The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

Cherry Cole stepped forward and looked at the obvious fear in Cecilia Sinclair’s eyes.

"Cecilia Sinclair? You want to pull rank on me? A family like the Sinclairs doesn’t deserve the courtesy of us calling you Miss Sinclair. We only call your brother President Sinclair out of consideration for the Forrester Family, who hired him."

"And Leila Jennings, the woman you’re so quick to disparage, happens to be an honored guest of the Cole family." A slight smile touched her lips, terrifying Cecilia Sinclair, who immediately shrank behind her brother and Sarah Lynch.

Sarah Lynch felt Cecilia brush against her arm and instinctively flinched, wanting to shrug her off.

But with Sean Sinclair present, she didn’t dare.

She knew Cecilia Sinclair was always causing trouble. Minor incidents were one thing, but this time, she had managed to provoke the Cole Family.

Everyone who shopped in this mall was either rich or powerful, yet the girl didn’t even know how to be subtle when making threats. This time, she had really picked a fight with the wrong people, and now she was dragging Sarah along with her, making a bad impression on the Cole family.

’What an idiot.’

When Sean Sinclair felt Nathaniel Cole’s icy gaze fall upon him, he immediately said to his sister, "Cecilia, apologize to Miss Cole."

Like an ostrich pulling its head from the sand, Cecilia slowly shuffled forward and said bluntly, "Miss Cole, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you an orphan."

Having said her piece, she retreated again.

Cherry Cole said, "That’s it? You’re only apologizing to me?"

The point was for Cecilia to apologize to Leila Jennings, too.

Sean Sinclair frowned. "Miss Cole, what’s between Cecilia and Leila Jennings is a private matter for the Sinclair family."

’Of course.’

Leila Jennings knew Sean Sinclair would never let Cecilia humble herself before her so easily.

The Sinclair family needed her, but they also looked down on her.

"A private matter?" Nathaniel Cole finally spoke, his eyes narrowing mockingly. "As I recall, President Sinclair and Leila Jennings are merely acquainted. How has this become a ’private matter’?"

Sean Sinclair knew Nathaniel Cole was taunting him, so he admitted it outright. "Leila Jennings is my wife. She’s Cecilia’s sister-in-law."

Sarah Lynch secretly clenched her jaw.

’Sean still acknowledged Leila Jennings’s status in front of outsiders.’

"Is that so?" Nathaniel Cole asked Leila Jennings.

Leila Jennings’s lashes fluttered. "Yes."

Cecilia Sinclair flashed a smug smile, but the movement tugged at her cheek, making her hiss in pain.

’That bitch Leila Jennings really hits hard!’

’It felt like she’d been hit in the face with a frying pan. It hurt like hell.’

"Cherry already said it, you’re an honored guest of the Cole family." Nathaniel Cole’s cold gaze swept over Sean Sinclair. "A proper apology is non-negotiable."

Sean Sinclair noticed how Nathaniel Cole kept stepping in for Leila Jennings. ’It takes a man to know one,’ he thought. ’Has Nathaniel Cole taken a fancy to Leila?’

’No, Leila is no longer the beautiful young girl she was four years ago. A man as powerful as Nathaniel Cole is surrounded by gorgeous women. Why would he be interested in Leila?’

’Did Leila seduce him?’

’Otherwise, how could she have gone in to resign and come out with a promotion?’

The mere possibility sent a blaze of anger through Sean Sinclair. But out of deference to Nathaniel Cole, and with the shop’s staff watching, he had to maintain his composure.

"Honey, do you need Cecilia to apologize to you?"

’Such sudden tenderness.’

’This was exactly how Sean Sinclair acted lately when he was trying to placate her like a dog.’

Cherry Cole cut in, "Of course she does!"

Sean Sinclair said, "Miss Cole, I’m asking my wife."

Nathaniel Cole and Cherry Cole both glanced over, the same flicker of worry in their eyes, though Nathaniel’s vanished in an instant.

They were worried Leila would say it wasn’t necessary.

Leila Jennings spoke. "I do."

"What?!" Cecilia Sinclair’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t afford to offend Miss Cole, but was she supposed to be afraid of Leila Jennings too?

For all these years, Leila had been her personal punching bag.

"Leila Jennings, you slapped me, and you’re demanding an apology?" Cecilia Sinclair scoffed.

Leila deliberately twisted her words. "Are you saying it takes two slaps for you to apologize to me?"

Cecilia’s smile froze on her face.

"Brother!"

Sean Sinclair said to Leila, "Let’s talk about this at home. We shouldn’t be making a scene in public."

"So you do know you shouldn’t air your dirty laundry in public," Leila said. "But I’m on the clock right now. I can’t go back to ’talk’."

She couldn’t even bring herself to say the word "home."

’It’s disgusting.’

The corner of Nathaniel Cole’s mouth twitched in an almost imperceptible smirk.

"You’re out shopping and you’re telling me you’re working?" Cecilia sneered. "Who are you trying to fool? Not even an idiot would believe that."

Cherry Cole shot back, "No wonder you don’t believe it."

Nathaniel Cole shot the person beside him a sidelong glance.

Zachary stepped forward with a smile. "Secretaries Jennings, Caine, and Gwen are here shopping this afternoon on President Cole’s orders. This is, in fact, company time."

"For President Sinclair to bring his sister and this Ms. Lynch to bully one of the Cole Group’s own, right under our noses... I’m not sure if you’re provoking us on your own behalf, or on behalf of the Forrester Family."

The weight of the accusation made both Sean Sinclair’s and Sarah Lynch’s faces turn pale.

Seeing the look on her brother’s and future sister-in-law’s faces, Cecilia began to tremble too.

’Maybe I should just apologize,’ she thought.

’I’ll get my revenge once Leila is back home.’

’The Coles can’t be with her twenty-four hours a day, can they?’

Leila saw Cecilia’s eyes darting about and knew she was already scheming again.

"I... I apologize," Cecilia said to Leila. "I’m sorry."

"Is that it again?" Cherry Cole was exasperated.

Nathaniel Cole looked at Sean Sinclair, his gaze filled with contempt. "If President Sinclair won’t teach her a lesson, there are plenty of people who will."

Zachary took the hint. "Then allow me to be the one to teach her."

"Cecilia, apologize to your sister-in-law properly." Sean Sinclair knew that if an outsider had to "teach" her, it would be far more than just a lesson.

On the verge of tears again, Cecilia said pitifully, "Leila, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have insulted your friend, and I shouldn’t have insinuated that you were an orphan."

"You don’t stop until Leila says you can." Nathaniel Cole’s words permitted no argument.

Sean and Cecilia both looked at Leila.

Leila didn’t say a word, simply standing there, quietly waiting for Cecilia to continue.

Cecilia ground her teeth and continued, "I shouldn’t have called you a washed-up hag, or criticized every little thing about you, and I definitely shouldn’t have told my brother to div—"

"That’s enough," Leila cut her off.

’That last part wasn’t an apology. It was a curse.’

Cecilia Sinclair breathed a sigh of relief.

Sean Sinclair, however, hadn’t realized his sister said such things about Leila behind her back. He shot Cecilia an angry glare.

Cecilia retorted, "Why are you looking at me like that, Brother?" Then she muttered under her breath, "Isn’t that what you think about Leila deep down, too?"

Hearing this, Leila’s body went rigid.

’Cecilia was right. That’s what Sean thought of her, too.’

"Stop muttering," Sean said, then turned to Leila. "What time do you get off work? I’ll come pick you up."

’So he can take me home and yell at me?’

’Besides, wasn’t picking someone up from work a privilege reserved for Sarah Lynch?’

Sarah Lynch thought so too. The nails of her lowered hand dug deep into her palm, and she ground her back teeth.

Leila looked to Nathaniel Cole. ’In for a penny, in for a pound.’

Cherry Cole looked over too. ’You have to see it through to the end.’

Nathaniel Cole: "..."

"Secretary Jennings, you’ll be working overtime tonight."

Leila Jennings: "Alright."

Cherry Cole said, "Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you."

Nathaniel Cole gave a slight lift of his chin, indicating they should go. "You two, lead the way."

"You got it!" Cherry Cole pulled Leila out of the store. With her brother as her rock-solid support, she had nothing to fear.

Her brother was the kind of man who could make the entire City A tremble just by stomping his foot.

"President Cole," Sean Sinclair called out, stopping Nathaniel Cole as he turned to leave. "Leila Jennings has already submitted her resignation. According to regulations, she’s free to leave the Cole Group as soon as her handover is complete."

"If the Cole Group refuses to approve it and forces her to stay, that would be against the law."

He knew he couldn’t confront the Cole Group head-on, but he knew with even greater clarity that every extra day Leila spent there, the bolder she would become.

Today, Leila had completely disregarded his dignity, ganging up with outsiders to bully Cecilia and defy him.