Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 107

Downstairs at the hotel.

Julie and Elliot had been chatting for a while. She thought that Kieran wouldn't waste his time waiting for her, given his character. But the reality was, as soon as she stepped out of the hotel, the headlights of the luxurious Spyker C8 parked at the entrance lit up.

The lights shone on Julie's face, forcing her to look in that direction. The passenger door was opened from the inside by Kieran. Julie noticed that Karl and Austin weren't in the car; instead, Kieran was sitting in the driver's seat.

"Get in." The lights were turned off, and Kieran's voice came from inside the car.

While Julie was still in a daze, Kieran spoke again, "At this time, there are no buses to Noblewood Retreat. Get in. You can save about sixteen bucks on cab fare."

Julie was still motionless. She was considering whether to get in the car to save those sixteen dollars when suddenly, music started playing from inside the car.

'I can see through his heart / And the shadow of others lingering / My memories of him / Have not been wiped clean enough / I can see through his heart / It's his and her movie / He doesn't love me / Despite that / He still stole my heart...'

This was Julie's ringtone. She had been using this phone for almost six years. She set this ringtone when she moved out of Noblewood Retreat. Over the years, she had gotten used to it. But Julie never knew that this song was so long. Suddenly, the phone flew from the car towards Julie. In a panic, Julie barely managed to catch the phone.

The name Ivan was displayed on the lit-up phone screen.

Julie glanced at Kieran before answering the call. A voice full of hurt came from the other end of the phone. "Mama Julie, don't you want me anymore?"

Ivan was a very insecure child, which was evident from his tone. Although Julie hadn't known him for long, she already considered him her own son.

So when she heard his voice full of grievance, Julie's heart immediately softened. "I'm on my way home."

"Are you with Kerry?" Ivan's excited voice came from the other end.

Julie glanced at the man lighting a cigarette in the car and replied, "Uh-huh."

"Can you ask Kerry to buy me a mousse cake?"

Hearing Ivan's somewhat expectant voice, Julie finally agreed, "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Julie still ended up getting into Kieran's car. She closed the door and buckled her seatbelt, but the car didn't start. "Ivan wants you to bring him a mousse cake when you get home."

"Hmm." The man's deep voice came. The cigarette was held between his fingers. His slender fingers holding the white cigarette, a sight so beautiful it was unforgettable.

However, he didn't light the cigarette. He held that position for a while before turning to look at Julie. "You know smoking is bad for your health, right?"

Julie, who was pretending to look out the window, turned her head, confusedly looking at Kieran. He suddenly reached out, grabbed her hand, and stuck the cigarette in it. "If you see me smoking, remember to stop me, or you'll end up inhaling secondhand smoke."

Julie had never heard such a nonsensical request before.

She suddenly remembered that when Kieran's brother died in a plane crash, the Hernandez family's business was facing bankruptcy, and all the debt and pressure fell on Kieran. It seemed that he started smoking then. At that time, she and Kieran had just been married for a short time.

She watched as all the burdens fell on him, but she couldn't help at all. Before his smoking habit got worse, he would sometimes start coughing as soon as he lit a cigarette, and Julie eventually couldn't help but snatch the cigarette from his hand.

At that time, Kieran would just silently take out another cigarette and light it. Julie would snatch one, and he would light another.

After ten minutes of this, Julie gave up. At least, Kieran thought she had.

The next day, Kieran announced the company's bankruptcy and came home very late. Usually, Julie would already be asleep by this time.

Every night, she would leave only one light on for him, but that night, the entire villa was brightly lit. When he pushed open the door of the villa, he saw Julie sitting on the sofa, wearing a red silk robe, her long legs exposed. She was holding a glass of whiskey in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

Several boxes of cigarettes sat on the table, and many cigarette butts accumulated in the ashtray. Julie seemed to be surrounded by smoke. Obviously, she didn't know how to smoke, so she was coughing badly as she inhaled.

Infuriated, Kieran walked up and snatched the cigarette from Julie's hand. But she just looked at him with a soft expression and said, "If you don't quit smoking, I'll smoke with you. When you want to quit, I'll quit with you. This way, whatever you do, I can be with you. You still have me. Whatever you do, you have me..."