Chapter 25 Betrayal and Blame
When Lydia heard Meryl’s words, her face stiffened, and a hint of guilt flashed across her expression.
Just as expected, Bianca’s expression turned grim the moment Meryl brought up the incident. Bianca always thought that her well-behaved eldest daughter would never commit such a disgraceful act. But the live TV broadcast had detailed accounts, and she had been troubled by it all morning.
With her lips pressed together, Bianca asked, “Lydia, did you and Dalton really…”
Tears welled up in Lydia’s eyes, and they started to fall before she could even get a word out. “I’m sorry, Mom. Dalton had too much to drink last night. He took me to the hotel, and I was too weak to fight back.”
Upon hearing that, Bianca frowned and grumbled, “That Dalton! He’s already engaged to Meryl. How could he force himself on you?!”
Lydia gently wiped her reddened eyes and continued, “Dalton was drunk, Mom. It’s not entirely his fault. And Meryl is a victim in this, too.”
It was only then that Bianca remembered Meryl was still standing there. She figured that since Meryl loved Dalton so much, she must be feeling awful right now.
Bianca, however, snorted, “She couldn’t keep an eye on her own man, so who else is to blame? If Meryl hadn’t made Dalton angry that night, you wouldn’t have had to plead on her behalf and ruin your reputation!”
She then turned to Meryl, glaring at her. “Now look at what’s happened. Lydia lost her dignity to Dalton because of you, and now she’s bearing the blame for it.”
Upon hearing that, Meryl stopped abruptly in her tracks. “Are you kidding me? They’re the ones who messed around, and you’re blaming it on me?”
She sometimes really wondered who the biological daughter actually was.
Meryl wondered, “Why does my family always pin the root of every problem on me without knowing the whole story? Lydia is one thing. She’s always been vying for my place and my parents’ love. But seriously, are my parents blind? They can’t tell right from wrong. It’s shameful!”
Meryl then raised an eyebrow mockingly, asking, “Did I force them to get a room in the hotel? Your bias has to stop! If you keep pushing me, I’ll tell the reporters they’ve been messing around for ages! Lydia even had two abortions for Dalton! You want to mess with me? Fine. Let’s all be miserable then!”
Bianca gasped. “You! What are you babbling about? You’re utterly reckless!”
Without another word, Meryl turned, slammed the door shut, and stormed out, leaving Bianca and Lydia in chaos in the living room.
Bianca took a good while to process it, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Lydia? Did you really have an abortion? Were you seeing Dalton this whole time?”
Lydia’s expression flickered with a hint of guilt but was quickly replaced by a look of grievance. “Mom, Meryl’s lying. She was just desperate and trying to stir things up between us. I’m innocent. There’s no way I’d do that.”
Bianca breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that. Then, she commented with a thoughtful expression, “Meryl was indeed raised in a gambler’s family, lying without batting an eye. If only she were half as well-behaved as you.”
Lydia, feeling pleased with herself, added, “It’s okay. Meryl can learn slowly. She was actually wronged today. You shouldn’t say that about her.”
Bianca was dismissive. “Wronged? It’s your reputation on the line, not hers. What’s there for her to be wronged about? She spent three years in prison and is still like this.”
The more Bianca thought about it, the angrier she got, and she exclaimed, “This daughter of mine is really a lost cause!”
Lydia then seemed to be reminded of something sad and said, “What happened last night has blown up so much. I can’t show my face anymore.”
Bianca felt a headache coming on at the mention of this but still patted Lydia’s shoulder reassuringly. “This is Dalton’s fault. I’ll have your father ask him what he plans to do. He ruined your reputation. He must take responsibility.”
Hearing this, Lydia breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t worried about Dalton at all. It seemed she would soon marry into the Aniston family.
Meanwhile, Meryl left the Stone Villa and took a long time to calm herself.
When she was a teenager, she had come back here with high hopes, but now, every second she stayed made her feel nauseous.
Meryl told herself it was okay, thinking that one shouldn’t always be haunted by the past. She hailed a taxi by the roadside, and after about a forty-minute drive, she arrived outside a residential area in the city center.
The neighborhood was in a prime location with easy access to public transport, making it a quiet spot amid the hustle and bustle. It wasn’t a new development, probably around a decade old, but the surroundings and security system were well-maintained.
Meryl paid the cab fare and stepped into the community. As soon as she entered the elevator, her phone rang.