That vague sense of familiarity lingered, giving Winifred Dawson the absurd illusion that Leland Burns would never let her get hurt. The feeling was inexplicable and, frankly, embarrassing.
As soon as the thought surfaced, she wanted to slap herself awake. What made her think Leland Burns wouldn’t hurt her? Had he not already caused her enough suffering? Was she developing Stockholm syndrome, convincing herself that he was somehow a good person?
If he weren’t cruel, he wouldn’t have targeted Garrison Reeves and used him to threaten her.
She must have gone mad to think there was anything human about Leland Burns-to even feel a sense of familiarity with him. If she had known him before losing her memory, he was likely her enemy.
Winifred’s mind was a tangled mess, and it took her a long time to snap out of it. Not until she walked out of the hotel did she finally regain some composure. She turned to look at the towering building behind her, and for a moment, it felt as though it might collapse and crush her.
She didn’t dare linger. Afraid of being dragged back inside, she decided to put as much distance between herself and Leland Burns as possible, even before her one hundred days had begun.
Just as she stepped out of the hotel, her phone rang. Standing on the sidewalk, the cold wind made her shiver, though sweat beaded on her forehead. Her pale face, tinged with a sickly blue-gray, betrayed her fear. She had barely escaped the hotel, and the thought that the call might be from Leland Burns filled her with dread.
With trembling hands, she pulled out her phone. Seeing the caller ID didn’t ease her anxiety-it was Garrison Reeves.
If Garrison was calling, he would undoubtedly ask what she was doing. That meant she would have to lie to him again.
She answered the phone, and Garrison’s familiar voice came through.
“What are you doing? Why did you take so long to answer?”
Winifred could no longer explain why answering phone calls filled her with fear. The only people who ever called or texted her were Leland Burns and Garrison Reeves.
No matter who it was, it always required a mental struggle. With Garrison, it was guilt-an overwhelming guilt that clawed at her heart. One day, it would consume her entirely.
“I didn’t hear it. It was in my bag.”
“Are you outside?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re still recovering. You’ve barely gotten over your cold, and you’re injured. Why can’t you just stay home and rest?” His tone carried a mix of disapproval and frustration.
“My injuries are just superficial. I wanted to get some fresh air now that my cold’s better. I’ve been cooped up at home for too long-it’s suffocating.”
“Fine, you’ve got your reasons,” Garrison replied, though his irritation was clear. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Yeah, I ate out.”
“What did you eat?”
Garrison’s relentless questioning left Winifred no time to fabricate a lie. She blurted out, “Breakfast.”
“Breakfast? Around here?” Garrison knew the area well. Most of the nearby options were coffee chains or fast-food joints. For someone like Winifred, who preferred traditional Chinese cuisine, the local offerings of pasta, bread, burgers, and pizza wouldn’t have been appealing. She was picky about food and would rather cook a simple porridge or dumplings at home than settle for mediocre fast food.
“I found a place online and took a cab. The reviews were good, and the shrimp dumplings were delicious.”
“When I have time, you’ll have to take me there,” Garrison said casually.
Winifred froze, startled by his response. Her eyelashes quivered, and after a moment, she managed a soft “Okay.”
“Don’t stay out too long. Be careful-you don’t want to run into any trouble.”
“Got it.”
She was about to hang up when a thought struck her. “Garrison, your work… This collaboration is important to you, right? If the problems are resolved and everything goes smoothly later, would it make you… happier?”
“Of course. Who doesn’t like smooth sailing and a bright future?” Garrison chuckled. “Why are you asking something so random?”
“No reason. Just wanted to wish you success.”
Garrison felt that Winifred was acting strange. Over the past few days, he had noticed a growing distance between them. Especially during their phone calls, she seemed less enthusiastic than before.
He couldn’t figure out why. Was he too busy to consider her feelings? Or had he given her too much freedom, and now that she had experienced the outside world, she found him less important?
Garrison didn’t want to dwell on it. He had called to check on her, and now that they’d spoken, it was time for him to get back to work. He reminded her to head home soon and hung up abruptly.
The call had been so rushed, it left no time for reflection.
…
Standing on the side of the road, Winifred stared at her now-black screen in a daze. After a while, she slowly slipped the phone back into her bag. Suddenly, she felt a chill at the back of her neck. Turning to glance at the hotel behind her, she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Was it her imagination? From such a tall building, could Leland Burns even see her clearly? And given his attitude, why would he bother watching her at all?
But the eerie sensation lingered, making her uneasy. She quickly hailed a cab and got in.
…
Winifred’s instincts had been right. Leland Burns was indeed standing by the floor-to-ceiling window on the eighth floor, watching her. His sharp eyes followed her as she stood by the road, took a phone call, and eventually got into a cab. He didn’t need to guess-he knew the call was from Garrison Reeves.
The hotel’s mirrors were made of special two-way glass. From inside, he could see out, but those outside couldn’t see in. When Winifred had turned to look back, it had felt almost like their gazes met.
He had been watching her all along, though she remained unaware. Only after she hurried into the cab did he finally look away.
The one who falls in love first is always the loser. And someone like him-who couldn’t stop loving-was the ultimate failure.
Hearing Winifred repeatedly mention Garrison Reeves, begging for his help, had been like a knife to Leland’s heart. He couldn’t pretend it didn’t hurt. People have limits, and no matter how composed he appeared, he wasn’t immune to pain. After Winifred left, he collapsed onto the sofa, pressing a hand to his forehead. The throbbing in his temple felt like a coiled spring, ready to snap.
He had been restraining himself for too long. When Winifred had taken out that knife, he had suppressed the urge to stab her twice-just to see what her heart was made of.
How could someone look so innocent while cutting others down so mercilessly?
Leland’s heart felt like it had been stung by a swarm of bees, yet he had to maintain a facade of calm, pretending to let her go graciously.
He knew he couldn’t dislodge Garrison Reeves from her heart-not yet. Five years together was a long time, and with her memory gone, who knew what kind of “brainwashing” Garrison had subjected her to?
Garrison seemed like the perfect gentleman, but in truth, he had kept Winifred caged, like a bird. He had broken her once-proud spirit, turning her into someone who knelt too easily. It wasn’t stupidity-it was conditioning. Garrison had likely spent years ensuring she trusted no one but him.
Leland hated Garrison. Perhaps all rivals do. But to him, Garrison represented everything vile. No matter how he looked at him, he couldn’t see him as a good man.
Lowering his lashes, Leland’s dark eyes became unreadable, his long lashes casting shadows over the faint redness at the corners of his eyes. He looked like a figure lost in mist, unreal and unreachable.
He picked up the phone and called the front desk, instructing them to send up the leftover pastries from Winifred’s breakfast.
The staff, confused by his request, hesitated. Why would he want someone else’s leftovers? Leland Burns didn’t seem like the type to eat scraps.
Still, the hotel followed protocol. The uneaten food was retrieved and sent up. When the server knocked on his door, the tray of pastries was exactly as Winifred had left it.