The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 78

Saul crushed his cigarette out in the ashtray.

"Let's wait for her to let go on her own," Saul said.

***

Down the hall, Lavinia walked out of the doctor's office.

The elevator hadn't arrived yet, so she stood there waiting, clutching her folder.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the TV on the wall. Sigrid was standing on the podium, holding a crystal trophy, smiling for the cameras. The spotlight followed her as the crowd applauded.

Lavinia stared at that face for two full seconds.

Her phone buzzed. Two new emails. She opened them.

[Your application has been rejected.]

The last two had also declined.

Lavinia stood perfectly still in front of the elevator. The doors opened, but she didn't step inside.

She turned and walked toward the window at the end of the hall. No one was there.

She pulled out her phone, scrolled to Garnett's name, stared at it for a few seconds, and pressed call.

It rang twice before he picked up.

"What is it, Lavinia?" His voice was much gentler than it had been months ago.

"Did you tell those companies to reject me?" Lavinia asked icily.

There was a pause on the other end. She heard him mutter, "Corinne, step out for a minute." Then his voice returned to the line.

"I looked into them. Those companies aren't a good fit for you."

Lavinia's breathing hitched.

"If you're bored at home, I can recommend you to the Charity Board. They just happen to have an open seat for a director."

The Charity Board. A social club for wealthy wives. Drinking afternoon tea, hosting charity galas, and taking pictures for social media.

"What right do you have to ruin my career?" Lavinia's voice was cold and brittle.

"Lavinia, haven't we discussed this already?" Garnett's tone softened a fraction. "You should be focusing on getting pregnant right now. The Harper family doesn't need you to be successful, and we don't need you to make money. As long as you give birth—boy or girl—you'll get shares in the Harper Group. Isn't that infinitely better than slaving away at some entry-level job? I don't understand what you're so hung up on."

"And what about Sigrid? You bought that award for her, didn't you?"

If she lost, she would spend the rest of her life as nothing but a puppet on strings.

When she got back to the room, Saul was peeling an apple for their father.

"Saul, how are things at the factory?" Lavinia sat down by the bed.

"The bank's credit line came through the very next day." Saul sliced the apple and arranged it on a plate. "We're managing with legitimate loans now. Charley's also helping me look for investors. Don't worry about it."

Lavinia glanced at Charley. He was standing by the window, his gaze gentle.

At noon, Saul said he wanted to stay with their father and asked Charley to drive Lavinia back.

As the two of them walked out of the hospital, the sunlight was blindingly bright. Lavinia squinted slightly.

"Charley, let me treat you to lunch."

"Why the sudden treat?"

"I want to ask you for advice on applying for that healthcare analyst position."

Charley looked at her. "Alright."