Winifred used to have a giant poodle named Curly, back when she was as impulsive as she is now. She would buy the dog and leave it to the servants to take care of, occasionally feeding it and taking it for a walk.
Giant dogs grow quickly, and within a year, Curly was as tall as Winifred’s waist, looking imposing when taken for a walk.
However, big dogs have big drawbacks, and Winifred couldn’t handle the dog on her own.
Initially, Winifred genuinely liked the dog and wanted to take care of it. But when it broke loose and ran onto the road, it was hit by a car and killed. Winifred didn’t feel particularly upset at the sight of the bloodstain on the road. She simply lost interest and found life dull without the dog.
She decided to get another dog and was lazy to walk it.
The maid told Leland, “Curly was the dog Madam used to own, and it got hit by a car.”
Leland didn’t respond, knowing that he was taking the place of a dead dog. Although he was self-conscious, he wouldn’t stoop so low as to become a dog himself.
“Madam,” the maid spoke, “The man has been cleaned up.”
“Bring him in,” Winifred said, jumping out of her chair and approaching Leland, openly assessing him.
He looked good, very good. He was just a bit gaunt and dark. If only he were a bit fairer. Nevermind, with time, he would recover.
“Little trash, what’s your name?”
“Leland.”
“What are the three characters?”
“Strictness and discretion.”
Winifred had slightly curly black hair, with a bow at the back and an age-appropriate cute and charming look. But being born into a wealthy family, she also had that haughty and proud demeanor.
“You’ll stay here from now on. I’ll provide for you,” she generously offered.
Leland, with lowered eyes, suppressed his emotions. “No, I’ll go back later.”
“Why?” Winifred seemed to not understand. She even mocked Leland, “Go back? To that trash can? This place and outside are two different worlds. If you leave here, you’ll have to wear those tattered clothes and scrounge for food in the trash.”
She had brought him here out of kindness, but Leland’s rejection made Winifred slightly displeased.
In the Dawson family, everyone acknowledged whatever she said, just to keep her happy. Even her father indulged her. And now, being repeatedly rejected by this inconspicuous “trash” added a bit of joy to Miss Dawson’s anger.
At the age of nine, Winifred lacked an understanding of social etiquette. Being born into the prominent Dawson family, she was always considered superior from birth, indulged by everyone. She got used to being on a pedestal, which gave her the capital for her pride and self-satisfaction.
When she was very young, her parents divorced, and she lost her mother. Her father was often away for work, leaving her with no one to teach her right from wrong. This upbringing led her to become spoiled and capricious, with a weak sense of empathy, making her heartless, following her own whims without regard for others.
Leland could also sense that she was not pleasant to deal with. His personality was equally reclusive, unsure of how to interact with others or how to make this wealthy girl happy. Whatever he thought, he spoke directly, “I need to work and earn money. I’m broke.”
“You’re so young and already working? Haven’t you been to school?”
“I have, but I’m not going now.”
Just a young man with no education, but he had the gift of gab and good looks, better than a dog. But he was still driven by a desire for more.
“If you’re willing to be my dog, I’ll pay you five hundred a day. Not bad, is it?” For her, five hundred was little compared to her monthly allowance of more than ten thousand.
“I’m a human, not a dog.”
Winifred laughed heartily, her bright eyes forming crescent moons. “So what? Do you see any difference between your current life and that of a dog? You might as well be a dog.”
As she said this, Leland lifted his head, and their eyes met. As Winifred gazed into Leland’s reddened eyes, she was momentarily stunned.
“Mr. Hamilton, do you have money?”
“Miss, how much do you need?” Mr. Hamilton spoke as he took out his wallet, but Winifred snatched it from him.
She took out a few bills from the wallet, counted them, and the total was exactly one thousand. “This is all yours every day if you stay with me.”
With that, their relationship was cemented. At that time, Leland didn’t even know the term “sugar baby.”
Leland focused on the red bills in her hand and said nothing as he turned and left.
Mr. Hamilton instinctively wanted to catch Leland, but Winifred raised a hand to stop him.
“Miss…”
Winifred returned the wallet and money to Mr. Hamilton, straightening out her dress. “Let him go. He’ll come back to me someday. And then I’ll make him kneel and bark like a dog.”
This was meant for both Mr. Hamilton and Leland to hear.
She believed that a person so desperate for money, on the brink of losing their life, wouldn’t care about their dignity. She loved trampling on other people’s pride.
She ordered the maid to send Leland away and instructed Mr. Hamilton to investigate Leland’s background. Money always makes things easier.
Leland didn’t leave immediately. He went back to the bathroom, where he had showered earlier, and retrieved the dirty clothes that had been thrown into the trash. The maid saw him changing when she came down.
“Put on these clothes. They were specially prepared for you by the young lady. If you don’t want them, they’ll have to be thrown away.”
“In that case, throw them away.” Leland placed the clean clothes on the ground and wore the same dirty, soaked, and vomit-stained clothes. His clothes carried a sour stench as he felt the $180 in his pocket.
The sky had cleared outside, and he needed to go back, but he didn’t know where he was. The maid called a car for him.
On the balcony upstairs, Winifred watched Leland below. As she saw him put on the dirty clothes again, she couldn’t help but click her tongue in disapproval. “Indeed, he’s just trash, only good at scavenging, unable to appreciate what he’s given.”
A slight curve formed on Winifred’s lips until she saw Leland get into the car and leave. As she came downstairs, Winifred asked the maid who had bathed Leland if she had noticed anything unusual.
The maid honestly replied, “He bathed himself, and he’s very thin with many scars, old and new. There are bruises on his shoulders and cut marks on his left wrist that appear to be quite old.”