Chapter 3

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…