Chapter 49 The Curtain Fell
Dalton was at his wit’s end. After the ruckus that had unfolded earlier, he hadn’t had a moment’s peace all night, and now his head was pounding like a drum.
At the heart of the chaos was his engagement to Lydia, a matter that had spiraled dangerously out of control. Dalton had to admit that he’d underestimated the situation. Ever since the birthday bash, things had taken a wild turn. Meryl, who had always been utterly devoted to him, had suddenly suggested breaking off their engagement, and from that moment on, he felt caught in a storm.
What he hadn’t anticipated was Lydia getting tangled up in this mess, too.
If it hadn’t been for that pesky reporter snapping a picture of them together, things might not have escalated to this level. Dalton genuinely wanted to marry Lydia, but who wouldn’t second-guess their choices after such a public spectacle? Especially now, as someone held in high regard in Kingsdom, he felt like he had become the butt of everyone’s jokes.
Dalton was lost in thought. Lydia’s eyes began to glisten with tears.
“It’s all my fault…” Lydia murmured, gently tugging at his fingers. Her voice trembled, and two tears slipped down her cheeks, landing softly on the back of his hand. “I… I’ll step back. Just say it was me who seduced you. I’ll take the blame; I just want you to be alright.”
With that, she released his hand and turned to flee, but her foot caught on a bouquet lying on the floor, and she stumbled. Instinctively, Dalton reached out to catch her, pulling her into his arms.
Lydia hung her head as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, and tears streamed down her face. Dalton’s heart ached at the sight.
He thought, “What am I doing? Lydia’s the one who’s hurting. She’s willing to take all the blame for me, and here I am, wallowing in self-pity. As a man, what kind of example am I setting?”
Resolved, he turned to Chandler. “Uncle Chandler, I want to marry Lydia. Please support us.”
Charlotte’s hand connected with Dalton’s face, the sound echoing in the tense silence.
“Oh, so you’ve grown, have you? You dare defy me for a woman?” Charlotte was genuinely furious.
No one expected her to lash out at her own son. The room fell into a heavy silence. Everyone froze in shock. Just when the tension seemed unbearable, Chandler said, “Charlotte, since Dalton is so determined to marry Lydia, you might as well let them.”
“Why should I?” Charlotte bit back, her voice laced with anger.
Chandler remained calm, his tone measured. “Look at the situation. Even if you refuse, it won’t change a thing. Your son has already gone public with this. He’s willing to bear the consequences for her. If you keep pushing against this, you’ll only make the Aniston family the laughingstock of Kingsdom.”
Charlotte clenched her fists, unwilling to confront Chandler directly. Instead, she turned to Dylan. “Dad, aren’t you going to say anything? Are you just going to let Dalton run wild?”
Dylan, seated in his wheelchair, looked weary. “I’ve made it clear. Chandler is in charge of the family now.” With that, he glanced at Harrison Blanchett, the family butler. “Harrison, take me back.”
Dylan’s indifference to the family drama was palpable, and Chandler seized the moment. His gaze was cool and unyielding as he addressed Charlotte, “If you want to mitigate the fallout from this mess, you’ll have to accept it. Dalton’s already embarrassed himself; if this goes on, the whole Aniston family will be dragged into the mud.”
Chandler’s words carried a weight of warning, his eyes narrowing slightly, a hint of coldness in his demeanor. Charlotte, simmering with resentment, shot a glare at Lydia but couldn’t bring herself to say the words that would allow Dalton to marry her.
All she could muster was a bitter “I’m done with this,” before storming out. As the curtain fell, the other relatives quietly slipped away.
Lydia’s hands trembled, not from fear but from excitement. Despite the tumult, she had finally stepped into the Aniston family’s world! With a burst of gratitude, she turned to Chandler. “Uncle Chandler, thank you for standing up for me!”