The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 183

By the time Garnett returned to the family estate, it was just in time for dinner.

Whenever the Harpers hosted guests, the ingredients were extravagantly lavish. But for a regular family meal, it was just a simple spread of three dishes and a soup.

Garnett had barely taken his seat when Judith asked, "Where's Lavinia? Didn't she return to the country? Why didn't she come back with you?"

Garnett suspected his grandmother was asking a question she already knew the answer to, but he tried to cover it up anyway. "Lavinia was getting bored at home, so she got a job. She's working late today."

"Working late?" Nestor Harper sneered coldly. "Are we depriving her of food and clothes? Going out to work for a few thousand bucks a month... we can't afford that kind of humiliation."

"Dad, Lavinia isn't working for the money. She has her own ambitions," Garnett replied calmly.

"As the young mistress of the Harper family, her ambition should be managing the household and raising children," Nestor retorted. "Her values don't align with ours. I don't think she's fit to stay in this family."

In the past, whenever topics like this came up, Nestor always used his wife, Zenia, as a mouthpiece. For him to personally jump into the fray meant his dissatisfaction with Lavinia had peaked.

Garnett knew the real breaking point wasn't Lavinia's independence or her failure to produce an heir. It was the fact that Judith was absolutely determined to leave the Gilmore Family Trust to her.

Though no one knew exactly how much money was in that trust, a miser like Nestor wasn't willing to let a single penny slip away.

*Smack.*

Judith slammed her silverware down onto the table. The Harper men and Zenia all froze, looking up at the elderly matriarch.

"I've lost my appetite. Maeve, help me to my room," Judith said coldly.

Seeing his grandmother leave, Garnett stood up to follow and comfort her, but Nestor stopped him. "Garnett, stay here."

Garnett reluctantly sat back down, waiting to hear what his father had to say.

"Your mother and I never approved of your marriage to Lavinia to begin with," Nestor began. "Your grandmother was the one who forced her on you. And now, it's obvious the two of you can't make it work."

"Dad, Lavinia and I are fine. Why wouldn't we make it work? Have you been listening to rumors?" Garnett asked.

"Stop covering for her. Your mother and I know everything. Lavinia moved out of the Arden Estate over a month ago. Who are you trying to fool?"

But actually marrying Sigrid was an entirely different matter.

"Dad, to be clear, I have no intention of divorcing Lavinia. She's just out working. What's the big deal? She'll get tired eventually and come back."

Garnett brushed the topic off lightly.

"Also, Grandma is upset. Don't bring this up in front of her again. Enjoy your meal. I'm going to check on her."

He stood up and headed upstairs.

His grandmother's room was at the end of the second-floor hallway, south-facing with excellent sunlight.

When he walked in, Judith was sitting in the golden glow of the setting sun, flipping through an old photo album.

It was filled with pictures from her youth, most of them taken at the renowned Monarch Studio back when Blossom City was still in its republican era.