The bottle of wine that Leland took out was the red wine that Winifred would usually drink, with a moderate alcohol content.
These days, Winifred had been drinking every day and feeling a bit uncomfortable. She had wanted to refuse, but when Leland mentioned that it was a “farewell wine,” she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
Yes, soon she would be separated from Leland, and there would no longer be anyone named Leland by her side. No one would think of her appetite and cook for her, nor would anyone help her with those troublesome tasks.
Sometimes Winifred felt that it would be better if Leland were just a dog, easy to take away.
But people are people, and they will meet and part ways.
“On your birthday, I didn’t have the chance to celebrate with you.” Leland held the wine glass, his eyes slightly lowered, his expression somewhat melancholic.
Winifred reached out to take the wine, “It’s just a farewell wine, let’s drink it.”
She was swift in her movements, taking the glass from Leland’s hand and drinking without hesitation, “It’s getting late, I should go back to my room to rest.”
“Let me walk you back.”
Winifred didn’t refuse. Silence filled the air as they walked, accompanied only by the sounds of the sea breeze and waves. Winifred wore a watch on her left hand and held a white camellia flower in her hand. Upon returning to her room, she glanced at the flower before casually putting it on the sofa.
Winifred had intended to freshen up quickly and go to bed, but as soon as she touched the sofa, she felt dizzy. Her eyelids drooped uncontrollably, and after a while, she closed her eyes completely and lost consciousness.
As Leland had already left after escorting her back to her room, he reappeared in the room. The light in the room flickered with the ebb and flow of the waves, casting shadows that danced around. Leland walked slowly to the sofa and looked down at the sight of Winifred asleep.
After a moment, he reached out to touch Winifred’s chin.
Finally, he touched that face, as smooth as he had imagined, lovable and irresistible, unwilling to let go.
As his hand moved up her jaw, caressing her soft earlobe and the tassel earring dangling from it, he removed and discarded it into the trash. Then he picked up the camellia flower on the sofa and placed it behind Winifred’s ear.
She was so beautiful, so beautiful that one wanted to possess and destroy her.
Bending down, Leland lifted Winifred horizontally, her skirt swaying gracefully in the air with each step, the cape fluttering.
Leland nodded as he looked at the young woman in his arms, his eyes gazing at her with a softness never seen before, a flame blazing within, threatening to consume the person in his embrace.
“Miss.” Leland’s voice at this moment became hoarse, filled with a strong desire. He threw Winifred onto the bed and then moved to press down on her, his thin lips following closely behind, finally kissing those lips he had dreamt of, just as soft as in his dreams.
“Miss…”
“Miss…”
Leland repeatedly kissed her, whispering softly, each word enunciated, entwined in passion, like a hungry ghost murmuring.
With a glint in his eyes, Leland conquered the fortress, his chest heaving strongly, emitting satisfied sighs from his throat.
She was his.
Leland stroked Winifred’s silky hair, his long fingers gripping her nape, deepening the kiss.
He recalled the day Winifred had said she wanted to teach him how to kiss while rubbing her foot against his waist. Though she had not acted on it that day, he had self-taught himself in dreams.
After some time, driven by emotions, Leland breathed heavily, his lips leaving red marks on Winifred’s, now glistening with moisture.
“Miss, am I kissing you well?”
The white camellia behind her ear shed its petals as he moved, filling the air with its fragrance.
Not enough… no matter what… not enough… to completely possess her, to merge with her… to dominate her, never wanting to let her go…
With a dark intensity in his eyes, Leland shifted his focus from her lips to her earlobe. Caressing and stripping her of her outer garment, he toyed with her, letting her dress fall to the ground, the white petals on the bed following the faint breeze, softly landing on the floor.
Encircling Winifred’s slender waist, Leland effortlessly controlled her body with one hand, both facing each other. In this position, he could hold her delicate waist with one hand while playing with her legs.
After completely engulfing her, Winifred frowned, her mind in a haze, tears streaming down her face, sobbing uncontrollably.
Trembling with excitement, Leland kissed away the tears on her face.
Her arched back, black hair scattered, sweat dampening her fair and slender neck, the dark hair accentuating the white skin, creating a mesmerizing contrast. The dim light in the room flickered, casting reflections of two entwined figures.
The gentle sea breeze blew, the moonlight was truly beautiful tonight.
Because of her spontaneous desire, he had completely fallen for her, sinking into the mire from which he couldn’t extricate himself. And so he vowed to bring her along with him to hell.
Leland bit down on Winifred’s collarbone, increasing the pressure until he tasted the metallic tang of blood before releasing her, the red marks not detracting from her beauty but adding a hint of cruelty.
Not enough…
Leland couldn’t bear the thought of any other man touching Winifred. The mere idea of Winifred lying in another man’s arms in the future filled him with rage, driving him to destroy everything.
He left teeth marks on Winifred’s chest, waist, and thighs and then, like she had once dotted a mole with paint, he used dye to mark her wounds. In this way, even after the wounds healed, these bite marks would always remain.
He marked his possession, ensuring that Winifred would not display her chest, waist, or thighs to other men.
“Winifred, remember that your first time belongs to me. Wait for me… one day, I will come back for you.” Intertwining their fingers, he lowered his head to plant a kiss on her furrowed brow.
The white camellia had lost its shape, its petals scattered.
Leland wanted to imprison Winifred like this, but he knew it was not the right time. He needed to become stronger, for only the strong could enjoy the best and attain what they desired most.
He had been a rat in the trash before, then a dog trained by Winifred. Now, he had transformed into a beast. Eventually, he would build a tower of ivory, a prison for his princess, where she would belong to him alone, hidden from everyone’s view.
Despite drinking the drugged wine, Winifred remained unconscious, her body wracked with pain, tears flowing endlessly, unable to stop, gasping in agony…
Leland carried her into the bathroom, patiently washing her. A hot bath would alleviate the discomfort in her body. He held Winifred’s left hand and looked at the black watch on her wrist.
This customized watch could be modified with anything he desired. The watch strap was made of a special material that was waterproof and fireproof and difficult to cut. The chain pressed against her skin, making it easy to hurt oneself if one tried to break free.
There was also a device on the chain, allowing Leland to locate Winifred wherever she went, even if she were on the other side of the Earth.
With these precautions in place, he wasn’t afraid of Winifred leaving him for a place he couldn’t find.
Leland held Winifred’s left wrist, unable to resist leaning in to kiss her lips again, this time gently and tenderly, unlike the passion on the bed.
“If the watch represents time, then by giving you this watch, it symbolizes my love for you.”
He wanted this night to be unforgettable for Winifred, even if she chose to leave and be with Garrison in a faraway place. He would always remain in a corner of her heart, appearing intermittently, reminding her of tonight’s starry sky and the camellia flower.
Every flower carries its own meaning. So, do you know what the camellia flower symbolizes, Miss?
White camellias represent innocence and purity, a gift to a beloved, symbolizing ideal love.
The flower language of red camellias is natural beauty.
Pink camellias symbolize uniqueness, representing overcoming difficulties without fear.
“I give you a camellia flower. How can you underestimate my love for you, Miss?”