Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 23
Julie swiftly tossed the ring on the trash bin lid, hailed a taxi, and hopped right in.
Elliot watched the taxi drive away. He picked up the ring, gently rubbing it with his slender fingers, then chuckled helplessly.
Though she changed her name and despite her failed marriage, her coldness and stubbornness have never changed.
Just like when she was head over heels for Kieran, she ignored everyone around her. Even when she met him for the first time a
few days ago, she had no
clue who he was.
Suddenly, Elliot’s phone rang in his pocket. He glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was his dad. Elliot’s sudden proposal to
Julie at the party tonight. had thrown off his dad’s plans, so there was no chance of his dad getting any peace tonight.
Elliot squeezed the ring in his hand and turned to leave.
Julie took a cab to the hospital, where Daphne was lying in a hospital bed. As soon as Daphne saw her, she asked eagerly.
“Julie, how did it go? Did you make the headlines for tomorrow?”
Julie felt guilty looking at Daphne’s hopeful face.
She sat down next to Daphne and muttered, “The headlines might be about me tomorrow...”
Daphne froze, finally noticing something was off about Julie’s expression.
She didn’t mention the headlines again; instead, she held Julie’s hand and asked with a worried frown. “What happened? Is
something wrong?”
Julie told Daphne everything that happened that evening.
After hearing it all, Daphne’s eyes lit up. She looked at Julie and asked, “What do you think?”
“What do I think? Julie was completely lost.
+

Daphne snapped, “About Elliot! He’s a great guy; he’s been into you for years, and he proposed to you in public! It’s clear he
loves you. Can’t you give him a chance?”
“No chance.” Julie’s answer was straightforward.
Daphne knew Julie was afraid of love because of her past. She wanted to comfort Julie, but what came out was, “You’re not still
hung up on that jerk. Kieran, are you? Do you want to find another guy to obsess over? Julie, let me tell you, women need to find
someone who loves them, not someone they love. Kieran is the perfect example. One minute he’s marrying Bertha, and the next
there’s no wedding. And who was the jerk that saved another woman over you when you were on the operating table? Haven’t
you had enough of being hurt by him?”
Julie knew Daphne was just worried. But the way Daphne was digging into her wounds made her feel hurt.
She reached out, gripping Daphne’s hand tightly, looking at her with heartfelt eyes, “I won’t go looking for another man to love
deeply again.”
She could never find another man to love deeply again. The man she loved with all her heart was buried in the ruins of her youth,
and she could never go
back.
Julie didn’t want to continue the conversation, so she smiled at Daphne, “Alright, don’t worry! You’re getting old worrying about
me, and I don’t even have
a boyfriend!”
Daphne blushed, “What are you talking about? You don’t understand. My ultimate goal is to become a rich and beautiful woman,
win Mr. Watson’s heart. and reach the peak of my life!”
Julie burst into laughter, “Don’t you know that Mr. Watson is gay?”
“People can change. Straight guys can become gay, and gay guys can become straight; what do you know?” Daphne gave Julie
a scornful look.
Julie sighed lightly, “Daphne, I didn’t get anything today, and the magazine...”

“Don’t worry, I can take care of it. What’s your plan?” What Daphne really wanted to say was that Sansa’s medical bills this
month were barely covered; where were they going to get the money for next month?
Daphne had tried to convince Julie to stop treating Sansa, whom the doctors had given up on. But Julie said Sansa was the only
blood relative she had left in the world, so she couldn’t give up on her.
Daphne would never forget the look of despair in Julie’s eyes when she said that, so she never dared to bring up the idea of
giving up on Sansa again.
Julie looked at Daphne with a faint smile, and she took a deep breath, “I’ll go look for a job tomorrow!”