“I wanted to believe you, Hunter, but I couldn’t ignore the doubt lingering around my mind. I should’ve listened to my heart,” Hera admitted more to herself, expressing again and again how much she regretted hurting him.

That day when Clara revealed how Hunter and his friends ill-treated her by doing awful things to her, Hera couldn’t see past the unjust, tragic occurrence that she assumed Clara might have gone through. The genuine pain etched on Clara’s face had manipulated and steered Hera’s mind away from thinking sensibly.

She was confused, which led her to misjudge Hunter blindly.

Clara had successfully brainwashed Hera to believe in her concocted false story, and Hera never saw the hostility concealed behind her once best friend’s pretend misery.

“Just so you know, I never had to force myself over a girl,” Hunter suddenly spoke, his voice carrying hurt and anger. Hera blinked, springing out of her chaotic thoughts and frowned, trying to register what he said. Hunter’s eyes were focused ahead, but he wasn’t seeing anything in particular. Hera couldn’t blame him and supposed she deserved it if he was disgusted to look her way.

“Women willingly throw themselves at me irrespective of their age. They would let me use them whenever, wherever, and however I want,” Hunter stated, his tone too arrogant for Hera’s liking. She winced as that harsh reality stung. It was true that girls in their school would do anything to get his attention. She had seen it since day one. Her hold on his arm tightened in a reflex as if claiming possession or ownership over him.

Hera had been fighting forever to keep him locked in her heart, terrified that people might steal him from her and she would lose him. Girls have always been on the lookout, waiting for the opportunity, anticipating when Hera would take her eyes off Hunter and when they could lure him into their trap.

“I know, Hunter, I know,” Hera admitted, her voice no more than a whisper. The despair in her tone finally compelled Hunter to look at her. It would forever be a sensitive subject for Hera. His cheating on her would never cease hurting her, and like always, Hunter saw through her.

“Just because I cheated on you, it doesn’t make me a bloody rapist, Hera, so please don’t judge my character or morality based on that,” Hunter asserted, cold anger bursting through his eyes. With his face flushed and hands balled into fists, indignation spewed from his voice, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Hera how he struggled to speak through his gritted teeth as if it hurt to articulate.

“However, should you judge me on my past actions of sleeping around, you must know that Eric is the one who sleeps around the most,” Hunter said informatively, his tone of voice a little too unkind and bitter for Hera’s liking. She sighed audibly, annoyance dripping from her eyes.

“Stop twisting my words, Hunter. I never meant it that way,” Hera too snapped, losing her patience at this point. “It’s not that I only trusted Eric and not you. I’m telling you your temper issues are to blame. It is your anger,” Hera jabbed her index finger into Hunter’s chest, emphasising each word, “That coerced me to doubt your innocence,” she tried to explain. However, her snappy tone wasn’t helping her situation much, for Hunter scoffed in response.

Only derision greeted her in return as Hunter didn’t seem convinced. It irked Hera more when Hunter shook his head in disappointment and looked away. He appeared more offended when Hera tried to reason why it was easier for her to trust Eric and rule him out of the doubt. Eric was always the sensible one in their group who would tackle the situation calmly. He was never an immature, irresponsible, impulsive decision-maker.

Hunter let out a sarcastic laugh at her logic, much to Hera’s aggravation.

“Oh, thank goodness you never saw Eric in his angry mood then. Otherwise, you would have declared him guilty already, drilling him with your questioning like you’re doing right now with me,” Hunter said crossly and muttered, “Lucky bastard,” under his breath, feeling envious of his best friend for the first time. After all, Eric had earned something precious that he didn’t, i.e. Hera’s trust.

Hera stared at her upset boyfriend and shook her head slowly as she detected the jealousy coating his tone. She understood he probably misinterpreted her reason, but before she could say something to clarify her point, Hunter spoke up.

“Anyway, to conclude this conversation, your ex-best friend said I’m a rapist, and you believed her. You wanted to confirm, so you asked me. I deny it with every fibre of my being, Hera Hunter, and it’s up to you to believe it or not,” Hunter declared monotonously and stood up to leave. Hera panicked as he dusted his pants off, ready to walk away. He only took two steps when Hera quickly grabbed his hand and stopped him.

Wrapping her arms around his middle, Hera plastered herself to his torso, hugging him tightly. Hunter closed his eyes and sighed, his shoulders slumped in defeat while his hands balled into fists. He was deeply hurt because Hera didn’t trust him, so he fought hard to resist returning the hug. However, when Hera sniffled against Hunter’s chest, his resolve crumbled, and his arms reached up to enclose her in a warm hug of their own accord.

“I’m sorry, Hunter. It was never my intention to hurt you,” Hera mumbled against his chest. Inclining his head, Hunter rested his cheek on her head and pulled her more into his chest, one arm tightening around her waist while the other rubbed her back soothingly, offering warmth, comfort and security.

“Don’t cry, Goddess. You know it hurts me the most when you do, especially if I am the cause,” Hunter confessed, placing a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. “I should’ve known it isn’t going to be this easy to earn your trust back after I cheated on you. I understand, so don’t apologise,” he expressed, all his anger vanishing into thin air. The honesty in his tone touched Hera deeply and compelled her to lift her head to look him in the eyes.

Hera shook her head frantically, differing from what he said. “It’s not that, Hunter,” she said before standing on her tiptoes to kiss the middle of his forehead. She couldn’t resist pecking his cheek when she saw the sincerity shining brightly in his eyes. Her smile was wide and watery when she leaned in to kiss his lips.

In her haste to steal a kiss, Hera moved much more aggressively than she intended, pushing Hunter backwards in the process. Hunter was caught off guard by her sudden unexpected move, and he stumbled, losing balance. However, he quickly regained his balance by taking a few steps back and righting his posture. He stopped when his back touched the tree trunk and leaned against it for support.

Meanwhile, Hera never let go of him, arresting his torso in a bear hug, her affectionate gaze refusing to part from his.

“Hunter, even if I doubted or didn’t trust Eric, I wouldn’t dare question his innocence in the matter without consulting you first because I can’t talk to him without knowing the whole truth and risk hurting his feelings,” Hera said. Eric was very dear to her. She valued his friendship. However, Hera had no right to judge him wrong and hurt his emotions, no matter how comfortable, lenient, and affectionate Eric was towards her.

Hera wasn’t good with words like Hunter, but she tried her best to explain her rationales to Hunter in the best way possible.

“Whereas you’re mine, Hunter. I have the right to hurt you and comfort you. I don’t hesitate to speak my mind with you, no matter how harsh or bitter the truth is,” Hera confessed. She never had to walk on eggshells around him, fearing or worrying that she might anger or upset him. Both Hera and Hunter were always brutally blunt when it came to honesty. If Hera was ever afraid of Hunter, it was because of the thought he might hurt her friends in his anger.

“Do you remember you once said whenever I’m jealous or upset about something you do, then I have the right to question you?” Hunter nodded his answer to her question, his eyeballs moving back and forth, searching her eyes. “I asked you because I wanted to know the truth,” Hera continued, “And the moment I asked, I found my answer in your eyes.” She punctuated her sentence with a soft kiss on Hunter’s lips.

“I’m sorry I hurt you, but you also once said only our loved ones hold the power to hurt us. That’s why we hurt the ones we love the most. I knew it would break your heart, but it was necessary because I needed to hear the answer from you,” Hera couldn’t articulate everything she wanted to say precisely. However, she knew Hunter would somehow understand her unfinished explanation even though she supposed it didn’t go well.

Hera’s heart leapt in joy when Hunter cupped her face in his large palms and smiled down at her. “It’s okay, my love. I understand,” he said before pressing his lips to the middle of her forehead in a feather-light kiss. His lips were cold, but the kiss brought all the warmth Hera needed. “I’m sorry too for making you cry,” Hunter admitted, his hot breath grazing over her skin.