The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 184

The elderly woman's wrinkled fingers lingered on a faded black-and-white photograph.

In it, a youthful Judith stood elegantly in a traditional dress beside her first husband, holding a plump, fair-skinned baby in her arms.

That baby was her only child, lost during the war, and most likely dead.

Garnett walked over and sat quietly beside her, simply keeping her company without interrupting.

Staring at the photo, Judith spoke in a distant, hollow voice. "In '37, the enemy bombed Blossom City. My husband and I evacuated separately. I was helping the military transport supplies and didn't want to drag them down, so he took our daughter and left by boat."

"The boat headed down the river toward Marina Island. Halfway there, the enemy dropped bombs into the water, and the ship sank. My husband wasn't among the survivors. My daughter was gone, too."

"Grandma," Garnett murmured, placing his hand gently over hers. "You have me."

Judith let out a heavy sigh. "In the past, people feared goodbyes because a goodbye often meant you might never see that person again for the rest of your life. You young people today have your phones and your planes, and you think partings don't exist anymore. But the truth is, if you don't put in the effort, people drift away. Even in the same city, when someone is gone, they can be gone forever."

Garnett froze. Wasn't she talking exactly about him and Lavinia?

Blossom City had a population of over ten million. A single person was like a grain of sand—once tossed into the ocean, they were impossible to find.

His grandmother's raspy voice echoed in his ears. "Businessmen prioritize profit over people. Garnett, whatever you do, don't learn from your father. You can always make money back. But when a person is gone, they're gone for good."

"I understand, Grandma," Garnett replied softly. "You always say, 'Greed drives people away; generosity brings them close.'"

He paused, intentionally lightening his tone with a smile. "You asked me to have those jewelry cabinets designed. The drafts are finished. Take a look and pick a style you like."

Garnett unfolded his phone screen and opened the design files, showing them to Judith.

She swiped through a few of the images, nodding in approval. "They all look wonderful. Show them to Lavinia. Since all these pieces will be hers, she should be the one to choose."

"Alright. I'll let Lavinia pick one," Garnett said, putting his phone away.

Judith looked at him, her gaze suddenly turning sharp and icy. "Listen to your grandmother. Cut ties with that woman completely."

Garnett stiffened.

"Grandma... who are you talking about?"

Meanwhile, his own wife's monthly allowance was a meager twenty thousand. And she had refused to even accept it for the past few months.

Then again, he thought, if Lavinia could be bought with material things, everything would be a whole lot simpler.

He unlocked his phone again and stared at the 3D mockups of the jewelry cabinets.

Row after row of dazzling gemstones sat perfectly aligned against black velvet.

It was the kind of display that would be a dream come true for most women. But he wasn't so sure it was Lavinia's.

A new text from Corinne popped up: [Mr. Harper, I've finally located your wife's new address.]

He clicked the GPS pin. It pointed to a small standalone house in one of the older, run-down districts of the city.

Why would she live in a place like this?

Garnett frowned.