Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 243

Machu Picchu.

Daphne was so spooked that she hung up the phone without a second thought. After a moment of contemplation, she felt a wave of unease wash over her and decided to switch off her phone, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

Although Mr. Lionel was very powerful, he wasn’t at the point where he's in full control. It was unlikely that he could pinpoint her exact location with ease.

She knew Julie, her best friend, would never betray her. Even though she had heard Julie switch on the speakerphone, her voice was barely audible, so Mr. Lionel must not have heard.

With that in mind, Daphne felt a bit more at ease.

Just as she was lying in bed, trying to steady her breathing, there was a sudden knock on the door, causing Daphne to bolt upright.

"Who's there?" She exclaimed.

Then, she heard Edda's voice from outside the door, "I'm your mom, who else could I be?"

Following her, Alaric’s voice echoed, "I'm your dad!"

Only then did Daphne slowly open the hotel room door, "I've been sleeping alone for years now. Don't worry about me, go get some sleep yourselves!”

"You naughty kid. You didn't even tell Lionel that you were taking us on this trip? You even turned off your phone, poor Lionel has been calling non-stop. He had no idea we were going to Machu Picchu? Why can't you just be a little more considerate?" Edda gave Daphne a slap on the back.

All Daphne wanted to ask was, "Mom, you didn't tell Lionel where we are now, did you?"

Edda looked genuinely surprised, "What's wrong? Lionel's practically family, why can't I tell him?"

"Dad, why aren't you controlling your wife? Look at her, calling him Lionel and saying he's family! I want to know when mom got so close to Mr. Lionel that she even has his number!" Daphne shot her father a look, a mix of innocence and despair.

Alaric looked even more innocent and helpless...

Edda gave Daphne another pat on the back, "I can't even save a phone number now? Lionel genuinely cares about you, he considers you a friend…”

"I am not his friend!" Daphne rubbed her shoulder, glaring at Mrs. Flores, "Stop slapping my shoulder. If you're so bold, slap my stomach! Lionel's baby is in there! If you can slap it away and make me pain-free, I promise I'll listen to you in the future!"

Daphne's words were loaded, leaving Edda and Alaric stunned for a moment before they could react.

After a pause, Edda tentatively looked at Alaric, "Darling, I didn't quite catch what Daphne meant..."

"Mom, I'm pregnant. It's Lionel's baby." Daphne took a deep breath, then looked up at her mother with determination, "Mom, I want to tell you that Lionel is not a good man. He only wants the baby in my belly, not to marry me. He even plans to take me abroad to give birth and then decide what to do. Am I supposed to be treated like this?"

After muttering 'sorry, Lionel' countless times in her heart, Daphne continued firmly, "Mom, Lionel and I had sex because I was drunk, but he didn't take any precautions. Even though I didn't take any birth control measures afterwards, I never thought of making him take responsibility! Although I don't have the courage to have an abortion, the baby is in my belly, and I have the right to decide whether to keep it! He's not even married to me, he's never even dated me, why does he have the right to demand the baby?"

Even though she just wanted to tell her mother about her grievances, she unexpectedly burst into tears as she spoke.

The stress, fear, and uncertainty about the future that she had been suppressing these past days all came rushing out at once.

Even though the Flores family wasn't rich, Edda and Alaric only had one daughter, and they had doted on her since she was a child.

Under this pressure, she had been living in fear for a while, but now that she could tell Edda the truth, Daphne felt much lighter.

She was crying so hard that she threw herself into Edda's arms.

From Daphne's intermittent sobs, Edda finally understood what had happened.

Her daughter had hooked up with a mega-star after getting drunk, and now her daughter was pregnant, unsure whether to keep the baby, and the mega-star only wanted the baby, not her daughter...

Edda initially wanted to rant, but seeing her daughter's pitiful state, she didn't utter a single word of reproach.

After all, this was her daughter, how could she not love her?

Alaric grumbled, "I've told you before that this guy is not trustworthy!"

He looked at his wife and said, "You too, acting like a little fangirl. Do you think all celebrities are saints? There are drug addicts, sex addicts, cheaters among them. How could I let my darling daughter be treated like this? I have to fight for justice for my daughter!"

Alaric pulled his wife's hand.

Before leaving, Edda looked at Daphne multiple times, "Should I sleep here with you tonight?"

Daphne shook her head, "I can handle it on my own, Mom. Please don't tell Lionel where we are, okay?"

"I won't tell him," Edda assured her.

Alaric suggested, "We should be decisive and make this public. Does such a person deserve to be an idol?"

Upon hearing this, Daphne immediately grabbed Alaric, "Dad, it was consensual. If you make this public, how am I supposed to face the world?"

Edda looked at Daphne, saying, "Don't worry, your Dad won't act rashly. I'll keep an eye on him. You just rest."

After saying this, Mrs. Flores took Alaric and left. Although they didn't say anything, their inner anxiety kept them awake all night.

Daphne, not sure if she was extra sleepy because of the pregnancy, fell asleep unknowingly while lying on the bed and thinking. Early the next morning, she booked a ticket to her destination.

She didn't dare to turn her phone on.

On the car, Edda told her, "Julie called me this morning, and I told her where you are."

"Oh, that's fine, Julie wouldn't betray me."

"Julie asked you to check something on Twitter. I don't have Twitter, not sure what that means. You can check it." After saying this, Edda handed her phone to Daphne.

Daphne took the phone, opened Twitter and was about to check when two little girls pointed at her excitedly, "Oh my God! Are you Daphne?"

Daphne touched her face in surprise and looked at Edda in confusion, "Am I that famous?"