SWNOVELS Chapter 3
Chapter 3 Silent Whispers
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." Meryl clenched her fists as she overheard the conversation.
She still couldn't wrap her head around why Lydia and Camille weren't biologically related.
She had thought Camille switched them to give Lydia a better life, but it turned out Lydia wasn't even her child.
No one knew the full story, but the outcome was clear.
Meryl was sent back to the Stone family, while Lydia's origins stayed a mystery.
Lydia had been with the Stone family for over twenty years, and the Stones treated her as well, if not better, than their own child.
As a few socialites chatted, their eyes subtly drifted toward Meryl.
Noticing their stares, Meryl lowered her head and quickly left the hall.
Just after she left, one of the women turned to the others and said, "Didn't that woman who just walked by look a bit like Meryl?"
The others followed her gaze.
"Meryl? No way. She was known for her striking beauty and figure. The woman who just passed by looked like a skeleton. Are you kidding?"
In the past, Meryl was the kind of person who stood out even in a crowd of beauties.
Now, though, she was almost unrecognizable...
Unaware she had become the topic of conversation, Meryl reached the second floor and was about to open her room's door when she overheard voices that made her freeze. "Dalton, I heard Meryl's out of prison. Is that true?"
"Meryl? The one who used to be glued to Dalton? When did she end up in prison? What did she do?"
The Stone family had worked hard to keep the scandal quiet. The official story was that Meryl had been studying abroad, thanks to Malcolm's efforts to cover up the truth.
Dalton shot a frosty glance at Billy Preston, who immediately realized his mistake.
He slapped his forehead and tried to smooth things over. "Oops, I got that wrong. Meryl was abroad, not in prison."
A wealthy young man who had been listening took a drag from his cigarette and commented, "Billy, you're really losing it."
Billy chuckled nervously. "Oh, come on. Everyone makes mistakes."
The young man shifted the conversation back. "With Meryl back, things must be heating up around Dalton, right? If I remember correctly, you two were engaged three years ago. Dalton, any plans for a wedding?" Meryl hesitated, her hand frozen on the door handle.
Inside, the sounds of a card game were audible.
Billy smiled jokingly, "Engaged? Come on. Marriage is just a way to keep someone under control. Dalton isn't the type to be tied down by something like that."