Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 287

Lavish Skyline Suites.

Kyle lounged on the black leather couch, draped in a white bathrobe. A case for contact lenses and a pair of gold-framed glasses lay on the table beside him. He held a tall glass filled with red wine, its rich color reflected in his deep eyes, giving him an almost bewitching allure.

Lisa, standing by the window, hung up her phone and approached Kyle, nodding slightly. "Mr. Kyle, the situation at the villa has been handled. It was Canary who deliberately raised the alarm, probably trying to intimidate us. Emily has been returned to Fred, and Canary has arranged for 24/7 protection for the professor and his daughter. We can't make a move..."

"Do you think Fred could bring her back if he tried his best?" Kyle interrupted, his gaze lost in the swirling wine.

After a long hesitation, Lisa met Kyle's eyes and cautiously asked, "Mr. Kyle... you don't want Miss Sansa to wake up?"

Kyle took a small sip from his glass of wine, sighed lightly, and stood up. He looked out at the neon lights outside the window. "Lisa, do you know why I named my law firm S&J?"

Lisa shook her head. She had only been with Mr. Kyle for four and a half years, so she simply watched his somewhat lonely figure in silence.

"Do you know why I chose the name S&J?" He asked again.

This time, Lisa nodded, then cautiously told the truth, "There are rumors that you named it after your ex-girlfriend, Jessica, and your name, Stefan. It's said that Jessica's dying wish was to open a law firm that could help those who couldn't afford legal fees, and that's why you founded S&J International Law Firm. Stefan & Jessica. That's what S&J stands for, an abbreviation of your names."

"Jessica?" Kyle chuckled, "Don’t always believe what the rumors said. My marriage with Jessica was arranged by parents."

After a moment's pause, Kyle continued, "S&J is not Stefan & Jessica. J is for June, the month I met Sansa. It was the summer solstice, a day she said was special. That day, the sun shines directly over the Tropic of Cancer. She said if we ever had a daughter, she would like to name her June." He took a deep breath.

Lisa realized that Mr. Kyle was implying that his relationship with Jessica was arranged by their parents. The rumor about S&J was just an echo of others. The real reason he chose S&J was because of Miss Sansa. And he still remembers clearly when he met Miss Sansa...

But why? Why did Mr. Kyle previously threaten Emily's life to stop Professor Fred from saving Miss Sansa?

These, of course, were questions Lisa dared not ask. She could only keep her curiosity to herself.

Not until Kyle spoke again, seemingly to himself, "Once, I tried to avoid a war for a person, fearing that the one I loved most would be sacrificed in the war. Now it seems clear that peace often comes at the cost of war. War is usually a appendant of peace."

Lisa didn't quite understand what Kyle meant, but she knew that Miss Sansa was someone very important to Mr. Kyle, "So, Mr. Kyle, about Miss Sansa..."

"You should go," Kyle, standing by the window, waved his hand, looking a bit weary.

As Lisa stood by the door, she turned back to Kyle, "Mr. Kyle, should I cancel all your appointments for tomorrow, as usual?"

"Hmm."

Every year on this day, all of Kyle's appointments would be canceled. Lisa would drive him to the North Hill Cemetery and park the car at the foot of the hill.

This year was no exception. Following the tradition, Lisa purchased a beautifully wrapped bunch of ivy. She handed it to Kyle as he got out of the car.

Kyle, clutching the ivy, stepped out of the car.

Lisa stayed in the car, waiting for him. Accompanying Kyle up the hill was Curtis, who had just returned from Britain the day before. He was Kyle's most trusted right-hand man. Dressed in a tailored black suit, he stood straight beside Kyle. Accepting the bunch of ivy from Kyle, he bowed respectfully and said, "Young Master."

"Hmm," Kyle responded. Step by step, he made his way up to the cemetery on the hill.

Curtis followed closely behind.

The weather was overcast, neither drizzling nor sunny, a bit gloomy.

It was still early when Kyle and Curtis reached the top of the hill, just around ten in the morning.

A photo of a young man was engraved on the black tombstone. His delicate features and the slight upward curve of his lips conveyed youthful vitality. Joyce Abraham, full of life.

Before Curtis could lay down the bunch of ivy he held, he noticed another beautifully wrapped bouquet already placed in front of the tombstone. It was also a bunch of ivy, only wrapped in a different colored paper.

He turned around, checking the expression on Kyle's face before bending down to place the ivy in his hands down.

"He's been here." Kyle spoke as if addressing Curtis, yet it sounded more like he was mumbling to himself.

"Mister..."