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

felt that her love

pulled up to what had once been her and

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

was filled

being pierced by needles. Her lips turned pale from how hard

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

led Meryl to the

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

getting bullied in prison for years. But

herself in the bathroom and

wounds from her prison

relentless abuse. Though the last

hidden, ranging from bruises and scratches

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 too much, Meryl would keep telling herself that the agony would

into the fresh clothes the maid had left, which fit

soon as she opened the bathroom door, she walked

nearly

shot out to steady her, wrapping

touch was jarring for both of

pressed against his chest, the heavy scent