Secret Admiration: Finding True Love After Prison

Chapter 6 Raking up the Past

"Yeah, I did time." Meryl's eyes scanned the crowd, finally landing on Lydia.

Lydia reached out to grab her hand. "Meryl, stop saying that. I just spoke without thinking, okay?"

Meryl pulled back, avoiding Lydia's touch, yanking her hand away.

Suddenly, Lydia stepped on the hem of her dress and fell to the ground.

The fall was hard, and shards from a broken glass on the floor hadn't been cleaned up yet.

Dalton immediately rushed over, pushing through the crowd to help Lydia up.

Her hand was a bloody mess, with shards embedded in her skin.

Dalton's eyes blazed with anger as he glared at Meryl. "Meryl, you never learn! I warned you..."

Meryl's heart skipped a beat. She knew Dalton didn't care about her, but seeing him protect another woman still hurt.

"What did I do? I just pulled my hand away. She fell on her own."

Seeing their hands clasped together, Meryl felt a pang of irony. She lowered her gaze, gently touching a spot on her chest where a pendant hung, a gift from someone long ago.

countless moments of despair, she had clung to

again, her eyes

and continued, "Yeah, I was in prison, but

face turned pale as Meryl

Meryl's past, Bianca also suspected it

to cover it up, she

and couldn't

you've had too much to drink. Let them help you upstairs to sober up." But Meryl ignored

I had really kidnapped Lydia, I could have made her disappear without a trace. Why would I leave evidence for you

a sharp slap echoed through

his study, his face

this nonsense right

stung, but

have done it when they first grabbed her. Why take her

the room as people glanced at Lydia,

everyone, turning them into a spectacle. His one daughter ended up in prison, and the other was nearly assaulted all because of

let out a cold laugh, thinking, "Can't handle this, can

to her own

teach her a lesson because she had

be the only way to set Meryl straight, fearing she would otherwise

by Camille, who had also raised