Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 348

Dylan stood right next to Kieran, the closest of anyone in the room, and with a casual lift of his leg, Kieran managed to land a sharp kick on Dylan’s shin.

Though he felt a sting of injustice, since Kieran always seemed to rope him into his schemes, Dylan stepped up to Amanda and said, “Granny, I reckon Julie taking a few days off ain’t the end of the world, but Kieran’s leading the company. A delay of a few days might…”

“Is the company gonna crumble now?” Amanda shot him a withering glance. “We’ve poured money into training a whole stable of executives. Can’t they take the reins for a few days? Heck, even if Kieran took off for a couple of years, Simpo Co. wouldn’t fall apart!”

Disappointed, Kieran shot Dylan a cold glare. This guy just couldn’t craft a decent excuse to save his life!

Dylan, feeling backed into a corner yet unable to give up, added, “With both Julie and Kieran out, will Ivan be okay? Who’s gonna keep him in check?”

“You will, won’t you? You and Ivan seem thick as thieves. He’s quite fond of you. Looks like you’ll be bunking down at Noblewood Retreat the next few days. Right, Dylan?”

Dylan was speechless. Did he just invite chaos into his own life? He couldn’t fathom anyone actively seeking out such a headache!

As the tension in the hall thickened, Camilla stepped forward, “Amanda, there’s really no need to trouble Kieran and Joyce…”

“There’s no trouble!” Julie interjected with a smile, facing Camilla with a look of profound understanding, “Grandma’s being sensible. Phoebe is Kieran’s nephew, and you’ve taken such good care of him over the years. We owe you so much. With this mess, if Simonson turns out to be a scumbag, it's only right that we have your back! We want to help. And truth be told, I’m so happy to get the chance to travel to British!”

Julie winked at Kieran and said, “Grandma has a point. You have to be wary of people. There are those who put on a saintly act while they're corrupt to the core. Anyone not sharp-eyed enough can be easily deceived. And you, sweet as you are, how can you tell whether Simonson is a scumbag? If he deceived you once and is now mistreating you, Kieran and I can’t just stand by and watch.”

She elbowed Kieran, asking with a cool tone, “Right, honey?”

Kieran was caught off guard at her calling him ‘honey’, but he was liking it, a lot!

“Let’s do it,” Kieran finally said, settling the matter.

Camilla wanted to book flights to Britain, but Amanda insisted on sending them on the family’s private jet, already having Basil prep the plane.

Julie and Kieran were upstairs packing.

Julie seemed genuinely excited, checking the weather forecast and earnestly asking, “The weather in Britain is so unpredictable. Sunny one minute, pouring rain the next. Should we pack umbrellas?”

Listening to her worry about trivialities, he pulled her into his arms, “That’s your concern?”

She sat on his lap, laughing, “Right, the Hernandez family flies private to Britain. Who needs to worry about umbrellas? If my hubby’s pleased, he might just buy out the whole umbrella shop for me.”

“You’re full of sweet talk today,” he teased, drawing her gaze to meet his.

Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, “You like it? I’ll make sure to keep it up.”

Mr. Hernandez wanted to ask if Mrs. Hernandez had taken the wrong medication, but in the end, he held back. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he whispered, “Why did you agree to accompany Camilla to Britain with Grandma?”

“Grandma was insistent, so we’re playing along. Elders are wise, right? My mom used to say that all the time back in the day. She always told me, 'A stitch in time saves nine.' If she had listened to my grandma, she wouldn’t have married my dad, wouldn’t have cheated, and maybe they both would’ve been happier, not died so tragically…”

As she recalled her painful past, Julie fell silent. She summed it up, “At least Grandma is letting me go with you, not sending you alone to escort Camilla.”

Standing up, she stuffed a few clothes into the suitcase.

Downstairs.

Amanda held Camilla’s hand, giving her a heartfelt talk like Camilla was her own granddaughter, before finally letting go to check on Basil’s progress.

What a cold sentiment!

Dylan chuckled with a hint of implication, "So, by that account, you're quite the exception in the Stewart family. Far from indifferent, you've taken care of Phoebe for years on behalf of your sister. You and your sister were separated young, with little affection between you, I presume?"

By the sound of it, Mr. Dylan seemed to doubt the bond between her and Bertha.

With a stern face and earnest tone, Camilla corrected him, "Mr. Dylan, you don't know my sister, nor understand my nature. I may have been ten when we parted without much memory, but I always knew I had a sister. Since I was brought back to the Stewart household at twelve, I've never ceased searching for her. Phoebe is not only the great-grandchild of the Hernandez family but also the flesh and blood of my Stewart lineage. Looking after him was not only my sister's dying wish but also my undeniable duty."

"Oh!" Dylan casually set down his glass, his lips curled into a slight smile at Camilla, "Ms. Stewart speaks well; I don't know your nature. From your words just now, I can indeed sense the deep bond between you and your sister. Otherwise, why would you be so moved as to forget what you were about to do?"

His eyes drifted to the passport Camilla had inadvertently set aside while fervently defending her relationship with Bertha. She didn't seem too anxious, apparently having forgotten about her imminent trip to Britain to confront her boyfriend who just cheated on her.

Camilla's hand remained still, she didn’t reach for the passport.

Straightening his sleeves, Dylan rose from the couch and, with a sly smile towards Julie and Kieran, who was carrying Julie's luggage, remarked, "Don't worry, it seems Ms. Stewart isn't so fond of that Simonson chap. She's unlikely to do anything rash for his sake. Your trip to Britain might as well be a honeymoon."

The comment, so unexpected from Dylan, took on a whole new meaning.

Kieran glanced around and realized the spacious living room was empty, save for Camilla and Dylan. He wondered what they might have discussed.

But judging by Dylan's confident demeanor, he seemed to have figured something out.

Julie chimed in, "If Camilla really didn't care, she wouldn't be rushing off to Britain, right, Camilla?"