Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 99

“Wait, wait, Shane…”

“You’ll bite your tongue.”

“Listen to me— ouch!”

Her view spun halfway around. Shane crammed her into the carriage as if she were a sack. As soon as Adeline was apart from him, she hurriedly grabbed onto him.

She wanted to explain something, but her tongue felt glued to the roof of her mouth.

Shane placed his hand over Adeline’s that was clutching his clothes, paused for a moment, and then removed it, saying,

“At home.”

His short reply was dry. Shane didn’t even look at her.

He was truly angry. So much so that he didn’t even want to look at her.

What should I do? Adeline was genuinely flustered. Like the fool that she was, her mind was drawing a blank. She didn’t know what to say, only feeling the urgency to say something.

It wasn’t the first time Shane had been angry.

After they reunited, and even after that, Shane often got angry. It was inevitable, and she even wished he would get angrier. She hoped he would be madly angry and leave her forever, distancing himself. So she was startled but never anxious. She just wanted to run away quickly.

Yet Shane always looked straight at her. Even if she tried to avoid his gaze, he wouldn’t allow it, holding her chin to keep her from looking away. He never ignored her like this.

Shane climbed into the carriage.

“Shane…”

“Let’s talk at home, Adeline. When I’m ready to listen to your bullsh-t.”

“…”

Adeline opened her mouth but then closed it without a word. The carriage started moving, and Shane still didn’t look at her.

‘What do I say? What should I say… Damn it, what can I even say. Idiot.’

It wasn’t about how to explain this situation.

As Shane said, it would just sound like pathetic excuses.

Even in this situation, Adeline felt disgusted with herself for wanting to claim she did nothing wrong first.

As Lucian dragged her here, Adeline knew Shane would find out. Yet she prioritized repaying her debt to Lucian over Shane.

Lucian initiated it, but it was her choice.

Shane trying to confine Adeline was because she was trying to escape. Adeline always assumed he would chase after her.

While waiting for the sorcerer at the café, she wasn’t surprised that the person tapping her shoulder was Shane.

Shane didn’t get angry then. He only told her not to be angry.

Adeline hadn’t thought deeply about it.

It was expected that he would chase her, and she wasn’t hoping or expecting anything.

‘Even though I didn’t care if he was angry, now that my situation has changed…’

She bit her lip and hung her head.

The carriage stopped at the Blanchard mansion.

Shane got off first and helped Adeline down. Seeing her exposed shoulders, he frowned. He made an irritated noise through his teeth and draped his outer coat over her.

Then he grabbed her hand and led her inside the mansion. None of the servants were to be seen.

Shane only looked directly at Adeline after closing the bedroom door. He let go of her hand and said,

“Who did you dress like this for?”

“I didn’t choose it…”

“That bastard enjoyed the view.”

“…No one really looked at me.”

Except maybe you.

Impulsively, Adeline grabbed Shane’s hand that had let go of her. He didn’t shake her off. Instead, he intertwined their fingers and pulled her close, holding her waist with his other hand.

Kissing her rounded forehead, her eyebrow tips, and her eyelids, Shane said,

“Now, tell me, Adeline. Now, I feel like I can handle whatever nonsense you want to feed me.”

“…”

“Why did you go there? What for?”

“Lucian.”

“…”

“He took me suddenly. I didn’t even know where I was going.”

His palm cupped her neck and face, but instead of hurting her, he slowly stroked the hair near her ear. Adeline looked at him straight, hoping her sincerity would reach him.

“I wasn’t trying to escape.”

“Even though you’ve been in contact with Lucian Cole?”

“…”

“It’s okay, Adeline. I told you, I don’t expect anything.”

Not that you’d love me, nor that you wouldn’t hate me.

I’m holding onto you despite knowing everything.