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Chapter 13 The Truth Unravels
Chapter 13 The Truth Unravels
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For the first time in days, a faint smile flickered in Hunter’s eyes. “That means Dana didn’t get eaten by the wolves. She must’ve escaped, right?”
Adrian quickly nodded, grunting with confirmation.
Though relief washed over Hunter, one question still gnawed at him: How did Dana leave the island?
He replayed last night’s events in his mind over and over until one detail surfaced: when he’d left the island, he thought he saw another speedboat in the distance.
“Check it out,” he ordered. “From last night to this morning, who took a boat out of the harbor?”
Adrian took the order, then hung up to get to work.
Hunter threw a cold glance at Celine, still slumped dazedly on the floor; he ignored her completely. Hunter walked to the window and sat down, lighting a cigarette with trembling hands.
Behind him, Celine slowly pulled herself off the floor. She wanted to speak, but she knew Hunter’s mind was consumed by Dana.
Whatever kindness he showed her now, it was only out of gratitude for saving his life. Nothing more.
She wasn’t stupid. Celine knew better than to provoke him now. Right now, she needed to become invisible, or she might actually die at his hands.
Within ten minutes, Adrian called back. “Yes, a speedboat did head toward the island last night. That’s probably how Ms. Archer escaped,” he reported.
“But whoever picked her up was careful–intentionally covering their tracks. It’ll take more time to find out who they were.”
“Make it fast,” Hunter said coldly before hanging up.
Then he sat in silence.
Who could it be?
He mentally ran through every friend Dana had, but none seemed likely.
The harder he tried to pin it down, the more his thoughts spiraled—until all that was left was a crushing weight of worry and guilt.
Was Dana hurt? Did the wolves reach her before help came?
Was her wound reopened?
He clenched his fists and blamed him for everything. Why hadn’t he seen it sooner–that Dana must have had a reason for not visiting him when he was sick all those years ago?
Why had he needed to torture Dana repeatedly, just to test her love?
Why had he trusted Celine so blindly, hurting the only woman who truly cared about him?
Tears spilled down his face without warning.
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Chapter 13 The Truth Unravels
His chest ached so badly, he could hardly breathe.
The pressure that had been building inside him for weeks finally erupted.
He slammed his fists into the wall–again and again, until blood ran down his knuckles, still numb to the pain.
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Celine rushed out when she heard the noise. The wall was stained red, and Hunter’s hand was swollen and twisted from the blows.
She ran to him in alarm. “Hunter, what are you doing? Why would you do this to yourself?”
He didn’t even look at her, blasting another punch.
“Hunter, please don’t do this,” Celine sobbed, clutching his injured hand. “It hurts me to see you do this. Dana’s gone–but I’m still here! You still have me. Don’t punish yourself like this.”
Hunter yanked his hand free and kicked her hard, sending her sprawling to the floor.
His voice rasped with contempt. “You? Compared to Dana? You’re not even in the same league.”
Celine lay there, stunned, tears clinging to her lashes as she stared up at him with disbelief and pain.
“Celine!” several voices shouted in unison from the doorway.
Hunter’s buddies rushed in and immediately went to her side, helping her up.
One of them looked her over anxiously. “Celine, are you alright?”
She shook her head, her expression clouded with sorrow.
Another friend turned on Hunter, clearly frustrated. “Seriously, man–how could you do that to her? If Celine hadn’t warned us about the wolves on that island, we wouldn’t have found you in time. You’d be dead right now!”
Hunter let out a sharp, bitter laugh. “Yeah? She warned you about the wolves, sure. But did any of you stop to wonder how she knew there were wolves? Or better yet–how did those wolves get there in the first place?”
His words struck like a whip, freezing the room into stunned silence.
The moment the truth sank in, the group turned to look at Celine, stunned. Her eyes were red as she finally confessed through trembling lips, “It was me. I released those wolves. I wanted her dead–because only if she’s gone can Hunter and I truly be together.”
Hunter’s friends exchanged wide–eyed glances, realizing the weight of her confession.
She was right–so long as Dana lived, she’d always have a place in Hunter’s heart.
Still, they hadn’t forgotten, years ago, when Hunter was on death’s doorstep, they’d called Dana over and over. She never picked
- up.
They’d resorted to texting her, begging her to come to the hospital and donate blood to save his life.
It wasn’t until five days later that they finally heard from her. She claimed she’d been traveling overseas, said her phone had no reception, and said she hadn’t seen the messages.
But none of them had ever believed her. They’d called dozens of times, sent countless messages. What country had reception that
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Chapter 13 The Truth Unravels
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bad?
It sounded like a lame excuse, like she just hadn’t wanted to come.
So when they learned it was Celine, the girl who had always chased after Hunter, who’d stepped up and saved his life–they’d pushed hard to get the two of them together.
They mocked Dana. Smeared her name.
Now, fired up, they jumped to Celine’s defense again. “Hunter, Dana’s not worth crying over,” one said sharply. “Maybe Celine went too far, but she did it out of love. How can you shove her aside?”
“Exactly,” another added. “Celine risked her life for you! And Dana? Where was she then? How can you throw Celine away for someone who never even cared about you?”
“Enough!” Hunter roared. “Get out!”
But they didn’t stop; they kept justifying Celine’s actions.
In a flash of rage, Hunter grabbed a chair and hurled it at the wall near them. “I said shut your mouths and GET OUT!
“You think you know the truth?” he shouted. “Dana must’ve had a reason for not coming back! You know what’s really pathetic? Celine never lost her memory. It was all a lie. One big performance. And you fools? You were her puppets, helping her deceive me.”
The room went still. The men turned slowly toward Celine, their eyes full of disbelief.
Celine couldn’t defend herself. She quietly lowered her head.
Hunter’s voice was cold and deep. “Now you know who she really is. I won’t hold this against you–she fooled all of us. But if I ever hear one of you calling Dana by that name, I swear I’ll make you regret it. Now get out. All of you.”
Those men looked at one another, startled and confused. But they could see it in Hunter’s eyes–he was seconds away from losing control.
If they kept running their mouths, Hunter might forget all past loyalties and show no mercy.
None of them dared to say another word. One by one, they turned and left the villa.
Hunter rubbed his temple with a bloodied hand, exhausted.
He glanced at Celine again, feeling nothing but disgust.
Without a word, he summoned a team of bodyguards. “Don’t let her leave this house,” he ordered.
Then he walked out. Two weeks passed. And Dana? It was as if she had vanished from the face of the earth.
Hunter had spent a fortune and dispatched teams of people searching for her. Still–no sign. Not a single clue.
Whoever had taken Dana had to be someone powerful. Someone who knew how to stay hidden.
Each day without her felt like a year.
Whenever he sobered up, the guilt would come crashing back–memories of everything he’d put her through, every cruel word, every punishment.
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Chapter 13 The Truth Unravels.
So he drowned it in whiskey. Day after day, he drank himself into oblivion.
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Until today. Adrian burst into Hunter’s countryside villa, breathless. Hunter stirred from his stupor, groaning as he sat up on the
couch.
He reached for a bottle and took a heavy swig. “What is it now?” he muttered.
“Boss,” Adrian said, voice shaking. “We found Ms. Archer.”
