Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 82

“Are you chatting up your ex-wife online?” Dylan moved closer to Hayden as he said it, peeking at Kieran’s messages. He burst into a fit of laughter, his face red with amusement. “Wow, that’s so you!”

Kieran didn’t hide his phone, instead he looked up at Hayden and asked, “When did you get back?”

“Just now.” Hayden shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it on the couch, revealing a crisp white shirt underneath. He had a brooding aura about him, even dressed in clean-cut attire – just like Kieran.

Hayden took a seat in the sofa across from Kieran, lighting a cigarette and asking, “Did Bertha really kill herself?”

“Why don’t you ask QuadDylan?” Kieran suggested, looking at Dylan.

Before their older brother Lucian’s unexpected death, Dylan had insisted they call him “QuadDylan” since elementary school.

Lucian was six years older than Kieran, naturally taking on the role of their leader

Hayden was younger than Lucian, ten months older than Kieran, and Dylan was two months older than Kieran. But Kieran had made his stance clear – he didn’t want to be the youngest, he wanted to rank the third. If not, he would refuse to acknowledge the ranking.

For some reason, Dylan agreed, allowing them to call him QuadDylan. At first, they didn’t think much of the ranking and nickname, but it eventually became a habit.

They were carefree in their youth. Hayden was more outgoing back then, and Kieran wasn’t that quiet.

Dylan remembered Hayden’s parents were both police officers, very righteous people. Hayden was no different, always ready to stand up for what was right. Back then, Dylan could freely joke around with Hayden and even use his nickname occasionally

Who could have foreseen Hayden’s parents being murdered, which was believed to be a revenge killing, and Hayden getting adopted, losing contact with Lucian, Kieran, and Dylan?

Not long after when Kieran was twelve, his mother had a sudden mental breakdown and killed Kieran’s father, Lucian was eighteen that year.

On the day of Lucian’s college entrance exam, Kieran’s mother had her episode, killing his father in front of him and setting their house on fire:

Lucian rushed home after turning in his test early. The fire was already severe. Without giving it a second thought, he ran into the burning house and saved a barely alive Kieran, injuring his legs in the process and losing the ability to walk.

After this tragedy, only Kieran, Lucian, and their grandmother remained in the household. All the company affairs fell on eighteen-year-old Lucian’s shoulders.

Kieran was raised by Lucian from age twelve to twenty-one. After the tragedies in Haydenis and Kieran’s families, the Pierson family sent Dylan, who had just graduated middle school, abroad to study.

Although Dylan and Kieran kept in touch, he didn’t know much about what had happened over the years.

He only knew that Hayden and Kieran had reunited. After reuniting, he learned that Hayden was adopted by gang leader Miles Simson. Hayden later worked with the National Security Agency to take down Miles, and had been busy dealing with the gang issues Miles left behind, keeping him occupied. Today was the first time Dylan had seen Hayden in person since they had grown up, aside from online. To be precise, his helicopter landed directly on the lawn of his villa, and he was brought to Noblewood Retreat

Hayden clearly knew more about what had happened over the years, or he wouldn’t have asked about Bertha’s cause of death right off the bat.

a struggle before she died, no signs of resistance. Other than the injuries from the fall, there were no other human-inflicted wounds. Whether

circle of smoke that slowly dissipated in the

forward, snatching the cigarette from Hayden’s hand and stubbing it out

as he looked at Kieran,

we’ve kept her close, so we can keep an eye on her. It’s a bit

now, before everything’s been figured out.” Hayden said

and let out a reluctant laugh. ‘She’s not mad

this would happen, I wouldn’t have studied abroad. Listening to you guys talk is like hearing a

rest,” Hayden stated, standing up to leave.

Kieran’suddenly stopped

to give you a heads up, Annalise Hansen has been asking about

Hayden

for him, “His aunt, Annalise.

“Oh”

glanced at Hayden speechlessly, “She’s my relative after all, so don’t

hurt Annalise too badly when

brief reply came from the door,

best

Chapter 82

retreating figure, Dylan finally sat down where he had just sat, “Which side do you think Hayden is on? I feel like he’s on Joyce’s

her Joyce? Kieran gave him a stern look.

eyes, “How do you want me

Mrs

at Kieran with a dismissive look, I think Joyce sounds better.”

call

at

nodded, “Anyway, that guy is back. I’m not worried about having no one to clean up if

course I prefer to call her Mrs. Hernandez, it sounds so appropriate!”

the investigation you were doing for me?” Kieran’s look suddenly became

to Kieran, “Before I give you the answer I found, you need to seriously answer a question

“Go ahead.”

You and Bertha…”

so he answered before Dylan had even

a second or two, Dylan looked at Kieran carefully, analyzing his expression, “We’ve known each other for so many years, you can tell me the truth.

are you doubting that I just lied to you?” Kieran’s voice was a

you. I’m just afraid you’re an irresponsible person! Joyce is a naive girl