CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE - Hidden Agendas

As the day wore on, the atmosphere in the apartment grew increasingly stifling. Claire found herself stealing glances at Mason, wanting to bridge the gap between them but unsure how. She noticed the dark circles under his eyes, the way his hand shook slightly as he reached for his coffee mug. It was during a lull in her work that Claire stumbled upon an advertisement for a new art exhibition. "Impressions of Paris: A Modern Take on Classic Views" caught her eye, and she felt a spark of hope. Maybe this could be a way to extend an olive branch. Gathering her courage, she approached Mason's makeshift office area. He was hunched over his laptop, brow furrowed in concentration. "Hey," she said softly, not wanting to startle him. Mason looked up, his expression guarded. "Hey. Everything okay?" Claire nodded, fidgeting with her phone. "Yeah, I just... I found this art exhibition that looks interesting. I thought maybe we could check it out? If you're not too busy, that is." For a momen