The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 156: Anna’s Victory

Chapter 156: Anna’s Victory

"I know you plan to use me as your pawn," she wrote, as she wrote, she poured her emotions into it.

"Saying that the Empire hid me from the Temple and broke the agreement in the first place. Using that as an excuse for backing out on your end of the deal is pathetic." She intended to tear through all his excuses and expose him for what he truly is...

Adeline had made a promise to herself: she would not run from this battle. This was between her and Edward.

"I do not possess Holy Powers," she wrote, the lie steady and unwavering. "You can test me in front of everyone... I dare you."

The challenge was bold, perhaps reckless, but necessary. Adeline knew Edward’s arrogance would compel him to accept.

He would attempt to expose her, to strip away her defences. But she had spent months preparing for this moment. She had formed alliances, she had built her confidence. She wasn’t going to live her life being afraid of the Holy Temple.

She refuses it. She was going to make Edward regret plotting against her.

Adeline folded the letter carefully, sealing it with wax. The act felt final, like the closing of a Chapter. She would send it at dawn, ensuring it reached Edward before he could escalate his plans.

As the night deepened, Adeline found herself pacing the room. The letter was done, but the consequences of her defiance loomed over her like a ghost!

I can’t believe I did this. I can’t believe I did this! Adeline, are you crazy? Maybe I am?! What am I going to do? What am I going to do when Edward asks me to prove I don’t have powers?!

Adeline blinked as realisation suddenly dawned on her. Why should I prove I don’t have powers? He was the one making baseless allegations! The burden of proof is on him!

Adeline collapsed on her bed. She somehow had to go undetected. She didn’t know what method Edward might use to expose her.

But she couldn’t spend her life hiding in fear. If the confrontation between her and the Holy Temple was going to happen anyway, she would rather it happen sooner rather than later!

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Benedict was awake as soon as the sun rose. He couldn’t wait to get home! With his mother finally back, his home... Seemed more homely. He didn’t feel like a stranger in his own house anymore.

He awoke before the knights. He wanted to get going. Waiting for the after-effects of teleportation to go away seemed like such a pain! But what could he do? Nothing but to wait it out.

As soon as he reached the Northern Duchy he realised that something was weird. The shops were closed. There was barely anyone out and about. That was odd.

Even when they thought a plague was going to spread, that didn’t stop them. Tending to the fields, taking care of their crops like their own children. By some miracle, everyone started to heal...

He thought good times were coming but now... It feels so desolate. He could sense that the atmosphere was off. The feeling only grew stronger as he reached the tall gates of the Northern estate.

It wasn’t the quiet of peace, but of something far heavier, as though the walls themselves held their breath. Servants whispered to one another in corners, they looked at him weirdly as he walked into the manor.

There was a pit forming in his stomach and his heart started to race. He was slowly trying to understand what was happening. There were many things running through his mind, he tried to shake off those despicable thoughts.

They quickly averted their eyes when he met their gaze, their discomfort palpable.

He slowed his steps, his earlier fatigue from travel forgotten. Something was wrong.

It was then that he saw her- Anna. She stood at the foot of the grand staircase, her posture regal, her attire luxurious.

The woman he remembered, who once wore practical pantsuits and moved through the estate like a shadow, had transformed. The silk gown she wore shimmered in the faint morning light, and her demeanour exuded an aristocratic confidence.

Benedict’s brow furrowed. "Anna?" He called, his voice thick with confusion. "What’s going on?" Why was she here? Father wouldn’t allow her to roam so freely in their home especially since Mother woke up... So what was happening?

She didn’t respond immediately, her gaze cool and unreadable. When she finally spoke, it was with a practised politeness that triggered him. He couldn’t believe he fell for this woman’s lies. "Welcome home, Benedict," she said. "You’ve arrived... Just in time."

He stared at her in confusion, what did she mean? What happened? He was going through all the worst-case scenarios he could think of. Was this part of his father’s plans to catch Anna red-handed?

Anna whispered placing her hand on her heart, "I am so sorry, Benedict, dear..." Feigning grief and sympathy.

No one would believe her based on the dress she wore. But Anna didn’t care. Her first act as part of the aristocracy... She wasn’t about to wear some shabby black dress.

For what? The unspoken question hung in the air, but before he could voice it, his attention was drawn to the cluster of maids gathered outside his mother’s chambers. They whispered among themselves, their sombre expressions filling him with dread.

Benedict didn’t wait for Anna to explain. His heart pounded as he rushed past her, down the hall and toward his mother’s room. Each step felt heavier than the last, as though the weight of what he might find threatened to pull him into the ground.

The sight that greeted him stole the breath from his lungs. He stood frozen in place. He felt ringing in his ears. Though people were calling his name he heard none of it. There was a feeling that overcame him. A feeling that prevented him from processing things.

He could not... He just... He could not believe what he was seeing.

His mother lay on her bed, her face pale and serene, as if she were merely sleeping. But the unnatural stillness of her chest and the absence of warmth in her complexion told a different story.

"No," He whispered, his voice cracking. "No, no, no..." He stumbled forward, collapsing to his knees beside the bed. His shivering hands reached out to his mother’s hands that were cold as ice. No... This could not be...

His father sat nearby, clad in mourning clothes, his expression a mix of sorrow and detachment. The sight of him only fueled Benedict’s confusion and anger.

"Father," he choked out, tears streaming down his face. "What happened? She was fine when I left! Adeline healed her! How could this—"

"She’s gone, Benedict," His father interrupted, his tone cold and matter-of-fact. "Her heart gave out. There was nothing anyone could do."

Benedict shook his head vehemently. "You’re lying! She was getting better! How could her heart just-" His words faltered as he noticed something different about his father. Benedict did not notice that there was something wrong with his father... He has changed... There was darkness in his eyes.

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