Chapter 721 A Fool

Chandler, unwilling to bruise his own pride as a man, kept the reason to himself. Dalton, still dazed and confused, couldn’t figure it out completely, but he had a vague sense that it had something to do with Meryl.

Realizing he had taken the beating because of Meryl, Dalton suddenly felt great. He even leaned his face toward Chandler. “Go ahead, Uncle Chandler! Hit me right here! Even if you beat me to death, I’d still like Meryl!”

Looking at Dalton’s smug, almost masochistic expression, Chandler abruptly stopped mid-swing. He wondered, “Did I just throw two punches only for this bastard to actually enjoy it?”

Chandler then let go of Dalton. With the sudden loss of restraint, Dalton’s body went limp like a boneless ragdoll and collapsed back onto the couch. Chandler shot him a glare before turning to leave.

As he watched Chandler’s dejected figure disappearing into the distance, Dalton suddenly realized – something was wrong between Chandler and Meryl.

Dalton pondered, “Judging by the way Uncle Chandler looked, it’s probably serious. But what exactly happened?”

It was already late when Chandler finally got home. Inside the bedroom, Meryl heard him moving around outside. He had been gone all day, yet she hadn’t once picked up the phone to check on him.

Right then, a sharp, crashing noise broke the silence. She immediately sat up in bed and got up to see what was going on. The moment she opened the door, her eyes landed on Chandler’s hand – his palm was covered in fresh, dripping blood, staining his skin red. At his feet lay the shattered remains of a glass cup.

The lights in the living room were off, but Meryl figured he had probably been trying to pour himself some water and accidentally knocked the glass over. Startled, she turned to grab the first aid kit, frowning as she asked, “Why are you so clumsy?”

As she got closer to Chandler, the strong scent of alcohol immediately hit her. He had been drinking – and judging by the heavy smell, he hadn’t stopped at just one or two.

Meryl hesitated for a moment. She didn’t say anything and simply got to work treating his wound. His mind was foggy, his thoughts a mess – maybe because he had something weighing on him, something that left him so absentminded that he broke the glass.

Chandler sank onto the couch, letting her fuss over him. Just yesterday, she had been cold and distant toward him, yet now, she was voluntarily tending to his wound. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate it.

Meryl’s movements were gentle. She carefully picked out the shards embedded in his palm before disinfecting the wound. Luckily, it wasn’t too deep.

Before they knew it, the clock’s hands had ticked past 1 a.m. Chandler rarely came home this late, even when work kept him busy.

So, Meryl pressed her lips together before asking, “Who were you drinking with?”

“No one.” Chandler’s voice was low and distant, carrying a hint of restrained frustration. “Just me.”

Meryl noticed more than just the cuts on his palm from the shattered glass – his knuckles were scraped too. It was obvious he had been in a fight.

Chandler wasn’t the type to go around picking fights. Meryl glanced at him again, her unease growing stronger. “What happened to you?”

He leaned against the couch, the top two buttons of his shirt undone. His deep-set eyes carried a hazy look, the kind that came with being a little drunk. “Nothing.”

That simple back-and-forth left Meryl feeling inexplicably stifled. Guessing that Chandler wasn’t in the best mood, she didn’t push further and quietly cleaned up his wounds.

Then, out of nowhere, Chandler spoke up, “Meryl, is there something you’ve been meaning to tell me?” As he said this, he didn’t look at her. Instead, he rested a hand over his eyes, as if weighed down by an overwhelming sadness.

Meryl froze for a moment, thrown off by his words. She hadn’t thought there was anything that needed to be said, yet now, she wondered if she was wrong. She studied him seriously for a moment before asking, “What am I supposed to say?”

Chandler hesitated for a beat before answering, “About the baby.”

The mention of the baby immediately put Meryl on edge. “Is something wrong?” Her heart clenched with worry.

She had called the baby’s attending doctor earlier today to ask for an update, but there had been no response. Now, with Chandler gone the entire day, a nagging worry crept in. She thought, “Has something happened to the baby?”

“The baby’s fine,” Chandler said. His words immediately eased the worry tightening in Meryl’s chest.

Seeing the worry in her eyes so clearly, Chandler lowered his gaze. He didn’t want her to know about the baby’s heart condition and fall into unnecessary distress. For now, he decided to keep it from her.

A few seconds passed, and when Meryl didn’t say anything else, Chandler got up. “It’s late. I’ll let you get some rest.” With that, he turned and walked toward the study.

Meryl sat there, stunned, watching his retreating figure. Something about him felt off – she could sense it, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

Chandler had always treated her well, but ever since they got back home this time, he had been even more attentive – like he couldn’t wait to give her his whole heart. Not only did he personally cook for her, but he also made sure the house felt warm and cozy, all to help her recover properly after giving birth.

Meryl wasn’t ungrateful. That was why she wanted to observe Chandler a little longer. But his attitude today had changed too fast.

She fixed her gaze on Chandler’s back and slowly walked toward him. “Chandler? What’s wrong?”

Chandler’s steps faltered, and he turned around. The air outside was cold, and the wind had picked up, rattling the windows. But in his eyes, she was the only warmth in this freezing night, stepping toward him.

His fingers curled slightly before he asked, “Meryl, is there something you’re hiding from me?”

Meryl froze. Her mind immediately went to the application she had submitted to Brookstone College of Music.

She had a video interview scheduled for tomorrow, but she hadn’t mentioned it to Chandler yet. For one, she wasn’t even sure about it herself, so she didn’t think it was worth bringing up. And two, they were in the middle of a divorce – this was her backup plan. Even if she got accepted, she wasn’t sure she’d actually go.

But that brief hesitation – just those few seconds – was enough for Chandler to misunderstand. The look on Meryl’s face told him everything: she was definitely keeping something from him. As he realized this, a mocking smirk tugged at his lips.

Suddenly, he grabbed Meryl’s chin, forcing her to tilt her head up. Without warning, his lips crashed onto hers. He caught both of her wrists, pinning them firmly against the hallway wall.

Chandler’s voice was low, tinged with something raw—almost a sob. “Meryl, why did you hide this from me? Do I even matter to you at all? Or am I just some fool for you to toy with?” His pain was unmistakable, his eyes brimming with deep, unbearable sorrow.

Outside, the wind died down for a moment – only to pick up again.