Winifred Dawson had always been considerate of Garrison Reeves, doing everything she could to ensure he wouldn’t target him.
“You don’t even understand your own situation, yet you dare show up here to make demands of me? Winifred Dawson, do you think you’re the only one capable of taking care of the child? You’ve seriously overestimated your importance.” Leland Burns spoke with deliberate cruelty, his words meant to provoke her, as if moving pieces in a calculated game of chess.
Winifred bit down on her lower lip so hard it nearly bled. Leland’s words humiliated her deeply. She had spent days mustering the courage to take this step, bracing herself emotionally for whatever might come.
She had no idea what would happen when facing Leland alone. The mere thought of him brought back memories of that night, filling her with dread. She didn’t want to face him, didn’t want to be near him.
But now, under his threats, mockery, and ridicule, she felt as worthless as trash. Like a stray dog or cat tossed into the garbage, she was subjected to Leland’s unscrupulous gaze, examining her from head to toe. It gave her the unsettling illusion of being stripped bare, left vulnerable to his whims.
Tears welled up in her reddened eyes, and her voice, hoarse and trembling with suppressed emotion, broke through the silence:
“I’ve never thought of myself as important. I’m fully aware of my situation, and I know exactly how you see me. To you, I’m nothing but a toy-something you grab when it amuses you and discard when it doesn’t. You’ve destroyed my stable life without a second thought, plunging me into chaos. I’m just a puppet in your hand, a bird in your cage. You’ve always been this way, haven’t you? Destroying people’s lives for your own amusement.”
“Leland Burns, since I mean nothing to you, can’t you just let me go? You’re only forcing me now because I rejected you before, and you can’t accept that. Or is it…” She hesitated, her voice dropping as she steadied herself. “… that you enjoy interfering in other people’s relationships? Are you so eager to play the shameless third party?”
She had spent three agonizing days and nights thinking about this. Even now, she couldn’t understand why. She couldn’t believe that Leland might actually love her or had fallen for her at first sight. No matter how much he liked her, it couldn’t possibly be to the extent of obsession.
The only explanation she could come up with for his persistence was his unwillingness to lose.
After finishing her outburst, Winifred felt a pang of regret. She knew her words were harsh and might anger the man standing before her.
Summoning her courage, she continued, “I don’t think someone like you, Mr. Burns, would want to be the third party. You have countless women by your side, all more outstanding than I am. My rejection of you wasn’t because you’re not good enough, but because we’re not suited for each other. If my refusal has angered you, then I sincerely apologize.”
With that, she bowed deeply, a perfect ninety degrees. Her tone and posture were filled with genuine sincerity.
A slap followed by a sweet gesture-Leland hadn’t expected the post-amnesia Winifred to learn how to yield. Even more surprising was her bowing to apologize.
Leland dropped his leg from its resting position and stood, walking straight toward her.
Hearing his approaching footsteps, Winifred felt her scalp tingle. She didn’t dare lift her head, but as the shadow on the floor grew larger, she instinctively stepped back. Her retreat was cut short when a firm hand gripped her chin, forcing her to look up.
Leland’s arrogant smirk made her chest tighten. “Why are you apologizing? Everything you said just now hit the mark. You’re absolutely right-I do enjoy toying with your life, ruining your peace, and making you my possession, my caged bird. So what if I’m the third party? This is only the beginning. Who ends up being the third party remains to be seen. Winifred Dawson, let me make it clear: if I can’t have you, I’ll destroy you.”
The sheer force of his presence pressed down on her, leaving Winifred barely able to breathe.
His rough fingers pinched her delicate chin. Though he was looking at her present face, his mind couldn’t help but conjure the image of the woman she had once been.
Releasing her chin, his hand slid to the back of her neck, gripping her nape. It was a sensitive spot for Winifred, and when his calloused fingers brushed her skin, a tingling sensation shot through her. She unconsciously swallowed, as though an invisible blade rested against her throat, threatening to sever her head with one wrong move.
Winifred’s hand slowly reached into her jacket pocket, but even that small motion didn’t escape Leland’s sharp eyes. The moment she drew the knife, he grabbed her wrist in an iron grip. The blade gleamed, its tip aimed directly at him.
This wasn’t the first time Winifred had tried to kill him.
Leland hadn’t intended to lose his temper, but now a flicker of anger crossed his face. “Are you trying to kill me?”
Winifred’s hand trembled uncontrollably. She hadn’t expected him to see through her so quickly or to stop her so effortlessly.
But then again, she thought bitterly, a man like Leland Burns, who had weathered countless storms, would never let his guard down. Overpowering her would be child’s play for him.
“I can’t kill you,” she admitted, accepting the futility of her actions. She released the knife, letting it fall from her hand. Her legs buckled, and she dropped to her knees.
Her sudden collapse startled Leland, who rarely allowed himself to be caught off guard.