Chapter 743 She Cheated On Me
Rachel froze on the spot. Dylan’s words left her momentarily confused. “You mean…”
Dylan said, “Marry into the Aniston family, become its matriarch, replace Meryl. But most importantly, win Chandler over–make him forget about her.”
Dylan believed Chandler had lost all sense of reason over Meryl. If this continued, there was no telling what reckless things Chandler might do next. The only solution Dylan could think of was to shift Chandler’s attention elsewhere.
Rachel had grown up with Chandler–they were childhood friends, bonded by years of companionship. So in Dylan’s mind, she was the only suitable replacement for Meryl.
Rachel bit her lip. She hadn’t expected Dylan to come up with such a plan. She thought, “He’s going straight for the root, cutting it off clean. But isn’t this just making me Meryl’s stand–in? No, maybe not even that.”
Rachel lowered her gaze. Dylan, however, wasn’t in a hurry–he gave her all the time she needed to think it over.
He knew all too well that the Morgan family had fallen into decline over a decade ago. Rachel, an orphan with no suppor had struggled to find her place in this world.
People like her, who had lived without security their entire lives, longed for stability above all else. If he offered her a home, she would be grateful beyond measure.
And the Aniston family–one of the most powerful and influential–was a dream for any woman. Dylan was confident she would agree.
Rachel clenched her fists. Then, all of a sudden, she looked up and met Dylan’s gaze. “I refuse.”
Dylan’s eyes widened slightly, clearly caught off guard. “What did you say?”
“I don’t want to be a replacement.” Rachel’s voice was calm but unwavering.
She had chased after Chandler for years, hoping he would notice her. He was exceptional–someone she admired and looked up to. For a long time, she had thought she loved him.
But when Meryl ran away and Chandler searched for her desperately, Rachel didn’t feel the devastation she expected. It wasn’t until now that she realized–she had never truly loved Chandler. If anything, her feelings for him had been more about possession than love.
And now, Chandler’s heart belonged to Meryl. If she forced herself into the picture, she didn’t stand a chance. Even if Dylan pressured Chandler into marrying her, it would only ruin whatever friendship they still had.
Besides, Andy was still alive. The moment Chandler found out what Andy had been up to all these years, he would likely turn against her as well. Which meant that everything Chandler had done in the name of repaying a debt had been a complete joke.
And one of the biggest reasons Meryl left was because of her. Rachel had been gravely injured, but that didn’t mean she had lost her ability to think. No matter how she looked at it, taking advantage of the situation now would be pure foolishness.
She wasn’t going to dig her own grave. She also wasn’t going to back herself into a dead–end. Not to mention, with her current condition, she was practically half–crippled. Who knew how much longer her body would hold out? There were far more important things she needed to take care of before that happened.
Dylan studied her, surprised. Rachel had always seemed so soft and delicate–he hadn’t expected her to turn him down. He thought, “Fine. If that is the case, I’ll have to find someone else.”
With that, Dylan left, visibly disappointed. Rachel picked up her phone, debating whether to tell Chandler about Dylan’s visit. But then she remembered–Chandler wouldn’t even answer her
calls.
She tossed the phone aside, lay back on the bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling. She thought, “Andy, where are you now?”
*****
Chandler had searched everywhere for Meryl but found no trace
of her. After returning from Powell Manor, he locked himself in his study. His expression was grim, his entire presence heavy with tension.
An entire day passed, and he didn’t come out. Walter grew anxious. When dinnertime rolled around, he finally couldn’t hold back and went to knock on the door. There was no
response.
Chandler hadn’t eaten all day. Worried something might happen, Walter thought about calling someone to talk some sense into him. But Dante had flown to Havenbrook to see Anne, and there was no one left who could get through to Chandler.
Walter paced back and forth in the hallway. Just as he was about to knock again, the door suddenly swung open from the inside. Chandler stepped out, his eyes bloodshot. “Get the car ready.”
Walter immediately followed. “Mr. Aniston, where are we going?”
Chandler said, “To the Stone Villa. I need to see John.” Felix wasn’t going to give him anything. John was his only shot.
Walter hesitated. “John’s at a bar right now, drinking with friends.” Even so, he started the car and drove Chandler straight to the bar.
As they pulled up, they saw John stumbling out of the entrance, clearly drunk. He was swaying as he walked, a lazy grin on his face as he waved goodbye to his friends.
Once they left, he was just about to hail a cab when darkness loomed before him. Someone blocked his path. He looked up instinctively, and the moment he saw Chandler, his expression soured.
The smile vanished, and his voice turned cold. “You again? What do you want now?” He didn’t even wait for an answer–just brushed past Chandler, ready to leave.
But Chandler stopped him. “John, we need to talk.”
John didn’t need to guess what this was about. News of Chandler’s visit to the Powell family had already reached him. Felix hadn’t given him any useful information, so now Chandler had come knocking on his door.
John kept walking, but Chandler followed. They ended up near a dimly lit alley.
Then, just as the alcohol hit, John suddenly turned and threw a punch straight at Chandler’s face. Chandler didn’t dodge. He took the hit head–on. John didn’t hold back–he went in with full force. Blood started trickling from Chandler’s nose.
Chandler wiped it off with the back of his hand, unfazed. “Tell me. Where is Meryl? You know, don’t you?”
John scoffed, “You have the nerve to come asking about Meryl? You married her, and you never even treated her right. Now you want to act like you care? Where were you when she got into that accident? When she was giving birth?
“Fine, maybe you had your reasons. But what about afterward? You treated her child like a stranger. What the hell was that about? Where did that leave Meryl?”
At this, Chandler snapped, “That child is Dalton’s! She cheated on me! How do you expect me to accept that kid?”
Meryl had carried Dalton’s child while still married to him. It was a betrayal. He had tested her so many times, hoping she would just tell him the truth.
He had waited, convinced that if she admitted it, he could find a way to move past it. But she never did. Instead, all he got was the news of her disappearance.
John stared at him in shock and thought, “Chandler actually thinks the child is Dalton’s?”
