The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 262

For the first time, he felt heartache. It was as if hands were beneath his ribs, viciously tearing at his heart, threatening to rip it to shreds.

...

Across the street, Charley stood with his back to Garnett, using his own body to completely shield Lavinia from view.

Lavinia peeked out, watching Garnett search frantically through the crowd.

He was looking for her. He must have spotted her while driving past.

But he didn't find anything, and eventually, Sigrid arrived, and the two of them got back into the Bentley together.

Lavinia let out a sigh of relief.

"Feeling guilty?"

Charley's voice floated down from above her. Lavinia tilted her head back, finding his features cast in shadow, yet his eyes shone brighter than ever.

"Guilty for what? It's not like I..." She trailed off mid-sentence.

She was still clutching the plushie, her arms gradually tightening around it. Charley noticed her lowering gaze. He leaned in, whispering near her ear, "You have nothing to hide, but my intentions toward you can hardly be called honorable."

Lavinia's heart skipped a beat.

She looked up at him, seeing him fixated on her, his eyes like an endless abyss.

Her feelings for him weren't exactly... purely innocent either.

***

Sigrid didn't return to the Sloan residence until very late.

Ever since they came back from City Hall, Garnett had been in a terrible mood.

Passing by the night market tonight, he had seen something that made his mood plunge even further.

They had gone to a five-star hotel. She thought he was finally going to accept her, but to her surprise, he walked silently into the bar and drank heavily without saying a word.

Afterward, she tried to help him to a room to rest. But he pushed her away, saying he wanted to be alone, and had his driver take her home.

When Sigrid walked into the house, she realized her mother was still awake. The light in her room was on.

Sigrid knocked softly, and Florence's voice called out, "Come in."

She pushed the door open to find Florence looking through an old photo album.

In the pictures, her father was still in the prime of his life, and she was just a young teenager.

Sigrid sat down next to her mother and looked at the album with her.

Florence suddenly asked, "Sigrid, is Garnett Harper single?"

Sigrid froze for a second before answering, "Yes, of course he is. Mom, why do you ask?"

Florence kept her head down. A moment later, a tear fell onto the album.

Sigrid grabbed her hand. "Mom, please don't do this. We can talk about this calmly."

"I've made up my mind," Florence said with absolute finality.

Sigrid tried to persuade her for a long time, but Florence refused to budge.

She stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

The hallway was dark, illuminated only by a small nightlight near the baseboards.

Sigrid slipped the bangle back onto her wrist, staring at that ring of glowing green.

It complemented her skin beautifully. Under the light, the rich green emitted a tranquil glow, making her porcelain skin look even more luminous.

She knew there was a ceiling to hard work. Relying on herself alone, she would never return to the heights of her youth.

She remembered going with her father to a disaster zone after a flood when she was little. Sitting in their luxury car, she had seen people carrying bamboo baskets, calmly rummaging through the ruins.

She had asked her dad why those people were picking up garbage. Her dad had said that when a person has absolutely nothing, even garbage is a treasure. Picking up a little means having a little.

Sigrid hadn't understood then, but she understood it all now.

She was a refugee of fate. She had to pick up everything she had lost, piece by piece.

The night crept in through the window. Sigrid covered the bangle on her wrist with her other hand and slowly walked back to her room.