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.

risk her own

love of seven

as the car pulled up to what had once been her and

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

the house was

needles. Her lips turned pale from how hard she

the maid: "She's

led

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

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

the maid away, she locked herself in the bathroom

wounds from her prison

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

bruises and scratches to long,

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

soon as she opened the bathroom door,

stumbled, nearly falling

to steady her, wrapping around

was jarring for both of

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