Winifred Dawson curled her lips into a smile. She looked even more beautiful in the mirror. Turning her gaze outside, she saw many people had arrived today. The butler and maids were bustling around, preparing for the wedding. They were blowing up balloons, arranging lights, preparing bouquets, laying out the red carpet, and handling boxes of fireworks.
Watching their busy preparations, Winifred Dawson wanted to tell them not to bother because there was no guarantee that Leland Burns would return in time.
After finalizing her makeup, the makeup artist carefully removed it and reminded her to rest well and be the most beautiful bride waiting for Leland Burns.
Winifred Dawson looked down at the diamond ring on her ring finger. She took out her phone and called Leland Burns. Since yesterday, no one had answered, and she couldn’t get through.
Leland Burns had arranged for the wedding to take place at a church where they would exchange vows.
When Winifred Dawson heard him say they would hold the ceremony in a church, she almost laughed out loud. She found it ironic.
A church is such a sacred place where many people pray and place their hopes. Leland Burns dared to bring her there for their ceremony without fearing desecration. Swearing “I love you, no matter what happens, I will never leave you” in front of a priest seemed like a huge mockery.
Their relationship was essentially a scam. How could two people without genuine feelings deserve to make promises in a church? Those vows couldn’t bear such weight.
On the afternoon of April 14th at 5 PM, a piece of news broke online. The Peachshire Town-based Burns Group was suspected of money laundering crimes, and the police would start large-scale investigations from today.
The news spread like wildfire. Before nightfall, Peachshire Town had undergone drastic changes. People were worried about being implicated; some fled while others hid.
It was said that Leland Burns was like a king in Peachshire Town; his slightest move could shake the ground. This wasn’t an exaggeration.
Leland Burns had achieved in a short time what others couldn’t in several lifetimes. He had secured his position at a young age and made it onto the rich list through both legal and illegal means.
In this era, people at their level all had one or two dirty secrets. They thought they were above the law and acted recklessly, looking down on others.
The principle that “a tall tree attracts the wind” meant many wanted to bring him down, just like Gregory Dawson before him.
At Autumn Joy Estate, the servants also saw the news and began packing to leave. If not for the butler negotiating with them using their wages as leverage, they would have already left.
Among everyone at Autumn Joy Estate, the butler had the closest contact with Leland Burns. Winifred Dawson stood by the second-floor window watching him organize everything methodically. She guessed that he must be in contact with Leland Burns too.
It was impossible not to feel anxious. Even though Leland Burns was being publicly announced as wanted online, Winifred Dawson’s heart hadn’t settled completely. She knew him too well; he was full of tricks. What if he had planned something else?
Seeing the butler still arranging the wedding scene made Winifred Dawson’s heart tighten. She instinctively clenched the curtains.
April 15th, an auspicious day.
Winifred Dawson hadn’t slept all night. She stared at her tablet, watching a red dot on the edge of Peachshire Town; she knew Leland Burns had returned.
She sent out his location; theoretically, he should have been caught by now. But why was he still appearing in Peachshire Town?
The only possibility was that it was a decoy; the location shown wasn’t actually Leland Burns’ whereabouts.
At six in the morning, as dawn broke, a group of people entered her bedroom-the same stylists and makeup artists from before.
“Miss Dawson, we’re here to do your makeup.”
“If the groom can’t come back, do I still need makeup for this wedding?”
The stylists didn’t pay much attention to Winifred Dawson’s changed attitude from previous days.
“We’re here on the butler’s orders.” They didn’t say much more to her and pushed her to sit at the dressing table surrounded by people as if invisible ropes bound her there.
They were familiar with her face from previous sessions and quickly finished her makeup and hair within an hour before helping her into her wedding dress.
According to tradition, she should first wear Chinese wedding attire and wait for her groom here. But instead, they dressed her directly in the gown meant for the church ceremony.
After dressing her up, they didn’t leave but quietly stayed around her. The servants at Autumn Joy Estate also stood outside as if worried she might escape.
Winifred Dawson instinctively clenched her dress hem, feeling uneasy.
At eight in the morning came the sound of helicopter rotors cutting through the air. The wind picked up as all curtains were drawn open, revealing everything outside-a helicopter slowly descending from mid-air. Without surprise, it carried Leland Burns coming to “fetch his bride,” even while being pursued by police; he hadn’t forgotten this wedding promise.