Chapter 147: Mom’s Third Lesson
Mabel Grant looked into Leah Sinclair’s eyes, her own heart aching with waves of bitterness. "The Grant Family has never needed to trade for benefits through marriage alliances. You can rest assured on that point. I’m asking you to return to Kingsford not just to test Third Master Keating’s capabilities. As I’ve already told you, only when two people are equals do they have the right to talk about love."
"Once you’re back in Kingsford, you’ll be the second young miss of the Grant Family. You’ll have access to any connections and resources you could possibly want. Being there will only make you better and stronger. You’ll no longer have to be the little woman hiding behind Third Master Keating, relying solely on his protection."
"When you’ve become strong, and Third Master Keating has proven his capabilities, I won’t object to you two being together. In fact, I will give you a grand wedding and send you off in style."
Leah Sinclair closed her eyes as a single tear slowly traced a path down her cheek. With her eyes shut, she couldn’t see the sorrowful look in Mabel Grant’s eyes. ’How could she not know how much Leah loves Asher Keating?’
The investigation over the past few days revealed that Asher Keating had protected Leah Sinclair from the very beginning. But Mabel Grant knew that Leah couldn’t just be protected by him. How long could Asher protect her all by himself? Besides, Leah was indeed too weak.
Mabel Grant wasn’t sure. Asher Keating might love her now, but who could guarantee he would love this version of Leah for the rest of his life?
When Leah Sinclair opened her eyes, Mabel Grant had already composed herself. She watched Leah quietly, knowing that she would agree to go with her.
"I can agree to go with you, but you can’t touch Asher. You also can’t tell him. He’ll never let me go if he finds out. And when I’m capable enough, you can’t stop me from returning to Riverfall."
"Deal. Alright, let’s eat first. After we’re done, Mother will teach you your third lesson."
Mabel Grant led Leah Sinclair back to the table and placed some food on her plate. Leah ate in silence. The events of the past two days had come one after another, and she knew she truly wasn’t strong enough.
She didn’t doubt that Mabel Grant had the means to do what she threatened. She couldn’t gamble with Asher Keating’s future. Even though this person was her mother, she didn’t know her at all. Not in the slightest.
Leah Sinclair remained silent, and Mabel Grant didn’t force her to speak. After the meal, Mabel took her to the largest shopping mall in Riverfall. It housed every domestic and international luxury brand imaginable—all the ones Leah had heard of and all the ones she hadn’t.
Leah stared, dumbfounded, as Mabel pointed without even blinking. "This one, this one, these, and those over there. Wrap them all up."
It was as if she intended to buy out the entire mall. Seeing the panicked look on Leah’s face, Mabel Grant raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Leah, this is your third lesson from Mother: spending money."
"Don’t... buy any more. I’ll never be able to use it all."
Leah Sinclair grabbed her hand, speaking for the first time since she’d fallen silent at the restaurant. Her voice trembled. She was afraid that if she didn’t say something, Mabel Grant would actually buy the whole mall for her.
"So what?"
Mabel Grant arched a brow, a faint smile on her face. Behind her, several bodyguards and assistants were laden with bags. Mabel simply held Leah’s hand, looking as if she were surveying her kingdom.
"Mom, Sis!" Mason Grant ran over, his face alight with excitement.
Leah Sinclair grabbed his hand as if he were her savior. "Mason, can you tell... her, please don’t buy any more. I can’t use all this stuff."
Mason Grant looked at her with some sympathy. "Sis, I can’t help you. You haven’t been with Mom for over twenty years. Just let her have some fun spending money."
Before Leah Sinclair could say anything, Mabel Grant held up another necklace against her. "Hm, not bad. Wrap it up."
"..."
When Mabel Grant finally took a phone call and had to leave, Leah Sinclair breathed a sigh of relief. ’She’s leaving. It’s finally over, right?’
But then Mabel Grant handed Leah Sinclair a card. "Five million. If you don’t spend it all today, don’t even think about going back to Third Master Keating’s place."
"!!!"
Leah Sinclair didn’t dare take the card. ’Is that a card?’
’No, it’s a bomb!’
Seeing her hesitation, Mabel Grant clicked her tongue. "What? Do you want me to take you back to Kingsford right now?"
Leah Sinclair snatched the card. Satisfied, Mabel Grant tilted her chin up. "Good girl. Mother is leaving now. Enjoy the pleasure of shopping."
Leah Sinclair held the card, her hand trembling, her heart quaking. ’Am I dreaming?’
Mason Grant watched her sympathetically. "Sis, that’s already half. Yesterday, Mom went home saying she was going to give you ten million. Dad and I tried to talk her down for ages, and she finally said, ’Fine, five million then.’ We really couldn’t persuade her any further."
"...I... I..."
Leah Sinclair stammered for a while, unable to form a coherent sentence. Finally, with a trembling hand, she sent a text to Asher Keating: "Asher, how do you... spend five million in a few hours?"
"..."
Asher Keating replied with an ellipsis, and then his call came through. Leah Sinclair tremblingly explained the situation to him. Asher’s voice held a note of amusement. "No need to buy a house; your Asher has plenty of those. How about a car? Or go buy some bags, some jewelry. Take Sheila Hughes with you."
"Oh, right."
As if inspired, Leah Sinclair quickly called Sheila Hughes. "Sheila, are you interested in... spending five million?"
"???!!!"
Sheila Hughes was stunned when she got the call. "Did you win the lottery?"
It wasn’t something that could be explained in a sentence or two over the phone. Sheila Hughes couldn’t sit still. Since she didn’t have much to do today anyway, she hung up, asked for time off, and rushed to find Leah Sinclair.
When she saw Leah Sinclair sitting in a daze inside the Louis Vuitton store, a sorrowful expression on her face, flanked by several bodyguards in black, while an excited Mason Grant chattered away at her, Sheila Hughes froze at the entrance.
Seeing her was like seeing a savior. Leah Sinclair quickly pulled her over. "What do you like? Which one do you want? Is this one okay?"
Sheila Hughes dazedly took the bag she was handed. She recognized it; she had just seen it online a few days ago.
Back then, she had even complained, ’Who do they think I am, showing me an ad for a bag that costs over half a million?’
"What... what on earth is going on?"
Sheila Hughes’s voice trembled too. If it weren’t for the fact that the bodyguards behind them seemed to be protecting Leah Sinclair, she would have thought they had kidnapped her.
"Don’t worry about it, just spend the money first! I’ll explain everything properly after it’s all spent. Five million! Hurry up and spend it!"
Leah Sinclair wailed and threw herself onto the sofa. She wasn’t in the mood to feel sad anymore; all she felt was agony.
And so, the two of them began a frantic shopping spree. Although Leah Sinclair and Sheila Hughes were dressed plainly, no store would doubt their ability to pay, not with the entourage following them.
Mason Grant followed behind Leah Sinclair and Sheila Hughes, watching them with a smile. Whenever they encountered an item that required a certain status to purchase, he would step forward and give a name.