Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 180

Davina's got a remote in her hand, hooked up to a tiny time-bomb strapped to the rope binding Julie. All it'll take is one click of that button and boom! The bomb detonates, rope snaps, and Julie takes a plunge.

We're talking a good dozen meters up. A fall from this height, Julie's either a goner or she's looking at some serious injuries.

Davina's gripping the remote like her life depends on it, staring down Julie like a hawk, "Ever watched someone you love die right before your eyes?"

She lets out a hearty laugh, her face twisted into a cruel smile, "You're about to find out! Kieran's on his way. You're head over heels for him, right? You'll know what it feels like soon enough!"

Despite Davina pushing her to the edge, Julie, tied up and all, keeps her cool.

"Davina, we're both law students. You know what you're doing has consequences," Julie said, her brows furrowed in concern. "Is it worth it? You're throwing your future away. What's going on between us doesn’t worth destroying both you and me…"

"Shut up!" Davina snatches a gun from a guy standing nearby, pointing it straight at Julie. "If it weren't for your parents, my dad wouldn't be in prison; my mom wouldn't leave him and take me to Veridia. If it weren't for you, Rankin wouldn't be dead! This is all on you! You started all this!"

"Your father… is Latham Field?" Julie's jaw dropped.

A few years back, Darcey took off with a bunch of cash, Padgett died of a stroke. Julie and Kieran were newlyweds. Sansa Abraham got into a car crash chasing after Darcey, and was fighting for her life in the hospital. The Abraham family was on the brink of bankruptcy. Kieran even had to handle Padgett and Darcey's funerals. Julie spent her days by Sansa's side, refusing to accept that she was practically a vegetable.

It wasn't until later that she found out her dad was involved in smuggling. The cops tracked down the smuggling gangs, and the Field family got caught up in the mess. The media only reported on Latham, keeping his family out of the limelight as they weren't involved in the smuggling or embezzlement.

Julie only connected the dots today when Davina brought it up.

Being tied up like this, Julie didn't exactly expect Davina to let her down easy.

So she fired back at Davina, "The person responsible for your dad's prison sentence is himself. Smuggling and drug dealing are serious crimes!"

"If it weren't for your dad, my dad wouldn't have resorted to smuggling and embezzling!" Davina's clearly lost her marbles, spitting out words filled with years of resentment.

Julie's eyes flashed with anger. "My dad's dead, Davina. Your dad at least has a chance to turn his life around. I didn't get to say goodbye to my dad, who should I blame for that? Your dad's in prison for smuggling and drug dealing because he committed a crime! Look at yourself! How are you any different from a criminal?"

"Shut up! You have no right to judge me!"

Suddenly, a gunshot echoes through the empty warehouse.

It felt like the bullet whizzed past Julie's ear, shattering the window behind her. The sound of broken glass filled the air.

Julie's heart skipped a beat.

"Kieran's on his way. Do you think he'll be devastated to see you fall?" Davina's completely lost it, seemingly finding some twisted pleasure from hurting Julie and Kieran.

Julie stayed silent for a moment, then she said, "My life isn't as perfect as you think, Davina. Kieran doesn't love me. Even the child he announced on the news a couple of days ago isn't mine. It's Kieran's and Bertha Stewart's. Kieran betrayed me when I was pregnant. We've even been divorced…"

"You think I'll believe that?" Davina scoffs. "If Kieran didn't love you, he wouldn't have signed that contract today. You know, that represents his life's work and wealth. Without his shares in Simpo Co., he'd be left with nothing. You say he doesn't love you? A man who doesn't love you wouldn't give up everything he's worked for to save your life."

Davina laughs in disdain, "No man who's loved you has had a good ending. Rankin's dead, and Kieran won't last long either."

"Rankin just went to study abroad!" Julie refused to accept the news of Rankin's death.

In her memory, Rankin was a cool, aloof boy, but when he smiled, he had charming dimples. Whenever she got a question wrong, he'd tap her head lightly with his pen, showing his disapproval. To Julie, Rankin was like a brother.

"To study abroad?" Davina laughs coldly. "You just didn't care enough about him to know the truth. He didn't go to study abroad!"

The sarcasm in Davina's eyes confused Julie. If he didn't go to study abroad, why did he go to Veridia?