Chapter 174: Hasty Decisions

Mark sat alone in the corner of the crowded cafe, watching his wife and Emily. He had to pay David a visit later in the day, and Emily had goaded him into taking her home sans his visit to her husband. Otherwise, he would rather be anywhere that was nowhere near the gossiping ladies. He absentmindedly stirred his coffee, the steam rising in tendrils that seemed to mirror the swirl of emotions within him. It had been months since he last saw her, since they last spoke. And now, here he was, overhearing snippets of conversation that reignited a dormant fear within him. Emily and Amelia sat at a table nearby, their voices carrying over the din of the café. At first, Mark paid them no mind, content to drown his thoughts in the comforting buzz of the crowd. But then, he heard it—Lisa's name, mentioned in hushed tones that sent a shiver down his spine. He tried to ignore it, to focus on anything else, but curiosity got the better of him. He strained to catch their words, his hea