The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 256

"Grandma." Garnett stared at Judith in disbelief, a flicker of childlike hurt flashing in his eyes.

Judith didn't even look at him. "If you don't love her, then divorce her. Stop wasting Lavinia's time."

Garnett stood frozen before her, entirely incapable of moving.

Judith shot a quick look at Maeve. Maeve retrieved Judith's custom antique fountain pen and offered it to Garnett with both hands. With a pitying sigh, she murmured, "Garnett, you can't force fate. Ending things peacefully is the only right path now."

Garnett's mouth opened and closed several times, but he couldn't form a single word.

He didn't want this. Every time the thought of signing those papers crossed his mind, his entire body resisted it.

Even though this marriage had been arranged by their families, and even though he told himself he didn't love Lavinia, he still didn't want to let her go. He convinced himself it was just because this was his first marriage—that he simply couldn't accept the reality of a failed relationship.

But Sigrid's constant expectations were drowning him in guilt. He had wanted to give her a straight answer so many times, yet he could never bring himself to make the final cut.

He stared down at the two identical copies of the divorce agreement. Perhaps, he thought bitterly, this was the universe stepping in to make the decision for him.

Slowly, his hand lifted. He took the pen from Maeve.

Without reading a single line, he flipped straight to the final page.

Lavinia's signature was already there. Looking at her elegant handwriting, a sharp pain clamped down on his chest.

A bitter lump formed in his throat, making it difficult to even breathe.

"Lavinia said she didn't want a single thing," Judith stated coldly. "But I'm overriding her. I'm giving her the Arden Estate. If she absolutely refuses the property, you will wire her the exact cash equivalent. It's the least she deserves after everything she's given this family."

Garnett gave a faint, mechanical nod. Right next to Lavinia's name, he signed his own.

He remembered standing beside Lavinia as she arranged flowers, teasing her about spending fifty thousand on a floral design class. She had pouted, complaining that she'd tried her best but simply lacked the talent for it.

It wasn't until much later that he realized she had never taken a floral class at all.

Fragments of their shared history looped relentlessly through his mind. *It's not that I can't let her go,* he told himself again. *It's just that I refuse to accept failure.*

But now, the choice had been stripped away. This was for the best. For everyone.

He sat in absolute silence for a very long time. By the time he finally stood up, his legs had gone completely numb.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a fresh text message: *[Your divorce application has been received. Please bring your identification and relevant paperwork to the Blossom City Registry Office on the scheduled date.]*

He locked the screen and slowly walked out the door.