CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-SIX: AN UNINVITED GUEST

"Let me come with you," Mason said, reaching for her again. "No," Claire said firmly. "I need to be alone. I need to think." As she walked away, leaving Mason standing alone in the moonlit garden, Claire couldn't shake the feeling that their perfect life was starting to crumble around them. The next morning, Claire woke to the sound of soft knocking at her bedroom door. She had spent a restless night tossing and turning, replaying the events of the party over and over in her mind. "Claire?" Mason's voice was tentative. "Can we talk?" She sighed, sitting up in bed. "Come in." Mason entered, looking as exhausted as she felt. He sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes searching her face. "I'm so sorry about last night. I never meant for any of that to happen." Claire nodded, her anger from the previous night having mellowed into a dull ache. "I know. It's just... everything feels so out of control, Mason. This isn't how I imagined our wedding would be." Mason reached for her hand, re