Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 285

“Want some more?” Daphne offered her ice cream to Julien like it was a prized possession.

Julien, without hesitation, took it from Daphne’s hand and started eating it voraciously.

In all the years she had known Julien, Julie had never seen her indulge in a snack like this. It was truly a sight to see. But…

Wasn’t her eating manner a bit too aggressive? It was less of eating and more of stuffing her mouth.

Was this binge eating a result of some traumatic experience, perhaps?

Julie gently patted Julien’s back, concern lining her features. Julien, with a mouthful of ice cream, looked back at Julie with a confused expression, as if asking ‘why are you patting my back?’ through her gaze.

“You’re going to get a brain freeze if you eat ice cream like that,” Julie remarked, watching Julien’s eating frenzies.

Julien then handed the now-empty ice cream tub back to Daphne:

Daphne tossed it into a nearby trash bin and chuckled, “I always thought you were too high and mighty to enjoy such earthly pleasures. Turns out you also love vanilla ice cream, just like me.”

Julien looked perplexed, “What ice cream?”

“…So, you just ate half a tub of ice cream without even khowing what flavor it was? Daphne asked, the disbelief evident on her face.

“That’s vanilla, vanilla ice cream. The one you just ate,” she said, trying to suppress her laughter.

“Ah,” was the only response Julien gave.

Julie suddenly grabbed Julien’s shoulder, “Who are you, and what have you done to my Julien?”

Julien swatted Julie’s hand away, and turned to Daphne, “Give me the couch.”.

Daphne glanced at the couch beneath her, a grey piece of furniture that had been with her for a while now.

She patted the couch, speaking to it as if it were a pet, “My dear couch, the queen has taken a liking to you. It’s an honor really. She wants to take you away, but don’t miss me too much. I’ll come visit you occasionally.”

“I didn’t mean your couch,” Julien retorted, looking at Julie, “I meant, I’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight.”

“You’re not going home tonight?” Julie asked, looking surprised, “Won’t Hayden be looking for you?”

countered, trying to play it cool,

in, “My God, are you pretending to be cute? Hayden adores you; how could he not

think Hayden’s feelings for Julien go beyond mere fondness,” Julie

it’s love.

stood up and headed towards

going?” Julie

floor,” came Julien’s

leaning in to whisper to Julie, “Don’t you find her attitude adorable? I’ve thought of a nickname for my baby.”

it?” Julie asked, merely curious, but not holding out much hope for Daphne’s idea.

with a triumphant grin, revealed, “I’ve decided

at Daphne as if she had lost her mind, “What

to her unborn child, “Sorry, baby. Your dumb mom didn’t think that far.”

worry, Daphne. Your

“If it’s a boy, we’ll call him

Daphne, Julie mentally said a prayer for

to the bedroom to share the news with

a makeshift bed on the floor using blankets from the

brimming with excitement, “I’ve thought of two nicknames for my baby. If it’s a boy, we’ll

commenting on the names, Julien asked her, “When are you and Lionel

question… was unexpected!

room, heard Julien’s question and was instantly taken

Julien’s question is quite constructive, Julie agreed, turning to Daphne, “What do you and Mr. Lionel plan

my intelligence, I might not survive. Not only would risk losing my child, but I might also lose my own life. You know those people in TV dramas who step on others’ bodies to climb to the top? My mom says there are a lot of those in

“Your mom is right.”

surprised that Julien would support Edda Flores’s viewpoint.

you would not even try to swim? What about the lifeguard who is waiting for you in

the decision to dive in. Her parents, standing by her side, were pulling her away from the water’s edge,

most important question was, what should

She turned to her friend, Julien, with a look of desperation, “What do you think,

someone with little experience in matters of the heart, this was a tough question.

smiled awkwardly at Julien, Actually…”

complete her sentence, Julien interjected, “Firstly, you need to ask yourself whether you really want to take the plunge. Secondly, the decision to dive in depends on whether the lifeguard can be trusted and if he can assure your safety, and not how

applauded Julien’s insight. The phrase ‘love is blind’ suddenly made sense to

The first thing Daphne needed to do was to understand her own feelings. The most important factor was Lionel’s actions and choices,

slumped onto the ground, grabbed Julien’s hand, and looked at her gratefully.

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