The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 10

Lavinia froze. Her gaze instinctively dropped to the scuffed tips of her modest lambskin heels.

After a long, agonizing silence, she offered a faint smile and looked up at him. "Understood. I get it, Mr. Harper."

Her eyes looked like a midnight spring reflecting the cold moonlight.

Garnett was momentarily taken aback.

A voice echoed from the stage. Sigrid had stepped up to host the auction. The spotlight hit her perfectly, making her champagne dress glow with a soft, ethereal light. Everyone's attention was immediately captivated.

Garnett's gaze also shifted to the stage, locking onto the woman in the spotlight without blinking.

Before he realized it, he had stood up and gravitated toward Sigrid.

For the rest of the evening, Garnett worked the room, schmoozing with executives without Lavinia by his side.

At some point, Sigrid had joined him. The two of them stood shoulder-to-shoulder, holding wine glasses, laughing effortlessly—looking for all the world like a deeply in love pair of soulmates.

No one in the room found it strange. No one even bothered to look in Lavinia's direction.

Standing in the corner, watching their picture-perfect silhouettes and the envious looks from the crowd, Lavinia suddenly understood. In the world of high society, you survived on your own merits.

In everyone's eyes, Sigrid was the woman who truly deserved to stand beside Garnett.

***

The final segment of the gala was a charity jewelry auction. All proceeds were slated for local philanthropic organizations.

Sigrid, Tobin, and Garnett were huddled together, flipping through the auction catalog.

Sigrid trailed her perfectly manicured finger over a page showcasing a set of white pearls. "This set is gorgeous," she murmured softly.

As she spoke, she cast an effortless, fleeting glance at Garnett.

Tobin elbowed Garnett's arm. "Garnett, if Sigrid likes it, bid on it for her. A classic pearl string like that suits her perfectly."

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