The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 65

Garnett followed her into the building just in time to see the elevator doors closing. Lavinia stood quietly inside the glass observation elevator, her back to him.

In the lobby, a sign read: *Integra Biosciences Academic Seminar. 6th Floor Conference Room.*

Garnett guessed she was here for the meeting.

He stepped into the next elevator and pressed six.

As soon as the doors opened, he saw Lavinia chatting with a man in a sharp suit. Her brow was relaxed, her eyes crinkled in a warm smile, showing none of the heavy, suffocating tension she always wore around him.

He walked over and called out, "Lavinia."

She turned around, clearly shocked to see him.

Garnett took the initiative to explain, "I was having dinner with a friend downstairs and saw you, so I came up to check on you."

He looked at the man in the suit. "And this is?"

Lavinia quickly composed herself, putting on a polite smile. "This is Zachary Abbott, the founder of Integra Biosciences. He was a senior of mine at Zale University's medical school."

She pursed her lips and turned to Zachary. "Zachary, this is my husband, Garnett Harper."

Her voice sounded a little dry.

Zachary's eyes lit up. "So this is Mr. Harper! I heard my junior married well, but I didn't expect you to be so young, successful, and dashing."

Lavinia lowered her gaze, knowing the bitter truth of it all.

Garnett glanced at her, catching the flash of disappointment on her face.

He placed a hand firmly on her lower back. "My wife appreciates your guidance. What's this meeting about today?"

"Oh!" Zachary laughed. "I invited Lavinia here to give a presentation."

There were several guest speakers, but Zachary saved Lavinia for the finale.

Garnett sat in the front row, listening attentively the entire time. Sigrid texted him multiple times asking where he was, but he ignored them all.

Lavinia was the last to take the stage. Her topic covered operational errors that caused discrepancies in experiments and methods for eliminating data noise.

These were all practical insights she had gathered from helping upperclassmen with their lab work over the years. The academics in the audience were hooked.

Garnett looked up at her. The cool glow of the slideshow illuminated her slender figure and radiant complexion.

Her clinical, professional delivery, paired with her clear, gentle voice, gave her an indescribable magnetism.

The only jewelry she wore was a pair of small pearl stud earrings.

Garnett's fingers twitched involuntarily.