The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

Just then, Leila Jennings and her party, having finished their meal, walked over laughing and chatting. The Sinclair Family, having also finished, came over.

When Mrs. Sinclair saw Leila Jennings, her expression soured. "Leila Jennings, you run into us and don’t even say hello? You have no manners."

Leila Jennings knew she was just looking for a fight. ’It’s as if she can’t stand it if she’s not picking on me.’

"I didn’t want to disturb your family meal."

"Leila Jennings, what do you mean, ’your family’?" Sean Sinclair said, sounding displeased. "I’ll explain what happened tonight when we get home."

’Sarah is still here. I can’t just blurt out that she’s the one who made the reservation and invited the whole family without my knowledge.’

’It would embarrass Sarah.’

’Not with all these important people in the restaurant.’

"Also, you need to speak nicely to Mom and Dad. What’s with the attitude?" Sean Sinclair chided her again.

Before Leila Jennings could say anything, Mrs. Sinclair immediately started complaining to Ms. Neville, "Mrs. Cole, Leila has always been very ill-mannered, even at home. She can’t even manage to properly serve her husband and parents-in-law, let alone take care of her sister-in-law. Before, she couldn’t even keep our Cecilia in line, which led to her getting into a car accident. She didn’t visit her sister-in-law in the hospital, and she wouldn’t pay for anything. She’s just a penny-pincher."

’I’ll make Mrs. Cole see Leila’s true colors. She shouldn’t think someone is a good person just because they’re wearing nice clothes.’

’After leaving my son, Leila absolutely cannot be allowed to find someone better.’

"Ma’am," Ms. Neville said with a smile. "Although I don’t know your intentions in saying all this, I’d like to point out that when the Cole Family takes a daughter-in-law, she isn’t expected to serve her in-laws. Nor does she need to serve her own husband. We have housekeepers for that."

"Her sister-in-law doesn’t need to be taken care of, either. That’s my responsibility and her father’s, as well as her own."

"As for being a penny-pincher, if someone earns the money, someone else has to save it. Being able to hold onto wealth is a true talent."

"Also, please just call me Ms. Neville. In our family, we don’t really go in for taking a husband’s surname. We prefer people who have a sense of their own identity."

Mrs. Sinclair was so thoroughly refuted she couldn’t hide her embarrassment, her face turning a deep, blotchy red.

Ellie laughed from the side. "President Sinclair just stands there and says nothing while his wife is humiliated by his parents and sister. Be careful you don’t lose her one day. It’ll be too late for regrets."

Sean Sinclair’s fingers curled slightly.

He looked at Leila Jennings.

’Leila won’t leave me. We haven’t shared a bed in four years, and she’s still stayed quietly by my side all this time.’

"Leila Jennings, I’ll wait for you downstairs." Sean Sinclair still nodded politely to Ms. Neville before leading his family into the elevator.

Inside the elevator, Sean Sinclair looked at Sarah Lynch.

"You invited Mom, Dad, and Cecilia today. Why didn’t you tell me? Our whole family came to dinner, but you specifically didn’t include Leila Jennings. What is she supposed to think? And how am I supposed to explain this to her?"

"I..." Sarah Lynch looked incredibly wronged, the corners of her eyes turning red.

Mr. Sinclair immediately jumped to her defense. "This just shows how thoughtful Sarah is. Leila Jennings never even thought about celebrating with you."

"Leila Jennings didn’t know. If she had, she would have done something too." The moment Sean Sinclair finished speaking, Sarah Lynch’s tears started to fall.

"It was my fault. I wasn’t thoughtful enough."

The elevator doors opened, and Sarah Lynch strode out.

The Sinclair Family gestured for Sean Sinclair to go after her.

Sean Sinclair watched Sarah Lynch’s retreating back, a flash of heartache in his eyes.

This time, however, he didn’t move.

"I have to wait for Leila Jennings to come down and explain things to her."

"What are you waiting for Leila Jennings for? She doesn’t need your explanation!" Mrs. Sinclair saw Sarah Lynch hailing a taxi and about to get in, and she hurriedly pushed her son to go after her.

Sean Sinclair turned to his mother. "Mom, I’ve been wanting to say this. Can you please not find fault with everything Leila Jennings does? I’ve been busy with work all these years, and she’s the one who has taken care of all your daily needs. She has done a very good job."

Mrs. Sinclair stopped pushing him. Faced with her son’s accusation, she instantly retorted, "She didn’t do it all herself! Didn’t you spend money to hire a housekeeper? Why are you defending her like this? Don’t you know she’s about to..."

Mr. Sinclair shot her a look.

Sean Sinclair: "About to what?"

Mrs. Sinclair quickly changed her tune. "She’s about to cheat on you!"

Sean Sinclair’s expression darkened. "She wouldn’t."

’No one knows better than me how much Leila loves me.’

"How do you know she wouldn’t?" Every time Mrs. Sinclair heard her son defend Leila Jennings, her anger flared. "Would she tell you about the things she does behind your back?"

"She wouldn’t hide anything from me," Sean Sinclair answered his mother firmly.

Mrs. Sinclair was burning with rage. "You’re completely bewitched by her! Let me ask you, if you’re going to defend Leila Jennings like this, what are you going to do about Sarah?"

"She’s a perfectly innocent girl, from a good family, beautiful, and she follows you around every day. Are you really willing to let people call her a homewrecker?"

"Mom, how can you say that about Sarah?" Cecilia Sinclair pouted. "My brother and Sarah were the ones who were supposed to be together. Leila Jennings is the one who stuck her nose in where it didn’t belong."

Leila Jennings and the others, just getting out of the elevator, heard everything.

Sean Sinclair saw her first and cried out, "Leila..."

Cecilia Sinclair turned around, unafraid of Leila Jennings hearing her. "So what? Am I wrong? If Sarah hadn’t gone abroad to study, and Leila hadn’t taken advantage of the situation, do you think she’d be the one who gets to be my brother’s wife?"

Leila Jennings looked at Ms. Neville. "Auntie, Cherry, I’m sorry. You two should head back first. I have some things to take care of."

Leila Jennings first saw them to their car, then returned to stand before the Sinclair family.

She didn’t look at Sean Sinclair. Her gaze immediately locked onto Cecilia Sinclair. "Cecilia, if you want Sarah Lynch to be your sister-in-law, then have your brother divorce me. That would be a lot more effective than you just shouting about it out here."

’Leila wants a divorce?’ Sean Sinclair’s eyes widened slightly.

’Impossible.’

"You think I don’t want my brother to divorce you? I dream about it!" Cecilia Sinclair snapped her head around, about to say more, but Sean cut her off sharply.

"Shut up, Cecilia," Sean Sinclair said seriously. "I am not divorcing Leila Jennings. And Leila, you shouldn’t get the wrong idea either."

"Mom, Dad, take Cecilia home. Leila Jennings and I are going home, too." He reached out to pull Leila, but she dodged him.

He knew Leila Jennings was angry about the whole family going to dinner without her tonight. He coaxed her patiently, "It’s cold out. Let’s get in the car first, and then I’ll explain, okay?"

"I’m going back to my mentor’s wife’s place." Leila Jennings looked up at him. "We’re not going the same way."

Sean Sinclair didn’t like her defiance. His face hardening, he forcibly pulled her away.

Leila Jennings tried to break free, so he simply picked her up in his arms.

Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair exchanged a look. ’Just as they thought. Their son couldn’t bring himself to let Leila go.’

’But Leila is completely unworthy of being a Sinclair daughter-in-law.’

Watching this scene, Cecilia Sinclair was about to explode with anger. ’When will I finally get a new sister-in-law!’

Suddenly, she had an idea.

’If Leila were caught in bed with another man, my brother would have to divorce her, right?’

...

Sean Sinclair placed Leila Jennings in the passenger seat and personally fastened her seatbelt. As he leaned in, he caught the scent of her hair, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.

He leaned in a little closer, as if by accident.

Leila’s skin crawled. She turned her head away. "You stink."

’A cheating man is like a toothbrush used to scrub a toilet. He gives off a foul stench.’

Sean Sinclair’s gaze darkened. He suddenly grabbed her chin. "What do you mean by that?"

’Inwardly, he was starting to panic, terrified she knew that he’d slept with Sarah when he was drunk.’

’He didn’t dare imagine the consequences if she found out.’

"We just ate," Leila Jennings said, averting her gaze. "I haven’t brushed my teeth."

"I don’t mind." Sean Sinclair moved as if to kiss her.

Leila Jennings blocked her mouth with her hand. "I mind."