Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 42

**When Time Tried to Heal Me But I Refused to Listen**
by Kael Niro Senn 42

“Honestly, with a daughter as foolish as you, it’s clear your father can’t be much better. I’d say he should brace himself for a pink slip,” Curtis said, his voice devoid of warmth, slicing through the tension like a knife. He then turned to Kenneth, his steadfast assistant, with a calculated calmness. “Bring in the lawyer, and don’t forget to call the police as well.”

Linda’s face blanched, a wave of panic washing over her as she grappled with the weight of Curtis’s words. What did he mean? The implications hung heavy in the air, suffocating her.

“Being this idiotic really takes skill,” Curtis continued, his frustration evident as he shook his phone in agitation. “Thanks to your blunders, the evidence from that crime four years ago is sitting here, perfectly preserved.”

He had instructed Kenneth to delve into the relentless bullying that Adriana had suffered years prior, meticulously gathering proof that now felt like a ticking time bomb. To his astonishment, that very evidence had found its way to him today, as if someone had handed him a loaded weapon.

Adriana, ensnared in a haze of confusion, stared blankly at Curtis, her mind swirling with dread and uncertainty.

“W-What do you mean?” Linda’s voice quivered, panic lacing her words as she instinctively took a step back, desperate to escape the oppressive tension. But standing like an immovable fortress in front of her was Tom, Curtis’s formidable bodyguard, his presence a silent warning.

Tom was a mountain of a man, capable of taking on ten adversaries without breaking a sweat. Just his stature alone was enough to instill fear in anyone who dared to challenge him.

“Adriana! Are you out of your mind? You know what happens when you cross me!” Linda whipped around, venom dripping from her words as she directed her fury at Adriana. “You’d better tell him to stay out of this.”

Adriana remained silent, her gaze flickering nervously to Curtis, who exuded an air of calm authority amidst the chaos.

“Don’t fret about this,” Curtis reassured Adriana, his voice steady and soothing. “I’ll take care of everything. Just sit back down and enjoy your meal while it’s still warm. We shouldn’t let good food go to waste.”

With a heavy heart, Adriana lowered her head, her appetite evaporating. Perhaps it was the steam rising from the dumplings, but her eyes felt unbearably warm, threatening to spill over.

The urge to cry tingled in her nose, yet she hesitated, fearing that Curtis might mock her vulnerability.

The memories of the bullying from four years ago lingered like a haunting specter, a festering wound that had never truly healed.

Throughout those years, Matthew had never once stepped up to defend her.

Yet here was Curtis, her contract husband and her boss, unexpectedly willing to stand up for her.

“Adriana, you’re finished!” Linda and her crew attempted to make their exit, but Tom and the bodyguards formed an unyielding barrier, preventing their escape.

Fury ignited within Linda as she grabbed her phone. “Camelia, get over here with some backup! That little witch Adriana has a guy with her, and they’ve got us cornered!”

Adriana’s heart raced at the thought of Camelia arriving. If Linda called her, there was no doubt Camelia would bring Mia along.

Facing one Linda was manageable—her family lacked the clout of Curtis’s—but if the Langfords stepped in, who knew what kind of trouble it could stir up for Curtis?

“What would you like to eat?” Curtis asked casually, as if the rising tension around them didn’t faze him in the slightest.

Adriana shook her head, her appetite completely vanished.

She had always appeared sweet and demure, her quiet demeanor making her an easy target for bullies.

Curtis studied her for a moment, then said, “Honestly, it might be beneficial if they all show up. It saves me the hassle of tracking them down individually.”

“Curtis, why are you helping me?” Adriana asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper, laden with disbelief.

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