Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 273

Julie took another careful look at the man, finally settling her gaze on his arm. “Why are you keeping your hand in your pocket?” she asked.

“Think about it, did Zenith do something similar?” Kieran prompted Julie.

Julie started to recall her recent encounter with Zenith. Indeed, when Zenith stood up he had a similar habitual movement of sliding his hand into his pocket.

This common and simple action didn’t attract Julie’s attention at the time, so she didn’t think much of it. But now that Kieran singled it out, it must be significant. So, she looked at him expectantly and asked, “Zenith did the same thing when he stood up, so what? What does it prove?”

Kieran suddenly took out his wallet and handed it to Julie. “Hold this for me.”

Julie didn’t know what Kieran was up to, but she took what he handed her.

“Don’t move!” Kieran stared at Julie.

Julie was startled and froze in place.

Then he spoke, “Look at which hand you’re using to hold the wallet.”

Julie looked down to see her right hand holding his wallet. She didn’t understand his intentions, so she asked, “And then?”

“When a person’s hands are free, and someone else hands them something, a right-handed person would reflexively extend their right hand without hesitation. Meanwhile, a left-handed person would instinctively use their left hand,” explained Kieran.

Julie listened attentively.

Kieran continued, “The fact is that Lucian is left-handed. The last time we played golf, he skillfully used his right hand. I couldn’t spot any flaws. He hid it perfectly, not at all like a lefty., However, this time when Dahlia reached out for his help, he should have extended his right hand without hesitation. But he reflexively reached out with his left hand. His movement then was to partially pull his left hand out of his pocket, then put it back, and then extend his right hand as if nothing happened. What does this tell us?”

“Zenith is trying to hide the fact that he’s left-handed?” Julie asked, her face lighting up with excitement, similar to the feeling of solving a complex math problem in her childhood, even a sense of accomplishment.

Kieran nodded, “Whether he’s left-handed or not, it’s clear that he’s trying to hide his left hand, or the fact that he’s left-handed, or both. Do you remember which hand he used to grab the nail clippers?”

Juke remembered that very clearly, as she was standing in front of the coffee table when Zenith was clipping his nails and saw his every move. Zenith held the nail clippers with his right hand. The clipped nail was from his left thumb. So…

“The reason he kept his hand in his pocket since we arrived was to hide his left hand?” Julie quickly took out the nail wrapped in a tissue and placed it in front of Kieran, asking, “So…you’re saying this nail is fake?”

“Yes. Whether it’s fake or not, we can have Quad Dylan verify it when we get back,” he held her hand, already certain of the verification result.

Still, Julie decided to send the nail to Quad Dylan for verification.

She moved forward, walking side by side with Kieran.

Ahead, a large field of flowers came into view, and Julie’s eyes focused.

She ran towards it, looking at the lovely wooden sign that read ‘Primrose Field’ in big letters.

She immediately squatted down, looking at the beautiful little plants, and turned to Kieran, “Is this primrose?”

The plants were tastefully arranged, and the flowers were vibrant. There were white, blue, pink, yellow, orange, and beautiful purple ones. Arranged in a field, they looked like a delicate and beautiful rainbow.

Kieran squatted down with Julie and answered, “Yes, primroses. They bloom for a long period.”

While each flower might not be as eye-catching as a rose, when arranged in a field, they were incredibly beautiful. The vitality within them was awe-inspiring. They were growing quietly, without arrogance or impatience.

Wrapped in her beige cotton coat, Julie walked along the path in the flower field with a smile on her face. Kieran, in his white down jacket, followed her quietly.

“We’ll reach the seaside if we continue walking,” he said,

Julie abruptly stopped, and Kieran followed her gaze to see two bees hovering over a flower. The flower was not fragrant, yet it attracted bees with it’s quiet beauty.

“Do you want to know the flower language of this flower?” Kieran suddenly leaned into Julie’s ear and asked softly.

She turned to look at him, “Does it have one? What is it?”

“Give me a kiss, and I’ll tell you,” he wrapped his arm around her waist. To anyone watching, they were the picture of sweetness.

Knowing he was teasing her, Julie pushed his hand away and didn’t dwell on the question. Instead, she ran deeper into the flower field.

Julie in the beige cotton coat was in the colorful flower field, with the bright sunshine behind her. She took out her phone and started to take pictures of the beautiful flowers. Kieran, whose hand was in his down jacket pocket, happened to feel his phone.

On a whim, he took out his phone and snapped a few shots.

Looking at the woman in the photo, a smile spread across Kieran’s face. He seemed very satisfied with the picture. He put his phone back in his pocket and glanced at a nearby vendor, lost in thought…

In Julie’s camera, a magnificently colored butterfly was dancing and chasing on the white primroses, creating a breathtaking scene Kieran, who had somehow walked behind her, quietly watched the scene on her phone.

She turned around, offering him a soft smile, tapping on the image of a butterfly on her phone screen, and asked, “Isn’t it beautiful?”

His eyes fell on her delicate face, nodding in agreement, “Beautiful.”

“I was talking about the butterfly!”

“But it’s not as beautiful as you.”

Julie laughed, lifting her phone towards his face, swiftly pressing the shutter as if capturing the scenery. She was full of affection.

The man captured on her phone screen was breathtakingly handsome, enough to be a poster boy. As she was admiring the image, a low, pleasant voice came from across the table. He was looking into her eyes, telling her, “I can’t live without you.”

The sound of the ocean waves hitting the rocks made his words unclear.

She held her phone, turning towards him in surprise, “What?”

“I can’t live without you.”

Her heart started pounding, Julie smiled lightly, gently biting her lip, asking, “Is this a confession?”

“It’s the language of flowers. The symbolic meaning of the primroses.”

Julie rolled her eyes at him, “It would have been better if you confessed your love to me at this moment, Kerry. You really lack a sense of romance.”

“Give me your hand.” He reached out to her.

Although she didn’t know what he was up to, Julie extended her hand, looking at him with a puzzled expression. He pulled out a bracelet from his pocket, slipping it onto her wrist, “The primrose symbolizes ‘I can’t live without you. The white ones represent youth, first love. Red ones symbolize an unregrettable and undying love. Sycamore Village is known for its silverworks, especially the highest quality of sterling silver.”

He fastened the bracelet around her wrist.

Julie looked down at the delicate chain around her wrist, the bracelet was made up of countless primrose petals, each intricately designed.

“Legend has it in Greek mythology, there was a young man named Paralysos who had a beautiful fiancée. They were eagerly waiting for their wedding day when the fiancée died of sickness. Distraught with grief, Paralysos committed suicide. The goddess of love, Aphrodite, taking pity on him, turned him

into a flower that bloomed beside his lover’s grave. That flower was the primrose,” he told her with deep affection.

Julie shifted her gaze from the bracelet back to Kieran’s face, That’s not the version heard.”

“What version did you hear?” As he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, they began to walk towards the flower fields.

She said, “I read about a different legend of the primrose in a book. It was said that a mute nymph was in love with a handsome young man, who was surrounded by a group of admirers. Unable to express her love verbally, the nymph could only watch him from a distance. Day by day, her life began to fade. Even in death, her love for the young man remained unwavering. Hence, flowers sprouted from the ground where she died… those flowers were the primrose.”.

Was there a difference? Both were tragic tales, soaked in blood.

Suddenly, Julie turned to him, gripping his arm, “Today’s the Advent, right?”

Kieran nodded, “Didn’t you call granny first thing in the morning? What made you remember it again?”

Julie’s eyes twinkled like stars, she looked up at him, “After telling two heartbreaking stories, it reminded me of this ancient festival. Shouldn’t we spend it with our living family members?” Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

He gently poked her forehead, looking at her with an adoring gaze, “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Excited, she pushed him, “Let’s go, let’s go! We need to pick up Ivan and head to the Moore family for dinner!”