The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 393

Charley drove the Maybach, taking the Joplin family down Salisbury Road toward the harbor.

Worried that Mandy might get motion sickness, he had prepared a beautifully embroidered herbal sachet containing Atractylodes rhizome for her to hold.

It matched her sheath dress perfectly, so she wore it around her neck as an accessory while her hands instinctively stroked the premium leather seats.

"This is a beautiful car, Charley. It must have cost a fortune," Mandy noted.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Saul cast a sideways glance at the driver.

"It wasn't too bad. Around three or four million," he answered honestly.

Mandy and Latham both gasped. "That's so expensive!"

Mandy suddenly looked a bit anxious. She forced a polite smile and asked, "Your family must be quite well-off, then?"

For most ordinary families, there was comfort in a modest, stable life. Being poor was difficult, but extreme wealth brought its own anxieties. However, since Lavinia had completed the Ancestor Recognition Ceremony and rejoined a prestigious lineage, their worries about her marrying out of her social class had lessened considerably.

Charley understood exactly why she was asking. He smiled and said, "My parents left me some assets, but it's mostly real estate that's hard to liquidate."

He paused briefly. "The private equity funds I invested in did really well over the last couple of years, so I made some extra money. Since I didn't need to buy a house, I figured I'd treat myself to a nice car."

Glancing at the rearview mirror, he added warmly, "Whenever you and Mr. Joplin want to go out, I can be your driver. When Saul gets married, we can use it as the wedding car. If the whole family gets use out of it, the price is actually very reasonable."

Latham and Mandy exchanged a look, their eyes brimming with relief and approval.

Saul deadpanned, "You're just vain. Don't use me as your excuse."

Mandy eagerly asked about potential returns and risks, and Charley patiently answered every question.

As they talked, the car turned into a narrow alley and pulled up in front of an old colonial-style building. The storefront was modest, with no flashy neon signs—just a small brass plaque above the door reading "Luk Teahouse."

Saul stepped out, glanced at the brass plaque, and then looked at Charley.

"I've heard of this place. Don't you need to book a month in advance?" he asked.

"It's not that dramatic," Charley said, naturally taking Lavinia's coat from her hands. "They just don't flip tables here. You have to be a regular to get a window seat."

A waiter led them up to the second floor. The entire wall was made of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Grand Harbor Front. Across the water, the lights of the Central District shimmered on the surface like scattered gold.

Mandy stood by the window for a long time before turning to whisper to her husband, "It's even more beautiful than on TV."