The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 277

Lavinia stood by the second-floor window, her fingers resting lightly on the frame.

Down below, Garnett stood at the front gate, staring up at her. Then, his eyes drifted slowly from her face to the man standing directly behind her.

Nobody said a word. The silence was thick with an explosive tension.

Suddenly, a commotion of footsteps and voices echoed from the end of the street.

"It's this house right here! Number 47!" The community manager's booming voice approached rapidly. "The reporters are here! This is Ms. Joplin's house. She was the one volunteering out in the storm last night."

A small crowd rounded the corner, marching straight toward the property.

Leading the pack was the same community manager who had been shouting from a rescue boat the night before. Behind her trailed a crew of three or four reporters armed with heavy cameras and microphones.

Lavinia jumped back. All these people... here to interview me?

Charley grabbed her arm, pulled her inside, and slammed the window shut.

"Get dressed first," he said.

She looked up at him, her fingers naturally finding his hand and lacing them together.

She had really thought they were going to have a perfectly normal morning—that they'd just sit down and eat breakfast quietly together.

She pressed her lips together.

He lifted a hand to cup her cheek. "We have the rest of the day. I'll be right here."

***

While Lavinia was upstairs changing, Garnett stepped effortlessly into the role of the master of the house.

He addressed the camera crew smoothly. "Good morning, everyone. My wife just woke up and hasn't had a chance to freshen up yet. Please, come inside and have a seat while she gets dressed."

A female reporter's eyes lit up. "You're Ms. Joplin's husband?"

"That's right. I'm Garnett Harper. You might have heard of me." Garnett was incredibly well-practiced at handling the press.

"Garnett Harper? As in the CEO of the Harper Group?" The reporter practically vibrated with excitement.

He gave a modest smile. "Yes. But today, I'd appreciate it if you focused the cameras on my wife. There's no need to make this about me."

"I'm a med student," Lavinia answered flatly. "People needed help. It was just my responsibility."

"We heard the power was completely out in this area last night, and the floodwaters were waist-deep in some places. Weren't you terrified?"

Without thinking, Lavinia's eyes darted toward where Charley was leaning against the wall in the distance.

She looked back at the reporter. "No. I wasn't afraid."

The reporter nodded approvingly. She then asked for the specifics of the rescues, which Lavinia answered politely.

"Mrs. Harper, I have to ask. The Harper Group is a massive corporation. How is it that the CEO and his wife live in such a... modest neighborhood?"

Garnett smoothly hijacked the conversation. "I can answer that for my wife."

He paused, putting on a gentle, earnest expression. "We believe in finding joy in the simple things. Living modestly brings true peace. Wealth is ultimately a social resource, not just a personal one. Keeping our lives simple keeps us grounded."

Lavinia pressed her lips into a tight line, remaining completely silent.

Standing safely out of the camera's frame, Saul rolled his eyes so hard it hurt.