“Miss Dawson, your name has always been Winifred Dawson,” Mrs. Reeves suddenly asked.
Winifred Dawson was momentarily stunned, then nodded.
“Yes.”
Mrs. Reeves felt she had underestimated this person called “Winifred Dawson.” She had blatantly stated that she lacked upbringing, openly mocked her as a poor substitute for another Winifred Dawson, but to her surprise, Winifred’s face remained calm, without a ripple, even smiling at her after hearing those words.
Was she a fool who couldn’t understand human speech, or was she pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger? Had she underestimated her?
In any case, Mrs. Reeves did not like this Winifred Dawson in front of her. Looking into Winifred’s eyes, she felt a familiarity and increasingly thought that her son, Garrison Reeves, had found a substitute-a formidable one at that, who had managed to capture her son’s heart.
Mrs. Reeves felt uneasy and decided to stir things up further.
She stepped forward, took Winifred Dawson’s hand with a smile, “It really is fate, not only do you share the same name, but even your eyes look similar. Garrison, is this why you’re with Miss Dawson? If so, as a mother, I really wouldn’t be pleased. You’d be letting down both people.”
Inside, Garrison Reeves sneered, looking at Winifred Dawson and asked softly, “Do you mind?”
Winifred Dawson instinctively shook her head. What was there for her to mind? Wasn’t she herself in all respects? It was Mrs. Reeves whose hostility was too strong, her grip on her hand painfully tight.
Garrison Reeves reached over and gently pried his mother’s hand away. “Love is between two people. Winifred doesn’t mind, so why should you? The person who will be living with me is her, not you. Besides, having the same name is common, and I happen to like the current Winifred Dawson even more.”
Seeing her son so dismissive, Mrs. Reeves’s face fell immediately, and the atmosphere became tense and awkward.
Winifred Dawson initially thought she would feel intimidated and awkward in such a setting, unable to cope with the atmosphere.
But considering the worst-case scenario, none of these matters were significant; she could entirely bear them, especially not alone, as Garrison Reeves silently shared the burden.
Fortunately, Mr. Reeves intervened, “Breakfast is ready. Let’s head to the dining room and talk over breakfast.”
“Alright,” Garrison Reeves responded, taking Winifred Dawson to the dining room. There, Garrison and Winifred sat at one table, with Mr. and Mrs. Reeves facing them.
Under Mrs. Reeves’s sharp gaze, enjoying the meal was unlikely. The chef’s breakfast tasted excellent, but now, every bite in Winifred Dawson’s mouth felt like chewing wax, tasteless. She couldn’t eat much and to avoid awkwardness, she had to chew slowly.
Mrs. Reeves, noticing something amiss, scoffed, “What’s the matter, not to Miss Dawson’s taste?”
“No, it’s just that my stomach is off today…”
“Is that so? I thought the breakfast prepared by the chef, whom I’ve spent $50, 000 on this month, didn’t suit your taste. Really, your taste is more finicky than that of a genuine lady of high standing.” Typical, no princess life but all the airs of one, she disliked such pretentious poverty.
“What kind of family does Miss Dawson come from? I’ve heard from my son about your affair, and since you’re to be married, shouldn’t the parents meet?”
“My parents are dead.”
“And what does Miss Dawson do?”
“A freethinker, unemployed.”
“So, Miss Dawson has nothing but a name and a face?”
“Indeed,” Winifred Dawson openly admitted, her laugh gracious and fitting. For a moment, it was as if the original Winifred Dawson had returned. She spoke leisurely, “It’s precisely these traits that caught Garrison Reeves’s attention, and why he now loves me.”
Shameless and worthless, Mrs. Reeves couldn’t understand why Winifred Dawson was so pleased with herself. She tried to make Winifred back down by mentioning ambiguous stories involving Garrison and “Winifred Dawson,” but the impostor seemed indifferent, like punching cotton.
Garrison’s focus remained unwaveringly on Winifred Dawson.
When asked about his thoughts, he seemed to defer entirely to “Winifred Dawson’s ideas,” which only fueled his mother’s frustration.
After breakfast, nobody could sit still in such a tense household atmosphere, oppressive if Winifred Dawson were to mingle daily.
“Everything that needed to be said has been said; we should leave now,” Garrison stated, taking Winifred Dawson’s hand and standing up to depart.
“What do you mean everything’s clear! This woman’s background is dubious, deceiving you under the name Winifred Dawson-a penniless orphan, like a leech. What’s good about her? You’re blinded by infatuation. Three years ago, you disappeared for half a year, causing the company to lose billions-was it for this woman?” As Garrison stood silent with a stern face, Mrs. Reeves grew furious and raised her bowl-
“I’m asking you!”
The bowl flew directly at Winifred Dawson, who gasped, unable to react. Garrison quickly stepped in front of her, the bowl hitting his shoulder before smashing on the floor.
Winifred could hear the bowl strike, the muffled thud palpable even through clothing, hinting at the dire consequences had it hit her face directly. And the bowl still contained half of its hot soup.
This time, Garrison’s face turned cold: “Enough! What more do you want to turn this into? When you accuse others of being uncultured, shouldn’t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? You look insane!”
“Garrison Reeves, I am your mother, and you dare call me a madwoman!”
First, Garrison checked Winifred from head to toe to ensure she was unharmed, then grasped her wrist, shielding her firmly behind him.
His expression was icy, his lips curled in a scornful arc, his eyes piercing like a hawk’s: “Isn’t it true though? You constantly bring up the past Winifred Dawson, trying to disturb my current love. Should I remind you how we broke up initially? You forced me to break up with her a second time; do you want a repeat? Mom, you’re overestimating your influence. Do you think you’re still the Mrs. Reeves who could manipulate me, her son? Frankly, everything you currently own is because of me. I can take it all away, reducing you to an ordinary person.”
Mrs. Reeves stiffened, disbelieving, staggering backward, her finger trembling as she pointed at Garrison: “You dare threaten me for an outsider?”
“She’s not an outsider; she’s my girlfriend, my fiancee, and soon to be my wife. I didn’t bring her here today for your approval but merely to inform you that I’m marrying the current Winifred Dawson. Your opinions and objections are irrelevant!”