Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 263

“What’s going on?” Dylan, who was accompanying Julie, had initially come out of curiosity but found

that everyone had already left upon his arrival. He had also heard that something had happened to

Annalise..

After all, it was he who had informed Annalise about the situation which led her to curiously come to

see Adeline’s date. In all honesty, it was his momentary negligence that had led to this outcome.

He decided to accompany Julie to visit Ms. Annalise at the Tranquil Care Hospital.

Julie immediately rolled down the car window, turning her head to look at the vehicle behind. The

moment the car started, she saw a familiar figure.

The person in the neighboring car was Lucian. Even though she had only seen his side profile, she was

certain that it was Lucian.

However, when Bolt, the driver, stopped the car and she looked back again, the car had disappeared.

Everything that had just transpired, the sight of Lucian, seemed like a hallucination.

Not hearing Julie’s response, Dylan looked at her, half leaning out of the window, with concern. “Julie?”

“Lucian! I saw Lucian!” Julie exclaimed in surprise, clutching Dylan’s arm.

Dylan shook his head, “Impossible! Where did you see him?”

“While we were waiting at the red light, his car was next to ours. When Bolt started the car, I saw him!

He was in the lane next to us!!”

Dylan shook his head again, “Impossible. If it were really Lucian, he wouldn’t be using transparent car

windows, nor would he roll them down. You must have been hallucinating. It couldn’t have been him. If

he lacked even this basic sense of security, how could he have been hiding for so many years?”

Bolt, the driver, frowned and looked at the approaching police car. “Mrs. Abraham, we can’t park here.”

Despite not believing that what she had just seen was a hallucination, Julie glanced at the motorcycle

police approaching, frowned, and finally withdrew her gaze. She then told Bolt, “Never mind, let’s go.

Head to Tranquil Care Hospital.”

When Julie arrived at Tranquil Care Hospital, Annalise’s ankle had already been bandaged.

As soon as she arrived, Julie asked Annalise what had happened. Annalise explained, “I was in a hurry

to see Adeline and Elliot and accidentally bumped into a con artist.”

“A con artist?”

“Not exactly… it was just a minor accident… I got upset and wanted to call the police, but he brought

me to the hospital. I only found out then that he was actually a doctor at the hospital. I know he didn’t

take advantage of me on purpose, and it was my fault for breaking his phone, but for some reason, I

just can’t get along with him!”

Listening to Annalise’s complaints, Dylan couldn’t help but laugh. “I really want to meet the person who

managed to annoy Ms. Annalise to this extent.”

Dylan was the type who enjoyed a bit of drama.

“I really can’t stand such people. If I ever meet someone like that again, I’ll do everything I can to avoid

them!” declared Annalise.

Julie handed Annalise a bottle of water. “Here, have a drink.”

Just as Julie finished speaking, Dr. Brice appeared at the door, carrying a bag.

Julie was surprised to see Dr. Brice in this room as it was a single room, and Dr. Brice normally

wouldn’t be responsible for patients with minor injuries. His presence surprised her. “Dr. Brice, what

brings you here?”

“I’m the ‘bad guy’ Ms. Annalise has been trying so hard to avoid.”

Annalise was speechless.

“Is this your friend?” Dr. Brice asked Julie..

“Don’t you see? I am the third wheel, Annalise told Dr. Brice, her mood souring as she recalled the

message he had written in her presence.

Dr. Brice placed the medicine on Annalise’s bedside table. “You interfering in Julie’s love life, I can

believe.*

Dr. Brice, usually a gentleman, seemed unusually harsh in his words towards Annalise.

Julie, pointing to Annalise, laughed and explained, “To be precise… Annalise is Kieran’s aunt, so she’s

also my aunt…”

“Aunt?” Annalise and Kieran looked to be around the same age, so it was hard to believe her senior

status.

Annalise nodded. “So if you’re friends with Julie, you should be calling me aunt according to seniority!”

“I don’t have such unreasonable relatives.”

It was as though Julie had suddenly remembered something. She said to Annalise and Dr. Brice,

“Didn’t you two meet at The Velvet Vine Dining before? Kieran was there too.”

“The Velvet Vine Dining…” Annalise immediately recalled the incident, “You’re the man who was with

Julie at The Velvet Vine Dining that time?”

“The owner of The Velvet Vine Dining? No wonder you looked familiar.” Dr. Brice replied calmly, now

recalling that Julie had once promised to treat him to a meal, and he had chosen The Velvet Vine

Dining, where he had run into Kieran and another woman, who was now revealed to be Annalise.

Dylan laughed, “You two are ridiculous, meeting face to face and still not recognizing each other.”

“He wasn’t dressed as meticulously as he is now that day.” Annalise muttered, but Dylan still heard her.

That day, she wore makeup and curled her hair, completely different from today.” Dr. Brice glanced at

Annalise, who had been dolled up that day, with elegant makeup, her hair curled gently, as dense as

seaweed, wearing a nude pink gown, and behaving with an air of grace. Her soft-spoken demeanor

was a stark contrast to today’s no-makeup, straightforward-speaking woman with straight hair.

Annalise glared at him, saying, “It’s different. I look better without makeup!”

Julie shook her head in resignation. These two had barely exchanged a few words during their last

meeting before Annalise had made an excuse to leave. She didn’t expect their reunion to be so

discordant

Dr. Brice ignored Annalise’s remark, took out some anti-inflammatory medication, and started to explain

the dosage and how to take it.

Annalise didn’t seem to absorb any of the information, which Dr. Brice had anticipated, so he had

written down all the necessary instructions.

Finally, he handed the bill to Julie, saying. “Contact me anytime if you have any questions

Hospitalization is not required.”

As Dr. Brice turned to leave, Annalise pointed at his retreating figure and told Julie, “I didn’t let him pay

the medical bill. Julie, help me pay him the money

back

“Alright, Ms Annalise, calm down!” Dylan looked at Annalise, expressing his surprise at how

troublesome she was being.

Annalise was supposed to stay in a hotel, but now that she had injured her foot and had difficulty

walking, Julie had no choice but to ask Dylan to take Annalise to Noblewood Retreat

Upon their arrival, they found Daphne Flores unexpectedly sitting on the couch, and facing her was

Amanda.

Julie instantly felt a headache coming on As Georgiana’s sister, Annalise was already not well-liked by

Amanda, and now Daphne was here too…. Unless it was something really important, Daphne wouldn’t

have come to find her directly. Julie helped Annalise onto the couch, then pulled Daphne aside and

whispered, “Daphne, why are you here?”

“I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer I have something to discuss with you, so I came over I just

didn’t expect you to not be home…

After saying this, Daphne turned her head and smiled at Amanda

As Kieran walked in, he saw Julie and Daphine standing by the couch, while Annalise seemed unfazed

despite Amanda’s unfriendly attitude towards her.

“Godmother?” Ivan Hernandez cheerfully ran towards Daphne

Amanda quickly reminded Ivan Slow down, slow down! Your godmother has a baby in her belly!”

Ivan slowed his pace, then looked up at Daphne and asked, ‘Is it a sister?”

“Huh?” Daphne touched her belly laughing as she shook her head “I don’t know”

She sat on the couch, ran her hand through Ivan’s hair, and asked, ‘Do you like having a sister?”

“Yes!” The little guy nodded vigorously

Kieran shot Julie a meaningful glance, saying “Come with me”

Julie went silent

Kieran turned to Annalise and asked, “You hurt your foot?”

Annalise replied, “Cant you be a little nicer to me? I hurt my foot because of some bad people. Your

kind wife was worried that I would be inconvenienced living alone in a hotel, so she brought me here”

When she mentioned worried, Annalise glanced at Amanda.

Amanda retorted with a hint of haughtiness, “Shannon, prepare a guest room for Ms Annalise”

“Oh, thank you!” Annalise gratefully said to Amanda

Amanda, however, took Daphne’s hand, patted it, and said, “Daphne, come with me to the room”

After saying this, Amanda led Daphne by the hand towards a room, clearly fond of Daphne

Julie and Kieran shared a glance, then both turned to Shannon

Shannon smiled warmly. “Mrs. Abraham, Ms. Daphne has been here for over two hours. She said she

was looking for you. But since you were not home, she started chatting with Amanda. They’ve been

getting along incredibly well for the past two hours. Amanda even said that if Ms. Daphne and Mrs.

Abraham weren’t of the same generation, she would have loved to consider Ms. Daphne as her

goddaughter. Ms. Daphne is truly charming”

Julie couldn’t help but laugh, asking Shannon, “Did Ms. Daphne mention why she was looking for me?”

Shannon replied, Tm not sure about that. Ms. Daphne did not say.”

Julie responded, “Alright, I understand. Shannon, could you please show Annalise to her room?”

After Shannon took Annalise to her room, Ivan voluntarily returned to his room to do homework. Only

then did Julie pull Kieran down to sit on the couch.

Kieran asked, “What happened?” He gently kissed Julie’s forehead.

Julie furrowed her brows, “I think I saw Lucian today!”