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

Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Who Knows What She’s Doing Out There

”W-what do you mean, hiding? Don’t talk nonsense.”

Jack Sinclair nervously edged toward his parents’ side of the room. The four men were just too conspicuous standing there. He snuck glances at them, complaining to himself. ’So what if they’re rich? Four guys, all in black. Are they shooting a scene for *Infernal Affairs*?’

”Hey, Third Master Keating, you see him? That’s the guy.”

Chester Hale gestured with his chin toward Asher Keating and said in a low voice, ”Last time, he was yelling about how Leah Sinclair should marry him to repay Grandma Sinclair for the ’kindness’ of raising her.”

Asher Keating glanced at Jack Sinclair, who was furtively watching them. When he saw Asher look over, he immediately whipped his head away. Asher sneered. ”Him? Is he even worthy?”

A short while later, Sean Yates came in and whispered a few words in Asher Keating’s ear. The corner of Asher’s mouth quirked up slightly.

Leah Sinclair was standing beside him. Even though Asher Keating smiled, she felt like he was actually angry. She shot him an uneasy glance. Noticing her look, he squeezed her hand but said nothing.

Since the group’s presence was just too overwhelming, Leah Sinclair decided to take them and Sheila Hughes out for a walk. The people in the courtyard watched them go and let out a collective, inexplicable sigh of relief before bursting into spirited discussion.

A woman sidled up to First Aunt Sinclair to gossip. ”So, what’s the deal with your Leah? How does she know so many rich people?”

”How should I know! That little hussy... Out in the world, she’s been...”

”That’s enough!”

First Uncle Sinclair shouted, cutting her off and dragging her into the back room.

First Aunt Sinclair shook off his hand and yelled, ”What did you drag me in here for? Huh?”

”Are you insane? Did you see those guys? We can’t afford to mess with a single one of them!”

”So what? Just look at Leah! I bet she got everything by sleeping around. So young and already so shameless. Your mother must have been blind to take in a thing like that, and to think she...”

”Shut your mouth! Mom passed away just three days ago. Can’t you show some decency? If it weren’t for us back then, Mom wouldn’t have...”

A sudden wave of grief washed over First Uncle Sinclair. She was his mother, after all. He wiped his eyes, feeling a pang of sorrow. ”Don’t say any more. The burial is tomorrow. We can deal with everything else after Mom is laid to rest.”

”Hmph! Fine. We’ll talk tomorrow. Since she has such a rich boyfriend, I’ll have to settle accounts with her properly!” First Aunt Sinclair spat viciously on the ground.

Leah Sinclair led Asher Keating and the others on a walk outside the village. Her family’s village wasn’t large, but there was a reservoir nearby—the one she had told Asher about before. Now that it was winter, the water was covered by a layer of ice.

Ethan Shaw asked jokingly, ”Can we go skating on this?”

Leah Sinclair shook her head. ”No, you can’t. It looks frozen, but it’s just one thin layer. If you try to stand on it, you’ll fall right through.”

Ethan Shaw tried gingerly stepping on the ice. It was definitely unstable, and he nearly slipped in. Luckily, Riley Sterling was right there to grab him. Startled, Ethan jumped back, repeatedly exclaiming, ”That scared me to death!” which made the others laugh.

They stood on the reservoir dam, which overlooked Leah Sinclair’s entire village. Leah quietly gazed at the small village where she had lived for so many years.

Sheila Hughes linked arms with her, leaning her head on Leah’s shoulder and whispering, ”Leah, don’t be too sad. You still have me, and you have Cherie and Dana. They’ve been too busy the last few days to get time off, but don’t be upset. You’re not alone.”

”Exactly! Leah, you’ve still got us! And you’ve got Third Master Keating!” Ethan Shaw quickly added upon hearing them.

Leah turned to look. Asher Keating was standing beside her. He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ”Mm. And you have me.”

Leah smiled. Looking straight ahead, she suddenly didn’t feel quite so sad anymore.

She whispered in her heart, ’Grandma, do you see? I’m not alone anymore. I have friends, and I have the man I love. Please don’t worry about me. Take your time on your journey. If people really do have a next life, please come back as my daughter, okay? I’ll take care of you forever.’

The six of them stood on the reservoir dam for a long time. It was Sheila Hughes who finally couldn’t stand the cold any longer, so they all started walking back. Sheila was from the Westerlands; even after four years in the south, she still couldn’t handle the damp, cold winters.

They had left the village from the left side, but on the way back, Sheila Hughes was struck by a sudden whim to ”walk the roads Leah has walked,” so they looped around and re-entered from the right.

When they reached the village entrance, Sheila Hughes’s eyes went wide. Earlier, when Jack Sinclair came back talking about a row of luxury cars, she’d just assumed he was someone who’d never seen a nice car before.

And while Asher Keating and his three friends certainly looked wealthy, she was still stunned by the sight of the cars before her.

When she arrived, Sean Yates had already driven off, so she hadn’t seen any of the vehicles. But now... there they were. A whole row. Four cars: a Rolls-Royce, a Mercedes-Benz, a Porsche, and a Maserati. All of them were black, and they looked about as badass as it gets.

Sheila Hughes whispered to Leah, ”Okay, just tell me. Which one is your man’s?”

”The last one.”

Leah suddenly felt a little embarrassed. The four cars parked here were just way too conspicuous.

Ethan Shaw walked over, leaned against the side of his car, and patted his Panamera. ”See, Leah? I even made a point not to bring my ’Little Green’.”

”I know. Thank you all.” A warmth spread through Leah’s chest, and she gave them a deep bow.

”Hey, hey, don’t do that.” Ethan Shaw got flustered. That wasn’t why he’d said it.

Asher Keating steadied her. ”Let’s head back.”

Sheila Hughes pulled Leah a few steps ahead and asked in a hushed voice, ”What’s ’Little Green’?”

”Er... it’s another one of his cars. A very... um, flamboyant Aston Martin.”

Leah remembered the first time she’d seen Ethan driving that car, and she’d asked him why he bought it in that particular color.

”Because I’m flamboyant.”

That had been his answer at the time, and it had left her utterly speechless.

By the time Leah and the others got back inside, the sky was slowly starting to darken. Just as she entered, First Uncle Sinclair called her into a room. Sheila Hughes ushered Asher Keating and the others to a table; with her straightforward and hearty personality, she quickly fell into conversation with Ethan Shaw and Riley Sterling.

Neither Asher Keating nor Chester Hale was very talkative, so the two of them simply sipped their tea. After a while, Asher spoke up. ”Thanks for coming.”

Chester Hale pulled out a cigarette and offered it to him before lighting one for himself. ”Don’t mention it. I was Grandma Sinclair’s attending physician, after all. Besides, I’ve eaten at her home before. It was the right thing to do.”

Asher Keating lit the cigarette, remaining silent for a moment before speaking. ”I need to thank you for what happened last time, as well.”

Chester Hale knew he was referring to the time Leah got drunk. A small smile played on his lips. ”That day, I honestly was going to take Leah away with me. If you hadn’t arrived when you did...”