Chapter 20
J
seing her twisted expressions and hearing those mindârotting words, Claire felt a shockwave pass through her. Even though she was aware of what ie said, it still sounded disgusting and heart wrenching to her. She fisted her hands on her side and gritted.
as she even a human? A woman! She canât be. Because a woman would never talk like that to another woman let alone do it.
nless the woman is a loose woman. And to say, Zara seemed to be godmother of them all
You can never win from me. Claire stated
Haha, you cannot win what is already a lost battle, Claire. This was a one sided battle from the very beginning. Donât embarrass yourself more. He a ood girl and stop thinking about Hunter. Divorce lum and find yourself another guy. Zara said haughtily.
You better alter your intentions. Hunter will never be yours as I will not let your plan work.â
Really?â Zara raised an eyebrow while her lips upturned into a smirk resembling Pennywiseâs smirk from IT.
Let me give you a reality check. Perhaps then you will realize what youâre doing is pure selfâhumiliation.â
Zara sat the bowl of fruits aside. She scratched her both hands with her broken and chipped nails, causing blood to ooze out. Claireâs mouth hung open as she witnessed the mad lady pinch her bruised lips. It glistened with newly emerging blood on the corner of her mouth. It slipped down to her chin, resting there before it fell on her breast on her blue patientâs gown.
Claireâs heart was rapidly beating. She couldnât decipher what had suddenly gotten into Zara that she was doing this. She hissed and whimpered from the pain but continued to hurt herself. After scratching her left cheek until it bled, she offered a satanic grin..
She looked to her side on the table beside the fruit bowl and picked up something. There was something glowing in her hold. When Claire observed it closely, it dawned on her that she had a ring. A diamond ring glowing with eyeâblinding radiance similar to hers.
âDo you know what this is? Itâs a promise of marriage given by Hunter to me.
âYouâre lying?â Claireâs breaths hitched.
Thereâs no way Hunter would give her a ring. At least⦠Not yet. Giving a woman a ring meant promising her marriage in their society. Hunter was married to her. He had a wife. He would never do that.
Claire almost believed it to be a bluff until Zara mentioned. He bought me this ring on the day you boastfully claimed to the journalists that everything is good between you and your husband.â
âThatâs a lie.â Claireâs fingers twitched
It couldnât be true.
âI barely shed five fake tears after you called me a widow whore that his heart bled for me. Hunter went out at once and bought this ringâ Zara smirked.
âIt will upset you to know that he put this on my finger himself. On my ring finger.â
âYou lying slut!â
Anger like a sharp knife cut in Claireâs gut. Her chest blistered with searing agony and exasperation. She charged towards Zara, grabbing her hand to snatch the ring away.
That is when Zara smirked again, rendering her frozen. Then the next moment, she seized Claireâs wrist pulling her on herself so that it looked like Claire was attacking her.
âWhat the hell are you⦠Claire was stunned when Zara streamed on top of her lungs.
âClaire, please, please dâdonât hurt me. Ahhhh! Claire, I swear I am not manipulating Hunter, I swear to god
Claireâs mouth hung in incredulity as Zara started screaming those nonsensical words. She tried to snatch her hand back but Zaraâs grip was taut like iron manaries around her wrist.
âZara, let go.â She managed to say, her words half laborious as she struggled to pull her hand back.
âNo, please, Claire, I swear! I swear I will leave. I will go far away from you and Hunter. Please, donât hurt me. Please, it hurts too much.â She said amidst sobbing while her face was set in an evil smile.
Chapter 20
Claire was amazed by her theatrics. She just stared at her, wondering if someone could really be this scheming.
She was lost in thoughts when a hand shoved her back by her shoulders. She came to a screeching stop as her mouth opened on a gasp. Claire missed a painful fall by mere inches as two arms held her by the elbows from the back, stabling her.
âBloody hell Claire heard the blazing exclamation.
Her eyesight had been blurred by unwanted tears when she was shoved back. She fluttered her lashes and tried to focus on the scene unfolding before her. A pang of pain shot through her chest as Hunter was possessively and restlessly cupping Zaraâs cheeks.
âGodâ Who did this to you, Zara?â The concern in his tone froze her.
While Claire never experienced this for herself from the very man who was her husband, she not only saw him caring for another woman but also looking at her so possessively as if she was his prized possession.
âHâhunter, pâplease⦠Please tell Claire that I am not. I am not hâhere to destroy your marriage. Pâplease tell her Iâm not evil. I didnât⦠I didnâtâ¦â Zara hyperventilated as her fingers shook uncontrollably
She seemed to be having a panic attack. But knowing that it was all a pretense, Claire scoffed.
âWhat ar
a nice actor you are, huh! You definitely deserve an Oscar for this.
Hunterâs head swung around, making Claireâs body freeze with terror. The redness of his eyes and the rigid expression on his face made her eyes water. She was seeing Hunter, but he didnât strike her as the man she was acquainted with as her husband.
âHâhunter, I didnât câcome here on purpose. I swear I didnât Mâmy, my hâhusbandâs death⦠Mâmy inâlaws brought me here⦠They wanted toâ¦. Cliffordâs fâfuneral⦠They wanted to⦠She drew in ragged breathing.
Hunter turned to her at once and pulled her face against his chest.
He pressed his lips that he was keeping from trembling from anger to her hair and held her close
âYou donât have to justify yourself to anyone, alright! The fact that I know everything is enough, and what I think should matter to you. Not any random personâs incessant judgement.â He said in a scratchy and taunting voice.
âNow breathe. Breathe Breathe, Zara, Take deep breaths. He started rubbing her back.
âBâbut sâsheâs your wife, Hunter. I canât Canât hâhave her dâdoubt me. Pâplease⦠Tell her⦠Sâsheâs your wife⦠Tâtell herâ¦
âStop this nonsense, Zara Unable to see the drama unfolding in front of her, Claire freed her from the arms of the person who was still not recognized by ler.
She stormed towards the bed next to Hunter and gripped Zaraâs shoulder to detach her from her husband.
âYou can fool Hunter with this act of yours but not me. Hunter, sheâs faking it. She told me sheâll give me a reality check and-â
JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!!â Claire was taken off guard as he yelled at her.
She bit back a sob as she noticed his dark eyes glaring at her accusingly.
âHunterâ Claireâs throat ached while taking his nam
He eyed her disdainfully before looking at the person behind her.
âJust take her out now, Cole. Or else Iâll do something that Iâd regret
Two arms were on her elbows again, pulling her hackwards. However, Chire couldnât take her eyes off Hunter. He was her husband, wasnât he? Then why the disdainful look for her? She wasnât lying or pretending to be hurt. She was indeed hurt
But that woman he was protectively holding to his chest⦠She was the real culprit. She deserved his disdain and glares.
Claireâs eyes shifted to Zaraâs face and she found her smirking against Hunterâs chest. Her hands were around his waist, taking shelter in his embrace. Claire was looking at her hands when Zara closed all the fingers of her right hand around his waist except for the middle finger.
She showed Claire her middle fi
finger mocking her before she sobbed in Hunterâs arins again
âHâhunter, I am câcold. Mâmy mâmouth⦠My mouth is numb. I canât fâfeel my lips, Hunter. Tâtell Claire I am⦠I am not bad. I am. Hunter, m- my heart is hurting.â
âHey, hey, calm down. Calm down, Zara. Sahh! Calm downâ
Chapter 20
The last thing Claire saw before the door closed was that her husband leaned forward to stroke a thumb on Zaraâs lips. He closed the gap between their faces and put his mouth on the bleeding comer of hers, sucking it tenderly.
The..
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