Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 125

**When Time Tried to Heal Me But I Refused to Listen by Kael Niro Senn**

**Chapter 125: The Setup**

“Mr. Harold, what brings you to Haldoria all of a sudden?” Matthew inquired with a polite smile, his curiosity piqued.

“Just some family business to handle,” Harold replied, his tone cautious and guarded. The truth, which lingered unspoken on his lips, was that he had come primarily to ascertain whether Adriana was expecting a child. The idea gnawed at him, but he preferred to keep that particular thought buried.

Nicole, ever blunt, interjected without a hint of subtlety, “Adriana sure knows how to act. Mr. Matthew, you know her best—she’s obviously faking a pregnancy to fool Mr. Harold.”

At her words, Harold’s expression darkened, a storm brewing behind his eyes. He despised it when personal matters were thrust into the public eye, and Nicole seemed utterly oblivious to the gravity of her words.

If she weren’t a Barton, he would never even entertain the thought of such a shallow, thoughtless girl becoming part of his family.

“Mr. Harold, I mean no offense,” Matthew said, stealing a glance at him through the rearview mirror, “but Adriana can’t be pregnant. She was with me for four years.”

Harold’s demeanor turned stony, a wall of ice building around him. Sensing the tension, Matthew quickly added, “Of course, that’s not the point.”

He then directed a meaningful look at Nicole, hoping she would grasp the implication.

Nicole caught on immediately. “Mr. Harold, she was with Mr. Matthew for four years without ever getting pregnant. She’s only been with Curtis for a few days—it’s impossible. She’s just pretending.”

Harold’s expression grew colder, his patience wearing thin. “She refuses to cooperate. What am I supposed to do, drag her to the hospital?”

“Actually, it’s easy to get her to behave,” Matthew said casually, as if the matter were trivial. “She’s timid. The orphanage director, Margaret Hensley, is basically her foster mother. She listens to her more than anyone else.”

In truth, Matthew’s intentions were far from altruistic; he wanted to manipulate the situation to hasten the divorce between Curtis and Adriana.

It wasn’t entirely his fault—he simply couldn’t bear the thought of Adriana remaining entangled with Curtis any longer.

The Lincolns were not a family she should ever become involved with.

Although Curtis might be Harold’s heir, the dark undercurrents of that family’s business were far more sinister than anything the Langfords could conjure.

As the car rolled to a stop outside the hotel, Matthew exited first and opened the door for Harold, who stepped out with a grim expression, leaning heavily on his cane.

While Matthew pressed the elevator button, Nicole leaned closer to Harold, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “Mr. Harold, I heard that Adriana had a few abortions during her time with Matthew. Her body is already damaged, and she was on birth control for years. There’s no way she could get pregnant now. She’s just trying to climb higher and won’t let go of Curtis.”

Harold’s face darkened further, a storm brewing within him.

A woman without self-respect or shame—he would never allow her to remain within the Lincolns. “Go to the orphanage and bring the director here. I want her to personally take Adriana for an exam!”

Nicole’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk. This time, Adriana wouldn’t be able to evade the situation.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify