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 her own reputation, and she

suddenly felt that her love of seven years were utterly

up to what had once been her and

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

was filled with Lydia's

needles. Her lips turned pale from how hard she was biting them, her heart frozen

He told the maid: "She's filthy. Get

maid nodded and led Meryl to

the last time you bathed? You

if she wasn't getting bullied in prison for years. But Myrel didn't say

herself in

wounds from her prison days still

relentless abuse. Though the last month had brought some relief, her

bruises and scratches to long,

proper care, and untreated injuries had festered. The worst was a deep scar on her left foot, which throbbed with each rainstorm, reminding her of the old pain. Whenever the pain became

the fresh clothes the maid had left, which fit her surprisingly

as soon as she opened the bathroom door, she walked straight

stumbled, nearly

hand shot out to steady her, wrapping

was jarring

she found herself pressed against his chest, the heavy scent of