Chapter 5 - A New Morning In Seattle
Six months later, the Seattle sun was shining through the massive floor to ceiling windows of Ethan's new downtown penthouse. It was a home, not a fortress. The dark mahogany furniture had been replaced with bright rugs, scattered toys, and a giant indoor play tent that Mia currently occupied.
I stood in the kitchen, sipping a cup of strong, perfectly brewed coffee. I watched Ethan walk into the room, a slight limp the only remaining evidence of the nightmare we had survived. He was wearing soft sweatpants and a plain white shirt, looking completely different from the untouchable billionaire on the magazine covers.
Following the attack on the Island, Ethan had completely restructured Blackwood Holdings. He worked with federal authorities to dismantle the corrupt divisions his uncle had controlled. He sold off the nightclubs and the private security firms, investing entirely in green energy and affordable housing development. He scrubbed his life clean so that the shadows could never touch us again.
He walked up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and pulling my back flush against his chest. He pressed a soft kiss to the side of my neck, making me shiver.
"You are staring again," he murmured, his deep voice vibrating against my skin.
"I am just appreciating the view," I replied, leaning back into his embrace. "And the fact that nobody is shooting at us today."
Ethan chuckled, turning me around to face him. His eyes were warm, filled with a peaceful joy I had never seen in him before. "I have a question for you, Dr. Callahan."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. My breath hitched in my throat as he slowly went down on one knee.
"Six years ago, I made the worst mistake of my life by walking away from you," Ethan said, looking up at me with absolute devotion. "Every single day I was gone, you were the only thing that kept me human. You saved my life in that hospital, Claire. But you and Mia saved my soul. I want to spend the rest of my days making up for the time I lost. Will you marry me?"
I looked down at the beautiful, sparkling diamond ring, then at the man who had fought through hell to find his way back to us. Over his shoulder, Mia peeked out from her play tent, giving me a massive, missing tooth smile and a bright thumbs up.
May you like
Tears of pure happiness spilled over my eyelashes. All the anger, the fear, and the heartbreak of the past six years completely washed away in the morning light.
"Yes," I whispered, pulling him up by his shirt collar and pressing my lips to his. "Yes, Ethan. Welcome home."
