The Male Lead isn� Chapter 254: Baby Sister

Chapter 254: Baby Sister

Adeline sighed as she watched Isabelle and Alaric disappear into the distance. They had gone ahead to wait in the carriage, trusting that she would follow shortly.

Aaron, as expected, did not mind lingering behind, but rather than waiting alone, he had found himself deep in conversation with Layla. Adeline shook her head slightly.

Aaron was always comfortable around people, and Layla was known for her quick thinking and wit. That was fine. It gave her the opportunity to do what she needed to.

She had business to take care of before she left. And that business, unfortunately, involved Edward.

With careful steps, she made her way through the brightly lit corridors of the palace. The sounds of the ball that was coming to an end were still faintly echoing in the distance, but she ignored them.

She had no interest in the celebration anymore. Her focus was on sothing else entirely—sothing far more important.

Edward was waiting for her in one of the empty hallways. He stood leaning against a stone pillar, his arms crossed over his chest, his usual smirk plastered on his face.

The flickering candlelight from the wall sconces cast deep shadows over his features, making his already sharp eyes look even more piercing.

"Missed

so soon?" he teased, his voice smooth and mocking.

Adeline rolled her eyes. She was not in the mood for his gas. She had spent the entire evening frustrated, and dealing with Edward’s usual smug attitude only added to her irritation.

"I don’t have ti for this," she snapped. "Where is the lead? What is the lead? You gave

information, sure, but where do we even start?"

Edward let out a quiet chuckle, tilting his head slightly as he observed her.

"Patience is a virtue," he said smoothly.

Adeline’s fingers twitched. If she could, she would strangle him right now.

"For us to even begin investigating," Edward continued, "we need to wait for the right mont. And that mont is not now."

Adeline narrowed her eyes. That was not what she wanted to hear. She had agreed to work with him—begrudgingly, but still—and she expected results. If he was going to keep playing these cryptic gas, then she would have to find another way to get the answers she needed.

"I don’t have patience," she said flatly.

Edward smirked as if he expected her response. "I’m aware."

She clenched her jaw. He was impossible to deal with.

"I will contact you when the ti cos," Edward said, pushing away from the pillar and taking a step closer to her. "For now, enjoy the wedding."

Adeline scowled. That man was absolutely useless. He always had to make things difficult.

"I’ll find out things myself," she muttered as she turned on her heel and walked away.

She heard his soft chuckle behind her. "Good luck with that."

She ignored him and stord down the hall.

Her frustration bubbled inside her. She had spent so much effort trying to navigate the chaos of the night—dealing with Annora, watching Cassian ignore her, and trying to maintain control of her emotions. And now, the one person who was supposed to be her ’ally’ in this investigation was doing nothing but wasting her ti.

She knew Edward wasn’t soone she could trust, but she thought at the very least he would be useful. Clearly, she had been wrong.

She needed to find her own way forward.

By the ti she reached the exit, she had cald down slightly. The cool night air helped soothe her temper, though it did nothing to ease the lingering frustration.

She spotted Aaron and Layla near the carriage. They were still talking, their conversation casual and relaxed.

Adeline sighed. At least soone was enjoying the night.

"Done with whatever you were doing?" Alaric asked as he noticed her approach.

"Unfortunately," she muttered. Isabelle seed to be waiting inside the carriage. She understood from Alaric’s whisper that she was fast asleep. The thought made her smile a little.

She was too involved in her problems and worries that she missed that the world was still beautiful... And people are kind... This was what she was fighting for... Wasn’t she?

She found it beautiful that Isabelle trusted and loved her brother so much that she gave up her position as the heir... And her brother always made sure that she had everything she needed or wanted.

She trusted him so much that she could easily fall asleep in his presence.

She wished she had that one day... To love soone so much you could place your life in their hands. She sighed to herself.

Alaric ruffled her hair and whispered, "Linny, know that you can ask

for help... You don’t need to do everything yourself. As for Cassian, tsk, ignore that guy. I never liked him. You can happily stay with us forever. If anyone says anything about you, Aaron will take care of them."

Adeline’s lips quivered but she refused to cry. Just as Alaric was about to take his hand away she held it in place. She wanted so more pats and Alaric obliged. She would always be his baby sister.

He rembered how their mother handed the baby to him, she was as red as a strawberry as she cried, and her pink hair only made him believe that she was. She did not stop crying, no matter what his mother did.

Mother asked him to keep an eye on her as she left to check on Aaron who was causing so trouble. He was nervous. It was just him and a baby! She was crying and wriggling in the crib. He peeked and decided to pick her up.

She wanted to get away from him and kept wriggling. Her crying didn’t stop either. He poked her cheek gently and said, "I’m your brother Adeline." She sniffled and stared at him with tear-filled eyes, and seconds later she cald down.

He decided that he would protect her forever, he was her brother and Aaron didn’t seem reliable at all!

He barely rembered when Aaron was a baby, he was a child himself, but he definitely rembered when she was a baby. She was the cutest baby he had ever seen.

"We should head back, it’s getting late." He whispered again.

Her hair was a ss but she did not mind. She nodded and walked to join Aaron.

He and Layla stood near the carriage, laughing about sothing she couldn’t hear.

They seed to get along well.

Aaron was smiling, and Layla, usually more reserved, was speaking comfortably as if she had known him for a long ti. Adeline blinked at the sight but did not think much of it. Layla was a friendly person, and Aaron could talk to just about anything to anyone if he wanted to.

She was about to head inside when the Eastern Duchess suddenly appeared beside her, gently pulling her to the side before she could leave.

Adeline turned to her aunt, confusion on her face. "Your Grace?" she asked hesitantly.

"Shh," the Duchess whispered, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Do you not think sothing is happening there?"

Adeline followed her gaze back to Aaron and Layla.

She watched them for a few monts, taking in the way Aaron leaned slightly toward Layla as he spoke and the way Layla’s usual sharp expression softened into sothing more relaxed. They were talking so easily, with no awkwardness between them.

Still, Adeline did not understand what her aunt was implying.

After another mont, she looked back at the Duchess and shrugged. "They’re just talking."

The Duchess sighed dramatically. "You are still slow as ever."

Adeline imdiately pouted, her lips forming a small frown.

That was rude!

She turned her face away in irritation, sulking like a child. How could her aunt say sothing like that?

The Duchess only chuckled at her reaction, clearly amused. "Oh, don’t make that face," she said, patting Adeline’s shoulder.

Adeline did not respond, still pretending to be upset.

The Duchess shook her head with a smile. "Co along now," she said, taking Adeline’s hand. The Duchess was very curious about the two. She rarely saw Layla get along with soone so easily and so fast.

She was a good speaker, that she would admit, she too had the ability to talk to anyone but most of those conversations were not genuine. She was a smart one, that was why she chose her as her heiress... But this ti...

Before Adeline could protest, the Duchess led her forward, interrupting the conversation between Aaron and Layla.

Aaron looked up first, spotting them imdiately. "Oh, you’re back," he said casually, offering a small smile.

Layla, however, stiffened slightly when she realised how long they had been talking. She quickly glanced at the sky and gasped. "The ti!" she blurted out. "I didn’t even realize how late it’s gotten!"

She turned to the Duchess, flustered. "I apologise for keeping Aaron so long," she said quickly.

The Duchess simply waved a hand, dismissing her worries. "Oh, don’t mind ," she said lightly. "I was just watching sothing interesting."

Layla blinked in confusion, but before she could ask what the Duchess ant, Adeline spoke up.

"We should get going now, I feel a little sleepy," she said, rubbing her eyes. She was tired of everything that had happened that night. Aaron nodded in response.

He kept an eye on Adeline as she got onto the carriage, she looked quite sleepy, he was so sure she would misstep and fall so she made sure she got on safely.

He shot one last look at Layla before she too got onto her carriage. She returned the smile.