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

Although Tiana Vaughn was just a junior assistant, she was still an assistant at the Keating Group. Leah Sinclair knew that in such a position, there were plenty of opportunities to line her pockets just by pulling a few strings.

A person can’t choose the family they’re born into, but they can choose what path they take and what kind of life they lead.

Leah Sinclair had been born into a good family, yet she had lived as an orphan for over twenty years. Even after getting together with Asher Keating and rejoining the Grant family, she had never let the change in her status go to her head or forgotten her roots.

Perhaps that was the difference between her and Tiana Vaughn. Tiana’s family background wasn’t good, and while they did favor sons over daughters, it was never severe enough to force her into prostitution.

The insults Asher Keating had heard her parents yelling at her were merely part of Madeline Sterling’s plan, a way to make her background seem more like Leah Sinclair’s had been.

When Madeline Sterling first approached her to be a pawn, she wouldn’t have forced the issue if Tiana had refused. After all, Madeline was just screening potential candidates at the time.

But Tiana Vaughn agreed. Not only did she agree, she became lost in that lifestyle. Just as Leah said, if she had simply done Madeline Sterling’s bidding, Leah might have held her in higher regard.

Instead, she turned her attention from Madeline Sterling to Asher Keating. She was unwilling to give up the hefty payment Madeline had promised her, but she also wanted to permanently latch onto a meal ticket like Asher Keating.

She could get her eyes done to look like Leah Sinclair’s, she could learn Leah’s little mannerisms and habits, and she could imitate Leah’s personality, but she forgot one thing.

A fake will always be a fake.

Even at her lowest, Leah Sinclair had never lost sight of who she was. This was partly due to the blood of Mabel Grant and Tobias Sterling in her veins, but it was mostly a result of her own innate character.

After sighing over the matter, the three of them continued their meal. Sheila Hughes and Zion Sawyer had to get back to work, so Leah Sinclair started wandering around by herself.

She didn’t really have anything she wanted to buy, but she knew Asher Keating had a meeting that afternoon. Going back would be boring, so she bought a milk tea and wandered around aimlessly.

While she was wandering, her phone rang. Leah was so startled when she saw the caller ID that she nearly dropped her milk tea.

"Mom..."

"Oh, so you still remember I’m your mother?" Mabel Grant’s chilly voice came through the phone.

Leah immediately had a bad feeling. Mabel Grant was a very direct person, and when she spoke with that kind of tone, Leah knew she was in a very bad mood.

She must have already found out about yesterday. Leah knew it was impossible to hide the matter from Mabel Grant, but she hadn’t expected her to find out so quickly.

"Hehe, Mom, when are you coming back? I’ve missed you so much." Throwing caution to the wind, Leah decided her best bet was to lay on the flattery first.

"Tomorrow evening. Tell Third Master Keating to come see me." With that, Mabel Grant hung up, not giving Leah another chance to speak.

’It was over.’

Those were the only two words on Leah’s mind. She quickly texted Brandon Jacobs, "Dad! Help me!"

After a long while, Brandon Jacobs finally replied, "Leah, this time... Dad... really can’t help you. Tell Third Master Keating he’s on his own."

Leah wailed internally. Forgetting all about shopping, she rushed back to the Keating Group. But when she arrived downstairs, she remembered that Asher Keating was probably still in a meeting.

’Telling Asher Keating this news now will definitely disturb him.’ Leah’s heart was racing. She ultimately decided to go find Nathan Grant to see if she had any ideas.

Nathan Grant was listening to soothing prenatal music, humming along as she painted. Her pregnancy had been a bit unstable, so Chester Hale had been adamant that she stay away from the office for a while.

So she was just idling at home. When Leah burst in, drenched in sweat and yelling, "Nash, help me!" she put down her paintbrush and clicked her tongue.

"Is there a tiger chasing you?"

"Not a tiger, but something worse! My mom wants to meet the Third Master tomorrow! Nash, what should I do?" Leah gasped out after chugging a full glass of water.

"So they’ll meet. So what? Is your Third Master not presentable or something?" Nathan rolled her eyes at her and picked her paintbrush back up.

"If this were before, I wouldn’t care, but after what happened yesterday... I’m worried my mom will give the Third Master a hard time."

Leah sat on the sofa, her expression conflicted. "Nash, do you have any ideas?"

"Oh, Leah," Nathan sighed. "If Third Master Keating can’t even handle our aunt, what right does he have to marry you?"

Nathan was completely calm. Having interacted with Asher Keating over the past few years, she wasn’t the least bit worried about his capabilities. Mabel Grant wouldn’t necessarily give him a hard time, but if he wanted to marry Leah and bring her into the Keating family, Asher would certainly have to prove his commitment.

Leah, however, was a classic case of anxiety clouding her judgment. Her mind was solely focused on the events of the past few days, and she was afraid Mabel Grant would take her anger out on Asher Keating.

Seeing Leah’s face wrinkled with worry, Nathan finally sighed, put down her paintbrush, and sat down on the sofa beside her. "Leah," she said seriously, "nothing else is important right now. The most important thing is that you need to move back into your own apartment. After all, you and Third Master Keating aren’t even engaged yet. It might be fine on a normal day, but our aunt is arriving tomorrow. If she finds out you’re still living at his place, she’ll only be angrier."

"Oh, right! I completely forgot about that!" Leah shot to her feet, grabbed her bag, and bolted for the door.

"Hey, hey! What’s the rush? Just have the driver take you!" Nathan stood up and shouted after her.

"It’s fine, it’s not far!"

Leah’s voice was already distant. Nathan clicked her tongue and went back to her painting. It was a portrait of Chester Hale, and she was more and more pleased with it the longer she looked.

When she returned to Asher Keating’s villa, Mrs. Lowell grew worried seeing Leah’s frantic state. "Miss Leah, what happened? Weren’t you supposed to come home with the young master?"

"Mrs. Lowell, I have to move back to my own place."

Leah bounded up the stairs as she spoke, but it wasn’t until she got to the top that she realized... ’Move what?’

She didn’t have much here. The things she’d brought back to the country were already at her own apartment. The only clothes she had here were a few outfits Nathan Grant had haphazardly packed for her yesterday. There really was nothing to move.

Asher Keating only saw Mrs. Lowell’s message after his meeting when he pulled out his phone. He didn’t have a habit of checking it during meetings. The message from Mrs. Lowell said only one thing: "Sir! Miss Leah says she’s moving out, what should I do?"

Asher Keating’s eyes darkened, and his brow furrowed. He dialed Leah’s number, and she picked up after a moment. "Running away from home again?" he asked, his tone displeased.

Leah felt a pang of guilt, but she quickly explained, "Third Master, my mom is coming tomorrow! Nash is right, I have to move back. Otherwise, she’ll be even more furious when she finds out!"

Asher Keating’s brow relaxed, and he arched an eyebrow. "Just stay put. We’ll talk when I get back."