Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 301

At Noblewood Estate, Julie’s words had been scarce all evening, trailing off only when she settled onto the plush sofa of the villa with Kieran. It was there, in the comforting silence that followed the clinking of wine glasses and the hum of departing guests, that she found her voice again.

“The day I was held hostage, that heir was injured, and it seemed like he had pursuers on his heels. That guy Kleist had sharpshooting skills, and he respectfully called Simon ‘young master.’ I didn’t think much of it at the time…” Julie whispered to Kieran.

Kieran patted her shoulder, a comforting gesture that eased the tension in the room. “The Fitzgeralds are a force to be reckoned with, Julie. I couldn’t dig up much on them, but that gun and cell phone he left behind say a lot. If Kleist and Simon both handled that gun but only your fingerprints were found, it just goes to show how meticulous the Fitzgeralds can be.”

Julie nestled into Kieran’s embrace, who turned to Julien and asked, “Did we find out who was staying in room 2404?”

The Cardinal Hotel, owned by Kenton Jenkins, had its fair share of secrets, but none so elusive as the guest of room 2404. During the chaotic evening, when surveillance footage was scrambled and disrupted, crucial evidence had vanished into the night.

As Julien turned to make a call, presumably to Flavia, Hayden glanced at his watch. “It’s about time for Quad Dylan’s results, isn’t it?”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the growl of an engine sounded outside.

Upstairs, Amanda, who had been resting, hurried to the balcony at the sight of Dylan’s car pulling up. She quickly got dressed and descended the stairs with Basil’s assistance.

Dylan burst into the room, clutching a manila envelope. He made a triumphant “Hallelujah” gesture at the door and exclaimed, “Thank god I learned to drive when I was studying abroad. I nearly got rammed off the road!”

As Hayden reached for the envelope, Dylan made his way to the sofa, recounting his narrow escape on the road after a failed attempt to reach Kerry by phone.

Hayden was the first to scan the contents of the envelope, his expression darkening. Kieran looked on, awaiting the nod that confirmed their suspicions.

Julie snatched the DNA results, her emotions a tangle of relief and sorrow, while Amanda lingered behind the children, hesitant to face the truth. Finally, Basil stepped forward, his brow furrowed after a glance at the paper, and informed Amanda, “Madam, Mr. Moore is indeed Mr. Lucian.”

Upon hearing the news, Amanda stumbled, only to be swiftly steadied by Basil’s quick reflexes. Kieran took his grandmother’s arm and gently guided her upstairs.

Once in her room, Amanda clutched Kieran’s arm. “That recording I received abroad…it was left by your brother, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Grandma. Rest now. I’ll keep you informed of any updates,” Kieran reassured her, his voice a steady anchor amidst the storm of revelations. Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Amanda’s eyes welled with tears as she reflected on the burdens carried by her grandsons. She regretted her past decisions to flee abroad, driven by the pain of seeing her son in the faces of her grandchildren.

Kieran promised, “I’ll bring him back, Grandma. At any cost.” His word was his bond, a promise made only when he intended to keep it no matter the cost.

After reassuring his grandmother, Kieran rejoined the others downstairs. Julien was just explaining how the hotel’s upper floors had been repurposed for the evening’s gala, resulting in a convenient lack of records and a conveniently malfunctioning surveillance system.

“We have no idea who entered 2404, and who took the USB drive,” Julie finished for Julien, who nodded in agreement.

After the guests left, Julie and Kieran went back to their bedroom. Outside, the storm raged, casting shadows through the tossing trees. Julie, fresh from a shower, lay with her head in Kieran’s lap as he gently toweled her hair dry.

Blinking away the day’s fatigue, she looked up at him. “Zenith…or should I say, Lucian, said we should find him once the results were confirmed. What do you think he means? Will he tell us everything that’s happened over the years?”

After a moment of silence, Kieran’s words hung in the air, as uncertain as the future itself, “I don’t know.”

Julie rarely heard such uncertainty in Kieran’s voice. Usually, if he wasn’t sure about something, he wouldn’t even answer. When Kieran did speak up, it was with absolute certainty. But now, all he offered were – I don’t know.

The enigma on Zenith was vast, so vast that Julie didn’t even know where to begin.

She suddenly turned to Kieran and said, “Childie, pass me the phone!”

“Childie?” He looked down, realizing she had latched onto that nickname – childish Kieran.

Julie nodded, not forgetting the ‘humiliation’ she endured at the office. Smiling, she teased, “What’s wrong with ‘Childie’? Mrs. Jenkins calls her husband Kennel-Ken and he responds with such

eagerness. That’s true love!”

He was a little speechless.

Julie continued, “I heard my grandparents gave my father a nickname when he was little. So, by calling you something like Childie or Silly, it just proves my true love for you!” Julie was dead serious, her logic seemingly sound as a bell.

However, Kieran was fixated on one point, “Silly?”

“Do you prefer this one?” Julie was only joking, speaking off the cuff.

But Kieran’s expression deepened. He reached out, lifted her delicate chin, and squinted his eyes, “Honey, are you sure you all giving me

nicknames?”

She was lying across his legs and as he lifted her chin, her head instinctively tilted down. Suddenly blushing at the realization, Julie’s cheeks turned

crimson.

She swatted at the hand holding her chin, “Let go, let go. You stick to ‘Childie’!”

Watching her blush and struggle to contain her embarrassment, Kieran let go, his laughter barely contained.

His expression was teasing, deliberately indulgent, a fond mockery.

Julie flipped over, pinning Kieran beneath her, and mimicked his earlier gesture, lifting his chin, “Childie, you’ve been quite bold lately!”

“In what way?” He played along, tilting his head back, hands wrapped around her waist. “How have I been bold?”

Caught off guard by the question, Julie finally concluded with three words, “In every way!”

Kieran laughed heartily, his thumb gently caressing the sensitive spot on her waist, “Honey, something just came to mind.”

“What?” She lay on top of him, cupping his face, occasionally pinching his cheeks. Such smooth skin on a man did seem a bit unfair.

He reminded her, “We had a bet, remember?”

Julie was confused, trying to recall but drawing a blank. Finally, she shook her head and asked, “What bet?”

He pushed her tousled hair behind her ear, cradling her face, about to speak when suddenly…

Ivan Hernandez appeared at the door in his pajamas. The little guy, dressed in bear-themed fleece pajamas, looked groggy and was clutching a latex pillow. Yawning with one hand over his mouth, he mumbled, “There’s water leak in my room…”

He padded toward Julie and Kieran’s bed on his bare feet.

Julie, still straddling Kieran, realized the sudden intrusion and quickly rolled off.

The little guy made himself at home, rolling between them on the king-sized bed, effectively separating his parents and sprawling out in the middle. “Guess you are staying,” Kieran murmured, resting his arm

under his head, glancing at the cozy little intruder.

Julie leaned down to plant a kiss on her ‘rival’s’ forehead, “Congratulations, Kieran. You’ve been utterly defeated by your son.”

With that, she turned over, snuggled up with the little guy, and drifted off, mumbling before sleep, “Tomorrow, we should go see Lucian…”