Ms. Escape Marrying to Run Fighting to Rise novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28 What Respect Feels Like

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Finished

Adriana coughed lightly and looked at Kenneth. “Mr. Heath, does Mr. Lincoln just have so much money he can’t spend it all?”

“Ms. Xander, this agreement is just to outline the obligations between the two of you. But everything else will follow the terms of a normal marriage. If Mr. Lincoln were to marry someone without an agreement,

the bride would be entitled to just as much—maybe even more–in a divorce,” Kenneth replied with a polite smile, trying to reassure Adriana that there was no need to feel pressured.

Adriana took a deep breath. Honestly, she was itching to sign already. She was afraid that if she waited too long, she might wake up from this dream.

“This house … It’s really mine?” she asked again, still unsure.

“Yes.” Kenneth nodded.

Adriana glanced over at Eva, who was busy in the kitchen, and was already thinking about the divorce. When the time came, she had to ask Curtis to let her keep Eva.

“If there’s nothing else you’d like to add, you can go ahead and sign. Once Mr. Lincoln finishes his current work, he’ll return to Haldoria to register the marriage with you,” Kenneth said, leading her toward the walk- in closet and jewelry room. “During the marriage, everything here in Haldoria and Harborton—including Mr. Lincoln’s jewelry and private collection—is available for your use. He’s very generous. And if you really like something, just ask for it when you divorce. He probably won’t say no.”

He was already offering Adriana tips.

Adriana gave an awkward smile. She wasn’t greedy. Really, she wasn’t.

Kenneth finished showing her around. Once everything was confirmed, Adriana signed the agreement, and Kenneth left.

Not long after, while Adriana was still exploring the villa Curtis gave her a video call.

“Did Kenneth explain everything you needed to know?” Curtis asked. The weather looked sunny on his end -unlike Haldoria, which was overcast today.

“Mr. Lincoln… “Adriana still felt a little nervous seeing him.

“When it’s just us, you can call me Curtis,” he said with a small smile.

Adriana was a little surprised. His hair was loosely styled today, giving him a more casual look. And when he smiled, he looked surprisingly young.

He wasn’t that much older than her to begin with, but successful men always seemed to go out of their way to appear mature and composed.

“C–Curtis.” Adriana hesitated a bit. Calling her benefactor by his first name felt strange–almost like she was crossing a line. “I… Is there anything I need to do?”

“I’ll be back in Haldoria next week. We’ll register our mariage, then you’ll come with me to Harborton to see my grandpa. After that, you’ll be free to return to the university and prepare for your studies abroad. As for the rest…” He paused. “If anything else comes up, I let you know.”

“Okay!” Adriana nodded quickly.

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Chapter 28 What Respect Feels Like

Finished

“I’ve already secured a spot for you to study abroad. Your future advisor was really impressed with your design work and agreed to admit you outside the usual rocess,” Curtis said, having arranged a new placement for Adriana.

Adriana blinked in surprise. Honestly, she had wanted to earn back that placement herself.

But she wasn’t the type to be ungrateful. Curtis had helped her–truly helped her—and she appreciated it deeply. “Thank you, Mr. Lincoln … I mean, Curtis.”

Curtis smiled again. “You just got discharged. Get some est. Don’t worry about anything else. My lawyers will take care of the Rufus situation for you.”

Adriana thought about the orphanage. She opened her mouth to say something but wasn’t sure how to begin.

Curtis had already done so much for her.

“Is there something else you wanted to say?” Curtis asked. Being the sharp man he was, he could tell she was holding something back.

Adriana hesitated, then finally spoke up. “Mr. Lincoln, the orphanage that I grew up in is about to be torn down. Without funding to rebuild, it’ll be shut down.”

She looked directly at him. “Would it be possible for me to get one year’s allowance in advance? I know it’s a big ask … ”

She was asking for 30 million dollars. She hadn’t even officially married Curtis yet, and here she was— already asking for 30 million.

“No,” Curtis refused her directly.

Adriana paused, caught off guard. A second later, she lowered her eyes, clearly a little disappointed. “Sorry… “she murmured.

She knew it was a lot to ask.

“Adriana, stop apologizing. You didn’t do anything wrong,” Curtis said, looking at her. Then, he added, “Lincoln Group’s charity foundation will directly support the orphanage you grew up in. So, no—there’s no need for you to ask for an advance on your allowance.”

Adriana stayed frozen for a while, her thoughts tangled.

That night, she couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was because the villa was too big, too unfamiliar.

She stared at the ceiling for a long time, replaying all the moments she’d shared with Matthew over the

years.

It turned out that even if someone didn’t love you, theyould still treat you with basic respect.

“Mrs. Lincoln, breakfast is ready. Would you like to cat ow?” Eva’s voice came from outside the door.

Adriana snapped out of her thoughts. She turned to look out the window in surprise. The sun was already up. She hadn’t slept a wink all night.

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