Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 118

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

**Chapter 118: The Distance Between Them**

Once they had savored the last bite of the dumplings, Curtis guided Adriana back to her home, his expression thoughtful as they navigated the familiar streets.

As they drove, Adriana felt a heaviness in her heart, a storm of emotions swirling within her. The anger she felt towards Matthew and Liana seemed trivial now, overshadowed by the more pressing turmoil of her thoughts about Curtis and Cynthia.

She had come to understand the depth of a man’s attachment to his first love, a lesson she had learned through her own experiences. Four long years with Matthew had taught her that there would always be a shadow named Natasha lingering in his heart. Yet, surprisingly, she had never felt envy towards Natasha.

But now, the green-eyed monster had crept in, and she found herself genuinely envious of Cynthia. Perhaps it was because she recognized, deep down, that Curtis was a man of integrity and kindness, qualities that made him all the more desirable.

As they arrived home, Curtis excused himself to go upstairs for a shower. Adriana, however, felt an urgent need to retreat to the solitude of the downstairs bathroom. With trembling hands, she reached for a pregnancy test, her heart racing as she prepared to confront the possibility of motherhood.

Seated on the cool porcelain of the toilet, her heart drummed a frantic beat in her chest. Part of her yearned for the result to be positive. The thought was undeniably wrong, but the allure of having a child—a living connection between her and Curtis—was intoxicating.

Even if their marriage were to crumble in the future, she would still have a piece of him—a child born out of their union, a tangible reminder of their love.

Yet shame washed over her, and her eyes stung with unshed tears. She had never considered herself ambitious; if she had been, perhaps she would have stood up to Rufus and Mia instead of cowering in fear of the orphanage’s reputation. If she had possessed even a fraction of courage, she wouldn’t have spent four silent years trailing behind Matthew like a shadow.

And now, here she was, clinging to the fragile hope that Curtis might still harbor feelings for her, even while knowing in her heart that his affections lay with another.

Time slipped away as she stared at the test strip, her breath hitching in her throat. One solitary line appeared, stark and unforgiving.

A wave of despair washed over her. One line meant she wasn’t pregnant.

Feeling as though the wind had been knocked from her lungs, she wrapped the test in tissue and discarded it in the trash with a heavy heart. No baby this time. When her period arrived, Eva would surely notice the change in her mood, and if Eva found out, the news would reach Harold.

And Harold would undoubtedly pressure Curtis into divorce once more.

Adriana had pondered this scenario often—without a child, her marriage to Curtis seemed destined to falter. With Cynthia back in the picture and Nicole also having returned, the weight of her worries felt insurmountable.

Tears blurred her vision, and she sniffled, bewildered by the sudden rush of sorrow that enveloped her.

As she wiped her cheeks hastily, she made her way upstairs, where she found Curtis standing by the window, engaged in a phone conversation. He hadn’t yet taken his shower, and she felt a pang of anxiety at the thought of him seeing the evidence of her tears.

“I’ll run the bath,” she announced, her voice slightly shaky as she hurried into the bathroom, turning on the faucet and letting the warm water flow. She hoped the steam would mask her red-rimmed eyes and the turmoil within her.

Curiosity piqued, she blinked and shook her head, eager to hear his story.

“You didn’t notice I drove a different car tonight?” he teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

Adriana nodded, recalling the sleek Mercedes coupe he had chosen instead of his usual flashy ride.

“Kenneth got a bit distracted at a red light and accidentally rear-ended someone,” Curtis continued, a grin tugging at his lips. “The car in front had a sticker that said, ‘Rear-end me and you have to marry me.’ So, the lady driver insisted he go to the registry office with her.”

He delivered the tale with a straight face, and Adriana listened intently, her initial concern melting away into laughter. “Wait, so what’s Kenneth going to do? Is he really going to marry her?”

Curtis chuckled, shaking his head. “Not my problem. He was the one driving. He rear-ended her.”

Adriana giggled, shaking her head in disbelief. Curtis’s merciless attitude toward Kenneth was both amusing and refreshing.

Seeing her laughter, Curtis finally shed his own clothes and swept her into his arms, carrying her into the shower.

Adriana clung to him tightly, feeling a mix of joy and trepidation, afraid of slipping away from the warmth of his embrace.