Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 18
Seeing Adeline’s color drain, Shane burst into laughter.
He seemed pleased that she finally understood he was serious, yet he felt miserable that he was happy about such a thing.
This woman always made him feel miserable.
Always.
He had always been chasing the back of a woman who never looked back at him.
*
Eventually, Shane left with the meal that Adeline hadn’t touched at all.
She seemed determined to spit it out even if he forced her mouth open, so he decided to leave her be for now.
Her defiant gaze was filled with a readiness to bite if necessary.
‘And she really would have bitten.’
Adeline could definitely do that.
Shane gave a wry smile.
Since she was a child, she had a stubbornness that no one could match.
No matter how much Shane cooed and pleaded, after she mentioned breaking off their engagement, she never let him close again. Even if her eyes wavered because of his tears, her stance never changed.
“Later, after more time passes, you’ll understand why I’m doing this.”
“Tell me now. Did I do something wrong? Did I make a mistake? If so, I’ll fix it, just tell me.”
“You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Then why? Why are you trying to abandon me?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Adeline, please.”
“You’ll understand everything later. I won’t say it now.”
She never told him anything.
Promising that he would understand later, she left without leaving any room for hope, cruelly and decisively.
“Your Grace.”
Shane stopped.
Genevieve, tense, clasped her hands in front of Shane, who turned to face her. As always, standing before him made her skin prickle with fear.
“About Lady Adeline….”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“But.”
“I won’t kill her.”
“She doesn’t seem to be eating at all….”
“That’s why I called you. She won’t eat anything on her own, that’s clear.”
“You know we can’t keep her locked up forever, right? Your Grace, please….”
“Genevieve.”
Genevieve flinched at the mention of her name.
She wanted to run away. She was not stupid enough to miss the warning in his low voice.
From the very first time they met, Shane Blanchard had been a terrifying person.
Although he had rescued her from her abusive stepfather and helped her ascend to the status of a saintess, Genevieve had always been more afraid of Shane than those who had physically harmed her.
Especially since he lost the love of his life five years ago.
Genevieve swallowed hard.
However, Genevieve could not back down now.
Shane had saved her, but it was Adeline who had taken care of her. It was Adeline who had bathed her, dried her hair, held her hand, and put her to bed when she had been overwhelmed upon being dragged to the palace. She could not betray her.
Genevieve said,
“Lady Adeline must have her reasons for hiding. Please listen to her story properly.”
Shane shrugged.
Realizing Shane would not listen further, Genevieve backed away, but she could not help looking back repeatedly, dripping with regret.
It was rare for the typically compliant and gentle Genevieve to assert herself like this in front of Shane. It was because she liked Adeline so much.
‘Just gathering followers unnecessarily.’
Adeline easily stole people’s hearts.
It wasn’t just Genevieve. Lucian and the young servant who had fled with her were almost obsessed with Adeline.
Yet, Adeline herself never considered what she meant to others.
She always intended to keep everyone at arm’s length.
Thinking back, Adeline had always planned to leave, which was why she lived without attachments to anything.
‘A reason?’
There might be one.
It was a miserably sad affair, but it seemed that at some point, his fiancée had grown to detest him so much that she couldn’t bear it any longer.
This was the only fact that Shane had come to understand about Adeline belatedly.
That she detested being by his side so much that she faked her own death to escape.
‘I cannot forgive you.’
You, who wished me happiness.
All of this is your fault.
