The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 348

The girl was bursting with endless, unhinged creativity and boundless energy. If Lavinia didn't activate this "surprise," Zoey would be devastated.

"How... how does it work?" Lavinia asked.

Recalling Zoey's instructions, Charley forced the words out with great difficulty. "You just point the wand at the building and yell out..."

He trailed off, the end of his sentence swallowed by the wind. Lavinia pressed him. "Yell what?"

Charley looked like his soul was leaving his body. "Yell... 'pew'."

Lavinia stood paralyzed in the breeze.

She heavily suspected Zoey had designed this password purely to humiliate her boss—and her.

Taking a deep breath, Lavinia grabbed the crystal wand, pointed it across the river at the brightly lit tower, and whispered, "Pew."

The instant the word left her mouth, every single light on the massive building shut off.

Then, one window lit up. Then another. The lights climbed from the ground floor up, like someone lighting candles on a massive staircase. An LED ticker began scrolling down from the roof:

"The perfect moment has arrived! The Lavinia SOHO lighting ceremony begins now!"

A countdown flashed across the facade. Ten, nine, eight—

With every passing second, another floor illuminated.

Three, two, one. Zero.

From the riverbank, a firework rocketed into the sky. When the first one burst directly overhead, Lavinia gave a slight jolt.

Then came the second, the third. A magnificent fireworks display blanketed the night sky, looking as though someone had poured the entire galaxy into the river.

She stood on the deck, head tilted back, totally speechless. The colorful explosions cast dancing lights across her face.

Charley wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her flush against him and resting his chin softly on top of her head.

"I can finally love you out in the open," he whispered against her ear, finally voicing the words he'd been holding onto for so long. "Lavinia, date me."

The fireworks continued to explode overhead, the yacht rocking gently on the river's current.

Lavinia turned around, looping her arms around his neck, and looked up into his eyes.

"Just so we're clear, this is a trial run." She paused. "If you ever lie to me again, you're out of chances."

"Challenge accepted."

She went up on her tiptoes. He leaned down and captured her lips.

[Local Billionaire Proposes With Massive River Firework Display]

He didn't click on it. He just stared through the glass at the distant fireworks continually lighting up the sky over the river.

Today was the day he and Lavinia had officially divorced. He had spent the entire day at the hospital with Sigrid and her mother, Florence, who had suffered another heart episode.

Only he knew what he was actually running from.

Suddenly, he remembered their wedding day. Lavinia's shoes hadn't fit quite right, and she had to stop every few steps to adjust them.

That day, he had stopped to wait for her, holding his hand out. She placed her hand in his, and he led her down the aisle.

Why had they drifted apart so quickly?

During these final six months, he had become the one dragging his feet.

But she wasn't waiting for him anymore.

His phone screen lit up again. He glanced down, then swiped the trending news away.

The sharp smell of antiseptic hung heavy in the hall. Leaning against the wall, he pushed open the glass window. The night breeze rushed in, catching the hem of his coat.