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

Chapter 210: Chapter 210: What are you doing here?

Leah got up, slipped on a bathrobe, and came out to find him. Asher Keating was shirtless, a towel tied loosely around his waist. His back muscles were tight, his shoulders broad above a narrow waist, and he stood there with a tall, straight posture.

One hand rested on the railing while the other held a cigarette between long, slender fingers. The lazy morning sun spilled over him, making him look like a picture.

Leah couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. ’His body is incredible.’ She tiptoed over, planning to startle him. Asher Keating had heard the door open but hadn’t turned around immediately. Hearing her soft footsteps approach, he turned with a smile just as Leah crashed right into his chest.

”Oof!”

Leah’s nose stung. She clutched it as her eyes began to water. ’Did his chest have to be this hard?’

Amused, Asher Keating pulled her hand away and gently tweaked her nose. ”Hurt yourself?”

He had planned to pull her into a hug, but she was too fast. Who would have thought she’d just crash right into him?

”A little.”

Leah glanced at his chest and felt her face flush. She quickly looked away. To cover up her embarrassment, she asked, ”Why are you up so early?”

Asher Keating pulled her into his arms and gently rubbed her nose. ”I just received an obituary from the Sterling Family.”

It took Leah a moment to register, but when she did, she was surprised. ”Thomas Sterling?”

”Mhm.”

Leah thought of Brandon Jacobs, and then it occurred to her that if Asher Keating had already gotten the news, Mabel Grant must have as well.

Leah felt no attachment to the Sterling Family. As for Brandon Jacobs, considering Thomas Sterling had been so eager to kill him, he surely wouldn’t be mourning. As long as he wasn’t upset, Leah didn’t mind either.

She looked up at Asher Keating. ”Does this mean we have to go back?”

”If you don’t want to go back, we can stay a few more days.”

Leah thought for a moment but decided against it. After all, Asher Keating was now the president of the entire Keating Group. He had been incredibly busy when he was only managing Aevon and a few other companies.

He had already spent nearly ten days abroad just to be with her. She wasn’t adamant about staying longer. Besides, she wanted to go back soon herself to get ready for work.

Seeing her decision, Asher Keating began booking their flights and notified Sean Yates, who would probably have to stay abroad for another two weeks. Once their minds were made up, they had breakfast and began their trip home, leaving the car for Mason Grant to drive back.

When Mason Grant heard they were leaving so soon, he was sad to see Leah go. She tugged his ear, carefully instructing him not to just sleep in and play video games all weekend, but to eat properly and go for a walk when he had free time.

Who could have imagined that the second young master of the Grant family—rumored to be cold and aloof, and already helping with the family business before graduation—was actually a homebody who loved to sleep in and play video games.

”Sis, I get it,” Mason Grant mumbled. ”Third Master Keating is right here. Save me some face, will you?”

While Leah was off packing, Mason Grant pulled Asher Keating aside again. With a serious expression, he said, ”Third Master Keating, I’m entrusting my sister to you. Don’t you dare hurt her. If you do, I’ll...”

”You’ll what?” Asher Keating raised an eyebrow, looking at Mason Grant.

”I’ll take her back to Kingsford! Besides, my sister is amazing. There are plenty of guys who like her.”

”Oh? Looks like I have some competition?”

Seeing Asher Keating’s scrutinizing gaze, Mason Grant grew flustered. He had never told anyone that Liam Peyton had feelings for Leah.

In truth, after Leah had returned to the Grant family, countless people had sought a marriage alliance with them. Many had come asking about Leah, but neither Mabel Grant nor Mason himself thought any of them were worthy. Liam Peyton, however, was a different story.

When Liam Peyton had first mentioned it, Mason asked if he only said he liked Leah because he wanted an alliance with the Grant family. Liam Peyton had answered honestly that his family had indeed wanted him to approach Leah initially.

But he hadn’t rushed into it. Instead, he had taken the time to genuinely get to know Leah. Only after discovering he truly liked her did he broach the subject with Mason. Plus, Mason and Liam Peyton were good friends. If it weren’t for Asher Keating, he would have seriously tried to set them up.

”Well, I’m not wrong! Isn’t my sister a great catch?”

Mason Grant turned his head away, feeling a pang of guilt. He felt Asher Keating was too sharp, so he didn’t dare say more. The situation was what it was now. The last time they spoke, after Liam Peyton learned Leah was getting engaged, he had told Mason to just forget about it, otherwise they might not even be able to stay friends.

”She is amazing.”

Asher Keating watched Leah bustling about in the room, a faint smile on his lips. Of course he knew how wonderful she was. That, combined with her status as the second young lady of the Grant family, meant many men had wanted to marry her over the past few years. Mabel Grant had simply ignored them all.

Their flight was in the early hours of the next day. They arrived in Riverfall in the evening, where Ethan Shaw and Sheila Hughes picked them up. The four of them had a simple meal, and then Ethan drove the couple home. After a flight of over ten hours, they were both exhausted. They showered and went straight to bed.

The next day, Asher Keating was up early again for the office. Leah woke up when he did. He told her to sleep in a bit longer, and she agreed. But after he left, she couldn’t fall back asleep. She got up, finished unpacking, and then decided to pay a visit to the Baystream Group.

Nathan Grant had originally been managing Baystream, but he was still on leave, so Shawn Grant was temporarily in charge. When Leah arrived at the Baystream building, she gave Shawn a call, and he told her to come straight up to the president’s office.

But when she got to the office, she found that it wasn’t just Shawn Grant inside—Liam Peyton was there as well.

Seeing Leah’s surprised expression, Liam Peyton smiled and explained, ”You’ve seen the files, so you should know that Peyton Group and the Grant Group sometimes collaborate on construction projects. And as I mentioned back in Eldoria, Peyton Group is opening a logistics branch in Riverfall this year.”

”I’m here partly for our collaboration with the Grant Group, and partly because Phoebe just returned to the country. My uncle is worried about her being here all by herself.”

His explanation cleared things up for Leah. The Grant Group and Peyton Group did indeed collaborate on construction projects. As for Phoebe Peyton, Leah didn’t see her around.

”Hah, what do you mean ’worried’?” Shawn Grant scoffed, slouched in the president’s chair with his legs crossed like some punk. ”I bet it was Uncle Elijah’s new wife whispering in his ear, getting him to ask you to keep an eye on Phoebe, right?”

Liam Peyton looked at him with a helpless expression. ”Shawn, I’m not that heartless. Phoebe just got back. Even if my uncle hadn’t said anything, I would have come to Riverfall with her.”

Shawn Grant was just kidding. Liam Peyton would never agree to watch Phoebe just because Elijah Peyton asked. On the contrary, given his personality, he would be more likely to help her.

Leah shot Shawn a look and said, ”Wynn, don’t mind Shawn, he’s just talking. So where’s Phoebe? I don’t see her.”

”She went to the Keating Group to see President Keating.”