The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

"Sarah, do you also think Nathaniel Cole is better than me?" he asked suddenly.

Sarah Lynch wasn’t the least bit angry. On the contrary, she smiled, reaching out to gently stroke his face. "What are you talking about? That’s only true for Leila Jennings and the others. As far as I’m concerned, you’re the best, most brilliant, and most handsome man in the world. Besides my parents and grandfather, you’re the only one who treats me well and has always supported me."

She hugged Sean Sinclair, nuzzling her head against his chest.

"Sean, I’m not asking for anything else. Just promise you’ll never leave me again. Stay by my side, always. I don’t care what our relationship is called; I can accept it."

"I don’t mind sacrificing a little. Consider it my way of thanking you for the research funding you’ve sent me over the years."

Sean Sinclair frowned, gripping her by the shoulders. "What do you think you are? I gave you that funding so you could focus on your research, so you could chase your dreams without worry. Not so you would... sacrifice your own happiness just to stay with me!"

"Sean, you’ve misunderstood. How could I possibly be sacrificing anything by being with you?" Sarah Lynch looked up at him. "Being by your side is, and always will be, happiness."

"I love you, Sean."

The woman he had admired for years had finally confessed her love. Sean Sinclair’s heart trembled, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

As he looked up, he saw a wooden-handled umbrella hanging in the entryway.

It was the umbrella Leila Jennings had bought him when she learned of his promotion.

It was worth over a thousand yuan.

Leila Jennings had told him, "You’re President Sinclair of Stellaxis Technologies now. You need to use things that match your status, so people won’t look down on you."

Sean Sinclair’s tight embrace around Sarah Lynch suddenly slackened.

Sarah Lynch froze.

"Sean, what’s wrong?"

Sean Sinclair wiped his face and shook his head. "It’s nothing. Sarah, I’ve already bought the house. I’ll have someone furnish it for you in the next few days. Pick out whatever furniture you like. You should live there from now on. This place... it might not be suitable."

Sarah Lynch knew perfectly well he was worried Leila Jennings would find out.

"Okay." She lowered her head sadly.

Sean Sinclair reached out and lifted her chin. He stared at her lips for a moment before planting a kiss on her forehead instead.

"Be good."

"I’ll make this right."

Sarah Lynch nodded, but her mind was already churning, wondering how to make Leila Jennings withdraw on her own accord.

’Sean Sinclair is clearly starting to protect Leila Jennings. I never expected that.’

’Why would Sean protect someone as plain and unremarkable as Leila Jennings?’

’Her face?’

’She had to admit, Leila Jennings’s features were indeed attractive, and her skin was decent, but she was just so...’

She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. A woman with no skills who just hovered around the stove all day—how beautiful could she possibly be?

’A completely useless housewife.’

Seeing how late it was getting, Sean Sinclair bent down, picked up the bag she had tossed on the sofa, and said, "It’s getting late. I’ll take you back. You’ll have to make do with staying in this neighborhood for the next couple of days."

Sarah Lynch nodded. "Okay."

Sean Sinclair dropped her off and returned in less than fifteen minutes.

He didn’t see Leila Jennings, but he did see a familiar face at his door.

"President Sinclair, my mistress has been unwell recently. She wishes to see Miss Leila Jennings."

It was Butler Duncan, from the household of Rhea Warren, Leila Jennings’s mentor’s wife.

Sean Sinclair had met him before. He asked with concern, "How is Mrs. Warren feeling? Should I find a doctor?"

"Thank you, President Sinclair. My mistress has her own family doctor. It’s just that she is getting on in years, and she constantly thinks of the deceased. It’s inevitable that she worries too much. If Miss Leila Jennings could go and keep her company, her spirits might lift."

Normally, Sean Sinclair would have agreed, but a lot had happened recently. He suspected Leila Jennings was angry about the work situation and was trying to distance herself from him intentionally.

"How about in a couple of days?" Sean Sinclair said with a gentle smile. "I’ll bring Leila over myself."

"My mistress is already waiting in the car. She took her medicine but still feels unwell, and she keeps calling out for Miss Leila Jennings. President Sinclair, you’ve always been respectful of your elders, so surely you understand an old woman’s feelings. When one is ill, they only feel at ease when their loved ones are near." Butler Duncan’s smile was benevolent. "I hope President Sinclair can help my mistress get a good night’s sleep tonight."

Sean Sinclair was left with no reason to refuse.

He said, "Leila is still working overtime. She isn’t back yet."

"Thank you, President Sinclair. In that case, we’ll just go and pick up Miss Leila Jennings ourselves."

Butler Duncan turned to leave, but Sean Sinclair stopped him. "How long will Leila be staying over there?"

"Once my mistress’s emotional and physical condition has stabilized, I will personally see Miss Leila Jennings home."

Sean Sinclair guessed it would be several days. He said, "Well, she should at least come back and pack some clothes to take with her."

"There are clothes for Miss Leila Jennings at The Thorne Residence. President Sinclair need not worry."

Sean Sinclair opened his mouth, but in the end, only managed a single word: "Fine."

Butler Duncan returned to the car and reported that Leila Jennings was still at the company. Rhea Warren asked him, "What did Sean Sinclair say about Leila coming to stay with me?"

"He was reluctant."

"What does he have to be reluctant about? Isn’t this the perfect chance to make room for his other woman? What’s with the act?" Rhea Warren signaled for the driver to head to The Cole Group.

Leila Jennings’s phone was off, so she had missed her mentor’s wife’s call. The moment she stepped out of the building, she saw Butler Duncan.

"Mr. Duncan!" she called out, jogging up to him.

Butler Duncan smiled. "Miss Leila Jennings."

Leila Jennings sighed internally. Only Mr. Duncan would call her that, and she’d never gotten used to it. She had suggested he just use her name, but Mr. Duncan would only reply, "Yes, Miss Leila Jennings." Eventually, she’d just given up.

"The mistress is in the car."

"Mrs. Warren!" Leila Jennings saw the open car door, then seemed to remember something and turned back. "Wait for me a moment, Mrs. Warren. I just need to tell a friend something."

She walked back to Cherry Cole and said, "You don’t have to worry anymore. My mentor’s wife is here to pick me up."

"Professor Warren!" Cherry Cole’s eyes lit up. She craned her neck and asked, "Can I go say hello?"

Leila Jennings nodded and led her over, making the introduction. "Mrs. Warren, this is my friend."

"Oh, you’ve made a friend!" Rhea Warren was pleasantly surprised. She soon saw a young girl bowing to her at a ninety-degree angle.

"Hello, Mrs. Warren! My name is Cherry Cole. I’m a friend of Leila’s, and also a student of Alden!"

Rhea Warren was surprised. ’A child from the Cole family, and one of Alden’s students, at that.’

"I’ve heard Alden mention you. You’re his star pupil, aren’t you?"

"Really? Really?" Cherry Cole was so excited her face flushed. She happily turned and yanked her brother over. "Bro, Professor Warren has heard of me!"

Nathaniel Cole had been watching Leila Jennings the whole time. It was the first time he had seen such a vibrant expression on her face—all because she had seen her mentor’s wife.

He stepped forward and said respectfully, "Professor Warren."

Leila Jennings made the introduction, "Mrs. Warren, this is my boss."

Rhea Warren smiled. "President Cole, I was the one who asked Helen to get Leila a position at The Cole Group. I hope you don’t mind. I don’t need her to have a spectacular career; it’s enough for her to have a job to support herself."

Nathaniel Cole understood that Professor Warren was afraid he might suspect Leila Jennings had been deliberately placed in the company. He no longer had any doubts about that, but now he had new ones.

’Leila addressed Professor Warren with a title that meant ’teacher’s wife,’ not ’teacher.’’

’Therefore, Leila Jennings was a student of the late Mr. Thorne.’

’And that was *Mr. Thorne*.’

"Since Leila Jennings studied under Mr. Thorne, she should be in a research institute, or at the very least, in the R&D center of a major corporation. Why would she be working as a junior employee at The Cole Group?"

He was probing.