The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 282

Back in her room, Lavinia received a call from Charley Sheffield.

The moment she picked up, his voice came through the receiver. "Lavinia, come to the window."

Lavinia blinked in surprise, gripping her phone as she hurried to the window.

"Look down."

She peered down. Across the small creek below, beneath the dense canopy of a banyan tree, stood a man and a dog.

"I'll be right down." Lavinia hung up the phone, rushed downstairs, crossed the corridor, and hurried over the bridge.

He stood there holding the leash, wearing a casual French linen blazer, his hair slightly tousled—so effortless, yet commanding so much presence.

She jogged up to him, pleasantly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Charley pulled a bag from behind his back. "I was thinking about it, and it seemed like you forgot a few things, so I brought them over."

Lavinia took the bag and peeked inside. It contained a comb, a parasol, slippers, and a few other small necessities.

"They have all these things at the estate. You didn't have to make a special trip," she said softly.

As soon as the words left her mouth, his eyelashes lowered slightly, but he didn't say anything.

Suddenly, realization dawned on her.

He claimed he was just dropping things off, but it was really just an excuse to see her.

As for why he didn't just come right out and say he missed her, it was probably because... he was shy?

Or perhaps, for the exact same reason as hers—he didn't want to seem too clingy or jealous, to avoid pressuring her.

Lavinia lowered her gaze, her eyes falling on his long, elegant fingers.

She gently took his hand and whispered, "I was missing you, too."

His fingertips twitched. After a brief pause, his fingers slowly intertwined with hers.

"Put on your mask and hat. Let's go for a walk," Charley said.

He paused. "Judith's generation values propriety above all else. I don't want to create any obstacles for our future."

Lavinia pulled the mask and hat out of the bag and put them on. Then, hand in hand, they strolled slowly along the creek.

"Julian suggested that when the charity foundation officially launches, we should host an exhibition of the Gilmore family's heirloom jewelry and invite international jewelry leasing agencies. That way, our future operational revenue will be higher," Lavinia explained as they walked.

...

After returning from their walk, Lavinia casually placed the bag Charley had given her on the vanity, getting ready to take a shower.

Clack. Something hard inside the bag hit the table, making a crisp sound.

Lavinia picked up the bag and dug to the very bottom, discovering a small, mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer box.

She pulled it out, opened the lid, and froze.

Inside lay a jadeite collar pin. It was the kind women used in the past to decorate the collars or lapels of their dresses, but it could also be worn as a brooch.

Most importantly, the quality of this jadeite looked completely identical to Grandmother's heirloom bangle—a rich, luminous, dripping green.

There was a card inside the lacquer box.

She picked it up and opened it.

There was only one line written inside.

[This collar pin once belonged to my grandmother. From now on, it's yours.]