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.

ruthless enough to risk her own reputation, and

her love of seven

gaze grew empty as the car pulled up to what had once been her

detail of the house, from the major renovations to the placement of flower pots. She had even helped with the painting. She had spent

house was filled

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

He told the maid: "She's filthy.

led Meryl to the

the last time you bathed? You should take better care of

nice if she wasn't getting bullied in prison for years.

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

from her prison days still

three years in prison, she endured relentless abuse. Though the last month had brought some relief, her old

were hidden, ranging from bruises and scratches to

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 too much, Meryl would keep telling

shower, she slipped into the fresh clothes the maid had left, which fit

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

stumbled, nearly

hand shot out to steady her, wrapping around her

touch was jarring for

found herself pressed against his chest,