Love's Cunning Ruse novel Chapter 356

“It’s all grandma’s idea?” Kieran looked at Dylan incredulously. “You're telling me Grandma put you up to convince Kyle into tricking us, so we missed our flight back home?”

Dylan nodded, a look of resignation on his face. “I’m in the dark just as much as you are, man. Don’t ask me.”

“Then spill what you do know, or enjoy those handcuffs for a couple more days,” Kieran said, nodding towards the metal restraints on Dylan’s wrists.

Realizing he couldn’t keep his secret any longer and honestly having no desire to sleep in handcuffs, Dylan grabbed Kieran’s arm and said, “I don’t know squat, okay? All I know is that Amanda asked me to hold you back, to keep you from coming home. Right after you and Julie took Camilla to the airport to catch her flight to Britain, I asked Amanda why it was so damn important for you guys to go with Camilla to the UK. If she was worried about Camilla being bullied, she could’ve just hired some bodyguards. Amanda then asked me if I really wanted to know why she was doing all this. Man, I felt like I was under a mountain of pressure, so I casually asked Amanda if there was any way I could help out. And Amanda says, sure, there’s something you could do for me…”

As Dylan recounted the story, he remembered asking Amanda, “Aside from being a hotshot at autopsies, what else can I do for you?”

“It’s been quite chilly lately, and I noticed Phoebe’s running around a bit underdressed. I was thinking, since tomorrow Ivan and Phoebe don’t have school, I’d take them shopping for some new clothes. But it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been around, so why don’t you recommend a good shopping center that’s kid-friendly?”

“Is that all?” Dylan had let out a sigh of relief, chuckling. “Why not hit up Simpo Co.’s department store? No need to go anywhere else!”

But Amanda was adamant, “It’s no fun shopping at our own places. Think of somewhere else, somewhere bustling, just not our own stores.”

Julie, frowning as she listened to Dylan’s story, asked, “So all you did was recommend Elite Emporium to Amanda?”

“There’s more to it… You guys said you were coming back last night, right? Well, Amanda asked me to find a way to delay you. I inquired about the reason, and Grandma said it was for your own good. She’d explain the specifics once you all got back.”

Dylan’s face was a mix of helplessness and frustration. “She’s the boss, you know? I can’t just go against Grandma’s wishes. Besides, she said it was for your own good. I figured one more day in Edinburgh wouldn’t hurt. Plus, I was damn curious about why Amanda wanted to keep you there. So, I went and found Kyle, following Grandma’s orders.”

“So… it was all Grandma’s idea.” Kieran said thoughtfully.

Dylan slapped his thigh, his tone suddenly animated. “Exactly! Kyle was so against lying to you guys at first. I told him if you confront him, just throw me under the bus because I thought by then I’d have gotten the truth from Grandma. But I didn’t know…”

“You didn’t know…” Kieran picked up the thread, “that Phoebe would go missing in the mall, and Grandma would pass out from a heart issue, leaving you without the truth. And you were scared we’d come after you, so you went into hiding?”

Dylan was speechless—Kieran had hit the nail on the head. There was nothing to argue; it was the blunt truth.

Crossing Kieran meant trouble, and Dylan knew better than to expect mercy.

He slapped Kieran’s hand apologetically, saying, “Kerry, man, it’s all on me. But I never saw Phoebe’s disappearance coming, and Amanda fainting? That was out of the blue! If Amanda hadn’t fainted, I’d probably know by now why she wanted me to deceive you. But here we are… I’m just as clueless!”

He jiggled the handcuffs on his wrists, the picture of innocence.

Suddenly, Kieran looked up and said to Julie, “Turn around, let’s head back to the hospital.”

“We’re going back again?” Julie was utterly bewildered by Kieran’s antics.

Julien parked the car by the hospital entrance.

He got out and opened the door for Julie, then led her into the hospital.

Hayden and Julien followed suit, leaving Dylan handcuffed in the car, shouting after Hayden’s retreating figure, “Kerry, my bad! If you won’t let me loose, at least take me with you so I can see what’s going down! It’s a tough life being the fall guy!”

“Later, scapegoat,” Julien said coolly, slamming the car door shut.

Dylan must be cursing her with every word he knew, but in a rare act of conscience, she left the keys in the car as she closed the door.

It took Dylan three minutes to discover the key to his shackles, but his relief was short-lived—the cuffs were custom-made. Just when he thought he’d be free, he realized one end would remain dangling from his wrist.

Not wanting to be hauled away by the cops, Dylan reluctantly covered his shackled wrist with his jacket and hurried after the others.

As Julie and Kieran made their way into the hospital, they bumped into Harding and Mr. Watson, who had just heard about Amanda’s admission to Tranquil Care Hospital and had come to visit. They hadn’t expected to run into Julie, Kieran, Julien, and Hayden right at the entrance.

Dylan, catching up, wanted to challenge Julien to a duel—if only he stood a chance against her…

In the end, all he could do was walk up to Julien, give her a frosty glance, and say, “Assassin girl, you're gonna get smited for this, I’m dead serious!”

Julian scoffed in a dismissive manner. "When you were in the car bad-mouthing me, did you ever stop to think about karma?"

Pretending to be asleep, Amanda panicked. When had her eyelashes fluttered?

Julie hadn't seen Amanda blink either, but she played along, “Grandma, there are many visitors here to see you.”

She then turned to Harding with a smile.

Harding coughed twice, his tone exaggerated, “Oh my, isn’t Mrs. Harding feigning unconsciousness again? Mr. Watson, better call the attending doctor.”

With that, Harding stepped forward to lift Amanda’s eyelid.

These youngsters, each more irreverent than the last! Amanda rolled her eyes but let Harding fiddle around. She was determined to keep up the act of sleeping, showing no intention of waking up.

Even Basil had to admire the Lady’s acting chops. If not for the distractions of marriage and motherhood, she might become a great actress!

Seeing that this approach wouldn’t wake Amanda, Kieran stepped closer, leaned in, and whispered, “Grandma, don’t keep sleeping. Phoebe’s been found!”

“What?” Amanda bolted upright as if resurrected, grabbing Kieran's arm, “What did you say? Phoebe’s been found? When? Where?”

Amanda’s reaction startled Julie, who shivered slightly. To those in the know, it seemed the Lady had simply awakened; to others, it might well have appeared like a resurrection!

She bombarded Kieran with questions, but he didn’t answer. It was only then that Amanda realized she’d been tricked—by her own grandson, no less.

Her acting was top-notch, but it couldn’t outmatch her grandson’s cunning.

Kieran took his grandmother’s hand with a firm grip, heat transferring from his palm to hers. He narrowed his eyes, a dangerous look on his face, and said meaningfully, “It seems this was the only thing that could wake you up immediately, Grandma.”

Amanda withdrew her hand, remaining silent.

Kieran leaned on the bedrail, closing in on Amanda, “Grandma, I said Phoebe has been found, so you should be thrilled. But from your reaction just now, all I saw was shock, surprise, and... reluctance. QuadDylan, care to analyze that?”