The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 406

Adrian said nothing. He dropped onto the sofa, crossed one long leg over the other, and pulled a cigarette from his pocket, pressing it between his lips.

With a sharp click of his lighter, the flame flared to life.

And so did Eleanor's fury.

"Adrian! What is wrong with you? How dare you smoke in my room! Can't you see I'm still recovering? Have you completely lost your mind?"

Her sudden screaming startled Michelle, who was just walking by the door. She hurried inside.

"Mom, what's going on?"

Eleanor pointed a trembling finger at Adrian.

"Look at this wonderful son you raised! He came here on purpose just to piss me off!"

Michelle rushed over to him, blindly taking her mother-in-law's side as always.

"Adrian, why are you making your grandmother angry again? Apologize to her right now!"

There was an ashtray right next to him, but he deliberately flicked his ashes onto the carpet.

"I've spent my whole life apologizing to her. Even if she's not tired of hearing it, I'm tired of saying it."

His brazen defiance left Eleanor stunned.

Since he was a child, no matter how rebellious he got, he had never spoken to her like this.

Michelle immediately panicked.

"Adrian, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? Watch your mouth!"

Adrian leaned lazily against the back of the sofa, his gaze distant and icy.

"I'm tired."

The bizarre statement caught Michelle off guard.

"Adrian..."

"I said," Adrian's eyes hardened as his voice suddenly boomed through the room, "I'm tired! Do you not understand English?"

Both women froze in stunned silence.

"How did you find out?!"

Michelle looked even more horrified than Eleanor.

Realizing what she'd just blurted out, she frantically tried to backtrack.

"Mom! I swear I didn't tell him! I would never say anything! I swore an oath back then, that if I ever told a soul, I'd die a horrible death! You know how superstitious I am, Mom! I swear it wasn't me!"

The color drained from Eleanor's face. She gasped for air as she confronted her daughter-in-law.

"Then how does he know? The two of us were the only ones who knew the truth! If you didn't tell him, then who did? Me?!"

Michelle was on the verge of tears.

"Mom, I swear on my life it wasn't me!"

She spun around and smacked Adrian's arm. "Adrian! Who told you all this?"

His gaze turned glacial, his lips pressed into a tight, merciless line.

So, it really was true.