Adriana wakes up in the hospital with injuries from a recent accident, only to find no messages or calls from Matthew. Instead, she discovers a rare Instagram post from him featuring Natasha, his new love, which deepens Adriana\u2019s pain and sense of betrayal. Despite the emotional turmoil, Adriana is determined to recover and return to work, needing her paycheck as an intern to survive.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the office, Adriana overhears coworkers gossiping about Matthew\u2019s supposed loyalty to Natasha, which she bitterly rejects. She knows the truth\u2014that Matthew\u2019s body had been with her repeatedly, while his heart belonged to Natasha. Her bitter reflections are interrupted when Mia, a wealthy and cruel figure from Adriana\u2019s past, arrives and confronts her with malicious threats and insults. Mia announces Matthew and Natasha\u2019s upcoming marriage and physically assaults Adriana, humiliating her in front of everyone.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adriana endures Mia\u2019s bullying silently, aware that fighting back would only worsen her situation. Mia threatens to expose Adriana\u2019s painful past and secrets if she doesn\u2019t leave the company, but Adriana remains quiet, hiding her shame and pain. After Mia leaves, a sympathetic coworker asks about Adriana\u2019s troubled history with the Langfords, which Adriana downplays as college drama.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Later, Adriana receives a large money transfer from Matthew along with a dismissive voice message telling her to buy something for herself. Though grateful for the money, Adriana feels the cold distance between them. She decides to resign from her internship and prepare for a crucial business meeting that could finally free her from Matthew\u2019s influence and allow her to leave Haldoria City behind, marking a step toward reclaiming her independence.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 3: Beyond Matthew\u2019s Grasp<\/p>\n
It seemed she was simply too stubborn to give up. Luckily, Adriana had survived.<\/p>\n
When she finally opened her eyes, it was already the following morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cFractured right arm, mild concussion, several soft tissue injuries\u2026\u201d The doctor stood beside her hospital bed, his gaze steady as he asked, \u201cAny other discomfort?\u201d<\/p>\n
Adriana shook her head, reaching for her phone. Not a single call or message from Matthew.<\/p>\n
Yet, something caught her eye\u2014Matthew, who rarely ever posted on Instagram, had broken his silence. There it was: a photo of a crystal-clear blue sea, framed by breathtaking scenery.<\/p>\n
But the real focus wasn\u2019t the view\u2014it was Natasha, dressed in a flowing Bohemian gown, looking absolutely radiant. She outshone even the stunning background.<\/p>\n
Feeling a wave of pain and despair, Adriana curled up, dragging the blanket over her head as tears slipped down her cheeks.<\/p>\n
Four years she had spent with Matthew, and what was she to him?<\/p>\n
Nothing.<\/p>\n
After being discharged, Adriana returned to her small, modest apartment. She swallowed an ibuprofen and drifted into a deep sleep.<\/p>\n
Her nerves, tough as steel, allowed her to rest through the entire day until she finally felt somewhat human again.<\/p>\n
Once she patched on a few pain relief patches, she forced herself to get back to work.<\/p>\n
She needed that intern paycheck\u2014more than anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you see Mr. Langford\u2019s post? Seriously, he\u2019s so whipped! He never posts, but now he\u2019s made an exception just for Ms. Jones!\u201d whispered one coworker eagerly.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Langford is the perfect gentleman. He stayed loyal all these years, waiting only for her,\u201d another added with a dreamy sigh.<\/p>\n
As Adriana stepped into the office, she caught snippets of their gossip. A bitter laugh escaped her lips as she sat down at her desk.<\/p>\n
Yes, Matthew loved Natasha\u2014that much was true.<\/p>\n
But loyal? That was a lie.<\/p>\n
She found it bitterly ironic\u2014men were all the same. For them, love and sex were completely separate.<\/p>\n
He loved Natasha with his heart, but his body? That had been with Adriana more times than she cared to count.<\/p>\n
\u201cMs. Langford, this is a workplace. Mr. Langford said\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Suddenly, the elevator dinged, breaking the conversation.<\/p>\n
Adriana glanced toward the doors\u2014and her blood ran ice cold.<\/p>\n
Mia had arrived.<\/p>\n
\u201cMove out of my way!\u201d Mia stormed in, her heels clicking sharply against the floor, dressed head-to-toe in designer clothes that screamed luxury. Without hesitation, she marched straight toward Adriana.<\/p>\n
Shrinking back, Adriana lowered her gaze and hunched her shoulders, the haunting shadow of freshman-year bullying still fresh in her mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdriana,\u201d Mia hissed in a venomous whisper, \u201cMatthew\u2019s coming back today. He and Natasha are getting married.\u201d<\/p>\n
A cruel laugh escaped Mia\u2019s lips. \u201cFour years ago, I told you the day Matthew dumps you would be the day you die\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Adriana froze, heart pounding.<\/p>\n
Four years had passed, yet Mia still refused to let her go.<\/p>\n
Smack! In front of everyone, Mia\u2019s hand struck Adriana\u2019s cheek.<\/p>\n
Adriana didn\u2019t resist. She didn\u2019t even flinch or utter a sound.<\/p>\n
She knew the truth\u2014she was a coward. Tangling with Mia was a risk she couldn\u2019t afford.<\/p>\n
Though she had dreamed a million times of making Mia pay, as long as she wanted to live, she had to stay silent.<\/p>\n
If one day she truly lost the will to live, she\u2019d drag Mia down with her.<\/p>\n
But for now, she was weak and desperate to survive.<\/p>\n
\u201cRemember that slap?\u201d Mia sneered, her voice dripping with malice. \u201cMatthew hit me because of you\u2014the first time he ever laid a hand on me. Then he shipped me overseas! All because of you!\u201d<\/p>\n
Without warning, Mia grabbed a cup of coffee from a nearby table and poured it over Adriana\u2019s head.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think landing Matthew means you\u2019ve won? Who do you think you are? An orphan. That\u2019s all you\u2019ll ever be. Do you really believe he\u2019d marry you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mia pushed Adriana\u2019s head down, her tone growing even nastier. \u201cGet out of the Langford Group. Or I\u2019ll leak all your dirty little secrets in the company chat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adriana kept her head bowed, silent.<\/p>\n
What \u201cdirty secrets\u201d was Mia referring to? The time she and her friends had stripped Adriana naked during freshman year and taken those humiliating photos? Or the fact that she had slept with Matthew?<\/p>\n
No one in the office dared to defend Adriana\u2014Mia was the company\u2019s heiress, after all.<\/p>\n
When Mia finally stormed out, a coworker cautiously leaned in and whispered, \u201cAdriana\u2026 how did you get on the wrong side of the Langfords?\u201d<\/p>\n
Adriana managed a small smile, dabbing her face with a tissue. \u201cWe went to college together. Had some drama.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alone in the restroom, Adriana hid in a corner, straightening her clothes.<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t cry.<\/p>\n
Back in her freshman year, she would have wept like a child over how cruel life was.<\/p>\n
Was it her fault that she was an orphan?<\/p>\n
Did having no family mean she deserved to be bullied?<\/p>\n
Now she understood the harsh truth: being an orphan was like carrying original sin. No background, no protection\u2014just enough for others to tear you down.<\/p>\n
Bullies never needed a reason.<\/p>\n
Beep!<\/p>\n
Her phone buzzed\u2014a transfer notification. Matthew had sent her fifty thousand dollars through PayPal.<\/p>\n
The drama at work must have been loud enough for him to hear Mia\u2019s slap.<\/p>\n
Fifty grand for a slap.<\/p>\n
Not bad at all.<\/p>\n
A voice message followed: \u201cI already called and yelled at Mia. Go buy yourself something.\u201d<\/p>\n
The same old line\u2014go buy something.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, Mr. Langford,\u201d Adriana whispered.<\/p>\n
She accepted the money. She had earned it. She would take it.<\/p>\n
Her eyes lingered on their chat for a long moment. A small part of her wished for more\u2014hoping he might ask if she had been hurt in the accident. But there was nothing.<\/p>\n
She switched off her phone and walked to HR to hand in her resignation. As an intern, the process was straightforward.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow was the 13th. That night, she had a meeting at the Clarke Residence with Curtis Lincoln.<\/p>\n
If she could close this deal, she could finally leave Haldoria City behind.<\/p>\n
Finally, she would be out of Matthew\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adriana\u2019s journey through pain, betrayal, and humiliation reveals the raw vulnerability beneath her stoic exterior. Despite the scars left by Matthew\u2019s indifference and Mia\u2019s cruelty, she finds a quiet strength in her resilience, choosing survival over surrender. The chapter poignantly captures the bitter irony of love tangled with deceit, and the loneliness that comes from fighting battles alone, yet it also hints at a growing resolve to reclaim her own life beyond the shadows cast by others.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the face of relentless hardship, Adriana\u2019s decision to resign and pursue a new path symbolizes a turning point\u2014a step toward freedom and self-worth. Though the wounds are fresh and the memories painful, she embraces the possibility of a future where she is no longer defined by the past or by those who sought to diminish her. This chapter closes on a note of tentative hope, underscoring the power of endurance and the courage to move forward, even when the heart is still healing.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the next chapter, tensions are set to rise as Adriana takes decisive steps to reclaim control over her life. The looming presence of Matthew and Mia continues to cast a long shadow, but Adriana\u2019s resolve to break free from their grasp grows stronger. The atmosphere brims with emotional complexity, as past wounds and present challenges intertwine, forcing her to confront the painful realities she has long tried to ignore.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Adriana prepares for her crucial meeting with Curtis Lincoln, the promise of a fresh start glimmers on the horizon. Yet, with the Langford family\u2019s influence still looming large, the path ahead is anything but certain. Readers can expect a delicate dance of power, vulnerability, and unexpected alliances, where every choice could tip the balance between freedom and entrapment. The next chapter promises to deepen the emotional stakes, revealing just how far Adriana is willing to go to escape the past that haunts her.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
When Time Tried to Heal Me But I Refused to Listen by Kael Niro Senn 3 When Time Tried to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-comeback-queens-crown-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23914"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23914\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}