Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 53

Daphne was a real go–getter, always quick on her feet and never one to dilly dally. She said she would call Porter and boom, she was already dialing. Porter agreed to let Julie start working the very next day Daphne left Julie’s number with him and hung up, only to find Julie pacing nervously on the spot. “What’s up?‘ Daphne asked.

“I lost my phone, did I leave it at the restaurant last night?” Julie frowned. Even though the phone was old, it was still important to her.

Daphne shook her head “When you left last night, Mr. Hernandez took your phone with him. So…”

“Do you know where I can get a simple, cheap phone? Just for making calls” Julie had no intention of asking for her phone back, or rather, she didn’t want to see Kieran in the near future

Daphne rolled her eyes at Julie You’re being a total wimp!”

She took out a spare phone from her bag and handed it to Julie. “Just use this for now. Judging by the way you were acting last night, I guess you don’t want to see Mr. Hernandez ever again”

“How crazy was I last night?” Julie asked Daphne incredulously.

“Crazy as a mad cow”

Julie decided to put thoughts of last night on hold for now. Since her phone was in Kieran’s hands, she didn’t have to worry about him calling to ask questions

However, she was being too naiv

When Julie took the bus home, she stopped by the market to pick up a couple of veggies to cook, then headed home.

As she reached the entrance of her apartment complex, Ada, her next–door neighbor, gave her a knowing look and said, “Julie, I was going to introduce you to my cousin’s son! But it seems you already have a boyfriend!”

“Boyfriend?” Julie frowned in confusion.

Ada chuckled. “That young man is very handsome, you know. You’re not getting any younger, better hurry up. Oh, I can’t chat now, my grandson is waiting for me to cook dinner!”

Ada walked off, leaving Julie standing there with two bags of groceries. After a few seconds of silence, she realized that the only men who knew where she lived and had come to see her were Elliot and Kieran.

At this thought, Julie glanced at the door just a few steps away. Whether it was Kieran or Elliot, she didn’t want to see either of them. So, Julie quickly turned around, only to bump into a solid figure. Her nose throbbed with pain. Julie rubbed her small nose and then saw a pair of shiny black shoes

Kieran’s handsome face

it was, she quickly stepped back.

Kieran asked, a clear smirk on his face. He was likely amused

attempt to escape.

picked up her groceries and

calmly followed behind, matching her

Julie stopped and turned to face him. “What do you

you think?” Kieran countered.

at her doorstep,

standing quietly in front of her. The fading sunlight of the sunset filtered through the gaps in the trees in front of the stairs, casting a dim

as beautiful as any of Julie’s daydreams over the

a deep breath and said, “Let’s

date you.

looking at Kieran firmly. Then let’s not talk. Just leave. Don’t come to my house, or show up in front

her, one hand in his pocket. With every step he took towards her, he seemed to get closer. Each footstep sounded like it was echoing in Julie’s heart. Finally, he stood right in front of

to step back, she was held in place by his warm, strong hand around her waist. His arm tightened, forcing Julie to close the gap

Or a love? Either way, she didn’t

Kieran’s arms, Julie’s gaze was calm and steady. All she said was, “I

reaction. Would he be angry? Or would he remain expressionless? But in the end, he just took out the phone she’d left behind the night before, waved it in front

Kieran made a gesture to throw her phone away. Who would’ve thought that what Kieran owed her was just a phone.

throw the phone away. Even standing on

at Julie, who was standing on tiptoes trying to snatch her phone from him, Kieran was reminded

were. She quickly let go of his hand But Kieran bent down, took her wrist, and placed the phone in her

ever lose your phone again, he said, then turned and

from back when they were still in high school. One Christmas, Julie insisted on dragging Kieran to the supermarket to buy ingredients, then insisted on dragging him to

the line was too long. She told Kieran to wait for her, but when

was short and easily got lost in the crowd. She managed to buy the skewers, but when she got back, Kieran was nowhere to be seen. So she started looking for him. As expected, with poor sense

to find her squatting at his front door like a stray cat, her eyes red