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

A while later, seeing that the mother and daughter had calmed down some, Brandon Jacobs came over. He put an arm around Mabel Grant, helped her back to the sofa, and carefully wiped away her tears.

Mabel Grant looked a little embarrassed. She patted his hand, then turned to Leah Sinclair and said, "It’s getting late, Leah... Why don’t you come home with Mom? I still have so much I want to tell you."

Leah Sinclair tensed, clutching Asher Keating’s hand. "I want to go back with Third Brother."

Mabel Grant’s brow furrowed slightly. Before the truth came out, it was one thing for Leah to be with Asher Keating, but now... ’Isn’t this inappropriate?’

Brandon Jacobs, however, said, "Mabel, Leah just found out about all this. Don’t be in such a rush. Let her adjust first. Besides, her room isn’t ready yet. We can have the housekeeper prepare it over the next couple of days. It won’t be too late for Leah to move in then."

Mabel Grant glanced at Leah and Asher Keating’s clasped hands, hesitated, and finally said, "Fine. For tonight... you can go back with Third Master Keating."

"Okay. Aunt Mabel, Uncle Jacobs, we’ll be heading back now."

Asher Keating didn’t want Leah to leave with Mabel Grant today, either. He knew that with her new status, it was indeed inappropriate for her to continue living with him, but... he couldn’t bear to let her go.

Leah stood up with him and said hesitantly, "...I’ll be going now."

"Sister, Third Brother, I’ll see you out." Mason Grant stood up. He was in high spirits now that Mabel Grant and Leah had successfully reunited.

Leah was still walking awkwardly. Asher Keating watched her with a frown, then swept her up into his arms. Startled, Leah quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. She snuck a peek at Mabel Grant and Brandon Jacobs behind them before burying her head in Asher’s chest. Lips pressed into a firm line, Asher carried her out the door without a word.

Once they were out, Asher Keating didn’t spare another thought for the other room. He carried Leah into the elevator to head back. Mason Grant, however, went to speak with Nathan Grant and the others, then chased after them with a box of medicine.

"Third Brother, this is from Second Brother Hale. He said... it’s for Sister." Mason Grant’s handsome face flushed bright red.

Leah had just settled into the car, and her face reddened at his words. Asher Keating took the box and thanked him. He looked at Mason, his tone holding an unreadable emotion. "You kept that secret well, didn’t you?"

"Heh heh, I’ve been calling her Sister from the start, haven’t I? Besides, Third Brother, you’re so smart, you must have guessed a little, right?" Mason Grant scratched his head. He was in a great mood, finally free of the burden of secrecy.

"I hadn’t guessed that part." The corners of Asher Keating’s mouth lifted in a slight smile.

Mason pulled him aside. "Third Brother, my mom... anyway, you should be prepared. Getting past her won’t be easy for you."

To be honest, Mason quite liked Asher Keating, but he was also familiar with Mabel Grant’s personality. Whatever the situation was before, now that Leah was the second young lady of the Grant family, Asher would have to win over his mother-in-law if he wanted to be with her.

"...I know."

"You two should get going then. My mom will definitely go see Sister tomorrow."

"Right. We’re off." Asher Keating gave him a nod and got into the car.

The evening’s events had unfolded one after another, and Leah was having trouble processing it all. She quietly linked her arm through Asher Keating’s and rested her head on his shoulder. He knew a storm must be raging in her heart.

She hadn’t said much about Mabel Grant, but a complex that had festered for so many years couldn’t be resolved in a single moment.

"Third Brother, do you think... what she said is true?"

"I’ll have Edward Yates and his team look into it."

"...Don’t. I’d rather believe she’s telling the truth. It makes my heart hurt less. At least it would mean I wasn’t just thrown away like a piece of trash." Leah’s eyelashes were damp.

"Of course not. If Aunt Mabel didn’t want you back then, she wouldn’t have given birth to you. Since she did, she must love you." Asher Keating’s heart ached for her. He reached out and caressed her face.

"Tobias Sterling... what kind of person was he?"

Asher Keating was silent for a moment. "I was too young back then. I don’t remember much."

Leah didn’t speak again. After returning home and changing her clothes, she found the gold locket and held it in her hand, examining it closely.

’This was from my father. When he bought this locket, was he filled with anticipation, too? Was he wondering what his child would be like?’

’So, my birth wasn’t a burden after all.’

As she looked at it, her eyes grew moist. Asher Keating came over and put his arms around her. "Don’t be sad. This is a good thing. You have a family now."

"I know." Leah nuzzled against his chest.

Asher Keating lowered his head and kissed her, his touch incredibly gentle and tender. The kiss gradually soothed her inner turmoil. When he was done, he picked her up. "Time to put on your medicine."

Her face instantly reddened. "I... I’ll do it myself."

"You can’t see it. How can you do it yourself?"

Asher was amused. He placed Leah on the bed, fetched the medicine and first-aid kit, carefully read the instructions, then washed his hands and began to apply it for her.

Leah’s face was so red she felt like a steam engine. Asher was applying the medicine meticulously, but she felt as if the warmth of his fingers was seeping through the medical gloves to that private place.

She bit her lip. This was supposed to be a purely clinical task, yet she was sensitive enough to feel a flicker of arousal.

She clutched a pillow, not daring to let go, her voice trembling as she asked, "Is... isn’t it done yet?"

Asher Keating’s hand paused for a moment, his voice husky. "Almost done."

When he finally finished applying the medicine, Asher Keating cleaned everything up, tossed the gloves in the trash, and let out a heavy sigh of relief. He’d been hit with a double dose of drugs earlier, and even with the injection, that had still been an ordeal.

He glanced back at Leah, who was hiding under the covers like an ostrich, and was once again amused. He washed his hands again, changed into his pajamas, and climbed into bed to hold her.

"Go to sleep. It’s too late."

The events of the day had gone on for too long; it was already past midnight.

"Mmm."

Leah couldn’t really fall asleep, but lying in Asher’s arms, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, she surprisingly felt drowsiness creep over her.

Asher Keating listened as her breathing gradually became steady, and he let out a soft sigh in the darkness.

Earlier, Ethan Shaw had called him. He said that Nathan Grant and Shawn Grant had finished handling things. There wasn’t much left to do, really—just a stern warning to the Sterling Family before everyone dispersed.

After the Sterlings left, Ethan Shaw, as well as Theodore Keating and his wife, had learned about Leah’s situation from Shawn Grant.

Ethan Shaw and Riley Sterling kept asking each other if they were dreaming. How did Leah go from being a hostess at Azure Bay to Asher Keating’s little Canary, then to his girlfriend, and now, finally, to the second young lady of the Grant Family?

The leap was just too surreal. Not even The Monkey King could pull off that many transformations, could he?

Meanwhile, Theodore Keating and his wife were worried about Asher, especially Ruth Hughes. She had called him, too. She had some understanding of Mabel Grant’s personality. Back in the day, so many men had pursued her, but she only had eyes for Tobias Sterling.

Asher was an outstanding man, but Ruth couldn’t guess what Mabel Grant was thinking. Asher told her not to worry and that he would handle it, finally managing to reassure her before she hung up.