Chapter 12

• The restaurant buzzed with the hum of conversation and the clinking of cutlery, a lively backdrop that felt almost foreign to Damien. He sat at a table near the window, absently stirring the remnants of his wine, his thoughts drifting back to Charlotte as he watched the evening light fade into the horizon.
• When Jacob arrived, he was greeted with an enthusiastic clap on the back, his presence as vibrant as ever. “Damien! You look worse than a man sentenced to a life of boring office meetings,” Jacob joked, sliding into the chair across from him.
• “Just tired, that’s all,” Damien replied, forcing a smile. He tried to channel Jacob’s easygoing energy, but the weight of his thoughts lingered like a persistent fog.