The Man Who Never Looked Away novel Chapter 395

Garnett sat at a large, food-laden table, listening to the joyful chatter bleeding through the wall. He was completely submerged in his own memories.

On the third day of their marriage, after breakfast, he had grabbed his suitcase and headed for the door.

She was still in the kitchen washing dishes. Hearing the noise, she ran out in her apron. "Are you going to Marina Island for a business trip?"

"Yeah," he had replied coldly, not offering any details about how long he'd be gone or when he'd be back.

"Can I come with you? I promise I won't get in the way." Her eyes had been full of hope. "I heard there's going to be a fireworks show over the harbor in a couple of days. I want to watch them with you."

"I'm going for work, not a vacation." He hadn't even looked at her when he delivered the crushing blow, simply opening the door and walking out.

The truth was, the trip hadn't been crucial. It was just a corporate summit, and plenty of attendees had brought their wives and children.

At the reception following the summit, almost every executive was accompanied by a partner. And from the venue, they had a perfect view of the fireworks.

He had felt a twinge of regret then. He should have brought his new wife.

He had only rejected her because he didn't want to look like he cared about a marriage that was supposed to be a mere business arrangement. They had no real emotional foundation; he had married her purely for convenience and to appease his grandmother.

When he finally returned to the Arden Estate days later, he found a tin of little bear cookies on the table. They were from an incredibly popular bakery in the city.

She stepped out of the bedroom, her voice soft. "You're back."

"You went to the island?" he asked.

"Yeah. I really wanted to see the fireworks, so I went by myself." She opened the tin. "Do you want some? This place is famous. I waited in line for two hours to get these."

Two hours. He could have made a single phone call and had them delivered to his suite.

He couldn't even remember how he had felt in that moment. But now, standing by the window and watching the sky explode in color, he wished more than anything that he could rewind time.

If only he had said yes when she asked to come. He would have taken her everywhere, proudly introduced her to his peers, graciously accepted their congratulations, and held her hand while they watched the sky light up.

If only he could go back.

With trembling hands, he raised his phone and took a photo of the display.

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