The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 395

Garnett sat at a large, food-laden table, listening to the joyful chatter bleeding through the wall. He was completely submerged in his own memories.

On the third day of their marriage, after breakfast, he had grabbed his suitcase and headed for the door.

She was still in the kitchen washing dishes. Hearing the noise, she ran out in her apron. "Are you going to Marina Island for a business trip?"

"Yeah," he had replied coldly, not offering any details about how long he'd be gone or when he'd be back.

"Can I come with you? I promise I won't get in the way." Her eyes had been full of hope. "I heard there's going to be a fireworks show over the harbor in a couple of days. I want to watch them with you."

"I'm going for work, not a vacation." He hadn't even looked at her when he delivered the crushing blow, simply opening the door and walking out.

The truth was, the trip hadn't been crucial. It was just a corporate summit, and plenty of attendees had brought their wives and children.

At the reception following the summit, almost every executive was accompanied by a partner. And from the venue, they had a perfect view of the fireworks.

He had felt a twinge of regret then. He should have brought his new wife.

He had only rejected her because he didn't want to look like he cared about a marriage that was supposed to be a mere business arrangement. They had no real emotional foundation; he had married her purely for convenience and to appease his grandmother.

When he finally returned to the Arden Estate days later, he found a tin of little bear cookies on the table. They were from an incredibly popular bakery in the city.

She stepped out of the bedroom, her voice soft. "You're back."

"You went to the island?" he asked.

"Yeah. I really wanted to see the fireworks, so I went by myself." She opened the tin. "Do you want some? This place is famous. I waited in line for two hours to get these."

Two hours. He could have made a single phone call and had them delivered to his suite.

He couldn't even remember how he had felt in that moment. But now, standing by the window and watching the sky explode in color, he wished more than anything that he could rewind time.

If only he had said yes when she asked to come. He would have taken her everywhere, proudly introduced her to his peers, graciously accepted their congratulations, and held her hand while they watched the sky light up.

If only he could go back.

With trembling hands, he raised his phone and took a photo of the display.

Mandy asked, "Do you come here often, Charley? Do you have a lot of friends around here?"

He gave a slight bow, his tone warm and respectful. "Mrs. Joplin, in the old days, anyone traveling overseas from our region had to pass through this harbor. For families like mine, whose ancestors settled abroad, we have plenty of old connections here."

Lavinia was slightly confused. What kind of friend was sitting right next door but refused to come over and say hello?

Her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen. It was a message from Garnett.

He had sent a photo of the fireworks over the Grand Harbor Front. It was the exact same view she was looking at—taken from the exact same angle.

The person next door was Garnett.

She stared at the photo for a few seconds, her face completely void of emotion, before closing the chat.

When she looked up, she shot a glance at Charley.

He wasn't looking at her, but this fiercely perceptive man definitely knew. He knew the mysterious guest was Garnett, he knew Garnett had sent the dessert, and he likely guessed what the text message was about.