Chapter 72: Is It Fun to Lie to Me?
"It’s not Second Young Master Hale’s place to teach me how to take care of my own."
Asher Keating left without a backward glance. As he passed through the living room, he snagged Leah Sinclair’s bag. When he reached the door, Asher said, "Her clothes... have Second Young Master Hale throw them out."
Chester Hale heard the door close, lit a cigarette, and sighed softly.
Asher Keating carried her home. He found the bathrobe Leah Sinclair was wearing an eyesore, so he pulled it right off and tucked her into the comforter. Leah shivered from the cold, curling into a ball and mumbling dazedly about how cold it was.
Asher was both angry and pained. In the end, he stripped down, got into bed, and pulled her into his arms. Sensing his warmth, Leah clung to him tightly. Her hair was still a little damp, and Asher thought about getting up to grab a towel and dry it for her.
But she wouldn’t let go, mumbling something. Asher leaned in closer to hear her clearly. "Asher... don’t go."
She must have been having a nightmare, as the corner of her eye was damp. Annoyed, Asher gently pinched her cheek. "Where could I possibly go?"
After pinching her cheek, he leaned in and kissed the corner of her eye. "Does it hurt this much?"
Leah’s brow gradually smoothed out. Asher pressed his forehead against hers to test her temperature. She was still burning up, yet her body was ice-cold.
He sighed and held her a little tighter. "I’ll settle the score with you when you wake up."
Leah was in a deep sleep. To be precise, she had fainted at first. Later, in a daze, she felt someone helping her up.
She didn’t know how much time had passed, but she thought she heard people talking nearby—it sounded like Chester Hale. Someone was feeding her medicine, but she couldn’t wake up. Then, the effects of the fever reducer knocked her out completely.
When she finally woke up, Leah’s throat was dry and sore, her nose was stuffy, and her whole body ached. It felt just like the first time she’d had COVID.
Dazedly, she wondered, ’Don’t tell me I have COVID again.’ She shifted slightly, then froze. She could feel someone next to her, and it seemed she wasn’t wearing any clothes.
"Awake?"
Asher Keating’s deep voice sounded beside her. He had woken up when Leah moved, and he couldn’t help but find it a little amusing as he felt her stiffen in his arms.
Hearing Asher’s voice, Leah froze for a moment, her brain still lagging. ’Didn’t I pass out at the door?’
’Besides, I’m sure I heard Chester Hale’s voice... How is it Asher now? When did he get back? And didn’t I see the news about his ’hot spring battle’ with Madeline Sterling?’
"Asher."
Leah began to speak, but her voice was terribly hoarse. Her throat hurt so much that just saying his name felt like swallowing razor blades.
Asher turned on the bedside lamp, then rolled over to feel her forehead. "How are you still running a fever? Was Chester Hale’s medicine useless? What a quack."
Once Leah’s eyes adjusted, he turned on the overhead light, got up, and poured her a glass of water. "Sit up and drink some. I’ll take you to the hospital later."
Leah slowly sat up. Asher supported her, holding the glass to her lips so she could drink. After the water soothed her throat a little, she asked, "Why am I not wearing any clothes?"
"Chester Hale changed you."
Leah went even more rigid, her face instantly paling. Seeing her reaction, Asher quickly stopped teasing her. "I’m kidding. His housekeeper found you passed out at the door, helped you inside, and changed your clothes."
’Asher knew Chester Hale had no reason to lie to him about something like this. It would only take a quick check of the security footage. Hale wasn’t that stupid, and he wasn’t that kind of person.’
Leah stared at him blankly. "Was it... fun? Lying to me?"
Hearing that, Asher frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
It seemed she was asking about his joke, but at the same time, it felt like she wasn’t.
But Leah just lay back down. "It’s nothing, Asher. I’m a little tired. I want to sleep a bit more."
’Asher knew she must have seen the news. She was upset, and on top of that, with the fever, her mind wasn’t clear. He could understand that.’
Suppressing the spark of irritation in his chest, Asher patiently got back into bed and hugged her from behind. "Get up and eat something, then we’ll go to the hospital. I’ll tell you about Madeline Sterling in a bit."
’Asher wasn’t exactly a patient person. Leah knew he was already trying his best by being this gentle with her. But the ache in her heart, combined with how sick she felt, and everything that had happened yesterday at Stonecreek...’
Now, in Asher’s arms, Leah suddenly felt so aggrieved that tears almost welled up. She buried her face in the comforter and shook her head, her voice thick and nasal. "Asher, I’m not hungry."
Aside from the occasional times he’d made her cry in bed, this was the first time Leah had been like this in front of him. For a moment, Asher was at a loss.
After a moment of silence, Asher spoke. "Fine. I’ll just tell you now."
He leaned back against the headboard, pulling her into his arms and tucking the comforter around her. "The day before yesterday, when I was in the hot spring, she found out I was in there alone and came in to seduce me. I didn’t take the bait—I pushed her head under the water. But she’d already arranged for paparazzi to be waiting, so whether the seduction worked or not, the story was going to break."
After hearing this, Leah struggled to sit up. "You pushed her head under the water?! That’s so dangerous! What would you have done if something had happened to her?"
Her voice was still hoarse, but Asher’s heart warmed. He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her. "Relax, she’s not going to die. Wasn’t she still able to put on a show for the cameras? Sean Yates has already pulled the full security footage from the hotel. From the moment she came in to the moment I left, it was less than ten minutes total. Over and done in less than ten minutes. Who’s that supposed to be an insult to?"
’Leah was left speechless by his comment. Less than ten minutes... that really is an insult to him.’
Having explained everything in one go, Asher asked her, "Still upset?"
Leah shook her head. "Not anymore. I know you said you’d never touch her. It’s just... I couldn’t help how I felt when I saw the news."
"You’re something else. It’s enough that you know the truth. I’m not going to explain anything publicly for now. I’m holding onto the footage; I still have a use for it. I’ll release it when the time is right."
Asher patted her back as he spoke. ’This whole stunt from Madeline Sterling makes him wonder if her brain turned to mush during her time in Arcadia. What was she thinking, handing him this kind of evidence on a silver platter? Or did she really think he didn’t have the power to get the hotel’s security footage?’
"Mm, I’m fine."
’Leah snuggled deeper into his arms. Asher just had that kind of magic—with just a few words, he could make her feel better. It was because she’d been with him for so long, and he had never once lied to her.’
Her nuzzling started to get to him. "Alright, that’s enough. Get up and eat. You’re sick, and I’d rather not be a beast."
It took Leah a moment to understand, but when she did, she blushed. "So why am I not wearing clothes?"
"You were wearing Chester Hale’s bathrobe. I ripped it off you."
Asher stood up to get her some clothes. "I had him throw out the clothes you got soaked in today, too."
"...But that jacket... I only wore it twice," Leah said, at a loss for words.
"What, you think I can’t afford to buy you new clothes?"
Asher handed her the clothes, then pointed to the headboard. "And what’s the deal with this shirt?"