The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 282: Why Me?

Chapter 282: Why Me?

Adeline was exhausted.

Her feet ached, her head pounded, and her patience had long since run thin. Benedict had been spewing nonsense the entire banquet, his words filled with resentment and frustration.

He wouldn’t stop ranting about how Annora was being forced into this engagement with Cassian, how the Royal Family was using her, how things had gone completely wrong.

Adeline had tried—really tried—to talk sense into him. But it was futile.

She had come to the conclusion that he was simply stupid and decided to move on. Well, at least until she found a cure.

Benedict was far too gone, completely consumed by emotions he barely understood himself. He wasn’t just angry about Annora’s engagement, no, he was angry at everyone and everything, like he carried so much resentment that even she was surprised.

At first, she humored him, attempting to guide his reasoning.

"She’s not being forced, Benedict," Adeline had said calmly. "Annora knew exactly what she was doing."

He scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You don’t know anything. She wouldn’t do this of her own free will."

Adeline had nearly laughed at the irony of it. Oh, Benedict... If only you knew the truth.

But she bit her tongue. What was the point? He wasn’t ready to listen. Not yet

By the time she reached her mansion, she had tuned out his complaints completely. Let him think whatever he wanted. If he was determined to drown in delusions, she wasn’t about to waste her energy dragging him out of them.

At least, not today.

As she stepped into the Kendrick estate, the warm glow of the chandeliers did little to comfort her. The moment she crossed the threshold, she felt it—unease. Something was wrong.

And then she saw them.

Two unwelcome figures, sitting comfortably in her home as if they belonged there.

Richmond and Carl.

The father-and-son duo. The ones who never stepped anywhere unless they had an ulterior motive.

Adeline’s expression didn’t waver. Of course, they were here. They had the perfect excuse—the engagement of the Crown Prince was an Empire-wide event, and what better opportunity to insert themselves into the Kenrick household under the guise of celebration?

Carl was the first to notice her. His smile was overly pleasant, his eyes gleaming with feigned warmth.

"Ah, Lady Adeline," he greeted smoothly. "It’s been a while. You look as radiant as ever."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. How many times had she heard that nauseatingly fake line?

Richmond, his father, was far less charismatic but just as conniving. He merely nodded, offering her a calculating stare as if trying to read her every move.

Even when he was so desperate for money, he still disrespected women, he truly was the worst. Adeline feigned a smile.

She returned Carl’s greeting with a polite nod, her expression unreadable. "Welcome," she said simply, her voice devoid of any warmth. Then, without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Carl’s lips curled into a smirk, likely amused by her cold demeanor. Richmond said nothing, but she could feel his gaze on her back as she disappeared up the staircase.

Let them plot.

She was too damn tired to care. Her brother would take care of them.

The moment she stepped into her room, Adeline shut the door and collapsed onto her bed.

Finally.

The exhaustion hit her all at once, making her limbs feel like lead. The day had been long, draining, and infuriating. Where was her dad? She needed him.

But before that, she better check in on someone.

She hadn’t spoken to the Goddess in a while. She had been so caught up in trying to fix everything that she nearly forgot she even had a direct line to the author who had been screaming in her ear not too long ago.

Closing her eyes, she reached out, her mind searching for that familiar presence.

At first, nothing. Just silence.

And then—

"...Adeline."

The voice was hoarse, weaker than before. The usual cheerful, bubbly tone in the Goddess’s voice was missing.

Adeline frowned. The last time she had heard her, the Goddess was yelling, crying, and begging her not to reveal too much.

Now?

She sounded defeated.

"...You’re quiet today," Adeline muttered.

A pause. Then, a simple response:

"Yes."

Adeline rolled onto her side, staring at the ceiling. "Not going to scold me?"

"No."

She exhaled, rubbing her temple. The headache wasn’t going away.

"I thought you had a lot to say last time."

"I did."

Adeline narrowed her eyes. "So? What happened?"

"...You wouldn’t listen."

There was no anger in her voice. No frustration. Just a quiet acceptance that made something in Adeline’s chest tighten.

For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

Then, the Goddess spoke again.

"Do you not trust me anymore?"

Adeline sucked in a sharp breath.

That question—so simple, so quiet—felt heavier than it should have.

Her grip on the bedsheets tightened.

Did she trust her?

Once upon a time, she did. When she first woke up in this world, this Goddess was her closest friend. The one who knew about her past and her origins.

But now?

Now, she had seen too much. She had learned the ugly truths behind this world, behind the mind control, behind the twisted fate of everyone around her. And the Goddess knew things she wasn’t telling her.

Things she refused to say.

How could she trust someone who was keeping secrets from her? Yes, she believed that the Goddess did not mean harm, but in one way or the other she was being harmed... It is for her to decide what harm she would take and what she would fight against... She made her choice.

"I can make decisions for myself, dear author..." It almost felt like she was mocking the Goddess. "Why did you bring me here?" Adeline suddenly asked her.

"...So that you could change the fate of this world." The Goddess answered in a neutral tone.

"No, why did you bring ME here?"