The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

"Really?" Cecilia Sinclair asked as she opened the glass cabinet door. She lifted the purse out with both hands. It was small and exquisite—so gorgeous, it was exactly her style.

"It was all bought with my brother’s money anyway, so it’s fine if I take one, right?"

Sarah Lynch just smiled and said, "It’s beautiful. It goes perfectly with what you’re wearing today."

"Right? I think so too!" Cecilia Sinclair had already decided to claim the purse for herself.

Sarah Lynch’s gaze scanned the cabinet. Suddenly, she noticed something hidden behind a tote bag.

She reached in and took it out.

It was a black gift box tied with a pink ribbon.

"What’s this?" Cecilia Sinclair opened it curiously, utterly oblivious to the impropriety of opening someone else’s gift.

Inside the box was a car key.

Sarah Lynch said, "It’s the key to that car in the underground parking garage."

"That car belongs to my brother?" Cecilia Sinclair toyed with the key, recognizing the Porsche crest.

"But my brother already has a car, and our family has an SUV. Why would he buy another one? It couldn’t have been Leila Jennings who bought it, right? She doesn’t even know how to drive."

"Leila Jennings can’t drive?" Sarah Lynch was a little surprised.

"What can she do?" Cecilia Sinclair said disdainfully. "If she knew how to drive, my dad and my brother wouldn’t have to take turns at the wheel every year when we visit our ancestors’ graves for the Qingming Festival."

Sarah Lynch’s eyes darted, and a sharp glint flashed in their depths.

"If Leila Jennings can’t drive, then it’s probably not for her."

"Huh?" Cecilia Sinclair’s eyes lit up. "Are you saying my brother got this for me?"

Sarah Lynch gave a gentle smile and didn’t answer.

"Of course! I’m twenty-two, about to turn twenty-three. It’s about time my brother bought me a car." Cecilia Sinclair held the car key. "Sarah, are we going to the stables now?"

Sarah Lynch looked at the car key in her hand. "Sure."

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Cecilia Sinclair finally remembered.

Sarah Lynch nodded.

’My goal has been achieved. Just as I suspected, Sean used half the money on the card to buy things to win over Leila Jennings.’

The two of them returned to the underground parking garage.

Carrying her new purse, Cecilia Sinclair skipped happily toward the new car, which was covered by a dust cloth.

Together, they pulled off the dust cover, revealing a low-key yet luxurious Panamera.

"Whoa," Cecilia Sinclair breathed, but in the next second, she was already looking at the color with some disdain. "My brother has terrible taste in colors. What girl likes this? Other than being good at hiding dirt, it’s not pretty at all."

Sarah Lynch urged her, "Get in and try it out."

"Okay!" Cecilia Sinclair climbed in eagerly, the smile never leaving her face. "Sarah, I’m going to take it for a spin. You can follow behind me."

"Okay." Sarah Lynch got back into her own car. She watched as Cecilia Sinclair shot away like a rocket in the car Sean Sinclair had bought for Leila Jennings, and the corners of her lips curled up.

Her phone rang.

It was Charles Jordan.

"Assistant Quinn, is Sean looking for me?"

"Ms. Lynch, President Sinclair has been rather busy recently. He asked me to contact you about an important matter. I was wondering when you might be free?"

"I’m free right now."

"Very well. I’ll see you shortly, Ms. Lynch."

Sarah Lynch had been wondering what excuse she could give Cecilia Sinclair; there was no way she could actually take her to the stables.

The best equestrian club in City A was in the suburbs, and it was members-only. She didn’t have the connections to get a membership.

The other stables were mediocre, and she wasn’t interested.

Sarah Lynch called Cecilia Sinclair. The call connected on the second try; it seemed she was having the time of her life.

"Cecilia, your brother’s assistant just contacted me about something urgent. I can’t go to the stables with you today. Let’s do it another time. This gives you more time to test out your new car. How about that?"

Immersed in the joy of her new car, Cecilia Sinclair agreed without a second thought. "Sarah, let’s do it next time!"

As she had hoped, Sarah Lynch left.

Charles Jordan arranged to meet her at the corner cafe across from Stellaxis Technologies.

"Ms. Lynch." Charles Jordan remained standing until she was seated, then sat down himself.

Sarah Lynch glanced at the building across the street. "We’re so close. What is it that Sean can’t tell me himself?"

"President Sinclair is busy with another project. He’s made a do-or-die promise to Chairman Forrester. If this project fails, he faces demotion at best, and suspension at worst."

Sarah Lynch’s temper instantly vanished.

’Sean Sinclair’s future is tied to whether I’ll get the funding to build my research team.’

’I will absolutely not let this setback stop me. Sooner or later, I will triumph over Leila Jennings.’

"Fine. What is it?"

"President Sinclair and his wife’s relationship has been tense recently. He’s worried this might affect you, so to prevent any trouble, he has decided to take back the primary credit card. There are also a few matters he’d like to get on the same page about with you, and a contract he’d like you to sign." Charles Jordan was trying to be as tactful as possible. ’Ms. Lynch is a smart woman; she should be able to read between the lines, right?’

Understanding his meaning, Sarah Lynch felt a lump of anger get caught in her throat. Her gaze toward Charles Jordan was now noticeably cold.

"What do you mean?"

Charles Jordan pursed his lips and gave a wry smile.

’Since Ms. Lynch is playing dumb, I’ll just have to be blunt.’

"His wife may sue you to recover the assets. President Sinclair doesn’t want that to happen to you, which is why he sent me to discuss how to handle this."

Charles Jordan pushed an investment contract in front of Sarah Lynch. "Don’t worry," he said. "The terms in the contract are clear. Even if the investment fails, you won’t be required to pay any compensation."

How could someone as proud as Sarah Lynch admit to her own failure?

She didn’t even glance at the contract.

She just angrily dug the black card out of her purse and slammed it down in front of Charles Jordan.

"Charles, you should know that the person Sean has always loved is me."

’He used to, but I’m not so sure about now,’ Charles Jordan thought.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Ms. Lynch." Charles Jordan took back the primary card and looked at the contract again. "Ms. Lynch, if his wife sues and you lose the case, it means you’ll have to pay back over a hundred million."

The sum of over a hundred million hung over Sarah Lynch’s head like a guillotine.

Sarah Lynch knew she was in the wrong. Angrily, she snapped, "Where’s the pen!"

"Right here." Charles Jordan immediately handed one over.

After signing, Sarah Lynch stood up angrily.

"Ms. Lynch, there are still some things we need to get our story straight on." Charles Jordan also stood up. "The money you used to buy the car and the apartment—you borrowed it from President Sinclair."

Sarah Lynch turned and walked away, her high heels CLICK-CLACKING on the floor.

’When have I ever been so humiliated!’

Unable to swallow her anger, she turned back and said, "If Leila Jennings sues, shouldn’t she also sue over the new car Sean bought for Cecilia?"

Charles Jordan asked, "What new car?"

’No way.’

’Did President Sinclair’s sister just drive off with the apology gift he prepared for his wife?’

’With that little menace’s driving skills, that new car is doomed.’

Charles Jordan was about to ask another question, but Sarah Lynch had already stalked off in a huff.

Just then, a call came in from President Sinclair’s sister.

Whenever Cecilia Sinclair got into trouble, she would call Leila Jennings. But now that Leila was unreachable, the only person she dared to call was Charles Jordan.

The moment Charles Jordan saw the caller ID, he knew it was bad news.

"Hello, Miss Sinclair."

"Charles, the new car my brother bought me is insured, right?" Cecilia Sinclair’s voice sounded guilty. "I crashed it into the side of the road. I’m okay, but the paint is scraped, and the front is a little dented."

Charles Jordan: "..."

This was giving him a massive headache.