The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

"Since you’ve been so obedient, you can take it." Cecilia Sinclair glanced at the box next to her.

Leila Jennings got up and went over, her body swaying slightly.

The whole drink had been too much for her.

She shook her head slightly, bent down to dust off the cardboard box, then held it in her arms and turned to leave.

Cecilia Sinclair stood up too, picking up her phone to send a message: [Done.]

Sarah Lynch: [You didn’t make her drink it right away, did you?]

Cecilia Sinclair: [Of course not. I remembered everything you said, Sarah. I didn’t make her drink right away. I had her do something else first. She didn’t suspect a thing. She’s already drunk it.]

Sarah Lynch: [You’re really good at this, Cecilia.]

Cecilia Sinclair: [Hehe.]

Sarah Lynch: [The person I arranged is heading up now. Stay close to Leila Jennings and stick to the plan.]

Cecilia Sinclair followed Leila Jennings, noticing that she was starting to sway as she walked. She couldn’t even press the correct up or down button for the elevator.

’Drunk already? What a lightweight.’

Leila Jennings’s head felt heavy and dizzy. She could barely stand and had to lean against the wall. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Her body felt weak, and a wave of heat seemed to be rising from within.

It wasn’t that she’d never been drunk before.

But this felt distinctly different from any other time.

Leila Jennings looked up at Cecilia Sinclair, her gaze heavy.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Cecilia Sinclair’s heart skipped a beat. ’Don’t tell me she’s suspicious,’ she thought.

"What did you put in my drink?"

"I didn’t." Cecilia Sinclair put on an innocent face, even rolling her eyes at her. "I drank some too. What are you talking about? Don’t blame me just because you can’t hold your liquor."

"Whatever. Since you’re still my sister-in-law, I’ll help you," Cecilia Sinclair said, as if doing a great act of charity, and reached out to support Leila Jennings.

Leila Jennings shoved her hand away.

As she pushed Cecilia Sinclair away, Leila Jennings herself stumbled. At that moment, an employee from the executive lounge came over and asked if she needed help.

Leila Jennings said dizzily, "Yes, I do."

"No need, thank you," Cecilia Sinclair said at the same time. "This is my sister-in-law. She’s a lightweight and got drunk. I’ll just help her go rest for a bit."

Leila Jennings’s head grew heavier, the heat in her body more intense. Her hands could barely hold the box in her arms anymore.

Remembering Ross’s business card, she squatted by the wall to steady herself, pulling out her phone and the card.

Cecilia Sinclair frowned.

"I already said I’d help you. Why are you calling someone else?" she said, lunging forward to snatch Leila Jennings’s phone and business card.

Leila Jennings dodged nimbly, but her knees hit the floor, and she ended up half-sprawled, protectively clutching the cardboard box.

’I have to protect this box, but I also have to call for help.’

She pinched her thigh hard, trying to clear her head, and started dialing.

Just as she reached the last digit, Cecilia Sinclair snatched the phone away.

"You’re this drunk and you’re still playing on your phone? Just let me help you." Cecilia Sinclair stuffed the phone into her own bag and struggled to pull Leila Jennings up from the floor.

It was as if Leila Jennings had taken root on the floor. It took a great deal of effort for Cecilia to finally get her up, press the elevator button, and escort her to the door of the designated room.

The whole way, Cecilia Sinclair kept talking to her, complaining about how she drank so much when she couldn’t handle it—clearly for the benefit of anyone passing by.

Leila Jennings’s consciousness was fading, but she refused to let go of the cardboard box.

With a BEEP, the hotel room door opened.

Cecilia Sinclair carelessly tossed her onto the floor, closed the door, and reached for the cardboard box she was clutching.

She pried her fingers open with ease.

Cecilia Sinclair took out her phone, snapped a picture of her, and sent it to Sarah Lynch with a message. "She seems to have passed out. There won’t be a problem, will there?"

Sarah Lynch: [How could she pass out? Did you use too much?]

Cecilia Sinclair muttered, "No, I used the exact amount."

She crouched down and felt Leila Jennings’s forehead and arm. "She’s burning up."

Sarah Lynch: [As long as you didn’t use too much, it’s fine. Get out of there now.]

Cecilia Sinclair put down her phone, shouldered her bag, and quickly left, closing the door behind her. Then she walked off with a swagger.

’I was nice enough to get her to her room and even close the door,’ she thought. ’Whatever happens next has nothing to do with me.’

「Inside the room.」

Hearing the door click shut, Leila Jennings slowly opened her eyes. The drug made the corners of her eyes flush red and her vision misty. Her body was utterly limp.

She had no time to think about what Cecilia Sinclair was planning, no time to wonder how she’d been set up. Right now, she had to focus on saving herself.

Leila Jennings bit down hard on the fleshy part of her hand between her thumb and index finger. The pain cleared her head a little.

When that wasn’t enough, she bit down again.

And again, until she tasted blood.

Using that fleeting moment of clarity, Leila Jennings staggered to her feet and stumbled into the bathroom.

She forced her weakened body to lock the door from the inside, then turned on the cold water and let it pour over her.

And pour.

Her skin was freezing, but she was burning up on the inside.

It was a torment of ice and fire.

...

As Cecilia Sinclair pressed the elevator button, a man brushed past her. They exchanged a brief glance and went their separate ways.

After getting out of the elevator, Cecilia Sinclair curled her lips into a smile.

’Yes! Phase two, complete.’

「Meanwhile.」

A Maybach pulled up at the hotel entrance. Nathaniel Cole stepped out of the car, followed by Zachary and Gwen, a look of exhaustion on his face.

In just three days, they had finished a business trip that was supposed to take a week.

Hearing that President Cole had arrived, Ross personally came down to greet him, happening to pass by Cecilia Sinclair.

Cecilia Sinclair saw the procession, looked up, and recognized President Cole of The Cole Group. Her first instinct was to hide out of guilt.

The memory of President Cole and Miss Cole standing up for Leila Jennings was still fresh in her mind, and she was terrified of them deep down.

Cecilia Sinclair turned her back to them.

Ross said with a beaming smile, "President Cole, you’re back from your business trip so soon."

Nathaniel Cole yanked off his tie, wrapping it loosely around his hand. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his other hand and sneered, "It was the itinerary Secretary Jennings arranged."

The resentment was palpable.

But it was just a single sentence to vent his frustration.

Ross chuckled. "Secretary Jennings is here tonight as well."

Nathaniel Cole stopped in his tracks. "Why is she here again?"

’The last time she was here, she had a slap mark on her face, and her eyes were so red she looked like she was about to fall apart.’

’Did Sean Sinclair get violent again?’

His brow furrowed.

Ross quickly explained, "Secretary Jennings isn’t in any trouble this time. She was just here to meet someone at The Linden."

The furrow in Nathaniel Cole’s brow relaxed. He scoffed again. "She certainly has plenty of free time."

Ross just smiled calmly.

Nathaniel Cole turned his head to Zachary. "Call her. Report the company’s situation over the past three days."

Zachary: "..."

’Didn’t you just say in the car that no one was to disturb your rest tonight?’

’Not tired anymore?’

"Right away," Zachary said, just as he was pulling out his phone.

Nathaniel Cole spoke again. "You’re too slow. I’ll do it myself."

He dialed Leila Jennings’s number.

A phone started ringing in the hotel lobby.