THIRTY-SIX
Paul Lewis swirled the wine in his glass, noting his bare wedding ring finger. Not long after the discovery of his wife’s infidelity, he had confronted her, which had turned into an all-out slugfest, without the actual slugging. His wife had gone on the defensive, blaming him for never being there for her. Paul had heard it all before, telling his wife that he wanted a divorce. He’d moved out two days later, renting an apartment on the outskirts of Cheltenham, as solicitors started to go through the motions of carving up their estate. He looked around the restaurant, its dark décor and muted lighting, combined with tasteful festive decorations, created a soothing effect on him as the woman approached the table. She sat down, placing her clutch bag next to her own wine glass, th
