Chapter 18 The Truth That Shattered Everything Hunter felt his mind go blank . A loud ringing filled his ears , drowning out everything else . He stood frozen , unable to move , until at last , he stammered , " W - what did you just say ? " Jamie , who had been listening quietly the whole time , finally grasped the full truth . +5 Free Coins Fury surged through him like wildfire . If the man standing before him weren't Hunter , he might have punched him then and there . Jamie snapped , " I won't say it twice . What's wrong - are you deaf ? Or are you just too ashamed to admit how ridiculous this is ? Can't face the truth , can you ? " Indeed . It was , after all , a brutal truth . For years , Hunter had treated Celine with kindness , out of a sense of gratitude . As for Dana , he had resented her , convinced that she'd abandoned him when he needed her most . That bitterness had eaten at him for years . And now ? Now he learned he had gotten everything wrong . Dana had been the one who saved him ; she had never stopped loving him . Dana never left him . It was absurd . Absolutely absurd . He felt like a fool . A complete , pathetic fool . That was when Hunter finally broke . He had a mental meltdown . Laughter burst from him , wild and manic , followed by sobbing that came in waves . He kept repeating one word- " joke " -over and over again , like it was the only thing he could hold onto . Dana said nothing . She stood there quietly , watching him fall apart . She had been through hell these past three years - physically , mentally , and emotionally . Compared to what she had endured , Hunter's suffering was nothing . Eventually , his hysterics faded . This time , he didn't beg for forgiveness . He just looked at her one last time and fled . Hunter stumbled onto the speedboat like a man fleeing a nightmare . " Get us out of here , " he barked at Adrian . Adrian , startled by his disheveled state and bleeding arm , started the engine without question . Jamie stood on the dock , watching the scene unfold . He frowned , confused by Hunter's sudden retreat . But Dana , standing quietly by the window , said softly , " There's no need . He won't be back . " Jamie turned to her , puzzled . Dana began to speak , her voice distant , like she was telling a story that had lived in her mind for years . " There was once a starving man . Just as he was about to die , a pie fell from the sky . He thought it was a gift from the heavens , and it saved his life . That night , 1/3 2:59 pm G ppp . Chapter 18 The Truth That Shattered Everything +5 Free Coins he dreamed of God , who told him that a certain family had shown him disrespect . So , the next day , the man , filled with gratitude and rage , went and killed that family . " Jamie narrowed his eyes and said , " So he realized there was never a God . The ones who saved him were the family he killed . " Dana nodded . " He'll never be able to face me again . For the rest of his life , he'll live in the shadow of what he's done . That is the punishment I've given him . " On the speedboat , Hunter said only one thing to Adrian , " Take me to Celine . " Then he sat down , slumped like a broken marionette , eyes vacant , staring at nothing . His condition was getting worse . Blood kept pouring from the gunshot wound in his arm . Adrian had wanted to take him to a hospital right away , but after one look at the wild , unhinged expression on Hunter's face , he didn't dare act without permission . In the end , all he could do was find a rope and tie it tightly around Hunter's arm to slow the bleeding . Nearly ten hours later , they reached Verton just before dawn . Hunter wasted no time . He stormed straight into Celine's villa , burst into her bedroom , and yanked her from her half - sleep . Celine hit the floor with a gasp , pain jolting her awake . When she looked up and saw the blood , bruises , and the cold , violent expression on Hunter's face , she froze . " H - Hunter ? What happened to you ? " He didn't answer . He slapped her . Then again . And again . The blows kept coming until her ears rang and her vision blurred . Through the pain , she heard him growl , " You did this . It's your fault Dana and I are finished . " Celine blinked , dazed . " You found her ? " Hunter didn't respond to the question . " I did everything - everything wrong - because of you . Now she's gone . I've lost her . Forever . " But Celine smiled through her swelling lips . She managed a weak smile , despite the pain . " She's out of the picture now . But I'm still here . I've always loved you . Isn't that enough ? " Hunter's rage boiled over . He slammed Celine down , straddling her as his hands closed around her shoulders , fingers trembling with fury . " You ? " he snarled . " You think you're worthy ? " The murderous glint in his eyes was different this time - cold , deliberate . This wasn't a moment of rage . It was a sentence . Celine's heart pounded . She could feel it - he truly meant to hurt her . " You're going to kill me ? " she gasped , trembling . " But I saved your life , remember ? I gave you my blood ! " Hunter let out a sharp , bitter laugh . " Still lying ? Tell me , Celine - was that 1,200 cc of blood really from you ? " Celine froze . For a second , her mask slipped . She didn't know how he'd found out - but she knew this was dangerous . If she admitted the truth now , he might actually kill her . 2/3 2:59 pm G ppp . Chapter 18 The Truth That Shattered Everything +5 Free Coins So she steeled herself and said , " Yes . Of course it was me . I risked everything to save you . And now you want to repay me with this ? " Hunter's face twisted in fury . " Enough . The one who saved me was Dana . It was never you ! " Celine stared at him in disbelief . " No. That can't be ... How ? Why would she - why would it be her ? " Hunter's laugh turned manic . " Why not ? Who else would give their blood without asking for anything in return ? Who else would disappear without a name , without glory ? Only Dana . And I - what a joke - I believed your lies . I let you fool me . " His grip tightened again . Celine's face turned red , then purple , as she struggled beneath him , clawing at his arms . " Please , I was wrong . Don't kill me . " And just when she thought the end had come - Hunter let go . Celine lay on the ground , gasping for air , overwhelmed with relief that she was still alive . But before she could even feel a moment of relief , Celine's cold voice cut through the air , " Strangling you would be letting you off too easy . I want you to feel the kind of pain Dana had endured . " He stood up slowly , eyes hollow but burning with rage . Turning to the guards nearby , he said , " She's yours to have fun with . Lock her up . Make sure she stays alive - but don't show her a shred of kindness . " " Put her in the warehouse , " he added . " She hates being alone . So give her a few dogs to keep her company - anything that'll keep her awake at night . " His words landed like a death sentence . Celine's eyes went wide with terror . She clung to Hunter's leg , sobbing . " Please , Hunter ! Don't do this ! I didn't mean to deceive you - I did it because I loved you . I was scared; I know I was wrong . Please , I'll do anything- just don't do this ! " But before she could finish , the bodyguards grabbed her and dragged her away . Soon , the only sound that echoed through the house was her screaming - cries of fear , despair , and regret . Hunter didn't move . He stood at the window , lost in silence , watching the sky turn pale with morning . Adrian approached quietly . " Boss , let me take you to the hospital . That wound still hasn't stopped bleeding . " But Hunter only shook his head . " No. Let the bullet stay . " Every time he saw the bullet lodged in his arm , he was reminded of just how blind , how utterly foolish he had been . He didn't want to forget . He would live with the pain - sink into it , drown in it - because only through that endless regret could he begin to atone .