Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 211
Despite his busy schedule, Shane made an effort to spend as much time as possible with Adeline.
They passed the hours talking late into the night, reading the same books, and sharing snacks.
It felt like returning to their childhood—a time of comfort and simplicity. If movies existed in their world, staying up all night binge-watching series and eating late-night snacks might have become their shared hobby. But even without movies, their conversations flowed without pause. There was so much to catch up on after all those years.
Recently, Adeline realized just how much there was to learn about her husband and childhood friend.
She had thought that her years of familiarity gave her a solid understanding of him, even if her insight wasn’t always sharp. Yet, she discovered there was far more she didn’t know than she did.
For instance, his preferences in food, reading habits, and daily routines.
Shane couldn’t handle spicy foods but surprisingly enjoyed sweet desserts. However, he disliked sweet alcoholic drinks and preferred strong liquor. His tolerance was so high that he claimed never to have been drunk in his life. His favorite drinking snacks were cheese with dried fruits and chocolate.
He read voraciously but had little patience for hero tales, finding their boastful protagonists laughable and dull.
He woke up at dawn every day and alternated between reading various newspapers, though he didn’t take them too seriously.
He skipped breakfast or kept it light, saying he disliked the heavy feeling it gave him. Despite his restrained morning meals, he ate enough during the day to match three of Lloyd’s portions. Clearly, he just had a large stomach.
He was fastidious about cleanliness and refused to get into bed without bathing first.
Adeline, on the other hand, believed there was no need to bathe unless she planned to leave the house. Shane, however, insisted on washing up daily, even if he didn’t step outside. Though he wasn’t obsessive to the point of compulsion, he maintained a preference for neatness, keeping his nails clean and ensuring his collars and cuffs remained spotless.
He couldn’t stand the smell of cigarettes or even being near smokers. For the same reason, he disliked interacting with heavy smokers. He also avoided wearing perfume, carefully selecting only unscented soap.
He hated wasting time and refused to trust people who habitually arrived late to appointments.
Adeline reflected on whether she had ever been late to an appointment with him. Thankfully, she realized she was just as punctual as he was.
‘A sensitive and fussy handsome man…’
The image of him unfastening the cuff buttons of his crisp white shirt while discussing cleanliness suited him perfectly.
His fastidiousness was admirable and undeniably better than sloppiness. However, Adeline couldn’t help but feel that his penchant for cleanliness didn’t necessarily mean he had to involve her in his bathing routine.
She couldn’t understand why they always had to bathe together.
Adeline prided herself on being just as clean as anyone else and was perfectly capable of washing herself.
Yet Shane refused to let her bathe alone under any circumstances.
‘He’s so busy, so why does he always show up right when I’m about to bathe?…’
The only person other than authorized guests allowed inside the single-story house was Lloyd. Unless Lloyd had a habit of reporting, ‘Lady Adeline is likely to bathe within the next hour!’ it was uncanny how Shane always appeared at the perfect moment.
Sure, her improved health and regular schedule made her routine predictable, but it seemed implausible for him to consistently time his visits with her baths.
Why did he treat her bathing schedule as if it were a matter of life and death?
Adeline leaned back and tilted her head, feeling exasperated.
Even after a little jogging, her calves and thighs were already sore. It was ridiculous. After years of being bedridden, her body wasn’t fit for normal activity. That she was recovering at all was thanks to Lloyd, who relentlessly procured and fed her all kinds of remedies.
While she was gradually improving, the slow progress frustrated her.
“Stretch your ankle.”
“It hurts…”
“You need to loosen it up immediately. If you ignore it, you could injure yourself.”
“It would be hilarious to get hurt over something as small as this.”
Like my whole situation.
“Don’t let your guard down.”
How utterly ridiculous…
