The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 342

"You were worried," he said softly. "I didn't want to leave you in suspense for that long."

His voice sounded exhausted, yet incredibly gentle.

Lavinia felt her heartbeat thumping steadily against her chest. It made her feel profoundly safe.

"Won't that mess up your work?" she asked.

"No. Based on the situation, it'll either work out in the next two days or it won't. Dragging it out won't help."

He paused. "I really can't say any more. It's two in the morning there, right? Go back to sleep."

Before she could even say goodbye, the call disconnected. She wondered if someone was monitoring him.

Lavinia couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, eventually sitting up to scroll through their chat history.

From the very beginning, every conversation revolved around her.

He had never once mentioned what he needed.

Suddenly, she realized it was time for her to be the one protecting him.

***

First thing the next morning at the office, Lavinia grabbed Zoey and pulled her into an empty conference room.

Right now, Zoey was the only person she could confide in.

"We talked on the phone last night. He said he's coming back in a couple of days," Lavinia whispered, treating the information like top-secret intel.

Zoey nodded. "I heard from his people. Coming back, they have to detour around restricted airspace and fly over the South Pacific. They'll transfer in Fiji three days from now."

Lavinia pressed her lips together, her mind made up. "I want to go to Fiji to wait for him."

Zoey's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Is that against the rules?"

Two days later, the plane touched down at the Fiji airport.

After clearing customs, Lavinia and Zoey grabbed some food and wandered around the terminal. Zoey kept stealing worried glances at Lavinia's pale face. Lavinia suffered from motion sickness, and the trip over had been rough—she had even thrown up on the flight.

"Lavinia, Mr. Sheffield's flight won't land for another six hours. Why don't you rest in the VIP lounge? I'll come get you when it's time."

Lavinia shook her head. "Zoey, have you been to this airport before? Do you know if there's a florist? I want to buy a bouquet."

Zoey beamed. "To give to the boss?"

Lavinia suddenly felt a little shy. "We're here to pick him up. Showing up empty-handed doesn't feel right."

Zoey looked happier than if she'd won the lottery. She grabbed Lavinia's arm and pulled her along. "I know exactly where the florist is!"

Surprisingly, for an airport on a small island nation, the flower shop had a vast selection, including several exotic varieties Lavinia had never seen. She carefully picked out the blooms—sunflowers and lotuses, paired with brightly colored berries—having them arranged into a gorgeous, vibrant bouquet.

She sat in the terminal chairs hugging the flowers, waiting. She couldn't help but wonder if, when he saw them, he would finally understand her heart and realize exactly what he meant to her.