Mr. Hamilton was referring to human bones.
“What’s so scary about animal bones? Mr. Hamilton, you’re overreacting,” she remarked.
If it weren’t for the dirty and smelly junkyard, she would’ve fed the bones to the dogs. But looking at the scene outside, it seemed like the dogs wouldn’t eat human bones.
Perhaps they lacked the taste of meat.
Unfortunately, the crematorium had a scheduled burning time, leaving the bones barely intact. She had thought the stray dogs could use them to chew on, but looking at the huge junkyard, the dogs preferred to eat rotten garbage rather than touch the boneless bones, which were no different from stones.
Mr. Hamilton’s mind was in turmoil. From a very early age, he had noticed that Winifred was very different from other children.
Other little girls were innocent and carefree, but she was deep in thought.
Other little girls were scared of corpses and death, but she could pick up human bones to feed the dogs.
As the only daughter of the prestigious Dawson family, she was showered with endless love and affection. But somewhere along the line, things went awry, twisting her upbringing.
Previously, he had only seen Winifred as willful, capricious, and indulged. But now, it seemed that she was psychologically distorted, her emotions peculiar. Despite his age and experience, he sometimes couldn’t fathom the thoughts of a child like her.
After discarding the bones, it was time to return. Winifred lazily lay against the window in the car, knowing it would take some time to get back to the Dawson family.
Upon arriving home, an hour had passed. Leland was taken to bathe, and after cleaning up, he was dressed in a nice outfit.
A white short-sleeved shirt with suspenders, and a bow tie on the collar. It was the first time Leland had worn such clothes, and the fabric felt luxurious to the touch.
After changing, Leland went to Winifred’s room. She was holding a book with “Human Nature” written prominently on the cover.
Seeing Leland at the door, she set the book aside and approached him.
In just three days, he had lost weight. The clothes he had picked out specifically for him now clearly looked oversized.
“Did you not eat at the police station?” Winifred asked, well aware of Leland’s situation in the solitary confinement. She had instructed her people to break him down step by step, appearing as a “savior” when he needed someone the most.
Despite any resentment he held towards her, Leland wouldn’t harm her, considering she had once saved him.
Mr. Hamilton had warned her not to be overpowered, indicating that Leland might be an unruly wolf cub.
It seemed there was some truth to Mr. Hamilton’s words.
Leland lowered his gaze. “I did eat, just not much.”
Winifred gently stroked his chin. “Leland, your name is beautiful and meaningful. Be cautious and prudent. I hope you’ll continue to be this way by my side in the future. Your parents are gone, and you have no relatives. From now on, just love me.”
Leland’s fingertips trembled, as if stung by something. He clenched his hands and then turned his gaze to Winifred’s face.
The dim light softened her exquisitely fierce features, and she smiled with her eyes down, her cold hand touching his chin and earlobe, almost like a bewitching enchantress.
“Leland, I want you to learn how to love me in the future.”
Yes, she wanted Leland to fall in love with her. Once he did, he would truly become her puppet, helping her with tasks.
No one was needed by Leland’s side, no family or friends. Parents were unnecessary, and all that mattered were her eyes.
In the entire Dawson family, whether it was the chefs, servants, or even the kind Mr. Hamilton, were all appointed by her father. She needed someone of her own, to do her bidding, to listen to her alone.
So what if he was a wolf? He could be trained, and if he disobeyed, teeth would be pulled, legs broken. It was because she liked him that she wanted to train him, to exhaust all means to keep him by her side. Wounds would heal, and in the end… the prairie would be his, and he would be hers. The “wolf” would become very obedient, unable to escape.
“Can you learn it?” Winifred asked.
“I will try my best.”
So obedient… What to do, it seemed like she was starting to like this person more and more, not just his appearance.
“Miss, the money for this clothing…” Leland subtly changed the subject.
While at the cemetery, Leland had mentioned repaying his debts, and Winifred had said she would deduct expenses from his card.
If the clothes were expensive, he wouldn’t wear them.
Seemingly understanding Leland’s thoughts, Winifred said, “This is a gift from me to you. You don’t have to worry about paying. If you want to please me, how can you not dress nicely?”
Winifred patted his face, an affectionate gesture yet not endearing, as though she was patting a dog.
…
These past few days, Winifred’s father, Gregory, had come home to stay. It was Leland’s first time meeting this man, who was quite different from what he had imagined.
He had thought that Gregory, who had done so well in business, would be stern, but he appeared charitable, with a smile in his eyes, especially when interacting with his daughter, full of love.
What should have been a harmonious scene appeared strange to Leland as he watched from the sidelines. The pair seemed like father and daughter, yet something was off. Winifred didn’t seem to favor her father much.
“Dad, this is Leland,” she introduced.
Gregory slightly toned down his smile and gave Leland a once-over, saying, “Not bad.”
As a servant, Leland couldn’t eat at the table during meals. He stood beside Mr. Hamilton.
At the dining table, Winifred and Gregory chatted about daily trivialities while eating.
“Dad, how long will you stay this time?” Winifred asked.
“Three or four days.”
Winifred pretended to be disappointed. “So short?”
“Dad has to go make money. Only by earning a lot of money can I raise Winifred as a little princess. You can play with Jingxing at home, and I’ll be back soon.”
“Then you must be careful on the way, don’t get into any trouble. I’ll be waiting for you at home, missing you.”
Leland had seen many sides of Winifred, but this compliant demeanor was a first. She could act like other children in front of their parents, even if it was just an act.
Leland didn’t understand why Winifred had to put on this innocent, obedient facade in front of her own father. While she spoke of being “worried about Dad,” there was not an ounce of concern in her eyes.
After dinner, the strange father-daughter pair went for a walk outside, prompting Leland to ask Mr. Hamilton.
“Does Miss Winifred’s father rarely come home?”
“Yes, sir is quite busy. He may only return once or twice a month and stay for a few days.”
That explained the act, as there wasn’t much emotion to begin with.
Leland inquired further, “And what about Miss’s mother?”
Mr. Hamilton’s expression changed. “Remember, you must not mention her mother in front of Miss. She left right after giving birth to Miss; she has never met her own mother.”