Shouldn't Have Gone - BOOK III

Chapter 34 - Entrapped

Chapter 34 – Entrapped

Candice is crying when she enters her room, her eyes bloodshot red and swollen.

"Oh my goodness, it's three in the morning, and I still have guests!" Candice laughs sarcastically. She has been crying after Damien warned him to get her acts straight or she'll find herself in the streets after she bears the child.

"How are you feeling?" Angel asks.

"Upset," scornfully she answers. "How should one feel when your fiancé calls off the wedding and threatens to sue you to court for fraud and to take away your kid just because you almost lost it?"

"If I heard it right, Candice, you said you'd rather rid of the child than get yourself busted."

"Either way, I'd still get myself to prison. And Damien's calling Social Services for Child Protection to see my actions until I give birth. He did not even listen to me. I want my baby."

"If you get the chance to talk to him, what would you tell him?"

Candice gives off a haughty misleading laugh and says, "I'd tell him he has no right to take away my child from me. But I would rather have Damien care for the baby than let Hunter have him. There's no way in this world I'd let him."

"But Hunter has the right..."

She cuts her off quickly, "Yes he does. But I'll save you the trouble of investing time and effort in taking care of something that is not yours. And I bet Hunter would not want the responsibility."

"Candice, Hunter would love to have the child. If only you give him the chance..."

"Don't try to defend your lover, Mohr. Hunter Stone is not capable of allotting empathy and love to his child—not even a shred—just because it's from me. I'm not giving the child to him after what he's done to me."

"What did Hunter do to you?"

"I would not want to scare you," Candice replies. "But it is my pleasure to tell you how rotten and fucked up he is. He used everything that is left in me. He took advantage of my weakness. He made me fall deeply in love with him, and then, one day, he left—disappeared like a bubble. Are you not scared he'd do that exact thing to you? Left you broken and fucking hopeful that he's going to come back for you. Hunter Stone is not born to love women; he's born to hurt them. And I'm a living testament of that."

"Am I inclined to believe you?"

"It's up to you. If you want to get hurt, then continue this charade. One day, he's going to leave you," Candice sounds so assured that it made Angel thinking.

She now understands where this hate is stemming from. Candice only wants to be loved by the man whom she thought was serious of him. Hunter let her down, so she cannot blame the woman for despising him. If she were on her shoes, she'd probably really feel bad as well.

"I'm not sure about that though, Candice," Angel counters. She is secured with Hunter's love, and she finds no reason to doubt him.

"Fine. Suits you. But I'm not giving my child to him."

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She's just came out of the shower when she finds the bed empty. Drying her hair with cotton towel, Angel treks down the corridor until she reaches Hunter's private library. The door is left unbolted, so she takes the liberty to come in.

Hunter is staring at the fire; his hand carrying a glass of wine. Angel's attention turns to the bar where empty bottles of alcohol line in disarray. An impassable mask of despondence is displayed on his face. The alcohol whisking away uncertainty and desperation together.