Chapter 60: See If He’ll Play With You
Leah Sinclair pursed her lips. "No need for your concern. At least he’s still willing to be with me. Why don’t you try to get him to be with you?"
After she spoke, she ignored Madeline Sterling and headed straight for the private room. Before she reached it, Asher Keating texted, asking if she was done. If not, he told her she should just go home.
Leah Sinclair stopped in her tracks. ’Is it because Madeline Sterling is here? Is that why he doesn’t want me to come?’
Just as she was about to text back that she hadn’t arrived yet, Madeline Sterling was already pushing her toward the private room. "What are you spacing out for? Get in there."
The reason Asher Keating had told her not to come was that Morgan Sterling was there. Every time Leah Sinclair ran into Morgan Sterling, she ended up drinking too much. It was his birthday today, and while Morgan and Madeline Sterling had shown up uninvited, he wasn’t so petty as to kick them out now that they’d arrived.
Before he received a reply from Leah Sinclair, Madeline Sterling had already pushed her into the room. Asher Keating’s gaze turned cold as he saw Madeline dragging Leah by the hand. Leah wrenched her hand away and walked straight to Asher’s side.
"I was already at the door when I got your message," Leah Sinclair explained as she sat down next to him.
"I know, it’s fine." Asher Keating took her hand. It was ice-cold; she must have walked. He didn’t let go, warming it with his own.
"Leah, what took you so long? It’s Third Master Keating’s birthday, you know," Ethan Shaw leaned in.
"I was having dinner with some colleagues."
Leah Sinclair turned to Asher Keating. "Third Master Keating, why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
"I didn’t want to distract you from your dinner. Besides, birthdays come around every year."
Asher Keating had originally planned to tell her, but by then Leah Sinclair had already messaged him that she was treating Zion Sawyer and Todd Coleman to dinner. He figured he might as well let it go; waiting for her was fine.
"...I didn’t even get you a gift."
Leah Sinclair was a little embarrassed. Today was December seventh. The passcode for her apartment door and the PIN for the credit card Asher Keating had given her were based on this date. She just figured no one would use their own birthday for their door lock and bank card PIN. Who knew Asher Keating would be so straightforward? It really was his birthday.
"It’s fine," Asher Keating whispered with a low chuckle, leaning close to her ear. "Or... you could let me unlock a new position tonight. That could be your gift."
Leah Sinclair’s face flushed red, but she nodded. The corners of Asher Keating’s mouth lifted as he handed her a glass.
"Tsk, what are you two doing? If you’re going to flirt, go do it at home," Ethan Shaw said, regretting his choice of seat.
Madeline Sterling sat down on Asher Keating’s other side, her face a cold mask. Next to her was Morgan Sterling, who simply watched with a smile, saying nothing.
Just then, Ben Coleman burst in excitedly, handing his phone to Morgan Sterling. "Hey, Eldest Young Master Sterling, guess who I just saw?"
"It was Leah Sinclair! ...Huh? Leah, how did you get up here so fast?"
Seeing Leah Sinclair sitting next to Asher Keating, Ben Coleman looked stunned. "Weren’t you just with..."
He glanced at Asher Keating and immediately snapped his mouth shut, then walked to the other side of the room with a hollow laugh and sat down.
"Haha, so that’s it. I ran into Leah when I stepped out earlier. I was wondering why it took her so long to come in," Morgan Sterling said with a smile, handing the phone to Asher Keating.
Asher Keating took the phone. It was a photo. In it, Leah Sinclair was leaning in to light a cigarette from Chester Hale’s lighter.
Leah Sinclair and Ethan Shaw saw it too. Ethan clicked his tongue but didn’t dare speak. With Asher Keating silent, it wasn’t his place to say anything, though it was obvious that jerk Ben Coleman had done it on purpose.
"The man in the photo, that’s the brilliant doctor from the Hale Family, isn’t it? Leah, you know him?" Morgan Sterling asked with a smile.
"I saw him as a patient once."
Seeing Asher Keating’s silence, Leah Sinclair forced herself to answer. ’I must have jinxed myself today,’ she thought. ’Why is my luck so rotten?’
"Leah, that’s not right of you," a woman Leah didn’t recognize, sitting next to Ben Coleman, suddenly piped up. "You’re being kept by Third Young Master Keating, yet you’re getting tangled up with someone else? That’s not appropriate, is it? Or are you already scouting for your next sponsor?"
Leah Sinclair frowned. "Do I know you? What I do is none of your business."
"What’s that supposed to mean?"
The woman grew agitated and started to stand, but Ben Coleman pulled her down. "What are you doing? It’s Third Master Keating’s birthday. Don’t cause a scene! Show him some respect."
"Dr. Hale treated a member of my family before. I ran into him downstairs, bummed a cigarette, and we chatted for a minute. Is there a problem with that? Don’t try to use this to accuse me of looking for my next meal ticket. I’m not some lucky cat that can beckon one wealthy young master after another to throw money at me."
Leah Sinclair’s expression chilled. She was already in a foul mood. Aside from the people on Asher Keating’s side of the table, she only had to pay mind to Morgan and Madeline Sterling. She was in no mood to coddle anyone else.
Her last line made Ethan Shaw laugh. It was a fitting description, really. First Asher Keating, then Morgan Sterling, and now this Hale fellow. She really was like a lucky cat, attracting one rich man after another.
Asher Keating’s lips curved into a smile, also amused. He wasn’t about to get suspicious over a single photograph. He just pinched her cheek. "Why bum a smoke off him? What, I don’t have any for you?"
Facing him, Leah’s temper softened. "I... just happened to run into him."
"It’s been a while. Leah’s gotten much better at putting people in their place. A completely different person from the meek little girl she used to be," Morgan Sterling said, watching Leah with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"I’m the one who spoils her. Got a problem with that?" Asher Keating tossed the phone back at him.
"Alright, alright, it’s Third Master Keating’s birthday. Let’s not bring up unpleasantries."
At this, Madeline Sterling stepped in with a smile, trying to smooth things over. "But Leah, since you were so late, shouldn’t you drink a penalty shot first?"
Leah Sinclair didn’t object, pouring herself a full glass. "Happy birthday, Third Master Keating."
Asher Keating picked up his glass and clinked it against hers. After they both downed their drinks, Ethan Shaw got everyone’s attention to start the games again.
Feeling flushed and hot from the drink, Leah took off her jacket to hang it up. Next to Asher Keating’s coat, she saw a fur coat that was clearly expensive. Without a change in expression, she hung her own jacket in a corner.
When she returned to her seat, they were in the middle of a game, so she sat to the side to wait for the next round. Asher Keating usually didn’t play these games, but since he was the guest of honor, Ethan Shaw and Riley Sterling insisted he join in.
This was the one day a year Asher Keating let the two of them run wild, so they always pulled out all the stops to give him a hard time.
Morgan Sterling sat down next to her with a smile. "Leah, we’re both bored. How about a game of pool?"
"I’ll pass. A game of pool with Eldest Young Master Sterling is never simple."
"Haha, we’ll just play one normal game. For ten thousand. How about it?" Morgan Sterling raised an eyebrow.
"...No funny business?"
"Of course. Just one normal game." Morgan Sterling stood up and gestured for her to go first.