303Hunter's lips twisted in disgust. He took a predatory step towards her, but she hid behind Claire. "You're such a liar. I won't let you go out of here alive.""That's what you said to many before me, didn't you? This is how you scared the girls." Mona averted her eyes to Claire. "I agree I'm a certified bitch, Claire, and I liked Hunter. But when he offered to sleep with me, I couldn't digest it. I thought you deserve to know this face of his. It was shocking… That a man who went on his knees in front of so many people, in front of a camera to prove his love for you would do this behind your back.” Mona's voice dripped with manipulation.“Claire, please don't listen to her.” Hunter muttered to himself helplessly as he could see it. Doubt was blooming in her eyes, soft at first but growing stronger with every word Mona spoke. The words were starting to sway her.“That's why I paid an attendant to hide cameras in this room. But he somehow discovered it and you know what he did?"
302His face was so sweaty, it seemed like someone had just sprayed him with a hose. Hunter dashed a hand on his face and took a step towards Claire. "I can explain, Dove." He said beyond the lump forming in his thrust. "That is what every cheater says after getting caught, Claire. Look at his real face. This is the man you loved." Mona charged towards them. She held Claire's hand by the elbow and spoke near her ear, her manipulation strong and powerful, "You heard him right now. He came here to sleep with me instead of bringing you. I was angry about what you did and I told him to bring you to me for an apology. But he said that he would satisfy my desire of sleeping with him instead. He offered his body to me, Claire." "His actual words were— 'I have better ways to compensate you, darling? What good is an apology if she doesn’t mean a single word? But I'll make it worth it in a night...." She smirked evilly as she added in a low voice, "A night which will never seem to end for y
301Reggie nodded whilst clenching his fists. He had the freedom to say his thoughts to Hunter. But he didn't. If his boss thought this was under control, he believed him. Hunter took the elevator to the said floor. He saw a 'do not disturb' tag on the knob of the room he was expected to come at. He knocked on it and in a minute, the door opened. "I'm here." He grumbled under his breath, not even trying to hide his disgust. Mona didn't say anything. She had turned her back to him and started moving inside the room. Hunter followed, his steps small. His legs seemed to have rusted, making his walking difficult. They didn't want him to go inside. Not to mention, the room was veiled in darkness. Utter darkness. Darker than his black suit. When he stepped inside, he became part of the darkness. So did Mona. She was wearing black dress too, surprisingly. "I'm here as you wanted. Let's get this over with and go on our ways." He said, watching Mona walk in the deeper shadows in the room
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 dress— one that they twinned in—when 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 shirt— 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 this— 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