Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 308

Julie scrolled through her social media feed and chuckled as she saw Daphne’s selfie had gone viral, along with a snarky caption, “Looks like Lionel’s lost his touch. Tired of supermodels, so now he’s settled for some low-rent chick? A schemer who’s knocked up before the wedding, shamelessly replying to comments online. No shame, this parasite’s gotta have been orphaned early, that’s how she grew up with no proper upbringing.”

No wonder even Amanda thought the comment was out of line.

Daphne had clapped back in the comments, “Wishing you and yours all the happiness. parents, soon to be Mrs. Lionel.”

From the shameless, pregnant-before-marriage, schemer with very much alive

Julie gave Daphne a thumbs up and then logged onto her own social media to share Daphne’s response, “Here’s to the shameless, pregnant-before-marriage, schemer with very much alive parents, soon to be Mrs. Lionel. Wishing you happiness.”

As Kieran walked upstairs, he found the trio in high spirits. Wrapping his arms around his lady from behind, he asked, “What’s got you all laughing so much?” She waved her phone at him, “Wanna help out?”

Kieran read the post and immediately joined in, sharing it with his own addition, “To the man about to marry a shameless, pregnant-before-marriage, schemer with very much alive parents, Lionel, wishing you happiness.”

Daphne liked the post right away.

What started as a joke between Julie and Daphne soon sparked a wildfire of reactions. Even Flavia joined them. Surprisingly, Lionel’s supposed true love, Albertine, also shared the post.

Daphne covered her face, “Looks like I’m officially internet famous now!”

Kieran, phone in hand, turned to Julie, “Babe, mind explaining what’s going on here?”

Julie glanced at the phone and saw a paparazzi shot of Mr. Watson and Harding with handcuffs linking them together, magnified in the photo before they could get into their car. She recognized a blurry shadow in the photo as herself, and clearly, Kieran had already figured it out too, or he wouldn’t be asking.

She laughed nervously, “Well… it was a makeshift plan to get Daphne out of her apartment. Mr. Watson and Dr. Ladd were downstairs at Lionel’s request, so we used them as a distraction.”

“And the handcuffs?” he inquired.

“Looks like Mr. Watson wasn’t too keen on voluntarily helping with the diversion,” Julie said cryptically.

Only Julie could have come up with the handcuff idea.

Half an hour later, Lionel arrived to pick up Daphne. It was clear Amanda was fond of Daphne; despite being down all day, she personally saw Daphne to the door. Back in the bedroom, Julie sprawled out on the bed, exhausted.

me,” Julie sat up suddenly, a

he was doing and sat

lost in the past, but just now I remembered something odd. Rankin’s tombstone only had his photo and name, -no-inscriptions, not even a date. Isn’t it strange?”

grave?”

she

have

“In school, I never saw Rankin’s family. Some said he was an orphan, others claimed his mom visited once. The most widespread rumor was that he was raised by a wealthy single mom, always in designer clothes, yet so understated. And

was kept by

guess the nature of the ugly

can’t control where we come from, but we can shape our destiny.

to have Karl look into it the next

in for the night, when a frantic knocking at the door startled

sat up, “Come in.”

“Sír, Ma’am, Madam

dashed downstairs without even

her to the car,” Shannon followed,

Care Hospital, the nearest medical

Lucian’s situation, and her poor sleep had led to her fainting. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious;

wanted to stay and keep Amanda company, but Amanda shooed her

ཎ

waved her hand, signaling for Julie and Kieran to head home. In the end, only Shannon remained to care for her, with two nurses assigned to look after

was quiet in the dead of

afford to skip meals, so she

in a black hoodie

your wallet…” Amanda turned around to see a shadowy figure

about to scream, the man pulled off his hood and stood by her bedside, speaking softly, “Grandma, it’s me, Lucian.”

eyes as she

her

is it really you? Am I dreaming?”

09:57

Chapter 308

hand and