Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 72

After several trials and errors, Julie finally concluded that the keys in her hand were indeed faulty She whipped out her phone and called her landlord. The response on the other end of the line was swift. “Oh, so you still remember how to call me? The front gate won’t budge, right?”

The tone of her landlord was a dead giveaway “Sorry, I’ll definitely transfer the rent to your account tomorrow, Julie conceded.

Her gaze dropped to her plastered leg, and then she spoke politely. “Could you possibly bring the key over?”

An icy snort came from the other line, “Now you remember to pay the rent? How long have you been delaying the past few months rent? I’ve deducted all the deposit. Every time I called you, you always had some excuse to delay, right? I know you have a sick sister to take care of. That’s why I’ve been patient with you”

1 know, thank you. Are you home right now? I’ll come over to get the key”

Tve already told you!” The landlord’s voice came through, “A quarter’s rent plus the deposit. Only talk to me about the key after you’ve transferred the money to my account tomorrow. Otherwise, move out and stop hogging my space!”

And with that, the landlord hung up. When Julie tried to call back, the landlord’s phone was already turned off.

Kieran was watching Julie from a taxi not far from the gate.

Suddenly, a loud thunderclap resounded in the sky, startling Julie into a crouch and covering her head. But the pain in her leg made her sit down on the ground. The sight was heartbreaking.

Kieran immediately swung open the car door, his long leg about to step out, but he stopped abruptly. Julie had fled the hospital, so she probably didn’t want him to see her in this embarrassing state. So, he retracted his leg back into the car.

Julie was about to call Daphne but then remembered Daphne was on a business trip. Eventually, she put her phone down, defeated.

The spare key Daphne gave her was lost on that night when she and Kieran got drunk. She hadn’t had time to get a duplicate, so that she couldn’t stay at Daphne’s place now.

In the car, Kieran took out his phone and, after a few seconds of hesitation, dialed Ivan Hernandez’s number.

At the gate, Julie was about to check how much money she had left when her phone suddenly rang

“Mama Julie, it’s Ivan” A whimpering cry came from the other end of the line, laced with fear.

Julie immediately forgot about her homelessness and quickly comforted Ivan on the other end, “What’s wrong, Ivan? Don’t worry, tell me slowly.”

“I’m scared of the thunder, the little boy’s nasal voice was filled with sobs, sounding as if he had just had a good cry, tugging at Julie’s heartstrings.

is everyone else at

servants surrounding him, then sniffled and said through sobs, “Dad went out on a date, all the servants went home for a holiday, I’m alone at home, I’m scared,

arm. In the pouring rain,

“Can you come to my house? I’m really scared. What if aliens invade the Earth? What if they take me away, I can’t bear

mom.”

how to respond to this alien

out to Julie, “Mama Julie, I’m all alone at home.

is your house?” Julie finally asked. To the homeless Julie, Ivan’s call was like a

quickly told her

have to be good. Boys need to

Mama Julie, hurry up,

up her mind, used the wall

towards the driver, instructing, “Please take

that, Kieran get out of the car. The taxi headed towards

broke into a smile, climbed into the car, and off she

He watched the direction the taxi disappeared in, took out his phone,

“Kerry, don’t worry, I’ll put on

took shelter under the eaves of

the phone, “Kerry, when are

gate, asked Ivan, “Why do you like her so much?”

only say, “I just like her! Mom should

he hung up Ivan was beyond

photo. Kieran and Julie’s heads were pressed together. They both looked serious but couldn’t hide the excitement on Julie’s face. Although Kieran’s expression wasn’t exaggerated, the slight upturn of his lips in the

little fingers tracing the photo, turned to his nanny, Shawna, and asked, “Do you think

the photo and chuckled, “Well, it’s a match, ain’t it? It’s a

but only Shawna stuck around. They could say that she raised Ivan single–handedly. She knew Ivan looked at this photo

off a marriage certificate. Shawna frowned, thinking. “How could two people so perfect

had no idea what Shawna was thinking. He simply stashed the photo under his pillow and smiled at Shawna, “You can head home now, send everyone away, leave just one bodyguard Tonight, I want to coax my

saw Ivan hopping around

you up to?”

I look pitiful squatting here?” Ivan said, finding a corner and squatting down, hugging his knees. He looked so pitiful that