Chapter 3

I woke up to the soft warmth of sunlight on my face. For a moment, I was disoriented. The room was familiar, with its pale blue walls and the scent of lavender. It was my own bedroom in the Miller family home.

A wet nose nudged my hand. I opened my eyes and saw a pair of soulful brown eyes staring at me.

"Sunny," I whispered, my voice hoarse.

My Golden Retriever, Sunny, whined softly and licked my cheek. I buried my face in his soft fur, a wave of relief washing over me. He was real. He was here. He was safe. In my past life, Ethan had killed him. The memory sent a shiver of cold dread through me.

"You had us so worried."

I looked up. Liam Davis was standing by my bed, a look of deep concern on his handsome face. He was the one who had found me.

"Liam," I said, my throat tight. "You got me out."

"Of course," he said, his voice gentle. "When you called, I knew something was wrong. And when you didn' t answer my calls back, I came to the Thompson estate. Your father was already on his way. Ethan' s guards tried to stop us, but your father... well, he can be very persuasive."

I managed a weak smile. My father, a man who usually let my mother run the show, became a lion when his children were threatened.

Liam' s expression darkened. "What Ethan did was unforgivable. Locking you in there... and your ankle." He glanced down at my propped-up foot, which was now expertly wrapped. "He' s a monster."

I didn' t want to talk about Ethan. Not now.

"I' m starving," I said, changing the subject.

Liam' s face softened. "I figured you might be." He gestured to a tray on my bedside table, laden with soup and bread. "Anna made your favorite."

Anna was our family' s housekeeper, a kind woman who had been with us since I was a child. Liam helped me sit up, and I ate greedily, the warm soup soothing my frayed nerves. Sunny rested his head on my lap, watching my every move.

After I finished eating, a new resolve hardened within me. There was something I had to do.

"I need to go to the family lawyer' s office," I told Liam.

"Chloe, you need to rest."

"No," I said, my voice firm. "I need to do this now."

Liam saw the determination in my eyes and nodded. He helped me get dressed and drove me to the office of Mr. Henderson, our family' s lawyer.

"Miss Miller," Mr. Henderson said, looking at me over his glasses. "Are you certain about this? Once you sign these papers, your engagement to Ethan Thompson will be legally terminated. There' s no going back."

"I' m certain," I said, taking the pen.

As I signed my name on the document, a weight I didn' t even realize I was carrying lifted from my shoulders. It was done. I was free.

On the way back home, as Liam' s car pulled into our driveway, a sound pierced the air.

A high-pitched, terrified scream.

It was Sunny.

My blood ran cold. I threw open the car door before it had even come to a complete stop and ran towards the sound, my injured ankle forgotten.

I rounded the corner of the house and froze.

Ethan was there. He had Sunny pinned to the ground, his foot pressing down on the dog' s neck. Sunny was whimpering, struggling for breath.

And standing beside Ethan, crying theatrically, was Scarlett.

"I' m so sorry, Ethan," she sobbed. "He just jumped on me! I think my arm is broken." She clutched her arm, which looked perfectly fine.

Ethan' s face was a thundercloud of rage. He looked at the terrified dog with disgust. "Filthy animal."

"Stop it!" I screamed, rushing forward.

I threw myself between Ethan and Sunny, shielding my dog with my own body. Ethan' s next kick, which had been aimed at Sunny' s head, landed squarely in my back. The force of it sent me sprawling to the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of me.

"Chloe!" Liam shouted, running towards us.

I ignored the searing pain in my back. I scrambled to my feet and faced Ethan, my body trembling with fury.

"What do you think you' re doing?" I yelled. "He' s just a dog! He wouldn' t hurt anyone!"

"He attacked Scarlett," Ethan snarled, his eyes blazing. "And you' re defending it? You' re just as worthless as this mutt."

Sunny, seeing me hurt, let out a low growl, baring his teeth at Ethan.

I held him back, my hand on his collar. "He didn' t do anything, and you know it. You' re just looking for an excuse to hurt me."