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?”

he be looking for me?” Julien countered, trying to play it cool,

you pretending to be cute? Hayden

go beyond mere

it’s love.

this, Julien abruptly stood up and headed towards Daphne’s

where are you going?” Julie called out.

the floor,” came Julien’s aloof reply from the bedroom.

leaning in to whisper to Julie, “Don’t you find her attitude adorable? I’ve

merely curious, but not holding out much hope

grin, revealed, “I’ve

as if she had lost her mind, “What if it’s

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

Daphne’s shoulder sympathetically, “Don’t worry, Daphne. Your child has a smart

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

mentally said a prayer for Mr. Lionel.

off to the

makeshift bed

If it’s a

names, Julien asked her,

was unexpected!

heard Julien’s question and was

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

to marry into a wealthy, complex family like Lionel’s. She says it’s like a deep, dangerous ocean, 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 in TV dramas who step on others’ bodies

“Your mom is right.”

that Julien would support Edda Flores’s

do you think? Just because the ocean is deep and dangerous, you would not even try to

dive in. Her parents, standing by her side, were pulling her away from the water’s edge, while Lord Lion, the lifeguard of this metaphorical ocean, was eagerly waiting

most important question was, what should she do?

her friend, Julien, with a

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

at

yourself whether you really want to take the plunge. Secondly, the decision to dive in depends on whether the lifeguard can be trusted and

is blind’ suddenly made sense to her. Perhaps being an outsider gave Julien

understand her own feelings. The most important factor was Lionel’s actions and choices, whether he was

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

“You seem to have forgotten