Last year, everyone thought Garrison Reeves was a useless rich kid, accustomed to a life of privilege, unaware of the complexities outside. In the cutthroat world of business, someone like him would be devoured with nothing left.
But surprisingly, in just one year, Garrison Reeves had grown significantly. He had fully taken over the Reeves family and turned their losses into profits. He even established his own team abroad and likely had informants domestically. Otherwise, he couldn’t have known about Winifred Dawson’s incident so quickly and arranged for people to find her.
Garrison Reeves… Leland Burns silently repeated the name, his fingers rubbing against the keyboard.
He used to be his stand-in, living without any dignity. Leland climbed desperately to surpass him, to prove to Winifred Dawson that he was better than Garrison Reeves. He wanted to show that Garrison Reeves was unworthy.
But in matters of the heart, worthiness doesn’t matter. From the moment Winifred Dawson liked Garrison Reeves, Leland had already lost.
Even though he had Winifred Dawson’s body, he never had her heart until she met with an accident.
The missing people at sea were officially declared dead. The information hadn’t been fully released because Leland Burns was controlling it. They were still cooperating with the police in a large-scale search for Winifred Dawson’s group.
Two weeks passed in a blur. For half a month, they searched day and night. The police were exhausted and began to complain that it was pointless to keep looking for someone already dead, wasting money and effort.
Searching at sea was incredibly difficult. For safety reasons, they had to return as soon as it got dark and couldn’t go out in bad weather to avoid further accidents. They were there to find people, not risk their lives.
At first, they could endure being on the boat, but eventually, seasickness set in with dizziness and vomiting, deterring many from continuing. Even at night while resting, they felt like the bed was swaying, leading to restless sleep filled with dreams of searching on the boat.
One group searched for bodies at sea while another combed J City and surrounding areas but found nothing.
Leland Burns patiently waited. He believed Winifred Dawson wasn’t dead. Before she left, she arranged everything for Ms. Protich, bought insurance for her, secured her residence, and even hired a lawyer to draft her will. It seemed clear she planned to use “death” to escape him.
A month passed and Leland Burns remained calm. During this time, he met with Winifred Dawson’s lawyer who revealed her will: she intended to donate all her assets to establish a women’s charity association to help women in need.
Winifred Dawson had significant assets; Leland had left her billions along with properties and cars. Even her custom-made clothes and bags were worth a lot.
Leland could have schemed to reclaim every penny he gave her but decided against it. Money could be earned back; this was one of the few good deeds Winifred did. He chose to honor it.
Leland arranged for others to handle these matters and soon wrapped up the charity establishment.
The house in North City, originally Gentry Estate, wasn’t sold but left for Ms. Protich to live in. On the surface, it seemed Ms. Protich was watching over it for Winifred but it also provided her a place of refuge.
Ms. Protich knew nothing about this yet.
Another month went by since Winifred Dawson’s disappearance-two months in total. The searchers outside were starting to grumble but knowing there was only one month left gave them some relief and renewed energy.
Leland Burns’ mood sank further each day; his face grew darker with each passing day.
He craved alcohol and cigarettes again but resisted the urge as he promised himself he’d quit those vices.
Leland returned to North City where Autumn Joy Estate stood locked with fingerprint access.
Instinctively reaching out his finger, he hesitated thinking Winifred must have erased his prints after living there so long. Just as he thought this, the lock clicked open.
Stunned for a moment, he entered. Most decorations inside had changed along with the interior style; it no longer resembled its former self.
Leland went upstairs to Winifred’s room where everything he tried preserving was now gone or altered beyond recognition.
Even his old room turned into a storage space as if he’d never lived there.
If not for the unchanged exterior of the house matching his memory exactly, he’d think he was in the wrong place entirely transformed from what he remembered.
Leland could imagine Winifred’s feelings when she paid someone to renovate it all those years ago-how much must she have loathed him? She erased every trace of him except for his fingerprint on the door lock.
Entering Winifred’s room deeply inhaling as if trying desperately find any lingering scent of hers despite knowing over two months had erased all traces completely vanished long ago…
He sat on her bed staring at neatly folded blankets pillows bedside lamp imagining how she looked sleeping here…
She feared darkness always kept small nightlight on windows open leaving only screen closed curtains drawn tight nights quiet too much noise disturbed sleep…
Curled up legs bent right side restless sleeper kicking covers pulling them over head often exposing feet while hiding face…
People said those who slept like this felt lonely lacked sense security when read this thought Winifred couldn’t understand why she lacked security…
Lying down using her pillow covering himself with blanket untouched sixty seventy days dust settled faintly smelling stale…
Curling right side instinctively recalling everything happened here washing feet telling stories waiting quietly drying hair after shower preparing food when hungry…
Extreme thoughts considered undignified deprived rights but realizing falling love made such acts seem romantic willing acceptance unfairness given slowly cherished past longing return…
Different people different feelings same thing viewed differently differing opinions perspectives…
Several nights poor sleep shallow deep dreams clear memories sometimes aware dreaming during dreams…
Poor sleep affected daytime energy no smoking relied bitter coffee worsening insomnia body first succumbed brain pain eyes dry heart racing inexplicably…
Sometimes wondered waiting these days might suddenly die unexpectedly…
Didn’t want insomnia relying medication only provided three four hours sleep insufficient time…
Strict time management planned daily activities adhered routine rarely disrupted ten years ten pm bed six am rise regular schedule Henry joked emotionless robot…
Pride strict routine self-discipline now shattered losing control emotions and thoughts…