Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 268

Chapter 268 The Invitation

Matthew let out a sarcastic smile. The same old trick again…

+20 Free Coins

From the time he was a child, whenever he did anything that displeased Raymond, he would be beaten and forced to kneel, sometimes all the way until dawn.

When he was little, he’d been made to kneel in the rain for an entire night. He ran a high fever and passed out. His mother only watched from a distance and even scolded him for being useless, for not knowing how to please Raymond the way Rex did.

Matthew found it utterly ridiculous.

Growing up in a family like that, no one ever taught Matthew what love was.

So when he met Adriana, his first instinct was to claim her, to hide her away, to keep her from being seen.

Because anything he cared about, anything Raymond didn’t allow, would be destroyed.

He could only hide Adriana. He knew Raymond would never allow him to marry a woman without family backing.

He couldn’t give Adriana marriage, yet in his self–righteousness, he thought hiding her away meant protecting her.

Unfortunately, what Adriana wanted wasn’t a love that felt like a cage.

Under this twisted upbringing, he had personally pushed Adriana farther and farther away.

How pathetic.

Curtis was right. I really am pathetic.

“Matthew … look at you now,” Rex sneered the moment Raymond left, gloating openly. “Stay on your knees. What you had people do to me today, I’ll return a hundredfold in the future.”

Rex strutted past Matthew, then paused and added, “Oh, right. You’re scared of Curtis, right? Think he might make a comeback? Let me tell you, Dad’s already teamed up with the other families in the Haldoria Chamber of Commerce to surround him completely. Whether he tries to start a business or invest, no one will dare touch him. For the rest of his life, he’ll be stuck at the bottom.”

Rex curled his lips, mocking Matthew. “Weren’t you always so high and mighty, calling me an

1/3

15:20 Wed, Dec 31

Chapter 268 The Invitation

24.00

illegitimate son? I’ll have you know, even if I am one, I’ve got better judgment than you. I know Curtis will be stuck in the mud for life.*

Matthew gave a cold laugh.

Idiot…

Curtis is never the type to sit around and wait to die. No matter how patient he is pregnant, there’s no way he’ll keep letting these people come after him.

…now that Adriana is

Now that Curtis knows Dad is targeting him, he will definitely strike back and force him to reveal who’s behind it all, and follow the trail upward.

“We’ll see,” Matthew wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and continued kneeling, his expression icy.

Matthew was betting that Curtis would make his move very soon.

In class.

Adriana was late today because she’d overslept, and Curtis hadn’t woken her up.

“Babe, I messed up.” Adriana sat down angrily, only to see a sticker Curtis had sent her.

Sometimes, Curtis could be downright awful. He’d deliberately let her sleep in, just because he wanted to hold her a little longer.

“Adriana, why are you late?” Yolanda whispered. The visiting professor had already started the lecture.

“Curtis, that jerk,” Adriana muttered. “He secretly turned off my alarm.”

Yolanda laughed. She knew exactly what Curtis was up to.

If Adriana hadn’t insisted on studying abroad, Curtis’s original plan was to never let her leave his side.

But unlike Matthew, Curtis was willing to respect Adriana’s choices, to give her freedom and support.

“Grandpa is throwing me a birthday party this weekend at the Haldoria Silverwave Hotel. You’d better not chicken out,” Nicole said smugly as she tossed an invitation at Adriana. “I heard Curtis will be there too. Big shots will be attending my party, and he needs those

2/3

15:20 Wed, Dec 31

Chapter 268 The Invitation

117

+20 Free Coins

connections.

“Yolanda, you should come too. It’ll be fun,” Nicole added sarcastically.

Yolanda rolled her eyes. “What, are you afraid people won’t know it’s your birthday? Worried you won’t live to see the next one?”

Adriana burst out laughing and gave Yolanda a thumbs–up.

Nicole was furious, but she didn’t dare make a move. She’d seen how tough Yolanda was, and she couldn’t beat her.

Yolanda was a comeback queen. Nicole couldn’t outtalk her or outfight her, so she could only swallow it.

“I hope you’ll attend Ms. Barton’s birthday party,” Justin said as he looked at Adriana, his tone meaningful.

Adriana ignored him. “I’m not going.”

“Curtis will be there,” Justin reminded her.

Adriana felt a flicker of anger and looked at Justin, unsure of his intentions. Is he working for Nicole, trying to pressure me, or does he have some other agenda?

“Harold will be there too. It’ll be lively that day. Ms. Xander, you should come take a look,” Justin said with a faint, knowing smile. There was no hostility in his eyes.

Adriana had been wary of Justin, but seeing how sincere he seemed, she nodded. “If my husband’s going, then I’ll go.”

Justin curved his lips slightly, turned around, and got into his car.