Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 305

When Julie and Julien pulled up outside Daphne’s apartment, they saw a swarm of reporters blocking the entrance. It was as if the entire paparazzi battalion had decided to lay siege to the building. Even the back door was under close watch.

Up on the twenty-third floor, Daphne cracked open her window and peered down. “Holy cow,” she muttered to herself, “it’s like an ant hill exploded down there. I’ve never been this famous; heck, in school I couldn’t even make the campus newsletter. Now, following Lord Lion’s fame, I’m all over the entertainment headlines….

Her phone had been blowing up with calls and messages since dawn. Frightened by the incessant buzzing, she had turned it off. She glanced at her nearly empty fridge, which now housed nothing but a cup of yogurt. Starve comfortably in her apartment, or brave the gauntlet of flashing cameras below? She chose the former.

Holding the yogurt, she poked a straw into it and took a couple of sips. Rubbing her belly, she said, “Little one, don’t blame your momma. It’s not that I don’t want to feed you, it’s your daddy-he’s too famous. If you get really hungry, you’ll just have to drink my blood, ’cause momma loves you that much.”

Daphne noticed her computer blinking with new messages. Julie and Lionel had both reached out to her. She decided to respond to Julie first.

Julie’s message expressed concern for Daphne’s safety and inquired whether she was still in her apartment.

Yogurt straw still between her lips, Daphne typed back, [Yep, holed up in here. The crowd downstairs is nuts. I’m afraid they’d crush me and my baby bump. If you’re coming up, bring me some food, will ya?]

Hearing the chat notification, Julie quickly checked her phone. Relieved that Daphne was okay, she responded, [Watch your mouth. Hang tight, Julien and I will figure out a way to get to you.]

Back on chat, Daphne immediately replied with a [Yes, my Queen (heart-eyed emoji).]

Julie chuckled at Daphne’s response while Julien parked the car near the complex’s entrance where the commotion was minimal, unnoticed by the horde of reporters. Julien and Julie stepped out of the car.

“Daphne’s right upstairs, but how in the world are we gonna get up there? Even if we do, we can’t just walk out with her in front of everyone,” Julie pondered. Just then, they heard a loud ‘bang’ from behind.

Julien quickly pulled Julie behind the vehicle for cover. The reporters all turned around but saw only a minor fender bender-nothing worthy of their attention-so they turned back to their stakeout.

“Talk about bad luck,” Julien said as they approached the scene of the minor accident.

Just as she was about to scold the inattentive driver, the passenger door swung open, revealing a pair of impressively long legs stepping out…

And there stood Marlon, Julien’s eyebrow arching in surprise.

Marlon, oblivious to Julien, was busy arguing with Harding who had emerged from the driver’s side. “Don’t give me that look, man. It was your who bumped the car, not me.”

“If you hadn’t been fondling my leg, we wouldn’t have hit that car’s bumper,” Harding retorted, shutting his door.

With a roguish grin, Marlon countered, “Who knows, maybe you’ve got a thing for car bumpers!”

“Give me my phone,” Harding said, extending his hand.

Marlon tucked the phone behind his back, “No way, I committed a ‘leg touching’ for this. Can’t just hand it back.”

As Marlon basked in his-smugness, Julien effortlessly snatched the phone from behind and tossed it to Harding, who caught it with precision.

Marlon was left speechless.

“Alright, who’s paying for the damages?” Julien asked, nudging Harding’s car with his foot.

Marlon grimaced at Julien’s car, “Your car?”

Julien raised an eyebrow, “Obviously.”

“He did it,” Marlon pointed at Harding without hesitation.

Harding looked apologetically at Julien, “It was an accident.”

Julien said dismissively, “Forget it.”

Marlon’s eyes bulged, “Wait! He gets a free pass and I have to pay? What’s the deal?”

“It’s called fairness,” Harding said, patting Marlon’s shoulder a bit too comfortingly.

Dodging away, Marlon glared at them both, “You guys are acting fishy? Does Hayden know?”

Harding offered Marlon a mock salute for his boldness to provoke Julien.

Julien quipped, “You fondled Harding’s leg, and I didn’t accuse you of having an affair.”

Julie couldn’t help but laugh Julien rarely joked, but when she did, it was a moment to remember.

Marlon was indignant “For the record, I was after his phone, not his leg! It was in his pocket, you know?”

Julien winked at Julie, “Sometimes, explanations just sound like excuses, right, Julie?”

Julie nodded, “An excuse is just another cover-up.”

“Harding, why do women have to complicate things?” Marlon groaned.

Looking down at Marlon, Harding replied, “For a guy, you’re pretty high-maintenance yourself.”

“There aren’t any hotels around here,” Julien blurted out suddenly.

Mr. Watson was utterly flabbergasted. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, aren’t you guys here to book a room?” Julien asked with an innocent look plastered across her face.

“What the- Mr. Watson sputtered. “Lionel asked me and Harding to come rescue Daphne, Book a room, my foot!”

“Cut it out, Julie said, rolling her eyes at him, then turned to Harding. “Are you planning to just waltz past the reporters? Daphne just texted me and said that there are a bunch of them in the underground parking lot too.

“Pshaw! How high-profile do you think I am? Do you really think those journalists can catch me?” Mr. Watson boasted.

But then Julien had a sudden epiphany, looking at Marlon. “I know how we can get in.”

Charter a chopper to the roof?” Marlon suggested. “That’s how we got Flavia out when she was trapped in that mansion.”

“No need for such drama. Just take Dr. Ladd by the hand and take a stroll in front of the media,” Julien proposed.

Julie’s face lit up with excitement. After all, the media had speculated plenty about Marlon and Harding’s ‘bromance,’ even though Mr. Watson had been out of the limelight for years. Any time someone in showbiz came out of the closet, they tried to drag Mr. Watson into the headline too. The news about Mr. Watson and Harding was like the lingering legend of a retired hero. And with Daphne being a die-hard fan of their supposed ‘romance, Julie couldn’t help but get excited seeing them together, like watching a live-action soap opera. Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

So, after hearing Julien’s suggestion, Julie nodded eagerly.

Harding, pointing to his own face, asked Julien, “Do I look like the kind of guy who’d play along with your act?”

Julien just shrugged, unfazed. “I don’t need your cooperation.”

With that, she slapped handcuffs on Mr. Watson and Harding’s hands, pushed them together, and shouted to the nearby reporters, “Mr. Watson, oh my God!”

That name hit the crowd like a thunderclap. All the reporters turned around as if they were cats who’d caught the scent of fish, and swarmed over.

Marlon, seeing Julien and Julie make a beeline for the exit, bellowed, “Damn it! Julien, I’m gonna kill you!”

Julien just waved him off. “Suit yourself.”

As the reporters closed in, Harding bolted toward the driver’s seat, forgetting he was still handcuffed to Mr. Watson, who was practically dragged alongside. Harding, with a throbbing headache, fumbled to

open the car door.

“Hurry up, get in, the press is coming!” Mr. Watson urged, pushing Harding’s rear.

“Just say it, no need to push!” Harding clambered into the passenger seat, dragging Mr. Watson in after him.

“Easy, easy! I’m delicate, you know…” Mr. Watson’s protest was cut short as Harding, sprawling half over him, slammed the car door shut.

Then, turning the car on, Harding snapped, “Drive, will you? Why are you staring at me?”

Mr. Watson jangled their cuffed hands. “Big guy, you’re the seasoned driver, tell me, how am I supposed to drive without shifting gears?” Harding’s hand, still cuffed, was on the car key, and Mr. Watson’s couldn’t reach the gear stick.

“I’ll cooperate! I’ll cooperate!” Harding relented, and Mr. Watson pulled hard.

Harding glared.

Mr. Watson balked. “What’s with the stare? When you glare, I get nervous. When I’m nervous, I…” Before he could finish, the car stalled!

In the meantime, Julie and Julien sneaked upstairs and successfully fetched Daphne, then hurried her to the car.

Julien, clearly annoyed, turned to Daphne. “Where the hell is Lionel when you need him?”