Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 179

**When Time Tried to Heal Me But I Refused to Listen by Kael Niro Senn**
**Chapter 179: Misunderstanding**

Belinda’s voice cracked under the weight of her emotions. “Adriana, I’m so sorry. I hurt you. I was selfish. I used your baby to buy my freedom.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, each drop a painful reminder of the gravity of her confession, splattering against the unforgiving concrete beneath them.

For a fleeting moment, a knot twisted in Adriana’s stomach. There was something profoundly disturbing about the calmness that enveloped Belinda as she spoke those heart-wrenching words.

Belinda lifted her chin, her voice quavering yet resolute. “Adriana, even if I hadn’t pushed you that day… your baby wouldn’t have survived.” The weight of her words darkened her expression like a storm cloud rolling in. “Stay away from Harold. Stay away from Eva. Other than Curtis, you can’t trust anyone.”

Adriana stood frozen, a whirlwind of confusion swirling in her mind, struggling to fully grasp the implications of Belinda’s ominous warning.

“Adriana, you really need to understand something,” Belinda continued, her steps slow and deliberate, each word falling heavy in the air. “There are things you can earn if you fight hard enough. But there are things you’ll never touch, no matter how fiercely you struggle. That’s called social class.” Her voice, though soft, was laced with an icy detachment, each sentence cutting like a sharpened blade. “You grew up with nothing. The Lincolns will never see you as one of them. Harold will never allow you to remain Curtis’s wife forever. And the Bartons won’t permit you to cling to your position as Curtis’s wife by holding onto a pregnancy that’s already lost.”

Before Belinda had pushed Adriana down those stairs, she had overheard something she wasn’t supposed to.

Eva had been staying at Belinda’s apartment, caring for Cynthia. The space was cramped, the walls thin enough for whispers to travel through the night. One restless evening, when sleep eluded her, Belinda had risen to quench her thirst. It was then that she had caught fragments of a conversation, a sinister plot unfolding in hushed tones.

Someone was instructing Eva to poison Adriana’s baby. They wanted her gone too.

There were far too many people who wished for Adriana’s demise.

They could always find someone close to her to betray her trust.

Money could twist loyalties and bend wills.

Adriana was too kind, too defenseless.

Curtis could shield her with all his might, but the world had an uncanny ability to find the smallest cracks to exploit.

Standing next to him was akin to stepping onto a battlefield teeming with wolves, and she had no armor to protect herself. No powerful name to shield her. No family to stand guard.

“Curtis doesn’t live in a world where kindness matters,” Belinda said, her tone steady yet haunting, echoing in Adriana’s mind like a relentless specter. “You can’t just be good enough. If you want to remain by his side, you need to be ruthless. You can’t hesitate. You can’t show pity to anyone. And you definitely can’t afford to stay soft.” She began to turn away but paused, her words slicing through the air like a knife. “Your kindness will destroy you, Adriana. Next time, don’t give anyone the chance to harm you. And if they do, don’t forgive them. Don’t show mercy. You let me go this time, and now others will think they can do the same.”

Adriana remained silent, paralyzed by the weight of Belinda’s words, watching her retreat down the street until she was just a shadow against the fading light.

Her thoughts spiraled into chaos.

Curtis had clawed his way to power, surrounded by those who waited eagerly for him to falter. His wife was meant to be his equal, someone strong enough to fight alongside him, not someone fragile who perpetually required saving. She realized with a sinking heart that she was not that woman. She was weak. The kind of woman who crumbled under the slightest gust of wind.

And Curtis had to waste his strength shielding her from the harsh realities of the world.

If it weren’t for her, Matthew wouldn’t have dragged Michael and his family back into their lives, complicating everything.

When she finally returned home, she sank onto the couch, taking a shaky breath before dialing Curtis’s number.

Matthew was lurking near the entrance, feigning interest in a shelf of books.

The moment her gaze fell upon him, a twist of unease coiled in her stomach. She knew he was there intentionally, waiting for her.

“Mr. Langford,” she said sharply, her voice icy as she tried to mask her discomfort. “Stay away from me.”

“Adriana, wait,” he called out quickly, his tone uneven, as if he were struggling to find the right words. “Mia’s case is over. The court made its decision. I swear I won’t let anyone from my family bother you again.”

A cold laugh escaped her lips, devoid of warmth. “You sound so noble now. It’s amusing how that wasn’t the case when I actually needed you.”

“Mr. Langford,” she said flatly, “Mia got what she deserved. My husband fought to make that happen. Not you. So stop trying to claim credit that isn’t yours.” She turned to leave, but Matthew’s voice cut through the air, rough and pleading.

“Do you have to treat me like this? What about the four years we had together?”

Adriana didn’t even flinch at his words. “That happened because God woke up one day and decided He wanted to mess with me.”

She attempted to walk past him, but he stepped into her path, blocking her way.

“Adriana!” he snapped, frustration bubbling over. “You don’t even know what’s going on, do you? Curtis’s Capitol project—do you know why it’s falling apart?”

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into her heart. “What are you trying to say?”