The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 318

The judge reviewed the materials, declared the mediation unsuccessful, and scheduled a trial date.

Both sides stood up, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a scattered, echoing sound.

Outside the mediation room, Heath stopped Charley in the hallway.

"Mr. Sheffield, why are you representing this case?"

Heath looked at him calmly. "We divorce lawyers make our money off broken homes, but at the end of the day, we still hope for families to stay together. Mr. Harper loves his wife. You know that perfectly well."

"Mr. Kenyon, you're just a divorce attorney. What gives you the right to say something like that?" Lavinia glared at Heath. "I have never felt even a shred of affection from Garnett. If you looked at how he treated me versus how he treats his childhood sweetheart, you wouldn't be insulting everyone's intelligence like this."

Garnett looked at Lavinia, his lips parting slightly.

"Are you insisting on this divorce because of Sigrid? Nothing has ever happened between us."

"What exactly is your definition of 'nothing happened'? Do you mean—"

"Lavinia," Charley interjected smoothly.

Catching his cue, Lavinia snapped her mouth shut.

Charley reached up, adjusted his tie, and looked directly at Heath, his voice steady. "Just because Mr. Harper likes Ms. Joplin, does that mean she's obligated to accept it? Just because he's wealthy and handsome, does Lavinia have to tolerate all of his toxic behavior?"

Garnett froze, his fingers slowly curling into fists.

Charley stood tall, his posture as immovable as a pine tree, speaking with effortless authority. "Gentlemen, what is love? Love is giving, not taking. It is a responsibility, not a tantrum. It is about mutual growth, not emotional drainage."

"Mr. Harper, the separation period has already exceeded six months. That's a hard legal benchmark. The odds of winning this case are slim. You need to mentally prepare yourself."

He paused. "Considering your emotional state, if we lose, I'll refund your retainer."

Garnett slowly turned his head to look at him.

"I have to win. Even if I have to play dirty, I have to win."

He paused, arched an eyebrow, and spoke with condescending authority. "As a top gun lawyer, it is your duty to help your clients win. Isn't that exactly how you built your reputation and status?"

He squared his shoulders and strode away. The sharp click of his dress shoes against the marble floors of the courthouse corridor echoed heavily in the air.

Heath stood there, watching Garnett's retreating figure, and shook his head in exasperation.