Chapter 11

Next week, the scent of jasmine and the soft hum of a violin filled the air of our garden. Michael had transformed the backyard into a fairyland of fairy lights and silk drapes. Half the town was there, laughing and clinking glasses, but my eyes kept drifting to Michael. He looked breathtaking in the grey suit I once told him he looked the best in it. My eyes caught him watching me from across the lawn with a gaze that promised a lifetime of devotion.My mother's words echoed through my head. 'He is going to propose you', and I suddenly felt suffocating out of nervousness.I stepped away from the crowd to catch my breath near the old oak tree at the edge of the property. The moon was high, casting long, skeletal shadows. Suddenly, a hand clamped over my mouth, and I was violently dragged behind the thick trunk into the darkness."Don't scream, Claire. Please," a ragged, familiar voice hissed."It's me!"My heart plummeted. Julian. He looked like a ghost. His eyes were bloodshot, his

Chapter 12

"Claire," he breathed, his voice rough. "I’ve spent every second since the accident living for this moment. Not the arrest—but the chance to finally give you the life Julian tried to steal."He sank to one knee. The movement was fluid, practiced in his mind a thousand times. He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. Inside sat a ring—not a diamond, but a deep, oceanic sapphire surrounded by a halo of delicate gold leaves."I know you don't remember the day we first met by the docks," he said, his eyes searching mine. "I know you don't remember the promises we made. But I remember for both of us. Claire, let’s start the 'forever' that was interrupted. Will you marry me?"The world seemed to tilt. This was the moment my mother had predicted, the moment the fairy lights were strung for. But as I looked at the ring, I didn't feel excited, I felt a profound, hollow sadness."Michael," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Stand up. Please."He frowned slightly, the joy in his expression fli

Chapter 13

Later that night as I climbed into my bed, my mind became a chaotic loop of Michael's pale face and the snap of that velvet ring box. Guilt sat like lead in my stomach. I had made Michael heart broken.But as I finally fell asleep, the darkness didn't bring rest to me. Instead, It brought light.It started with the smell of salt and old wood. The docks. The dream was vivid, more real than the waking world. I saw a younger Michael, his hair windswept, laughing as he pulled me into his arms. I felt the rough texture of his wool sweater and heard the rhythmic thumping of my own heart—not out of fear, but out of a deep, soul-shaking belonging."I'll always find you, Claire," he whispered against my temple. "Even if the world tries to hide you, I'll find my way back."Then, a flurry of images: a shared ice cream in the rain, a promise made over a cracked coffee mug, the way he looked at me before everything went black. The "key" I thought was lost forever turned in the lock. These weren't

All Chapters of He Defends My Brother’s Killer: Chapter 11 - Chapter 13

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13