Winifred woke up after two hours of restless sleep. She felt uneasy, perhaps due to the constant motion she sensed on the plane. When she finally opened her eyes, it was already eleven in the morning.
Rubbing her sore eyes until they turned slightly red, Winifred tried to shake off the discomfort. She had a habit of moving around in her sleep, often kicking off the covers and waking up with a stiff neck. The short nap on the plane had left her hair disheveled, but Garrison had tried his best to tidy it up before calling a flight attendant to braid it for her.
Over the years, Winifred’s hair had grown back to its original smooth and dark state. By the time they landed, it was eleven at night, and she was utterly exhausted. She had remained mostly seated during the flight, except for bathroom breaks, which left her body stiff and sore.
Yawning, Winifred noted that it was already past her usual bedtime. As soon as they stepped outside, Garrison spotted their driver who then took them to their residence.
“Are we meeting your parents tonight?” Winifred asked, suddenly wide awake at the mention of Garrison’s parents.
“I don’t live with my parents. I have my own place. Do you want to go there or back to your place?”
“I’d like to see my old house, see what it’s like now.”
“Alright.” Garrison gave the driver an address and changed their route.
Winifred had bought an apartment long ago. Though rumors of her death had circulated, Garrison had kept the place intact. Upon entering, she found the decor simple yet appealing-exactly her style. Everything was well-preserved by Garrison, even the clothes in the wardrobe looked brand new.
“Did I really live here before?”
“Does it feel familiar?”
Winifred walked around the apartment a few times. “It feels somewhat familiar. I think I really liked this place.”
Covering an area of about 1, 000 square feet, the apartment was spacious for one person and located in the city center, close to supermarkets, malls, and hospitals. The property value had skyrocketed over the past decade. Ten years ago, she could afford such a place easily; clearly, she wasn’t lacking money.
But why did everything change?
Because of that enemy.
Winifred harbored deep hatred for him; he was responsible for her parents’ death and her own suffering. He forced her into hiding and changing her appearance.
Since they arrived on a whim, there was no food prepared at home. Fortunately, they could order delivery online. Garrison picked a few nearby restaurants but found most were closed late at night. He ended up buying fresh vegetables and pasta from a supermarket.
He made some pasta for Winifred in less than half an hour while she explored every corner of the apartment, trying to jog her memory. She even sniffed the clothes in the wardrobe but found no familiar scent.
Unable to recall anything significant, Winifred decided not to dwell on it. After all these years, any lingering scents would have faded away; maintaining this condition was already impressive.
Garrison had mentally prepared himself for any questions Winifred might have about the place but was relieved when she didn’t bring it up during dinner or before bed. Each lie he told felt like another chain tightening around him.
The next day, Garrison took Winifred to meet his parents at the Reeves family home.
Garrison’s parents lived abroad most of the time and rarely returned home. They entrusted their business entirely to Garrison and didn’t worry about it themselves.
On their way there, Winifred opened the car window and memorized the landmarks and buildings outside. She wanted to adapt quickly so Garrison would feel comfortable letting her out alone.
Fortunately, there wasn’t much difference between this foreign country and home except for language barriers which she could overcome with study.
Winifred didn’t realize how calm she felt despite being in a new place.
The Reeves family residence was a three-story villa with numerous rooms visible from outside. The large property included a garden filled with roses and plenty of servants inside and out.
Despite mentally preparing herself, Winifred was still stunned by the sight at the gate.
She knew from observing Garrison’s busy lifestyle that he was wealthy-always having a place to stay wherever he went-but seeing this opulence firsthand was overwhelming.
The palace-like interior design screamed luxury; even without understanding much about decor, Winifred could tell that everything from floor tiles to crystal chandeliers was expensive.
She hesitated at the entrance, feeling intimidated not by being out of place but by meeting Garrison’s parents who raised him.
Although Garrison reassured her not to worry about his parents’ opinions, she couldn’t help but care deeply about what they thought given their close relationship with him.
For those she cared about deeply like Garrison himself, Winifred always felt nervous.
“Let’s go.”
No more words were needed; hesitation wouldn’t help now. It was better to face it head-on even if it meant enduring some discomfort.
Besides, Garrison repeatedly assured her that his parents wouldn’t interfere with his personal relationships.
Nodding firmly while gripping his hand tighter for support, they walked inside together side-by-side.
“Mr. Reeves! You’re back! Why didn’t you inform us earlier so we could prepare?” greeted Clegg, the housekeeper.
“No need for special preparations; just keep things as usual. Or that will bring you too much of trouble.”
“It’s never trouble for us! How long will you be staying this time?”
“Not much longer.”
Winifred quietly listened as they exchanged words. It became clear how rarely Garrison visited here.