Secret Admiration: Finding True Love After Prison novel Chapter 3

Meryl struggled to catch her breath, gripping the edges of her sleeves as if they might keep her grounded.

Why did he have to not only reject her but also humiliate her?

After a moment, she steadied herself, looked up at Dalton, and forced a smile. "Dalton, just because I have feelings for you doesn't mean you can belittle me."

Dalton was momentarily taken aback by her smile, a rare sight these days.

He found himself staring at her longer than he meant to, but by the time he realized it, Meryl had already looked away.

He loosened his tie and stubbed out his cigarette, acknowledging that Meryl had changed.

Though he wouldn't admit it, she wasn't the same woman who used to light up a room with her smile.

It was as if her spirit had withered away.

It didn't affect him directly, but it stirred an unsettling discomfort within him.

Dalton couldn't quite figure out what was bothering him.

Shaking off the confusion, he reminded her, "Today is Lydia's birthday. I'll take you back to the Stone Villa later, but remember to behave. Don't cause trouble. Lydia is nothing like you."

Meryl's heart sank at his words.

To Dalton, Lydia was a cherished prize, while she was deemed unworthy even as a mere accessory.

An hour later, Meryl was ushered into a car by Elias.

At the Stone Villa, the grand hall was filled with guests.

Even though Lydia wasn't Malcolm's biological daughter, her birthdays were always celebrated with great fanfare.

It was a show of the Stone family's status and their support for her, subtly reinforcing her position.

Everyone of importance in Kingsdom had been invited.

The hall was abuzz with wealthy women discussing the latest high-society gossip.

"Why is Lydia so favored when she isn't even Mr. Stone's biological daughter? Is there something we don't know?" someone wondered aloud.

"She has the skills and talent. In our circle, that's what really matters. Bloodlines are secondary to the benefits you bring."

Another socialite nodded in agreement. "I heard Lydia has already closed several major deals within six months of joining the company. Mr. Stone was so impressed that he promoted her to vice president, clearly grooming her as a successor."

"But she's still an outsider. Isn't that like giving the company away? What about her real parents? Why isn't she with them?"

"No one knows where her biological parents are," came the response from someone in the know. "It's odd because Camille Foster, who adopted Meryl, was supposed to be Lydia's mother, but their paternity test proved otherwise."