CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-EIGHT - Clearing Claire’s Name

"That sounds perfect," she said. "Where should we go?" They spent the next hour researching options, finally settling on a secluded cabin in the mountains, far from the noise and chaos of the city. As they made the arrangements, Claire felt a glimmer of excitement breaking through her melancholy. The prospect of peace and quiet, with only Mason for company, was exactly what she needed. Two days later, they were winding their way up a narrow mountain road, the city receding in their rearview mirror. As they climbed higher, the air became cooler and crisper, filled with the scent of pine. Claire felt herself beginning to relax, the tension in her shoulders easing with each mile that separated them from the events of the past few months. The cabin, when they arrived, was everything they had hoped for. Rustic yet comfortable, it was nestled in a clearing surrounded by towering trees. A small stream burbled nearby, its gentle sound a soothing backdrop to the forest's quiet. As Mason unl