Love’s Cunning Ruse

Chapter 21

Kieran wasn’t using a mic, but his voice rang loud and clear, especially for the reporters at the front of the stage. The journalists were all pumped up, snapping away with their cameras, capturing this special moment.

After all, the love life of Kieran, the CEO of Simpo Co, had always been a mystery. Apart from his acknowledged relationship with Bertha, no one had ever heard of him having an ex–wife.

During the years of their secret marriage, Julie imagined countless ways they would reveal their relationship to the world. She even thought that they might keep it a secret forever. To Julie back then, being with Kieran was happiness enough.

But none of her imagined scenarios included what was happening right now.

Kieran just blurted out that he was divorced and casually called her ‘Joyce‘ in front of everyone.

Julie, who thought she was tough as nails, felt like she’d been sucker–punched when Kieran spoke.

And to top it all off, the guy even made small talk with her, smiling all the while. “Ms. Abraham and Joyce do have some similarities in looks and height, just different personalities. Ms. Abraham is a bit more headstrong than Joyce.”

Again with the ‘Joyce“?

From the moment she was on the operating table, she was no longer his ‘Joyce.”

Perhaps it was Elliot’s presence that helped Julie find her voice.

She lifted her head, and a graceful smile appeared on her lips, “A woman without personality indeed isn’t worthy of Mr. Hernandez, which explains why she’s his ex, right?”

“That’s not the whole truth. I did love her very much. I just forgot to tell her. Maybe then we wouldn’t have divorced.” Kieran said seriously after a moment’s thought. Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

His eyes, as deep as the ocean, were fixed on Julie, as if he were trying to see through her.

He loved her? Julie felt like she’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. That was utterly absurd.

Suppressing the urge to slap him, Julie forced a smile and said, “Breakups happen because people aren’t right for each other. And if they’re not right, they should separate sooner rather than later.”

With that, she naturally hooked her arm through Elliot’s and smiled at Kieran, “Your ex might have found someone new. I heard you almost married Ms. Bertha not long ago; is that right?”

The room fell into an awkward silence after Julie spoke.

There was a gasp from the media below. Mentioning Bertha was like hitting Kieran’s soft spot. Ever since Bertha’s suicide, no media ever had the balls to report widely on it, careful not to rattle the Hernandez family. This woman, set to be a part of the Sanches family, was a force to be reckoned with.

Kieran’s silence made the crowd nervous for Julie.

Raymon, who was already unimpressed with Julie, was even more annoyed now. He was worried that if Kieran stormed off in anger, it might spell the end of their business relationship.

So Raymon quickly stepped in, hoping to mediate. But before he could get a word out, he saw Kieran looking at him with a smile in his deep–set eyes.