Chapter 35 Encounter
Meryl hopped into a cab and made her way to the bar, her heart racing with concern for Anne.
It was a classy spot, a far cry from the raucous places where chaos reigned. Soft music floated through the air, setting a mellow mood. Anne was still a little tipsy, her eyes glazed over as she cradled her face in her hands.
“What are you doing here? Isn’t today your wedding day?” Anne asked, squinting at Meryl.
“Come on, my husband can wait. You’re my priority right now,” Meryl replied.
Meryl had dashed in, feeling the warmth of the bar envelop her. So, she took off her jacket. Underneath, she wore a striking red knit sundress that clung to her curves just right. Though slender, she had enough to catch the eye. Her long legs, crossed on the barstool, peeked out from the thigh-high slit of her dress. The ankle boots she wore cleverly concealed the scars on her feet, making Meryl look effortlessly chic in the dim lighting.
Anne looked at her with a guilty expression. “Oh man, I’m such a terrible friend! I can’t believe I interrupted your special day.”
Meryl ignored the playful jab and focused on the redness around Anne’s eyes. “Did you and Dante have another fight?”
Anne and Dante were married as part of a strategic union and had been together for two years. However, over the past two years, their marriage had been marked by significant absences. For one year, Anne had to go abroad to recover from a dance injury. During that time, Dante was busy with his studies abroad. When Anne returned, Dante was out of the country, and whenever Dante came back, Anne was away. As a result, in these two years of marriage, they had barely spent any time living under the same roof.
Anne shook her head lightly. “When you only see someone a couple of times a year, what’s there to fight about?”
Just as Meryl was about to respond, a harsh voice cut through.
“Meryl!?”
She turned to find Dalton standing there, a smug look on his face as he held a cocktail glass. He tilted his chin slightly, exuding arrogance. “What are you doing, stalking me? Regretting your choices? Too late for that.”
Seeing Dalton, Anne immediately stood up, positioning herself protectively in front of Meryl. “Dalton, what do you want? There are people around. You can’t just bully women like that!”
Dalton, clearly unimpressed by Anne’s drunken bravado, waved her off. “Nice try with the hard-to-get act, but I’m not buying it.” His gaze shifted past her, landing on Meryl.
Meryl raised an eyebrow, her expression confused. “Who are you talking about?”
“Playing coy, are we? Wasn’t it you who called me this afternoon? What’s the matter? Did I not pick up your call, and now you’re desperate for my attention?” Dalton’s words dripped with sarcasm.
The curious stares of the onlookers around them only made the situation more intense. The drama surrounding the Aniston and Stone families had been all over the news lately. Everyone was eager for the latest scoop, especially given Meryl’s past feelings for Dalton and the recent switch in his engagement to Meryl’s sister.
Meryl tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and raised her chin defiantly. When she met Dalton’s gaze again, her eyes were icy, devoid of any warmth.
“Dalton, what makes you think I’m following you? You think I care enough to chase after you? Who do you think you are?”
Dalton’s brow furrowed in confusion. He wasn’t used to her looking at him like this – cold and detached.
“What’s your game, Meryl?” Dalton asked, narrowing his eyes as if trying to see through her facade.