3
When Claire shook the hazy veil of darkness and came to the surface, the first face she saw was of her mother. Andrea's eyes were red and cheeks flushed. She was in the same dress she donned for Claire and Hunter's wedding anniversary.
It was visible just by looking at her that she didn't leave her daughter's side even for one second.
"Laire, baby," Andrea impatiently leaned towards her daughter and cupped her face.
A tear of relief trickled from her left eye. She kissed her forehead and immediately looked over her shoulder to shout, "Claire is awake, Dominic!"
She turned to her daughter again. She removed hair from her eyes and smiled, "How are you feeling now, honey?"
She touched her swollen lip gently.
Claire just stared back. Her mother's tears made her remember her own. Then it returned to her mind like a slow memory returning to a person suffering with amnesia.
Pain, hot and raw, settled in her chest. Claire recalled how her husband left her outside the hotel they were going to have their anniversary party in. Not just that, he left her for a woman who has caused him irreparable damage for two years.
Claire looked around herself. She was in her bedroom in her parents' house. The red painted walls resembled the blood that was pounding in her veins.
She sought after throwing the blanket aside when her father with Cole, her brother Scott, and her In-laws rushed inside her room.
"Claire," Her father engulfed her in a hug. "My darling, I'm so freaking relieved to see you awake. You almost gave me a heart attack."
He sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her jaw, "Don't you love us, princess?”
The words made her eyes water again.
"I don't think you love us... Otherwise you wouldn't do this to yourself. That too for an asshole who never struck me as anything better than a selfish bastard!"
Dominic didn't care whether old Mr. And Mrs. MacIntyre and Hunter's parents were in the same room. His daughter's heart was broken. He couldn't care less how his words would hit others.
He pressed kisses on Claire's forehead. He had been so worried for her. Claire was his princess. She was the daughter they welcomed after four years of longing for a child. They could cross any limit to bring a smile on her face.
Though Claire respected it. She had a heart that pained in her chest. It was into shreds. Completely shattered... Yet it was still beating.
She couldn't let go of the images of Hunter leaving with Zara.
Claire wiped her tears and slipped out of bed. She tripped as she was mentally disturbed.
"Laire, what are you..." Dominic paused as his breaths got hitched in his throat as Claire looked up.
"Let me go, dad. I need to talk to Hunter."
"Again the same thing!" Dominic almost yelled. "Why do you keep chanting that asshole's name? After what he did you should throw him out of your life like one throws useless plastic wraps. He's not worth it. I'm not letting you go."
Hunter's family's head hung low. They were insulted brutally. However, they felt like they deserved it so none uttered a word.
As for Claire, she didn't wait to give any reason. She had nothing to say to her parents or anyone else. That's because she had no idea why her husband, who doted on her for the last two months, suddenly turned into an ignorant jerk to her.
She came downstairs, taking support of the walls. Her legs were jelly. Her body numb from all the pain. But she struggled to get down while the others followed her.
"You're not going to find him there, Laire." Her father's words stopped her.
Claire looked at him with wet lashes.
Dominic walked towards her and sighed, "The man who left with his ex-girlfriend won't go back home. He'd probably be in one of the hotel rooms fuc..." He gulped his words as tears scorched his eyes.
“Just come back, Claire. I will find you a better husband than him. I swear I would.”
Claire didn't even try to make a comment. She got into her brother's car and fired up the engine.
She came home to dead silence. What was once a merrily buzzing home with her laugher and moans was now dark and void of homely feeling. It felt as if Claire was walking into a newly dug grave.
She felt every bit like a corpse. A walking corpse.
There was no one here. The house was as they left it in the evening. Claire trudged inside into the living room upon their maid, Thea. A remarkable woman of fifty with gorgeous golden hair. She was pallid the moment she watched Claire.
"Mrs. MacIntyre," Thea rushed to help her as she was literally dragging herself.
A nod from Claire froze her inches before she touched her.
"Has Hunter returned home?" She asked with a trembling voice.
The maid stared at her feet, "No, madam."
Claire dismissed her as she settled on the sofa. It was ten past four in the early morning. The atmosphere has become chilly. With her shoulders and arms bare, she felt ice crawling over her skin. Even then she didn't care to warm herself.
She reflected back on their two years relationship.
For the two years, Hunter has been ignorant and cold to her. It was right on the night of their marriage that she realised that it was a marriage of convenience for him.
He never touched her. Let alone give her a kiss.
For the wounds and pain someone else gave him, he was directly punishing her by being ignorant and impassive to her.
She waited there, her eyes glued with the door she left open. She never looked away, waiting impatiently for her husband.
The noise of the arriving car exploded in the air just as the first rays of the sun smiled over the horizon. The living room illuminated with light slowly as ever. Claire's back was erected as she heard the footsteps.
She couldn't stop her heart from thudding relentlessly. She was feeling suffocated all along.
When Hunter came into her line of vision, her chest shivered. He was looking tired. He was enveloped in misery as if his wife was dead.
Nevertheless, it was not the hurt of losing his wife that painted his face pale. By leaving her in the hands of the world to mock her, he showed it that he never cared for her.
Claire's nerves flared up with adrenaline as Hunter noticed her. He was caught off-guard. There was something about his gaze today that said he was not ready to talk to her.
Which husband would after letting his wife down like he did?
Her conscience scoffed. But Claire forced her weak body up. She walked towards him with slow steps. When she reached him, she almost fell on the floor.
Hunter caught her by the waist. Their eyes met. Claire's hands that flew up to his shoulders to steady herself heated up as they came in contact with his hot body.
Having helped her stand straight, he observed her face. He opened his mouth to say something the moment he saw the cut on her lip. A brutal cut that started bleeding as she spoke.
"How is Zara?" She asked, making him look away.
Claire chuckled sarcastically at how he responded.
"You don't expect me to ask about her, do you? Why not after how she stole my husband?" Hunter's jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth.
"Claire, don't drag Zara into this. It wasn't her fault that I left." He began calmly but Claire showed him a palm.
Her chest quivered with pain because he was supporting that woman who just returned after two years. Whereas, the woman who has been by his side for the same two years— his wife, was suffering from a heartbreak and what not but he couldn't look at that.
"You will listen to me today, Hunter. Just listen to me."
Tbc...
335Claire's hands trembled on the handle of the door as she gazed out of the window at the looming mansion that had once been the house of her dreams. She swallowed past the knot forming in her throat as she held herself together. She didn't want to do this. She hadn't done this ever since she left this house after signing the divorce papers. And yet, after all these months, after all the determination and resolution— she was standing here, watching the house while trying not to cry. She came out of the car with Hunter following after her. He was still dressed in his suit, but the doctors had placed his arm in a sling. Since his body was far from recovery and the gunshot wound was very much fresh, sudden activity could worsen the injury. Also, after being unconscious for four days, he wasn't strong enough to carry himself without support. Hence, the sling was meant to stabilize him and ease the pressure on his chest.Anyway, when Hunter noticed her shoulders shaking and tears in h
334"Let go, Claire. I have so much work pending." Hunter said. "Drop this stubborn act and listen to the doctors, Hunter. You are not completely healed." She caught him glaring at her with obvious irritation.She ignored it and motioned him to walk back inside. "Why should I listen to you when you've been ignoring me all this time? I'm fine... And I listened to the doctors! I can leave here. It's you who should stop pretending like nothing happened, Claire. Your plan is blown." He smirked while the doctor who had mistakenly blurted that he could leave flushed in remorse."You thought you could fool me into staying here? Too bad that the doctors can't lie that professionally."Cole and Claire shared a look of defeat. Over these days, they had also reconciled with an inevitable conversation and a hug. Cole apologized for being cold to her and Claire shared her feelings with him. Towards the end they decided to work together and try to keep Hunter in the hospital for as long as it was
333Claire's eyes darkened in rage. She sometimes hated herself for loving this man so much. He had no nice trait if she looked closer. He was stubborn. He was grumpy. He took everyone for granted!Tamping down her frustration, Claire trudged towards the bed and appraised his face with not even a sliver of mercy."What did you do to your mother? Why was she crying outside?""Mom was crying?" Hunter was taken aback. He tried to sit up and Claire just watched him. She didn't even try to come and help him."I did nothing.""You sure... Or is it just that you don't realize it? Like you always don't." She spat outrageously."Mom wanted to stay here. I just asked dad to stop her. She doesn't need to tire herself after me. That's all that happened."Claire gave him a look between disgust and disbelief. She seethed and averted her gaze before she exploded. He was not in the condition to take her verbal abuse. And she sure as hell did not intend to give him a reason to use her actions made in
332Claire had been sleeping in Hunter's car in the parking lot all night.After she had fed him last night, she came down to sit where she had spent four days in the hospital while he was unconscious. She didn't know where else to go nor did she wish to go back to his ward.Sure, the couch installed in the corner of his room appeared cozy and fluffy; it would have seemed that she'd forgiven him if she stayed. She can't leave either because her heart wouldn't allow her to.Hence, she came to the lounge and plopped down on the bench. It was raining again. The winds, though, were quite harsher and colder tonight. Claire was hugging her shoulders when Reggie came and forcefully took her to the parking lot.He opened the car for her, pushed the seats back in the back (for they were adjustable) and created a make-do bed for her."Sir would kill me if I let you spe
331"Is that only why you came— to talk back to that annoying woman?" Hunter's voice was soft, and his hold on her wrist brittle and forceless. Claire could twist her hand free if she wanted. Well, she didn't even have to twist it. Just the harmless act of pulling her hand away would have done the deed.But she stood there, hung there actually, as she let the hotness of his fingers transfer on her cold skin. She was actually remorseful. What she felt right now was a thousand times worse than what she felt when Hunter was shot."I don't think I should stay. Do you realize it or not... It's because of me that you are—""I'm only here because that useless man missed his shot… Which I'm glad he did. I wouldn't have been able to handle myself if you were here. I can't even think about it.” Hunter sighed as he let go of her hand. "Anyway I won't stop you if you don't want to. In fact, you should just go. You must be tired. Go and sleep."Claire slightly tilted her head to look at him. Hunt
330Hunter's POV"His head can fucking explode and his brains can spill around like confetti for all I care!" Tia yelled on top of her annoying voice. "He can even die of overdose. What I care about is my son's reputation and wellbeing. He can't just get up and blame the first person he saw."She seethed, “He’s the kind of person who can never be grateful. My son went out of the way to help him despite their indifference but what did he give him in return? A trip to the jail. Such people are better off dead?”“Why did you save him, huh?” Tia snapped at the doctors."Now there, Mrs. Murphy, you're crossing your line." Claire took a step forward as her voice raised. "I'm being polite and everyone here is listening to your bullshít doesn't mean we're scared of you. We're hardly respecting you for Tyler's sake, alright!"