The bow on the box had been tied with painstaking care. It showed how much effort she had invested and how long she had planned this gift. Meanwhile, he was a complete bastard, harboring selfish, shameful thoughts.<\/p>\n
Before Caleb could speak, Sydney had already moved to the entryway. She slipped on a beige wool coat and wrapped a scarf around her neck, her delicate oval face mostly hidden. Only her dark, clear eyes remained visible.<\/p>\n
Then she left, but her stride seemed off.<\/p>\n
Caleb was about to ask what was wrong when Penelope gasped beside him. \u201cAhh! That hurts\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
He immediately focused on her and helped her sit down. \u201cAre your knees still that bad? Let me take you to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to go.\u201d She bit her lip and glanced at the box in his hands, muttering, \u201cAnd you say you\u2019re not falling for her? You treat her gift like some priceless treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caleb frowned. \u201cPenny, I already owe her so much.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tears slipped down her cheeks. \u201cAnd what about me, Cal? What am I supposed to be to you? Are you just going to let her keep bullying me and Timmy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI already said Syd\u2019s not like that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough!\u201d Penelope\u2019s voice cracked. \u201cCan\u2019t you hear yourself? Every word you say defends her!\u201d<\/p>\n
She stood, crying in dramatic sobs, and dragged Timothy upstairs.<\/p>\n
Caleb sat stunned for a moment before slowly exhaling. He wasn\u2019t even sure what he was thinking anymore. He simply could not stand anyone speaking ill of Sydney.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
Snow fell steadily for two days.<\/p>\n
Sydney spent the morning seeing patients at the clinic. In the afternoon, she covered a session with overseas doctors who had come to learn from her senior, who was unexpectedly absent.<\/p>\n
By 5:00 p.m., she was back home, changing and applying light makeup. She needed little. Her bright eyes and perfect teeth made her stand out even with minimal effort.<\/p>\n
As she came downstairs, she sensed something was off. Since arriving, the house had been eerily quiet. That mother-son duo was unusually well-behaved.<\/p>\n
Just as she finished pulling on her tall boots, Penelope asked her with a venomous smile, \u201cSydney, who do you think he\u2019ll choose? Me or you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPenelope, what are you talking about? I don\u2019t quite follow.\u201d Sydney paused, then smiled. \u201cOh? So you\u2019re not trying to spin some scandalous \u2018widowed sister-in-law seduces little brother-in-law\u2019 drama in the Hampton family?\u201d<\/p>\n
Penelope\u2019s fury boiled over. \u201cSydney!\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney calmly draped her cashmere cape over her shoulders and smiled faintly. \u201cNo time to argue. Cal\u2019s already waiting for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Penelope followed her gaze to the black car parked in the driveway through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sight nearly made her spit blood.<\/p>\n
When she agreed to let Caleb marry this \u201csweet and pliable\u201d girl, she had assumed that Sydney would be easy to control. Who would have guessed she was a rabbit with fangs?<\/p>\n
Sydney slid into the car and turned to Caleb. \u201cHope I didn\u2019t keep you waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I just got here.\u201d He reached over to squeeze her hand, then noticed the pale, flawless skin visible beneath her skirt. Her legs were exposed to the cold, and he frowned. \u201cWhy are you dressed so lightly?\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled. \u201cThe car and the house are both heated.\u201d<\/p>\n
She always urged patients to dress warmly, but when it came to herself, she did not care.<\/p>\n
Caleb sighed. \u201cIf you catch a cold or get a fever, don\u2019t expect me to take care of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll take medicine,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Colds were easy. One dose of herbs and she would mostly be fine. Over the past three years, she had relied on herself. She had long stopped expecting him to care for her\u2014or anyone else.<\/p>\n
Caleb did not know why her indifference unsettled him so much. \u201cYou talk like I\u2019m some heartless husband who doesn\u2019t care about you.\u201d<\/p>\n
She paused. \u201cYou didn\u2019t open the gift I gave you yesterday?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot yet.\u201d Caleb looked out the window. \u201cIt\u2019s a birthday gift, right? I figured I\u2019d wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018That works. More time for me to get ready,\u2019 she thought.<\/p>\n
They had little to say, so the ride passed in silence.<\/p>\n
Caleb glanced at her. She sat quietly, staring out at the stream of traffic. Her entire demeanor was peaceful, gentle, innocent, composed. He could not understand why Penelope hated her so much.<\/p>\n
He was about to speak when his phone rang.<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Hampton, Ms. Monroe is at a blind date.\u201d The other party\u2019s voice was calm, not loud, but clear enough for Sydney to hear.<\/p>\n
The air in the car tightened instantly. Caleb was fuming but kept it controlled. He rarely lost his temper.<\/p>\n
\u201cSend me the location.\u201d His tone turned icy.<\/p>\n
After hanging up, he turned to Sydney with a composed expression but an unmistakably firm voice. \u201cSyd, something urgent came up. I can\u2019t go to the family banquet with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Something urgent?\u2019 Sydney did not even want to ask.<\/p>\n
Why bother? Digging would only humiliate her more.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand.\u201d She lowered her gaze slightly. \u201cJack, could you pull over up ahead?\u201d<\/p>\n
The car slowed to a stop. Caleb did not move, seeming to appreciate the life he had now.<\/p>\n
Sydney looked at him. \u201cCal, go on. We can\u2019t park here too long.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked stunned for a second, but she remained calm and graceful. He could find no excuse to stay. \u201cAlright.\u201d<\/p>\n
He got out silently.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
The Sterling family\u2019s monthly banquet was unlike other social events. Only five people attended, including Caleb.<\/p>\n
The atmosphere was quiet. Unnervingly so, as if it were more funeral than celebration.<\/p>\n
When Sydney arrived, the butler, Jason Reyes, led her straight to the dining hall.<\/p>\n
\u201cMs. Wilson, Madam Sterling has been waiting all day. She\u2019s been asking about you since this morning,\u201d Jason said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d Sydney nodded gently but nervously clenched her fingers at her sides.<\/p>\n
Inside the dining hall, Eloise sat at the head of the table. To her left, her eldest and second daughters sat in order.<\/p>\n
Sydney stepped in and greeted them politely, \u201cGrandma. Aunt Fiona. Aunt Miranda.\u201d<\/p>\n
She followed the Sterling family\u2019s generational terms. The two aunts responded with lukewarm nods but glanced past her.<\/p>\n
When Eloise noticed Sydney was alone, her brows furrowed deeply. \u201cWhere is Caleb?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething urgent came up, and he had to attend to it,\u201d Sydney said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOut! Go kneel!\u201d Suddenly, a harsh yell echoed, and a teacup flew at her.<\/p>\n
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 5 The bow on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-when-love-is-gone-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21988\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}