Chapter 23
Serena was eating breakfast when she saw the bloodied Hunter and gasped in shock.
“Hunter! What happened?”
She rushed to support him, her heart aching at the gruesome wounds covering his body. Henry had shown no mercy–each lash seemed to have been struck with full force, leaving Hunter’s flesh torn and barely clinging to life.
But today was the fifth day. Today, he would get to look for Nadine. Hunter couldn’t help but laugh.
“What do we need to do today?”
Serena hesitated. She hadn’t expected Hunter to completely disregard his injuries, and his mind was fixated only on Nadine. Meeting his hopeful gaze, she delivered the cruel demand.
“Marry me, Hunter. Nadine is dead–tearing up the divorce papers changes nothing. The final requirement is to marry me.
Hunter had agreed to every outrageous request Serena had made before, but this one made his face turn deathly pale.
“Impossible.” He refused outright.
“This is the last thing. It’s the fifth day, Hunter. I don’t need a wedding or a marriage certificate. Just say you’re willing to divorce Nadine and be with me.”
Hunter’s breathing grew ragged. Serena had driven away his friends, made his family despise him, and he had endured all that. But this? Divorcing Nadine would sever their last remaining
tie.
His silence told Serena he still couldn’t let go. She smiled as she said, “You’ll never see Nadine again if you refuse to do this. Your choice, Hunter.”
She helped him up and tended to his wounds as Hunter remained wordless. Time ticked by until the fifth day was nearly over. And finally, he approached Serena.
“I agree to your terms,” he said calmly, though Serena could see the torment in his eyes.
Even so, he had no other choice, Serena smiled in satisfaction. She kissed Hunter before rushing into the bedroom and emerging in a wedding dress.
The gown was beautiful, but Hunter merely thought it was stinging his eyes. His breathing turned ragged as he forced himself to focus–just one more thing left, and he would see Nadine again.
Chapter 23
2/2
Each word felt like a boulder crushing his chest as he spoke, “I voluntarily divorce Nadine Devine. The woman I will marry is Serena Hogan.”
That short declaration drained him completely. The moment the words left his mouth, exhaustion overwhelmed him. He had nothing left now.
Serena hugged him tearfully, her smile radiant through the tears as she said, “I’m finally marrying you, Hunter! Do you know how long I’ve waited for this day?
“Weren’t these past five days just wonderful? Let’s forget about Nadine and stay like this forever.
“Hunter, I love you. Do you love me?”
Hunter held the woman in his arms, his lips parting to answer when sudden realization struck. He shoved Serena away violently as his face twisted with horror and fury.
“I don’t love you! I love Nadine! Serena, I gave you everything you wanted! Where’s Nadine?”
Caught off guard, Serena crashed to the floor, pain shooting through her body.
Her hands clenched into fists. She was so close–she had been so close! Why couldn’t Hunter forget Nadine? Desperation immediately shattered her composure.
“Say it! Say you love me, Hunter!
“You love me! Don’t you remember? We were in love before you married Nadine! This is just · us getting back on track!”
