Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 49

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

**Curtis Won’t Be in Love with Me**

Adriana had a nagging feeling that something was amiss with Belinda. The usual spark in her eyes seemed dimmed, and the tension in the air was palpable.

“You’ve been seeing someone, haven’t you?” she asked gently, her voice barely above a whisper. The memory of Curtis’s words from the previous night echoed in her mind, urging her to reach out. “If something’s bothering you, or if anyone’s giving you a hard time, you can always talk to Curtis.”

Belinda’s head snapped up, her eyes flashing with anger. “Mind your own damn business! Don’t you dare tell him— or I’ll…”

Her voice trailed off, her lips quivering. The thought of Curtis finding out sent a shiver down her spine. He was strict, a figure who commanded respect and fear in equal measure.

In an instant, the mask of defiance shattered. A single sniffle broke the silence, and then Belinda was overwhelmed, tears streaming down her cheeks like a sudden summer rain.

Adriana let out a heavy sigh, her heart aching for the girl before her. Belinda was so young, barely a freshman, thrust into a world that seemed far too harsh.

Without a mother to turn to for advice or comfort during moments like these, Belinda was left to navigate her feelings alone.

As Adriana watched the girl crumble, her initial frustration melted into a deep well of pity.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a tissue and offered it to Belinda. “Let’s finish breakfast first. I’ll drive you to campus afterward.”

Haldoria Dance Academy, where Belinda studied, was conveniently located just a stone’s throw away from Haldoria University, both nestled in the same bustling university district.

“I don’t need your fake kindness!” Belinda snapped, pushing her plate away as if it were the source of her troubles. “I’m not going, and it’s all your fault! Ever since he married you, he kicked me out!”

Adriana raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. “It’s funny, you act so fierce at home, yet you let everyone walk all over you outside. Didn’t he get you a place near campus so you’d have somewhere safe to stay?”

“None of your business,” Belinda muttered, her gaze fixed on her untouched plate, a fortress of defiance built around her.

Adriana chose to let it go, sensing that pushing further would only drive a wedge between them.

After breakfast, she called for Tom to prepare the car.

But as the minutes ticked away, Belinda retreated to her room, locking the door with a definitive click.

“Belinda, if you don’t open this door, I swear I’ll call Curtis,” Adriana warned, knocking firmly, her patience wearing thin.

The door swung open abruptly. Belinda glared at her, her expression a mixture of annoyance and rebellion. “You’re so annoying.”

With a huff, she threw her backpack over one shoulder, jammed a cap on her head, and shoved her earbuds in, storming toward the car with a fierce determination.

Adriana sighed, a sense of resignation washing over her. The youth of today seemed to carry an immense weight of anger, fighting against a world that often overlooked them, desperate to be seen.

Tom dropped Belinda off first, understanding that as a freshman, she had a heavier academic load to juggle.

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