The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

A pang of jealousy struck Sarah Lynch, but she smiled and said, "This plain ring is quite beautiful."

As she spoke, she took the ring out.

"What are you doing?" Sean Sinclair grabbed her wrist.

Sarah feigned ignorance, still smiling. "I’m going to put it on. Isn’t this the ring you prepared for me, Sean?"

"No." Sean reached for the ring, but Sarah clutched it tightly, refusing to let him take it.

"If it’s not for me, then who is it for?"

Sean looked at Sarah’s wide, blinking eyes, and for a moment, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything that would hurt her.

The incident with the proprietary chip project had already hurt her enough.

"If you like it, I’ll buy you a different one another day." Sean forcefully pulled the ring from her grasp and put it back in the hidden compartment.

Sarah’s smile slowly faded.

"Sean, is this ring for Leila Jennings?"

She couldn’t stop herself from asking.

Sean’s lips thinned slightly. "This was always Leila’s ring."

"Sean, what do you mean by that?" Sarah looked wounded. "This ring was always Leila’s... and you’re Leila’s too, is that right?"

Sean opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He didn’t know how to answer her.

Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes. "You were mine first. When did you become hers? Is it because I was kicked off the proprietary chip project, and you think I’m just a pretty face? Is it because Leila Jennings has a higher status than me, so you think only she is worthy of standing by your side?"

"No." Sean frowned. "Sarah, this has nothing to do with the project, and it has nothing to do with whether Leila is more capable than you. This was always Leila’s ring. It’s our wedding ring. If you like rings, I can buy one for you too."

"Would it be the same?" Sarah asked him. "Will you buy me a wedding ring too?"

She stopped just short of asking, "When are we getting married?"

How could Sean not understand what she was implying?

But he wasn’t going to divorce Leila.

He was very certain of that.

"Anything but a wedding ring." Sean’s words were tantamount to saying he could give her anything but marriage.

Tears instantly rolled down Sarah’s cheeks. She stared at Sean in disbelief.

When she had first returned to the country, Sean’s tone hadn’t been this certain.

’What made Sean say that so decisively?’

’Was it because Leila had proven herself to be more than just a housewife, but someone who could also shine in the public eye?’

’Was it because Leila was now in the limelight, completely overshadowing her?’

’Or... had Sean fallen in love with Leila?’

Whatever the reason, Sarah found it impossible to accept. She had rejected Julian Grant and given her heart and soul to Sean!

"Sean, don’t leave me." Sarah, now a sobbing mess, threw herself into his arms.

With the soft, fragrant woman in his arms, for the first time, Sean didn’t immediately hug her back. His slightly raised fingers curled, then drew back.

He gazed out the car window.

"Sarah, I have something to do. Let’s talk another day."

Sarah clung to his waist, refusing to let go.

"I’m already contacting people about Mr. Jacobs’s situation. Mr. Jacobs has many former students; they won’t just stand by and watch something happen to him. Besides, you didn’t leak any secrets to me, and Mr. Jacobs and I never had any private contact. He’s just cooperating with the questioning."

Sarah didn’t dare tell him that her grandfather was called in for questioning by the research institute not because of any leak, but because of her.

Her grandfather had pulled strings for her to get into a national-level project, even though her resume and abilities weren’t sufficient to qualify.

If this whole affair hadn’t blown up, everyone would have just turned a blind eye. Who could claim their hands were completely clean? Who could say they’d never pulled strings for someone close to them?

But President Cole of the Cole Group had exposed the matter, so everyone had to deal with it out in the open.

When she had reconnected with Sean while abroad, she had explained her reason for going overseas was at her grandfather’s suggestion, and she mentioned it was an overseas assignment.

Sean had always believed she was selected for the project first and then sent abroad for further training.

She didn’t dare tell Sean the truth.

Leila had already outshone her, stealing her spotlight. She couldn’t let Sean look down on her now.

"I know my grandfather will be fine," Sarah said, her voice full of grievance. "But he still got dragged into this because of us."

Sean said, "I told you from the beginning not to cross that line."

"I just wanted to ensure your victory." Sarah’s eyes darted, and she used Sean’s parents as a shield. "Your parents thought so too. Are you blaming them as well?"

His parents had been involved in this, especially his father, who had asked about the project in front of Sarah several times.

A flicker of guilt crossed Sean’s mind.

"What’s done is done. The project is gone, but you and I are fine. As for Mr. Jacobs... I will go and apologize to him personally."

As he finished speaking, he glanced out the window again, calculating the time. Leila and Cherry Cole should be finishing their meal and coming down soon.

Sean pulled Sarah away from him. "I’ll have the driver take you home."

Sarah grabbed his hand, refusing to yield. "Aren’t you going to take me home?"

"I have something to do." Sean pried her hand off, got out of the car, closed the door, and signaled for the driver to leave, all in one smooth motion.

Sarah frantically pounded on the car door.

She knew what "something to do" really meant.

He was waiting for Leila.

"Let me out!"

"Ms. Lynch, President Sinclair told me to take you back to The Aquarina."

"I said, let me out!"

The driver turned a deaf ear and even rolled up the windows.

Furious, Sarah kicked the back of the driver’s seat, only succeeding in hurting her own foot.

Sean watched the car drive away, then turned and walked into the building. He found a seat in the ground floor lobby, his gaze fixed on the elevators.

The elevator doors opened.

Cherry Cole had her arm linked with Leila’s, saying with a smile, "It was delicious, right? I’ll bring my mom here next time. She’ll love it."

Leila smiled faintly. As she looked up, she saw Sean standing right in front of her.

’Appearing out of nowhere.’

He had startled her.

"Leila." Sean looked at the woman before him—her hair was smooth, her eyes were bright, and her features were elegant and clear.

His mind flashed to the news reports about Leila. She had been dressed in a crisp, professional outfit, holding her own next to influential figures, perfectly composed in front of the cameras.

’It’s only been a few days, yet she’s changed so much.’

’So, she actually has a place in the world of scientific research.’

’And she has such good taste when she dresses up.’

Sean found himself staring, lost in thought.

"What are you doing here!" Cherry immediately stepped in front of Leila, separating them.

Sean’s gaze passed over Cherry’s shoulder and landed on Leila’s face.

"Leila, I’ve been looking for you for two days. Where have you been? You didn’t answer my texts or calls, and you even blocked me." His tone wasn’t angry; his eyes were filled with sorrow.

Leila looked up, her faintly red lips parting. "Shouldn’t you be with your three-million-a-month girl? Why are you trying to get my attention?"

Sean’s pupils contracted.

’She knows.’

Cherry sneered. "He’s playing both sides. After placating her, he’s come to placate you."

Before, she might have shown Sean some courtesy for the Forrester family’s sake. But now that she knew he not only gave his mistress three million a month but also bought her cars, houses, and jewelry, she couldn’t tolerate it one bit.

"You’re so shameless," she cursed.

Being scolded by a younger woman, Sean was starting to lose face, especially as people around them began to stare.

Sean looked at Leila anxiously and said softly, "Let’s go home and talk, okay?"

"Home?" Leila said. "I’m not interested in your home."

"What do you mean, ’my home’? That’s our home." Seeing Leila pull Cherry along and start walking away, Sean followed. "Leila, have you forgotten? I already signed the papers to transfer that house to you. To be precise, it’s your home."

Leila kept walking as she spoke. "That house has always been in your name."

’How could she possibly want a place where Sean had slept with Sarah Lynch?’

Sean froze, suddenly remembering what the police had told him.

"Then what was that transfer contract you had me sign?"