Chapter 17 Knowing Her Well

Meryl lowered her eyes and said firmly, “I won’t marry him.”

In her most helpless moments, Dalton had once been a beacon of hope, a light that brightened her life. Because of that, she had believed in him all these years. No matter how many times he hurt her, just recalling the scarf he threw to her outside the bathroom that day would make her forgive him. She had kept compromising, forgetting that people could change and that light could shine on someone else.

Anne sighed with relief. “I’m glad you see it now. You were too fixated on him before.” She gently touched the scar on Meryl’s ankle, her voice filled with guilt. “I’m sorry, Meryl. I couldn’t protect you.”

Meryl shook her head. During that time, the Blanchett family was in chaos, and Anne had broken her leg in a performance accident. She had her own troubles, and Meryl understood.

They got so absorbed in their conversation that Walter quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. He headed to the parking lot where Chandler was sitting in the car, smoking.

Seeing Walter approach, Chandler raised an eyebrow. “How did it go?”

“Ms. Stone was pretty surprised. Doesn’t seem like she’s up for a quick marriage,” Walter said honestly.

Chandler stretched his legs, leaning back in his seat with a slight smile. “I figured as much.” He knew Meryl wouldn’t agree to something so sudden without a strong reason. This thought deepened his gaze.

He casually draped his arm out of the window, thin wisps of smoke rising from his fingers. Walter got into the driver’s seat, glancing cautiously at Chandler before speaking, “Sir, maybe you should just tell her who you really are…”

Chandler tilted his chin, signaling him to continue.

“Tell her you’re Dalton’s uncle. If she marries you, she’ll have a strong position in Kingsdom. Dalton would have to respect her, and she’d be safe from anyone trying to harm her. It’s a tempting offer. If I were her, I’d consider it.” Walter grew more excited as he spoke, almost saying too much. He quickly stopped himself and wiped his lips.

Chandler smiled slightly. “Interesting idea.”

Walter smiled, scratching the back of his head.

But Chandler quickly shifted his tone. “But you don’t understand her.”

Walter blinked, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Meryl had been oppressed by her family for so long that revealing Chandler’s identity might scare her off, so he couldn’t risk that. Chandler played with the lighter in his hand, thin smoke wafting up, blurring his expression.

At 8 PM, outside an upscale private club, Dalton and Lydia stepped out of the car. Lydia was visibly nervous, fidgeting with her hands in front of her.

Despite their relationship being relatively low-profile, the chaos of last night’s birthday party had thrust her into the spotlight. She was anxious, worried that Chandler had asked to see her to break her and Dalton apart. After all, she was a fake socialite with a murky background, hardly a match for someone from such a prestigious family.

Chandler, with his formidable reputation, was known for his hard-nosed approach. Having spent a decade in the police force and then taking control of Galaxy Holdings Group, he had become a major power player, sidelining other family members and consolidating his authority. Such a person clearly had extraordinary means. The Aniston family was a large, distinguished clan that couldn’t tolerate scandals. If he decided she was a problem, Dalton might not dare to go against him.

Lydia’s anxiety grew with every thought. She tugged at Dalton’s sleeve, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Dalton, I’m really scared… What if your uncle tries to split us up?”

Dalton gently patted her shoulder, his voice soothing. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her eyes were wide and vulnerable as she looked up at him. “Really?”

His heart ached at her distress. He took her hand in his and spoke softly, “Whatever my uncle says, just agree with him for now. Once he cools off, things should settle down.”

The drama from last night had blown up bigger than Dalton anticipated. He figured Chandler had called them over to give them a stern talking-to or, at most, lay into them a bit.

Lydia nodded, trying to mask her unease.

Then Dalton suddenly remembered. “Has Meryl shown up yet?”

Back in the day, Meryl would have been at his door within hours, ready to patch things up. But a whole day had passed, and this time, she seemed uncharacteristically stubborn.

Lydia’s face tightened slightly at the mention of Meryl. She wasn’t pleased but kept her irritation hidden. “She hasn’t come back yet.” She looked at Dalton, her lips pressed together as she said, “Maybe she’s still upset with me. Once this is over, I’ll go and get her.”

“You’re going to fetch her?” Dalton scoffed. “Let her stay away if she wants. It’s not like she’s going to make any difference.”

Lydia hid a smirk as she leaned into him, her eyes glinting with a touch of satisfaction. “Meryl’s being too stubborn this time. When she comes to you, don’t be too harsh on her.”

Dalton gave a dismissive grunt. “Let’s see how she plays it. She’s acting like she’s got all the leverage, but she’s the one who can’t let go. Meryl really thinks too highly of herself.”

He was sure that by tonight, Meryl would come around, begging for forgiveness.