Ch. 146..150: Begging For A Reconciliation Chapter 146-150

Chapter 146

Leah enjoyed eating spicy food while Han disliked them.

She had a crush on him as a student and was married to him for three years. So she clearly remembered his preferences and tastes like the back of her hand.

This man disliked anything spicy or sweet. One could even say he hated them.

She remembered there was once where she was craving for crispy chili beef and decided to eat it before Han returned from work. Unfortunately, she was found out by him as he returned home early.

She could not forget Han’s disgusted expression at that time.

He immediately ordered the servants to dump the remaining dish, “If I see it one more time, you’re never going out ever again,” he said coldly.

As her mind suddenly recalled this memory, Leah then responded without a thought, “I want to eat some crispy chili beef.”

Knowing how much he hated the dish, he would have turned around and left.

But Han unexpectedly nodded with a straight face, “Sure, let’s get some crispy chili beef then,” he said.

Leah was taken aback, “Don’t you hate spicy food?” She asked with a surprised face.

Han looked back at her after hearing that.

Indeed, Han hated spicy food, but wLeah was unaware that during her disappearance for the past two years, he was grieving at the news of her ‘death’ and wandered everywhere to find her.

He was desperate to the point where he tried out the crispy chili beef dish which he despised.

Ben could never forget it either. His president spent millions of dollars in a private room and some expensive wine bottles while eating cheap crispy chili beef with a straight face.

Han withdrew his gaze and walked straight to the counter which was selling the dish, “What will you order?” He asked Leah.

She was hesitant but it would be a shame to not eat it since she was indeed craving for it.

She picked out some side dishes to go with the beef. Han then ordered after her, “I’ll get the same.”

The chef was in awe yet scared, and tried his best to create two perfect crispy chili beef dishes.

As someone who was used to eating delicacies and dishes from five-star hotels, eating a dish like this would definitely cause diarrhea.

Leah was awaiting tragedy to happen. Staring at Han who was sitting across from her, she was looking forward to seeing what expression he would show after taking a bite of the dish.

Han put a piece into his mouth and chewed the meat indifferently.

Even though it was a cheap dish, he ate it elegantly like a meal from a Michelin restaurant.

He gulped and looked up at Leah, “Why are you staring at me?” He asked.

Leah immediately felt bored after seeing he had not the slightest reaction from eating that dish.

She put a meatball into her mouth and shook her head, “Nothing,” she replied as she munched on.

Then it was silent between the two.

Suddenly, Leah noticed a fork appeared in front of her and lifted up her head in surprise. She saw Han placing his portion of meatballs onto her plate.

“Mr Howard, what are you doing? If you don’t like these, you can just throw them away,” She asked.

“I thought you like eating them.” Han looked back and answered.

Leah was stunned for a second and utterly confused.

That’s true but how did you know that?

The man with a scowl on his face in front of her was indeed Han Howard.

Since when did he start caring for others? He’s Han Howard after all.

“Why? You’re not going to eat it?” Han lifted his head up and asked.

Although he despised spicy dishes, he was willing to eat them in order to impress Leah.

“No, I wanted to ask…” Leah was about to ask him the reason why, but the words suddenly got stuck in her throat and she was not able to ask.

She somehow knew and felt scared about what his answer would be.

As Leah stumbled with her words, Han reached his hand out in a sudden and she instinctively tried to dodge.

However, he was trying to brush the corner of her lips with his thumb. The slight cold feeling of his thumb somehow made that part of her skin warmer.

As Leah remembered he was a germaphobe, it made Leah more confused about his intentions.

Leah swiftly stood up and muttered, “I’m done.” She then immediately left the cafeteria.

Throughout the afternoon, she passed fifty more stages of Animal Boom and finally, Leah got off work on time by five.

There was a bus stop near the office building, which can directly reach the White residence. Since it was still early, Leah decided to take the bus home.

While she walked on the roadside, she heard a car stopping beside her.

The car window rolled down, revealing Han’s stone-cold face, “Get in, I’ll send you home,” he called out.

Leah shook her head and took a few steps back, “I can take the bus.”

“It’s an order.” Han did not bear to leave a space for refusal at that point.

Leah’s mouth twitched a little before opening up the rear door and sat at the back. Han felt disappointed after Leah chose not to sit in the front passenger seat. But nothing was said in the end.

He sent her to the entrance of the White’s mansion. Leah thanked him and was going to get out of the car before Han suddenly asked, “Leah, do you really hate me that much?”

Leah paused her movements and sighed.

She turned to look at him, “Mr Howard, you’re overthinking. I hate no one,” she answered.

If she didn’t hate him, it meant she had no feelings for him anymore.

Han tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He felt his throat become dry and was speechless for a moment.

There was another moment of awkward silence.

Han leaned back, his face looked gloomy as he asked, “What should I do then?”

Leah pondered on the question and her answer.

If he had asked her this question two years ago, she would have returned to him without a second thought. However, it was too late for him.

Leah looked down, “I simply wish Mr Howard for you to not interfere with my life.” She got out of the car after uttering out these words.

Han stared sadly as she walked away.

She had changed.

She stopped following him, and her eyes were not filled with love or desire when looking at him.

What do you want me to do, Leah?

……

Back in the mansion, Leah did not expect Ian to wait for her return.

As Ian owned the key to the White’s mansion, it was easy for him to enter the house whenever he want. Seeing Leah returned, he giddily asked, “Have you eaten yet?”

“No.” Leah placed her bag down as she answered.

“I knew it. I cooked you a meal.” Ian’s smile grew wider as he spoke.

Leah paused and smelled the fragrant scent of home cooked meal from the kitchen. Puzzled, she asked, “Why did you get off work early today?”

“To wait for you,” Ian replied, “After dinner, let’s go pick our clothes for the engagement party.”

Leah stared blankly as she reminisced about what happened last night.

Oh right, I am engaged now. I guess this is really goodbye, Han. She thought.

“What’s wrong? What’s with the long face?” Ian looked at her worryingly, “Han didn’t cause any trouble to you, right?” He asked with a frown.

“No.” Leah didn’t want to talk about him and changed the topic, “So when’s the engagement party?”

 

Chapter 147

Ian served the dishes he had prepared, smiling. “I’m here to discuss this with you,” he said. Leah waited until both had sat down before she replied, “I’ll follow your lead.”

“Would you prefer having it sooner or later? I’d love to hear your thoughts,” said Ian tenderly. Leah looked at him, surprised by how patient and gentle he had been with her. He must have loved her deeply to spend so much time and effort on her.

She could not have asked for more. She then recalled what Jane told her earlier and instantly felt calmer. Leah cleared her throat, “Let’s get this done sooner than later. We may not have the time to deal with this if we wait any longer.”

Ian was startled at first. Then, he began to smile from ear to ear. “Sarah, are you sure?” Leah nodded, beaming. Ian was over the moon.

“Let’s do this the week after next!” Ian exclaimed, thrilled. “Leave it to me to plan this properly this week. I will make sure everything’s perfect!”

“Don’t stress yourself out. I don’t need it to be perfect,” Leah disagreed. Ian shook his head, “It’s our first time doing this. I want it to be perfect. Let me take care of it, alright?”

Seeing how excited Ian was, Leah gave in. They continued their dinner silently. As she was savoring Ian’s delicious dishes, her mind wandered to her lunch earlier, when Han demanded her to have a meatball without asking if she wanted it. On the contrary, Ian was gentle, and he would never be so bossy with her.

After dinner, Ian drove Leah to a couture boutique, where custom-made dresses could cost a bomb. Unbothered by the price tag, Ian said gently, “See anything you like? Try it on.”

Leah nodded and started browsing the dresses in the boutique when Ian’s cell phone rang. He took a glance at his phone and frowned. She asked, “What’s the matter?”

He hesitated for a moment before lifting a smile. “It’s work; no big deal. I’ll be right back.” She understood how important work was to him, so she replied, “Sure.”

Leah continued to browse in the boutique after Ian left to take his call. Someone stepped into the boutique and the staff quickly attended to them. “Welcome, Mrs. Howard.”

Mrs. Howard? Someone was walking across the boutique in high heels while calling out to the staff, “Is my custom-made gown ready?” Leah froze, recognizing the voice. It was Molly.

“Yes, it’s ready and wrapped,” answered the staff. “Let me get it for you.” Molly lifted a satisfied smile, “Great, I expect nothing less than perfect.”

Leah felt uneasy bumping into her ex-husband’s now-fiancée. Even though she had let go of her grudges against Han, Leah had not forgiven Molly for what she did. Bitter and not ready to confront Molly yet, Leah decided to leave the boutique.

Molly had caught her before Leah could leave. “Hey, you! Stop right there!” Molly called out to her loudly. Leah pretended not to hear her and quickened her pace.

“Sarah! It’s you, isn’t it?” Molly pressed on. “Get back here!” Leah halted. She slowly turned around. She looked at Molly and she asked nonchalantly, “What do you want, Miss Lamere?”

Molly’s eyes flickered with hatred as she saw Leah. Leah was amused; Molly had nothing to complain and yet, Leah had every reason to hate Molly.

“I knew it. It’s you,” Molly approached Leah in her high heels. “Aren’t you dead? Why are you still alive? Are you here to break Han and me up again?”

Leah tried hard to stifle a laugh. She would have run away in the past in this situation, but she was different now. She stared at Molly and she replied calmly, “It’s none of your business.”

Molly was furious. “You have already talked to Han, haven’t you? You should be ashamed! I’m his fiancée, and we have a child, so stay out of our lives!”

“Sure. You have my blessings,” Leah nodded disinterestedly, “Is there anything else?”

Leah’s response irked Molly. She thought Leah was lying to her face. Molly was not going to let Leah get in the way between Han and her.

The staff interrupted them with Molly’s gown. Molly saw the opportunity and seized it. She pointed at Leah as she ordered the staff, “Make her leave and I will pay you for it.”

While the staff looked puzzled, Leah sneered. She said to Molly mockingly, “Oh, I’m so scared. What are you going to do if I insist on staying?”

Molly was boiling. She threatened, “This is my turf, you bitch! You’ll see.” Molly made a call frantically. “Get me your manager. Yes, get here now!”

The boutique manager rushed to attend to Molly immediately. He knew better than to piss one of his big clients off. He ran to her, panting when he arrived. “Mrs. Howard! How can I help you?”

Molly pointed at Leah once again. “I want you to blacklist this woman. I will pay for all your losses. Is there any problem?”

The manager glanced at Leah; her face didn’t ring a bell. To please his customer, he replied without hesitation, “No problem at all!” He turned to Leah, “I’m sorry but you have to leave right now.”

Leah was dumbfounded. She did not think the manager would dare to step on her toes without first finding out her identity.

 

Chapter 148

Leah stared at the manager, unfazed, to Molly’s dismay. Leah curled her lip, “I don’t think Alain would be happy to know what you’re doing now.”

They were in a Cadart couture boutique, and Alain Cadart was the founder of this luxury fashion house. Everyone in high society knew it, so Molly was not surprised Leah knew about Alain.

The manager seemed taken aback. He raised an eyebrow, “With due respect, Mr. Alain Cadart has retired, and I think he has nothing to do with this.”

Leah disagreed, “Yes, Alain has retired, and Stéphane has taken over the company as the CEO. However, trust me, Stéphane won’t be pleased to know this as well.”

Her confidence made both Molly and the manager doubt themselves for a second. Molly brushed the thought off. “Stop messing with us! Your petty lies are not going to work. Get out now, or I’ll get someone to escort you out.”

Leah ignored Molly and continued, “The Stéphane I know would never approve of such service and attitude from a Cadart boutique manager.”

The manager was stunned. He studied Leah’s face carefully, trying to recall if he had seen her anywhere to no avail. She was gorgeous, but he was certain she was not one of the socialites, or he would have seen her before.

Molly was equally surprised. She shook her head and jeered at Leah. “Who do you think you are? Stéphane will never talk to someone like you. Do you think you are in the upper class now because you are getting engaged with Ian? What a joke!”

Stéphane Cadart had high standards, and he was hard to please. Molly had previously wanted to connect with him to get a limited edition gown, but she was rejected harshly. If Stéphane would not even give Molly special treatment, why would he treat Sarah differently?

Hearing what Molly said, the manager felt relieved. He believed Leah was lying. She could not have known Stéphane personally. He rarely saw the CEO himself. So he asked Leah politely, “Can you prove to us you know our CEO personally?”

Leah did not answer. She made a call instead. Molly mocked her, “Are you calling Ian now?” Leah ignored her and she began explaining what happened in the boutique to someone on the phone.

The manager could not hear the full conversation, but he grew more and more restless. When Leah ended the call, he was breaking out in a cold sweat. Molly continued to look at Leah with disgust. “Liar! You don’t have any proof, do you?”

The manager’s cell phone rang. Startled, he quickly picked up the call. He was dumbfounded when he saw who was calling him. He glanced at Leah before answering.

“Mr. Cadart,” the manager spoke. It was Stéphane, the CEO he rarely saw, who called him. Stéphane wasted no time giving the manager a piece of his mind.

The manager held his breath until Stéphane was finished. He apologized to Stéphane over the phone, “I’m so sorry for this terrible misunderstanding. I will personally see to it Ms. White gets top-notch service from Cadart.”

Stéphane ended the call abruptly. The manager glanced up at Leah once again. “Ms. White, I’m sorry for what happened. I didn’t know you were Mr. Cadart’s friend. Please accept my most sincere apologies.”

Molly couldn’t believe her eyes. The turn of events threw her off guard. Sarah was Stéphane’s friend. How could it be true?

On the other hand, Leah remained calm. “Can I continue shopping here then?” The manager nodded frantically. “Of course! To make it up to you, Mr. Cadart has ordered all your purchases today in Cadart

boutique to be complimentary.”

Leah declined the offer, “Thanks but I can pay for my dresses.” She continued to chat with the manager, ignoring Molly. It made Molly’s stomach turn.

Outraged, Molly raised her voice, “So what if you know Stéphane? It’s all bullshit! I’m never shopping at Cadart ever again.” She stormed out of the boutique without even taking her gown.

Ian returned shortly after with a concerned look. Leah had selected a gown, and she was getting measurements for it. She noticed his frown, “Has anything happened at work?”

“It’s nothing, don’t worry,” Ian shook his head, trying to conceal his real emotions. To stop Leah from pressing on the matters, he quickly asked, “Have you found anything you like?”

Leah nodded. “Yes, I have. Would you like to see it now?” Ian forced a smile, “It’s okay. I’d love anything you like. I’ll head over to pay for it now.”

When Ian was about to pay, the manager stopped him, “Don’t worry about it, Mr. Cadart has ordered for Ms. White’s dress to be complimentary.”

“Complimentary? Why?” Ian was surprised. The manager swiftly answered, “Mr. Cadart had only announced it a moment ago.” He did not mention Molly as he did not want to upset her either.

Ian was taken aback. He did not know Mr. Cadart and Leah knew each other. Leah had never mentioned it to him. Leah walked over and interrupted his train of thought, “Let’s go now.”

She hesitated for a second before holding his arm. Ian was pleasantly surprised by the affectionate gesture. He brushed off any doubts he had and he left the boutique with Leah, arm in arm.

They were so happy they did not notice someone was watching them.

Chapter 149

A few days after Leah started working in the president’s office, everyone in the Howard Group had heard about her lunch date with Han, and they began to see Leah in a different light.

Leah paid no heed to the rumors. She was about to get engaged; the rumors should be cleared up once she was engaged. In addition, she was not one to participate in gossip.

She had signed a three years contract with the Howard Group, and she planned to spend the three years here as low profile as possible. She did not intend to become the talk of the office.

This morning, she went to work as usual. It was the morning rush hour, and the elevator was packed like sardines. Leah stood in a corner, and nobody greeted her.

“Check her out!”

“Oh yes, I’ve read about her in the news.”

“Let me see. It does look like her.”

Leah heard a few women whispering about something in the elevator. People began to look her way suspiciously. She grew uncomfortable with the eyes on her.

As the elevator door opened, she quickly stepped out. She took out her cell phone to check the news. It was likely she was mentioned in the news,and she did not know about it.

Unlike in Melville, rumors spread like wildfire in Pasteria. When she was in Melville, Leah never enjoyed following the entertainment news. Now she had to, or she would not be able to keep up with conversations.

She was walking into the president’s office when she saw the news about her engagement with Ian. There was a blurry photo of them, but anyone could tell it was Leah in it. People were congratulating

them in the comments section.

“You’re here.” Han was sitting by his desk, expressionless. Leah glanced up and she was surprised to find him there. She was focusing on her cell phone, so she did not notice him.

Leah put her handbag down. “You’re early today, Mr. Howard.” Han pointed to a packed meal on the table, “I’ve brought you breakfast.”

She glanced at the packed meal; it looked like Han had brought it from his home. She shook her head, rejecting his offer, “I’ve already had breakfast.”

Han looked annoyed. He demanded, “Nothing’s stopping you from having a second breakfast, is there?” Leah bit her lip, obviously reluctant.

“Unless you want to have another go at Animal Boom today,” said Han, raising an eyebrow. Leah was stunned. “Do I have a choice here?”

Han glanced at the packed meal, “It depends on how well you behave.” Leah knew he was threatening her. She didn’t like to be threatened, but Han had always been bossy and he would never take no for an answer.

She was reluctant to obey him, but she was done with playing Animal Boom in the office. She put down her phone to open the packed meal. Everything in the box was her favorite.

Leah wasn’t too surprised though, as she had been married to Han for three years and the Howard family’s chef knew exactly what she liked.

As she was savoring the food, Han picked up her phone casually. Noticing what he was doing, Leah tried to grab her phone, “What are you trying to do?” Han managed to avoid her.

“I want to see what’s so interesting on your phone,” Han grumbled. He was irritated by the fact she did not notice him when she entered the office because her eyes were glued to her phone.

“Give it back!” Leah frowned. Han easily unlocked her phone, and his face fell. He scowled at Leah, “You’re getting engaged with him?”

She instinctively took a step back, frightened. She bit her lip, “It’s none of your business.” Han grabbed her chin. “None of my business? Have you forgotten your place, Leah?”

He was causing her pain. She tried to push him away. “We are done, Han. You have no right to intrude into my life now.” Han was furious. “You mean your life with Ian?”

“You wanted to divorce me so badly you faked your death. It’s all because you want to get together with Ian, am I right?” Han’s eyes glinted angrily.

Leah looked away. “I don’t have to answer your questions.” She wanted to forget the nightmare she went through two years ago, but Han pressed on.

“You’ve been scheming all along to get rid of me, so you can be with him. I’ve been wrong about you. You’re a conniving bitch through and through.” Han said cruelly.

“You’ve crossed the line, Han,” Leah protested. It was the first time she raised her voice to Han. He was taken aback. She was looking at him with a disgusted face.

He realized she was different. She was no longer the same Leah two years ago.

Outraged, he pushed her aside before knocking over the packed meal on the table. Food was all over the floor; some of it stained her clothes. He pointed at the door, “Get out.”

She thought he had gone mad. She tried to suppress her anger and she walked out of the office with her handbag, poker-faced. She did not want to be there in the first place.

Han was left alone in the office. He looked at the mess he had made, and he felt exhausted.

After leaving the office, Leah went shopping with Serena and they had a relaxing afternoon. She was relieved to be out of the office and out of Han’s sight.

Serena was amused seeing how relaxed Leah was. She teased Leah, “Is this your way of celebrating?” Leah looked confused. “What did you mean?”

Smiling, Serena said, “You’re getting engaged soon. I would say it’s time for a celebration.”

Chapter 150

Leah lifted a faint smile. Whenever someone mentioned Ian, she thought about Han as well.

She was reminded of the scene he made in the office earlier; she had never seen him so angry in the ten years she had known him. She was both frightened and saddened by his reaction. She would never get back together with a madman like him.

“I have to use the restroom. Be right back!” She realized she had been reacting strangely, so she stood up abruptly and she made an excuse to Serena. Serena shrugged, “Sure.”

As she was walking toward the restroom, Leah felt someone following her, and it made her jumpy. She had been feeling as if someone was watching her recently, and now the feeling grew stronger. She stopped to turn around, but there was nobody in sight.

She frowned. Perhaps she had been imagining things. She shook her head before stepping into one of the cubicles in the restroom. Once she closed the door behind her, she heard someone locking her inside.

Leah’s blood turned cold. She tried to push the door frantically, but it would not budge. “Who’s there?” She asked. There was no answer. She only heard someone turning on their heels.

As she gathered herself, she called Serena. Serena rushed to the restroom. She unlocked the door, letting Leah out. “Why are you locked inside?” Serena asked curiously.

Leah shook her head, “I think someone’s following me, and they locked me inside.” Serena asked if Leah had seen the person’s face, but Leah shook her head once again.

“No, I didn’t see the person’s face. There’s nobody else using the restroom at this time, so I don’t think anyone saw the person,” said Leah. Serena frowned. Worried, she suggested, “Should we call the cops?”

“I don’t think it’ll help.” Leah disagreed. “The person didn’t harm me after all, so I don’t want to make this a big deal.” She had a feeling it was someone she knew. Otherwise, the person could have simply killed her instead of messing around with her.

“If you say so,” said Serena with a concerned face. “You should tell your fiancé, so he can send you a few bodyguards.” Leah nodded, seemingly distracted.

Since the incident had ruined their mood, they called it a day, and Serena sent Leah home. Leah had a simple dinner, and she worked on her jewelry designs.

Despite Han trying to waste her time by asking to play Animal Boom in the office, she had taken up freelance gigs to practice jewelry design; she did not want to disappoint her grandfather.

It began to rain when it was half past nine. Leah was restless; something bad always happened when it rained. She was trying to regain her focus when her phone rang. Her heart skipped a beat. She glanced at her phone, and she was relieved to see Ian calling.

“Hey, what’s up?” She answered the call. Ian sounded tired, “Are you home?” Leah smiled, “Yes, I am. Are you?”

To her surprise, Ian gently said, “I’m here at your place. Can you open the door, please? I’ve brought you flowers.” Leah was stunned. “Why?”

“Every girl likes flowers, right?” said Ian. “I’ve never attempted to please a girl before you. I hope this is not too much. Is it?” He sounded nervous.

“No, it’s not. I’ll open the door for you,” Leah ended the call. She put on a coat and took an umbrella. Ian was already waiting outside.

He rushed toward her with a bouquet of red roses in one hand and an umbrella in another. He had always bought her red roses. She accepted the bouquet and she thanked him. “It’s late. You’d better go

home now.”

Ian looked at her tenderly and he planted a kiss on her forehead. “Good night.” While he drove away, Leah stood there for a moment to calm herself down.

As she turned to get back inside with the bouquet of roses, she heard footsteps behind her. She held her breath, thinking it might be related to what happened earlier today. She turned around and she was shocked to see who it was.

In the dim light of a lamppost, she could see Han teetering not far away. He was stumbling toward her in the same all-black suit he was wearing this morning, soaking wet as he did not have an umbrella with him.

She met his intense gaze in the rain. She watched him as he staggered toward her. He was reeking of alcohol.

Leah was holding the bouquet of roses in her right hand and an umbrella in her left. The bright red color of the roses reflected on her face, giving her a rosy hue underneath the street light.

“Han. Have you been drinking?” She looked at him with a furrowed brow. He stepped closer and he was about to raise an arm before stopping himself. “Yes, I have.”

He stared at the roses she was holding and asked, “Did he give you this?” She knew he was referring to Ian, so she simply nodded.

Han continued, “So you’ve decided to marry him?” Leah nodded again. “If you’d like to attend, you’re invited to our engagement party too.”

He managed a strained smile. “Leah, I’ve always thought you’re too softhearted to leave me. No matter how badly I treat you, I thought you’d always forgive me and you’d return if I were nice to you afterward.”

She looked at him silently. Han was unusually talkative when he was drunk. He continued bitterly, “I realized now I’ve been wrong about you.”

He stared at her intensely as he said slowly, “You are a heartless woman.”