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

“What do you mean by that, Miss Peyton?”

“It’s nothing. But Hugh Sterling, I hope you’re clear on this: Morgan is lying in there right now, and you bear a great deal of the responsibility. When it happened, why wasn’t Madeline Sterling taken down immediately? Why did you let it drag on for so long? I read the police report. The fruit knife was tiny. How could all of you fail to subdue a single woman!”

Phoebe Peyton glared at Hugh Sterling, her face flushed with anger. His own expression cooled. “Miss Peyton, you weren’t there. If we could have taken action immediately, don’t you think the police would have?”

“If the police didn’t act, what about you? You’re Morgan’s assistant! It’s your job to protect him. I told him ages ago to hire someone with actual combat skills, and now look what’s happened! I really don’t see what good you are.”

Phoebe Peyton’s face was filled with scorn. She had long looked down on Hugh Sterling. When she first started meeting with Morgan, Hugh was the one who drove her around to keep things discreet. At the time, she had tried to use the opportunity to ask about the Sterling Group’s situation, but Hugh had always met her questions with a stony “no comment” expression.

It was even worse the last time she and Morgan had a fight. He wouldn’t reply to her texts, and when she went to Hugh, all she got was a curt, “Chairman Sterling is in a meeting.”

Phoebe Peyton handed him a package. “Give this to Morgan to eat when he wakes up. Also, Asher Keating and Nathan Grant left early yesterday. They’re probably up to something. Have your people keep a close eye on them. And if there’s any change in Morgan’s condition, you are to notify me immediately.”

With a cold snort, she put on her mask and walked away.

Hugh Sterling looked down at the package and sneered. ‘Phoebe Peyton has received so many gifts from Morgan, she’s probably forgotten. This box of premium blood-enriching tonic… it was a gift from him to her in the first place.’

He watched her retreating figure, clicking away in her high heels, and cursed inwardly. ‘What a piece of work. Just one of Morgan’s playthings, and she’s already putting on the airs of the chairman’s wife? And that little tip… she waits until now to mention it? It’s too little, too late.’

But that thought just gave Hugh another headache. It wasn’t just Asher Keating’s camp that had been up all night in meetings; his own team on Morgan’s side had been doing the same.

Everything had happened so suddenly, and with all sorts of news flying around, several projects the Sterling Group had been negotiating—some of which were on the verge of being signed—were now stalled. The other parties had all adopted a wait-and-see approach.

Thanks to the maneuvering of Asher Keating and his team, some of those potential partners had already jumped ship and signed with them instead. Others were using the situation as leverage to demand a higher price. After a full night of discussions and damage control, the Sterling Group had been forced to make some painful sacrifices.

Of the two projects Morgan had particularly valued, one had been snatched up by Keating, and they’d had to cough up an extra fifty million just to hold on to the other.

Hugh wasn’t sure if Morgan, upon waking up, would be so enraged by the news that he’d pass out all over again.

Asher Keating was woken by a call from Edward Yates, who had two pieces of news. First, Morgan Sterling had another critical episode in the ICU and had to be resuscitated, but his vital signs were now stable.

He glanced at the time—three in the afternoon. ‘Morgan Sterling’s will to live really is tenacious,’ he thought with a cold, inward sneer. He got up, washed his face, had a quick bite of the food Mrs. Lowell had kept warm for him, and headed straight to the office.

Leah Sinclair went to the construction site and saw people from a furniture company moving items into the 16th floor. Liam Peyton was there as well. They greeted each other, and he invited her to come up for a look once she was finished with her work.

When Leah went upstairs, she found Liam Peyton organizing some documents. She couldn’t help but ask, a little curious, “Liam, don’t you have people for this? A big-shot president like you, getting his hands dirty?”

Liam Peyton laughed. “It’s no trouble. They’ve done all the heavy lifting; I’m just putting a few things in place.”

“Haha, looks like you’ve had some downtime lately, Liam. But I imagine you’ll be swamped once things get started here, right?”

“Mmm, I have to make a trip back to Kingsford in a couple of days. Once I’m back and the office is officially moved in, things will get crazy.”

Leah nodded and glanced around his office. It was in the best location on the floor, with excellent lighting and a great layout. The decor was incredibly luxurious. Just the imported Italian leather sofa set, she estimated, must have cost over two hundred thousand.

A smile touched Liam Peyton’s lips as he watched her look around with wide-eyed curiosity. Just then, Asher Keating called to tell Leah he wouldn’t be home for dinner because he had to work late.

Leah didn’t object. She knew Asher would be busy for the next few days, so she just reminded him to eat a proper meal and not go hungry. They chatted for a few more moments before hanging up.

Liam’s smile faded slightly as he listened. While continuing to tidy up, he asked, as if offhandedly, “Leah, are things still going well between you and President Keating?”

“Huh? We’re doing great. Why?”

“Last time… when you fainted so suddenly. It was because of him, wasn’t it?”

Leah’s hand, still holding her phone, tightened. She looked up at Liam. “No, I just…”

“Leah, when I took you to the hospital, the doctor said you fainted from intense emotional distress—a surge of anger combined with the heat. Besides… that day, I was in the garden. I overheard what was said about Phoebe and President Keating.”

Liam watched as the color drained from Leah’s lips. ‘She and Asher had never brought it up again. And after what Phoebe had said that day, she wanted to bury the subject completely. After all, it was so long ago. Asher only had her in his heart now, and she didn’t want to cause a needless fight between them over the past.’

Leah’s voice was strained. “Liam, that… that was a long time ago. I don’t want to talk about it. Asher and Phoebe just have a normal working relationship now.”

Liam’s gaze darkened. “But what if… they’re not?”

His question left Leah stunned. She stared into his inscrutable gaze and frowned slightly. “What do you mean, ‘what if they’re not’? Liam, what do you know?”

“I…”

“Miss Grant, Doris is all set. They’re telling us to head back. Juanita is waiting for the meeting to start.”

Louise Holt had come upstairs to get Leah; they were finished downstairs. Leah glanced at Liam one last time, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Liam, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding. Asher is very good to me. I have to go now.”

Without waiting for Liam to reply, she pulled Louise downstairs. Louise glanced back at Liam suspiciously before asking Leah, “Miss Grant, what did President Peyton say to you? I thought I heard him mention the young master.”

“It’s nothing, you misheard. We were just making small talk. Don’t go spreading rumors when you get back.”

Leah thought for a moment, then added, “You’re my assistant now. That means you work for me.”

“Don’t worry, Miss Grant. The young master made it clear. Even though he’s the one paying my salary, I don’t have to report anything to him unless it concerns your safety.”

Louise was clear on this point. Asher Keating didn’t want Leah to feel like the person he’d assigned to her was there to spy on her. He would only inquire about essential matters and wouldn’t pry into anything else.