Chapter 82: Moral Blackmail, Deception
Fiona’s words pierced Meredith’s heart like a dense cluster of needles.
“Is this how you see me?” Meredith was bewildered. “Fiona, we grew up together in the orphanage. After over twenty years of friendship, how could you accuse me of competing with you for a man?”
Fiona’s words were infuriating. Meredith felt the urge to confront her and shake her awake.
“Must you continue pretending?” Fiona sneered. “Meredith, you only use me as a foil for your own nobility. Without my ordinariness, how could you display your refinement? Have you slept with Terrence Sterling? Have you slandered me in front of Justin? You wear a mask to my face and stab me in the back. I will no longer trust you.”
Fiona’s accusations were a reversal of the truth. She knew all along about the night between Terrence Sterling and Meredith, yet she hypocritically accused Meredith of stealing her man.
She did not want Meredith to be happy. If Terrence Sterling did not want her, she wanted a thorn in Meredith’s heart.
Understanding Meredith, Fiona played the victim to make her feel guilty.
“Fiona, I…” Meredith appeared remorseful. “My encounter with Terrence Sterling was an accident. I had no idea he was your boyfriend. If I had known, I would never have any involvement with him.”C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.
Meredith thought Fiona’s anger stemmed from this reason.
With this understanding, Meredith’s anger dissipated, replaced by guilt towards Fiona.
“You admit it?” Fiona sneered. “Meredith, you claim not to be swayed, but you strive to get close to him. He is my boyfriend. By doing this, you hurt me. I considered you my friend, yet you stole my man. Now that he has dumped me, are you satisfied?”
“Fiona, I truly apologize. I genuinely did not know beforehand, and you never mentioned it. When did you start dating Terrence Sterling?”
Fiona dared not speak the truth, evading the question: “Does not knowing give you the right to steal him from me? I am the only woman Terrence Sterling brought to Thornfield Gardens. If it weren’t for you, he would not have broken up with me and driven me away.
Meredith thought of Terrence Sterling’s words when he asked her to be his girlfriend. Could it be that Terrence Sterling really chose her and dumped Fiona?
Was he only saying those things about Fiona not being his girlfriend to appease her?
In today’s society, men’s words are deceitful, with no truth to be found.
Fiona lived in Thornfield Gardens, and everyone saw and knew that she was Terrence Sterling’s girlfriend. There was no denying this fact.
With this realization, Meredith felt even more remorseful. She had become the third party that broke up someone else’s relationship.
Furthermore, it was her best friend’s relationship.
“Fiona,” Meredith expressed her guilt, “I will talk to Terrence Sterling…”
“I do not want Terrence Sterling to know we are acquainted,” Fiona interrupted Meredith. “Do you want to embarrass me further? Let others know that we grew up together, and my best friend stole my man?”
“Fine, I will not tell Terrence Sterling about our acquaintance. Fiona, I am truly sorry. Terrence Sterling and I… we were just drunk. It truly was an accident.”
Fiona appeared genuinely upset, shedding a tear from her eye: “I know you are prettier and have a better figure than me. Standing beside you, any normal man would choose you. But I have my dignity. I cannot bear the thought of my best friend being with my boyfriend. So, I hide and avoid you. It is also a form of self-deprecation, fearing to see you.”
Her words were a mix of truth and falsehood. Fiona’s objective was to morally blackmail Meredith, preventing her from pursuing Terrence Sterling.
As she spoke, Fiona genuinely cried, appearing as though she had suffered greatly unjustly.
“Fiona, I’m sorry,” Meredith kept apologizing. “I promise you, Terrence Sterling and I truly had just that one time, and I will not be with him. Please stop crying.”
Fiona’s eyes lit up, eagerly asking, “Can you really do it? Not be with him?”
Meredith hesitated for a moment before saying, “… Yes.”
Only she knew how difficult it was to say that word and make that decision.
Fiona was particularly pleased with Meredith’s response, determined not to let Meredith have what she desired.