Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 86

Ivan was totally into anything Julie cooked. He was young, but already quite sensible and able to

handle his own stuff.

After finishing the pasta Julie made, Ivan was ready to leave to give Julie and his dad some alone time.

He wiped his mouth and said, “My dad just texted that he’s home, Mama Julie. I gotta run and pick up

your paycheck for you?

During the time Julie was injured, she indeed took care of Ivan as agreed with Mr. Kennedy. But

because Ivan was already a good boy, she didn’t do much. In fact, she was already grateful that Mr.

Kennedy allowed her to live with Ivan, giving her a place to stay

As for the paycheck, Mr. Kennedy had asked her to talk to Ivan directly, but she hadn’t brought it up

since the beginning.

When Ivan suddenly brought up this topic, Julie said to him, “I can walk you there, its just next door.”

She also wanted to take this opportunity to see Mr. Kennedy and thank him in person.

But Ivan firmly declined. “Mama Julie, you need to stay here and look after Kerry. He’s drunk as a

skunk. It’d be a shame if he’s left alone, Helga is waiting for me outside, I gotta dash, bye!”

Ivan was quick on his feet; Julie couldn’t catch up with him. She had no choice but to look at Kieran on

the sofa, whose blanket somehow ended up on the floor

Julie picked up the blanket and put it back on Kieran, then sat on the carpet by the sofa, rubbing her

foot.

The doctor had told her to walk as little as possible when the cast was removed, but she had walked

more today than she had in the past three months.

After a while, Julie dialed Karl’s number, but no one answered. She took out her phone and sent a

message to Mr. Kennedy.

After waiting for a while, there was no reply, so Julie gave up. Then she lay down on the side of the

sofa and fell asleep unknowingly.

When she woke up again, she found herself sleeping on the sofa from the carpet. She was so dead to

the world, she had no idea what happened. After sitting up, she saw Kieran sitting on the sofa across,

staring at his computer, seemingly not noticing her

Julie rubbed her eyes and asked him, “When did you wake up?”

Kieran looked up at Julie, but didn’t answer her.

Then a woman’s voice came from the computer, “Sorry, Kieran, is there anyone at your place?”

This surprised Julie, she covered her mouth, not daring to speak. She didn’t even look at Kieran.

The woman’s voice was sweet and sounded very weak. But this voice was unfamiliar to Julie, and she

couldn’t imagine why this woman was looking for Kieran.

Kieran calmly said, ‘Focus on your studies. If you need anything, contact Karl directly.”

-After a while, a response came from the phone, “Okay, I understand.”

Kieran closed the computer, rubbed his somewhat aching temples, then looked at Julie, “Can you make

me something to sober up? There should be ingredients in the fridge”

“Since you’re awake, why don’t you order the chef to do it!” Juhe said, reaching for her bag on the sofa

where Kieran was sitting.

“Have you thought about how to deal with Adolf’s thing?” Kieran leaned on the sofa, seemingly bringing

up this issue casually.

Even though Julie really warted to remind Kieran that it was him who hurt that guy, she knew better

than anyone that Kieran only did it because of her.

Sa Julie’s footsteps paused as she was about to walk away, “If we can settle, then we will, if not, we’ll

go the legal route.”

They’re asking for medical bills and mental damages, a total of five thousand dollars Keiran said.

Julie’s eyes popped out, five thousand? That was too expensive, wasnt it?

“Looks like we have to go the legal route then.” Julie was a bit down. She was afraid she might not be

able to afford the lawyer’s fees.

Kieran’s fingers casually tapped on the black leather sofa, asking Julie, “How do you plan to go the

legal route? Sue Adolf for attempted rape or sexual harassment?”

“Either way. After all, we hit someone in self-defense, that’s a fact.” Julie said.

The one who should feel awkward now should be Adolf, after all his wife would not easily let go of her

husband.

As Julie was thinking about this, Kieran asked, “Court talks about evidence, not your so-called facts.

Want to go the legal route? Adolf has evidence of us assaulting someone, do you?”

There was no surveillance at home, and she naturally couldn’t produce evidence of Adolf harassing

her. Kieran was stating the obvious!

The only evidence was Kieran. Kieran was a witness, but also a party in this matter. After all, Adolf was

injured by him. If it really went to court, Kieran as a

party, could only constitute one of the factors of human evidence, and the evidence of a party was

impossible to determine.

But Julie knew that since he brought up this issue, it meant he had a plan. So she stared at Kieran

intently, waiting for him to speak again.

What she didn’t expect was his answer, he said, ‘Just pay it!”

Juke thought she was hearing things, rubbing her ears to look at Kieran, “Are you serious?”

“Of course’ Keiran said.

“Pay Adolf?” Julie was stunned.

“Of course.” Keiran answered.

Chapter Bb

Who’s paying?” Julie asked.

Kieran looked at Julie, “Isn’t he your landlord?”

“Why should I pay? Where’s the sense in that? The wrongdoer doesn’t have to bear the consequences,

but the innocent person has to pay for his mistakes?” Julie retorted

Julie meant that the landlord should bear his own mistakes, not blame her, an innocent person.

However, the usually clever Mr. Hernandez seemed a bit off today, he looked at Julie with deep eyes

and said, “Are you saying I shouldn’t have hit him?”

Kieran clearly got the wrong end of the stick about what Julie meant, thinking she was chastising him

for hitting someone and not owning up to it.

When Kieran misunderstood her, Julie naturally had to explain. She got up and walked over to him,

brow furrowed, and said, “You know that’s not what I

meant.”

As much as she hated to admit it, she’d been grateful to him from the bottom of her heart after what

happened that day

He turned his body sideways, one hand resting on the back of the sofa behind Julie Feeling that his

pose was a bit sketchy, she shifted back a bit.

Kieran didn’t move closer, but held his position, sitting on the sofa, and asked her calmly. “So what did

you mean? From what you just said, you seem to think I’m shirking responsibility for hurting Adolf. Is

that right?”

Screw it. Let him take it however he wanted!

“Whatever.” Julie said offhandedly.

Kieran kissed her, one arm resting on the back of the sofa behind Julie, while the other hand held her

chin.

The kiss wasn’t like their passionate one at the restaurant, and it ended almost as soon as their lips

lightly touched. However, Julie felt as if her brain had stopped working for that instant.

Kieran calmly pulled away from Julie’s lips, gently stroking her lips with his thumb, “So now that I’ve

kissed you, should I take responsibility for you too?”

So he’d been waiting for her to jump into this trap all along. Julie feigned calmness, raising her hand to

wipe her mouth, and retorted, “Seems like Mr. Hernandez has a lot of people to take responsibility for

She picked up the bag behind Kieran, Til handle the landlord.”

After leaving Kieran’s villa, Julie remembered that it would take at least half an hour to walk from

Noblewood Retreat to the bus stop.

Just as she was about to call a cab, a sleek black Range Rover pulled up next to her. The backseat

window rolled down slowly revealing a handsome profile.

“Hayden?” Julie was surprised to see him, let alone have him stop for her.

“Get in.” Came a deep, steady voice from the car

Julie was over the moon as she opened the back door and hopped in.

“Where to?” Hayden asked.

“Just the nearby bus stop will do” Julie grinned at Hayden, When did you get back?”

Hayden kept his eyes on some papers in his hand, not answering her question. Julie didn’t dare disturb

him further.

In her previous efforts to win over Kieran, she’d tried to get close to everyone around him. Anyone who

had a close relationship with Kieran, she would try

to win over, including Hayden. Although with Hayden, it wasn’t exactly winning him over, but at least he

had some idea who she was.

The only person she didn’t know was Dylan, because she and Dylan had never met before.

Hayden dropped Julie off at the bus stop. Julie carefully opened the car door, then turned back to say.

Thank you, Mr. Simson.”

After all, she was divorced with Keiran and they weren’t that close. Calling him “Hayden” seemed a bit

inappropriate.

But just as she was closing the door, she heard Hayden’s voice from inside the car. “Stick to Hayden in

the future.” With that, he closed the door and drove off.

Julie quickly forgot about this little incident.

Standing in front of the bus stop, contemplating whether to visit the landlord at the hospital, the black

Range Rover pulled up again. Julie looked closely and realized that although it was the same make

and model, the license plate was different.

Just as the was feeling surprised, the window was rolled down from the inside, and a short-haired lady

behind the wheel coldly told Julie, “Get in.”