Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 168

From Payne’s place to where Julie and Kieran are staying tonight, it’s just a short stroll that takes less than ten minutes.

Having just hung out at Payne’s for a while, they stepped out to find it was already frosty. The chill of late autumn hung in the air. The dim streetlights glowed hazily through the frosty mist, casting a blurred light on the surrounding villas, making them appear vaguely visible.

When they left, Kieran casually grabbed a coat for Julie. Now, she draped it over her shoulders, but it didn’t do much to ward off the cold. The night wind carried a desolate chill that seemed especially piercing.

They walked side by side, maintaining a small distance between them.

After leaving Payne’s, they had been walking like this for about half a minute. You could tell that Kieran had deliberately slowed down to match Julie’s pace.

“What’s on your mind?” Kieran asked out of the blue.

Julie paused before answering, “At first, I was wondering if you had anything to do with No. 49, but now I’ve dismissed that idea.”

“Can you guess what I’m thinking?” Kieran asked, inching closer to Julie without her noticing.

Julie, too engrossed in the conversation, replied, “I don’t want to guess.”

Kieran seemed to anticipate her response, a playful smile playing on his lips. “I was thinking… what would have happened if you hadn’t stopped me from bidding for that ring. Who would have ended up with it and for how much? If you hadn’t interfered, who do you think would have gotten the ring?”

Julie glanced at the ring box in her hand and then smiled at Kieran, “I guess, in the end, it would still be mine.”

Kieran laughed, “My wife’s got a point here.”

Julie shot him a look, “You seem quite comfortable calling me your wife. You don’t have to be in character all the time, there’s no one else here.”

“True, my wife is definitely not a stranger.” Kieran reached out and playfully ruffled Julie’s hair, a casually affectionate gesture.

Julie dodged to the side, a bit uncomfortable. “You can talk, just don’t touch me!”

She took a step away from him, adding, “Never mind, you don’t even need to talk. I can’t out-talk you anyway!”

“Let’s change the subject.” Kieran suggested cooperatively.

Julie fell silent, unable to fathom what his next topic might be.

“Do you know about Platonic love?” Kieran asked out of nowhere.

Julie didn’t answer.

Plato, is a kind of spiritual love between people. It seeks

Kieran could finish, Julie interrupted him, “Actually, according to the Symposium, Platonic lové refers primarily to love between people of the same sex, which was in line with the social mores of ancient Greece. Greek scholars believed that love between the same sex was the true love, and heterosexual marriage was just for societal construction. So, the core of Platonic love is homosexuality. So, let’s leave it

“In your eyes, I’m

profound

man or not?” Julie quickened her pace, trying to get away from this crafty and mysterious man. But he caught up easily, grinning cheekily, “You just said that the core of Platonic love is homosexuality, so since you acknowledge that

then Julie should have a platonic love relationship with him. But since he was a man, they should have a deeper relationship. Basically, whether he was a man or a woman, Julie

Kieran, who was blocking her way, and retorted, “When did I acknowledge

pace with Julie, “So, you’re saying you don’t

-“Get lost!”

“My wife…”

by my name!”

“My dear…”

is

“My sweetheart…”

She stopped, turned to look at him, “What are you up to? Weren’t you so cold and aloof when I was pursuing you? Where’s that aloofness now?”

fed it to Coco,”

Coco is

was mocking him

screamed, clutching his shoulder

fat cat dart out from god knows where, run past Julie’s feet, and quickly disappear into the bush.

the living daylights out of Julie. She clung tightly to

put one arm around Julie’s waist, and with the other, gently patted her back, reassuring her,

and seeped into

safe that she forgot why they

in thoughts, Kieran bent down and scooped her up

her arms around his neck, not because she wanted to, but just to prevent herself from falling. When she finally came back to her senses, she said to Kieran, “I can walk on

hold you.” His calm

popping out of nowhere in the dark. The bright eyes of these small creatures seemed very terrifying in the dark. As someone who learned

carried her into the villa and expertly led her to the bedroom she used to live in as a child.

looked the same as before, with the same bed,

was pink, which was not in line with Julie’s character, but her bedroom had always been this way. In Padgett’s heart, Julie and Sansa were his beloved daughters, his little princesses. Darcey had always been dedicated to raising them as elegant girls. Kieran placed Julie on the soft round bed. The

at her sitting on the round

least sleep on the sofa to stir up her sympathy. However, she didn’t expect him

until the door closed did Julie’s frown

Julie laughed.