Winifred Dawson stared at Leland Burns’ driver in shock, irritation bubbling inside her.
Why couldn’t Leland Burns show some basic respect? She had never asked for his driver to pick her up. What if Garrison Reeves saw this sudden appearance?
The driver lacked Leland’s sharp perception and had no idea what was going through Winifred’s mind. He urged her, “Miss Dawson, please get in. It’s getting late, and Mr. Burns won’t be pleased if we delay.”
It wasn’t just the driver who’d face consequences-Winifred knew she couldn’t defy Leland either. Swallowing her frustration, she opened the car door and slid inside. “Could you not pick me up next time?” she asked, her tone tentative.
The driver kept his eyes on the road. “That’s up to Mr. Burns. You’ll have to take it up with him.”
Winifred frowned. Having a chauffeur wasn’t entirely bad-it saved money-but the risk of being seen was too high. She proposed a compromise. “If there’s a next time, could you wait where you dropped me off yesterday? Near the bakery.”
“Sure.” Even the driver could tell she was hiding from someone. And who else would she care about avoiding? Only someone who mattered to her.
He felt the need to clarify. “Miss Dawson, Mr. Burns specifically instructed me to approach only when you’re alone. No one else would see.”
Winifred blinked, surprised. She hadn’t expected Leland to be so considerate. She’d assumed he only cared about his own convenience.
When the car pulled up to Leland’s estate, two children came rushing out before it even stopped.
The brothers wore matching outfits today, tiny yellow ducks printed on their shirts. Less formal than yesterday, but just as adorable.
Winifred crouched down as soon as she stepped out, and the boys barreled into her arms.
“Aunt Winifred, we missed you so much!”
She had missed them too, though she didn’t say it aloud. Selfishly, she didn’t want Leland to see how much she cared for his children.
“Just one night apart, and you missed me that much?” She chuckled, lightly pinching Wayne Burns’ nose.
“Of course! I even dreamed about you!”
“Me too!” Shawn Burns chimed in, eager to prove his devotion.
“What did you dream about?”
“That you made us a huge feast! Boiled fish, crab, lobster, fried chicken cutlets…” Wayne’s mouth watered as he listed the dishes, wiping his lips like a little glutton. It was impossible not to laugh.
Winifred did laugh-before reality set in. She had no idea how to cook any of those dishes.
If she could, she’d secretly order takeout and pass it off as her own. But that was impossible here, with Leland’s staff everywhere.
Better to befriend the chef and learn a thing or two.
Holding the boys’ hands, she stood-and there was Leland Burns.
Her good mood evaporated the second she saw him.
“Good morning, Mr. Burns,” she forced out. Ninety-nine days left. Ignoring him entirely wasn’t an option.
She had made a 100-day chart, blacking out each passing day. The sooner those squares filled, the sooner she’d be free.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes.” Garrison had made sandwiches-simple, nutritious, and quick.
Wayne tugged at her sleeve. “Aunt Winifred, guess what we had for breakfast!”
Winifred hummed, pretending to think hard. She spotted traces of milk and egg yolk around his mouth. Kids’ breakfasts weren’t hard to guess.
“Milk and eggs?”
“Wow!” Wayne’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “You’re so good at guessing! We had milk, eggs, and a giant meat bun! It was so big, Shawn and I split it. Look how full I am!” He patted his round belly, the duck on his shirt seeming plumper too.
Leland had raised them well-chubby, rosy-cheeked, their arms like little lotus roots. Cute, but they couldn’t afford to overeat.
“Too much food isn’t good. You’ll get sick, or worse-too chubby for your nice clothes.”
Wayne shook his head frantically. “No! I want to wear nice clothes! I won’t eat too much anymore…”
Shawn stayed silent but wore the same worried expression. What if he got too heavy for Mom to carry?
Winifred had no idea her offhand remark had sparked such anxiety.
Wayne perked up. “But Dad said you’re cooking lunch today! Can I eat a lot then?”
Lunch. The word made Winifred’s head throb.
She had tried cooking before-many times. The results were always disastrous. Maybe she just lacked the talent.
Seeing the boys’ eager faces, she knew one taste of her cooking would crush their expectations.
She avoided Leland blatantly, focusing entirely on the children. Anyone could see how terrified she was of him.
After a while, she realized something was off.
“Where’s the chef?”
“Day off. Otherwise, why would I ask you to cook?”
Had he assigned this just to humiliate her?
“It’s still early…” Ten in the morning. She had no idea how long a proper meal took. At home, Garrison handled everything. Even takeout only took an hour.
“I’m already hungry.” Not his stomach-his mind. Starving. If he couldn’t have food, he’d settle for something else.
Like a person.
The children were in the way. For the first time, Leland found them inconvenient.
Useful when needed, annoying when not.
“You’ve played all morning. Go upstairs and study.”
“But-” Wayne’s protest was cut off by Leland’s sharp tone.
“No arguments. Go.”
“Okay… Come on, Shawn.” He wanted to help Mom cook, but he didn’t dare defy Dad. It was obvious-Dad wanted them gone so he could be alone with her.
Fine. If it meant Mom would stay, he’d play along.
With the boys gone, Winifred tensed at the thought of being alone with Leland.
At least the staff were still around-or so she thought, until they quietly filed out.
Now it was just the two of them.