. "You''re risking your life right now, Hunter," she threatened but couldn''t tame theughter that followed when heughed in joy.

    Hera couldn''t help. Hisughter had always been contagious.

    Hunter beckoned her toe near, and she followed themand willingly.

    "So, do I look good enough for you to kiss?" Hera asked, fluttering her eyshes at him. Hunter smiled, winking at her. "You look good enough to worship both emotionally and romantically. I''m currently sexually destroying you in my head," Hunter said, shooting her another wink. Hera bit her lip and stared at him incredulously. Scooting over, she created distance between them again.

    "Oh, God! You''re such a perverted jerk of a husband," Hera said, mocking disgust on her face. "Not my fault when my wife keeps attempting to seduce me. I''m so helpless because you''re always so fucking sexy," he said usingly.

    "Seriously, shut up, Hunter," Heramanded.

    Pretending to ignore Hunter, she took a bite from the chocte bar and grabbed the box to keep the dress back in it.

    "You''ve seen the dress already. The groom is not supposed to see it until the wedding. It brings bad luck. So, I''m not going to wear it tomorrow," Hera said in a defined tone. Hunter rolled his eyes at that. "Who is teaching you all this nonsense? We haven''t followed this rule before. Why now?" He asked in a ridiculing tone. Hera gave him an unimpressed look.

    "I was a kid then, so I didn''t know about the traditions. Now we are grownups, and I want to do it in the right way," she said, her tone firm, daring him to disagree. Hunter scowled and shook his head, but before he could say something against her beliefs, Hera spoke, warning him.

    "Do you want to die today?" She asked, gritting her teeth.

    Pursing his lips, Hunter shook his head and gestured to her to open other gifts.

    Hera again started from the smaller gift box. She opened it to reveal thetest model of the Apple iPhone. Hunter watched every emotion expressed on her face while Hera gaped at the gift in her hands. Her eyes widened to their full size, and she grinned wide before looking at Hunter.

    "Whoa! Is it for me?" She asked excitedly.

    "What do you think? Why are you so stupid, Hera Hunter? Thest time I checked, it wasn''t my birthday today. Since it''s your birthday, it''s for you, I guess," Hunter said, shrugging his shoulders. Hera giggled and pinched his nipple in retaliation. Hunter groaned and swatted her hand away. "This is not how you express gratitude," he said in a disapproving tone.

    Hera smiled sweetly at him.

    She closed the distance and walked to him. Kneeling in front of him, she took his hands in hers. The purest form of a smile that never failed to capture his heart yed on her lips. She looked at him with so much love and affection.

    Hunter''s heart skipped a beat.

    Her eyes were like a gxy holding all the stars, moon and sun. He could get lost in them forever.

    "Thank you, Hunter, for lighting these many candles and bringing all the brightness into my life. I loved the fragrance too. It''s so lovely and soothing. Thank you for all the orchids and roses. They are as gorgeous as you are. Thank you for the sweets and for filling my heart with so much happiness," Hera said, thanking him sincerely.

    Hunter slid down from the sofa and joined her on the floor. Cupping her face in his hands, he wiped her tears. "Let them be. They are happy tears," she said. Hunter smiled, bringing their foreheads together. Hera didn''t miss when tears escaped his eyes. "You don''t have to thank me for anything, Goddess. It''s all yours," he dered.

 Chapter 180 - Let Her Keep Him

    "Thank you for the dress and the phone. Now I can text you, message you, call you and talk to you whenever I want," Hera spoke, expressing her gratitude from the bottom of her heart.

    The sound of Hunter''s happy chuckle made her pull away from the hug, and she looked at his charming face. "Yes, we needed it the most tomunicate when we are away from each other," Hunter said as he nodded in approval. Hera frowned at his choice of words. "Away from each other?" She questioned but got easily distracted when he smiled endearingly at her.

    "Come on, open your next gift," Hunter said, pulling her back to the table.

    Hera sat sideways on the floor, dragging Hunter to her side as well. She could guess one of the boxes out of the two was a cake. She brought it to the edge of the table carefully and drew out a chuckle from Hunter when she closed her eyes and sniffed the box before opening it.

    "I know it''s my birthday cake.. Just making sure that I guessed it right, okay," Hera said, reasoning her behaviour.

    There inside the box, she found another messenger note as soon as she opened it.

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Happy birthday. </strong></em>

    <em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Here''s wishing you all your favourite things wrapped in love and happiness. </strong></em>

    Hera moved to nt a quick kiss on Hunter''s lips and giggled when his eyes widened in surprise.

    "Thank you," she said. The smile wouldn''t leave her face, and she wasn''tining.

    "I know how fond you''re of sweets. Today I won''t tease you if you eat the whole of this cake. You know why? Because I made this cake for you," Hunter revealed while lifting the cake out of the box. Hera gasped in surprise and stared at Hunter. He frowned and looked at her sensing her eyes on him. "You made this cake?" Hera asked in disbelief.

    His frown deepened, and he bit his lip before scowling at her. "And what about it?" Hunter asked in an annoyed voice and cursed inwardly for disclosing too much information. Heraughed merrily at his flustered face. "You look sexier when you blush," she said, nting another kiss on his blushing cheek.

    His dimples winked when he pursed his lips tight in mock disapproval. Hera kissed his dimples one after the other.

    Hunter blushed harder, and Heraughed some more only to get shoved in the shoulder. Scowling all the while, he lit a candle with his lighter. "Make a wish and blow it," hemanded. Hera made a kissy face and blew him a kiss before closing her eyes. Joining her hands in a praying manner, Hera made a wish.

    <em>''Dear Lord, let me keep him forever. I wish no one, and nothing takes him away from me.'' </em>

    Hera opened her eyes and blew the candle. She turned her head to the side to look at him, only to discover him staring at her. Leaning forward, he ced his hand on the nape of her neck, and Hera willingly followed his lead as he pulled her closer. He kissed her eyelids one after the other. Gifting her his heart-winning smile, he gestured to her to cut the cake.

    It was a small, simple in chocte cake with lots of creams dripping out. Instead of writing happy birthday on the cake, Hunter had written: "Happy life to my love."

    "I can''t believe you made this!" Hera said while cutting the cake, surprise evident in her voice. "Evelyn and Jessica helped with the recipe and ratio of the ingredients, but it''s the fruit of my hard work in the end," Hunter replied, pridecing his tone. Hera''s smile and her gaze held appreciation.

    She cut the cake into sixrge pieces, and Hunter took the first one to feed her. "Hmm, yummy," Hera said, moaning with her mouthful. She didn''t miss how Hunter sighed in relief as if he was afraid she wouldn''t like it. "Jessica said I used too much sugar. I was afraid I might have ruined it," he admitted with a sheepish smile.

    Hera held his wrist in her hand and let him feed her the entire piece. She attempted to smile with her mouth full. Hunterughed at her cute face with her cheeks puffed out. "The more, the merrier. The sweeter the cake is, the yummier it would taste. I love it. It''s the best cake ever," Hera dered her verdict and kissed his cheek with her wet lips.

    "I''m d you approve, love. My hard work paid off atst," he said, grinning from ear to ear. "You don''t have to worry about the calories or putting on weight. I know a perfect way to keep you healthy," Hunter said, winking at her. Curious, Hera''s brows arched up.

    "You know, a research study confirms that kissing can burn two to twenty-six calories per minute. Andtely, I''ve noticed how you''re obsessed with kissing me. So, I don''t think you have much to worry about, Mrs Hunter," Hunter said, arrogance dripping from his tone. Hera snorted augh and rolled her eyes.

    She had already finished eating three slices and took the fourth one. Before Hunter could protest, she forcefully fed him half of the piece.

    "Zip your mouth shut and let me eat in peace," Hera scolded and went back to moaning with her mouthful. Hunter shook his head and grimaced in mock disgust. "Hope your poor tummy won''t get upset tomorrow. It''s our big day," Hera heard him mutter under his breath but conveniently chose to ignore him.

    Wiping her hands clean with the tissue, Hera opened thest gift.

    It was a double photo frame in silver.

    When she opened it, Hera gasped in surprise, and her breath hitched. Inside she found her picture framed on the left side.

    It wasn''t a picture. To be precise, it was Hera''s painting. Hunter had painted a ten-year-old version of her.

    It was a memory from her tenth birthday, a precious one at that.

    She was sitting on the bench in their school''s prayer hall. A pleased grin adorned her lips, eyes filled with pure affection, her head tilted up while she looked at him. He wasn''t there in the frame, but he had painted only his left hand cupping her cheek. It was when he gifted her anklet.

    Hera''s eyes watered as her heart reminisced the beautiful memory from that day.

    <em><strong>Ten years ago,</strong></em>

    Hera watched with a broad grin on her face as he bent down on one knee and lifted her foot to ce it on his thigh. Carefully, putting on the anklet on her left foot, he sped the links securely.

    "Keep it on until I put a ring on your finger and we get married officially. Treat it as a wedding band for now. Goddess, promise me you''ll never take it off?" Hunter asked her, looking into her forest-green eyes. Hera''s heart melted at his request. She could read the fear in his eyes that she would say no.

    Even ten-year-old Hera understood his thoughts. That''s how pure their love was. She could easily read his emotions in his panicked eyes.

    He was terrified of losing her.

    "I promise you, Hunter," Hera said with conviction.

    "If you ever take it off, consider me dead from that moment. Because it would mean that you don''t love me anymore, and I won''t live another second after that," Hunter confessed. "How can I not love you, Hunter? Didn''t you say God made us for each other?" Hera asked in return. Hunter grinned and stood to his full height. Cupping her cheek with his palm, he leaned down and kissed her forehead.

    Memories faded as Hunter wiped her tears with his fingers and brought her back to the present.

    "Thank you for not taking it off even after our supposed breakup," Hunter said. Hera pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly. "I tried, you know," Hera confessed in a low whisper. "But I couldn''t. It hurt so much, and the thought of losing you forever terrified me," Hera poured her heart out. "You''re mine to love or hate. I would never let you go," she vowed.

    "Aren''t we soulmates connected with hearts and souls? You said so, Hunter, on my fifth birthday," Hera reminded him with a teasing tone earning a charming smile from him. "You were such a charmer at that age, too," she said andughed. "I''m sorry for hurting you, Goddess. Please forgive me," Hunter said, kissing her tears away, and she wiped his tears with her fingers.

    "Oh, I forgot to tell you the real reason behind why I didn''t take it off," Hera said, demanding his attention. "This damn sp wouldn''t budge, you know. No matter how much I tried, it didn''t open," Hera said and giggled at his disappointed pouty face. "I thought you could detect it when I''m lying?" Hera said, teasing him again.

    She tickled him until he begged her to stop. His eyes watered fromughing so much, and Hera decided to show mercy.

    "You haven''t kissed me yet, you know?" She pointed out in a displeased tone. "Come on, now give me my birthday kiss," she demanded.

    Hunter scoffed at her.

    Hera red unimpressed.

    "You''re so outdated," Hunter said in a bored tone.

    "What? Why?" She questioned, gritting her teeth, hands on her hips, ready to fight.

    "Haven''t you heard of birthday sex?" Hunter asked. He lifted an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips taunting her.

 Chapter 181 - Please Stay

    She gave him a tight-lipped smile, trying so hard not to throw things at him. "You wish," she uttered in an unimpressed tone.

    "I do," his reply was instant, his tone suggestive.

    Throwing her head back, Hera let out a frustrated growl before eyeing him with a grimace. "You''re impossible," she said with a disapproving tone and shook her head. Sticking his tongue out, Hunter blew raspberries. "Guess you''re not getting that kiss then," Hunter said, shrugging with disinterest.

    The smug smirk on his lips and the amusement shimmering in his eyes provoked her anger further. He saw her clenching her fists and could tell she was grinding her teeth.

    Cautiously, Hunter took a step back, and Hera red, daring him to defy her. He took another step back, a smile on his face transforming into an amused grin as Hera measured his moves like a predator keeping its eyes on its prey..

    "Be careful with your dress," he warned while he kept walking backwards before turning his back to her and ran out of her reach. "Aw, how caring my Lucifer could get at times," Hera said sarcastically, but she heeded his advice anyway. Thoughtful, Hera looked down at her long dress. Holding the edge of it in one hand, she grabbed therge slice of the cake with her free hand.

    Hunter sprinted off while Hera chased after him.

    Therge bedroom appeared to be too small for their "catch me if you can" game. Hunter crossed the bed to move towards the balcony, but Hera climbed on the bed and jumped in front of him, almost catching him. He took a reverse turn and dodged her. Using the headboard of his bed as a shield, he waited for her next move.

    Hera moved, and Hunter leapt out, running for the balcony. She stood on the sofa and was about to throw the cake at him when Hunter lifted his finger in warning. Hera''s hand paused in mid-action.

    "Firstly, stop climbing on the bed and the sofa because you''re dirtying them," Hunter said, scowling at her. Hera arched her eyebrows before giving him the fakest smile, a message that she had all the intentions of defying him. She jumped to another sofa chair and raised her hand in the air, ready to hit him with the cake.

    "Secondly, I made that cake," Hunter reminded her, tone filled with usation.

    <em>''Fuck! Guilty, my lord! The devil knows how to manipte me, doesn''t he?''</em>

    Hera sighed and dramatically dropped her shoulders. Settling herself on therge sofa, she took a bite from the cake. Savouring the taste of the melting sweet on her tongue, Hera sensed himing near. She ignored him and licked her fingers when he took a seat beside her. She nced at him and rolled her eyes when he looked at her suspiciously.

    As soon as Hunter rxed in his seat, Hera jumped on him, forcing him toy down on the sofa. She smeared the cake on his face and took her revenge for denying her the kiss. Hunter groaned while sheughed, having fun at his expense.

    "Now let me taste my cake," she whispered conspiratorially and proceeded to lick his face clean. "It tastes better than before," she said, brushing her wet hot tongue on his cheek. She noticed how her boyfriend went quiet and smirked in satisfaction. "And now I im what''s rightfully mine," she said, attempting to steal her long-awaited birthday kiss.

    But to her disappointment, Hunter grabbed her shoulders and shoved her away before she could kiss him. It seemed he had used too much force while pushing her because it caused her to lose her bnce. Hunter''s reflex was quicker, and he pulled her back to him before she could fall off the sofa.

    Hera''s hand clutched his t-shirt, fingers curling around the material in a tight fist, and her other hand pressed against his crotch identally. It was an innocent move, totally unexpected and unintentional. They both knew it was more of a reflex action.

    Hunter cursed, groaning as if it hurt him.

    Hera''s eyes went wide, and she retracted her hand as if she got burnt.

    It did burn, though.

    He was hard and hot.

    Hera nced down at the growing bulge in his shorts.

    "Oh, my! Why didn''t I notice this? Of course, you would speak about birthday sex. This little motherfucker is turned on huh," Hera said, pointing to his crotch. She bit her lip, trying not tough, but the chuckle escaped anyway. Hunter red at her in distaste. Hera squealed when he moved swiftly and pulled her under him, changing their positions.

    Hera stared with herrge eyes while he hovered over her form.

    "Yes, Hera, the mother of my babies, this motherfucker is ready and eager to make love to you. But be careful with your words. You''re offending him because he''s the exact opposite of little," he said, his purple orbs piercing her green ones. Hera giggled as she lifted her head off the soft cushion. Suddenly she licked his lips, swiping her tongue over them, an invitation to kiss.

    As she expected, in the next second, Hunter crushed their lips together. He opened his mouth over hers and kissed her hungrily.

    "Your face is all sticky and dirty," Hera pointed out, earning a dirty look from him. "And who''s fault is that?" He asked bitingly, but there was no malice behind it. Hera grinned goofily and silenced him with another kiss.

    "Happy birthday," he whispered against her lips. "Shut up and kiss me properly. You''re not concentrating," Hera scolded, and Hunter rolled his eyes before following hermand.

    <em><strong>A whileter,</strong> </em>

    Hera basked in thefortable silence, waiting for her Hunter.

    Hunter came out of the bathroom, freshly showered and dressed in his grey shorts and dark blue T-shirt. He found her on the bed, dressed in his white pyjama bottom paired with his white T-shirt.

    His clothes looked oversized on her.

    A warm smile lit up Hunter''s face when she gazed at him.

    <em>''You''re my prettiest Goddess.''</em>

    She held her palm out, beckoning him to join her. Hunter moved in a trance, drawn to her like a moth to a me. She shifted, changing her ce to sit between his legs. Leaningfortably against his chest, Hera looked at the gift in her hands. Her fingers caressed the words written next to the painting on the other side of the double photo frame.

    <em><strong>Loving wishes to the one that makes my lifeplete.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Goddess Hera,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I love you more than you might know.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>You enrich my life so much that I can''t imagine experiencing it without you being in it. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Again, thanks foring into my life. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>PS. I n on being with you until forever ends. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Please stay with me. </strong></em>

    Hunter watched as her pointer finger moved under each line, and he knew she was reading it again and again.

    "Stay with me, Goddess," he voiced it out when she traced thest line. Subconsciously, Hera smiled while Hunter pressed his cheek to hers, wrapped his arms around her middle and rocked her in his embrace. She tilted her head and nted a soft kiss on his cheek.

    "I wish I could express my feelings in words as beautifully as you do. I fall short of words when you bare your heart with such honesty in front of me. I don''t know how or what to say to make you believe in my love," Hera confessed. Hunter moved his hand and ced his palm on her chest where her heart pounded. He felt her heartbeats skyrocketing and smiled against her cheek.

    "You don''t need to voice it out with words. I know it already. Your heart tells me what exactly you feel for me. I never doubted your feelings," Hunter admitted. Hera hummed and paused for a few seconds, seeming to be in deep thought.

    "And you''re so great with art. That Castenos guy, those Instagram fangirls of yours, and you, all of you are such talented artists. I feel so worthless inparison. I''m so nonartistic," Herained, feeling too frustrated. She bit the inside of his wrist when heughed at her. Hunter winced and tugged at her hair in retaliation. When Hera pouted in disappointment, he kissed her lips.

    "You''re not an artist because you''re the art. You''re my inspiration, my muse, my art," he said without missing a beat, and Hera blushed furiously at his deration. "Huh, maniptive Jerk. Why are you so good with words?" Hera asked, clutching the photo frame to her heart.

    Hunter freed the photo frame from her hands and carefully kept it on the nightstand.

    "Let''s sleep," he said.

    "I''m not sleepy yet," Hera replied.

    "Do you want me to y some music or read you a story?" Hunter asked. "Or I can teach you Maths," he offered without waiting for her answer. Hera turned her face to re at him, and Hunter''s shoulders shook in quietughter.

    "Sometimes I feel like strangling you," she muttered, and he hummed. "You can''t kiss me if I''m dead," he supplied helpfully, and Hera giggled her agreement.

    Her eyes fell on the scar on his thigh, and she frowned, running her fingers softly on it.

    "The scar looks so dark on your pale skin. Why didn''t the doctor go for the scar revision surgery?" Hera asked. Clearly, she wasn''t impressed by the said doctor''s efficiency.

    Hunter rolled his eyes at her question.

    "You sure are born to be my mother''s daughter-inw," he stated with an amused smile.

 Chapter 182 - She Could Never Be Wrong

    <strong><em>Fifteen Years Ago: </em></strong>

    Alexander remembered his conversation with Felicity before he agreed to spare Johnathan''s life.

    In their temporary bedroom of that rented vi, he found himself torn between staying with Felicity and going after Johnathan''s life.

    She was so fragile that she could hardly stand on her feet. Though Alexander couldn''t wait to kill Johnathan, he had to spare his life for a few more minutes. Right then, Felicity needed Alexander''s presence the most. Being the dutiful husband, Alexander chose to stay with her.

    Alexander''s eyes met Johnathan''s for a brief second before he shut their bedroom door close. Blood boiled in his veins, for he saw his enemy still breathing safe under his roof.

    As soon as he closed the door, he called Sebastian''s phone, instructing him to keep an eye on his culprit. .

    "I''m standing a few feet away from your bedroom door, boss," Sebastian said in an incredulous tone. He found it ridiculous speaking to Alexander over the phone when they were both under the same roof. Ignoring his jab, Alexander ordered not to kill Johnathan yet. Sebastian didn''t sound pleased to hear that. He spared a nce at the said prey and cursed.

    Shaking his head in disappointment, Sebastian reported about the Baresi brother''s new location. He had his eyes nted on Johnathan, measuring his every little movement. He didn''t shift his gaze off him, not even for a second, watching him like a hawk.

    "Where''s Deacon?" Alexander asked. Sebastian had yet to reach his cousin because the pest had gone underground. He couldn''t trace his location. Ashamed of himself, Sebastian informed him the same. "I don''t give a fuck, Romano. Wipe out the entire world if you''ve to and get me that son of a bitch. I want him at any cost, and I want that Motherfucker alive," Alexander barked into his cell phone.

    He noticed how Felicity flinched at his harsh tone. As soon as he realised she had been silently shedding tears, he ended the call. Setting his phone aside, Alexander hugged her tightly, kissing her head. He shushed her, whispering soothing words as he would do to his three years old son. Alexander wiped her tears clean from his shirtsleeve and kissed her on the forehead.

    "It''s my entire fault," she said, sobbing into his chest. "I lost her because of my negligence. She''s not here, is she?" Felicity asked, her voice full of guilt. Alexander shook his head in disagreement and wiped her tears. "Stop crying, Felci. It''s not your fault. Everything will be fine. I promise I''ll bring her back," Alexander assured, pulling the distressed Felicity more into his arms.

    She''d been crying, ming herself for Hera''s kidnap.

    Alexander wanted to march out of the room and slit Johnathan''s throat. The bastard managed to shatter her peace.

    "Do you think John is involved in this?" She asked with uncertainty. He could tell she was afraid of finding out the truth. Could he me her, though? Johnathan was their friend and stair''s brother. Alexander smiled sadly at her. "I know he''s involved in this as much as the Baresi brothers," he revealed, and Felicity nodded, believing his every word.

    "I don''t want you to kill him. Let him go, Alexander," she said. The firmness in her tone displeased Alexander, and he scowled at her.

    "Felci, you''re not thinking straight. Please let me handle this my way?" Alexander asked, half begging and half demanding. "Forgive him, Alexander, for my sake. Let him go for stair''s sake," she argued her way into convincing him.

    "stair has gone through so much. I don''t want to cause him any more pain. If you don''t let John go, he would know the truth. He will me you for everything, and I don''t want him to think you betrayed him. Let''s not hurt him, Alexander," she spoke logically. Alexander looked thoughtful for a few seconds, and Felicity found a small ray of hope.

    stair was no more on talking terms with them, and Alexander had not yet forgiven him for hurting him. But she knew Alexander would do anything for his best friend even though he was angry with him.

    "Felci, I haven''t found Hera''s location yet, and if I let him go before that, he''ll create problems. He could go and help my enemies again," Alexander voiced out his doubts. "Then let him stay with me. I''ll keep him here until you bring Hera back," Felicity replied in an instant. Alexander jumped to his feet, snatching his hands back from her grasp.

    He looked furious all of a sudden. Obviously, Felicity''s ridiculous suggestion triggered his anger.

    "Don''t be stupid, Felicity. I would never trust anyone else with your safety after this, let alone leave you in that bastard''s presence. He almost killed you," Alexander said in a shaky voice. Felicity shook her head in disagreement. "You don''t know that for sure, Alexander. He only drugged my coffee. Don''t judge him so soon," she said in a disapproving tone.

    Alexander knew she would adamantly stick to it when she gets defensive about something or someone.

    "Alright then, he''lle with us until I find Hera and then I''ll let him go," Alexander tried to bargain. Felicity reached forward to hold his hand, and he obliged, joining her on the bed. "Alexander, hear me out before reaching any conclusion," she said, requesting him. He nodded and waited for her to put forth her thoughts.

    "If I go with you, you''ll get distracted worrying about my safety all the time. I know I''ll be your priority undoubtedly," Felicity stated.

    Alexander waited for her to finish, a bit impatient though, but he listened.

    "Hera should be our priority, Alexander. I don''t want you to make any hasty decisions or mistakes and risk losing her. Let me stay back, and I''ll promise I''ll be careful. Nothing will happen to me, and I''ll make sure John wouldn''t leave until youe back," she said, hoping he wouldply with her advice. Her tired eyes widened as she tried to focus on his face.

    Alexander smiled and hugged her in a tight embrace. "Do you agree?" Felicity asked, unsure but hopeful at the same time. "I always knew how selfless you are. I''m so proud of you, angel," he said. Cupping her face in hisrge palms, he kissed her. Felicity reciprocated everything she felt and received from him, his kiss, his love and his pride.

    "You''ll never distract me from my mission, Felci. You''re my backbone, my strength, my light in the darkness, my saviour and my angel. If you don''te with me, then I''ll get distracted worrying about you," he confessed, gifting her a heartwarming smile. "Don''t argue with me on this, darling. I won''t survive if anything happens to you," he admitted without any remorse.

    Felicity knew it wouldn''t be easy to convince him, but she was never the one to give up. She kissed him with all her might before pulling away. Alexander frowned at her because something in her gaze tore at his heart. He felt as though she was telling him goodbye.

    "Think about our little boy and our baby girl, Alexander. One of us has to stay alive for them. If both of us died, what would happen to them? I want them to have at least one parent, if not both. What happens if you die protecting me? It''s not the time to be selfish. It''s time for sacrifice, Alexander," Felicity said and paused to breathe. She noticed how Alexander seemed speechless.

    <em>''He is considering my words.'' </em>

    "I know our parents would love our son to the moon and back. They would keep him safe no matter what. But what about Hera? They don''t know her, nor are they emotionally attached to her. She''s adopted, and I don''t want her to face any discrimination or unfairness in life," Felicity was saying, but Alexander''s tears made her pause.

    He was scared of losing her. He couldn''t trust anyone with her safety. Neither could he deny her anything, nor could he leave her behind. He would refuse her or disrespect her opinion, especially when she was speaking fair.

    His Felicity could never be wrong anyway.

    Wiping his tears, she shook her head,manding him not to lose hope. "Don''t be afraid, Alexander. It''s not like you''re parting with me forever or that you won''t see me again. I''m giving you my word that I won''t die in your absence, at least not until youe back. If I''m going to die, that would be in your arms," she vowed, a warm smile ying across her lips.

    Alexander still didn''t speak. Felicity pulled him into his embrace and rubbed his back with her hand soothingly while he silently shed tears.

    "I''ve promised Anna that I''ll love Hera like my own, but I can''t keep my promise if you don''t stand by me in this, Alexander. I still feel dizzy and weak and helpless. You would be ignoring everything to keep me safe. I don''t want that, Alexander. If anything happens to Hera, I would never forgive myself," she said, pouring her heart out.

 Chapter 183 - Soulmates Dont Leave Their Other Half Alone

    "I can''t, Felci. If you die, how will I survive? How would I take care of our babies when I wouldn''t be able to function myself? I would be dead both emotionally and physically," Alexander confessed, pleading with her like a child. "I said, I won''t die, Alexander," Felicity said, sounding annoyed. She let out an exasperated sigh. "You''re crying as if I''m already dead," she said, eyeing him with a scowl.

    "Let''s do this, Alexander. I''ll keep John upied and make sure he wouldn''t interfere or interrupt your mission. You go and bring our baby back. Let''s do this for Hera, for Anna. Please forgive John for stair''s sake," Felicity concluded, and she knew her husband wouldn''t be able to refuse her this time.

    She let him take his time. When Alexander kissed her aggressively, Felicity''s heart sighed in content. She had managed to convince him atst..

    <em>''Mission aplished.''</em>

    She smiled and listened to Alexander''s n as attentive as she could even though, losing her strength and feeling sleepy.

    "We''re leaving this ce," that''s all Alexander said before packing her things.

    Alexander never thought his fears would be true, and he would lose her for real.

    The car came to a sudden halt jolting him out of his thoughts. Dave, his driver, informed he made it to the hospital while others jumped out of the car, offering him help immediately. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind and brushed his forearm over his eyes, wiping the tears from his shirt sleeve.

    He looked down on hisp and checked her pulse once again.

    It was getting harder to find her pulse now, and his heart sank at the knowledge. But he vowed not to lose hope.

    Alexander hated the hospitals. Yet he couldn''t avoid entering one as fate seemed to enjoy torturing him in the worst way possible. It was a deja vu moment, and he cursed his luck for bringing him back to the same ce, forcing him to go through the same situation again and again.

    <em>''Like how many times I have to endure this fucking deja vu moment?''</em>

    He sat on the chair a few feet away from Felicity''s hospital bed as a nurse tended to his wound. He had only permitted her to clean his wound and stop the bleeding for the time being. The doctors demanded that he let them operate and take out the bullet for him to stay alive. But he refused and asked them to treat his wife first.

    He was not nning on going anywhere until Felicity came out of danger.

    He watched while Felicityid unconscious on the bed. The doctors prepared to proceed with their surgery. Alexander''s heart and his brain both kept begging for her life, praying to whatever divine power ruled the universe.

    He recalled how he had joked that they got hurt at the same time because they were soulmates. To his amazement, they both got shot at the exact spot in their chest. The doctors said they were lucky the bullet missed their heart by mere inches, and Alexander desperately prayed it didn''t damage any other organ inside her body.

    Alexander couldn''t fight against his injured body anymore and closed his eyes, permitting the darkness to engulf his consciousness.

    The softest pair of lips touched his forehead, and fingers delicately brushed through his hair. "Good morning, Alexander," a sweet angelic voice greeted him. Alexander forced his eyes open, and his angel presented him with her kindest smile. He blinked rapidly to get rid of the sleep and to make sure he wasn''t dreaming.

    He stared into her hazel eyes, basking in the warmth in them. They shone brighter than the diamond pendant adorning her slender neck. The smile ying on her full lips warmed his heart, soothing the pain he endured a while ago in his nightmare. Alexander''s hand reached out on autopilot, fingers running through the silky soft strawberry blonde hair.

    He closed his eyes and opened them again, praying and hoping the image wouldn''t disappear.

    He was grateful that she didn''t disappear. It wasn''t a dream. He cupped her face in his hands and let her hot breath fan his face, a reminder that she was breathing.

    "Seems like you''re dreaming about it again," his wife said, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the long sleeves of her nightgown. "You looked so scared. It''s okay. It was all in the past," she said, enveloping him in a protective embrace.

    Alexander tightened his arms around her in reflex.

    "Thank you for not dying on me that day, Felci. Thank you for staying by my side, and thank you for keeping your promise," Alexander expressed his gratitude from the bottom of his heart. Felicity smiled wide and brushed her lips against his in a soft kiss. "How could I? I would never go back on my words. You should know it better," she said in a disapproving tone.

    Alexander smiled, nodding his head. The one quality they both admire and respect about each other was that they never break their promise. They would never retreat their steps once they decide to stay by your side. No matter what, they would stand by their words.

    "And besides, soulmates don''t die and leave their other half to suffer alone. Don''t I know how my Alexander bes a lunatic without me by his side? Be grateful that I never leave you," she stated, tapping her finger on his chin, her tone yful. She might have said it like a joke, but Alexander grasped the hidden depth behind her words.

    They would never leave each other to suffer alone.

    "Don''t you get tired of uttering my name every ten seconds?" Alexander asked, a disapproving scowl appearing on his face. Felicity frowned at the sudden change in the topic as his question seemed out of context. She raised her brows at him, a silentmand for him to borate.

    "For someone who ims to be my soulmate, you never used any nickname for me. You know, to make me feel special? How would I know how much you love me? You hardly use terms of endearment for me," Alexander said in an using tone while his face turned down in disappointment. Felicity scowled and shook her head as if reprimanding a child.

    "You''re no different from my little trouble maker, always throwing a fit to get my attention," she said, yfully pping his arm and let out a long audible sigh as though she was exhausted from dealing with their childish tantrums. "And you know very well why I always address you by your name instead of nicknames. We have discussed this countless times, Alexander," she said, a displeased scowl directed towards him.

    "Yeah, right, I know, it''s your favourite name. I know how much you love Greek history and how much you adore their King Alexander," Alexander snapped, jealousy dripping from his tone. Felicity chuckled at his ridiculous antics. "Uh-oh, you said it wrong. He''s King Alexander The great," she corrected him, her voice and her eyes filled with amusement.

    Alexander scoffed in reply and looked away from her, but Felicity held his lower jaw in a firm grip, forcing him to look at her and cooed at him. "I can''t believe you''re jealous over a dead man who died in 323 BC," she said,ughing at him. "You even remember exactly when he died," Alexander pointed out with great displeasure.

    "Alexander, I love that name not only because it''s my favourite King''s name but also because it''s your name. I admire your courage and yourmitment. I adore your pure heart, and I appreciate your loyalty and dedication to your loved ones. I worship your soul for its selflessness. I love you so much. You are my Alexander the Great," she concluded, kissing him on the lips.

    Alexander grinned, satisfied at her deration, but she noticed how his eyes watered. "Huh, who knew, Alexander Hunter, the devil himself is a marshmallow from inside," she cooed and teased him for being so soft for her. He scowled at her in mock anger and pinned her to the bed. She let him kiss her to his heart''s content, but to his disappointment, she stopped him from further exploration of her body.

    "Now go back to sleep. It''s only five in the morning," Felicitymanded.

    "Why are you up so early then? Did I disturb your sleep?" Alexander asked, sounding guilty, an apology ready on his lips. She covered his mouth with her hand and shook her head. "No, you didn''t, Alexander. I couldn''t sleep, so just reminiscing about our happy days from the past," she answered.

    Alexander knew why she couldn''t sleep. How could she? It was Hera''s birthday, after all.

    He then noticed the photo albums on the bed, proof of their said happy days she was remembering.

    He sat upright and grabbed the photo album as the opened page showed theirst family picture with Hera in it. Felicity leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his middle.

    Alexander brought the photo to his lips and kissed little Hera.

    "Happy birthday, Sweetheart," they both wished her in unison. "Wherever you are, stay safe for Daddy," Alexander said, voice turning hoarse as emotions tore at his heart.

    "Be blessed with all the happiness in the world, my baby. We love you," Felicity whispered, tightening her hold on Alexander.

    She watched with her misty eyes while Alexander grabbed his phone from the nightstand and typed a text message.

    <em><strong>Happy birthday, Your Highness. I wish you to live a long, healthy life with your loved ones. I hope you''re happy without us. </strong></em>

    He passed the phone to Felicity and went back to the photo album while Felicity typed her message for stair.

    <em><strong>Happy birthday, stair. Stay blessed. We miss you. </strong></em>

 Chapter 184 - Its Okay To Be Selfish Sometimes

    Alexander smiled through the tears when Felicity kissed the side of his head. He had his head bowed and kept his eyes glued to the pictures. Felicity enveloped his face with her palms and forced him to look at her. Wiping his tears, she shook her head,manding him not to cry.

    "It''s not your fault, Alexander," Felicity stated as if she had read his thoughts.

    Whenever he turned back and looked at his past, not a single moment had gone when he had not found himself guilty by remembering Hera. He had failed to keep his promise to Mariana and couldn''t protect Hera. In the end, Alexander had lost her no matter how sincerely he tried.

    "Of course, it''s my fault, Felci. I sent her away because I thought I was going to die. You said it wasn''t the time to be selfish. It was time for sacrifice, but I selfishly chose to return without her because I was frightened of losing you.. I was so desperate toe back to you," Alexander confessed, tears now streaming down his cheeks in a steady flow.

    "No, Alexander, you sent her away because you thought we were both dying. You did it to protect her. You weren''t selfish," Felicity begged to differ as she thought she was at fault. "You came back to save my life because I couldn''t stay safe as I promised. I''m sorry, we lost her because of me. It wasn''t your fault," she argued, trying her best to reduce the burden of his guilt.

    "If only you stayed back with Hera," Felicity was saying, her voice breaking into a sob. Alexander turned to face her and shook his head frantically. His tear-filled red eyes red at her in disagreement.

    "Don''t ever say that, angel. How could I have note to you? If I had the chance to go back in time and change the past, I would still choose you. If it''s Junior instead of Hera, I would have still chosen you over him," Alexander said without any hesitation. If Alexander hadn''te back to Felicity, Hera would have been with him. He wouldn''t have to feel guilty that he failed in keeping his word given to Mariana.

    But would he have survived if he had lost his Felicity?

    "I know Hera is alive, and I''ll find and bring her home sooner orter. But If I had let you die, I would have lost everything. Without you, nothing has any meaning in life. I exist because you''re here with me, angel. Junior and Hera exist because of you. This family and we all mean nothing without you," Alexander confessed without any second thoughts, his voice filled with conviction.

    "Then stop ming yourself. Believe me, Alexander, I would have done the same if I was in your ce. I would choose you over everything. It''s okay to be selfish sometimes," Felicity said, pulling him into her embrace. She let him cry over her shoulder until his pain and guilt subsided while she silently wept along with him.

    They spent their early-morning hours reminiscing their happy memories with Hera. They had captured every little movement of baby Hera in those photographs. Hera''s smile, her toothless grin, the transparent teardrops running over her chubby cheeks, every little thing provided them immensefort.

    Felicity''s fingers grazed over the picture, caressing baby Hera''s tiny form ying on their huge bed. A wide toothless grin danced on her rosebud lips while she held her toes with her hands. Felicity remembered how little Hera giggled at Alexander when he blew raspberries, and she had captured the beautiful moment in her camera.

    Both Felicity and Alexander took a trip down memoryne together as another photo sequence in the albumpelled them to relive those moments.

    <em><strong>Felicity''s little trouble maker</strong></em> puffed out his chubby cheeks and pouted in anger while his hands crossed over his chest.

    "I don''t want her in our picture," little Hunter said. Felicity sighed in exhaustion for the ninth time. Her boy had been so bitter ever since they brought Hera home. She could understand it made him insecure to suddenly have a sibling and share his parents'' love with her. It wouldn''t be easy to ept a new member into a family all of a sudden.

    But it had been more than six months, and he still didn''t ept her as his sibling.

    "Sweetheart, you shouldn''t say that about your little sister. It''s a family picture, and we have to include her because she''s part of our family now," Felicity said, her voice sweet as honey. But like every other time, it didn''t work on her little boy. He was too clever for his age to get his mind manipted by someone.

    "No, she''s not part of my family. Stop lying, Mom. She''s not my sister," the little boy yelled in anger. It was hard to understand because of his lisp when he spoke too fast.

    Felicity was shocked to hear her little boy speak so rudely.

    It was getting worse day by day. In the beginning, he used to argue that Hera couldn''t be his sister because she didn''t look like him or his parents. He would adamantly hold on to the fact that Hera''s eyes were blue when none of his family members had blue eyes.

    Alexander would point out that even Hunter didn''t have his parents'' eyes. But the little devil was too intelligent, and he would fire back, saying he inherited his grandma''s purple eyes, which Hera didn''t.

    As the time passed and the blue eyes Hera was born with started to change into its permanent colour, it became easy to make him shut up as Hera''s eyes matched the shade of Alexander''s perfectly.

    "Look at her eyes, Junior. They match mine perfectly," Alexander said, showing how Hera inherited his green eyes. "Hence proved she''s your sister," he said with a broad grin on his lips. He was trying to distract him, but all in vain.

    "That''s because she''s a witch. She has changed her eye colour by magic. She knows sorcery, Dad," little Hunter said, ring at Hera.

    "Enough," Felicity shouted, startling both her son and her husband. "Who''s teaching you all these big words? Where did you learn it from?" She asked her son. "Oh, see, now you''re shouting at me because of her. You never did that before, Mom," Hunter said, throwing his shoes in different directions.

    Felicity exhaled through her mouth in frustration. She had had enough of his tantrums.

    "Behave, or I''m grounding you, little boy," she warned.

    "You don''t like me now," Hunter announced with a sad pout. Alexander noticed tears in his eyes. "She''s not even your real daughter, and you''re getting cross with me because of her. I hate her," he said, finally showing his tears to his mother.

    "How do you know she''s not my real daughter? Who''s filling all this dirt in your brain?" Felicity asked while Alexander signalled her not to get angry. He ced Hera in the crib and beckoned Hunter toe to him. The soft smile and the affection filled in his gaze won over, and their little boy hesitatingly followed his request.

    "Come here, Junior," Alexander carried his son in his arms and wiped the trace of tears from his fat cheeks before kissing them. "Why don''t you like her? She''s so tiny and so cute. You can y with her all the time and be best friends with her. You two can have so much fun together," Alexander said, trying to win his little boy''s heart.

    Little Hunter frowned, shaking his head in rejection.

    "I don''t need her because I already have a special friend and my girlfriend is strong and brave. Do you know she beats me in the running race? And she always beats Eric in arm wrestling," Hunter shared with his father. Pride oozed out of his tone while his eyes shone in amazement. Alexander smiled because his boy sounded so adorable when he spoke in a lisp.

    Meanwhile, Felicity''s jaw dropped as she gawked at her husband in shock.

    "He has a girlfriend? Why didn''t I know this? Who is she? How, when and where did he meet her?" She asked. Her every question was aimed at her husband while her green eyes red daggers at him as though she was the investigating officer and he was the guilty culprit. Alexander rolled his eyes at her overdramatic response.

    "I''m so sorry he''s bringing a bride home without your approval, and you didn''t get an invite to his wedding," Alexander said sarcastically. Felicity scowled in return, fixing him with a dirty look while the daggers in her eyes sharpened even more.

    Felicity was clueless about her son''s female friends. Her boy had always been shy with girls, and he would run and hide behind his mother''s tall frame whenever a girl looked at him for more than a second, let alone speak to him. So it came off as a shock when Hunter admitted he had a female friend.

 Chapter 185 - Their Only Weakness

    "Do you remember your doctor Sophia''s little daughter?" Alexander asked. Felicity remembered meeting an energetic little girl of her son''s age. She was a loud chatterbox but a cute one with blue eyes and blonde hair.

    "She goes to the same yschool," Alexander provided helpfully.

    "And what happened to your I don''t like girls, Mom?" Felicity asked, looking her son sharp in the eyes, imitating his lisp and baby voice. He bent his head, trying to hide his face as pink dusted the boy''s cheeks. "She''s not like other girls. Sunshine is pretty and smart," he said defensively.

    Both Alexander and Felicity arched their eyebrows up at the nickname. "I thought her name was Bianca," Felicity said in a teasing tone and cooed when little Hunter blushed again. "She said my name is too long, so she calls me Ace, and I call her Sunshine because she shines like Sun," Hunter exined in a cheerful tone. His parents shared a smile as he spoke animatedly while hisrge purple eyes gleamed with happiness..

    Hunter scoffed in displeasure when little Hera cried, interrupting their talk and stole his mother''s attention from him once again. His smile fell from his face, and he red at Hera before rushing out of the room, stomping his little feet on his way.

    Felicity let out a tired sigh looking at her son''s retreating form. However, Hera demanded her attention at the moment. She had pooped and was crying for her mother to clean her and change the diaper. To her relief, Alexander offered to help, and Felicity went after her mission to win over her little boy''s heart.

    Hunter was pretending to be asleep on his bed when his mother entered his room with a warm ss of milk in her hands.

    She lifted him into herp and rocked him in her arms, kissing his face everywhere. "Hmm, my baby boy is so yummy. Mummy monster wants to eat him. Can she?" she asked and pretended to bite his cheeks. Hunterughed when she made a chomping sound. "No, Mummy monster, don''t eat me, please," he yed along. "Will you be a good boy then?" She asked, mocking anger, to which her boy nodded earnestly.

    She handed him the ss of milk, earning a scowl from her son. She arched her eyebrows when he tried to push the ss away. "You said you''ll be a good boy," she reminded him, her tone held a subtle warning. He noticed she had added chocte to the milk and grimaced in disgust.

    "Too much sweet or chocte causes cavities," he stated in a disapproving tone. Felicity rolled her eyes at his intelligence. She added extra chocte to bribe him, but she forgot that her boy was not like other regr kids. "Oopsie, my mistake! I''m sorry, I''ll be careful next time," she said sheepishly and urged him to drink it.

    "I''ll buy you a new video game if you take pictures with Hera," she whispered in his ear and nodded when he eyed her suspiciously. After a few more attempts at coaxing him, she had aplished her mission.

    Standing on the dresser, Hunter watched his reflection while his motherbed his hair. Tucking his white shirt into the waistband of his ck trouser, she hummed in approval. "My baby is the most handsome of all," she dered and kissed his cheek.

    Hunter noticed they all were matching. Much like him, his father wore a white shirt with ck trousers. His mother had a white skirt with a ck sleeveless top on. Hunter nced at Hera through his narrowed slits to find her in white as well.

    Felicity sat on the red sofa, cradling Hera in her arms. She tilted her arms up so that Hera''s face was visible in the picture. She cooed while Hera giggled and kicked her legs in excitement.

    Alexander set the timer on his camera and hurried back to take his seat beside his wife with their little boy standing in between them. Hunter had his hands shoved in his trousers pockets, and he smiled at the camera. His parents were satisfied with his willing participation and grinned wide for the picture. They didn''t have to struggle much to make Hera smile because that baby couldn''t stop giggling, much to Hunter''s annoyance.

    They heard the click of the camera switch, and Alexander yelled his son''s name in disapproval while Felicity sighed in utter frustration because their little devil did something to piss them off again.

    Just before the camera captured them in its lens, Hunter turned around, showing his back to the camera.

    Felicity scowled, an unimpressed look directed at her husband. Despite all the annoyance and trouble their naughty, stubborn son puts them through, Alexander couldn''t stop hisughter from erupting out.

    "It''s your fault for assuming this little devil would listen and fall for your bribery. I mean,e on, you know him better, Felci," Alexander said in an amused tone. But Felicity didn''t find the humour in his sentence and scoffed at him. "Your son is such a handful these days. I''m going to get grey hair soon because of your boy, and you stopughing, Alexander. It''s not funny anymore," Felicity scolded him.

    Alexander shot an offended look at her.

    "Why is it that every time he does something against your wish, he suddenly bes only my son and not yours?" Alexander asked, aiming an unsatisfied re at her. Felicity eyed him as if he said the most absurd thing. "Who else should I me then?" She asked, sounding incredulous. "He took after your stubborn ass. It''s in your genes as if it''s a family tradition to disobey parents," she pointed out.

    Alexander shook his head in self-pity, and his face fell as he attempted to feign hurt. "Huh, how convenient! You don''t seem to remember that when he obeys your everymand or does something to please you. Then you''ll say, aw, my baby is such a good boy. He is my pride, my everything," Alexander said, mimicking her voice and rolled his eyes before lifting his shoulders in a dismissive shrug as he scoffed.

    Felicity bit back a smile and pointed her finger at the camera as she issued a wordlessmand for him to set it again. Sulking, Alexander muttered something incoherent under his breath.

    "Stop whining, Alexander. As if your son isn''t enough. I can only handle so much tantrums for the evening," she said sternly, and her husband huffed in disappointment but followed her order anyway.

    "Hey, you little trouble maker,e here," she said, pulling her son with his arm. Hunter tried to resist, but it seemed his mother was too strong inparison to his strength. His short frame went along with the drag, and Felicity hugged him to her side, still managing Hera in her arm. He eyed the little girl indignantly when she kicked him in the arm.

    "If you don''t listen and keep on stubbornly ignoring, then mummy will get angry, and she won''t talk to you," she said in warning. Little Hunter''s head whipped around with his little mouth turned down. He eyed his mother in disbelief. He looked betrayed and scowled at her. With a sad pout ying on his heart-shaped mouth, he hummed his response without showing any signs of protest anymore.

    Felicity smiled victoriously at her husband while her little boy straightened his posture, readying himself for the camera. Alexander nodded, giving her an impressed smile.

    "What could my poor boy do when you threaten him with not speaking to him? You know we father and son have only one weakness, and you ruthlessly use it against us, you cruel woman," Alexander said disapprovingly. Felicity smirked, arrogantly arched an eyebrow up while bringing her fingers close to her mouth and blew air on the nails.

    "Last time I checked, a cruel woman is not the definition of an angel. Would you make up your mind, Mr Alexander Hunter? Am I your angel or cruel woman?" She asked in a bored tone, feigning disinterest. Alexander pressed his lips together, pulling them inward and held his hands up in surrender.

    "You are my angel, Felci, no matter how cruelly you torture me every time," he said, admitting his defeat. "You rule, and I am at your service, angel, until myst breath," he confessed with his fist crossed over his heart, a promise he would keep. Felicity grinned and nodded in approval.

    They took many pictures in different poses, changing their seats and their positions. Felicity couldn''t hold back herughter when she noticed how her little boy was effortlessly faking a smile for the camera. She shook her head and ruffled his hair affectionately.

    "You''re not fooling me, you little devil. I want a real smile," she said, tickling him. The melodious sound of little Hunter''sughter filled the room as well as her heart.

    Finally, Hunter agreed to carry Hera in his arms and pose for the camera. He had his parents seated on either side, each of them helping bnce Hera in his hold.

 Chapter 186 - Hell Protect Her

    Felicity couldn''t stop grinning from ear to ear. It was the first time her boy took Hera in his arms. She beamed at her little family while Alexander busied himself, packing his camera safely back into its case.

    Suddenly Hunter screamed in horror. Startled, Alexander almost dropped his camera. He rushed to his son while Felicity hugged her little boy to her chest immediately.

    "What''s wrong, baby?" Felicity asked, concern dripping from her voice. Husband and wife both looked at their son, worry filling their eyes. Hunter had tears in his eyes, and his face flushed red. He blinked, and the fat teardrops rushed out of his eyes, running down his rosy cheeks. "What happened, Junior?" Alexander asked in a soft tone.

    "She peed on me," he said, his adorable face scrunching in disgust.. Felicity sighed in relief while Alexander rolled his eyes. "You forgot her diaper, Felci," he stated the obvious, scolding her for being careless. But Felicity had no time to reply as her son pushed Hera out of hisp in disgust. She jumped to her feet in an instant and caught Hera in her arms before she could get hurt.

    "I don''t like her. She''s a dirty baby. Throw her out, throw her out. I hate her," Hunter screamed in anger, roughly wiping his tears from his cheeks using his knuckles. His angry outburst scared Hera and made her cry. Felicity busied herself by rocking Hera in her arms, whispering sweet nothings to make her stop crying.

    Meanwhile, Alexander stood in stunned silence. His son was ring at baby Hera with his tear-filled eyes. For a three-year-old kid, the anger burning in his eyes was too much. He looked furious, and it scared Alexander. He softly called his name, but the boy didn''t take his eyes off Hera, nor did he hear his father addressing him.

    Alexander knew only his wife could tame the boy when he was angry. He would listen to no one else. But Felicity didn''t pay any attention to him as her main priority was to make Hera stop crying. Being ignored by his mother only made Hunter more enraged, and he knocked the vase on the coffee table. The ss shattering on the floor startled his mother.

    Hunter ran out of the room before his mother could say anything.

    "The situation is more sensitive than we thought, Felci. We should be more careful and handle it wisely. You put Hera to sleep, and I''ll talk to Junior," he said and followed his son to his room.

    Hunter was in the bathroom, sitting naked inside the bathtub. His clothes were all carelessly discarded on the floor. Alexander''s heart broke at the sight of his little boy sobbing, hupping in-between. He had his head buried between his knees while hands sped around his legs tightly.

    Alexander walked inside, careful enough to not startle the little boy. He sat on the edge of the bathtub and ran his fingers through Hunter''s hair affectionately. The upset boy swatted his hand away rudely. Smiling, Alexander slid into the bathtub and shifted Hunter to hisp. Wrapping his arms around his boy, he kissed the side of his head.

    "It''s okay, Junior. I''ll help you clean. Let''s shower together," he said in a requesting tone. "Mom didn''te to help me take a bath. She doesn''t love me anymore. She only loves Hera now," Hunterined. He turned over his shoulder to look at his father. "She''s so dirty, Dad. Why does Mom like that bad girl so much?" Hunter asked.

    "Mom loves you the most, Junior, and I love you too," Alexander said assuringly. "And Hera is not a bad girl. All the babies do that dirty thing when they are small. You did that too. Do you know you always pissed on my suit when you were a baby every time I got ready to leave for work?" Alexander shared with his son, an amused chuckle following right after.

    "I did?" Hunter asked in surprise and scrunched up his nose in a grimace at the revtion while his father kissed his chubby cheeks.

    "Babies need more attention because they can''t take care of themselves. That''s why Mom gives Hera more of her time, but it doesn''t mean she loves you less now," he said, hugging his son tighter to his chest. "You can ask your girlfriend to meet Hera. She''ll be happy to have another girl in your group," Alexander said, trying to change Hunter''s bad mood.

    The little boy scoffed at his father.

    "We don''t need another girl because I already have another girlfriend, and Evie is pretty as a princess. Do you know her mommyes on tv? She ys in movies," Hunter said excitedly. He forgot his anger for the moment as he spoke about his friends. His eyes shone brighter as they widened in wonder.

    Alexander nodded, feigning surprise. Hunter got easily distracted and let his father bathe him. When both father and son got ready and joined Felicity in the living hall, Hera was fed and fast asleep in her crib.

    Felicity opened her arms for her baby boy inviting him for a hug which he reluctantly obeyed.

    "I''m sorry I forgot Hera''s diaper. It was entirely my fault," Felicity apologised, rocking her son in her arms. "Hmm, you smell so nice," she pointed out, inhaling deep. Hunterughed when she nuzzled her nose into his neck. "I wore your new perfume," he informed his mother. "I don''t want Hera''s pee to make me smell bad," he said in a disgusted tone.

    "Hey, I''m hungry. Can we have our food now?" Alexander asked, changing the subject, and Felicity smiled in gratitude.

    Hunter sat on his mother''sp and enjoyed his food while she hand-fed him.

    "Do you love me, Mummy?" He asked, anticipating a positive reply from his mother. She felt guilty hearing the doubt in his voice. "Of course, baby. I love you the most," she said with all honesty. Pleased, Hunter smiled big.

    "More than Hera?" Hunter asked. Felicity left a soft kiss on his cheek before feeding him another bite. "Yes, more than Hera because you''re my first baby. You called me mummy first," she said, pridecing her tone.

    "Do you love me more than Daddy?" Little Hunter asked, looking at his father, an unimpressed scowl ying on his face. Alexander raised his eyebrows at Felicity, and she bit back a smile. "I love you more than everyone and everything in this world. You''re my favourite," she admitted pecking his cheek again.

    "And you''re my favourite too," Alexander stated, ruffling Hunter''s hair. Hunterughed, delighted and satisfied with their confessions.

    "Now that you''re a big boy, I don''t have to worry about your Mom and Hera. You can protect them when I''m not at home," Alexander said, and Hunter nodded enthusiastically. "You can beat all the bullies who trouble Hera. What a good big brother you will be," Alexander added in an impressed tone. Hunter eyed his father suspiciously at that.

    "Promise me, Junior, you''ll always keep her safe and protect her from every evil," Alexander asked his son. He was trying to make him ept Hera''s presence in his life somehow, and it seemed working for the time being. "I promise, Dad. I''ll always protect her," Hunter agreed without any protest.

    Felicity smiled at her husband in appreciation. "I''m impressed," she mouthed secretly to him.

    They both spent their whole day confessing how much they loved their son and how proud he makes them.

    That day, Hunter never red at Hera in anger again. But he refused to touch her no matter how much his mother insisted. He silently watched while Felicity crooned Hera into sleep with a luby.

    "I''ll protect her, but I still don''t like her," he whispered into his father''s ear before falling asleep too. Hunter slept on his father''s chest, listening to his mother''s angelic voice. Alexander sighed in defeat. It wasn''t as easy as he thought to convince his stubborn son after all. A smile crept into his lips at his son''s promise nheless.

    With a goodnight kiss to both their children, Alexander shifted Hera into her crib before carrying Hunter into his room.

    Alexander couldn''t get enough of his Felicity. He was kissing her greedily while she tried to keep up with his speed and eagerness. He carried her in his arms without breaking the kiss and carefully ced her on the bed. Alexander pulled away from her lips, immediately peppering her jaw with butterfly kisses.

    Felicity moaned in appreciation and looped her arms around his shoulders to pull him more into her. They were in the middle of making love when the baby monitor in the nursery went off, startling them both.

    Alexander sighed in self-pity while his wife slipped away from their bed.

    He couldn''t sleep a wink yesterday as Hera stayed awake the whole night. He wanted Felicity to rest, so he had to take charge.

    "We just put her to bed," he whined. Felicity giggled and righted her clothes before leaving the room. With a helpless groan, he followed her to baby Hera''s nursery.

 Chapter 187 - She Has To Do Something For Him

    Suddenly, Felicity''s feet halted, and Alexander walked straight into her. He was mindlessly following her without focusing on where he was going. His wife withdrew her steps back and signalled him to be quiet. Surprised to find her little boy in the nursery, they both watched from the door.

    Little Hunter looked at the baby in the crib. Her eyes were wide awake, and she stared at him without blinking. "Do you ever sleep, stupid girl?" He muttered disapprovingly before reminding himself why he came into her room. He eyed the little pink pillow in his hands and scowled.

    "This colour is ugly, and I don''t like it. But it''s still my favourite because it''s grandma''s gift and soft like mummy''s hands. I''ll give you this if you stop crying all the time. Sleep well, and don''t disturb my mummy''s sleep from now on," he said in a firmmanding tone..

    Felicity and Alexander couldn''t hear him clearly. He was talking to her in a hushed tone. It didn''t help that Hunter still spoke with a slight lisp. So it was difficult to grasp what exactly he was saying.

    Baby Hera grinned with her toothless mouth wide open, and little Hunter looked at her, intrigued by her big green eyes. They shone like those big stones he had seen in his mother''s diamond workshop. He was fascinated by the colour of her eyes, and they twinkled under the light just like how stars gleam in the dark sky.

    "You''re pretty," he noted. Hera kicked her legs excitedly and giggled as if she understood the praise. Hunter immediately frowned in disapproval and added, "but not prettier than my mummy." Hera banged her legs against the crib mattress faster and harder than before, her giggles getting louder.

    All he could see was herrge rounded forest green eyes.

    <em>''She has such beautiful eyes.''</em>

    Hunter concluded, and his smart brain decided he had to keep her to himself. Well, didn''t his father say he should protect her from the bullies?

    He lifted the pillow with both his hands and was about to put it inside her crib when he heard his mother calling for him. Startled, he dropped the pillow and took a few steps away from the crib. He noticed how his mother rushed inside, and her voice sounded angry. His father followed his mother, and in his hurry, he almost broke the camera kept on the small table.

    Alexander caught the camera before it could hit the floor. Felicity had kept it in Hera''s room because she would take pictures of Hera now and then whenever her baby girl giggled or blew raspberries.

    Meanwhile, their son red at the camera. He hated it when his mother took Hera''s pictures.

    <em>''Why doesn''t mummy take pictures of you when you''re pooping? I''m sure you''ll look more pretty when you cry and poop.''</em>

    Hunter thought sarcastically.

    "Junior,e here," he heard his father calling him. He sounded angry too.

    The little boy couldn''t think or remember what wrong he did this time.

    His little brain couldn''t have imagined that both his parents thought he was about to suffocate Hera to death with that pillow.

    Felicity raised her voice when her little boy didn''tply immediately. rmed by the anger in her tone, Hunter took a few steps back. He wasn''t afraid of her. Both Alexander and Felicity knew nothing scared their little trouble maker. If anything, he seemed more determined to defy his mother at that moment.

    Noticing the confused look on the little boy''s face, his mother decided to soften her approach. Passing Hera to Alexander, she knelt before Hunter and took his hands in hers. She smiled warmly, assuring him that she wasn''t angry.

    "What were you going to do with that pillow?" Felicity asked. The slight hesitation in her tone revealed the worry and fear she tried to hide. Felicity hadn''t taught her boy how to lie. She was afraid of hearing her son''s reply and hoped it wouldn''t turn out to be what she suspected.

    Her little boy smiled adorably at her, his dimples adding more charm to it.

    "I''m not stupid, Mom. I know where to ce the pillow. I was going to gift my favourite pillow to her, but now I''ve changed my mind," little Hunter said, scowling at the giggling baby in his father''s arms. Felicity sighed in relief and smiled at her boy. She looked at Alexander, and both of them held the same guilty look in their eyes.

    She ruffled the boy''s hair in adoration and asked him why he changed his mind.

    "I can give it to her, and now that I have decided to let her stay with us," the little boy was saying, and his mother eyed him suspiciously with her narrowed eyes. "She has to do something for me too," the boy said with a determined tone while his parents exchanged looks. "What is it, Junior?" Alexander asked in a soft tone, encouraging his son to go ahead.

    "She has to marry me and be my wife. Then only she can stay with us forever," their son answered while both of them stared at him in stunned silence. Little Hunter had rendered them speechless alright.

    Felicity came out of the shock first. Biting her lip, she took a deep breath and reminded herself to stay calm. Felicity rubbed her palms on her side as if to straighten her clothes.But Alexander knew the signs when she felt nervous.

    "It''s okay, angel. Don''t lose your patience. It''s not the first time he''s creating trouble. He''s our little trouble maker after all," Alexander said in a low whisper and smiled, trying to appear as undisturbed as he could about theplicated situation. "You can handle it. Don''t forget he''s just a kid," he said, warning her.

    Felicity nodded.

    <em>''Dear Lord, where does this boy get such notions?''</em>

    The deep sigh she let out was audible.

    "You can''t marry her, baby, because she''s your sister," Felicity stated. "It''s wrong to think of your sibling in such a manner," she said, trying to educate her boy.

    "Did you carry her in your tummy as you carried me?" Hunter asked. Hisrge purple eyes were round, and he stared at his mother. "I know you didn''t," he answered himself. "How can she be my sister if she didn''t share your tummy with me?" He asked his mother, eyeing her with an unimpressed scowl.

    Felicity read the unspoken question her son''s judging eyes screamed at her, loud and clear. "How could you be so dumb?"

    "Why doesn''t his little brain work as per his age? Why does he have to be so smart?" Felicity asked her husband. Alexander bit back a smile while she threw her hands up and grumbled in defeat.

    "Nor did you push her out of your vagina as you pushed me out," Hunter spoke again. Felicity gawked at him, speechless.

    "Oh, my God!" She cried in disbelief while Alexander gaped at his son. rmed, he shook his head and held his hands up in surrender when his wife red at him usingly. "I swear I''m not your culprit," he rushed to offer his defence.

    "Who told you this, baby boy?" Felicity asked her son, adopting the softer approach.

    "Uncle Thomas said the babyes out of mother''s vagina when she pushes them out from her stomach, and I know you never kept her in your tummy," Hunter said and turned his back to them. "She can never be my sister," he dered. Both husband and wife watched while their son stubbornly walked to the bed and climbed on it with the help of a small stool kept at the foot.

    Little Hunter crossed his arms over his chest and turned his face to the side to avoid looking at his parents.

    Alexander bit back a smile and watched while Felicity scowled in displeasure. She spread out her hands as if she had no exnation. "Sooner orter, I''m going to kill Thomas," she muttered.

    Suddenly, Alexander''s phone went off with an iing call interrupting their little family feud. As soon as he saw the name on the screen, Alexander''s eyes went wide, and he muttered something under his breath before receiving the call.

    "Hey, Thomas," he greeted but couldn''t hear his friend''s reply because his wife snatched the phone from his hands to put him on the speaker.

    "Uh-oh, seems like it''s not Uncle Thomas'' luckiest day," Alexander whispered to baby Hera, and she giggled at him enthusiastically.

    "Asshole, what are you teaching my boy? Why does he know how a baby takes birth? And he knows to pronounce vagina. Thomas Costa, I''ll kill you if you don''t mind your tongue around my boy," she screamed into the phone.

    "Ah, what a hypocrite you''re, Felicity Hunter," Thomas replied, his tone matching her rude one equally.

    Before Felicity could open her mouth to cuss at him, Thomas spoke again.

    "You just greeted me by addressing me as an asshole, and you''re offended because I taught my Godson how babies are born. Did you forget that you''re the one who curses the most in our gang? It''s you who needs to mind their tongue around kids," he said, scolding her. The ridiculing tone he used only fueled her anger more.

    Alexander cleared his throat to get her attention. "Felci, you''ve put the phone on speaker, and you''re cursing," he said, pointing at their son.

    Gritting her teeth in utter frustration, she took a deep breath.

    "Can you exin why my son knows what a vagina is?" She asked, forcing the words out of her gritted teeth.

 Chapter 188 - Best Friends Share Everything

    "He wanted to know how babies are born. Technically speaking, the vagina is the only decent word I could think of because pussy would sound more vulgar. What am I supposed to do?" Thomas asked in an incredulous tone.

    "God, why am I friends with such idiots?" Felicity muttered in annoyance. "Could you not have made some story like a fairy or an angel brings them to earth or something like that?" She asked, losing her patience bit by bit. "Who told you to use the exact meaning or the facts?" She scolded.

    "You want me to lie to my godson and tell him that the stupid nonexistent fairiese and drop the baby into mother''sp when she''s asleep?" Thomas asked, sounding offended. "I''m anything but a liar," he said defensively. Felicity snorted at his admission. "Mr Thomas Costa, we both knowwyers are nothing but experienced professional liars, like literally," she stated.

    Felicity rolled her eyes when Thomas yelled in objection..

    Meanwhile, Alexanderughed at Felicity''s deration.

    She watched him walking to the bed with Hera in his arms to join Hunter. As soon as he ced her on the bed, Hunter looked at her through his peripheral view and moved away, creating distance between them.

    Felicity narrowed her eyes and widened them the next second in rm as an absurd thought crossed her mind.

    "Thomas, please don''t tell me my boy knows the baby-making process too," she requested, almost close to begging and heard Thomas snort from the other side of the phone. "Don''t be ridiculous, Felicity. I''m not stupid," he replied, and Felicity could imagine him scowling at her.

    "I know my boys are too young to learn that information. I have to wait a few more years to teach them about the magical art of making babies," Thomas said more to himself. Felicity shook her head and sighed into the phone. "Thomas, you don''t know what you''ve done. My boy wants to marry Hera now that he knows I didn''t push her out of my vagina," she snapped at him, tone filled in indignation.

    She heard Thomas utter, "Oh," and then a secondter, he hummed as if analysing what she said.

    "Do you want me to teach him about incest and why we don''t entertain the context?" Thomas asked in all seriousness. Felicity muttered a curse and slumped on the sofa, sighing in utter frustration.

    "I miss stair so much. My only sane and sensible best friend," she stated, looking at Alexander.

    "Hey, don''t mention that asshole''s name, Felicity. We don''t take his name in this house. He doesn''t deserve to be in our conversation, and you know how much I hate him," Thomas responded, his tone of voice filled with resentment.

    Alexander locked his gaze with Felicity after listening to Thomas''s admission. It was easy to assume and pretend that stair was busy in his princely duties, and hence they couldn''t meet. The more they ept reality, the more it bes hard to digest it. The truth was always bitter.

    "Don''t say that, Thomas. stair doesn''t deserve this much hate," Felicity said as the smile on Alexander''s face faded into nothingness.

    "He deserves it, Felicity. I hate him for turning his back on us. How could you still consider him as our friend after what he did? I will never forgive him for choosing his title over us," Thomas said, venom filling his voice. Felicity pursed her lips in disapproval even though Thomas wouldn''t see it. "Anna did the same, but I never saw you, spitting this much hatred for her," she stated.

    Felicity thought it was unfair to take sides, and Thomas had clearly decided to let Mariana off the hook. It was true that Mariana also turned her back to them. She never once looked back to check on her friends, let alone worry about Hera. Sometimes Felicity couldn''t help but me her for abandoning Hera.

    She supported Mariana''s decision when she decided to move on from the past, but Felicity had hoped that she would want to meet Hera shortly. She waited for Hera''s biological mother toe back for her baby once she got over her bitter past. But unfortunately, to Felicity''s disappointment, that day never came.

    Alexander still kept tabs on her, though. As per his knowledge, Mariana was safe and happy. Her life was back on track, back to normalcy. She went pursuing her career as a fashion designer, and she was dating a movie producer if rumours were to be true.

    "Hey, don''tpare Anna''s situation with stair''s. And let me remind you that even you forgave her without much hesitation because we both know she is the victim in this," Thomas stated. At this point, Felicity''s anger was taking over her tolerance level. "You say it as if stair is the culprit, Thomas," Felicity said indignantly, forcing the words out through her gritted teeth.

    "Isn''t he, though?" Thomas asked rhetorically, disappointment coating his voice. "I hate it so much when you fight with me to defend that asshole. It almost makes me wish Alex married Anna instead of you. After all, she loved him first. She was crazy in love with him before you entered the picture. You and stair would''ve made the perfect couple, the best pair of assholes," Thomas snapped at her.

    The using tone he used only intensified Felicity''s anger. She gripped the phone in her hand, knuckles closing around it tightly as if to crush the instrument into pieces. She wished it was Thomas''s neck instead so that she could choke him to death. Her chest heaved as she inhaled and exhaled in utter fury.

    Alexander''s head shot up, and his eyes went wide in rm at what his best friend said. "What the fuck!" He cursed, and Felicity heard him loud and clear, but she didn''t look at him. Thomas''s words kept ringing in her ears. Alexander could almost see the invisible smoke rushing through her ears and nose. She was that angry.

    "You fucking cunt, you piece of shit, what did you say?" Felicity barked into the phone. She heard the shuffling on the other side before Jessa''s sweet voice chimed in. "Hey, best friend, greetings," Jessa said, faking too much cheerfulness, but she couldn''t fool Felicity with her fake enthusiasm.

    "Did you hear what he said, Jessa? He said Alexander should''ve married Anna," Felicity yelled incredulously. She keptining and whining like a child, which made Jessa smile. She could guess from where Hunter got his tantrums and anger issues. Felicity could match the tantrum level of a toddler sometimes.

    "I hate him so much, Jessa. Promise me you''ll make him sleep on the couch tonight," Felicity asked. Before Jessa could reply, Felicity heard Thomas''s voice first. "Ah, jokes on you, Felicity. Jessa loves it and enjoys it too much when we do it on the couch," he said informatively. Thomas groaned in protest, and Felicity knew Jessa smacked him on the head.

    "Aw, you two bickering buddies are so cute. It must be so much fun to be petty all the time," Jessa said sarcastically and rolled her eyes. "Hey, do me a favour, both of you. Please don''t drag me into your silly fight," she said, scolding them both. All the yfulness was gone from her voice.

    "It''s not a silly fight," both Felicity and Thomas yelled their objection simultaneously, both their voices and tones in sync.

    Alexander shook his head in ridicule at their fight. He could tell Jessa was doing the same.

    "It''s not my fault, Jessa. He''s the one who always starts the fight," Felicity said in her defence when Jessa started to scold them both for being so immature. "You don''t know what I''ve to deal with because of him. He''s corrupting our boys'' innocence. Do you know my son wants to marry Hera?" Felicity asked, sounding exhausted already.

    Jessa turned to her side to re at her husband when Thomas snorted. He took the phone from her hand even though it was on speaker.

    "Huh, stop acting like you''ve to carry the burden of the whole gxy on your shoulders. You don''t deal with half of the shit I go through every day," he said to Felicity. "The other day, your boy was asking if he and Eric could marry the same girl because they are a group of three boys and two girls. Being his godfather and Eric''s father is not an easy job, you know," he admitted sounding tired.

    Jessa eyed him suspiciously.

    Felicity went quiet.

    Alexander seemed tensed and dreaded to hear the question that he knew would follow in a second.

    "What did you answer him, Thomas?" Jessa asked, much to Alexander''s displeasure.

    "What do you think?" Thomas shot back. "He looked so hopeful I didn''t have the heart to disappoint him. How can I resist his puppy eyes and pouty lips? I can never say no to my boys," Thomas said, affection filled in his every word as he envisioned little Hunter and Eric''s cute faces. He smiled and nodded to himself.

    "So I said since they are best friends and share everything, it''s okay to marry the same girl. For now, it''s decided Michael will marry Evelyn, and our boys will marry Bianca, and they will stay together forever," Thomas said, feeling self-satisfied with his smartness. He sounded so smug about his skill of handling kids.

    "Oh, boy," Jessa muttered, feeling speechless. She didn''t know whether to admire her husband for how much he loved their boys or tough at him for his silly way of handling kids.

 Chapter 189 - He Wants A Pretty Wife

    "That''s it. I''m getting a restraining order. Jessa, he''s not allowed near our boys from now on," Felicity dered.

    Thomas rolled his eyes before sneering at her.

    "Do you think you can keep your son away from his godfather? I like to see you try. And for your information, I''m both biologically and legally Eric''s father. You can''t keep me away from him either. In case you''ve forgotten, I''m the one with a degree inw," Thomas stated, a bit too smug for Felicity''s eptance.

    Jessa felt the tug at the hem of her pyjama shorts and looked down to see her little boy staring up at her face with his sleepy eyes. She bent down and scooped the boy up into her arms and kissed his cheek.

    "I want to cuddle mummy and sleep," Eric said, wrapping his chubby arms around Jessa''s neck.. "I brushed my teeth all by myself," the boy stated proudly, his blue eyes wide as he looked into his mother''s eyes that matched his. The minty freshness of the toothpaste fanned Jessa''s face when her son grinned and nted a kiss on her cheek.

    "Aw, my baby is such a good boy," Jessa said, weaving a few more words of praise. She noticed the stain of excess toothpaste on his clothes and sighed. "How much toothpaste did you spill?" She asked. Her little boy giggled, his little palm covering his mouth while he did so. Jessa red at him yfully.

    Meanwhile, Felicity and Thomas continued their bickering.

    "Is it my fairy godmother?" Eric asked when he heard Felicity''s voice. Jessa nodded. "Are my daddy and fairy mummy fighting again?" He questioned again, his eyes wide in curiosity. "Why do they always fight?" He asked again.

    Jessa let out a tired sigh.

    "Mr Eric Costa, I''m d and proud that my sensible genes dominate your DNA, but please, can you not ask so many questions all the time?" Jessa pleaded. Her son had the habit of digging deep and dissecting every little detail thoroughly. Sometimes it would appear as though she was witnessing a cross-examination in the courtroom.

    Eric was one curious, intelligent boy. Well, who could Jessa me? After all, he was born out of the union of two expert attorneys.

    She carried him to his room and changed his wet clothes. Eric grimaced at the pink pyjama suit she picked from the closet.

    "Mummy, I told you I don''t like this colour," the boy whined while his mother cooed at him. "My baby looks cute in this," Jessa said, pulling the top over his head.

    "Why are fairy mummy and daddy fighting?" Eric asked again.

    Jessa pursed her lips. It seemed she had no chance of escaping the cross-examination.

    "They are not fighting, baby," she said. Her smart boy scoffed in disapproval. "Why are you lying? Fairy mummy says it''s bad manners. She will be a monster mummy and will eat us if Ace and I lie," he said. Jessaughed at his scolding tone.

    "I don''t know about your monster mummy, but if your dad doesn''t ept his defeat and stop annoying Felicity, sooner orter, she will eat him for sure," she said more to herself and closed the door to Eric''s room to block the voices of her husband and her best friend.

    On the other side of the door, Thomas scoffed. "See, this is why I prefer Anna over your annoying self, Felicity. She would never dare to fight me. There wouldn''t be any disagreement between us. I can''t stand your bitchy side," Thomas confessed.

    "I hate you, Thomas Costa," Felicity announced, annoyed at Thomas''s arrogant ass. "Feeling''s mutual, Felicity Hunter," Thomas fired back.

    "Go fuck yourself, you headless dick," Felicity cursed, and before Thomas could retort, she disconnected the call and smiled at her victory. She didn''t give him a chance to have thest say. It gave her satisfaction for the time being.

    As soon as she tossed the phone aside on the sofa, her eyes darted towards her husband.

    Alexander gulped.

    <em>''Why are you my best friend, Thomas?''</em>

    He cursed his friend inwardly. Every time they fought, somehow, it always brought trouble for Alexander.

    Felicity red daggers at him. The silence felt too harsh for his liking.

    "Do you have another wife? Do you love another woman?" The question startled Alexander. The low whisper in which his son spoke felt like a blow to his gut. With his eyes wide in shock, he gaped at his little boy. The expression on Hunter''s face mirrored that of his mother''s. His purple eyes shot daggers at his father.

    Alexander looked at Felicity, pleading with her to help, but she continued to re at him in silence as if daring him to handle her little boy without her aid. Alexander sighed in defeat, and as usual little Hera giggled, easing his nerves. He smiled at Hera before looking at his son.

    "What made you think so, Junior? And the answer to your question is no. The only woman I love is your mother," Alexander replied, looking into his son''s using eyes. The boy held eye contact without blinking.

    "Why did Uncle Thomas say another woman loves you?" Hunter asked. Alexander detected the angercing his voice and the danger lurking in his eyes. He smiled at his precious boy before stealing a nce at Felicity.

    He noticed the faint smile on her lips and the pride in her eyes.

    <em>''For a three-year-old boy, he sure is protective of his mother. I''m so proud of you, my boy.''</em>

    Alexander''s chest swelled with pride at the knowledge.

    He ruffled his son''s hair affectionately, but the upset boy pped his hand away.

    "Don''t believe everything your uncle Thomas says. He''s a liar," Alexander said. He wished he could punch Thomas right then for putting such absurd thoughts into his son''s brain.

    Alexander noticed how Hunter''s face fell. Shouldn''t he feel relief and rx after his father''s admission?

    Felicity also noticed her son''s distress and went to join him on the bed. She wrapped her arms around his little form and pulled him onto herp.

    "Your mummy and Uncle Thomas were fighting. That''s why he said mean things. He was lying, and he lies all the time to bother me," Felicity said, trying to ease little Hunter''s worries.

    "Oh!" said Hunter.

    He removed himself from her embrace and got down from the bed. Alexander and Felicity exchanged nces before focusing their attention solely on their son. Hunter eyed them both with a sad pout. rmed, they both reached to hold him, but he stepped back, rejecting their advances.

    "Uncle Thomas said that you both love me the most," Hunter said.

    "Uh-oh," Felicity said and looked at her husband.

    "Uncle Thomas also said that you love so much that if I ask you to send Hera away, you''ll send her away," Hunter said and waited for them to respond. But his parents were speechless. They didn''t know how to fix the issue.

    "Time to make some damage control," Felicity said to Alexander. He agreed. "Let''s start with killing Thomas," he said, annoyed at his idiot of a best friend. Felicity smiled, but it vanished the second she saw the tears in her little boy''s eyes.

    "Hera can stay with us only if she marries me," he dered again. "If she doesn''t marry me, you cannot keep her in our home. If you love me, send her away," he challenged.

    Hera giggled in Alexander''s arms and kicked her legs. "It''s not the time, Sweetheart," Alexander said, ring at her yfully. He ced her on the bed and reached Hunter. The stubborn boy resisted when he pulled him near.

    "Uncle Thomas said you want to marry Bianca. You can marry her," Alexander suggested, hoping the boy wouldply and let go of his sudden obsession with marrying Hera.

    "No, I don''t want her. Sunshine likes Eric. So let Eric marry her. But I want a pretty wife too. Mum loves Hera so much, and I like Hera''s eyes. She has the prettiest eyes," Hunter spoke continuously, not letting Alexander interrupt him.

    That night Hunter went to bed without wishing goodnight to his parents. No matter how much they tried, they couldn''t change his mind. The next day, he kept ring at Hera, and his tantrums seemed neverending. He refused to eat if Hera joined them at the dining table.

    As days passed, Hunter became more violent. His anger would intensify every time Hera giggled or kicked her legs.

    "Hey, wicked witch, stopughing," he would say and scold her.

    He started to throw things when he got angry. He would break vases, tes and other utensils. Felicity would punish him by grounding him, but all went in vain.

    The day came when he threatened to throw Hera out and kicked her crib furiously. It scared Felicity that her little trouble maker chose violence at such tender age. They even brought him to the doctor, who suggested a change in the atmosphere might help. Without knowing what else to do, Felicity decided to send him away for a while.

    Alexander had nned a trip to Havana in Cuba, and it was supposed to be a family vacation. But Felicity didn''t think it would help her boy. She decided to keep Hera and Hunter away from each other for a while. With a heavy heart, she sent her baby boy to Italy to live with his grandparents for the time being, at least until he forgets the idea of marrying Hera.

    Hunter had tears in his eyes, but the stubborn boy refused to let them out. Felicity held her breath when her little trouble maker went to say goodbye to Hera.

 Chapter 190 - Heras Protective Brother

    Hunter''s tworge purple eyes held Felicity''s whole world in them. Seeing them wet with tears squeezed her heart painfully. She admired her son''s strong will as the boy kept blinking to stop the tears from spilling out. He sessfully held them back and swallowed his sobs.

    "Grow up soon, little witch. I''ll marry you when Ie back," he promised and ced an orange candy bar next to Hera''s small pillow. Suddenly, Hera turned to her side, and her tiny fist closed around the sweet. She giggled at Hunter merrily. Thetter scowled in response while the former kicked her legs with all her strength.

    "Huh, you''re so shameless," he stated in disapproval, and Hera shook her head, blowing raspberries at him. He grimaced in disgust, looking at the excess saliva pooling around her lips. "Stop drooling. No manners at all," he scolded.. He couldn''t understand why her giggles would get louder every time he spoke to her.

    For reasons unknown to him, Hera would always be excited in his proximity.

    Felicity ced her hand on Hunter''s shoulders, putting an end to his thoughts. Surprised by the sudden touch, Hunter gasped and turned around to face his mother. One look at his mother''s worried eyes, and he understood it was time to leave.

    Felicity had stopped speaking to him for a day as a punishment, but the adamant boy didn''t give up. Instead, he stopped responding to either of his parents. He was angry that they were sending him away, all the more reason for him to me Hera.

    The angrier he became, the more persistent he was to defy his parents.

    He nced over his shoulder, peering at Hera for onest time.

    <em>''I will marry you for sure.'' </em>

    With that vow made, Hunter left Hera behind for the time being.

    <em><strong>Felicity closed the album cover</strong></em> and collected all the stuff from the bed. She neatly arranged the photo albums filled with memories of Hera in thest cab of her wardrobe and locked it.

    Alexander held out his palm for her to take, a warm, tender smile ying on his lips. Felicity returned his smile and ced her hand in his without any hesitation when she reached the bed. Letting him tuck her to his side, Felicity made herselffortable in his arms. She ced a soft on his heart before leaning against his chest.

    Alexander had one of his arms around her middle. His grip was soft yet protective. His other hand found hers to intece their fingers.

    "I never thanked you for sending Junior away that day. Thank you, angel, for not listening to me that day. Had you not sent him away, we would have lost him too," Alexander confessed. "Thank you for keeping our boy safe," he offered his gratitude. His voice broke as he became overwhelmed with thankfulness.

    He was grateful that his angel was there to kiss away all his burdens.

    Felicity kissed him until he sighed in bliss.

    "You don''t have to thank me for anything, Alexander. I''ll always be there for you to share your smiles as well as your tears. It''s my right," she stated. Alexander sealed her lips with his again and kissed her passionately, conveying how grateful he felt to have her in his life.

    Felicity didn''t mind the dampness his tears left behind on his cheeks. Cupping his face in her palms, she kissed the traces of every wet line on his cheeks. Her heart sighed in content when Alexander smiled, all the grief erased from his eyes.

    "I love you so much, Alexander," she admitted with pride.

    "More than you love your little trouble maker?" Alexander asked, a yful grin teasing her. Sheughed and winked at him. "Yes, I love you the most," she whispered in his ear and ced a finger on her lips, gesturing to him to keep it a secret. Alexander''s eyes went wide at her admission.

    "Damn, I should''ve recorded it to prove to your son that you love me the most and that you always lied to him about loving him the most," he said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. Felicity red at him in return. "What? It''s not fair that you keep giving us both the same answer. I want to know whom you''re lying to," he demanded.

    "Do you want to die today?" Felicity asked.

    Alexander let out a silentugh and pecked her lips.

    "Do you think Junior would''ve still held onto his obsession if things didn''t go wrong and had Hera stayed with us?" Alexander asked while tucking her hair behind her ear. Felicity scowled at her husband.

    "Don''t be ridiculous, Alexander. He was a kid and didn''t know what he was demanding. With time, my smart boy would have learnt the truth and epted that he and Hera are siblings on legal terms. If not, we have Thomas to convince him. He''s good at handling his godson, after all," she said sarcastically. Alexanderughed at that.

    "Would Junior and Hera have be bickering and fighting siblings or the possessive and protective type of siblings? What do you think?" Alexander asked, a faraway look clouding his eyes as he envisioned them together. Felicity hummed and smiled. She seemed thoughtful for a few seconds before she replied.

    "Judging by the way our boy used to re at Hera every time she giggled, I think they would be bickering siblings. Don''t you remember how Hera used to get excited whenever he scolded her? She used to annoy him so much without even doing anything," Felicity said, her tone full of admiration as she remembered her babies'' time together.

    Alexander chuckled and shook his head.

    They were their happiest memories and what he would give to relive those moments.

    "I would go for thetter option. Junior is rather protective and possessive of his loved ones. He would''ve kept her safe and fought all the boys who dared to befriend her. I would rx and sleep peacefully, knowing that my boy would protect my girl. Hera would''ve been so happy to have such a protective brother and father in her life," Alexander said more to himself.

    Felicity scoffed and brought him back from his little reverie. He shifted his attention back to her and frowned.

    "What?" He questioned.

    Felicity shook her head in disagreement.

    "Or maybe Hera would''ve been so annoyed. Imagine an over-possessive father and overprotective brother dancing over her head all the time and not letting the teenage girl have a boyfriend. She would be so pissed at you both," Felicity said, eyeing her husband with disapproval. Alexander let go of her hand and sat upright on the bed. He seemed upset at what she said.

    "Hey, no one''s talking about a boyfriend here. I would smash every boy''s skull if he even dared to look at my baby girl," Alexander announced, the anger evident in his tone. Felicity scoffed and shook her head in pity.

    "I''m right. Both of you would piss Hera off," she decided. "And who knows, Hera may already have a boyfriend. She may be secretly celebrating her birthday with him right now, blowing candles and cutting the cake at midnight," Felicity guessed, much to Alexander''s displeasure.

    "I hope not," Alexander muttered under his breath, and Felicityughed at her husband''s misery. "Oh,e on, Alexander, let the girl live her best life. She''s a big girl," she said.

    "How would you know she''s living her best life? We haven''t even met the boy yet," Alexanderined, his handsome face wrinkling in a displeased scowl. Felicity wanted to say something, but he held up his hand, stopping her.

    "You don''t understand what a father''s heart goes through worrying about his little princess. What if some unworthy or undeserving boy grabbed my girl''s attention? Teenage boys these days are so dangerous," Alexander voiced out his fears. Felicity bit her lip and looked at her husband. He seemed so worried.

    She pulled him into her arms and embraced him tightly.

    <em>''If only we could experience all these moments for real in this life, Alexander.''</em>

    Her eyes watered, and she closed them, willing to keep her tears at bay. They had cried enough for the day.

    <em>''I wish, Alexander, you get a chance to live all these moments with Hera.''</em>

    She pulled away from the hug and ruffled Alexander''s hair as she would do with her beloved son.

    "Let me distract you and keep you busy. I know a few tricks that work just fine," Felicity said and pulled him for a kiss. It sure did work. She let him change their position, and he pulled her under him.

    <em><strong>On the other side of their world,</strong></em> stair read the message in his inbox for the ninth time.

    <em><strong>Happy birthday, Your Highness. I wish you to live a long, healthy life with your loved ones. I hope you''re happy without us. </strong></em>

    stair knew it was Alexander''s message. The taunt in the way Alexander had addressed him and the mockery in thest sentence felt like a p to stair''s cheek.

    "I do deserve it, though," he muttered into the empty balcony and brought the ss to his mouth, gulping the remaining scotch in one go. He had abandoned his own birthday party and stayed in his room for the rest of the night while his wife entertained their guests.

    He knew he would have to face his father''s wrath in the morning for not hosting his guests. It was his princely duties, after all. But he didn''t care anymore, at least not today.

    His birthday was the only day when he could let himself reconnect to his past, relive his memories with his best friends, and reminisce about his happy moments.

 Chapter 191 - Ignorance Is Bliss

    He had his defence ready, though, should his father decide to flood him with his fury. stair had no purpose or intention to attend the so-called birthday celebrations in the first ce. Yet, he had stayed for the first few minutes being the dutiful heir to the throne.

    He had followed the tradition by cutting the cake, lifting the champagne in cheers, greeting his guests. He had done all of that before escaping the torture. No one could tell he was faking that smile and pretended to be happy or that he had no interest in entertaining such nonsensical shenanigans.

    Helena''s music and her song helped a lot. She had specially prepared it for his birthday, and stair wouldn''t have missed it for the world. He loved Helena and Gis with all his heart.

    No matter whether he had stayed for a few minutes or a few hours, he had fulfilled his obligations as his father''s son. So his father shouldn''t be that disappointed in him. .

    stair had felt hot, and the expensive suit he wore suffocated him to the point where he couldn''t breathe. Using it as his excuse, he left the party under the pretence of needing fresh air. In the empty balcony of his room, he had spent the rest of the night alone, reliving his times spent with his best friends.

    He wished he could be in his sweatpants and T-shirt, sitting next to Alexander and sipping their favourite brand of whiskey. Instead, he had to endure this suffering in the name of showing off their culture and pride.

    He was drowning himself in his whiskey when his phone vibrated, indicating an iing message. It was seven in the morning, and stair had waited all night for that message.

    He thought of refilling his ss but decided against it since the morning sun had risen already. cing the empty ss on the table, he removed his suit jacket and tossed it around, his velvet tie following right behind. He undid a few buttons of his shirt and sighed in rxation as the cool air caressed his hot skin.

    It felt like a soothing balm over the burn.

    "I wish there is a balm to soothe the ache inside my chest," he murmured to himself, taking a seat on the wooden furniture, a knee crossed over the other. His gaze ran over therge balcony furnished in Mediterranean style, but he saw nothing. Everything seemed empty, just like his heart.

    He read the message aloud once again andughed bitterly.

    "No, Alex, I haven''t been happy for a long while, not since I lost my best friends. As you said, I regret losing your friendship. Nothingforts me without having my friends beside me. I miss the precious love I lost," he admitted to the empty ce, trying to share his loneliness with the invisible wind unfolding around him, his voice sad and timid.

    He remembered the days when his best friends would smear the cake on his face and take pictures of his silly, offended face.

    <em><strong>Happy birthday, stair. Stay blessed. We miss you. </strong></em>

    A smile worked its way onto stair''s lips despite all the whirlwind of heavy emotions he struggled with at the moment. It was watery, though, a sad smile filled with regrets and self-pity.

    "Thank you, Felicity," he said and choked back a sob. The knowledge that one of his best friends still missed him brought a littlefort to his aching heart. Though she had mentioned it in the plural, he knew it was only her words. Alexander wouldn''t pity him enough to feel such emotions for his ex-best friend.

    stair knew Alexander would never forgive him because one thing his best friend hated the most was betrayal, and stair had failed him as a friend.

    Thomas was no less petty than Alexander. stair could bet there must be a neck and neck race between them to show who hates stair more.

    stair chuckled at the memory of Thomas and Felicity fighting. Thomas would whine,ining that everyone in their group always took Felicity''s side even though she was wrong.

    "I miss you too, Felicity. I miss all of you," he confessed, his tone hopeful as though his friends could hear him.

    He opened a picture from his phone gallery and stared at it until the tears blurred his vision.

    It was the day when Felicity shared the news of her confirmed pregnancy. Alexander never looked that happier. The grin on his face wouldn''t leave. Jessa was scowling at Thomas and Felicity as they both kept on fighting. Thomas was cing his bet that both he and Alexander were going to have a son. Felicity wanted a daughter and felt disappointed at Thomas''s predictions which led to their fight.

    Jessa''s belly was starting to show. She was five months pregnant already, but she requested the doctor to keep the gender of her baby a secret because she wanted it to be a surprise.

    stair''s thumb slid over the screen of his cell phone, moving on to another picture. He loved photography then and would capture every special moment in his camera. He chuckled at Jessa''s re pointed at her husband in the picture because he had made Felicity cry.

    Jessa was a sweetheart and would never hurt anyone intentionally. She was always the sensible one, a peacemaker in their group.

    Unlike Thomas, Jessa would never keep a grudge. She wasn''t petty, and stair hoped she had forgiven him.

    Another picture and stair''s heart squeezed tighter, suffocating him. He remembered setting the timer on and running to join his friends for a group photo.

    Everyone had a smile on their faces, and their eyes smiled as well, except for Mariana. Both Alexander and Mariana had their arm wrapped around Felicity''s shoulder.

    stair remembered wishing he could take Mariana''s pain away so that she could smile. He knew she was happy for her best friends, but she was heartbroken. She had loved Alexander from the moment she hadid eyes on him, and Felicity''s pregnancy had been the final nail in the coffin of her dead heart.

    Somehow, their happiness triggered disappointment in her chest.

    But Felicity understood her inner turmoil and never judged Mariana poorly.

    "It''s okay, Anna. It''s okay to feel jealousy or envy. It''s okay to feel sad because you''re hurt. It''s okay because you are human, and you have the right to nurse your wounded heart. It''s okay because I understand," Felicity had said, pulling Anna into a hug. Thetter had apologised for feeling hurt, but the former had only smiled affectionately at her.

    Meanwhile, in between all the chaos that Mariana''s heart went through, stair had waited patiently for years. He waited for her to give him a chance to fill the void in her heart with his love. He loved her secretly and never dared to confess because he knew she was in love with his best friend.

    Though he knew Alexander would never reciprocate her love, stair respected her feelings and never tried to ask her for a chance. Instead, he decided to wait until her broken heart mended. It was her first love, after all. stair knew what it felt like to let go of your first love.

    He dropped his phone on the table and threw his head back, the backrest supporting the weight. He brushed his fingers through his long curls of hair, his eyes gazing at the blue sky surrounded by pure white clouds. Their shapes seemed like a herd of sheep gathered around the blue pond of water.

    stair instantly felt guilty for thinking that his life had also been like a pool of water surrounded by a thirsty herd of sheep.

    Gis and Gretta were not unemotional or unfeeling herds of sheep. Subconsciously, he smiled, remembering Gis''s gift. His beloved daughter had painted a beautiful family portrait for him.

    stair never regretted having Gis. She was the best gift of his life, and she makes him immensely happy.

    Despite everything, he couldn''t help cursing the void in his heart that kept bothering him for years.

    <em>''Do you miss me too, Anna?'' </em>

    stair wondered.

    He didn''t dare to voice out that thought.

    stair had never once turned back to see how his friends had thrown him out of their lives. It would hurt more.

    <em>''Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.''</em>

    He could feel the hangover creeping in the corners. It was almost eight in the morning, and he decided to take a shower.

    As soon as he set foot inside his bedroom, his eyesnded on the sleeping figure of his wife. She was sound asleep on their bed. He noticed her form slightly shivering though she had covered herself in the fluffy nket. He found the remote control on the red sofa and pointed at the air-conditioner readjusting the temperature to reduce the cold.

    He deposited the remote on the nightstand, and his eyes fell on the ss of water along with two pain reliever pills ced on his side of the nightstand. Gretta might have walked in on him getting drunk at night and d that she gave him privacy.

    He was thankful for her understanding nature and smiled in gratitude, not only for the medicines but also for every other thing she had done for him. He had found a trustworthy friend in her.

    Leaning down, he nted a kiss on her forehead. He appreciated her presence in his lonely life, and somewhere deep in his chest, stair had hidden his guilt for not loving her the way she would want him to.

    Standing under the shower, he wondered what his life would have been if he hadn''t given up his happiness.

    <em>''If only everyone is lucky enough to keep their first love.''</em>

 Chapter 192 - She Has A Boyfriend

    "Happy birthday to me!" Hera eximed while spinning around in front of the full-length mirror. The grin on her face widening with every second, excitement oozing out of her eyes.

    She had put on the white dress she shopped for her birthday with Evelyn and couldn''t wait to show Hunter.

    The soft chuckle she heard behind her made her tear eyes off the mirror, and Hera turned around to face Jessica Lanson.

    "Thank you, Jessica," she said, smiling at Hunter''s housekeeper. Jessica had helped her with her hair and makeup keeping it minimal as Hera would like it. With orangey-pink lipstick on her lips, a sparkling pink blush on her cheeks and under her corbones, Hera loved the warm makeup, especially the kohl lining her eyes. Her hair tied into a one-sided twisted ponytail.

    "You''re always wee, dear, and this is for you," Jessica said, handing her a small gift.

    It seemed Hera had difficulty in taming her grin because she couldn''t stop grinning.. She opened the little gift box to reveal an oval-shaped transparent bottle of perfume, and Jessica took the fancy bottle from her hand to apply the perfume behind Hera''s ears and a little on the inside of her wrists. The fragrance smelt of vani with a hint of cedarwood.

    Hera thanked her again for the gift to which the housekeeper squinted her eyes in disapproval.

    "Stop thanking me now. I''m tired of hearing it," Jessica said, retouching the blush on Hera''s cheeks. Hera tilted her head to look at the door when someone knocked on it. A secondter, Evelyn peeked in with a broad grin on her pretty face.

    Jessica finished dolling up Hera and nted a kiss on the crown of her head, giving her the best wishes for her birthday.

    "Okay, birthday girl, here''s your gift," Evelyn said, presenting her gift. Hera''s intrigued eyes went wide at the small square box. Though the ck, shiny object looked like apact powder box, Hera could tell there was some expensive thing inside. Evelyn noticed how Hera was hesitating to open it.

    "Don''t worry, Hera. It didn''t cost me a fortune," she said, a warm,forting smile directed at the birthday girl. "Now open it. We don''t have all day," she said, cing her hands on her hip and yfully ring at Hera.

    Hera gasped in pleasant surprise, her eyes wide with awe as soon as her gaze fell on the object inside the box. "It''s beautiful, Evie," Hera said, admiring her gift. It was a silver brass elegant floral hairpin designed with purple flowers, green leaves and golden branches. "I''m d you liked it, Hera. Happy birthday," Evelyn said, hugging her. She air-kissed Hera''s cheeks when they pulled away from the hug.

    Evelyn took it from her hand and pinned it to the side of her head just above her tied ponytail. Jessica nodded in approval when Evelyn turned to her, wordlessly asking if she had ced it correctly. "It''s perfect," said the housekeeper.

    Hera looked into the mirror and loved how the floral hairpin added more charm and elegance to her simple hairstyle. She smiled at her friend through the mirror and grinned, eyes appreciating her gift. Hera couldn''t overlook how gorgeous Evelyn looked, but she wouldn''t stress about it today, no matter how stylish and hot Hunter''s friends looked because it was her special day.

    It was her wedding, after all.

    <em>''And no matter what, the bride always looks gorgeous than every other girl on her wedding day.''</em>

    Hera assured inwardly,forting herself.

    She knew she was good to look, at least enough for her Hunter to love her, and that was all that mattered to her.

    "Goodness! You look like an angel, Hera," Evelyn said, hugging Hera from behind. Hera giggled shyly, patting Evelyn''s hand sped around her middle. "Only a veil is missing, and you would make a beautiful bride," Jessica said, catching the two girls'' attention. Hera blushed while Evelyn winked at her beforeughing.

    <em>''Oh, if only you knew, Jessica, how urate you are. It is my wedding!'' </em>

    Hera thought as the heat spreading on her cheeks and neck intensified the blush.

    "For God''s sake, stop blushing like a bride on her wedding day," Evelyn said sarcastically and bit back a smile. It wasn''t really sarcasm, and Hera knew she was teasing her. Hera yfully red at her friend before giving up, and they bothughed at the hidden meaning behind Evelyn''s words.

    "Okay, we wasted enough time. Now let''s go before Acees barging in, ready to strangle my neck. You know how impatient your man gets," Evelyn said, rolling her eyes. Hera scowled while both Jessica and Evelynughed at her expense.

    Hera requested them to excuse her for a minute, and Jessica immediately left, wishing her a good day.

    Evelyn raised an eyebrow at Hera before leaning closer to her.

    "Wedding jitters, I see," Evelyn whispered into her ear and smirked. Scowling at her, Hera shoved her away, pushing her to the door while Evelyn giggled her way out.

    Locking the door, Hera leaned against it. For some reason, she felt heavy in her chest, and she was overwhelmed. Blinking hershes repeatedly, she tried not to spill tears. She couldn''t risk ruining her wless makeup, after all.

    She knew what bothered her.

    She missed her parents.

    Her parents, whom she never saw or met but wished she could. She never had anyone except her Hunter, who loved her from the beginning, the only one who cherished her existence. She wished she could experience once in life what it feels to live in a loving family.

    She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It felt hot, and she hated the thought of sweating and stinking. Walking to the windows, she opened them, weing the fresh cold air with gratitude. It soothed the itchiness of the heat on her neck and the prickling behind her eyelids.

    Hera closed her eyes and pictured Hunter''s smiling face behind her eyelids. It instantly took away all her sadness, and she smiled subconsciously. With a few more deep breaths, it put her nerves at ease.

    Her feet moved to the closet. Whatever jitters troubled her stomach earlier had gone now, and Hera''s eager fingers pulled out her little purple wallet from her backpack. There inside, her mother''s chain glittered as soon as the light touched it. She took it out and kissed the name, Felicity.

    Warmth filled all over her chest in a good way, but Hera''s smile was watery, and a few adamant tears rolled over her cheeks. She couldn''t hold them back atst. She was thankful for the waterproof makeup and dabbed the tissue against her cheeks and under her eyes. The reflection in the mirror showed her that the kohl in her eyes stayed intact, and she was grateful that it didn''t smudge.

    Wearing her mother''s chain around her neck, Hera saw herself in the mirror. The tinum-gold chain looked pretty and gleamed against her skin. She smiled at her reflection as her fingers ran over the name.

    "I love you, Mum and Dad," she whispered as if testing the sound of it. "I''m sure you would''ve loved me the most if you were with me. I could imagine you kissing the crown of my head and wishing me a happy birthday, blessing me to have all the happiness in the world," she said, blinking back her tears.

    It was her birthday, and she decided not to shed tears or be sad anymore. Her happiness waited on the other side of the closed door, and she couldn''t wait to reach out to grasp it tightly in her palms, but before that, she needed to omit all these overwhelming emotions that troubled her.

    "Uncle Ben said that my father was not a good man, and I''m better off without him, but I know it in my heart, Dad, that you would''ve loved me no matter what. If my Mum loved you, then you''ve to be a good man," Hera confessed to her nonexistent father.

    Ever since she learned the meaning of family, she always imagined hers to be a happy one. They said her father left as soon as he discovered about her mother''s pregnancy, but Hera would rather live in the pretence that her parents loved each other to the moon and back.

    "Thank you, Dad, for my existence. I''m grateful to you and my Mum for bringing me to the world," Hera said out loud and smiled in gratitude.

    "I have a boyfriend," she said and grinned. She imagined how hrious it would be to witness her father trying to scare and grill her boyfriend for daring to love his daughter. She smiled at the concept of thempeting for her attention.

    "But let me warn you, Dad, you can''t scare him off because he is scared of nothing and no one. I admire his courage and fearlessness, you know. You would''ve loved him too," Hera dered, pridecing her tone.

    Her eyes shifted on their own ord andnded on the double photo frame ced on the nightstand gifted by Hunter. Hera grinned from ear to ear, her happiness dominating over her sadness, doubts, and insecurities. It emptied all the heaviness in her chest, refilling it with warmth and love.

    As if on cue, her phone went off. She had yet to get used to having a cell phone. It kept startling her every time it chimed.

    She saw the name shing on the screen.

    <em><strong>"Devil calling"</strong></em>

    A burst of softughter breached past her lips. Her impatient Mr Hunter was calling.

 Chapter 193 - Her Every Wish Will Come True

    "I love you, my boyfriend, sh best friend, sh lover, sh husband," Hera dered and kissed him on the lips through the screen, which disyed his handsome face.

    She gasped and immediately scowled for two reasons, one, the call got rejected, and two, her lipstick left an oily stain on the screen of her brand new cell phone.

    Cursing under her breath, Hera blew air on the screen from her mouth and wiped it with the soft napkin removing the lipstick stain. It took her a while to realise she had ruined the colour, coated on her lips as well.

    She heard Evelyn''s voice calling for her.

    Taking off her chain from her neck, Hera dropped it inside her wallet and kept it safely in her bag. Though she wanted to wear it, she decided against it. It was very precious for her as it was the only token of her mother''s memory she had with her. She couldn''t risk losing it.

    Hera took Hunter''s ck vintage long trench coat from his wardrobe and wore it, whichpletely hid her dress inside.. She grabbed the lipstick from the dresser and reapplied it on her lips before pocketing it along with her phone. Casting onest look at her reflection in the mirror, Hera left the room.

    There was a bounce to her steps as she climbed the stairs down.

    She felt happy.

    Heads turned in her direction, and Hera pursed her lips and inwardly cringed as she realised her footsteps were loud enough to attract attention, or in this case, to disturb the quiet surrounding the breakfast table. It was only seven in the morning, too early for food. Hera noticed therge coffee mugs in their hands.

    They were all staring at her, and it felt awkward. Shouldn''t they wish her for her birthday instead of giving her stares that made her self-conscious?

    She didn''t like to be the centre of attention in general, especially among Hunter''s gang.

    <em>''But of course, Hunter can be an exception because I would love to be the centre of his attention all the time.''</em>

    Hera thought, mentally smiling at her whipped heart while her eyes searched for her boyfriend. He was not there at the breakfast table. Hunter woke her up early so that she could get ready on time. She was contemting whether to join them or wait in the living room or to go in search of Hunter.

    Her gaze fell on her brother, but Danny looked away as soon as their eyes met. Taking thest sip, he gulped the liquid caffeine and got up from his chair as if he was in a hurry and walked away. Hera''s heart dropped in disappointment.

    He didn''t wish her.

    <em>''Well, what did I expect?''</em>

    She sighed.

    <em>''Cheer up, Hera. It''s nothing new.''</em>

    Wiping the hurt look from her face, she smiled as Evelyn came to her side.

    "We''re leaving in a minute or two. Do you want to drink or eat something before we do?" Evelyn asked. The sweet smell of the hot chocte in her hand reached Hera''s nose, and she could see the smokeing out of the mug. Evelyn had her hands wrapped around it, probably to savour the warmth seeping into her cold hands.

    Hera shoved her hands inside her pockets and shook her head.

    "Your smile is your best essory. Don''t ever lose it, Hera. You look extra beautiful when you smile," stated Evelyn with a warm smile directed at her. Evelyn knew she was upset because her brother didn''t wish her.

    "Your every wish is going toe true," Hera heard Evelyn say, which sounded more like a promise. She didn''t want to get her hopes high, but the assurance healed some of the disappointment already. The kind-hearted, beautiful girl standing in front of her had that effect on people. Hera was thankful to have her as a friend.

    She felt arms snaking around her waist from behind and turned her head over her shoulder to see the handsome face of Eric. He ced a kiss on her temple before resting his chin on her head.

    Hera smiled at the affectionate gesture.

    "Hey, get off me. You''ll ruin my hair," Hera said, scolding him.

    "Hm, you''re still so short," he observed. Hera turned her head to the side to scowl at him. She knew the moment he rested his chin on her head that he would tease her about her height.

    "Happy birthday, Pixie," Eric said, cing another kiss on her head. His grin was infectious, and Hera returned it instantly. "Thank you, Gabriel, my angel," she replied, earning a scowl in return from the said angel. Eric let go of her and shoved her away. "How many times have I told you not to call me that?" he asked, eyeing her disapprovingly.

    Hera ducked her head before Eric could pull her hair and grinned mischievously.

    "I''m so sorry. I''ll remember it from now on, Gabriel," she said, amusement filling her tone. She ran out of his reach as he chased her around the dining hall, her giggles turning intoughter soon.

    Samantha and Bianca had disdain painted in their looks.

    "What an attention-seeking whore she is," Samantha muttered, only for her bestie to hear.

    "I hate you so much, Pixie," Eric said, not meaning it at all. "I love you too, angel," Hera answered, running to the opposite side as he almost caught her. Eric grabbed a few tissues from the table to crush them into a ball before aiming them at Hera.

    Hera dodged it for it tond on Bianca''s face.

    Bianca mmed the mug on the table, startling them both. She pushed the chair a bit too harshly when she stood.

    "Stop being childish and let''s go," she barked and left the dining hall, Samantha following right behind.

    Hera and Eric burst outughing as soon as Bianca and Samantha walked out.

    "You made your evil captain upset on my birthday. Now she is going to kill me," Hera said, faking the anger. Eric scoffed in return. "Serves you right for hurting my feelings," he said, clutching his heart dramatically. Heraughed and let him wound his arm around her shoulder as he pulled her closer.

    Michael finished the coffee and grabbed his jacket draped around the backrest of his chair, ready to leave.

    Hera groaned and pretended to choke while Eric encircled her head with his arm in a fake attempt to kill her.

    "Save me, Mike. He is going to kill me," she pleaded Michael, which he rudely ignored. "Asshole, at least pretend to care for me. It''s my birthday," Hera yelled at him. Michael rolled his eyes before punching Eric on the side for real.

    "There, I saved you, damsel in distress," Michael said, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

    Eric groaned, cursing Michael.

    "You weren''t supposed to hit me for real, you prick. We were ying," Eric stated the obvious. Michael smirked at them both. "How would I know you were ying? I thought you were going to kill her," he said, mocking them both.

    Hera attempted to smack him on the head, but Michael dodged it and pulled her to his side, his arm locking around her neck.

    "Happy birthday, sister-inw. Wee to the family," Michael said. Hera was surprised at her new title. He never addressed her by thatbel. It rendered her speechless. Hera looked at him with her widened eyes earning a pleased smirk from Michael. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the cheek, surprising her again.

    Hera blushed while he chuckled at her flushed face.

    "I can''t even say stop blushing like a bride," Michael said, rolling his eyes. He was teasing her. The birthday girl couldn''t hold back and giggled shyly. She looked away, pretending to fix her hair.

    "Hey, that thing on your hair, it looks nice, Pixie," Eric said, eyeing the floral hairpin. Hera grinned at that. "It''s pretty, isn''t it?" she asked rhetorically, her delighted eyes shining bright. "It''s Evie''s gift," Hera said, emphasising thest word. She meant to imply that the two boys walking on her either side didn''t give her one.

    When they didn''t respond, Hera sighed in exasperation. It irked her more when the boys acted dumb.

    "What are you boys so rich for when you can''t buy me a gift on my birthday?" she asked unimpressed, scowling at them both.

    "Huh, why would I waste my money on you? I don''t even like you," was Michael''s rude reply. Hera whipped her head towards him, eyes shooting daggers at him. Surprisingly, she didn''t say anything in retaliation. She attacked him, neither verbally nor physically.

    "Aw, you''re generous because it''s your birthday. How nice of you!" Michael said sarcastically. Hera''s eyes narrowed into slits, and she bit her lip, still not fighting back. Eric chuckled beside her catching Michael''s attention.

    "She''s mentally strangling your neck right now, Mike. She is avoiding the fight because it would ruin her makeup and her hair if she attacked you physically," Eric stated.

    Hera looked at Eric, an impressed smile ying on her lips.

    "Boy, how do you know me so well? Are you a mind reader or what?" she asked, sounding incredulous. Suddenly, Hera bumped into someone as she was walking backwards. Eric''s hand flew out, catching her in time before she could fall.

    Hera turned around to apologise and realised she crashed into Samantha, who was fuming at her right now.

    "I''m so sorry," Hera said, eyeing Samantha''s expensive sandals, which she stepped into a few seconds ago. Before Samantha could say something insulting, a deep voice interrupted.

    "Be nice, Sam. It''s her birthday," came the warning.

 Chapter 194 - She Found Him

    Hunter was busy discussing his security issue with Mathew and his team. Judging by how he frowned and pursed his lips before nodding at whatever Mathew said, it seemed he wasn''t happy.

    He wanted privacy to celebrate Hera''s birthday, but as usual, he had no such luck. He could''ve managed without his guards if it was only him and his Hera. He didn''t need help in keeping his girl safe. Hunter would handle it alone just fine. But the point here was the safety of his friends, and he couldn''t put their lives in danger.

    Besides, Mathew wouldn''t risk it after what happened with Hunter a few days back. He decided that a team of six guards would apany him and agreed to keep them at a distance on Hunter''s insistence.

    Hunter was d that at least Mathew wouldn''t drive him around this time. He had to track the bounty hunter that attacked him previously. Alexander wanted the man who sealed the deal and brought money to the bounty hunters.. However, Mathew would be monitoring Hunter''s every location for his peace of mind.

    "Keep your phone on. I''ll be tracking your location through it," Mathew said. Hunter nodded his agreement without any protest when Mathew warned him to call him if anything goes wrong.

    Mathew was instructing his team when Hunter saw Heraing out of the mansion. A smile danced on his lips as they curved in amusement when he noticed she was walking backwards, and it wasn''t hard to guess she was bickering with his friends.

    Hunter''s eyes widened, and his mouth formed an ''O'' shape in reflex while Hera bumped into Samantha and was about to lose her bnce. He exhaled in relief when Eric caught her.

    "Be nice, Sam. It''s her birthday," he yelled in warning when he saw Samantha''s angry face.

    Smiling sweetly, Hera raised her brows at Samantha. Thetter only fumed furiously. They both had heard Hunter''s voice loud and clear.

    "Why don''t you stop pining over my boyfriend and find someone else for yourself? I genuinely wish you get someone who pities you enough to like your pathetic self so that you can leave my boyfriend alone," Samantha snapped through her gritted teeth. Hera bit her lip only to keep her grin away. For once, Samantha''s words didn''t affect her.

    Samantha kept ring while the birthday girl nodded. A thoughtful look crossed thetter''s face as if considering the advice of the former.

    "Thank you so much for your wish, Samantha," Hera said and turned around to look at Hunter. She could only see his eyes, his forehead and his hair as Mathew and others stood around him.

    He had tied a bandana on his forehead to keep his long hair from falling on his eyes.

    <em>''Hmm, is it why he''s growing his hair long?''</em>

    Hera turned to face Samantha again, a broad grin stretching on her lips as she did.

    "Your wish is so genuine, Samantha, that the universe didn''t waste a second and fulfilled it instantly. I found him, someone who loves me so much that he would bring the moon and stars if I ask him to," Hera said, pride adorning her tone. Her smile was so smug that it felt like a punch to Samantha''s gut.

    Hera threw her thumb over her shoulders, pointing towards Hunter.

    "He''s mine, and he would wear the tag of my name on his forehead if I want him to. It''s high time, Samantha, please stop hallucinating. He was never yours, to begin with, so stop using me that I stole your boyfriend," Hera said, her tone firm with determination. She was not going to let the crazy girl ruin her day.

    Samantha red at Hera, grinding her teeth.

    Hera turned her back to Samantha and chose to ignore whatever she muttered in retaliation. Her eyes felt blessed as theynded on Hunter again.

    <em>''Oh! What is he so handsome for?''</em>

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat when he winked at her.

    <em>''Fuck, he''s so hot.''</em>

    <em>''Wait a minute, what the fuck is the devil wearing?''</em>

    Hera was having an inner breakdown while Hunter spoke to his drivers, probably sharing the location details. He nodded once in acknowledgement, and Mathew moved out of his way to let him pass.

    Hera watched while he paraded, his long legs slowly eating up the distance between them. His hands shoved in his pockets, a smile intact on his lips while his eyes shone brightly under the broad daylight.

    In contrast to Hera''s white attire, he had dressed in ck cargo pants, which had pockets all over, paired with a ck V neck full-sleeve T-shirt.

    <em>''The fuck? It''s our wedding, and he''s wearing all ck?''</em>

    The only thing that matched with hers was the white bandana on his forehead. He had his sleeves rolled up, revealing his sexy forearms. A ck wristwatch adorned his left wrist while the multiyered hand-knit ck leather bracelet decorated his right wrist.

    His T-shirt tucked in only in the front, just enough to reveal the buckle of his belt. The heavy ckbat boots coordinated his cargo pants perfectly. Only a bike and a leather jacket were missing. Otherwise, he would perfectly justify the title of a bad boy he owned.

    Hera watched transfixed while he threw his head back and ran his fingers through his hair, brushing them back.

    <em>''Huh, show off.''</em>

    Hera rolled her eyes inwardly.

    <em>''But he looks so sexy.''</em>

    She sighed. It would''ve been nice if her bridegroom wore something in white. A pair of formal pants or a white shirt would do just fine. He never broke that dress code until now.

    <em>''Doesn''t his smartass know that ck on a wedding day is a big no?''</em>

    <em>''But damn, he''s one hot, sexy, motherfucker.''</em>

    <em>''Yes, he''s my hot, sexy, motherfucker.''</em>

    Subconsciously Hera returned the smile when Hunter smiled at her.

    "You''re drooling," Michael whispered in Hera''s ear, putting a brake on her inner monologue. "And smiling like a lunatic," Eric added.

    Hera stopped smiling and pursed her lips. Composing her thoughts, she straightened her back when she saw Mathew approaching her. He wished her a happy birthday, and so did the other guards. Hera thanked them with a shy smile.

    Hunter noticed her dress and lifted an eyebrow at her. His long ck trench coat swallowed her form. Hunter shook his head, guessing why she wore it. She didn''t want him to see her dress just yet.

    He smirked, mouthing, "We match."

    Hera scowled and fanned her face with her fingers as she looked away, a gesture to show she was ignoring him.

    "Don''t you have anything else to wear other than these tacky flip-flops?" Hera heard Bianca mutter beside her in a disapproving tone. "They''refy," Hera muttered back.

    Hunter jerked his head, signalling everyone to get in the car. His eight-seater Land Rover silver SUV was brand new. Twirling the car keys in his hand, he waited for Hera to walk around and reach him, but Bianca beat her to it.

    Hunter smiled, and without any objection, he silently opened the door for his best friend. Hera watched while Bianca took her seat in the front passenger seat.

    <em>''Oh, so he wants to sit with his sunshine. It''s fine. I''m not jealous.''</em>

    Masking her disappointment, Hera smiled for Hunter.

    Right after Danny sat in the corner of the middle seat, Evelyn joined him. Samantha sat beside Evelyn. Hera went to sit in the back with Eric. Hunter tossed the keys to Michael and hurried to im his ce before Hera could.

    Winking, he offered his hand for Hera to help. Hera''s eyes went wide in surprise. Biting her lip, she giggled and took his hand. Hunter could see the edges of her white dress inside the coat when she ced a foot in to climb up while he pulled her into the car.

    Spreading his legs wide, Hunter gestured to her to sit between his thighs. She followed his request and found herself locked in his arms immediately. Her smile was wide, her eyes gleamed, and her heart sighed in content when he kissed her cheek.

    Hera heard Eric groan beside her, but she chose to ignore it.

    "Danny, do you mind switching our ces?" Eric asked, already sounding annoyed. Danny didn''t bother responding.

    Hunter could tell Danny was pissed, but he couldn''t help it. His best friend was overreacting. It''s not like Hera and Hunter were crossing any boundaries.

    He had all the right to hug and kiss his girlfriend, right?

    Hera was his, and he would do as he pleased. Danny would''ve to suck it and ept it.

    Hunter leaned backfortably and tightened his arms around Hera''s middle as he pulled her more into his chest while Michael climbed behind the wheel and started the car.

    "The mascara you''re wearing in your eyes, it''s pretty. It''s enhancing the beauty of your eyes," Hunter whispered, his cheek pressed against Hera''s.

    Hera grinned from ear to ear.

    "You noticed? It''s kohl, not mascara," Hera said. "Your eyes are my most favourite. How can I not notice when you do something special with them?" he asked.

    Hera shivered when his breath hit the underside of her jaw. Hunter pressed his lips against her cheek, kissing her without making any sound, trying to be as discreet as he could. Hera tilted her head to the side to look at him.

    She wanted to turn around and smash her lips on his, but she held back her urge to kiss him and took a deep breath.

    "Where are we going?" she asked.

    "It''s a surprise," said her boyfriend.

 Chapter 195 - She Wont Marry Him

    Face tucked in the crook of Hunter''s neck, Hera was fast asleep in his arms. She stirred, letting out a light groan of protest while he gently pushed her head away from his shoulder in an attempt to wake her up. Hera swatted his hand away with a whine when he tried to keep her head from falling on his chest again.

    Meanwhile, everyone got down as soon as Michael hit the brakes and stretched their limbs, inhaling the fresh oxygen. It took two hours to reach the destination. The journey tired their muscles because of sitting in the same position for so long.

    It felt heavenly to stretch and loosen their muscles as it realigned their strength, drawing out a satisfied moan from them.

    Michael caught Hunter''s eyes through the rearview mirror and raised eyebrows at him, silently signing him to get off before doing the same. A guard was on standby waiting for Hunter and Hera to get down so he could park the car.

    "Your hair, it''s a mess right now," Hunter said, which Hera ignored, burying her face in his neck. "And it''s our wedding day," he added, which jolted her up from the sleep instantly.. The first thing she did was to check her face in the rearview mirror.

    "Oh, no," she whined, pouting in disappointment. Her ponytail wasn''t that bad, but it didn''t look as decent as Jessica had made it. Her eyes appeared slightly swollen because of sleep, and there was no trace of lipstick on her lips. "I don''t look as pretty as a bride should be on her wedding day," she stated, scowling in frustration.

    Hunter chuckled, pinching her cheeks softly. Hera sighed, her shoulders sagging in disappointment.

    "Don''t you know, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder? You always look beautiful in my eyes, no matter what," Hunter dered. "You''re the prettiest bride ever," he said, pecking her lips. Hera smiled at his praise. She tried to smoothen her messy hair with her fingers, only to purse her lips in displeasure as she peeked into the rearview mirror.

    "Why don''t you leave it open instead," Hunter suggested. Hera reluctantly took his advice. He dly helped her remove the band from her hair. Frowning in disapproval, Hunter shook his head when she climbed on the seats to reach the front passenger seat.

    "You could use the doors," he muttered, which she ignored.

    Leaning forward, Hera checked herself in the rearview mirror after coating her lips with lipstick. Hunter got down from his seat and held her door open for her.

    "Oh!" Hera eximed while her surprised eyes roamed around, exploring the surrounding. "Wow!" she whispered in awe, admiring the view in front of her.

    They were at the beach.

    Hera giggled, her eyes appreciating everything around her. The simple, peaceful sounds of the ocean felt like a calming luby. The beach was quieter than its neighbours and turned out to be an ideal spot to enjoy quality time with loved ones. Hera could listen to the rumbling of beach rocks as the waves rushed them to the shore.

    Meanwhile, Hunter removed his boots and deposited them inside the car. Hera noticed all of their friends were walking barefoot and followed to do the same while her bridegroom cuffed his pants legs to avoid getting wet. His bare pale feet looked so big and clean on the wet pebbles, Hera couldn''t help gawking at them.

    <em>''For God''s sake, get your mind out of it, you stupid girl. You have a foot fetish or what now?''</em>

    Hera knew by now she was obsessed with everything about her Hunter. She was admiring his feet, for God sake! What else did she need as proof to know how much of a gone case she was and how deep the depth of her love was?

    "How does a beach wedding sound? Would you want that?" Hunter asked, catching her off guard. She blinked and stared into his purple orbs before leaning on her tippy toes to kiss him on the cheek. The wide grin on her face when she pulled away was all the answer Hunter needed.

    Hera noticed how the lipstick had left the imprint of her lips on his cheek. Giggling, she wiped the mark off his cheek with her thumb, but the colour of the lipstick never went away. The slight shade of light pink remained intact on his cheek. Hera seemed thoughtful for a second and then kissed his other cheek as well.

    Hunter felt her lips stretching into a smile against his skin while she kissed him softly. She ran her thumb against his clean-shaven jaw, erasing the pink stain and nodded in approval when the remaining shade of lipstick matched with his other cheek.

    The light shade of blush on his cheeks made him look more adorable, and Hera couldn''t tear her eyes off him.

    <em>''I can stare at you forever.''</em>

    A boy older than Hunter by two or three years greeted them with a broad smile. The warm wee pleased Hera, and she thanked the boy while returning the smile. Hera blushed when the boy''s gaze lingered on her longer than necessary.

    Hunter snapped his fingers, and the cold re was enough to rm the boy. Realising that his stare might havee off as rude, he apologised before leading their way. Hunter wrapped his fingers around Hera''s wrist as they walked to the local cafe at a short distance. He seemed annoyed, while Hera seemed amused.

    "Don''t be jealous, Mr Hunter. It''s my birthday, so let me bask in the attention," she whispered, her tone teasing him. She chuckled softly as her boyfriend''s purple eyes red at her, but her smile faded when he let go of her wrist and shoved his hands into his pockets. He increased his pace, his long legs leading him away from her.

    "I was only kidding, Lucifer. Now don''t be mean, or I won''t marry you," she threatened jokingly, but Hunter stopped dead in his tracks. He turned and blocked her way. She kept her chin up defiantly when Hunter red at her. Hera frowned in confusion when he smiled suddenly.

    "It''s okay. I''ll marry Samantha then. She''ll be generous enough to take me as her man after you ditch me, and I''m sure she would love the beach wedding," he said, shrugging. Hera fumed furiously, and Hunter''s jaw ticked as he clenched his teeth, matching her fury.

    Slowly, Hera released her breath through her gritted teeth. Her eyes shifted off him for a mere second only to pick up a pebble, and she threw it at him without second-guessing, but Hunter dodged it in time.

    "I was only kidding, Goddess. Now don''t be mean, or I won''t marry you," he threw her words back at her before walking away from her. Hera chased after him and pulled his arm, forcing him to face her. She stepped on his bare feet and pressed harder with all her might, her hands holding his arms for support.

    "Oh, my God, that hurt," Hunter said mockingly before wrapping his arm around her middle. She was pulled flush against his torso, and she held her breath when his gaze fell on her lips. Her chest rose and fell in anticipation, but his lips never reached hers. He smirked at her flushed face and leaned forward.

    "Your brother is watching," he whispered a centimetre away from her lips. Hera''s enthusiasm for a kiss died down as Hunter''s words threw cold water on her desire.

    <em>''Fuck, I''m supposed to be angry with him, not kiss him.''</em>

    Muttering a curse, Hera pushed him off and marched to where their friends were while Hunter followed, whistling on his way.

    It didn''t take much time for her to get distracted. The ce was interesting enough to catch her attention. It was a private beach cafe with outside seating, and they served hot and cold food with drinks.

    The grey table in the shape of three interlocking triangles, a Valknut symbol, was big enough for eight of them to sit together. Hera was pleased to know her boyfriend had booked the whole ce for the evening.

    Since Hera was pretending to be cross with Hunter, she chose to sit between Michael and Evelyn.

    Two girls d in grey shorts paired with a matching crop top introduced themselves as their servers for the day. Hera noticed how everything around them was colour-themed in grey.

    Michael was extra flirty with the server girls, and Hera rolled her eyes at his cheesy antics. One of the girls rmended that the customers could barbecue if they prefered. Everyone was busy ordering while Eric and Danny kept whispering to each other. Hera didn''t need to be a genius to know it was about the girls who were pretty enough to catch eyes.

    "Tone it down, guys," Hera heard Evelyn mutter and nodded in agreement. Michael snorted augh before jerking his head in Hunter''s direction. Sure enough, much to Hera''s displeasure, he was checking the girls out.

 Chapter 196 - A Cheap Shot

    Hunter knew Hera was pissed. He could feel her eyes drilling holes into him, yet he pretended oblivious to her intense stare. "You''re so pretty. I could marry you right now if you take me as your man," he flirted smoothly while the server girl giggled shyly, offering him the menu card, their fingers not so identally touching.

    "Very clich��, young man, try something innovative next time," the other girl said in a chiding tone before ruffling Hunter''s hair as a sister would do with her younger sibling. Her smile made it clear that she was only teasing. Hunter sighed, faking disappointment, and the girlsughed at the adorable sad face he pulled at them.

    Hera frowned in confusion when Hunter pulled the notepad from the girl''s hand, a polite smile dancing on his lips while his eyes silently asked if that was okay. The girl nodded, lending him her pen as well. Hera''s frown soon turned into an angry scowl when Hunter scribbled something on her notepad.

    <em>''Is he writing his number or what?''</em>

    She was so upset her face flushed red with all the anger she was trying to keep under control..

    "Oh, that''s okay, you can still help me, though," Hunter said to the girl who nodded, seeming too eager toply with his request. Hera tuned out of their conversation after he wrote his number and couldn''t grasp what he meant by the girl can still help him. As soon as the girls left, Hunter brushed his hands through his soft long hair one after the other until he felt he perfected his hair.

    Hera huffed out her annoyance and crossed her arms. She kept shooting daggers at him through her eyes, but it was all in vain as the arrogant asshole didn''t even spare a nce at her way. Hera had kicked him under the table a bit too harshly if she could agree. She smiled, faking fondness when Hunter groaned in pain.

    Michael smothered hisughter behind his fist while his best friend scowled at the birthday girl. "What happened, young man? Have you hurt yourself somehow?" Hera asked through her clenched teeth. The sweetness in her voice and the way she mocked concern made both Michael and Eric burst outughing.

    "What was that for, and why are you pissed at me?" Hunter asked, knowing very well what had triggered her anger. "God, you need to join an anger management course or something. You''re so violenttely," he stated usingly. Hera sneered with disinterest before answering him.

    "That was a cheap shot. Could you make yourself seem any more desperate than that?" Hera asked, scoffing at him. "She wasn''t even interested judging by the way sheughed at your poor flirting skills," she said. Hunter leaned back in his chair while smirking arrogantly at her.

    Meanwhile, their amused friends watched the drama silently.

    "Cheap shot? How so? I was genuinely trying to woo the pretty girl so that I can ask her to be my new bride since you''re second-guessing about marrying me," Hunter shot back, trying not tough at his possessive girlfriend, reminding himself that they were still fighting.

    "Aw, that''s so cute! So were you scrawling your wedding invite on her notepad then?" Hera snapped at him. This time, Hunter let his smile dance on his lips. Tilting his head, he rapped his fingers on the table, watching Hera fume in anger. He leaned forward and asked in a softer tone, "What if I was? Are you perhaps jealous?"

    Hera mirrored his stance, smiled at him and then showed him the middle finger. Hunter chuckled, looking too smug for her annoyance. "You are," he stated.

    Hera leaned back and smirked, forest green eyes piercing into his soul.

    <em>''Damn, she looks so sexy when she''s stepping all over me.'' </em>

    "Don''t look so smug, Mr Hunter. I''ll rip your chest open with my bare hands if you dare to even think about marrying someone else. Now tell me honestly, what did you mean when you said she could help you?" she asked. Hunter frowned in confusion as if she spoke in an aliennguage while Hera rolled her eyes at the pretence.

    She noticed the dominating silence around her. Everyone was looking at her strangely, and Hera felt small under their scrutinising eyes. She licked her lips nervously, straightening thepels of her trench coat. Suddenly she felt self-conscious.

    <em>''Why are they all staring at me?''</em>

    Hera felt Evelyn''s hand reaching out, a tender touch on her knuckles, and she realised she had her hands clenched into tight fists.

    "Hera, I thought we all heard him when he spoke to the server girl?" Evelyn asked, sounding confused as well. "He was asking if she could get us a birthday cake," she rified when Hera still appeared to be clueless.

    Hera sucked in a breath, worrying her bottom lip under her teeth.

    <em>''Oh, shit! Did I zone out of it so early? I didn''t even listen to their conversation.'' </em>

    But she adamantly held on to her anger. She couldn''t feel guilty, not when she had caught her boyfriend checking the girls out.

    <em>''He looked so fond when he smiled at her. He was the one flirting with other girls.''</em>

    Hera reminded herself so that she could restrain the guilt from peeking out.

    "So, what did you write on the note then? Your phone number?" Hera asked Hunter, ignoring everyone''s stare. "Were you nning on meeting her secretly behind my back? You''re already cheating on me, I see. Didn''t take much time for you to back off on your word," she pointed out usingly.

    Hunter stared at her wordlessly, offended by her usation. He was only trying to make her jealous by flirting with the girls, but apparently, it backfired on him. Hera directly used him of cheating, and it hurt. All the yfulness, the smugness, the pretence of anger, everything vanished, reced by the true rage.

    Hera didn''t miss how his eyes darkened in utter fury. She knew her choice of words hurt him, and she instantly regretted saying it. She should''ve known he was only trying to get her attention. It happened every time they fought. They would try to make each other jealous by doing silly, stupid things, unintentionally hurting each other in the process.

    A nerve twitched under his clenched jaw, his Adam''s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed. Hera pursed her lips in objection when he looked away from her. She could tell he was struggling to keep his anger in check. It annoyed her more when Hunter stood up from his chair, ready to leave. "Seriously? The fuck?" she muttered.

    It didn''t sit well with her that Hunter decided to walk out on her. Shouldn''t he fight back and argue in his defence? Instead of denying her usation of cheating, he chose to keep quiet.

    <em>''What the hell am I supposed to make of it?''</em>

    She acted on impulse and grabbed the fork resting on the table, ready to jump on Hunter, but Michael held her hand in time, much to her frustration.

    "Hey, calm down, baby girl. I''ll dly help you hide his body after you kill him, but for now, let''s keep the idea of killing him on hold, okay. Give him the benefit of the doubt?" Michael asked unsurely. Meanwhile, Hunter ignored them and walked away.

    Hera muttered a curse under her breath, and her eyes identally met with Bianca''s. She was ring at Hera, the amount of rage in her eyes enough to set Hera on fire.

    <em>''Oh, it seems like I offended his sunshine by making him upset.''</em>

    Hera scoffed mentally at Hunter''s best friend.

    Her gaze fell on Samantha and found her smirking. She looked beyond pleased, and Hera wanted to pour the ss of water on her face.

    <em>''Huh, bitch thinks she still has a chance. Over my dead body, girl.''</em>

    Hera drank the water, gulping down her anger along with it. She nced over her shoulder, searching for Hunter and found him speaking to the girl he was flirting with earlier. Hera took a deep breath ignoring the fit her heart threw. She noticed how he kept a respectable distance from the girl while nodding to something the girl said as if in approval.

    One hand shoved in his pocket, he ran his other hand through his hair and suddenly, Hunter turned, his eyes finding Hera''s.

    <em>''Damn it, how does he know every fucking time?''</em>

    It was toote to look away as he already caught her staring. However, to her dismay, he looked away first.

    "That''s what you get for being so immature. Why don''t you see you can''t keep Ace happy? You two are notpatible as a couple, and most importantly, you don''t deserve him," Samantha threw her hateful words at Hera.

    "Sam, you can keep your mouth shut if you don''t have anything nice to say," Danny said, his tone light and matter-of-fact.

    Hera didn''t respond because she couldn''t find words to retaliate. She almost believed what she said. Samantha had managed to nt seeds of doubt in her head.

 Chapter 197 - A Romantic Sap

    Startled, Hera moved to her side when someone leaned over her shoulder from behind but rxed in the next instant as the familiar scent of Hunter hit her nostrils. A hand made its way, and she saw the te filled with something resembling a cake as Hunter ced it in front of her.

    "I was asking her if she could help me with this," he said before brushing her cheek with his lips in a soft kiss.

    He walked across to his chair and took his seat beside Eric, offering her a fork to cut it. The beach cafe they were at didn''t serve the cake, so he asked them to prepare a simple bread sandwich filled with cheese. An enormous amount of chocte sauce poured all over it made her smile.

    Hera hesitantly made eye contact, and her heart warmed at the way he smiled at her, holding so much fondness in his eyes.

    "They didn''t have the candles," Hunter said. She heard everyone p their hands, cheering for her except for Samantha. Michael held his lighter in front of her, letting the me shimmer. "Assume this is a candle, make a wish, and blow it," he said.. Amidst all the tension Hera felt, a genuine smile brightened her face when she heard the chorus of happy birthdays.

    She held the first bite for Hunter to taste, her way of offering peace. He surprised her by holding her hand in his. Hunter''srge palm covered her entire fist, and he fed her the first half before eating the remaining piece from her hand.

    Hera shared the sandwich cake with everyone. Even Samantha ate her share, and for once, she didn''t make any fuss about it. It was the cherry on the top moment for Hera when Danny took her offered piece and ate it. She didn''t fight the grin that forced its way out. Though her brother didn''t wish her, his acknowledgement was enough for Hera. Something was better than nothing, after all.

    She nced up when Hunter pushed his chair back and stood up, his palm held out for her to take. She grasped it without a second thought.

    "You can take off your coat," Hunter suggested. Crossing the table, Hera reached him and nodded. "But you have to walk ahead of me because I don''t want you to see my dress yet," Hera said. Without any protest, he followed hermand. Undoing the buttons as fast as she could, Hera took off her trench coat.

    A series of whistles followed, and Heraughed in Michael and Eric''s direction. Evelyn pped her hands to show her support. With a shy smile, Hera thanked them when they praised her beauty.

    She hurried her steps to reach Hunter. His bare feet left the imprints on the shore. cing her feet right beside his every footprint, she followed him. "I''m sorry for what I said earlier. I was stupid," Hera apologised in a low tone. She noticed him shaking his head, but he didn''t turn around yet.

    "Don''t be sorry, Goddess. You weren''t in the wrong, and you have all the right to question me. Besides, I deserved it for making you upset," he admitted. "I overstepped the limit, I guess. I should''ve known it would hurt you. I know it''s not easy for you to invest your unconditional trust in me yet. I''ll wait, and I promise I''ll earn it back," he vowed.

    Hera smiled, which broadened into a pleased grin.

    "You don''t think of me as immature or stupid then?" Hera asked, her tone sounding timid. She had her head lowered, eyes fixed on his footprints, focusing on matching their wide stance. She didn''t notice when Hunter paused his walk and collided with his back. She held onto his arms for support.

    "Oopsie, I wasn''t watching," she said, sounding sheepish. She silently studied his form from behind. He had his right hand pushed inside his pants pocket while his left hand was in his front, hidden from Hera''s view. "You''re not immature," he said, catching her attention.

    "You''re possessive, and it shows just how much you value my presence, and to be honest, I feel honoured," he confessed. He heard Hera sigh in relief. "Can I look at you now?" he asked, and Hera hummed her permission.

    Hunter turned around to face her, his eyes exploring her form from head to toe while Hera''s eyes slid to a small bouquet of orchids in his hand.

    <em>''A bridal bouquet! Oh, I could get used to it.''</em>

    She could picture herself walking to him with a bridal bouquet in her hands every year on her birthday. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought.

    "You look perfect," she heard Hunter say. His short, simple, but sweet statement filled her heart with all the sweetness in the world. Handing her the bouquet, he palmed her face with his hands and kissed her on the forehead. "But you were checking out those girls," Hera used, pouting her lips. Hunter chuckled, pinching the tip of her nose.

    "I was trying to make you jealous because you didn''t want to marry me, remember?" he pointed out, pinching the tip of her nose, and Hera giggled at his displeased tone. "Didn''t I say I was joking?" she asked, scowling at him.

    "I was joking too, and for the record, none of the girls in the world could hold a candle to my Goddess," Hunter stated. Blushing, Hera looked down, studying the orchids in her hands.

    There were eight spikes of eight different colours of orchids. Hera bit back a smile and listened with patience, focusing on his every word while his smart brain exined the significance of each colour.

    Hunter taught her how a red orchid symbolised strong emotions of passion and love, and a blue one was a sign of unique beauty while pink was for gentleness and romance.

    "A white orchid symbolises purity, innocence, faith and beauty. Just like you," Hunter stated. Hera chuckled while she listened. Her eyes kept wandering from his eyes to his lips and to his hand gestures and then back to his eyes and lips as he spoke with unwavering focus.

    Hera learned that a purple orchid symbolised luxury and wealth while a yellow one meant happiness and joy. Orange orchid was for creativity and sess and green for freshness and safety.

    Lastly, Hunter''s long fingers pulled a single ck rose hidden between the orchids, and Hera let out a surprisedugh.

    "Hey, why ck, though? Do you know they signify evilness and are assigned to symbolise a dark soul like in vampires in fictions?" Hera asked, frowning at the ck flower. Hunter shook his head in disagreement. "A ck rose represents optimism and hope. They mostly used for dering feelings of eternal love," he stated.

    Hera nodded wordlessly, raising her eyebrows to show she was impressed, but when Hunter started to speak about the history of the ck rose leading back to ancient Greece and Rome, Hera rolled her eyes and stopped him from speaking further.

    "Hey, I think I''ve learned enough for the day. Give me a break already," she said, scowling at him. "Did you research about the flowers before picking them individually?" Hera asked rhetorically. She knew he did. "God, I never took you for a romantic sap. You''re turning worse day by day," Hera said, teasing him.

    "Hey," Hunter scowled at her, feeling offended. "I''m courting you and trying my best to woo you, okay," he said in his defence. Hera rolled her eyes again and shook her head.

    "But I''m not used to this new cheesy romantic side of yours. I''m more familiar and content with this devil inside here," she said, poking her finger into his chest. "Rude, arrogant, scary, asshole of a devil, my very own Lucifer," Hera dered, patting her hand over his heart.

    Hunter crossed his arms over his chest, head tilted to the side, ring at her with a disapproving scowl stered on his gorgeous face. Hera giggled and pulled him towards the water. She squealed in delight when the waves engulfed their feet, wetting their legs.

    Hunter wrapped his arms around her middle. Resting her head against his chest, Hera inhaled the scent surrounding her and closed her eyes, savouring the special moment with him.

    The pebbles and soggy sand beneath her feet caught her attention, and it felt so soothing. The sun peeking from behind the soft white cottony clouds winked at them. The warm sun rays hitting her face, the fresh salty air, the blue sea in front of her view, everything made her feel as if she was in her own little heaven.

    A few minutester, Hunter whispered her name, breaking thefortable silence. Hera turned in his arms to look at him. He let go of her, and Hera waited in anticipation while he pulled something out of his pockets.

    "Here''s your wedding gift," Hunter said, opening the small rectangr blue box. Meanwhile, Hera''s eyes went wide at the contents inside, her grin growing bigger with each second.

 Chapter 198 - A Sense Of Belonging

    "Wow!" Hera whispered in awe. Somehow, he always gave her the best gift as if he exactly knew what she liked or what would please her. She wondered where he got the unique ideas from because he never failed to render her speechless.

    Her fingers grasped the delicate gift with utmost care and freed it from the sp attached to it. "Did Evelyn help you pick the gift?" Hera asked, not taking her eyes off the gift. "Nope, I just asked her to make sure her gift matches mine," Hunter answered, watching the delightful emotions gleaming on Hera''s face.

    It was a handcrafted matching set of single, one stranded ne, earrings and a bracelet made of transparent ss beads. The purple and forest green coloured beads stacked one after the other matched perfectly with the shades of their eyes.

    Hunter took the ne from her hand and gestured to her to turn around. Putting it on her neck, he fixed the sp in its ce, and Hera didn''t waste a second before turning around so that he could take a look at her. He didn''t say anything topliment her, but the way his eyes admired her neck and corbone, Hera knew he was pleased with the result..

    He helped her with the earrings while Hera slid her hand into the beaded bracelet and smiled happily at how gorgeous it looked around her wrist.

    "How much did it cost?" she asked, still admiring her bracelet. "Wow, Goddess, that''s a very polite way to say you appreciate the gift. Thank you," Hunter said sarcastically and rolled her eyes when she looked at him, giggling away.

    "You never told me how much you spent on my tinum gold anklet with two diamonds attached to the heart charm. I didn''t even know it was real diamonds. I''m just asking to be clear," Hera rified. Hunterughed in a lighter tone. "Okay, just to be clear, they aren''t real gems or pearls, Goddess. They are simple, in ss beads," Hunter rified.

    "I love it so much, Hunter. It''s so gorgeous," Hera beamed at him, her soft gaze held so much affection in them, all of it directed at Hunter. He smiled in satisfaction while his heart melted at the heartwarming smile she presented him. "But I wish I had a mirror. I wanted to see my earrings and ne," Hera said, adding as an afterthought.

    As if he had a magic wand that made all her wishese true, Hunter smirked and pulled out a small rectangr mirror from the pocket of his pants. Heraughed in delight while he held the mirror in front of her.

    The white attire she wore, the bridal pin in her hair, the bridal bouquet in her hands, her wedding gift, everything felt overwhelming, and Hera''s eyes watered. "Wow, I look like a real bride," Hera whispered more to herself, her tone jubnt. "Because you are," Hunter stated. Hera closed her eyes when Hunter moved closer to nt an affectionate kiss on her forehead.

    His thumb wiped the single tear that escaped her right eye. Hunter leaned down to kiss Hera on the lips, but before his lips could touch hers, someone cleared their throat, interrupting the moment.

    "I don''t think I said you can kiss the bride yet," Hera snickered at Eric''s teasing tone, her palm covering her mouth while Hunter rolled his eyes at his best friend.

    For a fleeting moment, Hera felt nervous thinking about Danny and Hunter''s friends. Even though their emotions and wedding vows were real, Hera didn''t want witnesses. It made her self-conscious, and she would for sure feel awkward if Hunter kissed her in front of them.

    It was a wedding kiss, after all.

    The wedding was supposed to have witnesses. Hera would want Hunter''s parents to bless them and their friends to cheer them when they shared a wedding kiss. She would love to see Abby and Evelyn dressed as her bridesmaids and would want Hunter to have a best man standing right behind him.

    She would want all that someday in future when they marry for real but not today. It all had to wait. Today she wanted her privacy.

    Thankfully, none of his friends joined them except for Eric.

    Hera had always weed his presence. Not only because he acted as a marriage officiant but also because he made her feelfortable. He was more of a brother to her than Danny ever was.

    "Come on, let''s get done with your wonderful wedding. The sooner I''m finished here, the sooner I can eat. I''m starving," Eric said, getting into his role of marriage officiant. Hera grinned at Eric while Hunter pulled her hand, bringing her to stand in front of him. They stood facing each other, the smile on Hunter''s face mirroring Hera''s.

    Eric said whatever he needed to say. After all, he had years of practice to memorise it by heart by now.

    Hera chose to go first with her wedding vows and took a deep breath. Hunter squeezed her hands once in reassurance as if he had sensed her nervousness. She could feel her palms getting sweaty under his hold. All she had to do was look into his purple eyes, and she forgot her worries, and the bout of jitters in her tummy vanished in an instant.

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat as the dazzling smile on his lips stole her breath away. He looked at her with so much awe as if she held his whole world.

    "You know, when I had no one to make me smile, you appeared in my life like magic, bringing so much happiness into my life. You''re the first one to wipe my tears, and you did that the moment you stepped into my world. I was so lonely and sad, and you came with a hurricane of so much love, Hunter, that it filled my heart with warmth. You mean the world to me," Hera said and paused to even her breathing as her breath hitched.

    She was aware that Eric had his eyes focused on her, and maybe he would tease her for being so dramaticter, but she didn''t care. For years, she had memorised the vows written on a paper by Hunter for her. Today, she didn''t need his help to convey her feelings to him.

    She wanted to tell him in her own words what she felt for him in her heart. She wanted him to know what his presence in her life meant to her.

    Meanwhile, Hunter patiently waited for her to regain herposure, a warm smile directed at her the whole time. Once her emotions settled under control and her racing heartbeats subsided to a regr pace, Hera spoke again.

    "Long ago, when I firstid my eyes on you, you were a dream. The second time we met, you were a prayer that got answered, a wish granted for me and the immense joy and happiness you brought along, no one ever brought before and after you," Hera confessed. Her tone was heavy with pride, and the smile on her lips was so pure and innocent.

    "But over the years, alongside loving me, you have also hurt me many times. When you broke my heart, everything inside me felt empty. But nothing could lessen or erase the love I have for you. I forgave you because it''s impossible for me not to love you," she admitted without an ounce of shame and paused again, only to choke on a sob.

    She blinked rapidly to stop the tears, but it was toote to restrain them. She wasn''t sad, but yet, the salty water wouldn''t go away. Her heart went on a short trip down memoryne, and it was overwhelming. Hunter let go of her hands to wrap his arms around her shoulders and embraced her in a warm tight hug. She felt him kissing the side of her head.

    Hera pulled away from the hug to look him in the eyes. She smiled through her tears when he kissed the wet tear tracks on her cheeks. Eric silently passed a handkerchief to Hunter, which he epted with a grateful nod and wiped her tears with it.

    Like the best friend he was, Eric patiently waited and let his friends have their moment.

    Hunter felt a tug at his heart. It was supposed to be her happiest day, but it seemed he ruined it already for her. He held her until she feltforted and let her pour her heart out.

    As if she could feel the guilt and ache in his heart, she smiled at him warmly.

    "And besides, a wise soul taught me that we could never hate the person we love," Hera said and nced at Eric, shing him a grateful smile. Eric returned the smile and nodded encouragingly. When Hera looked at Hunter, his heart skipped a beat. Her gaze and her smile both touched his heart.

    It was so full of love it brought him a sense of belonging, and he knew Hera felt it too.

 Chapter 199 - Partners For Life

    "There was no first, second orst chance to give you. You''ve always owned my heart. It wants no one else, Hunter. You''re very precious because you''re the only one I have. And you were right when you said we will always find our way back to each other no matter what," with that said, Hera concluded with her confession.

    She took a deep breath, swallowed all their bad memories and cleared her throat before grinning broadly at Hunter.

    "I''ll care for you, honour you and protect you. I will love you in sunshine and rain and over the rainbow and under the starry night sky. You know how easily I get jealous, and I''m over-possessive, but that''s the only way I know to love you. You don''t have any choice, though," she winked at him with a cheeky smile.

    "Wherever you go, I''ll go with you because I''m joining my life with yours," she announced proudly. "I''m immature and act silly sometimes, I know.. Eventually, I will learn to be sensible, I guess," Hera said more to herself.

    Turning to Eric, she said the ''I do''s when he asked her.

    "ording to the will of God and my heart''s desire, I take you, Hunter, to be my husband and my partner for life. I promise to love you forever, for good or ill, in happiness and sadness,e riches or poverty," Hera beamed at her boyfriend sh husband. Her smile was so endearing that Hunter couldn''t help getting lost in it.

    "Oh, and for the record, the money you have, or you earn, is also mine," Hera added as an afterthought. Both Hunter and Ericughed at that while Hera scowled at them yfully.

    Eric cleared his throat and made a show of adjusting his imaginary spectacles on his nose before pointing his finger at Hera. The grin he wore was a wicked one.

    "She forgot the health and sickness part again, Ace," Eric pointed out. "For sure, she''ll ditch you the moment you fall sick," he said, his toneced with mock pity. Offended by his statement, Hera yelled at him, shoving him away. "Hey, behave or do you want me to cancel your wedding?" he asked,ughing at Hera''s shocked face while she gaped at him in disbelief.

    Hunter snapped his fingers and easily captured her attention when he smiled at her. He didn''t seem to mind what Eric pointed out, and she smiled hesitantly. "I''m sorry I forgot again," she apologised. Hunter smiled in return and shook his head as if he understood she didn''t do it on purpose.

    He took her hands in his and had all her focus zeroed on him with just that.

    "I promise to love you faithfully with all my heart, body and soul," he started with his vow, and Hera''s gaze softened, her lips twitching in a tiny smile. She knew why he felt the need to reassure her of his faithfulness. After all, she used him of cheating. She knew he loathed himself for cheating on her as much as she did back then.

    "Goddess, I want to make you the happiest person in the universe. I want to take away all the sorrow from you and gift you a new wonderful life," Hunter avowed. "I will protect you, trust you and respect you. I will share your joys and sorrows, and I will always be there for you tofort you in times of need," he dered.

    Lifting her hands to his mouth, he kissed the back of her hands one after the other. Hera wanted to lean forward and seal his lips with hers. It was so tempting, but she resisted the urge to kiss him. How could she interrupt him when he was saying all those nice things to her?

    "I promise to love and cherish you and your hopes and dreams and keep you safe at my side. All that is mine is now yours. Goddess Hera, I give you my hand, my heart, body and soul and all my love to you for as long as I live," Hunter said with utmost sincerity.

    "And of course, my money is included in that list as well," he added, which earned him a giggle from his bride.

    Hera winked at him andughed when he made a kissy face, pouting his lips.

    "Hera Hunter, I promise to love you through the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health regardless of where life takes us," Hunter concluded with his vows and looked at Eric expectantly.

    His best friend grimaced, his face twisting in disgust. "Aw, it''s so cute that you two are way too cheesy and overly dramatic," Eric said sarcastically. "Seriously though, we can write a script for a romantic movie out of your confessions," he said, rolling his eyes at them.

    Eric pronounced them as man and wife and then concluded the ceremony saying, "I know how desperate you are, Ace. Go ahead, do it. You can kiss your bride now."

    Hunter grinned from ear to ear, and Hera''s expression mirrored his. "Time to teach you a French kiss," Hunter said, beaming at his bride while she giggled, blushing crimson red.

    They both tore their eyes off each other to look at Eric when they heard him scoff. "As if you haven''t dipped your tongue down her throat yet," Eric said, pretending to gag. Hera scowled at Eric''s words. "Why does he make it sound so dirty?" she asked, her question directed at Hunter.

    Ignoring Hera''s curious eyes, Hunter scowled at his best friend. "For the record, I haven''t," he said, sounding offended. "Yeah, sure," Eric said, not believing his words. "Anyway, keep it PG, and now I''m out of here," he said, turning on his heels to give them privacy.

    As soon as Eric left, Hunter pulled Hera into a bone-crushing hug, whispering an I love you into her ear. When Hera pulled away from his embrace, she had a glint in her eyes, a teasing smirk ying on her lips. "Dipping tongue down my throat, huh?" Hera asked. "Are we going to do it right now?" She sounded way too curious.

    "I don''t think it''s a good idea. Your brother won''t like it," Hunter pointed out andughed at her when she pouted in disappointment. The melodic sound of hisughter was the only sound she could concentrate on in that open atmosphere as everything else faded into mist.

    Hera stared silently, admiring his beautiful features without blinking eyes.

    "Stop staring, Mrs Hunter. It''s rude," he said jokingly. "Oh, shut up and kiss me, you idiot," she said, pulling him down, her hands fisting the material of his T-shirt.

    Hunter kissed her slow and sweet, taking his time nibbling and biting her lips one after the other. As Eric said, Hunter kept it to the PG level for sure and no tongue involved in the kiss. He was enjoying the sensual kiss, much to Hera''s annoyance. She took charge and deepened the kiss when Hunter kept teasing her.

    Hunter pulled away from the kiss way too soon, and with her chest heaving, Hera red at him in annoyance. He chuckled, pecking her lips once more. "I heard your tummy growling," he said as if that was a good enough reason to deprive her of his kiss.

    "Hmm, maybe because I''m hungry," Hera muttered, eyeing him with a starved look in her eyes before trying to steal another kiss, but he moved his head away in time. He knew the hidden meaning behind her words but chose to ignore her. "Come on, you''ll get to kiss me when your tummy gets filled," he said determinedly, and Hera whined in frustration.

    "Don''t you want to eat your special wedding breakfast?" he asked and took her hand in his to lead her back to their friends. Hera looked at her bridal bouquet and asked, "What do I do with this?"

    "I thought you would keep it with you until it stayed fresh?" Hunter asked, sounding unsure. Hera would love to keep it, but she wouldn''t. "I''m the bride, and it''s a bridal bouquet. I''m supposed to throw it over my head," she said informatively, and Hunterughed at her duh tone. "No one''s here to catch it," he said and shrugged.

    He noticed how her face dropped in disappointment. He bit his lip and looked at the enormous sea as a thoughtful look crossed his features before he looked back at Hera. "You can throw it into the sea. You never know, a mermaid could use it for Goodluck," he said, winking at his bride.

    Hunter smiled in satisfaction and mentally patted himself for bringing her smile back. He also made a mental note to ask someone to pick it upter. He wouldn''t want to contribute to the growing water pollution.

    He captured the moment in his cell phone, grinning wide while Hera threw her bouquet over her head.

    He opened his arms wide, and Hera rushed into his chest, her lovely smile stealing his breath away for the ninth time.

 Chapter 200 - Her Birthday Couldnt Get Any Better

    By the time Hera and Hunter reached their friends, they had already started with their breakfast. The aroma of the food felt even more appealing in the salty air, and Hera''s mouth watered as soon as it hit her nostrils.

    Hera took her seat beside Hunter while he made their te. She eyed the food he served for her, prawn, fish and chips with toasted cheese sandwiches. She grinned as her heart jumped greedily, ready to devour the dishes. Their sandwiches wererge inparison to the regr ones.

    The little cafe was very good with friendly staff, and the food was yummy. Hunter had ordered hot chocte for Hera and Bianca while others drank beers. The beach looked lovely with the tide out, and Hera loved the warm atmosphere.

    Hunter''s friends were no more indifferent or cold towards her, and she enjoyed the small talks, including her bickering with Michael and Eric. The air filled withughter while they enjoyed the game of revealing each other''s most embarrassing moments.

    Hera never thought they would let her in and share their hidden awkward experiences with her, let alone celebrate her birthday with so much enthusiasm. Her smile stayed intact on her face the whole time, and she genuinely enjoyed Hunter''s friends''pany.

    She jumped in surprise when her phone pinged with a message notification. It would take some time for her to get used to it. When Hunter gifted the phone to her, he had already saved his number as Prince Charming, but Hera had changed it to Devil. Later she added her brother''s number as well.

    Everyone she knew was here, and she wondered who had messaged her. Abby had called Danny''s phone to greet her happy birthday, and very proudly, Hera had shared her number with her.

    Guessing it to be her cousin, Hera opened the phone lock. She was surprised when the name Devil greeted her, and she smiled, looking at Hunter. A soft jerk of his head signalled her to open it. The message opened to reveal a picture, and as soon as she saw it, a surprised gasp escaped her mouth.

    It was a picture of them sharing their wedding kiss.

    <em>''Oh, my! You sneaky devil! When did he take this picture?''</em>

    Hera looked at him to find him watching her with an amused glint in his eyes. She bit the inside of her cheek to hide her smile. She was thankful for the photo because Hunter was thoughtful enough to capture their special moment to add to their precious memories while she was busy, greedily devouring his lips.

    The memory of the kiss made her blush, and Hera looked down into her te. She could feel his intense stare piercing into her soul. To distract herself, she grabbed a chocte bar from the small bowl of sweets on the table. She bit her lip to curb the grin that was eager to let its presence known.

    Large forest green eyes widened, and her jaw dropped in surprise when the chocte wrapper flew away from her hand. She looked over her shoulder, eyes following the thin golden paper floating in the air.

    <em>''Fuck! Is it a messenger sweet? It''s my birthday sweet, so I think it is.''</em>

    She was in a dilemma whether to go after it or to let it go. She hadn''t read the message in it yet. She felt a slight nudge to her shoulder and nced back at Hunter. He grinned at her cutely bewildered face and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "It''s okay, Goddess. It''s not a sweet messenger," he said.

    Hera pursed her lips and scowled at him for no reason before stuffing her mouth with chips.

    <em>''Oh, it was embarrassing, alright. The devil shouldn''t know how desperate I get to read his messages.''</em>

    "Hey, birthday girl," she heard Evelyn''s sweet voice calling and lifted her gaze to look at her. A smile broke into her face as Evelyn held an extrarge birthday card in front of her. Thanking the sweet girl, Hera epted it with gratitude. It had a picture of a strawberry cake in the front and cupcakes and ice cream on the inside.

    Evelyn had written a sweet birthday message for her wishing her health, happiness and love.

    "And here''s a surprise," Evelyn yelled, startling Hera. "Oh, my God!" Hera eximed, pleasantly surprised when her friend thrust a giant teddy bear in pure white into herp. It had a cute red bowtie around its neck with happy birthday written on it.

    "Thank you, Evie, but you didn''t have to buy me another gift. I received one in the morning already, remember?" Hera asked, her tone too polite.

    Evelyn jerked her thumb in Danny''s direction and smiled at her knowingly. Hera gasped audibly. She couldn''t believe her brother bought her a birthday gift.

    <em>''Just when I thought my birthday couldn''t get any better.''</em>

    Her eyes watered, and she nced at her brother, who had his head ducked. Before Hera could thank him, he stood up, grabbed a beer bottle and walked away.

    "It''s awkward for him too, you know," Hunter said, drawing Hera''s attention to him. "But he''sing around, isn''t he?" he stated. Hera nodded and hugged Evelyn to thank her. "Thank you, Evie. I owe you this one," she said. Evelyn shook her head and pointed at Hunter. "To him, actually," she revealed before going after Danny.

    He was propping up his chin with his elbow on the table and presented her with his dazzling smile when she looked at him. Hera was tongue-tied as she was overwhelmed. Leaning forward, she nted a soft kiss on his cheek to show her gratitude.

    Someone cleared their throat, and Hera leaned back on her chair only to receive another surprise. Bianca passed her a medium-sized greeting card. It was a simple card with a picture of red roses on every side. She had signed her name inside. Hera thanked her but got rudely ignored.

    Hunter held his palm out, and Bianca grabbed it. They shook hands and hugged. Hera didn''t miss when Hunter mouthed, "Thank you, sunshine."Bianca looked too pleased when she hugged Hunter, and Hera knew then, she only did it to please Hunter. It didn''t matter, though. The gesture pleased Hera nheless.

    Her day seemed full of surprises because Samantha gave her a card too. It was a in white card with a red ribbon drawn over it. "Grow up," Samantha said as her greeting. Hera ignored the jab and thanked her politely. She opened the card to find a cactus picture inside and quickly closed it before Hunter could see it.

    <em>''So obvious.''</em>

    Hera thought it was ironic because clearly, it was Samantha who needed to grow up.

    All the girls left, and Hera looked at Eric and Michael. She raised her eyebrows, a sly grin directed at them. "Now, you didn''t think you could escape without giving me my gift, did you?" she asked, eyeing them both.

    "I don''t go around gifting people when I barely like them," Michael said, keeping a straight face. "Fuck you, Michael Romano," Hera replied and threw chips at him.

    Michael grimaced in disgust and shook his head. "Ew, no thanks, Hera Hunter. I''m not interested," he said and ran away before Hera could throw more insults at him.

    Eric left his seat and stood up, probably to join Michael.

    "Hey, wait," Hera said, grabbing Eric''s hand before he could walk away. "It''s okay, Pixie, no need to thank me. We have passed that stage of formality," Eric replied in a teasing tone. He yfully pulled her hair, and Hera smacked his hand away. "I wasn''t going to thank you," she said, frowning at him.

    Eric frowned as well, a questioning look stered on his face. He genuinely thought she was going to thank him for his help earlier with their wedding. He conveniently forgot about the gift part.

    Hera smiled at him, too sweet for his taste. He narrowed his eyes at her when her smile turned wicked.

    "Where''s my gift?" she asked.

    Eric chuckled before nodding. He held his hand for her to take, and Hera dly epted the invitation. They both walked ahead while Hunter kept a few feet of distance, giving them space.

    "I didn''t buy you any gift," Eric said and pursed his lips, shrugging. Hera pouted in disappointment, stamping her foot. Eric chuckled at her tantrums and pulled her closer into a side hug.

    "I do have a gift for you, but I''m not sure if it counts as one because it didn''t cost me any money," he said. Hera nodded, gesturing for him to go on.

    "You know I''ve been acting as a marriage officiant for your wedding every year. But someday in future, it''s going to change, and a real officiant will take my ce," he said, and Hera frowned, not knowing where their conversation was heading. "You''ll walk down the aisle while Ace waits for you on the other side," he paused to look at her.

    Hera gave him a nervous smile while Eric held her shoulders and turned her to face him directly. She was confused as well as curious by his seriousness all of a sudden.

    "Someone will walk with you, preferably someone from the family or a close rtive or someone you hold dear to your heart. They will give your hand away," Eric paused as if to make sure she was listening or understanding his words.

    Suddenly, Hera felt a lump in her throat. It was overwhelming to think about what Eric made her see. The realisation hit her hard. She had no parents or a father to give her hand away.

 Chapter 201 - Her Guardian Angel

    "Today, as your birthday gift, I give my word that I''ll always be there for you when you need me, no matter what, when, where or how," Eric promised. His words yanked her back to reality, putting a brake on her thoughts. "I would love to walk you down the aisle and give your hand away at your actual wedding," he offered.

    Hera''s lips quivered and curled downward at the corners as she tried to control the sob. But the tears rushed out of her eyes as there was no barrier to restrict them.

    "How do you do that? How do you always know what I''m missing ande with the best solution to all my problems?" Hera asked, looking at him in awe. Her heart held so much affection for him, but she couldn''t express her gratitude in words.

    "I''ll be honoured if you say yes, and besides, I deserve the right more than Danny. You know I''m worth it," he stated, shooting her a charming smile followed by a wink. Hera still couldn''t speak, so she silently nodded, staring at him with her wide eyes.

    Eric wiped her tears with his thumb and shook his head, a wordless request not to cry..

    "Ace and I are not only best friends, but we are more like soul brothers. I would never leave his side no matter what, and I know neither would he leave me," Eric stated the obvious and Hera nodded again. She already knew that much without him voicing it out.

    "I''m used to seeing you next to him since forever, and I would love to have you around for the longest time," Eric confessed.

    With her lips sucked into her mouth, Hera took a deep breath and slowly looked around, eyes searching for her Hunter. She wanted to thank him, firstly for befriending Eric and secondly for bringing him into her life. She had often wondered what to name the bond she shared with Eric. He was a friend, a brother, and a well-wisher.

    Eric had helped and protected her in many ways more than Danny ever did. He never expected anything in return, and his intention never had any ulterior motives. She was his best friend''s girlfriend, and that reason was enough for him to appreciate her existence. He was so selfless that Hera decided he could only be her guardian angel.

    She found Hunter a few feet away from them ying with his friends.

    Subconsciously, Hera smiled when she saw himughing with Michael and Danny. Sshing water at each other with their feet, they seemed like naughty little kids. When she looked back at Eric, he was grinning at his friends too. Without thinking, Hera flung herself into his chest, hugging him tightly.

    It took a second or two for Eric to realise what happened as Hera startled him with the sudden hug. "Thank you," Hera said before leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. "You''re truly my guardian angel, Eric," she said, and Eric wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug.

    "And yes, you deserve the right more than anyone else. Not that you have anyone topete with, but I''m d you asked," Hera said, smiling at him in gratitude. "I don''t think your best friend appreciates your presence enough on a regr basis, so I want to thank you on his behalf as well. Hunter is lucky to have you as his best friend," Hera decided.

    "He is, isn''t he?" Eric asked rhetorically, sounding arrogant, but Hera knew he was teasing her. She nodded her agreement anyway. She tightened her hold, squeezing him into the hug one more time before letting go.

    "Thank you, Pixie. I feel honoured," he said sincerely. Hera grabbed his hand and pulled him to join Hunter and his gang.

    The day went smoothly, and Hera couldn''t be happier. It was her best birthday ever. They yed in the sea, got wet all over andter soaked themselves in the sun to dry their clothes. They had their lunch at the cafe and sprawled on the sand-covered shore to rx afterwards.

    Hera enjoyed the typical game of truth or dare until the bottle stopped pointing in between Hunter and Michael.

    "Ooh, I''ve been waiting for this," Michael said, sounding too excited. Hunter was at the receiving end and arched his brow in question when Michael rubbed his hands together, a mischievous smile aimed at Hunter as he chose the dare. "I dare you to smooch Hera here right in front of Danny," Michael announced, smirking triumphantly at his two best friends.

    Danny choked on his beer while Hera whipped her head in a sh to re at the culprit. "Seems like someone has a death wish," Danny muttered, ring at Michael. "Dude, wrong direction. Your target is in the opposite direction," Michael said, pointing at Hunter andughed when Hunter threw the bottle cap at him.

    Suddenly the pin-drop silence felt too awkward, and Hera could feel her brother''s distress. She was contemting what to do, almost ready to bolt at any minute when Hunter, being the best friend he was, refused the dare and epted his defeat. He wouldn''t do anything to make him ufortable.

    Michael pped his hands, a pleased smirk on his lips as if he was expecting him to refuse. "As your punishment, excluding Hera and I, you''ve to kiss any one of our friends here," he said, snickering at Hunter. He was having too much fun, alright.

    Hera''s eyes remained rooted on Michael, and she was shooting imaginary daggers at him. Thetter gave a quick up-down sh of the eyebrows and signalled the former to keep her eyes on Hunter. Grinding her teeth, Hera turned to see what Hunter would do.

    Hunter shifted from his ce to reach where Bianca and Samantha sat. They were sitting next to each other, and Hera held her breath, waiting for him to choose his option.

    He didn''t even pause for a single second to think before crouching down beside Bianca. He leaned in, one of his hands went around her shoulder while he used it to pull her closer and gave her a long smooch on her cheek.

    <em>''The fuck?''</em>

    <em>''It''s okay. At least, the asshole didn''t kiss Samantha.''</em>

    <em>''Best friend is better than an ex-girlfriend.''</em>

    Hera kept consoling herself to keep it cool, but her patience wore off when Michael sneered beside her. He had a knowing look in his eyes as if he could listen to Hera''s inner monologue.

    His eyes slid down to her hand when Hera''s fingers collected a few pebbles beneath her feet. Before Hera could aim it at him, Michael leapt to his feet and ran away from her reach.

    Much to Hera''s gratefulness and to Michael''s displeasure, Evelyn decided to help Hera, and they kept chasing him until they cornered him. Hera was too happy to practise her aim using him as her target board. He kept jumping to dodge the pebbles every time Hera threw them at his feet.

    "Okay, that''s enough," Michael yelled and raised his hands in surrender, only to get ignored by Hera. She picked up arger pebble this time andughed evilly, shifting the oval-shaped, smooth stone in her hands.

    "Stop right there if you want your gift, Hera Hunter," he said and effectively caught her interest. Hera eyed him suspiciously and tilted her head to the side as if weighing the authenticity of his words. "One more hit, and you''ll lose your gift," he said, patting the inside pocket of his jacket where Hera could see the impression of something in a square shape.

    Both Hera and Michael held a staring contest for a few seconds, analysing each other''s moves. Michael raised his brows, a finger pointing at the pebble in her hand. Hera finally gave up and loosened her grip over the stone, dropping it to the sandy mud. Her lips stretched into a grin when he took out the said gift from his pockets.

    Hera tried to snatch it from him, but Michael held it above his head, and she couldn''t reach it. She never felt ashamed about her short height until now.

    "But I don''t want spectators. I want privacy," Michael said, ncing at Evelyn. Both Hera and Evelyn rolled their eyes in sync. "What for?" Evelyn asked, but when Hera noticed he was not budging from his position, she nicely asked Evelyn if she could excuse them. Hera didn''t give her a chance to object, though. She nudged her shoulders, urging her to leave with a polite request until Evelynplied.

    Hera obediently followed when Michael walked away from the wave hitting the shore.

    He sat on the sand as far away as he could where the wave wouldn''t reach him. Taking his jacket off, he ced it on the sandy mud before gesturing to Hera to sit. Hera realised he had made a makeshift mat for her to sit on, and the gesture touched her heart.

    He held the gift in his hand, rotating the box absent-mindedly. Hera noticed, suddenly Michael seemed nervous as if contemting whether to give her or not. All the yfulness was gone, and his demeanour changed into a serious one.

 Chapter 202 - It Was His Right

    It was so unusual for Michael to appear this nervous. He almost seemed vulnerable. Hera had never seen him in this state. The Michael she knew was confident, arrogant, fearless, and was always a happy-go-lucky kind of a boy. His silence, and the way he yed with the gift box absent-mindedly, started to worry Hera.

    "Mike, what''s wrong? Are you okay?" Hera asked, her hand softly resting on his shoulder. He exhaled as if he was tired and nodded wordlessly. Hera scooted closer and squeezed his shoulder in assurance, silently offeringfort, though she had no idea what troubled him all of a sudden. He was fine before taking out that gift box.

    "I''m fine, baby girl, just organising words in my mind before speaking. It''s kind of weird because I never thought we would have this conversation one day," Michael said, giving her an awkward smile. He pulled his knees up, resting his elbows on them, his fingers sped around the gift box tightened their hold.

    Hera didn''t feel the need to urge him, so she waited, patient and understanding. Michael nced at his feet soaked in wet sand and wiggled his toes to get rid of the dirt.

    "Hmm, guess there''s no other way to say it," he said more to himself. Hera was curious as well as intrigued by his new attitude. "You know I don''t sugarcoat my words, so I''lle straight to the point," Michael said while Hera nodded silently.

    "I love you, Hera," she heard him say and frowned. "Seriously, Mike, this is what you were struggling to say from that time? And here I am, thinking all my life that you hated me," Hera said in an incredulous tone. She rolled her eyes for an added effect andughed at him.

    Michael didn''tugh, though. He kept a straight face and stared at her.

    <em>''Uh-oh, it''s not good. Something''s wrong for sure.''</em>

    Michael turned his face away from her and looked at the sea, not actually seeing anything.

    <em>''What are you up to, Mike?''</em>

    Hera licked her lips and swallowed nervously.

    "I love you, as in I have feelings for you," said Michael. Still frowning, Hera stared at him. It took time for her to process the meaning behind his words. Michael sighed, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "The kind of feelings you have for Ace, that kind of love," he borated to rify, and Hera''s eyes went wide in shocked surprise.

    She didn''t know how to respond and could only gape at him speechless.

    Her first instinct was to turn and search for Hunter. Not that she was afraid of Michael, but she needed to see the love of her life to keep her racing heartbeats calm. He was her strength, her sanity.

    "Mike, I don''t know what to say. I''m sorry?" she said, sounding unsure. That sad look in his eyes and the fake smile he shot her only made her feel sorry. "Can I kiss you? Just once, please?" Michael whispered and leaned in. As though electrocuted, Hera scooted away. Michael''s face fell, and he seemed hurt.

    Hera felt sorry for him and was almost ready to apologise for hurting him when suddenly she heard himugh. Michael doubled over on the sandughing his lungs out.

    Meanwhile, Hera gawked at him, not knowing what just happened.

    "God, it felt so good, and it''s so easy to y you," she heard him bber in between his hystericalughter. "What in the hell, Mike?" she yelled and rushed towards him. Clutching his stomach, he keptughing even when Hera''s fingers curled around his hair and yanked in anger.

    Frustrated, Hera decided to leave him alone when he held her hand, not letting her go. He apologised profusely, not meaning it at all. His muffledughter only irked her more.

    "Fuck, you seriously believed I have romantic feelings for you? Ew, that''s so gross. You''re my baby girl, literally my baby," Michael cooed at her, pinching her cheeks. Hera pped his hand away and tried to get away from him but in vain. Michael wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her closer.

    "Are you going to give my gift, or are you simply wasting my time?" she asked, not hiding her irritation.

    Michael sighed again and seemed to be sober now as all the yfulness vanished from his face. "Hmm, but first, I need to say something. It''s important," he said and started with an apology. "I''m sorry for all those years when I made you cry," he said, and Hera peeked at him through her leashes, not believing him at all.

    "Ace was so pissed at me a few days back, and it almost seemed like we were fighting," Michael revealed, shuddering dramatically. "We don''t fight, you know. We never did," he stated. Hera nodded in acknowledgement, and she noticed he seemed disturbed by the mere thought of fighting with his best friend.

    "I didn''t know you were that hurt because of my pranks until Ace pointed it out. He said, by hurting you, I hurt him too. I didn''t have any bad intention, you know, I was only teasing you. I''m really sorry," Michael sincerely apologised. Hera shook her head and was about to say it''s okay, but he stopped her before she could utter a word.

    "I''m not good at this confession shit, so please don''t interrupt me until I let it all out," he said in a requesting tone. Hera''s lips twitched, but she bit back her smile. She could tell he was struggling with words. Apologising was not everyone''s forte, after all.

    "I know I keep annoying you with my pranks and all, but I do it only for fun. It''s not to traumatise you or make you upset. How do I exin this?" Michael paused, seeming thoughtful. Meanwhile, Hera kept her eyes on him, focussing on his every word, studying his every emotion.

    "You know, I''m the youngest in our friend group. Though we''re all eighteen, I''m younger by a few months or weeks whenpared to my friends. They all boss me around sometimes and would baby me at other times," he revealed, chuckling to himself. Hera let out a quietugh and ruffled his hair. Michael scowled yfully and swatted her hand away.

    "I wished I too had someone whom I could boss around or baby them, and you were the convenient option, young, naive, silly and sensitive crybaby," he said and snickered when Hera shoved him, offended by his choice of words. "You were the younger sister I always wanted but never had," he confessed. He was looking so fondly at her that it melted her heart.

    Hera never once thought Michael could ever love her like a sister. This new information made her rethink her opinion of him.

    "When I used to y pranks and pull your leg, it felt like I''m annoying my baby sister, and you would cry as I expected. When I scared away those boys who tried to befriend you, it wasn''t only for Ace. I did it because I felt like a protective brother around you," Michael kept on revealing new secrets that overwhelmed her.

    She felt the urge to question him, to verify and weigh the authenticity of his words. How could he hold such a meaningful bond for her and act like an annoying prick all the time? But she decided to let him speak his mind and patiently listened to his heartfelt confession.

    "I enjoyed it so much every time you fought with me by kicking me or pulling my hair, and I loved our silly bickering too," Michael continued, the tone of his voice so soft and gentle, and his eyes held pure affection.

    "I never apologised because it never urred to me that I was in the wrong or unknowingly I might have hurt you. I always thought it was my right, you know to annoy my baby sister," he admitted, his voice lowering to a whisper.

    His eyes watered by then, and a few tears slid down his cheeks in a hurry. He looked away to wipe his tears, but Hera had already seen them.

    "Oh, my God, Mike!" Hera whispered, surprised by his tears. She pulled him into her chest, embracing him while her heart filled with warmth at the revtion. "I''m so sorry, Mike, I always misunderstood you, and I''m sorry for misjudging you," Hera said and mentally med herself that at one point of time, she hated him.

    She let him cry on her shoulder, all the while running her palm over his head in aforting manner. She smiled when he tightened his arms around her.

    "But it''s your fault for not telling me sooner," Hera said, scolding him. "And I too love our fights, especially when I get to kick your ass," she said, teasing him. Michaelughed and pulled away from the hug.

    He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt and looked away when Hera smirked with a teasing glint in her eyes. "Alright, I cried, and it''s embarrassing. I''ll kill you if you ever mention it again," he threatened, ring at her with his red-rimmed eyes. But the smile lurking around his lips confirmed that he was feigning anger.

    "You''re family, not only because you are Ace''s girlfriend but also because you''re my little sister. You''ll always be my baby girl," he dered.

    Hera smiled when he finally held the gift box for her to take. Her smile grew into a wide grin when she opened the box andid her eyes on the gift inside.

 Chapter 203 - Time Heals Everything

    "I wanted my gift to remind you of the time we spent together," Michael said, reading the unasked question in her eyes. Hera blinked rapidly, willing to keep the tears at bay. Everything Michael said made her emotional, and a few tears of joy found their way out.

    "Happy birthday, baby girl," he said, running his knuckles down her cheeks, wiping her tears away. Her watery smile made him pull her into a warm hug, and he kissed the crown of her head.

    Michael took the gift out of the box, and Hera held her hand out, giggling in excitement. His gift was a wristwatch, and Hera could tell it was a men''s watch, but she loved the gift anyway. The ck round dial of the analogue watchpletely engulfed her wrist, but Michael pulled the adjustable belt tighter to fix the size.

    "This watch is a reminder of all the time we spent together. You''re not allowed to discard it even if it stops working, and I''ll kill you if you ever lose it," Michael warned in all seriousness, and Hera giggled gleefully, nodding her agreement.

    She kissed his cheek to show her gratitude, which made him grimace in disgust, and he immediately brushed the heel of his hand over his cheek, erasing the evidence.. "Thank you, Mike," Hera said,ughing at his scowl.

    "Not that I''mining, but you bought me a men''s watch," Hera pointed out, her eyes admiring the inside of the dial. "It looked good when I held it against my wrist," Michael replied, shrugging his shoulders. Hera hummed her response, and they both stared at the sea for a while, lost in their thoughts.

    When she noticed Michael seemed calm and collected, Hera cleared her throat to get his attention. He nced at her face once and lifted his eyebrows, gesturing for her to ask away whatever it was. Hera smiled, but it was hesitant.

    "Now that you''ve upgraded my status as your sister and consider me like family, I can ask you something personal?" Hera asked hesitantly. Michael''s lips twitched into a crooked smile before he nodded. Hera turned her face to look at him properly and when she spoke. "You don''t talk about your family, like ever. Why is that?" she asked.

    Michael nodded to show he heard her but didn''t answer immediately. Hera studied his face for any inconvenience or distress but found none as he kept his expression nk, void of any emotions.

    "How much did Ace tell you?" he asked after a few seconds. Hera bit her lip, giving him a sheepish look. "He didn''t tell me much, said it''s not his story to share. I only know that you lost your biological family, and you''re his adopted brother," Hera said. Michael nodded, and Hera waited until he collected his thoughts.

    "My mother turned out to be a heartless bitch," he spat out the words with such venom, it surprised Hera. "She didn''t waste much of her time on me after my father," Michael choked on a sob and left his sentence hanging. Hera instantly felt guilty for asking about his family, but it was toote to take back her words.

    "She had an affair and was cheating on my father from day one. The man she was sleeping with behind my father''s back was someone from his family, his cousin to be precise," Michael revealed. Hera felt sad but knew Michael wouldn''t appreciate her pity. She scooted closer and put her arm around his shoulder in a side hug.

    "That bitch left me on my own, and I was barely three at that time. If it weren''t for Ace''s parents, I don''t know what would''ve happened to me. I don''t know how I would''ve survived in this cruel world," he confessed. Hera leaned closer when he rested his head on her shoulder. He didn''t speak for a while after that, and she let him take his time, silently offeringfort.

    Hera silently cried with him. She didn''t want to say it was okay, nor did she feel it appropriate to say she was sorry. She could rte to what Michael felt. After all, she was abandoned by her father too.

    "Ace''s parents are lovely people. My fairy mummy is wonderful, and you''ll love her. Our mom is truly an angel," Michael said. Hera didn''t miss the pride adorning his every word. She could detect the smile in his tone. "You and Eric speak so highly of her," Hera pointed out her observation.

    Michael agreed with a fond smile ying on his lips. "You would know when you meet her. She''s the best mother anyone could ask for, you know," he stated. "Why don''t youe with us? Ace and I are going home soon," he revealed only to surprise Hera.

    ''Oh, I didn''t know. Hunter didn''t tell me.''

    Hera felt an unpleasant twist in her gut. Hunter was going home, and she would be left alone. Herck of response rmed Michael, and he lifted his head off her shoulder to look at her. "He didn''t tell you yet?" he asked. Hera smiled half-heartedly and shook her head.

    "Tell me about your father," she asked, attempting to change the topic but immediately regretted her choice. He spoke only about his mother because it was clear he was avoiding telling her about his father. Hera mentally cursed for her stupidity, but Michael surprised her when he spoke.

    "Ace had a sister, you know?" he asked, a faraway look marred his facial features. Hera didn''t know. Hunter never spoke anything about having a sibling. She always thought he was an only child. "You said had, as in past tense?" Hera asked unsurely. He nodded in reply.

    "My father worked for Ace''s father. He was in charge of her security," he paused again, seeming thoughtful. "Something happened, and my father got severely injured while protecting her," he revealed, and Hera knew he didn''t tell her the whole truth. There was more to the story.

    ''What does Mr senior Hunter do? Why does he have so many enemies?''

    Hera wondered.

    She remembered how a few days back, Hunter got attacked and almost got himself killed, and though Michael didn''t borate, Hera could guess Hunter''s sister was in danger too.

    "I hate her, you know. I lost my father, my family, because of her," Michael spoke, bringing her attention back to him.

    "My dad sacrificed his life for her in the blink of an eye. He didn''t even think about me once. I''m d she is gone because I hate her so much, Hera. It hurts every time I think of my family," Michael confessed, letting out all the pain he had kept inside for years.

    His choice of words stung, and Hera didn''t know why. His tone held absolute hatred. Though Hera felt sad for him, she was d she wasn''t on the receiving end of his hatred.

    "If it''s not for her, my dad would be with me today," he used. Hera flinched at his harsh tone. It reminded her of the old days when her aunt and uncle med her for ruining their happy family. Michael''s sobs demanded her attention, and she brushed off her own sufferings to console him.

    "What do you mean by she was gone? Missing or dead?" Hera asked, curiositycing her tone. "I don''t know for sure," Michael shrugged, unsure of his answer. "I hardly remember anything because I was barely three, and I don''t care either," he admitted.

    Hera held his hand to offerfort while he silently cried his heart out.

    After a while, when she felt he had let out all his pain, Hera spoke in a soft tone. "Are you okay, now?" she asked. He had stopped crying and attempted a smile for her, but it was a sad one.

    ''Time heals all wounds, they say.''

    Hera wanted to say that out loud, but she knew it wasn''t true. Some wounds never heal, and even if they did, they would leave an ugly scar behind as a reminder. So instead, she said, "Hey, enough of this sad episode. It''s my birthday, and my favourite brother is not allowed to be sad on this special day."

    Michael smirked at what she said. "Favourite, huh?" he asked in a pleased tone. "But Eric would fight me over that title," he said. Hera giggled at that. There was no trace of disappointment anymore in his eyes, and she was d he was fine now.

    "And Danny would fight for it too, hopefully someday in future," Hera said.

    Michael smiled at her, a genuine one filled with warmth. He pulled her closer by her neck and kissed her forehead.

    "Happy birthday," he said. "Now go back to my stupid brother before he panics. I''ll join you in a few minutes," with that said, Michael stood up, dusting the sand off his pants. Hera watched while he jumped into the water, swimming in the sea fully clothed.

 Chapter 204 - Shes Gone For The Best

    One look at her face, and Hunter frowned, lines of worry marring his handsome face. He left his chair in a hurry, meeting her halfway, and Hera walked into his open arms.

    "What did he say that made you cry?" Hunter asked. He sounded exhausted, as though he was tired of his girlfriend and best friend''s fight. Could she me him, though? Hera and Michael fought over silly things all the time. They never needed a valid reason to fight, and most of the time, it would make no sense at all.

    Hera stayed in his arms for a few more seconds and sighed before pulling away. His frown intensified when he saw the sadness in her eyes. "Do you want to tell me what happened? Why are you sad?" Hunter asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, tone sweet as honey. Hera forced a smile that didn''t reach her eyes.

    "Can we sit alone for some time?" she asked. Hunter nodded, took her hand in his and walked her to the other side of the cafe.. He guided her to one of the four wooden benches arranged next to each other.

    Hera took her seat beside him. Hunter wrapped one arm around her shoulder, fingers gently closing over her arm while his free hand locked fingers with hers. He noticed how her gaze lingered on their interlocked hands. Lifting their hands to his mouth, Hunter kissed her knuckle.

    "He gave you your gift, I see. It looks nice on your wrist," he said, looking at Michael''s gift. Hera hummed her response.

    They sat leaning on each other, head to head. Hera watched the ebbing waves touching the shore before receding to the sea while Hunter watched Michael floating on his back in the water. His best friend always liked to be among his friends. He never liked loneliness at all.

    Hunter knew something was wrong the moment heid his eyes on Michael swimming alone in the sea.

    "What''s bothering you, Goddess? Did Mike say something to upset you?" he asked, his tone soft, his approach careful. Hera peeked up at him and gave him a reluctant smile.

    "You''re going home," she stated. Though she spoke softly, her tone was using. "You didn''t tell me," she added, sounding indignant. "I was going to tell you tonight," Hunter was quick to offer his defence. "Mom wants to see me, and I''m missing her too," he admitted. Hera hummed softly in acknowledgement.

    Silence stretched as they both got lost in their thoughts.

    Hunter kept his eyes on Michael all the time, calcting his every move. He was swimming against the waves now, going deeper into the sea. He waited for him to notice, and when he did, Hunter motioned him with his hand toe back. Holding up his one hand, Michael signalled back, asking for five more minutes.

    Lost in her thoughts, Hera was having a hard time digesting the sudden information that her Hunter was going home. It would get lonely without him by her side. Her heartbeats started to thump violently against her chest. It was an eerie feeling, a strange fear that something wrong was about to happen.

    Sixth sense, gut feeling, intuition, whatever it was, it screamed warning bells, and Hera felt the urge to lock him in her heart and keep him safely hidden inside, away from the cruel world.

    "I''ll miss you," she whispered.

    "I don''t think I''ll miss you much because I''ll be busy having the time of my life," Hunter said, keeping his eyes ahead. Hera pulled away from his hold and stared at him in disbelief. Hunter chuckled at her shocked face and didn''t waste a second more before pulling her back into his arms.

    "I''m just kidding, love," he said, stealing a kiss.

    Hera pouted and pped his chest, drawing out amusedughter from him.

    Hunter shifted his gaze back to Michael and saw all his friends taking off their clothes to join him. Their clothes piled on the shore while they jumped into the water in their inner wears. He rxed and turned to Hera, focusing all his attention on her.

    "Would you go with me?" he asked out of the blue, and his question caught her off guard. "I was nning on taking you to New York after graduation, but if you''re ready to meet my parents, then I don''t have a problem taking you home now," he suggested. Hera was still shocked at his sudden decision.

    Giving him a tight-lipped smile, she shrugged, not knowing what to say.

    <em>''It''s too early to meet my boyfriend''s parents. Aren''t I too young for that?''</em>

    She mentally screamed at the new turn of events, but her traitorous heart conveniently skipped a beat several times.

    <em>''Oh, shut up. It''s not like Hunter is taking you home to get his parents approval for your actual wedding.''</em>

    Her logical brain supplied helpfully.

    <em>''Right, it''s just a casual visit, Hera.''</em>

    <em>''You need to stop panicking every time he mentions his parents, you silly girl.''</em>

    Hera blinked in surprise when Hunter spoke, putting an end to her internal conversation. When she looked at him, he had a captivating smile on his face, whichpelled her to smile in return.

    "My mom is the most sensible woman, yet sometimes she acts silly and crazy. She adores her imaginary daughter-inw, you know," Hunter said, chuckling to himself. "So, let me warn you, she may keep you with her forever," he said, nodding his head to confirm.

    "If you agree to go with me, Mrs Hunter, then be ready for the inevitable. When my mom gets the hint of our unofficial wedding vows that we''ve been reciting for years, she may consider making it official and throw us a grand wedding reception. I bet she would invite the whole world to celebrate," he said, sounding so confident of his prediction.

    Hera''s jaws dropped in shock. His admission only scared her more. Her eyes widened to their full size, and Hunterughed at the unintentionalical expression on her face. Scowling, Hera closed her mouth and looked away from him.

    Turning her head, Hunter lifted her chin with his thumb and a curled index finger, forcing her to meet his eyes. He chased her frown away by kissing every inch of her face. Hera couldn''t hold back her giggles.

    "Don''t worry, Goddess. No need to panic. My mom loves the idea of pampering her non-existent daughter-inw. So imagine how much she would adore and spoil her real daughter-inw. She would love you," he dered in an assuring tone. "So, would you like toe home with me?" he asked in all seriousness.

    "I don''t know, Hunter. I''m not sure. The idea of meeting your parents, it''s terrifying. I don''t think I''m ready," she confessed timidly. Hunter nodded in understanding and assured her that he wouldn''t force her if she didn''t want to. "Take your time, love. It can wait until you''re ready," he said.

    "When are you leaving?" Hera asked, already sounding disappointed, and the moment she asked, she knew she would consider his invitation. However, she couldn''t brush off the ill-feeling in her gut. Hunter had postponed his ns only to celebrate her birthday and had informed his parents that he would visit theing weekend.

    Thoughtful for a few seconds, Hera carefully spoke. "You never told me you have a sister," she said, her tone using. Hunter seemed surprised. "Mike told you about his father?" he asked in disbelief. Hera shrugged, her eyes darting towards Michael. Hunter''s gaze followed hers.

    Michaelughed at something Eric said, and Danny looked ready to murder them both by drowning them in the sea. Samantha and Evelyn were busy sshing water at each other.

    Meanwhile, Bianca was out of the water, collecting pebbles and seashells on the shore. Surprisingly, the action seemed too cute for her Queen Bee persona, and Hera couldn''t hold the snort.

    "Mike hates your sister. He mes her for his ruined family," Hera said. Hunter nodded, humming his response. "Can''t me him, though, because it''s the truth. Anyone in his shoes would harbour the same feelings, I guess. He went through a lot," Hunter said in understanding.

    "What about your sister? What''s her name?" Hera asked curiously.

    "I don''t remember anything. I was barely three and was living with my grandparents when my mom got shot. They said it traumatised me as a child seeing my mom fighting for her life. So they never brought up that topic in my presence ever again," Hunter revealed the bits of his memory he had heard from his grandparents.

    "When I was five, one day, I found my mom crying into my dad''s chest. I identally overheard them speak about her kidnapping. My mom told me that I forgot everything as I went into shock, and my dad didn''t want me to know more about the struggle they went through," Hunter concluded.

    Hera noticed the sadness clouding his beautiful eyes.

    She couldn''t even imagine the hurt he might have gone through, and it broke her heart that he had to struggle so much.

    <em>''It must have been so hard for a child of three to see his mother in so much pain.''</em>

    "Didn''t you want to know more about her? She''s your sister after all," Hera stated, and Hunter chuckled sadly, shaking his head in a no. "Those memories only bring pain to all my loved ones. It hurts my mom and dad. It bothers my best friend. I would rather be ignorant than learning about her," he admitted.

    "She''s gone for the best, I guess," he concluded, his tone matter-of-fact.

 Chapter 205 - Infantile Amnesia

    "How can you not remember your sister? I would never forget if I had a sibling," Hera said. Her tone held disbelief and sounded using as well. "Mike said the same thing. He couldn''t remember anything because he was three. I mean,e on, that''s stupid," Hera said, unimpressed.

    She brought up her own childhood memories and spoke fondly of the birthday gifts she received on her fifth birthday. She remembered the new set of colour pencils Danny gifted her.

    "I remember everything you said on our first meeting. I remember your sweet gifts and the messages you wrote for me," Hera dered proudly. Hunter smiled when she mentioned the colour of his pants and the shirt he wore when she firstid her eyes on him, merely to prove her point.

    "Hmm, you have a great memory power, Hera Hunter, but not everyone is as smart as you," he said, inclining his head to show he was impressed. "I did ask my mom about her.. I vaguely remember it''s a distant memory," he said. His forehead wrinkled, bringing the eyebrows together as a confused frown stretched over his facial features.

    He seemed to concentrate on those vague memories, trying to recollect them while Hera waited in anticipation.

    "I remember my fifth birthday as you remember yours. Every memory before that is naturally faded. You know, ording to science, adults have this inability to retrieve episodic memories before the age of two to four years," Hunter said informatively. Hera frowned in confusion while he kept educating her about human memory power.

    "As adults, we rarely remember and have patchy memories when ites to things or events that happened to us between the ages of three and seven. It''s called infantile amnesia. We don''t remember our first, second or third birthday because," Hunter was saying when Hera whined in annoyance, stopping him mid-sentence.

    "Stop it, Hunter. God, you''re impossible. I get it you don''t remember because you were too young to store memories in your pea size brain," she said, rolling her eyes. "Also because I went into shock," he added, smirking at her annoyed self.

    "It''s my birthday, and we are out to celebrate it. But with your smartass, it still feels like I''m in my boring biology ss," Hera said, scowling at him in frustration, but Hunter onlyughed at her cute antics.

    "So about going home, I''ll miss you," Hunter admitted. "You have a week to decide, and I would be d if you coulde with me," he added, and Hera sighed, nodding her head. "I''ll think about it," she said after a thoughtful moment.

    Hunter stood up, stretching his limbs. His T-shirt rode up, revealing his tight abdominal muscles, and Hera shamelessly checked him out. "Am I turning you on, Mrs Hunter? You''re drooling," he said, smirking at her haughtily. Hera yfully rolled her eyes. "Not my fault, you''re seducing me," she used.

    "No, I''m not. It''s just that you''re horny all the timetely," Hunter said, scolding her.

    Hera giggled, tantly giving him a once over.

    "You''re always so fucking sexy, and you always turn me on, Mr Hunter," she said, answering his earlier question.

    Hunter shook his head and sat on the sand, stretching out his legs to their full height. He leaned back, his arms supporting his weight. Hera joined him and was about to rest her head on his shoulder when he suddenly moved away, and she ended up on the sand.

    Rolling to his side, Hunter let out a heartyugh while Hera red at him.

    "Goddess, you didn''t let me see your dress because of the tradition, so I thought since you''re so adamant about following all the traditions, how about we celebrate that traditional wedding night?" Hunter asked, biting his lip to keep the smile away that was fighting its way out. "And I can see how turned on you are already," he added, teasing her.

    He poked her cheek with his index finger and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. In the next second, he pulled his T-shirt over his head in one swift tug revealing his naked torso for her eyes to feast on it. Hera kept scowling at him, but she knew it was a losing battle. She could hardly hide her smile.

    "You promised to love me under a starry night sky, remember?" he pointed out. "Let''s do it tonight here on the beach," he decided, and before Hera could open her mouth to say something, he was hovering over her form. Blushing red, she cleared her throat and smiled faintly. Their proximity, and his warm touch on her arms, stirred her blood.

    She didn''t realise when sheid on her back on the sticky surface of the beach sand. "You''re looking so delicious right now, Goddess. I can devour you in one go," Hunter admitted in a husky whisper. He looked starved, and Hera swallowed when he leaned in to kiss her mouth.

    Before he could reach her mouth, Hera turned her head to the side in time, and his lipsnded on her cheek.

    She defiantly lifted her chin, gazing at him while he stared, a displeased frown directed at her.

    "You should''ve nned it properly if you seriously wanted that wedding night," she said. Taken aback, Hunter''s eyes widened in surprise. He was only teasing her about it, but he didn''t think she would actually consider it. "What do you mean, Goddess?" he asked, pulling away from her.

    Heraughed at the bewildered look on his face.

    "We''re not alone, and you know how much I dislike PDA. I would''ve considered it if we were alone somewhere in a more private or decent ce," Hera said determinedly. "Are you fucking serious right now?" Hunter asked in disbelief.

    Hera pursed her lips to try not tough but failed miserably as bursts ofughter followed out. "You wish," she said, having fun at his expense.

    "God, you''re such an evil monster who ruthlessly crushed all my hopes and dreams," he said, pulling a sad face. He jerked his head and scoffed, made an borated show of disappointment and looked away from her.

    "You''re so dramatic," Hera said, pinching his cheeks. He moved a few feet away from her, creating distance between them to show he was cross with her.

    They both grew silent for a while, and no one attempted to break the stillness. It was quiet except for the air and gushing waves in the sea.

    Hera slowly moved closer to him. Hunter kept a straight face until there was no space left between them. Hera gasped in surprise when he suddenly moved. They were face to face, and he grinned wickedly.

    "If not wedding night, then how about that French kiss?" he asked, sounding hopeful. "You couldpensate me with a small constion prize," he bargained. Hera chuckled and pretended to think about his request.

    "If I remember correctly, you said you didn''t want to make my brother ufortable," Hera said, smirking at him. Hunter looked too smug when he smiled. He threw his thumb over his shoulder, and curious Hera nced over to find their friends sleeping on the beach, soaking in the warm sunlight.

    Danny had his face hidden under the baseball cap, and none of Hunter''s friends bothered to nce at Hunter and Hera. Their postures seemed so still and calm, Hera decided they were either asleep or lost deep in their thoughts.

    When Hera returned her focus on Hunter, she didn''t have the time to prepare or think of something to deny Hunter as he suddenly covered her mouth with his in a hot kiss. He groaned, pleased when Hera appreciated the initiation and wilfully opened her mouth wide for him.

    She felt pleasant, warm shock waves running through her insides as soon as the tip of his tongue touched hers. She shivered in excitement as his tongue invaded the inside of her mouth, exploring every inch.

    Pleasure exploded in her chest, and a moan tore out of her throat as she basked in the sweet torture his swirling tongue inside her mouth inflicted. He took her tongue into his mouth and sucked on it. Hera became a moaning mess. However, Hunter seemed to be pleased with her response.

    He dly swallowed every sweet sound she made, and he made sure to dip his tongue down her throat this time. Their kiss for the first time felt dirty, but she relished it the most.

    She sighed into the kiss with her heart full and content.

    "Never thought a French kiss would be this amazing. Why didn''t you teach me sooner?" Hera asked in a breathy whisper when they pulled away. Hunter smiled, and Hera loved the way his hooded eyes looked at her as if she was his most valued treasure.

    She weed Hunter''s touch when his hands explored her curves. She didn''t flinch when he touched her breasts. The warmth and the pressure of his palms against them felt so wonderful, Hera thought she was floating on the clouds.

    She was aware when he lowered her on the sand. His naked torso resting above hers, his fingers slid down her arms in a soft, delicate touch, leaving goosebumps on their way. Hera opened her eyes to look at him when he intertwined their fingers and brought their hands to rest against either side of her head.

    He was looking at her in awe as if she was a fascinating dream, and he was afraid she would vanish if he blinked. Hera''s heart decided to skip a beat, and butterflies fluttered their wings in her tummy. She smiled and involuntarily closed her eyes when he locked his lips with hers once again.

    She could only focus on his warm breath, the sensation of his warm touch against her palms, the pleasant weight of his torso against hers. His smell, his touch, and his presence, everything about him was hypnotic beyond reason, and it silenced her every other thought as he invaded all her senses.

    "You''re so handsome and all mine. I love you so much, Hunter," Hera dered. Hunter smiled against her lips. "I love you more, Goddess," he whispered.

 Chapter 206 - Sins Behind Closed Doors

    Hands sped behind his back, Johnathan paced leisurely in the small living room while Rouvin organised the money in the suitcase.

    Kessie walked in carrying a tray of coffee with snacks. Johnathan stopped pacing and took the offered cup of coffee from her hand with a grateful smile. She took a seat on the wing chair in an olive green colour. He noticed how rxed her demeanour was. She never once nced at the bundle of money with greed.

    Johnathan admired her honesty and smiled, remembering meeting her for the first time years ago.

    She used to work at one of his NGOs as a receptionist. One day while she was leaving the office, Kessie collided into Johnathan''s chest as she didn''t see himing her way. He noticed she was in a hurry to leave. The tears in her almond-shaped brown eyes had caught his attention. .

    That day he learned that her husband had met with an ident, and she was in a hurry to reach the hospital. Humanity awakened him, and he came forward to offer help. From bringing Kessie to meet her dying husband to his funeral, he was there to support her both morally and financially.

    They became friends and discovered that she didn''t have anyone left in the family except for her two-year-old daughter. Kessie was the child of immigrants, an Afro-Greek. As they believed, "Greeks are those who partake in Greek culture and education", and Kessie was the perfect example of the phrase since Johnathan had known her.

    Soon enough, friendship brought familiarity, eventually leading to physical intimacy. But to Johnathan''s convenience, Kessie never expectedmitment, nor did she demand abel for their rtionship. He supported her financially, and she lent himforting arms when he felt lonely and depressed.

    She smiled at him when she noticed him staring. Her makeup-free brown skin gleamed, and her perfect even teeth in between her full lips enhanced her beauty when her smile grew into a grin. She had her dark curly hair pulled into a loose ponytail. His eyes were appreciating her attractive personality when Rouvin cleared his throat.

    "I''ll take my leave, then," Rouvin announced, pulling Johnathan out of his stupor. He nodded while his trustworthy friend secured the locks of the suitcase. Rouvin bowed once in respect and left with the money. Johnathan didn''t need to worry about it since Rouvin knew what to do with it.

    It was the promised payment to Hera''s fake guardians, her adopted family. Johnathan had made a deal with Benson Aiken that he would bear all the expenses until Hera reached eighteen years of age. He would send them money twice a year, once every six months.

    He knew the Aikens used the money for their own benefits and the betterment of their living status in the name of Hera''s upbringing. So he would send enough to cover Hera''s and Danny''s education and other necessities.

    "You don''t have to send me money anymore, you know," Kessie said as soon as Rouvin pulled the door shut on his way out. "I have enough of it. You''ve done enough for me," she said, her voice of tone firm, but there was no disapproval or displeasure behind it. She never forgot to be grateful for his help.

    Kessie expressed her gratitude every day for all that he had done for her. But now, she earned enough to cover the needs of her and her grown-up daughter. Johnathan had helped her set up her own workshop that produced and sold musical instruments and it had be a well-known name in the capital city of Greece.

    Johnathan knew she had a passion for creating musical instruments but had to give up her dream. She didn''t have the required capital to start her dream business when she worked in an NGO to earn her livelihood. Her husband''s death added more burden to her long list of responsibilities. But she had Johnathan to thank as he made it possible for her.

    She still worked in his NGO and expertly managed her time between the charity organisation and creating musical instruments in her spare time. She made sure to spend quality time with her daughter and Johnathan as well.

    "I know, but why can''t you treat it as my token of appreciation for all that you''ve done for me with your mere presence in my life?" Johnathan asked in return and kissed her to stop her from arguing further on the subject.

    Johnathan felt guilty every time she showed gratitude because he knew he wasn''t that selfless. Her bank ount was his safe way to approach or hide his unforgivable sins without the prying eyes of the world. He would deposit double the money in her ount andter ask her to withdraw half of it, only to send it to Hera''s caretakers.

    The remaining half of the deposited money was his subtle way ofpensating her for shamelessly taking advantage of her for his selfish benefits.

    He was rational enough to understand that his father would be keeping an eye on his bank transactions to know where he spends his money. Living the life of a prince was hard enough to bear, let alone being his father''s son. To keep his family name untainted, Christopher Castenos would do anything, and Johnathan knew, one look at his bank statements and his father would know Hera''s whereabouts.

    So, he kept his bank statements clean and never used them to transfer money directly to Hera''s caretakers. That was where Kessie''s bank ount came in as a lifesaver. His father might have a detailed report of Johnathan''s secret affair with one of his employees. He sure as hell knew that it didn''t miss his father''s eyes how much money he showers on his mistress.

    But history was living proof of royal entities and their not so secret rendezvous with their subordinates or servants. Having an illegitimate affair was never a crime and wouldn''t bring shame to the throne until the Kings and the heirs to the throne keep it behind closed doors.

    Christopher had conveniently ignored his son''s affair for two reasons, firstly, he was a man, and secondly, a royalty. It was considered a birthright for them to stray in search of sexual pleasure elsewhere. And, of course, they would shower their recipients with money because they were prideful and had a reputation to maintain.

    It was safe to say, Johnathan had sessfully kept his father ignorant of his connection with Hera''s existence. He had been sending money for Hera''s upbringing right under his father''s meddlesome nose. Rouvin would deliver it to Benson through a random person after withdrawing the cash from Kessie''s ount.

    Kessie never poked her nose in his business, so she never asked what he did with that money or where he sent Rouvin or why he used her ount for it. Johnathan was thankful and believed she was worth every cent he spent on her.

    Johnathan stayed for two more hours at Kessie''s ce and showed his appreciation through the only way he knew, by loving her in the bed and whispering empty promises.

    "Helena wants a mini guitar. She said something aboutfort and ease of y. Can you make one for her?" Johnathan asked while ying with her hair. Kessie had made a guitar for Hna before and was d to know she loved it. She hummed her response, followed by a happy giggle.

    When Johnathan left his mistress'' house, his thoughts drifted back to the past. The car raced like butter on the smooth road while he tried his best to keep his calm. He leaned against thefortable leather of his Mercedes Benz and threw his head back before he closed his eyes.

    Johnathan hadplete faith in Rouvin that he would fulfill his job without any mistake, and he hadn''t done one over the years. Hence he had nothing to fear.

    Little Hera''s face appeared behind his closed eyelids.

    <em>''Three more years, and I will be free from this burden.''</em>

    His guilt immediately lifted its head at that thought, hissing at him like an enraged snake. His chest felt heavy with an unpleasant ache as he remembered hisst encounter with Felicity. He heard her voice echoing inside his mind how he was not worthy of her friendship.

    <strong>THE FOOTAGE OF HIS SINS FROM FIFTEEN YEARS AGO</strong> started to y on a loop inside his head.

    He was so dead set on destroying Alexander that he ended up hurting the love of his life, Felicity. His hatred for Alexander won over his love for her, and he left her to die. He wanted Alexander to feel his pain. So he squashed aside the guilt of hurting Felicity and rushed to where Rouvin waited for him because he didn''t want Alexander to retrieve his daughter.

    It was a piece of cake for Johnathan to get his work done whenever he used his royal status, and Rouvin had prepared a private jet for them within minutes. He knew even Alexander wouldn''t have had much difficulty in arranging the jet for Sebastian. The devil had earned a well-known name for himself around the world.

    Now all he had to do was find Sebastian. ording to Rouvin''s information, Sebastian''s jet wouldnd in California.

    Johnathan knew he would have to endure the pain of losing Felicity until hisst breath, and he would make sure Alexander would suffer from the guilt of losing Hera.

    When Johnathan ordered Rouvin to either kill Alexander or help his enemies and bring his daughter to him at any cost, Rouvin made a sensible decision. He knew his hired assassins or local criminals wouldn''t stand a chance against the Mafia Lord. So, Rouvin decided to chase Sebastian instead.

 Chapter 207 - Heading Towards The Danger

    By the time Sebastiannded in California, a team of police officers, local detectives, and private security guards in inclothes were already waiting for him with his name board. Alexander had made sure to provide him with the required protection in the foreign country even before Sebastian reached there.

    Meanwhile, Johnathan, Rouvin and his security team stayed behind until Sebastian left the airport. One look at the rescue squad, and Johnathan knew they were officials in inclothes.

    Johnathan was royalty, and he had his name to keep untainted. He couldn''t use his power and approach the officialw enforcement team for his assistance when he was involved in a punishable crime of kidnapping and probably murder if Felicity couldn''t make it.

    <em>''If Alexander has thought of seeking help from the local police, then for sure, he might have already made arrangements for my demise.''</em>

    Johnathan decided not to take the risk.

    Sebastian didn''t think he could easily trust people around him. Even though they were officials and were there to offer him protection, they were still strangers at the end of the day.. He wouldn''t fail Alexander, not after learning that his boss chose Hera''s life over his own.

    Hoping for the best, he prayed for Alexander and Felicity''s life.

    Sebastian had no clue where to find the ex-police officer John Williams. He wasn''t ready to risk William''s life by revealing his identity to these strangers, so he decided to find him by himself. Besides, Williams would never trust his ex-colleagues after what they did to him when he was still in service.

    Alexander had clearly told Sebastian not to contact him unless he was dying. With his twelve trusted men, he settled in the small rented house for the day arranged by the police.

    Sebastian smiled sadly at Hera as she threw tantrums and refused to drink the milk. He knew she was missing her home and her parents. He remembered the countless sleepless nights he had spent after his little boy Michael was born.

    He cradled her in his arms and sang a luby which he used to sing for his son. Hera stopped crying only to stare at him strangely, and Sebastian paused after the second line to chuckle at the baby''sical expressions. Hera''s eyes were wide to their fullest, and her tiny mouth opened in a perfect "O" shape.

    He heard hispanionsugh behind him. Sebastian knew his hoarse voice was too horrible of a sound for a luby, but he continued anyway. It should work because it worked on Michael every single time. Thankfully, it worked on Hera too, and she drank her milk while he kept singing. Soon the baby in his arms fell asleep.

    Meanwhile, a few miles away from them, Johnathan waited in the reception hall of a small motel when Rouvin booked them a ce to stay the night. Johnathan refused to eat and settled himself inside the tiny room. He wasn''t hungry for food, but he was starving for Alexander''s demise.

    He and Rouvin nned their strategy to abduct Hera from Sebastian''s safe clutch. Johnathan realised Alexander would have killed him if it wasn''t for Felicity. But unlike Alexander, his trusted right-hand man wouldn''t waste a single second before drilling every bullet into Johnathan''s skull. He would be a fool to walk right into his grave willingly.

    So he put his royal diplomatic administrative expert brain into use. He knew who would help him willingly. He made a phone call to Deacon, Sebastian''s cousin, before making arrangements for him tond in California. Another phone call to Mateo Baresi and Johnathan grinned in satisfaction.

    Mateo was a defeated, heartbroken father who had lost two of his sons in a single day. Adding more to his sufferings, the humiliation he felt while writhing under Francesco Carlo''s boots served as salt on his inner wounds. He had to beg him to keep at least one of his sons alive.

    He grasped it was impossible to defeat Carlos, yet Johnathan''s offer was too good to refuse. His wounded pride wouldn''t let this golden opportunity pass. When revenge blinds one''s vision, nothing could lift or clear the mist.

    Johnathan had shared the good news that one of Mateo''s sons had shot Alexander in the chest. "If you want him to suffer more, I know where his child is. We can still help each other," Johnathan offered. He already knew he had lured the older man into his n.

    Mateo Baresi couldn''t dare to go to California. He was aware of Francesco''s power. He would kill him and his entire family if he came to know about his involvement in the conspiracy. So instead, he promised Johnathan that he would send him all the help he needed to end Alexander''s life.

    "It shouldn''t be that difficult to kill the already wounded beast. If you can''t harm Alexander, then at least kill his child. Do whatever it takes to break him," Mateo said, and Johnathan was more than pleased to agree.

    Unaware of the pact Mateo Baresi made with Johnathan, Sebastian and his team had their dinner inside and discussed their n for tomorrow while California police guarded their front door.

    The address Alexander had scribbled on the paper suggested that John Williams lived in the city of Lake Elsinore. It would take an hour to reach the destination by car.

    Sebastian''s research indicated that the address would take him to somewhere deep in the middle of the suburban city of Lake Elsinore.

    He decided that it''s better to ditch the security team before reaching the city. He wouldn''t need their help after that, and besides, it would only attract more attention. He would''ve to manage everything by himself. No one else needed to know the location of Alexander''s daughter.

    The next day in the early morning hours, two of them went out and came back with a big silver box as per Sebastian''s instructions. He didn''t want to expose the baby out in the light for everyone to see. Sebastian held the feeding bottle for Hera to drink while others started making small holes in the box.

    Once Hera finished her milk, he rocked her in his arms, humming a random tune trying to put her to sleep. He nodded his approval when his men ced the baby stroller inside the box and made sure it didn''t shake whenever they moved the box.

    Packing everything he needed, Sebastian ced the sleeping baby into the stroller and fastened the belts properly.

    "Don''t worry, little one. You''re safe with Uncle Romano," Sebastian promised. He discarded the blood-stained blue hooded nket and brought one of the white, clean, fluffy towels he found in the cab. Draping it over her, he kissed her forehead before closing the box shut.

    "Alright, it''s time to move," he announced, jerking his head, and his men followed immediately. They grabbed their weapons, tucking them in the holster and strapping down. Even their pockets, shoes, and the waistbands of their pants had guns hidden inside.

    They started their journey with police cars escorting them. The protocol the officers followed only worried Sebastian more. Though he wasn''t aware of Johnathan''s n, something told him he was heading towards the danger. He didn''t miss the SUVs following behind them. They came out of nowhere, and Sebastian immediately took out his gun.

    He alerted his men, and all of them held their guns in position, removing the safety lock, ready to fight the unknown danger.

    Johnathan grinned in victory while the ck cars moved fast, following right behind Sebastian''s. Mateo Baresi kept his promise, and true to his words, he had sent help. It wasn''t that difficult to gather the enemies of Alexander. Everyone in the underworld of crime wanted to try their luck in dethroning the mafia lord.

    Johnathan appreciated how Mateo had contacted all the leaders of the crime world in California and arranged everything overnight, from dusk to dawn. Sebastian''s cousin, Deacon, led the team while Johnathan stayed behind, following them from afar.

    To Sebastian''s surprise, no one attacked or portrayed any signs of danger. However, he couldn''t let his guard down and stayed on high alert. It would take time to cover the distance between San Francisco and Lake Elsinore. They had 448 miles to travel by car.

    Never had Sebastian felt so on edge before. He and his men had their eyes guarding all four sides of their car, watching the following SUVs like hawks. By the time they reached the riverside drive, it''s started drizzling suddenly. Sebastian asked the driver to speed up, but he did the opposite to his confusion.

    Sebastian was quick to point his gun at the driver''s head when he noticed the police cars escorting them came to a sudden halt. They stopped and cornered them at the empty riverside road with no sign of human habitats.

    The firing began out of the blue, and Sebastian ducked his head when the rear windshield shattered.

    The first bullet from Sebastian''s gun punctured the driver''s skull, and one of his men took the seat behind the wheel after kicking the dead driver''s body out.

 Chapter 208 - He Knew She Would Survive

    They weren''t saints or philosophy preachers. Sebastian should know that there had never been any morality or humanity for the crime worshipers to follow. He shouldn''t be surprised at the inevitable betrayal.

    He didn''t have the time to analyse whether the enemy had bought thew enforcement team provided for his protection with their money or they had swapped the official team with the fake ones.

    The rescue squad turned out to be the assassins hunting Sebastian and his team.

    Sebastian''s men were in three different cars with four persons in each, and they fought against the enemy with all their courage and strength. They left no stone unturned from their side. They did their best to cover Sebastian''s car from both sides, providing him with protection.

    "Keep driving, and don''t stop for anything or anyone until I say otherwise," Sebastian barked amand.

    Due to the shattered rear windshield, he could clearly see the face of the driver of the car approaching from behind.. He aimed his gun at him, and within seconds, the bullet travelled straight into his target''s forehead, causing their vehicle to lose bnce and Sebastian''s men didn''t waste time before killing everyone inside.

    They managed to burst the tires of three more cars with their bullets and targetted all the passengers in them.

    "We''ll take care of them. You leave with the assets, brother," yelled one of Sebastian''s men from the other car. Their only priority was to protect their boss'' daughter, and they wouldn''t mind sacrificing their lives in the process. Nodding his agreement, Sebastian gave the green signal to his driver to speed off.

    It wasn''t an easy task to manoeuvre the car on the riverside road while it was raining. It didn''t help much with the enemies firing from all sides. Sebastian heard a bullet hitting his tire and knew when it got busted. His driver drove, breaking all the speed limit, and that was why he couldn''t manage when the tires screeched, losing bnce.

    Another gunshot and the car caught fire immediately. The driver got shot in the chest as well and died on the spot.

    Sebastian and his men threw the doors to the car open and jumped out of the burning vehicle, taking the silver box with them.

    A few of their opponents'' cars caught fire too, and tires screeched, sounds of gunshots echoed everywhere. There were too many, and they outnumbered Sebastian''s team. Blood spilt from both sides, and people died.

    Getting into another car, Sebastian ced the silver box inside before taking his seat behind the wheel. At this point, it was clear they wouldn''t win against the nameless enemies. He decided, keeping Hera safe was the only mission that mattered. So, he drove like a mad man while the remaining of his team fought the enemies.

    They almost made it to the city when suddenly two cars overtook him, and they blocked his way. Sebastian couldn''t dodge it in time, and the bullet hit him on his left arm. He jumped out of the car, ducking his head to keep himself safe while the remaining four men guarded the box inside.

    A drowning person would be grateful if one offered him a single strand of grass as a mode of survival. Likewise, Sebastian wanted a single chance to safeguard Hera''s life before his death. It seemed someone heard his prayers because he found a ray of hope.

    Like the thirsty soul finding an oasis in the desert, Sebastian found someone hiding behind arge tree, and he hurried his steps to reach them. In the urgency of his need to find a safe ce to hide Hera from the hovering danger, Sebastian didn''t notice the shooter aiming his gun at him.

    His entire body jerked with the force the bullet cut into the flesh of his right thigh before a sudden sharp pain shot through his body. He hissed, yelling a string of curses.

    The two men and a woman gawked at Sebastian''s injured form, with a look of horror painted on their faces. They were not from their enemy troop, and the way they had dressed, it was clear they were local residents.

    Their appearances made it easy for him to judge their financial conditions. With the washed-out clothes, worn-out shoes, and the unmistakable look of greed that crossed their faces when they noticed the big silver box, they all gave away their hunger for money.

    All Sebastian needed at the moment was a free-loader like them to bite his bait. He muttered another curse under his breath and limped his way to them.

    Without wasting any more time, Sebastian made a deal with them by offering all his money. He promised to pay them whatever amount of money they want if they help him deliver the box to the said address. He immediately wrote another letter addressed to Williams, stating why there would be a possibility of him not visiting him tomorrow.

    He sighed in relief when they agreed, and within minutes, he handed them the box, asking them to leave immediately. He noticed their old truck parked a short distance away. He gave them a once over, and then his eyes studied their faces in detail as if photographing them into his memory.

    He covered them while they reached their truck with the silver box. He didn''t tell them about the baby inside on purpose. They would know itter when they open it. He was sure they wouldn''t be able to resist for long, but for now, the greed in their eyes was enough topel them to do his bidding.

    He couldn''t risk Hera''s life by telling them or opening the box to show her to them.

    They were absolute strangers, yet he was gambling with his gut feeling and took his chance. Something assured him that they would do it for the money.

    He covered them while they made it to their truck.

    Meanwhile, two more SUVs appeared, and by the time Sebastian paid attention, it was toote. Within the blink of an eye, bullets started pouring in, cars burnt into nothingness, and all his men got killed. Alone surrounded by the enemies, Sebastian straightened his back, held his gun in position.

    The door to the back seat of the SUV opened, revealing his cousin. Sebastian let out an empty chuckle and shook his head.

    "Deacon, you bastard, why am I not surprised?" Sebastian asked. The said bastard looked over Sebastian''s head andughed in amusement. When Sebastian followed his eyes, he was horrified. Holding his breath, he watched while Benson opened the box, pulling the baby stroller out.

    <em>''Why didn''t they leave yet?''</em>

    Sebastian''s face turned pale because of fear, and he swallowed before facing his cousin. "Don''t you dare, Deacon," he warned through his gritted teeth, aiming the gun at Deacon''s forehead. Someone from behind fired the bullet, and Sebastian copsed to the ground, holding his chest.

    Instinctively, he nced at Hera, and a sigh of relief left his mouth as he watched her rescuers diving into theke with her. Deacon''s evilughter demanded his attention. "How stupid are they? Do you think Alexander''s baby will survive under the water that deep?" Deacon asked, sounding too satisfied.

    Sebastian knew she would.

    They wouldn''t have jumped into theke, taking her with them, if they weren''t sure of their survival. They were residents and must have known every nook and cranny around. He was d that they used their brain and thought of finding an easy way out. Otherwise, Deacon would''ve chased and killed them by now if they used their truck.

    <em>''They weren''t stupid but sensible indeed.''</em>

    Sebastian appreciated their genius mind inwardly.

    "No hard feelings, dear cousin. I only wanted to kill Alexander''s baby, but of course, your stubborn ass has toe in between," Deacon sneered at him while Sebastian tried to take deep breaths.

    He managed to drag himself to a sitting position and pulled out his cell phone.

    Meanwhile, his cousin raised his eyebrows at Sebastian as if mocking him.

    "Hmm, let me guess, you want to bid farewell to Alexander?" Deacon asked. "Go ahead, call him and tell him the good news that you''re dying, and his daughter will probably be dead by now," he advised. Sebastian dialled his boss'' number but didn''t speak anything. He disconnected the call even before Alexander could answer.

    It was his message for Alexander, and Sebastian knew his boss would know what it meant.

    "What did you get by siding with Alexander? Look where your loyalty brought you," Deacon said, feigning pity. "Anyway, don''t worry about your son. I''ll take good care of my nephew," he promised and seeming thoughtful for a few seconds, he hummed to himself.

    "Before you die, let me share a secret with you," Deacon crouched down to Sebastian''s level and told him a story in a very excited tone. His eyes gleamed with mockery while he revealed something Sebastian never thought he would live to discover.

 Chapter 209 - Deception At Its Best

    Sebastian was in utter shock. He couldn''t believe that he heard it right. Like a poisonous arrow, each word that came out of his cousin''s mouth pierced into Sebastian''s chest. It hurt more than the bullet wounds did.

    <em>''Why didn''t I die before hearing this?''</em>

    Deacon''s loud, obnoxiousughter blew the inside of his sensitive eardrums. Sebastian never hated the sound of it as much as he did at that moment. He knew his cousinughed at his pathetic soul. It brought a disgusting feeling that crawled under his skin like invisible insects. He had a hard time believing what Deacon revealed.

    As though he could read his mind, Deacon tsked, pitying Sebastian.

    "I know, you can''t believe it, Sebastian, but it''s true.. Your dear wife is in love with me, but can you me her, though?" Deacon asked and continued without waiting for Sebastian''s response. "What would a hot-blooded woman do when her husband doesn''t have time to satisfy her needs?" he asked, mocking Sebastian with a disapproving shake of his head.

    "Fortunately, I was there to keep her bed warm when she needed a man. Do you know I fucked her brains out countless times on your bed? You''ve no idea how much it pleased me. She knows how to take a dick," Deacon chuckled as if he cracked the funniest joke. "And today, she can''t wait to hear the good news," he said and added in a whisper, "that you are dead."

    <em>''My Amelia wouldn''t betray me with such cruelty, would she?''</em>

    Her innocent-looking pretty face gleamed behind his eyelids when he closed his eyes, but it soon turned unbearable to look at her.

    Amelia, his wife, never looked this hideous, and Sebastian opened his eyes to get rid of the ugly feeling encircling his heart.

    She was a club dancer, and their lives collided one night when Sebastian was there looking for a refreshing break. He noticed how a few men tried to molest her on the dance floor. She struggled to get away from their prying hands, which roamed all over her body without her consent. The moment her tears spilt out, Sebastian rushed to her rescue.

    He was never good at tolerating the harassment of women. He wouldn''t allow any man to force himself on a woman, especially in his presence. His visit to the club became frequent, and Amelia quickly became the subject of his interest. He soon learned she was the sole breadwinner in the family and appreciated how she supported her aged grandparents, drunkard father and helpless mother all by herself.

    Amelia needed more money to support her family''s medical bills, and Sebastian couldn''t stop himself from offering financial help.

    One drunken night of heated sex led to many more of their passionate nights. Sebastian was sure that Amelia had worked her way into his heart. He genuinely liked her and wanted to take her out on an official date.

    However, his love story seemed too perfect to be true. It didn''t take much time for Sebastian to know Amelia was lying to him right under his nose. She was using him for his money under the guise of a poor girl struggling to meet the needs of her family. It would''ve been easy for Sebastian to walk out of her life if it wasn''t for his twisted fate.

    The unexpected happened.

    In his drunken state, Sebastian had made the mistake of sleeping with her without using protection. The unsafe sex had led to Amelia''s pregnancy.

    Much to Sebastian''s displeasure, Amelia was ready to get rid of the pregnancy in exchange for money, but Sebastian wanted his child. So he offered her a marriage proposal. She tried to decline, but she didn''t have much of a choice when the mafia boss'' right-hand man threatened her. Sebastian Romano was good to people until they betrayed him.

    Sebastian epted her as the mother of his child and respected her as his wife. He forgave her the day her baby bump started to show. His child became the centre of his universe, and so did its mother. He took good care of her, provided for her every need and thought he gave her a happy married life.

    But it seemed all these years he was living in an illusion. Deacon swore she was unhappy with Sebastian.

    "What an idiot you are, dear cousin. It was so easy for her to make a fool of you. All those years ago, did you seriously believe she was mistreated or molested by other men?" Deacon asked, sneering at Sebastian. Thetter nodded, realising that it was all part of her n to lure him in.

    Sebastian listened with his broken heart while his cousin told him how his wife always wanted to leave him. She loved her previous life, her freedom and the way men showered attention on her. She never liked Sebastian and only wanted to extract money from him. But her n backfired when Sebastian decided to marry her.

    "She never even wanted to have your son. She wanted him to die in her womb. Did you know how much she cursed that boy in your absence?" Deacon spoke again. Sebastian''s already broken heart shattered into bits and pieces at hearing that.

    <em>''Can a mother be so cruel to curse her own child?''</em>

    Sebastian would have forgiven her for betraying him, but he would never forgive her for not loving his son.

    "I have a surprise for you," Deacon said while dialling a number on his phone. "Listen," he whispered to Sebastian and put the phone in speaker mode.

    "Did the bastard die yet, Deacon?" the voice from the other end spoke. Sebastian could recognise that voice even in his sleep. It was Amelia. Sebastian scoffed as he listened to her while she asked Deacon to kill him and return to her soon.

    At that moment, the only regret Sebastian had was that if he died today, he wouldn''t get the chance to strangle her to death with his own hands.

    "Yeah, it was my stupidity to think of giving her a homestead," Sebastian said, keeping his voice as loud as he could. He wanted Amelia to overhear. "Only a desperate, shameless whore would choose a brothel over a home. That bitch surely deserved a dog like you, Deacon," Sebastian concluded. His cousinughed in response and nodded as if he couldn''t agree more.

    Sebastian heard his wife cursing at him, and his lips twitched into a sad smile while she asked Deacon to hurry up and finish his job. It was deception at its best.

    "Your wish is mymand, darling," Sebastian heard his cousin reply to his wife. Before he could react, Deacon fired his gun at him, causing another wound in his chest. "You''re good for nothing except for licking Alexander''s boot as his favourite dog," Deacon stated, firing again. He snatched the phone from Sebastian''s hand and threw it into theke.

    Sebastian''s eyes grew wide in shock. He had clicked a few pictures of the people he had asked to deliver the box.

    <em>''How will Alessandro find the clue to reach Hera?''</em>

    Sebastian knew he wouldn''t survive. His only concern was somehow to let his boss know that he had made sure of Hera''s safety before dying. With his phone gone, the photographs captured and saved in it were gone too.

    Meanwhile, Deacon walked away only to peep in the direction in which he threw his phone. He studied the green water as if measuring the depth of theke.

    Sebastian didn''t have the time to waste. His eyes scanned around until it fell on a small stone nearby. It had a sharp edge. He hurried his injured body to move and stretched his hand to grab the stone. He used it as a pen to scribble Benson''s truck number on the inside of his forearm. It tore his skin as he applied pressure, and the blood coloured his forearm.

    He was relieved that the blood coating his skin would hide the number scribbled on his forearm, and Deacon wouldn''t get a clue about it.

    "I can''t see any traces of human swimming in the water. Did they all drown so quickly?" Deacon asked, turning around to look at Sebastian.

    Deacon checked his wristwatch and scowled as if realising he had wasted enough time. He aimed his gun at Sebastian''s head. "No offence, Sebastian. The money I got paid was too big of a treasure to decline," he admitted, pulling the trigger. "Amelia is waiting for me in the hotel room. It''ll be our short vacation in California," he said informatively and smiled at Sebastian.

    "Goodbye, Sebastian," he said and nailed thest bullet into Sebastian''s skull.

    Sebastian was breathing in hups, a final struggle before resting in peace. Deacon turned around to wave his hand in the air, a signal for Johnathan toe.

    Amidst all the sted cars and littered dead bodies, Johnathan had to walk on foot to reach Deacon as another vehicle couldn''t pass through the ruined road and burning cars.

 Chapter 210 - He Died For Nothing

    "My job here is done. What else is there for me to do?" Deacon asked the moment Johnathan reached within his earshot. Thetter looked at Sebastian''s body soaked in blood. Johnathan couldn''t tell if he was unconscious or already dead. But the pool of blood around him almost confirmed his death.

    "Where''s the baby?" Johnathan questioned, eyeing everywhere to get a glimpse of Hera. Deacon appeared to be in a delightful mood. He let out a chuckle as his finger pointed at the water running below. Johnathan whipped his head around so fast to look at Deacon it surprised thetter.

    Deacon noticed the displeased frown on Johnathan''s face, his eyes ring at him in anger. Without provoking the anger any further, Deacon exined everything he saw or did before killing Sebastian.

    Wordlessly, the prince walked to the edge of the road.. Deacon followed him, slowly measuring his steps. His stance was that of a scared cat trying to protect itself by scrunching up into a small, less exposed shape. He didn''t want to offend or disappoint Johnathan in any way, especially now that he had double-crossed Alexander. Deacon needed that money and protection the prince had promised to provide him.

    Deacon couldn''t understand why Johnathan looked displeased when he had done his job with perfection. No one from Alexander''s team was alive to intrude, and he could bet on his life that the baby wouldn''t have survived under the water. Not daring to risk his chance, he kept quiet and waited until Johnathan spoke.

    Meanwhile, a tornado of thoughts ambushed Johnathan''s brain. He couldn''t find any human form swimming in theke. It couldn''t be possible for any inexperienced person to cross theke so fast unless they were swimming champions.

    Johnathan''s logical brain leaned towards the conclusion that they might have died by drowning in the water by now. Something tugged the insides of Johnathan, and an unexpected stinging sensation caused difort to the point of suffocation.

    <em>''This was my mission all along. Why am I feeling this guilt?''</em>

    Johnathan should''ve felt great at the aplishment. After all, he had achieved what his father demanded from him. Yet, something didn''t feel right, and Johnathan hated the nagging guilt throbbing in his chest.

    <em>''I have nothing to do with Alexander''s baby.''</em>

    Choosing to ignore the difort, he took a deep breath and walked back to Sebastian''s body.

    He studied Sebastian''s injuries from head to toe. Johnathan didn''t need to measure the depth of his wounds to know the damage it caused. The crimson red coating every part of his body was enough proof of his demise.

    However, Johnathan didn''t miss how there was no ounce of worry, fear or pain on Sebastian''s face.

    Strangely, there was peace written all over Sebastian''s face. He looked relieved as if a burden had lifted itself off his chest before his death.

    <em>''Because he has made sure of Hera''s safety before dying.''</em>

    Johnathan smiled at the realisation. He had seen and heard enough about Sebastian to know he wouldn''t die without rescuing his boss'' daughter.

    <em>''Xander, you lucky bastard, how many people have put their lives at stake for you without any hesitation?''</em>

    Johnathan scoffed and wished he could lead a day of his life without dying from jealousy over Alexander''s fortunate fate. Shaking his head at Sebastian''s wasted life, he called for Rouvin and asked him to bring a water bottle.

    Rouvin clicked his tongue in pity as he saw Sebastian''s unmoving form. "Alexander is one lucky fellow," he remarked, passing the water bottle to Johnathan. The prince nodded his response. "You don''t find a friend like him every day who would sacrifice their life for friendship without any second thought or regret," Rouvin stated, appreciation coating his voice.

    Johnathanughed, remembering hisst conversation with Sebastian. Thetter had asked for the former''s phone but not at all in a friendly manner. It would''ve been nice if he was alive. Johnathan would''ve loved to return the favour.

    "Where''s his phone?" Johnathan demanded. Deacon promptly admitted that he threw Sebastian''s phone into theke. The prince nced briefly at him before shaking his head in annoyance.

    "Did he speak to Alexander before dying?" Johnathan asked, not taking his eyes off Sebastian. "He dialled his number but disconnected it before Alexander could receive it," Deacon informed and shrugged his shoulders to let him know he was as clueless as Johnathan.

    "You can leave, Deacon. Wait for my call tomorrow," the prince ordered in a dismissive tone, and the man in question obeyed, immediately driving off. Rouvin stood quietly and patiently waited while Johnathan stared at Sebastian''s face.

    Johnathan noticed one of Sebastian''s hands rested on his midsection while the other was lying on the ground. He found it strange for some reason. He was thinking too hard trying to find out how Alexander would know where to search for his daughter. Johnathan let his gaze wander, scanning every car, every dead body around him.

    His eyes fell on an old abandoned truck, and it was the only odd thing that didn''t add up to their situation.

    <em>''Whoever jumped into theke with Hera might have used some form of transportation before crossing Sebastian''s path.''</em>

    A small smile of victory graced Johnathan''s lips. It didn''t take much time for him to put two and two together. He discovered the stone with a sharp edge near Sebastian, and it concluded everything. He told Rouvin to check his pockets only to be on the safer side. But as he expected, they didn''t find anything.

    Unscrewing the bottle cap, Johnathan poured water on Sebastian''s hands, washing off the bloodstain. He found the numbers that matched with the truck on Sebastian''s forearm. It had swollen wherever he had pricked the skin with the sharp-edged stone.

    Johnathan couldn''t smile to celebrate his sess as he felt sad for Sebastian. He had sacrificed his life for nothing because Johnathan would make sure that Alexander would never reach Hera. It felt wrong to pour water on the dead man''s dedication and hard work, but he had to do it.

    He ordered Rouvin to erase every trail of evidence that would take Alexander towards his happiness.

    Rouvin gasped in shock when he grabbed Sebastian''s wrist. He could feel the faint movement of his pulse, indicating how slow his heart was beating. He wasn''t dead yet, but he was barely breathing.

    Rouvin took out a pocketknife and peeled the skin off Sebastian''s forearm.

    Neatly dressed in his expensive attire, the prince swallowed hard, trying not to vomit. The longer he watched, the more he started to suffer. The metallic stench of the blood was nauseating. Adding more to his distress, the ugly scene in front of him brought back the memories of hisst time spent with Felicity.

 Chapter 211 - She Was Dead For The World

    How would he ever forget that he had left Felicity on her own to die and had no clue if she survived or not?

    The guilt, the pain, the bitterness and the regret, Johnathan felt them all at once. He needed to ovee those disturbing emotions somehow. So he thought to follow some traces of humanity.

    He pitied Sebastian enough to show some mercy upon him.

    <em>''You were a good man, Sebastian, and you deserve respect.''</em>

    He didn''t know if Alexander made it home alive or if he reached Felicity before she could die and saved her. Johnathan hadmitted enough sins for life, and he decided not to give up on this one single chance to earn a small concession for himself. He could do one small good deed.

    Sebastian deserved a better death, and he definitely deserved a respectful funeral, a proper goodbye from his loved ones..

    "Rouvin, let''s do a small favour for Alexander. I''m sure he''ll appreciate it too," Johnathan said, his lips curling downward in pity. "Make sure Sebastian''s body reaches Alexander," he ordered and added as an afterthought, "In good condition."

    Rouvin nodded and immediately got to work. With one anonymous phone call, he had made arrangements to send Sebastian to the nearest hospital with Alexander''s contact information for the doctors to reach.

    Johnathan and Rouvin worked all night as they had too much work to do, from destroying the truck to erasing every detail of its existence. Johnathan used money in abundance, and though it was a bit of a struggle to reach the designated persons of the district regional transport office in the middle of the night, it brought the expected results in the end.

    It seemed there was nothing in this world that he couldn''t buy with his money.

    The next day, early in the morning, with the help of the address he found in the regional transport office records, he visited Antony''s residence.

    "Alexander Hunter has another name, another hidden identity in the crime world. He''s none other than the mafia lord Alessandro Carlo himself." It was all Johnathan had to reveal, and he knew after that Benson Aiken and his brother-inw Antony would do as he says.

    His n was foolproof, and he sessfully convinced them that Alexander would kill them all for stealing his baby. With Sebastian being dead, they had no proof to prove their innocence, and Alexander wouldn''t believe anyone else.

    But to Johnathan''s surprise, Benson still wanted to take Hera to John Williams. Johnathan understood that they were thinking of the promised money.

    "No problem. If you don''t believe me, then go ahead and take Alexander''s baby to them. I''ll be waiting here until youe back," the prince proposed with an assuring smile.

    When Benson and Antony left with Hera to deliver her to the said address, Johnathan patiently waited outside their house. The cunning smile that yed on his lips and the smugness dancing in his eyes was the confirmation of his perfect n. He had ordered Deacon to attack Williams'' house and kill everyone. His only warning was that he wanted Hera returned to him alive.

    If Johnathan wanted, he would have taken Hera back from them by paying them more money andter, Deacon or Rouvin could help him get rid of that baby.

    He had another easy option, and he could kill them all and take Hera''s possession. Christopher Castenos had sent his son to destroy all the evidence of Hera''s existence, and Johnathan decided he could do that without killing Hera.

    Before meeting Hera for real, Johnathan had every intention of fulfilling his father''s wish. But the moment he saw her, he felt a strange pull by an invisible rope, and somethingpelled him to carry her. One look into her big forest green eyes was all it took for him to change his decision. No matter what, he couldn''t bring himself to even think of killing her.

    When Benson and Antony reached Williams'' residence, they heard gunshots, and Deacon''s voice boomed louder than the firing bullets when he ordered to kill everyone associated with the baby. Scared for their lives, Benson and Antony turned on their heels and luckily for them, they found Rouvin waiting for them with a car.

    As soon as Rouvin brought them back, Johnathan offered them money in local currency, and the bundle of cash made them speechless. They had never seen so much money in their lives.

    The deal was simple.

    They would keep Hera with them and take care of her from now on, and Johnathan promised to provide money for her upbringing once every six months until Hera turns eighteen.

    Benson agreed without any objection when Johnathan imposed the condition that they should move and change their living location every six months. He assured them that it was necessary for their safety so that Alexander wouldn''t find them because if he did, he would kill them all.

    Johnathan burned Hera''s birth certificate and passport, erasing every trace of her existence as his father wanted. He destroyed both Alexander''s and Sebastian''s letter to the ex-cop John Williams.

    "We would require them someday in future to prove her identity," Rouvin suggested. Johnathan scoffed and took Hera into his arms. "No, Rouvin. She doesn''t need any paper to prove her identity. Her face itself is enough proof," the prince dered, showing the baby''s face to Rouvin. Thetter nodded with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

    Baby Hera stared at Johnathan with her wide eyes, measuring the stranger''s face. The tinum-gold chain in her neck caught the light and shimmered under the reflection. Johnathan''s heart skipped a beat as his eyes recognised the name on the heart pendant. His fingers traced the engraved letters.

    <em>''Felicity.''</em>

    Bending his head, he kissed Hera''s cheek and handed her back to Benson''s wife, Liezel.

    "Let her keep this chain with her. It''s her mother''s," Johnathanmanded. He was robbing everything that belonged to Hera, her identity, her family, and her happiness. He wanted Hera to have at least a piece of Felicity in her life in the form of that chain. Felicity chose Hera as her daughter, and Johnathan wouldn''t change that.

    <em>''You''ll always be Hera''s mother, Felicity.''</em>

    Johnathan made a story for Benson to recite and remember that Hera was a love child born to Benson''s dead sister and her gang leader boyfriend.

    "Your sister''s name is Felicity, and her boyfriend is Hunter. If ever Hera asks about her father, tell her you don''t know anything about him except that name. He was a dangerous gang leader, and you don''t keep any connection with him," Johnathan concluded the story.

    Hera''s new caretakers agreed to Johnathan''s everymand. He assured them that he would provide a fake adoption certificate when Hera joins the school and until then, they had to keep her safe and hidden from the world.

    <em>''You''ll never find your daughter, Alexander Hunter.''</em>

    There would be two narratives waiting for Alexander. Either Hera drowned in thatke and died, or whoever attacked John Williams'' house had killed her. Every proof and logic would lead him to the same conclusion.

    Alexander Hunter''s daughter Hera Hunter was dead.

    ncing at Hera onest time, Johnathan turned on his heels and left.

 Chapter 212 - He Always Knows

    With her eyes still closed, Hera groaned while her hand blindly searched for her cell phone under the pillow. It kept ringing and forced her to open her eyes. "What in the hell happened? Who died so early in the morning?" she muttered while her eyelids opened slightly in a tiny crack. Hera found her phone on the nightstand.

    Her lips twitched in a subconscious smile as she saw the name on the phone''s screen. Her devil was calling, and Hera turned to her side and noticed that she was all alone in the bed. It was not even six in the morning, and Hera wanted to strangle her boyfriend for ruining her peaceful sleep.

    "I hate you," she snapped into the phone as her greeting and heard an amused chuckle in reply.. "Why are you not in bed?" she queried, eyes roaming around therge room, searching for the culprit. "I''m in the gym," Hunter answered. "Get out of bed and get ready or you''ll bete for school," he reminded her, much to her displeasure.

    Hunter heard the shuffling and waited until Hera shoved the nket away and set her feet on the floor. "I hate school," Hera whined into the phone. Her boyfriend sh her husbandughed again. "You hate everything in the morning," he stated in an unimpressed tone. Hera could imagine his face while he rolled his eyes.

    <em>''Why is he mean to me so early in the morning?''</em>

    Hera pouted and exhaled through her nose. "Fuck you, Lucifer," she snapped at him, and again heughed at her adding more to her already annoyed mood. "That will consume much of our time, and you''ll have to serve detention for beingte to school. So I suggest you rethink about your wish," Hunter said, sounding too delighted.

    Hera pulled the phone away from her ear to re at the screen. "Then go fuck yourself, asshole," she screamed into the speaker and disconnected the call before he could retaliate with a nastyeback. She inclined her head with a satisfied smile, proud of herself for being so quick.

    Stretching her arms above her head, she looked at the double photo frame on the nightstand and the special birthday gift made her giggle for no reason at all. "Good morning, dear life. I wish it to be a good day," she mumbled to herself and sent a little prayer to God, thanking him for letting her survive another day.

    Her feet dragged her legs, padding towards the bathroom.

    An hourter, she walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a tiny towel, all cleaned and dripping wet. Standing in front of the dresser, she was towel-drying her hair while humming a random tune mindlessly. The door opened without so much of a knocking to alert the person inside before disrupting their privacy.

    Rolling her eyes, Hera sighed in annoyance. She knew who could be so mannerless to barge in without knocking. She secured the towel around her body and held the one she used for drying her hair against her chest defensively, fingers gripping the soft cloth in tight fists. It wasn''t that she didn''t trust her boyfriend, nor was she shy.

    Ever since she dreamt that nightmare where he had ripped the towel off her body, it stayed stored in her memory and kept ying in her mind whenever she stood in front of the mirror wearing nothing but a towel. So, her defensive stance was more of an impulsive act.

    She had given it thought several times whether she should talk to him about it or not. She was afraid he would feel offended if she revealed it to him. Hera knew it wasn''t fair on him if she kept walking on eggshells around him. It wasn''t like he would do anything against her will, right? However, the scary sequence, the experience she went through, never stopped lurking here and there in her thoughts.

    Pushing aside the uncertainty and self-consciousness, Hera forced her mind to move past the awkward hesitation. She focused her eyes on his gorgeous personality as Hunter walked in. Dressed only in indigo blue, mid-thigh shorts, his torso was naked, glistening with sweat while a white towel hung around his neck.

    Hera tried to greet him with a smile, but it quickly faded as her eyes observed how his long legs ate up the distance between them, and before she knew it, he stood invading her personal space in the next second. Instinctively, her body pushed itself backwards, leaning more into the dresser in an attempt to put a respectable distance between their bodies.

    She subconsciously dragged her feet back and lowered her gaze, watching his bare feet resting a mere inches away from hers. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, assaulting it with a harsh bite.

    Hunter cleared his throat, demanding her attention. Hera dared to lift hershes and let her vision measure the length of his toned legs and firm, muscr thighs. Her forest green eyes brushed past the hard lines of his washboard abs and his defined hard chest. Hera finally peeped into his purple orbs, only to avert her eyes quickly.

    The intensity with which his eyes stared into her soul made an involuntary shudder run through her system. Hunter leaned in, resting one of his hands on the mirror behind her, and Hera felt trapped. With his other hand, he cupped her cheek, thumb caressing the smooth skin. He pulled her chin down to free her lip trapped between her teeth and searched her eyes.

    A single drop of water fell from her wet hair and slid down her cheek, making its way to her neck before disappearing into the towel covering the upper swell of her breasts. Hunter''s eyes watched it with so much fascination it made Hera''s cheeks burn, turning crimson red as she blushed. Hot breath brushed against her mouth through Hunter''s parted lips.

    "Since you sounded so disappointed over the phone because of my rejection, I''ve changed my mind, and I''m here to fulfil your wish, Goddess," Hunter said, voice no more than a husky whisper. His index finger followed the trace of the line the water droplet left behind. The second he touched the edge of the towel, Hera''s eyes grew wide, and her breath caught in her throat.

    She stiffened and squeezed her eyelids shut. Hunter''s lips brushed against the pulsing point near the hollow of her neck in a wet kiss. A traitorous tear escaped her eyes, and she sucked in a sharp breath which caught Hunter''s immediate attention. It was toote to wipe the tear because Hunter had already seen it. Their eyes met for a brief second, and Hera noticed the sudden change in his gaze.

    He might have seen something in her eyes thatpelled him to step back, and she released the breath she had been holding. Relief flooded through her mind and body.

    <em>''He knows. He always knows.''</em>

    With guilty eyes, Hera searched for any signs of anger or disappointment in his expression. The intensity his eyes held was gone, but he didn''t seem upset. Instead, his gaze softened, and he dropped a soft peck on her forehead before pulling away.

 Chapter 213 - Her Little Treasure

    "You stink," Hera said and cleared her throat when it came out more like a breathless whisper. "You reek of sweat," she tried again. Her pretty face scrunched in a pretended disgust as she attempted to lighten the ruined moment. She gawked while Hunter ran his fingers through his hair,bing it back over his forehead. It promptly fell back.

    His hair had grown longer, almost reaching his corbone, and the fringe in the front covered his eyes. The wolf haircut looked so splendid on him. He looked so handsome, Hera felt the urge to pull him back into her arms and kiss him, but she couldn''t muster the courage to do it after so stupidly rejecting his advances.

    Hera let out a nervous giggle and watched him turn his back to her. An awkward silence stretched as no other words got exchanged between them. He threw the towel hanging around his neck into the hamper and grabbed a fresh one from the closet before choosing his outfit to wear.

    As he made it to the bathroom door, he frowned and turned to look at Hera, his eyes scanning the wet spots on the shiny, elegant marble floor..

    "Please try to dry yourself first before leaving the bathroom. It not only gets the floor dirty but also someone may slip and get hurt," Hunter said, his voice sounding calm and tone matter-of-factly. Yet, Hera detected the pinch of anger dusting over his words.

    <em>''Oh, so the "I''m not upset with you" look was just a pretence. Of course, I should''ve known.''</em>

    Hera felt offended because Hunter chose to act nonchnt instead of addressing the issue that bothered him. He didn''t have to hide his feelings from her if her actions had hurt him somehow. They could talk and remedy it, right? She wouldn''t deny him anything if he asked her.

    She couldn''t hide the resentment in her voice when she spoke.

    "For someone who lectures me about manners with every passing second, you surely need to learn one or two things about knocking before breaching someone''s personal space," Hera retorted indignantly. Hunter scoffed at her reply, not at all impressed. "Nobody taught me that I''m supposed to knock before entering my own bedroom. Oh, what a pity!" he countered, pretending to be ashamed.

    Hera red at his clevereback while her boyfriend smirked in satisfaction. "Besides, it''s not about manners. It''s justmon sense which youck obviously," he stated, tone a bit too arrogant for Hera''s liking. Before she could say something in reply, he disappeared into the bathroom, locking the door.

    Grinding her teeth in utter frustration, Hera got dressed. She wore a simple white short-sleeved crop top with denim blue jeans, and shepleted her looks with Hunter''s grey hoodie she stole from his wardrobe. After brushing her hair with the hairbrush, she wore the ck stic ribbon headband.

    She packed all her birthday gifts carefully into her backpack and carried the giant teddy bear in her arms before escaping from Hunter''s bedroom.

    Downstairs, in the dining hall, Hera met everyone and greeted them with a mumble of good morning. Jessica had prepared simple toast sandwiches for everyone, and Hera gulped the food down her throat without waiting for Hunter. She enjoyed sipping the too sweet hot chocte.

    She choked on the sweet drink when she saw Hunter descending the stairs.

    <em>''What the actual fuck!''</em>

    Hera''s face flushed red for multiple reasons.

    "Are you okay there, Pixie?" Eric asked in a concerned tone while he rubbed her back. Hera nodded wordlessly and sat straight in her chair.

    Hunter pulled a chair for himself and sat opposite Hera. They were facing each other, but the girl lowered her head, avoiding eyes.

    <em>''Oh, thank God for the hoodie. What a relief!''</em>

    If not for Hunter''s hoodie covering the upper half of her body, she would be facing the scrutinising judgmental stares from everyone by now because they had dressed in matching attires unknowingly. Like Hera, Hunter wore a white V-neck in T-shirt with blue denim, and he had fixed his long hair with a ck stretch headband.

    Their hair was almost of the same length, and their hairstyle was simr as well. Hera could bet they look-alike like that.

    <em>''Couple dressing, I see.''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly and rolled her eyes inwardly.

    She chewed the bread with utmost care while trying not to make any noise. When she noticed Hunter was busy conversing with his friends, she peeked a nce at him. He always knew when she secretly stared at him, but the devil chose to ignore her this time, and the not so pleasant gesture only irked her more.

    Hera left for school with Hunter''s friends while he stayed back because Mathew wanted to speak to him about something important and urgent. So Hera and Hunter didn''t get the chance to resolve their bitterness.

    When Hera reached her room in the dormitory, she found her cousin Abigail waiting for her at the door. She pulled Hera into a tight hug which Hera dly returned while they both admitted how much they missed each other.

    Abigail took Hera to her room. Sitting on the bed, her cousin handed the present wrapped in a white glittering gift wrap. "Here''s your birthday gift, Hera. Tell me if you like it or not," Abigail said, urging Hera to open it.

    The gift inside pleased her so much that a huge grin appeared on Hera''s delighted face. It was a rectangr treasure chest jewellery box with a lock. Little red ss stars decorated the lid of the wooden box at its edges, and a soft satin cloth covered the insides of the box.

    "Abby, I love it. It''s so beautiful and the perfect useful gift," Hera said, hugging her cousin and thanking her.

    Hera was excited to show all her gifts to her cousin. "And Danny gave this to me," she said, holding the teddy bear in her arms. Abigail''s smile dropped at the mention of Danny''s name, but before Hera could raise her doubts and questions, Abby reminded her that they were gettingte for school.

    Hera reluctantly nodded and decided to let go of the issue for now. She made a mental note to speak to her about it after school.

    Hera filled the treasure chest box with her mother''s tinum chain, Hunter''s gifted ne, bracelet and earrings. She ced Evelyn''s bridal hairpin inside along with Michael''s watch.

    Hera thought of wearing the watch, but then she remembered Michael''s words. He said not to lose it, and she valued his sentiments. So to keep it safe, she deposited it inside the box. Lastly, she took out the money from her purse, her first token of blessings from any elder. She thought of the stranger she met at the school''s luncheon bar.

    <em>''Mr Johnathan.''</em>

    She remembered him and smiled to herself. She dropped the money given by Johnathan inside the chest before locking it.

    That was how Hera valued her gifts. Instead of wearing or using them, she would keep them safe and secure.

    "My own little treasure," she said more to herself and hugged the box to her chest, gratitude shining in her forest-green eyes. Abby smiled at her cousin, understanding her emotions.

 Chapter 214 - Bursting Her Happy Bubble

    Hera pushed open the door and hesitatingly entered her room. She had been away for too long, and it suddenly became too awkward to face her roommates. She didn''t even miss this ce anymore. It was no more than a necessity, and she would dly trade it for Hunter''s bedroom.

    Hunter''s mansion, which she began to see as Satan''s hell after their supposed breakup over the years, was now bing her safe heaven once again.

    To her surprise, she found the room empty, and there was no one inside. Hera thought that maybe her friends might have gone downstairs to the dining hall to have breakfast. Grateful for the temporary istion, she ced the teddy bear on her bed and smiled at the giant softy, kissing its nose.

    She deposited the treasure chest inside her wardrobe. The smile wouldn''t leave her lips, and she thought nothing was going to ruin her day. Putting on her uniform, Hera packed her bag with needed books. Sitting on her bed, she was tying her shoes when she saw two pairs of feet stopped in front of hers..

    Biting the inside of her cheek, Hera lifted her head to meet eyes with Brittany and Celine. Hera didn''t even hear the door opening. How lost was she in her happy bubble?

    "Happy bted birthday wishes, Hera," both of her roommates said in unison, and they smiled at her. Hera smiled, which didn''t reach her eyes, and for a fleeting moment, she thought everything was fine between them.

    Hera listened while Brittany and Celine apologised and finally realised that it was strictly none of their business if Hera took her ex-boyfriend back. From their words, it seemed that both of them wanted to be friends with Hera again by erasing the grievances between them.

    "We won''t ever bother you again about your rtionship with Ace Hunter," Celine assured with a firm nod. Hera admitted that it would take time to bring their friendship to the samefort level as before, but she could try.

    Hera kept her face void of emotions when they brought Andrew''s name into their conversation and decided to let them speak their minds. She knew she couldn''t avoid them forever. They were roommates, after all.

    "Andrew is still not attending the school. We''re worried about him, Hera. Why would he leave when the authorities dered him as not guilty?" Brittany asked. "He''s missing, Hera. Please, for our old-time''s sake, help us this one time and ask your boyfriend about him," Hera heard the plea in Brittany''s concerned voice. She didn''t push them away when her ex-best friends took seats beside her on her bed.

    Celine held Hera''s hands and urged her to think about their request. "Just as you are our friend, Andrew is also our friend, and we are worried about our friend," she admitted, begging Hera to consider it. "We know, Hera, Ace knows his whereabouts," she concluded.

    Hera weighed her options. She could ignore them and walk out, or she could ask them to fuck off politely, but she chose to speak.

    "He is proven not guilty only because I didn''t have the proof, but it doesn''t mean I lied," Hera said, gritting her teeth.

    She knew getting upset would do nothing, and it wasn''t worth it, but she couldn''t hide the anger bursting inside. "Have you ever thought that maybe Andrew is not attending the school because he is ashamed of himself and didn''t have the guts to face me?" Hera asked the two girls, who looked taken aback by her outburst.

    "If he''s missing as you say, then don''t you think the school authorities would''ve taken action or informed his parents?" Hera let them think and proceeded with tying her shoes. "His parents didn''te to school to check on him. That means he''s home, safe and sound. If you still think my boyfriend knows his whereabouts, then I''ll make sure to ask him," Hera offered.

    By the dismissive tone she used, Brittany and Celine knew that the conversation was over. They both seemed thoughtful, and Hera wished them to leave her alone and hoped at least they would think about everything she said. Exchanging an awkward smile with Hera, the two girls left the room.

    Hera let out a tired sigh and covered her face with her palms. A few secondster, she withdrew her hands from her face, palms brushing down her cheeks. Her eyes wandered around the empty room and identally settled on ra''s study table. Hera blinked and stared at the object that caught her attention.

    She left her bed and walked to ra''s table. Her hand moved on its own ord and held the photo frame to get a better look at the photo. It was a picture of Hera with ra and Nathan. They took it on ra''s birthday, the day Hera saw Nathan for thest time. She ran her fingers over his grinning face in the picture, and a sad smile made itself known while her eyes watered.

    That day Hera had lost two of her friends, Nathan and her best friend, ra.

    ra used to keep a double photo frame on her table with two different pictures on either side, one photo was of her and Hera, and the other was of her and Nathan. When their friendship broke apart, she tore Hera''s picture and threw it into the trash bin.

    The image of all three of them grinning from ear to ear, arms wrapped on each other''s shoulders, stared at Hera through the photo. She wondered why suddenly ra had put their photograph back on her table.

    <em>''Maybe to rub salt over my wounds.''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly.

    She knew there could be only one reason. ra wanted her to feel guilty.

    Startled, Hera jumped when the door suddenly opened, revealing her very own ex-best friend. Reflexively Hera hid the photo frame behind her, not knowing what to do. She felt guilty. It wasn''t the ''deer caught in the headlight'' look. It was more of a ''thief caught red-handed while stealing something valuable'' look.

    ra White looked at her once best friend, who was her least liked person now. Surprisingly, she didn''tsh out at Hera as she expected. ra silently made her way to her bed and released the photo frame from Hera''s tight grip. She let it upy its previous ce on her study table.

    "I miss our happy time, you know," ra said, looking at the photo. Hera was surprised by the admission. It surprised her more when ra revealed her emotions for Hera to witness without bothering to conceal them from her. She had tears in her eyes when she looked at Hera. Thetter immediately pulled her into a tight hug.

    "Happy birthday, Hera. Sorry, I don''t have a gift," ra whispered, sounding sad and broken.

    Hera closed her eyes, letting her tears out and tightened her hold on the other girl. ra, however, didn''t return the hug. Her hands stayed limp at her sides. "It''s okay," Hera said, rubbing her palm over ra''s back soothingly. "And I miss us too. I missed you so much, ra," Hera confessed.

    It felt so good to finally have her best friend back, and she sighed in relief.

    "How''s Nate?" Hera dared to ask.

 Chapter 215 - Accident On Purpose

    Hunter sipped the hot coffee while Mathew munched on his toast sandwich bites. The former patiently waited and watched while thetter moved his knife and fork, cutting the fried eggs on his toast.

    "I''ll be leaving for Italy tonight," Mathew informed before shoving the fork with egg into his mouth. Hunter''s hand paused with the mug of coffee midway to his mouth. The news shocked him more than it surprised him. The lines of worry creased his forehead as he frowned at Mathew''s announcement.

    "Why all of a sudden? Is everything okay at home?" Hunter asked, his tone impatient and voice full of concern. He had spoken to his grandparents and parentsst night before going to bed, but none of them gave him any indication that suggested there could be something wrong at home. Hunter couldn''t help but worry for his beloved grandparents.

    Mathew shook his head and gave the boy an assuring smile. "Nothing''s wrong, Chief. It''s just a routine visit to make sure everything''s fine.. After that attack on you, your father wants to make sure the old Carlo couple is good," Mathew exined. Hunter sighed in relief and rxed in his chair, directing the coffee mug to his lips.

    "And besides, I miss them too. So I can use the opportunity to visit home. I can''t wait to see them," Mathew said, pushing his te away as he finished eating his breakfast. Hunter smiled at the fondnesscing Mathew''s voice. He wished he could go too. "I miss my insufferable old couple too," Hunter admitted, and an affectionate chuckle followed his words.

    "Once I make sure everything''s good in Italy, I''ll be flying off to California," Mathew pronounced. Hunter''s brows arched in silent query, curiosity dominating the confusion in his eyes a few secondster. "The bounty hunter who attacked you, his name is Garry Colton, and his biker friend he mentioned is Martin Huet," Mathew gave him all the details he had collectedst week.

    Mathew didn''t kill either of them. Hunter had spared Garry''s life, and Alexander decided to respect his son''s decision. He was their new Mafia Chief, after all. His word stands no matter what. But Alexander wanted the one who brought them the deal. Someone had to endure the punishment for daring to touch his son.

    "That Jackson guy is a local drug dealer, and he has already fled the country. ording to my digging, his roots are in California," Mathew filled in while Hunter listened attentively. "I want you to be on your best behaviour while I''m away. No funny business, otherwise Alexander will have my head," Mathew warned Hunter in all seriousness. Thetter grinned goofily at him in reply.

    Mathew yfully red at his favourite boy before getting up from his chair and pulling Hunter into a hug. He patted Hunter''s back before pulling away and ruffled his hair in an affectionate gesture.

    "Your ne, your tickets, I''ve arranged everything. Your gun and boarding pass is in your bedside drawer. Dave will take charge of your security," Mathew said. "And please listen to him," he added as an afterthought because he knew how stubborn Hunter could get at times. Putting the man at ease, Hunter nodded obediently.

    "Have a safe flight, Matt and don''t worry about me. I promise I''ll be good," Hunter assured him.

    After going through his security details once more, Mathew let Hunter leave for school.

    When he reached his dorm, his friends weren''t there. They had already left for school. Hunter changed into his uniform and packed his backpack. Sitting on his bed, he tied his shoces.

    Once he was ready, holding his phone in his hand, he opened his contact list, and his thumb hovered over the name saved as Goddess. He thought of calling Hera but decided against it as he remembered how they parted ways this morning. They were unofficially fighting.

    Dropping the phone beside him, he fell back on his bed and sighed in frustration.

    He was already missing her.

    "How will I survive without you in New York for a week?" Hunter confessed to the empty room and sighed again. Hera had yet to tell him whether she had decided to go with him or not. Hunter hoped whatever silly thoughts were going through her mind this morning wouldn''t influence her decision.

    "Please say yes, Goddess," he mumbled a wish and grabbed his uniform jacket before leaving his room.

    On his way to the locker room, someone bumped into him from behind, and two hands grabbed his arm for support, but it didn''t help with the fall. Surprised at the unexpected collision, he whirled around to help, but it was so sudden he couldn''t prevent the ident, and the girl fell on her back with a loud thud.

    His first instinct was to help the girl, but he pulled his hand away from her grasp because it often happened with him. Girls would n such idents every day in the hope of getting his attention, and it annoyed him to no end. It wasn''t anything new. He was used to girls faking injuries to get his sympathy so that they could get close to him.

    Girls wouldn''t miss a chance to flirt with the heartthrob of their school.

    The cry she let out and the pain painted on her face seemed genuine, so Hunter crouched down, checking her injury. She let out a sharp cry when he touched her ankle, which seemed to hurt. He noticed how it started to swell. "I think you''ve twisted your ankle," he stated and looked at her namete on her uniform jacket.

    "Adide Fischer," he read it out loud and fixed the girl with a sharp look. "What are you doing in the boys'' locker hall?" he questioned, his tone sounding harsh. The girl cowered in fear at his intimidating gaze directed at her.

    <em>''He doesn''t recognise me, does he? Has he never seen me with Hera?''</em>

    The injured girl wondered, scowling at him in her head. She thought he would be nice to her since she was Hera''s friend. It would be easier to pursue her n if he was a bit friendlier to her. But here he was interrogating her like the president of the student council that he was.

    Adide had nned to bump into him and fake injury, but it all backfired, and her ankle got hurt for real. Cursing her luck mentally, she lied through her teeth. "I''m supposed to meet a friend, but he''s not here," Adide said. "Can you stand?" Hunter asked, trying to help her, but she cried at the sharp pain that shot through her foot.

    Shaking his head, he grabbed her backpack and dropped it near his locker along with his bag. "Don''t worry about it. Someone will bring it to youter. For now, you need first aid, and I''m taking you to the infirmary," he said, picking her up into his arms. Despite the pain, Adide smiled, inwardly cheering at the sess of her n.

    She wrapped her arms around his neck for support and rested her head on his chest as he walked towards the school''s infirmary. Adide peeked at his handsome facial features, and she marvelled at how strong his physique felt against her petite form.

    <em>''Take your sweet time, Hera.''</em>

    Adide thought with a victorious smirk.

 Chapter 216 - He Killed Him

    Hera let go when ra attempted to pull away. The awkwardness returned the moment they made eye contact. Hera noticed how ra''s eyes were wet with tears. Her hand reached out to wipe the dampness pooling around her cheekbones, but ra moved her face away. Biting her lip, Hera swallowed the bitterness coating over her tongue.

    Hera moved back, leaning her hip against the table, her hands clutched the edges for support. Shooting a nervous smile at the girl who mirrored the anxious look on her face, Hera stared at the photograph. Her eyes scanned every inch of Nathan''s face, noticing the light in his brown eyes and his grin was so contagious.

    Taking a deep breath, Hera bit back the sob that hurt the inside of her throat. "It''s been two years, ra. I missed him too. I know I don''t deserve it, but I would do anything to earn his forgiveness," Hera admitted, her tone heavy with guilt. ra scoffed, not giving any heed to her pleading.. "Took you two years to admit," ra said, her voice spitting venom.

    Hera winced at the harsh tone, and she nodded. "I deserve your hate," she agreed, her eyes downcast with shame. "Does he hate me too?" she asked, sounding too timid. "Does he talk about me?" her tone was hopeful. ra stared at her for a few seconds without answering her questions. Her sad eyes seemed so empty, Hera couldn''t face them while her best friend judged her.

    "As I told you, you''re toote to apologise. You can''t fix anything, Hera," her friend spoke with disinterest, her tone dismissing. ra turned around to walk away, but Hera was quick to grab her hand. She enveloped it with both of her hands, holding tight and secure between them and hugged it to her chest. "Give me a chance, ra. Don''t you think I''ve suffered enough?" Hera pleaded.

    Her best friend smiled at her, but Hera couldn''t feel any warmth in it because ra''s cold stare mocked her. "Are you sure, Hera, you have your boyfriend''s permission to speak to me?" ra asked, her tone challenging Hera. "Ace Hunter will kill me if hees to know that I discussed things about Nate with you. Just go away, Hera," she snapped, frustrationcing her every word.

    ra was testing Hera to see if she had the guts to defy Ace Hunter. Crossing her arms in front of her, she watched while Hera contemted her choices.

    For a moment, Hera looked stunned. ra''s words scared her because she wasn''t wrong. She couldn''t ignore the result Hunter''s reaction would bring upon her friends. Hera seemed hesitating. ra scoffed and shook her head in disappointment. The look of disdain she used to wear whenever she looked at Hera was back on her face.

    It hurt Hera more, and she couldn''t stand it anymore. Her friends got hurt because of her, and Hera wanted to make it right with them.

    <em>''Hunter has agreed that he wouldn''t hurt my friends anymore, right?''</em>

    She recalled her deal with Hunter. He had to follow her rules. Still, she knew that it wouldn''t be the same with Nathan and ra''s matter. Hunter wouldn''t appreciate it and probably would also get angry. But she would worry about itter. Now that ra had taken the first step towards her, Hera wouldn''t miss this chance to rekindle their broken friendship.

    <em>''Besides, Hunter doesn''t need to know everything I do.''</em>

    Hera decided to keep it a secret for now. Eventually, she would tell him.

    She took her cell phone from her pocket and held it in front of ra. "Here, call Nate. I want to know how he is. Please let me speak to him, ra," she begged. ra eyed the expensive electronic device in Hera''s hand. She knew it could only be Ace Hunter''s gift and the realisation stirred something ugly inside her.

    ra uncrossed her arms only to push Hera''s hand away rudely. A tear slid down ra''s cheek, and she red at Hera with all the hatred she could muster.

    "As I said, you''re toote, Hera. You can''t speak to him because he''s no more," ra announced, her voice sounding hoarse as she bit back a sob. Disappointed and hurt, Hera stared at the other girl. "Please don''t say that, ra," she mumbled.

    ra snorted before a burst of sarcasticughter followed. She bit her lower lip to stop the humourless chuckle and red at Hera.

    "It''s the truth, dear Hera. Nate is no more," she said, gritting her teeth. "He died that night, on my birthday, when your monster of a boyfriend hurt him. But you know what, it''s not Ace Hunter who killed Nate. It was you. You killed him, Hera," ra used mercilessly, her index finger poking Hera''s chest.

    Hera gasped, eyes wide with shock while her hands moved to cover her mouth. She took a step back, crashing her hip against the table. Tears flew out of her eyes, running over her cheeks and settling on her uniform shirt, forming a wet spot on either side under her chin. She shook her head frantically, refusing to believe ra''s usation.

    "No, it''s not true. You''re lying. I know you are," Hera snapped at the other girl, her tone sounding harsher than she intended. "Hunter didn''t kill him," Hera said, her voice sounding determined and firm. Enraged at Hera''s statement, ra rushed at her and held her arms in a tight grip, fingertips digging harshly into her flesh. Hera winced at the pain.

    "Are you sure, Hera?" she spat the question at Hera. Her pretty face turned ugly as she red at Hera with her widened eyes, nostrils ring in anger while she spoke through her gritted teeth. "How do you know I''m lying? You weren''t there to see Nate dying. I was there witnessing everything when your boyfriend and his friends killed him," ra said, keeping her voice down as though whispering a secret.

    Pursing her lips in anger, Hera ran her palms over her cheeks, wiping her tears. She mirrored ra''s cold stare without an ounce of guilt or regret. "My boyfriend didn''t kill him," Hera stated again, putting more emphasis on the word boyfriend this time. She sounded way more defensive, but she didn''t care, even though, as ra said, she wasn''t there to witness it.

    "I know it because he told me, and Hunter never lies to me," Hera dered. "Maybe you don''t know this, but I was with Bianca, and she was on the phone with Hunter the entire time. The whole time, ra, until he reached home in the morning, she never ended the call," Hera exined, hoping ra would take back her usation.

    ra clicked her tongue andughed at her, ridiculing her logic. "How naive are you, Hera?" she asked, shaking her head in pity. "You don''t know anything, Hera, and you believe that bitch Bianca who is the root cause of everything?" ra asked, disbeliefcing her tone while disappointment clouded her eyes.

    "You don''t know what Ace Hunter and his friends did to Nate. You don''t know what they did to me," ra spoke in a calm voice as if she was stating the weather report. "Did you know I got raped that night?" she asked.

 Chapter 217 - Whom To Trust

    After hearing ra''s words, Hera was so shocked that she couldn''t speak or think anything. Suddenly she seemed unaware of thenguage the other girl spoke because her words sounded alien to Hera. It took her time to process the actual meaning behind ra''s question.

    A few secondster, Hera lifted hershes to look at ra. A smug smile gleamed on ra''s face as if she won the war against the world. "Wow, Hera! I waited for so long to see this look on your face. Now I am at peace," ra admitted with a satisfied smirk. She touched the undersides of her eyes, and her fingers brushed aside the tears. The moisture in her eyes vanished as if she never cried in front of Hera.

    ra''s pain and difort also disappeared along with her tears as the earlier hatred, anger, and disgust returned to her eyes.

    "Now you know your boyfriend''s true face," ra spat out the words through her clenched teeth..

    Hera couldn''t believe ra, her once best friend, would stoop so low and lie to her face. The passion for revenge was so high on her head that she didn''t even once feel hesitant before making such a big false usation. The lie slipped through her teeth so quickly with such ease.

    Whatever Hunter did with Nathan was wrong, and Hera would never deny that. Despite everything, she knew her Hunter better. He would never do such a heinous and hideous thing to any girl. She trusted him with her whole heart.

    "Hate him all you want, ra. I agree he deserves it for hurting Nate, but please don''t let yourself sink so low. You''re so blind with rage and revenge that you didn''t even flinch before using him of rape," Hera said, sounding disappointed. Shaking her head in ridicule, Hera moved her feet to walk away only to get shoved back. ra blocked her way and red at her, chest heaving in anger.

    "Did you lie about Andrew, Hera? Did you stoop so low to use one of our best friends of rape?" ra asked. The tone of her voice mocked Hera. "That''s a low blow, ra. You know I didn''t lie," Hera replied, gritting her teeth. ra nodded and genuinely smiled at that as if she believed Hera.

    "I know, Hera, and I believe you because I know my best friend like the back of my hand. You would never use Andrew unless it''s the truth," ra stated, her voice full of trust and support. "Just because you couldn''t prove him wrong, it doesn''t mean you lied," she said, and Hera watched her in silence when ra''s hand reached up and wiped Hera''s tears.

    Hera wasn''t aware of her tears. She was beyond shocked to respond. ra''s admission made her speechless and vulnerable. She never thought ra would believe her over Andrew. Hera was jolted out of her thoughts when ra opened her mouth to speak again.

    "But you don''t know me enough to trust me," ra said usingly and her voice sounded so hurt that Hera felt a sliver of guilt prickling on her skin.

    <em>''How can I trust you, ra? If I do, it would mean I don''t trust Hunter.''</em>

    Hera didn''t say that out loud. She knew it would only add more fuel to ra''s anger. "Hunter sent you away, ra. He asked Eric to take you back to the dormitory in front of me," Hera spoke in Hunter''s defence. She would defend Hunter till the end because she knew he was innocent.

    "Yes, he did, and after that, you left. You don''t know what happened next. He killed Nate in front of my eyes. I kept begging him to spare his life, but that monster didn''t listen. Eric forced himself on me and vited my pride and dignity while his other friends watched in amusement,ughing and enjoying the free show," ra said. Her voice was almost inaudible as though speaking itself drained all her energy out.

    Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she wiped them instantly with the back of her hands as if crying in front of Hera would wound her pride. She seemed too tired all of a sudden and sat on her bed with a defeated slouch to her shoulders while Hera watched in helpless stillness.

    "Ace said my voice annoyed him while I screamed for Nate''s life, and it lessened his joy because he couldn''t hear Nate''s cry over mine," ra kept speaking as if on autopilot. Her eyes appeared to be empty, face void of any emotion. Her fingers clutching the bedspread at the edges tightened around them, her knuckles turning pale.

    Not knowing what to do, Hera slumped down on the bed next to ra''s.

    <em>''Could someone lie with such perfection?''</em>

    Doubt started lurking around Hera''s thoughts, and she didn''t know what to believe anymore. She couldn''t decide whom to trust and whom not to.

    ra spoke with such determination and confidence, Hera almost believed her.

    "So he asked Eric to shut my mouth, and he did by shoving me into the back seat of Ace''s car," ra revealed. "He raped me, Hera," the girl huped while trying to control her sob. When she looked at Hera, making eye contact, she seemed surprised at Hera''s reaction.

    Hera was ring daggers at her. Venomous look stered on her face, Hera clenched her teeth so hard to the point where it hurt her jaw, and ra flinched at the anger rushing out of her gaze. "You don''t trust me," ra noted. It was a statement, not a question. Hera nodded her affirmation.

    "You''re right. I don''t," Hera agreed. "Because I don''t think I know you enough anymore," she admitted. Scoffing at her once best friend, Hera eyed the girl in disgust. "Out of all the people you could choose to me, you chose Eric?" Hera asked, unimpressed. She leaned forward in her ce to look at ra closely.

    "Firstly, Eric would never do it," Hera said in a firm tone. "And secondly, he doesn''t need to force himself on you, and you know it, ra. You would''ve willingly done it because we both know how desperate you have been all your life to get attention," Hera said, hitting ra with the harsh reality. ra had been crushing over Eric ever since sheid eyes on him. It was the secret she shared only with Hera.

    Though Hera knew it was a low blow to use it against ra, she couldn''t find herself regretting it. The anger, the frustration forced her to say it because she couldn''t digest ra''s usation. Eric was a known yboy of their school. In Hera''s own words, he was a manslut, but he never had to force himself on anyone.

    Every girl in their school would willingly do anything to please him as much as they would do it for Hunter.

    ra tilted her head, returning Hera''s heated gaze.

    "But not after what they did to my brother," ra snapped, words leaving her mouth in a harsh tone. "I''m not a slut as you think, Hera. Yes, I would''ve slept with him willingly on any other day but not when they were killing my brother and raping me in front of him," she said and spat at Hera''s feet literally.

 Chapter 218 - Could He Stoop So Low

    Hera wanted to protest andsh out at ra. But something in thetter''s eyes made Hera unable to speak. The anger filled in them didn''t trouble Hera as much as the hurt in them did. ra seemed broken, but she was too prideful to let Hera pity her. Hera''s lips parted, but before she could utter a syble, ra beat her to it.

    "And herees the best part of the surprise," ra said, faking a cheerful tone, a grin stretching on her lips. "A few minutester, Ace Hunter joined the party, and Eric was too pleased to let his best friend have his way with my already broken self," ra dered and pped her hands before sheughed crazily.

    Hera''s toes curled inside her uniform shoes, her hands closed into tight fists, nails digging into her palms painfully. She felt the tightness in her throat, the difort not letting her inhale the air into her lungs. She squeezed her eyelids shut, and the tears spilt out instantly.

    Struggling to breathe, Hera took a deep breath and then another. She covered her ears with her hands and shook her head as if to block out the torturous thoughts, disturbing her sanity.. "Stop lying, ra," she mumbled in between her struggling breathing pattern. "Please stop, I beg you. Why are you hurting me like this, ra? Please don''t lie," she begged the other girl.

    However, ra didn''t show her mercy. She wouldn''t give up on her only chance at revenge.

    <em>''Ace Hunter doesn''t deserve you, Hera.''</em>

    With a determined tone, ra spoke, her every word hitting and crushing Hera''s fragile heart like a hammer. "That night, Hera, your boyfriend not only killed my brother, he also wounded my soul to the point where I was as good as dead when he finally let me go," she concluded while Hera burst out into a heartbreaking sob.

    "Shut up. For God''s sake, shut up, ra," Hera yelled at her. The other girl flinched at the sudden outburst of Hera''s anger. "My heart is not made of stone. It hurts, ra. Stop with this obscenity," she said, rubbing her chest with her palm to soothe the pain. ra stood up from her bed and took two steps forward to cover the distance between them.

    Looking into Hera''s eyes, she knelt in front of her. Her gaze softened when she took Hera''s hands in hers. "You poor thing, you can''t even listen to it. Then think about me, Hera. I have been living with this obscene truth for a while now," ra said in a defeated tone. A sad smile yed on her lips, and Hera instantly hated it.

    The sadness on the other girl''s face squeezed Hera''s heart. She never wished to see her friend so defeated and broken. "You don''t have to do this, ra. Take off the blindfold of revenge from your eyes and stop this madness. You''re only hurting yourself," Hera tried to put some sense into her. ra only scoffed in return, shaking her head in pity.

    Hera should be the one pitying her and not the other way round. It irked Hera more, and she wanted to say that to ra''s face. She shifted when ra moved and took a seat beside her, an indignant frown stered on her face. "I hate him, Hera, so much that it kills me. That''s why I always wish for him to die alone on the street like a stray dog with no one beside him," she cursed again.

    Hera shook her head in disagreement. Their argument seemed to be reaching no destination, and she was tired of this never-ending drama.

    <em>''God, why is my life so difficult?''</em>

    Hera wondered how many times had she asked the same question in her mind. Why couldn''t people leave her alone?

    "Listen, ra, I agree Hunter has anger issues. I know he loses his mind when he is angry and does something stupid. That boy doesn''t think or act rationally when he is mad, but he wouldn''t rape a girl, ra," Hera said, resentment evident in her tone. The smile that ra directed at her didn''t sit well with Hera. It made her feel as if she had lost her defence.

    ra licked her dry lips before nibbling on her bottom lip with her teeth. She ced a hand on Hera''s shoulder and patted it a few times in aforting gesture. "You said it yourself, Hera," she spoke and smiled again before continuing. "He doesn''t think or act rationally when he is angry," ra threw her own words back in her face. "He would do anything when he is mad," she pointed out.

    Hera fixed her with a sharp look and pushed the other girl''s hand off her shoulder. No matter how much she tried, Hera couldn''t overlook the uncertainty creeping inside her brain. She hated that feeling of distrust.

    "My Hunter will never do it. You''re a liar. I know he did no such thing," Hera fired her words at ra. As many times as Hera gritted her teeth, grinding them against each other since ra entered the room, she had never done so much in life. Her jaw started to hurt, causing her too much difort.

    "Why didn''t you tell me sooner?" Hera asked, sounding too bitter. "You wouldn''t have waited for two years if it was true. You made up this story, right?" Hera couldn''t help but use, her tone hopeful. She wished it to be ra''s evil n to exact revenge. The other girl shook her head in disagreement.

    "Did you forget that he forbade us from speaking to each other, Hera?" ra asked, answering Hera''s question with another question.

    Hera clicked her tongue, not impressed with her silly excuse, but ra didn''t give her a chance to speak. "Why do you think he made this rule, Hera? It''s because didn''t want me to tell you the truth. That''s why they treated me like an outcast, and no one spoke to me. He threatened to kill me if I opened my mouth. I was scared, Hera," ra exined in her defence.

    Hera searched her eyes, hoping to find the proof of her lies but was disappointed finding none. Instead, ra seemed hurt, scared and broken. She finally let her guard down and cried in front of Hera. She held eye contact until Hera couldn''t face her and averted her gaze.

    Hera could hardly breathe while the salty water kept leaking in abundance from her eyes. The lump in her throat seemed to be growing, and her chest strained against every inhale she forced. She straightened her posture so that she could breathe a little easier.

    <em>''No, Hera, don''t believe her.''</em>

    <em>''My Hunter will never do it.''</em>

    <em>''But he would do anything when he is angry.''</em>

    <em>''He almost killed Nate. Is ra telling the truth?''</em>

    <em>''Could Hunter stoop so low?''</em>

    <em>''Could he?''</em>

    <em>''Would he touch a girl without her consent?''</em>

    <em>''Did he rape her?'' </em>

    <em>''No. It can''t be true.''</em>

    The inner monologue started to turn into a cruel battle inside her head. The headache intensified, and Hera sucked in a sharp breath. She pressed the heel of her hands over her eyes, but the tears wouldn''t stop. Something inside her chest squeezed her heart painfully.

 Chapter 219 - The Head-First Fall

    Hera hated herself in that instant for doubting Hunter, but ra had left her no other option. Hera was shell-shocked. She couldn''t deny that Hunter had anger issues.

    <em>''He would do anything when he''s mad.''</em>

    ra''s using statement kept ringing in her ear. She cried her heart out while ra pulled her to her chest in a tight embrace, her hand rubbing Hera''s back soothingly. "If you don''t believe me, then why don''t you go and ask your boyfriend?" ra spoke, breaking the train of Hera''s thoughts.

    Hera pulled away from the hug and shoved at ra''s shoulders. She stared into her hands for a few seconds without uttering a word. She was too shocked and tongue-tied to speak or respond. Her eyes were red and puffy with all the crying. ra removed a box full of tissues from her drawer and tried to wipe Hera''s tears off her cheeks..

    Scoffing at the other girl''s gesture, Hera shoved her hand away. Finally, she looked at her best friend. "Don''t pretend as if you care. I hate you, ra. I hate you for doing this to me," Hera mumbled in between her sobs and covered her face, hiding behind her palms. ra seemed offended and threw the tissue box into Hera''sp with unnecessary force.

    Startled, Hera looked at her friend with her widened eyes.

    "It seems like you''re still struggling to digest the truth. Fine, Hera," ra said and picked her backpack, adjusting the strap on her shoulder. "There''s only one way to prove it. I dare you, Hera, ask Ace Hunter if he killed Nate or not, if he touched me or not that night," she spat out the words with much aggression.

    Hera stared while ra seethed in anger. "Do it if you have the guts to face him," she said, marching towards the door.

    Hera stared at the girl''s retreating back when ra nced over her shoulder. "And please do ask about Andrew also. The mistake Natemitted was nothing inparison to Andrew''s. So I doubt Ace Hunter would''ve let him walk out alive," she mumbled, frowning to herself and stormed out of the room, mming the door on her way out.

    Shell-shocked at ra''s assumptions, Hera stayed on the bed, shedding silent tears. She lifted hershes and nced at Nathan''s picture. Guilt pierced through her spine, weighing her shoulders down. "Hunter wanted me to stay away from you. I should''ve listened to him, and then you wouldn''t have suffered," she confessed, muttering apologies to him. She had reduced herself into a snivelling, hupping mess.

    Eventually, her tears dried, and her sobs died down. However, her insides felt as empty as the room, and the quietness surrounding her wasn''tfortable anymore as it felt itchy, and Hera didn''t like the uneasiness it brought. She rushed to the bathroom and washed her face.

    When she looked at her reflection in the mirror, Hera felt ashamed of herself. She was too quick to judge, and it could only mean one thing. She didn''t trust Hunter. So far, she had only heard ra''s narrative, and she was yet to hear Hunter''s part of the story.

    "There are always two sides to the coin," she reassured herself and wiped her face with the towel.

    Tears and water drops had ruined her uniform shirt. Taking it off, she ironed it again to get rid of the dampness. She was ready and all set to go, but her feet remained glued to the spot.

    Hera realised she was scared.

    "Don''t lose hope, Hera. Give him the benefit of the doubt, at least until you confront him," she consoled her broken heart. "Hunter didn''t do it. He would never do it," she kept chanting, willing it to be the only truth.

    She kept staring at her empty hands as she collected her thoughts. She would''ve to speak to Hunter if she wanted to know the whole truth. Bewildered, Hera took a deep breath while she contemted how to approach Hunter with this dangerously sensitive topic.

    "What should I ask him?" she wondered out aloud. "Or would it be right to ask him in the first ce?" That seemed to be the biggest dilemma she had ever faced.

    Hunter would be devastated to know that she didn''t trust him enough to believe him. Hera knew it would break his heart as soon as those obscene words woulde out of her mouth. Then, she would have to face the inevitable anger that would follow.

    "Will he hurt ra for daring to break his rule, or will he punish me for defying him?" Hera sighed in frustration. Questions seemed never-ending, and she had no answer for any of them. Then she remembered his words from yesterday at her birthday celebration.

    <em> ''You have all the right to question me.''</em>

    Hera inclined her head with determination. She needed this closure to move on from ra''s usation. She wouldn''t ignore the issue only because she was scared to address it with Hunter. She decided to follow the head-first fall into the abyss no matter how dangerous it could turn out.

    If it went wrong, she could always apologise to him. "It may take more than two days for him to forgive me, but he''ll forgive me," Hera assured herself. She was sure he couldn''t stay mad at her forever. A faint smile of relief graced her lips, but her logical brain decided to burst her bubble of hope sooner than she wanted.

    Then came the million-dor question.

    <em>''What if what ra said is true?''</em>

    Was Hera ready to face the ugly truth if she found Hunter guilty? The answer to the question rang loud and clear in her heart. It was a big, fat "No". Her heart skipped a beat, and then came the rush of stomach-churning fear. She could never forgive him if it turned out true, and then their rtionship woulde to an end.

    She would lose her Hunter again.

    <em>"God, how will I survive without him?''</em>

    She wasn''t sure she could live without him, especially after learning the horrible truth.

    Agonisingly, Hera realised she was frightened to find the truth.

    She shook her head frantically and cursed under her breath. "It can never be true. My Hunter did no such wrong," she dered to the empty room. Grabbing her phone, she checked for his message or missed call but was disappointed to find none.

    The wallpaper on the screen brought a smile to her face. Hunter smiled at her while shooting her a wink through the picture. She took the photo yesterday at the beach.

    Yesterday she had the best birthday of her life. Everything was so pleasant, every memory so precious, and life was so beautiful. Hera was so happy until ra decided to open her mouth.

    Sighing tiredly, Hera turned the phone off and let it slide into her pocket. Grabbing her backpack, she walked out of the room and marched towards the assembly.

    She wanted to skip school, or she wished at least she could avoid joining the assembly. She was dreading seeing Hunter there. Dragging her feetzily, she walked, eyes focused on nothing. She bumped into a few students on her way and ignored the insult thrown at her.

    Suddenly, she lifted her gaze as thoughpelled by some invisible force but immediately regretted her decision.

 Chapter 220 - The Past Finding Its Way Back

    Once again, Hera felt that her feet were sticking to the ground. She couldn''t take a single step forward. The sight in front of her pierced like a thorn in her eyes. She blinked a few times to get rid of the image, but it didn''t waver. Hera licked her lips and swallowed to get rid of the sudden dryness in her throat.

    She couldn''t believe the vision she just saw. She thought her eyes were deceiving her. A tall boy with broad shoulders and charcoal ck hair that overgrown its length carried Adide in his arms. The boy d in their school uniform had his back turned to Hera, but she would recognise him with just a single glimpse from any angle.

    It was her Hunter.

    But he was not going towards the assembly. Instead, his long legs guided him in the opposite direction.. He was passing through the empty corridor, walking towards the exit.

    <em>''Why is he carrying Adide in his arms?''</em>

    Adide looked over Hunter''s shoulder, and as soon as her gaze met Hera''s, she widened her eyes, and her eyebrows arched up, touching her fringe as though she was delighted to see Hera. Her little smirk grew into a grin before she mouthed, "Surprise".

    That brought Hera out of her shock, and she narrowed her eyes at the girl swaying in Hunter''s arms. Adide winked and tightened her arms around Hunter''s neck. She wiggled her fingers as a farewell to Hera.

    <em>''Where is he going with her?''</em>

    Hera''s hands at her sides closed into tight fists.

    She wanted to stop him, but nothing came out of her mouth when she parted her lips to call him. She took a step forward and forced another and another, but she couldn''t bring herself to follow him. Hera recognised the feeling as fear. She was afraid of following him. The situation triggered something ugly inside her heart.

    It brought back the gut-wrenching memory, the one where Hera''s heart got broken. She neither had the courage nor the strength to go through that heartbreak again.

    Thest time when she followed him without his knowledge, it led her to the harsh reality where she found him cheating on her with another girl.

    <em>''Is he cheating on me again?''</em>

    Hera couldn''t find her voice, nor did her legs have the nerve to move. Like a lifeless object, she stood there shell-shocked and watched while her boyfriend walked farther away from her.

    <em>''Is he going to do it with her?''</em>

    The thought made her heart skip several beats, and suddenly, Hera felt suffocated only to realise she had been holding her breath. She exhaled and inhaled through her mouth, forcing the oxygen into her lungs. Involuntarily her legs moved, dragging her feet backwards. She couldn''t stand the view anymore.

    She looked away and walked in the opposite direction.

    <em>''What is wrong with this day?''</em>

    <em>''Why is every wrong thing from the past finding its way back into my life?''</em>

    The agonising pain she was very familiar with returned with full force and constricted her chest. As one would mercilessly twist andpress a wet cloth to remove water from it, simrly, without even trying, Hunter brutally squeezed and crushed Hera''s heart.

    Even though her legs aimlessly wandered for a while in her absent-minded state, she still somehow managed to reach the assembly. Her eyes roamed all around the ce, letting the row of students distract her as she took her ce behind someone.

    Hera was grateful that, for once, she wasn''t crying. Either she had spent all her tears while crying in her room, or the burning fury inside her was so powerful it might have dried her tear nds. Taking another deep breath, she tried to focus when the prayer began. She lifted her gaze, and it identallynded on Eric.

    Everything ra had revealed earlier echoed again in Hera''s thoughts. The absolute anger and hatred ra''s tone held, the pain and suffering in her voice, Hera could still hear ra''s every usation ringing in her ears. She shook her head, ridding off the unpleasant bitter feeling.

    Subconsciously, Hera smiled while she looked at her friend, the one she considered her guardian angel.

    The boy with honey blond hair and aqua blue eyes looked so handsome in his school uniform. Hera would describe him as a pleasant sight to the sore eyes. As the wind blew, his once neatly brushed hair stuck out in ces. Frowning in annoyance, Eric jerked his head and tossed hair out of his eyes.

    He seemed so harmless and kind that Hera wanted to p herself for ever doubting his character.

    Hera could feel someone''s eyes boring into her. Tilting her head slightly to the left, she peered through hershes only to find ra staring at her. Hera returned the stare, her gaze empty and emotionless. Clenching her jaw, Hera looked away. She couldn''t even look at the girl without feeling any resentment.

    Her eyes moved on their own ord and settled on Eric once again. Bianca, who stood beside Eric, whispered something, and he inclined his head, paying full attention to the evil captain of their gang. Hera noticed how he struggled to keep a straight face trying to bite back hisughter after whatever news Bianca shared with him.

    Michael''s lips moved as he contributed to their conversation as discreetly as he could. Eric responded by showing him the middle finger, and this time he couldn''t keep his grin off. The smile stretching on his lips looked so lovely that it brought a child-like innocence to his face.

    <em>''Can this angel touch a girl in the wrong way?''</em>

    Guilt tugged at Hera''s heart, and her chest began to feel heavy.

    <em>''How can I doubt or me Eric even for a moment?''</em>

    Eric was her friend, her brother, someone she could count on to hold the light in the darkness for her. Hera lowered her head in shame. She could at least ask Hunter if she wanted answers, but how would she question Eric?

    Speaking of Hunter, Hera had yet to see him. She scanned the dais in front of her. Only members of the student council had the privilege of standing with teachers and their principals. She saw Hunter''s whole gang on the dais, prim and proper in their uniform. Yet, something felt missing.

    Hera sucked in a sharp breath as she realised Hunter was not there. He never made it to the assembly, nor did Adide. Her heart raced to touch the skyscraper while tears blurred her vision. She lowered her head and blinked, allowing the teardrops to brush over her shoes.

    Heat crawled up her neck, reaching to the shell of her ears before settling on her flushed cheeks. Her hair at the back of her neck stood up, and Hera could feel the goosebumps sprouting all over her skin beneath her clothes. Her shoulders felt heavy, and her vision started spinning. Hera felt dizzy, but she didn''t want to faint in front of everyone.

    Falling into oblivion would be nice. At least, Hera wouldn''t have to bear this heartache. The temptation was too strong, but she decided to be brave and not give up. She bit the inside of her lower lip, hard enough to draw blood. The pain seeded in chasing away the dizziness, and Hera weed the metallic taste of her blood coating her tongue.

    The rest of the day went uneventful. No one bothered her, and Hera was grateful. In her absent-mindedness, she couldn''t concentrate on anything the teachers taught, and she couldn''t care less.

    However, there was one thing that troubled her throughout the day. Adide didn''t attend any of her sses, and unfortunately, Hera didn''t fail to notice her absence. It bothered her more than she could endure.

    Hera spent her time alone in the empty ssroom during her snack break. A bottle of water was all she consumed, though her poor stomach kept growling every now and then. Much to her annoyance, somehow, Noel found her at their lunch break. He had bought two tes of buttermilk pancakes with vani clotted cream.

    Hera couldn''t refuse when he reminded her that her lunchtime belonged to him ording to their dating rules. "With your boyfriend''s permission, I''m allowed to court you, remember?" he had asked, and Hera faked a smile in reply. He assured her that he wouldn''t pry and ask what bothered her.

    He was too persistent for his own good. Hera thought she could use a friend as she felt lonely for real. True to his word, he never asked anything that Hera didn''t want to share.

    When school ended, Hera left in a hurry from the back gate like a thief running from the cops. She didn''t want to run into Hunter. She knew she was acting like a coward. It was Hunter who was in the wrong, not her. She was desperate to learn the truth, but she wasn''t ready to face him yet.

    As Hunter himself admitted, she had all the rights to confront him, and question him and demand answers. It was easier said than done because sometimes, the truth turns out to be so harsh that it bes hard to bear it. Hera needed time to prepare herself to face him.

    She scoffed at her pathetic self.

    <em>''Why am I so afraid to let him go?'' </em>

    She opened the door to her room and rushed to the bathroom. She knew her roommates woulde sooner, and she had no other ce to hide. Changing into her pyjama sets, Hera found the shelter on her bed, under the covers. She had decided to pretend ill and sleep the rest of the day.

 Chapter 221 - Stalking With A More Open Mind

    The nket served as the barrier between her and the rest of the world, and Hera wanted to believe she was safe, hidden under it. Her eyes were wide open inside the cover, eyeballs moving back and forth restlessly though there was no trace of light. Her heartbeats finally settled and resumed their regr pace.

    The carbon dioxide she was letting out inside the nket turned the air hot, and it didn''t take more than a few minutes for her to feel suffocated. She needed fresh oxygen to breathe. Sighing in utter frustration, Hera lifted the cover off her face. Eyeing the white ceiling, she inhaled a lungful of air.

    She pulled out her phone from under the pillow and opened the lock only to meet Hunter''s gorgeous face. Yet again, she was disappointed to find no missed calls or messages from him. She red at the screen, scowling at him.

    The door opened, and Hera darted her eyes to see the intruder. It was her roommate, Hiry.. The girl frowned in confusion after seeing Hera on the bed, fully wrapped with the nket. "What''s wrong? Why are you sleeping at this hour?" she asked matter-of-factly. Hera''s gaze followed the girl as she walked around to her bed and removed her uniform jacket.

    "I''m feeling a bit low. I think I have a fever," Hera lied easily. Hiry nodded while she changed into casual clothes. Hera frowned in worry as a thought urred to her. The other girl loved to gossip around, and she would hang her medical report on the bulletin board if she could. Hera didn''t want the fake news to reach Hunter somehow.

    "The story of my illness wouldn''t be such a hot, juicy gossip to interest anyone. So please don''t bother yourself," Hera said in a bored tone. Hiry smirked, pulling a notebook out of her bag. She settled on her desk and started to scribble something on the sheet. Hera eyed her suspiciously with her narrowed eyes.

    "I''m sure our heartthrob of a president will be very much interested in the news," Hiry stated smugly, much to Hera''s annoyance. "Or he could wring your neck for putting my name on the gossip column," Hera said suggestively and faked a sweet smile. Hiryughed in amusement, and Hera gritted her teeth, irked at her roommate''s response.

    "Let''s see whose neck he will wring after I tell him about your meeting with your ex-best friend," Hiry shot back, mirroring Hera''s sweet smile. Hera instantly hated the challenge her tone held. "I know you and ra were chit-chatting with each other for a long time this morning," the other girl revealed, sounding too pleased for Hera''s liking.

    "For God''s sake, Hiry, stop meddling with other people''s lives for once and mind your own business," Hera snapped irately. The door opened once again and in walked Celine and Brittany, followed by ra.

    Hera avoided looking at ra and forced a smile at the other two girls. "Hera, what''s wrong?" Celine asked in a concerned tone. Brittany frowned in worry too. "She has a fever," Hiry answered before Hera could open her mouth.

    <em>''Didn''t I tell her to mind her own business?''</em>

    Biting back the verbal insult at the tip of her tongue, Hera smiled at Celine and Brittany. "I''m fine. Just a bit tired," she replied.

    "You know, Hera, Ace missed the assembly today," Hiry said informatively. Hera exhaled through her nose, trying her best not to lose her temper. Ignoring the gossip girl, she pulled the cover over her face once again, hoping no one would disturb her.

    Hera could make out the sound of new footsteps entering the room and overheard ra ask, "What happened to your leg? Why are you limping?"

    An exaggerated dreamy sigh came in as a response before the person answered ra''s question, and Hera knew it was Adide as the rest of the five roommates were already there. "It''s a long story," Adide said, prolonging the word long.

    "Did someone fuck you so good that you can''t walk properly?" It was Hiry who asked the question. There was a hint of teasing in her voice, but it also held a hidden meaning as if she knew something that Hera didn''t know.

    <em>''Fuck, this is so humiliating.''</em>

    Hera didn''t know how to face the situation, and she wished she could strangle Hunter then.

    "I''ll tell youter when there are no prying ears and spying eyes," Adide mock-whispered, speaking loud enough for Hera to hear. Hera was shocked and speechless. She wasn''t that stupid to not grasp what Adide was trying to imply. Fighting the impulse to crash her palm over Adide''s cheek, Hera squeezed her eyelids shut inside the nket.

    <em>''Did you really do it with her, Hunter?''</em>

    Hera wanted to w the girl''s eyes out. She couldn''t stand it anymore and threw the nket off her. She didn''t miss how Adide wore a smug smirk on her face. ra nced at her with a knowing look, and Hera never felt the urge to run faster. Clutching her phone tightly in her hand, she stormed out of the room barefooted.

    Hera''s first instinct was to hide in the library. However, contrary to what every novel with the concept of bad boy falling for the good girl said, Hera''s bad boy was a certified nerd, a bookworm and was in love with the library.

    <em>''Why can''t he be like the typical bad boy in the novels andck interest in studies?''</em>

    Hera cursed inwardly, walking towards the kitchen. She couldn''t risk going to themunity hall. Hunter could be watching TV there or working out in the gym. Mrs Rogers'' kitchen would be a safe ce to hide for the time being, and also, she was starving and needed food.

    Rosaline eyed the girl suspiciously before questioning her unannounced intrusion into her kitchen. With an awkward smile, Hera scratched her scalp and hesitantly revealed her reason for the untimely visit. "I''m hungry, Mrs Rogers. Please feed me, and I''ll do anything. I can help the staff with cooking or cleaning," Hera offered, requesting politely.

    The matron seemed thoughtful, and Hera waited with her eyes wide, hoping she wouldn''t get scolded. Rosaline studied Hera''s face and frowned. "Are you unwell?" she asked, cing the back of her fingers on Hera''s forehead, checking her temperature. Hera immediately stered a cheerful smile on her lips and shook her head.

    "I''m just hungry. That''s why I look tired," Hera quickly exined and grinned wide in satisfaction when the matron ordered one of the staff to feed her. "You''ll help by peeling these carrots and potatoester for the dinner meal," Rosaline stated, to which Hera obediently nodded.

    Offering her gratitude, Hera rushed to the dining hall and was not at all surprised to see a few more boys and girls gulping their food hurriedly. It wasn''t new for the students to request meals at unseasonable hours. Their matron, Rosaline, God bless her soul, never returned anyone hungry from her kitchen.

    Hera enjoyed the simple bread rolls roasted with mashed potatoes inside, made out of morning''s leftover breakfast. The kitchen staff never wasted excess food.

    The taste of the delicious rolls coating her taste buds distracted her mind off the disastrous events of the day sessfully. After all, food was her favourite thing for nothing. Her stomach sighed in content while Hera chewed her food, savouring every bite with appreciation and gratitude.

    Hera washed her te after finishing her food as the rest of the students did. The untimely food was never offered free in Rosaline Roger''s kitchen. One had to work hard and earn it. Hera returned to her dorm with much-needed energy and a more sober brain. She knew she couldn''t think properly with an empty stomach.

    Ignoring everyone''s silent stare, she went straight to her bed. Her roommates were busy, probably with their homework. Hera sighed and let her thumb punch the password on her cell phone. School and books were the least of her worries right now.

    <em>''Still no message and calls!''</em>

    Hera scowled and stared at the device for a while, internally debating whether to text Hunter or not. She glimpsed at Adide once and saw her writing something in her notebook. ra sat beside her as if they were best friends since forever.

    <em>''How can I get affected by them so easily? They both could be scheming against Hunter and lying to my face.''</em>

    Hera grew more upset after seeing Adide in Hunter''s arms, and it only added more doubts in her mind and strengthened ra''s usation.

    Until now, Hera wasn''t ready to face Hunter. She knew, a part of her almost believed ra. Suddenly, it dawned on Hera that she was giving them exactly what they wanted by not trusting Hunter. They knew she would be afraid of the unknown truth.

    <em>''Maybe they thought I would never find the courage to ask Hunter.''</em>

    If Hera couldn''t dare to ask Hunter, she would never know the truth. It would only lead to misunderstandings, and Hera didn''t want to me or doubt Hunter without hearing his side of the story.

    With a clearer mind, Hera opened the Instagram app on her phone. She typed Hunter''s username and password without any hesitation. She was aware he would get notified on his phone that there was a login attempt from another device, but she didn''t care.

    <em>''I have the right to stalk him on his social media. I''m his girlfriend, after all.''</em>

    Hera thought, smiling to herself.

    <em>''And besides, it was more of being cautious than stalking.''</em>

    She needed to know what her boyfriend did the whole day staying away from her.

 Chapter 222 - More Updates For Aces Girl

    Hera raised her eyebrows in surprise. A new post popped on the screen. Hunter just liked and reshared a picture Bianca posted on her homepage. It was their group photo on the bleachers after their ser game practise. The boys were soaked wet with sweat and had arms around each other''s shoulders. Girls looked pretty and happy.

    Hunter had a wide grin stered on his face. An involuntary smile made its way across Hera''s lips. Hunter''s smile was always contagious. Hera closed the app and sighed, pursing her lips. He didn''t make any other posts to disclose his day''s events. Hera still couldn''t figure out where he had been all day.

    Setting her pride aside, she decided to text him first.. She typed a short message.

    <em><strong>Where are you?</strong></em>

    Hera waited for the reply and counted seconds while her heart banged against her chest. She resisted the urge to smash the phone against the wall. Hunter was taking too long to respond, and she lost her temper after ten minutes.

    A good thirty minutester, her phone finally pinged with a message notification, but she was disappointed to know it wasn''t from Hunter. Noel had sent her a text asking if she was doing fine. He was worried because she seemed off today. Hera smiled at the gesture in appreciation.

    <strong><em>Hera:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I''m fine, don''t worry. Thanks for asking.</em></strong>

    Hera typed her reply and sent it. Noel replied instantly, and she couldn''t help scoffing at Hunter''sck of response.

    <em><strong>Noel:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Come and find me at themunity hall if you''re free. I''m bored.</strong></em>

    Hera closed the chat window without replying. She didn''t want to see anyone in the grumpy mood she was in, but she wasn''tfortable with the idea of declining people. Noel was trying to be nice, and she didn''t want toe off as rude. Grabbing her water bottle from the table, she flipped the cap and gulped a mouthful of water.

    After a few seconds of contemting, she made up her mind. When she opened her wardrobe to find something warm to wear, she couldn''t stop herself from rolling her eyes. The tall piece of furniture had more of Hunter''s jackets and hoodies stored in it than her clothes.

    <em>''Asshole, you''re not allowed to enter my thoughts until I permit you.''</em>

    Cursing Hunter inwardly, Hera chose his ck hoodie and threw it over her pyjama top. Pulling the hood over her head, she pocketed her phone and walked out of the door after slipping her feet into herfortable flip-flops.

    The hoodie covered her up to her thighs, and she had the zipper pulled to her neck. Her hands soaked the warmth inside its pockets. She inhaled deeply and weed Hunter''s scent engulfing her senses. It was soforting, as though Hunter had his arms wrapped around her.

    <em>''I miss you, Hunter.''</em>

    Her heart fluttered at the admission.

    Suddenly, Hera regretted getting out of her bed and almost turned around to return when something caught her attention. She noticed Hunter''s name written in bold capitals on the bulletin board fixed on the outer side of the library wall.

    <em><strong>"The heartthrob of our school, our beloved president, ACE HUNTER, has graced the gossip column this week."</strong></em>

    The headline was enough for the girls to crowd around the bulletin board like a swarm of bees around their hive, and Hera sighed in utter exhaustion. Whenever she was trying to avoid thinking about him, the universe seemed to have other ns. Like the jacket covering her, his existence would mercilessly epass her from everywhere.

    Hera couldn''t resist the urge and made her way through the crowd of Hunter''s fangirls. Of course, she had to read it. It was intriguing, alright.

    <em><strong>Today''s gossip column reveals,</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Ace couldn''t make it to the assembly today.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Are you wondering what important business kept him entangled?</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Do you think the president of the student council ever gets detention for not attending the assembly?</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I guess not. The rules are made only for us. It seems the teachers and the authorities only question us, the regr students in general. Anyway, let''s get back to the main issue. He not only missed the assembly but was alsote for his ss.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>An important point to be noted here is that a high school fresher, the </strong></em><em><strong>Not so new girl anymore, Adide Fischer, also missed the assembly and skipped all her sses today.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>My sources say that she left the school premises with our president in the morning. AND, When she returned to her dorm, she was struggling to move her feet.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Why was she limping?</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Where did Ace go with her, and what did they do together?</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m worried for the girl''s safety, to be honest. What happens when Ace''s girlfriend Samantha finds out about their secret escapade? Where was Samantha when it happened?</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>Also,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I would like to know what Ace''s girl, Hera''s thoughts are about it.</strong></em>

    <em><strong></strong></em>

    <em><strong>For more updates, wait and watch.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''ll be back soon.</strong></em>

    Hera gritted her teeth and pushed her way out. She wanted to punch Hiry''s face so bad. Everything the bitch wrote and the questions were too urate to what Hera felt and thought the whole day. She heard the girls sharing their views over the gossip, which was ridiculous. Some pitied Samantha, and someughed at Hera, while others envied Adide thinking how lucky she was.

    Hera scoffed at Hunter''s stupid fangirls. No matter how much she tried to ignore and act nonchnt, their words still stung nheless.

    <em>''Huh, if only I could rip their tongue out.''</em>

    Increasing her pace, Hera quickly turned into the other corner and reached themunity hall. She searched for Noel and returned his smile when he waved at her.

    "Ah man, you''re still sulking," Noel said when she took her seat beside him. Hera showed him the middle finger in reply, and the boy chuckled, closing the book in his hands. Hera''s eyebrows arched up in surprise. He was reading Hamlet by William Shakespeare. "Didn''t think you were interested in English literature," she said.

    "Yeah, I believe if one wants to impress or pursue the girl of their dreams, they must read these instead of the practised cheap pickup lines," he stated in a joyous tone. Hera snorted, not at all seeming impressed. "Neither would work on me," she warned him. "We''ll see," Noel whispered into her ears, leaning closer than she liked. Hera scowled and shoved him away. They ended up sharing amusedughter.

    Hera noticed she seemed morefortable with him these days, and their friendship slowly started developing into something meaningful with time. Sheughed more freely with him now. "So, what''s written on the bulletin board? Is it the cause of your sour mood?" he asked. The sudden question caught Hera off guard.

    Hera pursed her lips and moved her index finger back and forth. Noel took the hint, and it effectively silenced him from asking anything further. Nodding in understanding, he changed the topic. Hera was surprised when Noel offered her a bar of caramel chocte out of the blue. "Sweets always help in subduing the bitter mood," he stated.

    Hera reluctantly epted it. For some reason, it didn''t feel right. Her instinct warned her but about what, she had no clue.

    She jumped in surprise when her phone vibrated in her pocket. It was a message notification and kepting. She could guess who the sender was, so she didn''t make any attempt to check it.

    <em>''I''m busy, Mr Heartthrob.''</em>

    She thought bitterly and ignored histe reply.

    As if her day wasn''t bad enough, Samantha and Bianca entered the hall. Hera saw Bianca speaking to the boys who were watching TV before she interrupted them. They exchanged books while Samanthazily moved in front of the TV as if swaying to the soft jazz music. Her legs d in skin-tight leather pants seemed never-ending.

    Hera cursed when their eyes met, and Samantha''s perfectly shaped eyebrow rode up when she noticed the boy sitting beside Hera. It irked Hera more once she saw the pleased smirk ying on her lips. In the next second, Samantha ignored them as if she never saw them. Blowing air on her nails, she resumed with her slow pacing, masking her face with a bored expression.

    Bianca shook hands with the boys and jerked her head at her best friend, signalling they were good to go. Hera thought Bianca couldn''t see her as they were seated in the far corner. But Samantha decided to ruin Hera''s peace and held up two thumbs up in her direction before exiting the door. The cunning witch seemed too pleased, and Hera could only curse under her breath.

    As soon as her eyesnded on Hera, Bianca walked back into the hall, and much to Hera''s surprise, her legs guided her towards Hera.

    <em>''What did I do now? What the hell does the Queen Bee want?''</em>

    Hera straightened her back and refused to look away when Bianca red at her.

    Meanwhile, Samantha frowned in utter confusion at her bestie''s reaction.

 Chapter 223 - She Needs To Grow Up

    Bianca was undoubtedly the hottest girl in SPALEV high. Hera begrudgingly watched while she marched towards her. The sky blue loose top she wore was hanging off her shoulder from one side, revealing the white tank top inside. Her denim shorts disyed the smooth porcin skin of her thighs. She flipped her long natural blonde hair over her shoulder, and her hips swayed slowly from side to side while she walked.

    She was gorgeous, and like a ma, she attracted attention from everyone wherever she set her foot. However, right at the moment, she looked too intimidating for Hera''s liking. Her beautiful sky blue eyes were brimming with anger.

    "What are you doing here?" Bianca asked, anger evident in her voice. Hera felt offended under her scrutinising eyes and authoritative tone. Before Hera could answer her question, Bianca took her hand and pulled her away from Noel.

    Noel immediately grabbed Hera''s other hand, ready to pull her back to him.. "Don''t you dare, boy!" Bianca threatened, gritting her teeth. She dumped her books into Samantha''s hands, who was too surprised and almost dropped them but managed in the end. Samantha couldn''t understand why Bianca looked so pissed all of a sudden.

    Noel didn''t have the time to prepare when suddenly Bianca shoved him. The push was hard enough for him to fall andnd on his ass. The boy never guessed she could be so strong. He hated every one of Hunter''s friends. He had lost count of how many times they had pushed him. The insult was too much for him to digest.

    He wished he could drag her out by her hair. However, he couldn''t muster enough courage to touch her because all the boys present in the hall were on Bianca''s side within the blink of an eye. Besides, he knew it would benefit him more if he appeared as the victim in Hera''s eyes.

    Hera was shocked at the sudden turn of events and watched in stunned silence while Bianca ced her sneaker-d foot on his crotch. Noel hissed at the difort it caused when she pressed it hard. "Stay away from her," she warned him before focusing her attention on Hera. "Piggy, you''re wanted in the kitchen. Mrs Rogers is looking for you," Bianca said.

    Her tone held no room for further discussion. She was dismissing Hera, and it only annoyed Hera more. Ignoring Bianca''s stare, Hera turned to Noel with an apologetic smile. "Are you okay?" she asked, concerncing her words. Noel nodded with a forced smile. Bianca tilted her head, crossed her arms and smiled at Hera sweetly.

    "Oh, honey, if you''re worried about his tiny dick, let me assure you, my foot couldn''t find it. So he''s alright," Bianca said and waved her hand as if to say get out. Noel clenched his jaw in anger, and his fist was desperate to smash the girl''s face for the insult, but he resisted the urge.

    "No one needs your social service, girl. If you''re watching out for her boyfriend''s sake, let me tell you, he doesn''t mind. I have his permission to date her," Noel said informatively and smirked at Bianca. Thetter frowned for a second before masking it with a smile.

    "He''s my friend, Bianca, and Hunter has no problem with it," Hera provided, sounding too annoyed. For Hera''s displeasure, Bianca ignored her, focusing her eyes on Noel.

    "Hmm, but I guarantee you, prick, her brother wouldn''t permit you to even wander around her," Bianca''s tone was yful as if she was speaking to a friend, but her eyes held utter fury. "Do you want me to call Danny?" Bianca asked, looking straight into Noel''s eyes, but Hera knew the question was for her.

    When Hera didn''t answer, Bianca turned to face her. Lifting her eyebrows, she stared. Her eyes held the silent question, "Why are you still here?"

    Hera defiantly crossed her arms and refused to budge from her ce.

    "If you stand here one more second, I''ll call Ace, and you know very well he will never say no to anything I ask of him. Do your friend here a favour and leave if you don''t want him to get hurt," Bianca warned, daring her to refuse. Hera sighed in frustration. She had had enough of their bullshit, and she couldn''t ignore it anymore.

    "Bianca, why is it that you alle to strangle my throat when I''m simply speaking to my friends? Why don''t you dare question your beloved best friend for once?" Hera fired her words in anger. She hated that Hunter could do anything when she wasn''t even allowed to spend time with her friends.

    <em>''Do I need to take permission from his friends also now to interact with my own friends?''</em>

    Hunter had agreed to leave her friends alone. He had promised not to hurt them, and yet, his beloved sunshine was here to make her life hell. Hera thought they had passed that phase after her birthday.

    Bianca seemed taken aback by Hera''s questions. It surprised Hera when her gaze softened, and she no longer looked angry.

    "Hera, if you''re upset with something Ace did, then solve your issues by speaking to each other instead of ying childish games. Grow up, Hera. I thought you learned your lessons from past experiences. Don''t repeat your mistakes," Bianca said in a softer tone as if teaching a child not to jump in the muddy puddle or not doing your homework would only lead to punishment.

    For once, Bianca was right, and Hera couldn''t argue with that. She lowered her head. It was a feeling of getting caught while doing something wrong. Bianca''s gentle approach only made her feel ashamed. Hera didn''t do anything wrong, yet somehow she felt guilty.

    "I''ll talk to youter, Noel. Please leave," Hera said, smiling at him. He nodded and proceeded to leave. His shoulder brushed past Bianca''s, and she turned to re at him. Noel''s eyes mirrored the anger Bianca''s gaze held before exiting.

    "I didn''t do anything wrong," Hera whispered, her voice almost inaudible, but Bianca heard it. She didn''t say anything in return and only gestured to Hera to leave. Not uttering any other word, Hera shoved her hands into her pockets, and her footsteps echoed while she walked out.

    <em>''Another sign that you need to grow up, Piggy.''</em>

    Bianca thought and bit back a smile when she saw Hera walking away, stomping her feet in anger. She sure resembled a stubborn little sibling throwing tantrums. Bianca could bet that Hera was pouting her lips.

    Bianca had heard the girls everywhere discussing the news on the gossip column. She didn''t get the chance to ask Hunter about it but knew it might be something stupid. It was called gossip for a reason, after all. Hunter would never do anything intentionally that would hurt Hera.

    However, knowing Hera, Bianca now understood she wasn''t any less possessive when ites to Hunter.

    Samantha didn''t miss the fondness bordering around Bianca''s eyes while she watched Hera.

    "What was that, Bianca?" Samantha asked as soon as Hera was out of earshot. She didn''t sound too pleased, but Bianca seemed not to care. "You''re supposed to help me in keeping them away. How could you do this to me?" Samantha asked, the hurt of betrayal evident on her face. Rolling her eyes, Bianca took the books from her and started towards the exit.

    "You sounded more like Eric while you spoke to Hera. So, are you also her guardian angel now?" Samantha asked sarcastically.

    "Shut up, Sam," Bianca ordered without looking at her and walked out. She didn''t even turn to check if her best friend followed or not. Closing her knuckles into tight fists, Samantha cursed inwardly. She never thought she would ever hate her best friend, but at the moment, Samantha couldn''t hide the resentment she felt for Bianca.

    When Hera reached the kitchen, Mrs Rogers ordered her to get to work immediately. Hera''s eyes went wide when she saw the pile of potatoes and carrots in front of her. Thankfully, she wasn''t the only one assigned that task. Hera sighed in relief after seeing a few more students peeling the vegetables.

    By the time they finished, Hera felt exhausted and ran out of the kitchen as soon as she got the green signal.

    Hera washed her face, tied her hair into a tight ponytail and climbed her bed. She ced the soft pillow behind her back, and resting against it, she finally took out the phone and checked the messages.

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Sorry, Goddess. I was in the gym when you messaged. </strong></em>

    Hera clicked her tongue, not impressed with the excuse and moved on to the second message.

    <strong><em>Devil:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>You''re not answering my calls. </em></strong>

    She snorted, a little bit of satisfaction warming her heart. Hunter sure sounded annoyed that she didn''t answer him immediately.

    <strong><em>Devil:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I was in the shower, okay. I got dressed, gathered my things from the locker, checked my phone and then saw your message. That''s why it took time to reach out. </em></strong>

    Hera smiled. She knew he wasn''t lying, so she decided to reply. She made him wait long enough for him to sound desperate anyway.

    <strong><em>Why were you not in the assembly?</em></strong>

    Hera wanted to start her message by telling him how much she missed him. But that thought angered her more when she remembered he never once tried to meet her the whole day, nor he called her. So, she skipped the greeting part and niceties. She was supposed to stay mad at him anyway because she was hurt, and he had a lot of exining to do.

 Chapter 224 - Confused, Jumbled Feelings

    Hunter was finishing his assignment due for tomorrow when his phone vibrated against the table. He grabbed it without wasting a second more because he had been waiting for that reply. A smile sneaked across his lips when he saw the name, Goddess.

    <em><strong>Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Why were you not in the assembly? </strong></em>

    Hunter frowned at the question though he was expecting it. It wasn''t hard to notice his absence on the dais, so it shouldn''t surprise him that Hera caught on to it. He wanted to tell her the real reason but then thought of the cold war between them. One of his eyebrows arched up, and he smirked.. He could hear her authoritative tone in that message.

    <em>''Hm, let''s see how it is going.''</em>

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I was busy. Something came up. </strong></em>

    He typed and sent it. Leaning his back against the wooden chair, he lifted his right foot to rest it on the spindle. Propping his elbow on his thigh, he stared at the phone in his hand and waited for the fiery reply he knew would arrive soon. A few secondster, the screen of his expensive device lit up, and the vibrating sensation passed through his fingers and palm.

    <em><strong>Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Howe I didn''t see you the entire day? What were you so busy with, Mr Hunter?</strong></em>

    Hera couldn''t resist the bitterness sinking its clutches into her heart. She couldn''t get rid of the unpleasant images of him carrying Adide in his arms. She couldn''t believe he was ying with her. She wished he was in front of her. If only she could dig the tip of her nails into his skin.

    <em>''How nice it will be to scratch and tear his skin with my ws!''</em>

    Hera held onto the phone as if she was clutching for her dear life while waiting for Hunter''s reply.

    Hunter clicked his tongue and shook his head, not at all impressed by the question. He could envision her spatting those words at him and shooting daggers with herrge forest green eyes. Pushing the chair back, Hunter got up only to slump on his bed. Rolling onto his stomach, he typed his answer.

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Hm, let me guess,</strong></em>

    <em><strong>You didn''t see me maybe because you were busy avoiding me the entire day? </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Why would you do that, by the way? Mind telling me?</strong></em>

    Hera stared at his messages with her narrowed eyes while grinding her teeth in annoyance.

    <em>''Huh, the sassy asshole.'' </em>

    <em><strong>Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>What nonsense? Why would I avoid you?</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>You weren''t there in the library, nor did we meet during lunch break, and I was waiting for you at the entrance while you probably escaped through the back gate. We never once saw each other at school. It''s clear you''re avoiding me. Why, though?</strong></em>

    Pulling the nket over her legs, Hera crossed her arms and threw her head back, eyeing the ceiling. She no longer felt the need to respond to his messages, but the phone kept vibrating against her thigh.

    Cursing a string of swear words in her mind, Hera read the message.

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Is it because of what happened in the morning at home? Are we fighting again?</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>What are you talking about, Hunter? What happened in the morning?</strong></em><em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I don''t know, you tell me. Did something happen?</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I don''t know, you tell me. Did something happen?</strong></em>

    Hera threw his words back at him and smirked in satisfaction, knowing it would annoy him more. Hunter scowled and threw his head back, grunting his anger out. He exhaled through his nose and shook his head, trying to curb his budding anger.

    <strong>Devil:</strong>

    <strong>Yes, Goddess, I think so. I thought we were having a moment, and as usual, you had to ruin it. </strong>

    Hera bit the inside of her cheek. His words stung more than they should. Furiously she typed her reply, thumb tapping the keyboard with much more aggression.

    <em><strong>Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>You''re the one who seemed off in the morning. Something changed before you rushed into the bathroom. I didn''t do anything shitty you''re using me with, Hunter. </strong></em>

    It irked Hera more that he was pretending to be ignorant, and Hunter was annoyed that she was beating around the bush.

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>If only you could open up. It would save my time and energy. I thought you knew I wouldn''t force you to do anything out of yourfort zone. Guess I''m wrong. I don''t understand what goes on in your stupid head. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Mind your fucking tone, Hunter. I feel the anger radiating from your every word. I can tell you''re yelling at me through your messages. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Yeah, right, and I love how sweetly you''re sugar-coating your every word. I can sense the sugar rush in my veins. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>I feel so loved, Goddess. </strong></em>

    Hera red at the screen. The sarcasm in his message only intensified her anger, but before she could touch the reply window, the phone started ringing, shing Hunter''s face on the screen. Startled, Hera declined the call without thinking. It was more of a reflex action. She was confused and panicked for some reason.

    <em>''The fuck is wrong with me? Why am I avoiding speaking to him?''</em>

    Hera cursed in frustration and frowned at the dark screen of her phone. She knew she couldn''t ignore him forever, and the phrase even sounded stupider in her mind.

    <em>''Now orter, whatever happens, I have to face the truth at some point in time.'' </em>

    She nodded with determination and took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.

    A few minutester, her phone lit up again, and another message popped in.

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Goddess, please do me a favour. Whenever you decide to fight with me, at least let me know what I did to upset you. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Maybe a valid reason or a heads up would help if you''re going to give me the cold shoulder. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Anyways, I''m guessing we''re still in the middle of an unofficial fight then? I don''t know what you''re assuming the reason to be, but I''m sure we can''t find the logic in your baseless assumptions. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>I don''t know if I did something that hurt or offended you. I''m no magician nor a mind reader, Goddess, so I wouldn''t know unless you tell me why we''re fighting. </strong></em>

    Hera knew that tone very well, so it was no surprise that Hunter was mad. The messages kepting in, and Hera''s lips jutted out in a sad pout. She was upset that he was fighting with her even through the text messages. She shook her head, pulling her upper lip between her teeth.

    Another message cut straight to the point, and the salty water blurred Hera''s vision.

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Do you trust me, Goddess? </strong></em>

    That was the big fat elephant in the room. Hera was confused with her jumbled feelings. She thought she trusted him, but ra was so convincing and adding more to her dilemma, Adide nted doubts in her mind. She was so afraid of the thought of Hunter cheating on her. Hera closed her eyes, and the tears spilt out in a rush.

    The image of Adide mouthing surprise shed behind her eyelids. She saw how the girl smirked at her while wrapping her arms around his neck.

    Hera recalled everything ra said, her brain analysing every possibility.

 Chapter 225 - Not Reachable

    Lost in her thoughts, Hera didn''t realise she was taking too long to answer his question, and Hunter was waiting for her reply.

    Meanwhile, Hunter stared at his phone and scoffed in disbelief. Two more minutes passed, and he tossed the phone aside before storming out of his room.

    The boys assembled at their secret hideout for a quick smoke break. Michael was happy that he was going home in a few days. He missed his fairy godmother so much. Ever since their tickets arrived, Michael couldn''t wait to fly off. Eric was d to join because he knew his parents would be delighted to see him as well.

    Danny seemed lost in thoughts, and so did Hunter. Thetter was troubled by Hera''sck of response which obviously meant she didn''t trust him yet, while the former worried about his deadline for fulfilling Jack''s demand. Ever the observant one, Eric noticed the faraway look on Danny''s face..

    "What''s bothering you?" Eric asked, lighting his cigarette. Danny frowned, shaking his head and shifted his posture on the makeshift stone bench to look at Eric properly. "Why do you ask? Nothing''s wrong," Danny answered, sounding clueless. Pushing his back against the tree trunk, Eric pulled himself off and discarded the cigarette butt.

    Hunter listened quietly while his friends spoke. He wasn''t in the mood to contribute to their conversation, so he focused more on the smoke invading his lungs and the bitter taste it left in its wake. He ignored Danny''s usual nonsense excuses to Eric''s queries and zoned out of their conversation.

    Blowing smoke rings into the air, he observed how the white fog of the smoke dissolved into the air.

    Meanwhile, his smart brain was busy recollecting his interaction with Hera. He remembered everything they said or did with each other since morning. It was clear Hera only wanted to know why he wasn''t in the assembly. It seemed it was the only thing that bothered her. Then it clicked why Hera was hell-bent on knowing his whereabouts.

    <em>''Fuck!''</em>

    Hunter cursed inwardly.

    He realised why his Goddess was upset. His so-called fandom in the school monitored his every move, and if he even identally looked at any girl other than his friends, it would be news within seconds. Cursing, he remembered the girl he helped this morning.

    It shouldn''t be a surprise if the news travelled throughout the school, and obviously, Hera had heard it too. He could only imagine what might be the oue of this gossip. He carried the girl to the infirmary in his arms, after all.

    In her room, Hera kept trying Hunter''s phone, but he never answered her call. It dawned on her a bitte that she wasted too much time thinking about ra, Nathan and Adide instead of answering Hunter''s simple question.

    <em>''Do you trust me?''</em>

    His question hovered in her brain, and her heart screamed a yes instantly. However, she had messed up already. Hunter wasn''t responding, and she could guess how bad it might have pissed him off.

    <em>''Can''t my heart and brain be on the same page for once? They had to ruin everything for me.''</em>

    Disappointed, Hera cursed and to retaliate, she switched her phone off. If Hunter refused to answer her call, then she would do the same.

    <em>''Alright, Hunter, let''s see for how long you will ignore me.''</em>

    Hera sighed, sliding more of her body inside the nket.

    Hunter searched for his phone as soon as he entered the room. He found it on the floor, lying next to the foot of his bed. He was surprised because he didn''t notice it falling off the bed when he tossed it aside. He was relieved that he didn''t switch it off in his anger. Otherwise, Mathew would''ve cancelled his flight by now. Hunter wouldn''t want to worry him.

    "Uh-oh," he uttered when he saw several missed calls by his Goddess. He scrunched his nose while scratching his forehead above his left eyebrow with the back of his thumbnail. Without wasting another second, he dialled her number and cursed when he heard the voice say, "The number you have dialled is not reachable."

    He clicked his tongue, annoyed at himself for abandoning his phone and missing Hera''s call. He could guess she had purposely switched it off. He decided to speak to her directly, face to face after dinner. To keep himself busy until then, he opened his books toplete his assignment.

    Noel was waiting for Hera when she reached the dining hall and insisted they sit together. Half-heartedly, Hera walked inside with him. Like the opposite poles of a ma attracting each other, her eyes were drawn to her favourite shade of purple orbs the moment she set her foot in. Hunter sat in the direct line of her sight, and she red when he rolled his eyes.

    She knew Noel''s presence irked Hunter, but she didn''t care. Joining the line, Hera and Noel filled their tes with food.

    "Please spare the poor boy," ra whispered, startling Hera. She didn''t notice she was standing beside her. "We don''t want another innocent soul to get hurt because of your boyfriend," she added in warning, and it surprised Hera that she even dared to speak to her when Hunter was in the hall.

    Instinctively, Hera nced over her shoulder. Thankfully, Hunter wasn''t looking at her. He was frowning at something Evelyn was saying.

    ra went in the opposite direction while Hera and Noel sat in the far corner. "Ignore her. I''m not afraid of your boyfriend," Noel said, smiling reassuringly at Hera. Someone cleared their throat, and Hera lifted hershes to meet Bianca. She smiled and ced her te on the table.

    Hera''s jaw dropped in surprise. She couldn''t resist asking, "Are you going to sit with me?"

    "Don''t look so surprised, Piggy. I just came to say hi," Bianca said, cutting the rolled pudding filled withyers of fruity jam inside. She ced the slice into Hera''s te and signalled with her eyes to eat. Still speechless, Hera took her fork and ate a bite.

    Bianca made an borate show of licking her fork clean, and Hera choked on the dessert when the girl dipped it into Noel''s ss of apple juice, stirring it. Hera nced at Hunter again. Bianca was causing trouble as usual, and Hera was afraid of the inevitable fight. She searched Noel''s face for any signs of anger, but to her shock, she found him smirking at Bianca.

    The girl winked at him and left as if nothing happened. Hera watched with her eyebrows raised while Noel drank the juice. He had his eyes glued to Bianca''s swaying hip as she walked away.

    <em>''What the fuck!''</em>

    Hera was expecting a fight, but much to her shock, it seemed as though Bianca and Noel were flirting. Shaking her head in disapproval, Hera finished her food in a hurry.

    "Noel, please don''t fall into her trap. She''s trouble," Hera warned when they walked out of the dining hall. Before he could say something, someone grabbed Hera''s wrist. Rolling her eyes, Hera turned to face her annoying boyfriend. It surprised her that it took him so long to approach her.

    Hunter''s eyes remained glued to Hera''s when he snapped his fingers twice, and his index finger moved, signalling Noel to get lost.

 Chapter 226 - Kisses And Apologies

    Noel''s anger was at its peak, but still, he didn''t lose his temper. It was humiliating how Hunter dismissed him as if he was a mere ve. It was so tempting to punch his ridiculously handsome face, yet Noel resisted the urge and tolerated Hunter''s insult. He nced over his shoulder one more time before taking a turn in the hallway.

    Hunter held Hera''s wrist in a tight grip, leading her in the opposite direction while she followed obediently. Noel shook his head in pity. He thought the poor girl couldn''t even dare to defy him.

    <em>''Bastard treats her like an object. No regard for her consent, nor does he respect or value her presence.''</em>

    Noel wanted to return every insult he had gone through, and he couldn''t wait to see Hunter standing alone like the sore loser he was when he whisked Hera away from him.

    <em>''Soon, Ace Hunter, she''ll spit on your face and will discard you from her life like garbage.. I''ll make sure she does.''</em>

    Grinding his teeth, Noel vowed to ruin his life.

    As soon as he took the turn, someone blocked his way. Arms crossed in front of her, Samantha stood as if she had been waiting for him. Noel scowled, annoyed at the interruption.

    "Ever heard of the phrase, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Samantha asked, closing the distance between them and smiled knowingly. They stood chest to chest, and Noel could feel the heat radiating from her body. She looked hot in frayed denim shorts paired with a white button-down shirt.

    Noel couldn''t resist and let his eyes wander downwards. Her cleavage was on disy, and she had her ash blonde hair styled in long curls, which framed the fair skin of her face. Her full lips painted in blood-red lipstick were alluring. She snorted and stepped back, arrogance spilling from her baby blue eyes.

    Samantha flipped her hair and stared at him with her eyebrows raised. She was expecting him to answer her question. Noel rolled his eyes and brushed past her to lean against the railings. Samantha followed him.

    "Ace is not your enemy," Noel pointed out. Samantha giggled at his statement. "But I do hate Hera," she admitted. "What''s your true intentions regarding Hera?" she asked, sounding curious. Noel nodded, appearing to be thoughtful for a few seconds. He smiled more to himself before answering her question.

    "I like her," he revealed, his tone leaving no trace of uncertainty. "For real," he added. Samantha''s eyebrows moved in a single up-down eyebrow sh while she smiled, pleased with his admission. "And I want Ace," she dered. "Let''s team up and help each other," she said, offering her hand for him to shake. Noel was only d to ept the deal.

    Samantha shared her ns, and they discussed how to implement them. After exchanging numbers, with a victorious grin ying on their lips, they parted ways, shooting thumbs up to each other.

    Hunter pulled Hera into the library.

    Hera watched while a few students doing their assignments waved their hands, greeting their beloved president. Hunter returned everyone''s greetings with his charming smile while leading Hera to the deep end of the library. It was empty, providing them with the needed privacy. The soft glow of the dimmed lights was enough to discover the titles of the books arranged alphabetically in the bookcases.

    He let go of her hand only to hold her by the shoulders. Hera looked at him with herrge eyes wide open while he pulled her in front of him. He gently pushed her against the wall beside the bookcase. Hera tilted her head up to look at him properly.

    He no longer wore his headband, and his freshly washed soft charcoal ck hair smelt of fresh cedar and peppermint. It was gel-free and had the luxury of caressing his forehead. Hera felt the urge to run her fingers through it, but before she could, Hunter pushed his hair backwards from his face with both his hands. Hera admired his angelic face while his lips twitched in a tiny smile.

    Hunter took her hands in his again and brought them to his lips, kissing her knuckles one after the other. He let them go to frame her face with his palms. Hera''s heartbeats sped up when he looked into her eyes, and her eyelids closed on their own ord when he leaned forward to capture her lips with his.

    Hera felt the slight brush of his lips against hers in a tender touch. "I missed the assembly because I was busy helping a student," he whispered against her lips. "There was a girl in the locker hall, and she somehow slipped and hurt her ankle. I carried her to the infirmary as she was struggling to walk," Hunter said before kissing her and Hera got lost in the pleasant sensations.

    Hunter felt her smile against his lips and pulled away to look at her. Hera didn''t say anything and silently watched instead, searching his eyes.

    "I don''t remember her name, I don''t know her, and I have no business with her, I swear," Hunter offered in his defence. Hera bit back her smile, gesturing to him to go ahead.

    "I''m sorry I upset you," Hunter apologised, kissing the corner of her lips.

    "I''m sorry I made you cry," he said and kissed the apple of her cheeks.

    "I''m sorry for fighting," he said and ced another kiss on her forehead.

    "I''m sorry I didn''t answer your question and clear your doubt immediately. I''m sorry for calling your brain stupid. I''m sorry I got angry. I''m sorry for missing your calls," Hunter said, pecking the tip of her nose. With every confession, he gifted her with another kiss.

    Hera giggled through her tears while Hunter kissed every inch of her face.

    "You said you''re no magician and mind reader and that you don''t understand what I''m feeling," Hera said usingly. Hunter let out an airy breath ofughter, and his shoulders shook in the process. "But I do, don''t I?" he asked rhetorically, but Hera nodded frantically, answering anyway. "You do, Hunter. You always do," she stated, pulling him down for another kiss.

    <em>''You''re my magician, Hunter, because you can always read my mind and understand my feelings without needing any verbal exnation.''</em>

    Hera thought proudly and tightened her arms around him, breathing in his earthy scent after the first rain.

    Sliding down against the wall, Hera pulled Hunter along to sit on the floorfortably. "My feet feel tired," she said. Hunter removed his cream coloured hoodie and wrapped it around her shoulders. "It''s getting a bit chillier here," he exined. Heraughed, looking fondly at him.

    "Hunter, you''re going to run short of your hoodies and jackets soon because they''re piling up in my cupboard," Hera revealed, not sounding guilty at all for stealing his clothes. Hunter exined why he couldn''t receive her calls, and Hera felt ashamed for fighting with him even though he did no wrong.

    Hunter asked Hera to check the pocket of his hoodie, and Hera found the big rectangr bar of caramel milk chocte, which instantly lit up her face. She quickly unwrapped to read the message she knew she would find inside.

    <em><strong>Beloved Goddess, </strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m sorry I hurt you unknowingly.</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Please forgive me, love. </strong></em>

    Hera didn''t know what to say. Could she say it''s okay when he was not at fault? Without confronting him, she doubted his innocence. Her heart ached when the burden of guilt shrunk the inside of her chest. She bit the chocte, and with her mouth full, she smiled at him, pouring her apology into that guilty smile.

    "I do trust you, Hunter, but sometimes I act stupidly. You know me," she said, shrugging her shoulders. Hunter nted a kiss on the crown of her head in acknowledgement. They sat infortable silence, attached to the hip, shoulder to shoulder, head to head. Hera munched on the sweet bar while her thoughts drifted to ra.

    "What else is bothering you? Mind telling me?" Hunter asked, breaking the silence.

    <em>''Of course, he can read my mind.''</em>

    Hera thought and smiled at him, shaking her head in a no.

    It was the right timing, and she had the opportunity to share her thoughts and ask questions, but Hera backed off. She didn''t have the heart to ruin their moment. She decided to wait for another day. Bianca was right when she said she needs to grow up. Hera would take care of the confrontation tomorrow. But for now, she wanted to bask in the warmth of her Hunter''s arms.

    He needed to know that he had earned his trust back, and Hera trusted him with all her heart. Hunter gifted her with the most beautiful smile when she confessed the same and pulled her into his chest in a tight hug.

    Hera felt like she won against the world when Hunter smiled in relief. Nothing and no one mattered at that moment.

    <em>''What ra said can never be true.''</em>

    Hera decided.

 Chapter 227 - Nothing Should Taint Their Happiness

    "I brought your food. Why didn''t youe for dinner?" Danny asked, concern coating his soft tone. He ced the te on Abby''s table and pulled her to her feet, forcing her to leave thefort of her bed. She sat on the chair while Danny perched himself on the table. Abby half-heartedly opened her mouth when he offered to feed her.

    She ate half of the contents on the te and refused to eat more, pretending her stomach was full. "It seems as if themb is being fed and fattened before it''s sacrificed," she said jokingly, but Danny heard the usation underlining her tone. Her words stung, and Danny felt guilty for putting her in such a situation. It was clearly visible she had been crying.

    Abby looked at him, pleading with her eyes. "I can''t do this, Danny. I''m scared," she revealed. Danny held her hands in his and squeezed, offering support.. "I won''t let anything happen to you. I promise," he was quick to reassure, but his cousin didn''t seem convinced at all. She shook her head frantically, refusing to believe him.

    "How are you so sure? You''re asking me to dance in a strip club, and I''m still underage, for God''s sake, Danny. You don''t know what they will do to me," she attacked and didn''t hold back her frustration. "I need you, Abby. Please do it for Hera and help me in keeping her safe," Danny requested, sounding too helpless and desperate.

    Jealousy and anger rushed through Abby''s nerves. "I never hated Hera before, Danny. But you''re making it seem easy," she spat the words in disdain. It hurt so much to know that her cousin, who never showed concern to Hera before, was now ready to choose her safety over Abby''s.

    "Why don''t you ask her, Danny? Why should I put myself in danger while it''s Hera they want?" she asked. Abby instantly regretted opening her mouth when she saw how the softness in Danny''s gaze vanished, and anger reced it. "Don''t forget, Abby, you have an equal share in this crime. Hera is in this mess only because of you," he warned through his gritted teeth, eyes daring her to defy him.

    Abby''s shoulders slumped in shame, and she pulled her knees to her chest, crossing her hands around her legs. She made herself seem small while she ducked her head, avoiding Danny''s using eyes. Danny sighed, annoyed at everything. He didn''t want to humiliate or guilt-trip her, but he couldn''t hold back his anger anymore.

    "Abby, don''t worry. I''ll keep you safe. Jack said they make a lot of money in a single day. It''s just for a few days. You''ve to dance there on weekends until he gets his money," Danny exined everything Jack told him and assured Abby that he would be there with her all the time. The only troublesome part of the n was to convince Jack to rece Hera with Abby.

    Abby knew she had no choice but to agree. She nodded dejectedly. Danny didn''t miss the single tear that rolled down her cheek. He ced his hand on her head, brushing his palm in a soft caress over her hair. He hugged her to his chest and kissed the crown of her head. "I''ll keep you safe, Abby. Please trust me," he assured her once again.

    Hera had been carrying the burden of usation all her life that she was the cause of everyone''s miseries in his family. But he knew better. He knew Hera was innocent, and it was her who had suffered the most. Now he wanted to make everything right for her. He would do anything to keep her away from trouble.

    Danny was scared too. He hoped everything would get sorted. He couldn''t contact Jack as he was out of the country, and Danny wished the bastard would never return.

    <strong>HERA tipped her head to the side</strong> to look at Hunter while they walked out of the library. Even his side profile was so perfect, Hera thought nothing could match his handsome looks. He was chewing a mouth freshener, and Hera watched the movement of his sharp jawline in awe. Everything he did seem to be sexy, and Hera could watch him forever withoutining.

    <em>''Is it ever possible to find any w in him?''</em>

    Hera wondered while admiring her boyfriend''s wless, gorgeous face. Hunter had his fingers wrapped around her wrist in a tight hold, and Hera smiled subconsciously, thinking about how much she missed this.

    <em>''Oh, we''re matching again.''</em>

    Hera noticed, smiling to herself.

    She brushed her hand over Hunter''s cream coloured hoodie she wore. Hunter had dressed in brown sweatpants and a cream sweatshirt. His feet and toes looked adorable in flip flops. Hera observed how tiny her feet seemed next to hisrge ones.

    "Your hair interrupts my view, you know," Hera stated disapprovingly. "It hides your face from me," she used, pouting at him. Hunterughed, bumping into her shoulder yfully. Blocking his way, Hera stopped him from walking, and standing on her tippy-toes, she kissed him on the lips. Startled, Hunter looked around to see if anyone saw them.

    The corridor was empty. Hunter knew Hera hated PDA. So it surprised him that she initiated the kiss. Hera giggled at his shocked face, pecking his cheek. "It''s okay if we get caught. I''m going to get detention tomorrow anyway," she said, shrugging. Hunter raised his brows in disbelief.

    "And how do you know it already? What have you done?" Hunter asked, scowling in disapproval. Hera rolled her eyes at him. "I haven''t done my homework," she announced, clicking her tongue. "It''s okay. You still have time to do your homework. I can help if you want," Hunter offered. Hera shook her head, declining his help.

    "I saw you with that girl in the morning, and she is my roommate, by the way," Hera revealed. Hunter took her wrist in his hand again and resumed their walking, pulling her along. "I was disturbed, thanks to you, so I couldn''t concentrate in the ss. I don''t know what the teachers taught in ss or what homework they have given," Hera exined in her defence.

    "You had time to have lunch, dinner and chit-chat with that rascal guy but not to discuss homework with your ssmates?" Hunter asked, sounding annoyed. Hera rolled her eyes and bumped into his shoulder, pushing a little too hard on purpose. Sheughed in amusement when Hunter''s feet faltered, and he lost his bnce.

    Hera didn''t let him fall, though. Holding on to his arm tightly, she pulled him back before he could fall.

    Scowling at Hera, Hunter yanked his hand away from her hold before walking away from her. His long legs marched too quickly for Hera''s liking, and she had to jog to match his pace.

    "My lip has a small cut inside, and it hurt when you kissed me. But I endured it for you," Hera said and smirked when Hunter''s feet halted. She had effectively caught his undivided attention and grinned when she saw him frowning in worry. "And look at you, ungrateful and rude, walking away from me," she said, clicking her tongue in disapproval.

    Ignoring her yful banter, Hunter cupped her cheek in his palm and with his free hand, he touched her lips. He parted them with his thumb, examining the said injury. He looked so worried, Hera couldn''t help but smile affectionately at him. Then suddenly, she pulled his thumb into her mouth and bit it hard.

    Hunter yelped in pain, cursing while Hera burst outughing. She wasughing so loud Hunter forgot about his pain. It was his favourite sound, after all. He smiled, watching her having fun at his expense. She seemed so carefree, happy and content Hunter didn''t want anything else in life.

    The only thing he wanted was to have his happily ever after with her.

    <em>''No evil should touch or taint her happiness.''</em>

    Hunter made a wish.

    "It''s nothing, Hunter. I bit the inside of my lip identally while having lunch," Hera lied, walking into his arms. She kissed his lips and smiled wide. Hunter shook his head, and Hera knew he caught her lie. "You mean when you saw me with that girl?" he asked rhetorically. Hera scrunched her nose guiltily and nodded.

    Hunter touched the corner of her mouth with his lips, cing the softest kiss there.

    <strong>ON THE OTHER SIDE,</strong>

    <strong>In New York City,</strong> Alexander left his office early to pick up Felicity from her workshop. She had been busy these days working on her new jewellery designs. She wanted to make herself free of burdens and keep her schedule clear before her sones home. Her time would solely belong to her beloved son as long as he stays with them.

    Alexander nodded in acknowledgement as the staff kept greeting him as soon as he entered the building. He politely dismissed Felicity''s personal assistant, a young man in his mid-twenties, telling him that he would find his way to her. Felicity''s bodyguards bowed and moved away from the door, letting him enter.

    He found his beautiful wife holding the monocr, handheld loupe, examining the cut of the diamonds. Perched on the arch-shaped wooden table, Felicity had her feet resting on the armchair in front of her. The dark navy blue velvet cloth spread on herp had newly cut diamonds shimmering on it.

    The sses resting low on her nose shone with the reflection cast by the precious pure crystals. Alexander smiled, admiring the gorgeousdy shining as brightly as the diamonds.

 Chapter 228 - Time To Let Go

    "If you''re done ogling and drooling, you cane inside, Alexander," Felicity said, without taking her eyes off the diamond shining between her fingers. Smiling wide, Alexander pulled himself off the doorframe. He didn''t miss how Felicity''s talented, hardworking staff eyed each other with a knowing look and suppressed their amused smiles. They bowed and left one by one as Alexander walked inside.

    Felicity sighed, an unimpressed look directed at her husband. "I don''t know how you make them follow your bid without even uttering a word!" she wondered out loud. "I''m the one who signs their paycheck, yet they obeyed your silentmand and left without even bothering to take my permission," she used. Alexander chuckled and pulled her into his arms, nting a kiss on the crown of her head.

    "You look tired," Felicity noticed. Scrunching his nose, Alexander shook his head. He loosened his ck tie and rolled his sleeves, revealing his forearms. He didn''t bother putting on his suit jacket while leaving his office. Felicity stopped doing whatever task she had immersed herself in before he entered and studied her husband''s handsome features..

    The dark violet shirt he had worn in the morning had wrinkles all over now. It showcased how much Alexander had kept himself busy with his work the whole day. She smiled, recollecting their morning feud when she forced him to wear the shirt with his ck suit jacket and trousers because he always prefered wearing ck. He had looked devilishly handsome in the attire.

    Shoving his hands into the pockets of his ck trousers, Alexander walked across the table, pulling the swivel chair to sit. "Who''s drooling now?" he asked in an amused tone, smirking at his wife. Felicity grinned and dropped everything on the table, not caring about losing the precious stones one bit. She rushed to hug Alexander. He dly helped her settle on hisp.

    Alexander took off her sses and put them into his shirt pocket. He brushed the sleeve of his shirt over her chin as if wiping the dust off.

    Felicity framed his face with her palms and pressed her lips to his mouth. He hadn''t shaved since three days, and she loved how sexy the salt and pepper beard and moustache looked on him. Alexander''s eyes crinkled at the corners as his lips stretched into a wide grin. He freed her strawberry blonde hair, which she had tied into a knot bun with the help of a metal w clip.

    Tilting her head to the side, Felicity watched him with adoration while he arranged her hair over her shoulders. "Why are you so beautiful even without makeup and that too at this hour of the day?" Alexander whispered in awe. He wound her long hair around his palms and pulled her closer. Felicityplied when he covered her mouth with his, kissing her slow and deep, savouring the moment.

    "Matt will leave for Italy tonight," Alexander said when they pulled away. Felicity nodded, wiping the wetness off his lips with her thumb. She ced another soft kiss at the corner of his mouth before she left the warmth of his embrace. She packed her things into her handbag and grabbed her cell phone.

    "Let''s visit home, Alexander. I miss our parents," she said. Alexander nodded while collecting the gun from Felicity''s desk drawer. He examined the safety lock before cing it in her handbag. He had made sure she carries the gun with her all the time even though he had arranged a group of six bodyguards for her safety who never leave alone.

    After that incident fifteen years ago where he had almost lost her, Alexander wouldn''t risk a chance with her safety ever again. Felicity had promised him that she would never repeat that mistake and would use her gun if it''s ever needed.

    "Let Junior and Mikee home. Then, we''ll visit our parents," Alexander promised. Felicity frowned in worry. "Mike doesn''t like going there, Alexander," she reminded him. Alexander nodded and smiled in reassurance. "Don''t worry, Felci. I''ll make sure no one he dislikes gets to meet him. I promise he''ll never once frown in disappointment or anger. It''ll be our happy family get-together," he assured.

    Felicity was walking barefooted, and Alexander found her ssy pump shoes with high heels under the table. Crouching down, he helped her slip them on. His eyes travelled upwards following her long legs covered in ck trousers paired with ivory coloured silk top. Felicity smiled, ruffling his hair.

    "I''m starving, Alexander. Feed me food," shemanded.

    Alexander stood to his full height and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He dropped a kiss at her temple and grabbed her handbag. Felicity snapped her fingers standing at the door, and the lights went off. Alexander pulled the door with an automatic lock, shutting it on their way out. Everything at her office was password protected and would open only with her fingerprints.

    Alexander''s phone vibrated, and he pulled it out from his pocket. It was a message from the hospital, and Alexander didn''t expect it at this time.

    He paused and frowned while reading the short message. Felicity turned over her shoulder to look at him, and he signalled her to go ahead. He didn''t have to instruct the bodyguards what to do as they escorted her to the car.

    The message hinted about bad news, and Alexander cursed mentally. He brushed the corners of his mouth with his thumb and index finger while he dialled the doctor''s number. Felicity watched through the ss window from inside the car and immediately recognised her husband''s nervous trait.

    Frowning, Alexander listened to the person speaking on the other end and nodded.

    Felicity noticed the lines of worry marring his handsome face while he spoke. His free hand was resting on his waist while he paced beside the car. "No problem, Doc. I''ll be there in a while," he said before disconnecting the call. The guard held the door open for him, and Alexander took a deep breath and exhaled, releasing the tension before getting into the car.

    "What''s wrong? You look tense," Felicity asked as soon as he joined her inside the car. Alexander shook his head as if it was nothing and instructed the driver to take him to the hotel. "We''ll have our food, and then we''ll make a short trip to the hospital," he said, keeping his tone light.

    Felicity wrapped her arms around Alexander''s waist and rested her head on his chest. She blinked back her tears and prayed for everything to be alright when they visited the hospital. "I don''t want to lose any one of our loved ones again, Alexander," she said, sniffling into his chest.

    Alexander rested his chin on her head and draped his arm over her shoulder. "It''s just a regr meeting with the doctor. Don''t stress yourself so much," he said, rubbing her arm in a soft caress. He hoped for the same.

    Felicity had lost her appetite the moment Alexander mentioned the visit to the hospital. Yet, she smiled and ordered her favourite food because she didn''t want to add more to Alexander''s worries by refusing to eat. Alexander watched while Felicity ate, enjoying the food. She was his strength, his support system, and her smile was enough to recharge his tired soul.

    She fed him from her te, and they ate infortable silence, sharing the food.

    Alexander dreaded stepping inside as they reached the hospital. Felicity took his hand in hers, intecing their fingers. "I''m here with you," she said and smiled at him. She knew his phobia for the hospitals never left him, and every time they visited one, she had to remind him that she was alive and still with him.

    She led the way to the doctor''s office while Alexander walked beside her. She knocked on the door and pulled him inside when he hesitated. She shook hands with the team of doctors and did all the talking while her husband listened to everything, gripping the armrest tightly.

    The doctors exined how the patient was suffering, and it was time to end their misery by letting them go.

    Alexander lost his temper at that, and he stood kicking the chair in anger.

    "I am not wasting so much money for you guys so that you kill your patient," he snapped at the doctors, mming his fist on the table. The doctors scowled, offended by his choice of words. Felicity jumped to her feet and immediately grabbed Alexander''s hand.

    She warned him with her eyes to behave, and Alexander scoffed when she apologised to the doctor. "Alexander, they''re not going to do anything without our consent. Trust me and let me speak, okay," she assured and convinced him to sit through the meeting.

    "We''re closely monitoring the patient''s progress, and it''s not getting any better. The internal pain and suffering have reached the limit where the patient can''t bear that ache anymore. It''s not easy to live with a damaged brain," the doctor tried to exin.

 Chapter 229 - Keeping Him Alive

    Alexander still remembered the day, how years ago the doctors dered the patient as brain-dead. After repeated surgeries, they said he was as good as dead, but Alexander spent enough money for them to keep the patient on venttors.

    A few monthster, the hospital authorities suggested it was useless to keep the brain-dead person on a life-supporting system for so long because it wouldn''t magically bring him back to life. They came with a reasonable exnation that the medical equipment would help another needy patient more than the one dered physically dead.

    Beyond everything, it was legal for the doctors to dere the brain-dead person as dead. Though Alexander was aware of it, he still couldn''t stomach the news.

    Doctors believed it was no use keeping a person alive when they no longer had any neurological activity in the brain.. However, Alexander refused to give up. He would burn the bundles of money piled up in his bank ounts if it couldn''t help him save the lives of his loved ones.

    Alexander offered to sponsor the medical equipment the doctors needed to help other patients and hoped at least the blessings earned in return would save the person he didn''t want to lose. Alexander had by now forgotten how many second opinions he had sought from different doctors from all over the world.

    How many times had the patient suffered undergoing surgeries after surgery? Yet, Alexander couldn''t let himself drown in guilt because no matter what, he wanted to keep the person alive.

    Much to Alexander''s relief and to the doctors'' astonishment, the magic did happen, and miraculously thest surgery in an attempt to bring the patient back to life worked, and the day came soon when the patient could breathe without the help of a life support machine.

    It was enough for Alexander when the doctors confirmed that the patient wouldn''t need a respirator to breathe anymore.

    Alexander could cope with the bitter truth that the patient went into aa as long as he was alive and breathing.

    Today when Alexander received the message, he never thought the doctor would suggest such an absurd thing. It sounded utterly ridiculous to Alexander. The doctor said the patient cried because he was in severe pain. It seemed to have happened constantly for thest ten days. After conducting some tests and observations, they decided to inform Alexander.

    Just because the salty water spilt out the patient''s closed eyelids, they concluded that he had suffered enough and hence should be easy to let him die.

    "How can the patient feel the pain when you im that the patient is resting in aa? How are you so sure that the person cried?" Alexander asked, sounding exhausted already. "Only because you found the patient''s eyes moist?" heughed, ridiculing their thesis.

    Felicity swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew Alexander was breaking from inside. He was hurting. She could see how much he was struggling not to lose his hope. He had tried everything he could to save the patient. Yet, here they were, fighting the losing battle.

    The doctor couldn''t hide his frustration anymore and tossed aside the pen he was holding. The ck, shiny pennded with a clink on the ss table.

    Alexander eyed the doctor with an indignant expression stered on his face. The doctor removed his stethoscope hanging around his neck and ced it on the table. Resting his hands on the table, he leaned back in his chair and shook his head, not at all impressed by Alexander''s response.

    "It''s not easy to understand medical science, Mr Hunter. It''s not everyone''s cup of tea," the doctor said, and Felicity could detect the insult underlining his statement. It irked her that the doctor dared to mock her husband, but could she me him, though? It was too hard of a task to please Alexander.

    "The patient''s body is physically ipetent but not emotionally," the doctor tried to exin but was rudely got cut off in the middle by pissed off Alexander.

    "Shouldn''t that be reason enough for you to keep your patient alive?" Alexander asked, mming his fist on the table once again. The cordless telephone on the table, the stethoscope, folders and pen, along with two sses of water ced in front of Alexander and Felicity, vibrated under the impact caused by force.

    Felicity immediately held her husband''s hand, stopping him fromshing out while the doctor sighed in defeat and looked at Felicity, pleading with his helpless eyes. "I''m not ready to let go yet, doc," Alexander dered, the tone of his voice brooking no argument.

    Alexander was furious, and it wouldn''t be easy to convince him. The doctors were all exhausted too. Much to their inconvenience and distress, Alexander insisted they conduct whatever tests were necessary to discover why there was a continuous flow of tears from the patient''s eyes.

    "Keep him alive as long as you can," Alexandermanded before storming out of the doctor''s office.

    Felicity lowered her head, eyes stinging with unshed tears. She didn''t want to go against Alexander''s will. She would never want to let go either. As Alexander said, they weren''t ready for it yet.

    "It''s been fifteen years, Mrs Hunter, and it''s too long for anyone to suffer," the doctor said. Felicity nodded in understanding. She listened while the doctor exined. "The patient may seem fine from the outside but ispletely broken from inside. There are internal damages that are causing him harm," the doctor said.

    The doctor further tried to describe the seriousness of the damage in the patient''s brain.

    "You''re keeping the patient alive against his will, Mrs Hunter. You and I can''t understand what mental trauma he must be going through," the doctor concluded. Felicity took the ss of water and drank half of its contents before restoring it to its original ce on the table. She took a deep breath and let out a tired sigh.

    "Everything is so overwhelming, doctor. Give us time to process this new turn of events. We''ll let you know," Felicity said, offering a faint smile in greeting before she went in search of Alexander.

    Alexander nodded, acknowledging the greetings of the trusted guards he had assigned to keep the patient inside safe. With loaded weapons in their holster, four of them worked in pairs and would manage day and night shifts alternatively. His men held the door open and let their boss enter the room.

    His feet couldn''t take him any further into the room. Cursing his hatred for the hospitals, Alexander leaned against the wall beside the door and waited for Felicity. He let his eyes settle on the person sleeping on the bed. His loyal associate, his trustedpanion, one of his best friendsid there unconscious.

    Oblivious to themotion exploding inside Alexander''s chest, there on the hospital bed, d in the grey uniform gown, the older version of Michael rested in a deep sleep. His beard was slightly grown longer. It had been a while since Alexander visited him. Whenever he did, he would shave his beard and trim his hair.

    A sad smile found its way across Alexander''s lips as he remembered how much Michael loved to help him shave his father''s whiskers whenever they visited together.

    "It''s been so long, Romano. Wake up now, buddy," Alexander whispered into the room while Sebastianid there without any movement except for the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, the only sign that he was alive.

    Alexander heard the clicking of the high heels and was instantly relieved when Felicity walked inside. She studied his face for a second or two before gently taking his hand in hers. Together they walked the distance to the bed. She pulled one of the two chairs for Alexander to sit.

    Alexander sat manspreading on the chair, his forearms resting on his thighs, fingers locked together. He had his eyes glued to Sebastian''s face as though he wouldn''t want to miss the moment when his buddy opened his eyes.

    Standing close to the bed, Felicity took one of Sebastian''s hands and gave a soft squeeze.

    "How are you, Sebastian?" she asked, cupping his bearded cheek. "Alexander is with me. We miss you so much, Sebastian," she admitted, her voice quivering with overwhelming emotions. "Mike is doing great. He''sing home this weekend. He''s as handsome as you are," she said.

    Alexander let out a silent chuckle. Felicity would never stop bragging about how her cute boys grew up to be the most handsome men.

    Suddenly, startling them both, tears started to flow from the corners of Sebastian''s closed eyelids, rushing down his temples before disappearing into the pillow under his head. rmed, Felicity brushed her hand over Sebastian''s temples, wiping the tears. "What''s wrong, Sebastian? Are you in pain?" Felicity couldn''t hide the distress in her voice when she asked.

    Alexander jumped to his feet, and the sight broke his heart. The tears he had been holding back for so long seeded in escaping his eyes atst.

 Chapter 230 - Sharing Their Happiness And Sorrow

    Felicity kept asking if he was hurting anywhere but met with Sebastian''s silence as usual. Not that he could answer, but she always hoped he would. At that exact moment, Felicity regretted ever letting Johnathan into her house on that cursed day fifteen years ago. Her home was her paradise, and her family was her gxy. Johnathan had wrecked it so mercilessly.

    <em>''I really hate you for what you did to my family, Johnathan Castenos.''</em>

    She wished she could undo her mistake of ever trusting that vile excuse of a human.

    Alexander felt so helpless it killed him to witness Sebastian''s silent tears. He watched with the slightest glimmer of hope sparkling in his eyes while Felicity held Sebastian''s hand and spoke to him.

    "You have nothing to be guilty of, Sebastian. So don''t worry about anything, okay.. You''ve been the best father to Michael, and he loves you so much," Felicity stated, and Alexander wondered how the woman always knew to say the right thing. She spoke with such certainty as if she could read Sebastian''s mind.

    Alexander''s shoulders slumped under the burden of guilt. Sebastian had sacrificed his life to save Alexander''s family, and he didn''t think twice before doing it for Hera. Michael had lost his family because of Alexander.

    Walking to the other side of the bed, Alexander brushed his hand over Sebastian''s head affectionately. They loved each other like brothers and would do anything for each other without any second thought. Alexander would''ve sacrificed his life for Sebastian had their roles reversed.

    "I always wanted to tell you that I would be forever grateful to you for what you did, Romano. But do you know why I never thanked you? Because every time I tried telling you, it felt like a goodbye and the thought of losing you never sat right in my heart, buddy," Alexander confessed. Bending his torso forward, he left a kiss on Sebastian''s head.

    Hot tears rushed out as Alexander squeezed his eyelids shut. Felicity smiled sadly and wiped Alexander''s tears with her fingers.

    Both Felicity and Alexander took their seats on either side of Sebastian''s bed. They held his hand in theirs and spoke to him.

    Just as best friends share their happiness and sorrow, in the same way, both of them chatted with Sebastian. Felicity told him about their conversation with the doctor. "They said you''re hurting inside, and we are keeping you alive against your will. I''m sorry, Sebastian, we couldn''t take your pain away. I''m sorry you suffered so much," Felicity apologised, sounding devastated.

    She disclosed everything the doctor said after Alexander stormed out of the doctor''s consulting room. It seemed Sebastian''s body was refusing to ept the treatment recently. The medicine stopped working, and slowly Sebastian''s will to live was dying.

    Alexander shook his head in denial andmanded Sebastian not to give up. "I need you, Romano. Don''t you dare die yet," he forced the words out through his gritted teeth, anger evident in his tone. "I love Mike as much as I love Junior. He''s family, Sebastian, so don''t worry about him," Alexander promised.

    The monitor in the room beeped, and Felicity noticed the change in Sebastian''s heart rate. She couldn''t understand the variations in medical terms, but she knew something inside Sebastian settled at peace after Alexander''s assurance. Felicity sighed in relief at the realisation. She would be forever grateful for Sebastian''s loyalty dedicated to Alexander and his family.

    Both of them failed to notice how Sebastian''s tears stopped after a while.

    Alexander brushed his fingers over the thick scar on the inside of Sebastian''s forearm. His jaw clenched in anger as he remembered the day he found Sebastian''s unconscious, injured body. He was barely breathing while the doctors tried their best to stop the blood flow.

    Both Alexander and Felicity were undergoing treatment at that time, fighting for their own lives when Alexander received the news of Sebastian''s death. His sources confirmed the betrayal Sebastian had to face by everyone in California.

    The doctors opposed when Alexander wanted to fly to California. It had not even been two days since they operated and removed the bullet from his chest. Caught in a great dilemma, Alexander didn''t know what to do. Neither could he leave Felicity alone, nor did he want to leave Sebastian''s body to decay in another country. He wanted a proper funeral for his friend, whom he loved like a brother.

    As if God had heard his prayers, Francesco Carlo arrived at the right time. Alexander had requested his father not to tell anyone about Felicity''s condition yet as he didn''t want his little son to suffer. He was grateful nheless when his father visited the hospital. Francesco had assured Alexander that he would keep his daughter-inw safe until he returned.

    Alexander didn''t waste any more time and flew to California immediately. He agreed to let the doctor and his nurse apany him on Felicity''s insistence, or else she would be worrying about him.

    He went there to retrieve Sebastian''s body, but he never thought he would find him alive. He was holding onto life hanging by a thread. The bastards had shot him in the chest, ribs and leg, and there was a deep wound at the left side of his head. Alexander could tell a bullet had brushed past his temple to his skull.

    What caught Alexander''s attention was Sebastian''s right forearm. Just one look and the Mafia Lord knew someone had peeled the skin off with a pocketknife.

    Covered in blood, Sebastian was struggling to breathe. Fortunately, someone had called for help before Sebastian could die. Thanking whoever shifted him to the hospital, Alexander arranged for the best doctors overnight to treat Sebastian.

    Whoever helped Sebastian, Alexander would''ve fulfilled their every wish. He would''ve given them whatever they wanted in return for this favour, but unfortunately, no one knew who the saviour was.

    It didn''t take time to learn who the backstabber was. The only person missing in this entire episode of the encounter was Sebastian''s cousin, Deacon. ording to Alexander''s source, the team provided for Sebastian''s protection was killed and swapped by his enemies. Yet, Sebastian had managed to take down every single one of them.

    Alexander wished he could see the dead body of Deacon. He would die in his hands sooner orter anyway.

    He met with the police and local detectives, and upon his demand, they agreed to close the case as soon as possible. Alexander''s name was enough for them to do his bidding. He didn''t disappoint anyone, though. They received a cash lump sum enough to shape their future after retirement.

    The report said it was a sh between local underground criminals. Neither Alexander''s nor Sebastian''s name appeared anywhere in the police records. They offered to help find his daughter, but Alexander refused. He didn''t want any more danger to chase Hera. It would be better if no one knew her connection with Alexander for the time being.

    Alexander was relieved to know the ex-cop, and his friend John Williams, was not in California when Alexander''s enemies attacked his house. He was out of the state on vacation with his family.

    A weekter, Alexander secretly shifted Sebastian to New York by his private jet. Everyone assumed Sebastian died, and Alexander decided to let them believe so.

    "Alexander," Felicity''s voice called, and Alexander blinked, drawn out of his reverie. He saw the frown of worry on her beautiful face and smiled at her, assuring her he was fine. However, his smile vanished when he looked at Sebastian. The insides of Alexander''s chest clenched painfully. His buddy had suffered a lot for his sake.

    <em>''I hope you have a long healthy life, Johnathan. Because you can''t die until I get my hands on you.''</em>

    Alexander knew he wouldn''t find peace until he drills every single bullet of his gun into Johnathan''s chest.

    Felicity spoke again, demanding her husband''s attention.

    "What do you think about the doctor''s suggestion?" Felicity asked, even though she had already known his answer. Alexander shook his head and looked into Felicity''s eyes as if drawing strength from her. He spoke, holding her gaze. "I''ve given my word to Mike that I''ll keep Sebastian alive as long as I can," he admitted. Felicity nodded in understanding and reached out to hold Alexander''s hand.

    "I know, Felci, Sebastian has suffered a lot, but you know me, I''m a selfish bastard. I don''t want to lose him, and Mike doesn''t want to lose him either. I don''t want to disappoint Mike," Alexander confessed. Felicity kissed her husband''s hands and pulled him for a hug. "You won''t, Alexander. I know," she stated.

    Felicity wiped her tears and decided to change the subject.

    "You always said Hera is alive, and I believe everything you say, Alexander. But how are you so sure? How can you still believe that Hera is safe after what they did to Sebastian?" Felicity asked. Alexander detected the hint of doubt and fear in her voice even though she said she believed him.

    Alexander smiled at her, and Felicity noticed how it grew wide.

 Chapter 231 - One Of The Many Possibilities

    Alexander smiled at her, and Felicity noticed how it grew wide.

    The genuine smile and the certainty shining in Alexander''s green eyes itself was enough to ease her worry, and it sure chased her fears away.

    Alexander looked at Sebastian and pressed his hand once in a gentle squeeze, a gesture to show his appreciation.

    "Sebastian and I have a specific way ofmunicating with each other in times of crisis or emergency, and we do it without letting anything out for anyone else to learn about it," Alexander revealed, without taking his eyes off Sebastian. Felicity smiled at the pride and adorationcing his tone. She knew Alexander trusted Sebastian wholeheartedly.

    She listened while Alexander talked. His voice turned a bit hoarse, and Felicity noticed the tears welling up in his eyes once again.

    ording to their understanding, Sebastian was not supposed to contact Alexander unless his life was in danger or he needed help. When he had made that call, Alexander''s lungs jumped into his throat in fright.. But before he could receive it, it got cut off after two rings. That eased his worries to a certain extent.

    Sebastian deliberately gave him that missed call. It meant he had made sure Hera was safe and that he wasn''t dying.

    However, Alexander should''ve known it had been a warning call. It conveyed the message that maybe he was going to die. But Alexander was too preupied with his fear of losing Felicity. Doctors had agreed to ce his bed next to Felicity''s as he refused to leave her side. The medication made him feel drowsy, and he wasn''t allowed to get down from the bed.

    Exhausted, Alexander had instructed his men in his half-conscious state to check on Sebastian before giving in to sleep.

    Sebastian was aware that Alexander and Felicity had both been shot and would be in the hospital now, so he had made that instant decision not to call Alexander. He didn''t want to add more to Alexander''s worries. Sebastian knew he was going to die anyway, it was inevitable, and Alexander wouldn''t be able to save him as it was toote.

    "If only I could reach out in time, Felci, I could''ve saved him. It''s my fault," Alexander admitted, ashamed of himself for not helping Sebastian. Felicity let him cry his heart out. He had been carrying that burden of guilt on his shoulders for too long. She shifted her chair to sit beside Alexander and let him lean on her shoulder.

    Alexander lifted Sebastian''s hand, revealing the scar to Felicity. "He might have written a phone number here or someone''s name or address for me to contact," he guessed. "Or it could be a number te of a vehicle," Alexander added. "They have peeled his skin off so that I won''t find it," he stated. Felicity gasped in horror at that information. Her eyes widened in fear.

    Alexander shook his head and ced a finger on his lips, signalling Felicity not to open her mouth. He didn''t want to speak any further in front of Sebastian. How could he let Sebastian believe that he sacrificed his life for nothing? Felicity nodded, understanding what her husband didn''t voice out in words.

    A nurse knocked on the door, interrupting them. She hade to record Sebastian''s vital signs.

    "It''s gettingte, Felci. We should leave now," Alexander dered.

    "I''ll bring Mike with me next time, Sebastian. Get well soon," Felicity said, kissing goodbye to Sebastian.

    Felicity never let go of Alexander''s hand. She knew he needed the support as much as she did. Holding hands, they walked out of the hospital, drawing strength from each other''s presence.

    On their way back, Felicity kept quiet until they reached home. No one could tell by looking at her face how upset she was from inside or how scared she was. The brave woman would never let her guard down in front of outsiders, but Alexander knew the whirlwind of thoughts torturing her mind and heart.

    Felicity grabbed Alexander''s hand, stopping him in his tracks as soon as they entered the house and shut the door closed. She looked him in the eye, and Alexander could see millions of questions swirling in her hazel eyes. She charged with the most evident one first.

    "Does it mean they know, Alexander?" Felicity asked, stating the obvious and Alexander nodded in confirmation. "Yes, Felci, you''re right. Someone else knows where Sebastian hid Hera," he said. "Trust me, angel, she''s alive," he immediately added when he noticed how terrified Felicity looked. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the sofa.

    Alexander took his seat with her on hisp. He pushed her hair over her shoulders and bracketed her face with his palms. Directing a warm smile filled with assurance at her, he kissed her on the forehead while she looked at him expectantly.

    "Whoever Sebastian has entrusted with the responsibility of protecting our daughter, Deacon admitted he saw them jumping into theke with her," Alexander revealed. Felicity didn''t know if that should make her relieved or should she worry, but the calmness on Alexander''s face gave her thefort she was seeking.

    "The police didn''t find any dead bodies in theke, and that means they made it safely to their destination," Alexander assured. His men had searched all the hospitals and orphanages in California, and there was no trace of baby Hera. Alexander had contacted John Williams and asked him to move out for his safety. As per his sources, no one visited Williams'' house after that shoot out.

    Williams had hunted every nook and cranny in the city of Lake Elsinore but couldn''t find Alexander''s baby anywhere. He had made sure to nt someone trustworthy at his old house in case someone with the information of Alexander''s baby tried to reach him. Whoever had Alexander''s daughter should know about the letter Alexander wrote for John Williams.

    Alexander ordered his men to look for every vehicle that might have passed the road near theke. Unfortunately, it led them nowhere. Alexander left no stone unturned. To be on the safer side, he hadstly instructed them to visit the regional transport office. The digging finally gave out something that satisfied Alexander''s quest.

    Two of the officials in the transport office had recently quit their jobs by resigning out of the blue. They had fled the country, and when Alexander''s team couldn''t reach them, Alexander knew they had changed their identity. It was pretty obvious they wouldn''t be staying in one ce for too long after changing their identity.

    It would require the money and influence as powerful as Alexander''s for someone to erase the details of a vehicle from the records and help people flee the country and change their identity. Alexander knew for sure only one person could do that within that short amount of time. It had to be Johnathan.

    Felicity gasped at that revtion and covered her mouth with her hands in shock. "Alexander, does it mean Johnathan has Hera?" asked Felicity, disbelief coating her tone.

    Alexander shook his head, his lips curving downward. "I don''t think so, Felci. If Johnathan had Hera with him, Christopher would''ve beheaded him by now. I could imagine the vicious King getting his son killed, especially as a form of execution for betraying him," Alexander said and snorted augh. Felicity didn''t find the humour in that and waited for her husband to exin in detail.

    "But I''m sure he knows Hera''s whereabouts," Alexander stated, much to Felicity''s distress. "I still don''t understand, Alexander. If Johnathan knows, then how can you believe he didn''t harm Hera?" Felicity asked, sounding heartbroken already.

    "Johnathan wouldn''t darey a finger on Hera. Trust me, sweetheart, he knows he had pissed me to the limit after what he did to you and Sebastian," Alexander said. "There are many possibilities," he started after a few seconds, seeming thoughtful before continuing.

    Alexander listed his enemies and the possible location the situation could lead Hera to. The Baresi family topped the list, but Luca had no clue of Alexander''s daughter. Unfortunately, Alexander learned about Matteo Baresi''s assistance in Johnathan''s n. He wanted to kill him, but Francesco interfered, and Alexander would never go against his father.

    Francesco had found a better way to punish Matteo for his betrayal. He had ripped him off his every privilege, the power, money and status, everything. Now the Baresis were no more than the stray dogs salivating over the leftover meat bones. Another reason for letting Matteo live was that Alexander wasn''t sure if he was honest about not knowing Hera''s whereabouts.

    Now Alexander knew Matteo wanted revenge, and he would rather die than help Alexander, so he wouldn''t be surprised if he lied about Hera, but Alexander didn''t want to risk the chance. He wanted to see if Johnathan kept in contact with the Baresis.

    Just like that, everyone got away with their lives, but they all would die the day Hera finds her way back home. Alexander had vowed to kill everyone who betrayed him.

 Chapter 232 - Like Father Like Son

    All his close friends and enemies in Alexander''s personal life were based or settled in Italy, Greece, France, California and New York. If any of them had Hera, then she should be somewhere in these ces. Alexander never stopped looking into hospitals. Fortunately, the dead bodies about Hera''s age found around these ces never matched her descriptions.

    Alexander had searched the whole of Italy where the Baresis could hide Hera, but he got nothing.

    The second on the list was the Castenos family. Hera was nowhere in Greece either. It came out as a huge relief to know that Hera was out of reach for Christopher. If there was any chance of Johnathan having Hera, Alexander could only thank his luck that Johnathan never brought her to his hometown.

    It would be too easy for Alexander to barge into the Castenos mansion and strangle the worthless jerk of a prince. No one would dare to stop him, but Alexander knew Johnathan would never reveal the truth of Hera''s whereabouts to him even if he asked by keeping his head at gunpoint..

    A disappointed, heartbroken lover burning in the fire of hatred and revenge could never let anything good happen. Johnathan envied Alexander to the point where he would rather die than help Alexander. If he didn''t even hesitate once and his heart didn''t tremble before trying to kill Felicity, then the bastard could do anything to defeat Alexander.

    At some point in time, a futile thought crossed Alexander''s mind. He had hoped that somehow Johnathan had a little humanity left in him, and he might have handed Hera to Marianna. Alexander hoped no matter how absurd or unbelievable it urred, Marianna had the heart to embrace Hera''s presence in her life.

    However, that hope disappeared just as it appeared. If Marianna wanted Hera, she would''ve never left her in the first ce. Alexander had sent another search party to France nheless. But it seemed disappointment had left its dark shadow over Alexander''s happiness permanently.

    Neither the orphanages in these countries had any clue about the missing baby, nor the sinners in the mafia world imed to know anything about Alexander''s daughter. No one dared to approach the mafia lord.

    "Think about it, Alexander. There was never a call demanding ransom. No one had attempted to ask a favour in return or bargain with power or any other benefits from you," Felicity pointed out, resting her head on Alexander''s chest. His fingers stroked her damp hair absent-mindedly. He hummed in response, a thoughtful expression upying his tired face.

    d only in their night robes, both of them were lying on their bed. Alexander had suggested they take a shower together when Felicity seemed too exhausted to take one by herself.

    "It may be whoever has Sebastian left Hera with are goodhearted people, and they are secretly raising Hera as their own," Felicity voiced out, her tone filled with hope. Alexander gave it a thought and nodded. "They might be too afraid to contact me after witnessing that gunshot war," Alexander said, coinciding with Felicity''s assumptions.

    Both of them pondered over the thought of there being another possibility. Amid all these circumstances, it could be possible Hera might have ended up in the hands of a stranger, and they took her in without knowing the truth of her identity.

    "Whatever the oue be, one thing is for sure that she''s alive, and she''ll find her way home sooner orter," Alexander promised while Felicity sent a prayer to the universe to make ite true.

    Meanwhile, Alexander''s phone rang, disturbing the quietness surrounding them.

    Felicity reached over to grab the phone from the nightstand. Her eyes lit up in delight, and the smile on her lips broadened into a grin as the name Junior shed on the screen. "My little trouble maker is calling," she said, showing the phone to Alexander. Alexander strained his posture and sat up, leaning against the headboard.

    He seemed worried, the corners of his mouth pressed in, and Felicity frowned in confusion. Before she could voice it out, Alexander replied to her unasked question. "Don''t tell him about Sebastian. I want to speak to Michael first," he said in a requesting tone. Felicity nodded in eptance. "Of course, Alexander, I understand," she said before receiving the call.

    "How''s my best boy doing this evening?" Felicity asked, grinning at her son through the screen, her voice dripping from all the love she had in her heart for her little boy. Alexander smiled, waving his hand in greeting. Hunter chuckled, his chest filling with warmth at the mere sight of his parents'' happy faces.

    "I''m good, mom, and before you ask, let me assure you I''ve been a good boy and didn''t get into any trouble," Hunter offered in his defence. Felicity praised him with her words of appreciation in return, and Alexander rolled his eyes yfully before snorting augh. Hunter scowled, unimpressed by his father''s reaction. "What''s so funny, dad?" he asked, sending a warning signal through his eyes.

    Hunter watched with his narrowed eyes while his father leaned forward, bringing his face close to the phone''s screen. Alexander raised one of his eyebrows at his beloved son, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Oh, it''s nothing. I just remembered a joke someone said about chameleons promising not to change," he pretended to whisper but said loud enough for Felicity to hear and smirked at his son.

    Hunter snorted, his purple eyes mirroring the joyful spark in his father''s green ones. "Dad, do you know chameleons take their hue and the colour of their moral character from those who are around them?" Hunter countered, pointing his index finger at Alexander. Thetter huffed and crossed his arms, pretending to be annoyed. Now it was Felicity''s turn to roll her eyes.

    "What''s with you two always speaking in riddles? I sometimes feel left out, as if you''re keeping secrets from me," Felicity used, scowling at both of them. Alexander chuckled and pulled her back to his chest, crossing his arm around her middle. "Oh, it''s nothing, Felci. I wanted him to know that he still has a lot to learn from me to be like me," Alexander said, winking at his son.

    "Or maybe I don''t have to learn anything from you, dad. I already inherited everything from you by blood," Hunter said. "Haven''t you heard, like father, like son?" he asked, sounding too arrogant and smiled at his father. Alexander''s eyebrows arched up, eyes shining with pride while his lips twitched into a smile, impressed by his boy''s smugeback.

    "I would be d too if you two let me in on the inside joke," Felicity said sarcastically, irked at their stupid banter. Alexander pressed his cheek to hers, resting his chin on her corbone before tightening his arms around her. Both father and son snickered while Felicity scowled, displeased by the response. However, her frown disappeared as the smile stretched over her lips when Alexander kissed her cheek.

    Hunter''s heart filled with warmth at the sight of his parents'' happy faces. He watched the gesture of love his parents exchanged and wished he could share the hug with them.

 Chapter 233 - [Bonus ]Casual Dating

    Hunter missed the feeling of warmth and security the weight of his father''s arm around his shoulders always granted him. He had the best father in the world, who was his protector, guardian, and guide. He was his inspiration as well as his pride. Whenever they hugged, and the familiar fragrance of his father''s scent surrounded him from all around, Hunter always felt the safest.

    His father''s arms were his protective shield against the world, and Hunter couldn''t wait to feel them around him.

    Hunter was desperate to feel the soft, warm touch of his mother''s hands over his cheeks, her fingers brushing over his head while she blessed him with all the happiness in the world. He always cherished the moment when she would smile against his forehead, kissing him affectionately. He wanted to rest his head in herp and sleep. It was his home, his heaven where no harm or unhappiness could touch him.

    He missed his parents so much he suddenly felt homesick. A lump formed in his throat as he felt overwhelmed. Blinking back the moisture in his eyes, he smiled when his mother looked at him.. "I miss you so much, darling. I can''t wait to wrap you in my arms," his mother admitted, her soft sweet voice soothing the throbbing in his heart.

    Grinning mischievously, Hunter decided to annoy his parents some more.

    "You know I''m your good boy," Hunter said, pouting at the phone screen. Felicity''s heart melted at his expectant eyes. Her boy looked too cute for her to resist. "Of course, baby. I know," she was quick to assure him. Alexander narrowed his eyes at his son suspiciously. He could sense the trouble he was weaving.

    "Dad thinks otherwise. He is trying to prove I''m not good enough. That''s what all the talking in riddles was about," Hunter said, pretending hurt and bit back a smile while his mother turned over her shoulder to re at his father. "The fuck!" Alexander muttered, ring at their little troublemaker.

    "Why would you imply anything as such, Alexander?" asked Felicity, anger coating her tone. "Because you love me the most, mom," Hunter offered helpfully and grinned when his father shook his head, scowling at him.

    "You asked for this, boy," Alexander warned Hunter before looking at Felicity. "Felci, my angel, your son has a girlfriend," Alexander blurted out, much to Hunter''s surprise. His eyes widened to their fullest, and his jaw dropped in shock. The phone slipped through his hand andnded between his legs on the bed while he cursed.

    Masking his shock, Hunter picked up his phone and held it straight. His eyes quickly flick back to the screen, studying his mother''s reaction.

    Meanwhile, Felicity stared at her husband, waiting for confirmation. He was too quick to nod his head repeatedly. Alexander watched while his wife''s eyes narrowed in suspicion before widening with excitement, and finally, delight found a home in her shining hazel eyes as realisation sank in.

    "And he''s hiding this truth from you," Alexander pointed out, smirking at his son''s perplexed expression. "That''s what all the talking in riddles was actually about," he threw Hunter''s words back at him. "Oh, really now?" Felicity eximed, her voice too cheerful.

    Hunter sighed at his stupidity. He invited trouble unknowingly. His mother started firing question after question, asking who was the girl, what was her name and why didn''t she know beforehand. When the inevitable question came, Hunter knew it even before she opened her mouth to ask when he would bring the girl home.

    "Mom, please slow down. It''s just casual dating still and nothing serious. I would''ve told you if it''s official," Hunter lied through his teeth. Even though it was his original n to bring Hera with him, suddenly, the concept of bringing his girlfriend home to meet his parents scared him, and he panicked. In his nervous state, he lied without thinking.

    Not that Hunter wouldn''t want Hera toe home, it was just that he needed more time to prepare himself mentally. He would dly take her with him if Hera still agreed to join him.

    "Ah, casual dating, I see," Alexander said in a mocking tone, much to Hunter''s distress. "What does it mean, Junior? Fooling around? Screwing?" Alexander asked, staring amusedly at his son while Hunter red at him helplessly. "How does it make you a good boy? he added as an afterthought and smirked.

    Ignoring his annoying father, Hunter fixed his focus on his mother. He knew she wouldn''t drop the subject so quickly. It wasn''t that easy to convince her. Hunter tried his best to deny everything and promised to bring the girl home if he liked someone. His mother frowned in disappointment. Hunter whined, asking her to give him space when she scolded him for fooling around.

    With a promise to be a good boy in every sense and not to fool around anymore, Hunter begged his mother to let go and immediately changed the subject.

    "Judging by your attire and the atmosphere in the room, it seems like I called at the wrong time. Did I disturb your intimate romantic evening or something?" Hunter asked, keeping his tone light. Felicity waved her hand in dismissal andughed, her cheeks bunched up, a happy tint of pink shining on her cheekbones while Alexander scoffed at his son.

    "Of course you did. Isn''t it obvious, Junior?" Alexander asked, sounding displeased, the corner of his mouth turned down in a scowl. Felicity looked at her husband, one of her eyebrows quirking up in question. She knew Alexander was bluffing. Hunter was their entire world, and he would never be a bother or an intruder.

    "Your mom didn''t want to hurt your feelings and decided to answer your call half-heartedly. She wanted to spend some quality time with her beloved husband," Alexander said, feigning pity and shook his head. Tilting his head to the side, Hunter smiled sweetly.

    "Uh-oh! What a pity! I''m so sorry, dad, you had to go through this torture," Hunter apologised, his tone edging on mocking. "It must be an awful feeling to be a second choice. My mom would always choose me over you," he stated the obvious. "She loves me the most after all," he added.

    The unimpressed scowl on his father''s face only made Hunter grin in satisfaction. Alexander knew he deserved that jab.

    Meanwhile, adjusting the phone in one hand, Felicity threw her free hand up in the air, annoyed at both father and son.

    "Is there something else I need to know?" Felicity asked, fixing them both with a dirty look.

    "Yes," her husband and son yelled in unison, much to her surprise. "Whom do you love more?" again they asked simultaneously. Rolling her eyes at their tantrums, Felicity muttered, "Not again."

    "Where''s Mike?" Felicity asked, changing the topic quickly.

    Hunter shifted the direction of his phone''s camera, revealing the sleeping boy''s face. Michael had wrapped himself in a nket up to his chin and was peacefully sleeping beside Hunter. Felicity''s fingers brushed the image on the screen in an affectionate caress. Oblivious to the hurricane invading his life soon, Michael slept like a baby.

    The smile on Alexander''s lips died down as he remembered what the doctor had suggested.

 Chapter 234 - The Apple Didnt Fall Far

    Alexander could see the unmistakable simrities between Michael and Sebastian. The boy inherited his father''s looks, eyes and personality. Every time Michael looked at him or smiled, it all reminded Alexander of Sebastian.

    <em>''If only Sebastian could regain his consciousness and open his eyes, Michael would''ve been so happy.''</em>

    Alexander thought as regret clouded his vision.

    Hunter moved the phone away from Michael''s face and smiled at his father. "I''ll have to kick him off the bed or ssh a jug of water on his face if we want him to wake up. You know how much of a deep sleeper he is," Hunter said, breaking Alexander''s chain of thoughts. "Let him sleep. We''ll speak to him in the morning," Alexander said, fondness boarding his tone of voice.

    "Please take care of him, darling," the words left Felicity''s mouth in a whisper.. Hunter inclined his head in a firm nod at his mother''s request. "Of course, mom, you know I will," he affirmed as his eyes briefly scanned his best friend''s face. "Yes, baby, I know," Felicity dered without an ounce of doubt in her voice.

    "I''ve got his back. I''ll never leave his side and will always protect him," Hunter promised, earning a proud smile from his parents. Their eyes held so much love and trust they filled Hunter''s heart with warmth.

    "Where''s Eric?" asked Felicity. She cleared her throat, eyes surveying Hunter''s face when he didn''t answer immediately.

    <em>''Huh, the things I do for you, Eric.''</em>

    Hunter inwardly cursed, and after a beat, he replied.

    "He''s in the toilet, and he takes his sweet time," Hunter lied, faking augh. Hunter and all his friends were in the library earlier, and after finishing their study session, the girls went back to their dorms. Eric, Danny, Michael and Hunter went to their secret hideout for a smoke.

    Later, Eric and Danny went out to have fun, and Hunter knew very well what that fun meant. They were surprised when Michael refused to join them, saying he wanted to sleep. He was never the one to say no to bike racing, alcohol and girls. Hunter had noticed the change in his best friend''s behaviour.

    Ever since Hunter survived that attack at the street racing event, Michael never left his side. They both knew if there was anything they were scared of, it was losing their loved ones.

    Pressing his lips together, Alexander shook his head as he detected the lie in Hunter''s nervousughter. Before his mother could pry more, he said goodnight on the pretext of needing toplete his assignment.

    "Be good and take care of each other," Felicitymanded before kissing him goodnight. "Don''t cause trouble in Mathew''s absence," warned Alexander, all the yfulness now gone. He was seriously concerned. Hunter raised his arm, brought his hand up to his brow in a salute and answered with a "Yes, boss."

    "So, is it true?" Felicity asked as soon as Hunter disconnected the call. Alexander chuckled at the gorgeous woman beside him. The pleased grin and the excitement in her eyes highlighted her happiness. "Felci, you know your son better than me," he hinted at something he was sure she would catch on. When Felicity fixed him with an unimpressed re, Alexander sighed.

    "I don''t keep count on how many girls he has been with, and you know the list isn''t that short," Alexander stated. "He is too young for a romantic rtionship ormitment or responsibilities. Let him have his share of fun. He will learn to cherish when he finds the right one. Didn''t he promise he''ll bring the girl home when it''s official?" he asked in a softer tone. Felicity scoffed and moved away from him to rest her head on the soft pillow.

    "The apple didn''t fall far from the tree, I see," she said, scowling at her husband in disapproval. Alexander seemed offended by the taunt directed at him. He rolled to his side, propped up on his elbow, hand supporting his head. "What''s that supposed to mean, angel? You were, are and will be the only woman for me. I''m a faithful, dedicated, loyal, one-woman man," Alexander dered.

    Felicity turned to face him, imitating his position. She smirked arrogantly before replying. "That was after I stepped into your life. stair told me everything in detail about how you were a manwhore in school and college before we met. You would fuck everything with a hole," Felicity said, scrunching her nose in disgust.

    Alexander scoffed in return while flicking his index finger on her cheek. She yelped and pped his chest.

    "That traitor made me doubt our friendship, you know," he said, allowing the nostalgic feelings about the good old days to take over his thoughts. "I often wondered if he was my best friend or yours. You stole all my friends in no time," Alexander used, fixing her with a yful re. "No regrets, though. You stole my heart at first sight," he admitted with a dreamy sigh, making herugh at him fondly.

    "You liar, you only wanted to shag the hottest girl in the university before anyone else has the chance," she stated usingly while Alexander shook his head in disapproval. "Ah, Felci, watch your dirty mouth," he scolded, looking offended. "It was love at first sight for me. I''ve never seen the angel for real before you entered," he confessed.

    Felicity smirked and clicked her tongue. "Admit it, the man-slut in you wanted to devour me at the very first chance. You were desperate and only thinking with your dick," she stated smugly. Grinning wide, Alexander agreed with no shame. "I only wanted that one chance. I would''ve dly presented my head on the silver tter for you if you had asked for my life," Alexander revealed.

    "You''re the worst, most shameless," remarked Felicity. A little bed shuffle brought them closer, and she shifted, adjusting herself so that she could rest her head on Alexander''s arm.

    "I miss those days, Felci," Alexander admitted in a whisper. Felicity knew he meant to say he missed his friends. Resting her chin on his chest, she lifted hershes, looking into his sad eyes. "I miss him too, Alexander. I miss all of them. stair, Anna, Thomas, Jessa, Sebastian, you and I were lucky to have each other as best friends," Felicity concluded, and Alexander agreed without a second thought.

    They were each other''s support system and had shared everything, be it theirughter and happiness, their strength and weakness or the bad days and the sufferings. As best friends, they had faced failure and sess together. They had experienced their first love and had endured their first heartbreaks. Such was their beautiful friendship.

    Even though they had seen the worst days of their lives because of Christopher and Johnathan, Alexander never regretted making friends with stair. He would choose him over and over again, no matter what. He had always cherished the presence of all his best friends in his life, including stair and Marianna.

    It brought immense pleasure andfort to Alexander that his son also got the chance to experience this beautiful friendship. He was lucky to have friends like Eric and Michael who would die for him if need be.

 Chapter 235 - [Bonus ]Continuing The Legacy

    "I can''t express in words the joy it brings me when I see Eric, Michael and Junior together. It feels like a legacy, Felci, that our children are carrying forward what we started," Alexander said, overwhelmed with pride and happiness. Felicity nodded in agreement before wrapping her arms around him, offering him all thefort he needed.

    "Only Hera is missing in this line of heirs," Alexander thought out loud. Felicity ran her fingers over his chest, kissed him where his heart resided. She allowed a few minutes offortable silence to linger.

    "Okay, enough of avoiding the main topic. You''ve kept me away from the truth for too long. Come on, Alexander, out with it. I want all the details about that girlfriend my boy has," Felicity demanded, changing the subject. Alexander chuckled at her thoughtfulness. After all, his angel knew how to chase away his grief..

    Alexander sat up, pulling her along. He grabbed his phone, and Felicity waited while he opened the picture gallery. She gave him a surprised look when he showed her the photos of her son with a girl. "Oh, my God! That little devil lied like the liar he is," Felicity said, shaking her head in disapproval, but her tone conveyed the joy she felt.

    It was pictures of Hunter and Hera on their date, which Mathew had sent to Alexander. If Hunter thought he had kept his business secret from his father, then he was wrong. Alexander knew every little detail about what was happening in his son''s life.

    Alexander watched with a fond smile while Felicity checked all the pictures, zooming in so that she wouldn''t miss any detail. "My boy looks so dashing," she mumbled under her breath. Her voice held pride, and her eyes shone in awe of her son''s handsomeness. "He grew up so well," she added in appreciation.

    There were pictures of Hunter dancing with the girl. He was opening the car door for her in another. Sitting on the lush green grass, Hunter smiled at her in another one. In one of the pictures, the girl walked backwards while Hunter followed her. In another one, they were having dinner. There was a sequence photograph of them running and chasing each other.

    One particr photograph caught Felicity''s interest where her son had his head bowed in front of the girl, his hand spread out in a gesture for her to go ahead. His demeanour was such as if he was weing a princess or offering his devotion to his goddess.

    The boy had a dreamy look stered on his face in every picture. Smiling, grinning,ughing, he looked the happiest in each of them. His eyes shone with pure affection, and the intensity of the fondness in his stare was so strong as if he saw the whole gxy on earth.

    She didn''t miss the background in the pictures, and she immediately recognised the ce. It was where Hunter''s grandparents met. The atmosphere, the decorations, the arrangements, everything confirmed how special the event was for her son.

    "Casual dating my ass," Felicity scoffed. "He''s in love with the girl, Alexander," she concluded, and Alexander hummed his agreement. She looked into his eyes and smiled before leaning in to kiss his mouth. "He looks at her the way you look at me," Felicity stated. Alexander grinned wide in reply, stealing another kiss.

    "I wanted to see if the girl has the same look in her eyes or not," Felicity said, scowling at her husband. "Who took the pictures, and why did they hide the girl''s face in every picture?" she asked, irritation coating her tone.

    Hunter had asked Mathew not to inform his parents about Hera yet because he wanted to tell them in person. Though Mathew agreed, he couldn''t keep it from Alexander. His loyalty to Alexander, his duty and his responsibility for Hunter''s safety had always been his top priorities for Mathew. So instead of lying or hiding the truth from Alexander, he exposed part of the information.

    Mathew only revealed that Hunter had a girlfriend, and she was the younger sister of one of his best friends, Daniel, and they knew each other since day one in school. Mathew didn''t give the girl''s name or her picture. He kept his promise to Hunter and hid Hera''s identity from Alexander.

    "And that''s why we can''t see her face in the pictures," Alexander exined to Felicity, but she didn''t look pleased with the information. "Mathew wants to keep his promise to Junior. He didn''t want to let him down, Felci, and I respect him for that," Alexander concluded.

    "Okay then, I''ll call my son and ask him to bring her home with him," Felicity dered, too excited for Alexander''s liking. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Oh,e on, Felci, don''t be ridiculous. Junior is not a child anymore. Please give him space," he scolded her. Felicity pouted in disappointment.

    Alexander sighed and tried to exin why he hid it from her when she red at him in disapproval.

    "I knew you would do the exact thing as soon as you learn the truth. Junior will be manipted and brainwashed into doing your bidding. Let him proceed at his pace and will," Alexander requested in a softer tone. Scoffing at her husband, Felicity shoved him away when he attempted to joke that their son inherited the maniptive skills from his mother.

    "Don''t me me. We both know your son got his maniptive skills from you," she used indignantly.

    Rolling his eyes, Alexanderughed and epted the usation.

    Alexander wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her back into his chest. He muttered apologies while peppering kisses on her cheek. Sheughed at the tickling sensation his beard left on her skin. After epting his apologies, Felicity went back to scanning the photos in his phone with her eager eyes.

    Warmth spilt inside her chest as she saw the happiness glinting in her son''s eyes. She couldn''t wait to meet the girl who stole her precious boy''s heart.

    <strong>MEANWHILE, in the Castenos mansion,</strong>

    Christopher opened the door to his study. He grabbed the folder from the table and took his seat on the armchair. His informant, detective Nicos had left it for him in his office today early this morning. Unfortunately, stair had been with him the whole day, and Christopher couldn''t risk opening it in his son''s presence.

    Patiently, the King waited until they finished dinner and everyone in the mansion left for their respective bedrooms.

    The folder contained the details about the boarding school, SPALEV High, where Alexander''s son was studying. Christopher wanted to meet and see the boy with his own eyes. Nicos had also left the details of visiting timings for the visitors.

    However, what interested Christopher more was the information of Ace Hunter visiting home soon. The flight boarding details in the folder confused the King. He frowned, thinking why Alexander''s son would travel in an ordinary ne when his father probably owned several private jets.

    "He''s going home this weekend. Perfect," the King muttered to himself.

    "This is the boy''s official name in the passport." Nicos wrote and had highlighted the name.

    Christopher Castenos leaned back in his chair.

    "Gis, sweetheart, get ready to meet your future husband," he thought out loud and grinned.

 Chapter 236 - Breaking Their Agreement With The Devil

    "We''re going to New York this weekend," Christopher announced, and the members of the royal family assembled in the dining hall gawked at him in surprise. It was more of a shock than a surprise for them. The King grinned at their confused faces. He demanded stair clear his schedule so that he could join them on this short family vacation.

    "This family holiday is necessary for all of us. We all are so busy with our work we hardly spend time with family. I''m sure the children will be delighted if we could enjoy our time together," Christopher said, winking at his granddaughters. Gis and Helena high-fived each other in celebration, grinning from ear to ear.

    "A change of ce and new atmosphere will keep everyone happy and active," Christopher reasoned when stairined about the sudden ns. He had important meetings, and he never approved of someone interfering with his work, forcing him to change his decisions. It irked him that he had to alter his schedule.

    "You work too hard, my son.. Take a break for a few days and rx. Gretta deserves your time too," he advised, and stair had no choice but to give in to his father''s polite request. Forcing a smile, he epted his father''s proposal. Grinning in satisfaction, Christopher sipped his coffee.

    He noticed the happy faces of the women at the breakfast table. Gretta and Myra were whispering their ns about shopping while his granddaughters were busy, orally mapping out their entire schedule, where they would go and what they would do during their stay in the city of New York.

    The King usually wouldn''t appreciate the noise while eating food, but after seeing the excitement on their happy faces, he decided to allow them to have their fun for once. Christopher felt the warmth spreading inside when his wife Catherine smiled at him in appreciation. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles in return.

    Catherine hardly showed any warm feelings towards her husband these days. She was disappointed and tired of witnessing his cruel ways of dealing with life. She never forgave him for what he did to her eldest son stair. But Christopher would never regret his decisions. He had to do it to protect his son from that gold digger.

    <em>''Mariana could never hold the candle to Gretta.''</em>

    Christopher had to do whatever it took to protect his family''s reputation. How could he regret when Gretta suited his son and his royal family so perfectly? He was proud of the choice he made for his beloved son.

    The sound of the knife and fork clinking violently against the crystal tes brought him out of his short reverie. The King didn''t miss the sour expression looming over his sons'' faces. It was unusual for them to make such disturbing noises on the breakfast table. They both were fighting against the food, pouring their frustration and anger out on it.

    Christopher eyed the delicious healthy food on their tes, toasted olive bread with good Greek cheese, scrambled eggs, and freshly sliced seasonal fruits. Both stair and Johnathan were scowling at the food while stabbing the fork against it.

    Johnathan was worried about his life. Alexander would kill him in a heartbeat the moment he set his foot in New York. Why would Johnathan dig his own grave bynding himself at Alexander''s home?

    <em>''Did you forget your deal with Alexander, father?''</em>

    Johnathan wondered why his father wanted him to break their agreement with the devil. The validity of his extended lifeline would expire the moment he crossed paths with the mafia lord.

    Meanwhile, stair tried to understand what could be his father''s motive behind this sudden n. He knew the bastard enough to know it couldn''t just be a family vacation as he wanted them to believe. After all, why would Christopher Castenos let stair visit Alexander''s home?

    Though Alexander had his business set almost all over the world, he chose New York to be the base, and Christopher was aware of it. It didn''t make sense to stair that his father suddenly arranged this unexpected vacation where he had the chance ofing face to face with his biggest enemy.

    stair never set foot in Italy and the USA. He had kept his promise to his father that he would never meet Alexander again in his life. He had cut all ties with all of his best friends.

    stair declined every business proposal he received from these two countries to avoid the consequences of meeting his best friend.

    <em>''Alexander would never trust me again.''</em>

    stair thought with a bitter smile. He knew his best friend would never forgive him for betraying.

    <em>''I let him down after all.''</em>

    Swallowing the half-chewed piece of bread, he washed it down with water. With his usual excuse of gettingte for work, he left the dining hall.

    Christopher bit back the smile. He was aware of what his sons were thinking. He was no fool to put their lives in danger deliberately. Alexander would be too busy either fighting or reuniting with stair to even think about harming Johnathan. No matter what, he would never hurt his best friend by killing his brother in front of him.

    Taking another sip of his coffee, Christopher looked at his favourite granddaughter Gis. She seemed too excited to visit New York City, and her grandfather shared the same emotions. He couldn''t wait to meet Alexander''s son in person.

    When Christopher heard the name Ace Hunter for the first time from detective Nicos, he still had a little doubt lurking in the back of his head if the boy was really Alexander''s son or not. Anyone could have thatst name, and Christopher didn''t remember how the boy looked when he met him years ago. But he definitely remembered the boy''s name, and it wasn''t Ace for sure.

    The boy didn''t look like his father, except for the smile. It seemed Alexander took after his father''s rigid features while his son inherited both his maternal and paternal grandparents'' looks. The King hadughed at that information when stair shared it.

    <em>''That little devil was surely special.''</em>

    After learning his real name, he got the stamp of approval which confirmed the boy''s identity as Alexander''s son. Christopher had immediately dialled his assistant''s number yesterday, not caring that it was almost midnight and ordered him to make arrangements for his family to fly to New York City.

    The first thing he heard in the morning from his assistant was that everything was ready and they could fly this weekend.

    It would be worth seeing the expression on Alexander''s face when he suddenly encounters stair after all these years.

    <em>''How wonderful it would be to catch him off-guard!''</em>

    <strong>In New York City,</strong>

    Alexander double-checked the messages and all the details Mathew had sent him this morning. He had reported that everything was in order in Italy, and his parents were out of harm''s way. Baresis couldn''t dare enough to touch Francesco Carlo. Mathew would stay the night and would proceed to California the next day.

    The Baresi family never contacted Johnathan again, and there was nothing new or suspicious about Johnathan''s activity.

    However, there was a regr transaction of money through the prince''s bank ount. As per Mathew''s information, the prince deposited arge sum of money into his mistress'' bank ount again. As usual, she had withdrawn half of the money from it only to make donations to charity institutions.

    Alexander knew he would find the clue only through these money transactions. Unfortunately, it led him nowhere to this date. The charity institutions had no traces of Hera, nor did the staff working there knew anything about her. Alexander''s men kept digging, but all these NGOs appeared to be clean.

 Chapter 237 - She Took The Bait

    Hera sighed impatiently, annoyed at the secrets her brother and her cousin kept from her. Today she managed to get rid of Noel, somehow convincing the adamant boy to leave her alone. It felt strange to have lunch without him, and Hera realised she was getting used to spending time with him. He came around when she had no friends left to hang out with, and she appreciated thepany he provided.

    Today Hera had decided to confront her cousin, and she would make her talk no matter what. She looked ahead, running her gaze absent-mindedly over the ser field, not seeing anything in particr. They had already wasted seven minutes of their lunch break by simply sitting on the bleachers. Hera was hungry but endured the stupid growling in her stomach for Abby''s sake.

    "Abby, you can''t avoid the topic forever. I''m not letting you go until you tell me everything," Hera said determinedly. Her cousin was taking her sweet time, and she was already tired of waiting. Abby should''ve known by now how impatient Hera was. The more Abby stayed silent, the more it scared Hera.. She somehow grasped that the situation was more dangerous than she thought.

    Taking a deep breath, Abby blinked back her tears and brushed her face with her palms before meeting Hera''s gaze. Hera muttered words of encouragement and waited a minute more, allowing her cousin to gather her thoughts.

    "You remember I told you about the club?" Abby asked, and Hera nodded. "It''s a strip club, and Danny wants me to dance there," Abby revealed, her words rushed out in urgency. "He what?" Hera yelled in disbelief. She couldn''t believe she heard it right.

    <em>''No, it can''t be true.''</em>

    Hera thought there was a mistake or a misunderstanding from Abby''s side. Her brother would never ask her to do such a despicable deed. She wanted to scold her cousin for blurting out nonsense, but she held her tongue and waited for Abby to borate. She listened while Abby revealed everything in detail.

    Danny met Jack through one of his biker friends, and soon he learned the man earned a lot of money by selling illegal drugs to the local bars and clubs. It seemed too fascinating to see the parcel of money exchanged just for a pinch of fine white crystalline powder. One day when Jack offered the chance to earn that bundle of notes, Danny couldn''t resist and dived into the pit without much thought.

    It didn''t take time to realise his mistake, though. When the rational thoughts returned, he knew he would be earning the title of a criminal if hemitted this crime. Danny couldn''t sell the poisonous dust of cocaine, and it was a spur of the moment decision when he flushed the goods into the toiletmode. He was scared, and in his panicked state, he acted in haste without thinking.

    Now Jack wanted the money for the lost goods, and it was toorge of a sum for Danny to repay.

    Abby only revealed part of the truth, and she felt guilty for putting all the me on Danny. But there was no time for regrets because she wanted out, and she would find a way. Hera was oblivious to the reality of how her cousin conveniently hid her share of the sin in the act. She believed the false tale Abby concocted, deceiving so cunningly.

    "Jack and his friends are dangerous people, Hera. They''ll kill Danny if we don''t return the money sooner," Abby said, wringing her hands nervously. Hera held Abby''s trembling fingers and rubbed soothingly, offeringfort. "Don''t be scared, Abby. We can go to the police," Hera suggested sensibly. Abby shook her head frantically, rejecting the idea immediately.

    "We''ll get into more trouble if we go to the police, and they''ll inform our parents, Hera," Abby said, cursing in frustration. "Didn''t you hear what I said, Hera? They''ll kill Danny," she was quick to remind. Hera swallowed to ease the sudden dryness in her throat. "Is Danny addicted to drugs or something? Did he use it for himself?" Hera asked in a low whisper. She was too shocked to absorb all the information.

    Hera sighed in relief when Abby shook her head in reply.

    <em>''What did you do, Danny?''</em>

    Hera didn''t know how tofort her cousin or what to do to help her brother.

    "Jack has offered a way out. If I dance in his strip club for a few days and earn him money, he would let us go," Abby stated further. Hera watched helplessly while Abby''s shoulders slumped in defeat. "Trust me, Hera. I want to do it for Danny. He''s my cousin, after all," Abby said, crossing her arms around her middle, a defensive move. Hera could tell she was scared to death.

    As if reading Hera''s mind, Abby confessed the same. "But I''m scared, Hera. I don''t know what kind of ce it is and what kind of people will be there," Abby voiced out her fears, a faraway look in her eyes. A shiver ran down her body, thinking about the consequences it would bring.

    Drunkards, alcohol addicts, rich kids, druggists, perverted men, rapists, criminals, Abby kept on mentioning what kind of people she would encounter in the club. The lump in Hera''s throat grew big, and her stomach painfully twisted as Abby broke down in front of her.

    "What if they do bad things to me, Hera? I''m terrified of the thought of those men touching me," Abby confessed in a whisper. Hera wrapped her arms around the broken girl and hugged her tightly. Abby''s tears soaked her uniform top, and Hera cried along, whispering words of promises.

    "You know I would''ve done anything for my brother if I had one, and I always regarded Danny as my brother and loved him unconditionally," Abby said and pulled away from the hug to look into Hera''s eyes. Hera nodded, muttering, "I know."

    "It''s my duty, my responsibility to protect him as his cousin. I have to do this for him, no matter how dangerous it is," Abby concluded and wiped her tears while attempting to smile. She studied Hera''s expression and recognised the moment her words sunk into Hera''s conscience. When Hera closed her eyes, letting the tears spill out, Abby knew Hera bit the bait.

    Abby waited until Hera opened her eyes and spoke again. She never wished anything wrong or evil for Hera, nor did she want to hurt or betray her, but she had to do it to save herself.

    <em>''Why should I suffer or sacrifice in ce of Hera?''</em>

    <em>''Why should I risk my life instead of Hera?''</em>

    <em>''It''s Hera''s fate anyway.''</em>

    <em>''It''s Hera that Jack wants, after all.''</em>

    Abby kept reminding herself, and it helped in quashing aside the nagging guilt. She would have plenty of time to regret and repentter but now was not the time.

    Hera opened her eyes, and Abby noticed how the vulnerability she saw earlier had disappeared from Hera''s eyes. She seemed more confident and determined when she spoke.

    "It''s not your responsibility, Abby. It''s mine. I have to help my brother, and I''ll do it," Hera promised. Abby gasped in surprise and pulled Hera into a tight hug. She closed her eyes and sighed in relief.

 Chapter 238 - It Wasnt Her Secret

    "Oh, no, no, I didn''t mean to guilt-trip you or something, Hera. You don''t have to do it. I''m so sorry," Abby said, still hugging Hera. She squeezed Hera tightly in her embrace before letting go. Hera smiled in understanding and wiped Abby''s tears with her fingers.

    When a good person intentionally hurts someone, and if that someone happened to be their dear ones, their conscience wouldn''t allow them to rest peacefully afterwards. The burden of guilt bes unbearable, especially when the other person only has good intentions at heart. Sometimes life would get cruel enough to make a wise person turn into a bad one.

    Abby never wanted to hurt Hera, but the unfortunate difficult circumstances forced her to do it. She knew Hera would''ve never betrayed her had the situation reversed, and Hera was in her shoes. But Abby was weak and scared and chose to be selfish.

    "You don''t have to feel sorry or apologise for anything, Abby.. It''s not your fault, and I''m doing it for my brother. I want to help him. Let me," Hera announced, leaving no room for further argument. "Don''t be scared anymore, okay. I''ll talk to Danny," Hera assured without any hesitation or second thoughts.

    Two more minutes passed in silence. It wasn''tfortable or peaceful. It resembled the two minutes silence held to pay tribute to the deceased. Millions of thoughts, questions and scenarios ran inside Hera''s brain while Abby had to constantly struggle to push down the guilt monster raising its head inside her chest. Yet, Abby couldn''t muster enough courage to change her mind.

    Letting out a deep sigh, Hera broke the silence. "Uh-oh, we only have five more minutes left to finish our lunch," Hera pointed out. Abby didn''t have the appetite for food anymore. She was drowning in guilt, but Hera forced her to eat with her.

    Setting her thoughts aside, Hera tried hard to pay attention to what her teachers taught in the ss. As she was expecting, she had already received detention for not doing her homework. She had to endure the punishment of two more hours of extra teaching in the detention ss, and she didn''t want to earn any more torture for the day.

    She had sent a quick message to her brother asking him to meet her at the old abandonedb building after school. Hera had stressed that it was urgent and something important in case he ignored her request. Danny had read her message, but to Hera''s displeasure, he didn''t respond yet.

    When her sses for the day ended, Hera rushed to the restroom to quickly wash her face. She suddenly felt nervous, and her hands were shaking. She didn''t know how to broach the topic or how her brother would react. She could guess he wouldn''t be pleased that she now knew his secret.

    <em>''Oh, Fuck!''</em>

    Hera just realised she forgot about her detention.

    She quickly typed a message to inform Danny about the same and asked him to meet her after two hours. To her surprise, Danny replied instantly this time. Despite the tension, Hera''s lips twitched into a smile, looking at the name disyed on the notification bar.

    She had saved Danny''s contact name as Beau. She chose this French name for her good-looking brother and added grouchy before that.

    <em><strong>Grouchy Beau:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>What is it, Hera? Is something wrong?</strong></em>

    Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, Hera inhaled and exhaled through her nose. Her brother seemed worried about her, and for the first time, Hera felt the tug at her heart as she recognised the bonding budding between them. She hoped this unfortunate troublesome situation wouldn''t corrupt it.

    She typed a quick reply to her brother that they would speak in person.

    Dragging her feetzily, Hera walked towards the detention ss. She analysed every scenario in her mind as she kept rehearsing what she should say to her brother. She had to be careful with her approach so that it wouldn''t ruin the rtionship between Danny and Abby. After all, he wouldn''t approve of Abby betraying him by revealing their secret to Hera.

    Hera still couldn''t believe Danny was involved with illegal drugs. She thought of speaking to Hunter about the matter. Danny and Hunter were best friends, and they never hid things from each other. Hunter would know if Danny did drugs, and Hera was sure he wouldn''t have let him do it if he knew. That knowledge alone gave her hope and reduced the burden of worry from her shoulders.

    <em>''Would it be alright if I speak to Hunter first?'' </em>

    Hera hesitated about the idea because it wouldn''t be fair on Danny''s part if Hunter heard the truth from her. They would fight for sure, and she didn''t want to be the one causing any misunderstanding between the two best friends. It wasn''t her ce to disclose Danny''s secret without his knowledge. So, Hera decided to keep her mouth shut until she spoke to Danny first.

    She was about to push the door when someone pulled it open from the inside, and Hera came face to face with Jake. Smiling wide, she greeted him. Jake was leaving, and Hera frowned in confusion. "Are you not going to tutor me?'' she asked, sounding pleased. Jake chuckled, shaking his head. "Someone is waiting for you inside. I was here to ask a favour from a friend," Jake said before waving bye to her.

    Pursing her lips, Hera watched him walk away. She cursed mentally for not getting lucky. She thought he would let her go and save her the torture of getting tutored for two long hours. Disappointed, she turned around and stepped into the ssroom.

    <em>''Oh!''</em>

    Hera''s forest-green eyes widened in surprise before a pleased smile graced her lips which soon turned into a happy grin.

    "You''rete, Hera," she heard his deep, rich voice scolding her.

    <em>''Oh, how much I missed him.''</em>

    Hera nodded, grinning shamelessly.

    "I''m sorry, Mr Hunter," she said politely and walked to the fourth row to take the empty seat. Hera noticed the girls upying the first three rows. She knew most of them purposely got themselves into detention only to get a chance to thurst over her boyfriend.

    <em>''How the fuck did they know he''ll be handling today''s tutoring?''</em>

    Hunter cleared his throat, and with that, everyone sat straight, giving him theirplete attention.

    <em>''Huh, as if they would look anywhere else when he''s in the room.''</em>

    Hera thought while scowling in displeasure.

    She didn''t like how the girls were ogling him unashamedly.

    Meanwhile, Hunter ignored her as though she was invisible. He had his focus fixed on the rest of the students.

    "So it''s going to be an hour of learning The Merchant of Venice," Hunter said while writing the topic heading on the digital whiteboard. "And then I''ll teach you Physics. We''ll study about Reflection of Sound Waves and Echoes," he said and wrote the same on the board. When he turned around to face the students, he pushed aside the front panels of his uniform jacket, sliding his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

    Hunter started exining the characters of the y The Merchant of Venice, giving a brief introduction to the story.

 Chapter 239 - Fine-Looking Boss

    "Okay, Hera Hunter, let''s give a little work to your brilliant brain and learn something about the Merchant of Venice for real," Hera muttered under her breath. She opened the book and took out the pencil, ready to focus and to take notes.

    However, she was easily distracted by the way Hunter spoke. His perfect pronunciation and the way his lips movedpelled her eyes to stay focused on them. Every wording out of his mouth felt smoother than silk and sweeter than nectar. His deep, rich voice filtered through the air like music, and Hera could listen to him forever without getting bored or tired.

    Hunter exined the bond between Bassanio and Antonio and how their rtionship yed a vital role throughout the y. They seemingly shared the ideal friendship where one was wholly willing toy his life on the line for the other.

    Hera noticed how pleased and impressed Hunter seemed while he spoke about friendship. As per what Hera understood till now, she decided that Antonio was in love with Bassanio. She couldn''t differentiate whether it was bromance or romance, but it was love for sure. Hera smiled to herself.. She couldn''t help imagining Hunter and Eric in the role of Bassanio and Antonio, respectively.

    <em>''Oh, imagine one of them being gay for the other.''</em>

    Hera thought amusedly.

    She covered her mouth with her hand when the giggle threatened to break out. Hera found an easy way to remember all the characters of the y. She imagined Hunter''s friends ying the role of different characters. Now she could easily understand the drama more precisely.

    Meanwhile, Hunter wrote the name Portia on the board, the protagonist of the y. He described her as the beauty with brains. She was an intelligent, quick-witted, gorgeous heiress.

    Hera scowled in resentment and mentally scoffed as she imagined Bianca stepping into the role of Portia in her imagination. For Hera''s displeasure, the Queen bee of their school and the captain of Hunter''s gang fitted the description too perfectly as the beautiful, intelligent, wealthy heiress.

    Grinning secretly at the scenario ying in her mind, Hera pictured Evelyn performing the role of Jessica, and her Lorenzo had to be none other than Danny and loved how their love story concluded.

    Michael yed the short role of servant Balthazar, and for being Bianca''s best friend, Samantha earned Nerissa''s part as Portia''s servant.

    Hera couldn''t curb the jealousy when Hunter concluded how in the end, Portia was able to marry her true love Bassanio.

    <em>''What the fuck?''</em>

    Hera cursed as she imagined Hunter and Bianca getting married in the end. She instantly swapped Hunter''s role as Bassanio with Eric''s Antonio. She nodded with a firm determination and smiled to herself. Eric and Bianca looked good together in her imagination and thought they would make a gorgeous couple.

    <em>''They should date in real life.''</em>

    The idea sounded good in her thoughts.

    <em>''Later, when they get married to each other, Hunter and I can be their best man and bridesmaid.'' </em>

    Hera couldn''t stop the pleased grin that stretched on her lips.

    Leaning forward on the desk, Hera folded her hands under her chin and studied Hunter''s physical features while he slowly paced back and forth on the dias as if he owned it. His hand touched the knot of his ink blue uniform tie, righting it in its ce before running his fingers through the thick mane of his charcoal ck hair.

    It didn''t take much time for her infatuated brain and her love-struck heart to get distracted again. Hunter''s character shifted from Shakespeare''s y to the real-life bossy one in her vision. She imagined him as the hotshot CEO, prancing around arrogantly in front of his employees in the board meeting room.

    <em>''Oh, what a fine-looking boss he would make!''</em>

    She thought, letting out a dreamy sigh.

    <em>''Hot as hell.''</em>

    <em>''Powerful and dangerous. How sexy!''</em>

    "If you have any doubt feel free to ask," Hunter said, the sweet velvet of his voice cutting through Hera''s thoughts.

    Shoving his hands into his pant pockets, Hunter leaned his hip against the table and crossed his ankles. He ran his eyes around the ssroom, and Hera''s heart missed a beat when he looked at her.

    Lifting a brow at her questioningly, Hunter tilted his head to the side. Begrudgingly Hera realised his attention never once lingered on her until now. Though, his gaze didn''t stay on her for more than a second.

    <em>''Ah, look at this motherfucker, what a showoff!''</em>

    Hera knew he enjoyed the attention, and much to her displeasure, the girls kept interrupting him, asking doubts in between, and Hera thought it was silly.

    Hunter taught everything with such rity that even Hera''s dumb brain understood it. If the stupid girls were still having doubts, then it could mean only one thing. Either they were pretending to get his attention, or they were really dumb, but either way, Hunter answered and rified all their queries patiently and politely.

    Throughout the narration, Mr Know-it-all didn''t even nce at the book once. Flipped open, it stayed on the table untouched, pages fluttering now and then because of the air rushing in through the opened windows. He exined everything with so much confidence as if Shakespeare himself had taught him every line of his y word by word.

    "Alright then," Hunter spoke, quickly capturing everyone''s undivided attention. "I want you to write a ten-page assignment about the y. Let''s see how much you''ve learnt or remember," he said.

    Hera''s jaw dropped in disbelief, her eyes widened. A second or two passed, and no one had dared to object yet. Hera grimaced at what Hunter suggested. Wasn''t the burden of homework by the teachers enough that he was adding more to the torture?

    "How would you know if we''ve written it or not? It''s not like you''re going to check it anyway," Hera muttered more to herself but judging by the way Hunter raised his eyebrows, he heard it. Holding Hera''s gaze, Hunter gave her a blinding smile, and Hera''s brain conveniently forgot what she was thinking a second ago.

    "I won''t be checking it, but your English teacher will," Hunter supplied helpfully, and Hera''s scowl of disapproval only intensified. "It''ll be your homework, and I''ll inform Mrs Wilkins about itter," he decided. None of the boys dared to go against the president of the student union council, and the girls were only too eager to get his attention or impress him.

    Hera cursed under her breath when no one objected.

    "So it''s done. Let''s take a ten minutes break before we start with physics," Hunter said. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out to check the message.

    <strong><em>Goddess:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I hate you.</em></strong>

    Hera had just sent him a short message.

    Tearing his gaze off the phone, he lifted his head to look at Hera. She was annoyed she couldn''t pull a reaction out of him, for he had maintained a perfect poker face. He pocketed his phone, his purple eyes still glued to Hera''s green ones.

    "Hera, cell phones are not allowed inside the ssroom. You know right that I can write you another detention slip for tomorrow?" he asked, standing to his full height. Taken aback, Hera red and flipped him off.

 Chapter 240 - Physical Body Exploration

    Hera was so used to his given nickname for her that her actual name sounded weirding from his mouth, so formal and so distant. She sighed in boredom and stared at her boyfriend as he removed his uniform jacket and ced it on the backrest of the chair. Hera wanted his attention, but he was busy ying the role of Mr Prodigy.

    It irked her that he was giving her no special treatment.

    Hunter pulled the chair to his front before perching himself on the table. His left foot took its ce on the chair while his right foot rested firmly on the floor, supporting his weight. Without wasting any more seconds, he grabbed the book and got lost in it.

    He flipped the page of the physics textbook in his hands.

    Childishly, Hera kept tapping her pencil on the desk until she managed to attract his attention. Hunter lifted his eyelids and looked at her without lifting his head. Hera smirked in satisfaction and tapped the pencil once again, applying a bit more pressure this time. He was still watching her but didn''t say anything yet.

    Hera leaned back in his chair and red at everyone when they nced over their shoulder to look at her. Apparently, the stupid sound of the pencil knocking on the table disturbed everyone. Ignoring them, she shifted her eyes back to Hunter and watched his index finger moving back and forth, a silent warning not to test his patience.

    A paper ball hit her on the cheek before it fell into herp. With confusion clouding her features, she opened it to read a message.

    "Can we talk after the ss?" the message read. Hera looked around and found Jarred''s eyes on her. She didn''t notice him before and was surprised to see him in detention. Hera frowned, but before she could say something, Hunter started with his ss.

    "I''ll ask questions after exining, and those who can''t give me the correct answer will have to write a detailed assignment about the chapter," Hunter said in a warning. "Twice," he added with a straight face. The punishment, the homework or whatever it was,pelled Hera to invest all her focus in him while he taught about sound waves.

    Hunter knew no one would dare to defy him. As expected, everyone''s concentration revolved around him for the next forty-five minutes while he exined.

    The wave velocity V, frequency f and wavelength �� are rted as:

    V=f ��

    The time period T and its frequency f of a wave are rted as:

    f=1/T

    Hunter wrote on the board and taught the same in detail. Like everyone else, Hera too obediently took notes. She learnt about the distinction between light and sound waves, the production of an echo and its uses.

    Once he finished exining, Hunter spent thest ten minutes rifying their doubts. He listened, nodding in acknowledgement before answering their queries.

    Hera sighed in relief when the ss ended, and thankfully, he didn''t ask her any questions. So no more added homework and Hera was relieved.

    Hunter''s right hand was still resting snug inside his pocket while his left hand was busy spinning the pen around his fingers. He patiently waited for the students to vacate the room. Hera stayed in her seat, and Jarred gave her a questioning look before exiting the room. He didn''t seem happy, but Hera couldn''t care less.

    As soon as everyone else left, Hunter shut the door, locking it from inside. He turned around, leaned against the door and watched while Hera left her seat before closing the short distance keeping them apart. With an eager smile stretching on his lips, his eyes shining bright with fondness never left hers. Hera jogged her way and walked right into his open arms.

    Hunter inhaled, breathing her scent in and wrapped his arms around her middle while Hera exhaled, rxing in his embrace. Standing on her tippy toes, she tightened her hold around his shoulders. "I missed you," they both admitted simultaneously andughed into one another''s shoulder. Hera pressed her lips into the hot skin of his neck, leaving a soft kiss before pulling away.

    Closing her eyes to the feel of his lips, she giggled when he kissed her on the cheeks one after the other. "I missed you more," Hunter dered with another kiss on her forehead. "I missed you more than you missed me," Hera argued while kissing the corner of his mouth. Hunter''s shoulder shook in breathyughter. "Then kiss me properly, Goddess," heined before capturing her lips with his.

    "We''re leaving," they heard a voice yelling from the other side of the door. It was Eric''s voice. He was signalling them to hurry with whatever they were busy doing inside.

    "And please have some decency. Peoplee here to study," Michael yelled, scolding them. Hera could envision his face scowling in disgust. She pulled away from the kiss and took a few deep breaths before steadying her heartbeats. "We aren''t doing anything dirty," Hera yelled back indignantly.

    "Yeah, right," Bianca and Evelyn said in unison, sounding incredulous. "I believe you, baby girl," Michael said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Hunter grinned while Hera scowled at his friends. Hera realised if all of them were together, then it meant Danny was with them as well. She remembered she had asked him to meet her secretly.

    "Five minutes," Hunter said, changing their positions. He gently pushed Hera against the door and leaned down for another kiss.

    "Will your five minutes end in the next twenty minutes, at least?" Eric asked in an amused tone. Hera giggled against Hunter''s lips while her boyfriend sighed in annoyance. "Find the fucking door and exit, will you?" Hunter shot back. Hera heard themughing in response. She gasped when Hunter bit her lower lip, demanding her attention.

    Hera tried not to make any noise when his tongue slipped inside her lips and touched the roof of her mouth. The sensation was too much to resist, and she couldn''t hold back the moan when he sucked her tongue. She was barely aware when he undid the first two buttons of her uniform shirt. Pushing aside the fabric to reveal more of her skin, Hunter left her mouth to nip at the softness under her jaw.

    His teeth lightly scraped against the column of her throat before settling at the fleshy part of her upper breast on the right side. His right hand moved down, brushing over her left breast. Hera sucked in a sharp breath at the warm sensations it caused all over her skin. Goosebumps appeared everywhere he touched, and Hera shivered, gripping his arms with her hands for support.

    Her mind faintly grasped the knowledge that he had pulled her uniform shirt out of her skirt. His hands slid inside, the direct touch of hisrge palms over her bare skin, fingers gently kneading the flesh at her waist, everything felt feverish. "Hunter, we''re still at school," Hera said in a breathy whisper, reminding him but hardly protesting.

    Hunter was busy creating pinkish hickeys on her soft, milky-white skin. He hummed in response beforeing back to her lips.

 Chapter 241 - Its Not The Right Time

    "How much did you miss me?" Hunter asked against her lips in a whisper. Hera grinned, her breasts moving up and down while she panted with short, quick breaths. The loud thudding sounds of her heart echoed in her ears. "I missed you so much that seconds felt like minutes," Hera said, kissing the tip of his nose. "Minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days," she said, pecking the corner of his mouth.

    Hunter licked his lips, tasting her on them. He smiled, pleased with her reply. Hera groaned in protest when he bit her cheek. Hunterughed when Hera bit the side of his neck in retaliation. "Days felt like weeks, and weeks felt like months, months felt like years," Hera continued, nipping every visible part of Hunter''s skin under his jaw and all over his neck. "Years felt like," Hera paused to find the right word.

    "Lifetime?" Hunter supplied helpfully. .

    Hera licked her lips before they twitched in a blissed-out smile. She nodded wordlessly, and the smile on her lips faded in the next second when Hunter pushed himself more into her, aligning their torso together. His right hand went around her waist, and his grip tightened, holding her in ce. His other hand disappeared in her hair, his fingers grasped a fistful of silky strands, tilting her head to get a better angle.

    He attacked her lips, kissing her a bit aggressively this time. His chest felt solid against the softness of her breasts. Heat spread through her insides, and she lost the ability to think anymore. "Yeah, right. That''s why you agreed instantly toe home with me. Otherwise, how would you survive without seeing me for two weeks? You miss my presence so badly after all," Hunter said when he broke the kiss.

    Foreheads pressed together, both of them took their time to suck in a lungful of much-needed air. Hera was a mess. Her breathing sounded loud, her heart was hammering against her chest, and there was a rushing sound in her ears. It took her time to realise Hunter was brutally sarcastic. Hera swallowed and looked her boyfriend in the eyes only to find him already staring at her.

    "Hunter, I," Hera was saying, but he didn''t give her time to finish that sentence and swallowed the rest of her words with another toe-curling kiss. "I need time to arrange and fulfil visa requirements, boarding pass and all," Hunter said in between the kiss and sessfully managed to keep her mouth shut. "You''ve wasted enough time already. Now say yes," hemanded before licking the inside of her mouth with his tongue.

    Speechless, Hera hummed her consent with a moan. Her legs wobbled, and she held onto him for dear life. All rational thoughts left her brain while her heart filled with warmth. "You said yes, and you''re not allowed to go back on your word," Hunter pointed out. Hera couldn''t even respond to that. The amusing, blissful sensations in her body dominated every other sane thought.

    Hunter took a step back to look at her. "So it''s a deal. You''reing home with me, Goddess," Hunter dered and sealed it by locking their lips again. Hera inhaled against his cheek, and all she could smell was Hunter.

    She felt their hearts beating in sync, threatening to jump out of their ribcage. She wished this wonderful feeling tost forever, and she couldn''t wait to explore it further. Her hands decided to do the same on their ord and shifted from Hunter''s arms to his chest. She brushed her palm over his torso, and it slid down, touching the buckle of his belt.

    Subconsciously, her hand moved further below his belt and brushed against his crotch. Hunter pulled away quickly and cursed under his breath. Hera''s eyes were closed. Hunter looked down where her hand rested against the bulge in his pants. She felt his fingers wrapping around her wrist and opened her eyes when he removed her hand away.

    With her lips swollen red, cheeks flushed pink, Hera stared at him with her beautiful eyes. She was intrigued, curious, and eager, and Hunter knew she wanted to touch him intimately. He noticed how her eyes scanned him from head to toe, studying, appreciating his looks, and her gaze lingered on the pride below his belt longer than necessary.

    Hunter took a step back, putting distance between their bodies, and Hera immediately missed the warmth. Reflexively, she curled her fingers in the fabric of his shirt above his chest. Hunter covered her fists with his palms and held her hands in a tight grip. She rested her head on his chest and took a deep breath inhaling his scent. "It''s big, hard as a rock and hot," Hera whispered, stating the obvious.

    "I felt the heat. It burned my hand through the fabric," Hera said and lifted her head to look at him. Before she could ask him, Hunter shook his head and moved away from her, taking a few steps back. "Please don''t do this," he requested in a defeated tone. He didn''t miss the desperation her eyes held. "No, Goddess, it''s not the right time," Hunter decided, sounding irritated.

    Hera pouted in disappointment, and her eyes watered as she red at him indignantly. She could feel the tension in the air and recognised the sexual arousal they both struggled with at the moment. She didn''t understand the reason for Hunter''s withdrawal.

    Hunter turned his back to her and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He was annoyed at himself for rejecting her advances and disappointing her. Sighing, Hunter turned to face Hera. Smiling fondly at her, he kissed her on the cheek before lifting her into his arms.

    Hera didn''t utter a word while he carried her and ced her on the table. He stood between her legs and brushed her hair back. His thumbs ran under her eyes, wiping the trace of tears. nting a soft kiss on the crown of her head, he fastened the buttons of her shirt.

    "It''s not the right time because we''re still at school and also because Danny is waiting for you," Hunter reminded her. Hera frowned in confusion, and Hunter chose that time to move away from her. He leaned his back against the wall, shoved his hands into his pant pockets and smiled at her.

    He was waiting for her to realise, but his Goddess seemed too lost to think at the moment.

    "You need to speak to him, remember?" Hunter asked.

    Hera eyed him suspiciously, and then she narrowed her eyes before they widened in surprise.

    <em>''How does he know?''</em>

    She didn''t question him because something else demanded her attention. Hunter smirked as he saw the exact moment the bulb lit up inside her brain.

    "You maniptive asshole!" Hera cursed and shook her head. Now she realised what he had done. He took advantage of the intimacy between their minds and bodies and used the situation to influence her decision, and in the spur of the moment, Hera agreed to go with him to New York without thinking. He never had the intention to carry on with their sexual advances. He did it only to distract her.

 Chapter 242 - Telepathic Bond

    "I told you, you''re not allowed to go back on your word," Hunter warned, a finger lifted in her direction. Hera rolled her eyes and scoffed at him. "Huh, you''re not even ashamed for manipting my brain," she used, eyeing him with feigned disgust. Hunter gave a nonchnt shrug before adjusting his pants.

    Hera''s eyes identally fell on his crotch again, and the bulge was still very much visible. Now it was Hunter''s turn to roll his eyes. He snapped his fingers, demanding her attention, and she dragged her eyes up to meet his disapproving ones. "We have a more important issue to address here," he hinted, and Hera remembered her ns with her brother.

    Biting the inside of her cheek, Hera took a deep breath. Hunter was right. She had more pressing matters to focus on than fantasising about her boyfriend''s anatomy. Their eyes met, and Hunter shot a charming smile her way. She let her eyes scan his handsome face admiring his facial features before staring into his purple orbs..

    Hunter tilted his head, a dreamy look clouded his eyes, and he smiled involuntarily. Hera melted under the intensity his gaze held. It wasn''t dirty or anything sexual. It was the purest form of love and devotion he had reserved in his heart only for her. It poured through his eyes, showering all the affection on her.

    Hera lowered her head to hide her blush.

    "I''m in love with you, Goddess," she heard him confess in a soft tone. It was almost inaudible as if he was speaking to himself.

    Hera grinned and winked at him. "I know," she stated boastfully. Hunter adored the rosy blush dusting over the apple of her cheeks. His heart missed a beat. His goddess knew the depth of his feelings, but she didn''t know that he would burn the whole world if anyone tried to take her away from him.

    <em>''Don''t ever leave me, Goddess.''</em>

    He made a wish.

    Taking a deep breath, Hunter walked to the window and let the cool breeze brush over his body. He loosened his tie and sat on the window sill. Suddenly, something inside felt wrong and warned him. Ever since he nned his visit to the home, a strange feeling kept disturbing him. He was scared of losing Hera.

    It was a gut feeling that he would have to fight his way to reach his love.

    Meanwhile, Hera collected her thoughts, plotting how to broach the topic before him. She made her way to where her dreams, her future, her life and her world awaited. Standing between his legs, Hera wounded her arms around his waist. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeats.

    She felt it when his heart skipped a beat.

    Hera was afraid she would lose him. It was a terrifying awareness, and she hoped everything between them stayed right. Hunter seemed lost, and Hera sensed the uneasiness in his stiffened shoulders and med herself. It was as if the bad energy travelled from her body to his through their telepathic bond.

    "No matter what happens, we''ll always find our way back to each other," Hera dered. Hunter wrapped his arm around Hera''s shoulder, his fingers tucking her hair behind her ear. He smiled to himself and kissed the crown of her head. He didn''t wonder why Hera said that. It was the default setting between them. One could sense the distress when the other was down.

    "We always do, right?" Hera asked as if she could read Hunter''s mind. He hummed his agreement.

    "How do you know I''m meeting Danny after this?" Hera asked, already guessing the answer. It wouldn''t surprise her if Danny told Hunter. They never kept secrets, after all. She wondered if Hunter knew what Abby and Danny were up to but hesitated to voice it out.

    "I forgot to charge my phone yesterday night, and it died this morning. So I was using Danny''s phone," Hunter was saying when Hera moved out of his arms and stared at him in disapproval. "You read my messages?" she asked usingly. Hunter rolled his eyes before answering her.

    "I didn''t. I was ying a game on Danny''s phone when your message came. I paused the game and informed him about it," Hunter said and smirked proudly at her before continuing. "My best friend asked me to check it myself instead. So I read it out loud for him," he rified.

    "Of course, you did," Hera said, scowling at him and pped his chest yfully. She climbed the window sill, sitting sideways. Leaning her back against the wall, she ced her feet on Hunter''sp. "Do you want to know about it?" she asked hesitatingly. Hunter''s hands supported her legs resting on his thighs and kept them in ce.

    "It''s okay too if you don''t want to tell me. I''m d that you two are bonding," Hunter said in understanding. Hera smiled in relief before she made a kissy-face at him. "Does Danny do drugs?" she blurted the words without thinking. Hunter frowned at the question and shook his head in a no. "He acts a little grumpy these days, but I assure you he''s not into drugs," Hunter promised.

    Hunter thought about how Danny used to get annoyed at everything and was always sulking. They talked about it, and Danny had asked him to give him space when Hunter had called him out on his lie about getting involved with an older woman. Danny had assured his best friend that it was nothing serious and he would tell him if he needed help.

    <em>''Trust me, Ace. I won''t do anything that would jeopardise our friendship.''</em>

    Hunter remembered Danny''s promise.

    Danny had asked him to trust him, and Hunter would do just that. He knew Danny would tell him everything eventually.

    "Eric apanies Danny everywhere when he goes out so that he won''t get into trouble. Don''t worry about him, okay. I won''t let anything or anyone harm him," Hunter promised, and Hera knew he meant every word.

    Certainly, Hunter didn''t know the whole truth.

    <em>''Danny hasn''t told him yet.''</em>

    Hera realised with a shocking surprise.

    The problem had to be something serious and dangerous if he was hiding it from his best friend. Hera moved closer to her boyfriend. Leaning her head over his shoulder, she hooked her arm with his. She felt guilty for hiding it from him. "It''s okay if you want to speak to him privately about his problems. Whatever happens, nothing changes between you and me or between Danny and me," Hunter said, assuring her.

    Hera lifted her head to look at him. Her boyfriend knew her like the back of his hand. He always knew what to say to make her feel better. Hera smiled in gratitude while her eyes watered, overwhelmed with emotions. "It amazes me how you can read me so urately. You see through my soul, you know," Hera admitted before kissing his cheek.

    She wrapped him in her arms and buried her face in his chest, wishing to spend her forever there. "Just so you know, I''m in love with you too," Hera whispered, looking into his eyes.

    Hunter dipped his head down, pressing his mouth to hers.

 Chapter 243 - Loving Unconditionally

    Abby paced back and forth in her dorm while her mind raced against time. All she could think was of Hera and Danny''s meeting. She was afraid Danny wouldn''t ept Hera''s proposal. He would somehow convince her to back off, and Abby couldn''t afford to let that happen. She knew Hera would meet Danny after the ss, and Abby couldn''t wait to find out the oue of their conversation.

    The anticipation was killing her, so instead of waiting for Hera, she decided to go there to make sure Danny wouldn''t force her to change her mind. Abby left in a hurry to reach the oldb building where her cousins would meet.

    The building was empty, and there was no trace of either of her cousins. Cursing her luck, she searched every room. She knew Hera had detention sses for two hours and should''ve been here by this time. Startled, Abby ran to hide beside the wall when she heard footsteps. She peeked down to see Danny climbing the stairs. Abby held her breath, trying not to drag his attention..

    Hands in his pants pocket, Danny jogged on the stairs. He chose the first room near to him and grabbed the handle to push it inside. The door opened with a loud creak, and Danny scowled at the irritating harsh sound. He used his foot to push open the door wider when it stuck in the middle.

    He walked inside, eyes roaming around the room. Dust coated everything, and he grimaced while finding a ce to sit. He found the old chalkboard eraser on the table, and using it, he dusted the dust off the counter and sat on it. He thought the standing-height counter was too high for Hera to climb, so he cleaned the only chair in the room for her to sit.

    His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he opened the inbox to check Hunter''s message.

    <em><strong>Ace:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Are you still there?</strong></em>

    Danny smiled at the question. It wasn''t his best friend asking him but Hera''s boyfriend, making sure she would be safe. Appreciating the gesture, Danny thanked the universe for bringing Ace Hunter into Hera''s life. He was d his best friend loved his little sister unconditionally.

    He typed a yes and sent it to Hunter.

    Another message popped in.

    <em><strong>Ace:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Hera will be there in ten minutes.</strong></em>

    Pocketing his phone, he waited for his sister. Pacing around the counter, he tried to guess the cause for this meeting. He felt it somewhere deep in his bones. No matter how much he ignored or wanted to deny it, he already knew the exact reason. Yet, he still held onto the thin rope of hope. He prayed Abby didn''t double-cross him.

    Hunter walked Hera to the old building and showed her where Danny would be waiting for her. Stealing a quick kiss from her lips, he left with a promise to meet her at dinner.

    Hera carefully climbed the steps, and her eyes fell on her cousin as soon as she reached the top. Hera was on the other side and had to change her course toe to Abby. "What are you doing here?" Hera asked, surprised to see her. Abby signalled her to shut her mouth and pointed her thumb over her shoulder, revealing Danny to her.

    "I came to make sure Danny wouldn''tsh out at you. I wouldn''t want you to face his anger alone. After all, I forced you to take my ce," Abby whispered, her words clearly calcted. She didn''t have to fake guilt as her eyes filled with humiliation.

    Danny heard their faint voices and came out of theb room. His face scrunched in a displeased scowl as soon as he saw Abby. His suspicion got confirmed, and he shook his head in disappointment. Abby squirmed under his judgemental stare and avoided eye contact. Danny scoffed at her, disgusted by the betrayal.

    "Well, what did I expect? Betrayal runs in your blood after all," Danny stated. Abby''s eyes watered at the harsh usation. She lowered her head, ashamed of herself.

    Hera came to her rescue and asked her to leave. Thankful, Abby took the opportunity and descended the stairs as fast as her feet allowed, running away from Danny''s disgusted, humiliating stare.

    Danny walked into the room, and Hera followed wordlessly. He pulled the chair gesturing for her to sit, and he stood in front of her, studying her face. "How much did she tell you?" Danny asked Hera. Thetter shared every detail she learned through Abby.

    Danny scoffed inwardly.

    <em>''How clever!''</em>

    He wasn''t surprised that his cousin had conveniently left out the part which revealed her share in this wrongdoing.

    "How did you get into this mess, Danny?" Hera asked in a concerned tone, cautious with her approach. She looked at her brother expectantly, hoping he wouldn''t shut her out. She fiddled with her fingers, fidgetting in her seat. She was nervous. Danny''s lips curled downwards in a scowl. He brushed his palms over his face and let out a tired sigh.

    "Ace wants to take you home with him. Please do me a favour and go to New York with him," Danny said. It was neither a suggestion nor a request. He wasmanding her to obey his orders, and it irked Hera more. Instead of sharing his problem with her, he was trying to get rid of her. "I''m not going anywhere until you''re out of this mess," Hera dered in a determined tone.

    Danny looked at her, and a genuine smile graced his lips. He recognised the worry in her voice, the concerncing her words and the anger shing in her teary eyes. He always knew Hera was selfless and loved her dear ones unconditionally, but he doubted he deserved her love.

    He was so relieved when Hunter asked him if he was okay with Hera going to New York with him. He couldn''t thank his luck enough for bringing this golden opportunity before him. Hera would be away from Jack, and Danny knew Hunter would keep her safe. He thought two weeks were more than enough to repay the bastard''s money, and after that, Abby would be safe too.

    "Don''t worry about me, Hera. I''ll resolve this problem, and Abby will be fine. I won''t let any harme to her," Danny assured. Hera shook her head frantically. "Why didn''t you tell Hunter? I thought you don''t keep secrets with him?" Hera asked, frowning at her brother. Danny turned his back to her and walked to the window. He could hardly see anything as dust enveloped every inch of the ss.

    Danny had thought about it. He could''ve asked for money from Hunter and knew his best friend would''ve helped him without any second thought. However, Danny was ashamed to reveal the unfortunate truth to his best friend. He wouldn''t be able to look him in the eye after that, and besides, Danny was aware of Hunter''s wrath and his overprotectiveness for Hera.

    Nathan and Andrew''s situations were different, but Jack was too dangerous. Danny didn''t want to pull Hunter into this mess. Jack was a criminal and could easily harm Hunter if he wanted. Danny wouldn''t want Hunter to get hurt.

 Chapter 244 - [Bonus ]She Found Her Brother

    Guilt and regret would never let him live in peace if anything happened to his best friend because of him. Danny would never drag Hunter into trouble intentionally. Masking his worry under the guise of anger, Danny turned to face Hera.

    "Ace doesn''t need to know anything, and I don''t want his money either," Danny announced, much to Hera''s disliking. "I didn''t befriend him for his wealthy status, and I would never take undue advantage of our friendship," he said, demanding Hera to keep it a secret from Hunter. Hera stared at him in bewilderment. Hunter could help Danny. If only he let go of his pride and ego.

    Hera wanted to argue, but she understood Danny''s point of view. Their friendship was too precious for him to gamble on it. Though Hera didn''t want to hide anything from Hunter, she couldn''t deny that Danny was also right in his ce. Helplessly she pleaded with her brother to reconsider his decision. Thetter only shook his head in refusal..

    "Then let me help you," Hera was quick to offer. Danny frowned in confusion, and when he realised the meaning behind her sentence, he scowled in anger. "No, you''re going with Ace. I told you I would take care of it," he snapped at her. Getting up from the chair, Hera covered the two feet distance between them and took Danny''s hands in hers.

    "Danny, keep calm and please listen to me without losing your temper," Hera pleaded softly, desperationcing her voice. "Why do you trust Abby so much? Why not me?" Hera questioned, and she couldn''t hide the bitterness in her tone. Danny was surprised at her question. It wasn''t that he didn''t trust her. He was doing it to protect her, and it could be possible only if he seeded in keeping her away from Jack.

    Hera released his hands from her hold and cupped his face with her palms, forcing him to look at her. Unshed tears spilt out of her eyelids when she blinked, and Danny''s heart broke at the pain etched on her beautiful face. It was different from all that time he deliberately made her cry because this time, he was trying so hard to keep her away from any harm. Yet Hera was hurting, and Danny caused it unintentionally.

    "As soon as you got into trouble, you went straight to your cousin. No matter what, I''m your sister at the end of the day, Danny. I would do anything for you. All my life, I struggled to earn a ce for myself in your heart. Please give me a chance to prove to you that I''m worthy of your love and trust," Hera begged him. Danny was startled when Hera pulled him into her arms, binding him with a tight hug.

    Abby shouldn''t be the one saving her brother. It was Hera''s right and her responsibility to help her brother. Danny couldn''t say anything when Hera argued the same. She never let him go from her embrace. Danny could feel the dampness in his shirt caused by her tears. His hands moved on their own ord, winding around her.

    "Why should Abby suffer or pay for the consequences of your wrongdoings?" Hera asked. One of his hands moved up, hisrge palm cupping her head while Hera hupped against his chest. "Don''t cry, Hera," Danny forced the words out as his throat constricted with pain. He swallowed the sob threatening to leap out.

    "Let''s keep Abby out of it, Danny. We''ll resolve whatever it is by ourselves. We''re each other''s family, right?" Danny heard her say. She was outright begging him to give her a chance. "Let me take Abby''s ce and help you," she concluded. Her voice quivered in the end, and it rendered Danny speechless. He didn''t know how to say no and break her heart further.

    <em>''I asked you for one favour, Abby, but you couldn''t keep your mouth shut.''</em>

    Danny cursed inwardly.

    <em>''If only I could tell you the truth, Hera.''</em>

    <em>''If only you knew, I never did anything wrong.''</em>

    <em>''I''m trying to clean up someone else''s wrongdoing.'' </em>

    He never felt this helpless and worthless. All Danny wanted to do was keep his little sister safe, and he failed in his attempt miserably. Reflexively his hold on Hera tightened, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Tears poured out, and both brother and sister cried their hearts out.

    "It''s okay, Danny. Don''t be scared. I trust you, and I know you''ll keep me safe," Hera said in assurance as if she could read his mind.

    "What will you say to Ace if he asks what we have talked about?" Danny asked, sounding unsure. Hera smiled through her tears, and Danny wiped her cheeks with his sleeves. "Don''t worry about him. I''ve already spoken to him, and he won''t ask if I don''t want to tell him. Your secret is safe with me," Hera said confidently. Danny nodded in acknowledgement.

    Danny hoped his best friend would somehow convince Hera to leave the country with him. Hunter was Danny''sst hope.

    <em>''I''ll never forgive you for what you did, Abby.''</em>

    Danny never thought Abby would turn out to be a selfish bitch.

    They spent the next few minutes infortable silence. Danny was now sitting on the counter where he had cleaned earlier. Beside him, Hera sat leaning her head over his shoulder. He had helped her climb the countertop.

    "I do trust you, Hera. You''re important to me," Danny admitted, surprising Hera. Her eyes widened to their fullest, and her mouth fell open in disbelief. He smiled at theical expression on her face. "I love you, little sister," he dered, and his chest swelled with happiness when Hera grinned, delighted at his admission.

    Hera wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes, letting out the joyful tears. "I love you too, Danny," she stated. Atst, she seeded in achieving what she had desired to have for all these years. She found the protective brother she longed to have.

    Danny walked Hera back to her dorm.

    Hera''s thoughts were echoing in her subconscious mind. She was relieved that she finally convinced Danny to let her help him. Abby was out of danger now. Hera couldn''t believe Danny finally epted her as his family. When he said he loved her, she felt the happiest.

    However, Hera didn''t know yet what her happiness cost her this time.

    Now sitting on her bed, staring at Hunter''s beautiful face on her phone''s screen, Hera smiled at him. The only problem she had to tackle now was to convince Hunter. She couldn''t tell him the truth. She knew he would never let her dance in the strip club, and most importantly, she didn''t want to ruin Danny and Hunter''s friendship.

    She didn''t know how to break the news to him. He would be disappointed to know she wouldn''t be going home with him.

    <em>''He was so happy when I said yes.''</em>

    Hera thought guiltily.

    But she had no other choice. Hera had to do it for Danny. She would dly die for her brother to protect him if needed. With that decision made, Hera went to Abby''s room to check on her.

    Meanwhile, Hunter called Jessica''s number and asked to make arrangements for Hera to fly with him.

 Chapter 245 - Looks Can Be Deceiving

    Herapleted her study-rted tasks in a hurry. She was starving and couldn''t wait to run into Mrs Roger''s kitchen. Abby was sitting beside her, and they finished all their assignments, working together and helping each other. Hera was grateful for all the help her cousin lent.

    Abby had expressed her gratitude again and again for what Hera did to save her. But she could not stop ming herself and feeling guilty when her conscience started taunting her from inside. She couldn''t look Hera in the eye because of the shame and remorse she felt. Hera had smiled and brushed it off with a wave of her hand when Abby cried for being a coward and not protecting Hera.

    "Everything''s going to be alright," Hera had said, consoling her cousin and stayed with her until her tears dried. To distract Abby from her guilty conscience, Hera decided to do homework together and had brought her books to Abby''s room.

    "Finally, it''s all done," Hera muttered, shoving her books into her backpack. "It''s dinner time.. Let''s go," she yelled in a cheerful voice and dragged Abby out of bed. They both washed their faces andbed their hair before leaving the room.

    Hera''s phone pinged with a notification. Hunter had posted a new picture on his social media ount. It was a group photo with his friends. They had a big grin stered on their lips with their index and middle fingers raised and parted to make a V shape. Hera recognised the ce immediately. They were in the dining hall of their dormitory.

    Her phone kept lighting up with new notifications. Hunter had reshared and liked four pictures within a few seconds. Much to Hera''s displeasure, he was posing with Samantha in all of them. The girl was shamelessly hugging him as if they were a couple and posed with a kissy face. Hera''s mouth fell open, and her eyes widened in horror when she noticed she had identally liked two of the posts while scrolling down.

    She reflexively unliked it without thinking.

    A secondter, she regretted her spur of the moment response and cursed at her stupidity. Samantha would know Hera had liked her pictures anyway.

    Hera''s eyes searched for her boyfriend as soon as she set her foot inside the dining hall. She found himpeting with Eric in an arm-wrestling match. Michael was beside them, pretending to be a referee and was counting time. Hera frowned, thinking about his earlier posts. He was busy fighting Eric, then who liked and reshared those pictures?

    <em>''Ah, this bitch!''</em>

    Hera clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth in anger.

    Samantha had two phones in her hands, and it didn''t take a genius to guess what had happened. She made those posts from her phone first and then liked and reshared them on Hunter''s behalf from his phone.

    Meanwhile, Abby walked away to fetch two tes for Hera and herself.

    Hera noticed her brother''s gloomy face. Beside him, Evelyn was trying to feed him from her te while Danny scrunched his face in disgust, refusing to eat. Hera smiled when Evelyn''s hand clutched Danny''s jaw in a tight grip and forced him to open his mouth. Scowling at the pretty girl, Danny ate whatever it was without much protest.

    Walking further, Hera found the empty table and waited for Abby. Her phone lit up again.

    <strong><em>I licked it, so it''s mine. </em></strong>

    Hera read the caption on Samantha''s new post and cursed inwardly at the girl''s wishful thinking. Samantha was still pretending to be his girlfriend.

    Shaking her head in pity, Hera zoomed in on the picture. Samantha had ced her hand on Hunter''s shoulder and was smiling at him. Hunter wasn''t looking at her. He was busy sharing a high-five with Michael. Hera had just witnessed that scene unfold in front of her. But, Samantha had cropped the photo to cut Michael out of the picture.

    Hera understood the implication hidden in her caption and decided to bring the girl out of her fantasy.

    <em><strong>Yeah, sure, Samantha, go ahead and eat that tart on your te. My boyfriend doesn''t like to consume sugary treats anyway. </strong></em>

    Heramented below Samantha''s post.

    She smiled in satisfaction when she saw Samantha''s reaction. The girl was fuming in anger. Likes andments poured in within a few seconds as people responded to Hera''sment. As anticipated, Samantha deleted thement before blocking Hera from viewing her profile.

    Rolling her eyes, Hera pocketed her phone.

    Smiling, she lifted her head when Abby ced their tes on the table filled with Bacon, sausage, mashed potato and apple tart. Hera''s stomach started to make a rumbling sound as soon as she sniffed the aroma of the food. Ignoring Samantha''s game, for now, Hera dug into her food.

    Her gaze identally fell on Noel at the counter, filling his te. Hera stopped chewing, and with her mouth full, cheeks puffed, watched with keen interest when she noticed him trailing behind Bianca, who was a few feet away from him. Bianca turned around and was going on her way when suddenly she tripped and spilt water on Noel.

    Noel''s jaw dropped open in shock as water drizzled down his chin, soaking his brown jumper. Bianca scowled in displeasure and red at the poor fellow. "Watch where you''re going, idiot," she spat the words at him angrily. Evelyn also noticed the feud and rushed to help her best friend.

    Hera rolled her eyes and scoffed at the scene. It wasn''t Noel''s fault in the first ce, and Bianca was the one who bumped into him, spilling water in the process. And Hera knew she didn''t trip. The Queen bee pretended to trip and purposely scolded him. She was putting on a show in front of everyone, but Hera had no idea why.

    On instinct, Hera nced at Hunter, and thankfully he was still busy with the boys and didn''t notice the scene Bianca was causing. Samantha was trying hard to get his attention in between their animated conversation.

    <em>''Luck seems to be on Noel''s side today.''</em>

    Hera shook her head and turned back to observe Bianca''s next move.

    Evelyn being the sweetheart she was, managed to end whatever Bianca intended to do and shooed away the crowd of teenagers slowly gathering around. She provided tissues for Bianca and asked her to return to her seat before taking the te from her hand. The water she spilt had spoiled the food, so Evelyn offered to make a new te for Bianca.

    Bianca left to join the rest of her friends after flipping the bird to Noel.

    Offering an apology to the boy on her friend''s behalf, Evelyn turned to walk away. She flipped her hair as she walked by, and it identally brushed over Noel''s face. He inhaled the fragrance of her hair product and sighed in content as if he had achieved his goal. Hera didn''t miss the dreamy look that crossed Noel''s face when Evelyn smiled at him.

    The boy was eyeing Evelyn as if she was the knight and he was the damsel in distress whom she saved.

    Hera didn''t know who was ying who, but there was something in the air. Noel might be flirting and enjoying Bianca''s attention, but Hera could tell Bianca had some hidden motive behind her actions. She was deliberately picking a fight with the boy every time. Hera thought to warn himter.

    Someone took a seat beside Hera startling her. With a disgusted grimace painted on her face, Hera scowled at the intruder. Unbothered by her unweing gaze, Adide smiled sweetly at her as if they were still on good terms.

    Hera resisted the urge to stab the fork into the girl''s ribcage and swallowed the bite she was chewing. The food suddenly felt like sandpaper brushing over the inside of her throat as Hera remembered how Adide had wrapped her arms around her boyfriend yesterday. Her thoughts strayed back to the days when she met this new girl in her room. Adide seemed so friendly and harmless at first sight.

    <em>''Surely looks can be deceiving.''</em>

    Now Hera understood her motive very well. Her friendship, the concern she showed, the warning about staying away from Hunter, suddenly it all clicked to Hera. Adide was only pretending, or maybe she was trying to create a misunderstanding between Hera and Hunter from the very beginning.

    It shouldn''t have surprised Hera if Adide too wanted Hunter for herself like every other girl in the school did. ra, Noel, Adide, Andrew, Bianca, Samantha, every one of them were ying their own game. Hera realised with a pang that they all had one motive.

    All of them wanted to separate Hera from Hunter.

    Sighing, Hera put down her fork and faced Adide. "I was right, wasn''t I?" Hera asked in a tone filled with disdain. Adide frowned in confusion and looked at Hera questioningly. Heraughed, ridiculing the innocent face the other pulled. "My boyfriend is too hot for you to resist, and you were always a slut," Hera stated and smiled in satisfaction when the girl red in anger.

 Chapter 246 - Spare Her

    With a discontent expression on her face, Hera watched while Adide smirked arrogantly at her before making her way towards Hunter.

    Hera''s sour mood turned into an amused one when she saw what Danny and Hunter were doing. They both counted from one to three on their fingers before they lifted their sses to their mouth together and gulped the in milk in one go. Faces scrunched in a grimace, the two best friends ced the ss on the table and wiped their mouths with the back of their hands. Their every move was synchronising.

    Danny and Hunter resembled the two cute little kids who disliked milk but would still drink it anyway so that they wouldn''t upset their dear mother.

    <em>''God bless them. Their friendship should stay intact and untainted, no matter what.''</em>

    Hera made a wish.

    "I''m exhausted, Hera.. I''ll head to bed early," Abby suddenly excused herself when she saw Danny and Hunter pushing their chairs back, ready to leave. She knew Hunter woulde to their table to speak to Hera. Abby didn''t have the guts to face Danny yet, so she left in a hurry without waiting for Hera''s reply.

    Even though Abby was out of earshot already, Hera still muttered a goodnight to her.

    Abby bumped into Eric on her way. Thetter was heading towards Hera with his ss of milk and barely managed from spilling it when the girl walked into him. "Hey," he yelled and was about to scold but changed his mind when he saw the distressed look on her face. "You look terribly ugly with that mourning expression. What''s wrong, Alligator? Is everything okay?" Eric asked in a concerned tone.

    Abby nodded frantically, eyes darting towards Danny now and then. "Too many assignments. Just tired and sleepy, goodnight," Abby bbered nervously and marched towards the exit. Eric frowned at her strange behaviour and walked to Hera''s table. "Pixie, I missed you," he said, pinching Hera''s cheek. Hera swatted his hand away and red at him when she saw his untasted ss of milk.

    "Don''t you dare, Eric!" Hera warned. "Firstly, the smell of honey in it makes me want to puke and secondly, I''ll suffer from loose motion if I drink two sses of milk at the same time," she said, whining and made Ericugh. "Ew, that sounds gross," Michael said,ing behind her. "Why do you fear when I''m here, baby girl?" he asked and winked at Hera. There was a big goofy grin stretching on his lips.

    Eyebrows arched in curiosity, Hera watched while Michael took her ss of milk along with his own. He went to the table next to Hera''s and ced one ss on it. The girls sitting in a group smiled at him excitedly. "For you," Michael said to no one in particr, but all of them thanked him in unison. Hera didn''t miss the dreamy sigh they all let out when he shot a flying kiss in their way.

    Michael moved to another table upied by junior boys and ced the other ss in front of them, ordering them to share it. None of the boys dared to disobey him. Hera remembered the days when Michael used to bully her. Now she didn''t find it offensive, maybe because she was not at the receiving end.

    Though Hera sympathised with the juniors getting bullied by him, she couldn''t help but smile fondly at Michael. He seemed to appear cuter day by day. He wasn''t a bully anymore but a naughty, mischievous kid in Hera''s eyes.

    Still smiling, Hera shifted her attention back to Eric. "See," she said, pointing at Michael. "Go find someone else to bully as he did and spare me," she said, throwing her hands in the air in a dramatic gesture. Ericughed at her cuteness and kissed her on the cheek. "Will do, Pixie," he said and left.

    Meanwhile, Adide blocked Hunter''s way. Biting her lips in distress, Hera wondered what the bitch was up to and watched the scene. She couldn''t hear what the girl was saying, but she was smiling too big, much to Hera''s annoyance.

    Adide was only thanking Hunter for the help he offered yesterday. She was dragging with the show of her appreciation, and it was visible on Hunter''s face how much she was annoying him. "Not a problem. I would''ve done it for any stranger," Hunter said. He was polite to her only because he was student council president. It was his responsibility to listen and remedy students'' problems after all.

    Testing the water, Adide leaned closer and dared to nt a kiss on Hunter''s cheek, offering her gratitude. Her hands held onto his arms for support as she was standing on her toes.

    "Fucking bitch! How dare she?" Hera cursed aloud and crossed the table to go to Hunter. She so wanted to rip the girl''s hair out and p her until her cheek would swell. Suddenly out of nowhere, a hand clutched her arm in a tight grip, restricting her from moving ahead. Hera turned to re at the culprit and met with Noel. "Not now, Noel," Hera warned, gritting her teeth. Her face was already flushed red with anger.

    "What''s the rush, Hera? It''s not like your boyfriend isn''t enjoying it," Noel said, taunting her. Hera fixed him with a death re. "You fucking bastard, let me go if you don''t want to die today," she threatened, forcing the words out through her clenched teeth.

    Behind Hera, Hunter fumed in anger. He yanked his hands away from Adide''s grip. Cowering in fear, Adide took a step back at the sudden change in his attitude. "First andst warning, don''t you dare cross the line again," Hunter warned threateningly. He was so friendly a while ago and suddenly became so intimidating within seconds, Adide regretted pissing him off.

    Inclining her head repeatedly, she apologised and faked a smile before walking towards the exit. She pretended to limp, hoping his wrath would diminish due to pity. She was burning with anger from inside. It was so humiliating. Everyone saw how Hunter put her in her ce, and she didn''t miss how Samantha''s eyes shot daggers at her.

    Adide was worried more about Hera''s reaction. She might''ve seen everything and would beughing at Adide now.

    <em>''A day wille, Hera. I''ll make him want me. Just wait and watch.''</em>

    She vowed while she took thest step away from the dining hall.

    Michael''s hand gripped Noel''s and forced him to release Hera''s arm. His fist rammed into Noel''s jaw, and thetter fell on the floor with a groan. "Didn''t I tell you not to touch her, you bastard," Michael spat the words at him. He was about to kick the boy in the ribs when Hera held his hand and pulled him back. "Mike, leave him alone," Heramanded and surprisingly, Michael obeyed.

    Eric offered his hand for Noel to take. Thetter hesitated but couldn''t dare to decline the help. Eric pulled him to his feet and straightened the boy''s shirt cor. Though Eric didn''t use the words, Noel read the silent warning his eyes conveyed.

    Hera turned around but found Adide nowhere. Sighing in anger, she looked at Hunter. Their eyes met, and they moved their feet at the same time. Samantha chose the moment to pretend to trip and grabbed onto Hunter''s arm. He moved in a sh to help her and prevented her fall by holding her waist in a tight grip.

    <em>''Ah, seriously?''</em>

    Hera rolled her eyes, and so did Michael and Eric. They all saw through Samantha''s purpose.

    "Be careful, Sam. Come here," Bianca said, pulling Samantha away from Hunter as soon as Hera reached them. Danny left with Evelyn while Michael and Eric followed, leaving Hunter and Hera alone.

    "You''re supposed to help me win Ace''s heart. I''m so grateful you''re helping so much by taking me away from him," Samantha grumbled sarcastically. Bianca rolled her eyes and dragged her out of the dining hall. "Try winning his heart when he''s away from Hera. You''ll only piss him off if you meddle when he''s with her," Bianca reasoned cleverly.

    Hera pressed her palms against Hunter''s front and back pockets while touching his thighs and his backside in the process. Surprised at her sudden bold move, Hunter moved away and held her wrists to stop her advancing hands. "What are you doing, Goddess?" he asked, sounding shocked. "Searching for my choctes," Hera answered with a shrug.

    Rolling his eyes, Hunter said he didn''t have any. Hera narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him and involuntarily checked him out. He wore khaki shorts and a white V-neck T-shirt. His pockets did seem empty except for his cell phone. "You don''t gift me enough sweets these days," Hera used, pouting at him.

    Hunter grinned and grabbed a few tissues from the table behind him. "You just ate an apple tart, Goddess," he stated, wiping the crumbs smeared around her lips.

    "Keep pouting, and you''ll only tempt me more to kiss you here in front of everyone," Hunter warned teasingly. Hera scoffed at him in disapproval and took a step back. "Firstly, we''re in public, so no open disy of affection, and secondly, you''re not allowed to kiss me after letting that bitch kiss you anyway," Hera said dismissively. Hunter clicked his tongue and moved closer.

    "And who''s going to stop me?" he asked, sounding too arrogant for Hera''s liking. "Since I own these lips," Hera said, pointing at her mouth, "I think I have the right to decline," she decided. Hunter smirked at her, daring her to stop him.

 Chapter 247 - Sharing The Same Brain Cell

    The cold and dry crisp weather felt pleasant, and the quietness surrounding them was peaceful. Hunter shoved his hands into the pockets of his shorts and rxed his shoulders while Hera wrapped her arms around her front and walked beside Hunter. They were strolling in the backside of the premises away from the prying eyes.

    Opening her mouth, Hera blew out a puff of cloud smoke and giggling to herself, kept repeating the process, relishing in the foging out of her mouth. Hunter let out breathyughter at her childishness. "We can go back if you''re feeling cold," Hunter suggested, but Hera shook her head. She was enjoying their alone time, just the two of them with no one to plot against them or disturb their peace.

    Hera pulled Hunter towards the stone bench on the side, and they sat next to each other. Hunter took her small hand into hisrge one and locked their fingers. Smiling at his gesture, Hera rested her head on his shoulder and inhaled, filling her lungs with the fresh oxygen. The lovely flowers blooming in the nearby garden engulfed the air with their exquisite fragrance.

    "Are you going to fight me if I say I want you to stay away from that Russel guy?" Hunter suddenly asked, surprising Hera.. Instead of stating ormanding her to do his bidding, he requested her in a gentle voice. Hera smiled but didn''t answer him right away, her thoughts straying back to the earlier incident, silently analysing Adide and Noel''s act.

    It was a strange coincidence that Adide kissed Hunter in front of Hera''s eyes, and Noel chose that exact moment to distract her. It was clear he intended to keep her engaged so that she wouldn''t interfere with whatever Adide had nned.

    "There''s something about him that rubs me up the wrong way. I don''t get positive vibes around him," Hunter said, breaking Hera''s chain of thoughts. Hera looked at him, drawn by the worry and suspicion coating his voice. They both shared a simr opinion about Noel.

    Hera smiled to herself before leaning up to nt a kiss on his mouth. "Are you jealous," Hera asked to lighten the mood as she noticed how worried Hunter seemed. Thetter bumped the side of his head to hers yfully. "I am," he admitted, surprising Hera. "But it''s not just that. I genuinely don''t trust him," he added. Hera felt the same about Adide.

    Hunter seemed thoughtful for a few seconds before he spoke again. "What about that girl who kissed me? Do they know each other or something?" he asked. Hera''s eyebrows arched up, touching her fringe.

    <em>''Oh! We share the same brain cell!</em>

    Hera thought amusedly.

    "I remember Mike saying that Russel has asked you to help him with a girl. Is she that girl?" Hunter asked, already knowing the answer. Hera thought about her first meeting with the boy in question. He had lied to Michael to save himself when he was getting beaten up by Hunter''s friends. Hera kept her mouth shut and didn''t tell Hunter how Noel had used Adide as his escape.

    However, it seemed her genius boyfriend didn''t need her rification on the matter. "Obviously, it was a lie," Hunter stated. "They have sort of an understanding between them," he guessed. His gut feeling insisted that Noel and Adide had nned everything. It couldn''t be a mere coincidence that the girl who hurt his ankle had dared to kiss him in front of Hera without any hidden motive.

    Hunter knew how naive and innocent his Hera was. It was too easy to influence Hera''s mind or deceive her heart, and people around her always took undue advantage of her goodness. Noel seemed a threat, and Hunter couldn''t ignore the warning bells his intuition kept ringing.

    Meanwhile, Hera grinned, impressed by her boyfriend''s brain. Ever the observant, he had noticed how Noel had stopped her when Adide kissed him and had put two and two together. "He won''t hurt me, Hunter. I''ll be careful, okay and don''t worry," Hera said, sensing the stir of restlessness inside him.

    Hera unlocked her phone and held it before them after opening the camera. She ced her lips on Hunter''s cheek and stayed there in the same position to capture the image in her phone. Hunter smiled at the camera while Hera clicked the picture. Surprised by the background showing on the screen, she turned to nce over her shoulder. Behind them, the moon was round and full, shining bright.

    "It looks so beautiful!" she wondered aloud. Hunter kissed her on the cheek and agreed, "Yes, so beautiful."

    Hera didn''t have to look at him to know that he wasn''t talking about the moon. She could feel his eyes on her. She wound her arms around his midsection, and Hunter''s went around her shoulder.

    "We should head back. You''ll get cold, and I don''t even have a jacket to keep you warm," Hunter said regretfully. Hera giggled and hugged him tighter. "You''re my warmest and safest nket," Hera dered, making Hunterugh. "You''re so cheesy," he taunted her. "You love me anyway," Hera stated smugly, and Hunter nodded. "That I do," he agreed.

    "Hunter," Hera looked at him to know she had his attention. "You''ve asked so many questions this evening. Now it''s my turn," she said. Hunter hummed, inclining his head, a gesture for her to go ahead. She slid her hand into his pocket, searching his phone, and Hunter leaned his torso back and stretched his leg so that she could easily pull it out.

    Hera opened his Instagram and showed him what Samantha had done without his knowledge. He frowned at the recent posts but didn''t say anything. He seemed unbothered, much to Hera''s annoyance. "Does she know your password?" Hera asked stupidly.

    <em>''How else would she have opened his phone lock?''</em>

    Her mind screamed, mocking her.

    "I suppose it wasn''t that hard to guess my password since everyone knows my obsession with you," Hunter answered, flicking his finger on her cheek. Hera scowled, unimpressed by his reply and whined at the stinging on her cheek. She pinched his arm harshly in retaliation while Hunter hissed at the pain.

    "What if someone stole your phone, or you somehow lost it? They could go through your personal information or stuff saved on your phone," Hera tried to reason with her exnation. She scowled in resentment when Hunterughed at her. "Goddess, how would strangers know my password to unlock and check my stuff?" he asked, unintentionally making fun of her.

    Hera puffed her cheeks, exhaling her frustration out. He had a point, but Hera wasn''t talking about strangers. She couldn''t trust Samantha not to do something to create a misunderstanding between them.

    "It''s not something you should ignore, Hunter. What Samantha did was wrong, using your phone without your permission. If I didn''t see her doing it with my own eyes, I would''ve thought you did it," Hera tried to warn him. Hunter bit the inside of his cheek and sighed. "You have nothing to worry or get jealous of, Goddess," he said, igniting the anger inside Hera.

    Moving away from his embrace, Hera red at him. "Why does your genius brain choose to turn dumb when ites to Bianca or Samantha?" Hera asked indignantly. She couldn''t resist raising her voice. "I''m not jealous of her. I''m worried and scared that she would do something to break us apart," Hera admitted timidly.

    She tried to exin how she thought he was the one who liked all her pictures and reposted them on his profile. She reminded him that Samantha still pretended as his girlfriend and how it bothered her so much.

    Hunter''s gaze softened as he pulled her back into his arms.

    "I know, Goddess, I know. Please don''t let it bother you. Samantha can only pretend, but it would nevere true, and you know it," Hunter promised, assuring her in a softer tone. "So let her be. It doesn''t matter. What difference would it make?" he asked but continued without waiting for her reply.

    "She doesn''t want to lose her title or status or whatever it is. She seems disturbed and needs time toe to terms with the truth," Hunter exined. Hera shook her head, not satisfied with his excuses. She knew Hunter had the good intention at heart and didn''t want to upset or hurt his friend, but Hera could see how Samantha was using it to fulfil her selfish motives.

    "It''s not something a person with a healthy mind would do," Hera stated. "At this point, she is ready to do everything regardless of right or wrong. Samantha wants to steal you away from me. I just know," Hera admitted, sounding defeated. Hunter didn''t like how hurt and scared Hera seemed. He kissed her on the forehead and thought about how to remedy the problem.

    "I don''t want to change my password," Hunter said. He had always kept the same password. Hera already knew Hunter wouldn''t change it because his password was her birthdate. "But I''ll be careful with my phone from now on," he promised her. "And I''ll speak to Samantha about what she did behind my back," he added in assurance. Hera sighed in relief.

    "It''s not that I don''t trust you. I''m just," Hera paused, not finding the right word to express her fears. "Goddess, my heart, body and soul are signed and sealed in your name forever. No one can take me away from you," Hunter dered. Hera couldn''t stop the smile that adorned her lips as well as her eyes.

    "I love you," she whispered before Hunter sealed their lips together.

 Chapter 248 - Dirty Talking

    "Is everything ready?" Hunter spoke into the phone impatiently. He was asking Jessica if she had managed to arrange the visa for Hera yet. He heard her sigh from the other end and could tell she was rolling her eyes when she teased him for being so impatient. Hunter chuckled sheepishly when Jessica yfully scolded, asking him to stop dancing around her head.

    "It takes at least three weeks for the authorities to approve everything, and you''re asking me to arrange it within a day," Jessica said in an incredulous tone. "And you want me to keep it from your father, and Mathew isn''t here. I need to be careful with everything, or your father will kill me," sheined in disapproval, but there was a hint of a smile in her tone.

    Jessica knew if she messed up with Hunter''s security, Mathew and Dave would have her head for dinner even before Alexander could kill her. She had to be extra cautious while pulling the strings at the embassy. She assured Hunter not to worry as she would manage everything in time. Thanking her, Hunter hung up.

    <em>''Day two passed and three more days to go..''</em>

    Hunter thought, smiling to himself.

    They will fly to New York this Friday evening. With that thought lingering on his mind, he walked out of his room with his friends.

    Hera waste for breakfast today. Hunter guessed she might have overslept. He finished eating and left before she coulde to the dining hall. He messaged her to inform the same.

    Hera finished her shower and just walked out of the bathroom when her phone lit up with Hunter''s message notifications.

    <strong><em>From Devil: </em></strong>

    <strong><em>Good morning sleepy head. Get your cute ass out of bed already. You''rete.</em></strong>

    Hera scowled at the jab, but soon her mouth twisted in a humourous smile. She quickly typed her reply and sent it.

    <em><strong>From Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Huh, how wrong you are, Mr Wrong. </strong></em>

    She grinned at her choice of words.

    <strong><em>From Goddess:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I just came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. I finished showering already. </em></strong>

    Hunter''s reply came faster than she expected after her second message.

    <em><strong>From Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Damn, why am I not in your room when you''re d just in a tiny towel?</strong></em>

    Hera rolled her eyes and giggled. She could hear him whining through the message.

    <strong><em>From Goddess:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I don''t know, maybe because you''re busy shoving the food down your throat without me.</em></strong>

    Hera answered his question.

    <em><strong>From Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Or I can shove something else down your throat.</strong></em>

    Hunter grinned, knowing Hera wouldn''t guess the meaning behind his words. He was leaning against the newel post while his friends sat on the tread of the stairs. Samantha was keenly observing his reaction to the messages and knew he was texting Hera.

    On the other side, as Hunter expected, Hera scowled at the message, not understanding the dirty meaning hidden behind his words.

    Hera clicked a picture of her middle finger and attached it along with her message.

    <strong><em>From Goddess:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>I don''t know what you meant, but I can guess it''s supposed to be something dirty. </em></strong>

    Hunter chuckled at her reply.

    Michael peeked behind him, reading the messages. He scrunched up his face in disgust. "Ew, really, Bro? So early in the morning? Give a little break to your dirty mind," Michael said before ncing at Danny. "You should see what he just said to Hera," he said while Ericughed, already knowing it was something Danny wouldn''t want to discuss. Danny scowled and looked away, ignoring what Michael said.

    Hunter shoved Michael away and flipped him off, moving to the other side.

    A girl gang standing a few feet away from their group were giggling so loud. One of the girls from their group tried hard to catch Eric''s attention for so long, and he finally noticed. He shot her a wink, and the girl blushed, tucking her stray hair behind her ear.

    Bianca scowled in disapproval when Eric looked at Michael, silently signalling him to go with him. Michael was too pleased to join him. Bianca caught Michael''s wrist and warned him through her eyes not to go.

    However, Eric didn''t give Michael a chance to pay attention to Bianca''s death re. He dragged him along with him and went to talk to the girls. Pursing her lips into a thin line, Bianca pulled Evelyn to her feet, forcing her to apany her to the restroom. "At this rate, I can''t even keep a record anymore. Don''t they get tired of this shit?" Bianca muttered under her breath, increasing her pace.

    Danny was busy messaging someone on his phone.

    Meanwhile, Samantha scoffed at Hunter, who still had his eyes glued to his phone. Lost in his own world, he was grinning like an idiot. She walked to the bulletin board behind Hunter and checked the gossip column.

    Hunter typed another message for Hera.

    <em><strong>From Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Here''s the hint for you, Goddess. It has something to do with my gun and your pretty mouth. </strong></em>

    He added a wink and sent the message.

    Still wrapped in her towel, Hera fell on her back on the bed. Heat spread across her neck, travelling up her ears and reaching her cheeks. She blushed hard as she realised what he meant. Wetting her lips with her tongue, she swallowed her saliva.

    <strong><em>From Goddess:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>You''re so shameless. How will I face you and look into your eyes after this? It''s so embarrassing. How do I unsee this?</em></strong>

    Hunter smiled, amused by her reply. Another message chimed in instantly.

    <em><strong>From Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m noting to breakfast until you leave. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>From Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>You cane and eat. I already left. </strong></em>

    <strong><em>What a shame, though, you missed your ''good morning kiss''. </em></strong>

    <em><strong>And why is it embarrassing? Are you visualising the scene already?</strong></em>

    Hera groaned, covering her face with her palms. She felt feverishly hot, sweating all over. Cursing at her perverted boyfriend''s shameless tactics, she typed herst message.

    <em><strong>From Goddess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Get your mind out of the gutter, Lucifer and leave me alone to get dressed in peace. I''m gettingte, and I don''t want another detention. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>From Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Trust me, Goddess, it''ll be your forever favourite dessert once you taste it.</strong></em>

    Hera red at the screen, grinding her teeth in annoyance. She sighed while her fingers rushed over the keypad hurriedly.

    <strong><em>From Goddess:</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Hunter, it''s gross. I''lle and puke literally on your dick if you don''t shut your dirty mouth. </em></strong>

    Hunter was fast to type his reply, much to Hera''s annoyance. He couldn''t stopughing at his own wittyeback and wished he could see the expression on Hera''s face right now.

    <em><strong>From Devil:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>It''s okay, Goddess. We can work on your gag reflex. Keep in mind that practice would eventually make it perfect. </strong></em>

    Hera read the message, and her mouth dropped open in disbelief.

    <em>''Huh, the audacity! Asshole thinks he''s the smartest one.''</em>

    Shaking her head in distaste, Hera turned her phone off and shoved it inside her backpack before grabbing her uniform to get dressed. She didn''t reply because she knew she couldn''t win against him when he was flirting or dirty talking.

    When he understood that Hera wouldn''t reply anymore, Hunter pocketed his phone and turned to see Danny had disappeared, and so did his other friends. However, Samantha was still there. Leaning against the wall beside the bulletin board, she waited for him.

    "Have you seen this?" she asked, pointing to the gossip column. There was a sly smile on her face, eyes glinting wickedly. Hunter frowned when he saw Hera''s name. It irked Samantha how he kept his face void of emotions after reading it. But she knew he wasn''t pleased with the news of Hera getting along with ra.

    What she didn''t know was that the mention of Samantha as his girlfriend pissed him the most. It reminded him of how it bothered Hera.

    "What you did yesterday with my phone was uneptable, Sam," Hunter said, causing Samantha''s eyes to widen in surprise. She didn''t expect him to broach that topic so suddenly, and she never thought he would question her for using his phone. She frowned, pretending clueless but Hunter was in no mood to buy her bullshit.

    "Please don''t use my phone without my permission and especially for posting things on my Instagram without my knowledge," he said harshly, anger shing in his eyes. Samantha didn''t think he would notice the new posts she made from his ount. He hardly used his social media ounts. She knew Hunter only opened it when wants to post something. He was never interested in other people''s posts.

    <em>''Of course, Hera told him. How did I forget the little bitch saw my post?''</em>

    Samantha knew opening her mouth to lie would only invite trouble for her. So instead, she pulled a hurt puppy face and pretended to be guilty. Lowering her eyes, she apologised, sounding timid. A tear or two rolled down her cheeks, and Hunter cursed inwardly. He didn''t need any more drama from her now. Brushing his fingers through his hair, Hunter sighed in frustration.

    "I don''t appreciate when people do things behind my back. You know me, Samantha, I can''t stand double-faced people. I hate it when friends betray each other. Hera could have misunderstood me," Hunter said through his gritted teeth and tried hard not tosh out at her. "I thought I cleared everythingst time when I said, you and I are never going to happen. Please respect my decision," he said, sounding too exasperated.

    Curling her fingers into closed fists, Samantha clenched her jaw and nodded her wordless agreement without looking at him.

 Chapter 249 - They Are Not Siblings

    When Samantha left, Hunter read the gossip column once again. Adide, Samantha, ra and Hera, out of all the four names linked to him, only one mattered to Hunter. He understood what Samantha was trying to point out. She wanted to show him Hera''s budding closeness to ra.

    Hunter realised what Hera said about Samantha was right. He couldn''t afford to trust her anymore and risk losing Hera. Clearly, she was trying to create misunderstandings between them by posting those pictures using his phone yesterday and now by showing this gossip news to him.

    It didn''t surprise him that Hera was rekindling her friendship with ra. He had noticed how the other girl lingered around Hera these days. Be it Samantha, or ra, or that new girl, all turned out to be vicious snakes in Hunter''s eyes. None of them was trustworthy.

    Hunter took out his pen from the breast pocket of his uniform jacket and wrote "Fuck off" on the gossip column as his response before he signed his name under it..

    He checked his wristwatch and noted he still had time to visit Hera before going to the assembly.

    He whipped his phone out once again. Opening his Instagram app, he changed the settings from private ount to public, making his profile visible to everyone. He knew his face value and his poprity as the school''s heartthrob. Within seconds, the number of his followers blew up as so many people kept following his ount.

    Going through his picture gallery, he selected one of his favourite photos. It was something very personal and dear to him, one of his favourite memories. It wasn''t for the public to show off, yet he decided to reveal it to the world to see.

    It was a picture of Hera kissing his cheek during their first official date at the resort. It was their first picture when Hera decided to include him in the frame after clicking random pictures of everything around them.

    <em><strong>The sweetest and the prettiest girlfriend ever. Isn''t her boyfriend lucky?</strong></em>

    Hunter wrote the caption under the picture, adding a few heart emoticons next to it.

    He didn''t need to announce his break-up with his pretend girlfriend anymore. After this Instagram post, everyone would automatically learn Samantha was no longer with him. The whole school would discover that Hera and Hunter were dating, and Hera was now officially his girlfriend.

    As expected, it didn''t take more than a few seconds for the likes andments to pour in. Some said they make a beautiful pair, while somemented how gorgeous Hunter''s girlfriend looked. Some envied them that they had each other. Someined that they would never get a chance to be his girlfriend or her boyfriend.

    Smiling in satisfaction, Hunter chose one more picture from his favourite collection.

    It was a picture of him with Hera in his arms, surrounded by his dogs, a precious memory from the night when they stayed at his grandmother''s old ce after his date with his Goddess.

    He uploaded the picture with another lovely caption.

    <em><strong>Life with the love of my life, she makes everything around beautiful. </strong></em>

    He didn''t bother to check thements and replies after that because he knew it would serve the purpose. He decided to keep the ount public for another ten minutes before he made it private again. Pocketing his phone, he walked away.

    Hera was almost ready. She only had to tie her hair into a ponytail. Collecting her hair into her left hand, Hera rummaged through her desk drawer with her free hand, searching for the hair tie. She nced behind her when someone pushed the door open. Leaning on the doorframe, Hunter winked at her before grinning.

    Hera scowled at him in greeting. "I thought I said I don''t want to see you any sooner," sheined. Her scowl transformed into a pleased grin as soon as she noticed the paper bag in his hand. "You brought me a gift?" she asked excitedly. Hunter walked inside, kicking the door behind him. He ced the said gift on her bed and pulled the chair to sit. He watched while Hera hurriedly tied her hair into a tight ponytail.

    "It looks a bit longer now. Did it grow an inch or two?" Hunter asked, touching the tip of her hair when Hera sat on her bed. Thetter rolled her eyes. "Doesn''t your genius brain know that hair grows about half-inch per month on average?" Hera asked, her tone teasing him. Hunter scowled, unimpressed by the taunt. "If your hair is healthy and gets all the right supplements, then it grows faster," Hunter stated in his know-it-all tone.

    Ignoring him, Hera peeked into the paper bag and grinned from ear to ear. "You werete. So I brought you breakfast," Hunter said, helping her with taking out the contents inside the bag. Hera opened the stic containers to reveal toasted cheese sandwiches, cheesy scalloped potatoes, and cookie dough cheesecake.

    Delighted at the gesture, Hera leapt to her feet and hugged Hunter, whispering her thanks in his ear. She was about to kiss his mouth when Hunter leaned back, avoiding the collision of their lips. pping at his chest, Hera pouted in disappointment. "I didn''t get to see you in a towel, and you won''t get to kiss me. Fair game," Hunter said, shrugging his shoulders.

    Hera stared incredulously.

    Ignoring her disappointed pout, Hunter pointed at the food, ordering her to eat. Fluttering hershes, she looked at him expectantly. When it didn''t work, she red at her boyfriend. "Sulking and pouting will only waste more of your time, and you''ll bete for the assembly, resulting in your inevitable detention," Hunter stated matter-of-factly.

    "Asshole," Hera muttered, going back to her bed. Still ring daggers at him, she picked up the stic fork and the container with the cheesecake. Inside, she found the messenger note neatly ced at the side. She took it out carefully, not messing it with the sticky substance inside and read it in her mind.

    <strong><em>Beloved Goddess,</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Since youined about me not gifting you enough sweets these days, here it is.</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Please ept my apology gift. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>I''m sorry for keeping you away from the much-needed sugar rush for so long. (P.S. Note the sarcasm.) </em></strong>

    Hera bit her lip to hide her smile but knew it was a wasted attempt. A grin spread across her lips, recing the sulky frown on her face.

    She lifted hershes to look at him, only to find him already staring at her. Love poured out from both his affectionate eyes and his fond smile. Hera sighed as she felt warm and contented.

    Suddenly a thought crossed Hera''s mind, and she immediately decided to bring it into action. Taking a huge bite out of her sandwich, she forcefully shoved a piece of potato into Hunter''s mouth. cing the container on the table, she brought her hairbrush from the dresser. Hunter whined in protest while Hera brushed his hair. She swatted his hands away when he tried to stop her.

    Groaning, he dropped his shoulders in defeat and let her do whatever she wanted. Hera managed to gather his hair from the front to the back of his head and secured it with a ck thin rubber band, tying his hair into a half ponytail. Hunter silently stared as she searched for her ck scarf in her drawer. She tied it around his head, using it as a bandana.

    Hera stood back to survey her handiwork. Her eyebrows shot up while her lips tugged downwards, impressed. Hera nodded in approval and giggled before pulling him to the mirror. "You look so hot," she stated. "Don''t you dare take it off," she warned when he tried. Her boyfriend didn''t dare disobey and nodded his silent agreement.

    "I always wonder why we look alike," Hera said out loud. "You know, with our same square jaw, nose, lips, and smile resembling and now with the same hairstyle, we almost look like siblings," Hera said, seeming astonished. Hunter scowled in displeasure, a grimace spreading over his handsome face. He held her arms with his hands and moved her away from his face.

    Hera followed as he walked back to her bed and retrieved the container from the table. Before Hera could say something, he shoved a forkful of cheesecake into her open mouth. "Don''t open your mouth to spout nonsense. Now shove the food down your throat without wasting time," he scolded. Hera lowered hershes, blushing as it reminded her of their earlier conversation through text messages.

    "Did your little brain forget what I told you years ago on your fifth birthday?" Hunter asked but continued without waiting for her answer. "We''re made for each other. We share everything simr, including ourst name, because we are husband and wife, and we''re not siblings," he dered, his face contorting in disgust at thest word as if it coated his tongue with something acidic.

    Rolling her eyes at his overreaction, Hera discarded the stic fork and started eating with her hand, nodding her head now and then, letting him know that she was listening.

    Hunter''s expression seemed thoughtful before he asked his question. "Have I told you about the psychology behind the couples who look alike?"

    Hera frowned at his question, searching her brain for the answer. However, Hunter spoke before she could reply. "It''s likely a subconscious process, but people naturally gravitate toward people who are familiar, even if they''re not explicitly aware of it," he started exining everything in detail. His passion for learning new things every day never ceased to amaze her.

    <em>''Is there anything he doesn''t know about?'' </em>

    Hera wondered.

 Chapter 250 - Her Monster Boyfriend

    "We''re familiar with our own appearance, and seeing people who share simr traits lead to more liking for that reason. ording to research experts, that''s how people get attracted to each other," Hunter was saying.

    Hera knew he wouldn''t appreciate it if she cut him off in the middle when he was speaking about something with so much enthusiasm, especially when he was sharing his knowledge. So she listened. Not that the topic was boring or something, but it irked her every time he mentioned the name of each research expert, coating their exact words about the subject they researched.

    "ording to a recent research report, people may get attracted to potential partners whoe from simr ancestry. So we are attracted to people who resemble our parents or ourselves. It''s not just familiarity. People are more self-centred than they like to admit when ites to attraction, and they are overwhelmingly more interested in people who are simr to them," Hunter exined.

    Hera licked her fingers noisily, attracting Hunter''s attention. It distracted him effectively, and he paused, momentarily forgetting what he was saying. He noticed the discarded fork and grimaced at her in disapproval.. Hera grinned, repeating the action and ran her tongue over her lips, licking it clean. Hunter sighed and looked away.

    "You can kiss me, you know. I don''t mind," Hera said, teasing him and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. She took advantage of his surprised state and kissed him before he could avoid her lips. She smiled against his mouth when he groaned before giving up and returning the kiss.

    Hunter clicked his tongue in disapproval when he broke the kiss. Scolding her for distracting him, he righted his shirt and jacket. Hera giggled, cooing at his flushed face. "Finish it," Hunter said, pointing to the remaining food. "And don''t bete," he warned before exiting her room. He heard her giggles behind the door and smiled to himself before walking towards the assembly.

    Hera''s lips twitched in tiny as she tried to smile when all her friends waved at her in greeting. At this point, it had be nothing more than a pretended formality. She wondered if this awkwardness would ever go away, and they would return to their previous familiarity with each other. ra seemed to be veryfortable, though, when she smiled at Hera, bright and weing.

    As though she never hated Hera''s existence before.

    The more ra smiled these days, the more Hera''s anxiety grew.

    Hera took her seat and ced her bag on the desk, taking out her book and pencil. Her thoughts pulled her back to her conversation with ra. Hera waited for the right time to speak to Hunter about it, but the moment never came. Three more days and Hunter would leave for New York. Hera didn''t want to ruin their happy time by bringing up the topic.

    She also had to take care of Danny''s situation. She still hadn''t figured out how to decline Hunter''s offer. Would it be alright if she kept her mouth shut till Friday and refused to board the flight at thest minute? Then Hunter wouldn''t be able to force her, and neither would he have time to fight with her. It seemed to be the best idea in her mind.

    Hera sighed, praying for strength and courage.

    She was thankful when their English teacher walked into the ss. She asked about the assignment Hunter gave them in the detention ss. Hera had done her homework, and proudly she submitted it to the teacher.

    In the next ss, the Physics teacher kept her mind upied while Hera obediently tried to grasp everything about numerical to her best ability and took notes.

    As the day progressed, she couldn''t help but imagine different scenarios about Hunter''s reaction to her decision. At lunch, Noel didn''te to bother her. Hera was not in the mood to tolerate him anyway. She was alone in the ssroom, lost in her thoughts, toying with the food in her lunchbox.

    Her day was precisely going normal until ra appeared in front of her again.

    "You''re here. I searched the whole school for you," ra said, forcing the words out, her voice sounding raspy and exhausted. Bending her upper body, she held her knees, and Hera observed her dishevelled appearance. The girl''s face was flushed red, her eyes watery, and she was panting heavily, taking short quick breaths through her mouth. Her face, her hair and her uniform top were drenched in sweat.

    It seemed as if she hade running all the way to find Hera. Thetter wondered why, though. As if she had something important to convey. As if she carried tragic news that weighed her shoulders down. When she finally straightened her posture and faced Hera, thetter noticed her red-rimmed eyes as if she had been crying. The new set of tears rolled down her cheeks, proving Hera''s observation right.

    "ra, what happened? Are you okay?" Hera asked, moving out of her chair to reach the other girl. ra wiped her tears, brushing her fingers over her cheeks in frustration. Hera noticed how the sadness in her eyes suddenly changed into cold fury. Hera was taken aback by the anger directed at her.

    <em>''For God''s sake, I didn''t even do anything.''</em>

    Hera clenched her teeth and took a step back, annoyed at ra''s unfair behaviour towards her.

    "I don''t need your pity, so don''t pretend as if you care," ra spat the words at Hera. "If you cared, you wouldn''t have fought so hard to protect him even after knowing what he did. You would''ve left him the moment I revealed his true face to you if you cared one bit," ra used harshly.

    Clueless, Hera frowned at her and shook her head. ""Then why do youe and bother me in the first ce? Enough of the bullshit, ra. Please leave me alone," Hera snapped and packed her things to leave the room. She couldn''t even eat her lunch. She was tired of all the usations and hatred. Why wouldn''t they leave her alone? She wasn''t even interfering in their lives anymore.

    <em>''God, please let me have a peaceful day for once.''</em>

    Hera turned around, eyes fixed on the door. She couldn''t wait to get away from ra''s vicinity. She cursed when ra held her hand, stopping her against her will.

    "Leave you alone?" ra asked in disbelief andughed humourlessly. "Wish I could, Hera. But how can I when everything that happens in our lives directly connects to you?" She asked, jabbing her pointer finger at Hera''s chest. "You''re the root cause of everything, remember?" she used again, dering Hera guilty of the things she didn''t do.

    Hera kept quiet as she knew it would serve no purpose. ra had set her mind, and nothing would change her attitude towards Hera.

    "First, it was Nate, and then me. After me it was Andrew. Now It''s Noel. I told you to leave the poor boy alone. But of course, you never listen, do you?" ra uttered each word with so much venom, Hera flinched. "How many people are going to suffer because of you, Hera? I''m sick and tired of asking the same question because nothing ever changes when you''re involved," sheshed out and closed her eyes as if she was the one exhausted.

    Tears poured down her cheeks as she sobbed. Hera had witnessed her break down in the past when she cried for Nathan two years ago. ra was full-on ugly crying, and it scared Hera. "Please tell me what happened, ra? Why are you so upset?" Hera dared to ask and touched the girl''s shoulder hesitatingly. ra jerked back as if electrocuted by her touch. She blinked rapidly and looked around as if making sure where she was.

    Hera silently stared while ra''s eyes widened as if she remembered something awful. She hastily wiped her tears and looked out of the door. She cursed herself after realising that she had wasted enough time. "What happened, you ask?" ra said, gritting her teeth. "Your monster of a boyfriend is what happened," she announced, much to Hera''s frustration. Grinding her teeth, Hera red at the girl.

    "What now, ra? What else did you forget to add to the list of your usations?" Hera asked mockingly. ra smiled, but it didn''t hold any warmth in it. Instead, it generated the chill so harsh, Hera felt the cold seeping deep into her bones. She leaned closer,ing face to face with Hera. "That freak attacked Noel and is beating him to death right now," ra informed, her voice low yet emphasising each word.

    Hera gasped in shock, her eyes widening in disbelief. Scoffing at her reaction, ra walked to the door. "Come and stop your boyfriend before he kills him too," ra spoke with so much conviction that her words hit straight home and knocked the air out of Hera''s lungs. Hera bit her lip, trying not to panic.

    <em>''Before he kills him too.''</em>

    Thest word consisting of just three letters weighed so hard on Hera''s chest it pierced her heart like a knife. Without using the exact words, ra had dered Hunter as the murderer. Unshed, hot tears stung the inside of hershes as Hera tried to breathe.

    "Don''t stand there like a useless statue and move. Do something and save that innocent boy before it''s toote," ra yelled, throwing her hands up in anger. Hera eyed her suspiciously and shook her head. "Why would Hunter do that? You''re lying," Hera said more to herself, but it sounded unconvincing in her own ears.

 Chapter 251 - Foolproof Plan

    ra exhaled through her mouth in frustration. Grabbing Hera''s hand, she pulled her out of the room while muttering about wasting so much time already. Hera heard her heart thundering against her ribcage harshly. She found herself voiceless and would have been motionless as well if it wasn''t for ra dragging her along. She followed robotically while thetter led the way, her bag forgotten on the floor in the ssroom.

    The girl cursed when Hera couldn''t keep up with her speed. ra was half jogging and was displeased that she couldn''t run and reach the luncheon bar sooner because Hera couldn''t move her feet any faster.

    ra was speaking, filling in the details about the said incident while Hera was listening half-heartedly. She seemed absent-minded, much to ra''s annoyance. Hera''s brain was hardly registering the wordsing out of the other girl''s mouth. ra spoke too fast for Hera to catch up, and all she heard and grasped through everything was that Bianca had something to do with Noel''s unfortunate circumstance.

    Hera knew it in her heart.. Her intuition kept warning her that Bianca was plotting something. She wanted to warn Noel, but she was toote as of now.

    Hera stopped dead in her tracks as soon as they entered the food court of their school. Her eyes widened in shock, and an audible gasp tore out of her mouth. ra let go of her hand and covered her mouth, mirroring the horrified look in Hera''s eyes. A small crowd of students surrounded the ce, and Hera caught glimpses through the small gap between them.

    It was unmistakably Hunter, who was aiming his fist at the boy''s faceying on the ground, struggling to get away from the hit.

    Reflexively, Hera took a step back when Noel got to his feet and shoved hard at Hunter''s chest. Hera watched her boyfriend stumble, but he managed to stay firm on his ground. The enthusiastic crowd was merely spectators who were enjoying the free show as usual. Could Hera me them, though? It wasn''t like anyone had the guts to interrupt the student council president, the official bad boy of SPALEV high.

    And it wasn''t the first time he had involved himself in a fight and disfigured someone''s face.

    ra''s hand reached forward to sp Hera''s wrist as thetter took another step back. She pushed her to the front, forcing her to intervene. "Don''t be a coward, Hera. I brought you here so that you could stop that monster and save the victim from him. Not for you to escape and go back to your peaceful life as if your boyfriend isn''t causing a wreck in people''s lives," ra said, her using eyes ring at Hera.

    However, before Hera could muster the courage to interfere, Noel somehow managed to find a way and escaped. Hera felt relief wash over her for a brief moment. But it disappeared sooner than it came as she saw Noel running towards the backside of the old building. It wasn''t a clever move. If he wanted to save himself, he should''ve run towards the school where the teachers or the authorities could see them.

    Hera watched, holding her breath while Hunter and his friends chased the boy.

    She nced at ra, and the look on the girl''s face terrified her more.

    ra''s face had turned white as a sheet, her eyes wide and fixed in the direction Noel took off. Tears soaked her cheeks, disappearing down the cor of her uniform shirt. She wasn''t breathing, and Hera recognised the fear. They both were familiar with the situation. It brought back the horrifying memories from the past.

    "They say history repeats itself, and it''s happening, isn''t it?" ra whispered, almost inaudibly, but Hera heard her. "Help him, Hera. Stop your boyfriend," ra pleaded, desperationcing her tone, her eyes focused on the boys'' disappearing frames until she couldn''t see them anymore.

    Swallowing the lump in her throat, Hera finally came out of her shock and rushed towards her boyfriend.

    Noel''s chest rose and fell as he struggled to breathe. He was too tired from all the running he did, but it was all in vain in the end. He was caught and cornered. Hunter, Michael, Danny and Eric circled him, and Noel was nothing but a mere prey amidst the deadly predators ready to tear him into pieces.

    The look in their eyes terrified him. He knew what Hunter was capable of and had no doubt he would tear him limb from limb if no one came to his rescue sooner. He tried his luck onest time and searched for an opening to escape, only to realise he got himself trapped between Hunter and thepound wall enclosing the school premises.

    Michael shoved him and made him stumble over his feet. He didn''t get time or the chance to stand on his feet as Hunter mmed him into the concrete wall behind him. Grunting a series of curses, Noel tried to stay on his feet. His knees almost gave up, but he managed without falling to the ground. The back of his head and his shoulder des hurt, and the excruciating pain felt too intense for him to bear.

    <em>''Hold on for a few more minutes. Don''t give up yet.''</em>

    Noel thought inwardly,forting himself.

    The boy knew his n was foolproof and would bring out the desired results for sure. He only had to endure the suffering a bit longer.

    Hunter took off his uniform zer and tossed it aside without bothering to see if itnded somewhere at a clean spot on the wet grassy ground or not. It was the least of his worries when he was raging red with anger. All of his friends mirrored the identical expression of utter fury on their faces.

    Noel mustered all of his energy and strength before aiming a punch at Hunter''s ribcage. It effectively shook Hunter off him, but before Noel could withdraw his hand and send another hit to his face, the former recovered quickly and dodged it in time.

    "You twat," Michael cursed, rushing towards his target. He grabbed thepels of Noel''s zer with his hands and rammed his knee into his abdomen. The grunt he received in reply satisfied him. "You okay, bro?" Michael asked Hunter, worry dripping from his voice.

    Danny took over while Michael turned his attention towards Hunter. Gripping his buddy''s shoulders, Michael helped him straighten his posture and checked the damage the punch caused. Hunter winced when Michael lifted his shirt and touched the red bruise under his chest.

    "Stop being a pussy, Mike. He''s not going to die with just one punch," Eric said, his tone matter-of-factly. Ignoring him, Michael looked at Hunter, who instantly smiled at his best friend, trying to put his worry at ease. "It just caught me by surprise, that''s all," Hunter said in assurance. Eric rolled his eyes at Michael''s overreaction.

    Hunter understood, though, what made his younger brother constantly worry these days. He was scared of losing him. "I''m fine, Mike," Hunter said in a more firm tone.

    "Let''s finish this as soon as possible. We don''t have time," Eric said in a bored tone, reminding them that their lunch break would be over soon. Hunter rolled his shoulders and stepped forward. Danny was ready tond another blow to Noel''s torso when Hunter asked him to step aside. Already hurt, Noel crouched down on the ground feeling tired and weak. He was panting hard, struggling to inhale air into his lungs.

    Michael joined his brother and lifted Noel''s body, holding him against the wall. Undoing the cuffs, Hunter rolled his sleeves up and chuckled at his broken opponent. The chuckle didn''t do anything to hide the menacing look in his eyes. "You bastard, you thought you could get away so easily after what you did?" Hunter asked, closing his hands into tight fists.

    <em>''What''s taking her so much time? She should''ve been here already.''</em>

    Noel thought, cursing his luck inwardly.

    "Don''t hit him on the face," Eric warned as Hunter pulled his elbow back, fist ready to meet its target. Pursing his lips, Hunter jerked his head in annoyance before he shifted his aim and punched the boy on the chest. Another strike delivered to his ribcage made Noel breathless, but Hunter was in no mood to show mercy. With one more blow to his abdomen, the former let out a strangled noise, grunting in pain.

    "Remember what I saidst time?" asked Hunter, voice low and dripping with rage. "If you dare to cross the line, you won''t possess a dick anymore to do anything with any girl," he said through his gritted teeth, reminding Noel of his warning.

    Meanwhile, Hera finally reached the location and found them. She was within earshot and heard what Hunter said. She shook her head in disappointment.

    <em>''What did I expect? Why am I even surprised in the first ce?''</em>

    She thought, displeased by her boyfriend''s behaviour.

    Hunter had promised her he wouldn''t hurt her friends anymore. He had agreed to give her space and freedom to do as she pleased with her life. Didn''t he give his consent to Noel to pursue Hera? Then why was the poor boy getting beaten by him?

    <em>''It didn''t take much longer for him to break your promise, after all.''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly.

    Shell-shocked, she watched with her widened eyes while Hunter and his friends tormented the boy. Sliding his hands inside the pockets of his trousers, Hunter smiled charmingly at Noel as if he wasn''t torturing the life out of him right now.

 Chapter 252 - Nothing That Concerns Her

    Hunter dragged one of his feet back as he would do during his ser match when kicking the ball towards the goal. His ponytail, which Hera had made for him in the morning, hade out of the rubber band. Though the scarf she tied like a bandana still stayed intact around his forehead, his long messy hair almost hid it from view.

    His shirt had ridden up, freeing itself from the waistband of his trousers and his tie loose around his neck. His eyes were furious, burning hot with rage, and a muscle twitched when he clenched his jaw. He no longer looked like the perfect golden boy of the school. His true self had reced the prim and proper good boy facade he wore the other times.

    His frightening appearance and the scene unfolding before her had made Hera speechless as it took her back to that cursed day when Nathan had encountered the same fate. Her handsome, charming boyfriend seemed more of a monster at the moment, just as ra had described him. Hera felt terrified to approach him. She couldn''t move as her feet stayed glued to the spot.

    His foot came back crashing down on Noel''s shin.. Hera turned her face to the side in reflex and closed her eyes while the boy yelped and slumped to the ground, turning his torso away from Hunter. His hands clutched his abused leg and pulled his knee to his chest. His eyes squeezed shut while he winced in pain.

    Hunter walked, crossing Noel''s legs and stood in front of him only to shove him on the chest with his foot. As soon as Noel fell on his back, Michael came forward and stomped his foot on Noel''s upper body, keeping him grounded in his ce. Danny kicked aside Noel''s legs, spreading them wide before stepping on his uninjured foot.

    Both Michael and Danny effectively restricted Noel''s movements.

    Noel struggled to get up while Hunter moved closer to his groin, stepping between his legs. The former widened his eyes as he realised what thetter intended to do. A series of no''s rushed out of Noel''s mouth, but much to the terrified boy''s distress, Hunter chose to disregard.

    Meanwhile, a few feet away from them, Hera shook her head frantically and opened her mouth to call him, to stop him, but nothing came out of her mouth. Her voice died down in her throat, her eyes went wide, and she sucked in a sharp breath, trying to ease the difort in her chest.

    Noel coughed out a grunt when Hunter thrust his foot into his loins. He breathed out in relief when Hunter retreated his foot, thankful that he didn''t hurt him further, but he thought too soon. Hunter took a step back, ready to abuse his manhood and fulfil his promise.

    Hunter was about to hammer the boy''s pride when Hera drew out every ounce of strength from her body and screamed a no. Hunter''s foot halted mid-air, and everyone whipped their heads in her direction. Startled, Hunter looked up to lock eyes with Hera and stiffened at the fear etched on her face. They both stared at each other in stunned silence.

    As soon as the boys moved aside, Noel took the opportunity to get away from them. He crawled back, leaning against the wall behind him.

    <em>''Fucking finally.''</em>

    Noel sighed in relief.

    Luckily for him, Hera arrived at the right time.

    "What are you doing here?" it was Eric who questioned and breached the silence.

    Hera broke eye contact with Hunter and tilted her head to look behind him. Noel was groaning in pain with his eyes closed. He appeared so small as he had curled himself up into a ball. "Shouldn''t I be the one asking that question, Eric?" Hera spoke without taking her eyes off Noel. Her tone was indignant as she forced the words out. Eric grabbed her wrist, stopping her when she tried to reach Noel.

    "Pixie, leave," Eric said, his voice sternly ordering her. Hera yanked her hand away from his clutch. She brushed past Hunter and reached Noel. Stooping down, she touched his shoulder, asking if he was alright. He only breathed out through his mouth, nodding his wordless response. She helped him sitfortably against the wall and brushed his hair back, muttering words of assurance that he was safe now.

    Hunter winced when Hera turned and focused her attention on him. He hated the loathing in her eyes directed at him.

    "Why can''t you ever keep your promise to me, Hunter? You said you wouldn''t hurt every other boy trying to befriend me," Hera said, throwing her usations at him. "Noel didn''t even do anything. He was only trying to make friends with me," she validated. Somehow Hera knew that there was a w in Noel''s intentions. Though she suspected the ingenuity of his friendship with her, all she could think of at the moment was Noel''s helpless condition and her boyfriend''s inhumanity.

    Hunter bit the inside of his cheek when he saw her tears. She wasn''t crying, though. It was her frustration and anger that rushed out through her tears.

    "How many people are going to suffer because of your stupid jealousy and possessiveness?" Hera asked. "Wasn''t Nate enough to satisfy your ego? Were you behind Andrew''s disappearance too? Why do you resent Noel so much? What did he do to deserve your anger?" Hera fired question after question. She couldn''t hold her tongue and blurted everything that came to her mind.

    The disappointment in her eyes bothered Hunter more than her using words. Clenching his jaw in anger, he red at her.

    "Hera, not everything in the world always revolves around you," Hunter said, his tone sharp as a knife. She hated how his beautifulrge eyes widened to their fullest in anger. The pretty shade of purple intimidated her as they turned a shade darker. "It''s nothing that concerns you. So shut up and go back to your ss," he demanded, frustration underlining his voice.

    Hera, though, refused to back off. Defiance adorned every part of her personality. cing her palms t against Hunter''s chest, she shoved him. He caught her wrists when she tried to repeat the action. His eyebrows scrunched together as he frowned at her in concentration.

    "Hera," Hunter said. There was a slight edge of warning to his tone of voice when he took her name. "What, Hunter?" Hera snapped. "If everything is not revolving around me, then who else is it revolving around?" she asked and snorted augh. "Of course, who else other than your sunshine," Hera guessed. "What did that bitch tell you about Noel?" she spat out the words in resentment.

    Hunter flinched as if Hera had pped him. She rendered him speechless. He stared in disbelief while Hera scoffed at him and pried her hands off his. She shook her head in condemnation when she noticed the anger dominating his every sense.

    "Besides, not everything thates out of your sunshine''s mouth is true. Just because Bianca is your best friend, it doesn''t prove her right all the time," Hera argued her point, much to his annoyance. "Whatever it is, I know for sure she is lying," she stated.

    "Pixie, don''t jump to conclusions without knowing the whole story. You don''t know what he has done," Eric spoke, breaking the ring contest between them. Though Hunter looked away, Hera still kept her eyes on him when she replied to Eric. "No matter what he did, it''s not the way to deal with it. You''re not the lord of hell to punish him for his sins," she yelled, fixing Hunter with a hard stare.

    She crossed her arms and arched a questioning eyebrow at Hunter when he shook his head. "Leave, Hera," Hunter said, gritting his teeth. His dismissive tone only added more fuel to her anger. "Look at you," Hera said and chuckled in irony, "You can''t even listen to a word against your beloved sunshine. What sort of sorcery has she used on you?" Hera muttered incredulously.

    Hunter took a step back and turned his back to her. Running his fingers through his hair, he brushed it back and closed his eyes. He tried his best to keep his anger in check, but Hera kept pushing his buttons to the limit.

    "Hera, don''t cross the line. Think before you speak," Michael said in warning. Hera faced him, mirroring the anger clouding his eyes. "Mike, speak when you''re spoken to," Hera shot back. The arrogance and rudeness in her attitude shocked everyone. Michael stared at her in disbelief while Eric and Danny shook their heads in disappointment.

    "Enough, Hera," Hunter shouted. "Don''t talk to him in that tone," he warned. Hera held her chin up. She wouldn''t cower back, not when she wasn''t in the wrong.

    "Why? What did I say wrong? Why are you like this, Hunter?" Hera asked more to herself, sounding defeated. "Where did that charming, caring, sweet boy I once knew disappear? Now you''re always so angry and violent. You don''t even think before hurting someone," she stated, pointing out the obvious.

    Suddenly someone caught her hand. Startled, Hera turned to see her brother looking down on her, an unimpressed scowl stered on his face.

    "You''re going to say something you''ll regretter, Hera. Leave before you do," Danny suggested. Hera threw her hands up in frustration and exhaled audibly. She wasn''t stupid. She knew what she was doing. Yet everyone thought it necessary to poke their nose in her matter and provide guidance in every step she took.

    <em>''Oh, give me a break, for God''s sake.'' </em>

 Chapter 253 - His Lucky Day

    "Why is it that all of you have the liberty to dictate my life? Why do you all get to choose and decide for me? I''m tired of being lectured. I don''t want anyone''s advice or suggestions. I''m not a child, Danny," Hera said in a much calmer tone, but she sounded exasperated. Her eyes pleaded with Danny to let her be, a subtle way to tell him not to interfere.

    Danny seemed like he wanted to say something but decided against it. Pursing his lips into a thin line, he nodded. Judging by the scowl taking over his facial features, Hera could tell he didn''t encourage her attitude.

    Hera moved closer to Hunter and held his hands in hers. Even though he was seething hot in anger, Hera was thankful he didn''t push her away. She didn''t know if she was doing the right thing by taking Noel''s side or not, but she wanted to stop her boyfriend from this madness. All she wanted was a peaceful life with him but without hurting others in the process. She didn''t think she was asking for too much. .

    She at least deserved that much for loving him.

    "Look at him, Hunter. Look what you''ve done to that helpless boy. Don''t you ever reflect on what you do, Hunter?" Hera asked but met with silence. It unsettled her. Whenever he refused to respond and kept everything inside, it never meant to end up in something good. Hera knew his silence was the calm before the storm.

    His stiff posture, clenched jaw indicated that Hera was trying in vain. He heard her but wasn''t really listening. Her hope died, and anger resurfaced. She sighed, annoyed at his indifference.

    "It seems as if there''s no ounce of humanity left in your heart," Hera couldn''t help but attack. "When you get angry, you turn into a monster that frightens even me," she admitted, her voice shaking with anger. She had their fingers interlocked, and her grip tightened instinctively. The corners of Hunter''s lips twitched downward, and he scoffed, which soon turned into a mocking sneer.

    "You haven''t seen the real monster yet, Goddess," he whispered, only for her to hear. Hera looked down at her hands when he separated his fingers from hers and stepped back, putting distance between them. Hera lifted her gaze to meet his cold stare. "Leave before I lose my mind, Goddess. Since you''re so frightened of this monster, you shouldn''t be here," Hunter said in a dismissive tone.

    Gritting her teeth, Hera returned his fury.

    "I hate you so much right now, Hunter, and I hate Bianca for causing all this. That maniptive witch is never going to let us have our happy ending," Hera dered. It irked Hunter more that Hera was ming Bianca without knowing the whole truth. "Stop being so petty, Hera," he snapped. "You don''t even know the context, yet you''re already targetting Bianca, ming her for everything," he scolded, scoffing at Hera.

    Hera couldn''t digest the blow. As always, when ites to Bianca, Hunter would only take her side. She was ready to curse his best friend, the insult itching on the tip of her tongue. However, before she could open her mouth, Hunter beat her to it.

    "This disgusting prick," Hunter said, pointing his finger at Noel behind her, "He molested my friend. He touched her inappropriately without her consent," Hunter revealed, hissing the words in utter fury. Hera gasped in shock, her mouth falling open. Eyes wide with disbelief, she turned to look at Noel. The said culprit was quick to deny it. He seemed offended by the usation when he shook his head.

    "Don''t believe him, Hera. It''s not true. All his friends are the same, lying, sly whores," Noel spoke in his defence. Both Hunter and Danny rushed at him in two long strides and kicked him on the chest from either side. Noel groaned, doubling over in pain. Hera pushed them both away and red at them. "Let him speak," she shouted in anger. Noel didn''t waste any time in offering his justification.

    "Hera, she was sending me signals, and even you know that," Noel stated. "I didn''t force her to do anything. I genuinely believed she was interested in me, but that bitch yed me, Hera," he concluded. Hunter cursed and tried to punch him, but Hera blocked his way in time. "What happened, Hunter? You don''t believe him?" Hera asked, already knowing the answer. She shook her head in disapproval and disappointment when he red at her.

    Hunter was so angry he was growling like a provoked ferocious beast, his chest rising and falling with every intake of air.

    "Isn''t that what she did with Nate?" Hera asked rhetorically. Hunter frowned, looking at her incredulously. "It''s all just a game for her, and you always encourage her by dancing into her tune every fucking time," Hera used, sounding devastated.

    cing his hands on his hips, Hunter scoffed and jerked his head in disbelief. To Hera''s dismay, the look in his eyes conveyed how disappointed he was.

    "Goddess, you need to go," Hunter said in a detached tone. Hera took a step closer and looked into his eyes, refusing to follow his request.

    "I said leave, Hera," Hunter yelled, making her flinch.

    "No, Hunter, you leave," Hera yelled back. "Leave Noel alone. Leave us, Hunter," she demanded. When Hunter didn''t budge, she added in warning, "You''re forcing me to change my mind, Hunter. Don''t make me regret my decision of giving you another chance."

    Behind Hera, Noel tipped his head to the side and waved his hand, demanding Hunter''s attention. Thetter tore his eyes off Hera and briefly nced at Noel only to see a wolfish smile spreading over his face.

    At that exact moment, Hunter knew it was all pre-nned.

    He wanted to bring the bastard''s throat beneath his shoe and crush it until it brakes, but he couldn''t do that in front of Hera. However, much to his satisfaction, Michael reached over and kicked Noel''s shoulder, drawing out a cry from him. "You bastard, dare to do that again," Michael said, challenging him. Hera rushed to shield the injured boy and shoved Michael away.

    "Don''t you dare touch him, Mike," Hera warned threateningly. Michael returned her re and asked, "Or else what, baby girl? Are you going to report against us?" He was mocking her, but Hera didn''t respond to him. Scoffing at him, she shifted her attention to Hunter instead. They red at each other. However, Hera didn''t utter a word because she knew Hunter could read her like a book.

    <em>''He always does, doesn''t he?''</em>

    Her eyes were threatening him.

    A nerve twitched under his jaw, his Adam''s apple bobbing in his throat as Hunter swallowed his anger, and Hera knew he got her message. Hunter was afraid of losing her as much as she was of losing him.

    <em>''Don''t make me regret my decision.''</em>

    Hera''s words echoed in his thoughts.

    Noel seemed too pleased. An eyebrow arched up questioningly as if daring him to risk his chance. The bastard knew Hunter wouldn''t want to lose Hera at any cost.

    Michael was mad at Hera. She was stupid not to see Noel''s intentions. It was clear as day that he was using Hera against Hunter.

    "Leave him, Mike," Hunter said, stopping Michael before he could punch Noel''s face again. Hunter anticipated his move even before Michael pulled his elbow back to strike. Thetter didn''t seem happy but followed his best friend''s request nheless. Hera released the breath she was holding.

    Hunter looked at Noel and lifted his index finger at him. He didn''t use words to convey the message. He didn''t need to when his eyes revealed everything clear as crystal.

    Noel understood the silent warning that said he shouldn''t dare to harm his girl. He never wanted to hurt or harm Hera anyway. The only one he wished to ruin was Ace Hunter.

    Hunter couldn''t wait to smash and disfigure that smug face. But for now, he could only settle for a subtle warning.

    "It''s your lucky day," Hunter stated.

    Hera watched while he turned his back to her without sparing a nce at her way. Stooping down, he grabbed his olive green zer from the ground on his way. He swung it in the air once, dusting the dirt off before putting it on.

    "But not every day is Sunday," Michael said, breaking Hera''s trance. Tearing her eyes off Hunter''s retreating figure, Hera looked at Michael. She found him sitting on his heels as he spoke to Noel. "We fight against each other all the time, but it doesn''t mean you''re breaking us apart," Michael said, patting Noel''s cheek.

    "Use Hera''s innocence to your advantage as much as you want, but the moment you dare causing her trouble," Michael paused and leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "We''ll kill you," he finished. Hera heard him too. The threat didn''t surprise her, though. He only voiced out what Hunter didn''t say. His words warmed her heart nevertheless. Though Michael was mad at her, he was still concerned about her safety.

    Grinning wide, he stood up and kicked Noel''s foot before walking away.

    Hera noticed how he refused to look at her.

    <em>''Didn''t he just say to Noel that he is not breaking us apart?''</em>

    She didn''t want her newfound bond with Michael to get ruined.

    She caught her brother shaking his head in what seemed like a disappointment. Without ncing at her once, Danny pulled Michael by his arm and left with him. Hera was wondering why Eric was still there. He was ring at Noel, anger evident in his stance.

 Chapter 254 - Everyone Wants Revenge

    "What''s his name again?" Eric asked, moving closer to Noel.

    rmed, Hera quickly reached Noel''s side. Eric nced at her questioningly. Noel''s student identity card with his name and photo printed hung around his neck where anyone could see the words written in bold capitals. Yet, Eric didn''t bother checking it and instead asked her. Could he be any more arrogant? Hera resisted the urge to roll her eyes and gave him Noel''s name anyway.

    Sliding his hands into his pockets, Eric nodded before addressing the other boy.

    "Noel, you survived because," Eric said and paused to point his finger at Hera, "She wanted you to. But it''s not over yet. You''ll pay for what you did when the timees," he concluded.

    Letting out a tired sigh, Hera perched on the grass.. Crossing her legs, she watched Eric leave.

    Meanwhile, ra was hiding behind the building and waiting for Hunter to disappear from her view. As soon as he made it to the new building, she sighed in relief. She came out from her hiding ce when Michael and Danny joined Hunter. Holding a water bottle in one hand and a few cubes of ice wrapped in a handkerchief in another, she rushed towards Noel and Hera.

    Eric had his head bent and waszily walking, kicking the harmless grass in between. He seemed lost in thought when someone crashed into him, making him falter. Scowling in annoyance, he lifted his head tosh out at the culprit.

    In her hurry to reach Noel as soon as possible, ra couldn''t see Eric advancing her way and bumped into him. The collision forced her to lose her bnce, and she fell, the water bottle slipping and rolling over on the grass.

    Eric frowned in confusion before it registered who had bumped into him. He was about to help the girl to her feet. His hand was in mid-air, pausing its motion when Eric recognised ra''s surprised pale face. He retracted his hand immediately, the frown on his face soon morphing into a disgusted scowl, anger dominating the softness in his blue eyes once again.

    He was surprised to see the girl there out of the blue, and then it clicked when he noticed the water bottle and the littered ice cubes on the ground. Grinding his teeth in anger, he whipped his head around to look at Hera. It didn''t take him much time to connect the dots. Noel and ra were together in this, and Hera''s ignorance had paved the way for them to manipte her.

    Hera sucked in a sharp breath when she met with Eric''s re. She instantly lowered hershes, breaking eye contact. She cursed ra for being so careless and adding more to her trouble. Eric shifted his focus back to the girl at his feet. Crawling on the grass, she collected the ice cubes into her handkerchief before grabbing the water bottle.

    Eric took a step closer threateningly when ra stood from the ground. "What dirty game are you ying this time?" he asked, his sharp tone demanding an answer. ra took a step back in rm, but she managed to hide her fear. Forcing a smile on her face, she faced him. "Whatever it is, it can''t be as dirty as yours," she countered. Eric''s eyebrows rose in surprise at her response. She knew he didn''t expect her to talk back, let alone be this daring.

    "Gone are the days when I used to cower in fear. You can''t scare or hurt me any more than you already did because I have nothing left to lose this time," ra admitted, her voice filled with resentment. "And you all will pay for what you did," she swore before she walked past him. Clenching his fists, Eric watched while she covered the distance to reach Hera.

    Hera, however, kept her head down, not daring to see what expression Eric wore on his face. She knew he would be as furious as Hunter. They both hated ra with all their might. A few secondster, when Hera lifted her gaze to nce at him, Eric turned away. Kicking the grass using unnecessary force to vent his anger out, he marched towards the new building.

    "What did he say?" Hera asked ra, who was busy helping Noel remove his zer. "Doesn''t matter," ra muttered her reply. Her fingers made quick work of undoing the buttons of his shirt. She winced at the bruises forming all over his torso. "You''re so badly hurt, Noel. We need to go to the infirmary," she stated. Noel shook his head in refusal. "It''s nothing, don''t worry," he said in assurance.

    ra red at him in disapproval but agreed to his request when he pointed out it would attract more attention, and he would get into more trouble if the news travelled around. Hunter wouldn''t be happy if he reported against him. Hera pursed her lips and kept quiet while they both conversed. They were speaking as if she wasn''t there.

    Unscrewing the lid, ra offered him water. Noel took the bottle from her hand with a thankful smile and gulped a few mouthfuls of water, easing the soreness in his throat. Hera observed with keen interest while ra held the ice on his bruises to soothe the pain and tended his wounds by putting band-aids wherever needed. She winced every time Noel hissed in pain.

    Hera was surprised to see the concern etched on her face. She seemed to be hurting as if she could feel the other boy''s pain. Her eyes shone with unshed tears before they rolled down her cheeks. They appeared to be too close, too caring and too familiar. She was touching his naked torso without any hesitation or awkwardness as if they were intimately familiar.

    "Who is he to you?" Hera blurted the question before she could second guess. "How do you know him? Why are you so worried about him?" she pressed, demanding rifications. ra scoffed before ncing briefly at her. "Not that it''s any of your business, but to answer your question, I''m worried and concerned because I''m human," ra said in a taunting tone. "Unlike your boyfriend, who represents inhumanity," she spat the words out indignantly.

    Hera flinched at the harsh tone.

    "It''s in human nature to help the person who is hurting," ra muttered, going back to tending Noel''s bruises.

    "Why do you put up with him, though?" Noel asked Hera. Thetter frowned, eyebrows scrunching together as she processed the meaning behind his words. "She''s right, you know. He''s a monster in the human form," Noel stated, supporting ra''s judgement. Hera chuckled, shaking her head in dissatisfaction, but she didn''t say anything in her defence. She let them speak their minds as she wanted to know where their intention would lead.

    ra wanted to help and save Noel from Hunter. She couldn''t live with the guilt that she did nothing to protect her brother. That was why despite being terrified of Hunter, ra came forward, offering to help the unfortunate boy. ra pointed out that if she hadn''t brought Hera in time, Hunter would''ve surely hurt Noel beyond repair.

    "Why do you love him so much, Hera? What do you see in that monster?" ra asked. "Why don''t you dump his stupid ass already?" she demanded, sounding too frustrated and desperate. Hera studied her face, trying to understand her point of view. She neither could deny her usations nor could she me her for hating Hunter, not after what he did to her brother. Hera was yet to make sure if Nathan really died or not.

    <em>''Why would ra lie about her brother''s death, though?'' </em>

    Hera couldn''t understand.

    Noel stressed how Hunter and his friends treated Hera. Hunter couldn''t stand it when Hera insulted his friends. Noel voiced his concern about how Hera would never be Hunter''s priority. "You always put him above everyone and everything. He alwayses first in your heart, but what about him, Hera?" Noel questioned. Hera felt her legs numbing, so she stretched her legs. She was sitting in the same position for too long, cutting the blood cirction.

    Hera chose not to answer his question. She knew she was Hunter''s priority too. Didn''t he prove it a while ago by agreeing to her demand? Hera didn''t think much about it. She didn''t need to. When it came to each other, both Hera and Hunter knew the depth of their feelings. They knew where they stood in each other''s lives. Hera didn''t need anyone''s approval or character justification certificate.

    "Noel, I came here to help you, but it doesn''t mean I''m letting you brainwash me into believing everything you say. I''m not stupid, you know," Hera said much to Noel and ra''s objection. "I warned you many times to stay away from Hunter''s friends, but you chose not to listen. And don''t think I don''t know your true motive, Noel," Hera stated, fixing him with a hard stare.

    She told him how she knew he nned everything with Adide to create misunderstandings between her and Hunter. She was aware that Noel had all the intention to break them up. Noel shrugged, not at all denying the usations. "I never hid anything from you, Hera. You knew from the beginning that I wanted to hurt your boyfriend. I want revenge," he stated without any hesitation.

    "Whatever, Noel," Hera said, "Don''t use me for your selfish reasons. If you want revenge, go for it directly instead of ying dirty games. I''m sure you and Hunter can deal with it like adults," she advised.

    However, what Noel said after that, made Hera speechless.

 Chapter 255 - It Hit Home

    "Don''t you care at all about what ra underwent because of your boyfriend? They raped her, Hera," Noel forced the words out as if it tortured him to utter those despicable words, his voice filled with grief. Hera opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Noel shook his head in disappointment as if he was ashamed of her when Hera stared at him in stunned silence.

    Hera could see the hurt that crossed Noel''s face when he nced at ra. They both had tears in their eyes. The affection, the concern, the anger, everything their eyes disyed when they looked at each other was all genuine. Hera blinked and came out of her stupor when ra scoffed, catching her attention.

    "No matter what, you would never let him go," ra said. It was a statement, and Hera didn''t even try denying it. "I can''t blindly believe everything you say, ra. I''m yet to speak with Hunter about it," Hera said defensively. The other girl sneered at Hera in pity. "How naive are you, Hera? Do you think you''ll go and ask him, and he''ll magically admit his crime?" she asked incredulously..

    Hera was at a loss for words as ra stared at her in utter frustration.

    <em>''My Hunter never lies.''</em>

    Hera wanted to voice it out but didn''t.

    Only Hunter would be able to clear the usations ra made against him, and Hera would know if he lied to her. Until then, it would be unfair to jump to conclusions.

    <em>''He''s innocent until proven guilty.''</em>

    Sighing in frustration, Hera closed her eyes. She felt the headache slowly creeping its way around her temples. She opened her eyes to see Noel brushing his thumb under ra''s eyes, wiping her tears.

    It shocked Hera more when the realisation dawned on her. When did ra be sofortable around Noel to disclose or discuss such personal and sensitive issues with him? She had no evidence to prove whether she was telling the truth or lying. Yet, she dared to go on and spit poison against Hunter with strangers like Noel and Adide.

    "Doesn''t it bother you one bit that two of your best friends disappeared out of the blue after your boyfriend threatened them?" Noel asked, his tone indignant, eys judging her.

    <em>''Nate and Andi.''</em>

    Hera thought about the two boys who were once her best friends.

    She never met or saw Nathan after Hunter threatened to kill him, and now that Hera thought about it, she realised the same happened with Andrew.

    "I don''t know what would have happened to me if you had dyed a little more ining here. Maybe I would have disappeared just like Nathan and Andrew. I''m lucky that you reached in time and stopped him," Noel said while pretending to shudder in fright. Those few punches and kicks were nothing to him. He would dly bear more if it meant to bring Hunter''s destruction.

    "That asshole is a sadistic maniac. Humans are nothing more than pests to him. He would step on them, squash them under his feet and would walk away without feeling an ounce of guilt or regret," ra spat the words, a disgusted grimace contorting her face. She tried to convince Hera that her only intention was to save Hera from Hunter because he was too dangerous and would only ruin Hera''s life.

    "Noel wants you to break up with him because he wants revenge and wants to hurt Ace. I want you to break up with him because I care about you and want to protect you from the inevitable heartbreak," ra admitted. Taking Hera''s hands in hers, she squeezed them, pleading with her eyes to consider her advice. "Think about it before it''s toote, Hera," ra insinuated.

    "He gets his kick in hurting people. The day is not far when he''ll not spare you too, Hera. He has already hurt you emotionally many times, but it wouldn''t surprise me if he did it physically too," it was Noel who spoke this time. Hera didn''t want to listen to them utter another word against Hunter. But something seemed to force her mind to register their opinions or advice or whatever it was against her heart''s will.

    Both ra and Noel were almost convincing. Hera couldn''t deny their usationspletely. She knew her boyfriend''s temper and his violent side better than anyone else.

    Noel leaned his back against the wall, rxing and smirking in satisfaction as he noticed how Hera''s brows pinched together. She had her eyes cast down, staring at the lush grass in front of her but not seeing anything. She was processing everything, analysing their reasoning in her mind.

    Footsteps advancing towards them distracted everyone, putting a break to their thoughts. It was Adide, running in their direction, her bag dangling in her hand. She dropped it on the ground and fell on her knees in front of Noel. Breathing short pants, she looked at him, worry painted on her face while her eyes disyedpassion.

    "What has that asshole done to you," Adide said more to herself while holding Noel''s face in her palms, searching for any injuries. "I just heard about the fight and came rushing to you. Are you okay?" she asked, voice filled with concern. Noel nodded and assured her that he had no serious injuries except the slight bruises here and there.

    "God, he''s crazy dangerous," Adide muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief, but Hera heard it loud and clear. Clenching her jaw, Hera studied her face when she caressed Noel''s cheek affectionately. "You didn''t seem to mind when you were throwing your slutty self at the said crazy dangerous asshole and shamelessly kissed him," Hera said, scoffing at Adide. She couldn''t resist throwing the insult.

    Instead of feeling offended, Adide smiled at Hera. cing her hands on either side of her, she leaned back, resting her body weight on her hands and stretched her legs. She was sitting too close for Hera''s liking. "You caught me, Hera," Adide said, bumping her shoulder with Hera''s yfully. "I''m d I don''t have to pretend anymore," she admitted, winking at Hera.

    Hera red daggers at the girl, but thetter only looked too pleased with her reaction and giggled, much to Hera''s annoyance.

    "You know, my intention was only to separate the two of you from the beginning. But now that I think about it, it''s not a bad idea to kiss that handsome boy and explore that hot body. It''s worth a shot if I finally get to bang your heartthrob boyfriend," Adide said, sounding too satisfied with the implication. "In your dreams, Adide," Hera said before jumping to her feet.

    "Seriously, Hera, how long will it take for him to cheat on you?" Adide asked, an amused smile dancing on her lips. "I''m determined to seduce him. So please don''te at me if he fails to keep it in his pants," she said, mockingly holding her hands up in surrender. Hera knew she would only provide more to their entertainment if she responded. So, gritting her teeth in anger, Hera bit back the insult.

    Beside her, ra chuckled as though Adide had cracked a funny joke. Hera already knew what her ex-best friend was going to say even before she opened her mouth.

    "It doesn''t matter, Adi, because it''s nothing new. Hera has already experienced it before. She''s used to him cheating on her," ra announced, clicking her tongue in pity. "It won''t be the first time he would cheat on her," she added. Hera inhaled and swallowed hard. Her heart panged as everything ra said pierced right through it like a poisoned dagger. She blinked several times to hold her tears back.

    Turning her back to them, Hera dusted the dirt off her uniform skirt and was about to walk away when Noel opened his mouth, stopping her in her tracks.

    "I know, Hera, it hit home," Noel stated the obvious. Hera clenched her fingers, digging the nails into her palms. "She didn''t lie, though. She didn''t say anything wrong either," he said. Getting up, he limped his way to hold Hera''s wrist and turned her to face them. Hera fought hard not to shed tears in front of them. "It''s okay, Hera. I know how it feels," he admitted in a softer tone.

    However, for Hera, his words didn''t do anything tofort her. Instead, she felt like someone pped her on the face.

    <em>''How many times would ite back to bite me in the back even though it wasn''t my fault?'' </em>

    Hera turned her head to the other side, avoiding Noel''s pitiful gaze.

    At that moment, Noel found the loophole in Hera''s determined heart. He knew one should strike while the iron is hot.

    "You said I should stop ying dirty," he said and waited, demanding Hera''s attention. When he made sure she was listening, he continued, "I promise to do just that but on one condition."

    Hera frowned at him but nodded anyway, gesturing for him to go on. When Noel started talking, he spoke on behalf of both himself and Hera. He wanted her to realise how Hunter was the reason behind their miseries and how much Hunter hurt them both. Noel knew how it felt to lose someone you held dear to your heart, and Hera also had experienced how it felt when the love of your life cheats on you.

    "You know the feeling, Hera, and I know it too. But don''t you think it''s so unfair on us that he doesn''t know that feeling?" Noel asked, frustration dripping from his tone.

 Chapter 256 - Everythings Going To Be Fine

    Hunter pulled the chair for Evelyn while Eric did the same for Bianca. They were seated together in their usual spot reserved only for them in their school''s luncheon bar. In the beginning, they used to join two tables so that they all could sit together. Now even the staff at their school''s food court made sure to keep their tables connected all the time. It had be their regr spot over the years.

    Michael took his seat and watched with a quirked eyebrow as Hunter pulled the chair for Samantha as well, and she sat between the brothers. Evelyn was on Hunter''s right side while Danny took a chair next to her, apanied by Bianca and Eric, respectively.

    For the first time, awkward silence upied the air surrounding them as none of them knew how to breach it. Hunter was drowning in guilt because he couldn''t protect his best friend. Michael and Danny were still seething with fury because Noel slipped away from their clutch without serving his part of the punishment that he deserved. Eric''s fingers rapped against the table as he seemed lost in thoughts.

    Evelyn seemed to be in a shocked trance because of the day''s event while Bianca wrung her hands, feeling helpless, anger noticeable in both of their blue eyes..

    Clearing his throat, Hunter broke the silence and asked the girls to stay seated while the boys decided to fetch the food for everyone. Evelyn and Bianca smiled in appreciation and joined the conversation with small talk by discussing what they wanted to eat. They hadn''t had their lunch yet, but no one was in the mood to eat, so they settled on fries and sandwiches.

    "So," Samantha started to speak, catching everyone''s attention. "Hera has to butt in and ruin everything," she stated, sounding upset. "Why does she have to have such a long nose?" she muttered, jerking her head in mockery and scoffed for the added effect.

    Evelyn bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance and dropped her phone with a thud on the table. Samantha looked at her and shrugged arrogantly. "What? Did I say something wrong?" Samantha asked in a bored tone. Evelyn only fixed her with a sharp re.

    Clenching his jaw, Hunter pushed his chair back harshly and left to bring the food. Michael, Danny and Eric too left with him without acknowledging what Samantha said.

    "Can you stop being a selfish bitch for once, Sam? It''s not the right time to use the situation to your advantage. So leave your obsession with Hera out for a while," Bianca snapped at her. Samantha seemed betrayed and stared at Bianca in disbelief. cing her hands on the table, she leaned forward to look at Bianca.

    "Everyone knows, Bee, I''m telling the truth. If you don''t believe me, then ask anyone. It''s Ace who decided to let that jerk go because Hera asked him to," Samantha shot back bitterly, angercing her tone. "He chose Hera over his friends once again," she pointed out, observing Bianca''s reaction. "As he always does," she muttered. Flustered and upset, she let out hollowughter.

    Evelyn sighed in irritation. She knew what Samantha was trying to do, taking advantage of the situation by provoking Bianca against Hunter. She was about tosh out when Bianca ced her hands on Evelyn''s, signalling her to stop as the boys returned with their food. Both of them warned Samantha to keep her mouth shut. Thetter rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

    Helping each other, they passed the tes around along with the cans of soft drinks. They shared the food, and slowly the awkwardness dissipated.

    The bell rang, warning that the lunch break was over. With the second bell, all the students hurried out of the luncheon bar. Hunter and his friends stayed in their seats, not bothered as they had the next period free. The ce looked less crowded with all the freshers and juniors gone, and only high school seniors upied it now.

    <em>''Hera didn''t have her lunch.''</em>

    Hunter thought as he heard the bell.

    Michael stopped chewing his food and peeked at the screen as his phone started ringing, kept next to his te on the table. He grinned at Hunter while showing his phone screen to him. His best friend''s brow arched up in surprise as he saw the name "Fairy Godmother" shing on the screen while a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

    Swiping his finger on the screen, Michael answered the phone. "Hey, Fairy mummy," he greeted in his joyful tone. All his anger and tiredness vanished instantly. Hunter smiled as he noticed how Michael''s mood lifted once he heard their mother''s sweet voice.

    "Why didn''t you answer your phone in the morning? You got me so worried, baby," Felicity said, scolding lightly. Michael groaned in disapproval at the nickname and immediately reduced the volume of his phone. Judging by the way how everyone snickered behind their fists, it seemed they had already heard it. Frowning at his friends, he flipped them the finger.

    "Mom, I''m in school. Don''t call me baby," he whispered into the speaker. "And I''m so sorry for worrying you. I overslept and was runningte for school. My asshole brother didn''t wake me up," he shot an unimpressed re at Hunter before continuing, "I hardly had time to shower, and the phone was in silent mode," he exined, feeling guilty for making her worry.

    Michael sighed into the phone, telling her how much he missed her. He couldn''t wait to go back home and feel the warmth of her embrace. "I can''t wait either, baby. Come home soon," Felicity said, motherly love and affection pouring out of her soft voice.

    She reminded him to pack all the necessary things needed in the journey without forgetting them, such as their passport, boarding passes, money etc. "Mom, that''s Ace and Eric''s duty. Don''t you know they don''t let me touch or keep important things with me? They both think I''m careless and will lose them," Michael said, eyeing his said two best friends disapprovingly. It earned him amusedughter from them.

    It was true that Michael often tended to lose or misce things. Whenever they travelled, Hunter or Eric would keep Michael''s passport and boarding pass with them, only giving him at the time of checking in. Once the authorities at the airportpleted all the formalities, Hunter would take it back from Michael.

    "You''re partly to me for that," Michaelined into the phone. "You always treat me like a baby, and they both bully me using that to their advantage," he whined while Felicityughed fondly at him. She strictly warned them to charge their phones before leaving and not to eat anything unhealthy.

    Michael yfully teased her that they still had two more days before they left and that she would remind them the same thing again and again until they boarded the flight. "You brat, do as I say," Felicity scolded, but there wasughter in her tone. After Michael promised her that he would obey all her orders, she passed the phone to Alexander.

    "How are you, son? All good?" Alexander''s deep, rich voice asked. Michael could detect the worry in Alexander''s usually calm voice. "Dad, you started to sound like mom these days, you know worrying over nothing and all," Michael said, chuckling. "Two more days, and we''ll all be together," he stated.

    The deep sound of Michael''sugh immediately reminded Alexander of Sebastian. His voice sounds exactly like Sebastian''s, and Alexander couldn''t hide the tremor in his voice when he hummed his response. Ovee with emotions, Alexander mped his mouth shut, trying to swallow the sob threatening to erupt.

    Hunter noticed how Michael''s brows furrowed as he frowned in confusion.

    rmed by the silence at the other end, Michael asked, "Dad, what''s the matter?" He could hear the shuffling before he heard Felicity''s concerned voice. "Alexander, it''s okay. Everything''s going to be fine," Michael heard her speaking to Alexander.

    Michael''s heart raced as he felt a surge of anxiety. If Alexander sounded defeated, then it meant everything wasn''t okay. Michael''s thoughts immediately jumped to Sebastian, and he prayed that his father was doing fine.

    He nced at Hunter before moving away from his friends, finding a less noisy ce to speak. Hiding from view, he leaned against the tree and listened to Alexander.

    Hunter pulled his lip in, worrying between his teeth while waiting for Michael to finish his conversation with his father. The look on his best friend''s face suggested the news was something big. He looked on the verge of crying. Repeatedly, he nodded his head as if the person on the other end could see him, and he hardly opened his mouth to speak.

    He was trying not to break down but in vain. Hunter was ready to run to him, but Michael looked at him and shook his head. He understood his friend didn''t want attention on him right now and needed privacy. Michael ducked his head, his hand moved to cover his eyes, and Hunter exchanged a worried nce with Eric.

    Without alerting their friends at the table, Eric walked to his friend and caught him just before he could copse. Hunter stayed seated at the table. He was trying his best not to drag attention towards Michael while Eric hugged him, supporting his weight as their friend silently cried his heart out.

    Eric retrieved the phone when it fell from Michael''s hand and spoke to Alexander. "Mathew has already taken care of everything. Just take care of each other and return home safely," Alexander said before ending the call.

 Chapter 257 - If She Hadnt Been Born

    "I hate her, bro. I hate her so much," Michael said. The anger and hatred in his voice showed how much truth there was in his words. He detested her with every fibre of his being.

    Sticking his thumb inside the bandana tied around his head, Hunter took it off, and after untying the knot, he swung it in the air once to free it from the rectangr folding. He could still smell the faint fragrance of Hera''s presence in her scarf. Using the soft piece of cloth, Hunter swept it over his face wiping the sweat.

    When Hunter turned his head to look at Michael, his best friend had his focus on the ser field, absent-mindedly watching their friends and ssmates ying ser. The scene where Eric and Danny were yfully kicking each other made Michael smile. Stretching his legs in front of him, he leaned back, supporting his weight on his elbows. If the hard surface of the bleachers dug into his body, he didn''t seem to mind.

    Hunter sat manspreading, elbows resting on his thighs.. With the scarf, he wiped the sweat from the back of his neck while Michael slowly dropped his head on the bleachers and closed his eyes. Hunter lifted his head, examining the sky above decorated with dark clouds. It seemed it would rain any moment. They both were tired, drenched in sweat from all the hard practise sessions.

    Hunter knew his best friend needed the break, so he faked an injury and walked out while Michael pretended to be too exhausted and joined him. The coach allowed them to rest for a few minutes. Michael didn''t like speaking about his father in front of everyone, and Hunter knew they wouldn''t get more privacy than this.

    "Believe me, Mike, I hate her too," Hunter dered, bitterness coating his voice. They spoke of their lost sibling they were supposed to grow up with, whom they both hated.

    <em>''I wish she hadn''t been born.''</em>

    Hunter thought, cursing inwardly.

    Hunter loathed her with all his heart for causing so much pain to his parents. If his sister hadn''t been born, then this disaster their families had been through could''ve been avoided. His best friend, his brother Michael would''ve still had his real family with him, and he wouldn''t have lost his father, who sacrificed his life for protecting her.

    Both the brothers shared the same sentiment about their lost sister. None of them wanted her toe back into their lives. Both of them wished she would never be discovered and brought back.

    Hunter hated seeing Michael so heartbroken and defeated. "Do you want to talk about it?" Hunter asked. He had spoken to his father after Eric dragged Michael to the boy''s restroom, where he had cried to his heart''s content behind the locked door. The rest of the day went by as Michael hid his suffering from everyone. Heughed along with his friends as if nothing had happened.

    Hunter, however, knew him better than anyone and could read in his eyes how much he was hurting inside.

    Alexander had no intention of telling Michael through the phone. He wanted to speak to him in person, but he couldn''t keep his emotions in check, and in that weak moment, he let his heart overrule his mind. Hunter could understand how much it killed Michael from inside when he heard about his father''s condition and the doctor''s suggestion.

    Michael sat up, imitating Hunter''s position and sped his fingers. He was thinking, and Hunter let him gather his thoughts, waiting patiently.

    "You know, when dad told me about papa''s condition, I felt as if someone pulled the ground from under my feet, and I was falling deep into the never-ending dark abyss," Michael spoke, his voice low and timid. He had his head bent, looking at his sped hands. "But when he revealed what doctors had suggested, I couldn''t breathe. I felt a hand around my neck suffocating me under a chokehold," he admitted, sounding so frightened.

    Michael sniffled before wiping the wetness under his eyes with the back of his hand. Hunter moved closer and threw his arm around Michael''s shoulder while thetter shed silent tears. He spoke in a broken whisper when he further revealed his conversation with Alexander.

    When Alexander asked what Michael''s decision would be, the choice was easy and ready at the tip of his tongue. He wanted to get rid of that hand that had him in a chokehold, crushing his windpipes. He would be able to breathe freely only when he could save his father from death. He was desperate and didn''t want to let go of that thin thread of hope yet, but he was guilty.

    Michael didn''t know how to be selfless at that moment. All he wanted was to keep his father in his life in whatever way possible. However, the burden of guilt had his hands tied, and it weighed too much on his shoulders. His father was in pain, and the best way to relieve him from his sufferings was to let him go, but no matter what, Michael couldn''t utter his consent to what the doctors had suggested.

    "You''ve promised me, Dad, that you''ll keep him alive as long as you can," Michael had selfishly reminded Alexander and was too relieved when Alexander assured him that he would keep his promise no matter what. So, instead of saying yes or no to Alexander''s question, Michael had asked his own question in return. "Dad, what would you do if you had to decide? Would you have chosen your best friend''s life or death?"

    Alexander''s reply was quick, and his voice held no ounce of doubt or second thoughts when he said he would choose Sebastian''s life over everything because he was selfish and had no guilt or regret in keeping Sebastian alive against will. Alexander admitted that he was not ready to let him go yet.

    "You know, Ace, I was so relieved when dad said that," Michael confessed. "I was d that I''m not the only selfish bastard who''s overlooking papa''s critical condition. After that, it was easy to say no because I too am not ready to let him go yet," he admitted, smiling sadly at Hunter. Thetter nodded in understanding when the former looked at him with his hopeful eyes.

    "It''s okay, Mike. Mom always says that it''s okay to be selfish sometimes because we need it to survive," Hunter said, smiling at his best friend before pulling him into a tight hug. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?" Hunter asked rhetorically. He held him in his embrace until Michael got relief from this predicament.

    <strong><em>In Castenos Mansion:</em></strong>

    Her grandfather''s trusted guard stopped Helena from entering the wing leading to her own bedroom. She was annoyed at the humiliation and red at him threateningly, but the man didn''t budge from his ce. Helena was worried, thinking what evil scheme had been brewing inside her grandfather''s cunning head now. He was here to visit Gis personally.

    It was unlike him toe to them instead of demanding their presence in his office reporting to hismand.

    Muttering a curse under her breath, Helena left as she had no choice but to wait until she got permission from the King.

    Inside Gis''s bedroom, Christopher took his seat on one of the maroon coloured butterfly barrel chairs while she was seated opposite him. They sat facing each other. Christopher observed how gracefully she took her ce and sat by keeping her knees and ankles together and nting her legs to the side. She possessed all the royal etiquettes a princess should have.

    <em>''You''re my favourite granddaughter for a reason.''</em>

    He smiled at her, pleased by her decorum.

    "I need you to do something for me. Would you do it?" Christopher asked in a sugary-sweet tone. He knew how topel his youngest sessor. Not that she would dare to disobey him, but he would like to be pleasant and kind with her since she held a special ce in his heart.

    "Yes, grandpa, I''ll do anything for you," Gis answered without stuttering to his grandfather''s question, her tone of voice firm. Christopher hade to ask his youngest granddaughter for a favour. He smiled in satisfaction at her response and ced an envelope in front of her.

    Gis eyed the white paper in curiosity. It demanded her attention, the colour very brilliant against the grey coffee table, but she didn''t dare touch it without his permission.

    Christopher smiled before telling her a story of two best friends.

    "A long time ago, there were two best friends who cherished each other very dearly. They would do anything for the other''s happiness and well-being. Unfortunately, they fought because of a misunderstanding and parted ways with bitterness filled in their hearts. Yet they couldn''t forget each other as they valued their friendship too much, and they missed each other very badly," the King narrated the story in a heart-touching way.

    Moved by the emotions her grandfather''s eyes held, Gis couldn''t resist interrupting him because it wasn''t every day that the King disyed his true feelings on his face.

    After all, revealing emotions without any barricade meant weakness in the King''s vocabry.

    "Who are they, grandpa?" intrigued by the story, Gis asked.

    "Your father and his best friend Alexander," revealed the King. "You''ve seen their portrait in stair''s office, his study and his bedroom," he said. Gis nodded, frowning as she tried to remember the faces on the portraits. "Now, I want you to help me bring them together and rekindle their friendship," Christopher said.

    The frown on Gis''s pretty face deepened. "But how, grandpa?" she asked.

    The King grinned at the anticipated question.

 Chapter 258 - Fate Has Brought Him To Her

    "By marrying Alexander''s son," Christopher dered.

    Gis''s hands dropped to her sides limply. She was beyond shocked after hearing the word marry. Mouth agape, she gawked at her grandfather in stunned silence. It was a blow that could shatter her dreams of meeting Ace, who stole her heart at first sight. Gis''s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

    <em>''No, I can''t let anyone ruin my dream. I won''t.''</em>

    Gis vowed.

    She schooled her fears with her lovely smile, like how she had learned to fake it perfectly. But there was a hint of nervousness when she did this time. After all, it wasn''t easy to deceive Christopher Castenos.

    "Grandpa, don''t you think I''m too young for the concept of marriage?" Gis dared to ask, her wordsing out in a broken stutter. Her grandfather smiled fondly at her, understanding her panic about the marriage.

    "My son is dying from inside with guilt, for he couldn''t keep his promise of staying by his best friend''s side till the end. I want him to be happy as he once used to be," Christopher confessed. Gis didn''t miss the sadness coating his voice and how the light in his eyes dimmed as though he was grieving losing something precious. "I want it to be genuine when he smiles instead of forcing it," the King said.

    Using his cane for support, Christopher got up from his seat and moved to sit beside Gis. He brushed his palm over her head affectionately before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Gis rested her head on his chest, basking in thefort of love her grandfather''s embrace always provided.

    "They were like each other''s shadows," the King revealed. He spoke about how Alexander and stair would celebrate their sess and happiness together. "They would mourn their failures and sadness together as well," Christopher said, sounding nostalgic. He presented the scenario, which indicated how they drifted apart because stair got busy with his princely duties.

    "As amoner, Alexander couldn''t understand stair''s status and his responsibilities or obligations as a royalty. He med him for abandoning their friendship and used him of betrayal when stair chose his crown and moved back to Greece after their education," Christopher kept weaving the web of lies to trap naive Gis with his false sentiments.

    Gis believed when her grandfather lied through his teeth that he wanted to bring Alexander back into stair''s life so that his son could once again live a peaceful, purposeful life. He knew Gis''s hesitation even before she voiced it out. She was only fifteen years old, after all. It was natural for her to get scared of the concept of marriage.

    Christopher assured her that he wouldn''t force her to marry until she reached the appropriate age. For now, all she had to do was befriend Alexander''s son and win over his heart. "Meet him, go on dates with him and understand each other," he suggested. It was too easy to convince Gis that she would bring immense joy to her father by bringing Alexander''s son home.

    "It''s the only way to mend their broken friendship," Christopher pronounced. "They both wouldn''t turn it down if their kids decided to marry each other," he added. Gis smiled, her head inclined in a single nod. She would never say no to her grandfather. It wasn''t that she was entirely selfless and would sacrifice her happiness in a blink of an eye.

    Gis was her grandfather''s granddaughter in a true sense, for she had inherited the trait of how to influence people''s minds around her. Whenever the Kingmanded or ordered them to do his bidding, Gis would oblige without any protest, unlike Helena, who would fight back and argue defiantly.

    Gis wasn''t that innocent as she portrayed herself in front of everyone. She would agree to the King''s every demand with a smile, but cunningly, she would wear the curtain of sadness in her pretty eyes and would seem heartbroken while doing something she wouldn''t want to do willingly. The frown of disappointment she would constantly carry on her face or the way her shoulders seemed to copse in defeat all the time would eventually earn the King''s pity.

    The more one dared to disobey him, the more the King would be outraged. Gis had learned and mastered the technique from a very early age. She would earn his pity rather than defy him. The King, pleased with her obedience and loyalty, would finally free her from the burden willingly as her reward for her devotion.

    It was her way of earning his trust and making him do her bidding without even knowing. It was how she became his favourite granddaughter. She knew Christopher held her dear to his heart, and she was never ashamed to use it to her advantage.

    She had learnt it from the best after all.

    It was a skill that ran in both grandfather and granddaughter''s blood. They both excelled in the art ofpelling others to meet their demands without revealing their true self. No one would know how cunning and maniptive they could get or how selfish and vicious they were by nature.

    Christopher took the envelope from the coffee table and gave it to Gis. "It had the boy''s photos inside. He''s tall, handsome, rich, intelligent and brave. He meets all requirements for eligibility I prefer in my future grandson-inw," he admitted, sounding too pleased with that. "And I''m sure you''ll like him," he stated.

    Gis bit her tongue to stop the protest of rejection that fought desperately toe out of her mouth. Smiling her consent, she epted the envelope which held the power to make or ruin her future.

    "Keep it between us for now, will you?" Christopher asked, already knowing she would. "I don''t want anyone to know, especially Helena. You know how reckless and immature she is. I don''t want her to ruin my ns with her foolishness," he said, twisting the corners of his mouth in displeasure.

    Christopher had noticed Helena hiding behind the curtains in Gis''s balcony. He had caught a glimpse of her wrist when the air ruffled the curtains. The cheap wristwatch with a simple ck belt was too obvious to miss, and he knew it belonged to Helena. She was the only one who would wear such inexpensive essories in the royal family.

    It was clear that the guard had stopped her from entering, and the silly girl had to defy the King anyway, and Christopher had guessed it right. Helena had rushed to the terrace as soon as the guard denied her entry. Using the shortdder, which the servants had kept for watering the nts in the terrace garden, she had climbed down to Gis''s balcony.

    Disappointed, the King scoffed inwardly at the eavesdropping girl. He purposely told Gis to keep it a secret from Helena. Curiosity always killed the cat, and Christopher knew the moment Gis lied to her, Helena would spy and investigate. He hoped that at least, after seeing the photographs of Alexander''s son, Helena would realise why Gis always won the best things in life.

    <em>''Jealousy is a cruel disease, after all.''</em>

    Christopher wanted Helena to change her attitude and act her royal self, even if it came at the cost of jealousy. It didn''t matter to him if it created a dispute between the two cousins and tainted their bonding. All he wanted was for Helena to get rid of her filthymoner friends and find someone worthy as Ace Hunter.

    Nudging Gis''s shoulder, the King smiled at her. "Now open the envelope. I want to know your first impression about the boy," he said. Gis returned his smile, even though she was annoyed and dreaded doing it.

    <em>''As if anyone can hold the candle to my daring and dashing Knight.''</em>

    She scoffed inwardly.

    Despite the cry of objection her heart screamed, Gis would still do it for her father''s happiness, and anyway, it wasn''t like she had the privilege to offend the King. She couldn''t afford it. So, for now, Gis would dly side with her grandfather and help his father reunite with his former best friend. She would eventually find a better way to dump the boy in question at the right time.

    "Whatever, Grandpa, I would do anything for you. I have promised, haven''t I?" Gis asked, nting a pleasing smile on her lips. Christopher kept his eyes on her face to study her expression while she pulled the photograph out of the envelope with her thumb, index and middle finger.

    Gis gasped audibly. Her eyes widened to their fullest, and her breath hitched as she slowly drew the picture out. Delicate, slender fingers gripped the object firmly as her hand shook. Her heart skyrocketed as she felt the surge of adrenaline rush flooding through her nds. She was stunned but pleasantly surprised and bit her lip to tame the smile that fought to scatter across her mouth.

    Gis couldn''t believe her luck. The one whom she was looking for everywhere, fate has itself brought him in front of her.

    Smiling charmingly at her through the picture was her Knight, her dream boy, Ace, the one she was desperate to meet.

    "Grandpa," Gis called. She wanted to say something but couldn''t form a coherent sentence as her mind was still in a haze. Her heart kept thudding violently against her ribs, threatening to break out of her chest.

    Christopher leaned back and smirked in satisfaction at her reaction. She seemed smitten already. He couldn''t me the girl, though. The boy had that charisma demanding undivided attention from whoeverid eyes on him.

    <em>''Half the work has been done.''</em>

 Chapter 259 - She Wanted To Sleep Forever

    A muffled weird sound came out of her throat as Hera growled in anger.

    Someone forced pulled the duvet off her face, intensifying the level of her frustration. She had her eyes squeezed shut while her teeth assaulted her bottom lip trapped between them.

    <em>''For fuck''s sake, leave me alone.''</em>

    Hera let out a series of curses mentally.

    The headache was being a bitch, and Hera wanted nothing more than to bury herself under the earth. As usual, she tried using the duvet to conceal her existence from the ex-best friends crowded in the room. It seemed to be a futile attempt since someone had decided to torment her already.

    Hera reluctantly opened her eyes toe face to face with ra. "What do you want, ra?" Hera snapped, not bothering to hide the annoyance.

    ra pushed the duvet to the corner at her feet and ced a paper bag in front of her. Hera could guess from the sweet aroma what was inside. She was half expecting Hunter toe with the food since she didn''t have her dinner. But she knew better not keep her hopes high.

    She grabbed her phone and checked the time. It was half-past ten already, and Hunter didn''te to see her yet. Nor did she receive any message or a call from him.

    As though she could read her mind, ra spoke, confirming her doubt. "Your boyfriend won''te with your food because he doesn''t know you''re expecting him," ra said. She smiled at the deepening frown on Hera''s face. Hera hated the pity ra''s eyes held. "He didn''te for dinner either, nor did any of his friends," ra informed.

    Hera''s heart dropped to her stomach in disappointment. If Hunter didn''t know she skipped her dinner and was now starving, then he wasn''ting to her anytime soon. He would''ve never let her sleep with an empty stomach if he had known she didn''t eat.

    Hera decided to skip her dinner because she wasn''t ready to face Hunter''s anger yet. Though he listened and agreed to let go of Noel as per her demand, she knew it would take time for his anger to cool down. After all, it wasn''t easy for Hunter to follow Hera''s request after what Bianca had used. Noel was lucky that Hunter let him go.

    <em>''If none of them came to dinner, then it means Hunter has gone out with his friends.'' </em>

    Hera guessed, anger and jealousy clouding her mind.

    <em>''Of course, he would take his best friend out. His sunshine must be pretending to be upset.''</em>

    She thought indignantly.

    "Don''t starve and punish yourself for something which is not your fault. I know you can''t endure hunger for too long," ra said, pulling Hera out of her thoughts. Hera watched while ra opened the container and ced the food in front of Hera, demanding she eats it. "Don''t go to bed with an empty stomach. You won''t be able to sleep," ra said in disapproval.

    Nervously, Hera nced around as she felt eyes on her. Hiry was watching their exchange with keen interest, prying for more gossip, no doubt. Adide was ring at Hera, clearly not impressed by the friendly approach ra had towards her.

    Brittany and Celine hesitantly assembled at Hera''s bed. "Since ra and you are on talking terms again, does it mean we can all be best friends again like we used to be?" Celine asked, sounding hopeful. "I hope so," Brittany was quick to add. Hera smiled half-heartedly, which seemed more like a grimace.

    Hera was angry that Hunter was with his friends, having a good time, no doubt, whereas she struggled with all the burden of guilt.

    She used to smile andugh and have fun with her friends once upon a time. With hot tears stinging the inside of her eyes, Hera reluctantly took a first bite of the food ra brought for her. She didn''t refuse to eat because she wasn''t a heartless bitch to not acknowledge the gesture ra showed.

    Hera couldn''t dare look ra in the eyes and speak.

    Meanwhile, her friends sat on her bed, watching her. One of them offered water for her, and another held a tissue when Hera sniffled. Not knowing how to respond, Hera took the tissue, and she ate her food, shedding tears and blowing her nose in between.

    It brought back the sweet memories Hera had once relished with her best friends.

    Hera finished her food and took medicine for her headache. She was thankful that her friends didn''t force her to speak and left her alone to rest afterwards. Lying on her bed, Hera closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She was waiting for the lights to turn off, counting seconds.

    She heard a series of goodnights as her friends wished one another before going to bed, except sleep wouldn''te to Hera as everything that happened at school kept shing behind her closed eyelids.

    ra''s pity or caring approach or whatever it was made Hera feel even guiltier. Adding more to her miseries, Hunter didn''t reach out. Hot salty water warmed her temples as they flew out from the corners of her closed eyelids. She was angry that he didn''t care enough to check on her.

    <em>''You''re proving Noel right, Hunter.''</em>

    Noel had said that Hera would never be Hunter''s priority when ites to his friends. It dawned on Hera that Hunter did choose his friends over her. She recalled how he had yelled at her to shut her mouth when she was speaking to Michael. Hunter couldn''t stand it when Hera med Bianca.

    <em>''Even though I was only stating the truth.''</em>

    Her eyes shed tears continuously, the tissue in her hand soaked wet and useless now. She turned to her side and pulled the duvet over her head. Hunter had used Noel of misbehaving with Bianca, yet he didn''t think twice before leaving Hera alone with the said culprit.

    <em>''If Noel is the bad guy, then how did you leave me alone with him, Hunter?''</em>

    <em>''Don''t you care for your goddess anymore?''</em>

    <em>''You chose your sunshine over me. You''re so unfair, Hunter.''</em>

    Hera wished to see Hunter. She wanted his arms around her and needed him to console her. She wanted to hear him say she held a special ce in his heart and that she was important to him.

    When Noel, ra, and Adide were attacking her emotionally, Hera couldn''t take it anymore, nor could she object to any of the things they said since they only spoke the truth. Ovee with emotions, Hera was shell-shocked and couldn''t utter a word against them.

    She couldn''t thank her lucky stars enough when she heard the bell ringing. She watched while Noel warned Adide and ra that they would receive detention if they werete for their ss and demanded they leave. "I''m never leaving you alone, no matter what," ra had said, much to Hera''s surprise. "And I don''t care about detention. You''re more important to me," Hera had heard Adide say.

    They were all busy arguing when the second bell went off. Without wasting another second, Hera grasped the opportunity and made a beeline to the new building where her ssroom was. She managed to escape Noel and ra''s using eyes, but everything they said kept echoing in Hera''s thoughts throughout the day.

    By the time her first ss after the lunch break ended, Hera''s headache had intensified. She would''ve pretended to be sick and skip the rest of her sses anyway. With her teacher''s permission, she visited the infirmary at school. The pain reliever tablet had helped her sleep off her grief till the evening.

    Hera wished if only she could sleep forever. She was tired of causing distress to people around her. Because of Hunter''s possessiveness, all her friends had suffered in some or another way. She couldn''t get rid of the images of Noel writhing in pain on the ground when Hunter hit him mercilessly.

    It brought back the memories she so wanted to erase forever. It reminded her of the day when Nathan disappeared from school as well as her life.

    What Noel suffered today was nothing inparison to what Nathan went through. Hera felt ashamed that she forgot so soon about what Hunter did to Nathan, and she forgave him just like that.

    <em>''Why are you so cruel, Hunter?''</em>

    <em>''Why is it so easy for you to hurt people both physically and emotionally?''</em>

    Hera couldn''t find answers to her questions, but she was desperate to find them.

    She thought of Andrew and hoped he was safe and alive. Hera squeezed her eyelids and pursed her lips to not to make any sound. She hardly managed to control the sob that constricted her throat. Atst, ra and Noel seeded in nting doubt in her mind. She wondered if Hunter killed Nathan and Andrew for real.

    Noel had suggested using him to make Hunter feel the hurt of betrayal. Hera hated that she was actually considering his advice. Shouldn''t Hunter know or feel what Hera was going through? Why should she suffer alone? Hera couldn''t help but wish Hunter to suffer with her. She was only a human, after all.

    <em>''You know the feeling, Hera, and I know it too. But don''t you think it''s so unfair on us that he doesn''t know that feeling?''</em>

    Noel''s question kept ringing in Hera''s ears.

    Hera recalled her vow to make Hunter understand her pain. She did want him to know how it felt when your lover cheated on you. Hera decided she wouldn''t miss an opportunity when the time woulde.

    With that thought lingering on her mind, Hera drifted off to sleep as the effect of medicine kicked in.

 Chapter 260 - Tit For Tat

    "Argh, my hair is a mess," ra whined, peering into the mirror in the bathroom attached to her bedroom. "So is my face," Herained, scowling at her best friend. The music sting in the living hall was loud enough to rattle the items adorning the inside of the ss showcase mounted to the wall.

    It was ra''s birthday, and what better way to celebrate it than smearing the cake on each other''s faces? Yesterday after school, ra forced Hera to go with her, and now they were at ra''s house having the time of their lives with no one to restrict them frommitting anything reckless.

    ra''s parents hosted a small family celebration yesterday at midnight as they had to go out of state the next day to attend a rtive''s wedding. Since ra wanted to spend her birthday with Hera, she refused to go with them. The rtive was a distant one, and ra wasn''t attached to them emotionally anyway. So it was easy to decline when her parents asked her to join them on the short trip.

    "I would be too tired after the trip, and it would affect my study time," ra had said, begging her parents to exclude her from attending the wedding. They agreed since ra used the school as an excuse and let Nathan and her stay back.

    ra knew they would agree as her parents would go their separate way the sooner the wedding ended. They were never home and went on business trips frequently. So spending the weekend at their dorms or home alone wasn''t anything new to Nathan and ra.

    Now with their parents out, Nathan, ra and Hera enjoyed their freedom. They ate pizza, cake and drank soft drinks. Hera had a great time sweating out her energy by swaying to the wild music along with her friends. She wanted to get away from her ex-boyfriend and needed this time to distract and refresh her broken heart.

    Nathan was waiting in the living hall, sipping soda from the can and scrolling through his phone while the girls washed the sticky remnants of the birthday cake off their faces and hair in the bathroom.

    Hera hadughed and danced until her legs gave out. She didn''t regret any second of it, though her sour feet hurt like hell now. Nathan had identally stepped on her foot once or twice while they danced together. Sitting on the edge of the bathtub, Hera checked her abused little toe, which seemed too red and swollen.

    Subconsciously Hera''s eyes fell on the anklet resting on her left ankle. Her hand touched the tinum object, fingers failing to resist the urge to touch and caressed the heart charm attached to it. It immediately made her think of Hunter.

    The mere thought of Hunter dug her wounds, and her heart ached.

    It had been a year since Hera broke up with her cheating boyfriend, but for the love of God, he wouldn''t let her live in peace. Since the day Hunter caught her kissing Nathan, he had made this rule that no other boy in the school should dare to befriend her, let alone date her, even though he kept fooling around with every other thing that wore a skirt and walked on two legs.

    <em>''What a hypocrite.''</em>

    Hera thought and cursed in her mind.

    The image of Hunter touching the other girl intimately shed across her vision. It felt like a sledgehammer smashing into the ss of her heart, and the crash echoed in her ears. The inside of her chest constricted painfully.

    "He''s too upset, you know," ra spoke. Her voice broke Hera''s chain of thoughts and brought her out of her agonising memories.

    The frown forming between Hera''s eyebrows and the confusion in her eyes let ra know that Hera wasn''t listening. Sighing, ra brought the first-aid box from one of the cabs in the bathroom. Hera smiled in gratitude when her best friend took out a pain-reliever cream and nursed her little toe.

    "I noticed Nate flinching whenever you winced in pain as if he was the one hurting. He likes you a lot, you know," ra said, stating the obvious. Hera ducked her head, avoiding ra''s eyes. "It''s nothing. It doesn''t even hurt that much," Hera said, shrugging. She was trying to dodge the inevitable question she knew ra would ask. But thetter didn''t take the hint and asked her anyway, "Do you like him?"

    Hera tried not to grimace at the thought and forced a smile, looking at ra.

    "ra, you''re very dear to me, and so is Nate. But I don''t see him that way. He''s a friend," Hera said as honestly as she felt. ra scowled, whining in protest. "But why? Ace Hunter is out of the picture. You broke up with him a year ago," ra pointed out. "For how long are you going to mop around? Move on, Hera," she scolded, a disapproving re directed at Hera.

    "I don''t mind if you and Nate get together. I would be too d to wee you to my family as my sister," ra admitted, nudging Hera''s shoulder. She tried to make her understand how much Nathan was into her while Hera listened absent-mindedly, her fingers ying with her anklet.

    "Forget about that asshole and give Nate a chance. I know he''ll make you happy," ra stated, sounding too confident as she advocated for her brother.

    Washing her hands, ra walked to the door, asking Hera toe out as well.

    Hera sighed and bit the inside of her lower lip. Every time someone reminded her why Hunter didn''t deserve her, her already broken heart would shatter a little more. She cursed the day when Hunter announced to the whole school,belling her as his girl. It would''ve been easier to move on if no one knew Hunter was her boyfriend.

    <em>''Then there would be no one to remind me of him.''</em>

    It stung a bit more each time people looked at her in pity while her ex-boyfriend, who had already moved on, pranced around with his new girlfriend, Samantha, tucked under his arm. Throwing her head back, she eyed the bathroom ceiling as if it held the remedy to all her queries. Taking a moment more to pull her broken self together, Hera finally made it to the door, only to get blocked by someone.

    Nathan stood in front of Hera with his arms stretched out, palms resting firmly on either side of the doorframe, his body blocking her way out.

    "She didn''t lie, you know. I really like you," Nathan said, whispering in her ear. "A lot," he added, his breath hot on her skin and his face too close for her liking. Instinctively, Hera moved her head back and took a step away from him. It irked her that Nathan was eavesdropping, and she scowled at him in disapproval.

    "I wasn''t eavesdropping. I identally heard your conversation, and you two weren''t that secretive," Nathan offered in his defence as if he could read Hera''s thoughts.

    He walked into the bathroom and kicked the door shut. Hera frowned in confusion at the strange look in his eyes.

    "Nate, what are you doing?" Hera asked, panicking at his sudden change of behaviour. She didn''t have the time to prepare, and he was too quick when he moved forward and caught her hand. Hera was shocked when he pulled her into his arms. "Let''s go on a date, Hera. Be my girlfriend," he requested, which sounded more like a demand.

    Hera''s eyes went wide in surprise, and she let out an audible gasp when he suddenly touched her cheek with his lips, nting a kiss there. Nathan took a picture of them, capturing the moment in his phone''s camera. He moved, forcing her to walk backwards until her back touched the wall behind. "Nate, please stop it," Hera said, trying to get away from his hold, but he refused to let her go.

    Nathan pressed his torso more into her, and Hera felt trapped while she struggled to push him off her. She used her hands as a barrier, trying to put some distance between their bodies. Hera took a deep breath,posing herself not to panic. It was only Nathan, her friend. However, before she could open her mouth to speak, Nathan kissed her on the lips covering her mouth with his.

    Hera kept her lips sealed, not daring to move. She resisted the urge to puke and waited for the kiss to end while Nathan kept their mouths pressed together. "Give me a chance, Hera. Don''t be scared of Ace. I can handle him," Nathan said when he finally detached their lips. Hera pushed him off her, and thankfully he didn''t resist. She sighed and took two steps away from him, putting a respectable distance between them.

    Hera thought about what Nathan said.

    Hunter had threatened all the boys to stay away from her after their supposed break-up. No one dared to go against him except Nathan. He was the only one who kept his friendship intact with her even after Hunter threatened.

    Hera knew Nathan wasn''t afraid of Hunter, and for a fleeting moment, she thought of considering his proposal. She could say yes to Nathan and use him to hurt Hunter or make him jealous. It would be a tit for tat. Hunter would know what Hera felt when she caught him cheating, but still, Hera couldn''t dare to risk the chance and put Nathan in danger.

    She felt ashamed for even letting the thought of using her friend cross her mind. She would never stoop so low.. Hera cleverly found a diplomatic answer to Nathan''s proposition.

 Chapter 261 - Been There, Done That

    "Nate, I don''t want to be a rebound," Hera said, smiling sadly at him, hand reaching out to open the door. She looked over her shoulder only to add in a softer tone, "And you''re not in your right mind at the moment. You need time to heal your broken heart." Hera tried her best not to sound pitiful. She knew very well how it felt when someone pitied you over your pathetic love life or sympathised with your broken heart.

    Before Hera could step out, Nathan caught her arm and gently pulled her back inside, his eyes pleading with her to stay. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms across his chest, a gesture of defensiveness. Hera noticed the disappointment shing in his eyes, and she forced a cheerful grin on her face.

    Leaning against the door, Hera imitated his posture. "Bathrooms are always the ideal ce to discuss heartbreaks," Hera said teasingly, earning a small smile from Nathan in return. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked cautiously.

    Nathan had suffered heartbreak recently.

    When Nathan revealed that he liked someone and was crazy about her, never had Hera imagined the girl would be Bianca.

    He had followed Bianca everywhere like a puppy for weeks and did everything to woo her and win her heart. He would carry her bag or books, trailing behind her as if he was a ve especially born to serve her. He would buy her hot chocte every day, her favourite drink and make her te during dinner. He would give her flowers every morning with a cheesy good morning greeting.

    Hera had seen him smile at Bianca like crazy and ogle her with stars in his eyes as if she was an angel descended from heaven. Nathan had done everything to please her in the hope of finally getting her attention. All he wanted was a chance for him to go on a date with her. Anyone could see he was smitten.

    After months of treating the boy like her ve, the Queen Bee was finally pleased with his dedication and agreed to go on a date with him as his reward, only to break his heart mercilessly right after.

    "There''s nothing to talk about, Hera. I''m over it, believe me," Nathan said. He sure sounded positive and determined for Hera''s surprise, but his hunched shoulders and bowed head said otherwise. Hera didn''t know much about Nathan''s story with Bianca. He had briefly summarised how Bianca had insulted him and broke his heart before discarding him like garbage.

    The date was perfect, as per Nathan''s opinion. He had reserved a table for them in a fancy restaurant and had ordered all her favourite food. He gave her flowers and gifted a fluffy pair of teddy bears in red colour with a heart resting in their paws. He was so happy and was floating on cloud nine.

    However, when their dinner date came to an end, and he tried to kiss his date goodnight, she pushed him off andughed, mocking him, much to Nathan''s shock. She said it was all a prank, a joke at his expense for her tough. It crushed Nathan''s heart to witness when Bianca threw his flowers and gifts, stomping them under her heels.

    Nathan was disheartened and depressed by the rejection. Hera had seen how sad and disappointed he had been. But how was Bianca going to get satisfied with only this? Her only sce in life was to torment innocent people andugh at their misery.

    Hera had seen how Bianca humiliated Nathan in school the next day while everyone witnessed his downfall. The heartbroken boy was marching towards his table while bncing the te filled with food in one hand and clutching the water bottle and disposable cup with the other. Bianca had blocked his way and touched his cheek, mocking pity. It was then that Hera realised Nathan had bruises on his face.

    Bianca clicked his tongue with a shake of her head. When Nathan tried to walk away, she suddenly shot out her foot between his and tripped him up. He fell t on his face with his food smeared all over his torso. Hera gasped in shock while everyone elseughed at her helpless friend. ra rushed to help her brother, and so did Hera.

    However, when Hera tried to reach Nathan, someone grabbed her wrist, restricting her from lending a helping hand to the boy lying on the floor, and she turned around to meet cerulean blue eyes ring at her. She returned Michael''s re and attempted to jerk her hand away from his hold but in vain.

    Hera wasn''t surprised to find Hunter standing right beside Bianca. Hera looked at her ex-boyfriend and tried to yank her hand back once again, and as she expected, Hunter''s gaze fell on Michael''s hand, which held her in ce. Hunter shot a re to his best friend, and the former immediately let go of Hera''s hand. Hera''s relief was short-lived, though, because as soon as Michael released her hand, Hunter''s fingers wrapped around her wrist.

    Shooting daggers with her eyes, Hera gritted her teeth and was about to protest, but Hunter had tightened his grip and shed a warning re not to intervene and stay away.

    Her once sweet, loving, caring boyfriend had turned into her bully after their breakup. Hera couldn''t help Nathan and watched helplessly, while ra supported her brother''s weight on her shoulders and pulled him to his feet.

    Like always, Samantha was ring at Hera as if she was the one who caused the fight. Evelyn, who always tried to stop her friends from getting into a fight, didn''t seem to object this time, much to Hera''s surprise.

    "You filthy trash, you dared to think you have the standard to touch me?" Hera had heard Bianca utter with disgust coating her tone. Nathan flinched at the insult and couldn''t dare to look her in the eye. "I was sick of you running behind me all the time like a dog wagging your tail. So I decided to grant your pathetic self a wish. But you should''ve known I''m way out of your league," she spat the words out, sneering at the distressed boy.

    Hera seemed ashamed as she watched Hunter and his friends join the loudughter echoing in the luncheon bar. Shaking her head in disappointment, she scoffed and looked away. When she caught Hunter cheating on her, she had thought he couldn''t look any uglier than this. But goodness, how wrong was she? He surprised her every other day.

    "I pity your thoughts that you even dared to think of dating me. It was a good show, though, to watch you begging and crying for a chance like the pathetic loser you are," Bianca had said, humiliating him so heartlessly. The spectatorsughed, finding the humour in the situation while some of them pitied the boy too. However, no one dared to interfere or stop them because the bullies were the student council members themselves.

    Who would report against them?

    "You fucking bitch, leave him alone, for fuck''s sake. You''ve hurt him enough," ra spat in anger. Bianca smirked, seeming amused by ra''s outburst. She grabbed Nathan''s water bottle from the floor. Keeping her eyes on ra, she unscrewed the lid and filled her mouth with water, only to spurt it out on ra''s face. Hera gasped in utter shock while ra stared at the culprit in stunned silence.

    "Oopsie, sorry, let me help you clean up," Bianca said, faking concern, and in the next moment, she was emptying the water bottle over ra''s head. "Next time when you and your loser brother try to open your stinking mouth in front of me, think twice. If not, then I''ll rip your tongue out," Bianca had said before walking away.

    Nathan had revealed to Herater how he got those bruises. No surprise there for guessing as it was the courtesy of her ex-boyfriend. Hera should''ve known Bianca had be an expert in her vile games by now.

    Hunter and his friends had attacked Nathan, beating him left-right. It seemed Bianca had concocted an evil story and lied to Hunter that Nathan tried to touch her inappropriately during their date. The bitch pretended to be innocent and scared in front of her best friends, who jumped into her rescue.

    "And you''re not a rebound," Nathan spoke, stopping Hera''s train of thoughts. He smiled reassuringly. Hera sighed, seeming thoughtful for a moment before she replied. "Nate, you don''t have to lie to me. I can understand your pain. Been there, done that," Hera said, smiling sadly.

    Nathan shook his head as if disagreeing with her statement. "I''m not like you, moping around undeserving, unworthy assholes," Nathan said, sounding too bitter, and his taunt stung like a scorpion bite, vicious and burning.

    "Ace doesn''t have to know. We won''t tell anyone at school. I''m willing to keep it a secret if you agree to give me a chance," Nathan promised. He was too persistent and sounded too genuine with his decision. "We can meet here at my ce during weekends," he suggested.

    Hera didn''t know how to reject him. She couldn''t use the excuse of him being her best friend''s brother. Hera couldn''t lie that it would affect her friendship with ra because Nathan had overheard their earlier conversation. He knew his sister didn''t have any problem with them dating, and he wouldn''t understand or approve if Hera said she was afraid of Hunter.

    "I''ve always liked you, Hera. If only I realised it sooner," Nathan admitted.

    Hera''s eyes widened at his confession.

 Chapter 262 - Too Late To Regret Her Decision

    Hera invited this trouble when she urged Nathan to speak about his breakup. She didn''t know it would backfire on her. Sighing, Hera slid against the door until her bottom touched the floor. She sat crossing her legs, her knee-length sky-blue dress with frills around the hem curtaining her legs. She could say yes to Nathan''s suggestion, but deep down, even she knew it would only turn into a disaster.

    It had been a year since Hunter dered that it was a break and not a breakup. As pathetic as it sounded, despite everything Hunter did, Hera couldn''t move on, but it didn''t mean she had any ns of taking Hunter back. However, much to her anguish, he wouldn''t let her go. She was known as his girl in school, and he had forbidden every boy from looking at her, let alone befriend her.

    The one or two times when Hera tried to talk to other boys, Hunter had made those boys'' lives a living hell. What bothered Hera more was that Hunter started harassing her friends instead of her. He would bully and torment every boy if she even looked at them identally. So Hera had decided to suffer all by herself and obeyed Hunter''s everymand. He would punish her by hurting her friends otherwise.

    From that day, Hera had never dared to give any other boy a chance. Not that anyone would want to risk their lives by daring to defy Hunter.

    Hera was waiting for Hunter to graduate and leave the school. It was a ridiculous hope that she would get rid of him somehow if he left the school. The thought provided herfort for the time being, even though it would never happen. Hunter would never leave her alone. He would still stay in her life even after graduating, to win her back or to torment her further, she had no idea.

    "Nate, I don''t want to drag you into my problems. I don''t want to cause any more fights. You know what Ace Hunter is capable of," Hera said, already sounding defeated. Nathan shook his head, unimpressed by her crushed spirit.

    "Don''t give him the power to ruin your life, Hera," he pleaded. "Ace and Bianca are two evil demons who deserve andplement each other," Nathan grumbled, and Hera couldn''t agree more.

    "Can''t you see, Hera, how unbothered and happy they are in their lives? Why should only we grieve and suffer as if we lost something precious?" Nathan asked indignantly. His eyes burned with anger while he spoke, gritting his teeth. He was right, and Hera couldn''t find any more excuses to deny him the chance he was asking for, except how was she supposed to tell him that she wouldn''t be able to reciprocate his feelings?

    Nathan walked closer and crouched in front of her before taking her hands in his. Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, Hera looked at him, hesitation evident in her eyes. "It''s okay if you''re not ready. I can wait," Nathan said, his voice soft and sweet. He kept assuring her that he would never hurt her like Hunter did if she gave him a chance.

    Hera didn''t know what to say, so she lowered her eyes and sighed again, desperate to find an escape. Nathan had an answer to her every excuse, and she was running out of them. Finally, Hera said she would think about it.

    Nathan insisted they go out tonight, if not on a date, then just as friends. He suggested it would refresh her mood, and she would get used to spending time with him. Hera could only nod her agreement.

    "Ah, finally!" ra eximed. She was happy that Hera agreed to give her brother a chance. They were changing in ra''s room. Hera rolled her eyes and dumped hers and ra''s dress in the hamper. She hoped the chocte syrup and whipped cream stain smeared on her dress from the cake woulde off after dry cleaning. It was one of her favourite dresses.

    "It isn''t a date, ra. Nate, you and I are going out to have fun because it''s your birthday. You know I don''t feel about him that way, but I couldn''t just say no to him," Hera rified while shoving her legs into her washed-out blue denim pants. She was somewhat d that she talked about it, and Nathan understood to some extent. Hera nheless rejected him indirectly, but he still promised to wait until she was ready.

    ra was disappointed at Hera''s confession as she thought her brother deserved more than Hera''s pity. Pulling down the white top over her head, Hera righted it once it settled on her body. Hiding her disappointment, ra smiled when Hera looked at her. They helped brush each other''s hair and high-fived once satisfied with their look.

    Nathan was sitting on the hood of his father''s blue Audi car, patiently waiting for the girls, twirling a bunch of keys around his index finger. They had decided to go on a drive as Nathan wanted to show them his driving skills. He had recently obtained his provisional driving licence. He opened the door and settled behind the wheel when the girls came out of the house.

    ra pushed Hera to the front and winked at her before settling in the back seat. With a shake of her head, Hera snorted, and after putting on her denim jacket, she sat beside Nathan in the front. "I''m risking my life for you, so please be careful," Hera muttered, making Nathan chuckle in response.

    It was already quarter past eight in the evening, and since it was a residential area, the road was almost empty, making the driving easy for Nathan while the girls enjoyed the smooth ride.

    Suddenly, Hera got rmed and sat straight in her seat as she inspected the road on either side. Frowning, she pursed her lips as she recognised the ce. Nathan was driving towards the backside of their school.

    "Nate, why are you going this way?" Hera asked, her voice already shaking with nerves. "Rx, Hera. There''s an empty field nearby," Nathan said, taking a turn. "It''s a perfect ce to hang out for teenagers like us to party or pic," he said. Hera was getting nervous because it''s where Hunter hangs out with his friends.

    Nathan revealed the property belonged to a foreigner who hardly visited, and it was still as good as an abandonednd. Hera absent-mindedly hummed her acknowledgement while Nathan spoke.

    A thirty more minute driveter, Hera sighed in relief when Nathan passed all the restaurants and pubs where Hunter usually would eat or drink with his friends.

    "Well, mind telling us what are we going to do in that abandonednd, brother?" ra asked, her curious eyes looking at Hera through the rear-view mirror. "We''re going to enjoy our pic," Nathan stated. "Open the dashboard for me," he requested, ncing briefly at Hera, a grin stered on his face. Hera was surprised to find the packets of chips and fries inside.

    "ra, can you check under your seat?" Nathan asked without taking his eyes off the road. As he expected, his sister gasped loudly. Hera turned in her seat to peek at ra''s feet, where she had pulled a box with a few beer cans inside.

    "Nate, you''re driving, and ra and I don''t drink," Hera pointed out, her nose scrunching in disapproval. "Why would you even bring it?" she asked, scowling at him. Hera had never tasted beer or any other alcoholic beverages. "Pass me a beer can," Nathan said, and his sister obedientlyplied while Hera regretted her decision of agreeing toe on this drive.

    "There''s always a first time, Hera. You can taste it," Nathan suggested. Hera watched with her jaw dropped, eyes wide, while he removed his hands off the steering wheel for a second to open the beer can. It hissed as his fingers pressed and pulled the stay-tab opening the can. "Nate, please concentrate on your driving," Hera yelled at him, scared for her life.

    Nathan gulped a mouthful of beer, much to Hera''s dismay. She snatched the can from his hand and red at him. "Rx, Hera. I won''t let you die," he said jokingly, sounding amused by her anxiety. He took another turn and crossed the open gate to the said vast emptynd. Hera missed the namete on the barrier Iron Gate disying the owner''s name.

    The contents inside the beer can spilt out as the car rocked, the liquid with tiny bubbles dirtying Hera''s hand. She grimaced at the smell and cursed, looking at the wet patches on her pants. Her displeased eyes darted towards Nathan only to find him smirking. He was looking ahead, and the glint in his eyes somehow scared Hera, for it almost looked evil. He seemed so strange with that weird look on his face.

    ra suddenly screamed, startling Hera. "Nate, watch out," ra yelled, and Hera looked to the front. Her frightened eyes went wide like saucers. She saw the ck Range Rover parked right on their way, and Nathan seemed to be insane for heading straight into it.

    Hera''s breath hitched as she recognised the car immediately, and just to confirm, her eyes fell on the number te. She cursed her luck for being such a bitch to her.

    "No fucking way! God, why are you so cruel to me?" Hera muttered in a shaky voice. rmed, she ducked her head and covered her mouth with her hand. She couldn''t even dare to scream as their car hit the backside bumper guard of Hunter''s Range Rover before she could stop Nathan.

 Chapter 263 - Kissing His Girlfriend

    "Hey, manners," Evelyn grimaced at Danny disapprovingly when he gave a loud belch and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his T-shirt. Thetter fixed her with an unimpressed look and scowled back at her. How could she expect him not to burp when they were drinking beer?

    They were all sitting in a circle on the ground with potato chips, chocte truffle, vegetable sd and opened pizza boxes in the centre, a can of beer in their hands. Hunter and Bianca were sitting next to each other, their backs leaning against the side of Hunter''s Range Rover. The rock music sted through the music system in the car.

    No one was there to question or object to them as it was an open space away from the residential area. Hunter''s father had purchased the property and had it secured with sr fencing. It had Auto-rotating CCTV cameras installed on the Iron Gate. Thend was an unexpected purchase Alexander made to help a friend resolve his financial crisis.

    Since Hunter had ess to it, he used the ce to spend time with his friends sometimes. No other strangers would dare set foot inside the property as it bore Alexander''s name along with the written caution that trespassers would get punished by thew.

    Michael leaned closer to Evelyn''s face and emitted gas noisily through his mouth caused by the mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide of the beer gas. "Pardon me for belching, mydy. I''ll do better next time," he said in his perfect British ent. Though his tone filled with amusement, he bit back a smile and kept his face straight.

    Danny''s frown shifted into a grin, and the others joined theughter that immediately followed while Evelyn shoved Michael away and flipped him the bird before giving up andughing with him. "You brat," she said, hitting his back with her tiny fist. Michael pretended to choke and then made a show of dying with ack of air when she yfully tried to strangle him.

    Eric kicked the youngest boy of their group yfully when Michaely on the ground acting as a dead body. Loudughter surrounded them as everyone tortured Michael by tickling him until he apologised for his sham.

    Hunter and his friends were having a little party of their own. They were speaking animatedly, teasing andughing with each other, having a good time when a sudden crash startled them. Hunter''s car jerked as another vehicle hit it from behind. The beer cans dropped from Hunter and Bianca''s hands as they were both shocked by the impact since they were leaning against the car.

    The girls screamed while the boys cursed, all of them jumping to their feet as quickly as they could. The boys eyed the intruder sitting behind the wheel who dared to enter uninvited. Hunter moved to check the damage made to his favourite car.

    Heartbeats roaring in her ears, hands shielding her heart as though it would leap out of her ribcage, Hera took a deep breath and lifted her head to peek at a nce and instantly ducked her form, hiding from everyone''s view. All she saw was how much Hunter seemed enraged.

    "Nate, pull back, let''s go from here," Hera hissed at Nathan. "Hera, don''t panic. I''ll talk to them and will pay for the damage I caused. It''s going to be okay. Don''t worry," Nathan said. He seemed too unbothered for Hera''s surprise. She red at him from her seat and hissed through her clenched teeth, "Nate, shut the fuck up and turn the car. We need to get lost from here before Hunter recognises us."

    Nathan ignored her warning and opened her door, adding more to her dread and got down before she could protest. She cursed under her breath, and still ducking, she addressed ra. It was turning into difort to stay crouched on the seat. "Has your brother lost his brain, ra? It''s Hunter''s car. If he sees me, we''re going to be in big trouble," she stated in an incredulous tone.

    "Why the fuck did I agree toe with him in the first ce? It''s entirely my fault," Hera muttered, pping her palm over her forehead.

    "Hera, stop overreacting. No one is injured, so it''s not a big deal. As Nate said, we canpensate for the damage caused to his car," ra said calmly and matter-of-factly.

    Sinking her form further into the seat, Hera groaned as discreetly as she could. ra and Nathan didn''t understand the dangerous situation they got caught in, but Hera knew. The moment her eyes fell on Hunter''s car, she knew she was in trouble.

    <em>''If only the brother and sister knew how much Hunter is pissed. It''s his favourite car, after all.'' </em>

    Hera hoped for the miracle and wished for Superman, Spiderman or any other supernatural entity toe and take her away or make her disappear somehow. If only the ground beneath her could open up and swallow her form, anything would do if it avoideding face to face with Hunter.

    Still stuck in whatever little space avable in the footwell, Hera struggled to listen to what the boys were speaking. The music sting in Hunter''s car was still on, and she couldn''t hear their voices properly.

    "Hey, Ace, didn''t expect to see you here. I''m sorry for the crash," Nathan said, pretending to inspect the damage he caused. The frown of worry, the mock-guilt on his face, Hunter didn''t buy any of it, though. Hunter stood silently staring at the damage, and Nathan could tell by the tick in his clenched jaw he was grinding his teeth.

    "You motherfucker, you could have killed us, or we could have seriously got injured," Michael spat his anger out, and Eric was quick to hold him back when he tried to hit Nathan, who gave a nonchnt shrug as if to say he couldn''t help it.

    "And you dare to shrug your shoulders as if you''re speaking about the weather report?" Michael barked, his eyes burning with anger. "You didn''t, though. No one''s harmed," Nathan said in his defence, his tone sounding too unbothered.

    Nathan took pleasure in the girl''s distress when he noticed how shaken up Bianca seemed, and he couldn''t hide the satisfied smirk that lurked around his lips. Unfortunately, Hunter chose that exact moment to rip his eyes off his damaged car and noticed Nathan''s smile and the line of his vision. He moved,ing face to face with Nathan, and his tall frame hid Bianca from Nathan''s view.

    "Still so very protective, I see," Nathan said and scoffed. Hunter grabbed his neck, and his other hand came up to strike. He was ready to smash Nathan''s face and carve every scratch and dent he saw on his car into his face.

    The loser deserved this much for disfiguring his precious car. Hunter wouldn''t mind disfiguring the boy''s face and returning the favour.

    Before Hunter could strike, Nathan held his hands up in surrender and tried to step back. "I''m sorry I lost control, and I''m ready topensate for the damage," Nathan quickly offered. "Name the price and let me talk to my parents. My dad will pay you," he said, pulling out his phone.

    He bit back a smile when he opened his screen lock because his strategy seeded. Hunter saw what Nathan wanted him to see, the wallpaper on his phone''s screen. He was scrolling through his contact list, pretending to search for his father''s number, when suddenly Hunter moved closer and snatched his phone away.

    It was so satisfying to watch the different emotions ying on Hunter''s face. He frowned in confusion when Nathan first opened his lock screen, and now his eyes widened in surprise before he narrowed them in anger as he checked the picture set as the wallpaper.

    It was a picture of Hera kissing Nathan.

    Hunter seemed too lost as he studied every detail of the picture. The ce looked like a bathroom. Hunter could see the washbasin and bathtub on their sides. Hera was wearing a blue dress, which Hunter had gifted her two years ago when he returned to school after the summer holidays. Nathan had his lips on hers, covering her entire mouth.

    Hera''s eyes were wide open. Hunter couldn''t guess the feeling from her side profile whether she was surprised, shocked or pleasured from the kiss.

    But she wasn''t scared for sure.

    Nathan had his arm around her waist, and Hunter could tell he was holding the phone in his other hand. Nathan had taken the picture while kissing her.

    Hunter''s hold around the phone tightened, his eyes stayed fixed on the screen. His tongue brushed over his bottom lip before he pulled his lip between his teeth.

    Nathan noticed the change in Hunter''s stance. The former grinned in satisfaction at the rapid movement of Hunter''s chest as his breathing rate elerated. The dust of pink darkened on his neck, climbing up to his cheekbones, the shell of his ears turning pink as well. He was fuming with anger, andmine ready to explode.

    "Thest two times you and her brother beat me for kissing her, we weren''t emotionally involved," Nathan spoke, disturbing whatever thoughts were running in Hunter''s mind.

    "This time, it''s special because I''m kissing my girlfriend," Nathan said and waited to see Hunter''s reaction. Thetter lifted hisshes without lifting his head, the light from the phone''s screen highlighting the rage shing in his eyes.

    Nathan grinned again.

    "Yes, Hera is my girlfriend now, and we''re dating," he stated too smugly.

 Chapter 264 - Shes The Star Of The Evening

    Hunter''s friends rushed to his side after listening to Nathan''s statement. Frowning both in confusion and curiosity, they peeked into the phone in Hunter''s hand.

    "What the fuck?" Danny, Michael and Bianca eximed simultaneously, disbelief coating their tone as they saw Hera kissing Nathan. Evelyn let out an audible gasp while Samantha scoffed and bit back herughter.

    Eric took the phone from Hunter''s hand and sighed in frustration when he saw the picture. He wanted to throw his hands up in the air and curse aloud since he didn''t know how to console orfort his best friend at the moment. To an outsider or a stranger, Hunter would only seem angry, but Eric could see the hurt hidden behind the fury shing in his eyes. He touched Hunter''s shoulder, nudging him out of his enraged state.

    Nathan stood there, a mocking smirk directed at Hunter. He looked too pleased with himself for Hunter''s liking. "She''s a great kisser, right?" Nathan dered, sounding fascinated. "She got better with time and practise," he added, winking at Hunter. He had a grin on his face like a Cheshire cat which made Hunter''s stomach turn.

    Hunter moved, shifting his weight to one foot. It was so sudden that Nathan didn''t see iting when Hunter took a step forward, and in the next second, his right foot made contact with Nathan''s jaw, the trainer shoe hitting the side of his face. The kick came with such fierce force it made Nathan fall to the ground while screaming in pain.

    Behind them, sitting inside the car, ra was watching the interaction. She gasped loudly and covered her mouth with her hands when she saw Hunter kicking her brother. She opened the door and hurried to reach Nathan''s side.

    "Hey, what the fuck do you think you''re doing? Back off," ra yelled. Hera heard her loud, panicked voice and came out of her hiding ce to look at what was happening outside. Hunter''s friends had circled Nathan while hey on the ground. Hera saw Hunter crouching down to grab Nathan by the material of his T-shirt.

    Bianca had stopped ra and held her in ce by twisting her hands behind her back while thetter struggled to get out of the former''s hold. Danny stood in front of ra, and cing his index finger vertically over his lips, gestured for her to shut her mouth. "Stop hurting my brother, please," she pleaded when Hunter pulled Nathan up by his crew-neck T-shirt only to headbutt him across the face.

    Hera''s eyes widened in fear as she saw what Hunter had just done. She was fidgeting in her seat, shocked and confused, not knowing what to do. Should she keep quiet and stay hidden so that Hunter wouldn''t get triggered further by seeing her with Nathan, or should she go outside to interrupt and stop Hunter?

    However, before she could decide, Michael beat her to it and decided on her behalf as he saw her peeking head. Hera ducked her head in reflex when she noticed him marching towards her.

    "You should''ve stopped your brother from kissing my sister then. That dickhead dug his own grave when he exhibited the picture," Danny replied to ra''s pleadings. "And he had the nerve to boast about it," he said, gritting his teeth before he turned to face Hunter beating the shit out of Nathan. ra was confused as she had no clue what picture Danny was talking about or when Nathan kissed Hera.

    "Oh my! What do we have here?" Michael said as he opened the door to the passenger seat in the front to reveal Hera. He grasped her hand and tugged, forcing her to get down from the car. The rhythm of Hera''s heartbeats quickened as it skyrocketed. Fear found home inside her chest as Michael pulled her along, bringing her closer to Hunter.

    "Leave me, you bitch," ra yelled, trying to yank her hands back. Biancaughed, amused and excited. "Ms White, I''m not the bitch here," Bianca said and pointed her index finger at Nathan, "There, your asshole brother is the one and the ugliest, dirtiest one at that," she dered, her pretty face twisting in a grimace as she looked at Nathan and scorned.

    Hera halted dead in her tracks as she saw Nathan''s swollen, bruised face. Hunter leaned away for a second or two only to headbutt him again. Nathan''s eyes rolled back as he felt dizzy.

    "What happened, baby girl? Aw,e on, don''t be shy now," Michael cooed at her, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "You''re the star of the evening," he said and pulled Hera to his front to face Hunter. Hera didn''t miss the hatred in his tone that matched the look of disdain in his eyes.

    Hera was clueless why Michael was so angry at her. His displeased, loud voice attracted Hunter''s attention, and when thetter turned to look at him, his eyes found Hera''s. A shiver ran down her form in fright at the sight in front of her. Hunter''s eyes burned with rage, and the intensity of anger with which he stared at her scared her.

    Hera never thought that Hunter would ever look at her with such hateful eyes. She took a few steps back, cowering in fear when Hunter jumped to his feet and rushed at her, but there was no escape as Michael blocked her way from behind and pushed her forward.

    Hera stumbled but managed to stand still before she could collide into Hunter''s chest. She pressed her hands into the side of her thighs, brushing her sweaty palms against the soft material of the denim. It was an understatement to say she was nervous. Her heart thumped wild against her ribcage, and her breathing came in quick short breaths.

    The trail of lighting surrounding the fence wall of the property illuminated enough for Hera to notice there were tears in Hunter''s eyes, but she knew he wasn''t crying. It was the heat of his anger stinging his eyes. He never looked this furious, and for the first time in her life, Hera was terrified of him.

    "Hera, tell him not to hurt my brother," she heard ra''s request, but she could hardly look away when Hunter stood in front of her, face to face, staring into her soul through her eyes.

    Hunter pushed his palm out, and Hera followed the movement as Eric understood the silentmunication and passed Nathan''s phone to Hunter. Hera''srge eyes widened to their fullest as Hunter thrust the phone to her face and showed her the picture. She gulped nervously and shifted her eyes to Nathan, who was already looking at her.

    <em>''How could you stab me in the back like this?''</em>

    Hera''s eyes used him while she stared at him, disappointed by the betrayal.

    Nathan looked away in shame.

    <em>''Why would he show the picture to Hunter and dig his own grave?''</em>

    She knew Nathan took the pictures while kissing her, but she never thought he would unt them in front of Hunter.

    She took a deep breath before looking Hunter in the eye. Thetter never took his eyes off her, scrutinising every expression that yed on her face.

    Hera schooled her fears, "What?" she asked, giving an indifferent shrug. She didn''t miss the tick in his jaw, knew he was grinding his teeth.

    Hunter took a step forward, closing the little distance left between them. Hera remained in her ce, not backing off. He tilted his head to the side, eyes fixed on hers as he spoke his following words. "Did you kiss him willingly?" he asked, his tone softer than she expected.

    The wind chose to add special effects to the sudden dramatic events of Hera''s life at that exact moment and ruffled Hunter''s hair, messing itpletely. Hera shivered under the cold breeze. Though Hunter had spoken softly, the purple of his eyes gained a shade darker, and Hera could measure the intensity of his anger filled in them.

    "Are you two seeing each other?" Hunter forced the words out through his gritted teeth, and this time he couldn''t hide the resentment in his voice. "Is he your boyfriend now?" he asked. "That loser said so," Hunter revealed, jerking his head in Nathan''s direction. Hera knew he was waiting for her answer, but all she did was speechlessly stare at Hunter, eyes wide with shocked surprise.

    She couldn''t believe Nathan lied so daringly to Hunter. Hera wondered why he lied in the first ce. What was he thinking? What was his purpose? So many questions sneaked into her thoughts. However, it was the least of her worries now. She had a more pressing matter to mull over.

    It was the look in Hunter''s eyes.

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat and felt like it would stop functioning all at once as she realised Hunter was afraid of learning the truth.

    She recognised the familiar hurt shining through the unshed moisture in Hunter''s eyes before he could mask it. She didn''t miss the sheer panic recing the anger in his voice when he asked her the question.

    Hera felt something tug at her heart. Her lips parted, but she mped her mouth shut in the next instant.

    It brought her immense pleasure to know that he was scared. It was so satisfying to watch him panic. It was the same look she had in her eyes a year ago when she caught him cheating on her. Hunter''s eyes disyed the hurt of betrayal and the fear of losing the love of his life, and it brought unknownfort to Hera.

    In the spur of the moment, Hera made the stupid decision.

 Chapter 265 - The Urge To Hurt

    Hera broke eye contact and nced down at Hunter''s throat. His Adam''s apple moved up and down as he gulped nervously. His chest moved along with his rapid breathing, the ck V-neck T-shirt clinging to his defined upper body. Hera''s eyes slid down further to see his hands mped into tight fists at his sides. With the firm grip with which he held Nathan''s phone, it seemed that the phone would shatter.

    By the time Hera looked back into his eyes, he had managed to hide his fears, and anger had started burning back in his eyes. He was now ring at Hera, and she knew his patience was wearing out. She was taking too long to answer his question.

    Hunter''s eyes scrutinised her lips while she shed him a lopsided grin. It was so unlike her to smile crookedly at him or anyone so meanly. The nerve under his clenched jaw ticked, and Hera could see he was still grinding his teeth. When Hunter shifted his eyes from her mouth to her eyes, strange happiness tickled the inside of her chest. Her eyes shone bright with pride and arrogance.

    It was so hypocritical of Hunter to make a fuss over a kiss when his cheating ass had done more than kissing with another girl. Nheless, it gave Hera a littlefort because she had managed to return the hurt to some extent which she had suffered because of him. It felt satisfying to watch him lose his control for once. It wasn''t every day that Ace Hunter unts his weakness or insecurities so openly.

    Hera was not selfish, nor did she want to be mean to anyone, let alone her Hunter. She thought she would never stoop so low that she would use her friend to her advantage. However, right at the moment when Hunter was seething in anger, his insides were shattering with hurt and jealousy, Hera lost every rational thought.

    Nathan had already lied to Hunter that he was dating Hera, and Hunter had seen the evidence of them kissing. So, what difference would it make if she used the situation to her advantage and lied some more?

    Hera touched Hunter''s hand, her fingers delicately grazing over his, only to pry the phone off his hold. She saw the picture, her smile never leaving her lips. "Does it seem like I wasn''t willing?" she asked, looking straight into his eyes. Her voice had an edge to it, her eyes mocking him. Hunter inhaled sharply through his nose, and his eyes widened to their fullest as anger in them intensified.

    Hera took pleasure in his distress.

    "Yes, he''s my boyfriend. I like him," Hera said, facing him boldly. "What''s wrong if I''ve moved on from my cheating boyfriend after he broke my heart?" Hera asked him. "I meant it when I said I would never take you back. You and I, we''re done, Hunter," Hera dered, poking her index finger into his chest harshly. Hunter tilted his head to the side and smiled at her as if she had said something ridiculous.

    cing her hand on his chest, she gave a hard shove. Hunter''s shoulder jerked a bit from the shove, and that was the only result Hera could achieve after pushing him so hard.

    Hera thrust the phone on Hunter''s face just like he did earlier and showed him the picture again. "Isn''t it enough proof? Do you still want me to prove it to you?" she asked, daring him to say yes.

    "Hera," Hunter called her name in a warning and shook his head. "Don''t do anything stupid that you will regretter," he asserted. Hera scoffed in response and crossed him to walk towards Nathan. Hunter didn''t follow Hera, nor did he stop her as she expected and stayed rooted on his spot.

    Eric blocked her way, and with a shake of his head, he warned, "Don''t do this, pixie." Hera ignored him and walked past him. She noticed how Evelyn looked at her in disappointment and shook her head in disbelief before walking away. Bianca was shooting daggers at her with her eyes while Samantha grinned as though she was enjoying a movie night.

    Hera hated their reactions but thought they all could go and fuck themselves. Why should she give a damn about anyone when no one understood her feelings? She resented Hunter''s friends for judging her as if their best friend was a saint. She had never met another sinner like Hunter. He hadmitted the biggest sin by cheating on her and breaking her heart.

    When she reached Nathan''s side, she extended her hand for him to take and pulled him up, helping him sit. Hera brushed her fingers over the bruise forming on Nathan''s forehead and instantly retracted her hand when he flinched at the touch.

    Meanwhile, Bianca released ra''s hands, and thetter took hasty steps towards her brother but halted in her tracks when she saw Hera sit beside her brother and cup his face in her hands.

    Hera''s heart threatened to burst out of her chest, the drumming of wild beats echoing in her ears. She was nervous and scared too. She was guilty and ashamed of herself for using Nathan only to spite Hunter. Taking a deep breath, she brought her face closer to Nathan''s, and he didn''t make any move to get away or show any signs of objection.

    She nced at Hunter and found him in the same position she left him. He hadn''t moved from his ce. She waited, wanting him to turn and look at her. Hunter had always sensed her eyes on him, and she needed him to see what she was doing.

    Hera counted seconds, desperate for Hunter''s attention.

    Hunter''s chest rose, and his shoulders moved when he took a deep breath, and Hera knew he would turn around. Sensing her eyes on him, he looked over his shoulder before turningpletely to face her.

    Hera smashed her lips into Nathan''s at that exact moment.

    She kept her eyes on Hunter and watched while he bit his lip and looked away. cing his hands on his hips, he scoffed. A secondter, his shoulders shook as he let out a quietugh. He turned his back to her, and the way his hand moved towards his face, Hera knew he was wiping his tears.

    Hera noticed Evelyn walking away and heard a door mming shut after a moment. The volume of the already loud music sting from Hunter''s car increased, and Hera knew Evelyn wouldn''te to her rescue if she needed to. No matter what, after all, she was Hunter''s best friend in the end and not Hera''s.

    Hunter walked towards his car, and Hera''s hands shifted from Nathan''s face to his shoulders, holding him for support. She closed her eyes, resting her forehead on Nathan''s shoulder. She let her tears out and cried silently.

    Despite everything, Hera still felt the invisible string pulling them together, no matter how hard she fought against it. However, she resisted the urge to run back and stop Hunter from leaving her.

    <em>''It''s over. Our love, our promises to stay by each other''s side and our dreams of building a happy home together, everything is over.'' </em>

    Hera cried, mourning her shattered heart.

    If she believed Hunter would leave her alone just because she kissed another boy, she had another thinging. It seemed she underestimated the depth of his passion for her.

    Hunter pulled open the rear door of his car and grabbed the L-shaped wheel brace (lug wrench) resting beside the toolkit under the seat. The image of Hera kissing Nathan yed in a continuous loop in his mind. He felt the urge to w at his skin. It felt as though hundreds of leeches fastened onto his skin all at once.

    Squeezing his eyes shut, he let the moisture spill out and pressed the heel of his hands to his eyes to stop the salty water.

    When he opened his eyes, he was blinded with rage as he eyed the steel, shiny tool in his hand.

    <em>''Yes, he''s my boyfriend.''</em>

    <em>''I like him.''</em>

    <em>''I meant it when I said I would never take you back.''</em>

    <em>''You and I, we''re done.''</em>

    Hera''s voice kept ringing in his ears. Her every deration hurt his eardrums like thousands of bees stinging at the same time.

    Shutting the door closed, he marched towards his prey with only one goal in his mind.

    rmed, ra yelled Hera''s name when she saw Huntering back with a steel weapon in his hand. Hera whipped her head in the direction of her best friend, but before she could ask anything, she felt someone''s hand on her arm, peeling her away from Nathan''s touch.

    Hera stumbled backwards and collided into a chest. She lifted her head to see Hunter''s hardened face, but he wasn''t looking at her. He was ring at Nathan, who looked on the verge of peeing in his pants. Hunter''s eyes seemed murderous at the moment. Ever ready to stand by his best friend, Danny joined him.

    Michael sat on the ground, leaning against the rear tire. He grabbed a slice of pizza with his right hand and a can of beer with his left hand. He chugged a mouthful from the can before biting into the pizza. He whistled and cheered as if he was ready to watch his favourite team ying ser. Bianca grabbed another slice of pizza and joined him, taking a seat beside him.

    Hunter gently pushed Hera out of his way.. Perplexed, she looked at Hunter before her eyes caught the sight of the tool in his hand.

 Chapter 266 - Losing The Golden Chance

    <em>Trigger Warning : Violence</em>

    Hera panicked when she saw the wheel brace in Hunter''s hand and instantly jumped in front of Nathan. She stood before him, shielding him from Hunter. "What are you," before Hera couldplete her question, Hunter''s hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her away from his target.

    Pulling Hera to his side, Hunter red at Nathan before his foot connected with Nathan''s chest in a hard kick.

    A cry tore out of Hera''s mouth at the same time when ra screamed. Nathan stumbled back before falling on his ass. The impact of the hit was so hard his breath got stuck in his lungs, and he couldn''t breathe for a few seconds.

    "Hunter, what are you doing? Stop attacking him. You''ve no right to get mad. You''re not my boyfriend," Hera yelled, reminding him of their breakup. Hunterughed, but there was no humour in it. It seemed more pained instead. The melodious music that she loved so much sounded nothing but a menace.

    "Hera Hunter, remember thest time you kissed him behind my back?" Hunter questioned. Hera winced at his words as they brought back the bitter memory. Unshed tears rolled down her cheeks when she squeezed her eyelids shut. Hunter''s left hand moved up to touch her cheeks, and he wiped the trace of tears with the pad of his thumb.

    "I asked you, do you like him more, or do you love me less now," he repeated the exact words he had said then, reminding Hera when she didn''t answer his question. "Believe me, Hera, I would''ve backed off without any fight if you wanted him," he announced, and Hera was shocked at the admission.

    <em>''Would he really have done that for me if I had asked him?''</em>

    Hera wondered.

    Hunter looked away and let out a breathyugh, a sarcastic one that felt like a p on Hera''s face.

    "But it''s toote now. You''ve lost your golden chance, Hera Hunter," he dered. Hunter looked at Nathan, and a crooked smile made onto his lips, a look of disdain dripping from his eyes. "Kiss whoever you want, Hera. You know I''ll never hurt you, but the person on the receiving end will have to suffer my wrath," he stated in a conclusive tone, his eyes fixed on his target.

    Hunter sighed, shaking his head. "I told you, whoever it is, I''ll break every bone in his body," he said, shrugging as if it was nothing. Hera''s eyes widened, worried for Nathan''s life as Hunter tightened his grip on the tool in his hand. Well, she should''ve thought before giving in to the greediness of revenge.

    She grabbed Hunter''s arm with both hands, hugging it to her chest, eyes pleading with him. "Please, no, don''t do this," she managed to form a coherent sentence somehow amidst all the overpowering fright. It was a futile attempt at stopping him, even though she knew it already.

    Hunter didn''t even spare her a look. Instead, he nced at Danny, their eyesmunicating wordlessly. His best friend nodded, and in the next instant, Hunter jerked himself off her grasp, and Hera found herself in Danny''s stronghold.

    Hera struggled to free herself while her brother hugged her from behind, his hands clutching hers in a tight grip.

    ra stood in a protective stance in front of Nathan when Hunter reached him. "Don''t you dare touch him, you asshole," she spat, ring at Hunter. Hunter turned his head to the side, his chest rising and falling as he exhaled his frustration out at the interruption. When he looked back, he raised the tool in the air as if to hit her with it.

    Hunter wasn''t going to hit the girl, but he did it to scare her away, and he expected Nathan to at least try protecting his sister. He did and pushed his sister out of the way in time,ing face to face with Hunter and caught the wheel brace midway before it could reach ra.

    Nathan''s free hand came down, punching Hunter''s chest. Thetter let him strike again, grunting at the impact while Nathan cursed in frustration. Hunter wouldn''t budge from his ce, much to Nathan''s discouragement.

    "Is that all you got, you shithead," Hunter said before hitting him on the face with his head. The headbutt made Nathan stagger.

    Hunter pushed his upper body down, and while turning his body, he lifted his foot, drawing a semicircle. His shoe made contact with Nathan''s face. It was a well-timed perfect backspin kick that made Nathan crash into the ground, knocking one of his wisdom teeth out, and thetter coughed, spitting out the blood.

    "Please, Hunter, stop hurting him. It''s my fault, and I''m sorry," Hera cried, begging for mercy. However, Hunter didn''t respond, much to her horror. Her plea fell on deaf ears, it seemed. So she searched for Eric and found him sliding his hands into the pockets of his loose denim pants. His bodynguage hinted that he wouldn''te forward to her aid.

    Hera didn''t give any heed to Eric''s warning earlier. Why would Eric lend a helping hand to her now? Her simple act of gaining revenge escted an already supercharged encounter into a raging inferno. Hera realised it toote. When this ridiculous notion reflected in her mind, what the hell was she thinking?

    ra followed Hera''s line of vision and noticed how Eric seemed unbothered by what his best friend did to Nathan. She tried her luck anyway and went to Eric, begging for help. He was Hunter''s best friend, after all. Thetter would listen if Eric spoke to him.

    However, much to ra''s disappointment, Eric shook his head and wiggled a finger, signalling her to stay away as though she was a filthy rag not allowed in the vicinity of his precious self.

    "Please help my brother," ra cried, kneeling in front of Eric. He took a step back, moving away from her reach. "He asked for it," Eric replied with a dismissive shrug while watching Hunter abuse Nathan.

    "God, can you be my brother for once in life, Danny?" Hera asked, spatting the words out in resentment. Danny only scorned in return. Hera looked at Michael and saw him sipping the beer while vibing to the music ying from the speaker as if he was at a party. "Mike, you asshole, your best friend is torturing the life out of someone. Show some humanity and stop him," Hera yelled at him, cursing helplessly.

    Michael''s hand paused in the air as he was about to take another sip from the beer can. He scowled, seemingly offended by Hera''s outburst. He dropped the pizza slice back into the box and put the aluminium can at his side before he got up and jogged his way to Hera.

    "Aw, baby girl, don''t be so upset," Michael cooed at her, wiping her tears. "You can always kiss his boo-boos once Ace finishes his business with him," he said mockingly, resentment dripping from his tone. Jerking his head to the side in annoyance, Michael sat on the ground beside Hera''s feet and whistled when Hunter kicked Nathan''s side repeatedly.

    Hera was afraid that Hunter would damage Nathan''s liver or kidney by the force with which he was kicking him. Nathan struggled to get up but in vain as Hunter wouldn''t let him. Hera stopped breathing when Hunter lifted the wheel brace, and it came crashing down on Nathan''s left leg below his knee. Nathan screamed his lungs out in agony.

    No doubt, Hunter broke his calf bone.

    "You filthy fucker, do you still remember what you said earlier?" Hunter asked. He pulled his pants legs up by grasping the material of jeans with his fingers and sat on his heels at Nathan''s side, a sadistic smile ying on his lips, one hand resting on his thigh while the other used the wheel brace as a cane to support his weight.

    "I dare you, motherfucker, repeat what you said," Huntermanded before pressing his hand on Nathan''s Adam''s apple, strangling him. The hold was tight enough to block his windpipe. Nathan shook his head, trying to breathe.

    "I''m sorry. It won''t happen again. Let me go," Nathan begged, his voiceing out in broken stutters as the pressure on his vocal cord increased. Hunter clicked his tongue and shook his head, not impressed by theme apology. "Wrong answer," he said before standing to his full height. He spun the L-shaped steel tool in his hand before hurling it into Nathan''s ankle.

    Squeezing her eyes shut, Hera cried, cursing herself for putting Nathan''s life in danger. ra''s cries of agony matched hers, and Hera couldn''t dare to face her best friend. They both screamed every time Nathan did. Nathan''s shrill cries struck Hera''s heart like thunder hit, bringing disaster.

    Hunter grabbed Nathan''s hand and forced him to spread his palm out on the ground. The mere sight of his fingers made Hunter remember how he touched his Hera and kissed her. The images shing in his mind jolted his sanity with thousand volts of electricity, his blood boiling with rage.

    Without any second thought, Hunter brought the wheel brace down on Nathan''s hand, breaking the bones in the process, and then he hammered the tool into the boy''s knee, damaging his kneecap. Hera could hear the bones cracking every time Hunter attacked.

    "Hera, he''s going to kill him. Please do something and stop him," ra shouted on top of her lungs, forcing Hera to open her eyes and see what Hunter had done.. Nathan was coughing blood, his hands and legs were bleeding, the crimson colour soaking his clothes.

 Chapter 267 - He Wanted Him To Die

    Hunter crouched down, sitting on his heels and tapped Nathan''s chest with the wheel brace as if testing how strong his bones and muscles could be beneath his skin. He ced the L-shape side of the steel tool under Nathan''s chin, and with the help of it, turned Nathan''s face towards himself so that Nathan could look into his eyes.

    Changing his position, Hunter dropped to his knees, shifting his body weight on them. Nathan''s tear-soaked eyes rounded to their fullest in fright as Hunter raised the tool in the air, gripping it with both hands. Hunter grinned, his eyes glinting with sadistic pleasure as he saw the look of terror taking over Nathan''s face.

    Within seconds the wheel brace struck Nathan''s chest on the left side, shattering the bones of his ribcage. Hera screamed, thrashing under Danny''s hold. Her brother supported her weight by wrapping his arms around her middle when her body plunged, bending forward.

    ra cried her lungs out, begging for Nathan''s life in vain because no one was around to listen to the screams ore to their rescue. Hunter''s property was far away from the city, and not a single human being was in the vicinity except for Hunter''s friends.

    Nathan couldn''t even scream. It seemed like every organ in his chest stopped functioning at once. Head tossed back, mouth wide open, the poor boy struggled to inhale air.

    Meanwhile, Hera''s heart-wrenching cry fell on Hunter''s ears, calling for his attention. He lifted his eyes off Nathan and looked at Hera. He frowned, not liking her disheveled state. The fact that his beautiful Goddess had been ugly crying for the bastard writhing on the ground irked Hunter more.

    "Do you think she''ll still adore you after seeing your true self?" Nathan muttered, forcing the words out in between his heavy breathing. "Let me go, Ace. Or Hera will hate you for this," he stated the obvious, knowing full well what Hera meant to Hunter. His words had hit the nerve, and Nathan noticed the shift in Hunter''s stance.

    Hunter didn''t take his eyes off Hera. The longing clouding his vision when he looked at her was unmistakable. The scowl on his face intensified after what Nathan said. Hunter winced at the thought of Hera hating him, and his focus veered back to Nathan.

    "Too bad, you won''t be alive to witness that," Hunter said in mock pity.

    Fixing Nathan with a death re, Hunter got up from the ground. The former''s eyes watched in rm as thetter moved back and stood behind him, looking down at him.

    Hunter nced at Danny and jerked his head to the side, signalling him to free Hera.

    Startled, Hera fell forward as soon as Danny released his hold on her. Her hands moved in reflex, palms hitting the firm ground, supporting her body weight. Surprised, she looked at her brother with her teary eyes widening in disbelief. She couldn''t believe Danny had let her go for real. She tore her eyes off her brother and whipped her head to face Hunter.

    As though he had been waiting for her attention, she caught him already looking at her. The emptiness in his eyes scared her more than his anger did. His lips twitched in a dry smile.

    Without warning, Hunter trampled Nathan''s left shoulder with his foot. The boy cried out sharply. The broken bones in his body hurt like hell every time he moved. There was a rush to his heartbeats as the acute pain increased his blood pressure.

    Hera jumped to her feet, rushing to Nathan''s side. She halted at his feet and covered her trembling mouth with her hands when she saw his broken self from up-close. Tears poured out of her eyes in silent apology, her hands shivering in fright. Her legs gave out, and she fell on her knees, sobbing her guilt out.

    She couldn''t believe her Hunter could get this violent and y with someone''s life with such cruelty.

    When she lifted her head and made contact with Hunter''s eyes, he scoffed. He had already expected the detestation filled in her eyes. "Your boyfriend looks so charming now. Isn''t he?" Hunter asked with all seriousness.

    With the amount of hatred he uttered the word boyfriend, Hera understood that he wasn''t talking about himself. He was referring to Nathan as her boyfriend.

    Hera was about to voice out her hatred, but Hunter beat her to it.

    "How much do you hate me now?" Hunter asked, stealing the words from her mouth. She red, and he snorted in return. "Let me rephrase that question for you. How much do you like him now? Still considering dating him?" he asked, poking fun at her. Before Hera could reply to his question, he recognised the defiance zing in her eyes.

    "If I were you, I would be careful with my words," Hunter warned her. Hera held her breath and watched him while he flipped the steel tool in his hand vertically, ying with it. Hera got the message loud and clear.

    His foot was still resting against Nathan''s vicle. Nathan had his eyes squeezed shut, wincing in pain. Hera took a deep breath and moved closer to Nathan. She reached out and touched Hunter''s leg. Her fingers tightened against his jean-d leg before she shoved it away. Gritting his teeth, Hunter stared at her.

    Hera swallowed her anger and pride along with her saliva. It eased the dryness in her throat, but the difort the lump caused stayed intact. "Stop it, Hunter. You''ve hurt him enough. Show mercy and spare his life," Hera said in a shaky voice while trying to keep her temper in check. She knew provoking Hunter''s anger wouldn''t help anyone now. He was already mad.

    Pursing his lips, Hunter tipped his head to the side and tried to pull an innocent face. Hera hated how he was mocking her.

    "Goddess, can''t you see, every part on his right side is still intact? He can still move his body from this side," Hunter said, pointing to Nathan''s right side. Hera then noticed how he had targeted only Nathan''s left side. He broke his left leg, ankle, and knee, the left side of his waist, his left wrist and fingers, and his ribcage on the left side.

    "This is me showing mercy," Hunter said, sounding offended and scowled at Hera.

    Hera felt suffocated and tried to inhale a deep breath. Her stomach churned at the scene.

    <em>''Is he the same person I fell in love with?''</em>

    Hera thought and felt disgusted but didn''t dare utter anything against him.

    Eyebrows drawn together, Hunter''s forehead furrowed as he frowned again and brought the wheel brace towards Nathan''s left temple. Hera gasped in fear as she studied Hunter''s expression. He seemed too deep in thought. As though wondering why he didn''t hit Nathan in the head yet. He moved the tool, and Hera shouted a no.

    "Please, Hunter, I beg you," Hera cried, "He''ll die if you hurt him any further. Please leave him alone."

    ra was crying, shaking with fear. She stood behind Hera but couldn''t dare go any closer, afraid of what Hunter would do to her brother.

    "What makes you think I don''t want him to die?" Hunter asked,ughing as if amused by her request.

    Hera was shocked at his admission and stared at him in disbelief.

    Someone tapped her shoulders, and Hera turned to meet eyes with Michael. "It''s not toote if you want to save him. You can still help your boyfriend, you know," Michael said. Bitterness dripped from his voice when he spat the word boyfriend. Hera wasn''t dumb. She knew what Michael was hinting at, and determinedly she turned to face Hunter.

    Hera couldn''t help but send Nathan an usatory re. They wouldn''t have gotten caught in this situation in the first ce if it wasn''t for his lie.

    She decided toe clean because it was the only way to save Nathan from Hunter''s fury.

    "He lied, Hunter. We''re not together. And about the kiss, he did it unexpectedly, and I didn''t have the time to stop it," Hera said and waited for Hunter''s response. To her shock, he just turned and kicked Nathan''s right ankle.

    "I''ll do anything if you let him go, Hunter," Hera was quick to bargain. It effectively caught Hunter''s interest. He paused and crouched down to Hera''s level.

    "Anything, Goddess?" he asked. Hera nodded her agreement without any hesitation. Hunter smiled while wiping the tear tracks from her cheek with the sleeve of his long-sleeved ck Tee-shirt. He moved his wrist to her other cheek, doing the same.

    "Can you pass me the tissue, Sunshine?" Hunter asked, without taking his eyes off Hera. Bianca happily passed the box of paper tissues to him. He pinched Hera''s nose, wiping the snot with the tissue.

    "Then tell him how much you''re going to hate me after this," Hunter said. Hera was confused at first, but she grasped it sooner and said the exact opposite of what he asked. Hera looked Nathan in the eyes and dered, "I don''t hate Hunter, Nathan. I can never hate him because I love him so much. I love him with all my heart and soul."

    Hera didn''t lie about loving him, though. However, she wasn''t sure about not hating him from now on.

    Nathan was so disappointed. Hera didn''t know her words hurt him no less than Hunter''s blows because he knew what Hunter was trying to do. Unknowingly, Hera had dismissed Nathan''s earlier im of her hating Hunter. It was more humiliating to lose Hera to Hunter.. Nathan looked at Hunter only to find him already smirking at him smugly.

 Chapter 268 - He Would Kill For Her

    Hunter ced hisrge palm over Hera''s head and stroked her hair, smoothing the messy long strands. The chilly wind had ruffled her silky hair, making it frizzy. "Stop crying, Goddess. It hurts me when you''re sad," he said, cing the softest kiss on her forehead. Keeping the wheel brace at his side, he sat on the ground, facing Hera. Drawing his knees up, he crossed his arms around them, with his left hand clutching his right wrist.

    Hunter''s eyeballs moved back and forth as he studied her face. Hera watched him, doing the same. His purple orbs glowed, their shade turning darker under themps. Hera couldn''t hold his gaze for long and closed her eyes, letting another set of tears roll down her cheeks. With the intensity he was staring at her, she was afraid he would tear her soul apart.

    She could still see his purple eyes behind her closed eyelids. She wondered at how pure and innocent they appeared. A while back, he was not a human but a monster. He never once flinched while he was abusing Nathan, nor did he show an ounce of guilt when Nathan cried in agony.

    Yet, Hera saw the vulnerability in Hunter''s eyes when he looked at her. She knew he loved her more than his life itself, and Hera felt powerless under his warm, affectionate gaze. It wasn''t fair that he could stillpel her to think of him first before anything and anyone. Nathan deserved her pity, her care and attention. She shouldn''t be feeling anything for Hunter at the moment.

    In those few seconds of vulnerability, Hera learned one thing for sure that Hunter not only loved her, but he was crazy for her. Hera was too. She was madly in love with him despite everything that happened between them. Hunter would die for her without any second thought, and so would Hera. However, she wasn''t sure if she could take someone''s life for him.

    <em>''But Hunter would.''</em>

    Hera realised.

    Hunter would kill Nathan for sure if she didn''t handle the situation sensibly. Hera had only one purpose right then, to save Nathan''s life. She knew if there was anything Hunter was insecure about, it was losing her. With a determined sigh, Hera opened her eyes. Hunter was still staring at her with the same intensity. He hadn''t moved from his position.

    Hera forced a smile when Hunter offered her the tissue. She wiped her face clean before taking Hunter''s hands into hers. She ran her tongue over her lips to moisten them and stared at their hands while Hunter''s thumbs caressed her knuckles. He was doing it absent-mindedly, eyes still fixed on her face.

    "You win, Hunter, and I lose. I''ll never look at any other boy except you. I''ll always love you no matter what because you''re the only one for me," Hera dered, looking into her favourite purple eyes. "I promise I''ll never like anyone else, let alone love them. I''m only yours forever. Please let Nathan go," she said in a softer tone, pushing the anger and hatred down her throat to the pit of her stomach.

    Hunter smiled, but it didn''t reach his eyes. He seemed unsure, unconvinced, and Hera was afraid he saw through her facade. He always knew when she was lying. She felt a knot of nervousness forming inside her stomach.

    "He needs medical aid immediately, Hunter. Please, let''s take him to the hospital," Hera pleaded, desperationcing her tone. Hunter brought her hand to his chest and ced it on his heart. Hera could feel his heart racing whether in excitement, fear or anger she wasn''t interested in finding out.

    Hunter''s smile grew as the vulnerability in his eyes vanished, reced by the vicious glint Hera hated, and she knew when the devil from earlier returned into his dark soul.

    "But before that, tell him, Goddess, why he can never have a chance with you against me," Hunter said, encouraging her. Hera stared at him helplessly, her eyes pleading with him to let it go. Scowling, Hunter shook his head in a no. "Goddess, you said you''ll do anything, remember?" He reminded her. "So do this for me. Spit on him and show him his right ce," Hunter demanded in an indignant tone.

    He sounded more like a whiny child throwing tantrums, but Hera saw the predator lurking behind his innocent-looking eyes, ready to annihte his prey. Hera couldn''t risk her only chance, so taking a deep breath, she nodded. Hunter got up from the ground and pulled Hera to her feet. Hera''s breath hitched in her throat when she noticed he didn''t forget to pick up the wheel brace.

    One hand shoved into the warmth of the front pocket of his jeans pants Hunter flipped the tool in his other hand. Grinning wide, he kicked Nathan''s uninjured arm to get his attention. The injured boy cried at the difort caused by the slight movement of his body.

    "My girl has something to say. Listen to her carefully, you loser," Hunter said to Nathan and then turned to focus his attention solely on Hera.

    Hera knew Nathan''s self-esteem would falter after what she was about to say. It would break his heart, and he would lose his hope. But she had to do it as she had no other choice.

    <em>''It''s okay, Hera. You''re doing it to save his life. Everything is going to be okay.''</em>

    Hera thought, trying to ignore the burden of guilt weighing heavy on her chest.

    "I''m sorry, Nate, but you and I can never happen. Look at you, writhing on the ground, begging for your life, so pathetic. You''re not my type because I don''t date cowards and losers," Hera said with a straight face and didn''t miss how Nathan''s face crumpled along with his pride due to her humiliating remarks.

    "Now you know what Hunter can do if someone tries to take me away from him. You don''t stand a chance against him, because let''s face it, you can never defeat him, Nate," Hera continued with her brutal insult. "And I''m way out of your league, so please give up on your silly crush. Find someone of your calibre and move on. I don''t want to see your ugly ass ever again," Hera concluded as she said everything in one go.

    Now came the most stringent part of her act, to spit on Nathan. Hera knew Hunter wouldn''t be satisfied until she did that literally. She had toplete her task, no matter how much it bothered her.

    Hera would never do that to anyone, not even to her most hated enemy. Nathan was still one of her friends, and he was paying the price for harbouring feelings for her. Hera swallowed her saliva before forcing her tongue out between her lips, and she made a loud spitting sound. Nathan squeezed his eyes shut, and tears flew out from the corners of his eyes, running down his temples.

    The sight broke her heart. She never thought she would hurt someone''s emotions to this extent with her hurtful words. Heartbreak should never be this nasty or humiliating.

    "I''m sorry, Nate, but you can never hold a candle to my Hunter," Hera dered, and when she couldn''t stand it anymore, she turned, hands grabbing for Hunter. She hugged him, tightening her arms around his neck and sobbed silently into his chest. Hunter wrapped his hand around her waist, holding her close until she calmed herself. She felt him pecking the side of her head.

    "Now can we take him to the hospital, please?" Hera requested, her voice barely a whisper. "You go home with the girls, and I''ll send him to the hospital," Hunter responded. Hera pulled away from the hug and stared at him in distrust. She shook her head frantically, refusing to leave.

    "I promise, Hunter. I''ll never see or speak to him again. Please help him," she begged.

    Hunter sighed in annoyance and dropped the tool.

    "I won''t hurt him anymore. I''ll take him to the doctor and see to it that he recovers, okay. Have I ever lied to you, Goddess? I assure you he''ll be fine," Hunter promised. He knew Nathan wouldn''t die because of a few broken bones.

    Hunter tried to make her understand how delicate the situation was, and there could be an interrogation. He didn''t want Hera to get into any trouble.

    "I''ll take him to the hospital in his car, and you go home in mine," Hunter decided. Hera wanted to protest but then yielded to his demand because she couldn''t afford to anger him. Nathan needed immediate help. Hera held his hands and looked him in the eyes. "Promise me, you won''t hurt him, and you''ll help him," she urged. Hunter nodded, and Hera tried to detect any lie.

    "You know I never lie, Goddess. I mean it," Hunter said in frustration.

    "And ra?" Hera asked Hunter.

    "Eric will take her to her ce," Hunter said.

    With that agreement made, Hera nced at Nathan and ra onest time before getting into Hunter''s car. She saw how ra''s eyes rounded in fear when Hera agreed to leave. Hera couldn''t look her best friend in the eye without feeling ashamed.

    Bianca sat behind the wheel, and Hera doubted if the girl could drive the huge car, but it was the least of her worries now. Evelyn sat in the front while Samantha joined Hera in the back. The loud music in the car never stopped, and Hera was thankful for the noise.

    Hera closed her eyes and prayed for Nathan''s life as Bianca drove the Range Rover away from Hunter.

    <em>''I''m sorry, Nate.''</em>

    Hera kept chanting it in her mind.

 Chapter 269 - Being Gaslighted

    <em><strong>Present-day,</strong></em>

    "Hera, wake up."

    "Wake up, Hera, you''re dreaming," Hera heard someone''s faint voice calling for her.

    "I''m sorry, Nate," Hera kept mumbling in her sleep.

    She felt two hands gripping her shoulders and shook hard, pulling her out of her slumber. Hera woke up sobbing, gasping for air. Tears pooled down her cheeks while she frantically looked around, only to find herself in her dorm. She looked at her roommates surrounding her bed, wearing a worried expression on their faces.

    "Where''s Nate?" Hera asked before she could think and then realised she was dreaming. ra brought tissues and offered them to her silently. "It''s okay, Hera. It''s just a bad dream," Brittany said, giving her a ss of water to drink. Hera looked at the wall clock, and it was quarter past four in the morning.

    "I''m sorry I disturbed your sleep," Hera muttered an apology, feeling embarrassed under the sudden attention. She cleared her sore throat as her voice came out scratchy. "I''m fine. Please go back to sleep," she said softly. Everyone stayed beside her for a while even though she asked them to go back to their beds.

    Hera cleaned the tear tracks from her cheeks and drank sufficient water to ease the soreness.

    "I guess you are disturbed by what happened with Noel yesterday. Maybe it triggered the nightmare," Adide said. Surprisingly her voice was filled with concern.

    "Don''t worry, Hera. Noel is fine," ra said informatively. An awkward silence followed after that. No one mentioned anything about Nathan. Though Hera wanted to speak about him with ra, she decided against it. She couldn''t dare do it after reliving the incident through her nightmare. She vaguely remembered mumbling an apology to Nathan in her sleep.

    After a few minutes, upon Hera''s insistence, they all went back to their beds, and Adide switched the lights off.

    Hera couldn''t go back to sleep, and her thoughts wandered back to yesterday''s incident. She remembered thinking about Noel and Nathan before falling asleep, and it seemed her subconscious mind had taken her back to the past through her dream.

    It wasn''t just a dream but a memory from her past. Everything she witnessed in her nightmare had happened with Nathan in real life about one and a half years ago. Hunter had almost killed Nathan in his madness. When he sent Hera home with the girls, she knew it was just an excuse when he mentioned interrogation.

    Hera knew about his wealthy, influential family background. It was apparent that Hunter''s father had the power to pull him out of any dangerous situation. The fact was Hunter would never face any interrogation from anyone. He only wanted Hera to leave Nathan''s side that night.

    Bianca had safely parked the car at Hunter''s mansion, much to Hera''s misjudgement about the girl''s driving skills. Hera spent the night curled up on the sofa while waiting for Hunter''s return as she was dying to hear the news of Nathan''s well-being. Though Bianca was on the phone speaking to Hunter every two minutes, she wouldn''t tell Hera anything.

    Finally, Evelyn showed mercy on Hera and ryed the news of Nathan''s condition. Hunter had called Mathew as soon as Hera left and had taken Nathan to the hospital as he promised. The doctors had treated his broken bones and put the disced ones back in ce. He had to wear cast and splints and would stay in the hospital for a while. Other than that, he was fine.

    Thanks to Mathew, who had taken care of everything. Hera could finally rest in peace and had fallen asleep on the sofa, sumbing to the darkness.

    Evelyn had even apologised for her behaviour, and she did it on Hunter''s behalf too. She admitted her friends were wrong for what they did to Nathan, even though it was Nathan''s mistake for provoking Hunter. In Evelyn''s words, the matter shouldn''t have advanced to this level, but her best friend had lost his temper, and it escted so much.

    "Nathan has yed his part in it. You can''t simply put all the me on Ace," Evelyn had said in Hunter''s defence.

    But it didn''t matter to Hera anymore because she knew him better. Whatever Hunter did, it wasn''t because of his anger. He did it because he intended to do it.

    It was an unspoken agreement between Hera and Hunter from that day when sheplied with his demand and walked out on Nathan. Hera never dared to defy him, afraid he would hurt her friends. If Hunter wanted her to go out with him, she would. If he wanted her to stay in his mansion with him, she would.

    Hunter never said anything, but Hera had learnt her lesson. She stayed true to her words and never tried to befriend or date any other boy. Hera herself could bear everything, but she would never want others to suffer because of her.

    The only condition Hunter had voiced out for Hera to follow was to cut all ties with ra. Nathan never came back to school, and Hera never interacted with ra.

    Hera was so young and naive she didn''t know how to tackle the problem. So she danced to Hunter''s tune and became a puppet in his hands. Now that she reflected on all that happened, she wondered if Hunter truly deserved her.

    <em>''Did he deserve this second chance?''</em>

    If she were to be in ra''s shoes, she would want revenge too after what Hunter did to her brother.

    Hunter couldn''t differentiate between right and wrong when he was angry.

    <em>''Is this normal to lose his temper to this extent where he doesn''t hesitate before hurting others?''</em>

    Hera sighed at the thought.

    Her Hunter wasn''t perfect, yet Hera loved him with all his imperfection.

    She hated that her mind couldn''t stick to one decision. It constantly kept doubting her judgement. It had been more than two years since their supposed breakup until Hunter asked for a fresh start. Hunter had apologised for cheating on her, promised to mend his ways and had begged for her forgiveness.

    Eric, Michael, Danny, Evelyn, all of them had be dear to Hera now. She wouldn''t want to taint their newfound bonding. They all had grown up and were now mature enough to reflect, regret, repent and redeem their ways. Hunter and Hera had talked about it and decided to forgive and forget.

    <em>''Then why can''t I ignore what Noel and ra said?''</em>

    <em>''Why can''t I move on from the past?''</em>

    <em>''Why does this burden of guilt doesn''t leave me alone?''</em>

    <em>''Why can''t I find peace?''</em>

    <em>''Why are you so difficult to handle, Hunter?''</em>

    Hera blinked under the darkness. She wasn''t crying anymore, but her swollen eyelids would sting every time she blinked. Pulling theforter up to her chin, she closed her eyes, willing the sleep to take over her consciousness.

    It had only been a few hours since she saw Hunter, but it felt like a year, and she missed him so much. He hadn''t called her yet. Involuntarily her hand searched for the phone under her pillow.

    As if on cue, it vibrated under her pillow. She knew who would reach out to her at this godforsaken hour. The brightness of the screen hurt her eyes when it lit up. She opened the lock to check Hunter''s message.

    <em><strong>Devil: </strong></em>

    <em><strong>4:46 am</strong></em>

    <em><strong>Couldn''t sleep a wink. Missing you, Love.</strong></em>

    Hera sighed tiredly after reading the message. He always felt it when she missed him. Their telepathicwork never failed to send signals.

    There were a few more unread messages that he sent her yesterday.

    <strong><em>11:55 pm</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Are you still angry with me?</em></strong>

    <strong><em>                         </em></strong>

    <strong><em>12:31 am</em></strong>

    <strong><em>You know I hate it when we fight, especially when I''m not wrong.</em></strong>

    <strong><em> </em></strong>

    <strong><em>1:12 am</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Talk to me, Goddess?</em></strong>

    <strong><em> </em></strong>

    <strong><em>1:20 am</em></strong>

    <strong><em>Have you packed your luggage yet?</em></strong>

    Hera frowned in worry at the mention of packing. She wouldn''t go with him for sure, she had decided. A few thoughtful secondster, she typed her reply.

    <em><strong>Godsess:</strong></em>

    <em><strong>What packing? I never said I''ming with you. </strong></em>

    <strong><em>Devil: </em></strong>

    <strong><em>Not the right time to piss me off, Hera Hunter.</em></strong>

    The reply came instantly, and Hera scowled at his tone. She could envision him clenching his jaw in anger.

    <em>''Did he already forget I''m angry with him?''</em>

    Instead of apologising or appeasing, Hunter was still showing attitude.

    <strong><em>Devil:</em></strong><strong><em> </em></strong>

    <strong><em>I know you''re saying it because you''re angry with me. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>It''s called gaslighting. People around you are manipting you into doubting your own judgement. Use your brain, Goddess and instead of getting influenced by them and fighting with me, be a little mature and try to talk to me about it. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>PS. You''reing with me. </em></strong>

    Hera pursed her lips in annoyance and scowled hard at hisst statement. He wasn''t asking her anymore butmanding her toply with his demand.

    <em>''How Ironic! The master of maniption is preaching about gaslighting!''</em>

    Hera shook her head in disapproval.

    She typed the two words in bold capitals. Smirking in satisfaction, she hit it to send.

    <strong><em>Goddess ; </em></strong>

    <strong><em>FUCK YOU.</em></strong>

    <em><strong>Devil:</strong></em><em><strong> </strong></em>

    <em><strong>Sure, Goddess, anytime. </strong></em>

    <em><strong>I''m ready whenever you are!</strong></em>

    <em>''Ah! This insufferable Jerk!</em>

    <em>''What am I supposed to do with this rascal?''</em>

    His quick, wittyeback irked her more.

    <strong><em>Goddess: </em></strong>

    <strong><em>Keep aggravating me, Hunter, and you won''t be the first one I fuck.</em></strong>

    Hera let out breathyughter in satisfaction when Hunter took the time to reply. However, her smile dropped when she saw her phone ringing, shing the name Devil on the screen. Hunter was calling her.

    <em>''Not so soon, Mr Hunter.''</em>

    Hera declined the call and switched her phone off.. She knew what to do to cool his anger off.

 Chapter 270 - They Need To Talk

    Hera sat with her cousin Abby during breakfast and ignored when Hunter and his friends entered the dining hall. Already dressed in his uniform, he seemed grumpy as he walked with his hands resting inside his pants pockets. His hair tied into a ponytail looked messy, the unruly strands falling out of the band here and there. Their eyes met, and Hera rolled her eyes when Hunter red at her.

    She knew it would take time for Hunter''s temper to cool down whenever he got angry. Over the years, she had learnt how to handle him in such situations. The only way it would work was to give him the silent treatment. Hunter hated Hera''s silence. He would go crazy whenever she stopped responding to him.

    It was the best punishment to bring him to his senses.

    Hunter clenched his jaw in anger when he saw Hera walking over to Noel and ra''s table to speak to them. Hera watched through her peripheral view, calcting his moves. She could guess he wanted to kick Noel away from her, but thankfully he didn''t act on his impulse. Hera knew her threat from yesterday worked. He wouldn''t risk his chance of losing her.

    Bianca looked at Noel in disgust, flipping him the middle finger. Hera red, unimpressed, while Bianca followed Hunter. Samantha seemed too pleased these days, much to Hera''s annoyance. It irked Hera more when the girl looked over her shoulder and blew her a kiss. Regardless, Hera smiled in greeting when Evelyn waved at her.

    Michael stopped in his tracks, contemting whether to hit Noel or not, but Eric grabbed his uniform zer and dragged him away. Danny red at Noel murderously and pointed two V-sign fingers at his own eyes before directing them at Noel, a gesture to say, "I''m watching you."

    Noel inclined his head once in acknowledgement and smirked smugly. He was used to their gestures of threat by now.

    Hunter pulled his chair a bit aggressively, and it screeched, making an ugly, harsh sound. Hera''s nose scrunched while she winced, squeezing her eyes shut at the sharp noise.

    Noel seemed alright, and surprisingly his face didn''t have any bruises or cuts. Hera still asked if he was okay. No matter what Noel''s intention was, Hera couldn''t help but feel concerned because her boyfriend had hurt the boy physically. She would never appreciate violence.

    Hera greeted and spoke to all her friends, including Jarred and Asher. Hunter needed to get used to her interacting with other boys. It was time to teach him to get over his over-possessive nature. She wouldn''t let him dictate her life against her will anymore. She could feel Hunter''s eyes on her all the time while she conversed with her friends. Hera purposely asked them all to join her and returned to her table.

    She chanced a nce at Hunter and found him already staring at her. She knew he never took his eyes off her. Hera looked away and ate her food, nodding and smiling at whatever her friends said. It bothered her that Hunter wasn''t eating his breakfast, but she resisted the urge to signal him to eat.

    <em>''Remember, Hera, silent treatment.''</em>

    She reminded herself.

    Hera had finished eating and was waiting for Abby, who went to get water. Almost everyone had left the dining hall when Hera noticed Hunter making his way towards her table. Jarred and Asher immediately rushed out. Hera couldn''t me them for being afraid of Hunter, though. Her boyfriend had that effect on everyone.

    One look and his cold stare were enough to urge Celine and Brittany to leave as well. They both hustled away as soon as Hunter neared. Hera noticed even Abby had left her alone.

    Dabbing her lips with the tissue, Hera pushed her chair and crossed the table to walk away. Hunter blocked her way while Hera tried to move past him. She moved to the other side only to get stopped by him again. Sighing in annoyance, she went to her left, so did Hunter. Hera red and shifted to her right but in vain.

    Hera took a step back and another and another for every step he ced forward until her back hit the wall. She found herself trapped between his torso and the wall. Hunter positioned his hands on either side of her head, palms t against the wall, framing her form. Hera''s heartbeats raced against her chest.

    <em>''No, he wouldn''t do it here.''</em>

    Hera wanted to believe so.

    She knew what he was trying to do. He wanted her to break the silence between them, but Hera kept her mouth shut. She raised her chin in defiance and stared nkly at him. However, she nced around nervously when Hunter leaned down to her lips. A few of the kitchen staff were still there, but they were busy with their tasks.

    Hera red in disapproval when Hunter''s lips twitched into a knowing smirk. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and her heart missed a beat. Proving her belief wrong, he smashed his lips against hers in the next second. Hera gasped into his mouth in surprise, her hands reaching to push against his chest in reflex.

    She tasted the mint of his mouth freshener he was chewing, but it still couldn''t conceal the faint hint of cigarette smell.

    <em>''Uh-oh, he sure is upset if he has been smoking so early in the morning.''</em>

    Hunter pulled away, his eyes still glued to her glistening red mouth. He licked his lips before pulling his lower lip between his teeth, and Hera didn''t miss how he was struggling to hold back a smile. She fixed him with a dirty look and stomped her foot on one of his. Huffing her anger out, Hera brushed past him while Hunter winced, cursing under his breath.

    Shoving her hands into the pockets of Hunter''s ck hoodie she wore over her denim jeans and tank top, Hera marched out of the dining hall, Hunter trailing right behind her.

    "What are you trying to prove, Goddess?" Hunter asked, sounding annoyed. Hera ignored him and kept walking. "If you were hurt by my behaviour yesterday, then I''m really sorry for hurting you, but if you''re angry because I hit that asshole, then you''re not getting any apology for it if you''re expecting it," he dered in an indignant tone.

    Hera exhaled through her mouth in frustration and showed him the middle finger over her shoulder before taking a turn. She heard him groan in frustration, and then he muttered, "Bloody hell."

    Hunter increased his pace and held her wrist, stopping her.

    "What do you want, Goddess?" He finally asked what she wanted to hear. Hera sighed exasperatedly and yanked her hand away from his hold while Hunter groaned, aggravated by her silent treatment.

    Hera suddenly raised her hand to his face as though to cup his cheek. Hunter frowned in confusion, eyes following her hand, but she didn''t touch his face. Instead, she tapped his temple twice with her index finger, gesturing for him to think.

    Hunter red at her, unimpressed because he understood what she wanted to convey. Hera knew he would. After all, they could read each other like an open book.

    "I said I''m not sorry for hitting him. He deserved it," Hunter said bitingly. Hera shook her head in disapproval before turning around to walk away. "Fine, don''t talk to me. Let''s see for how long you''re going to ignore me," Hunter yelled. Hera still didn''t respond. When she couldn''t hear his footsteps following her any longer, Hera paused and turned to nce at him.

    She found him where she had left him, hands concealed inside his pants pockets, an icy stare directed at her. Hera was the first one to break their staring contest before they both walked away in different directions.

    Their paths crossed many times throughout the day, but none of them was ready to let go of their pride to make the first move.

    In the evening,

    When Hera was resting in her dorm, preparing to do her homework, someone knocked on the door. Hera looked up from her books and darted her eyes towards ra from her bed. They were the only ones inside while others went out for fresh air. Brittany had asked Hera to join them for a walk in the garden, but Hera had to refuse since she didn''t want to bump into Hunter.

    She was still adamantly avoiding her boyfriend.

    ra smiled at Hera''szy ass and nodded to let Hera know she would check the door. Her smile dropped in an instant as soon as she opened the door.

    Eric''s handsome face came into view, and his stare turned cold as ice as soon as he saw ra. He turned his face to the side, not happy to see the girl''s face. Evelyn appeared from behind him and walked inside, calling for Hera.

    Hera was surprised to see them, but it was somehow obvious. She knew if not Hunter, one of his friends woulde to talk to her.

    "Can youe out for a minute, Hera?" Evelyn asked.

    "We need to talk," Eric added.

    Hera pursed her lips at his choice of words but nodded her agreement anyway.

    <em>''It''s never going to be easy talk when someone says we need to talk.''</em>

    Hera thought.

    Sighing tiredly, she dumped her books on her study table. Evelyn jerked her head to the side, gesturing for Hera to follow as she walked out of her room. Hera grabbed her denim jacket and quickly shoved her hands into the sleeves.. Zipping it up, she pocketed her phone and joined Eric and Evelyn, who waited for her not so patiently, Hera noticed.

 Chapter 271 - FACING THE TRUTH

    Hera sipped the apple juice from the packed container with a bendy straw Eric bought for her. They were sitting on one of the wooden benches on the campus of their dormitory. Eric was messaging someone on his phone while Evelyn absent-mindedly yed with the straw.

    Hera''s juice box made a funny noise when she sucked into the straw. She scrunched her nose, still slurping to check if she had already emptied the liquid content inside the box.

    "Oops! I''m sorry," Hera said, sheepishly smiling when Eric snatched the empty juice box from her hand, annoyed at the weird sound she was making.

    "So, is one of you going to open your mouth today, or are we going to wait here until tomorrow to speak?" Hera asked. Eric scowled at her in disapproval, irked by her sarcastic tone, while Hera giggled in response.

    Evelyn fixed her with a re, unimpressed by her attitude. Hera lifted her chin and shrugged her shoulders, "What?" she asked defensively. It wasn''t every day that Evelyn got pissed at someone. Hera wasn''t surprised by her grumpy mood, though. It was evident that team Bianca was upset because of Hera.

    "I think we wasted enough time already, and I''m bored. Speak if you want to talk, or I''m leaving," Hera said indifferently. "Well then, let''s get to the point straight away. Why are you noting with us to New York?" Eric asked, anger dripping from his tone.

    "Ace is sulking and moping around because you''re ignoring him," Evelyn added, her tone and her eyes using Hera of upsetting her best friend.

    "Here we go," Hera muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes in ridicule.

    "When did that mastermind start needing mediators to speak to me?" Hera asked no one in particr, but she regretted her choice of words as soon as she saw the offended look on Eric and Evelyn''s faces.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to offend you," Hera quickly apologised. "I meant to say Hunter himself is a cunning master of maniption and can persuade everyone to do his bidding. He doesn''t need anyone to advocate for him," she offered in her defence. It didn''t seem to aplish any damage control, though.

    "It''s okay, Hera. Eric and I don''t mind. But for the record, Ace didn''t ask us to speak in favour of him to you," Evelyn said in a matter of fact tone. "But we''re doing it anyway," she added, shrugging. Hera scowled with disinterest. She knew they would preach to her about not hurting their best friend.

    Eric proved Hera''s opinion right when he opened his mouth to speak.

    "I don''t care if you''re upset about us beating that prick friend of yours, but your silent treatment is bothering Ace way too much for my liking, and I don''t like when my best friend is hurting," Eric said. He paused to re at two boys who lingered around only to ogle Evelyn''s gorgeous figure.

    Eric snapped his fingers, catching the boys'' attention, and wiggled his index finger twice in a warning. The boys scampered away as soon as they met eyes with the aqua blue ones, ring at them. Hera rolled her eyes while Evelyn didn''t even bother to nce at the absurd hormonal teenagers. She was used to being everyone''s crush in the school.

    "You don''t like it when your friends are hurting, but what about others, Eric? Why doesn''t it bother you when he hurts other people?" Hera asked. "As his friend, shouldn''t you stop him when he''s doing something wrong? But you always encourage him instead," Hera said usingly. She sounded frustrated.

    Eric shook his head in disagreement while Evelyn scoffed, much to Hera''s surprise.

    "What makes you think Ace is at fault?" Evelyn asked, sounding too indignant for Hera''s liking. She didn''t expect Evelyn to use such a harsh tone with her.

    Hera was ready to protest in disagreement, but Eric spoke before she could.

    "I always stop him when and if he''s wrong, but he''s right most of the time. I admit that it''s not easy to talk him out of it sometimes, and we don''t have another choice but to join hands with him then," Eric said with a nonchnt shrug. Hera stared at him in disbelief.

    "You always have a choice to say no, Eric. Why would you join him when you know he''s wrong?" Hera asked incredulously.

    "Because we''re best friends, and we don''t leave each other alone in difficult times no matter if it''s right or wrong." It was Evelyn who answered Hera''s question. "That''s how friendship works in our rule book. We stand by each other at all costs. We would never let go of each other''s hand just because one of us could be wrong," Evelyn admitted.

    "You don''t let down your best friend only because he''s at fault. Right or wrong, good or bad, once you offer your friendship, you''re together in this shit for life," Eric dered. Hera shook her head, disappointed and displeased with their way of thinking.

    "Are you saying that if Hunter is killing someone in front of you, you would stand and watch instead of stopping him? And for what? Because he''s your best friend?" Hera asked, raising her voice in anger. "Oh, God! You sound so ridiculously absurd right now, Eric," Hera let out a humourlessugh.

    Evelyn got up from her seat and stood in front of Hera. Hands safely tucked inside the pockets of her sky-blue cardigan, a matching beany covering her head, Evelyn was beautiful. Her strawberry lips, the rosy blush tinted on her cheeks and the tip of her nose added more to her adorable personality.

    If not for the anger that marred Evelyn''s pretty face while she red at Hera, thetter would''ve given her a tight bear hug and pecked her soft cheeks. Hera would''ve thought Evelyn looked cuter than a giggling baby had it been in any other situation.

    "Ace is not killing anyone, Hera," Evelyn forced the words out through her gritted teeth. It was so unlike her. Hera was stunned by the intensity of anger burning in Evelyn''s eyes.

    "He hardly hurt that prick who deserved more than that for what he did," Eric spat the words, attracting attention as he raised his voice. The onlookers and eavesdroppers lurked around, curious to gather information about Ace''s girl and his best friends. Their fight seemed to spike everyone''s interest.

    "What?" Eric barked, and immediately everyone averted their eyes, lowered their heads, pretending to mind their own business.

    Hera watched as the two best friends sent death res at the intruders. She had known them as the most sensible, calm and even-tempered among Hunter''s team. It was unusual to see them lose their cool.

    "Why are you snapping at everyone?" Hera asked. Scoffing at them both, Hera shook her head in displeasure. "All this drama just because your evil captain was striving for some attention," she muttered under her breath, irked at Bianca.

    Resting his hands on his hips, Eric exhaled in frustration and shook his head as though he was disappointed in her. Hera fixed him with a dirty look. "What?" she asked, shrugging and unimpressed by their reactions. "Nothing would''ve happened in the first ce if it wasn''t for Bianca''s amusement," Hera pointed out.

    Evelyn returned to sit on the bench, and cing a hand on Hera''s shoulder, gave a little shove forcing Hera to turn in her direction. "What does Bianca have anything to do with it, Hera?" Evelyn asked, her tone light and matter-of-fact, but Hera could detect the suppressed anger in her eyes and the displeased scowl on her pretty face.

    "Don''t you know your best friend, Evie? She loves creating scenes and making a fuss. It doesn''t matter to her that she was having fun at someone''s expense. And all of you listen to her false usations and believe her lies without giving it a second thought," Hera stated, using and judgemental, adding more to Evelyn''s resentment.

    "It wasn''t Bianca, Hera. It''s me, and for the record, I didn''t lie. I was speaking the truth when I said he molested me," Evelyn revealed, much to Hera''s shock. The ever so sweet, collective, and calm Evelyn now snapped in anger. She was so furious her eyes watered while she forced the words out.

    Evelyn was in the library that day. It was lunch break, and she decided to help the library staff with book arrangements as she had her next period free. If Evelyn hadn''t offered her help, the librarian and others would''ve had to skip their lunch to get the job done on time. Appreciating her helping nature, the staff left to have lunch on her insistence.

    Evelyn had asked all her friends to meet at the library after the ss. They were all going to lend their helping hands in the task. She was the first to reach the library while others promised to join her in five or ten minutes. The boys went to the restrooms, and Samantha took Bianca with her to buy snacks for them.

    She was in the library, arranging books in correct chronological order. Immersed at the ask in hand, Evelyn didn''t notice when someone walked into the deepest part of the library. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her and was startled when two hands wrapped themselves around her middle, holding her in a tight grip.

    "I was alone at the far end of the library when that bastard groped me from behind, Hera. He touched my boobs with his filthy hands. I felt so dirty and disgusting," Evelyn disclosed.. She had pped Noel right in the face, hard enough to leave her fingerprints.

 Chapter 272 - Shes Too Quick To Judge

    It was so ridiculous because the culprit dared to appear betrayed and disappointed as if Evelyn had denied him the right, something she had promised to give him. Noel had called her out for acting all innocent.

    "Don''t pretend like you don''t want this. Aren''t you and your friends all school sluts?" Noel had asked while trying to force a kiss. He had implied that she was too easy, and he had seen her kissing random boys all the time.

    The insult stung so harshly, but Evelyn was too shocked to reply. She didn''t go kissing everyone as Noel assumed. She sometimes flirted with boys only to get Danny''s attention and had kissed one or two boys to make him jealous.

    "He had the nerve to call me a slut," Evelyn uttered, gritting her teeth so hard, it hurt her jaw. "What''s wrong if I kiss other boys willingly, Hera? It''s my wish and no one else''s business. It doesn''t mean I''m easy and avable," she enunciated, sounding too bitter. "That trash thought he had free ess to my body," Evelyn said, and a teardrop escaped from both her eyelids.

    Hera was utterly dumbfounded and didn''t know how to respond to that. She never thought Noel would do something so filthy. Hera assumed that he had involved himself in some harmless flirting with Bianca, and she had made an issue out of it to get attention from Hunter.

    When Hera looked at Eric, she found him kicking the imaginary stone in anger. She noticed his fingers clenching into fists inside his pockets. He had his back turned to them as if it troubled him to face it when Evelyn continued with her revtion.

    Evelyn was pretty, sweet and delicate like a fairy-tale princess. Hunter and his friends had always protected her as one would take care of a baby, showering with affection and attention. She was everyone''s favourite.

    As per Hera''s knowledge, Evelyn would never hurt a fly, and someone had dared to wound her soul by touching her against her will. Hera knew that feeling first-hand, thanks to one of her best friends Andrew. She could now understand why Hunter and his friends were so enraged at Noel.

    Thankfully for Evelyn''s luck, her friends made it to the library at the right time and stopped Noel before he could taint Evelyn both physically and emotionally any further.

    It was Samantha, who saw it first and screamed, calling for the boys'' attention. Everyone rushed when they heard themotion at the deep end of the library.

    Hunter had pulled Noel away from Evelyn by his shirt cor and mmed him into one of the bookcases as soon as he saw the scene unfolding before his eyes. Michael and Danny didn''t waste another second before joining Hunter. They had thrashed him, kicking him from every angle like a ser ball until Noel managed to find an escape.

    "You know, Hera, when he freed himself from Ace''s clutch and ran out of the library, he looked back over his shoulder and grinned. He had this crazy glint in his eyes as if he was waiting for it," Evelyn said, trying to imply something, and Hera knew. She could grasp the meaning behind Evelyn''s words.

    Noel had admitted to Hera''s face that it was all pre-nned. He did it to get back at Hunter and create misunderstandings between Hera and Hunter. However, now that Hera had learnt the whole story, she would never forgive Noel for what he did to Evelyn. It was a cheap blow to hurt a girl''s pride in the name of revenge.

    Hera leaned her head over Evelyn''s shoulder, their hands finding each other. Hera sniffled and wiped her tears. It hurt so much to know Evelyn had suffered this humiliation.

    "I''m so sorry, Evie. I had no idea you went through all this shit. I didn''t know it was you. I thought it was Bianca," Hera was saying when she felt Evelyn''s shoulder stiffening. Her hold on Hera''s hand loosened.

    Eric turned abruptly to face Hera, and he looked beyond pissed. Hera was surprised and leaned back in her seat when he crouched in front of Hera to look her in the eyes.

    "You assumed it was Bianca and was okay with it?" Eric asked in disbelief, sounding too upset. "Why, Pixie? Wouldn''t it matter to you if it was Bianca and not Evie?" he asked. Eric was fuming with anger, judging aqua blue eyes fixed on her. Hera was taken aback by the sudden change in his attitude.

    "That''s not what I meant, Eric. You misunderstood me," Hera said, sounding too timid. However, Eric didn''t seem convinced by her justification at all. Deep down, even Hera knew what Eric used was true, and the realisation made Hera ashamed of herself.

    "I can''t believe your thinking is so cheap, pixie. You''ve been through this situation. You know the feeling, and yet you," Eric paused when Evelyn ced her hand on his shoulder and squeezed in a warning, stopping him fromshing out at Hera.

    "Why do you hate Bianca so much, Hera?" Evelyn asked, focussing her attention on Hera, her approach gentle and cautious. Eric snorted and sat beside Hera, upying his earlier position. With his arms crossed and lips pursed, he appeared defensive and distant.

    Hera knew, somehow she had disappointed Eric.

    "Do you still hold a grudge against her for bullying you when we were kids?" Evelyn asked Hera. "I thought we had passed that stage, Hera. We are no more immature, stupid, bratty kids. We are all grown up now," Evelyn said. Scooting over, Evelyn wrapped her arm over Hera''s shoulder and squeezed once in an affirmation to emphasise they were more than just friends now.

    "It wasn''t only Bianca. Eric, Mike and I, all of us bullied you, Hera and look at us now we love and treasure you like our little sister. I don''t think I ever apologised to you for sabotaging your homework all those years back. Yet you never held any grudge against me and forgave all of us. Then why keep so much bitterness only against Bianca?" Evelyn asked.

    "None of it was Bianca''s fault, yet you just assumed it was and med her for everything without learning the whole story. Why is it so easy to point the finger at her, Hera?" Evelyn questioned, her eyebrows scrunching together as she frowned in both confusion and disappointment.

    Hera looked away, feeling somewhat regretful. She knew she was unfair when it came to Bianca, and as Evelyn pointed out, Hera always assumed the worst about Binca. But Evelyn wasn''t being fair either by judging Hera. Thetter had a valid reason to distrust Bianca. Hera wanted to disagree and argue, but she resisted.

    Evelyn had been through a horrible situation, and Hera didn''t want to add more to her distress by fighting with her, so she held back.

    "Don''t believe everything blindly, Hera. People around you could be deceiving," Evelyn said in advice, concerncing her tone.

    "And it isn''t helping that you always chose the wrong people to befriend," Eric muttered more to himself beside Hera, but she heard him loud and clear, and it stung harshly.

    Hera knew Eric was talking about Andrew, Nathan, and now Noel added to the list of wrong set friends she had made. She had made a grave mistake by trusting Andrew, but Noel wasn''t exactly her friend. She tried to save him from Hunter''s wrath only because she despised violence. However, Eric ming her for being Noel''s friend hurt her.

    <em>''Is he implying that Evie got hurt because of me?''</em>

    <em> </em>

    <em>''Because I befriended Noel?''</em>

    How was Hera supposed to know that Noel would turn into an immoral person? She never wished harm to anyone, be it Evelyn or Noel. Why was everyone ming Hera for everything? It wounded her pride, and Hera thought Eric was a hypocrite for judging her friends.

    <em>''How do they manage to turn everything on me?''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly.

    The realisation that she was partly responsible for what happened added more to her anger born out of her guilt. No matter how much she denied it, it was the truth that Noel did it to separate Hera from Hunter. The bastard knew it was the only way to break Hunter. So Hera was indirectly responsible for it as much as Hunter was.

    She couldn''t hold back her frustration anymore as something inside her snapped.

    "Oh,e on, Eric, you''re one to talk about choosing wrong friends," Heraughed sarcastically and shook her head.

    "I find that a bit ironic since you''re no different from me. Your friends go on bullying and abusing people, and you support the violence in the guise of friendship. So it makes you seem hypocritical when you preach to me about befriending wrong people," Hera said, jabbing her finger into his chest.

    "Hera, you don''t understand," Evelyn spoke, frowning at her. "All we''re asking is for you to stay away from the wrong people. Don''t get influenced by their false concerns and lies. You''ll only get hurt if you trust the wrong ones," she said, scolding her. Hera clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes, unimpressed by Evelyn''s advice.

    "I''m not a child, Evie. I know what I''m doing, okay. All of you are pissed only because I''m upset with Hunter and med your precious Bianca. Can you me me if I can''t trust her after Nate''s incident?" Hera asked, resentment coating her voice.

    "All she does is lie," Hera stated and scoffed in displeasure.

    "You''re always so quick to judge her," a displeased voice used, and they all turned to see Hunter standing behind them.

 Chapter 273 - Her Luck Never Worked Against Him.

    <em>''The name Satan suits him better than Hunter.'' </em>

    Hera thought in displeasure as he seemed like he was out to hunt someone''s soul. Dressed in loose ck sweatpants paired with a ck pullover sweatshirt with a hood and a baseball cap on his head, Hunter looked sinister in all ck and ck.

    <em>''ck like his cold heart and dark soul which doesn''t give a damn about anyone''s feelings.''</em>

    Hera scowled, giving him a once-over through her narrowed slits, unimpressed and pretending to be unbothered.

    His eyes seemed cold and distant, staring down at her in disapproval. The anger was evident in the purple orbs, and the scowl on his handsome face intensified, brows drew together in a deep frown. However, what irked Hera the most was the figure peeking from behind.

    Bianca tilted her head and smiled sweetly, but it seemed more like mocking as hershes fluttered like butterfly wings.

    "Peekaboo," Bianca mouthed before stuffing her mouth with the lollipop, the strawberry candy coating her lips and tongue in pink. At first, Hera couldn''t see her walking behind him, hidden by his tall form and broad shoulders.

    Hera pursed her lips in distaste and turned away, ignoring the best friends. Hunter moved his ck joggers d feet, waking to the front with his hands shoved inside his pant pockets.

    "What were you saying, Goddess?" Hunter asked, standing in front of her, his voice of tone unfriendly, unkind, dripping with displeasure. Hera didn''t like the cold vibes emanating from his demeanour.

    <em>''Did he forget that we''re not on talking terms yet?''</em>

    Hera scoffed inwardly.

    Not bothering to respond, Hera got up from her seat and walked across him to leave. Hunter was quick to grab her wrist and pulled her back to him. "Stop with this ridiculous silence already. Can we talk like adults for once? I''m tired of dealing with your childish behaviour," Hunter snapped, losing his patience.

    His anger attracted attention, and everyone was more than interested in their fight. Ace Hunter was angry, and his girl dared to defy him in front of everyone. The drama unfolding in public lured people around to lurk and eavesdrop, prying for more gossip.

    Hera red, gritting her teeth and yanked her hand away from his hold, but his grip only tightened, much to her annoyance.

    They stared into each other''s eyes, their chests heaving under the pressure of suppressed anger. The cold air stung Hera''s eyes, yet she kept ring until her eyes watered. Cursing in her mind, she turned her back to him, unable to bear the anger in his eyes. Hunter didn''t let her hand go, though. His hold on her hand was firm.

    Hunter hated seeing her tears, and Hera hated disying her vulnerable side in front of everyone. She wanted nothing more than to run away from him at that moment. As if he read her mind, Hunter gave a tug at her hand. Still holding her wrist in a tight grip, he wound both of their hands around her middle, pulling her flush against his chest.

    Hunter''s left hand was still resting snuggled inside his pocket while the right hand pressed to her waist in a possessive hold. For any onlookers, the gesture seemed romantic or an affectionate back hug. His arm around her torso, her back against his chest, his hot breath brushing against her earlobe, everything ignited a warm feeling inside her.

    This is for the hical people who steal my work and copy-pasting it on their sites without my knowledge or granted permission. Since you don''t respond to my emails and warnings, I''m using this method to send the message across. Why do you conduct such immoral theft and take away all my credit? And you have the audacity to mention "all rights reserved" under my book on your sites. I invest my time, energy and emotions to create the content, and you just steal it so effortlessly without any shame.

    To the readers who read my book on pirated sites, please don''t do it. You can find ways to read it for free here in the allnovelfull tform as well, the original source where you can read my book. Please stop reading pirated versions and read it on the original site instead and support the author''s hard work. I''m almost on the verge of dropping this book. It doesn''t motivate me to write anymore. And I''m sorry for disappointing my loyal readers who supported me and my book so much. Hope you understand.

    Hera had always felt safe in Hunter''s arms. It brought a sense of security no one ever had offered in her entire life. Yet, the hug felt like a rough rope tightening against her skin and brought unbearable difort. Hera knew he wasn''t hugging her to show his adoration. He was merely iming his stake, protective, possessive and dominating.

    Hunter was restricting her from running away, forcing her to listen or talk.

    <em>''Always the manipting mastermind.'' </em>

    Hera couldn''t lift her gaze and look at Hunter''s friends. She knew everyone had their eyes fixed on her. Her cheeks felt warm as heat rushed through her senses. Pink dusted over the shell of her ears and the tip of her nose. Goosebumps erupted all over her skin, the hair behind her neck stood on attention.

    It was both embarrassing and humiliating. Whenever Hera and Hunter fought in the past, Hunter would end up kissing her to shut her up, and the students in the dormitory were all anticipating their forting free entertainment. Ever since Hunter proimed her as his girl, Hera detested it when he kissed her in public.

    Hera hated that his words affected her so much. It tore her heart every time he called her a child. Sometimes it did nt doubt in her mind whether their age difference would always put her at a disadvantage.

    <em>''Doesn''t he know the effect he has on me?''</em>

    <em>''How can he say such hurtful things to my face?''</em>

    They were the perfect examples of opposites attract, but how long would they survive if they kept fighting over their difference of opinion? Hera just wanted to cut the tension, and in the spur of the moment decision, said something she knew she would regretter.

    "I can see that you''re regretting asking for a second chance. Well, it''s not toote to back off, Hunter," Hera said matter of factly. Hunter''s hand around her tightened reflexively. She could feel the stiffness in his shoulders. Hera knew her toxic statement would serve the purpose.

    "If my childishness bothers you so much, then let''s break up. Let''s end this ipatible rtionship and put ourselves out of our misery," Hera suggested, sounding too unbothered for Hunter''s liking. His hold on her waist now loosened, and in the next instant, he withdrew his hand as if it burned.

    Hera knew she was his only weakness, and it was a low blow to use it against him. However, she couldn''t bring herself to feel guilty. His jab of her being a child hurt her too.

    All the warmth disappeared, and she felt the cold seeping through her hoodie as Hunter took a step back, creating distance between their previously flushed bodies. Hera and Hunter both turned around simultaneously. Hera turned to face him while Hunter turned in the opposite direction, showing his back to her.

    His posture was too rigid with his stiffened shoulders while he breathed his anger out. He shoved both hands into his pockets as if restraining himself from touching Hera anymore.

    Silence engulfed their surroundings as no one dared to utter a word. Hera could feel their friends'' eyes boring holes into her from behind. Students gathered around, cing bets about Hunter''s next move.

    Hera shook her head and scoffed in mockery. She took a step back, ready to leave, a precautionary move, and Hunter looked over his shoulder before turning to face her directly. He removed his baseball cap from his head, fixed his hair, brushing his fingers through it. Throwing his head back, he positioned the cap back over it.

    His sharp jaw clenched and unclenched before he opened his mouth to speak.

    "Don''t try your luck, Hera Hunter, because it doesn''t work when ites to me," Hunter said in a warning, eyes sharp as a knife, cutting through her core as he looked down on her.

    Hera had known that fact already, since forever. Hunter would never let her go. Not that she wanted him to, but she used it to manipte him anyway. He had already called her childish countless times, so be it.

    She felt like a tiny rat trying to cross paths with the wild cat waiting to pounce on it, but she would die of shame if she let him know how scared she was of his intimidating stance. So she held her chin up and returned his re, matching his passion perfectly.

    "Exactly. How unlucky am I!" Hera snapped, agreeing with him. Hunter''s chest and his broad shoulders rose and fell as he took a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling through his nose. He took a step forward, and Hera took one backwards.

    Never breaking their staring contest, she stepped a few feet back until her back collided with Eric.

    Eric held her arms from behind, steadying her before she could lose bnce. Hera''s eyes narrowed into slits when Bianca stepped in, stopping Hunter. Hera couldn''t see Bianca''s face as she had her back turned to Hera. Hunter shot her a warning re but didn''tsh out at his best friend, much to Hera''s displeasure.

    Hera shrugged Eric''s hands off her, eyes shooting daggers at Bianca''s head while Bianca and Huntermunicated through their eyes.

    Pursing his lips into a thin line, Hunter sighed. He looked away, moving his head to the other side. He didn''t seem pleased with her interfering but obliged hermand anyway.

    Hera grudgingly realised, whatever magic his sunshine woven, it seemed to work.

    Bianca turned to face Hera and fixed her with a hard stare. "I can see that you managed to pin everything on me like you always do, but I hate to be the cause of my best friend''s distress. So, stop being a bitch and let''s talk," Bianca said, cutting straight to the point.

    "Guys, can you leave us alone for a while?" Bianca asked her friends, her eyes moving back and forth, looking at each one of them. Hunter frowned, not approving the suggested request. Eric sighed, annoyed already, sensing another inevitable fight.

    "Bee, I don''t think it''s a good idea," Evelyn was saying, but Bianca cut her off. "Trust me, Evie. I''ll fix it," she promised.. "Don''t worry, Rick, I don''t want to kill her yet," she added, yfully flicking Eric''s forehead.

 Chapter 274 - She Loved Him Enough

    Rolling her eyes, Hera scoffed but didn''t try to walk away.

    She waited and watched while Eric and Evelyn reluctantly left, followed by Hunter.

    Hunter hated the silent treatment whenever she refused to speak. Ironically he would give her the same punishment had the table turned. His indifferent attitude irked Hera nheless. He listened and obeyed his sunshine''s orders and left her alone with his evil best friend.

    Her annoyed boyfriend didn''t even spare her a nce before walking away. She should''ve been used to it by now. It''s one of hismon traits Hera was too familiar with since Hunter would act like a spoiled brat and throw tantrums every time she withstood him.

    <em>''Funny, how he alwaysins that I throw tantrums and act childishly.''</em>

    Hera thought bitterly.

    Bianca looked around at the fellow students and grabbed Hera''s hand, pulling her away from prying eyes and ears. "Let''s go somewhere private. We need space," she offered as an exnation as she continued. Hera had to walk faster to match Bianca''s quick strides.

    Hera frowned in confusion as Bianca led her to the boy''s block. "It''s the safest ce if you want to avoid gossiping girls," Bianca offered,prehending Hera''s uncertainty. Hera had never been to this part of the dormitory. She studied her surroundings and noticed it wasn''t different from the girl''s block.

    Bianca opened the door to the random room without any hesitation. She walked inside, jerking her head in a gesture for Hera to follow her.

    As soon as Hera set her foot inside the room, she realised it wasn''t a random room. She saw Michael sitting on the bed with his long legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles, his back pressed against the pillow ced behind him.

    <em>''It''s Hunter''s room!''</em>

    Hera stayed rooted to the floor at the door, eyes wide with surprised shock. It was her first time visiting her boyfriend''s room. Her heart skipped a beat or two at the thought. Her cheeks felt warm for no reason, much to her annoyance.

    Michael had his headphones on and couldn''t hear the sound when the door opened. Books scattered on his ether side, a pencil between his fingers. It seemed he was watching something on his phone. Hera noticed the half-eaten ice-cream tub resting beside him on the bed.

    Hera knew Hunter and his friends were all toppers of their school. Yet, it surprised her to see Michael surrounded by books. The typical bad boys with leather jackets, who bully their juniors, indulge in illegal street racing and break the rules all the time, were all book worms and certified nerds. Could anyone me Hera for getting astounded?

    "Boo!" Bianca cried, jumping in front of him to frighten him, and it worked. Startled, Michael dropped his phone on the bed and pulled his knees up. Bianca doubled over,ughing at his deer caught in a headlight face. Michael removed his headphones and grabbed Bianca''s hand, twisting it behind her back.

    "Not cool, captain," Michael said in a disapproving tone. Heughed in satisfaction when Bianca whined, demanding him leave her hand. "Hmm, where did that heartyughter disappear all of a sudden," he cooed, mocking her. Bianca kicked his leg, and now it was Michael''s turn to whine.

    Meanwhile, Hera clenched her hands into fists subconsciously. The green monster of envy twisted inside her when she saw Bianca tugging at Michael''s hair. It reminded Hera of her fight with Michael.

    Hera now realised that their fight was not always necessarily bitter. She sometimes deliberately initiated their bickerings which would cause them to fight. Hera loved her brawl with Michael as it would give her the feeling of sibling''s quarrel she never got the chance to experience with Danny.

    Bianca had tainted that special memory for Hera now that she was behaving in the same way with Michael as Hera would. It was their thing to do, and Hera felt betrayed for some reason after learning that Michael and Bianca shared something simr.

    <em>''When did these bad boys steal such a prominent existence in my life?''</em>

    Hera averted her eyes from them and let her gaze wander across the room instead. Out of all the six beds, one particrly caught her attention, the one neatly made without a single trace of a crease. The study table beside it was also neatly arranged with books.

    She didn''t need any more proof to prove it belonged to her neat-freak boyfriend.

    "Why is she here?" Hera heard Michael say. When she looked at him, he didn''t seem happy to see her. "Ace isn''t here, as you can see," he added, ring at Hera, a clear warning for her to get out of his room.

    "I brought her here. We have something important to talk about, so shut the fuck up and leave us alone for a while," Biancamanded.

    "And who''s the genius who thought it was a good idea to let the tiger guard the sheep?" Michael asked, snorting in amusement. It earned him a p to his chest from Bianca. Hera bit her lip to hide her smile. She knew she was the sheep in Michael''s eyes and Bianca, the ferocious animal who would hunt her down.

    <em>''At least he believes I''m the one with harmless intentions here.''</em>

    "Hey," Michael protested when Bianca grabbed his phone. Thetter clicked her tongue in disapproval as she eyed the video ying on his phone. Hera widened her eyes in shock as she saw the glimpse of the video. Two naked bodies, one male and a female, pressed against each other indecently. They were doing the dirty.

    <em>''Oh, my God, the idiot is watching porn!''</em>

    Hera looked away in a sh, feeling awkward. Her cheeks felt hot while she tried not to blush.

    "Leave, or else I''m deleting all your favourite collection of porn saved in your phone," Bianca threatened, checking his video folder. Michael grunted in displeasure and nodded his agreement. It was cute to witness him pouting like a baby. "Good boy, now move your ass," Bianca cooed, tossing his phone at him.

    Michael pocketed his phone and grabbed the ice cream tub before walking to the door. The purple content inside caught Hera''s attention, and she noticed it was Ube�CMacapuno ice cream, her favourite. She moved her eyes off the dessert, and when she looked at Michael, she found him staring at her with a pleased smirk.

    "You don''t love him enough to deserve this," Michael said usingly, proving her guess right. His tone carried the bitterness his eyes expressed.

    <em>''Hunter bought it for me.''</em>

    Hera held her smile back because Michael''s jab hurt more than it should.

    "I loved him enough to take him back even after he cheated," Hera pointed out, her tone as harsh as Michael''s.

    "You know it, he regretted his mistake and truly repented," Michael shot back bitingly. Hera sighed in frustration and looked away. People wouldn''t understand that regretting wasn''t enough after cheating, would they? They would know it only when they stepped into her shoes.

    Michael left, and Hera could tell without turning around because he mmed the door too aggressively on his way out.

    "Come in, Piggy. Make yourselffortable. We have so much to catch on," Bianca said while sitting on Hunter''s study table, sarcasm dripping from her voice. Hera walked towards her and sat on Hunter''s bed without hesitation. When she inhaled, the air around her, the bed and pillows smelt like Hunter''s shampoo and his cologne.

    "You and I aren''t best friends, Bianca," Hera pointed out as a response to Bianca''s sarcastic remark. "And we''ll never be, I assure you, Piggy," Bianca retorted. Hera scanned her movements when Bianca grabbed a book from Hunter''s table and tossed it onto Hera''sp. "Go ahead, open it," she said. Hera was confused but did it as told.

    Hera''s breath hitched, her mouth fell open, and her heart promptly forgot to beat in a regr rhythm as it skyrocketed. It was Hunter''s sketchbook filled with sketches of Hera.

    Hera knew Hunter''s talent as a painter. Whether it was a pencil or a paintbrush, his fingers always knew how to brush them against the white canvas. She had seen his drawings and sketches during theirbined art ss, but he never showed her this one.

    "He has plenty of those finished sketchbooks locked inside his closet," Bianca supplied while Hera''s fingers caressed Hunter''s favourite pieces of art depicted on the paper. "It only took him three nights to finish the whole book. He has been missing you and drawing your face on this book ever since you started this ridiculous fight," Bianca revealed.

    Hera''s eyes were wet with tears, and her heart filled with warmth and affection. He had captured the emotions on Hera''s face so beautifully on the paper. If Hera knew him any better, it was the sequence of their fight. It disyed Hera''s angry eyes when she red at him during Noel''s fight. She was pointing an using finger at him in another. She had her lips pursed in disapproval in another sketch.

    She was wearing her uniform in some and casual clothes in the others.

    One sketch showed their moment when he kissed her in the dining hall. Hera was scowling, a deep blush on her cheekbones highlighting her embarrassment after he kissed her. Hera looked over her shoulder in one sketch and flipped him the bird in another. There were so many it forced her to relive every moment of their fight.

    "He''s skipping meals, and he hardly slept these days, you know," Bianca was saying, her voice filled with worry for her best friend. Lost in thoughts, Hera barely registered Bianca''s voice.

    -----------

    <strong><em>Spoiler alert...</em></strong>

    <strong><em>"As Mike said, you don''t deserve him. Why do you hurt him so much?" Bianca asked. Her tone suggested she wasn''t expecting the answer to that question. She was directly using, passing the final judgement. </em></strong>

    <strong><em>"You should leave him if you can''t love him enough to make him happy," she dered. </em></strong>

 Chapter 275 - KEY TO RESOLVE MISUNDERSTANDING

    Hera''s throat constricted, and she bit her lip to keep the sob inside. Her eyes studied every minute detail of the picture sketch while her heart ached as it silently wept. The lines of graphics carved on the white paper showed how much Hera had hurt Hunter unintentionally. It revealed Hunter''s emotions hidden behind his art so urately.

    Hera looked sad in the picture, eyes filled with tears. When she turned another page, it showed how the teardrops slid down her cheeks, leaving the traces behind, wetting her skin. Hunter hadn''t seen her crying after their fight. She did it hiding under the nket in her room. Yet he had felt her pain.

    What touched Hera''s heart was the teardrop coloured in red on the paper. Her fingers moved on their ord, the pad of her fingertips tenderly brushing over the imaginary tears Hunter had seen. It wasn''t aplicated Math problem that she couldn''t decipher the meaning behind his drawing. Hunter loved her so much that her tears were no less than blood for him.

    She knew it hurt Hunter so much whenever she cried in front of him.

    Hera gasped audibly and dropped the book when she turned another page as though it burned her hands. Her jaw dropped in disbelief while her eyes widened in horror.

    Hunter had drawn her with a dagger tightly clutched in her hand, blood dripping from it. Rage reced the horrified look in her eyes as she tried to search for something she had supposedly killed.

    <em>''The fuck!''</em><em> </em>

    <em>''Did he imagine me plunging that dagger into his chest or something?''</em>

    The scenario ying in her mind made her tremble with fury.

    <em>''How dare he think I would ever hurt him like that?''</em>

    Hera now couldn''t hold her tears back. Biting her lips harshly, she closed the book and shut her eyes, squeezing the tears out.

    "Oh, please, Piggy, don''t cry. I can''t stand that emotional drama, and I wouldn''t know how to make you feel better," Bianca whined in annoyance while Hera ignored her. She took several deep breaths, trying to soothe her aching heart. "It''s more of Evie and Eric''s forte, and Ace is not here to console you either. He won''t like it if you cried," she added, hoping it would help Hera stop crying.

    Hey, my lovely readers, do you remember, I wrote a few words as a message to the thieves who have published my book on their pirated sites? At first, Iughed because it was silly that they copy-pasted everything in the chapter, including my objection about their immoral theft. Now that I cross-checked it, I noticed how shamelessly they deleted the name of the original source I''ve mentioned and reced it with the name of their own site. Anyways, I''m awyer myself, and once I get time from my busy daily life, I''ll take legal action and sue them for sure. I just hoped they would serve us both the time and energy, but in vain, I guess.

    I love you guys for supporting and loving my work.

    Bianca jumped from the table, and Hera heard the sound of the drawer opening, a few seconds of rustlingter, something dropped on Hera''sp. She opened her eyes to find a pack of tissues. Thankful, Hera pulled a few tissues out and wiped her eyes and cheeks clean.

    "As Mike said, you don''t deserve him. Why do you hurt him so much?" Bianca asked. Her tone suggested she wasn''t expecting the answer to that question. She was directly using Hera, passing the final judgement.

    "What were you saying?" Bianca muttered to herself, seeming thoughtful before she looked at Hera. "Oh, right, I was the cause of everything," she answered herself. "I don''t like it when you fight with Ace and make him sad in the first ce, and you have the nerve to me it on me. Why do you hate me so much, Hera? Why do you fight with Ace because of me?" Bianca asked, now all the yfulness gone from her demeanour.

    "I could ask you the same, and don''t pretend as if you don''t whineining about me to him every day," Hera retorted, but there was no bite to it. The fight had already left her.

    "I do," Bianca admitted, much to Hera''s surprise. "But at least I tell him what bothers me, unlike you," she spat and paused to re at Hera. Thetter scoffed and clicked her tongue.

    "Seriously, Hera, I dislike you because I''m jealous of you. Ever since you met him, you topped the list of his priorities, and I hate the second ce," Bianca revealed, shocking Hera once again by her admission. It was hard to believe Bianca could ever feel insecure about her friendship with Hunter because of Hera.

    Hera had the same issues with Hunter and Bianca''s rapport, but she kept her mouth shut as it felt ridiculous to voice out what Bianca had already admitted. Hera realised they both envied each other because of Hunter''s priorities. Both of them were going through the exact problem and were constantlypeting to win Hunter''s attention.

    Now that Bianca had openly admitted it, Hera felt foolish that she ever doubted Hunter''s love for her. If they both felt insecure about their importance in Hunter''s life, it had something to do with their inferiorityplex. It was unfair to me Hunter when he wasn''t at fault. He treated and valued them both equally. The thought, no matter how rational, still stung, though.

    <em>''Shouldn''t your girlfriend be more special than your friend?''</em>

    Hera thought indignantly.

    "Stop zoning out, Piggy. I''m talking to you," Bianca snapped, disturbing Hera''s inward debate. Bianca sighed in exasperation. "Never mind, we cane at each other''s throat at some other time. For now, tell me what your issue with Ace is," she asked, jumping straight to the point. "You''re not talking to him. You avoid crossing paths not to meet him," she added, counting her fingers as if listing Hera''s drawbacks.

    Hera absent-mindedly took the sketchbook and hugged it to her chest while listening to Bianca''sints.

    "Fuck, you''re so petty like that. Guess you''ll always be a petnt child, immature, stubborn and difficult to handle," Bianca stated, fixing Hera with a look of contempt. Hera didn''t seem to lose her temper, though. Bianca''s words didn''t affect as much as she expected them to, maybe because now she knew why Bianca detested her so much.

    Hera red at the other girl anyway for the added effect while pretending to be angry.

    "He''s the one fighting with me even though he is in the wrong. All he needs to do is say sorry and apologise. It''s as simple as that," Hera replied, shrugging her shoulders.

    Bianca looked at her incredulously. A few secondster, she sighed in annoyance and shook her head as if to clear her mind. "How did you decide that Ace is at fault?" she asked, unimpressed and resentful. Now Hera sighed in frustration. "Bianca, now I know the truth about what Noel did to Evie. But Hunter is still wrong for beating him. I don''t appreciate or encourage violence," Hera shared her point of view.

    "Hmm," Bianca said, nodding. She seemed thoughtful for a minute, and Hera didn''t feel the need to borate her exnation, so she let Bianca ponder whatever ran through her mind.

    "You know, Hera," Bianca started, and Hera looked at her, surprised to hear her name as the former didn''t use her given nickname piggy.

    "It sounds unfair and ridiculous even, but the truth is all of us in this schoole from wealthy families, and our rich parents would do anything to protect their kids. Andrew is the best example. You remember what happened when you reported him, don''t you?" Bianca asked rhetorically. Hera frowned, thinking and almost understanding where Bianca was taking their conversation with this.

    "That scummy douchebag would''ve walked out unscathed had we reported him because, like Andrew''s, his parents would''ve used their status and power to protect him. So whatever my friends did to him, he deserved it, and it was the only way to punish him," Bianca stated and shrugged her shoulders, unbothered, not at all guilty.

    Hera didn''t know how to respond to that. Biting her lips, she looked away, lost in thoughts.

    <em>''Isn''t there no other way to get justice for Evie and punish Noel?''</em>

    Eyebrows drawn together in an intense frown, Hera was thinking hard.

    "So how is Ace at fault when all he did is to protect Evie?" Bianca asked, breaking Hera''s chain of thoughts. Hera was about to say something and had just opened her mouth when Bianca held her palm up, stopping her from speaking. "Don''t just say you hate his violent side. It''s only natural that you get enraged and violent when someone hurts your loved ones," Bianca dered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

    Frowning in displeasure, Hera scrunched her nose. What else could she do? Bianca obviously wouldn''t consider Hera''s logic as relevant.

    "Look, I''m not telling you to support him when he gets into fights with others, but at least give him the benefit of the doubt when you don''t know the real reason behind it. If something bothers you, talk to him about it instead of assuming the worst about him," Bianca said in a calmer tone. Surprisingly, she didn''t sound angry or annoyed anymore. If anything, her voice carried concern, and her eyes held sympathy.

    "Communication is the key to resolving all misunderstandings, Hera. You discovered the truth about that fucker Noel only because Evie and Eric spoke to you. So, don''t jump to conclusions before addressing the problem. Be a little more mature, a bit more sensible and understanding. Show a little nobility. Otherwise, the misunderstanding between you and Ace would never get settled, and you''ll only drive him away," Bianca suggested.

    Hera hated it when Bianca was right.

    How should one react when the person they hated the most tried to guide their walk on the right path? Hera never thought Bianca would talk sense into her. When she proposed they speak in private, Hera assumed she would only create more misunderstandings and problems between her and Hunter. So Hera couldn''t help but gawk at her in shock.

    Their hatred for each other was mutual. So how was Hera supposed to know Bianca had good intentions?

 Chapter 276 - Judging The Book By Its Cover

    It was hard to believe that Bianca wanted to help resolve their issues. Nheless, her wise words were influential, and Hera appreciated the effort. Feeling small in the other girl''s presence, Hera awkwardly nodded in acknowledgement.

    Hera might have acted childish, but she knew she wasn''t wrong either. Hunter thought it was silly of her to give him the silent treatment to punish him, but it was the only way he would heed her demand. However, she couldn''t deny what Bianca said was also correct.

    Yet, Hera couldn''t stop herself from taunting her. Guess, as it was said, old habits die hard?

    "Did you also give your best friend the same advice?" Hera asked, sounding unimpressed. It was certain Bianca would take sides because Hunter was her best friend. "Because I''m not the only one who needs to be more sensible or mature. What was that another big word?" Hera seemed thoughtful before adding, "Oh, yes, and to show nobility."

    Hera could tell from the re directed at her that Bianca didn''t appreciate her taunting, arrogant tone.

    "God, I don''t understand why Ace is so in love with you. You''re impossible," Bianca said, throwing her hands up in frustration. "And unlike you, Samantha loves him unconditionally, embracing all his ws and faults," she pointed out. Hera''s eyebrows arched up, eyes widening in pretend surprise.

    "Hmm, here ites," Hera said, with a shake of her head. "You and fixing the problem between Hunter and me? Ah, I knew it was too good to be true," Hera said, but there was no malice in her voice. She was only taunting Bianca. "Still rooting for your two best friends to end up together, I see," Hera said usingly.

    "Yes, I still stand by what I said that you don''t deserve Ace," Bianca snarled, scowling in displeasure. It irked Hera that Bianca didn''t deny her usation. Hera rolled her eyes and ignored the jab, pretending it didn''t affect her. "Huh, as if it matters," Hera muttered under her breath, "neither Hunter nor I need your approval, Bianca." She dered.

    Bianca went quiet after that, and when Hera looked at her, the former was already staring at her, searching for something on Hera''s face or perhaps assessing Hera''s statement. When Bianca spoke again, Hera felt the harshness in the former''s tone. "You said you loved him enough to take him back even after he cheated," Bianca repeated Hera''s words, reminding her of what she had said to Michael earlier.

    Hera peered at the other girl in curiosity, wondering where her argument would lead them.

    "Hera, I''m not defending Ace just because he''s my best friend. I know it''s hard to digest cheating or betrayal, but nobody forced you to forgive him, right?" Bianca questioned, but it sounded more like a statement. "You forgave him and let him back into your heart with your own will and wish because you too believed he truly regretted his mistakes and deserved that second chance," she stated the obvious.

    Hera appeared thoughtful as she analysed what Bianca had said. None of it was wrong. She couldn''t argue or disagree when Bianca said it would be unfair of her if she had ever doubted Hunter''s love for her. He wanted her back so bad that he would''ve done anything to earn her forgiveness. Even Hera knew Hunter wouldn''t picture his life without her. He loved her that much.

    "He wasn''t asking for a charity when he asked for that second chance. So don''t go around taunting him as if you''ve done him a favour by taking him back," Bianca said. Hera''s shoulders slumped in defeat as Bianca made her feel guilty. It reminded her of all the times when she took advantage of Hunter''s weakness and threatened him with a breakup.

    "If you honestly love him and want to keep him, then consider my advice. Move on from the past and start afresh," Bianca said. Hera appreciated the wise advice and was grateful until Bianca added something to her sentence as an afterthought to conclude. "Or maybe, you should leave him if you can''t love him enough to make him happy," she asserted.

    As soon as those words left Bianca''s mouth, Hera''s heart filled with rage and burned through her eyes. Balling her palms into fists, Hera red at Bianca, channelling all her outrage at the girl. "You couldn''t hide your true intention atst," Hera spat usingly. She no longer looked yful or teasing. Hera''s furious eyes held so much hostility that Bianca would''ve been burned to death by now if looks could kill.

    "How dare you?" Hera forced the words through her gritted teeth. "You''ve no right to say that. Don''t be so judgemental, Bianca. You know nothing about what Hunter and I have. You wouldn''t understand our rtionship and what we feel for each other," Hera couldn''t stop herself from raising her voice.

    When Hera and Hunter met for the first time, Hera didn''t even know the meaning of love, let alone falling in love. Yet, she knew from the moment she saw him that he was hers. Bianca watched in stunned silence and listened with keen interest when Hera spoke about her rtionship with Hunter.

    "It''s not easy to let go of your first love, Bianca. He was my childhood crush, my hero, and my soulmate. I only had him and learned to love him through the pain and loneliness I suffered. He''s my best friend, my lover and my life. I can''t leave him, Bianca, no matter what, I wouldn''t trade him for the world," Hera admitted determinedly without any hesitation.

    Bianca saw the passion in the other girl''s eyes, how they lit up with pride while talking about Hunter. She had always thought that Hera was immature and stupid and her best friend deserved someone better, but now seeing the rage in Hera''s eyes, Bianca could tell how serious she was about her love. She never knew the depth of Hera''s love for Hunter.

    "Even if I want to leave him, Hunter would never let it happen. You may disagree all you want, Bianca, but we''re each other''s lifeline. He''s my possession, my treasure, my everything. Don''t ever dare to tell me to leave him and insult my love for him," Hera looked into Bianca''s eyes, daring her to oppose. Her tone of voice carried the same sincerity her eyes held.

    At this point, Hera felt exhausted. She was tired of exining her rtionship, proving herself worthy, and defending her love for Hunter to everyone.

    It was no one''s business but hers and Hunter''s. She may be immature and act impulsively, giving into maniption. Sometimes she would get influenced by jealousy or ego, but she knew Hunter would understand her just fine, at least enough to prove that her opinion matters to him. He always could tell what Hera felt when they fought over their disagreements.

    Bianca''s lips twitched in a tiny smile, but she bit her lip to hold it back. Hera''s outburst gave her the assurance she needed that Hera loved Hunter as much as he did her.

    "Next time when you open your bitchy mouth to talk about me leaving Hunter, think twice because I''ll rip your tongue out," Hera swore threateningly, and her tone suggested she meant what she said. "You and your friends are all prodigies that know everything, so I''m sure you''ve heard about not judging the book by its cover. You don''t know me enough to judge me, Bianca," Hera stated bitingly.

    Bianca smirked, her brow lifting in appreciation. She nodded her agreement as a pleased smile grew on her lips.

    "Since you im to love Ace so much, you managed to impress me. So, as a favour, I want to warn you about something, Piggy," Bianca said. Hera scowled in disapproval as Bianca went back to the insulting nickname. "People around you are scheming to tear you and Ace apart, be it your best friend ra or that asshole Noel and it includes Samantha too," she said, surprising Hera by adding Samantha to the list.

    <em>''God, why is everyone so dead set on driving us apart?''</em>

    Biting her lower lip in curiosity, Hera looked at Bianca, and the arch to her eyebrows conveyed she would want to know more. "Don''t look so surprised, Piggy. Sam is one of my best friends, but I would never hurt Ace intentionally," Bianca admitted, her voice filled with assurance. Hera was shocked when Bianca revealed Samantha''s n without an ounce of hesitation.

    Samantha had asked her to help split Hera and Hunter apart, and Bianca had agreed because she didn''t want to disappoint or hurt Samantha''s feelings and make her feel betrayed by her best friend. However, she would never harm Hunter for anyone''s sake.

    Bianca had caught Samantha speaking to Noel twice, and on both times, they seemed suspicious enough for her to question Samantha''s intention. Without any indecisiveness, her best friend had revealed that Noel agreed to help with her n because he liked Hera. Bianca couldn''t help but think that Samantha had a part in what happened with Evelyn. However, she had denied any hand in Evelyn''s incident when Bianca asked her.

    They were all best friends, and Samantha wouldn''t stoop so low and hurt Evelyn in that awful way, right? Bianca wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt onest time. But she knew Samantha would do anything to separate Hera from Hunter. It was clear Bianca wouldn''t be able to trust Samantha blindly anymore.

    "Ace is very dear to me, Piggy. So, pay attention and don''t get influenced by backstabbers.. If you hurt him again, I''ll dly assist Samantha in her n," Bianca promised, a threat underlining her tone.

 Chapter 277 - Vicious Snakes

    Helena scrunched her nose, cringing at the strong vour of the ginger coating her tongue. It was her mother''s home remedy for the flu she had caught. It had been a day and a half since she experienced a mild cold and a sore throat. Though Helena never liked English medicine, it now seemed a better solution than her mother''s homemade herbal medicine filled with spices.

    "It tastes horrible," Helenained, "And smells even more horrible," she added, pointing using res at her mother. Myraughed and pinched her daughter''s cheek, cooing at her. "Now be a good girl and finish it," she demanded. Sighing in defeat, Helena gulped the ss of bitter liquid in one go when her mother didn''t show any sign of sparing her mercy. "Stay in your bed," she warned sternly before making her way out of Helena''s bedroom.

    Helena grabbed her cell phone from the nightstand and typed a message to her cousin asking where she was. Gis''s reply came after a few minutes. It seemed she was in their grandfather''s study, helping him sort out his folders. Helena shook her head in pity. Her cousin kept avoiding her since their grandfather spoke about mending stair''s broken friendship with his best friend, and much to Helena''s dread, she had been spending a lot of time with Christopher.

    "Don''t tell me, Gis, you''re seriously considering marrying some stranger boy just to please our dear grandfather," Helena muttered in disappointment. Helena had tried to coax her to disclose or admit anything about her conversation with Christopher. But the stubborn girl had cleverly changed the subject by dismissing the matter, iming it was nothing.

    Helena, of course, didn''t reveal her spying efforts to her cousin. She didn''t think Gis would appreciate her eavesdropping on her private conversation with their grandfather. Helena never cared about Christopher''s opinion or his brutal judgement about her. Nheless, for some reason, what her grandfather said deeply troubled Helena this time. He had forewarned Gis to keep it a secret from her.

    It hurt when her dear cousin and a best friend followed their grandfather''s orders and hid the truth from her. It seemed as if he wanted to create misunderstanding and break their bond. Helena wanted to know if Gis would share the details with her or not. Hence, she didn''t disclose that she was hiding in her balcony and had overheard their whole conversation.

    Soon it would be time for dinner, and everybody would be in the dining hall. Helena thought it was the perfect timing to investigate Gis''s room. She wanted to find out the details about the suggested marriage proposal and see who the golden boy was who had managed to impress her grandfather without even meeting him in person.

    It should naturally please Helena that Gis had agreed to marry someone else, for there wouldn''t be any morepetition in her race to win Ace. However, Helena was never a selfish one who would secretly celebrate her victory because Gis had already given up on Ace, and she would have him all to herself.

    It was their mutual agreement. Whoever wins Ace''s heart would be the lucky ones, and the other would back off without harbouring any hard feelings. It wouldn''t be fair on Gis if she gave up on her dream without pushing her chance only to please their grandfather. No matter what, Helena would never let her cousin marry someone without her will. She wouldn''t let her be a sacrificialmb in their grandfather''s dirty y.

    <em>''The poor girl is too selfless to think about her happiness.''</em>

    Helena thought disappointingly.

    She threw away theforter and left the soft surface of her bed. Slipping her feet into her slip-on house slippers, she quietly made her way to Gis''s bedroom. Since she was mildly under the weather, her mother had already made her eat in her bed. No one woulde looking for her in her room. Helena nced towards the dining hall and spotted her entire family assembled there for dinner.

    Grinning in victory, she tiptoed to Gis''s bedroom.

    Helena had nned to approach the boy whom Gis was supposed to marry before they met. She needed to find a way to contact him, phone number, address, anything so that she could stop this arranged marriage bullshit.

    Little did Helena know she was in for the biggest surprise of her life.

    Pushing the door open, she entered Gis''s room. Without wasting any more seconds, she marched towards her cousin''s wardrobe. She knew where Gis could hide the envelope and searched under the pile of her folded clothes. "Where have you hidden the damn thing, Gis?" she muttered in frustration when she couldn''t find the white envelope.

    After rummaging through the whole closet, her eyes fell on the painting hidden behind the long hanging dresses. It was new, the one Gis hadn''t shown her yet. Hunter''s bright purple eyes shining like two finely cut diamonds stared back at her. They promptly drew a smile onto Helena''s face. She carefully brought it out, and the cursed thing she was searching for fell face down on the polished wooden row of the closet.

    Gis had hidden it behind the painting.

    "Fucking finally," Helena hissed and took the envelope, but she decided it could wait. She wanted a moment to appreciate the glorious, alluring handsomeness of the face bewitching her through the painting.

    <em>''This is why you deserve that chance, Gis.''</em>

    Helena thought, determined to pour cold water on her grandfather''s vicious scheming.

    Pressing her back against the closet door, Helena held the painting to her eye level, admiring her Knight dressed in blue. His shirt, tie, zer and trousers, everything was blue. It seemed like he had dressed in his school uniform. She wondered when and where Gis had seen him with his school uniform.

    His zer had a yellow round patch above his chest designed like a zing sun. Helena guessed it as his school logo but couldn''t read or recognise the name as Gis didn''t pay much importance to the letters in the title.

    <em>''Good God, why is this boy so fucking hot?''</em>

    Helena nced at the door, a precautionary move, to be aware if anyone intruded, before cing her lips against Hunter''s on the painting. She had drawn many charcoal sketches of him and kissed each one of them in the safety of her bedroom. Yet, it somehow seemed wrong to kiss Gis''s artwork in her absence.

    Though her heart raced guiltily, she couldn''t stop the smile that took over her facial features. She greedily stole another kiss but immediately scowled as she felt her cheeks warming.

    <em>''Fuck, am I blushing?'' </em>

    Helena puffed her cheeks and huffed, hitting her head on the closet door.

    She had conveniently forgotten the purpose of her invading Gis''s room as soon as her eyesnded on Hunter''s painting. She let out a dreamy sigh, "Boy, you''re trouble and will be the death of me," she mumbled before putting it back into the closet where she found it.

    Now the envelope resting in her hand had her full attention. Biting her lips, she squinted her eyebrows in concentration as she opened the paper cover. Grasping the two photographs between her thumb and index finger, she pulled them out.

    "What in the hell!" she eximed out loud, eyes widening in surprise. A smile automatically found its way onto her lips, stretching into a wide grin as she checked the photographs. One of them disyed his tall frame. Dressed in blue and blue, hands tucked inside his pockets, his magnificent appearance demanded attention. The second picture was the close-up of his face, the one Gis painted.

    "Grandpa wants Gis to marry him?" she uttered in disbelief.

    Helena''s smile dropped, slowly fading off. Her heart missed a beat, anxious and hurt. Her dear cousin wasn''t that selfless after all. Gis wasn''t sacrificing her chance at love so that she could fulfil their grandfather''s wish. No, the cunning fox was secretly weaving a n behind her back to deceive her and marry Ace.

    The realisation hit her hard, and humourlessughter tore out of her throat. The deception was too disheartening to endure.

    "Gis, you bitch, I never thought you would turn out to be a vicious snake," Helena scoffed in disappointment, "God, I''ve been such a fool."

    She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, clutching the photographs to her chest. She wiped the underside of her eyes with the back of her hand as tears rolled down her cheeks. Helena had loved her cousin like her sister and always wished the best for her.

    "Only to get stabbed in the back," she realised and epted the bitter truth. "You''re your grandfather''s favourite for a reason," she spat in disdain. She recalled her grandfather telling Gis to keep it a secret from her because he didn''t want Helena to ruin his ns. "Christopher Castenos, I''ll show you how much I can ruin your ns," Helena swore.

    She took a few more deep breaths to cool her anger off and wiped her eyes and cheeks clean before pulling her cell phone out from the pocket of her pyjama pants. Opening the camera app, she took pictures of the photographs. She could see the school logo on Hunter''s uniform jacket with enough rity to read the name.

    She removed the neatly folded paper with a detailed biography report about Ace Hunter from the envelope, which she had ignored earlier.

    "Ace Hunter, eighteen years old, topper of the school, trained in all types of martial arts, the only heir to Alexander and Felicity Hunter''s business empire," she read, feeding every information into her memory.

    "See you soon, would-be boyfriend," she dered.

 Chapter 278 Hopeless Expectations And Harsh Reality

    "Be ready and wait for my call. I''ll tell you where toe. Leave as soon as I send you the address," Jackmanded from the other end of the call, his demanding tone harsh against Danny''s ear. He agreed to everything Jack said and scowled once their call disconnected. He had detected the tremor in Jack''s voice, and it sounded urgent and tensed through the speaker.

    Danny hoped for the miracle, desperately wished that somehow there was something that would prevent Jack from meeting him. He hoped Hera would resolve her misunderstanding with Hunter and go home with him. If only Abby wasn''t this selfish and helped him get out of this shithole. Abby''s betrayal almost tempted him to reveal the truth to Hera. After all, Abby had thergest share in this iniquity.

    Hera would be devastated if she learned the truth, and Danny didn''t have the heart to break her spirit by showing her the mirror of reality. Thus with a disappointed shake of his head, he stepped on the temptation, crushing it under his feet. He would have to bear the burden of truth on his chest all alone, no matter how much the guilt weighed his shoulders down.

    Pocketing his cell phone, Danny sighed in defeat. He had lost all the energy and felt exhausted already. Hunter had asked him to go with him when they talked about Hunter wanting Hera to apany him. If only he could say yes to his best friend''s suggestion, but Danny had no choice other than to decline the request. He had to stay back to take care of the problem.

    ''I''ll die if I need to, but I''ll protect you at any cost, Hera.''

    Danny vowed for ninth time.

    He half jogged to their secret hideout behind the old building where the rest of his friends were waiting. He found Eric and Michael sitting on the makeshift stone bench with a cigarette in their hands. Michael let out the smoke rings through his mouth, absent-mindedly ying with them while Eric kept flicking his cigarette downward repeatedly to get rid of the ash.

    Eric seemed lost in thoughts. He wasn''t smoking, Danny noticed. Hunter was pacing back and forth, hands tucked inside his pockets, his shoulders hunched in defeat. He lifted his head when Danny made his presence known and smiled faintly at him before resuming his pacing. Hunter kicked at the innocent grass as if it offended him somehow by looking so lush.

    "What''s with him?" Danny asked and then frowned at himself for asking the silly question because he knew the obvious answer.

    "Why don''t you ask your beloved little sister?" came Michael''s biting retort, the anger evident in his tone. He earned a re from both Danny and Eric at that.

    "Hera doesn''t know what Noel did. All we have to do is tell her the truth, and everything between them will be solved automatically," Danny stated the obvious in an all too irked voice.

    Eric scoffed with a shake of his head before responding to Danny. "I tried doing that, but you know how she gets, sometimes too stubborn to listen," Eric said and shrugged before continuing, "I think we''ve meddled enough and should leave them to it. Only Ace knows how to handle her temper. So let him talk to her."

    Danny nced at his sulking best friend and cursed inwardly for Hera''s stupidity. He knew Hunter would keep her safe if she left with him. He was Danny''sst hope.

    ''If only the silly stubborn girl listens.''

    Exhaling his frustration through his mouth, Danny ced his cigarette between his lips before lighting it.

    Hunter stopped pacing when he felt the vibrations in his pocket and pulled his cell phone out.

    "Fuck," Hunter muttered, seeing Mathew''s name shing on the screen. He had an inkling of what he could expect from this phone call. Hunter hoped Jessica wasn''t in trouble because of him. Brushing his fingers through his unruly hair, he took a deep breath and exhaled before receiving the call. "Hey, Matt, all good?" Hunter asked, holding the phone against his ear.

    "You didn''t bother to tell me you''re nning to take your girlfriend home," Mathew said. Hunter detected the anger in his voice. There was clear disapproval and usation in his tone. Mathew was upset that he hid it from him. "Matt, let me exin, will you? It was ast-minute decision, and I didn''t have time to inform you beforehand," Hunter quickly tried to rify.

    "Imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when I found out what a splendid job Jessica aplished behind my back," Mathew said sarcastically. Hunter squeezed his eyes shut, sighing in guilt. "Matt, please let her off the hook. I coerced her, and she couldn''t dare refuse me," he said in Jessica''s defence.

    "Don''t I know how charming you can get when you want to," Mathew said, not seeming satisfied by the excuse.

    "I didn''t want to add more to your worries, Matt. You already had your hands full with other responsibilities. So I asked Jessica to handle the required necessities," Hunter expressed. He heard Mathew sighing in frustration from the other end of the phone. He could imagine how exasperated he looked at the moment.<sub> </sub>

    "Chief, your safety is my priority and keeping you protected is my responsibility. Worrying about you is my duty, and I appreciate it if you don''t keep secrets from me. You know I don''t trust anyone when ites to your protection," Mathew admitted, still upset at Jessica. She was supposed to report him and take his permission before doing anything.

    "It''s just some paperwork she had to handle, Matt. All is good, and you can trust me to take care of myself in your absence. You''re worrying over nothing," Hunter tried to assure Mathew. He requested him to excuse Jessica this once as she wasn''t at fault. Hunter had demanded her to do his bidding. He also asked Mathew to keep his girlfriend''s visit a secret until he reached home. He wanted to surprise his parents.

    ''If Hera agrees toe.''

    Hunter thought, swallowing the bitter feeling.

    "I have promised your dad that I''ll keep you safe in his absence. I prefer to keep my word, chief. Don''t put me in trouble, or else your dad will have my head," Mathew said, finally rxing. He only agreed to ignore Jessica''s mistake after Hunter promised him that he wouldn''t do anything without informing him.

    Hunter asked about his grandparents'' safety and rxed once Mathew assured him they were safe.

    After ending the phone call, Hunter eyed his cell phone until the screen went dark and huffed, letting his stiff shoulders unwind for a while. That was until he remembered Hera was still pissed with him and the tension returned with full speed, consuming his peace of mind.

    He checked the time and noticed it had been a while since Bianca and Hera left together. To put his stress at rest, he decided to call his grandparents as speaking to them would take his mind off his fight with Hera, at least for a few more minutes.

    <strong>IN THE CASTELLANOS MANSION, </strong>

    Helena smiled to herself, cunning and vicious. "Don''t be ridiculous, Helena. Remember, he''s your would-be brother-inw. How can he be your boyfriend? You''re not a homewrecker, are you?" Helena asked, mock-scowling at herself while she pretended to cringe at the absurd thought. Why would she worry about her cousin''s dream or future when Gis didn''t hesitate before stabbing her in the back?

    Scoffing in contempt, she put the envelope back in its ce and marched out of Gis''s bedroom.

    On her way back to her room, Helena heard themotion in her parents'' bedroom and identally eavesdropped on her father, cursing at her mother. She gasped in shock and pushed the door open without bothering to knock in her haste. She had never seen or heard her parents raising their voices at each other, let alone fighting by verbally insulting.

    To her surprise, lost in their argument Johnathan and Myra didn''t notice it when the door opened, and their daughter walked in.

    "I told you not fuck that bastard in my home. I don''t want my family to know what a whore you are," Johnathan spat furiously.

    "Why, are you afraid they would learn what a failure you are as husband and how you can''t keep me satisfied in bed?" Myra asked, smirking in satisfaction as Johnathan''s eyes burned with rage.

    "You fucking slut, how dare you?" Johnathan cursed, raising his hand. He was about to p his wife when he heard his daughter calling for him. Helena was horrified at what she was witnessing. Tears formed in her eyes while she stared at her parents.

    "Helena, I can exin," Myra said,ing forward, but Johnathan grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "Helena, please leave us alone and go back to your room," Johnathan demanded harshly. Helena blinked, letting the tears run down her cheeks and red at the hand holding his mother captive. Johnathan noticed and immediately let go of Myra''s hand before taking a step back.

    Helena lifted hershes to look at her father, who averted his eyes in shame. Then she nced at her mother, a surge of anger rushing through her veins. "Did you or did you not cheat on papa?" asked Helena, even though she dreaded learning the answer. The look in her mother''s soft eyes hardened as anger took over her features.

    "Oh, you dare to look offended? How hrious?" Helena let out a humourless chuckle. "My papa said you fucked someone in this house. Whom did you sleep with, dear mother?" she asked, gritting her teeth.

 Chapter 279 Finding Ways To Cross Paths

    "You know nothing, Helena. Don''t jump to conclusions before knowing the whole truth. You should know before using me that your Papa is no saint either," Myra said, taking Helena''s hands in hers and pulling her to the nearest chair, urging her to sit. Helena''s mouth twitched downwards in utter disappointment as she looked at Johnathan.

    "You said it right, Mama. I know nothing about him. I never thought that I would see my father raising his hand to hit my mother. I never took him for someone who indulges in domestic violence," Helena said, ashamed of her father. Myra felt guilty for tainting her father''s ideal image in Helena''s eyes.

    "I thought you loved Papa. Why did you cheat on him, Mama? Didn''t you think about me once before ruining my happy family? What did I do to deserve this betrayal?" Helena asked, sounding too broken.

    It broke Myra''s heart to see her daughter crying. She was her bold, fearless, strong-willed daughter. Never had she seen her beloved daughter this disheartened and shattered. Myra almost decided to take the me and hide all her husband''s sins from her daughter. However, when Johnathan opened his mouth to spout insult, she was forced to speak the truth.

    "Look what you''ve done? You broke my innocent daughter''s heart, and for what? If only you could stop yourself from whoring around," Johnathan cursed, using Myra of breaking his family apart, much to Myra''s vexation. It was thest straw of her tolerance, and she finally decided to rip the mask of his pretended righteousness.

    Ignoring her husband''s using stare, she took a seat beside Helena. "Do you remember Kessie, who works in our NGO and made your guitar?" Myra asked Helena and saw how Johnathan''s face paled when he heard Kessie''s name. He never thought Myra would reveal his extramarital affair to their daughter. Panicked, he grabbed Myra''s hand and red at her in a warning, but thetter only snatched her hand away.

    Myra had made her mind, much to Johnathan''s dismay. "Did you think I''m so dumb that I wouldn''t know what you were doing behind my back?" she asked Johnathan and deliberately chose to ignore the pleadings in his guilty eyes.

    "She is his kept woman, and he has been cheating on me for years with other women before her," Myra revealed. Helena bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She lowered her head, shedding tears into herp, unable to meet any of her parents'' eyes.

    ''Is it the universal celebration of the world''s betrayal day or what?''

    Helena thought as everyone she loved and trusted chose to betray her in the most despicable way possible.

    "What about you, Mama? Who is the person in this house who dared to keep illicit rtions with Christopher Castenos'' daughter-inw?" asked Helena. The mere thought alone twisted her guts in repulsion. She knew it had to be one of the servants.

    "It''s your grandfather''s most trusted butler," Johnathan spat indignantly.

    Helena got up from her seat and moved away from her parents. She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. "Wow!" she said sarcastically and pped her hands in mock apuse. "Wow! What fucked up family I have! How lucky and blessed am I?" she asked andughed bitterly.

    The truth was so bitter that she felt the bile rising in her throat. It was suffocating to breathe in their presence, so Helena rushed out of their room without sparing them another nce.

    Helena blinked, wiping her tear-soaked cheeks clean. She searched for herptop and found it on her bed.

    Without wasting a second more, she browsed the name SPALEV High on the inte. Not that she wanted to learn anything about the school, it was enough reason for her to look into it that Ace Hunter studies there. Nevertheless, she liked the school uniform and the location.

    She was d for the brief privacy her parents allowed her so that she could shed her tears in thefort of her room ande to terms with their illicit affairs. She was packing her bags when the door to her room opened, and her father walked in. He eyed the suitcase and looked at Helena with pleading eyes.

    "Where are you going? Sweetheart, you''re angry and rushing with your impulsive decisions. Please don''t do it. We can sit and talk," Johnathan offered. He knew he was already losing her. It was impossible to change her decision when she was determined. His daughter was stubborn like that.

    "I can''t stay here, not after learning what you did," Helena said, ring at him with her using eyes. There were no tears in her eyes anymore, just disappointment and anger. Johnathan flinched at her harsh tone. He begged her not to leave him, but his plea fell on deaf ears. Helena didn''t even respond to that and continued with her packing.

    "I''m sorry, Sweetheart. Please forgive me," he said. Helena let out a sarcasticugh without looking at him. "No, Papa, you''re not sorry, and I can''t forgive you, not now," she dered. Johnathan ced his hands on her shoulders, bringing her to sit on the bed. Kneeling before her, he cupped her cheeks in his palms to kiss her forehead.

    "I''ll do anything and take any punishment but not this. I can''t live without you, Helena. Please don''t leave. You''re the only reason I''m still living with that despicable woman," Johnathan said. Helena looked at him incredulously. She couldn''t digest his male chauvinism belief.<sub> </sub>

    "You have the balls to raise your hand on my mother and call her a whore when you couldn''t keep your fucking dick in your pants. How very hypocrite of you," Helena spat her anger out while Johnathan cringed at her foulnguage.

    "I''m going to London," she revealed suddenly and ignored how her father frowned in confusion.

    "What? Why? London is so far away from home," he said, sounding defeated. Helena turned herptop so that Johnathan could see the screen. She showed him the information she had browsed earlier. Johnathan''s eyes went wide with surprise when he saw the name SPALEV High. "It''s the best boarding school in London, and I want to join as soon as possible," Helena announced, much to Johnathan''s horror.

    "Why London, though? I can find you the best school in the US," Johnathan quickly offered. He couldn''t hide the panic in his voice, but it seemed Helena didn''t notice. She brought one of her charcoal sketches and held it before him. Johnathan''s heart raced, and his jaw dropped in shock when he recognised the face on the sketch. What scared him the most was the light shining in Helena''s eyes as she eyed the boy.

    "I''m in love with him. I want to join this school because he studies there," Helena confessed. Johnathan stared at his daughter with widened eyes. He was shell-shocked at the unexpected revtion. It felt like thunder had struck him, and he choked, struggling to breathe.

    ''That''s Alexander''s son!''

    He reminded himself with a startling realisation.

    He wondered how Helena knew him or when they met. It didn''t help soothe his anxiety as he recalled that Hera was in love with him too. He was Hera''s boyfriend.

    ''How does Hera always find a way to cross paths with us?''

    Johnathan couldn''t let this happen. Helena and Hera should never meet.

    "No, it''s not possible. You can''t go to London. You''re toote as admissions are already closed in all the schools, and besides, your grandpa won''t allow it," Johnathan said dismissively, his tone harsher than he intended. All he could care about at this moment was to stop Helena from meeting Hera or Ace.

    He watched while Helena shrugged indifferently.

    "I don''t care what grandpa considers, and I''m sure you can get me admission to the school somehow," Helena said confidently. She had wasted enough time thinking and caring about others. Now she was determined to pursue her happiness and live her dream. "This is the least you can do for me after ruining my happy family," Helena said, leaving no room for him to argue.

    Johnathan would do anything for his daughter''s happiness. If Helena wanted Ace Hunter, then Hera had to back down. Once again, Johnathan would shamelessly choose his daughter over Hera''s happiness. If injustice happens with Hera once again, so be it.

    He wanted to know more about her and Hunter''s story, but it wasn''t the right time. He knew Helena wouldn''t appreciate him meddling with her love life anyway. When Helena didn''t attempt to talk to him, and the awkward silence stretched, he decided to leave her alone.

    Myra walked in as soon as Johnathan left. Helena knew her mother had been standing at her door, listening to their conversation.

    "So, you''re leaving," Myra stated. It wasn''t a question. She knew her daughter too well. Helena sighed in exasperation when Myra didn''t say anything else. "If you were unhappy in your marriage, you could''ve talked to me, and I would understand," Helena said, patting the ce beside her on the bed. Myra couldn''t stop her sob and cried into her daughter''s shoulder, hugging her tightly and whispering apologies.

    She disclosed how miserable her journey had been as Johnathan''s wife. She had loved him unconditionally even though he never acknowledged her presence in his life. She was paying the price for being born into a noble family and married to a royal one. She had always honoured her family''s prestige more than her own happiness and silently endured all the pain.

    Eventually, she gave up, and in one vulnerable moment, she crossed the line and made the mistake of losing her dignity.

 Chapter 280 Sharing Sweets And Thoughts

    The texture of the strawberry jelly ying hide and seek between her teeth was silky soft on her tongue, and Hera was utterly upset, guilty that she couldn''t appreciate the sweet taste coating the inner walls of her mouth to the fullest. She couldn''t enjoy it while her concentration was fixed on Bianca''s fingers unwrapping the sweets.

    They were sitting on the bed talking when Bianca had pulled out a box full of jellies from one of the drawers of Hunter''s study table. Hera knew it was for her, but she kept her mouth shut because though it was hers, Bianca undoubtedly enjoyed the privilege of being Hunter''s best friend. Hera guessed he wouldn''t mind if his sunshine ate Hera''s share of sweets.

    Hera was not exactly ming Bianca for stealing her sweets. How could she when thetter pulled the excuse of cheering up Hera''s foul mood? She brought the box to her when Hera was crying in guilt. "Ace said he gives you choctes when you''re upset, and it seems to help," Bianca had said while offering the jellies to her.

    However, Hera couldn''t fully feast on the treats because she had something else on her mind. She was nervous and worried that Hunter must have left a messenger sweet, and she didn''t want Bianca to find it. Holding her breath, Hera watched while Bianca unwrapped another jelly.

    Bianca had emptied the box by dumping all the jellies on the bed and started storing the wrappers in the empty box. Hera appreciated her thoughtfulness because they both knew how angry the neat-freak Hunter would get if she messed up his room by throwing wrappers here and there.

    Bianca deposited another wrapper in the box while Hera sighed in relief and let her eyes shift to Hunter''s sketchbook.

    Hera was already missing Hunter and wanted to run to him, hug him andfort him, erasing all his dreads about losing her. They both were hurting and knew this distance between them only added more to their sufferings. Suddenly, Bianca snatched the book from herp, drawing Hera out of her thoughts and stopping her from wailing in self-pity.

    Deprived of Hunter''s love and attention for days, Hera couldn''t wait to see him, touch him and feel him. She was desperate to see and feel his smile against her lips. The beaming smile on his face was her sunshine that could warm her heart. She needed her daily dose of happiness, his arms around her, embracing her into the safety of his chest.

    Though Hera didn''t want to thank Bianca for all the wise things she suggested, she was still grateful. The thought of exchanging pleasantries between them seemed weird, and Hera felt it awkward to show any unpretentiousness among them.

    "Stop your mind from wandering around and eat," Bianca said, seemingly annoyed with Hera''s disinterest.

    "So, are we friends now?" Hera asked, sounding unsure. "Because we''re sitting here together, chit-chatting and sharing sweets," she pointed out, arching her eyebrows up in stupefaction. Bianca scowled at her, unimpressed. "Don''t be ridiculous, Piggy. It''s not funny," she said as if the mere thought of being Hera''s friend offended her.

    Hera rolled her eyes at the other girl''s dramatic response. "Okay then. I''ll take my leave if this emergency meeting is over," she said, getting down from the bed. Bianca grabbed her hand and red at her, not liking the mockery in her tone. "Not yet, Piggy. Sit down. I need to talk to you about something important," Bianca said.

    "What were we doing until now, then?" Hera asked incredulously.

    "Isn''t it obvious? I was trying to fill your dumb brain with some sense," Bianca said, mimicking Hera''s incredulous tone. Faking a sweet smile, she pulled Hera back onto the bed. Hera huffed at the insult and crossed her arms, pouting in anger.<sub> </sub>

    "You''re such a child," Bianca said with a shake of her head, but the sweet smile ying across her lips was genuine this time. "Stop distracting me from the topic with your silly antics," she scolded. Meanwhile, Hera tightened her arms around her middle to emphasise her angry mood.

    When Bianca started to speak again, she sounded upset, much to Hera''s surprise. She revealed how much it bothered her whenever Hera med her for everything without knowing the context. For the first time, Hera had seen her soft side, and she didn''t seem one bit like the bully Hera had known all the while.

    "You said I shouldn''t judge you since I don''t know you well enough. The same goes for you, Piggy. But you seem to forget that rule whenever you judge me," Bianca stated. Hurt shed across her eyes when she looked at Hera. Suddenly, Hera felt guilty though she was never at fault with Bianca.

    "I know why Samantha hates you, and I can see it doesn''t bother you much. Fucking hell, she has even fucked your boyfriend, yet I don''t find you judging her," Bianca said usingly.

    Hera cringed at what she heard. Thankfully, she didn''t have to reply as Bianca continued with her fuss. Hera had never thought a day woulde when Bianca wouldin about their cat and mouse rtionship.

    Surprising Hera, she brought up Eric, Michael and Evelyn, grumbling about how Hera was close to them despite them being her bullies once upon a time. It seemed today everyone''s issue was to remind Hera of all the bitter memories of her childhood, how they had made her life difficult then.

    Bianca appeared to be remorseful.

    Hera was about to say how they had nurtured the same feeling about each other. It was clear as day that the bitterness between them was their jealousy and nothing else. She had concluded that much after Bianca''s earlier confession about her insecurity regarding Hera''s prominence in Hunter''s life.

    Now that she had listened to Bianca expressing her resentment about how Hera treated all Hunter''s best friends the same except her, she realised how deeply it had affected Bianca. There was more to the heartless evil captain she had assumed her to be. Hera decided it was time toe clean, but she was not about to apologise for returning what she had received from Bianca.

    Patient and attentive, Hera listened and waited, letting Bianca conclude with her heartfelt confessions.

    "You were saying it was easy to assume that I always cause trouble. Why do you think I''m the root cause of everything?" Bianca asked. An indignant expression painted on her face as if she already knew Hera would somehow find ways to me her for everything again. "So, Hera, what''s your hidden agenda about me? Why so much hatred only against me?" asked Bianca.

    "Because that''s what you do, Bianca. You bully people and y with their emotions. You create drama and lie when you get in trouble. You did it with Nate. You yed him and lied to Hunter about him. So it was easy for me to assume that you have used the same trick with Noel," Hera enunciated. She was calm and surprisingly collected when she replied.

    For the first time, Hera wasfortable talking with Bianca. The emotions the queen bee disyed were genuine without any pretence or arrogance. Hera felt no malice in their interaction.

 Chapter 281 Disgraceful Friends

    Bianca snorted augh and twisted in her ce to face Hera directly. "I see that bastard won''t let me be in peace even after leaving the school," Bianca grumbled, gritting her teeth. Hera wasn''t surprised when suddenly anger took over Bianca''s features. "You''re so dumb, Piggy. No wonder Ace had to rush to your rescue all the time," Bianca taunted. Hera ignored the insult but couldn''t hide the sh of irritation in her eyes.

    Hera didn''t want to give them another chance to use her of assuming and jumping to conclusions without knowing the whole story. So, she waited until Bianca finished her part of the narrative.

    "You remember what a douchebag your best friend Andrew turned out to be, right?" Bianca asked. Hera furrowed her eyebrows, wondering where Bianca was going with the topic but didn''t interrupt. "You didn''t know what Noel did until Evie revealed it," she added as an afterthought. Hera rolled her eyes, assuming Bianca was trying to degrade her like she usually would do. Eric had already expressed his resentment regarding her choice of friends.

    It was Bianca''s turn to scold Hera, it seemed.

    However, Bianca ced her hand on one of Hera''s and smiled with assurance as if she understood it wasn''t Hera''s fault that her friends were all scummy, obnoxious assholes.

    "I''ll tell you what a disgrace of a friend Nate was," Bianca continued. "When was the first time you kissed Nate?" she asked out of the blue, surprising Hera with the question. Hera looked away in embarrassment while Bianca waited. It seemed she wasn''t letting Hera off the hook until she answered. Hera sighed in frustration before revealing the detailed story about her first kiss with Nathan.

    "And it happened because of the truth and dare game," Hera said in her defence when Bianca looked at her suspiciously. She wasn''t judging Hera. Her reaction was more of a reflex action. She knew Hera was innocent. Bianca pitied her because she was too naive to detect the hidden purpose behind that kiss.

    If everything was merely a game, then it was supposed to stay between them, but Hera didn''t know that the story of her kiss had spread like a fire in the whole school, tarnishing her reputation.

    "Ace wasn''t the first one to know about it. We all knew it because Nate was boasting about the kiss with everyone. He was the one who spread it because he wanted Ace to know," Bianca revealed. Taken aback by what she heard, Hera stared at Bianca in disbelief. "Our boys had beaten him up for that," Bianca admitted proudly.

    The information about Hunter and his friends fighting with Nathan didn''t shake Hera that much. She knew it was inevitable after pissing off Hunter. However, what Bianca announced after that shocked her more.

    "Nate was plotting to overthrow Ace from his position by using you, Hera," Bianca said.

    Nathan was jealous of Hunter''s poprity in the school. He envied Hunter because he had always been their president and captain of the ser team. Students and teachers, everyone in the school adored him. He aced everything he tried, be it studies or sports. Nathan couldn''t stomach Hunter''s sess because he was smart, intelligent and handsome, and he was the heartthrob of their school.

    Hunter was everyone''s hero, and they sang praises everywhere he walked. The dignity Hunter had earned from everyone started to sting in Nathan''s eyes.

    Nathan attempted to befriend his group, and when he couldn''t seed, he tried to approach them through Hera. She was Danny''s sister, and Nathan thought it would benefit him if Hera became his girlfriend. Then her brother would side with him for sure instead of Hunter. With Danny''s approval, he could enter their group. He had nned to create misunderstandings between Hunter and Danny to break their friendship.

    However, Nathan''s n backfired when the two best friends heard about him kissing Hera. Their warning for him to stay away from Hera only strengthened his determination to make her his.<sub> </sub>

    "If your first kiss with him was just for the game, what was the second one about?" Bianca asked. This time, her tone sounded usatory. Hera scoffed augh at that. "Don''t act like a jealous girlfriend, Bianca. It''s not like you were ever interested in him," Hera couldn''t help but use. It was more like a default setting between them to bicker.

    "What did I tell you about judging me?" Bianca scolded in disapproval. "Now answer my question," she demanded. Hera groaned and clicked her tongue. She gave a dirty look to Bianca and scowled, but thetter only signalled her to spit out the details she needed. Hera kept ring at her. It was awkward and humiliating to disclose the real reason why Hera agreed to kiss Nathan. She knew Bianca would mock her andugh at her expenseter.

    "Nate wanted to confirm if his feelings for his girlfriend were certain," Hera started unhurriedly. Biancaughed in ridicule, much to Hera''s annoyance.

    "And I''m guessing I''m the supposed girlfriend you assumed?" Bianca asked rhetorically. Hera shrugged, "I didn''t know it was you then," she admitted.

    "What was your reason?" Bianca probed for more. Hera bit her lip, eyeing the other girl through her peripheral view. She already knew her reason would sound ridiculous. "I wanted to please Hunter," she revealed timidly.

    "By kissing another boy?" Bianca asked incredulously, eyes widened to their fullest in disbelief.

    "I wanted to be a good kisser, okay. It was supposed to be a practising kiss, and no, before you use Nate, I agreed to it willingly," Hera reasoned. Bianca shook her head as disappointed parents would do with their misbehaving kids. "You silly girl, that was so stupid of you. It would''ve pleased Ace more if you practised kissing with him instead of other boys," she pointed out the obvious, scolding Hera.

    Hera recalled how Hunter had said the same thing Bianca said. She slumped more into the bed in her ce and sighed in grief as she remembered that day. Her world had copsed upside-down when Hunter caught her in that empty ssroom alone with Nathan, almost kissing. She had died with shame and guilt for cheating on him.

    "For the record, I was never in the picture when Nate made up that story. He was talking about his imaginary girlfriend. There was no one. It was all his plot to trap you," Bianca rified. Everyone in the school knew it was Hunter and his friends'' hangout ce, and so did Nathan. He had intentionally chosen that space because he knew it was Hunter''s free period, and he woulde there with his friends to smoke.

    Hera was stunned at what Bianca revealed. She couldn''t believe Nathan could be so deceiving. All this while he was only using her for his selfish motives when Hera thought he was a trustworthy friend.

    "He was never the angel you thought him to be, Piggy. That bastard was anything but innocent," Bianca spat in anger.

    "No wonder Eric is so pissed at me for befriending such jerks," Hera mumbled.

    "It was nothing, Piggy. There''s more about that filthy fucker. Do you know why Ace and I hate Nathan so much?" Bianca asked.

 Chapter 282 Underestimating His Strategies

    "That day when Ace dered for the whole school to know about your rtionship with him, I thought Nate would leave you alone after that," Bianca voiced. But how wrong was she? Nathan only did the opposite. Once he learned Hera was Hunter''s weakness, he was determined to break them apart.

    A few dayster, when Nathan met Hera, his face still carried the bruises from their fight. Hera being such a goody-two- shoes, felt guilty because she was partly responsible for his suffering. Nothing would''ve happened if Hera hadn''t agreed to their kissing bargain to help each other. She would spend time with him going against Hunter''s will topensate for the torture Hunter and Danny put him through.

    Nathan would secretly relish his triumph every time Hera and Hunter fought.

    "Maybe that was when Ace started cheating on you," Bianca expressed.

    Hera fixed her with a re, anger taking over her features because of what Bianca implied. As though it was all Hera''s fault, and she had provoked him to cheat on her.

    "For your kind information, Bianca, your dear Ace had admitted that he had been cheating on me way before that," Hera spat indignantly. "So don''t me it on me," she said bitingly.

    "True, but still, he was heartbroken after you kissed Nate. Agree or not, maybe you did provoke him. You know how possessive and protective Ace is about you," Bianca argued, much to Hera''s frustration.

    Bianca tried to rify how Hunter couldn''t bear the thought of someone else kissing and touching his Hera. It made him burn with jealousy and blind with anger. Hera scoffed, shaking her head, and a sarcasticugh followed.

    "That''s hardly a reasonable excuse for someone to cheat on their girlfriend, Bianca. Don''t you think that''s so hypocritical of him?" Hera asked. "I only kissed Nate a few times while Hunter fucked other girls behind my back," Hera couldn''t hide the bitterness in her tone. It never failed to sting that he cheated on her.

    Bianca pursed her lips into a thin line and nodded. "I know, I agree, but you know he regretted his mistakes now," Bianca was quick to defend her best friend.

    "Samantha once said that sex is so pleasurable you get addicted to it if you do it with someone who knows how to do it right. Maybe it was one of the reasons for the boys to stray. Back then, Ace was a stupid, immature, adolescent kid and did some nasty things without thinking about the consequences," she said in Hunter''s defence.

    The corners of Hera''s mouth lifted a little as a tiny smile forced its way. "You are all one lucky bunch of best friends, Bianca. Always ready to defend each other no matter what," Hera said, envying their unbreakable bond. Bianca shrugged, smiling in acknowledgement.

    "Ace looked so disturbed every time you fought with him. I wished I could resolve your issues somehow," Bianca admitted.

    Nathan stayed close to Hera only to irk Hunter. Hera refused to see the true face of that cunning fox and argued with Hunter whenever he expressed his displeasure about her friendship with Nathan. Hunter was losing his sanity because of his anger, and Bianca couldn''t bear to see him depressed because of Hera. Luckily for her relief, Nathan had unknowingly shown her a way to help Hunter.

    He realised sooner that he would wind up in the friend zone forever because Hera would never leave Hunter. Nathan was ready to do anything to get back at Hunter, and that was when he nned to drag Bianca into his trap. He had fooled Hera earlier by lying that he liked Bianca, and now he decided to turn the lie into truth. Hera or Bianca, it didn''t matter. He only wanted to bring Hunter down somehow.

    "That was when he started to pursue me," Bianca recalled.

    He would follow her like a puppy wherever she went, desperate for her attention. He brought her flowers every morning and would give gifts to woo her. He would insist on carrying her bag or books. Bianca knew all along that he was faking every emotion. She never liked the jerk anyway. Yet she agreed to go on a date with him for her best friend''s sake.<sub> </sub>

    She decided to entertain him because she wanted to keep him away from Hera somehow so that Hunter could breathe in peace. She agreed to date him to distract him from Hera and Hunter.

    Hera gawked at Bianca in disbelief. She had never even thought that Bianca would do something like that for her. How selflessly she helped Hera and Hunter so that their rtionship would stay intact.

    "I knew he was only using me, but it didn''t matter. I was going to dump his stinky ass after some time anyway. As you said earlier, I was never interested in him. So it didn''t bother me that all his goodness and charm were just an act," Bianca admitted with an indifferent shrug. Hera found no remorse or regret in her tone. Neither was there any mortification in her eyes after revealing her intentions regarding Nathan.

    "That douche thought he could manipte me into liking him," Biancaughed in derision. She wouldn''t consider falling for the prince charming, let alone for the likes of Nathan. Her heart yearned for someone else. She had eyes for only one boy.

    Hera watched while Bianca''sughter subsided, and she went quiet for a few seconds, engrossed in thoughts. As if contemting how to carry on with the truth she was determined to reveal. Hera could tell it was something hideous if Bianca seemingly hesitated to disclose it.

    ''What else have you done, Nate?''

    Hera wished it was all a lie, but she knew everything Bianca said was true.

    She silently waited until Bianca gathered her thoughts.

    "I never thought his intentions could be so dangerous when I went on that date with him. Indeed I underestimated his evil strategies," Bianca said more to herself.

    Meanwhile, Hera braced herself for the blow she knew the bitter truth would bring along.

    Bianca looked preupied, oblivious to her surroundings as a faraway look took over her face while she relived the ugliest moment of her life.

    <strong>[shback] </strong>

    On their date night, Bianca deliberately took her time getting ready while Nathan was waiting outside.

    She wore an off-shoulder red short dress which reached her mid-thighs while knee-length high-heeled ck boots sheathed her long legs. She threw her long blonde hair over her shoulder, revealing the porcin skin under her neck. With her Smokey-eye makeup and red lipstick, she looked irresistibly hot.

    When Bianca stepped out, all her best friends red at her with a disapproving look and scowled in displeasure. They were upset that she agreed to the date with that scumbag. Ignoring them, she wore the snapshot bag purse across her body and searched for her cell phone.

    Hunter was cross-checking the GPS settings on Bianca''s phone. "Don''t turn off your phone," he warned before handing her the cell phone. Bianca rolled her eyes at his overprotective nature. "Chill, Ace. I know what I''m doing," she said. When his scowl deepened, she sighed, throwing him a helpless look. "I''ll be careful, okay. I promise to call you if I sense any danger," she promised.

 Chapter 283 Shes The Tough One

    Nathan came to pick her up in a ck cab and acted all gentlemanly by greeting her with a bouquet of red roses. She didn''t miss how his eyes greedily roamed all over her form.

    "You look lovely," Nathan said, drooling as a dog would after seeing a bone. Bianca smirked in satisfaction. The effort she invested in her makeup seemed to be sessful. It wasn''t like Bianca wanted to impress him. She just wanted to keep him interested for the time being.

    He took her to the nearest restaurant for dinner. The cab dropped them at their destination in no time and drove away after Nathan paid the fare.

    "Are you nning to get me drunk?" Bianca teased when Nathan ordered two strong beers. He shook his head in denial and immediately cancelled the order for drinks. Bianca raised a sceptical eyebrow, not buying his gentlemanly conduct. They ate food in silence. A few minutester, Bianca went to the washroom.

    It was strange that suddenly she felt dizzy. She rushed out of the washroom only to bump into Nathan. Surprisingly he was waiting for her at the door. "What are you doing here," she asked. He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her weight as her feet stumbled. Slowly her vision blurred.

    The food was too spicy for her liking, and she drank a lot of water. The wheels turned inside her sharp brain. "You bastard, you''ve spiked my water with a drug," she stated, hands fishing for the cell phone inside her purse.

    "Don''t bother, baby. You''re only wasting time," Nathan said, snatching the phone from her hand. Her words slurred as she tried to speak while her tongue felt numb inside her mouth. Dizziness made her head feel heavy. Nathan took advantage of her half-conscious state and forced her head on his shoulder, tightening his hold on her waist.

    For any onlookers, it would seem as though boyfriend and girlfriend were out on a romantic walk as Nathan guided her towards the car.

    Bianca could hardly struggle when Nathan shoved her inside the car. She recognised it wasn''t a cab because Nathan spoke to the driver as if they were friends.

    After a few minutes, they stopped at a gas station away from the residential vicinity. Nathan and his friend got down and dragged Bianca out of the car. They took her to an old house behind the gas station, and Nathan knocked on the door impatiently.

    The door opened to reveal five other boys who seemed older than the two teenagers who dragged Bianca. The house looked too small from the inside, a hall, a room and a kitchen. There were two sets of small couches, and the lighting was dim. The boys had cameras in their hands.

    "We''re ready,e on, bring her in," said one of the boys. Bianca forced her eyelids to stay open while she scanned her surroundings. "Nathan, why did you bring me here? Who are these people, and what are you up to?" she asked. She regretted not giving heed to her best friend''s warning.

    "Aw, don''t be afraid, baby," one of the boys cooed at her. Bianca swatted his hand away when he traced a finger on her jawline. "She''s so pretty and hot, Nate. We''re going to make so much money," the boy said, taking his shirt off. Nathanughed, undoing the button of his pants.

    "What are you doing? Don''t touch me, you bastard," Bianca yelled, kicking her legs as Nathan and other boys hovered over her. Her foot came in contact with Nathan''s crotch harshly, making him groan in pain.<sub> </sub>

    "Oh, she''s the tough one. Let me handle her," said another boy and grabbed her hair while forcing her to drink something. It smelled like cheap whiskey, and Bianca knew it was spiked too. Nathan confirmed her doubt when he spoke.

    "Bianca baby, just fifteen minutes and the drug will work. You won''t remember anything after that. So let me tell you something before your brain gets intoxicated," Nathan said, smiling maliciously. Bianca widened her eyes in shock at what she heard. They were going to film her while having sex.

    "You''re going to be a famous porn star when the video goes viral on the inte," Nathan said. Anger burst through Bianca''s eyes. She reached for the whiskey bottle near the couch and knocked it on the boy''s head, who tried to rip her clothes off.

    Someone banged on the door impatiently. One of the boys mped a hand on Bianca''s mouth to stop her from screaming for help, while Nathan held her legs captive. Another boy went to the door, muttering a curse. He cried in pain as soon as the door opened. Even though her vision blurred, Bianca could recognise her best friend, who barged in after punching the one who opened the door.

    Michael took out his de from his boot and twirled it between his fingers, eyes scanning Bianca''s form to check if she was hurt. Her hair was messy, but her makeup was still intact, meaning he wasn''t toote. Nathan panicked when Michael shot him a death re.

    The one who got punched pounced on Michael, fist ready to smash into his face. Michael was quick with his feet and moved his de swiftly, which cut a line on the boy''s forearm. He cursed, crying in pain again. Michael had him in a headlock and pointed his de at his neck, a silent warning for others not to move.

    "Hands off, you asshole," Michael barked, ring at Nathan. "Or else I''ll kill him," he promised. They thought he was bluffing. Who would believe a teenage boy from a prestigious school with a reputed family background would indulge in a crime like murder? Huh, if only they knew.

    Michael tightened his grip around the de before stabbing it into the boy''s thigh. He pulled it out only to thrust it back. The boy under his hold screamed in agony. Michael shifted his de back to the boy''s neck. The others pulled their hands off Bianca in a sh when Michael made a show of slicing their friend''s neck.

    "Are you okay, Captain?" Michael asked, and Bianca chuckled, happy that her best friend reached her in time. "My motorbike is parked at the door. Go outside and start it. I''ll be right behind you. Can you do that?" he asked. Bianca had learnt to ride the motorbike before Michael could. Hunter had taught her when his father gifted him his first motorbike.

    "My legs are numb, my vision is blurry, and I''m dizzy. They drugged me," Bianca spoke in a stutter. Michael cursed. "It''s okay, Captain. We''ll be out in a few minutes, don''t worry," he assured. She did not doubt it. She knew he would bring her home safe.

    One of Nathan''s friends hurled a camera at Michael when he was focused on Bianca, knocking the de off his hand. Michael dodged the blow when another boy attempted to punch him.

    Crouching down, he picked up his switchde from the floor and with a quick, smooth slide, he passed through the boy''s legs before plunging the de into his inner thigh. However, he didn''t see Nathaning from behind and smashing a bottle on his neck.

 Chapter 284 [Bonus Chapter] What Great Timing!

    Michael clutched the nape of his neck with his hand and felt the dampness the blood caused. He groaned as the sharp pain shot through his neck. His eyes instantly darted towards Bianca, worrying about her safety. He couldn''t afford to pass out before getting her out of that ce.

    Suddenly, loud footsteps echoed before the door hit the wall with a bang. "Ah, what great timing! Fucking finally," Michael muttered as Hunter, Eric and Danny barged into the house.

    Hunter and Danny charged at Nathan and his friends without wasting another second.

    Meanwhile, Eric rushed to Bianca''s side. "Hey, look at me, Captain," Eric said, patting Bianca''s cheek softly. "She''s drugged," Michael supplied when Bianca struggled to speak. She was hardly awake. "And what happened to you? Are you hurt?" Eric asked, noticing the blood on Michael''s hand.

    Michael turned to show him the injury on his neck. There was a deep cut above his shoulder des. "I think I''m okay, but my head and neck are hurting," he admitted. Eric sighed in relief after checking the wound. It wasn''t serious, and His best friend could endure it.

    Eric ced one arm around Bianca''s back and the other arm around the bend in her knees before lifting her into his arms. He carried her out and carefully ced her in the front passenger seat. "I''ll be right back, Captain," Eric said, fastening her seatbelt. "My phone, Nathan has it," Bianca slurred. Nodding, Eric locked the doors to the car and rushed inside to help Michael.

    Nathan grunted, trying to free himself while Danny shoved him onto the couch and climbed on his torso. "You fucking asshole, you dared toy your filthy hands on my friend," Danny barked before pounding his fists repeatedly into Nathan''s face. One of Nathan''spanions held Danny in a chokehold from behind, trying to free Nathan. However, Danny didn''t budge and kept striking Nathan.

    Another boy took a beer bottle and was about to hit Danny on the head when Eric grabbed his hand and twisted it until he dropped the bottle. He Pulled him only to headbutt him. He jumped a foot high in the air and jammed his knee into the boy''s chest. Thetter fell on the floor, rubbing his palm over his chest where it hurt. Eric grabbed him by his shirt cor and punched his face, damaging his nose.

    Eric grimaced in disgust, seeing the blood on his hand. Cursing, hended another punch to the boy''s side and kicked him in the same ce. After kicking him in the ribs one more time, he was sure the boy wouldn''t fight back again.

    Danny supported his weight on his knees and grabbed the hand which held him in a chokehold. Pulling the boy''s body over his head, he mmed him to the floor. He got off Nathan to kick the boy some more.

    Nathan tried to escape when Danny''s attention shifted from him. However, Eric blocked his way.

    "Phone," Eric said nothing more than a single word, but Nathan understood and immediately fished his pockets for Bianca''s phone. Eric snatched the device from his hand and took a step back. Nathan was relieved that Eric didn''t hit him, but he thought a bit early because, in the next second, Eric lifted his foot, thrusting it into Nathan''s chest with full force, sending him to the floor.

    Eric crouched down to look Nathan in the eyes. Nathan''s already scared eyes widened in fright after seeing the fury burning fury in Eric''s eyes. "This is yourst chance. One more mistake, and you won''t survive," Eric warned and kicked him in the crotch. He smiled in satisfaction when Nathan cried in agony.

    Meanwhile, Hunter and Danny were fighting the remaining four boys.

    Two of them held Hunter''s hands and pushed him against the wall, holding him captive while the third one was ready to kick him in the stomach.<sub> </sub>

    Hunter turned to his left and headbutted the boy, freeing his hand. He pulled the other one to his front and jammed his knee into the boy''s ribs. Extending his one leg with the other tucked, Hunter hit the third one with a perfect backflip kick. He quickly noted that four of Nathan''s friends had passed out, and only two remained.

    Another boy punched Danny in the abdomen and pushed him hard. Danny collided with Hunter, and both of them fell to the floor.

    The two best friends shared a look, a smirk lifting the corner of their lips. In the next moment, both of them ced their hands on either side of their heads and supported their body weight on their backs before kicking their legs straight up in the air and in one swift kip-up move, they jumped to a standing position smoothly.

    Swinging their legs sideways in a circr motion, Hunter and Danny kicked their opponents'' sides in perfect harmony. Then they jumped high in the air to hit their faces with a well-practised flying side kick and knocked them to the floor.

    The two boys coughed blood and gave up, lying half-conscious on the floor.

    "Mike, you okay," Eric asked, helping him stand up. "I lost my baby somewhere here. Find it for me," Michael pleaded. He was referring to his switchde. Eric rolled his eyes but proceeded to find his de anyway, and that was when he saw Hunter. One boy was still trying to fight Hunter while Danny watched in amusement. Hunter had grabbed a piece of ss from one of the broken beer bottles near him and was about to slit the boy''s neck.

    "ACE," Eric yelled his name, stopping Hunter from slicing the boy''s throat.

    Hunter looked at Eric, who red at him in disapproval and shook his head. Hunter scowled, displeased that Eric wouldn''t let him kill the boy. He was still contemting when Eric spoke again. "Bianca needs help, and Mike is injured. I think he has a concussion," Eric said, and that did the trick. Hunter didn''t kill him, but he jammed the ss piece into the boy''s thigh and rushed to check on Michael.

    "Dumbass, how did you get hurt," Hunter scolded, searching for the wound on his head. He cursed when he saw the blood. Michael chuckled as Hunter frowned in worry. "I''m fine, bro. That smartass tricked you by diverting your attention," he said,ughing. Sighing, Hunter nced at Eric before letting out airyughter.

    "Danny, Mike dropped his switchde. Find it," Eric said while going through the digital cameras Nathan and his friends used. He didn''t find any pictures of Bianca in them. He still erased the memory by deleting everything.

    "Let''s go," Ericmanded after Danny found the de.

    Danny and Eric supported Michael''s weight on their shoulders and helped him walk to the door. Hunter turned to look at Nathan writhing in pain on the floor. He rushed at him while Nathan screamed before Hunter could hit him. Eric groaned, throwing a helpless look at his best friend.

    Hunter wanted to smash Nathan''s head but settled for the kick instead since Eric wouldn''t be pleased. He delivered a hard kick to his side before marching towards the door.

    Danny and Eric climbed on the back seat, helping Michael while Hunter sat behind the wheel.

 Chapter 285 Moving On From Bitter Memories

    Hunter quickly checked if Bianca had worn her seatbelt securely before starting the car.

    "Sunshine, you good?" Hunter asked in worry, cupping Bianca''s cheek affectionately. "I''m sorry I made you all worry. I should''ve listened to your warning," Bianca stuttered, managing to form the words.

    "Oh, how nice of you to realise," Eric snapped, sarcasm dripping from his tone. Bianca flinched at his harsh tone and pursed her lips into a thin line, embarrassment and guilt painting her features. She leaned into Hunter''s tender touch on her cheek and closed her eyes, not daring to turn around and meet Eric''s judging eyes.

    She was ashamed that she didn''t listen to her friends'' warnings. If she did, it would''ve saved her the trouble and shame.

    Her friends were so much different from each other. Hunter, the angriest one among them, knew to show his caring, soft side when needed. Eric, known for his calm, rational behaviour, who had always thought logically, was now losing his temper because of Bianca''s stupidity. His knuckles formed into tight fists, turning white as a sheet, and he was breathing in short pants, still angry and upset.

    On the other hand, Danny wasn''t that talkative and hated emotional drama. Though he didn''t utter a word to express his anger or show his disappointment, Bianca had no doubt he was worried sick. It showed in his troubled eyes whenever he nced at her to check if she was okay. His leg kept bouncing, a sign he was overly tense.

    Meanwhile, Michael had his eyes closed, not unconscious, just resting by leaning his head over Eric''s shoulder. Michael hummed in response every time they asked him if he was okay. The immature, yful and bratty one, who would throw tantrums if he didn''t get his way with, hade to her rescue, barging in without worrying about his safety.

    Michael, the youngest one in their group, knew how to value rtionships and emotions, despite his bratty side. Surprisingly, the spoiled brat knew how to tackle the problems sensibly. He was silly, stupid and funny, yet, fierce and protective. Bianca''s chest filled with warmth, gratitude bursting through her heart.

    She had known Evelyn would be waiting at home to give her an earful, to scold her for being so careless, for not listening to any one of them and for being not so level-headed. That was what exactly happened once they reached home. Evelyn kept scolding her, not letting her off the hook for underestimating Nathan and putting herself in danger.

    Meanwhile, Samantha kept smothering Bianca with over care and defended her every time Eric and Evelyn directed their anger at the girl. Bianca got tired of listening to them muttering how irresponsible she was for someone so clever.

    The next day, Bianca had spent all her time persuading them to let go of their anger and charmed them with her puppy eyes to forgive her. She kept chanting how sorry she was until they stopped scowling and finally smiled.

    <strong>[FLASHBACK ENDS. </strong>

    <strong>NOW BACK TO THE PRESENT]</strong>

    Biancaughed at the blurry memory.

    "You know, Eric and Evelyn are so scary when they get angry," Bianca said, still smiling. "I couldn''t dare disobey when they forced me to drink a bowl full of raw egg yolk as soon as we reached home. I was a mess sprawled on the bathroom floor, puking my guts out." Bianca recalled how Evelyn kept rubbing her back soothingly while Eric held her hair in his hands. Never once had she seen them cringing in disgust.

    Eric wanted her to empty her stomach as much as possible even though they both knew the drug had already diluted into her system. He was angry, scolding her, barking orders to do as he said. But Bianca knew how worried he was for her. She didn''t miss the care and affection hidden behind his anger.

    "Even the stubborn, unyielding Ace and our little brat Mike don''t dare go against Eric when he''s angry. How could I dare cross him?" Bianca said more to herself, her voice dripping with affection while she spoke about Eric.

    Meanwhile, Hera was staring at her with teary eyes. She didn''t know what to say as she was shell-shocked at what Bianca had revealed. The girl had gone through so much because of Nathan. Hera hated ever knowing that vile human as her friend. Her heart wept for Bianca, and in the next second, she threw herself on Bianca without warning, embracing her in a tight hug.

    Startled by Hera''s sudden move, Bianca widened her eyes in surprise. It took her a few more seconds to realise Hera was hugging her. Sighing, Bianca wrapped her arms around Hera, returning the hug. A small smile tugged at her lips, but she frowned when she felt the wetness on her shoulder.

    She realised Hera was crying.

    "Hey, Piggy, are you crying? Didn''t I tell you I hate this emotional drama?" Bianca scolded, but there was no anger in her voice. Instead, worryced her tone.

    Hera wanted to convey how sorry she was about everything but couldn''t form the words in her emotional state of distress. She sobbed into Bianca''s shoulder, hiding her face. Hera felt guilty even though she wasn''t the cause of Bianca''s suffering.<sub> </sub>

    Hera mentally apuded, admiring Bianca''s strong will and courage. The girl didn''t shed a single tear, nor did she look broken or depressed about what she went through. She was calm and collected while recalling every bitter memory. Bianca ran her palm over Hera''s back, drawing a soothing circle. Slowly, Hera''s sob subsided, and after a few deep breaths, she pulled away, ready to say she was sorry for everything.

    "Don''t look so guilty, Piggy. It wasn''t your fault," Bianca said as if she had read Hera''s mind.

    Hera couldn''t agree more when Bianca voiced her perspective.

    Despite the provided education about civilisation and humanity, hideous vile animals like Nathan, Andrew and Noel still exist in society; no matter how advanced the world grew. Unfortunately, it never made any difference how much people preach about morality or ethical values. The male poption with chauvinistic beliefs would only think and act with their dicks, as if the female race was invented only for their pleasure.

    "Ace had asked Mike to follow me when I went out with Nate. That''s how Mike found me in time. He had called Ace before barging inside to save me," Bianca said, smiling in gratitude at the thoughtfulness of her best friends.

    Hera''s chest swelled with affection and pride at what Hunter and the boys had prevented from happening with their sensible, rational actions. Bianca had paused, seeming lost in thoughts for a few seconds. It didn''t feel right to interrupt, so Hera was quiet, giving Bianca the time she needed.

    "I can''t even imagine what would''ve happened if he didn''t," Bianca shuddered, thinking about the mere possibility. "I was drugged, dizzy and running out of consciousness. A gang rape, porn shoots, they could''ve done anything, and I wouldn''t even have known afterwards," Bianca confessed, revealing her apprehensions.

    Hera tried so hard not to cry, but a sob escaped her trembling lips as tears rushed down her cheeks. A sour frown formed on Bianca''s lips as she scrunched her nose in annoyance.

    "Don''t pity me, Piggy. I''m an emotionally strong-willed girl. Nothing breaks me that easily. I''m over that bitter memory," Bianca said assuredly.

    Hera nodded, trying to smile between her sobs.

    "Now you know the whole truth," Bianca concluded, punctuating with a warm smile and finally answering her earlier question about why they all hated Nathan with a passion.

    "Jealousy aside, I truly admire what you, Hunter and your friends have, Bianca," Hera admitted. Her eyes glinting with a happy smile showed how much she meant it. "You''re lucky to have such selfless friends and their unconditional love," said Hera. Bianca''s smile grew into a wide grin. She couldn''t agree more. Words couldn''t describe how much she appreciated their friendship.

    "I know, Hera. I''m grateful to have found them," Bianca confessed, appreciation and gratitudecing her voice.

    Bianca startled Hera when suddenly her hand reached out to scoop the jellies. She took off the wrapper of the few bear-shaped soft sugar jellies only to shove them into Hera''s mouth, forcing her to eat them.

    "Take your time and chew them properly so that I can stall your emotional outburst for a while. No more crying, please, Piggy. I can''t handle it anymore. The effect of today''s drama willst for many months toe," Bianca said, exaggerating a bit. Hera rolled her eyes in reply, struggling to keep the jellies in her mouth without drooling.

    Hera stopped chewing when her eyesnded on the wrappers, which Bianca had already deposited in the box.

    ''Shit. I didn''t get the chance to see if there was any message.''

    Hera sighed in annoyance, for Bianca threw the box into the trash can. The former contemted whether to retrieve it from the bin or not while thetter happily munched on the jellies.

    "Let''s go out," Bianca decided out of the blue by pulling Hera to her feet. The younger girl watched the older return Hunter''s sketchbook to its original ce.

    "We can wait a little longer, can''t we? The boys wille back, right?" Hera asked, trying to change Bianca''s decision. It was an excuse only to check and find the messenger wrapper. "Nah, you pissed the boys to their limits this time. I''m sure they are busy releasing their pent-up frustration somewhere else," Bianca announced, rolling her eyes.

    Hera threw onest longing look over her shoulder to the trash bin while Bianca dragged her out, holding her hand.

 Chapter 286 Let Bygones Be Bygones

    Hera hid a smile when she noticed how Bianca kept her pace slow so that Hera could keep up with her walking speed, and they were heading towards the girls'' wing.

    "So, now that we''ve talked about all our insecurities and cleared our misunderstandings," Hera started conversationally, "Am I supposed to thank you for everything you''ve done for me?" she asked. There was a teasing tint to her tone. She giggled, seeing the way Bianca scoffed, scowling in distaste.

    "Please don''t, Piggy, because if you do, I''ve no choice but to apologise for all the wrong I did to you," Bianca said, shuddering in faked shock as if the thought pained her. Hera hummed, pretending to be thoughtful. After a few seconds of silence, theyughed good-naturedly and decided it was better to move past the apologies and thank yous. They were both savvy and mature enough to let go of their stupid jealousy and grudges.

    Upon reaching the girls'' wing, Bianca halted her steps as if to say goodbye, but she was hesitating. Hera raised a questioning eyebrow.

    "You know, that day when you returned from holidays," Bianca started hesitantly; voice barely audible, and Hera furrowed her eyebrows, straining her ears to listen attentively. "I''m really sorry for what Samantha and I did to you at your wee party," Bianca rushed her words, casting her eyes down in shame.

    Hera opened her mouth, but nothing came out since she hadn''t expected Bianca to address that matter. It was a nightmare she never wished to relive again. Hera gaped at Bianca speechlessly.

    It was supposed to be harmless teasing, but Bianca never knew Samantha would take the teasing to such an extent. However, Samantha got carried away with her hatred for Hera, while Bianca had no choice but toply because she had promised her best friend that she would support her. She was ashamed to admit that her jealousy had overtaken her senses when she decided to side with Samantha even after knowing she was wrong.

    "I know I should''ve backed off, but I was petty. I used to be Ace''s priority before you came into our lives, but ever since he fell in love with you, I got pushed down to second ce, and you upied the first ce." Bianca confided, looking at Hera with a sad smile. Thetter shook her head in disagreement. Bianca pursed her lips in disappointment and raised her palm to stop Hera from speaking.

    "Let me take it all out," Bianca pleaded. She wanted to wash away all the bitter feelings she had harboured over the years for Hera.

    "Why does it bother you so much, Bianca? First or second, it shouldn''t matter until you are his priority. Hunter''s feelings toward you never changed," Hera couldn''t stop herself from arguing.

    Bianca clicked her tongue in disagreement with a shake of her head.

    "I hate being second, Hera. Some wise person who knew the value of the first ce has said, ''There is no such thing as second ce. Either you''re first, or you''re nothing'' (-Gabe Paul). I was so mad at you that I went with Samantha''s stupid n," Biancaughed bitterly. She hated when she was wrong.

    "Ace wanted to make you feel special. It irked me so much that he had never nned a wee party for me," Biancained. However, when the words left her mouth, they sounded so idiotic. It was a stupid party, and she was so silly for fighting a non-existent fight with Hunter.

    "You two were always together. How the hell was he supposed to throw you a wee party?" Hera asked incredulously.

    Bianca looked away in embarrassment because she couldn''t disagree with what Hera said.

    "Anyway, I know I was wrong, and I''m sorry for what we did at that party. Forgive me, Hera," Bianca took Hera''s hand in hers and sincerely apologised. Hera smiled, relieved and happy, not because Bianca apologised but because they decided to let go of their differences.

    "It''s okay, Bianca. Let bygones be bygones," Hera said, initiating a hug, and Bianca dly returned the gesture. They both had a relieved smile ying on their lips when they pulled away from the hug. "Please don''t fight with Ace anymore and don''t jump to conclusions before knowing the truth," Bianca warned again, but now her tone was gentle, voice caring and her gaze affectionate. Hera nodded in acknowledgement.

    Still smiling, Hera watched Bianca''s retreating figure. Thetter was walking towards the back gate entrance of the premises, leaving Hera at the front gate of the girls'' block. Hera guessed she was probably going back to meet her friends.

    Hera bit her lip, her mind reying something from their earlier conversation. She wanted to ask Bianca but wasn''t sure how to address the topic. However, the question kept lurking back, and she couldn''t ignore it anymore.

    ''Why is Bianca still single?''

    The hottest girl, every boy''s fantasy, and Queen Bee of the campus never dated anyone. Hera recalled how Bianca used Samantha''s insight about sex life while addressing Hunter''s mistakes. It had confirmed that Bianca had no clue about intimacy between couples. She couldn''t rely on personal experience since she didn''t have any.

    ''Fuck! Is she still a virgin?''

    Hera''s mind exploded inside in utter disbelief.

    She was curious, but it couldn''t be the only reason. Again she couldn''t deny there was still a little fragment of insecurity turning the wheel on, pulling and pushing in her mind.

    ''Childhood best friends often fall for each other, don''t they?''

    Her stupid brain supplied, not so helpful after all.

    "Well, curiosity did kill the cat, didn''t it?" Hera muttered under her breath and decided to go for it as she couldn''t let it pass.

    "Hey, Bianca?" Hera called, running after the girl.

    Turning around, Bianca quirked a questioning eyebrow at Hera.<sub> </sub>

    "Can I ask you something?" Hera hesitantly asked, nervously fiddling with the button of her denim jacket.

    "We are cool, Piggy. Don''t look so agitated. Go on, speak your mind," Bianca said encouragingly.

    There was no use in beating around the bush, so Hera jumped straight to the point.

    "So many boys asked you out, but you never entertained anyone. Why, though?" Hera asked, holding her breath while she waited for the answer. Bianca assessed her bodynguage and apprehended the intention behind that question. They both shared one brain cell when it came to Hunter. Their jealousy, insecurity, priority, everything revolved around Hunter. Bianca knew what went through Hera''s thoughts.

    Hera scowled, exhaling through her nose impatiently, gesturing for Bianca to answer her question. Bianca let out a breathyugh, clearly reading Hera''s mind.

    "Because I''m already in love with someone, Piggy," Bianca revealed and looked away for a brief moment, chest heaving as if it hurt her to breathe.

    "Who?" Hera demanded.

    It couldn''t be. Everyone in the school would''ve known if it was true. After all, who wouldn''t want to unt the Queen bee as their girlfriend?

    ''Unless it''s who I''m thinking of.''

    After everything Bianca preached about not jumping to conclusions, Hera couldn''t help but assume. She was afraid Bianca would disclose Hunter''s name. Even if it was one-sided love, Hera couldn''t stomach the thought of Bianca being in love with her Hunter.

    Bianca recognised the desperation swimming in Hera''s eyes. She smirked knowingly, much to Hera''s annoyance.

    "I''ve been in love with him since day one. He''s my childhood sweetheart," Bianca admitted. Hera''s heart raced anxiously.

    ''No. No, it can''t be. Please don''t take my Hunter''s name.''

    "Don''t worry, Piggy. You''ve nothing to be scared of because I understand the fear of losing your childhood love. I''ve lost mine, and I would never want you to experience that heartache," Bianca said, smiling softly in reassurance. Yet, it didn''t cease Hera''s fear of losing Hunter.

    "You didn''t say who, Bianca?" Hera tried again.

    Bianca chuckled. Hera didn''t find anything funny, though.

    "My unrequited love should stay hidden," Bianca said, tapping the left side of her chest with her palm, "here in my heart, safely locked away forever," she finished. Hera opened her mouth to demand she give her the name, but nothing came out. Her lips stayed parted like the fish in a ss bowl waiting for its food while Bianca smiled sadly.

    Shooting her a wink, Bianca turned around, walking away from Hera.

    "Ah, this bitch!" Hera muttered, feeling both relieved and disappointed at the same time. She let out a frustrated sigh. No matter what, she couldn''t bring herself to feel sorry for Bianca''s one-sided love. Hera was also a selfish bitch when it came to Hunter and wouldn''t trade him for the world. Bianca had to ept her defeat. She could never have Hunter.

    Hera didn''t want to go back to her room yet. Seeing her roommates, especially ra, would ruin her good mood. Now that Hera recognised the true faces of Nathan and Noel, she was almost sure ra was part of the ruse, and so was Adide.

    As all the misunderstandings and the grudges she held against Bianca got cleared, Hera wouldn''t want to sabotage her peace of mind until she talked to Hunter.

    Hence, Hera decided to wander around for a while.

    She saw Abigail sitting with her friends in themunity hall, watching tv. It was clear that her cousin was avoiding her. Hera thought of confronting Abby but decided to give her the space she needed since Abby was having trouble facing her.

    ''Poor girl must be drowning in guilt.''

    Hera shook her head in pity and walked away.

    She fished her phone out and smiled at the gorgeous face of her boyfriend disyed on the screen before typing a message for him.

    <strong> </strong>

    <strong>''Where are you?''</strong>

 Chapter 287 One Last Hurdle

    It had been five minutes already, but Hunter didn''t reply to her message yet. Hera sighed in disappointment. She noticed he had yet to see the message.

    ''I miss you, asshole. Can you hurry up? What''s taking you so long to reach out?''

    Hera inwardly cursed.

    She was impatient and couldn''t wait to see him in person, but she knew he was angry, and it would take time for his stubborn thickhead to give in.

    Pocketing her cell phone, Hera strolled aimlessly for a while longer. There was a joyful bounce to her steps as she was in a pleasant mood. Her feet halted near the prayer hall, and she peeked inside to find less than ten people praying with their hands folded and eyes closed.

    Hera walked inside the prayer hall without disturbing the others and took her seat on thest-second bench. She appreciated the calm the silence brought along. Warmth filled her chest as a sense of belonging bloomed inside her heart. The ce held so many memories she and Hunter created together, with each other. They had fought and made up in this very divine ce countless times.

    She remembered one of her most memorable birthday evenings spent in this very ce. It was here where Hunter gifted her anklet and had asked her never to take it off unless she fell out of love with him. A smile blossomed across her lips as she recalled the sweetest memory. He had fastened the anklet around her foot with his own hands.

    Hera was overwhelmed with immense joy. She couldn''t thank the universe enough for bestowing her with the best present, her Hunter. He hade to her life when no one was there to love her. She felt truly blessed to have earned his unconditional love for herself.

    ''I love you so much, Hunter.''

    Hera''s heart skipped a beat at the confession. It never failed to fill her heart with longing for Hunter. No one had hurt her as he did, yet no one loved her the way he did. Hurt orfort, gloom or delight, hate or love, every emotion was there''s to mourn or treasure.

    She would never let anyone affect their rtionship from now on, and nothing could tear them apart, not anymore. Hera was determined to keep him safely locked inside her heart forever. ra could go to hell because Hera didn''t need any more psychopaths in the name of friendship. She would be happy, safe and content for as long as Hunter stayed by her side.

    She would never allow anyone to manipte or misguide her after today. She would only follow her heart, so no more stupid assumptions and no cold wars between her and Hunter.

    ''You''re still keeping a secret from him, though.''

    Her subconscious mind reminded her.

    Hera sighed. There still existed one problem.

    She wouldn''t be going home with Hunter. She had decided already. Danny needed her the most now, and no way she would back off from helping her brother.

    ''Onest hurdle to face and get rid of.''

    Hera decided.

    Hunter would go to New York, and she would take care of Danny''s problem. After that, nothing would keep them away, and they would stay together forever. With that promise made, her shoulders loosened, the burden of guilt lessening.

    Thanking God for everything, Hera walked out of the prayer hall with a grateful smile etched on her lips.

    She sat on one of the wooden benches at the park for a while, enjoying the evening breeze wafted with the fresh fragrance of the flowers and nts. Out of nowhere, her stomach growled. Her heart was full of love, while her stomach begged her to fill it with food. She was starving and decided to visit Mrs Rosaline''s kitchen. She could persuade the woman to let her eat something before dinner.

    Hera helped in the kitchen after treating her tummy with a light snack. Mrs Roger was pleased enough to grant the permission when Hera requested her to let her go out for half an hour because Hera wanted to buy something.

    Time flew by, and it was soon dinner time.<sub> </sub>

    Hera was disappointed upon not seeing Hunter in the dining hall, nor did she find any of his friends. Abigail was still avoiding her. Hera didn''t bother coaxing her cousin and chose to ignore her friends too. She sat far away from everyone and ate her food infortable silence. She quickly finished her dinner and rushed out of the dining hall. She needed to find Hunter before her mind went crazy. She missed him so much.

    Hera searched everywhere, starting from themunity hall, even though she knew Hunter scarcely visited the ce. She wasn''t allowed to enter the boy''s wing, so Hunter''s dorm room was out of the question. She checked into the gym only to be disappointed.

    ''Ah, why didn''t I think of the library first?''

    Hera rolled her eyes, annoyed at herself. She should know her nerd of a boyfriend''s favourite ce, shouldn''t she? If he wasn''t kicking the ser ball in the yground, then for sure, he would be in the library, lost in his books, absorbed in storing his brain with new knowledge.

    ''What if he is out with his friends? That could be the reason why none of them came to dinner.''

    Hera scowled and hoped she would find him in the library.

    She almost reached the library when suddenly someone grabbed her hand from behind. Displeased, Hera scowled because of the unwanted interruption and half-turned to look at the person who stopped her. Anger rushed into her eyes as she saw who held her wrist captive. Clenching her teeth in utter fury, she yanked her hand out of Noel''s hold.

    "Hey, easy there, girl. Are you okay?" Noel asked, holding his hands up in surrender as he noticed the zing displeasure in her re. Hera pulled her lower lip between her teeth, assaulting it. Her chest rose and fell while she breathed, anger radiating from every fibre of her being. Noel wasn''t expecting it, so he didn''t have the time to move away before Hera lifted her palm only to bring it down hard on his cheek.

    The harsh sound of the p echoed in the silent hallway across from the library. It didn''t do anything to calm Hera''s anger, though. If anything, it only provoked it further. Hera was never a violent person, but right now, it was so satisfying to watch the imprints her slender fingers left on the douche''s cheek.

    Now, by fair means, Hera could rte to Hunter''s angry, impulsive, violent behaviour. It was hard to digest the injustice, especially if the victim was your loved one.

    "You filthy asshole, I told you to stop with your dirty games. How dare you hurt my friend?" Hera seethed, gritting her teeth. Eyes wide with shock, Noel stared at her in stunned silence. Hera couldn''t care less. "I''ll never forgive you for what you did to Evelyn," she dered, herrge eyes shooting daggers at the culprit.

    Meanwhile, ra, Adide, and other students watched with their jaws dropped in disbelief. Who would''ve thought the quiet, innocent, harmless, kind soul like Hera could resort to an abusive approach?

    "Don''t ever show me your disgusting face. If you do, then I won''t be there to shield you against my boyfriend''s wrath anymore," Hera warned, emphasizing the word boyfriend, her harsh tone loud and stern.

    She turned around to walk away, and that was when she noticed the witnesses to her outrage. Bianca was standing a few feet away from Hera, with her legs parted, hands resting on her hips, like the showstopper on the stage, demanding attention. As soon as their eyes met, Bianca apuded, nodding in appreciation while a proud smile yed on her lips. Hera smiled shyly, blushing under the sudden attention.

    A whistle made Hera shift her eyes away from Bianca, and she looked at the golden-blond boy with cerulean blue eyes still whistling. Michael shot her a wink, and Hera sighed in relief. She knew everything was fine between them because the sweet smile Michael gifted her resolved all the bitterness.

    Hera looked at Samantha, who stood next to Bianca. Her face showed indifference, unbothered as if nothing mattered to her. Hera ignored Samantha''s petty sight as the gorgeous girl behind Samantha stole her attention.

    Evelyn stood with her legs crossed at the ankles and hands wrapped across her middle, always elegant and graceful like everybody''s favourite princess that she was. A pleased wide grin adorned her gorgeous face while she looked at Hera, her ssy eyes shining brightly with pride and gratitude. Beside Evelyn, Eric chuckled, showing the thumbs-up sign before apuding.

    "I''m sorry," Hera mouthed. Eric shook his head and smiled so wide beforeing to hug her. "I''m so proud of you, Pixie," said Eric, crushing her to his chest. Hera basked in the brotherly affection Eric showered on her. She peeked over his shoulder and found her brother Danny fondly smiling at her. Hera returned the smile before her eyesnded on the one boy she was desperate to see.

    She pulled away from the hug and looked directly into her favourite purple eyes.

    With one leg bent against the wall and the other supporting his weight, Hunter stood with his hands shoved in the pockets of his sweatpants.

    Hera''s breath hitched at the sight of her boyfriend. Deprived of his handsome face for too long, she couldn''t tame her heartbeats from going wild. It was racing to the moon while her pulse rushed in haste to apany.

 Chapter 288 His Generous Offer

    Hunter pulled himself off the wall as he saw Hera taking a step forward. He stared at her cautiously without blinking, alert and guarded as though watching the predator advancing. Hands still nestled inside his pockets, Hunter took a step back as Hera took another step forward.

    He kept walking backwards as Hera slowly advanced toward him. She narrowed her eyes in warning, annoyed that he was increasing the distance between them. Hunter tilted his head to the side, arrogance seeping through his stance as if daring her to stop him.

    "Hey," Hera yelled at him, offended by his cold demeanour towards her.

    "What do you want?" Hunter asked, sounding too snappy for Hera''s liking.

    Hera grinned, lopsided and calctive. She snapped her fingers before pointing at him.

    "You," she answered, straight to the point and winked suggestively at her boyfriend, who seemed unimpressed by the gesture. He clicked his tongue in disinterest and shook his head slowly, disapproving and displeased.

    "How rude?" Bianca voiced Hera''s mind, expressing pity, but thetter detected the amusementcing her tone. When Hera looked at her friends, they all grinned at her, enjoying the drama unfolding before their eyes. Hera sighed, annoyed at everyone. Eric chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer.

    "You know, Pixie, other than silent treatment, there''s a way better and interesting punishment," Eric said informatively. Hera red at him, scowling because he didn''t bother to borate on what he actually meant by that.

    "Baby girl, he meant, kick his ass," Michael helpfully supplied, sounding too cheerful. Hera bit her lower lip, but her grin was too wide to conceal.

    "Yeah, go get him, Hera the Hunter," Evelyn said, "I''m rooting for you."

    Hera giggled happily, blew them all kisses and jogged to reach Hunter. Her annoying boyfriend turned his back to her and increased his pace. Hera moved in front of him and tried to block his way. Hunter moved to his left, and Hera followed. He moved to his right only to get blocked by her again.

    Hunter exhaled in aggravation and walked past her towards the back gate. The watchman didn''t stop Hunter, but he did stop Hera, though.

    "I''m with him," Hera said, pointing at Hunter. "Our president asked me to follow him. We have an important mission," she offered in her justification. As Hera expected, the watchman let her trail behind Hunter without causing any hassle for her.

    ''Huh, stupid man didn''t even ask what mission!''

    Hera rolled her eyes and ran after her boyfriend.

    Hunter was walking towards their secret meeting spot behind the building. Hera blocked his way again. "Can you stop being a child and talk to me like an adult?" Hera snapped in annoyance. Hunter lifted one of his eyebrows at that. He didn''t say anything, but Hera read it in his eyes. His stare screamed, "Look who''s talking."

    He rolled his eyes and walked past her, careful not to let their shoulders brush in the process. Hera groaned in irritation. "I''ll go and kiss someone if you don''t talk to me," she said bitingly. Hunter paused only to re at her. Hera bit back a smile. "Oh, not the time to irk him, Hera," she scolded herself and scowled in mock disapproval. Giving her an unimpressed look, he resumed his walk.

    Hera moved in front of him, but instead of trying to block his way, she kept walking backwards. "Ah, he''s being such a brat. God, why is it so hard to please him?" Hera muttered, eyeing the clouds above her head. Because Hera was walking in front of him, Hunter had to curb his pace to avoid shing with her.

    Suddenly, Hera stumbled upon a stone and lost her bnce. Her hands flew reflexively in grabby motion. Hunter was too quick to act and caught her hand in time, sessfully preventing her fall. He yanked her back, and Hera dly collided with his chest.

    "Careful," he scolded, scowling at her.

    "My hero, you never let me fall," Hera said exaggeratingly and fluttered hershes while a fond smile graced her lips. Ignoring her cheesy attempts at luring him, Hunter lifted her into his arms and carried her. Hera wrapped her hands around his neck and tried to kiss him on the mouth, but sadly, Hunter pulled his face away from her.

    "You said we should talk like adults," Hunter reminded her, disapproval dripping from his tone. Hera sighed in disappointment and rested her head on his chest while he carried her to their destination. Upon reaching the ce, Hunter carefully deposited her on the makeshift stone bench. Standing in front of her, he crossed his arms and gestured for her to speak.

    "I''m listening," Hunter said, sounding too impatient when Hera didn''t speak immediately.<sub> </sub>

    Hera smiled at him in return.

    Hunter looked away, annoyed at himself because it was too hard for him to resist the temptation.

    ''How am I supposed to hold back and pretend angry when she looks so cute and sweet?''

    Hera snapped her fingers to get attention. She pointed to the empty ce beside her and made a poking gesture, demanding him to sit beside her. Hunter obliged without any protest. Hera instantly moved and settled on hisp, wrapping her arms around his neck. Hunter hardly had time to object when she kissed him full on the mouth. He didn''t kiss her back, though, much to her dismay. He instead groaned in annoyance.

    "Is this what you meant when you said we talk like adults?" Hunter scolded, removing her hands from his neck. Hera''s lower lip protruded in a sulky pout.

    She moved swiftly, trying to steal a kiss, but Hunter was faster. He ced his hand right below the hollow of her throat, palm t against her chest and held her in ce, not allowing her toe any closer than she already was. Hera swatted his hand away in anger and red at him.

    "Just so you know, dumb ass, it''s called kiss and make-up. I was trying to resolve our dispute," Hera reasoned defensively. Hunter snorted in ridicule. "Sure, you are," he muttered sarcastically. "When you get angry, I''m not even allowed to stay in your proximity, let alone kiss you," Hunter pointed out sharply. Hera furrowed her brows, frowning at what he said.

    "Liar, we always kiss after our fight," Hera argued.

    Hunter scoffed in disagreement and shook his head.

    "No, we don''t," Hunter said bitingly. "Only you get to kiss me even though we''re fighting and I''m angry. I can''t kiss you when you''re angry, but you can kiss me whenever you want and make up? How is that even fair? Why do the rules fly out of the window when it''s your turn to say sorry?" Hunter shot question after question while Hera''s mouth fell open, and she silently gaped at him.

    "You''re not allowed to kiss me until I say otherwise," Hunter dered, much to Hera''s displeasure.

    Hera let her shoulders fall as she exhaled through her mouth. She sighed again before leaving hisp to sit beside him, a bit too dramatic for Hunter''s taste. He knew she was putting on a show to make him give up and let her kiss him. Hera pouted, blinking at him cutely, pulling a perfect puppy face. However, Hunter wasn''t buying it.

    Pretending to be unbothered by her cuteness, Hunter rolled his eyes, adding more to her already irked mood.

    "Alright, Lucifer, let''s do the talking," Hera snapped, gritting her teeth in anger. Hunter bit his lip to hide his smile.

    It was quiet for the next few minutes, except for the rustling of the leaves hanging above their heads on the wide tree as the evening wind turned a bit harsh. Hunter let Hera take her time while she gathered her thoughts.

    "I''m sorry, I misjudged everyone," Hera started with her apology. "I''m sorry I took Noel''s side. Evie told me what happened," Hera said, casting her eyes down in shame. "Bianca and I talked and resolved all our feuds," she spoke without looking at Hunter, her gaze fixed on the grass beneath her feet.

    Hera paused to take a deep breath and looked up when suddenly Hunter scooted closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He knew she was struggling inside while the guilt and shame swallowed her soul. Hera hugged him tightly, hiding her face in his chest when he pulled her into his arms.

    "It''s okay, Goddess, it wasn''t your fault," Hunter stated without an ounce of doubt or hesitation and kissed the crown of her head.

    "I''m so ashamed to admit that I believed Nathan was innocent and med everything on Bianca without knowing the truth," Hera admitted. She tried so hard to keep her tears at bay. She didn''t want to cry anymore. Hunter tightened his arms around her middle and pulled her back onto hisp.

    "If it makes you feel better, you can kiss me now," he offered as though he felt her distress. Hera knew he did. A breathyugh escaped her lips at his generous offer. "Bianca had to go through that hell because of Nathan, and unintentionally I contributed to her misery," Hera said and lifted her head off his chest to look at him. Her teary eyes conveyed how much she regretted everything.

    Hunter cupped her cheeks and softly kissed her eyelids, one after the other. The tears rolled down her cheeks as soon as she closed her eyes. He wiped them with his thumbs and kissed her cheeks too.

    "Can I cash on that generous offer now?" Hera asked, staring into his purple eyes.

 Chapter 289 His Selfish, Meanie Girlfriend

    Hunter smiled at Hera, warm and weing. He pulled her flush against his chest, his arm around her middle tightening. Hera weed the pleasing sensation his cold lips over hers brought when he pressed their lips together. No one moved, they stayed like that for a few seconds, and both of them took a deep breath, inhaling the other''s scent as though they were each other''s oxygen.

    "I missed you so much, Hunter," Hera whispered against his lips. She sighed, feeling safe and content in his arms. cing her hands on his shoulders, she tilted her face to nt a kiss on his cheek.

    "I''m sorry I fought with you. It all happened because silly me misunderstood everything," Hera admitted, quickly kissing his other cheek. Hunter hummed his response before covering her mouth with his. He kissed her hungrily as though she was his favourite meal and he was starving.

    When they broke the kiss, Hunter stared at her lips in awe. Hera''s lips were glistening, red, swollen, soft and inviting. He couldn''t get enough of their kiss, so he kissed her again, taking his sweet time, devouring her lips. Hera opened her mouth to let his tongue slide in, and a pleasant shiver rushed down her spine when he sucked her tongue.

    She missed these bodily sensations, goosebumps on her skin caused by the emotional chills, the butterflies fluttering their wings in her tummy and the feverish hotness she felt despite the cold breeze soaking their warm clothes. She started feeling all flustered as Hunter deepened their kiss.

    Hunter''s heartbeats matched her racing ones in perfect harmony. Hera tightened her hold around his neck to bring him closer to feel his rushing heart against her own as if it wasn''t enough that they had already aligned their bodies together impossibly close. If she could, Hera would pull her soul out of her body and reside inside Hunter forever together with his soul.

    She whined in protest when Hunter pulled away, much to her disappointment. His hands moved swiftly, one clutching the cor of her jacket while the other worked in feverish haste pulling the zipper down.

    Hera didn''t mind Hunter''s hand sneaking inside her jacket. He wound his arm around her middle only to pull her back into his chest again. His body heat engulfed her form, spilling warmth over both her body and soul. No sunlight, fire or heater could bring this pleasant fervour Hera was basking in, and she smiled against his lips when he crashed their mouths together with such rapidity, not bothering to hide his desperation.

    "Fuck, I missed you so much, Goddess," Hunter confessed, voice dripping with urgency before his enthusiastic tongue invaded the inside of her mouth, exploring every corner.

    Hunter''s free hand travelled up, brushing her soft hair off her face before fixing it behind her ear. His fingers smoothly skimmed inside her brte hair and tilted her face to get a better angle while he deepened the kiss, their energy and movements matching perfectly. With the intensity building, Hera sighed as their tongues slowly danced together in pure bliss.

    Detaching his lips from hers, Hunter moved down to kiss her neck. His fingers gently pulled her hair to guide her, and Hera dly obliged, tilting her head to the side. Hunter ced a wet kiss under her jaw before his teeth scratched the soft skin of her neck in a gentle bite.

    His warm tongue brushed over her flushed skin, soothing the bite with a gentle suck. Hera sighed, purring like a cat as the pleasure intensified. In contrast to the soft, delighted soundsing out of Hera''s mouth, Hunter let out a husky groan as his mouth pushed downward. His hand unconsciously followed in the same direction and tugged aside the neckline of her top to ce an open-mouthed wet kiss on her corbone.

    Hunter sounded more annoyed and dissatisfied than pleased because he couldn''t get more ess to her skin. He wanted to kiss and taste every inch of her body. His lips, teeth and tongue invaded the soft swell of her upper breasts, exploring around. He groaned in frustration as he couldn''t go further. He was aware they weren''t within the safe confines of four walls or behind the privacy of a closed door.

    They were out in public, and anyone could see or walk in on them. Not that Hunter would give a damn about anyone, but he wouldn''t put Hera in an embarrassing situation. He wasn''t going to risk the second chance that he had worked so hard for Hera to grant it. Hunter was mindful of his actions. He respected Hera''s dignity and would never repeat his past mistakes.

    Muttering a curse, he decided to attack her lips instead. So he let his mouth work its way up, leaving a trace of wet kisses in its wake. When they broke the kiss, they were panting, their rushing heartbeats in sync with each other. With their foreheads pressed together, they weed theforting silence around them.

    Hera moved from hisp and took a seat beside him. Hunter turned his head to the side, eyes following her. He stared at her, mesmerised by the sparkle in her forest-green eyes. Hera smiled, fond and delighted. With her skin flushed in an adorable pink, Hera looked even more ravishing. His heart fluttered in his chest when Hera cupped his cheeks in her palms, eyes roaming over his face, caressing him with so much tenderness.

    Hera was kissing her Hunter with her eyes.

    Hunter looked away to hide the blush spreading over his cheeks. It felt more intimate than their actual kissing. His chest felt heavy, overwhelmed with all the love Hera was showering on him. He smiled secretly, his heart as warm and contented as Hera''s heart was feeling.

    The chilly air decided to rush from a particr direction at that exact moment, only to mess with Hunter''s hair. It broke Hera''s trance. She grinned, amused at how his hair reminded her of the bending crop nts under the stormy weather she had seen on the farms back home in California. It covered his eyes and hid half of his face from her view. Hera ruffled his unruly hair affectionately before fixing it back.

    Hunter''s eyes darted to her grinning lips. Her lips were still glistening with their mixed saliva after their kiss.

    He swiped his thumb over her lips, wiping the saliva clean. He was leaning forward and was about to kiss her again when Hera ced her palms t on his chest, stopping him midway. Hunter''s smile dropped, a scowl recing it instantly.<sub> </sub>

    "We aren''t done with that talking yet, remember?" Hera asked, smiling at him when he red at her for not letting him kiss her. Hera''s brow quirked up, and she shook her head, denying him any more kisses.

    "See, this is what I meant when I said you don''t let me kiss you," Hunter whined like a bratty child. Hera rolled her eyes.

    "Then what else were we doing a few seconds ago?" Hera asked incredulously.

    "That was you kissing me," Hunter pointed out defensively while Hera wondered why it would make any difference. What does it matter whether he kissed her or she kissed him? "And when it''s my turn, you remember every other shit out of the blue to stop me," he used, sounding too childish. Hera pursed her lips in an attempt to hold back her giggles, but it was evident that she failed miserably.

    "You''re being rude, selfish, meanie girlfriend right now, and I hate you so much for that," Hunter snapped.

    Hera giggled, amused at his fusses.

    "No, you don''t," she stated as an answer to hisstment. "We were supposed to talk like two adults. If only you stop distracting me," Hera muttered, fixing him with a dirty look. Hunter let out a chuckle, sounding not at all amused.

    "In case you don''t remember, Goddess, you''re the one begging for the kiss," Hunter rudely reminded her.

    Now Hera was offended.

    She red at him indignantly.

    "That''s because you offered it. What should have I done? Say no?" she asked, her tone incredulous. Hunter scoffed at her widened,rge, innocent-looking eyes. "I offered because you were desperate," he stated, sounding too arrogant and proud.

    "Oh, you were so generous, darling husband," Hera said sarcastically.

    "And you, sweetheart, shamelessly jumped right into it, taking advantage of my powerless state," Hunter retorted. "So much for talking like adults," he said and snorted a sarcasticugh.

    Hera kicked his knee, making him hiss. He cursed, rubbing where it hurt.

    "Just to rify, you kissed me first," Hera pointed out, "So stop with your dramatic usation as if you never got to kiss me." Hera scowled at him, mocking anger but her lips twitched, betraying her act. Hunter exhaled through his nose, chest rising and falling while he red at her. Hera looked into his eyes, the purple orbs turning darker and darker than their actual colour.

    Her favourite purple gems in his eyes shone brighter both with anger and desire at the same time. Hera''s heart skipped a beat at his intense staring, the butterflies in her tummy pping their wings again.

    Hera didn''t miss when Hunter''s gaze dropped to her mouth. She pped his chest with the back of her hand in warning, clearly reading his move before he could act on it.

    "I''ll kick your ass if you dare do anything, Hunter," Hera warned.

    Hunter smirked, still staring at her lips.

    "I have something important to say. Can you please let me talk without distracting me?" Hera asked in a firm voice. The seriousness in her tone caught Hunter''s attention.

 Chapter 290 Hes Not Guilty

    The shift in Hera''s mood made Hunter snap out of his thoughts. Throwing his head back in frustration, he ran his fingers through his hair, still annoyed that she didn''t let him kiss her.

    Hunter sighed in dismay.

    Regardless, when he finally looked at Hera, one of his eyebrows arched up while his lips twitched into a smirk.

    "Hmm," Hunter hummed and paused, nodding and pretending to ponder over her words. "Apart from you realising your mistake and apologising, what else is there to talk about?" he asked, his voice starting with sugary sweet only to end bitterly. "Feeling guilty and apologising is inevitable because you always jump to conclusions without knowing the whole context," he said usingly, reminding her of her mistakes.

    Pursing her lips in displeasure, Hera red at him while Hunter scowled at her disapprovingly.

    "Alright, Lucifer, you don''t have to rub it in my face. I''ve learnt my lesson," Hera admitted, "And besides, it''s your fault that I end up assuming things and judging wrong every time," she shot back. Hunter''s eyes narrowed into slits in disagreement. He shifted to change his position and sat with his legs spread on either side of the stone bench to see Hera face to face.

    "My fault?" Hunter asked, crossing his arms. Pulling his bottom lip between his teeth, he nodded while his eyebrows arched up in disbelief, touching his hairline. "Wow, how interesting, Hera Hunter! I''m intrigued. Please borate, would you?" he requested, feigning a polite tone.

    Hera shifted, changing her position as well. She turned around and sat cross-legged to face Hunter properly.

    Hera sighed,posing herself for the big talk she had been evading for a while now. She dropped her yful act, her childish attitude sobering up quickly. Her heart leapt, filling her body with nervous energy as she decided it was the right time to address ra''s issue. However, she had to beat around the bush since she couldn''t muster up enough courage to voice it right away.

    "Have you ever thought about why I assume things?" Hera asked but didn''t wait for Hunter to reply and instantly answered herself. "I assume things because you don''t tell me anything, Hunter," she pointed out, her tone bordering on an usation. Hunter fixed her with an unimpressed stare which Hera conveniently ignored.

    "I jump to conclusions without knowing the context because you keep secrets from me. Had you told me about everything that happened between Evie and Noel beforehand, I would never have judged or med Bianca," Hera pointed out, reasoning her impulsive behaviour regarding that matter.

    Hunter scoffed and shook his head. Clearly, he disagreed with everything Hera said.

    "No, Goddess, you would''ve still med Bianca somehow. You always held her responsible for every bad thing. It''s more like a default setting now, as if it''s mandatory to me my friends," Hunter argued. Hera couldn''t contradict it because it was true. She had always used Bianca and deemed her guilty, not bothering to learn or dissect the truth. It was easy to judge and me her.

    As Hera was Bianca''s ything to bully and have fun at her expense, in the same way, Bianca was Hera''s target to take out her jealousy and anger. Hera couldn''t say out loud that she had trouble epting Bianca''s closeness with her boyfriend, resulting in the girls'' mutual hatred towards each other.

    "I know, Hunter. I admit my mistake. I didn''t know the truth about Nathan and misjudged Bianca. If any of you were sensible or generous enough to let me in and share the truth about what happened between Bianca and Nathan, I would''ve understood," Hera voiced her inner thoughts, firmly trying to defend her juvenile behaviour.

    After all, she was an adolescent and gave into her immature, impulsive decisions. Back then, she was childish, stubborn, and irrational and didn''t know how to resist temptations or think sensibly, and so was Hunter. Regardless, Hera did forgive him for all his mistakes and gave him another chance. She believed she deserved one too.

    "I took the wrong side because you kept the truth from me. Why didn''t you tell me anything?" Hera demanded, her lower lip jutting out in a sad pout.

    Hunter looked away for a brief moment. Hera intently watched him, gauging his bodynguage and trying to read his expression, but he kept his face nk. Hunter brushed his tongue over his lips and stared wordlessly at her for a few seconds. Hera knew he was rearranging his thoughts to reply subtly so that his words wouldn''t hurt or offend her.

    However, Hera also knew how brutally blunt Hunter could be when he wanted to voice his honest opinion or reaction. His straightforward nature was one of the traits in him she admired the most. He hated sugar-coating his words.

    "Goddess," Hunter finally broke the silence, and Hera sat more upright, ready to face his judgement. "I never hid anything from you, and you know I don''t keep secrets from you either," Hunter stated and put his palm up to stop her when she tried to express her disagreement. "It''s not that I don''t tell you things. It''s just that you actually don''t listen," he pointed out the obvious.<sub> </sub>

    Hera knew he was disappointed in her, yet his eyes held tenderness, and surprisingly he spoke in a softer tone.

    "That''s not true, Hunter," Hera said timidly, shrinking in her ce. Though she was trying to deny his statement, she didn''t sound convincing enough to her own ears. Rubbing more salt on the wound of guilt Hera was burdened with, Hunter reminded her of how she reacted during Nathan''s incident.

    "How many times have I told you that bastard Nathan is neither worthy of trust nor friendship? Did you ever listen when I asked you to stay away from him?" Hunter questioned and continued without waiting for her response. It was a rhetorical question anyway. Both of them already knew the answer to that question.

    "You chose to side with him anyway just because he was your friend, and you believed him over mine. Whether it''s Bianca, Evie, Danny, Eric, or Mike, them being my friends was enough reason for you to judge them wrong," Hunter dered, blunt and brutal as she expected. "And now you repeated the same mistake with Noel," he expressed disappointment, hurtcing his tone.

    He made her recall how she never let him speak and believed Bianca had something to do with it when he and his friends were hitting Noel for molesting Evelyn.

    "I didn''t tell you anything because I didn''t get the chance to do so. You never let me speak and never listened when I tried," Hunter dered his judgement, urate to the point, much to Hera''s remorse. He shifted, pulling his legs up and wrapping his forearms around his knees with his finger interlocked.

    Hera sighed tiredly, wordlessly admitting her fault. She scooted closer to ce her hands on his forearms in a gentle touch to assure herself he was still with her.

    "Then try harder next time when I don''t listen, and I assure you I''ll listen from now on," Hera promised. Hunter flicked his finger on her cheek in reply and let out airyughter when Hera yelped in surprise. She pinched the tip of his nose in retaliation and giggled when he swatted her hand away.

    Hera moved closer again. She removed his hands from his knees only to rest her own on them. Crossing her arms over his pulled-up legs, she let them support her chin above them. She stared at him, the purple of his eyes soothing her nerves.

    After a few seconds of their silent staring contest, Hera blinked before taking a deep breath and readying herself.

    "Now it''s your turn to listen. So let me speak," Heramanded.

    She clicked her tongue in frustration, realising there was no use in sugar-coating her words. Hence she didn''t bother finding fitting words and blurted her thoughts out loud. "ra said you raped her after I left that day when you were fighting with Nate." Holding her breath, she stared at Hunter, studying his expressions, searching for the truth in his eyes.

    Hunter scoffed, snorting a sarcasticugh. "Of course she did," he said, his tone ridiculing what was implied by her. Though there was no surprise or anger behind his voice, it undoubtedly radiated disgust.

    Hera still stared at him, waiting for his exnation while he seemed unbothered by the dirty usation. She couldn''t tear her gaze off him, for his eyes shone with so much rity she could read him like an open book. She didn''t find any shame, guilt or fear in his purple orbs. In that instant, Hera saw the truth with crystal clear transparency in his eyes, and she knew her Hunter was not guilty.

    ''How the hell did I even think my Hunter could ever indulge in such a disgusting act?''

    Hera was ashamed that she even dared to doubt him and almost believed ra.

    Hunter frowned in worry as Hera''s eyes watered. Her lips stretched wider into a contented grin, pushing her cheekbones up only to shove the tears out of her eyelids. She felt her heart flutter in absolute ecstasy, spilling warmth inside her chest. She bit her trembling lip while tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. Something between a sob and giggle tore out of her throat, sounding weird.

    Meanwhile, Hera''s concerned boyfriend was confused by her odd behaviour, worrying about what made her cry and why she was smiling like crazy. Frowning, Hunter brushed his fingers over her cheeks, wiping the tears away. Hera smiled fondly at him, affection flooding through her eyes.

 Chapter 291 Reasoning Her Perspective

    At that moment, Hera felt both happiness and sadness overpowering her heart and mind simultaneously. She was pleased and relieved that she found him innocent but felt sorry and guilty for doubting his innocence.

    Overwhelmed with emotions, Hera leapt forward, throwing herself at him. Hunter was surprised by Hera''s sudden action and didn''t have the time to brace himself against the impact of the force, and they both tumbled down from the stone bench.

    "What the fuck is wrong with you, Hera Hunter?" Hunter groaned, lifting himself off the grassy ground with Hera still glued to his torso. Hera giggled while he scowled in concern. Without wasting another second, she stered her lips to his and kissed him.

    "Oh, for heaven''s sake, can you stop taking advantage of the situation and harassing my mouth?" Hunter pulled back, scowling at her while thetter giggled. "You were whining about not getting enough of my lips," Hera offered as her reason, grinning goofily at him.

    "I was also whining about how unfair, selfish and meanie you are," Hunter snapped, but there was no bite to it. "Anyway, does it mean you are done with that talking now?" he asked. Hera bit her lip, trying to stop grinning and batted her guiltyshes at him. Hunter scoffed with a shake of his head. "That''s what I thought," he muttered under his breath and lifted Hera off hisp, guiding her to sit on the ground.

    "Since you''re allowed to make and break your own rules, I''m adding a new one to the list," Hunter said, scooting backwards to find afortable position to sit. He leaned his back against the tree trunk and stretched his legs straight. "Next time youe to me with this ''we need to talk'' phrase, I want you naked in front of me," he dered shamelessly. Hera''s jaw dropped in disbelief.

    Fixing him with a dirty look, Hera moved to sit in front of him and pped his chest with the back of her hand. "Get your dirty mind out of the gutter," she scolded.

    "What? It''s only fair if we both get what we desire and deserve in exchange," Hunter argued, getting another p on his hand. He scowled, wiggling his pointer finger in response. Hera narrowed her eyes, daring him to defy her. They red at each other until Hera gave up and sighed in exasperation.

    "What if I show you after we finish this conversation," Hera said, winking at him. Hunter frowned in confusion at first and then raised his eyebrows in surprise when his brain grasped the meaning behind her words.

    ''Did she mean I get what I want in exchange after this talk?''

    Hunter''s eyes widened in disbelief at what she insinuated before a pleased smirk graced his lips.

    "Alright, Goddess, let''s get done with this quickly then," Hunter said excitedly. Hera smiled and shook her head at his delighted face.

    "Doesn''t it bother you?" Hera asked. Hunter didn''t understand and frowned. "What? Seeing you naked?" he asked. "Why would it bother me, Goddess? It would be my dreame true," he admitted, grinning like a wolf while she scowled in annoyance. "Not that, you idiot. ra used you of such a major crime, and you didn''t look offended one bit," Hera rified.

    Hunter''s expression grew serious when he took her hand and gestured for her toe closer. Hera didn''t resist and willinglyplied, sitting beside him, imitating his posture.

    Hunter shrugged indifferently before answering her question. "It''s human nature, Goddess. When someone hurts our loved ones or the people we care about, it''s natural for us to hate that person. I hurt her brother. Of course, she would want revenge," Hunter stated, sounding too calm as if they were discussing his favourite subject, Maths.

    Hera looked at him and marvelled at his thoughtfulness.

    She wondered why he couldn''t control his anger and avoid fighting people in the first ce instead of hurting them when he knew so much about human nature and valued rtionships. His violent personality troubled her, and she wanted to ask him about it but decided to save that question forter.

    "And besides, it doesn''t matter what others say or think about me. I don''t care until you trust me," Hunter confessed. Meanwhile, Hera''s heart burned with guilt and shame. She didn''t trust him enough to fight off ra''s unjust im against him.

    Hera''s eyes watered again, and she swallowed the lump in her throat. Leaning into him, she nted a quick dry-mouthed kiss on his lips, wrapping her arms around his middle. Hunter wound his arm around her shoulder, pulling her more into his embrace. A slow smile worked its way across his face as Hera rested her head on his chest.

    "If you kiss me one more time in the middle of our talk, the buttons on your top wille off one by one. Remember the new rule?" Hunter asked, teasing her. Hera smiled, patting his heart with her palm. "Calm down, will you?" shemanded, and Hunter could hear the smile in her tone.

    She sighed, rxing in his arms.<sub> </sub>

    "She also used Eric of the same," Hera revealed and instantly felt how Hunter''s shoulders stiffened. When Hera lifted her head to look at him, anger shed through his eyes.

    "Goddess, please tell me you didn''t ask him about it," Hunter couldn''t hide the discontent in his voice.

    Hera shook her head frantically. "Of course not," she was quick to offer. "I know Eric would never do something so low as to mistreat or harass a girl, let alone touch her without consent. I trust him," Hera announced without any hesitation in her voice. Hunter''s stance visibly rxed after her reason.

    "This is why I didn''t want you to stay friends with her. I knew she would poison your thoughts with her toxicity," Hunter said, irritation coating his tone. Hera nodded her agreement and revealed how ra only med Eric because she knew Hera wouldn''t believe it if she directly used Hunter. Hunter listened while Hera shared every bit of her conversation with ra.

    Suddenly, he frowned, seeming lost in thoughts for a few seconds. His eyebrows squinted before his eyes narrowed angrily. The m quickly vanished, and Hunter sat upright, staring at Hera.

    "Wait, wait, you didn''t ask Eric because you trust him, but you asked me," Hunter said, leaving his sentence unfinished, and Hera''s anxious heart missed a beat, nervous and scared at the sudden change in his demeanour. She knew what wasing when Hunter paused. Hera understood what he wanted to say without him voicing it.

    She watched him with her pleading eyes, wordlessly apologising for distrusting him.

    Hunter''s lips twitched into a slow smile, a bitter one. Hera hated how his eyes brimmed with hurt, and she despised herself more because she instilled that pain in his beautiful eyes.

    Hunter scoffed, and a sarcastic chuckle followed. He shook his head in warning when Hera tried to speak, a string of apologies desperate to rush out of her mouth.

    "You believed her, didn''t you?" Hunter stated more than asked. "You don''t trust me," he added as an afterthought and paused as if struggling to stomach that bitter thought. "You believed I''m capable ofmitting that heinous crime," he said more to himself, his voice nothing more than a whisper and tone filled with utter disbelief.

    He tore his eyes off her and looked away as if he couldn''t stand the sight of her. Hera was quick to grab his hands, afraid he would leave her. She was relieved when he didn''t pull away from her touch. She grasped his hands tightly by enfolding her own around them and brought them to her chest, hugging.

    "Hunter," she called softly, "I''m sorry I doubted your innocence, but I was confused. ra sounded so convincing I couldn''t dismiss her im and almost believed her," Hera admitted, expressing how sorry she was for hurting him and begging him to forgive her.

    "I can''t believe you believed I could rape a girl." Ignoring Hera''s cry of apologies, Hunter carried on expressing his dissatisfaction. He tried to jerk his hands away from her, but Hera held onto them tightly.

    "Please try to understand my point of view, Hunter," Hera pleaded. "You were so mad that day and ra said you would do anything when you are angry, and I couldn''t disagree because it''s true," she said everything in one go, desperately trying to make him understand her reasoning.

    "Yeah, right, it''s my second nature to rape a girl when I''m angry," Hunter stated sarcastically. Hera didn''t miss the hurtcing his voice. His eyes still showcased anger. He pulled his hand away from her and got up to change his position, sitting straight. Hera noticed how his hands clutched the edges of the stone bench on either side of his thighs tight enough to turn his knuckles white.

    Hera sighed in frustration, annoyed that she failed to convey her viewpoint and make himprehend her situation.

    "Come on, Hunter, stop guilt-tripping me and think from my perspective for once," Hera whined in annoyance. "I couldn''t oppose her because you and I both know you don''t think and act impulsively when you lose your temper. How could I overlook or ignore it when ra stated the obvious?" she yelled, throwing her hands in the air. Hunter refused to look her way, and Hera knew he was struggling to tame his anger.

    Wrapping her hands around the crook of his arm, Hera hugged his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.

    "I know I hurt you, and I''m truly sorry," she admitted in a softer tone.

 Chapter 292 She Holds The Power To Hurt Him

    "I wanted to believe you, Hunter, but I couldn''t ignore the doubt lingering around my mind. I should''ve listened to my heart," Hera admitted more to herself, expressing again and again how much she regretted hurting him.

    That day when ra revealed how Hunter and his friends ill-treated her by doing awful things to her, Hera couldn''t see past the unjust, tragic urrence that she assumed ra might have gone through. The genuine pain etched on ra''s face had manipted and steered Hera''s mind away from thinking sensibly.

    She was confused, which led her to misjudge Hunter blindly.

    ra had sessfully brainwashed Hera to believe in her concocted false story, and Hera never saw the hostility concealed behind her once best friend''s pretend misery.

    "Just so you know, I never had to force myself over a girl," Hunter suddenly spoke, his voice carrying hurt and anger. Hera blinked, springing out of her chaotic thoughts and frowned, trying to register what he said. Hunter''s eyes were focused ahead, but he wasn''t seeing anything in particr. Hera couldn''t me him and supposed she deserved it if he was disgusted to look her way.

    "Women willingly throw themselves at me irrespective of their age. They would let me use them whenever, wherever, and however I want," Hunter stated, his tone too arrogant for Hera''s liking. She winced as that harsh reality stung. It was true that girls in their school would do anything to get his attention. She had seen it since day one. Her hold on his arm tightened in a reflex as if iming possession or ownership over him.

    Hera had been fighting forever to keep him locked in her heart, terrified that people might steal him from her and she would lose him. Girls have always been on the lookout, waiting for the opportunity, anticipating when Hera would take her eyes off Hunter and when they could lure him into their trap.

    "I know, Hunter, I know," Hera admitted, her voice no more than a whisper. The despair in her tone finallypelled Hunter to look at her. It would forever be a sensitive subject for Hera. His cheating on her would never cease hurting her, and like always, Hunter saw through her.

    "Just because I cheated on you, it doesn''t make me a bloody rapist, Hera, so please don''t judge my character or morality based on that," Hunter asserted, cold anger bursting through his eyes. With his face flushed and hands balled into fists, indignation spewed from his voice, and it didn''t go unnoticed by Hera how he struggled to speak through his gritted teeth as if it hurt to articte.

    "However, should you judge me on my past actions of sleeping around, you must know that Eric is the one who sleeps around the most," Hunter said informatively, his tone of voice a little too unkind and bitter for Hera''s liking. She sighed audibly, annoyance dripping from her eyes.

    "Stop twisting my words, Hunter. I never meant it that way," Hera too snapped, losing her patience at this point. "It''s not that I only trusted Eric and not you. I''m telling you your temper issues are to me. It is your anger," Hera jabbed her index finger into Hunter''s chest, emphasising each word, "That coerced me to doubt your innocence," she tried to exin. However, her snappy tone wasn''t helping her situation much, for Hunter scoffed in response.

    Only derision greeted her in return as Hunter didn''t seem convinced. It irked Hera more when Hunter shook his head in disappointment and looked away. He appeared more offended when Hera tried to reason why it was easier for her to trust Eric and rule him out of the doubt. Eric was always the sensible one in their group who would tackle the situation calmly. He was never an immature, irresponsible, impulsive decision-maker.

    Hunter let out a sarcasticugh at her logic, much to Hera''s aggravation.

    "Oh, thank goodness you never saw Eric in his angry mood then. Otherwise, you would have dered him guilty already, drilling him with your questioning like you''re doing right now with me," Hunter said crossly and muttered, "Lucky bastard," under his breath, feeling envious of his best friend for the first time. After all, Eric had earned something precious that he didn''t, i.e. Hera''s trust.

    Hera stared at her upset boyfriend and shook her head slowly as she detected the jealousy coating his tone. She understood he probably misinterpreted her reason, but before she could say something to rify her point, Hunter spoke up.<sub> </sub>

    "Anyway, to conclude this conversation, your ex-best friend said I''m a rapist, and you believed her. You wanted to confirm, so you asked me. I deny it with every fibre of my being, Hera Hunter, and it''s up to you to believe it or not," Hunter dered monotonously and stood up to leave. Hera panicked as he dusted his pants off, ready to walk away. He only took two steps when Hera quickly grabbed his hand and stopped him.

    Wrapping her arms around his middle, Hera stered herself to his torso, hugging him tightly. Hunter closed his eyes and sighed, his shoulders slumped in defeat while his hands balled into fists. He was deeply hurt because Hera didn''t trust him, so he fought hard to resist returning the hug. However, when Hera sniffled against Hunter''s chest, his resolve crumbled, and his arms reached up to enclose her in a warm hug of their own ord.

    "I''m sorry, Hunter. It was never my intention to hurt you," Hera mumbled against his chest. Inclining his head, Hunter rested his cheek on her head and pulled her more into his chest, one arm tightening around her waist while the other rubbed her back soothingly, offering warmth,fort and security.

    "Don''t cry, Goddess. You know it hurts me the most when you do, especially if I am the cause," Hunter confessed, cing a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. "I should''ve known it isn''t going to be this easy to earn your trust back after I cheated on you. I understand, so don''t apologise," he expressed, all his anger vanishing into thin air. The honesty in his tone touched Hera deeply andpelled her to lift her head to look him in the eyes.

    Hera shook her head frantically, differing from what he said. "It''s not that, Hunter," she said before standing on her tiptoes to kiss the middle of his forehead. She couldn''t resist pecking his cheek when she saw the sincerity shining brightly in his eyes. Her smile was wide and watery when she leaned in to kiss his lips.

    In her haste to steal a kiss, Hera moved much more aggressively than she intended, pushing Hunter backwards in the process. Hunter was caught off guard by her sudden unexpected move, and he stumbled, losing bnce. However, he quickly regained his bnce by taking a few steps back and righting his posture. He stopped when his back touched the tree trunk and leaned against it for support.

    Meanwhile, Hera never let go of him, arresting his torso in a bear hug, her affectionate gaze refusing to part from his.

    "Hunter, even if I doubted or didn''t trust Eric, I wouldn''t dare question his innocence in the matter without consulting you first because I can''t talk to him without knowing the whole truth and risk hurting his feelings," Hera said. Eric was very dear to her. She valued his friendship. However, Hera had no right to judge him wrong and hurt his emotions, no matter howfortable, lenient, and affectionate Eric was towards her.

    Hera wasn''t good with words like Hunter, but she tried her best to exin her rationales to Hunter in the best way possible.

    "Whereas you''re mine, Hunter. I have the right to hurt you andfort you. I don''t hesitate to speak my mind with you, no matter how harsh or bitter the truth is," Hera confessed. She never had to walk on eggshells around him, fearing or worrying that she might anger or upset him. Both Hera and Hunter were always brutally blunt when it came to honesty. If Hera was ever afraid of Hunter, it was because of the thought he might hurt her friends in his anger.

    "Do you remember you once said whenever I''m jealous or upset about something you do, then I have the right to question you?" Hunter nodded his answer to her question, his eyeballs moving back and forth, searching her eyes. "I asked you because I wanted to know the truth," Hera continued, "And the moment I asked, I found my answer in your eyes." She punctuated her sentence with a soft kiss on Hunter''s lips.

    "I''m sorry I hurt you, but you also once said only our loved ones hold the power to hurt us. That''s why we hurt the ones we love the most. I knew it would break your heart, but it was necessary because I needed to hear the answer from you," Hera couldn''t articte everything she wanted to say precisely. However, she knew Hunter would somehow understand her unfinished exnation even though she supposed it didn''t go well.

    Hera''s heart leapt in joy when Hunter cupped her face in hisrge palms and smiled down at her. "It''s okay, my love. I understand," he said before pressing his lips to the middle of her forehead in a feather-light kiss. His lips were cold, but the kiss brought all the warmth Hera needed. "I''m sorry too for making you cry," Hunter admitted, his hot breath grazing over her skin.

 Chapter 293 Shes Terrified Of Him

    Hera released the breath she was holding, relief washing over her. As expected, her Hunter read her like a book and understood her every emotion and motivation. She felt overwhelmed under his intense gaze, so full of tenderness, adoration and love. Sometimes she wondered why he loved her to the moon and back.

    ''Do I deserve his unconditional love?''

    She frowned, not at all pleased by the sudden disfavoured urrence of the question.

    ''Where did thate from?''

    She wanted to p her brain for even daring to formte such ridiculous doubt.

    ''Of course, I deserve him.''

    She stared into Hunter''s eyes, finding her reflection in them. She loved how his pupils dted and smiled, remembering the piece of knowledge about love hormones he once shared with her.

    ''Pupils dte when we see someone we love, are attracted to or when we are in love.''

    The phrase yed in her mind, Hunter''s deep baritone tingling her insides.

    "Hera," Hunter called, ending her internal monologue. A smile stretched across Hera''s lips as he addressed her by her real name, and for once, Hunter wasn''t angry or upset with her. "You''re staring," he stated the obvious.

    "Your gorgeous eyes never fail to soothe my pain," Hera said more to herself, admiring her favourite shade of purple in his eyes.

    Hunter chuckled at the sudden change in her mood. She sniffled, drawing his attention to the tip of her nose, which had turned pink due to the biting cold.

    "You''re cold," Hunter said, to which Hera responded with a giggle. He pressed the tip of his nose against hers, sharing an Eskimo kiss. "How weird are you? One moment you''re angry, and then you''re sad the next moment. Crying one second before, and suddenly you startughing right after," Hunter said teasingly before pecking the corner of her lips.

    "You''re to me. It seems like your weird traits are rubbing off on me," Hera replied and returned the kiss, an affectionate smile beaming on her lips, radiating happiness. Hunter yfully red, poking his finger into her chubby cheek, but the wide grin adorning his lips never faded. He grabbed her wrist, turned around and started walking, pulling her along.

    "No," Hera whined, tugging her hand out of his hold. "We aren''t leaving yet," shemanded.

    "You''ll catch a cold," Hunter stated in a disapproving tone while tugging her in the opposite direction.

    Hera resisted and pulled him back. "I don''t care," she dered, clearly defying him, and the tug of war continued. It started drizzling out of the blue, much to her horror. "Seriously?" Hera red at the dark clouds hovering above her head. Hunter smirked and raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. She pursed her lips in displeasure and crossed her arms across her chest, still not budging from the ce.

    "You know right that I can throw you over my shoulder and carry?" Hunter warned.

    Hera walked back, finding shelter under the shady tree once again and sat leaning against the tree trunk. Meanwhile, Hunter watched her pulling her knees up to wrap her arms around them, gettingfortable in her ce, much to Hunter''s annoyance. Brushing his fingers through his hair, he looked away and sighed in defeat. He felt his hair already getting damp. Hera grinned from ear to ear as Hunter jogged back to her and took his ce beside her.

    They sat infortable silence. Hera leaned more into his torso, seeking his body warmth. Hunter wrapped his arm around her waist, shifting closer to give her more ess.

    Hera stared at him, trying to count his pretty eyshes, admiring how much theyplement his gorgeous eyes. Meanwhile, Hunter was busy gazing at her lips. Hera giggled, drawing his attention back to her eyes.

    "No need for the dramatic longing face. You can kiss me if you want to," Hera said teasingly and smirked. Hunter scoffed in return. "It''s more like you''re dying to kiss me," he countered.<sub> </sub>

    "I am," Hera admitted shamelessly.

    Hunter chuckled in amusement before leaning down to pepper her cheek with kisses. Hera sighed in bliss when he finally aligned their lips together to kiss her thoroughly.

    Hera moved to sit between Hunter''s legs and guided his hands to wrap around her middle while hers ganded his neck. She rested her head on his arm and looked at him, a solemn expression taking over her fluffy facial features.

    "Hunter," Hera called.

    Hunter hummed his response, waiting for her to continue. He could tell she was in deep thought, aligning her words to frame a proper sentence, probably not to hurt him again with her careless phrasing. He studied her face while her eyebrows furrowed in worry.

    "Do you remember thest time we fought in the mansion?" Hera asked. Hunter frowned, trying to recall the incident from his memory. "I had just finished showering and came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel," Hera supplied helpfully. "You wanted to," she trailed off, finding it difficult to voice out, "And I hesitated, making you upset," she said, sounding timid.

    Hunter precisely remembered which fight Hera was referring to, and his frown deepened, not knowing why she was bringing it up now.

    "Goddess, where are you going with this?" Hunter asked.

    "I hesitated because I was scared of you," Hera admitted. She bit the inside of her lower lip, mentally cursing herself when she noticed how hurt shed across Hunter''s face. He shook his head, and Hera read it in his eyes before he could even voice it. "You have nothing to fear, Goddess. I would never force you to do anything you don''t want to," he quickly assured.

    "I know, Hunter," Hera agreed. She finally found the courage to talk about her nightmare with him. "I had a nightmare where I showered and was d in a towel when you barged into the room and forced yourself on me. You ripped the towel off my body and," she blurted out everything and paused to breathe.

    Meanwhile, Hunter was shocked to hear what she disclosed.

    Hera bared her soul to him, revealing her innermost thoughts. That nightmare kept creeping into her subconscious mind whenever she found herself in intimate encounters with Hunter. Though she knew it in her heart that he would never stoop so low as to force her, she couldn''t help but be terrified of the mere notion.

    "You looked so angry, and it felt so real I was scared to death, Hunter," Hera shivered as an unpleasant sensation crawled up her skin, causing goosebumps while she recalled that nightmare. "I''m not scared of you, Hunter, but your anger does worry me," she admitted. Hunter immediately crushed her to his chest, tightening his hold around her waist. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he took a deep breath, her natural scent filling his lungs with much-neededfort.

    "I''m so sorry, Goddess. I didn''t know you had bottled up so much inside and was suffering alone. Why didn''t you tell me sooner? I swear I would never do such a thing. Please trust me?" Hunter pleaded, his voice heavy with hurt and guilt though it was just a dream and he wasn''t at fault. Hera instantly sat upright, cautious and worried that Hunter had misinterpreted her.

    "I''ve been trying to tell you, Hunter, it''s your anger issues that triggered my fears. Though it was only a dream, the anger you showcased left its deep impact," Hera rified, specifying the real reason behind her apprehensions. It was why she couldn''t take their rtionship to the next level, although she desired to feel and experience the romantic intimacy of their love.

    It was hard for Hera to get over the look she saw on Hunter''s face when he yanked the towel off her body. She didn''t hide it from him anymore and revealed how the glimpses of that nightmare still kept shing in her field of vision every time she stood in front of the mirror after taking a bath. Ever since she saw Hunter beating Nathan, that violent side of Hunter''s personality troubled her deeply, and she admitted the same out loud.

    Hunter still had his arms enclosed around Hera, providing the warmth offort. He ced a soft kiss on her temple, a kiss to express his apology.

    "I still get nightmares about Nate. I could never forget how you tortured him. That day I was terrified of you, of the intensity of your anger, of what you are capable of," Hera confessed, looking him in the eyes so intentively and deeply that Hunter felt she was staring straight into his soul. "That''s why ra could nt the seeds of doubt so effortlessly in my head," she concluded, hoping it conveyed everything she wanted him to know.

    "Goddess, I''m so sorry that you went through so much trauma because of me," Hunter could hardly voice out, his throat constricted painfully at the realisation that he had hurt Hera so much even though he had taken a vow to keep her always safe and happy. He never knew his anger had left such a deep wound in her heart. It killed him to hear her say she was terrified of him.

    "I promise you won''t ever suffer because of me," Hunter swore, his tone firm with determination. Hera cupped his face with her palms and leaned up to kiss his bleary eyes shining with overwhelmed emotions. She took a deep breath before voicing her next question.

    "Hunter, what happened with Nate after I left?" Hera asked, crossing her fingers and praying to hear the only answer she was hoping for him to say. "Did he," she paused, nervous and uncertain, "Did you," she left the question iplete, not daring toplete it.

 Chapter 294 Hes Bringing Her Home

    Tworge palms reached around, covering her eyes from behind. Felicity would have rolled her eyes to show how annoyed she was, had he not covered her eyes. She had been waiting for him for thest twenty minutes and had finished herrge cup of coffee.

    She tossed aside the business magazine she was reading and brought her hand to her face to pry the fingers off her eyes.

    Turning her head, she red at the culprit, who grinned from ear to ear, charming and seductive as always.

    "You''rete," the sweet feminine voice reprimanded Alexander. He chuckled while his wife chastised him because he spent so long in the office, even though he had promised to finish his work early. Felicity had made shopping ns with her husband. She wrapped up her work as soon as possible and drove to Alexander''s office so they could leave together for shopping.

    Every trace of annoyance vanished from her face, and a warm smile reced Felicity''s scowl as the employees walked out of the meeting, striding to greet her on their way.

    Alexander moved to the side to stand beside her and watched her interacting with his staff. People were always amazed by Felicity''s maic personality, posh and polite, charming yet authoritative. It was so fascinating to watch hermanding attention and appreciation so effortlessly.

    Alexander would probably be looking like a fool, grinning for no reason. He didn''t give a damn, though. It was his great pleasure to admit that the brilliant woman with beauty and brains was his to admire and worship. It didn''t matter if he came across as her obedient assistant standing behind her, waiting for hermand.

    Felicity felt his stare and turned her head only to catch him scanning her form from head to toe for no reason. Alexander shamelessly grinned when she sent a subtle re his way in a warning. Felicity couldn''t tame her lips from giving away, and they twitched into a smile. It was both astonishing and embarrassing at the same time how much her husband swoons over her.

    Alexander''s phone went off suddenly, pulling him out of his private thoughts, and he had to cease his divine mission of idolising his wife to check his phone. It was Mathew''s call, so Alexander received the call immediately. He lifted his index finger, signalling Felicity that he would be back in a minute and walked into his office.

    "Hmm," Alexander let out a neutral sound in acknowledgement as Mathew started speaking without bothering to exchange any pleasantries. Alexander closed the door to finish their phone conversation in the privacy of his office while Mathew reported about the oue of his visit to Italy and California.

    Pulling the swivel chair out from the table, Alexander satfortably leaning back. His left hand supported the weight of his cell phone against his ear while his free hand yed with the square transparent paperweight on the table.

    "As I said, all''s fine in Italy. Luca still has some sense not to try his luck against Francesco Carlo. The man would''ve roasted that rat to death if he had dared to even think about setting foot within his premises," Mathew said, amused and proudughtercing his tone.

    Mathew had confirmed the safety of Alexander''s parents and his inws two days ago. Yet, Alexander couldn''t stop himself from asking again. Mathew knew Alexander was worried. After all, the mafia lord had a weakness too. Like any other normal human being, he was also scared of losing his loved ones.

    Alexander smiled, relieved that his family was safe. Though Alexander never doubted that Francesco would handle everything all by himself, he couldn''t stop worrying about his father. So Mathew had doubled the security on Alexander''smand and had warned their men to be extra careful with his family''s protection.

    Alexander had pressed Mathew to stay a day more in Italy even though he had reported that his family was far away from any danger.

    Mathew had to personally monitor Luca Baresi''s every activity to assure himself the whole situation remained under his control, as Alexander wouldn''t trust anyone other than him.

    However, Luca was too careful and discreet about his ns if he had any against Francesco. Mathew couldn''t trace any sign of contact made between Luca and Jackson, whom the former had entrusted the responsibility of arranging the bounty on Alexander''s son.

    Mathew immediately got to his work as soon as hended in California. Alexander had called for an underground meeting. Upon hismand, all the sinners in the crime world in and around California had gathered in one ce. It didn''t take Mathew more than an hour to locate Jackson''s roots. Jackson was the youngest son of a local gangster who dealt with drugs and prostitution.

    "I''ve been monitoring his phone calls, and neither Luca nor Jackson reached out to each other after Jackson flew from London," Mathew said.<sub> </sub>

    Alexander''s green eyes darted to the door as a brief knock interrupted him before his assistant peeked his head inside. Alexander let go of the paperweight for a second to wave his index finger twice in dismissal. The assistant got the message and immediately pulled the door close before vanishing from Alexander''s sight.

    Felicity sighed at the assistant''s hesitant shrug of shoulders. She dismissed him with a polite smile before barging inside her husband''s office. How dare he ignore her presence again for his stupid phone call? The assistant hade with her message for Alexander to remind him she was waiting for him.

    "Then where has that bastard been hiding, Matt? What''s taking you so long to wound your hand around his neck and strangle him?" Alexander snapped into the phone as his patience was wearing off. Jackson had been ying hide and seek for two days, and Mathew hadn''t been able to track him yet.

    "Is everything alright?" Felicity asked from the door. Alexander lifted his eyes to meet Felicity''s and instantly nodded his yes to her question upon seeing the frown of worry on her gorgeous face.

    Felicity crossed her arms and red at her husband, sceptical of his response. She could clearly pick up traces of anger and frustration from his bodynguage. It wasn''t helping that she heard him yelling at Mathew. Alexander got the hint and walked across the table to reach her. He wrapped his free hand around her shoulder, gently guiding her to the chair.

    "Both our parents back home are safe, and so are our boys in London," Alexander assured and smiled before pecking her temple. "It''s just some cleaning Mathew is up to," he exined briefly. When Felicity rxed in her seat, he walked back to his chair. Eyes still trained on Felicity, Alexander resumed his conversation with Mathew.

    Alexander heard themotion through the phone. A strained voice was pleading for his son''s life. It didn''t take him more than a second to know it was Jackson''s father. Alexander cautiously moved away from Felicity to make sure she wouldn''t overhear his conversation and stood near the window, ear glued to his cell phone.

    On the other side, ignoring the man''s desperate cries, Mathew spoke into the phone.

    "He runs a sex parlour. They sell minor girls as sex ves to rich assholes and supply drugs to all the schools and colleges in California," Mathew revealed. Alexander caught on to how Mathew forced the words through his gritted teeth.

    Mathew informed him further that Jackson''s father imed to have no hand in his son''s conspiracy. It seemed Jackson had taken up this new job of bounty hunting with the greed of making extra money. Mathew had no reason not to believe what Jackson''s father admitted. Mathew had done his homework the previous day.

    Alexander couldn''t me Jackson for epting Luca''s deal, though. It was too good an opportunity for anyone to reject. Luca had offered a hefty amount of cash. After all, he had ced a bounty on the head of Alexander''s son, not any ordinary boy''s head. If only Jackson had known who he was trying to kill.

    "Don''t waste too much time on him, Matt. I want you here by the time Junior reaches home," Alexander voiced. He wasn''t requesting but merely ordering, and Mathew wasted no time in agreeing. Mathew couldn''t wait to get his hands on Jackson and strangle him to death, as Alexander suggested earlier.

    "By the way, I have news for you," Mathew said as an afterthought. He internally scolded himself for forgetting to provide Alexander with this essential information. It skipped his mind in his haste to hunt Jackson. He wouldn''t have remembered if Alexander didn''t mention Hunter. "Your boy is bringing his girl home," Mathew revealed.

    Though Hunter had asked him to keep it a secret, Mathew still obediently reported to Alexander.

    Alexander''s eyebrows arched in surprise at the provided new information, his gaze involuntarily shifting to Felicity. The clever woman, ever the observant, already had her attention fixed on Alexander.

    "Goodness, Matt, it''s quick of him. He''s faster than we thought," Alexander couldn''t hide the amusementcing his tone, effectively catching Felicity''s attention. Thetter lifted one of her perfectly carved eyebrows in a question. The subtle tilt of her head, the excitement mixed with curiosity in her eyes, and a faint hint of a smile on her lips told him she had an inkling of the context.

    Grinning from ear to ear, Alexander winked at his darling wife in response.

    "I wasn''t supposed to reveal it, so please act surprised or something when you meet the girl," Mathew quickly added, drawing a chuckle out of Alexander.

 Chapter 295 Keeping Her Daughter-In-Law

    "Your secret is safe with me, Matt. I didn''t hear anything," Alexander said in assurance, amused at Mathew''s predicament. He knew thetter wouldn''t want to upset his son.

    Mathew shook his head and breathed out a silentugh before muttering a thank you while Alexanderughed at his expense.

    "You know how important it''s for me. I wouldn''t want to lose my little buddy''s trust," Mathew admitted, sounding nervous. He wouldn''t have broken his promise to Hunter if he could hide it from Alexander, but there were rules. The mafia lord had to know everything about his sons, no matter how essential or silly it was.

    "Of course, Matt. I know how much Junior trusts you, and so do I and Felicity," Alexander spoke, appreciation evident in his voice of tone. Mathew sighed in relief. As long as Alexander had his trust invested in him, Hunter shouldn''t find any reason to doubt Mathew''s loyalty.

    "Thank you, brother and good luck with keeping your mouth shut then," Mathew said, teasing Alexander and augh followed right after. He meant to say if only Alexander could hide it from Felicity.

    "Alright, now don''t fret too much about Jackson. I''ll track him down soon, brother. But for now, what do I do with his father?" Mathew asked into the phone, the amusement in his tone from earlier suddenly shifting to fury as he eyed the man in question.

    Alexander knew how much Mathew loathed the thought of selling the human body for sexual pleasures. So, it was clear what Mathew expected in an answer.

    "Go ahead, Matt. You''re free to do as you wish," Alexander dered. He could envision the smile spreading on Mathew''s face after hearing his word. "And, Matt, thank you," Alexander said before disconnecting the call.

    Though Alexander didn''t borate on what he was thanking Mathew for, he knew Mathew would understand. He didn''t need to exin it.

    Alexander would never forget to appreciate how Mathew had dedicated his loyalty to the Carlo family only because Francesco had once saved the boy''s life. Since then, his only priority had always been to keep the Carlo family''s heir safe. He had been through so many obstacles on a personal level in the process. However, nothing changed his priority or his loyalty.

    Both Alexander and Felicity knew Mathew would sacrifice his life in the blink of an eye to save their son''s life if needed, and they were thankful for that. They could sleep peacefully at night only because they had Mathew to guard their son. Though Mathew never expected anything in return, Alexander still conveyed his gratitude every single time.

    At that moment, Alexander briefly remembered the absence of Sebastian beside him. Another of his loyal friend had sacrificed his life for his family''s sake. A mere thank you wouldn''t suffice to convey gratitude for everything Sebastian had done for them.

    ''God, what could I do to bring Sebastian back to life?''

    Alexander suddenly felt suffocated, remorse squeezing his chest painfully. Reflexively, he turned, looking for his Felicity, his sunshine, the anchor to guide him through the dark shadows clouding his senses.

    Meanwhile, Mathew pocketed his cell phone and undid the top two buttons of his white shirt. He shook his cor as if irked by the sweat caused by the heat. Leaning his hip against the table, he crossed his ankles and undid his cufflinks one after the other in a slowzy movement before taking out his gun tucked into the back of his waistband.

    The pleased smile on Mathew''s face broadened into a grin while he pulled the trigger in the next second.

    As soon as Alexander ended the call, Felicity arched her eyebrows, a silentmand for her husband to speak. However, her gorgeous hazel eyes widened in rm as soon as she discovered the despair in Alexander''s eyes.

    "What''s wrong, Alexander?" Felicity asked in concern.

    Alexander shook his head, wing his way out of the dark abyss, the light in her eyes pulling him out of the hellhole and guiding him back to his paradise.

    Smiling at her, Alexander pocketed his phone and offered his hand for her to take.

    "I already told you everything is fine," Alexander said, pulling her into his arms. Felicity let him find his peace and held him in her tight embrace until the stiffness in his shoulders eased, and he rxed in her arms.

    "I don''t like it when you hide things from me," Felicity said, pulling away from the hug to scowl at Alexander in discontentment.

    An affectionate smile filled with love and gratitude found its way onto Alexander''s face.<sub> </sub>

    "Don''t worry, angel, you made everything alright. You always do. I''m fine," Alexander assured before he captured her lips with his. He hissed at the stinging pain when Felicity bit his bottom lip a bit hard. He felt her smile against his lips.

    Alexander pulled away, a scowl taking over his face while he yfully red at her. Grinning goofily at him, Felicity kissed him again.

    "Is my little troublemaker bringing his girl home?" Felicity stated more than asked, her lips brushing over Alexander''s with each word.

    Her question effectively took his mind off whatever unpleasant feeling bothered him a while before as she cleverly changed the subject. Alexander stared wide-eyed with his jaw dropped in stupefaction. He seemed tongue-tied, making Felicityugh in amusement.

    "Close your mouth, Alexander. You''ll catch a fly," she said, bringing her index finger under his chin to help him shut his mouth,ughing all the while at his dumbfounded expression.

    Fond and smitten, Alexander watched her gorgeous smile while she brushed his hair back with her fingers before leaning up to kiss his forehead. It was her way of healing his pain, and Alexander couldn''t thank his luck enough for blessing him with her presence in his life.

    "You witch, how the fuck do you know everything with such uracy before I could voice it out? Did you put a spell to invade my brain or something?" Alexander asked, marvelling at her mastery of seeing through him like a mirror. Felicity bumped her forehead to his, giggling at his fond smile and affectionate gaze.

    "Did you think you could hide it from me?" asked Felicity, pulling Alexander out of his office by his shirt''s cor. "I don''t need witchery to know what my boys are up to because I know all three of you like the back of my hand," she whispered on her way out as if sharing a secret with him. Alexander looked at her only to find her rudely smirking at him.

    "You sure do," agreed Alexander, nodding his head, a smile tugging at his lips as well.

    Sleeves rolled up, muscr forearms on disy, Alexander was busy, his hands expertly manoeuvring his car through the traffic. The driver wasn''t even surprised when his boss asked him to step down. Alexander always drove by himself when he was with his wife. He briefly nced at Felicity every now and then while she kept speaking enthusiastically.

    Ever since he confirmed the news of their son bringing his girl home, Felicity was on cloud nine, grinning andughing in delight. She spoke animatedly, using hand gestures and all. Her high-pitched tone proved how excited she was. Not that Alexander wasining, he would do anything to keep that happiness intact on her face forever.

    "Alexander," Felicity called, seeming thoughtful before she continued. Alexander hummed his response while focusing on the road ahead. She turned in her seat to directly face her husband. "I''m wondering," Felicity paused again as if to confirm he was paying attention. "Would they be sharing a room or," she paused once more when Alexander sighed audibly.

    She frowned, noticing the scowl taking over Alexander''s face. He appeared annoyed for some reason.

    "Felci, how many times have I told you to give him some privacy? He is adult enough to decide for himself, so please stop meddling in their business," Alexander remarked, disapprovalcing his tone. Felicity crossed her arms defensively, eyeing her husband with the same displeased scowl he directed at her.

    "Yes, I''m aware he''s an adult, but we can''t say the same about the girl," Felicity pointed out. Alexander didn''t look at her, but the way he furrowed his eyebrows confirmed he processed the meaning behind her point. "I recall you said she''s the younger sister of one of his friends, which means she''s probably younger than our boy," she specified.

    Alexander shook his head in annoyance. He once again tried to exin to Felicity that the kids might not appreciate it if she interfered too much in their personal affairs.

    "Junior is sensible and mature enough to distinguish between right and wrong. Trust him, Felci, and it''s their preference, not ours," Alexander stated firmly. Though Felicity''s worries were thoughtful and rational, Alexander still thought it would be wise to give the children some space. They were grown-ups, after all.

    He heard Felicity sighing a bit loudly before she spoke her agreement. She shrugged as if admitting defeat.

    "All right, I give up. They can share the bed if they would like to," Felicity said. Alexander nced at her right in time to notice the delighted smile lighting up her face. Well, he didn''t have to wait much to learn about her exciting thoughts because she voiced them in the next second.

    "Alexander, I have an idea. What if we married them off as soon as they arrived? Then they can happily share the bed all they want, and I get to keep my daughter-inw with me," Felicity dered, seemingly too satisfied with her conception.

    Alexander whipped his head in her direction, too shocked at what she suggested.

 Chapter 296 Shattered Dreams And Empty Happiness

    "You''ve got to be kidding me!" Alexander expressed incredulously.

    Stunned, he stared at his wife. However, Felicity was too excited, lost in her thoughts, probably nning the supposed wedding in her mind already. She didn''t notice how Alexander''s eyes widened in disbelief or how he pursed his lips both in displeasure and disapproval.

    "Oh, I''m going to love my days ahead, wedding shopping with her and all. I can''t wait, and I''ll personally design their rings," Felicity announced, sharing her ideas about all the details she would add to their custom-made wedding rings.

    Alexander was thankful for the red signal and mmed his foot on the brakes. He would have pulled it to the side anyway. Felicity was so ahead in her ns she certainly wouldn''t have paid heed to his word of disagreement. It was required of him to face her when he spoke to her. That way, it would be easier to put some sense into her foggy brain.

    "Felci, did you hear yourself? You sound so ridiculously absurd right now. How conveniently you forgot what you pointed out a few minutes ago," Alexander said, which sounded more like scolding, and Felicity didn''t like his tone.

    "That little girl is not even an adult yet. They''re still in high school, for God''s sake, Felci, and you''re nning their wedding," Alexander pointed out, his voice a bit harsher than he intended. Resting his hands on the steering wheel, he stared at Felicity to find her at the loss of words as what he said registered in her brain.

    A few secondster, Felicityughed, nervous and almost timid, trying to conceal her blunder. She looked away as if the view in the window suddenly became fascinating and shook her head. Alexander knew her inside and out, so he could see when she masked her real emotions before stering a fake smile across her face, a cover-up for her slip.

    "God, Alexander, chill. I was," Felicity paused to take a deep breath and licked her lips, "Jesting. It was a joke." Sheughed again to emphasise her statement. "Your face, you look so pale," she said, giggling when she finally faced him. Alexander obviously didn''t find the humour in her feignedughter. He tilted his head and fixed her with a hard stare.

    Felicity sighed, annoyed that he didn''t buy her lies and defeated that he so transparently saw through her. Scowling, she crossed her arms, probably to appear more defiant, Alexander guessed.

    "Huh, you''re no fun," Felicity huffed and instantly added, "And so boring."

    Alexander only stared harder in return. She peeked through hershes to see his re intensifying and rolled her eyes. "All work and no y has made you dull," she dered. "Stop frowning so much. The lines on your forehead make you look old and ugly," she snapped, irked at hisck of response.

    The signal turned green, and Alexander resumed his driving. He bit his lip but failed to tame the smile that fought its way out. Felicity caught him smiling and grinned, relieved that the tension eased from his handsome face.

    "You''re old but not ugly at all," Felicity amended her earlier statement. "You''re still the most handsome, gorgeous man I''ve everid my eyes on," she dered, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

    "Handsomer than your little troublemaker?" Alexander asked, a teasing lilt to his tone. Felicityughed, kissing his cheek again. "He''s not here to know, so can say yes," he proposed.

    "Don''t push your luck too much, Alexander," Felicity pretended to reprimand, despite her delightedughter that followed after, and Alexander was too enchanted by her gorgeousughter to care about her negative response.

    Eyes trained on the road ahead, Alexander took her hand and brought it to his lips to ce a soft kiss on the back of her hand. Felicity''s gaze never wavered from his face. She smiled, her heart-shaped, full lips stretching into a wide grin. When her husband nced at her, she widened her eyes and arched her brows. Alexander heard the silent "What?" written over her face.

    "My angel, I know you''re excited to meet our boy''s girl, but let the poor girl breathe, okay? You''ll scare her away if you don''t stop with this madness," Alexander said in a softer tone, his gaze full of affection.

    Felicity nodded her agreement, seemingly thoughtful.

    "I do know, Alexander. I was so eager to have her in my life and cherish her I got carried away. I''m sorry," Felicity smiled, but it had a tinge of sadness underneath it. She promptly looked away, avoiding Alexander''s eyes.

    Alexander still had her hand in his. sping their fingers together, he let their joined hands rest on hisp. He thoughtfully let the silence linger for a few seconds more to give her the time to gather her overwhelming emotions.<sub> </sub>

    "I''m here for you, angel," Alexander spoke, drawing Felicity''s attention back to him. He squeezed her hand gently, thumb rubbing over her knuckles. "I know it wasn''t a joke to you. Now tell me the real reason behind your lie," he easily coerced her to open up. He knew it when her small smile reached her eyes.

    "I mean, what are you truly feeling right now? I know something is bothering you," Alexander stated the obvious, patiently waiting for her confession.

    Felicity lifted their intertwined hands, bringing them close to her, only to keep Alexander''s hand sandwiched between hers. She kissed his hand before hugging it to her chest.

    She frowned, her brows furrowed as if suddenly noticing something crucial. "Please tell me when you need your hand to shift the gears," Felicity said, her tone half-joking and half-serious. It was ame attempt at a joke to lighten up her tense shoulders. Alexanderughed nevertheless, the deep rich sound soothing her nerves.

    However, when Felicity spoke again, Alexander''s smile instantly died down.

    "My wish to have a daughter never came true, Alexander," she voiced in a low whisper, sadness dripping from her voice.

    Alexander listened to her confessions, word by word, while it shattered his heart. He couldn''t disagree with anything she expressed. It was all true. Their every dream and every happiness seemed meaningless without their beloved daughter by their side. Their happy family was always iplete without Hera.

    "Our wedding anniversaries, the birthday parties we hosted, every Christmas and new year, and every joyful celebration all felt empty without Hera, Alexander," Felicity confessed. Alexander could only nod. His throat constricted painfully, and he couldn''t speak, afraid he wouldn''t be able to stop his tears, whereas Felicity kept shedding her tears freely.

    When tears blurred his vision, Alexander stopped the car, parking at the corner of a random road. His phone rang in the next two seconds, and his security in charge, Norman, the second inmand after Mathew, spoke, asking if anything was wrong. Alexander uttered a firm no into the phone before ending the call. He took off his seatbelt and moved closer to pull Felicity into his arms.

    "I was ecstatic when you said my boy is bringing a girl home. I was short of words to express my happiness," Felicity admitted, sniffing into his chest. She had no shame in epting she was selfish and greedy. She would wee any tiny possibility of having a daughter in any way or form. "A daughter-inw is also a daughter, right? I was ready to ept and cherish her presence in our life," she conceded, looking into Alexander''s eyes.

    Alexander nodded in understanding, tightening his arms around her. Resting her head on Alexander''s chest, Felicity wept in silence, mourning all their dreams which never turned into reality.

    The sudden movements outside caught her attention as she noticed the guards pacing back and forth around their car. She frowned after realising what was happening. Since Alexander had parked the car on the wrong side, the guards were cautiously ensuring no other vehicles passing by crashed into theirs.

    "Alexander, I think we''re causing inconvenience to people. We should move," Felicity said, still surveying the situation outside. "It''s okay. You don''t have to worry. It doesn''t matter," she heard Alexander say indifferently, his tone dismissive.

    Sheughed at his unconcerned response, too pleased because it only conveyed how much Alexander treasured her. Nothing else mattered to him except her.

    "My very whipped husband, I appreciate the concern but drive now. I''m fine," Felicitymanded, her voice of tone firm yet fond.

    "In a while. I need a moment," said Alexander, surprising Felicity. That was when she lifted her face to look at him and saw the unshed tears brimming in his eyes. He looked so vulnerable and broken that Felicity''s heart constricted in guilt. She was so busy basking in the warmth of his arms while he consoled her miserable heart that she forgot they were in the same sinking boat and Alexander had suffered as much as she did.

    Tilting her chin up, Felicity moved to kiss Alexander''s eyelids one after the other. Tears rolled down his cheeks just like the way raindrops left on the leaves or flower petals would when they were blown away by a gust of wind after the rain. Alexander took a deep breath, swallowing the lump in his throat. Cupping his face in her palms, Felicity wiped his tears before kissing him on the mouth, swallowing his whimpers.

    Behind their closed eyelids, they both envisioned the same dreaming true, where they saw their son and daughter growing up together, bickering one moment and adoring each other the next moment. It crushed their hearts to remember their little, happy family, their paradise that Johnathan Castenos had destroyed so mercilessly.

 Chapter 297 A New Ray Of Hope

    Alexander draped one of his arms around Felicity, pulling her closer. She smiled warmly at him, resting her hand over his chest, feeling the rhythm of his steady heartbeats under her palm. Alexander''s hand instinctively reached over, covering her palm with hisrger one before kissing the crown of her head.

    "Alexander," Felicity called, her soothing voiceplimenting the tenderness spilling from her gaze. Alexander hummed a response.

    "I can forget and forgive every betrayal and every crime of Johnathan, but the only thing I''ll never forgive him for is stealing our daughter from us," Felicity dered. Had he not abducted Hera from them, life would have been so much easier and happier.

    "I promise, angel, this wait will be over soon. The pain we suffered waiting for Hera''s return over the years, it''ll all be worth it in the end," Alexander affirmed. He had a strong feeling that Hera would be with them soon. "Trust me, Felci, I know it in my guts. Hera is near," he stated. Felicity wished it to be the truth, and she never doubted Alexander. If he said it, she had no reason not to believe him.

    "Closer than we know," Alexander whispered more to himself, almost inaudibly. "She''ll be home soon, Felci," he promised. His men had recently reported to him about a phone call at ungodly hours made by Johnathan. The suspicious call hinted at a lead Alexander had waited for so long in all these years.

    Alexander knew Johnathan depended on Rouvin for his illicit, secretive affairs, and Rouvin had been too clever to leave any trace behind so far. However, a recent misstep leaked an unknown number for Alexander to proceed further.

    Alexander''s assuring smile was all Felicity needed. Warmth spilt around her heart as a new ray of hope blossomed. Returning his smile, Felicity motioned him to resume his driving. Alexander obliged hermand, and afterwards, it was a smooth drive infortable silence. He nced at her every now and then to check if she was alright.

    The deep sadness pooled in Alexander''s eyes diminished upon seeing her smile, a glum one but a smile nheless. He knew she was reliving one of their moments from the past.

    "My little boy was so sad and heartbroken when I sent him away that day," Felicity recalled. The feeling of pensive sadness once again surrounded the air while their thoughts raced down the path of memoryne. The image of little Hunter ring at his parents with his chubby cheeks soaked with tears and rosy lips jutting out in an angry pout seemed too fresh in their memories, as though it happened yesterday.

    "He was struggling so hard to stop his tears. My boy wanted to be brave even though he was scared to leave me," Felicity said, smiling at the image. Her voice held pride, and Alexander let out airyughter. How could they not be proud of their little boy for holding onto his pride till thest moment?

    Alexander remembered how his little brat threw tantrums solely to get a reaction from his mother. Felicity had refused to speak to him. The silence was Hunter''s punishment. Both father and son detested it so much when Felicity gave them the silent treatment.

    "He wasn''t scared because you sent him away. He was mad at you because he hated your way of punishment, the silent treatment and also you refused toply with his demand," Alexander pointed out, reminding the actual reason behind Hunter''s anger.

    "Oh yes, of course, his marriage proposal to Hera," Felicity filled in andughed, which held genuine merriness this time. "How can I not remember his epic vow before leaving? That little devil was so adamant," she concluded with a shake of her head.

    Their little boy had sessfully pulled them both out of their gloomy mood. Alexanderughed along with Felicity reminiscing the joyful days they lived before disaster struck in the form of Johnathan.

    "Felci, figuratively speaking," said Alexander, ncing at her briefly before continuing, "if Hera was still with us, would you have approved if Junior grew up with the same intention?" he asked. Felicity frowned, notprehending the meaning behind the question.

    "To marry her, I mean," he rified.

    Alexander didn''t dare look at her while she appeared in deep thought. He didn''t know what exactly he was expecting an answer, but for some reason, he felt nervous. He didn''t even know where the damn thought came from, and now he was probably afraid of upsetting her. As Felicity took too long to respond, Alexander decided to let it go.

    He noticed the cars his men escorting them in, one leading the way while the other trailed behind, slowed down. Both the drivers honked their horns, signalling they had arrived at their destination.

    Alexander followed the one ahead, taking a right turn to park. He took his suit jacket off, tossing it to the back seat. He got rid of his tie as well before getting out.

    Meanwhile, the guards took their positions, providing them with safety. Norman rushed to open Felicity''s door.

    Shoving a hand into his pocket, Alexander brushed his hair with his free hand while he waited for her to walk across the vehicle to join him. He caught Felicity''s lips pursing into a thin line as her eyes scrutinised the assembled guards. Her eyebrows nted with a frown of displeasure taking over her features.

    "Norman, I permit only two of you to apany us. Let''s not trouble the public and scare them away," Felicity affirmed. Norman inclined his head at the firmmand. However, he couldn''t stop his eyes from briefly ncing at Alexander to get his approval. His boss had his attention solely fixed on thedy, a charming smile ying at his lips and an outstretched hand waiting for her to take it. Norman got the message and signalled his team to obey thedy''smand.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Inside the shopping arcade,

    Alexander was trailing beside Felicity, matching step to step. It had been an hour or two since they walked into the building, and now he was bored. Yet, he was patient and obedient, nodding yes and no, adding his opinion here and there.

    Sue him for willingly enduring the pain and not daring to defy his woman. Alexander was too much in love with his angel to deny her anything and upset her.

    So far, they had shopped for furniture, cots and beds, bedspreads, pillow covers and curtains, bedmps, and everything a bedroom would require because Felicity decided her sons'' bedrooms needed a makeover. Alexander had suggested hiring an interior designer for the nth time, and he would bring the best one, but Felicity had outright declined the idea.

    She loved pampering her boys and would love to decorate their bedrooms all by herself. After all, the mother knew the best. However, Alexander was worried that she would overexert herself in her excitement to please her children.

    "No, get me a shade darker," Felicity said to the young girl, rejecting her suggestion for the nth time. The sales staff attending them couldn''t even dare to sigh though it was clear as a day they were exhausted. Who could me them when the customer was Felicity Hunter herself? The woman was a perfectionist. Nevertheless, they aimed to please her no matter how impossible the task seemed.

    Alexander knew what shade Felicity was demanding, but he didn''t know why. Michael loved colourful themes, whereas Hunter preferred ck or grey like his father, and Felicity had already purchased everything needed for their respective rooms as per their taste.

    Felicity was searching for a particr shade of deep purple.

    Alexander shook his head as a smile slowly crept onto his face.

    "What do you need it for, Felci?" he asked matter-of-factly.

    "I''m preparing the room for our special guest," Felicity said, her hand reaching up immediately, pressing a finger to his lips when he opened his mouth, probably to reprimand her. "I know, I know, I''m not intruding or trying to influence their decision. I want to keep everything ready in advance just in case, you know," she offered in her defence.

    Alexander''s brow arched up, eyes intently scanning her face.

    "Felci, do you realise it doesn''t automatically be everybody''s favourite colour just because we love it?" asked Alexander. His alert eyes suddenly focused on the pile the staff were clearing. He found the exact shade his wife had been looking for and signalled them to bring it over.

    "I think I found your colour, Felci," Alexander announced, lifting the material in his hands to examine. Felicity beamed, approving the colour and requesting the attending staff to pack everything.

    "That girl stole my boy''s heart, Alexander. Trust me, if she loves my boy as much as I do, then I bet this particr shade of purple is her favourite colour, too," Felicity dered, answering his previous question.

    Alexander rolled his eyes, but the fondness in them never wavered.

    Felicity tilted her head, looking up at him through her prettyshes, the glint in her hazel eyes lighting up her whole face. Her happiness meant everything to Alexander. His lips stretched subconsciously, a default setting at this point, really. As her radiant smile melted his insides, he couldn''t help smiling, matching her bright one.

    They finally left the shopping arcade, the guards carrying the bags. Alexander took her to eat at her favourite ce.

    It was a long day, and they were exhausted when they reached home. Alexander suggested showering together to save time and water. He wanted nothing more than to make love to his beloved wife and cuddle her to sleep.

    However, Felicity had other ns, much to his disappointment.

    What a bummer!

 Chapter 298 Life Couldnt Get More Beautiful

    Felicity dered she wanted to set the rooms right away.

    Alexander scowled, his unimpressed gaze fixed on her. Just as he feared, she was all set to overwork herself.

    "Shouldn''t you be tired and hitting your bed to rest or something by now? We have been busy the whole day," Alexander expressed his disapproval.

    Felicity eyed him incredulously when he suggested they could do it tomorrow. She crossed her arms in front of her and sighed, seemingly annoyed at her husband''s forgetfulness and spoke, gritting her teeth only to remind him that their boys would be home tomorrow, and she intended to have their rooms ready by then.

    "It looks like you''re ageing before time, Alexander. Your memory power is fading out quickly," she said, clearly intending to irk him.

    Now it was Alexander''s turn to huff in frustration. He red, eyes sharp and intensely fixed on her.

    "I''m ageing fine, and my memory works perfectly fine, too," he spat bitterly, more evidence that her words got to him. Felicity smirked in satisfaction.

    "And if you wanted everything ready before the boys made it home, then you should have nned and prepared everything ahead of time. You''re not a superwoman to do everything within the blink of your eye," said Alexander arguing defiantly.

    Felicity smiled, sweet and seductive at the same time. She uncrossed her arms and walked closer to Alexander, hips swaying sensually, steps deliberately slow and calctive, stopping only when they were inches apart. Her smile turned into a wide grin, her hazel eyes never parting from his green ones.

    Alexander narrowed his eyes, frowning in suspicion, while Felicity lifted her hand only to cup his cheek in her palm.

    "Aw, is my darling husband worried about me? How sweet of you, Alexander," Felicity cooed, sighing dreamily.

    Alexander''s jaw clenched as he gritted his teeth. He tilted his head to the side, fixing her with a dirty look, displeased by the utterly sweet, sarcastic tone she used. But before he could say something mean in retaliation, Felicity beat him to it.

    "If only your forgetful brain could remember, I''ve been trying to persuade you for a week to make time for the shopping. If you did, we would have it covered ahead of time, as you said," Felicity pointed out, and that effectively shut him up. He didn''t have any valid or solid grounds for his argument anymore to carry on because she was right.

    However, Alexander felt petty right then because she had called him aged and forgetful twice. It had bruised his pride. How could he let her have thest say? So he opened his mouth to argue like the petnt, immature, bratty kid.

    "Sweetheart, you conveniently forgot that I''ve also been trying to persuade you for a week that we should hire someone professional for this job. Huh, if only you would listen," Alexander said, throwing his hands in the air because he thought it was necessary to bring the added effect to their argument. Also, he wanted to have the upper hand.

    Felicity rolled her eyes and walked to the nearest sofa to sit. Bending her upper body, she busied herself in undoing the belts of her sandals. Alexander was annoyed that she didn''t react to his brillianteback and tantly ignored him. He was almost ready to apologise, thinking he had hurt her feelings with his rude attitude, but then Felicity lifted her head to look at him.

    "I told you, Alexander, I want to do it myself. It''s my choice," she stated firmly, "and if your aged bones are too weak to do any hard work, don''t bother. I''ll manage just fine," she announced. Setting aside her footwear, she stood, walking over to unpack the shopping boxes.

    Alexander''s eyes widened to their fullest while his jaw dropped in disbelief at what he heard her say.

    ''The fuck? Did she really say that, or did I hear wrong?''

    He was offended.

    Her absurd words had brutally hurt his male pride.

    Alexander scowled, fingers working on his shirt, quickly pulling it out of his trouser''s waistband. He undid the first three buttons of the shirt, disying his golden skin, before working on his cufflinks. Shoving his hands into his trousers pockets, he walked closer to the gorgeous woman in front of him.

    "What?" Felicity asked, her brows furrowed in concentration.

    "I''m going to spank you hard if you say you''re tired when we hit the bed," Alexander said as a warning. Felicity now arched her perfectly carved eyebrows and looked at him, an amused smirk twitching at her lips.

    "It''s not how you behave if you were awaiting your rewards after all the day''s hardbour. What''s with the attitude, Alexander? I would watch that tone if I were you," she said, shaking her head in dissatisfaction.

    "What attitude, Felci? You''re the one pushing my buttons to their limit. You''ve been digging at my stamina level a lot today," Alexander snapped. He didn''t want to sound harsh, but he couldn''t hide the resentment in his tone. Could you me him, though? No man would digest the insult when his woman questioned his male strength, and it pissed him off for real.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Felicity furrowed her eyebrows, frowning in confusion as though she didn''t grasp the context of their argument.

    She was upset because Alexander was not letting her proceed with her ns. She knew he worried that she would tire herself with all the work. However, it irked her sometimes that he treated her like a porcin doll as if she would break into pieces if one touched her a bit firmly.

    She was pushing his buttons purposefully because that was the only way to manipte him to do her bidding. Felicity wanted to do everything by herself. After all, she expected perfection.

    "I was talking about your aged bones-" she was saying but got rudely cut off by Alexander before she could finish her sentence.

    "Aged bones, huh?" Alexander forced the words through gritted teeth. He stopped her when she turned to leave, careful to be gentle with his hold on her hand. He wouldn''t hurt her in his dreams, let alone do that with his conscious mind knowingly.

    Felicity sighed as if talking to him had worn her energy out. It only provoked Alexander further.

    It might sound as ridiculous as it was, but he knew he was jealous. Felicity would be too busy to focus on him once their sons returned home. She would prioritise being their mother over being his wife or lover, and he would crave her attention. It was hardpeting with his son. He only wished to have her for himself until then, to cherish every second with her.

    Little did he know, Felicity felt the same.

    They loved their son to the moon and back. However, they loved each other more than life. Felicity knew Alexander would invest all his free time in his boys once they arrived home, and this was all the time she had to let Alexander shower her with all his love. she would no longer be the sole focus of his attention from tomorrow.

    ''How did I end up fighting with her?''

    Alexander mused over the thought. Yet, he was petty and didn''t want to lose.

    "Come on, Felci, let''s go to bed, and I''ll show you how my aged bones would do wonders to your body when you''re under me, writhing and moaning in pleasure," he announced proudly.

    Felicity rolled her eyes and shook her head as his arms closed around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest.

    "Seriously, Alexander, you men should stop thinking with your dick and use your brain for once. It''s high time," she retorted, annoyed at her husband''s pettiness.

    "YOU are the oneining about my stamina. You never had problems with my strength before. What''s gotten into you today?" asked Alexander, a frown of displeasure taking over his handsome face.

    "I wasn''t talking about your stamina in bed. My diggingment had nothing to do with that snake between your legs," Felicity hissed, returning the re he directed at her. "I was talking about your physical strength because you look tired," she pointed out the obvious.

    It was true. Alexander had a long day at work and then went out with her shopping. He had been patient andplied with her every demand without anyints all evening.

    Felicity wasn''t upset, nor was she petty like Alexander. As he believed, she was cunning. She wasn''t fighting with her husband but cleverly influencing his mind to dance around her tunes. She had no shame in admitting her son had inherited maniptive skills from her.

    Her little troublemaker was both Felicity and Alexander''s world. Her son''s beautiful eyes alone could put the whole gxy to shame. The stars in the sky were nothingpared to the shine in her boy''s eyes.

    She would disagree if anyone pointed out she was jealous of the bonding her husband and son shared. No, not at all. How could she when she knew her son was "Mama''s boy" for sure?

    In Felicity''s smart brain, this emotion she was feeling was never aboutpeting or losing to her son. It was simply love. They fought for each other''s attention because they loved each other. Their petty fights and this ridiculous bitterness were all proof of their unbreakable bond. These silly emotions were what kept them bound to each other.

    As time passed, rtionships were bound to change with time. Most couples would drift apart, or their love would fade with age. They might cheat behind each other''s back and have affairs or find other partners. Felicity had witnessed happenings of such breakups or divorces very often in her social circles.

    Yet, she knew in her heart that nothing in the world would diminish the spark of their attraction to each other. She cherished the unconditional love their hearts held for each other.

    Alexander always said Felicity filled colours to his ck-and-white life. For Felicity, Alexander was her light in the darkness. Their son was their heart, urging it to beat steadily and keeping them alive. With himing home, life couldn''t get more beautiful than this.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!