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

Chapter 93: Chapter 93: He Doesn’t Want Me Anymore

”Mmm... yeah, Transterra is such a great place. A great place. Sheila said it’s beautiful there, with vast grasslands and huge, snowy mountains, and... hmm, right, you can ride horses and camels, too. I really want to go see it.”

”But... *sob*... that’s Aevon. Do you have any idea how many of us wanted to get into Aevon after graduation?”

As she spoke, Leah felt a wave of grievance. She had worked so hard to get into a company so many people dreamed of joining, only to have to leave again.

Chester Hale noticed her hair was a mess and couldn’t resist reaching out to tuck a stray strand behind her ear. ”There are plenty of other architecture firms in Riverfall. You don’t have to go so far away. I know some people in the field; I can make some introductions for you.”

”I... *hic*... I don’t want to. I’m going back to Stonecreek tomorrow. I don’t want to be here anymore. It’s too exhausting.”

Leah let out a drunken hiccup and started to laugh. ”Grandma’s there. My grandma’s there. In this whole world, she’s the only one who loves me. Mmm... the only one who loves me.”

Leah started to stand up as she spoke. ”That’s right, I’m going back to Stonecreek! I... I’m going back to my grandma.”

She was unsteady on her feet, and Chester Hale quickly helped her sit back down. ”Didn’t you say you’re going back tomorrow? It’s too late tonight, there are no more buses or trains. How about I drive you back tomorrow?”

Leah obediently sat back down, meekly hugging the wine bottle. ”Don’t you take me... I... I can get back by myself. The last time you went, Third Brother found out and got really angry. It took me a long time to calm him down. You... you can’t go.”

”Didn’t you say you two were over? You’re free now. You have the right to choose. It’s not just Asher Keating in this world. There are other people who will love you and take care of you.”

After saying this, Chester Hale looked at Leah, who was hugging the bottle looking utterly pitiful, and for some reason, he felt a flicker of nervousness.

”Holy shit! Chester Hale is taking advantage of the situation! That motherfucker!” Ethan Shaw roared in frustration, but obviously, the person on the other end of the line wouldn’t answer.

”Other people? Heh, who? In this world... besides my grandma, hah, who else would ever like me?”

Leah downed another glass. The harsh liquor sliding down her throat made her shiver. With red-rimmed eyes, she looked at Chester Hale. ”They all abandoned me. Why did they abandon me?”

Chester Hale paused. ”They? Who else?”

”Heh... My mom and dad just threw me on my grandma’s doorstep. Didn’t they know? I was so little. In that weather, leaving me there... I could have... could have frozen to death!”

”They didn’t love me. They didn’t want me. Why did they even give birth to me? Why didn’t they just kill me right after I was born?! Why... why did they have to throw me away?” Leah grabbed Chester Hale’s shirt, the tears finally falling.

”I didn’t have a dad or a mom. When we were little, all the other kids had parents, but I only had my grandma. Because of that, Jack Sinclair and his friends could just beat me up whenever they wanted. And... and they wouldn’t even let me cry. It hurt so much. It hurt so, so much.”

”Later, later I wasn’t afraid of them anymore. I fought back. I nearly beat Jack Sinclair to death. Hah. After that, they didn’t dare bully me again. Dr. Hale, aren’t I amazing?” Leah looked at Chester Hale and smiled, but her tears just wouldn’t stop.

”Why didn’t they want me? Why does nobody want me?! If I was sick and they abandoned me, I wouldn’t blame them. But I was fine... I was perfectly healthy. Why didn’t they want me? Why... why didn’t they just smother me or throw me in a river to drown?”

Words left unsaid for over twenty years finally came tumbling out, catalyzed by the alcohol. Her thoughts were a mess, saying whatever came to mind as she clutched Chester Hale’s shirt, crying uncontrollably.

Chester Hale half-supported her, listening quietly without interrupting. On the other end of the line, Asher Keating’s lips were pressed into a thin line, and the car’s speed kept increasing.

Ethan Shaw gripped the grab handle nervously. ”Third Brother, Third Brother, slow down!”

Through the phone, Leah’s crying could still be heard. ”Why does everyone abandon me? Third Brother doesn’t want me anymore either. I thought... I thought he had to like me at least a little bit. Even just a tiny bit. It’s been over five months. You’d get attached to a dog in that time! But he doesn’t want me anymore either. He said he wants to end the relationship. He’s throwing me away.”

”Why are they doing this to me? *Sob*... Why does everyone just throw me away?!”

”Third Brother! Ah, Third Brother!!!”

Ethan Shaw screamed as Asher Keating pushed the car to its absolute limit.

Leah clutched Chester Hale’s shirt tightly, asking him over and over, ”Tell me, am I... am I just a piece of trash that can be thrown away whenever?”

”No, you’re not.”

Chester Hale lowered his head and finally gave in, pulling her into a hug. ”Leah, you’re wonderful. Don’t talk about yourself like that.”

”Am I wonderful?” Leah suddenly sat up straight and asked Chester Hale.

”Yes, you’re wonderful. So don’t say things like that about yourself.”

”Heh, I’m not! You’re lying to me! *Sob*... Even you’re lying to me! If I’m so wonderful, why didn’t they want me? Why did they throw me away like a piece of trash?! You tell me! Why!”

Chester Hale’s hand caressed Leah’s face. The girl before him, her hair slightly disheveled, her beautiful phoenix eyes filled with tears, asking herself ”why” over and over again.

A pang of bitterness went through his heart, but he didn’t know how to comfort her. This had to be Leah’s deepest question, and also her deepest fear. Why didn’t her parents want her? He had no idea how many times that question must have haunted her.

’But what’s the deal with Asher Keating?’ Chester Hale furrowed his brow. From what he knew, Asher wasn’t an irresponsible person. Setting aside their relationship, objectively speaking, he had actually treated Leah quite well.

’That look Asher gave me at my place last time...’ Chester was certain that if something had really been going on between him and Leah back then, Asher Keating would have killed him.

He pursed his lips, about to ask Leah what had happened between the two of them, but she suddenly sat up straight, looking a bit dazed.

Chester Hale watched her with some concern. As a doctor, he knew that people who were normally reserved and could hold their liquor often had trouble controlling their emotions once they drank too much. The most important thing at times like this was to let them vent.

He had been gently prompting Leah to talk, to let her release some of her emotions. Otherwise, keeping all that bottled up inside would be incredibly damaging to her health.

A desolate look filled Leah’s eyes as her lips curved into a sad smile. ”I miss him so much.”

She didn’t say who, but Chester Hale knew.

Leah murmured as she drank another glass of wine, then slumped back onto the table. ”Why, though? Why couldn’t he... like me just a little?”

Chester Hale took a deep breath and glanced at the time on his watch. ”Leah, I gave him time.”

”What? What time?”

”It’s nothing. I’m taking you home. You can’t drink anymore.”

”Fuck! Chester Hale, the time’s not up yet, you son of a bitch...”

Ethan Shaw yelled into the phone, but Chester Hale hung up.