How could there be no one? A living person couldn’t just turn into a mosquito and fly away.
Leland Burns’s face was tense as he entered the room, calling out gently, “Winifred Dawson.”
The office was small with few hiding places. As soon as Leland Burns walked in, his gaze fixed under the desk. He approached and saw a piece of clothing sticking out. She was indeed hiding there.
Leland Burns moved forward and gently pulled her out from under the desk, careful not to hurt her.
Winifred Dawson had no idea that her hiding had almost made him lose his composure. She smiled at him cautiously.
“What are you doing hiding here?”
“I was scared alone.”
Leland Burns squatted down, looking at Winifred Dawson’s hands that were dirty from the floor. His long, pale fingers carefully wiped her palms and fingers with a wet wipe. He did it skillfully, as if he had done it countless times before.
“Don’t hide next time.”
“Why?” Winifred Dawson’s mind had become slow, and she often asked why, preferring answers from others rather than thinking for herself.
Only Leland Burns would patiently answer her “whys” again and again.
“Because I get scared when I can’t see you, just like you do when you can’t see me.”
Leland Burns looked at Winifred Dawson’s dazed eyes and then at her lips. He leaned in and kissed her lightly. Winifred Dawson raised her hand to circle his neck, holding on tightly enough to be uncomfortable, but Leland Burns liked the force. It made him feel especially important to her.
His rough fingertips gently brushed against her chin, causing a tightening in his chest and stirring primal emotions within him.
Who said love is light as a cloud on the lips but thunderous in the heart? Love on the lips can also stir up storms, making it hard to let go.
“Ahem…” A cough came from outside the door, interrupting Leland Burns. He slowly released Winifred Dawson’s lips. After just a brief kiss, her face was flushed, and her eyes were even more misty.
Henry and Wesley stood at the door. Henry had an amused look on his face. “Boss, playing under the desk? That’s wild.”
Wesley remained silent, looking out the window.
Leland Burns showed no expression as he lifted Winifred Dawson from the floor and placed her on the desk. Annoyed by their interruption, he asked, “What are you doing here?”
Henry walked in. “It’s been over a month now. We wanted to ask if you still want to check on those two mice in the storage room.” For the past month, Henry and Wesley had been putting in a lot of effort to keep those two people alive for Leland Burns’s inspection.
But over a month had passed without Leland Burns checking on them. If they didn’t check soon, those lives would be lost. So Henry decided to come here with Wesley to see what Leland Burns had been busy with.
They hadn’t expected to walk into such an “intimate” scene.
Wesley felt this wasn’t the right place for him and looked away, while Henry kept staring at Winifred Dawson. If looks could kill, Henry’s gaze would be like a drill piercing through her.
“You handle it yourselves. Find a place to dispose of them without being discovered.”
“Understood.”
Winifred Dawson looked confused and scared by Henry’s stare, hiding behind Leland Burns.
Henry squinted his eyes. He had heard that Winifred Dawson’s mind wasn’t right after that night. Now seeing it for himself… she really wasn’t normal anymore.
Henry and Wesley knew very well about the love-hate relationship between Winifred Dawson and Leland Burns.
To be honest, Henry didn’t believe that Winifred Dawson was truly insane.
Leland Burns was very protective of her. It was one thing at home but bringing her to the office? This wasn’t where she belonged.
Especially with so many important documents in this office; wasn’t he afraid she might steal them? Henry felt he needed to remind Leland Burns of this risk.
Leland Burns was now his boss; the more money his boss made, the more he could earn too.
“If you understand, then leave.”
“Boss, can I have a word with you alone?”
Years of knowing each other meant they understood each other well. Leland Burns knew what Henry wanted to say just by looking at him. He turned back to Winifred Dawson and hesitated for a few seconds before saying, “Stay here and don’t move; I’ll be back soon.”
Winifred Dawson let go of his clothes reluctantly after hearing this.
Leland Burns took Henry and Wesley to the next room while leaving an assistant outside to watch over them.
Seeing Leland Burns constantly looking back made Henry comment, “It’s just a few steps away; are you really that worried?”
Leland Burns ignored him. “What do you want to say?”
“Mr. Burns, are you serious about bringing Winifred Dawson here?”
“What do you mean by serious?”
“Are you pretending not to understand? You know what stands between you two without me saying it. Her injuries are linked to you; there’s hatred between you two. Yet you’re not cautious at all bringing her here alone with important documents around?”
“She has memory-related cognitive impairment due to her injuries; she wouldn’t steal documents.”
So certain? Henry raised an eyebrow. “Was this diagnosed by a hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Is there any chance she’s faking it?”
Leland Burns pressed his thin lips tightly together.
From his expression, it seemed Leland Burns had considered this possibility but chose not to doubt it because he enjoyed their current situation too much.
“It can’t be fake; I know what she used to be like better than anyone else,” he said firmly. “She wouldn’t eat food off the floor or cling to me like this.”
“Sometimes drastic changes indicate problems,” Henry cautioned. “Just keep an eye out; don’t assume she’s harmless because she seems foolish now.”
Wesley agreed with a nod.
“Don’t forget what’s between you two,” Henry continued. “The old Winifred Dawson might have changed; she was smart and resilient before. If you want to keep her close for real, maybe add something binding between you two.”
“Like what?”
“I’ve heard that women settle down when they have families,” Henry suggested slyly. “Why not seize this chance while she’s ill and make it permanent? Go all in.”
In Henry’s eyes, Leland Burns used to hold himself to high standards without allowing any mistakes-unlike now with so many vulnerabilities showing.
Indeed, love makes people blind and foolish.