The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 286: The Diary

Chapter 286: The Diary

Adeline smiled when she realised that the name she had selected for her daughter was used for her. She really seemed to like that name.

Adeline wiped her tears, but they kept coming.

Her mother’s hopes, her mother’s dreams... She finally had a glimpse of them.

Adeline and Alaric both wanted the same thing.

They wanted the Richmond family to pay.

For trying to sell their mother off to an older man.

For using her for money.

For abusing her.

For barely giving her the necessities to survive.

Adeline’s grip on the diary tightened.

"Mother, I promise you..."

They were going to make them pay.

Adeline stepped out of the estate, the diary clutched tightly in her hands.

The night air was cool, but it did nothing to soothe the storm brewing inside her.

Her mother’s words still echoed in her mind. The things she had written, the pain she had endured—it all made Adeline’s blood boil. She had expected to find something, but not this. Not her mother’s raw desperation and grief woven into ink.

She glanced back at the Richmond estate, its once grand structure now a lifeless husk of what it used to be.

"You deserved better, Mother," Adeline whispered before turning on her heel and leaving.

She moved swiftly through the darkened streets, her cloak wrapped tightly around her, shielding her from the night’s chill. She wasn’t afraid of being caught—she was Adeline Kendrick, after all. No one would dare challenge her.

But the moment she stepped inside her home, she knew she was in trouble.

Isabelle stood in the entryway, arms crossed, brows raised.

"Where have you been?"

Adeline stiffened. "Out."

"Out?" Isabelle repeated, unimpressed. "Care to elaborate?"

Adeline casually adjusted her cloak. "Just... Taking a walk."

"A walk," Isabelle said slowly, her gaze sharp. "Dressed in black, sneaking in this late at night?"

Adeline sighed. "I needed some fresh air."

"Try again."

Adeline pursed her lips, contemplating if she could still get away with it.

She knew Isabelle wasn’t stupid. She had probably noticed the slight dust on her clothes, the way she was holding something close to her chest.

"I was just handling some business," Adeline tried again.

"Business?" Isabelle’s eyes narrowed. "What kind of business?"

Adeline remained silent.

Isabelle took a slow step forward. "Where. Did. You. Go?"

Adeline exhaled through her nose. "Why do you care?"

"Because you look like you were up to no good and I don’t want you getting into trouble." Isabelle placed her hands on her hips and frowned.

Adeline bit her lip.

Isabelle sighed. "Adeline."

Silence.

"Just tell me," Isabelle pressed, softer this time. "I won’t be angry."

Adeline glanced away. "...I went to the Richmond estate."

Isabelle’s expression froze.

"...You what?"

Adeline lifted her chin. "I went there to look for something."

Isabelle closed her eyes for a brief moment before taking a deep breath. "Alaric. Did he know about this?"

Adeline shook her head.

"Adeline," Isabelle groaned, rubbing her temples. "You went alone? Without telling anyone?"

"I didn’t need to tell anyone," Adeline said defensively. "I handled it."

Isabelle gave her a flat look. "Handling it does not mean breaking into an estate alone, threatening guards, and tearing through rooms like a crazed thief."

Adeline shrugged. "It worked."

"That’s not the point," Isabelle hissed. "What if you got caught? Or worse?"

Adeline smirked. "Then I would have handled that, too."

Isabelle let out an exasperated sigh. "This is not a joke, Adeline!"

"I’m not joking," Adeline said, her grip tightening on the diary.

She wasn’t.

Isabelle noticed the change in her expression—the way Adeline’s fingers clenched around something.

Her gaze flickered down. "What is that?"

Adeline hesitated.

"Adeline," Isabelle pushed.

Adeline finally revealed the book, holding it up. "A diary."

Isabelle’s brows furrowed. "Whose?"

"...My mother’s."

Isabelle’s breath caught. "...Your mother’s?"

Adeline nodded. "I found it in her old room. It was locked, but I managed to open it."

Isabelle’s expression softened. "...What did it say?"

Adeline swallowed. "A lot of things."

A heavy silence settled between them.

Isabelle looked hesitant for a moment before asking, "Will you tell Alaric?"

Adeline hesitated.

Should she?

Alaric and she... they thought alike. Their mother’s pain was something both of them carried, something that fueled their hatred for the Richmond family. But was it right to tell him?

Would it change anything?

Adeline bit her lip. "...I don’t know."

Isabelle studied her for a long moment before sighing. "You should."

Adeline blinked.

Isabelle continued, "You and Alaric... you’re in this together. If this diary holds something important, he deserves to know, too."

Adeline remained quiet.

"You said it yourself," Isabelle pressed. "You both want the same thing. Shouldn’t you share this with him?"

Adeline thought about it.

Isabelle wasn’t wrong.

Alaric needed to know.

He deserved to know.

Slowly, Adeline nodded. "...I’ll tell him."

Isabelle looked relieved. "Good."

Adeline found Alaric in his study, seated behind his desk with a glass of wine in hand. He didn’t even look up as she entered.

"You did something reckless," he said, swirling the wine lazily. His voice was calm, but there was a knowing edge to it.

Adeline rolled her eyes. "I can’t believe you are still awake. It’s so late."

"I could be asking you the same thing."

"Why do you assume I did something?"

Alaric exhaled through his nose. "Because I know you." He set the glass down, lacing his fingers together.

His gaze flickered to the book she clutched tightly against her chest. "I assume that has something to do with it?"

Adeline hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward and placing the diary onto his desk.

Alaric’s brows furrowed as he glanced at it. "...What is this?"

She exhaled. "Our mother’s diary."

His fingers twitched slightly. He didn’t touch it yet. "Where did you get it?"

"Where do you think?" she said, tilting her head.

Alaric’s expression darkened. "...The Richmond estate."

Adeline nodded.

Alaric let out a slow, measured breath. Then, at last, he reached forward and placed a hand on the diary.