Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 114

**When Time Tried to Heal Me But I Refused to Listen by Kael Niro Senn**
**Chapter 114: I’m Willing to Be His Shield**

Adriana turned her back on Matthew, her silence a fortress he felt powerless to breach.

“Adriana…” he called out, his voice strained, a mix of frustration and an undercurrent of desperation lacing his words. “Can you please stop acting like this?”

Yet, she remained unmoved, as if he were merely a ghost haunting her presence.

With a heavy sigh, Matthew felt the weight of their past pressing down on him. Once, her sweetness had wrapped around him like a warm embrace; now, she felt like an insurmountable wall.

Determined to reach her, he shifted closer, planting himself beside her on the couch.

Adriana didn’t even spare him a glance. She attempted to inch away, but his grip tightened around her arm, a silent plea for her attention.

“Look,” he insisted, pulling out his phone, his heart racing with urgency as he displayed photos and videos of Curtis and Cynthia. “He’s going to marry Cynthia sooner or later. The only thing holding him back is Nicole. Mr. Harold won’t approve of their union, but how much longer can he hold on? Curtis is just using you as a shield to keep Mr. Harold off Cynthia’s back. You’re taking all the hits for her. When Mr. Harold passes away, you two will part ways, and he’ll be with Cynthia in an instant.”

Adriana’s gaze fell on the images, a knot tightening in her stomach. The reality of being a mere contract wife gnawed at her, yet she clung to a semblance of dignity.

“Mr. Lincoln pays me thirty million a year and throws in a bunch of perks. He appreciates my design skills and wants to send me abroad for studies. That’s more than enough for me. I’m willing to be his shield,” she replied, her voice icy as she met Matthew’s eyes.

What Curtis offered her were tangible benefits, a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil she felt.

“Adriana! Don’t you see? You can’t just waltz into the Lincolns’ world. Curtis has made enemies of both the Bartons and the Lincolns. Even with that thirty million, you won’t last long enough to enjoy it!” Matthew’s frustration bubbled over. He wasn’t sure if she was genuinely oblivious or simply putting on an act.

People in their social circles didn’t just welcome outsiders. Adriana was an orphan, and the notion that marrying Curtis could elevate her status was laughable. For them, wealth was merely a tool; it was respect, power, and legacy that mattered most.

“None of this is your business,” Adriana shot back, her tone sharp, attempting to cut off the conversation.

She thought he was being insufferably self-righteous. “Mr. Langford, you’re about to marry Natasha. Maybe you should focus on her instead of wasting your time on me?”

“Still angry with me?” Matthew grasped her wrist, his voice softening. “Look, I’m sorry. I promise, once I sort things out with the Langfords and secure my position, I’ll make it up to you. Don’t be foolish. It’s not too late to ask for a divorce from Curtis now.”

But she wasn’t.

To entertain the thought of marrying her, he first needed to secure his own power. Admitting his love for her now felt utterly impossible.

A mocking laugh escaped Adriana’s lips as she turned to leave. Just then, a young girl with a backpack burst into the room, her energy a stark contrast to the tension that hung in the air.

“Matthew!” The girl, Liana Everhart, was a bright spark, her cheerful demeanor lighting up the dim atmosphere.

She dashed toward Matthew, completely disregarding Adriana’s presence.

Four years prior, Liana’s mother had abandoned her, and her father had been left paralyzed from a tragic car accident. Despite being a top student, she had been forced to drop out of school. One fateful day, she had been weeping on the roadside when she crossed paths with Adriana. Even though Adriana herself struggled to make ends meet, she couldn’t ignore Liana’s plight. Seeking help, she turned to Matthew for support.

As a businessman, Matthew had agreed to sponsor Liana’s education, but with a catch—he made her promise to intern at the Langford Group after graduation, just as he had once arranged for Adriana to intern at his side during her senior year.

“I heard you did well on your exams,” Matthew said, a genuine smile breaking through his earlier frustration.