Chapter 243

Third-Person POV

That Friday afternoon was pretty quiet at the dimly lit café. The smell of freshly brewed coffee suffused the air with a hum of soft, far-off conversations. Chris sat at a corner table, his fingers nervously tapping away at the porcelain cup sitting in front of him. He had asked Megan to meet him there to try and smooth over the tension that had been simmering for days. He could feel his heart racing as he waited for her to arrive.

When Megan finally walked in, there was determination and caution across her face. Her eyes scanned the room, resting on Chris. He stood up and smiled weakly at her; she nodded in return. As she walked up to him, Chris could see that what had happened with them recently was still straining her shoulders and wearing out her eyes.

"Hi," Chris said, then coughed. He had sounded softer than he had wanted.

"Hi," Megan replied, slipping into the seat opposite him. Her eyes wandered around the café before