Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 100
Her vision blurred. Adeline shook her head and clung to Shane’s wrist, holding her face.
“That’s not it, really…”
Her tongue, which moved so smoothly in front of strangers, felt stiff as a log now. Shane glanced at the wrist she was holding, and Adeline saw her reflection in his blue eyes with a feeling of dread.
“It’s really not. I didn’t mean it, believe me.”
“Why are you so flustered?”
“Shane, I…”
“There’s no need to be scared. Oh, is it because I told you to stop spouting nonsense?”
“…No…”
“I didn’t think you’d be scared by just that. I expected you had some cute scheme since you’ve been so compliant lately.”
“Shane.”
“Right, it was Lucian Cole.”
She thought she had persuaded him, but it seemed Lucian was also more invested in Adeline than he appeared.
Even as he spoke, Shane intermittently kissed various parts of Adeline’s face, as if doing so was helping him control his emotions.
Every time his lips touched and parted with a sound, Adeline felt like her blood was draining away.
“No matter what I say now, you won’t believe it, but Shane.”
“…”
“I promise. I’ll never run away from you again.”
Shane pulled his face back a little to put some distance between them.
The man who had ignored everything she said and only spewed his own words now had a cold, expressionless face. But this was better.
It was better than him smiling and dismissing everything as nonsense.
Shane quietly looked into Adeline’s green eyes and then chuckled.
“You lie so well, my love.”
“It’s okay, even if you don’t believe me now.”
This was Adeline’s resolution too.
Even if she said she liked him, Shane wouldn’t believe it. He wasn’t listening to her words. Even if she suddenly changed her stance and said she liked him, it wouldn’t reach him.
She had spent her whole life running away.
Pushing him away, avoiding him, and lying.
She had only run away from Shane.
But now, she had to promise that she wouldn’t do that anymore.
“I won’t run away. I’ll come back to you on my own. No matter where it might be, I’ll come back to you, Shane.”
“…”
She expected a sneer, but Shane was silent. He half-swallowed his breath, then clenched his teeth and contorted his face as if he were about to burst.
“Did you want to see me rejoice while knowing you’re lying to me through your teeth, Adeline?”
Shane laughed like he was about to cry, squeezing her shoulders tightly.
“If that’s what you wanted, you succeeded. How does it feel to see this pathetic bastard who doesn’t know what to do with your words?”
“I don’t have such cruel tastes.”
Shane buried his forehead in her shoulder and took a deep breath. He was muttering for a moment, and when he lifted his head again, he was smiling.
Adeline reached out and touched the corner of his lips.
That alone shattered his thin smile. Shane spoke.
“If you wanted to say what I wanted to hear, you should’ve shown jealousy. That would have been enough.”
“How could I be jealous?”
When she was in no position to even reveal she was there.
“I’m jealous of everything that touches you.”
“…”
If she had the right to be jealous, she would have caused a scene already.
“Be jealous, Adeline. Please.”
“I am.”
“More. Do it more. Think only of me all day, like I do.”
“I do think of you.”
“It’s not enough. Whether you’re here or not, I think of you all the time. Like a madman. I feel like I’ll die if you’re not there. I can’t breathe.”
“…”
“If you pity me, love me a little. Love me, Adeline. Please.”
“I…”
“Even if it’s a lie, I’ll believe it.”
Even if I say I like you, even if it’s the truth, you…
Adeline instinctively realized she shouldn’t say this now.
Any words spoken now would become lies.
If he thought she was using those words, something would be irrevocably broken.
But she couldn’t just leave Shane as he was.
Adeline opened her arms and hugged Shane’s neck. Shane bent over and embraced her. She could only hope that physical warmth would convey more than a hundred powerless words.
I’ll hug you when I see you.
I’ll come back to you.
Adeline rarely made promises in a life where she could die at any moment.
But once she made a promise, she kept it no matter what. Even if it meant risking her life.
She prayed that her promises would reach him.
