Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 34
The man frowned in confusion.
Why is this con artist so calm in her insistence that she’s Adeline Bertrand?
It’s almost like she wants to be accused of being a con artist…
No, it’s like she wants to be branded as a con artist.
“So you think this, right? This woman who can’t prove her identity is a fake.”
“Uh, what….”
“The Duke of Blanchard and Saintess Genevieve, who claim this woman is Adeline Bertrand, are con artists. Prince Edwin is unfortunately a deceived victim.”
“W-What? Wait, when did I….”
Though he had been thinking it, hearing the sentence completed by someone else gave him chills. Was he really making such a subversive claim?
The alcohol-clouded mind instantly cleared.
“The Bertrand family, deceived by an absurd scam, are all idiots with eyes on the back of their heads.”
“Hiiek….”
Adeline smiled brightly.
“Isn’t that right?”
People had stopped pretending and were watching them with great interest.
With many witnesses, denial was difficult.
The man, realizing he was on the verge of accusing the Duke and the Saintess of being con artists, yelled with a flushed face.
“When did I say that?! I said you’re the con artist!”
“Same difference.”
“No, it’s not!”
The man looked around but found no support. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
Adeline, seeing the man finally grasping the situation and getting scared, was pleased. It would be best if he got scared and ran away.
Watching his face contort in frustration melted away her accumulated stress.
Lloyd had called her habit of baiting trouble a bad hobby.
‘Responding to a fight that comes to you is a healthy sport, isn’t it?’
And releasing stress through sports was healthy too.
Until five years ago, Adeline had been constantly harassed.
Shane, whether for good or ill, stood out as the male lead, inevitably making her and those around her targets of jealousy.
Even when she distanced herself from Shane, it was the same, reinforcing her belief that being the male lead’s fiancée was not worth it.
Realizing that staying passive only made her seem weak, she began to enjoy dealing with the provocations.
She was about to end this encounter when the man, seeing her smiling, shouted angrily.
“You wench! Are you toying with me?!”
His hand trembled as he raised it.
Adeline hesitated for a moment.
Letting him hit her and using it as an excuse to retreat into seclusion seemed like a viable plan.
It could buy time and possibly delay the impending marriage.
‘A guy who easily hits a woman deserves a ruined life.’
A slap in exchange for a life was a cheap deal.
Just as she decided to take the hit and closed her eyes…
Someone pulled her into an embrace.
If it was Genevieve, it was fortunate. If it was Patrick or Jeff, either man was doomed. Edwin was unlikely, as he wasn’t one to protect others. However, a foreboding feeling crossed her mind.
No way.
With a thud, the man rolled miserably on the ground.
The person who had embraced Adeline and simultaneously kicked the man in the stomach was Shane.
“AH— mmph.”
Adeline tried to scream, but the hand that had wrapped around her shoulder naturally covered her mouth.
Damn. It was a seamless move, as if he was already expecting her to run.
The fact that he anticipated it made her even angrier.
She struggled desperately but couldn’t escape Shane’s grip.
“Sha….”
“What do you think you’re doing?”
His voice was chilling enough to send shivers down her spine.