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

Chapter 225: Chapter 225: Asher, I Like You

Leah Sinclair pursed her lips and said, ”I know. Don’t worry.”

In Asher Keating’s car, Phoebe Peyton was muttering his name and trying to lean on him. Asher held her upright. ”Phoebe, you’ve had too much to drink.”

”I’m not drunk, Asher. How could you be with someone else? I like you. I’ve really missed you so much these past few years.” Tears streamed down Phoebe Peyton’s beautiful face as she gazed at Asher Keating, her red-rimmed eyes full of affection.

Sean Yates, who was driving, was startled and quickly glanced at the back seat in the rearview mirror. Asher Keating’s brows furrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line as he looked at Phoebe Peyton.

When Asher Keating didn’t say anything, Phoebe Peyton mustered her courage and reached for his hand. ”Asher, you used to like me too, didn’t you? I could feel it. Even though we’ve barely been in contact these past few years, I’m sure you’ve still thought of me.”

Asher Keating pulled his hand away and replied coolly, ”I’ve never liked you.”

”Impossible. If you never liked me, then when we were abroad...”

”I’ll attribute what you said tonight to you being drunk. If you bring this up again, we can suspend our business partnership.”

Asher Keating’s deep, dark eyes were fixed on Phoebe Peyton, filled with distance and coldness. Phoebe’s hands slowly clenched into fists. ”You... you like Leah Grant that much?”

”I love her.”

Three words. Phoebe Peyton’s heart plummeted. The corners of her lips curved into a bitter, heartbreakingly sad smile.

”I understand. I’m sorry, I won’t bring it up again.” She closed her eyes and sat up properly.

Sean Yates breathed an inward sigh of relief. ’With the way Phoebe Peyton was acting and looking just now, any other man would have been completely captivated. Even if he didn’t agree to date her, it would have been a great opportunity for a one-night stand. Thankfully, my young master has incredible self-control, or else...’

The car was completely silent for the rest of the drive to Phoebe Peyton’s home. After getting out, she quietly thanked Asher Keating. He said nothing, and Sean Yates drove away.

After driving for a while, Asher Keating opened the window, lit a cigarette, and said coolly, ”Don’t let Leah Sinclair know about this.”

”Don’t worry, Young Master. I know.”

Asher Keating grunted in acknowledgment, silently smoking as he watched the scenery whiz by outside the window.

When Leah Sinclair got home, she showered but didn’t dry her hair. She made a cup of coffee and sat on the balcony, lost in thought. ’It’s not that I’m not upset about seeing Asher Keating holding up Phoebe Peyton. It’s just... I could tell Phoebe was drunk. Under the circumstances, it’s only normal that he’d help support her.’

But the events of the last two days kept replaying in her mind: their dinner last night, the scent of perfume on Asher Keating’s cuff, Phoebe Peyton casually mentioning the restaurant she and Asher often went to, how much he had helped her, the gossip among the employees at the Keating Group, and the image of Asher holding up Phoebe.

She hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them and curling into a ball. ’I know how Asher feels about me,’ Leah thought. ’I don’t want to be the kind of person who makes a scene over nothing.’

’But my heart still aches, because I’ve suddenly realized that Asher Keating and Phoebe Peyton are actually a perfect match. Phoebe is so capable, too... and that damned inferiority complex of mine is starting to act up again.’

’When they stand together, they look like the perfect couple—he’s brilliant and she’s beautiful. If they got together, that would be a true union of powerful families, a real power couple, wouldn’t it?’

She picked up her coffee and took a slow sip. It was instant coffee, slightly sweet, its mellow aroma filling her mouth. She gave a bitter smile. ’The two of them... even their tastes are so similar.’

’They both hate cilantro and only drink iced Americanos or black coffee. But I like sweet things. I can’t stand iced Americanos or black coffee.’ After finishing her cup, she made herself a cup of black coffee. She took two sips, her brow furrowed, and set it down. ’It really is bitter,’ she sighed to herself.

When Asher Keating came in, he saw the back of Leah Sinclair, who was curled up in a chair on the balcony. He glanced at the time. It was already eleven o’clock.

As he walked over, he saw that Leah Sinclair was leaning against the chair, fast asleep, her hair obscuring half her face. Beside her sat a cup of coffee that had long gone cold, with only a few sips taken.

He picked it up and took a sip. It was bitter—his black coffee. Asher Keating raised an eyebrow in surprise. ’Leah doesn’t like this. She tried a sip of mine once and said it was too bitter to drink.’

Asher Keating crouched down and gently brushed her hair aside. He noticed her brow was tightly furrowed and her pale lips were pressed together. The light from the balcony cast an inexplicable air of loneliness around her.

After watching her in silence for a moment, Asher Keating frowned upon feeling that her hair still wasn’t completely dry. He gently stroked Leah Sinclair’s earlobe to wake her.

”Why’d you fall asleep out here? You didn’t even dry your hair.”

Leah Sinclair didn’t know how she had fallen asleep. Her mind was still fuzzy as she looked at him, the words tumbling out before she could think. ”Are you back from taking Phoebe home?”

The moment the words were out, she was wide awake. She sat up straight, afraid Asher Keating would get the wrong idea, and quickly added, ”I... I saw you guys at the entrance after having dinner with Sheila.”

Asher Keating found her flustered expression somewhat amusing. ”Then why didn’t you come over and say hello?”

Leah Sinclair lowered her gaze, hiding the sting of bitterness in her eyes. ”By the time I came out, you’d already gotten in the car and driven off.”

Asher Keating stroked her hair. ”Go finish drying your hair, then get some sleep. I’m going to take a shower.”

Leah Sinclair murmured a soft ”okay.” As she watched him walk away, unbuttoning his shirt, she wondered how she could possibly ask him about Phoebe Peyton. He was so nonchalant that it felt like questioning him would be an insult, a show of disrespect.

With a sigh, she got up to dry her hair. It was already mostly dry, so it just needed a quick once-over.

But when she lay down, she couldn’t fall asleep. Turning on her side, she grabbed her phone. There was a message from Liam Peyton: ”Leah, I got back to Riverfall tonight. Want to get lunch tomorrow? Aunt Mabel asked me to bring you something.”

The message had been sent half an hour ago. Leah Sinclair quickly replied, ”Okay, thanks, Wynn.”

”No problem. How come you’re still awake?”

”I took a nap and just woke up. Did you just get to Riverfall?”

”Yeah, I just got in a little while ago.”

The two chatted for a little while. Just as Asher Keating was getting into bed, he happened to see her closing her WeChat chat screen. He wrapped his arms around her from behind.

”Who are you chatting with so late?”

”Wynn. My mom asked him to bring me something, so he’s treating me to lunch tomorrow to give it to me.”

Asher Keating’s hand slipped inside Leah Sinclair’s pajamas, his warm breath ghosting over her ear. ”He has to take you to lunch just to give you something?”

Leah Sinclair froze. Her already foul mood soured even further. She bit her lip but couldn’t hold back her retort. ”And what about you? What business is so important that you and Phoebe have to discuss it over meals for days on end? Lunch isn’t enough, so you have to have dinner together, too?”

Asher Keating’s hand stilled. He turned her around to face him. ”Who told you that?”