Chapter 17

Damon, Clara, and Selina spent about an hour at lunch. Selina played mediator the whole time, trying to keep the conversation going between Damon and Clara. Meanwhile, Damon watched Clara focus on her food. He forced himself to swallow all the questions he wanted to ask. Halfway through, Selina got an urgent call from work and had to leave early. What started as a casual lunch between a professor and former students quickly shifted into a standoff between two people on the verge of divorce. The mood turned tense in an instant. When Clara took the last bite of her steak, Damon handed her a napkin. She didn't take it. Instead, she got up and grabbed a fresh one. Her voice was calm, but she got straight to the point. "Whatever you need to say, let's put it all on the table now." Damon's hand stopped midair as he met her gaze. It had only been a day since they last saw each other, but the person before him felt worlds apart from the gentle, accommodating wife he remembered. He didn'