The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 161

Lavinia sat in the Toyota SUV, waiting anxiously for a while before Charley finally appeared in her line of sight.

He was alone. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Charley slid into the driver's seat, his expression calm. "He just won't quit. Looks like I'll have to pick you up from work every night from now on."

"He doesn't have that much free time. He won't be here to block my way every single day."

Lavinia paused. "Garnett's real moves are always made under the table. He'll send people to follow me and find out where I live. He'll also find a way to force me out of Celestial Capital."

"He won't be able to do either of those things," Charley said, pausing slightly. "I promise you."

Lavinia pressed her lips together. She swallowed her words.

It wasn't that she was afraid of Garnett, but rather that she knew exactly how much power he held. Both of those things would be child's play for him.

Charley smiled. "Looking at you, it's obvious you don't believe me."

"I do. Why wouldn't I?" Lavinia smiled, not wanting him to worry.

"Want to grab a late-night bite?"

"No thanks, I'll put on weight."

"A little extra weight would look good on you," he said.

Lavinia laughed.

***

The moment Garnett walked into the family mansion, he immediately sensed something was off with the atmosphere.

His grandmother, Judith, and his stepmother, Zenia, were both sitting in the living room, and Maeve was there as well. But his father, Nestor, was nowhere to be seen.

Whenever the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law clashed, Nestor would always hide away, refusing to take a side.

But today's setup was clearly different. His grandmother wouldn't have called him back specifically for a mundane family squabble.

Garnett plastered a smile on his face, walking over to sit beside Judith. He patted her hand gently. "Grandmother, what's wrong?"

"Garnett, you're the pillar of this family now. I'm getting old—are you going to look out for me or not?" Judith's cloudy eyes shimmered with aged tears.

Zenia had already made up her mind—if push came to shove, she would just wash her hands of it all.

"Garnett, you know perfectly well I have no real authority in this house. The keys are with your father. Go ask him for them in his study," Zenia said.

Garnett sneered inwardly. Sure enough, the old man was using Zenia to do his dirty work, acting as his shield.

But Zenia wasn't stupid either. She was dragging the old man into it, trying to pit father against son.

Did they really take him for a fool?

"Zenia, you are essentially the chief operating officer of this household. Why would the keys be with my father?" Garnett asked mildly.

"Garnett, I'm not lying to you. The keys really are with your dad."

"Then I'll have to trouble you to go find the Chairman and fetch them."

Garnett was determined to turn Zenia's blade right back around and point it at his father. Ideally, he'd completely shatter her as a tool while he was at it.

Zenia turned her head away. "I wouldn't dare, and I don't have the authority. Keep me out of whatever issues you two have with each other."