The Night I Left, He Turned Grey

After buying gifts, Leila Jennings went to buy clothes.

In the past, she was always trying to save every penny. Part of it was to supplement the family’s income, and the other part was for the orphanage.

Now that she and Sean Sinclair were divorced, she didn’t have to worry about supplementing the family’s income or making sure Sean ate and dressed well. She could spend all the money on herself.

She bought a lot for herself.

She also called the director of the orphanage to get updated statistics on the children’s heights and weights, so she could contact a manufacturer to make down jackets for them.

It was still early, so Leila Jennings returned to No. 9 Norsen. She hung up her new clothes and arranged her new shoes.

She wasn’t very good at putting outfits together, and since Cherry Cole was casually chatting with her on the phone, she took the opportunity to ask for her advice.

The two were on a video call.

Cherry Cole had her point the camera at her closet.

"That white wool coat."

"The turtleneck sweater and wide-leg pants in the same color family."

"Hmm, as for shoes..."

"Matching sneakers?" Leila Jennings jumped in, pointing the camera at the new white flats she had bought. "Should the bag be white, too?"

"Smart!" Cherry Cole smiled. "You go get ready, Leila. I’m still reading papers and have to write my thesis for next year... WAHHH..."

Her face clouded over with worry at the mention of her thesis.

"The old man keeps sending it back for revisions. Other people’s advisors help their students revise and revise, but not him. He’d rather just grind me down over it. He even wants me to pursue a doctorate with him—no way!"

She snorted coldly.

Leila Jennings raised an eyebrow. "Really not going to get your doctorate with Elder Alden?"

Of course she was bluffing!

Cherry Cole pressed her lips together and huffed lightly at her. "I’m not talking to you anymore."

Leila Jennings suddenly smiled.

She had to get to Eden now, too.

After changing, Leila Jennings took a taxi over. Just as she got out, Caine sent her a message saying they were almost there.

She decided to just wait for them by the side of the road.

A stretch Maybach was driving toward her.

Zachary: "President Cole, Miss Leila Jennings has arrived."

Nathaniel Cole looked up to see a soft, moon-white figure standing by the road. The closer the car got, the more clearly Leila Jennings’s figure and face came into focus in his eyes.

Her waterfall of black hair was tucked behind her ears. A V-neck cashmere coat fell to her calves, its matching belt cinching her slender waist. The light gray fox fur on the cuffs added a touch of softness to her otherwise cool expression.

A glint flashed in Nathaniel Cole’s eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

Mm.

’So she knows how to look after herself now.’

Leila Jennings watched as two cars, one after the other, stopped in front of her.

Nathaniel Cole stepped out of the first car. His black, red-soled leather shoes hit the pavement, followed by a pair of long, slender legs.

A well-tailored suit likewise outlined his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

His ramrod-straight legs came to a stop in front of Leila Jennings, and he stood a full head taller than her.

She had to tilt her head up to speak. "President Cole."

"Mm." Nathaniel Cole looked down at her, taking in her crescent-shaped eyebrows and the thin layer of red on her lips.

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

He turned his head to look at Caine’s and Gwen’s car to cool himself down.

The two of them were in the other car.

A driver’s license was standard issue for secretaries.

"Jennings!" Gwen was the first to hug Leila Jennings, followed by Caine.

Everyone had arrived.

The five of them went upstairs together.

The three women stood together: Leila Jennings, as cool and bright as the moon; Caine, as glamorous and fiery as a flame; and Gwen, as sweet as frosting.

As for the two men, one was aloof and ascetic, while the other was refined and polite.

Their group drew frequent glances from onlookers.

Leila Jennings finally understood the phrase "President Cole’s diplomatic dream team."

A waiter saw them and immediately came over to greet them. "This way, President Cole. Ellie isn’t in today, but please feel free to call me if you need anything."

This time they were led to a quiet spot with a round table. The surrounding tables had been deliberately left empty so they wouldn’t be disturbed.

Nathaniel Cole sat down first, and only then did everyone else dare to take their seats.

Leila Jennings was seated with Nathaniel Cole to her left and Caine to her right.

As soon as she sat down, she handed out the gifts she had been carrying. Nathaniel Cole was the leader, so she gave his to him first. Then she handed out the others, one in each hand.

Gwen could tell what it was just from the box. Her eyes sparkling, she asked, "Jennings, can I open it now?"

It was actually impolite to open gifts in front of the giver.

Leila Jennings didn’t mind. She nodded and said, "You can."

So, everyone opened their gifts.

"A talking Baphomet Lamb!" Gwen looked at the unopened blind box, her face alight with excitement. "Thank you, Jennings! This is my gift for you!"

She handed her own gift over.

Caine looked at the eight slim, black tubes of lipstick in front of her, her red lips curving into a smile. "This is absolutely my favorite. Jennings, this is my gift."

"This is mine." Zachary handed over his gift as well and said, "Thank you for the glasses chain, Miss Jennings."

With President Cole there, he didn’t dare take off his glasses to attach the chain.

Gwen laughed and said, "A glasses chain is the perfect accessory for Zachary, because all of Zachary’s glasses are just accessories."

Leila Jennings: ?

Huh?

’They’re fake?’

Zachary pushed up his glasses and smiled faintly. "Glasses give off an invisible aura of intelligence."

Leila Jennings: "..."

She almost lost her composure.

Only Nathaniel Cole’s gifts remained unopened. And he was the only one who received two.

For this reason, a hint of smugness flickered in Nathaniel Cole’s eyes.

He opened them.

A box of tea leaves and a black thermos.

Nathaniel Cole: "..."

Everyone else’s gifts were for their generation; his were for an old man.

Caine immediately raised a hand to cover her face, afraid that President Cole would see her snickering.

Gwen also lowered her head at once, wishing she could bury it under the table.

Only Zachary maintained a normal expression, though he too eventually averted his gaze in silence.

A sudden silence fell over the table. Leila Jennings glanced around and realized she had chosen the wrong gifts.

"President Cole, how about I make it up to you next time?" She silently reached out, preparing to take the gifts back.

Her hand was suddenly slapped away.

Nathaniel Cole: "Hands off."

There was no logic in giving a gift only to take it back.

Leila Jennings withdrew her hand and sat up straight, like a model student from her school days, silently waiting for the teacher’s reprimand.

Nathaniel Cole closed the lids on his gifts, then took out his wallet and placed his ID card on the table in front of Leila Jennings.

He pointed to the date of birth on it and said, "Look closely. Same age as you."

Leila Jennings: "..."

She nodded. "I see, President Cole."

Nathaniel Cole put his ID away and handed her a square gift box that felt surprisingly light.

"Thank you, President Cole." Leila Jennings accepted it. She had no intention of opening it now and was about to set it aside when the man’s cold, deep voice sounded by her ear again.

"Open it."

Leila Jennings immediately opened the box. Inside, to her surprise, was a stack of stapled documents.

She picked them up.

Gwen was sitting directly across from Leila Jennings. She couldn’t see if there was any writing on the pages, only that the back was plain white printer paper.

"President Cole, who gives a stack of paper as a gift? You and Jennings are just... six of one, half a dozen of the other..." Gwen’s voice trailed off as President Cole shot a murderous glare in her direction.

"President Cole, what Secretary Gwen means is that you and Miss Jennings are well-matched, a perfect pair." Zachary swooped in with a god-tier save.

Nathaniel Cole withdrew his icy gaze and looked back at Leila Jennings.

Leila Jennings hadn’t been paying attention to their conversation. Her focus was entirely on the contents of the documents.