Chapter 7 Falling Apart
When Dalton saw Meryl show her scar to everyone, a strange feeling stirred inside him. Seeing her act like she didn’t care about him anymore broke his heart. For years, Meryl had devoted herself to him, loving him without conditions. He had gotten used to it, taking her love for granted.
“Meryl, please stop. If it means that much to you, I’ll give you my position.” Lydia’s hands shook as she covered her head. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have stayed with the Stone family. I should have died the day I was kidnapped three years ago.”
“But your suffering in prison has nothing to do with me or our parents. Prison is full of bad people. You were bullied because you ended up there.” Tears filled Lydia’s eyes, but she held them back. “Dalton, you shouldn’t have saved me. I would have been better off dead.” With a few words, she washed her hands of any responsibility for Meryl’s ordeal in prison.
Meryl’s gaze was cold. “People who really want to die don’t just talk about it.”
“Meryl!”
Dalton’s face was tense as he shielded Lydia, patting her hand reassuringly before turning to Meryl. “I told you to behave. Do you realize the consequences of your actions today?”
Meryl’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. She had bared her deepest wound, and to him, it was just her causing trouble. “Yes, I’m making a scene. But you’re my fiancé. Aren’t you supposed to stand by me? Dalton, how can you defend another woman in front of me?”
Her words made everyone realize what was happening. From the beginning, Dalton had been siding with Lydia.
For the past three years, rumors had been swirling, hinting at something off. Recently, whenever Aniston Group was bidding on a project, Stone Group’s proposals seemed to pop up everywhere, with Lydia handling most of them. In the business world, such encounters weren’t unusual, but the frequency with which these two appeared together was striking.
Since Lydia and Meryl were sisters, no one gave it too much thought. High society valued appearances and dismissed any scandal as too outrageous to be true. But Meryl’s words made people start connecting the dots.
The idea that something might be going on between Dalton and Lydia, though it sounded like a plot twist from a soap opera, was exactly the kind of scandal that intrigued the wealthy socialites. In the world of the rich, gossip was common, but fresh, juicy gossip about the Aniston and Stone families was a rare find.
Meryl gave Lydia a wry smile. “I’m already a Stone by blood. Do I really need you to give me the title?” Her smile was bitter, and her eyes were red-rimmed. All the emotions she’d been holding back suddenly burst out. She marched over to the decanter, grabbed it, and said, “So you think I drugged you?”
Taking a deep gulp from the bottle, she went on, “Fine, if I did, I’m drinking it myself. Happy now?” The sharp taste hit her senses, and the liquid spilled from her lips onto her dress. She took another swig and then threw the decanter at Lydia. The sound of shattering glass filled the room as pieces scattered across the floor.
At that moment, Meryl was falling apart completely…