The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

"What are you looking at, Leila?"

"I think someone was staring at us."

"Oh yeah?"

Renee followed the direction she pointed, but saw no one.

"He got into the elevator."

"The elevator? That one?" Renee pointed toward the far end of the hallway.

When Leila nodded, she swallowed nervously. That was President Cole’s private elevator.

When they arrived at Renee’s office, Leila noticed the plaque on the door: HRVP — Vice President of Human Resources.

So Renee had been promoted. A smile touched Leila’s lips. "Congratulations, Renee."

"Thank you."

Renee returned the smile, though she was still sweating over what Leila had just said. Thankfully, she had been careful. There shouldn’t have been any slip-ups.

The moment they entered the office, Leila got straight to the point. "Renee, I’m here to resign."

"Resign?" Renee already knew this was just standard procedure, but she still asked, "How quickly do you need it done?"

"The normal timeline should be fine."

"Normally, full-time employees need to give one month’s notice. But you’re at P4 rank, so as long as your handover is complete, it’ll be done within a couple of days."

KNOCK. KNOCK.

Someone was at the door.

"Come in." When Renee saw who it was, she immediately rose to her feet. "Zachary—hey."

He said, "Renee, President Cole is asking for you."

Her heart sank. It was happening.

Earlier that year, a senior executive’s relative had been caught embezzling millions of dollars from the company. President Cole had dealt with the matter ruthlessly and had recently begun cracking down on family relationships throughout the company.

Renee’s former supervisor had been dismissed and investigated, which was the only reason the Vice President position had become available for her. She had barely had time to warm the seat when it was her turn.

Could someone she had approved have been discovered? But the only person she could think of was Leila Jennings. Yet Leila had been brought in by a member of the Cole family.

Besides, her position was so insignificant. The employee records listed a monthly salary of $550, yet she had never actually received a paycheck.

"Leila, would you mind waiting here for a moment?" Renee kept her expression calm until she stepped outside and asked Zachary nervously, "Zachary, did President Cole mention what this is about?"

Zachary, who was wearing gold-rimmed glasses, gave her a pleasant smile. "You’ll find out when you get there, Renee."

The vague answer only made her more anxious.

A while later, at the President’s Office

The spacious office was decorated entirely in black, white, and gray. At the far end sat the man who controlled the entire Cole Group. His expression was cold as he asked, "Who was the person you personally received just now?"

So it really was about Leila Jennings.

Renee straightened immediately. "Her name is Leila Jennings, President Cole."

"Leila Jennings..." Nathaniel Cole repeated the name. The image of the woman from the hotel surfaced in his mind. She had red-rimmed eyes back then, but when he saw her today, the mark on her face was gone. She still tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing an elegant look. Her faded blue shirt dress and indigo cloth bag showed obvious signs of wear.

Nathaniel rested a hand on the keyboard and looked up at Renee, who answered knowingly, "Leila. L-E-I-L-A. Last name Jennings."

Was President Cole pulling up her file for inspection? There was practically nothing in it.

Nathaniel studied the employee profile that appeared on his screen. There was only one page. The photograph showed a fresh-faced university student. Her hair had been shoulder-length then, the ends curling slightly outward with youthful energy. Beyond basic educational records, there was nothing. No employment history. No salary adjustments.

"Explain this," Nathaniel said.

The single word sent cold sweat down Renee’s back. "President Cole, Leila Jennings was placed here by your Aunt Helen. It’s only a nominal position. She doesn’t receive a salary and has no access to company operations."

Aunt Helen? Nathaniel frowned. Helen Cole had never involved herself in company affairs. Why would she suddenly place someone inside the group?

He tapped a finger lightly against the desk, and Zachary immediately stepped forward.

"Look into her," he said.

"Yes, sir."

"President Cole, Leila Jennings came in today to resign," Renee added.

Resign?

Nathaniel lowered his gaze but said nothing, waiting for the results of the investigation. Normally, Zachary could produce that in less than thirty minutes. But he returned in ten for this.

That meant there wasn’t much to find. Even Zachary looked uncomfortable as he placed a single sheet of paper on the desk.

"President Cole, this is everything we were able to uncover."

Nathaniel scanned the report. She was an orphan and held a Master’s degree from a top university in City A.

No orphanage listed. No records after graduation. The only additional information was within Cole Group’s own database, showing that she was married and worked as a clerk.

Zachary added, "A file this clean has almost certainly been filtered. She has a complicated background, I believe."

Or to put it more clearly—there was more to her than what was found.

Nathaniel’s eyes darkened. What had begun as curiosity was quickly becoming concern.

A woman with an unknown background. A nominal position inside his company. A connection to a senior of the Cole family. It was hard not to read conspiracy into it.

Renee came to the same conclusion and felt her newly acquired position slipping away.

"Renee."

"Yes, President Cole!" She practically snapped to attention, thinking, ’I’m your most loyal fighter. Trust me!’ 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Nathaniel was lost for words at her loud outburst—it nearly deafened him. He rubbed his ear and said, "You can leave now. But postpone her resignation."

"Ah... what?" No punishment for her? Renee left in a daze, but when she returned to her office, Leila was already gone. She left only a handwritten note behind, saying, "Sorry, something urgent came up. I’ll be back another day."

Leila had received an emergency call from the research institute. She was jogging across the plaza, her slender figure catching the eye of someone watching from the top of the tower.

Nathaniel was observing her through the expansive view as Leila exited through the west and climbed into a luxurious van, the door opened for her by the chauffeur. The vehicle then headed toward the eastern side of the city.

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. Then he sent a message to his sister: "I’ll visit the manor tonight." That was where his Aunt Helen had always lived.

...

Meanwhile, at the research institute, everyone involved in the Self-Developed Chip project was present—including Sarah Lynch, who showed up despite her injuries.

Sarah glanced toward the door, wondering who on earth Dr. Jennings was. This mysterious researcher had been avoiding her repeatedly, and now the entire team was waiting for her arrival.

Leila reached for the door handle when Professor Cheney’s voice stopped her. "Leila, here please."

The slightly opened door clicked shut.

"Professor Cheney, is there a problem with the project?"

"No. The superiors have decided to announce the research results in one week and conclude the bidding within a month. Your husband is Sean Sinclair, the President of Stellaxis Technologies. You also hold a position within the Cole Group. Both companies will participate in the bidding. So as the project’s core lead, you’re in a very sensitive position. Until the bidding is complete, your identity must remain completely sealed. No information can be leaked—especially anything about you."

He handed her a document. "This is a new confidentiality agreement. Once the bidding finishes, your identity will be revealed to the public."

In one month? She was quite surprised when she heard that. A strange feeling washed over her. So everything was going to happen at the same time.

That was good—when they all took place at once.

In one month, she would finally get away from the cage Sean had built around her. She would no longer need to pretend to be a low-level employee earning a petty monthly salary. She could simply be herself.

She signed the agreement without a moment of hesitation.