“No one is completely unafraid of pain. It’s just that some people endure it better. When we cry out in pain, it’s meant for the people who care about us to hear. Those who don’t care won’t react at all. After all, no one in this world truly feels your pain. The people who love you might feel a pang of sympathy, but those who hate you? They’d only feel glee watching you suffer.”
Winifred Dawson wasn’t sure why she said those words. Perhaps Garrison Reeves’ reminiscing had stirred up some old emotions buried deep within her.
She smiled faintly. “To be honest, I’m still pretty afraid of pain.” But there were certain pains she had no choice but to endure. She had people who cared about her, and she also had people she cared about. She didn’t want the people she loved to get hurt. If one of them had to suffer, she would rather it be herself.
After Garrison Reeves finished applying medicine to her wounds, he downed the bowl of sobering soup on the coffee table in one gulp. The soup was nearly cold, but it helped clear his head a little. Though the dizziness had eased, he still felt overwhelmingly tired.
Knowing that Winifred Dawson disliked the smell of alcohol, Garrison Reeves forced himself to drag his exhausted, woozy body into the bathroom for a shower. He needed to wash off every trace of the alcohol stench.
That night, the two shared a bed. To avoid interruptions, Winifred Dawson decisively turned off her phone. She held Garrison Reeves in her arms, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing. Perhaps it was because he was too exhausted, but Garrison Reeves fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.
Winifred Dawson, however, couldn’t sleep. She lay on her side, gazing at Garrison Reeves’ face. Unable to resist, she leaned closer and softly kissed his brow.
As if sensing something, Garrison Reeves furrowed his brow slightly. Winifred Dawson froze, daring not to make another move. Only after confirming that he wasn’t reacting did she nestle into his arms, finding a comfortable position to lie down.
No matter how tiring the previous night was, Garrison Reeves had an unshakable internal clock. He woke up early the next morning, as usual. It was ingrained in his bones.
As soon as he got up, he received a phone call. After a brief farewell to Winifred Dawson, he hurried off to work.
The driver was already waiting outside early in the morning. Garrison Reeves didn’t even have time for breakfast. On typical days, if he were home, he would make breakfast himself and coax Winifred Dawson to eat with him. But today, he was in too much of a rush. Before heading out, he reminded her to eat on time. If she couldn’t cook, she should order takeout.
Winifred Dawson stood at the door, watching him get into the car and leave. Once back inside, she turned on her phone, which had been off all night. As expected, Leland Burns had sent her several texts. He had even called when she didn’t respond.
“Winifred Dawson, have you thought about it during these three days?”
“Did seeing Garrison Reeves with another woman disappoint you?”
“Decided yet? Come to this address tomorrow.”
“So, you turned off your phone?”
“What happened between you and Garrison Reeves?”
“If you dare to do anything with him, I will make you regret it.”
“Think about what Garrison Reeves has been focusing on these past few days. You wouldn’t want to see him suffer like this, would you?”
After reading the messages, Winifred Dawson clenched her teeth in fury. Two words escaped her lips: “Madman.”
Yes, Leland Burns was a complete lunatic. How did she become so unlucky to cross paths with someone like him?
Thankfully, she had turned off her phone last night. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to calm down after reading those messages. If she had faced Garrison Reeves in such a state, she might have given everything away.
Taking a few deep breaths, she steadied herself. The tension in her neck and shoulders eased as she exhaled. After confirming that she was in control of her emotions, Winifred Dawson dialed Leland Burns’ number.
“Turned off your phone all night? Finally willing to talk to me now?” Leland Burns’ voice came through the line. It was impossible to discern his mood, but Winifred Dawson could imagine it based on his messages-he was likely in a foul temper.
Men like him were used to getting whatever they wanted with a snap of their fingers. Everyone around them catered to their whims, bowing and scraping to please them. So, encountering someone who dared to resist naturally piqued his interest. He wanted to conquer her at any cost.
It was the male ego-competitive, prideful. The novelty at first would eventually wear off.
Ignoring his words, Winifred Dawson went straight to the point. “The address you sent me. I’m coming over now. Are you there?”
“As long as you come, I’ll be here.”
After hanging up, Winifred Dawson opened the address he had sent. It wasn’t far-about a twenty-minute drive. The location was a hotel.
Another battle awaited her. Winifred Dawson slapped her cheeks firmly, trying to stay alert. Then, she went to the bathroom, splashed her face with cold water, and felt a little more awake. She changed her clothes, grabbed her bag-which contained her phone, keys, a self-defense fruit knife, and homemade pepper spray-and headed out.
Prepared for the worst.
Using a ride-hailing app, she called for a car and waited by the roadside for five minutes. When the car arrived, she gave the driver the address.
The car stopped in front of the hotel, but Winifred Dawson hesitated. She didn’t step out immediately. The driver glanced back at her and reminded her, “Miss, we’ve arrived.” Without his prompt, she might have sat there until nightfall.
Winifred Dawson took a deep breath, a sigh escaping her lips. Even the driver could hear it. She pushed the car door open. “Thank you, sir,” she said softly before stepping out.