Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 166

**Chapter 166: Another Scheme**

Curtis had barricaded himself within the confines of his study, resolutely shutting the world outside. The door, once a passage to life and connection, now stood as an impenetrable barrier, keeping everyone at bay.

His mother had never been a choice made by love; rather, she had been selected with cold precision by the Lincoln patriarch, a calculated move to ensure the survival of the Lincoln lineage. There was no warmth, no affection, merely an arrangement that had been crafted with the precision of a business deal.

In those early days, Curtis’s father, Michael Lincoln, had splurged an astonishing 500 million dollars on a bracelet, a mere prop designed to create an illusion for the cameras. It was nothing more than a façade, a grand performance that masked the decay lurking beneath the surface.

Such a hollow union was destined to rot from within, and Curtis had been born amidst that decay, a product of a world where love was a foreign concept.

“After his mother became pregnant, his father vanished into thin air,” Danielle recounted, her voice dripping with intrigue. “Harold had the audacity to announce to the world that he had died. But that was a lie.” Her smile widened, as if she were about to unveil a hidden treasure. “I know you’ve been investigating Curtis, Matthew. You want to track down his father and use his half-siblings to challenge Curtis for the Lincoln inheritance.”

Matthew remained silent, the truth hitting him like a thunderbolt. She had laid bare his intentions with startling clarity.

He envisioned using Michael’s second family as pawns in his game, stripping Curtis of everything he held dear. Once the protective shield of the Lincoln Group was shattered, he could reclaim Adriana, the prize he had long coveted.

“I know where Michael is,” Danielle continued, her voice steady yet laced with temptation.

Matthew’s eyes narrowed, suspicion flaring within him. “Then spill it. What do you want from me?”

“I’ll share the information without any strings attached,” she replied smoothly. “All I ask is for us to collaborate. Curtis is a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. If we join forces to take him down, we both secure our safety.”

Curtis had crossed a line, his quest for revenge striking a devastating blow to Danielle and Chandler’s business, nearly crippling it.

Their interest lay not in the business itself, but in the substantial Barton fortune and the control of the Barton Group. With Curtis standing as an insurmountable obstacle, both Danielle and Chandler were gripped by the fear that their entire scheme could crumble at any moment.

“Fine,” Matthew relented, reclining into the couch, the glass in his hand catching the light as he spun it idly. His gaze remained fixed on Danielle. “Go ahead. Reveal where he’s hiding.”

“He’s in Haldoria,” Danielle answered, her tone unwavering. “Right at the edge of Hillcrest City. There’s a quaint little fishing village there.” With that, she jotted something down on the back of a photograph and slid it across the table.

Matthew froze, the name striking a chord deep within him. Adriana’s orphanage had been located there, a place so remote and obscure that it seemed unlikely anyone would dare to search for Curtis in such a forgotten corner of the world.

“Before Curtis returns,” Danielle urged, her eyes scrutinizing his reaction, “you still have a window of opportunity. You could persuade his half-brother to ally with you.”

Matthew picked up the photograph, a crooked grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Curtis had always believed himself to be the sole heir, the only son destined to inherit the vast Lincoln empire. If a brother were to suddenly emerge, challenging him for everything he thought was rightfully his, Curtis would find it impossible to maintain that calm, collected facade he wore so well.

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