Chapter 716 Continuing Her Studies

Chandler said with complete sincerity, “Meryl, our son is already born. Don’t you want to give him a complete family?”

His childhood had been anything but complete–if anything, it had been downright miserable. At an age when he should have been cherished by his family, Dylan had sent him off to live with farmers.

All because Chandler’s mother had passed away not long after giving birth to him. And the reason for her death? She had taken her own life for another man.

To Dylan, Chandler had always been an eyesore, a constant reminder of his failed marriage. So despite being born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Chandler had grown up worse off than a beggar.

Meryl’s childhood hadn’t been complete either. That was why Chandler didn’t want their imperfect pasts to shape their son’s future.

People always tried to make up for what they lacked. Those who had missed out on education pushed their children to study harder. Those who had grown up poor wanted their kids to chase wealth. And Chandler? He wanted his son to grow up in a happy, loving home, surrounded by all the affection they could give.

Sure enough, the moment Chandler said those words, something flickered in Meryl’s eyes. The child was hers–how could she not love him? If she divorced Chandler, the only thing she would feel guilty about was their son.

She fell silent for a few seconds. And in that brief moment, Chandler pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. He cupped her face and then kissed her passionately.

Meryl felt his fingers wrap gently around her wrist before he pressed her against the wall. His lips, soft yet fervent, moved against hers, his breath hot against her skin.

Chandler whispered, “If that thing is still bothering you, if you’re still upset with me, then punish me however you want. I’ll take it. But don’t divorce me. We’re supposed to be together for life— what’s the point of splitting up? The only way I’m leaving is if I die…”

He had probably been drinking before he came. Meryl could taste the faint traces of alcohol on his lips–not strong, not unpleasant, but carrying a unique charm.

Meryl shut her eyes, barely breathing. There was no way out, no chance to resist–Chandler’s kiss was relentless, leaving her with nothing but the heat of his breath consuming her own.

They hadn’t been this close in months, not since her pregnancy. Now that Chandler was touching her again, his desire was unmistakable.

He murmured, “Weren’t you happy when you were with me before, Meryl? I’ve already contacted an expert team overseas. Rachel’s condition isn’t looking good. Even if she wakes up, she’ll have to go abroad for long–term care. She won’t be in our way.”

Chandler’s voice was low and husky as he spoke. Holding her face between his hands, he gazed at her, his deep eyes brimming with emotion.

He went on, saying, “And like I said, I don’t love her. Sure, I went to save her, and from your perspective, that might seem cruel to you. But she’s a living, breathing person. Was I just supposed to let her die? If I were really that heartless, wouldn’t you find me terrifying? And if I were that kind of person, would I really be someone worth spending your life with?”

Chandler was, without a doubt, the Chandler Aniston. It only took him a year to secure his position as CEO of Galaxy Holdings Group–his negotiation skills were top–tier. And what he said absolutely made sense.

Meryl let out a soft chuckle, though there was a hint of resignation in it. She felt like he had her right where he wanted, like she was trapped in the palm of his hand with no way out. With just a few words, he had already shaken her resolve.

She sighed, “Chandler, you really know how to hit where it hurts. You know the only thing I feel guilty about is the child.” As she spoke, they were close enough to feel each other’s breath.

Meryl wondered if, for the sake of the child, she should give their relationship another chance. But the more she thought about it, the more unsettled she felt. “Look at you—after everything, you’re still bringing up Rachel in front of me. Are you really that worried about her?” she asked.

Chandler lowered his voice to answer, “I only mentioned her because I want you to let go of the past, Meryl. Stop overthinking this, okay?”

Meryl pressed a hand against his chest but then hooked her arm around his neck. “But tell me this–do you really think I should settle, just because of the child?”

“Settle?” Chandler’s expression darkened. His face, which had been warm and full of emotion just moments ago, suddenly turned cold. “Being with me is settling?”

Meryl looked straight into his eye and replied, “It wasn’t settling before. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future. Andy saved your life, so you feel like you owe him. But Felix saved mine, Chandler. If I started running off to see Felix every time he needed something, would you be able to tolerate that kind of marriage?”

Chandler’s jaw tightened. “That’s a whole different story. Felix saving you was a good deed, sure—but I’ll be the one to pay it back. You don’t have to stress over it.”

Back then, when Felix had been critically injured and needed emergency surgery, it was Chandler who personally called the hospital director. The director had later told Chandler that if that call had come even a little later, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Chandler also had been willing to repay Felix in other ways, just not by giving up the woman he loved.

Chandler’s fingers brushed lightly against Meryl’s lips, silencing her. He then said softly, “Enough, Meryl. The doctor told me your hormones are all over the place after childbirth. So, it’s natural to feel a little off.

“That said, I’m not going to take what you’re saying seriously. I came here today because I wanted to see how you were doing. And now that I have… I can tell. These past few days without me, you haven’t been doing well. So come home with me. I’ve really, really missed you.”

With that, Chandler pulled her into his arms, wrapping them tightly around her waist.

Before Meryl could react, his arm slipped under her knees, lifting her into his arms. She instinctively wanted to struggle, but then she thought better of it. She hadn’t fully recovered from childbirth–if she moved too much, she might reopen the stitches.

Chandler carried her into the elevator, all the way down to the parking garage. He then placed her in the passenger seat and even buckled her seatbelt for her.

He turned slightly to look at Meryl, murmuring, “Meryl, I know you still have feelings for me. Living in the past, dwelling on things you can’t change–that’s just torturing yourself. What happened is over. It’s time to move forward.”

Afraid she’d get cold, Chandler quickly switched on the heater. Without a second thought, he reached into the backseat, pulled out a thick blanket, and wrapped it around her, tucking it in until only her head peeked out. Then, looking at her, he asked softly, “We’re good now, right? Just like before? Tell me, what will it take for you to see how much you mean to me?”

Meryl didn’t say a word. She simply lowered her gaze, her lashes trembling slightly. She knew staying at Anne’s house for this long wasn’t exactly ideal.

Anne and Dante had originally taken turns caring for Bella- one week each. But since Meryl was recovering from childbirth at Anne’s place, Anne worried that a crying baby at night might disturb her rest. So for this week, she had Bella stay with Dante instead.

Whenever Anne missed her daughter, she would visit Paltrow Manor. So now that Meryl was leaving, it made sense that Anne could bring Bella back home.

The warm air from the heater brushed against Meryl’s face, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere.

Over the past few days, while finalizing the terms of her divorce agreement, she had also submitted an application for a spot at Brookstone College of Music. Casey had helped make the connection.

Meryl had mentioned her admiration for a certain music industry giant, and Casey immediately forwarded her information to one of the college’s admissions officers.

Just a day ago, the school had reached out. They told her to prepare for a video interview in three days. If she was lucky enough to get in, it would mean stepping through the gates of one of the world’s top music institutions.

The professors there were all major figures in the industry –some of them would even become her mentors. Meryl had mentioned it to Harvey, and he had fully supported the idea of her continuing her studies.

After about thirty minutes, the car pulled up in front of the house. Chandler glanced at her, noticing her distant expression. “What are you thinking about? You’ve been quiet this whole time.”

Meryl snapped out of her daze. “Nothing.” She unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to get out.

Chandler caught her hand and said gently, “Take it slow. I’ll help you.” He was still as thoughtful as ever.

Meryl didn’t pull away, letting him hold her hand. But deep down, she could still feel something had changed.