Chapter 631 Apology

News of Meryl’s hospitalization spread quickly. Not long after Felix left her room, a whole crowd from the Aniston family showed up, bustling in with concern and well wishes.

Cameron entered with a large bag of supplements. “Meryl, my family runs a health supplement company. These are great for pregnant women. If you like them, I can bring you more later.”

Halle chimed in, not wanting to be outdone, “And I brought some fruits–organic and all-natural!”

Meryl felt a bit overwhelmed but couldn’t refuse their kindness. She accepted everything graciously, even as the room filled with chatter.

Dylan also popped in to offer his well-meaning advice about taking good care of herself.

Yet, as the crowd gathered, she couldn’t help but notice the absence of Charlotte and her family.

It was probably for the best; she had no desire to see any of them—Charlotte, Dalton, or Lydia. Their absence was a relief.

With everyone there to see her, Meryl felt it would be rude to ask them to leave. The conversations felt forced, and fatigue began to set in.

Cameron, however, was loud and determined to keep the chatter going. Just when Meryl thought she couldn’t take anymore, Anne walked in, and it felt like a lifeline.

Anne declared, eyeing the crowd, “Alright, everyone. I think you’ve all seen enough. Meryl needs to rest now.”

Cameron and the others took the hint and started to file out. As the door closed behind them, Anne grasped Meryl’s hand, concern etched on her face. “Seriously, you don’t have to put up with them. If you don’t like their company, just send them packing. Why suffer through it?”

Meryl sighed, “They’re Chandler’s family, after all. I have to keep up appearances. We’ll see each other again, so it’s best to keep things cordial.” Plus, they were all older than her. If she outright told them to leave, it would look terrible if word got around.

Anne nodded, understanding. “I get it. I felt the same way about Dante’s family. Every time I had to face them, I was a bundle of nerves, trying to play the dutiful wife. But you’ve got it better than I did. At least Chandler is on your side. Dante? He was nowhere to be found, leaving me alone with his relatives.”

Meryl raised an eyebrow. “I heard you’ve been getting close to Dante again. Are you two thinking about rekindling things?” Meryl had no idea what had transpired after Anne chased after Yancey to his hometown, but since that day, Anne had never mentioned him again. Meryl suspected that their relationship had come to an end. The thought of Yancey stirred a mix of emotions in her; he seemed like a decent guy and had treated Anne well.

Anne said, “I’m not getting back together with him. I’ve decided to co-parent Bella with Dante.” In other words, they would each take turns caring for their daughter. “Now that he knows Bella is here, it’s time for him to step up and be a father.”

Anne seemed to have reached a level of acceptance. After all, she had been through so much–giving birth, raising a newborn—and Dante had just walked away with a daughter without lifting a finger. It hardly seemed fair. Having spent a few days with Bella, Anne knew firsthand how exhausting it could be. Taking care of a baby was no walk in the park, especially during sleepless nights. While Anne cherished the moments with her daughter, she didn’t want all her time to be consumed by childcare. Now that her postpartum period was over, she needed to get to work, which made it impossible to give Bella the attention she deserved. After weighing her options, it seemed like involving Dante was the best solution.

Meryl admired Anne’s newfound resolve. It seemed that ever since her divorce from Dante, Anne had become more liberated. Women should prioritize themselves, after all.

“What about Yancey? How are things with him?”

Anne’s gaze drifted past Meryl. “I’m really disappointed in Yancey. I chose to be with him to find happiness, and now I’m choosing to separate from him for the same reason…” Anne couldn’t wrap her head around Yancey’s sudden disappearance. It baffled her that he had faced a crisis yet chose to shoulder it alone, refusing to share what he was going through. It felt like he didn’t consider her part of his life. She understood that Yancey had his pride, but the lack of communication left her feeling a rift between them. It was as if there was always something keeping them apart. Meryl didn’t press further; she sensed that Anne had already made her choice.

Just as they were talking, there was a knock at the door, and both women turned to see Rachel stepping inside.

Anne immediately recognized the implications of Rachel’s visit. She knew Meryl’s hospitalization was tied to Rachel’s reckless actions. This was the same woman who had caused her to crash Meryl’s car and go into premature labor, and now she had the audacity to show up here.

“What do you want?” Anne shot at her, her tone icy.

Rachel, sensing the hostility, swallowed her pride and replied, “I’m here to apologize to Meryl.”

Anne raised an eyebrow. “Apologize? Really?”

Meryl glanced at Walter, who stood behind Rachel, and thought, “No wonder I didn’t see her around this morning. Chandler must have sent her to make amends.”

“I lost my head yesterday. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Rachel said, biting her lip, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She looked almost pitiful. “Meryl, I’m really sorry!”

“Save it, Rachel. We’re not buying into your act,” Anne scoffed. That kind of sympathy might work on men, but women saw right through it. They understood she was just fishing for pity. Rachel stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to wipe her tears or leave them be. If she hadn’t been kicked out by the orchestra and had nowhere else to turn, she wouldn’t have shown up so readily.

“I didn’t steal your draft; I found it by accident. I had no idea it was yours. You didn’t really lose anything, and look at it this way—you’ve become a bit of a sensation because of it.”

Anne couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “No loss? Are you kidding me? People were tearing Meryl apart online, accusing her of plagiarism. If you hadn’t tweeted that nonsense, none of this would have happened!”

Rachel tried to defend herself, “But that song got more popular because of it, right? If we’re being honest, I kind of helped her get more exposure.”

“Are you suggesting Meryl should thank you for this mess? Seriously, Rachel, have you no shame?”

Rachel felt cornered by Anne’s relentless criticism.

“You don’t understand! I’ve been kicked out of the orchestra because of this! She’ll never see me there again. Isn’t that punishment enough?”

Meryl was surprised by how quickly the orchestra had acted. Just a day after the incident, Rachel was already out.

Anne wasn’t backing down. “Rachel, let’s be clear: you got fired because you plagiarized. Don’t pin this on Meryl.”

Rachel couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. The weight of her situation was crushing–her dreams of a music career slipping away, and now she was being berated by Anne.

“Honestly, it sounds like you’re trying to play the victim here. If you want to cry, do it outside. Meryl needs to focus on her health,” Anne said, rubbing her temples in frustration.

With that, Rachel bolted from the room, feeling defeated. She had completed her mission of apologizing, and now she hoped Chandler wouldn’t abandon her.

As Rachel wiped her tears away, she noticed a shadow looming in front of her. She looked up, startled, and froze at the sight before her.