Bullied and Dumped, But She Won in the End (Adriana) novel Chapter 49

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

**Curtis Won’t Be in Love with Me**

Adriana had a nagging feeling that something was amiss with Belinda. The usual spark in her eyes seemed dimmed, and the tension in the air was palpable.

“You’ve been seeing someone, haven’t you?” she asked gently, her voice barely above a whisper. The memory of Curtis’s words from the previous night echoed in her mind, urging her to reach out. “If something’s bothering you, or if anyone’s giving you a hard time, you can always talk to Curtis.”

Belinda’s head snapped up, her eyes flashing with anger. “Mind your own damn business! Don’t you dare tell him— or I’ll…”

Her voice trailed off, her lips quivering. The thought of Curtis finding out sent a shiver down her spine. He was strict, a figure who commanded respect and fear in equal measure.

In an instant, the mask of defiance shattered. A single sniffle broke the silence, and then Belinda was overwhelmed, tears streaming down her cheeks like a sudden summer rain.

Adriana let out a heavy sigh, her heart aching for the girl before her. Belinda was so young, barely a freshman, thrust into a world that seemed far too harsh.

Without a mother to turn to for advice or comfort during moments like these, Belinda was left to navigate her feelings alone.

As Adriana watched the girl crumble, her initial frustration melted into a deep well of pity.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a tissue and offered it to Belinda. “Let’s finish breakfast first. I’ll drive you to campus afterward.”

Haldoria Dance Academy, where Belinda studied, was conveniently located just a stone’s throw away from Haldoria University, both nestled in the same bustling university district.

“I don’t need your fake kindness!” Belinda snapped, pushing her plate away as if it were the source of her troubles. “I’m not going, and it’s all your fault! Ever since he married you, he kicked me out!”

Adriana raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. “It’s funny, you act so fierce at home, yet you let everyone walk all over you outside. Didn’t he get you a place near campus so you’d have somewhere safe to stay?”

“None of your business,” Belinda muttered, her gaze fixed on her untouched plate, a fortress of defiance built around her.

Adriana chose to let it go, sensing that pushing further would only drive a wedge between them.

After breakfast, she called for Tom to prepare the car.

But as the minutes ticked away, Belinda retreated to her room, locking the door with a definitive click.

“Belinda, if you don’t open this door, I swear I’ll call Curtis,” Adriana warned, knocking firmly, her patience wearing thin.

The door swung open abruptly. Belinda glared at her, her expression a mixture of annoyance and rebellion. “You’re so annoying.”

With a huff, she threw her backpack over one shoulder, jammed a cap on her head, and shoved her earbuds in, storming toward the car with a fierce determination.

Adriana sighed, a sense of resignation washing over her. The youth of today seemed to carry an immense weight of anger, fighting against a world that often overlooked them, desperate to be seen.

Tom dropped Belinda off first, understanding that as a freshman, she had a heavier academic load to juggle.

“Sorry…” The girls exchanged glances, their bravado evaporating, and they muttered their apologies reluctantly before snickering and making a hasty retreat.

Belinda shot Adriana a venomous glare. “Who asked you to butt in?”

Adriana sighed, the weight of her own past settling heavily on her shoulders. “When I was a freshman, I faced bullying too. I didn’t fight back because I was an orphan—I had no one to stand by me, no protection. I couldn’t afford the consequences of resisting. But you’re Curtis’s niece. He clearly cares about you. Why don’t you stand up for yourself?”

Belinda’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her grip on her backpack tightening. “What do you know? I’m an orphan too! I just live in his house… If I cause trouble and make him angry, what if he doesn’t want me anymore?”

Fear gripped her heart—fear that if she upset anyone, Curtis would lose patience and cast her aside.

“You really don’t seem to understand Curtis at all,” Adriana said gently, her voice softening. “If he didn’t care about you, he wouldn’t have kept you by his side and raised you all these years.”

Belinda let out a shaky laugh, the sound laced with bitterness. “He raised me because of my mom. He loved her. After she died, he took me in. But I’m not his daughter, not even his real niece…”

Her voice cracked, the weight of her insecurities spilling forth. “What if one day… he stops loving my mom and falls in love with you instead?”

Tears brimmed in her eyes, cascading down her cheeks. She didn’t truly hate Adriana; she was simply terrified—terrified of losing the only semblance of security she had in her life.

The thought of Curtis finding love elsewhere gnawed at her, an insidious fear that threatened to consume her.

“Curtis won’t fall in love with me,” Adriana said quietly, lowering her gaze as an unexpected ache settled in her chest. She couldn’t quite place why those words felt so heavy, but they lingered like an uninvited guest.