"Mm."
Asher Keating lit a cigarette and grunted in response. Through the smoke, Ethan Shaw couldn't tell what he was thinking, but Asher had always been like this, and Ethan couldn't be bothered to guess his thoughts.
A short while later, Leah Sinclair returned, clutching Asher Keating's jacket. She had changed back into her own clothes and had also washed the makeup off her face.
The injuries at the corner of her mouth and on her face were now more obvious. She had let her hair down on purpose to try and hide them.
"I'm sorry, this jacket... I just got it dirty. I'll wash it and then give it back to you."
When she was taking off her makeup just now, some makeup remover had accidentally dripped onto Asher Keating's jacket. Leah Sinclair tried washing it with water but realized it wouldn't come out. She figured she'd take it home to get it properly cleaned.
"Tsk, girl, this is LV, you know. Do you have any idea how much it costs?" Riley Sterling leaned in.
"I don't know, but it must be very expensive."
Leah Sinclair answered honestly. She had only heard of the brand; its prices were something she didn't even dare to look up online.
"Not completely clueless, then."
Ethan Shaw laughed. He suddenly found this girl a little amusing. It seemed she really was naive. He continued, asking, "How did you end up working here? You look like you're still a college student, right?"
Leah Sinclair lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously picking at Asher Keating's jacket. Ethan Shaw watched her fingers with trepidation, terrified she was going to ruin it.
If she just got it dirty and took it home to wash, Asher would probably still wear it later. But if she tore it, that wasn't something a simple wash could fix. Asher Keating also watched her fidgeting hands with a speechless expression.
"Forget it. If you don't want to talk about it, then don't."
Riley Sterling saw Asher Keating's expression growing darker and quickly cut in.
But he was a step too late. A fingernail that had broken while Leah was struggling earlier snagged a thread on the jacket. The four of them fell silent.
Asher Keating finally understood what people mean when they say you almost want to laugh when you're rendered speechless.
"I... I'll pay for it. And the money you spent to save me earlier, I'll pay you back for that too," Leah Sinclair said, looking at Asher Keating nervously.
"Do you have any idea how much you'd have to pay Asher tonight, by your calculations?" Ethan Shaw said, looking at her, exasperated.
"I don't know." Leah Sinclair was still being honest.
Riley Sterling laughed out loud, then held up his fingers to show her a number.
"Two thousand five hundred? It can't be that cheap. Don't tell me it's two hundred and fifty thousand." Leah Sinclair was so shocked she almost jumped to her feet.
"What do you think? That card just now had two hundred thousand on it, and this jacket is fifty thousand!"
Ethan Shaw glanced at Asher Keating and muttered, "Is she your unlucky star or something, Asher? After just one night, you're already out five hundred and fifty thousand."
Leah Sinclair also stared speechlessly at the jacket in her hands. She really couldn't tell if it was woven with gold or lined with silver.
This one jacket was worth almost her entire annual salary. 'As expected,' she thought, 'I just don't understand the world of the rich.'
"I'll figure out a way to fix this."
Leah Sinclair didn't know what to do. She hadn't felt much about the three hundred thousand from yesterday, since that was a clearly stated price.
Today's two hundred and fifty thousand, however, was an accident. She quickly calculated in her head how long it would take to pay it all back on her salary.
"Oh, give it up. Why don't you try being a little sweet to our boy Asher and get him to take you out? If you get him in a good mood, he might just write it all off," Ethan Shaw said jokingly.
"I... I don't want to be taken out." Leah Sinclair glanced quickly at Asher Keating, then lowered her head after speaking.
"Tsk, what's wrong? Is our Asher not gentle enough for you? But looking at that mark on your neck... tsk tsk, not bad, Asher. So intense."
Riley Sterling had just sat down next to her when he noticed the mark on her neck. He excitedly nudged Ethan Shaw beside him.
"Hey now, Asher, tell us. How many rounds last night to get the girl looking like this?"
Ethan Shaw was also a huge gossip. While others didn't know, he and Riley Sterling were aware that this wasn't the first time Asher Keating had paid to take a girl out.
In the past, Asher had never touched the girls he took out. He'd just give them a sum of money so they could report back to their managers. This girl was the very first one Asher had actually touched.
"Is it any of your business?" Asher Keating rolled his eyes at him.
"Alright, alright, we'll leave. We won't disturb you two. Girl, listen to big bro's advice. If Asher wants to take you out later, you should go. Otherwise, with the pittance you earn, when are you ever going to pay this off?"
Ethan Shaw winked suggestively at Leah Sinclair. Asher Keating lifted his foot and kicked him. "Get lost."
Ethan Shaw and Riley Sterling went off to another area to amuse themselves. Leah Sinclair immediately felt even more awkward. "I'm sorry, I... I'll find a way to pay you back."
"What way?"
Asher Keating lit another cigarette, looking at her with an amused expression. Without any makeup, and with the injuries on her face, Leah Sinclair looked completely out of place sitting here.
"I have a job. The salary isn't high, but I'll work hard to earn the money," Leah Sinclair explained, biting her lip.
"A job? You mean this?"
"No, I'm starting a regular job next week. A proper job. With that salary plus what I make here, it shouldn't take too long," Leah Sinclair explained hurriedly, afraid he would misunderstand.
"You're still going to work here?"
Asher Keating couldn't figure out what was going on in her head. 'Hasn't tonight been scary enough for her?'
"I... I still owe five hundred thousand here. I have to pay it back. If you're in a hurry, I can pay you back first, but please, could you give me some more time?" Leah Sinclair kept her head down.
Looking at her like this, Asher Keating felt a strange sense of irritation. He had never intended for her to pay him back; a few hundred thousand was practically nothing to him.
"Take you out?" Asher Keating suddenly leaned closer to Leah Sinclair and asked.
Leah Sinclair was suddenly hit by the scent of tobacco mixed with a crisp cologne that shot up her nose. She instantly looked up.
Only to see Asher Keating's face just a few centimeters from her own. Her heart began to race wildly. "I... I don't want to."
"Hah. You don't want to? Like Ethan said, with the pittance you earn, how long do you plan on taking to pay me back?"
Asher Keating leaned back on the sofa, a hint of laziness in his posture. "I'll give you one chance. One night, and the two hundred and fifty thousand is cleared. You have five minutes to think about it."
After speaking, Asher Keating raised his arm to look at his watch. 'To be honest,' he thought, 'I'm not even sure why I suggested this myself. But looking at her, I'm reminded of how she stubbornly bit her lip beneath me last night. When they entered the next room earlier, she hadn't cried despite being beaten so badly. Last night was the same; she hadn't cried no matter how much it hurt. I suddenly have the urge to see her cry beneath me.'
Leah Sinclair stared at him, stunned. 'One night in exchange for two hundred and fifty thousand? That's more than I got for my first time. It seems like a very good deal. Besides, being with him is better than being with someone else.'
The thought of "someone else" made her think of Ben Coleman from earlier, and she couldn't help but shudder.
What had just happened had truly terrified her. She didn't know if she would be so lucky if it happened again.
"Okay," Leah Sinclair finally agreed through gritted teeth.
"Follow me," Asher Keating said as he stood up.
Leah Sinclair quickly followed him. Behind them, Ethan Shaw and Riley Sterling started hooting and hollering, but Asher Keating acted as if he hadn't heard a thing.