Winifred ladled a small bowl of soup, and it was hard to tell from the pot whether she had actually consumed any. Garrison said, “You’re still ill, you should eat more even if you’re not hungry. Not eating will only slow your recovery.”
“I know, I’ll eat more in a bit.”
The hot dishes were prepared quickly, and in less than ten minutes, Garrison had them on the table. With Garrison watching, Winifred obediently ate her meal, but halfway through, the phone rang, startling her.
Recently, any slight disturbance frightened Winifred.
Garrison took out his mobile phone, his previously relaxed expression tightening as he stood and walked to the balcony to answer the call.
He avoided Winifred.
Typically, Garrison avoided Winifred only when the matter was serious, fearing that she would worry if she overheard.
On the balcony, Garrison answered the call and even closed the door behind him. Initially, he spoke softly, likely cautious of being overheard by Winifred. However, as the conversation progressed, he became increasingly agitated, eventually shouting into the phone.
Winifred was unaccustomed to seeing Garrison like this and was startled by his demeanor.
After hanging up, Garrison stood on the balcony for a long time to calm himself. Finally, remembering Winifred, he composed himself, turned around, and opened the door. Winifred had already diverted her gaze, pretending nothing had happened.
Soon after changing out of his clothes, Garrison dressed again, saying to Winifred, “I need to go out tonight. Remember to lock the door if you go to sleep.”
“Are you going out again?”
“Yes, it’s work-related.”
It was the same response as always. Seeing Garrison’s reluctance to elaborate, Winifred opened her mouth to speak but ultimately remained silent. She was clueless about these matters; even if Garrison shared his current problems with her, what could she do to help? Moreover, she suspected that she might somehow be involved in the issue.
Winifred was right. She watched Garrison enter the elevator and then securely locked the door, as he had instructed.
Back in the dining room, she looked at the still-steaming dishes and lost her appetite. Sitting motionless, she clasped the necklace around her neck. Just then, her phone vibrated twice in her pocket-a new message had arrived.
Winifred didn’t immediately check it. Instead, she closed her eyes to steady her tense emotions. Ready to face whatever was coming, she took out her phone. As expected, the message was from Leland.
It read: “At this hour, Garrison must be out again.”
To an outsider, it might seem as though her home was under surveillance by Leland.
Winifred stood abruptly from her dining chair, staring intently at her phone, her whole body trembling with anger.
She was right-Leland was behind this. What was he trying to accomplish by repeatedly drawing Garrison away? Did he take pleasure in seeing people desperate and trapped? Clenching her phone, Winifred contemplated a daunting decision laid out by a hundred-day agreement. Did she have to take it?
…
Elsewhere, after sending the text, Leland set down his phone. He was confident that Winifred would read his message and understand its implication.
His motive wasn’t to revel in seeing someone in distress; rather, he disliked Garrison and Winifred being alone together.
Previously unaware, now that he knew, he would do everything in his power to prevent it. Whether one called him cunning or despicable, Leland remained unyielding. From the beginning to the end, he still regarded Winifred as his woman.
When he went to see Winifred alone today, he desperately suppressed the beast within him. He yearned to repeat the events of that night, to possess her forcefully under him.
He wanted to hold Winifred close without a moment’s separation, to hear her cry out beneath him, and he even wanted Garrison to know.
Deep inside, Leland felt like he was suppressing a demon, and Winifred was the desire that catalyzed its emergence.
Winifred urged him to forget that night, to act as if nothing had happened.
Forget? How could he possibly forget? A body restrained for ten years ignited; his heart warmed again, his blood seemed to boil like ignited fireworks, and excitement instantly filled his body.
Not only could he not forget that night, but he also couldn’t forget the events that had happened with Winifred ten years ago.
His memory was too sharp, easily recalling everything about Winifred.
He remembered her body, every night they spent at Autumn Joy Estate, and the church…
He wanted to repeat the past, but reason reminded him repeatedly that he could not do so. If he did, he would truly lose Winifred forever, pushing her even further away. Thus, he could only endure, desperately suppressing the fire of desire within him.
The heat emanating from Leland was unbearable; he stood up and entered the bathroom, soon after which the sound of water could be heard.
After coming out, he made a phone call, learning that Garrison was recently handling a big deal, aiming to solidify his position in the Midlands. This deal and client were very important to him.
What mattered to him, Leland would make sure he did not succeed. A sense of revenge brewed within him. Those things that were oblivious to him came to his mind, for example, the sarcastic remark Garrison made four years ago.
-“Leland, after all these years, do you still remember what Winifred looks like?”
Now that he thought about it, there was an implication in his words then. Winifred must have already undergone plastic surgery, which is why he dared to provoke him like that.
Thinking of how Winifred had secretly hidden Winifred under a false identity, arranged for her plastic surgery, and even talked of fiances and marriage… How could Leland endure it?
He wouldn’t act against Winifred for now, but as for Garrison… If not for considering Winifred’s feelings, he would have taken harsher actions. Since he couldn’t confront him openly, he resorted to undermining the hard-earned business deal Garrison had negotiated, making these days tough for him, ensuring he wouldn’t have the spare capacity to focus on Winifred.
These days were enough for Winifred to thoroughly consider their discussed agreement and to heal her wounds.
She should be thankful.
Now, he just had to wait… Given his understanding of Winifred, it wouldn’t be long before she came to him on her own accord.
He was still too soft-hearted towards her. He liked Winifred so much; how could he utter the words to not touch her for a hundred days?
A hundred days could lead to many unforeseen events. Who could predict whether, over time, Winifred might soften towards him, possibly growing fonder?