Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 323

Up until now, Julie still wasn't sure how much of what Kyle had said in the past was true, but at least from what she could see of his treatment of Sansa, from the way he'd kept vigil by her side day and night, it seemed genuine. No matter how you looked at it, Julie didn't expect Kyle to be some paragon of virtue, but she did hope he was the one Sansa loved—because she knew he was the only one Sansa had ever fought for, the only one she'd ever wanted to claim as her own...

Dr. Brice had mentioned, "He's here whenever he gets a chance. Most nights, he just stays over."

Standing outside the hospital room, Julie quietly watched as Kyle took Sansa's hand in his, gently massaging her fingers. Sansa had withered to just skin and bones after lying there for so many years, her muscles atrophied.

Dr. Brice seemed to hesitate before speaking to Julie, his voice heavy with concern, "We, along with Professor Williams, are doing everything we can for Sansa, but Julie... you know the chances of her waking up..."

"Yeah, I know." Julie cut off Dr. Brice, aware that he was stating the inevitable truth, a reality she had to face. But she turned back to him, her gaze sincere, and said, "If it were me lying in that bed, I believe she'd do the same. She's done so much for me, and now, this is all I can do for her, right?"

Dr. Brice didn't quite understand what Julie meant by 'she's done so much for me,' taking it as a testament to their deep sisterly bond.

So, in the end, Dr. Brice tried to offer some comfort, "There's an old saying, 'The righteous have their own guardians.' Perhaps there's wisdom in those old words."

Julie chuckled, then suddenly turned to Dr. Brice and asked, "Why didn't you follow in your father's footsteps into politics, Dr. Brice, and choose medicine instead? Usually, the children of high-ranking officials are somewhat indoctrinated by their parents' beliefs, aren't they?"

Like how her mother, a lady of high society, had always instilled in her the importance of grace and intellect, while her father, a self-made man, had insisted she be strong and take over the family business, urging her to learn the ropes of commerce, especially since Sansa had chosen law and showed no interest in business.

At this, Dr. Brice pondered for a moment before replying simply, "To heal and to help?"

Julie looked at him with admiration, only to hear him chuckle, "Just kidding. My mom was a nurse, really admired a doctor once, but it didn't work out. An arranged marriage and a twist of fate, and she ended up with my dad. From a young age, I grew up hearing about the heroic deeds of doctors, probably thought it was a cool profession as a kid. Only now do I realize it's not just about being cool, it's also about the hardships—the kind of strength you need to face the partings and passings of life."

Hearing this, Julie fell silent, then laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, "But at the end of the day, it's all about healing and helping, right?"

Yet, silently, Julie couldn't help wondering why Dr. Brice's mother, despite her affection for that doctor, ended up marrying a politician instead. There had to be a story there.

Sensing the puzzlement in Julie's eyes, Dr. Brice quietly said, "That doctor died."

Julie fell silent, the worst kind of unrequited love being that divided by life and death.

Instinctively, she murmured an apology, feeling as though she had inadvertently reopened an old wound for Dr. Brice.

Dr. Brice's life experiences were different from Julie's; his parents had married due to external pressures and strategic alliances, not love. Their cordial but distant relationship was far from the warmth of a loving marriage—they were more like roommates under the same roof.

Dr. Brice smiled, comforting, "What's there to be sorry about? Not all unions are based on love, right? Many of the older generation stayed married their whole lives, filled with resentment. At least my parents chose each other willingly, if only for strategic reasons. They managed to maintain a respectful coexistence, which is something."

From his tone, it seemed this young man had all but given up on love and marriage.

Reflecting on this, and knowing she probably shouldn't ask, Julie inquired, "So is that your view on love and marriage? That a willing strategic alliance is sufficient, regardless of compatibility or love?"

Dr. Brice didn't even need to think before he nodded with a smirk, "Pretty much."

But Julie shook her head earnestly, "It's not like that. Everyone encounters true love at some point. If you believe otherwise, it's only because you haven't met the person who'll change your mind."

"Feels like I'm eating dog food here," Dr. Brice joked. "If you couldn't change my mind, I doubt the right person exists."

After all, he once thought Julie was the perfect match for him—until...

Julie just laughed, her sincerity shining through, "Well, that just means I'm not the right person, doesn't it?"

As her words hung in the air, Daphne Flores's voice suddenly cut in, "The right person for what?"

Julie turned, astonished, to see Daphne standing behind them in a green trench coat, a playful duckbill cap on her short hair, and a mask on her face, exclaiming with excitement, "I just snuck in the back for a prenatal check-up, ha!"

She greeted Dr. Brice with a laugh, "Hey, Dr. Brice, where's everyone else? What happened to that big-shot Professor Williams from last time?"

Dr. Brice had a certain fondness for Daphne, and with a warm smile, he responded to her inquiry, "Professor Fred's daughter is celebrating her sweet sixteen today, and he's out making it a day to remember with her. Doubt he'll be back at the office today."

After his update, Dr. Brice politely excused himself with a nod to Julie and Daphne, then hurried off to attend to his responsibilities.

Clutching her blossoming belly, Daphne guided Julie to sit beside her on a nearby bench, asking with a hint of concern, "How's Sansa doing?"

'Ugh, you annoying little bitch, how can you be so slim at over five months? Is the nutrition keeping up for this surrogate pregnancy? Don't mistreat my man’s baby.'

...

And then there were Daphne’s heartfelt replies-

'Don't worry, darling, our heating is cranked up at night, so no need for covers or kicking them off!'

'I pamper him all the time, so rest easy, sweetheart.'

'Oh, my delightful darling, your baby with your man is getting all the nutrients and then some. Definitely smarter than this surrogate here. Let your man do the worrying.'

Julie could barely contain her laughter. Was this Daphne's way of bonding with the fans?

"Let's go grab some lunch, shall we?" Daphne suggested with a chuckle.

As the two friends made their way to the elevator, Daphne teased, "Did you know? Your little throwback date with Mr. Hernandez at the college, munching on barbecue skewers, has gone viral. You've been labeled a schemer before, but this has totally cleared your name. Sure, there are some trolls, but they're drowned out by the deluge of envious onlookers. So..."

"So?" Julie prompted.

"So, today's meal is on you, haha!" Daphne, the ever-hungry foodie!

Julie laughed along, "You think you can handle eating that much?"

As their laughter echoed out of the elevator, they were suddenly met with the piercing wail of an ambulance rushing up to the hospital entrance.

A team of medics swiftly unloaded a stretcher from the ambulance, carrying a man whose body was a gruesome tapestry of injuries.

Julie stood frozen by the hospital doors, her gaze locked onto the battered figure on the stretcher, her entire world grinding to a halt...