Secret Admiration: Finding True Love After …
Chapter 706 This Is My Chance
Felix pretended to be serious. “Sell one of the villas.”
He thought, “The Powell family has some nerve. After everything I have done for them over the years, risking my life time and again, they still can’t scrape together even one million dollars for me. Meanwhile, my two brothers are living the high life–throwing money around as it grows on trees, getting everything they want without a second thought.”
Felix narrowed his eyes and thought again, “Maybe it’s time to settle the score with the Powells. After all, how am I supposed to marry Meryl and start a family if we are going to end up living on air? Not to mention, we have a son to raise now.”
*
Meryl and Chandler’s relationship hit a standstill. The whole day, Meryl stayed in the hospital room, treating Chandler like he was invisible.
Sure, they spoke a little, but it was clear she had grown distant, her tone cold and detached. Chandler felt a pang of frustration.
That night, after Meryl fell asleep, he stepped out into the hallway for a smoke. He had just lit his second cigarette when Dante called, asking him to grab a drink.
Chapter 706 This Is My Chance
Chandler made sure to leave a couple of bodyguards outside Meryl’s door, just in case something happened while he was gone. Then he slipped on his jacket and headed out. Honestly, he needed a drink.
At the bar, Chandler slumped into a sofa and started knocking back drinks like water. In just five minutes, he had downed over ten glasses.
Dante stared in shock and thought, “Is he trying to drink himself to death?”
Seeing Chandler taking another swig, Dante quickly said, “What’s going on?”
Chandler muttered, “Meryl wants a divorce.”
Dante froze. He hadn’t been keeping up with whatever was happening between Chandler and Meryl. He had his own mess to deal with.
Dante and Anne had been co-parenting Bella, but Anne barely spoke to him about anything besides Bella.
And today was just ridiculous–Anne announced she wanted to move to Havenbrook with Bella. Havenbrook was halfway across Cavaria from Kingsdom, far from everything Anne knew.
He thought, “What is she even thinking?”
Dante could guess the reason. Of course, he wasn’t okay with it.
Chapter 706 This Is My Chance
He blocked the door and demanded, “Who’s in Havenbrook? Why are you taking Bella so far away?”
Anne’s response was cold. “Because she’s my daughter. I’m taking her to get her travel documents today, so don’t think you can stop me just because you’ve spent a few days with her.”
“This is about Max, isn’t it?” Dante pressed, standing firm.
They had been getting along better lately, or so Dante thought. They could discuss parenting calmly and even cooperate like normal parents. But now, this fight had undone all their progress.
Dante said, “How could you take such a young child to an entirely unfamiliar place? Anne, are you even thinking about Bella, or is this just about you?
“Is it Max? You’re moving to be with him? What will Bella think when she grows up? You want to go? Fine. But leave Bella here. She stays in Kingsdom.”
Anne smiled bitterly, tears glistening in her eyes. She didn’t say another word, just placed Bella in her cradle and walked away.
Dante had been stewing over it all day, trying to figure out why she had looked so disappointed in him as she left. He thought, “Did I say something wrong?”
By the time Bella fell asleep that night, Dante gave up trying to make sense of it and called Chandler to join him at the bar. As they drank, Dante shared what had happened.
Chapter 706 This Is My Chance
Chandler, clearly drunk but still sharp, said, “It’s obvious why she’s mad. You disrespected her.”
Dante frowned, “How?”
Chandler sighed, “She went through hell–pregnancy, childbirth, everything–on her own. She’s already sacrificed so much for Bella. Anyone else can tell her to put the child first, but not you. You didn’t go through any of it, and now you’re acting like you have the right to dictate her life?”
Dante fell silent, regret washing over him. He thought, “Chandler is right. Why should a mother have to sacrifice her own happiness for her child? I accused her without understanding her reasons.”
“Anne’s a model,” Chandler continued. “Maybe she’s moving to Havenbrook because it’ll help her career. But instead of giving her the benefit of the doubt, you labeled her a lovesick fool. Of course, she’s disappointed in you.”
Dante’s eyes widened as realization hit him. Chandler, seeing Dante’s expression, smirked bitterly and took another drink.
“What about you?” Dante asked. “You’re so good at dissecting other people’s problems–how did you end up on the brink of divorce with Meryl?”
Chandler chuckled darkly and took another sip, saying nothing. It was the same old story–people always had clarity about others but couldn’t see their own issues clearly.
Chapter 706 This Is My Chance
He and Meryl had reached a crossroads. Whenever he tried to follow her lead, she changed direction. Dante knew better than to push further.
*
Meanwhile, on the other side of the bar, Dalton’s eyes gleamed. He thought, “Uncle Chandler and Meryl are splitting up?”
Dalton had been stuck babysitting Lydia all week. Her constant whining over a broken leg was driving him nuts, so he came to the bar for a breather. And now, he’d just overheard the best news.
Dalton left the bar with a renewed sense of purpose. He thought, “This is my chance. This time, I’m determined to win over the woman I love.”
Back at the hospital, Dalton made a beeline for Meryl’s room. But Chandler’s bodyguards stopped him at the door. “Mrs. Aniston is asleep. No visitors,” one of them said coldly.
“I need to talk to her. Let me in,” Dalton insisted. The bodyguards ignored him.
The noise outside stirred Meryl awake. Her eyes fluttered open, instinctively searching the space beside her. Chandler wasn’t there. She thought, “Is he with Rachel again?”
A wave of disappointment washed over her. She adjusted her clothes and called out, “Let Dalton in.”