The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

Secretary Gwen received a phone call.

It was Zachary on the line. "Is Jennings out of danger?" he asked.

"She is," Secretary Gwen confirmed with a nod. "Zachary, why did you call the Young Miss over?"

"It wasn’t me," Zachary said.

"Then who was it?" Secretary Gwen asked.

Zachary chuckled but didn’t answer. He just told them, "Since the Young Miss is with Jennings, you two go ahead and splurge with that card."

"Alrighty! Thanks, Zachary! President Cole is the best!" The two women took the card and went off to shop on their own.

Meanwhile, Leila Jennings accompanied Cherry Cole straight to a high-end luxury boutique whose door was half-closed.

Usually, this meant there was a VIP inside.

But Cherry Cole was accustomed to wearing only this brand. She took out her phone and made a call. Less than thirty seconds after she hung up, the door swung open, and the store manager came out.

"Miss Neville, please, come in."

Leila Jennings followed Cherry Cole inside and heard a familiar voice coming from the VIP room next to them.

"Sarah, what do you think of the one on the mannequin? Does it suit me?"

"It looks good on the mannequin, but of course, it would look even better on you." It was Sarah Lynch’s voice.

Sarah Lynch hadn’t gone back home at all. Instead, she had called Cecilia Sinclair to go shopping, promising to buy her a haute couture dress as a birthday gift.

She was spending Sean Sinclair’s money anyway.

’This is my punishment for Sean for distancing himself from me right in front of Leila Jennings.’

"What’s wrong, sis?" Cherry Cole asked, puzzled when she saw Leila stop. "Who’s in the next room?"

The store manager replied, "Mrs. Sinclair and Miss Sinclair."

"Mrs. Sinclair?" Leila Jennings looked at the manager.

"Yes, Mrs. Sinclair and Miss Sinclair."

’I can’t believe Sarah Lynch is already calling herself Mrs. Sinclair in public.’

Cherry Cole recalled the business card Sean Sinclair had handed her. She had seen the name, and seeing Leila Jennings’s reaction now, the wheels in her head started turning instantly.

"Hey, sis, that’s not your husband’s sister in there, is it?"

"That’s Cecilia Sinclair’s voice." As soon as Leila Jennings said that, Cherry Cole grabbed her and started to pull her inside to get a clear answer.

"Don’t," said Leila Jennings.

She tilted her head to look through the crack in the door. "She *is* Mrs. Sinclair."

Cherry Cole didn’t understand. "Why?"

Because she and Sean Sinclair were already divorced.

All that was missing was the certificate.

The sound of their conversation seemed to disturb the people inside. Cecilia Sinclair asked unhappily, "Who’s talking out there? Aren’t you supposed to be serving only us?"

With that, she opened the door and came out.

She saw Leila Jennings standing with a girl in pajamas.

"Leila Jennings?" Cecilia Sinclair’s face filled with disgust. "What are you doing here?"

Then she looked at Cherry Cole. "They’ll really let anyone in these days."

Cherry Cole: "???"

"Cecilia Sinclair, show some respect," Leila Jennings said, her gaze turning cold as she stepped in front of Cherry Cole.

"You’re the one who needs to show some respect," Cecilia Sinclair glared back. "Leila Jennings, are you here spending my brother’s money to act like a big shot?"

"Cecilia," Sarah Lynch, who had been watching the show, walked out and smiled at Leila. "We meet again, Leila Jennings."

"Mrs. Sinclair," Leila Jennings addressed her directly.

Both Cecilia Sinclair and Sarah Lynch were taken aback for a moment.

Sarah Lynch explained, "They’ve misunderstood."

Cecilia Sinclair rolled her eyes. "Misunderstood what? Leila Jennings doesn’t look like Mrs. Sinclair in the slightest. Just a country bumpkin."

"I guess I’m really getting to see the full range of biodiversity today," Cherry Cole said. "This must be what a paramecium is like."

"What do you mean?" Cecilia Sinclair didn’t get it.

But Leila Jennings, who did, chuckled.

’The siblings are actually quite alike,’ she thought.

Sarah Lynch explained, "A paramecium is a single-celled organism. It’s a way of saying someone is brainless."

"Let me clarify. It wasn’t a metaphor, it was an insult. Thank you," Cherry Cole said, her eyes narrowing into a smile before her face went cold the next second.

Sarah Lynch studied Cherry Cole with curiosity. The material of her pajamas was clearly high-quality.

"Leila Jennings, this is?"

"I’m her sister," Cherry Cole said, linking her arm with Leila’s.

Sarah Lynch was skeptical. "Her sister?"

Cecilia Sinclair scoffed. "Another unwanted orphan."

The words had barely left her mouth when Leila Jennings’s hand flew up and slapped her.

The crisp sound of the slap stunned everyone.

"Cecilia Sinclair, I told you to show some respect."

The reality dawned on Cecilia Sinclair a moment later. She touched her tingling cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Leila Jennings, you dare hit me? You actually dared to hit me?!"

Her eyes turned red with fury.

She lunged at Leila Jennings to hit her back but was promptly held back by the store staff.

"Leila Jennings! Was I wrong? You *are* an unwanted orphan! You only have a home because you met my brother! Doesn’t that mean your ’sister’ is also an unwanted orphan from the orphanage? Tell me where I’m wrong!"

"You dared to hit me! You actually hit me! I’m going to tell my brother! I’m going to make my brother divorce you!"

"Sarah, call my brother! Get my brother over here to see Leila Jennings for the ugly person she is!"

Sarah Lynch never imagined that someone as spineless as Leila Jennings would actually dare to lay a hand on Cecilia Sinclair.

"Leila Jennings, you know Sean dotes on his sister more than anyone. Why would you hit her? Apologize to Cecilia, and I’ll put in a good word for you with Sean."

"Mrs. Sinclair, I don’t need your ’good word’." Leila Jennings looked at the flailing Cecilia Sinclair. "I was far too easy on you before."

Sarah Lynch frowned again. "Do you have any idea what you’re saying?"

Leila Jennings couldn’t be bothered to even look at her and turned to Cherry Cole instead.

The expression on Cherry Cole’s face was a whirlwind of emotions, shifting from initial shock to a deep sadness.

She hadn’t known that the beautiful woman beside her had grown up in an orphanage. ’Did all my talk about being rich and having a happy family hurt her feelings?’

"Cherry, what’s wrong?" Leila Jennings thought the scene had frightened her into a stupor.

Cherry Cole suddenly said, "I’m sorry, sis."

"What?" Leila Jennings saw her bottom lip tremble, her face filled with sadness.

"I didn’t know you were..." She couldn’t bring herself to say the word and just shook her head.

Leila Jennings realized what was happening.

Cherry was feeling sorry for her.

Pity from a "little sister" six years younger than her.

"I’m fine. What about you? Were you scared?"

"Nope." Cherry Cole grinned. "That slap just now was awesome!"

"Who do you think you are! This has nothing to do with you!" Cecilia Sinclair was about to explode at their dismissive attitude. "Believe it or not, I can call my brother and make it so you can’t survive in City A!"

"Ooh, I’m so scared. You’ll make it so I can’t survive in City A," Cherry Cole taunted her. "You little punk."

"You’re finished! You’re so finished! Sarah, give me my phone! I’m calling my brother!"

Sarah Lynch handed her the phone.

"You think you’re the only one with a brother?" Cherry Cole also grabbed her phone and made a call. "Bro, my new sis and I are getting bullied."

Nathaniel Cole’s brow furrowed. "Location."

Cecilia Sinclair wailed into her phone: "Bro!!! Leila Jennings hit me, and her friend insulted me too, WAHHHH."

Cherry Cole: "???"

She got back on her phone. "Bro, this person called my sis and me orphans."

The store manager, seeing the situation was beyond her control, resigned herself to waiting for both parties’ backup to arrive.

Sean Sinclair had only gotten halfway when he received his sister’s call and turned back, arriving quickly.

As soon as he entered the store, he saw Sarah Lynch was there, along with his sister, Cecilia Sinclair, whose one cheek was swollen like a balloon.

’Leila often cooked and did the laundry. She really was that strong.’

"Bro, Leila Jennings hit me! Everyone here can prove it!" Cecilia Sinclair immediately tattled, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

Sarah Lynch followed up, "Sean, don’t be angry. Leila didn’t mean to do it, she just lost control."

Sean Sinclair looked Sarah Lynch over. "Are you okay? Didn’t I tell you to go home? Why did you come back?"

"Sarah came with me! Bro, are you even listening to me? Leila Jennings hit me! She hit me in the face! Look!" Cecilia Sinclair stomped her foot in frustration.

Leila Jennings stood to the side, looking as if none of this concerned her, watching Sean Sinclair check on Sarah Lynch first, then his sister, and only then turn to question her.

"Leila Jennings, why did you hit Cecilia? Her injuries just started to heal."