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

cute? Hayden adores you;

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

Daphne nodded, “Yes, I think it’s love. How else could he

hearing this, Julien abruptly stood up and headed

going?” Julie

bed on the floor,” came Julien’s aloof reply

mouth to stifle her laughter, leaning in to whisper to Julie, “Don’t

is it?” Julie asked, merely curious, but not holding out much hope for

with a triumphant grin, revealed,

looked at Daphne as if she had lost

right,” Daphne quickly apologized to her unborn child, “Sorry, baby.

“Don’t worry, Daphne. Your child has a

grabbing Julie’s hand, “If it’s a boy, we’ll call him ‘Prince’! Aren’t

mentally said a prayer for Mr.

to the bedroom to share the news with Julien

had made a makeshift bed

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

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

was unexpected!

who had just entered the room, heard Julien’s question and

is quite constructive, Julie agreed, turning to Daphne, “What do you and Mr. Lionel plan to do?”

and with 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

“Your mom

that Julien would support Edda Flores’s

think? Just because the ocean is deep and dangerous, you would not even try to swim? What about the lifeguard who

knew how to hit the nail on the head with her metaphor. The world of the wealthy was an ocean, and she stood at its edge, wrestling with the decision to dive in. Her parents, standing by her side, were pulling her away from the water’s edge,

important question was, what should

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

with little experience in matters of the heart, this was a tough question. Not expecting Daphne to seek her advice, Julien

awkwardly at

“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

suddenly made sense to her. Perhaps being an

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

ground, grabbed Julien’s hand, and looked at her gratefully. “You truly are wise, Queen.”

seem to have forgotten that