Secret Admiration: Finding True Love After Prison

Chapter 3 Silent Whispers

Meryl struggled to catch her breath, gripping the edges of her sleeves as if they might keep her grounded.

Why did he have to not only reject her but also humiliate her?

After a moment, she steadied herself, looked up at Dalton, and forced a smile. "Dalton, just because I have feelings for you doesn't mean you can belittle me."

Dalton was momentarily taken aback by her smile, a rare sight these days.

He found himself staring at her longer than he meant to, but by the time he realized it, Meryl had already looked away.

He loosened his tie and stubbed out his cigarette, acknowledging that Meryl had changed.

Though he wouldn't admit it, she wasn't the same woman who used to light up a room with her smile.

It was as if her spirit had withered away.

It didn't affect him directly, but it stirred an unsettling discomfort within him.

Dalton couldn't quite figure out what was bothering him.

Shaking off the confusion, he reminded her, "Today is Lydia's birthday. I'll take you back to the Stone Villa later, but remember to behave. Don't cause trouble. Lydia is nothing like you." Meryl's heart sank at his words.

To Dalton, Lydia was a cherished prize, while she was deemed unworthy even as a mere accessory.

hour later, Meryl was ushered into

the Stone Villa, the grand hall was filled with

though Lydia wasn't Malcolm's biological daughter, her birthdays were

the Stone family's status and their support for her,

in Kingsdom had been

with wealthy

favored when she isn't even Mr. Stone's biological daughter? Is

the skills and talent. In our circle, that's what really

Mr. Stone was so impressed that he promoted her to vice president, clearly grooming her as a successor." "But

odd because Camille Foster, who adopted Meryl, was supposed to be Lydia's mother, but

still couldn't wrap her head around why Lydia and Camille weren't

a better life, but it turned out Lydia wasn't even her

the full story, but the

back to the Stone family, while

the Stones treated her

few socialites chatted, their eyes subtly

Meryl lowered her head and quickly left

of the women turned to the others and said, "Didn't that woman who just walked by look a bit

others followed

and figure. The woman who

person who