Como se dice "turning back to face someone?"

Question

The English phrase is "She looked away from him for a few silent moments and shook her sadly before turning back to face him."

Yo traduzco esto como, "Ella alejó la vista de Bruno para algunos momentos silenciosos y movió la cabeza negativo, con tristeza, antes de volver hacia Bruno."

Is antes de volver hacia Bruno correct? Or is it too literal? Is there a phrase that I'm unaware of to say it better?

Answer 1

Antes de voltear a encararlo

Answer 2

I am not sure that alejar is the right choice here. I think of alejar as being used to indicate something physically moving away, for instance El camión se alejó de la estación. But I thought the last part of your sentence (which you asked about) was perfect.

I would have said,

Apartó la mirada de Bruno para unos momentos mudos y movió la cabeza con tristeza antes de volver hacia el.

But maybe that's just me.