Sydney\u00a0woke\u00a0up\u00a0after\u00a0an\u00a0unknown\u00a0length\u00a0of\u00a0time,\u00a0stirred\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0soft\u00a0buzz\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0phone\u00a0vibrating.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0light\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0felt\u00a0harsh\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0groggy\u00a0state.\u00a0She\u00a0shielded her\u00a0eyes\u00a0with\u00a0one\u00a0hand\u00a0and\u00a0fumbled\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0phone,\u00a0answering\u00a0drowsily.\u00a0\u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSyd, why\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0you\u00a0home\u00a0yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0Tiffany\u2013anxious,\u00a0nearly\u00a0frantic.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0returned\u00a0from\u00a0work\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0it\u00a0already\u00a0past\u00a03:00\u00a0a.m.,\u00a0and\u00a0Sydney\u00a0still<\/p>\n
hadn\u2019t\u00a0come\u00a0back.\u00a0Fear\u00a0had\u00a0gripped\u00a0her.\u00a0She\u00a0thought\u00a0something\u00a0might\u00a0have\u00a0happened\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Sterling\u00a0estate.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0rubbed\u00a0her\u00a0eyes,\u00a0slowly\u00a0adjusting\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0light.\u00a0As\u00a0she\u00a0sat\u00a0up\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0sofa,\u00a0her\u00a0thoughts\u00a0cleared.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0okay.\u00a0I\u2019m<\/p>\n
waiting\u00a0at\u00a0Hampton\u00a0Corp.\u00a0for\u00a0Caleb\u00a0to\u00a0finish\u00a0a\u00a0meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0meeting\u00a0lasts\u00a0until\u00a03:00\u00a0a.m.?\u201d\u00a0Tiffany\u00a0questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0either.\u201d<\/p>\n
By\u00a0then,\u00a0the\u00a0building\u2019s\u00a0central\u00a0air\u00a0conditioning\u00a0had\u00a0shut\u00a0off.\u00a0Cold\u00a0seeped\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0room.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0blew\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0nose\u00a0and\u00a0spoke\u00a0softly.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll\u00a0go\u00a0check\u00a0the\u00a0meeting\u00a0room.\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0worry.\u00a0Go\u00a0wash\u00a0up\u00a0and\u00a0try\u00a0to\u00a0sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
After\u00a0ending\u00a0the\u00a0call,\u00a0she\u00a0picked\u00a0up\u00a0her\u00a0down\u00a0jacket\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0back\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0sofa\u00a0and\u00a0stood.\u00a0Her\u00a0legs\u00a0were\u00a0still\u00a0numb,\u00a0so\u00a0she<\/p>\n
moved\u00a0carefully.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0corridor\u00a0was\u00a0pitch\u00a0black.\u00a0The\u00a0once\u2013bright\u00a0hallway\u00a0and\u00a0conference\u00a0room\u00a0were\u00a0empty.\u00a0She\u00a0paused,\u00a0slightly<\/p>\n
disoriented.<\/p>\n
Just\u00a0then,\u00a0footsteps\u00a0echoed\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0elevator\u00a0lobby.\u00a0A\u00a0young\u00a0woman,\u00a0likely\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0early\u00a0twenties,\u00a0rushed\u00a0into\u00a0the<\/p>\n
conference\u00a0room\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0dropping\u00a0something.\u00a0When\u00a0she\u00a0emerged,\u00a0she\u00a0spotted\u00a0Sydney\u00a0standing\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0soft\u00a0glow\u00a0cast\u00a0from<\/p>\n
the\u00a0CEO\u2019s\u00a0office.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0still\u00a0here?\u201d\u00a0Sydney\u00a0asked.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0froze,\u00a0then\u00a0answered\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0flustered\u00a0voice,\u00a0\u201cSorry,\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0anyone\u00a0was\u00a0left.\u00a0I\u00a0turned\u00a0off\u00a0the hallway\u00a0lights.\u00a0Do<\/p>\n
you\u00a0want\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0walk\u00a0you\u00a0downstairs?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0kept\u00a0her\u00a0voice\u00a0quiet.\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0meeting\u2019s\u00a0over?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u00a0It\u00a0ended\u00a0long ago.\u201d\u00a0The\u00a0young\u00a0woman\u00a0suddenly\u00a0remembered\u00a0something.\u00a0\u201cMr.\u00a0Hampton\u00a0got\u00a0a\u00a0phone\u00a0call\u00a0around\u00a09:00\u00a0p.m.\u00a0and\u00a0left\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0hurry.\u00a0Maybe\u00a0he\u00a0forgot\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
8:41\u00a0AM\u00a0Sun\u00a024\u00a0Aug<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a050<\/p>\n
78%<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0stood\u00a0still,\u00a0stunned.\u00a0The\u00a0ground\u00a0felt\u00a0solid\u00a0beneath\u00a0her\u00a0feet again,\u00a0but\u00a0nothing\u00a0else\u00a0did.\u00a0The\u00a0cake\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0bought,\u00a0the\u00a0unexpected\u00a0visit\u2013it\u00a0all\u00a0felt\u00a0imagined.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0had\u00a0left\u00a0her\u00a0alone\u00a0here\u00a0at\u00a0night.\u00a0That\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0truth.\u00a0That\u00a0was\u00a0who\u00a0Caleb\u00a0had\u00a0always\u00a0been.\u00a0It\u00a0fit\u00a0him.\u00a0He\u00a0had\u00a0never<\/p>\n
once\u00a0considered\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0might\u00a0feel\u00a0hurt.<\/p>\n
And\u00a0since\u00a0no\u00a0one\u00a0cared\u00a0how\u00a0she\u00a0felt,\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0learned\u00a0to\u00a0act\u00a0like\u00a0nothing\u00a0mattered.<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s\u00a0fine.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0divorced\u00a0anyway,\u2018\u00a0she\u00a0thought.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0steadied\u00a0herself\u00a0and\u00a0finally\u00a0spoke.\u00a0\u201cOkay.\u00a0Just\u00a0get\u00a0home\u00a0safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caleb\u00a0had\u00a0left\u00a0around\u00a09:00\u00a0p.m.\u00a0Now\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0past\u00a03:00\u00a0a.m.\u00a0That\u00a0was\u00a0six\u00a0hours\u00a0without\u00a0a\u00a0word,\u00a0without\u00a0a\u00a0thought\u00a0for\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0truly\u00a0absurd\u00a0part\u00a0came\u00a0two\u00a0days\u00a0later,\u00a0when\u00a0Nancy\u00a0called\u00a0while\u00a0Sydney\u00a0was\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0patient\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0clinic.<\/p>\n
\u201cMs.\u00a0Wilson,\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0free\u00a0to\u00a0come\u00a0by\u00a0today?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0assumed\u00a0the\u00a0divorce\u00a0papers\u00a0were\u00a0ready.<\/p>\n
Nancy\u00a0hesitated.\u00a0\u201cTimmy\u2019s\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0high\u00a0fever\u00a0the\u00a0last\u00a0few\u00a0nights.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0listless\u00a0and\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0eating.\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Hampton\u00a0asked<\/p>\n
me\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0a\u00a0medicinal\u00a0diet\u00a0recipe\u00a0for\u00a0him.\u201d<\/p>\n
A\u00a0flicker\u00a0of\u00a0anger\u00a0stirred\u00a0in\u00a0Sydney.\u00a0She\u00a0stepped\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0window\u00a0and\u00a0drew\u00a0a\u00a0slow\u00a0breath.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0heard\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0Caleb\u2019s<\/p>\n
mother\u00a0that\u00a0day,\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0you?\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0truth\u00a0was\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0no\u00a0longer\u00a0had\u00a0any\u00a0ties\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0Hampton\u00a0family.<\/p>\n
Nancy\u00a0sounded\u00a0conflicted.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0did,\u00a0but\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Hampton\u00a0still\u00a0asked\u00a0me\u00a0to-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen\u00a0tell\u00a0him\u00a0the\u00a0truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u00a0you\u00a0promised\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0him\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0divorce.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0said\u00a0I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0tell\u00a0Caleb\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0divorce,\u201d\u00a0Sydney\u00a0replied\u00a0evenly.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0never\u00a0agreed\u00a0to\u00a0treat\u00a0his lover\u2019s\u00a0son.\u00a0If\u00a0Penelope\u00a0studied\u00a0medicine\u00a0too,\u00a0then\u00a0ask\u00a0her\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0prescription.\u201d<\/p>\n
With\u00a0that,\u00a0she\u00a0ended\u00a0the\u00a0call.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0composing\u00a0herself,\u00a0she\u00a0returned\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0desk\u00a0and\u00a0faced\u00a0her\u00a0patient.\u00a0\u201cSorry,\u00a0Ms.\u00a0Norwood.\u00a0Let\u2019s\u00a0continue.\u201d<\/p>\n
2\/3<\/p>\n
8:42\u00a0AM\u00a0Sun\u00a024\u00a0Aug<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a050<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u00a0rush,\u201d\u00a0Agatha\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0bright\u00a0with\u00a0curiosity.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0took\u00a0Sydney\u2019s\u00a0hand\u00a0and\u00a0smiled.\u00a0\u201cDr.\u00a0Wilson,\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0really\u00a0single?\u201d<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s\u00a0Bonus\u00a0Offer<\/p>\n
3\u00a078%<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/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 50 Sydney\u00a0woke\u00a0up\u00a0after\u00a0an\u00a0unknown\u00a0length\u00a0of\u00a0time,\u00a0stirred\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0soft\u00a0buzz\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0phone\u00a0vibrating. The\u00a0light\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0felt\u00a0harsh\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0groggy\u00a0state.\u00a0She\u00a0shielded her\u00a0eyes\u00a0with\u00a0one\u00a0hand\u00a0and\u00a0fumbled\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0phone,\u00a0answering\u00a0drowsily.\u00a0\u201cHello?\u201d \u201cSyd, […]<\/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-22033","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\/22033","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=22033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22033\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}