The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

Nathaniel Cole looked back, his gaze sharp and cold.

"I don’t need a reminder from you, President Sinclair. The Cole Group is well aware of whether Leila Jennings has completed her work handover."

Sean Sinclair’s brow furrowed slightly. "President Cole, as Leila Jennings’s husband, I have the right to request her immediate resignation on her behalf."

"Is that so?" Nathaniel Cole picked up his phone. "Why don’t you have a chat with The Cole Group’s legal department, President Sinclair?"

Sean Sinclair never would have thought that Nathaniel Cole would mobilize The Cole Group’s legal department over someone like Leila Jennings.

’If there wasn’t something going on between them, he refused to believe it.’

"President Cole, what exactly is the relationship between you and Leila Jennings?" Sean Sinclair couldn’t help but press. "Leila is a married woman. Surely President Cole wouldn’t joke around with his own reputation."

Nathaniel Cole replied, "My business is none of yours."

Sean Sinclair was about to question him further, but Nathaniel Cole’s bodyguard stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

Zachary said with a smile, "President Sinclair, you’re getting a bit out of line. And when it comes to people who don’t follow the rules, The Cole Group has never been one to play by them either."

Everyone said there was a smiling fox by Nathaniel Cole’s side, and it was certainly true.

"Leila Jennings is my wife!" Sean Sinclair shouted.

Sarah Lynch’s face paled.

Walking ahead, Leila Jennings and Cherry Cole heard the shout and stopped to look back. They couldn’t see Sean Sinclair and the others, only Nathaniel Cole striding out of the store, his expression cold, walking with an imposing air.

Cherry Cole remarked with feeling, "My brother looks so cool at times like this."

Leila Jennings couldn’t argue with that.

After all, a man’s greatest charm is his ability to solve problems.

But Sean Sinclair’s words kept echoing in her ears: that she was his wife.

In four years, this was the first time she had ever heard Sean introduce her like that in front of others.

’How disgusting.’

Leila Jennings’s gaze was indifferent.

Cherry Cole suddenly grew worried. "Leila, what if they keep bullying you when you go back?"

"I can bully them right back," Leila Jennings said. "Didn’t I just slap Cecilia Sinclair?"

Nathaniel Cole approached and glanced sideways at her. "Quite a strong arm you’ve got."

He had seen Sean Sinclair’s sister’s face. It was swollen like a pig’s head, and who knew how long it would take for the slap mark to fade.

Cherry Cole put her hands on her hips. "Brother, what’s that supposed to mean? Was Leila wrong to hit her?"

Leila Jennings also looked up at him.

As he walked past the two of them, Nathaniel Cole said slowly, "It’s good to be strong. A harder slap makes for a longer memory."

Cherry Cole huffed.

Leila Jennings gave a faint smile.

"Are you coming or not?" Nathaniel Cole called from ahead.

Cherry Cole grabbed Leila and followed, asking as they went, "Leila, if you don’t mind me asking, how long have you and President Sinclair been married?"

Leila Jennings replied calmly, "Four years and one hundred fifteen days."

’That number again.’

Nathaniel Cole tilted his head slightly. She had said the same thing last night, and again today. ’Could it be that the specific time of day hasn’t passed yet?’

At this thought, he let out a soft, cold laugh.

"Cherry Cole, keep your eyes open when you look for a man in the future. Otherwise, I’ll break your legs." Nathaniel Cole strode away.

Cherry Cole pointed at herself. "Me? I... I haven’t even been in a relationship. How did I manage to provoke this tyrant?"

Leila Jennings thought to herself: ’President Cole isn’t scolding you. He’s scolding me, just indirectly.’

’He’s cursing the mulberry to scold the ash.’

In the end, neither Leila Jennings nor Cherry Cole bought any clothes. They got into Nathaniel Cole’s Pullman and went back, arranging for someone to have the clothes delivered directly to the president’s office.

Leila Jennings said, "President Cole, I’d like to take that day off."

Cherry Cole was shocked. "You’re not going to the tech exhibition? There’s going to be so much cool stuff, some of which even I haven’t seen! I can understand skipping the cocktail party at night, but are you really not going to the exhibition? Leila, please, just come with me~"

"I have to meet my professor during the day," Leila Jennings still refused.

Cherry Cole could only say, "Alright then." She turned her head and said, "Brother, you have to take me to the cocktail party!"

"Who else would I take?" Nathaniel Cole replied without looking up.

Cherry Cole ribbed him for being single. "If you had a date, you wouldn’t need me."

...

「The hospital.」

Cecilia Sinclair was howling in pain. This was her second trip to the hospital in just a few short days. The smell of disinfectant made her nauseous, and her face was still throbbing.

"Brother, can’t you be a little gentler? If you don’t know how to apply the ointment, just let the doctor do it."

Sean Sinclair ignored her, continuing to apply the medicine with the same amount of force.

"Why did you have to bring up the fact that Leila is an orphan? It’s not like she chose to be one," Sean Sinclair said sternly. "Don’t ever say that again."

"Sean, Cecilia didn’t mean it," Sarah Lynch said. "She’s in pain right now, so go easy on her."

"Sarah, you’re the only one who cares about me, WAHHH..." Cecilia Sinclair whined pitifully. "Unlike Leila Jennings. All she does is hit me."

Sean Sinclair looked up. "She’s only ever hit you this one time."

"Brother!" Cecilia Sinclair was about to explode with anger. "Why do you keep defending Leila Jennings? I’m your real sister, and besides, isn’t Sarah the one you like?"

The movement of Sean Sinclair’s hands faltered.

"I want Sarah to be my sister-in-law, not Leila Jennings!"

Sarah Lynch looked at Sean Sinclair expectantly.

With his back to Sarah Lynch, Sean Sinclair said softly, "Don’t say things like that in the future."

Sarah Lynch’s face paled again, but she forced a smile. "That’s right, Cecilia. You shouldn’t talk like that. Your brother is already married to her, so he should be responsible for her."

Sean Sinclair thought about how he had already slept with Sarah Lynch, and that he had a responsibility to her as well.

He was suddenly caught in a dilemma.

He turned back. "Sarah, I..."

"Sean, hurry up and put the ointment on Cecilia."

Sean Sinclair could see Sarah Lynch’s unease and sadness. After he finished applying the ointment to his sister, he stood up and said, "Give me some time."

Hearing that, Sarah Lynch breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Sean, I won’t pressure you. You know I’ve always liked you, and I’ve never forgotten you." Sarah Lynch confessed her feelings affectionately and leaned into his embrace.

Sean Sinclair’s hands hesitated for a moment, but he still reached out and held her.

Seeing the two of them in a tender moment, Cecilia Sinclair forgot all about her pain and took a photo on her phone to send to her parents.

Mrs. Sinclair was overjoyed.

Mr. Sinclair was also very pleased. He was racking his brain, trying to figure out how to get his son to divorce Leila Jennings, and how to make Leila spit out all the savings his son had accumulated over the years.

Only then did Cecilia Sinclair complain about being hit by Leila Jennings.

Looking at her daughter’s shiny, swollen face, a furious Mrs. Sinclair called Leila Jennings.

Seeing the familiar phone number light up her screen again and again, Leila Jennings didn’t answer a single call.

She didn’t need to guess why they were calling.

So, she simply turned off her phone.

Mrs. Sinclair was so angry she wanted to smash her phone. "That Leila Jennings has really grown some wings! How dare she not answer my calls? She even turned off her phone? Who gave her the nerve!"

She then called her son.

"Son, you have to make Leila Jennings come home tonight. I’m going to give her a piece of my mind and ask her what gives her the right to hit my daughter like that! She’s completely out of control."

Sean Sinclair and Sarah Lynch had already gone home, but there was still no sign of Leila Jennings.

"Leila Jennings isn’t off work yet."

"What’s so great about that stupid job of hers! Get her back here! Now! Immediately!"

Sarah Lynch added from the side, "Auntie, Leila is doing very well for herself now. She’s become the president’s secretary."

"A secretary?" Mrs. Sinclair blurted out. "So instead of staying home and serving her own husband, she’s run off to serve some company president? My son hasn’t even divorced her yet, and she already dares to cheat on him, is that it?"

"Auntie, you’ve misunderstood," Sarah Lynch explained, trying to be helpful. "Leila’s boss isn’t an old man. He’s a young man, and he’s no less handsome than Sean."

The person on the other end of the phone grew even angrier.

Sean Sinclair’s frown deepened.

It was true. Nathaniel Cole was a year younger than him, handsome, and occupied a position that he himself could likely never reach in his entire life.

’How could Leila not be attracted to him?’

The way Leila Jennings had looked at him today was clearly detached, as if he were a stranger. In contrast, her gaze toward Nathaniel Cole held a hint of emotion.