“Winifred, you should be grateful you never got together with Garrison. Otherwise, you would know how terrifying a madman can be, and you wouldn’t have had this peaceful year.”
Indeed, if Winifred had been with Garrison when she arrived in the Midlands, given Leland’s crazed nature, he might have come to the Midlands to kidnap her, lock her in a cage, or even break her legs and arms to keep her bedridden. As long as it meant she wouldn’t be with another man, he was capable of anything.
Leland had thought about these things. He was just afraid his madness would scare Winifred, so he restrained himself. Unfortunately, his restraint only made Winifred more arrogant, leading her to disregard him more and more.
Now, she still hadn’t realized her situation and treated him like a dog.
Leland stared at Winifred’s swollen lips. The thought that those lips might have kissed another man filled him with uncontrollable rage. His eyes reddened with fury, resembling a demon emerging from hell.
Winifred’s back was against the wall. “Leland, this is the Reeves family… there are so many people outside…”
She finally felt fear belatedly. Leland sneered, “Of course I know this is the Reeves family. Why else do you think I brought you here? Even if there are people outside, I could still pin you against the wall right in front of them. During dinner, did you think I didn’t notice you flirting with Garrison? I wanted to pin you on the table right then and there and do what we did last night.”
Winifred pushed hard against Leland’s chest, trying to get him off. “I want to leave!”
“Leave and do it in front of them?”
Winifred didn’t want to discuss this or stay in the same room with him any longer. She was already humiliated enough. Leland kept pushing her as if he wanted to drive her insane.
Winifred was good with words but found herself unable to outtalk Leland. Even if she did, Leland could always use actions to shut her up.
Winifred said, “Don’t push me.”
“What if I want to push you?” Leland whispered coldly into her ear.
Winifred almost cruelly replied, “Do you want to see me dead? Leland, I know how terrifying a madman can be because I am that mad person.”
…
When Leland walked out, he had a slight smile on his lips. He tugged at his tie and loosened it a bit. The restroom wasn’t far from the dining room. His reappearance while adjusting his clothes left much to the imagination.
Garrison was typically stubborn and relentless but seeing Leland come out like that gave him a sense of blunt pain and suffocation.
Winifred followed slowly behind Leland. Seeing her, Garrison immediately stood up and took two steps forward. “Winifred, are you alright?” It was a rhetorical question; Winifred clearly wasn’t alright. The wound on her lip looked worse, and there was a new bite mark on her earlobe.
Winifred smiled faintly and said, “I’m not feeling well; I need to leave…”
So soon?
If she stayed any longer, it would only make it easier for Leland to torment her further. Leaving was better for both the Reeves family and herself.
Mrs. Reeves panicked when she saw Leland about to leave. She could guess what had happened between Leland and Winifred in the restroom just by looking at them.
“Mr. Burns, our cooperation…” She directly asked about money without considering Winifred’s presence.
“The money will be transferred to your account,” Leland said as he grabbed Winifred’s hand to take her away.
Mrs. Reeves sighed in relief but didn’t expect Garrison to speak up at that moment.
“Winifred, can I talk to you alone for a moment?”
Mrs. Reeves almost choked. “Garrison!” She looked at him sternly, signaling him to keep quiet.
But Garrison wouldn’t give up now. He had an uneasy premonition that if Winifred left with Leland this time, he would lose her forever. He couldn’t believe Winifred truly wanted to leave with Leland without hearing it from her own mouth.
Garrison shook off Mrs. Reeves’ hand and ran up to Winifred, meeting Leland’s oppressive gaze head-on. “I want to talk to Winifred alone.”
Winifred turned her face away from him while shrinking back slightly from Leland’s grip-a small movement that didn’t escape Leland’s notice.
Leland held Winifred’s hand and rubbed her hand back with his thumb before asking softly, “Do you want to talk to him?”
Winifred remained silent.
The smile on Leland’s lips faded slightly as he let go of Winifred’s hand. “Five minutes.”
Leland sat down nearby and lit a cigarette. His assistant knew from this action that he wasn’t in a good mood.
Five minutes meant five minutes; Leland wouldn’t go back on his word for such a short time. He glanced at his watch.