Chapter 78 Hold Your Liquor

The table was already set with an abundance of dishes and soup, all of which Meryl loved.

Meryl paused for a moment, baffled. She and Chandler had only dined together a few times. She wondered how he could remember her favorite foods.

She thought, “Or was it just a coincidence?”

Meryl sat down at the table, noticing Chandler’s Mandarin collar shirt that covered his neck. It was less formal than usual but added a touch of asceticism.

Meryl pressed her lip and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back to the country?”

Chandler ladled a bowl of soup and placed it in front of Meryl. “If I had told you, how could I have caught you on a date with another man? Mrs. Aniston, am I too lenient with you?”

Meryl was taken aback, knowing she was at fault. At the time, she was merely trying to avoid Dalton and Lydia without much thought.

“It wasn’t really a date,” Meryl looked down and muttered, her fingers curling. “Ethan is your nephew. You could think of it as… a senior inviting a junior for a meal.”

Meryl’s voice faded, her guilt evident. The meal yesterday… It turned out she hadn’t even paid for it. Meryl felt lost, but she could understand Chandler’s perspective.

She thought, “Returning home to find his newlywed wife on a date with his nephew must have seemed like a soap opera…”

“I’m sorry.” Meryl looked down, appreciating that Chandler had brought her home drunk and hadn’t exploded right there.

Considering Chandler’s sacrifices by marrying her, she certainly didn’t want to trouble him further.

“Mr. Aniston, I was wrong. I…”

Before she could finish, Chandler frowned. He picked up a piece of meat with his fork and held it to Meryl’s lips. Meryl instinctively opened her mouth, swallowing her unfinished words.

Chandler showed a hint of resignation as he saw that Meryl hadn’t touched her food. He gestured for her to eat.

“No need to apologize. I’m not blaming you.”

Meryl was stunned, taking a while to respond. She thought, “Not blaming me? Then why did he seem upset?”

“You can’t hold your liquor. Don’t drink when I’m not around.”

Meryl nodded.

“Especially not in front of other men.”

Meryl nodded earnestly. She thought, “Absolutely! Drinking leads to trouble! I didn’t expect to get drunk last night. It’s all because the alcohol was too strong!”

Curious, Meryl asked, “I didn’t throw up on the way home last night, did I?”

“No.”

“I didn’t do anything outrageous, right?”

Chandler’s eyebrows knitted, and he gave Meryl a deep look. After a few seconds, he looked down and continued eating, staying silent.

Chandler’s behavior made Meryl feel uneasy. She hesitantly ate a few bites, uncertain about what dreadful thing she might have done to cause his silent treatment.

She thought about asking if Chandler had changed her pajamas. Then she wondered if it would be even more embarrassing if he had changed them. She decided it was better to feign ignorance!

Soon, they finished eating, and Meryl instinctively began clearing the table. As she stood up, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of several hickeys under Chandler’s Mandarin collar shirt.

On Chandler’s neck and chest were hickeys that clearly came from a passionate encounter with a woman. Meryl froze.

She thought, “Does Chandler have another woman?” She looked down. Her eyes dimmed with sadness. She thought, “Who is this seductress?”

She had always suspected that a man like Chandler would be popular with women. But the thought of her husband being intimate with another woman made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.

She thought, “No way! I can’t just stand by and do nothing! He’s a golden opportunity right before me, and I haven’t yet held on tight. How could I let someone else beat me to it?”

After putting away the dishes, Meryl suddenly rushed back and threw herself into Chandler’s arms.