HAPPY NEW YEAR, FAM!!!! I'M SO HAPPY COZ 24 IS OVER! CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH THAT YEAR TORTURED ME AND MY FAMILY. I want to apologize for leaving you on a cliffhanger but the last night of 24 shook my family badly. One of my beloved has had an accident and I had rush to him at the hospital at 3.30 in the early morning. It was a bad experience. I wish no one should go through that đ But thankfully, 25 is here. Though the beloved in question is having a surgery tomorrow (broken bonesđ) it's not so serious. I mean it was terrifying, but God's been merciful. It could have been worse but it's not. So... The first thing I did after the good news is complete writing this chap đâ€ïž It's still hard to move on, I'm hoping to be consistent with my books for youđ«°-Thank_you_so_much!
300Hunter's own heart was against his idea of meeting Mona. He was on the verge of taking his steps back before the ship sailed forward. He had realized that the ship might sink. And that the voyage wasn't going where he wanted to. He opened his mouth to say what he felt when his phone buzzed. It was laying on the bed and the screen brightened with Claire's name and photo he had stealthily clicked of her in off-white dressâ one that they twinned inâwhen they were in RavenMoore.His lips eased into a smile and he made a beeline towards the bed."Hey, Dove! I was just thinking about you.""Me too." Came her reply, but surprisingly her voice was off and a little heavy.It felt like she was talking to him with a heavy heart, and as if she had been crying."Dove, are you crying?" Everything around him blurred out as only her voice sounded clearly in his ears. Hunter heard her take a deep breath, but it sounded like a sob. "Dove, are you okay?" "I'm not okay, Hunter. I'm hurting."His
299Evening, Hunter's room, Hunter's face was emotionless. It was one expression old Hunter used to wear on his face all the time. That cold expression could be the face of 'I don't give a fuck' phrase."Just this one time... And then, nothing and no one can stop me from being with my Dove." He muttered darkly to himself as he stared at his reflection.He was wearing a shirt. A black shirtâ because Mona just messaged him, asking him to wear black shirt if he was going to choose the option of sleeping with her.Since there was no way he would take Claire there to apologize for no reason, he decided to fulfill this wish of Mona. After all, after this night, he was never going to see her. After this night, nothing was going to create obstacles in the path that led him to Claire.The glint in his eyes was ruthless. He wasn't happy wearing black. Though it was one of the colors he admired the most, today he despised it. Hunter vowed to not wear black unless it was for someone's funeral.
298Perhaps, by those words Hunter meant thisâ to leave her as a toy for the men in jail as her punishment.Perhaps, this was the punishment Hunter planned for her.Zara used her body to get her work done. To manipulate men into helping her destroy Hunter's life one step at a time. In fact, it was her body that she used to seduce him before making him fall in love with her.Hence, by keeping her body in pain and available for the men in jail whenever they wanted, this was how Hunter was taking his revenge on Zara!Blood drained from Cole's face. Shock had stolen his breath until that moment. It was only when the truth settled in that he remembered to breathe again."You know it well that I can easily get out of this jail if I want to. But I'm giving Hunter a chance. He's avenged me enough for his damage. I'm willing to forget everything and move on with a clean slate." Zara's voice tore his reverie and made him turn around. "I'll go my way and Hunter can go to his. After I've complet
297Her body shivered, making Cole feel his own become numb. His voice was lost. He quietly listened to her as he tried to stay composed."S-sometimes they do it all day, all night... Even after I've fainted. T-they use me l-like I'm some kind of séx slave they have the permission to use for their release." She sobbed."Last week it went beyond my level of control, Cole. T-they i-inserted the e-end of a rifle d-deep inside of me. I... I just returned after seeking medical care. I... I don't want to g-go through the same pain again, Cole, which is why I called you here." Zara finished with a hiccup.She extended her trembling hands to get a hold of the glass of water kept beside her on a stool with a jug. Since the tremors running through her hands were wild and violent, the glass slipped from the stool and shattered in pieces while Zara yelped.She was badly traumatized by whatever was happening to her in the confinement."What am I supposed to do for whatever's happening to you?" He
296Warning: The following chapter(s) contain slight descriptions of assaĂșlt. Please proceed with caution! "Z-zara? Is this really you? What has happened to you? You look... So different." Cole's voice was tinged with the shock he felt as he gawked at Zara, who was sitting on the other side of the glass that separated herâ a prisonerâ from himâ a visitor. "Can't believe what you're seeing, right? Just imagine how I look at myself." Zara sneered with tears forming in her eyes. Cole opened his mouth to reply but words got caught in his throat. He was unable to blink his eyes or form a coherent sentence. Zara didn't look like herself. She didn't look like her former self's shadow, let alone the Zara Levine who stirred Hunter's life with her scheming. Her color had become dull, cracks forming on her once-beautiful and radiant face. Her eyes that bewitched a room full of men when she batted her lashes had now become empty. Dark circles had formed around her eyes.Her lips were no longe
295Cole didn't waste a single second and arrived at the hotel. Being rich also meant being in control of many things in life. It was like a cakewalk for him to get into the hotel room booked by Mona. He used the help of the hotel's manager to hide the cameras in the best places, where Mona's face would be clearly visible. Through the manager he also learned that Mona prepared for an old bottle of wine to be sent to her room. She was looking forward to a lovely and hot night with Hunter. When he was leaving the hotel, he found outâ through a cleaning staff memberâ that Mona Rocha had asked for drĂșg tablets. There was someone in the hotelâ Name wasn't specifiedâ who supplied such tablets for visitors on request, and it turned out that Mona was a frequently visiting customer in the hotel. That wasn't all! It was also claimed that Mona had hidden cameras of her own to expose Hunter. Cole's body had stiffened in anger. Mona was preparing to destroy Hunter's life. She wasn't just look
294"Claire? What are you doing here?" Hunter faked shock and excitement when he saw Claire enter his cabin, looking like a princess.Her wide smile made him forget the encounter he just had with Mona Rocha. Although he sweated inside his clothes, his face remained calm and ever so good-looking and unfazed.He caught Claire in his arms and swirled her around. Hugging her tightly to his chest, he closed his eyes. Unfortunately, Mona's crazy expression came to his mindâ along with her threat."I'm giving you one last chance, Hunter. Same hotel, same room, same time... Tonight. Don't stand me up this time. If you don't show up, I swear I'll kill myself. I'm not joking at all, so don't think you can keep wasting my time and assume that I'll get tired and back out. I'll take you down with me to the grave, MacIntyre!"Were Mona's words, and they had left him breathless. She didn't look like she was joking... Or someone who was easily going to back away."I wanted to surprise you." Claire's
293Hunter clutched his hair, taking a second to control his rage and focus on the challenge at hand. He needed to be calm. Anxiety wasn't going to take him anywhere."Should I tell Claire? I don't want her to misunderstand me and the meetings I have with Mona. If she knows everything then I can easily deal with her. Even if she keeps nagging me, Claire will know the truth and understand my situation." Hunter told himself as Fred went out to bring Mona to his office."No. Claire will be worried and I've worried her enough. Mona is my problem. I'll deal with her without Claire knowing. Once she's taken care of, I'll tell her everything. After all, I've promised to not hide anything from her." Hunter smiled, having full faith in his love and his woman that she would understand.In the following minute, Mona entered his cabin. Fred and his twin Ned, were after her. They walked inside behind her and closed the door. They stood on each side of the door, hands folded across from them and wat
292Tears dribbled out of Claire's eyes as she covered her mouth to stop her sobs. Hunter had really caught her off guard with his proof. She traced her shaking fingers on his skin, especially the outline of the heart in which her name was written. The area around the tattoo was red and sore. Hunter softly winced in pain when she lingered her fingers on her name inked on his skin. "Do you like it?" Hunter asked, his eyes searching hers for her emotions. But he only found tears. Tears showing her shock, pain, emotional turmoil and what not. "H-Hunter... This... Why did you have to do this?" She sobbed. Getting up from the table, Hunter sat up straight. He pulled her in his arms. His legs locked behind hers as he lovingly caressed her cheek and kissed her forehead. "Why not? I love you and I want the world to know. Haven't I said this beforeâ The world saw me break your heart. Now they should also see how badly I've fallen in love with you. And this tattoo..." Hunter gave her a cu