I'm Afraid I Won't Be Able to Leave

Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Save Me

”Director Lawson, I understand the situation, but I promise I’ll work hard,” Leah Sinclair said anxiously, afraid he would refuse.

”Well, it’s not impossible. We have precedents for converting interns to permanent staff early. Aevon always rewards hardworking employees with a good attitude. I’m just not sure what your attitude is.”

Winston Lawson took a sip of water and sat down in front of Leah Sinclair’s desk, speaking slowly. He’d had his eye on this young woman for a long time. Fresh out of college, innocent, beautiful. He loved this pure type; they were a special kind of thrill to mess with.

From his current angle, the curve of Leah’s neck was particularly beautiful. Her face was turned slightly to the side, her pale lips gently pressed together. A nervous blush colored her cheeks, making her even more alluring.

Winston Lawson gulped. ’Just looking at her is getting me worked up,’ he thought. ’I want to pin her down and ravage her right now.’

”Director Lawson, I’ll definitely work hard. You can judge me by my future performance.”

Leah Sinclair shifted to the side as she spoke. The way Winston Lawson was staring at her, a lecherous, appraising look in his eyes, made her extremely uncomfortable.

’She suddenly remembered something Asher Keating had said about this man—that he was an old pervert, and the first person Asher planned to take down.’

”Oh? Performance isn’t something you just talk about. You have to show a little sincerity,” Winston Lawson said, his beady eyes leering at Leah Sinclair.

”...What kind of sincerity?” ’Leah Sinclair had a gut feeling that whatever ’sincerity’ he was talking about was nothing good. She didn’t have any money, so he couldn’t be asking for a bribe. Seeing the look on Winston Lawson’s face, she figured he wanted to sleep with her.’

Sure enough, Winston Lawson just sipped his water slowly, saying nothing, his eyes fixed on her.

He finished the entire glass of water. By the time he was done, Leah felt sweat beading on her forehead from his stare. Only then did he finally speak, slowly. ”Later, during the lunch break. Sage Hotel, next door. Room 6306. Show me your sincerity.”

Leah Sinclair clenched her fists, her head lowered in silence, but her mind was racing. ’My first instinct is to tell Asher Keating,’ she thought, but she immediately dismissed the idea.

’She’d seen stories like this on the news before. She just hadn’t known this was what Winston Lawson wanted to talk about when he called her in, so she hadn’t prepared to get any evidence.’

’On the contrary, without any proof, it would be easy for Winston Lawson to turn the tables on her. If he claimed she was the one who tried to seduce him, she wouldn’t be able to defend herself. After all, she was just an intern, while he was the Director of Human Resources for Aevon.’

’And if Asher Keating stepped in directly, not only would it fail to get rid of Winston Lawson, but it might even cause trouble for Asher. She needed proof. If she had proof, she could help Asher finally get rid of Winston Lawson.’

Winston Lawson wasn’t worried. He’d seen plenty of college girls like her, girls with no connections or powerful family backgrounds. To stay at a big company like Aevon, all it took was a few threats from him, and they would all end up submitting to him.

Leah Sinclair made up her mind. ’I have to play along for now,’ she decided. ’I can’t just agree. A crafty old fox like him would get suspicious.’ She kept her head low and asked softly, ”And if I don’t go...?”

”Then I guess you’re not sincere, are you? Leah, you should know, Aevon is a huge corporation. Not just anyone gets to stay on. You may have your mentor’s recommendation, but...” Winston Lawson gave a sinister smile.

He knew that threatening her job security would work. Once she panicked, she would definitely agree.

”Then... all right,” Leah Sinclair answered softly, her head bowed.

Winston Lawson was very pleased. He reached out and grabbed Leah Sinclair’s chin, which made her feel so sick she almost threw up. She scrambled to her feet and fled the office. Watching her frantic escape, Winston Lawson let out a disgusting laugh.

Once outside, Leah Sinclair immediately started thinking about what to do at lunchtime. ’The most direct approach is to get him talking and record it.’

’If I can get Winston Lawson to admit how many others he’s harassed, I can give the recording to Asher Keating. He’ll definitely know what to do. The tricky part is getting away after I have the recording. I can’t get the proof only to pay an even heavier price myself.’

When she got back to her desk, Zion Sawyer asked her how it went. Leah Sinclair just said that Director Lawson wanted to think it over. Zion figured that was normal and patted her on the shoulder. ”Don’t worry, these bosses just like to throw their weight around and scare people.”

Mr. Langdon wasn’t in today, so he had no idea that Leah Sinclair had been called in to talk with Director Lawson. At lunchtime, Leah made an excuse about being busy and didn’t join Zion Sawyer and the others. Zion figured she was too worried about her review to have much of an appetite, so he didn’t press the issue.

Leah timed her arrival at the Sage Hotel room. Winston Lawson had already showered and was waiting for her. Before knocking, Leah switched her phone to recording mode and then rapped on the door.

Winston Lawson opened the door in a bathrobe and immediately tried to pounce on her. Leah Sinclair dodged him and asked nervously, ”Director Lawson, if I go through with this for you, will you really make my position permanent?”

Winston Lawson let out a lecherous laugh. ”Of course! I’m a man of my word. Once we’re done here, I’ll go back and sign the papers. You’ll be a full-time employee by tomorrow!”

”But... what if you go back on your word?” Leah Sinclair asked, her voice trembling as she shrank into a corner.

”Hahaha, why would I go back on my word? Once you sleep with me, you’ll be my woman. Would I treat my own woman badly? Look at Leo in our department, and Henry over in Design. They were interns, just like you. After they slept with me, the two of them got their permanent positions long ago. See how well they’re doing now? Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you!” Winston Lawson said with a vile smirk. Of the current batch of interns, he had already slept with two; Leah Sinclair would be the third.

Leah’s heart sank. ’This monster has clearly done this to a lot of girls.’ Seeing her hesitation, Winston Lawson lunged again. ”Come on, baby! It’ll be over before you know it. I’ll sign your papers as soon as we’re done. Just let me have a kiss first.”

Leah ducked under his arms, slipped into the bathroom, and locked the door. ”D-Director Lawson, let me just... take a shower first. Let me calm down a bit, I’m really nervous.”

Winston Lawson’s slimy voice came through the door. ”All right, wash up nice and clean! I love how soft and delicate your skin is.”

Leah turned on the faucet to create some noise, pulled out her phone with shaking hands, and sent a message to Zion Sawyer and Todd Coleman: ”Sage Hotel, 6306, help me!”

’The Sage Hotel was right near Aevon, only a ten or twenty-minute walk away. They should have enough time to get here.’

It was their lunch break, though, and Leah worried they wouldn’t see the message in time. With Winston Lawson right outside the door, she didn’t dare risk a phone call. All she could do was clutch her phone and wait.

Luckily, Zion Sawyer called her immediately. Leah declined the call, and a text from him came through a second later. ”Leah, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me like this!”

”Winston Lawson is trying to force himself on me! Help me!”

”Todd Coleman and I are coming now. Hang on! We’ll be there really soon.”

Zion Sawyer and Todd Coleman got the message at the same time. They were in the middle of buying coffee and were so shocked they dropped everything and sprinted toward the Sage Hotel. As he ran, Todd Coleman called the police.

”Are you done in there?” Winston Lawson started knocking on the door.

”N-not yet! Almost!” Leah Sinclair’s voice trembled with fear. She watched the seconds tick by, her heart pounding. Outside, Winston Lawson’s patience had run out. He started banging on the door.