Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 283

Raines had always been skeptical of Julien’s relationship with Hayden. It wasn’t that he disliked Julien; he simply saw her as a femme fatale who could easily bend the well-respected and principled Hayden to her will.

Julien, on the other hand, didn’t care about Raines’ opinion of her. But Raines had noticed a change in Julien since she had returned from a trip abroad with Hayden. She seemed more self-assured, less restrained. Not only was she bending Hayden to her will, but she had also become more assertive in her dealings with

Raines.

What puzzled Raines the most was why he was now following orders from Julien to investigate Zenith’s whereabouts.

He waited patiently in his black Passat parked near the rear entrance of Zenith’s suburban villa.

Julien arrived in a white Ford Fiesta and joined him in the passenger seat of his car. She got straight to the point, “Has Zenith been in Sycamore Village today?”

“Yes,” Raines replied.

Julien’s usually stoic eyes seemed to hold a touch of gravity. Raines couldn’t tell what she was pondering, but he remembered his reason for meeting Julien.

“Do you think the man who abducted Emily… knew her from before?” Raines asked. He had not only come to inform Julien about Zenith’s whereabouts but also to ask her this question.

Since Raines was Hayden’s right hand, Julien wasn’t surprised by Raines’ keen observation.

“I tried to probe Emily about it when we brought her back to Fred-earlier today,” Raines continued. “There’s a strong possibility that Emily and the man in black know

each other.”

“Zenith,” Julien said, unusually calm for a discussion of this sort with Raines.

She added, “Zenith is Fred’s former student, and Emily is Fred’s daughter. It’s only logical they know each other.”

The crux of the matter was that Zenith and Lucian shared remarkably similar features.

“I also noticed that the man who took Emily looked a lot like Zenith, in terms of height and physique. But… Zenith is currently on his way back to Whispering Pines from Sycamore Village.” Raines, being Hayden’s right hand, was well versed in the matter of Lucian and Zenith.

Raines ventured a bold guess, “You don’t think Zenith and Lucian could be the same person, do you?”

Julien remained silent, so Raines continued, “Although I’m not exactly a genius, I can at least make some basic deductions. Firstly, Lucian is semi-paralyzed and in all the photos we have, he is seen seated in a wheelchair. But Zenith is physically whole. Secondly, Lucian’s whereabouts are unknown, while Zenith, though enigmatic, has traceable movements. Lastly, Zenith used to be a doctor and now he’s a businessman. He has never had any unique experiences or background. But the man who kidnapped Emily is well-trained and adept. So, are you suggesting that these three individuals are in fact just one person?”

said

asked, a little bewildered.

compliment his analytical skills, but instead, she simply said, “You

Raines glared at her and said, “Why did you ask me here?”

bring the tools I asked for?” she queried.

well and retrieved a toolbox from the trunk. Without a word, she turned and walked

thought, staring at

Raines’ dark expression. But she seemed unfazed and said,

Hayden, not you. If he

raising an eyebrow at him.

Raines remained silent.

affection

was taken

of his care, even if he doesn’t

won’t tell Hayden,” Raines said, slamming his car door shut and driving away swiftly.

vowing to keep his distance from Julien in the future, even

Village, Zenith sat in

a furrowed brow, “Mr.

the phone and pressed the

everything has been taken care of. Your previous tracks have been

pursuit, he had left footprints in the soft soil by the lake. After rescuing Emily, Julien had meant to return to the villa for evidence collection tools,

dark. But now, after a full day of running

the footprints by the lake

the lake. It was soft, and any adult man’s weight would inevitably

which was unusual.

odd discoloration in the soil. It seemed as if someone had layered fresh soil over

footprints, then stepped on it again.

dug into the soil with a

distance, Bruce, who had

of hesitation, he spoke into the phone, warning Zenith, “Mr.

wasn’t surprised, and he hung

and that Julien wouldn’t uncover their

held his phone, deep in thought for a few seconds. He dialed a number,