Chapter 263: Are You Hiding Something From Me

Liam Peyton watched Leah Sinclair’s retreating back in silence. Her attitude just now… she trusted Asher Keating so completely that she wasn’t even willing to hear him out. He clenched his fist. The Peyton Family was currently collaborating with the Keating Family, and he knew he shouldn’t start a conflict with Asher Keating over Leah.

But ever since that day he had almost kissed Leah, it had been fine when he didn’t see her. Now that he had, however, his heart was starting to spiral out of control.

Turning to look at the setting sun outside, Liam Peyton sighed softly. In two days, he had to make a trip back to Kingsford. This time, it wasn’t just for company business. His family had also arranged for him to meet with a prominent family from Newport.

Liam Peyton gave a self-deprecating smile. It was framed as a formal introduction, but in reality, as long as neither side had any objections after the meal, he would probably be engaged before long. Elijah Peyton’s new wife was about to give birth.

Even if the child was just a newborn, his father still wanted him to marry and have a child of his own as soon as possible, leaving the second branch of the family no opportunity to gain the upper hand. He had reaped the benefits of being a Peyton for so many years. ‘This must be my duty as the family heir.’

Quite suddenly, he found himself starting to envy and admire Asher Keating.

With Leah’s past recently coming to light, he had also done a thorough investigation into what had happened between Asher Keating and Leah over the years. He learned that back when Leah had nothing to her name, Asher had gone so far as to fall out with Morgan Sterling for her sake, repeatedly rejecting the Sterling Family’s proposals for a marriage alliance.

In less than three years, he had risen to become President of the Keating Group, even leading Keating to directly replace the Sterling Group and making him the wealthiest man in Riverfall. He was bold and decisive, and so much of it had undoubtedly been to ensure Leah would have no worries when she returned home.

As a scion of another prominent business family, he knew that even though Riverfall couldn’t compare to Kingsford, accomplishing such a feat required immense skill and audacity.

For a man to do that much for a woman was the ultimate expression of devotion. ‘But his relationship with Phoebe Peyton… is there really something going on between them?’ Liam Peyton’s brow slowly furrowed.

When Leah Sinclair got back to the office, she finished organizing the data and quickly held a short meeting with Juanita Coleman and the others. Mason Grant had asked her to dinner. In two days, he, Liam Peyton, and Cecilia Peyton would be returning to Kingsford, and from there he would fly directly back to Eldoria. The next time he’d be back would be for her engagement.

When she arrived at the restaurant, Mason Grant had already been waiting for a while. Leah said, a little embarrassed, “I just got stuck in traffic. Have you been waiting long?”

“Not at all, Leah. I just got here a little while ago myself.”

As he spoke, Mason started rinsing her bowl and chopsticks with hot water. “What about Asher? Still working late?”

“Yeah. He worked all through the night yesterday.”

As she spoke, Leah texted Asher to ask if he’d eaten. He replied that he was eating at that very moment and even sent a photo to prove it—three dishes and a soup. Only then did Leah put down her phone, reassured.

Mason clicked his tongue. “TSK TSK. Leah, do you and Asher have to be so sappy? You’ve been together for so long, yet you still have to check in just for a meal.”

Leah’s face flushed red. “What are you talking about? Asher often skips meals when he gets busy. I was just checking on him.”

“Oh, come on. Still, you’re so beautiful, it’s no wonder Asher wants to keep you on a short leash. He even drove nine hours straight just to get back from the resort that day.”

Mason’s face was full of mirth. Leah, however, hadn’t known about this. Asher had only told her he’d taken turns driving with Sean Yates. She couldn’t help but frown slightly. “Mason, what time did you and the others get back to your rooms that night?”

Mason thought for a moment. “It was almost one a.m. for Cecilia and me. It was so late, which is why I didn’t knock on your door.”

Seeing the frown on Leah’s face, he asked, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

“Asher isn’t an unreasonable person. Nothing was wrong with me, so there was no reason for him to drive nine hours to come back that night, especially when he was returning the very next day. Plus, what was that he said about disturbing me and Wynn?”

Leah replied after a moment of thought. She had assumed it was just one of Asher’s jokes, but connecting it with the nine-hour overnight drive, something felt off.

Mason’s heart sank. ‘So Asher really did rush back that day because of Liam Peyton,’ he thought. ‘Could he have seen that Liam likes Leah?’ He gave a dry laugh, then buried his head in his food, unsure how to respond.

But his reaction only made Leah more suspicious. She tapped her fingers on the table in front of him. “Spill it. You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

Mason immediately looked up. “No! Of course not.”

“Mason.”

Leah’s eyes narrowed. His reaction was far from normal. She had spent three years with him in Eldoria and had engaged in a two-year battle of wits just to make him eat on time during the weekends. She knew exactly how he acted when he was lying.

Mason felt awkward. He had seen firsthand in Eldoria how oblivious Leah could be when it came to matters of the heart. Besides, Liam Peyton hid his feelings so well.

“I… It’s just… Leah, I think you’d better ask Asher about this. He definitely knows. If I’m the one who says it, it’ll feel like I’m siding with an outsider.”

Mason couldn’t really be blamed. He thought both Asher Keating and Liam Peyton were decent guys, but Leah was in love with Asher. Plus, he was almost certain that Asher already knew about Liam’s feelings for Leah. If word got back to her from him, it would feel like he was helping Liam try to steal her away.

“Ask Asher?”

Leah frowned, saying with disbelief, “Don’t tell me Asher thinks Wynn and I are having a thing?”

“…”

Mason gave her a look that was hard to put into words. “If Asher thought you and Wynn were having an affair, do you think he’d let you get away with it? Or let *him* get away with it?”

Leah nodded. “You’re right. If I had an affair, Asher would probably kill me and the other guy.”

Still, this whole exchange left Leah determined to ask Asher about it when he got home. Otherwise, the nagging feeling of unease would just bother her.

When Asher arrived home close to two in the morning, he frowned upon seeing her. She looked dead tired but was clearly forcing herself to stay awake.

“Didn’t I tell you to go to sleep?”

“I wanted to wait up for you.”

Leah slid out from under the covers to hug him, but Asher took a step back and pinched her cheek. “I’m going to shower first.”

Leah could already smell the scent of smoke clinging to him. She nodded obediently, let out a small yawn, and snuggled back into her warm spot.

After a quick rinse, Asher emerged with a towel around his waist. Drying his hair, he asked, “Was there something so important it couldn’t wait until morning? Why force yourself to stay up waiting like this?”

Hearing the displeasure in his voice, Leah giggled. She took the towel from his hand, pushed him down to sit on the bed, and started drying his hair for him.

“I had dinner with Mason today, and I got the feeling he’s hiding something from me. When I asked, he refused to tell me and said I should ask you instead. He said you’d definitely know what it is.”

Asher pulled her into his lap and raised an eyebrow. “I’d definitely know? About what?”