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.

enough to risk

that her love of

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

the major renovations to the placement of flower pots. She had even helped with the painting. She had spent countless days and nights dreaming of a life there with

house was filled with Lydia's

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

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

maid nodded and led Meryl

when was the last time you bathed? You should take

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

locked herself in the

from her prison days

three years in prison, she endured relentless abuse. Though the

ranging from bruises and scratches to long, jagged

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 too much, Meryl would

the fresh clothes the maid

opened the bathroom door, she

stumbled, nearly

hand shot out to steady her,

jarring

raced as she found herself pressed against his chest, the