Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 111

**Chapter 111: His Rabbit Runs Away**

Natasha’s patience snapped like a fragile twig underfoot. Before she could fully comprehend the gravity of her actions, her hand flew out, connecting with the reporter’s cheek in a sharp slap that echoed her frustration.

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted; every lens turned toward her, capturing the moment like vultures circling their prey.

The reporter, a lackey of Curtis, had been lying in wait for just such an opportunity. He tumbled to the ground with theatrical flair, clutching his face as if mortally wounded.

Time seemed to freeze for Natasha. Her heart raced as she realized that in the blink of an eye, all the painstakingly constructed walls of her reputation were crumbling around her. The weight of her actions pressed down on her, and panic surged through her veins as she scrambled for her phone, desperately dialing Matthew’s number.

One of the reporters, clearly relishing the chaos, feigned injury, adding fuel to the fire of tomorrow’s headlines that threatened to obliterate her standing in society.

The Jones family was fiercely protective of their name and legacy. With Rufus already behind bars, the thought of her reputation being dragged through the mud was unbearable. It would be a devastating blow to everything they had built.

But as she dialed, her heart sank further—Matthew didn’t answer.

She tried again and again, each ring amplifying her anxiety, but he remained silent on the other end.

Meanwhile, in his car, Matthew’s expression was a storm of irritation. When Natasha’s name flashed across his phone, he tossed it aside as if it were a hot coal, refusing to acknowledge the call.

He used to believe that nothing could ever alter the feelings he harbored for her. That first spark of infatuation had lingered through the years, unyielding. Why would it suddenly change now?

Even when Natasha had made the choice to marry someone else overseas, he had remained with Adriana. Perhaps it had begun as an act of defiance or a bitter response to her betrayal, but he had never anticipated that he would genuinely develop feelings for Adriana.

Now, standing at the crossroads between his past with Natasha and his present with Adriana, he found himself increasingly drawn to the latter. She was the one who truly mattered to him.

“Mr. Langford, Ms. Jones is calling again,” Peter interjected cautiously, his voice laced with apprehension. He sensed that Natasha was likely trying to press Matthew about obtaining that elusive marriage certificate, and the tension in the air was palpable.

Peter dared not answer the call; the dynamic between them had grown too fraught.

“Don’t answer,” Matthew snapped, his annoyance evident. Each of Natasha’s attempts to reach him regarding the marriage only served to stoke the flames of his frustration.

The harder she clung to their past, the more it pushed him away, like a rubber band stretched to its limit.

As Peter maneuvered the car toward Matthew’s home, the atmosphere felt heavy, almost suffocating.

Upon arriving, Matthew stepped into the house, which felt eerily empty, devoid of warmth or life.

He dropped the gift box he had brought home onto the table, the sound a dull thud that echoed in the silence, and sank onto the couch, rubbing his temples in an attempt to ease the burgeoning headache.

After a moment, he rose, the urge to escape gnawing at him, and decided to drive to the apartment—the one he had shared with Adriana.

They had been together for four years, yet he had never dared to bring her to his home, save for those few occasions when she had been his assistant, coming to collect him.

Back then, the thought of marrying her had never even crossed his mind.

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