CHAPTER 91 DARK NIGHT, BRIGHTER DAWN

As Claire swung the pan with all her might, the man ducked, dodging her attack. With a swift movement, he grabbed her wrist, twisting it until she dropped the pan with a sharp cry of pain. The man’s grip tightened, his fingers digging into Claire’s skin. She fought back, kicking and scratching at him, but he was too strong. With one powerful blow to the side of her head, Claire’s vision blurred, and the world went blank, the dress crumpled on the floor. As Ethan paced his bedroom, rehearsing the words he’d planned to say to Claire, a flutter of nerves danced in his stomach. Usually, he was a confident man, comfortable in his own skin. But this evening was different. Tonight, he was going to ask the love of his life to marry him, and he wanted everything to be perfect. Perfect for Claire. More than she had ever imagined. Everything was set already to make the evening unforgettable. He ran through the lines again and again, committing them to memory, his heart thumping loudly in his c