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

With that, Leah Sinclair stood up, leaning on Mason Grant’s arm for support. Shawn Grant rose as well, scanned the people in the conference room, and coldly announced, "Meeting adjourned."

As the three of them were walking toward the door, Doris Harlow suddenly stood up and shouted, "Thank you, Manager Grant!"

Leah Sinclair froze for a moment. When she looked back, she saw that her other female colleagues had also stood up. In unison, they all shouted to her, "Thank you, Manager Grant!"

Leah Sinclair smiled and opened the door. But the moment she did, she saw Asher Keating standing right outside with a deadpan expression. The shock was so great her ankle almost gave out again.

"Ah, A-Asher, what are you doing here?"

As Leah Sinclair spoke, she secretly gave the arm she was leaning on a vicious twist. The pain almost made Mason Grant yelp, but this was his sister’s moment to shine. He couldn’t embarrass her. He choked back the sound, gritting his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.

Hearing that Asher Keating had arrived, the women inside the conference room began craning their necks, all eager to get a look at the legendary President of the Keating Group—Leah Sinclair’s fiancé.

The corners of Asher Keating’s lips curved up as he walked toward Leah Sinclair. She, however, sensed a hint of danger in his gaze. Just as she thought to dodge, he swept her up into his arms. "I see you’re dead set on crippling that leg for good."

"Ooooh~"

Hearing the teasing whistles from the conference room, and noticing that many employees outside were also staring at them, Leah Sinclair’s face instantly turned bright red. "The doctor said it’s fine now! It... it doesn’t hurt that much anymore. Asher, put me down. So many people are watching."

Asher Keating ignored her, holding her securely as he walked toward her office. Leah tried to struggle, but he just clicked his tongue. "Keep squirming, and see if I don’t kiss you right here in front of everyone."

Leah Sinclair stopped moving immediately, burying her face in his chest and groaning, "I’ll never be able to show my face in public again."

A hint of laughter crept into Asher Keating’s eyes. "You weren’t feeling shy a moment ago when you said it has only ever been me. Feeling shy now, are we?"

Leah Sinclair’s head shot up. "You heard everything?"

"Mm-hm."

"Agh!"

Trailing behind them, Mason Grant hissed and rolled up his sleeve, revealing a large red mark where Leah Sinclair had twisted his arm. Nathan Grant and Shawn Grant took one look, then clapped him on the shoulder in unison. "Serves you right."

After Jay Walsh left the conference room, he was informed by the HR department that his employment contract had been terminated. Unwilling to accept this, he began shouting that he was going to sue and file for labor arbitration.

The HR manager tossed the company policy manual on the table in front of him and said coolly, "See for yourself. It’s about that rule Manager Grant mentioned. And it’s not just the project department. Plenty of female colleagues from other departments have gone to the President’s Office to report you for telling lewd jokes. They said the things you say are absolutely disgusting. According to company policy, you should consider yourself lucky we’re not making you compensate them for emotional damages."

With trembling hands, Jay Walsh picked it up. The rule was written there, just as she said. And at the end, there was another line: in severe cases, the company reserves the right to pursue legal action.

He slumped into his chair, mumbling, "I was just joking, wasn’t I?"

The HR manager, a woman, looked at him with utter disgust. "You call *that* joking? A woman wears a perfectly normal dress, and you ask if she’s trying to seduce men? You even asked ’how much a pop?’ They have grounds to sue you for sexual harassment! The nerve of you!"

In a short time, word of what Leah Sinclair had said in the project department meeting spread throughout the entire Baystream Group. It even reached every company under the Grant Group, sparking a firestorm of discussion.

No one dared to say that Leah Sinclair’s past as a bar hostess was shameful anymore. It was just as she had said in the meeting: "I wasn’t stealing or robbing anyone. I earned money with my ability to hold my liquor. I don’t see anything shameful in that."

While there were still some dissenting voices, they were quickly drowned out. More than anything, young women were inspired by what Leah Sinclair had said.

Many people also wished her and Asher Keating well. But... Leah Sinclair was oblivious to all of this.

Right now, she was huddled in her office chair as Asher Keating pinched her face and lectured her. "Getting pretty brave, aren’t we? The bandages just came off and you’re already bouncing all over the place?"

Leah Sinclair pried his hand away to rescue her face. "I wasn’t bouncing! I was in a wheelchair at the hospital. I only walked a tiny little bit."

She shot him an aggrieved look. ’When is he going to stop this face-pinching habit? It really hurts.’

Asher Keating was amused by her expression. "Was I pinching that hard?"

"Yes! It hurts a lot."

Asher Keating moved her hand to take a look and saw that a red mark had indeed formed. He clicked his tongue softly, then began rubbing the spot with the pad of his thumb.

Shawn Grant knocked and entered, momentarily speechless at the scene. "Are you two getting into some office ’play’?"

Asher Keating was sitting on Leah Sinclair’s desk with his back to the door, his head bowed low. Shawn Grant couldn’t see exactly what they were doing and had assumed they were kissing.

At that, Asher Keating turned his head. "I can give it a try when President Shawn gets her an office with a private lounge."

"..."

Leah Sinclair’s face flushed. She pushed Asher away and asked Shawn Grant what he needed. Shawn said it was nothing important; since Asher was here, he just wanted to ask if the two of them wanted to go to a mountain resort for a couple of days this weekend. Asher asked who else would be there.

"Just the usual crew. And didn’t Cecilia Peyton come back with Mason this time? Wynn and Mason won’t let her go bother you, so I figured, why not invite both the Peyton siblings and make it a party? The more the merrier."

Leah Sinclair was eager to go. She’d been cooped up for days and was going stir-crazy. Besides, it had been a long time since she’d seen Cecilia Peyton. Cecilia had wanted to visit her with Mason Grant, but he’d refused, telling her to wait a few more days until Leah was back on her feet. Cecilia had been so annoyed that she’d complained to Leah on the phone for half an hour.

Seeing her excited expression, Asher Keating agreed they should go. With that, the matter was settled. After Shawn Grant left, Asher glanced at the time; he had to get back for a meeting as well. He pulled her into his arms, kissing her for a long moment before he finally left.

Only after he was gone did Juanita Coleman and the other two dare to knock and come in. Leah Sinclair had just been thoroughly kissed, and a faint blush still lingered on her cheeks.

Doris Harlow wore a suggestive smirk. "Manager Grant, did President Keating just finish ’disciplining’ you?"

Leah Sinclair tossed a pen at her. "Louise Holt, put it on record: Doris Harlow made fun of her manager. This month’s bonus is officially gone."

"You got it!"

"Oh, come on, Miss Grant! We’re practically sisters!"

After a few moments of laughter and teasing, they got down to business. Juanita Coleman updated her on the project’s progress over the past two days she’d been away. There were no major issues, which was a relief.

Seeing that they were done discussing work, Mason Grant asked if Leah Sinclair was still needed. Juanita Coleman and the other two saw the look on Mason’s face—a clear "I will end you if you say yes"—and hastily said she wasn’t.

So, Mason Grant took Leah Sinclair home. After dropping her off, he went to look for Liam Peyton. When Liam saw him, he smiled. "Mason, are you here for Cecilia? She just left to go shopping."

"No, Wynn. I came to see you."

There was a chill in Mason Grant’s eyes. Liam Peyton studied him quietly for a moment before asking, "What’s wrong?"