Secret Admiration: Finding True Love After P…

Chapter 609 Scheme

Morton’s countenance shifted to one of alarm. “We’re all gathered here to share a meal peacefully, why punish him?”

Chandler smirked, glancing sidelong at Morton. “What’s the matter, Morton? As the head of the Aniston family, is it beyond me to discipline my own nephew for besmirching our name?”

“You…”

Charlotte turned imploring eyes to Dylan, hoping he might intervene, considering Dalton had practically grown up under his watchful gaze.

Chandler, losing patience, turned to the servants, who stood frozen in shock. “Why are you waiting? Do you expect me to do it myself?”

“Dylan! Chandler is about to punish Dalton! Please, say something!” Charlotte set down her fork frantically.

Dylan was about to speak when Chandler’s icy glare silenced him.

Over the past few months, rumors had spread like wildfire, and Dylan had initially hoped to ignore them. But a recent chess game with an old friend turned awkward when the topic arose, prompting his call to Meryl.

To Dylan’s surprise, Chandler’s love for his wife had him seize couldn’t show favoritism here. It would undermine Chandler’s authority as head of the family.

Dylan furrowed his brows. “Dalton was indeed in the wrong. Chandler’s decision to invoke the family code of conduct is reasonable.”

“Dad!”

“Grandpa!”

Dalton’s parents were beside themselves with worry as the servants fetched the barbed whip. By family law, Dalton was due for a minimum of twenty lashes.

Dalton was led away from the dining table under the watchful eyes of everyone present, ready to receive his punishment. After just two lashes, Dalton grimaced in pain, his white shirt already torn.

Lydia rushed to Chandler’s side. “Chandler, have mercy! Dalton’s health has always been delicate; such punishment could leave lasting damage!”

Chandler remained unmoved. Dalton had long been on his list of those to discipline, only ever shielded by Charlotte or Dylan. The rumors that had quieted somewhat over the past months resurfaced at Bella’s one–month celebration and were gaining momentum again, all due to Dalton’s mischief.

Meryl, burdened with unfounded accusations, was the one who bore the brunt of public scrutiny. Should Chandler fail to act, the child on the way would also suffer alongside Meryl.

With ten lashes administered, Dalton’s ashen face hit the ground. Lydia, clinging to Chandler’s clothes in supplication, let a sly glint flash through her eyes. She discreetly slipped something into Chandler’s pocket.

With the whipping concluded, Chandler’s anger dissipated. Charlotte, worried about Dalton, rushed over to help him up.

Chandler, his expression unyielding, flicked away an imaginary speck of dust from his attire as he rose from the sofa. Approaching the dining table, he calmly stated, “We were having a meal, weren’t we? Please, be seated.”

Chandler took the fork and bowl offered by the servants with a measured grace. The disruption had left the others too tense to eat, yet those from the second and third branches, wary of Chandler, forced themselves to sit and put on a show of politeness.

Morton broke the awkward silence. “Dad, we’ll skip the meal for now. Dalton…”

Dylan bellowed, “Overreacting! Can a few lashes really incapacitate him? The Aniston family has no place for such weak men!”

Stuck between staying and leaving, the family members found themselves in a quandary.

Chandler himself ladled out a bowl of soup and offered it to Dylan. “Dad, enjoy your soup.”

The scene at the table was bizarre; mere minutes ago, Chandler and Dylan had been at odds, and now it appeared as though all was forgiven. The family members, left bewildered, attempted to grasp the shifting dynamics.

Dylan, too, gave Chandler his due respect, lifting the soup bowl and taking a sip, creating an illusion of fatherly benevolence and filial piety. “Your wife expecting a baby is a great ordeal. I still have a gold necklace that belonged to your mother. I’ll have it made into a piece of jewelry and send it to her,” Dylan offered.

Chandler merely smiled, “Alright.”

Everyone knew that Chandler’s mother was a taboo subject in the Aniston family. She had passed away not long after giving birth to Chandler, and outsiders believed it was due to the physical strain of childbirth. However, the other branches of the family were well aware that Chandler’s mother had committed suicide. Not long after giving birth to Chandler, she had quietly slit her wrists. By the time the nurse found her, she was cold on the hospital bed.

Later, it was diagnosed that she likely suffered from postpartum depression, leading to her momentary lapse in judgment. Dylan felt that Chandler’s birth had indirectly caused his mother’s death, which was why he had sent the boy to a farmer’s home, neglecting him for years as if this son didn’t exist.

It wasn’t until they needed a suitable heir that Dylan thought of Chandler again, bringing him back into the Aniston family. Chandler’s striking resemblance to his mother made Dylan doubly affectionate towards this son, who was born outside the family, trying to make up for the years of neglect.

But Chandler remained indifferent towards Dylan. It wasn’t hard to understand; Chandler had spent the first two decades of his life without a father, surviving on his own outside, naturally having a thin emotional connection with the Aniston family.

Faced with Dylan’s sudden show of kindness, Chandler’s was minimal.

Now, at the dining table, they played out the role of a benevolent father and filial son, making everyone at the table feel a sense of dissonance.

Meryl leaned on the table, scrolling through her phone. Twitter seemed to be having issues lately; she noticed the app icon on her phone showing a 99+ notification, messages pouring in incessantly. But her Twitter account had always been eerily quiet.

Meryl casually tapped the app, curious if it was malfunctioning. Then, she was shocked.

Her ID was trending everywhere.

[Sweet Savage]

[Casey’s Junior Fellow Apprentice Named Sweet Savage]

[Sweet Savage’s Arrangements are Amazing]

“What the hell? Has the world gone mad?”

Meryl delved into the matter, only to find that Casey had retweeted her arrangement on Twitter! He even announced to the world that she was his junior fellow apprentice!

Everyone wanted to know who this “Sweet Savage” was, and Casey’s fans even praised her arrangement from a couple of days ago. But Meryl stumbled upon an unusual piece of in