In the past, Leland Burns was often described as a young man with a deep and inscrutable mind, always appearing shrewd and calculating. His emotions were never revealed on his face, and his actions were unpredictable, always catching his enemies off guard. Even those close to him couldn’t see through him.
But now, things were different. Wesley, Henry, and even Ms. Protich could read his thoughts easily. Whatever he felt inside was displayed clearly on his face, almost as if his weaknesses were written there for all to see.
This change made him seem like a completely different person. Ms. Protich thought this more human side of Leland Burns was good, but Henry and Wesley disagreed. They believed that someone destined for greatness shouldn’t need much humanity; empathy and kindness would only become weaknesses.
Leland Burns lay in bed, feeling noticeably sleepy for the first time in two months. He closed his eyes and fell into a light sleep but woke up groggily after just half an hour, unsure of where he was.
He had a beautiful dream where Winifred Dawson lay peacefully in his arms. He held her gently, wrapping his arms around her waist and tightening his embrace. The dream felt so real that he could almost feel her heartbeat and breath. But when he hugged her tighter, he suddenly woke up to find himself holding only a blanket.
There was no heartbeat or breathing except his own. The silence was filled only with the sound of his own breathing.
Sharing a bed with Winifred Dawson had once been an everyday occurrence. Every night he held her as they slept, waking up in the morning to see her in his arms and kissing her forehead lightly. What used to be ordinary had now become a rare dream.
Leland Burns turned over painfully. The wound on his left hand had healed, but his fingernail was still black from the trapped blood underneath. A permanent scar would remain on his fingertip, constantly reminding him of the foolish thing he had done.
After staring quietly for a few seconds, he lowered his hand to press it against his forehead, casting a shadow over his eyes as they began to heat up with emotion again.
Leland Burns took several deep breaths to suppress the pain and got out of bed. As he moved, something shiny caught his eye in the corner by the window.
Looking closer, he saw it was a ring.
Instantly drawn to it, he picked it up and recognized it as the ring he had given Winifred Dawson. The 9-carat diamond was missing; only the band remained.
He didn’t have to think hard to guess that Winifred had probably taken the diamond with her, planning to sell it for money if she ever needed it.
He remembered the set of jewelry he had given her: a 9-carat ring and a 12-carat diamond necklace, totaling 21 carats-the same weight as a human soul.
When he gave them to her back then, he had hoped she would marry him.
Leland Burns slipped the ring without its diamond onto his pinky finger; it fit perfectly.
Someone once said that if a woman’s ring fits perfectly on a man’s pinky finger, it means they are meant to be together.
Returning to North Bankshire after much difficulty, Leland Burns took nothing with him except this unremarkable ring.
Ms. Protich had already prepared dinner. It had been two months without any news of Winifred Dawson; her death seemed like an established fact that no one could change.
Leland Burns had told Ms. Protich that he would search for Winifred Dawson for three months. If she wasn’t found by then, he would accept that she was dead.
Ms. Protich’s mind was filled with one thought: “How could this be…”
She asked Leland if he would really give up after three months if they couldn’t find Winifred Dawson. Was he willing?
Leland’s response was: “No, I’m not willing. But no matter how unwilling I am, I can’t change fate. I used to believe that man can conquer nature; now I don’t.”
During dinner, Ms. Protich noticed the new ring on Leland’s pinky finger. It looked familiar but she couldn’t immediately recall where she had seen it before.
Thinking about Winifred Dawson made Ms. Protich lose her appetite. She had been experiencing frequent stomach pains over the past month and had visited the hospital several times for medication.
Fortunately, Leland was out during the day so she could brew some herbal medicine at home.
Just drinking herbal medicine filled her stomach enough that she couldn’t eat anything else. Her mouth tasted bitter as she looked at the moon outside-it was September 30th, Winifred Dawson’s birthday.
The late autumn air was starting to cool down; describing it as crisp and refreshing seemed perfect. Standing by the window looking at the stars outside, Ms. Protich couldn’t help but ask aloud, “Miss Dawson, where are you? When will you come back? Don’t be afraid; Mr. Burns is no longer who he used to be-he won’t hurt you anymore. If you’re tired of wandering outside, come back soon so we can make up for this missed birthday celebration. I’ll cook your favorite dishes.”