Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 17

Julie’s first instinct was to grab her bag and use it as a shield for her face..

But with her eye–catching outfit today, she was a magnet for attention. She couldn’t hide from the prying eyes. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Sure enough, Elliot headed her way. “Ms. Abraham.” His deep, magnetic voice seemed to carry the anger from the night before. when she’d brushed him off.

Since she was busted, Julie had no choice but to brace herself, lower her bag from her face, and put on a somewhat fake smile as she nodded at Elliot. “Mr. Sanches…”

“My grandpa is about to arrive.” Elliot told Julie.

Julie nodded. “Oh She wondered, why the hell did his grandpa’s arrival have anything to do with her?

Julie picked up a glass of champagne from the side and took a sip. “Um… Mr. Sanches, sorry to rush off, but I have to…”

Before she could finish her sentence, Elliot suddenly asked her, “When did you get divorced?”

The champagne glass in her hand shook violently. Julie stared at Elliot in shock. Her marriage with Kieran had never been made public. How on earth did Elliot, a stranger to her, know about her past marriage and divorce?

Julie looked at Elliot with a puzzled expression, feeling totally bamboozled. Elliot just gave her a casual smile. “From the look on your face, I guess you did get divorced. How long ago?“

Although Julie didn’t know how Elliot had this information, she felt it wasn’t right for him to expose her past this way. So Julie interrupted him. “Mr. Sanches, I think…”

Before she could finish, Elliot suddenly leaned in, gave her a smirk, and said, “You didn’t call me that before.”

“Before?” Julie’s brow furrowed even more. She couldn’t even remember meeting Elliot before. The name Elliot just rang a bell.

Elliot sighed a bit helplessly. Tailie Julie, you haven’t changed a bit over the years. Your memory is as bad as ever, unless it’s something to do with Kieran. How could I have given my first kiss to you?”

First kiss?

Julie took a closer look at Elliot. As she heard the name ‘Tailie Julie‘ from his mouth, she suddenly had a light bulb moment.

Back in the third grade of middle school, there was a transfer student in her class who always followed her around, calling her

‘Tailie Julie:

Young Julie had a fiery temper and hated the nickname ‘Tailie Julie. So after school, she cornered the boy at the school gate and asked him, “Why do you call me Tailie Julie? Are we tight or something?”

The boy had a big grin on his face, showing off his pearly whites. “You’re always tailing Kieran; that’s why you’re Tailie Julie.”

Elliot expected her to get angry. But to his surprise, she just laughed, gave him a pat on the shoulder, and said with satisfaction, “You got a point! I’m Kieran’s Tailie Julie now, and I’ll be his significant other

in the future. He’ll love me to bits.”

Looking back, she was so reckless and naive. Those solemn promises now seemed like a big joke. She didn’t become Kieran’s beloved partner, but his easily discarded ex–wife.

If not for Elliot calling her Tailie Julie‘ again, she might not have remembered that the handsome man standing in front of her was the same boy who was shorter than her back then.

Actually, the reason Julie didn’t have any impression of Elliot was that she was all about Kieran back then. She had no time for anyone else. Plus, if she remembered correctly, Elliot only stayed for the first semester of the third year before he went abroad to study.

To be exact, her last memory of Elliot was the first kiss he mentioned.