Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 116

**Chapter 116: The Calm Before the Tempest**

Adriana’s gaze flickered over to Matthew, her heart heavy with the knowledge that Liana harbored feelings for him. The truth weighed on her tongue like a bitter pill. “But let me clarify something for you—he’s never going to marry girls like us, girls who lack a family legacy. So if you’re looking for an enemy, it isn’t me,” she said, her voice laced with a mix of sympathy and disdain.

Liana’s eyes blazed with fury, her expression mirroring someone whose innermost secrets had just been laid bare for all to see. It was a look that spoke volumes, a mixture of anger and embarrassment that made Adriana feel a flicker of guilt, but she quickly brushed it aside.

As Adriana turned to leave, she paused, a smirk curling on her lips. “Oh, right, I almost forgot to answer your question. I got into the Architecture Department at Haldoria Institute of Technology with the top score in my county and seventh in the whole state,” she said, her tone dripping with self-satisfaction.

With that, she strutted away, leaving Liana to stew in her own thoughts.

What was Liana even bragging about, anyway? Her grades?

Adriana knew that in the world of elite institutions, academic excellence was merely the baseline. In fact, excelling academically without a prestigious family name would only render her a target, a mark for the envy of others.

Liana’s fists tightened at her sides, a silent protest against the truth she refused to accept.

Adriana was genuinely smarter than her, and that realization stung.

“Matthew, do you think Adriana is upset with me?” Liana asked, her voice trembling as she looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Without hesitation, Matthew sprinted after Adriana, his urgency palpable. “We can celebrate another day. Here, take this card—buy whatever you want,” he said, pressing a card into her hand before dashing away.

Adriana felt a flutter of anxiety at the thought of him catching up to her. As soon as she stepped outside, she ducked behind a cluster of blooming flower bushes, her heart racing. Once she confirmed that he had taken off in the opposite direction, she slipped away down a side street.

The sky was darkening, and the streetlights flickered to life, casting a warm glow over the pavement.

Adriana wandered aimlessly, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts as she checked her phone repeatedly. What was she waiting for? A text from Curtis?

Her phone buzzed incessantly, but each notification was from Matthew, a reminder of the connection she was trying to sever.

With a sigh of resignation, she opened the app and blocked him once more, relishing the sudden silence that enveloped her.

Adults had to learn the art of cutting ties. Some relationships were simply meant to be left behind, to end without the messiness of lingering attachments.

Just then, a new message appeared on her screen. “Adriana, I just got to Harborton. I’ll be flying to Haldoria at the end of the month and have three days off. Want to hang out?” It was from Yolanda, accompanied by an adorable sticker that made Adriana smile.

She appreciated Yolanda’s straightforwardness.

Sure, Yolanda had her own reasons for reaching out, but at least she never pretended otherwise.

“Sure, let’s meet up at the end of the month,” Adriana typed back, her mood lifting slightly.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea swept over her, catching her off guard. Perhaps it was the anger from earlier, but her chest felt constricted, as if someone had wrapped a vice around her heart. She sank onto a nearby bench, pressing a hand against her chest as her heartbeat quickened.

Opening her period tracker app, she noted with alarm that her cycle was supposed to start today.

It had always been so punctual, but this time, nothing.

A few days’ delay was usually nothing to worry about, yet the anxiety gnawed at her. Without fully understanding why, she found herself walking into a nearby pharmacy, purchasing a pregnancy test.

What if she really was pregnant?

She answered quickly, her heart racing. “Hey, Curtis,” she greeted him, trying to sound casual.

“Where are you?” His voice was calm yet strained, as though he was battling against a rising tide of panic.

“I’m sitting by the road on Northbank Street,” she replied, her honesty feeling like a double-edged sword.

“Sorry. My phone was off earlier, and I missed your messages,” he said, taking a deep breath that echoed his worry. “I’m coming to pick you up.”

He didn’t even inquire if she had met with Matthew.

That silence was a sharp stab to her heart. It was as if he didn’t care enough to ask, and that realization stung more than she expected.

When she had answered the call, a small part of her had secretly wished Curtis would confront her about Matthew.

Married people weren’t meant to casually meet their exes, yet he didn’t say a word about it.

She discreetly tucked the pregnancy test into her bag, deciding not to mention it to him just yet. She would conduct the test in the privacy of her own home and only reveal the truth once she was certain.

Moments later, Curtis’s car pulled up beside her, the engine purring softly. He rolled down the window and honked lightly.

Adriana stood up in surprise, a rush of relief flooding her as she hurried toward him. He had come to find her himself. “Where’s Mr. Heath?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

“Sent him home,” Curtis replied, his voice flat. Kenneth had been a thorn in his side, and he was glad to be rid of him for the moment.