Secret Admiration: Finding True Love After Prison

Chapter 2 The Harsh Truth

Meryl's face went pale, her eyes losing their sparkle. Those hellish three years should have taught her something.

She took a deep breath, trying to control the storm of emotions inside her, her fingers curling into fists.

As the car passed under a bridge, the shifting light cast shadows on Dalton's face, highlighting his unchanged coldness. Swallowing her bitterness, Meryl asked, "Dalton... Did you pay off those people in prison, asking them to bully me?"

In prison, she had broken down many times, even thinking about ending it all.

But she couldn't let go of Dalton. She was scared he wouldn't manage without her.

She couldn't believe he could be so cruel to her.

Dalton's response was chillingly calm. "What do you expect me to say?"

Meryl froze for a moment, then a wry smile crossed her lips.

Was this his way of confirming it?

To him, she was just a jealous woman and had arranged for Lydia's kidnapping, leading to Lydia almost being assaulted.

The evidence had been plenty, leaving Meryl with no defense.

was ruthless enough to risk

felt that her love of seven years were utterly

as the car pulled up to

the placement of flower pots. She had even helped with the painting. She had spent countless days and nights dreaming of a

house was filled with Lydia's

heart felt like it was being pierced by needles. Her lips turned

ignored her distress. He told the maid: "She's filthy.

and led Meryl to

her nose and said, "Miss, when was the last time

getting bullied in prison for

maid away, she locked herself in the bathroom and scrubbed her skin

from her prison

prison, she endured relentless abuse. Though the last month had

were hidden, ranging from bruises and scratches to long, jagged

foot, which throbbed with each rainstorm, reminding her of the old pain. Whenever the pain became too much, Meryl would keep telling herself that the agony

the shower, she slipped into the fresh clothes the maid had

soon as she opened the bathroom

stumbled, nearly

out to steady her, wrapping around her

touch was jarring

against his chest,