Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Why Don’t You Sincerely Seduce Me and See If I’ll Take the Bait?

"So curious?"

The air around Adrian Preston instantly turned cold.

Mia Kane felt innocent. ’I just asked a question. Is that a crime?’

"Chase Lockwood gave me a warning, told me to stay away from you. Said you’re only seducing me to provoke him, and that I can’t let myself be used by you. Tell me, should I let you use me?"

He suddenly closed in, startling her and causing her to stumble backward.

Adrian Preston caught her by the waist.

"If I were you, I’d use every trick in the book to make me fall head over heels for you, so much so that I couldn’t imagine my life without you."

"Then, you can parade me in front of Chase Lockwood and show me off. I bet the two of them would be livid."

"I... I don’t have it in me to do that."

"How would you know if you don’t try? Why don’t you start by sincerely trying to seduce me and see if I take the bait?"

His words were far too suggestive.

’Seduce...’

The very word was searing.

"Maybe I’m an easy catch?"

He leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear. The warm, moist breath that followed sent a shiver through her body.

’Just who is seducing whom here?’

Mia Kane snapped back to reality. Deciding he was too dangerous, she quickly pushed him away and took several steps back.

Adrian Preston watched her with a smirk.

"Mia Kane, it seems you can’t take the heat. Don’t forget, you were the one who first proposed getting revenge on them."

"I... I regret it. Why should I even care about that scumbag and that bitch? They deserve each other. I should be glad I only wasted three years, not thirty."

"Regret?"

Hearing this, Adrian Preston frowned, his face clouded with displeasure.

"Do you regret marrying me?"

Mia Kane froze. ’What I regret is taking Chase Lockwood so seriously.’

’But his question wasn’t exactly wrong, either.’

’Now that I’m tangled up with the even more dangerous Adrian Preston, I do kind of regret it.’

"Is it too late for me to regret it now?" she asked tentatively.

"In your dreams."

Adrian Preston tossed out the three words coldly, then went straight into the cabin, ignoring her.

All the way to the shore, neither of them spoke.

’Adrian Preston sure can hold a grudge.’

She had just stepped onto land when her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she hesitated for a long time before answering.

She didn’t answer until the person called again.

"What is it?"

"Chase Lockwood’s grandmother... called me," she said, her voice filled with conflict.

’Grandma had always been very good to me, treating me like her own granddaughter-in-law.’

’It was because of Grandma that I went to that high-end nursing home in the first place, which is how I got to meet Grandpa Donovan.’

"Why didn’t you answer? I’d forgotten, you have another way to deal with them: successfully become Mrs. Lockwood. Chase Lockwood’s parents are both dead, and he’s very devoted to his grandmother. If you work on the old lady, your chances of success are very high."

Mia Kane frowned. In the past, she might have coveted that title. But now? Getting revenge on Vivian Lynch just to be stuck with a sanctimonious hypocrite for years... It would be utterly suffocating.

’Still, Adrian Preston had a point. If I get closer to Grandma, Chase Lockwood and Vivian Lynch will be living on edge, especially Vivian.’

"You’re right. I can use Grandma to my advantage," she said happily.

Adrian Preston’s face darkened. "In that case, I won’t disturb Miss Kane’s grand plans. I’ll be leaving."

After saying this, Adrian Preston turned and left without a backward glance.

Mia Kane was stunned. ’Why did he just leave like that?’

She was about to wave and chase after him, but her phone rang again. This time, she didn’t decline her grandma’s call.

Before she could speak, Grandma was already bubbling with excitement. "Mia, where did you go? Why aren’t you at home? Come see your grandma, I’ve missed you so much. I even brought you a present..."

"Grandma, I’m sorry. Chase Lockwood and I broke up. It’s not appropriate for me to see you anymore."

"What breakup? Did I approve it? It doesn’t count if I didn’t. I’ve already called that rotten brat over, and you’re coming too. If you don’t show up, I’ll die right here and make you watch."

Mia Kane felt helpless. ’Do all old people get more childish with age?’

Mia Kane arrived a little earlier than Chase Lockwood.

Grandma had a head of silver hair and was in poor health, sitting in a wheelchair.

When Grandma saw her, she was as happy as a child, grabbing her hand and refusing to let go.

"Don’t worry, Grandma will back you up. No one can bully you."

Soon, Chase Lockwood rushed back. When he saw Mia Kane, his expression turned sour.

Vivian Lynch followed timidly behind him. Just as she was about to enter, Grandma barked at her.

"What kind of riffraff dares to enter the Lockwood family’s home? Whichever leg you step in with first is the one I’ll break!"

Hearing this, Vivian Lynch’s body trembled in fear. She gave Chase Lockwood a teary-eyed look and hesitantly pulled her leg back.

"Grandma, why are you treating Vivian like this? Did she say something to you?"

Chase Lockwood immediately directed his accusation at Mia Kane.

"Don’t blame Mia. I’m the one who can’t stand her behavior. Deceiving your elders, how dare you! Your parents forbade you from marrying her, and as soon as they died, you defied them and brought her back, didn’t you?"

"You lost such a wonderful granddaughter-in-law for a home-wrecking fox. The Lockwood family is doomed with you around."

"Grandma, don’t be fooled by her appearance. Mia Kane is promiscuous and shameless. We had just broken up when she hooked up with Adrian Preston..."

"Wasn’t it you who cheated? Wasn’t it she who seduced you? Weren’t you two ganging up on Mia? Is she supposed to stay chaste for you?" Grandma said, fuming.

Mia Kane stood behind them, her eyes growing moist.

’Finally. Someone was speaking up for me.’

’All I ever wanted was a little fairness!’

"I’m not here to get you and Mia back together, so you don’t need to be on guard against me."

"Grandma, aren’t you..."

"Are you worthy?" Grandma’s soul-piercing question made Chase Lockwood’s face turn pale, leaving him speechless with anger.

"I just missed Mia and wanted her to come over for a meal. You two may have broken up, but the bond between Mia and me hasn’t. If she can’t be my granddaughter-in-law, then she’ll be my granddaughter. I’ll even hold a ceremony to formally adopt her."

"Grandma, she’s just an outsider!"

"An outsider? Was it an outsider who ran around taking care of everything when your parents passed away? Was it an outsider who visited me three times a week to keep me company after I moved into the nursing home? Would an outsider sacrifice her career to be your devoted partner?"

"If that makes her an outsider, then what does that make this woman? An alien?" Grandma shot back.

These words left Chase Lockwood speechless.

’Compared to Vivian, Mia really had given so much more.’

"Is it that Vivian didn’t want to? It was you all who didn’t give her a chance. If you hadn’t driven Vivian out of the country, she would be the one taking care of you now, not her."

"You... You’re incorrigible! In any case, as long as I’m here, that bitch won’t even dream of setting foot in the Lockwood home. Unless she’s stepping over my dead body!"