Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 40
How on earth did Julie suddenly forget how sneaky Kieran was?
Rewinding back to her sophomore year in high school when they were in the same class. The school organized a spring outing,
and everyone had to join. The school arranged a bus, but there were two extra students. The school was planning to rent
another bus, but Kieran suggested that his family’s driver could take him. Hearing this, Julie got excited and begged the teacher
to let Kieran take her along.
Since Julie and Kieran lived close by, she managed to snag a spot in his car by being shamelessly persistent.
The day before the outing, Julie excitedly found Kieran to buy snacks. Despite his annoyance, Kieran was somehow dragged
along by Julie’s insistence.
At that time. Julie’s sister, Sansa, was already a somewhat famous lawyer. Julie never expected to bump into Sansa at the
supermarket after she had managed to drag Kieran there.
Sansa was with her fiancé, Kyle, and saw Julie being clingy with Kieran. With a raised eyebrow, Sansa asked, “Joyce, who’s
this?”
Julie, who was holding on to Kieran’s sleeve, faltered when she saw Sansa and Kyle. Although Julie’s crush on Kieran was no
secret at school, her family strictly forbade dating.
If Sansa and Kyle found out about her secret crush, it would probably be crushed before it even started.
So, Julie had let go of Kieran’s sleeve and gave Sansa a goofy smile. She patted Kieran’s shoulder and said, “This guy here is
my buddy. We’re in the same study group. He’s the best student, and I’m the worst. We’re like siblings, and he’s been so good to
me.”
To convince Sansa, Julie poked Kieran’s arm and gently asked for confirmation, “Right, Bro Kieran?”
In hindsight, she had no idea why she called Kieran “Bro Kieran in front of Sansa. She still remembers Kieran’s expression then.
He furrowed his brows slightly, gave her a deep look, then looked down on her, and only after a few seconds, he nodded at
Sansa, “Yeah, we’re as close as siblings.”

“That’s good,” Sansa smiled at Kieran. “Then we’ll be counting on you to help Joyce with her studies. She’s never been serious
about it.”
Kyle looked at Julie affectionately, then turned to Kieran. “Joyce never puts her mind to study. Sansa worries she might start
dating at school.”
Kieran, as cold as ever, responded without mincing words, “Joyce is too busy trying to make a contribution to the country to
date.”
After saying that, Kieran gave a curt nod to Kyle and Sansa and left.
Julie, panicking, chased after him, tugging at his sleeve. “When did I say I wanted to devote myself to the country? I just want to
win your heart. Can’t you see that I want to date you?”
Her impassioned questioning made Kieran stop in his tracks. Clumsy Julie bumped into Kieran’s sturdy back. She rubbed her
nose, looked at his handsome face, and said, “Kerry, why don’t you accept me?”
“I don’t do unethical sibling love.”
Julie’s enthusiasm was instantly doused by Kieran’s cold response. Since then, Julie vowed never to call him Bro Kieran again,
only Kerry. But he didn’t acknowledge her until she called him Bro Kieran in anger.
From then on, everyone at school knew that Julie’s confession was rejected, and she was regarded as Kieran’s sister. Suddenly,
Kieran’s fangirls saw Julie as their chance to get close to him. They stuffed her desk with love letters, chocolates, and flowers,
asking her to pass them on. Those were probably the most speechless days of Julie’s life.
Just when she was about to forget all those memories, he appeared in front of her again, forcing her to think back.