The tension lingered thick in the air as Chloe and Jonathan held each other's gaze, the unspoken words filling the silence. Jonathan's expression softened, almost vulnerable for a moment, before he cleared his throat and shifted his focus to the glass of water she'd left on the counter.
"Are you going to be alright with him in the picture?" Jonathan asked, his voice low and careful, a sharp contrast to his usual tone.
"Victor or Dr. Sterling?" she responded, testing the waters, trying to decipher the complex emotions she saw flickering in his eyes.
"Both," he replied, a tightness in his voice. "Because it seems like your past is coming back stronger than either of us expected." His gaze dropped for a second, unreadable.
