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

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Sing Until You’re Bankrupt

Leah Sinclair stood up and joined Morgan Sterling at the pool table. Morgan, ever the gentleman, let her break, and Leah didn’t stand on ceremony.

However, she wasn’t on her game today, and Morgan Sterling’s skills were actually quite decent—miles better than Ben Coleman’s, at least. Leah tried to calm herself and slowly find her groove.

The two of them were well-matched, and the game was a back-and-forth affair. When only the eight ball remained, it was Leah’s turn. Just as she was lining up her shot, Ben Coleman’s rowdy voice suddenly cut through the air from the other side of the room.

”Whoa, Third Master Keating, you’re totally going easy on Madeline, aren’t you? How could you call five ones?”

Leah’s hand shook, causing her to miss the shot. Smiling, Morgan Sterling walked over to the table and effortlessly sank the eight ball. ”Leah, were you going easy on me?”

”Not at all. You’re just that skilled, Eldest Young Master Sterling. PayPal or Venmo?” Leah Sinclair set down her cue and pulled out her phone to make the transfer.

”Whoa, whoa, I was just kidding. I’m not actually going to take your money.” Morgan Sterling raised a hand to stop her.

”No, that’s not how it works. A bet’s a bet. We agreed on the stakes, and that’s that.”

”Alright, how about this? Why don’t you sing a song for me instead? I’ve never heard you sing before.” Morgan Sterling held her hand down, refusing to let her send the money.

Leah had never sung in front of them before. Their get-togethers usually just involved drinking. After a moment’s thought, she didn’t insist. It would save her ten thousand, after all. It was only one song.

”Then what do you want to hear?”

”Anything. Sing whatever you want.”

Leah Sinclair was a bit surprised. Morgan Sterling was being surprisingly agreeable today, not at all his usual aggressive self. This change was so drastic, it actually made Leah a little uneasy.

Seeing her expression, Morgan Sterling chuckled. ”It’s Third Master Keating’s birthday, after all. I wouldn’t go so far as to make him lose face at his own party.”

Leah was about to sarcastically say, ’Well, I guess I should thank you then,’ but Morgan leaned in close and said, ”However, if you were willing to be mine, I wouldn’t mind stirring up some trouble with Third Master Keating today. What do you say, Leah?”

Leah Sinclair lowered her phone and let out a cold laugh. ”I think there’s a song that’s perfect for you right now, Eldest Young Master Sterling.”

”What song is that?”

”All Talk.”

Morgan Sterling seemed to ponder this for a moment. ”Can’t say I’ve heard of it. Why don’t you sing it for me?”

”Fine.”

With that, Leah Sinclair went to the karaoke station and selected Jay Chou’s ”All Talk.” The moment the intro music faded and her voice rang out, Asher Keating turned to look.

Leah was sitting at the freestanding microphone, singing. When she got to the line, ”You might not look like a villain, but your actions are just plain dumb,” she shot a merciless eye-roll directly at Morgan Sterling.

Morgan Sterling lit a cigarette, leaned back against the sofa, and listened to her sing with a smile on his face. He looked as if he hadn’t understood the lyrics at all, just smiling quietly to himself.

When Leah finished singing, he began to clap. ”That was excellent, Leah. I had no idea you had such a hidden talent.”

Leah didn’t respond. When she’d first started college, her classmates had constantly mocked her. As a result, she’d suffered from low self-esteem for a year and a half—all through her freshman year and the first semester of her sophomore year—to the point where she was reluctant to even speak to people.

Later, Sheila Hughes and her other roommates started pulling her into their circle, encouraging her to join clubs and sign up for all sorts of school activities to build her confidence.

She already had a beautiful voice and pretty features, and with Sheila Hughes and the others’ help, she gradually changed her sense of style. Her personality, too, slowly became much more outgoing.

While she was still a woman of few words, she was no longer afraid of speaking in public. Eventually, the school even started inviting Leah to host or perform at evening galas. So, singing a single song was hardly a challenge for her.

”How about another round? If you lose, you can sing for me again,” Morgan Sterling suggested with a smile after putting out his cigarette.

”Or how about this: I sing a song, and the Eldest Young Master Sterling gives me ten thousand. I could be persuaded to try that.” Leah Sinclair crossed her arms, lifting her chin to look back at him.

”Tsk. What kind of song is worth that much?” the woman next to Ben Coleman scoffed.

Leah said nothing, her gaze fixed provocatively on Morgan Sterling. He chuckled and was about to respond when Madeline Sterling sidled up to them. ”Leah, are you that desperate for money? If so, I’ll give you a hundred thousand. Why don’t you start with ten songs?”

”I’m not desperate for money, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love it. Right now, however, this is between your brother and me. If you’d like a performance, Miss Sterling, I’m afraid you’ll have to get in line.”

Leah replied, her expression blank. By saying this, she was hinting that while Asher Keating might be keeping her, he wasn’t exactly showering her with spending money. She wasn’t about to fall into the trap they were setting for her.

”Hah. It seems our little Leah has grown from a common weed into a rose—and a thorny one at that.” Morgan Sterling suddenly broke into laughter as he looked at her.

”Third Master, what’s with Leah today? It’s like she’s out for blood,” Riley Sterling whispered, sidling up to Asher Keating.

Asher Keating also sensed something was off with Leah. The normally gentle and quiet girl had, just as Morgan Sterling said, grown thorns today.

Morgan Sterling took out his phone. ”Leah, I don’t think we’re friends on here yet.”

Leah Sinclair took out her own phone and displayed her payment QR code. ”You don’t need to be friends to send money.”

”How many songs can you sing?”

”Enough to bankrupt you.”

”Pfft...”

Ethan Shaw and Riley Sterling finally burst out laughing. They had no interest in their own game anymore; watching Leah verbally demolish Morgan Sterling was far more entertaining.

”It’s not that easy to bankrupt me, you know.”

Morgan Sterling stepped forward with a smile, ready to scan the code. Then, in a low voice that only the two of them could hear, he said, ”Although... as much as I enjoy your singing, I’d much rather hear you scream in my bed.”

Frowning, Leah turned off her phone screen. Morgan hadn’t been able to scan the code. He raised an eyebrow. ”What’s wrong? Don’t want the money anymore?”

Leah gripped her phone, fighting back the urge to retort. ’It’s Asher Keating’s birthday,’ she reminded herself. ’I don’t want to upset him.’ She decided it was better to just stay quiet.

”Third Master, what is with her?” Madeline Sterling whined, leaning against him. But Asher Keating simply stood up and walked toward Leah.

”What’s got you in the mood for singing today?” Asher Keating asked, pinching her cheek.

”I just lost a game of pool. I owed him ten thousand, but he said a song would settle the debt.”

With Asher Keating by her side, Leah’s fiery demeanor deflated. ’First Madeline Sterling, then Ben Coleman, and finally Morgan Sterling... From the moment I got here, they’ve all been deliberately messing with me, some openly and some not.’

’Madeline Sterling’s words, in particular, had been weighing on her heart, making it feel hard to breathe.’

”You lost at pool?”

Asher Keating raised an eyebrow. ’I’ve played pool with Leah several times. She’s not as good as me, but she’s more than capable of beating Morgan Sterling. For her to lose... My gut tells me something must have happened today.’

’This girl is still too young,’ he thought. ’She’s more mature than most people her age, but she still can’t keep her composure when dealing with the likes of Morgan and Madeline Sterling.’

Seeing Leah’s frustrated look, Asher Keating smiled. ”Want your Third Master to get back at him for you?”