The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 156

Resting his head on his arm, Charley stared up at the ceiling. Just one floor above, the girl had already fallen asleep.

He believed that a person's heart wasn't a black hole, but rather a plot of soil. Eventually, it would grow flowers, trees, and harvest.

He wanted to be the gardener who carefully pruned the garden in her heart until it blossomed exactly the way she wanted.

***

When Lavinia came downstairs early the next morning, she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of Charley's back as he busied himself in the kitchen.

He hadn't gone home last night?

Hearing her footsteps, he turned and saw her standing on the stairs.

"Sorry about crashing on your couch without asking."

He paused. "I figured heartbreak burns a lot of energy, so you'd need a big breakfast to refuel. And it's always better to eat right after you wake up."

Lavinia smiled and walked toward him. "It smells amazing. What did you make?"

"Just an ordinary full English breakfast. It just looks like a lot."

"It actually *is* a lot."

She dug through her cabinets to find the fancy dishware she had specifically picked out, deciding only fine porcelain was worthy of today's meal.

It looked stunning on the table—a lavish, colorful spread. Lavinia took several photos on her phone while Charley sipped his coffee, watching her with a quiet smile.

***

Good food really was the best medicine. She felt infinitely better.

Even standing in the crowded lobby waiting for the elevator during the morning rush didn't feel quite so miserable.

She was looking down at the photos of her breakfast to absorb some positive energy when several familiar voices drifted over from just a few feet behind her.

"Mr. Harper, welcome to Celestial Capital. If Sigrid wasn't here, I never would've been able to get a VIP like you to visit us."

That was it—there had been a woman in the crowd just now whose silhouette looked exactly like hers.

Just as the doors were about to close, he threw his hand out to stop them, stepping quickly out of the car to scan the line of waiting employees.

His eyes raked over the crowd several times, but the figure from earlier was gone. She had been wearing a pencil skirt, a cardigan draped over her shoulders like a shawl, looking quiet and elegant.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Harper? Did you drop something?" Caden asked, looking utterly confused.

Garnett shook his head. "It's nothing."

"No one else works in this building. It belongs entirely to Celestial."

It's impossible. She couldn't possibly be here.

Garnett didn't know whether to feel relieved or deeply disappointed. The restless feeling in his chest simply wouldn't fade.

Sigrid watched his profile, her lips pressing into a thin line. She hid her hands behind her back, her fingers curling into tight, quiet fists.