Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 295

Glancing at the woman satisfied on the bed, half her arm peeking out from the cover, Kieran gently pulled the covers over her before slipping out of the room.

Just as he closed the door, there was a knock. Kleran beckoned the visitor in with a soft-spoken, “Come in.”

Karl entered and handed Kieran a photo album, “Pictures from Sycamore Village.”

Kieran flipped through the hefty album. It was filled with pictures of Karl and Ivan frolicking in the fields of Sycamore Village, their laughter captured in vibrant colors. Tucked at the end were two special photos of Julie, her radiant smile framed by blooming flowers. The photos were perfectly wallet-sized.

He replaced the old photo of toddler Julie in his wallet with one of the new photos. He placed a loving kiss on a new photo of smiling Julie before putting it to his wallet. Suddenly, the ringtone of his phone interrupted his momentary reminiscence. He glanced at the caller ID and answered the call, with a furrowed brow.

By the time Julie woke up, more than an hour had passed. Realizing she had fallen into Kieran’s trap, she sighed, wishing she had just called him ‘honey’. She changed into a fresh dress and carefully opened the door, only stepping out when she was certain there were no voices in the office.

Kieran, seated at his desk, heard her soft footfalls and asked, “Awake now?”

“Thanks to you,” Julie replied, settling down on the couch across from Kieran. “Did you see my phone?”

Instead of answering, Kieran pointed to a cupcake on the coffee table, “Hungry?”

The irresistible treat made Julie forget about her phone. She picked up the spoon, took a big bite from the cupcake, and asked, “Are you busy?”

“Why?” Kieran put down his pen and looked at her.

She hesitated before asking, “From a man’s perspective, do you think Kyle…” Julie then shook her head, “Never mind, should I call Kyle or meet him in person?”

“Honey…” Kieran suddenly put on an apologetic look.

Julie paused, puzzled, “What’s wrong?”

“Kyle called me,” he confessed.

Julie didn’t see anything wrong with this. She placed her cupcake down and asked, “And? Did he agree?”

didn’t ask him about cooperating with Sansa’s treatment.”

anticipation deflated, she picked up the dessert again and

him the question

cupcake, her eyes wide

her his phone, “I recorded the call.”

about Sansa’s treatment. I’ll cooperate as much

you?” Kieran asked.

cryptic, “Sometimes, it’s not good

“Even so, there are things we need to understand, right?”

Emily?” Kyle anticipated Kieran’s

pause before Kyle asked, “Mr. Hernandez, have you

since he had almost lost Julie because of what he had done.

afraid of threats to her life. But the deepest wounds are those of the heart. So you realized, to protect her, you must not avoid wars, but win them.” He

ended there. Julie listened in silence. Did Kyle mean he also made mistakes because his love for Sansa? Is that why he used her

Kieran, “I feel like I understand Kyle less and less. There

hair gently, “Let’s wait for Sansa to wake up and

to do anything special. Kyle just needs to spend time with Sansa, talk

when there came a knock at the door. Quickly, she grabbed her cupcake and darted over to the couch to make herself comfortable. Watching her, Kieran couldn’t help but flash

his grip on his mobile, as he made straight

usually unflappable, a guy who’d seen it all. So, Julie was intrigued, to say the least, by his uncharacteristic excitement. She couldn’t help but turn her attention toward

Hernandez, Zenith’s secretary, Jesse, just called to set up a meeting with you and Madame for lunch tomorrow.”

She rushed over to Kieran’s side, asking Karl, “What could Zenith possibly want?”

awaiting Kieran and Julie’s

tomorrow

put the new

be… Zenith knows we used his blood for the test?” Julie ventured, a bold guess forming in her

along the same lines. He immediately

equipment here,” Dylan reported, “I know you wouldn’t trust anyone else to handle this, so I’m going to move the sample to a different machine. I’ll have the results by tomorrow

that, Kieran

that had never given them trouble before chose this moment to fail… A coincidence?