Chapter 263 Get a Divorce
Facing Ethan’s taunts, Dalton was left speechless. He couldn’t find any rebuttal to Ethan’s jabs. Throughout their lives, he’d never let Ethan get the upper hand, but this time, Dalton had nothing to say. Deep down, he felt Ethan was right; he deserved it. Conflicted, Dalton wished Meryl would see him in a different light. He had so much he wanted to tell her, but Ethan’s sudden appearance had interrupted him. All those words would have to wait for another opportunity. Dalton left the hospital room feeling a mix of frustration and resignation.
Meryl, having no serious injuries, was discharged after a day and went home. Lydia, on the other hand, had suffered a concussion and some facial bruises and spent an entire week in the hospital. Dalton didn’t stay with her. Instead, he hired a caregiver to tend to Lydia’s needs and then disappeared.
Despite this, Lydia felt uneasy. She tried calling Dalton, but his phone was still unreachable. Lydia started to worry, thinking, “Has Dalton blocked me? But we’ve only just gotten married. How could he block me so soon?” Once discharged, Lydia rushed back to their marital home and was shocked to find Dalton hadn’t been there for a week. The slippers were still in the same place she had left them a week ago. Panic set in. She thought, “Where has Dalton been staying? Why isn’t he coming home?” Overwhelmed with a fear she’d never felt before, Lydia had no choice but to call Cate.
“Cate, do you know where your brother is? I can’t reach him.” Cate responded, confused, “Can’t reach him? Just wait for him to come home tonight, then you’ll be able to.”
Charlotte had always looked down on Lydia, and Cate, too, had never been particularly warm towards her. Lydia had no way to explain her predicament. She wasn’t about to reveal that Dalton hadn’t been coming home at all.
“With Christmas coming up, Cate, I’ve got a gift for you,” Lydia said, hoping to build some goodwill.
Cate, still in college and relatively naive compared to the rest of the Aniston family, perked up at the mention of a gift. “What kind of gift? I hope it’s not just more jewelry or something boring. I’ve seen it all.”
As a member of the Aniston family, Cate had grown up surrounded by priceless pearls, gemstones, and designer clothes. Ordinary gifts didn’t impress her. Lydia, glancing at the pearl necklace she had arranged, sighed. Given the situation, she didn’t have the energy to prepare anything else. “It is a custom pearl necklace from a renowned designer. I hope you like it.”
Cate replied disinterestedly, “Oh. Well, bring it to the Aniston Villa when we celebrate Christmas Eve. It’s not worth making a special trip.”
Lydia wanted to say more, but the door suddenly opened. Dalton stumbled in, visibly drunk. Lydia’s face lit up with relief, and she hurried to him.
“Dalton, why are you so drunk?” Dalton ignored her, shuffling straight to the bedroom and collapsing onto the bed. It was clear he had been living like this for the past week. Lydia quickly poured a glass of water and placed it next to him. As he opened his eyes, their gazes locked. Lydia looked at the face she had longed for. “What’s wrong, Dalton? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Dalton’s voice was flat. “Lydia, let’s get a divorce.”