Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 421

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Ainsworth Group.

Curtis was quietly handling company matters at Ainsworth Group, all while keeping someone on Silas just in case Silas tried to take advantage of the situation and snatch his wife. Are we keeping a close watch

on Silas?”

Ronan gave him a helpless look. “Mr. Lincoln, you’ve asked me three times today already. Silas called in sick–he hasn’t left his place all day.”

Curtis snorted. “Go find someone to put a hex on him–let him die already.”

Ronan nearly spat out his water. “Mr. Lincoln… Silas is, technically, your grandfather’s generation. That’s… a big deal.”

Of course, Ronan had to pick the worst possible thing to mention.

Silas wasn’t a big figure in the Harrisons, but to Curtis, it still mattered.

If his mother were still alive, Silas would be what… his uncle?

Curtis glared sharply at Ronan. He didn’t dare say another word.

Curtis’s phone buzzed. The caller ID read Adriana.

He immediately grabbed the phone and answered without hesitation. “Babe.”

In an instant, his cold expression softened.

Ronan rolled his eyes. That switch was instant.

“Curtis, are you free tonight? I need to talk to you,” Adriana said. It wasn’t the kind of thing she wanted to get into over the phone.

“Yeah. I’ll be at the usual place. See you tonight.”

The usual place was their little house in Haldoria, within an Ainsworth Group development on Straits Quay Island. It was totally secure–no outsiders, no suspicious tails–perfectly safe for Adriana.

“Okay.”

Harborpoint Street.

Danielle wandered the streets aimlessly, alone. The sky had darkened, threatening rain.

She didn’t know where to go. After so many years of being the perfect daughter to Chandler, in the end, her wealth had been controlled, her connections severed–everything Chandler gave her was conditional. Once she was useless, it would all be taken away.

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She gave herself a bitter, ironic laugh as she stood by the lake, staring blankly at the water.

Her lite had become truly pitiful.

Her phone buzzed. She glanced down at the screen–her mother.

The same woman who had been endlessly manipulated by Chandler, yet full of vanity.

“Hello, Mom,” Danielle said, her voice hoarse and tired.

“Where have you been?! You’re useless! Your father’s divorcing me–he’s marrying that woman! How did i end up with a daughter like you? If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have wrecked my health and lost my chance to have a son!”

The voice on the other end was hysterical–crying, shouting, and dripping wih blame.

To her mother, Danielle had destroyed her life.

Years ago, she’d followed Chandler through the slums, barely scraping by. She hadn’t eaten enough, and when she got pregnant again, she lost the baby–and after that, she was never able to have another child.

But even then, her mother put all the blame on Danielle, guilting her from the time she was a kid. Danielle had to succeed–had to fight to keep her father’s attention.

For years, as long as Danielle still had value, Chandler and her mother kept up a fragile peace. Her mother clung to her status as Mrs. Barton, showing it off with pride.

But now, Danielle had no value. Why would Chandler keep a woman from the slums, a woman whose status was criticized by everyone?

“Get back here immediately! Your father wants you to marry that Southeast Astoria businessman–you will marry him to make your father happy! If you don’t come, I’ll kill myself!”

Her mother still loved using death as leverage.

Danielle had heard it all countless times over the years.

She let out a bitter laugh, her voice low and steady. “If you can’t keep your man, that’s on you. And if you couldn’t even raise me right… then maybe we should just die together.”

Just as Danielle was about to hang up, a white van screeched to the curb. Several men jumped out, clamped a hand over her mouth and nose, and tried to drag her into the van.