After Garrison Reeves denied knowing Leland Burns, Winifred Dawson didn’t press further.
She wasn’t the type to be easily fooled, but she trusted Garrison Reeves.
If she couldn’t believe in Garrison Reeves, then there was nothing in her world she could trust.
“We’re heading back home the day after tomorrow,” Garrison Reeves said, firmly grasping her hand.
So soon? The thought of returning stirred memories of what Leland Burns had told her earlier. Going back meant she would have to face the agreement she had made with him.
“Why the rush? Have you finished all your business here?”
“Yeah, everything’s been handled. There’s nothing left for me here. Let’s go back home.”
Leland Burns was in Midlands, just a short distance away. Winifred Dawson frequented the area, and it was only a matter of time before she ran into him.
“Actually… I’d like to stay a bit longer. There are still many places I haven’t visited.”
She wanted to delay their departure, even though she knew it was just a futile struggle.
“There’s nothing worth seeing here. Once we’re back, I’ll take you to explore around Bankshire,” Garrison Reeves said apologetically. “I’d love to stay and spend more time with you, but I have urgent work to handle back home.”
Hearing that Garrison Reeves was busy with work, Winifred Dawson didn’t dare to argue about staying.
Garrison Reeves was a man of his word. Once he made a decision, he acted swiftly. By the next day, he had already packed their luggage, and that evening, they were rushing to the airport as if something truly urgent was waiting for him back home.
Before she could process what was happening, Winifred Dawson found herself on a plane. Just as she was about to turn off her phone, a text message from Leland Burns popped up.
“See you back home.”
Her fingers turned cold. She was used to receiving these “harassment texts” from Leland Burns. As long as he didn’t force her to respond, she never replied. Instead, she would read the message, then press and hold to delete it.
This time was no different. Winifred Dawson swiftly deleted the text, went into her phone settings, and switched to airplane mode.
Shortly after the plane took off, Winifred Dawson started dozing off. Leaning against Garrison Reeves, she drifted into a light sleep.
She woke up to Garrison Reeves gently calling her for a meal. The plane offered some late-night snacks, including pastries she liked. Since the food was included in the ticket price, she figured it would be a waste not to eat. Despite a lack of appetite, she managed to eat a few.
Afterward, she stared out the dark window. The night sky was void of stars.
When they finally arrived in Bankshire, Garrison Reeves draped his coat over her shoulders. The air here was colder than it had been in Midlands. They had left at night, and now it was morning. A chilly wind cut through the air, making Winifred Dawson shiver despite her layers. She instinctively moved closer to Garrison Reeves, gripping his fingers tightly.
Garrison Reeves wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. “Cold?”
“Not too bad,” she replied, though her toes ached from the chill. At least it wasn’t bad enough to affect her walking.
“You’re so sensitive to the cold. Maybe you shouldn’t go out looking for work. Winters in Bankshire aren’t like elsewhere-they’re not just cold but damp too. Aren’t you afraid of the pain?”
Winifred Dawson frowned. Of course, she was afraid of the pain, but she feared losing her freedom even more.
She had spent too much time confined-at home, in the hospital. She desperately longed to step outside, to breathe fresh air, to wander the streets, to explore new places.
Having lived in Bankshire for so many years, she had barely gone out and knew little about her surroundings.
“No, I want to go out. I’ll wear more layers, use heating pads if I have to. I can’t just stay cooped up at home because I’m afraid of the cold or pain. Look at the people around us. Who isn’t tired from life? Do you think they lie in bed all day just because they’re exhausted?”
Winifred Dawson’s argument made sense, but Garrison Reeves had his own reasoning. He patted her head gently.
“They don’t stay in bed because they don’t want to-they can’t afford to. They don’t have the luxury. But you do. You’re free to do whatever you want. Anything you desire, I can give you.”
“But that’s yours. Not mine.”
“What’s mine is yours. Why make such a distinction?”
Garrison Reeves had his own form of stubbornness, a side of him he rarely revealed to Winifred Dawson for fear of scaring her.
Winifred Dawson stared at him, her eyelashes trembling. “But I’m an independent person. I don’t want to rely on you for everything. If one day you’re not there, how will I survive? I need to face and handle things on my own.”
“I’ll never leave your side.”
But the night I got hurt, you weren’t there for me. You can’t always protect me.
Winifred Dawson looked up at him, her voice firm but soft. “I don’t want to become useless, Garrison Reeves. I want to work. I want to prove that I’m capable. I want to hear others praise me, to feel fulfilled through my efforts. You promised me before-if I could go out and handle things on my own abroad, you’d let me work when we returned. You can’t go back on your word.”