FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

Hunter crouched down, sitting on his heels and tapped Nathan's chest with the wheel brace as if testing how strong his bones and muscles could be beneath his skin. He placed the L-shape side of the steel tool under Nathan's chin, and with the help of it, turned Nathan's face towards himself so that Nathan could look into his eyes. 

Changing his position, Hunter dropped to his knees, shifting his body weight on them. Nathan's tear-soaked eyes rounded to their fullest in fright as Hunter raised the tool in the air, gripping it with both hands. Hunter grinned, his eyes glinting with sadistic pleasure as he saw the look of terror taking over Nathan's face. 

Within seconds the wheel brace struck Nathan's chest on the left side, shattering the bones of his ribcage. Hera screamed, thrashing under Danny's hold. Her brother supported her weight by wrapping his arms around her middle when her body plunged, bending forward. 

Clara cried her lungs out, begging for Nathan's life in vain because no one was around to listen to the screams or come to their rescue. Hunter's property was far away from the city, and not a single human being was in the vicinity except for Hunter's friends. 

Nathan couldn't even scream. It seemed like every organ in his chest stopped functioning at once. Head tossed back, mouth wide open, the poor boy struggled to inhale air. 

Meanwhile, Hera's heart-wrenching cry fell on Hunter's ears, calling for his attention. He lifted his eyes off Nathan and looked at Hera. He frowned, not liking her disheveled state. The fact that his beautiful Goddess had been ugly crying for the bastard writhing on the ground irked Hunter more. 

"Do you think she'll still adore you after seeing your true self?" Nathan muttered, forcing the words out in between his heavy breathing. "Let me go, Ace. Or Hera will hate you for this," he stated the obvious, knowing full well what Hera meant to Hunter. His words had hit the nerve, and Nathan noticed the shift in Hunter's stance. 

Hunter didn't take his eyes off Hera. The longing clouding his vision when he looked at her was unmistakable. The scowl on his face intensified after what Nathan said. Hunter winced at the thought of Hera hating him, and his focus veered back to Nathan. 

"Too bad, you won't be alive to witness that," Hunter said in mock pity. 

Fixing Nathan with a death glare, Hunter got up from the ground. The former's eyes watched in alarm as the latter moved back and stood behind him, looking down at him. 

Hunter glanced at Danny and jerked his head to the side, signalling him to free Hera.

Startled, Hera fell forward as soon as Danny released his hold on her. Her hands moved in reflex, palms hitting the firm ground, supporting her body weight. Surprised, she looked at her brother with her teary eyes widening in disbelief. She couldn't believe Danny had let her go for real. She tore her eyes off her brother and whipped her head to face Hunter. 

As though he had been waiting for her attention, she caught him already looking at her. The emptiness in his eyes scared her more than his anger did. His lips twitched in a dry smile. 

Without warning, Hunter trampled Nathan's left shoulder with his foot. The boy cried out sharply. The broken bones in his body hurt like hell every time he moved. There was a rush to his heartbeats as the acute pain increased his blood pressure. 

Hera jumped to her feet, rushing to Nathan's side. She halted at his feet and covered her trembling mouth with her hands when she saw his broken self from up-close. Tears poured out of her eyes in silent apology, her hands shivering in fright. Her legs gave out, and she fell on her knees, sobbing her guilt out. 

She couldn't believe her Hunter could get this violent and play with someone's life with such cruelty. 

When she lifted her head and made contact with Hunter's eyes, he scoffed. He had already expected the detestation filled in her eyes. "Your boyfriend looks so charming now. Isn't he?" Hunter asked with all seriousness. 

With the amount of hatred he uttered the word boyfriend, Hera understood that he wasn't talking about himself. He was referring to Nathan as her boyfriend. 

Hera was about to voice out her hatred, but Hunter beat her to it. 

"How much do you hate me now?" Hunter asked, stealing the words from her mouth. She glared, and he snorted in return. "Let me rephrase that question for you. How much do you like him now? Still considering dating him?" he asked, poking fun at her. Before Hera could reply to his question, he recognised the defiance blazing in her eyes. 

"If I were you, I would be careful with my words," Hunter warned her. Hera held her breath and watched him while he flipped the steel tool in his hand vertically, playing with it. Hera got the message loud and clear. 

His foot was still resting against Nathan's clavicle. Nathan had his eyes squeezed shut, wincing in pain. Hera took a deep breath and moved closer to Nathan. She reached out and touched Hunter's leg. Her fingers tightened against his jean-clad leg before she shoved it away. Gritting his teeth, Hunter stared at her.

Hera swallowed her anger and pride along with her saliva. It eased the dryness in her throat, but the discomfort the lump caused stayed intact. "Stop it, Hunter. You've hurt him enough. Show mercy and spare his life," Hera said in a shaky voice while trying to keep her temper in check. She knew provoking Hunter's anger wouldn't help anyone now. He was already mad. 

Pursing his lips, Hunter tipped his head to the side and tried to pull an innocent face. Hera hated how he was mocking her. 

"Goddess, can't you see, every part on his right side is still intact? He can still move his body from this side," Hunter said, pointing to Nathan's right side. Hera then noticed how he had targeted only Nathan's left side. He broke his left leg, ankle, and knee, the left side of his waist, his left wrist and fingers, and his ribcage on the left side. 

"This is me showing mercy," Hunter said, sounding offended and scowled at Hera. 

Hera felt suffocated and tried to inhale a deep breath. Her stomach churned at the scene. 

'Is he the same person I fell in love with?'

Hera thought and felt disgusted but didn't dare utter anything against him. 

Eyebrows drawn together, Hunter's forehead furrowed as he frowned again and brought the wheel brace towards Nathan's left temple. Hera gasped in fear as she studied Hunter's expression. He seemed too deep in thought. As though wondering why he didn't hit Nathan in the head yet. He moved the tool, and Hera shouted a no. 

"Please, Hunter, I beg you," Hera cried, "He'll die if you hurt him any further. Please leave him alone." 

Clara was crying, shaking with fear. She stood behind Hera but couldn't dare go any closer, afraid of what Hunter would do to her brother. 

"What makes you think I don't want him to die?" Hunter asked, laughing as if amused by her request. 

Hera was shocked at his admission and stared at him in disbelief. 

Someone tapped her shoulders, and Hera turned to meet eyes with Michael. "It's not too late if you want to save him. You can still help your boyfriend, you know," Michael said. Bitterness dripped from his voice when he spat the word boyfriend. Hera wasn't dumb. She knew what Michael was hinting at, and determinedly she turned to face Hunter. 

Hera couldn't help but send Nathan an accusatory glare. They wouldn't have gotten caught in this situation in the first place if it wasn't for his lie. 

She decided to come clean because it was the only way to save Nathan from Hunter's fury. 

"He lied, Hunter. We're not together. And about the kiss, he did it unexpectedly, and I didn't have the time to stop it," Hera said and waited for Hunter's response. To her shock, he just turned and kicked Nathan's right ankle. 

"I'll do anything if you let him go, Hunter," Hera was quick to bargain. It effectively caught Hunter's interest. He paused and crouched down to Hera's level. 

"Anything, Goddess?" he asked. Hera nodded her agreement without any hesitation. Hunter smiled while wiping the tear tracks from her cheek with the sleeve of his long-sleeved black Tee-shirt. He moved his wrist to her other cheek, doing the same. 

"Can you pass me the tissue, Sunshine?" Hunter asked, without taking his eyes off Hera. Bianca happily passed the box of paper tissues to him. He pinched Hera's nose, wiping the snot with the tissue. 

"Then tell him how much you're going to hate me after this," Hunter said. Hera was confused at first, but she grasped it sooner and said the exact opposite of what he asked. Hera looked Nathan in the eyes and declared, "I don't hate Hunter, Nathan. I can never hate him because I love him so much. I love him with all my heart and soul." 

Hera didn't lie about loving him, though. However, she wasn't sure about not hating him from now on. 

Nathan was so disappointed. Hera didn't know her words hurt him no less than Hunter's blows because he knew what Hunter was trying to do. Unknowingly, Hera had dismissed Nathan's earlier claim of her hating Hunter. It was more humiliating to lose Hera to Hunter.. Nathan looked at Hunter only to find him already smirking at him smugly.