Chapter 33: Expressions of feelings
2213words
"What are you thinking?!" exclaimed Hunter in a loud voice, making Liam take half a step back.
"I'm sorry," Liam replied in a flat tone, "I'm just trying to make everything look real in front of Nick."
Hunter thoughtlessly pulled Liam's collar closer, bringing their faces closer, but without hurting him. "You're crazy! Never do that again!" he shouted in a tone full of warning. Liam did not fight back; His gaze only turned in the other direction.
"Ramona is conscious," Liam said suddenly, making Hunter turn sharply toward the bed. There, Ramona seemed to start moving her body, her eyes blinking slowly while holding her heavy head. Hunter immediately approached and sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes full of worry.
"Are you conscious?" he asked softly, his tone changing drastically.
Ramona stared at Hunter, but her mind was shaken as the image of her stabbing a knife into the man's back flashed back. His heart was beat. Quickly, he got up from the half-lying position and said in a stern tone, "Quickly undress yourself!"
Hunter furrowed his eyebrows, disbelieving the request. "What?" he asked confusedly.
Liam, who was still in the room, held back an amused smile before choosing to leave the two of them. Ramona didn't wait any longer, her patience ran out seeing Hunter just sit still. He approached and deftly began to unbutton Hunter's shirt one by one.
"Turn around quickly!" he said in an urgent tone.
Hunter, though confused, finally follows Ramona's orders. He took off his shirt completely and turned his body upside down, revealing his broad back. Ramona watched intently, looking for signs of wounds. But, the back is clean, without the slightest scratch. He sighed deeply, feeling relieved.
Hunter turned around, looking at Ramona who looked completely relieved. A faint smile was engraved on his lips. "Why? Are you afraid I'll get hurt?" he asked as he put his shirt back on.
Ramona didn't answer, just turned her gaze in the other direction, hiding the feelings raging within her.
Hunter sat down on the edge of the bed again, his gaze fixed on Ramona who still looked dazed. Slowly, he raised his hand, touching Ramona's neck at the place where Liam had been injected earlier. The touch was soft, but enough to make Ramona grimace in pain.
"I'm sorry," Hunter said in a low voice. "Does it hurt?" he asked attentively, his gaze could not be separated from Ramona's face.
Ramona just nodded softly, enduring the pain at the injection site. For a moment the atmosphere was silent, only their breath could be heard.
"Nick... will he be okay?" asked Ramona suddenly, breaking the silence.
Hunter narrowed his eyes, a look of disbelief appearing on his face. "Even all these dramas are planned by you. How can you still worry about him?" he asked in surprise, his tone of voice containing annoyance.
Ramona was silent, feeling that everything was wrong. He swallowed his saliva, trying to calm himself. "Not so," he replied quietly. "I'm just scared... Your aunt vented her emotions on you without knowing what was really going on."
Hunter was silent, but something inside him trembled. His heart was beat violently even though he tried to look calm. His gaze softened, though he still didn't fully understand why Ramona could still think of others in the midst of this chaos.
He took a deep breath, then looked back at Ramona's face, as if looking for an answer implied by his gaze. "You're thinking too much," he muttered finally, more to himself than to Ramona.
Hunter let out a deep sigh, then glanced at Ramona with an unpredictable look. However, instead of answering his question earlier, he diverted the conversation. "Your acting earlier... It really looks very convincing," he said, his tone sounding a little cynical. "I can't believe Nick isn't in love with you."
Ramona remained silent, not responding immediately. However, his hands were intertwined uneasily, reflecting a sense of anxiety that he had a hard time hiding. He lowered his head for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Remembering what you said before... who said that you would never like me... I don't think it's an expression of jealousy, right?"
Hunter snorted softly, turning his face in the other direction as if he didn't care. "Jealous?" he repeated in a half-mocking tone. "Don't be too confident. I just don't want you to get involved with Nick's obsession. You know, right? He's a murderer."
Ramona almost laughed, but she held back her smile with a gentle nod, pretending to believe in Hunter's reasoning. "Oh, I see," he muttered, still nodding slightly as if approving of what he had to say. However, the look in his eyes lit up with an amused sense that was hard to hide, realizing there was something behind Hunter's words that he was trying to conceal.
After silence enveloped the two, Hunter finally opened his voice, his voice sounding heavy and serious. "Are you going back to Nick?" he asked, looking at Ramona sharply.
Ramona straightened her body, her expression turning serious. Steadily, he nodded. "I need to find out more," he replied firmly. "At the very least, I can bring home a piece or two of evidence for your father's murder by Nick. Moreover, this way he will believe in me," he added, trying to convince Hunter.
Hunter felt a wave of anxiety and fear surrounding him. His face hardened, and he immediately responded without a long thought. "You don't need to go back to Nick to look for that evidence," he said, his tone stern. "I can find that evidence myself. If necessary, I can kill him! So, stay here and take care of your son. Don't go back with him."
Ramona shook her head violently, the expression on her face showing an unshakable determination. "No," he said, his voice full of confidence. "That's not how to play. We can't just kill them. It was too easy for Nick and Sevano. They must pay for all their deeds in a commensurate way."
Hunter fell silent, listening carefully to Ramona as he continued. "They also have to feel the pain that you have suffered. They should know what it feels like to be betrayed by someone they trust. And more than that, they have to feel the law that they should receive," Ramona explained emotionally.
His words filled the room, echoing in Hunter's head. Although he was still worried, he couldn't resist Ramona's strong determination. However, the anxiety remained, hiding behind his piercing gaze.
"Aren't you the one who asked me to be in Bainchi? Let me stay there a little longer," Ramona said in a firm, but confident tone. He looked at Hunter, trying to reassure him with every word that came out of his lips. "I'll give it all to you," he continued.
Hunter didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stared at Ramona intently, deep and intense, as if trying to read something deeper than just words. The gaze was filled with anxiety, fear, and feelings that were difficult to explain. Ramona could feel everything as if it was an emotion that was spreading from Hunter to her.
However, Ramona tried to ignore all of that. He knew that if he was too dissolved in the hope that grew secretly in his heart, he would only hurt himself. Hope for Hunter is something he tries to suppress, but the feeling continues to haunt him.
Suddenly, Hunter's low and heavy voice broke the silence. "I don't know why... I can't stop feeling scared and anxious about you," he said, almost like a murmur.
Those words made Ramona gasp. Slowly, he looked at Hunter, trying to find the honesty behind his words. There was disbelief in his eyes, and his chest felt palpitating. The speech was so short, but it contained such a deep meaning.
"What do you mean?" thought Ramona. Hunter's words felt ambiguous, leaving a mark on his heart. He tried to digest it, but no definitive answer came up. Instead, confusion and warmth are mixed into one.
Hunter lowered his head for a moment, then let out a deep sigh before continuing again, his voice sounding soft, almost trembling. "I don't know with my own feelings," she said, her gaze remaining focused on Ramona. "If I can be honest, this also feels tough for me. I always feel scared and anxious whenever you are far from my sight."
He paused for a moment, his eyes showing a clear inner struggle. "However, my heart feels warm every time I see you and Esther together," she continued, her tone getting lower, sounding like someone speaking directly from the heart. "I've never felt this kind of feeling before. Is this normal?" he asked, his voice hoarse and wet, as if holding back an indescribable emotion.
Ramona swallowed, her chest feeling tight at Hunter's confession. His hands squeezed tightly into the blanket on his lap, as if looking for a grip in the midst of turbulent feelings. He did not know how to respond. On the one hand, there was a part of him that wanted to believe Hunter's words, but on the other hand, he felt that he didn't want to get carried away by hopes that might only hurt him.
He himself was confused by his feelings. All this time, he desperately infiltrates between Nick and Sevano, two people he knows to be assassins, just to help Hunter. Initially, he believed that this was all a task that he had to undertake, a form of his dedication to Hunter to keep Esther safe and well.
However, this time it feels different. Ramona is aware that the steps she took have exceeded the limits of her obligations. He almost sacrificed everything—himself, his freedom, even his life. And all that, he did for Hunter.
Ramona's gaze met Hunter's for a moment, her eyes filled with mixed emotions.
"If I say that I fell in love with you, is that also natural?" said Ramona suddenly, her tone low but full of courage. The words were like a time bomb exploding in the silence, leaving Hunter speechless, his gaze fixed on Ramona without a word.
Ramona smiled bitterly, feelings of disappointment and relief mixed in her. "I'm just saying my feelings. You don't have to take it seriously," he said, trying to calm the tide. "I myself am confused by myself. When I should have focused on my duties, I went further and further."
He let out a deep sigh, continuing in a weaker voice. "I felt anger get over me when Nick mentioned that he was the one who killed your dad. My determination grew stronger to approach him, in order to find evidence of the murder. In fact, I'm willing to pretend to love her, just to convince her so that I can stay by her side and find the evidence we need."
Ramona stopped her words when Hunter suddenly moved. In an instant, her warm hand grabbed the nape of Ramona's neck, pulling her closer. Before Ramona had time to process what had happened, Hunter's lips had already crushed hers, soft but firm.
Ramona's eyes widened, her heart beat violently. He blinked a few times, trying to convince himself that this was not a dream. But the warmth and sincerity of Hunter's kiss felt so real. Slowly, Ramona closed her eyes, allowing herself to sink into the moment. Subconsciously, he began to return the kiss, his pent-up feelings all this time finally finding a space to get out.
As the two dissolved in that intense moment, time seemed to stop. All the worries, confusion, and pain they had been feeling suddenly disappeared, replaced by warmth and connectedness that could not be explained in words.
Ramona opened her eyes as Hunter pulled herself away, pausing the figure for a moment.
Hunter gently stroked Ramona's cheek, with a warm and attached look she said, "When it's all over, stay by my side. I'll make up for all my mistakes first. I am sure I will pay for every pain you incur yourself." Ramona immediately put her hands around Hunter's neck and gently stroked the sexy lips boldly and aggressively.
Confidence and confidence dominate Ramona. His pent-up feelings are now soaring, illustrating how happy he is at the moment.
Slowly Hunter led Ramona to lie down and overlap the slender body. The two of them are equally passionate about each other without being separated by any pause, showing a sense of mutual attraction and passionate feelings.
Ramona opened both her eyes making Hunter look at her intently, "What about your marriage? It seems like Sire won't just give up." Hunter gently kissed Ramona's face until it spread to her neck.
Ramona squeezed Hunter's hair while raising her head as if giving Hunter access to kiss her.
"Don't talk about other people while we're together!" Ramona bit her lower lip when she heard the words, grimacing softly when she felt the bite in her neck.
