Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 56
Shane read the doubtful look in Adelineās eyes and said,
“If I wanted to kill him, I would have done it already, Adeline.”
“……”
“This should be enough of a lesson.”
He had never truly intended to kill.
But the moment he saw Adeline closing her eyes as if inviting the drunken man to hit her, he lost all reason.
He didn’t intend to kill, but he didn’t hold back either.
Adeline had probably calculated that taking a hit would be more advantageous.
The man would become a complete scoundrel, and she would be the victim, using her injury as an excuse to withdraw or perhaps even delay the wedding.
Shane knew this, but beyond all that, the mere possibility that Adeline could get hurt made his heart constrict.
“Shane?”
Adeline leaned in close to study his expression.
“You’re not still thinking about that guy, are you? Forget about him, you have to forget.”
“……”
“And donāt even think about secretly killing him laterā¦.”
“Oh, you caught me.”
“What do you mean, caught you! You said you wouldnāt do it!”
“Iāll listen to you… but worrying about another man makes me jealous. I can’t guarantee I won’t act out of spite.”
“……”
“Don’t worry, Adeline. Since you told me not to kill him, I won’t. I’ll try to restrain myself.”
“That’s not something you say like you’re offering a 20% discount…”
Adeline sighed, as if resigned.
āI must truly have gone mad.ā
Even his annoying words and her sighs sounded sweet to him. He must be out of his mind.
Is it possible to fall in love again with a woman who hates you enough to cry?
No, Shaneās love had never ended in the first place.
He hadnāt realized it would be so tenacious.
Adeline still pushed him away and hated him.
āNo, that’s not entirely true. There have been some improvements.ā
Thanks to forcibly keeping her by his side, she no longer made futile attempts to push him towards Genevieve or ran away as soon as she saw him.
Yes, if that was an improvement, then it was an improvement.
***
The wedding proceeded smoothly.
The Bertrand family cooperated actively, and so did the church.
The church, eager to showcase the āmiracleā of resurrection by the Saintess under its influence, went as far as ringing the bells that were rarely rung to bless the union.
Wearing a pure white dress adorned with delicate lace and a veil, Adeline stubbornly refused to look at Shane.
She walked straight ahead, keeping her eyes fixed on Genevieve.
As if it didnāt matter who was beside her.
Shane lifted the veil and said,
“Adeline. Look up.”
After a moment, Adeline reluctantly lifted her face.
Under her golden hair, as bright as melted sunlight, her delicately featured face, lightly made up, wore a cold expression.
Her face, which wouldnāt budge when told to smile, softened slightly as she looked at her family and Genevieve.
With a slightly twisted expression, Shane grasped her chin. Even the slight pull made Adeline flinch. It was both pitiful and a strange comfort to see that she didn’t pull away even now.
The fact that she didnāt avoid him at all made him ridiculously happy.
Shane smiled. Adeline widened her eyes when she saw his face.
āShe still likes my face, it seems.ā
Even when they were children, she used to stare blankly at him. Thinking about it made him feel a bit grateful to his parents for giving him this face.
His young fiancƩe.
The traitor who said she wouldnāt leave him alone and that it was okay to cry, yet left him behind.
The hypocrite who couldnāt shake off his hand despite everything.
In the end, Shane couldnāt help but find Adeline endearing.
It was like a habit.
A force of habit of such miserable unrequited love.
