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 reputation, and she

that her love of seven years were

pulled up to what had once been

pots. She had even helped with

was

turned pale from how hard she was biting them,

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

maid nodded and led Meryl to

nose and said, "Miss, when was the last time you bathed? You should take

getting bullied in prison for years. But Myrel didn't say a

in the bathroom and scrubbed her skin for

wounds from her prison days still haunted

three years in prison, she endured relentless abuse. Though the last month had brought some relief, her old injuries hadn't

ranging from bruises and scratches to long,

each rainstorm, reminding her of the old pain.

into the fresh clothes the maid had left, which fit

opened the bathroom door, she walked

stumbled, nearly falling

shot out to steady

was jarring

found herself pressed against his chest,