Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 148

**When Time Tried to Heal Me But I Refused to Listen by Kael Niro Senn**
**Chapter 148: Hubby, I Was Wrong**

Irene had entered the room with a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes, not truly expecting much from the moment. She simply wanted to poke a little fun at Gary, to lighten the heavy air that had settled between them. “Well, looks like you’re out of luck…” she teased, her tone playful as she tore open the sealed envelope containing the paternity test results.

For a fleeting moment, silence enveloped them as she extracted the paper, her heart racing with anticipation. Then, with a sudden flick of her wrist, she tossed the document onto the table, the sound echoing like a thunderclap in the stillness of the room.

Leaning heavily into Gary’s arms, a wave of exhaustion washed over Irene, making her feel as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. Gary, sensing her fatigue, enveloped her in a warm embrace. “Don’t be upset,” he murmured, his voice a soothing balm. “We’ve searched for so many years. We’ll keep looking. We will find her.”

But Irene froze, her heart skipping a beat as realization dawned on her. She sat up abruptly, as if jolted by an electric shock. Grabbing the paternity test results, her eyes bore into Gary’s, searching for the truth. “Gary… are you messing with me?”

In a sudden surge of emotion, she slapped Gary across the face, the sound sharp and jarring.

Gary sat there, momentarily stunned, his gaze locked on Irene, confusion etched across his features. “What?” he managed to utter, bewildered.

Irene’s breath came in quick, ragged gasps as she thrust the test results at him. “Is this funny to you? Is this some kind of joke?” Her voice trembled with anger and disbelief, each word laced with hurt.

Gary, still reeling from the slap, looked genuinely perplexed. “I didn’t touch those results at all. You know I wouldn’t…” His voice trailed off as he finally caught sight of the paper, his eyes widening in shock. “Where did you get this sample?”

Irene’s expression morphed from anger to uncertainty as she met his gaze. “You swear you didn’t tamper with it?”

“I didn’t,” Gary insisted, raising his hand in a gesture of sincerity, anxiety creeping into his voice. “I swear, I’d never joke about something like this—unless I wanted you to break up with me.”

Irene narrowed her eyes, suspicion flickering in her mind. “Are you saying you want to break up with me?”

With a helpless laugh, Gary shook his head. “Come on, whose sample was it then? I really didn’t touch a thing. According to this, this girl is your niece. She’s your sister’s daughter.”

Panic surged through Irene as she clutched the report again, her voice rough and trembling. “She’s… it’s Adriana, the girl Curtis married…”

Gary paused, a look of concern crossing his face. “Take it slow. Are you sure there’s no problem with the sample?”

Irene’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she shook her head, flustered. “I pulled out some hair when she wasn’t paying attention. I… I just thought she looked like my sister, so I took some hair…”

Immediately, Gary drew her into his arms, his embrace firm and reassuring. “Stay calm. Don’t panic now. This isn’t the time to lose it.”

Did I really find her after all these years? The thought echoed in Irene’s mind, disbelief mingling with a flicker of hope. “I need to see her,” she declared, determination igniting within her as she sprang to her feet, intent on finding Adriana.

“Irene, you’re not usually this impulsive. If that really is the girl, and you rush over now, you might scare her off. If Chandler really wants to hurt her, even you and Curtis might not be able to protect her. Sometimes, hidden threats are the hardest to guard against,” Gary cautioned, his voice firm yet gentle as he tried to ground her.

Irene’s hands trembled, the realization of what was at stake sinking in.

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