Chapter\u00a069<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a069<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0watched\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0entitled\u00a0demeanor\u00a0and\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0help but\u00a0chuckle.\u00a0How\u00a0had\u00a0she\u00a0never\u00a0noticed\u00a0his\u00a0hypocrisy\u00a0before?<\/p>\n
With\u00a0only\u00a0four\u00a0days\u00a0until\u00a0the\u00a0divorce\u00a0was\u00a0final,\u00a0she\u00a0lacked\u00a0the\u00a0energy\u00a0to\u00a0argue.\u00a0She\u00a0switched\u00a0to\u00a0\u201cdeal\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Sterling\u00a0family\u201d\u00a0mode,\u00a0polite\u00a0but\u00a0distant,\u00a0and\u00a0said\u00a0earnestly,\u00a0\u201cYes,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0overthink\u00a0it.\u00a0Marcus\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0are\u00a0nothing\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0line\u00a0from a\u00a0well\u2013rehearsed\u00a0script.\u00a0She\u00a0had learned\u00a0it\u00a0well.<\/p>\n
Caleb\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0softened.\u00a0He\u00a0ruffled\u00a0her\u00a0hair\u00a0gently,\u00a0cooing\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0parent,\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0trust\u00a0you,\u00a0of\u00a0course.\u201d<\/p>\n
For\u00a0years,\u00a0that\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0his\u00a0way\u00a0to\u00a0comfort\u00a0her.\u00a0When\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0meltdowns\u00a0with\u00a0Julian\u00a0and\u00a0no one\u00a0else\u00a0defended\u00a0her,\u00a0Caleb\u00a0always\u00a0stepped\u00a0in.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0figuring\u00a0out\u00a0how\u00a0to\u00a0escape\u00a0politely\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0started\u00a0the\u00a0car.\u00a0Before\u00a0she\u00a0could\u00a0think\u00a0further,\u00a0her\u00a0phone\u00a0rang.\u00a0Marcus\u2018\u00a0name\u00a0appeared\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0screen.\u00a0The\u00a0call\u00a0connected\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0car\u2019s\u00a0Bluetooth.<\/p>\n
\u201cSyd,\u00a0dinner\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0usual\u00a0place.\u00a0Can\u00a0you\u00a0make\u00a0it\u00a0by\u00a0seven?\u201d<\/p>\n
Relief\u00a0washed\u00a0over\u00a0her.\u00a0She\u00a0agreed immediately.\u00a0\u201cYes,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hearing\u00a0her\u00a0quick\u00a0response,\u00a0Marcus\u00a0teased\u00a0warmly,\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0can\u00a0bring\u00a0someone,\u00a0too.\u00a0Tiffany\u2019s\u00a0off\u00a0tonight.\u00a0If\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0free,\u00a0bring\u00a0her\u00a0along.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just\u00a0then,\u00a0Caleb\u00a0spoke\u00a0softly.\u00a0\u201cMr.\u00a0Shepard,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0go\u00a0with\u00a0her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus,\u00a0familiar\u00a0with\u00a0Caleb,\u00a0caught\u00a0the\u00a0cool\u00a0formality\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0tone\u00a0but\u00a0replied\u00a0with\u00a0hospitality,\u00a0\u201cOf\u00a0course\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0quietly\u00a0asked\u00a0Caleb,\u00a0\u201cAre\u00a0you sure\u00a0you\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0go?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan\u2019t\u00a0I?\u201d\u00a0A\u00a0faint\u00a0frown\u00a0crossed\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0face.\u00a0\u201cWorried\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0feel\u00a0uncomfortable\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0senior\u00a0around?\u201d<\/p>\n
Men\u00a0understood\u00a0men.\u00a0Marcus\u2018\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0earlier\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0parking\u00a0lot\u00a0had\u00a0never\u00a0been\u00a0innocent.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0played\u00a0naive\u00a0and\u00a0hopeful,\u00a0masking\u00a0her\u00a0chill\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0smirk.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0just\u00a0worried\u00a0about\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caleb\u00a0shrugged.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u00a0would\u00a0bother\u00a0me?\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0dropped\u00a0the\u00a0subject\u00a0and\u00a0drove\u00a0straight\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0dinner<\/p>\n
When\u00a0they\u00a0arrived,\u00a0Marcus\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0others\u00a0were\u00a0already\u00a0inside\u00a0the\u00a0private\u00a0room.\u00a0The\u00a0moment\u00a0Sydney\u00a0pushed\u00a0open\u00a0the\u00a0door,\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0fell\u00a0silent,\u00a0not\u00a0because\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0arrival\u00a0but\u00a0because\u00a0Caleb\u00a0stood\u00a0quietly\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0side,\u00a0a\u00a0silent\u00a0claim.<\/p>\n
Even\u00a0Penelope\u00a0froze.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0called\u00a0earlier\u00a0to\u00a0check\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0availability.\u00a0He\u00a0said\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0tree.\u00a0Yet\u00a0here\u00a0he<\/p>\n
was.<\/p>\n
Caleb\u2019s\u00a0brow\u00a0furrowed\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0watched\u00a0Sydney\u00a0enter.\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0you\u00a0say\u00a0this\u00a0was\u00a0dinner\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0coworkers?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0kept\u00a0her\u00a0expression\u00a0calm.\u00a0\u201cSince\u00a0Marcus\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0are\u00a0nothing,\u00a0yes,\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0group\u00a0dinner\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n
1\/2<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a069<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
No\u00a0hint\u00a0of\u00a0guilt\u00a0showed.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0slower\u00a0coworker\u00a0piped\u00a0up,\u00a0\u201cDr.\u00a0Wilson,\u00a0so\u00a0you\u00a0know\u00a0Penny\u2019s\u00a0boyfriend?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0Sydney\u00a0caught\u00a0the\u00a0anger\u00a0flicker\u00a0in\u00a0Penelope\u2019s\u00a0eyes.\u00a0She\u00a0answered\u00a0coolly,\u00a0tone\u00a0measured,\u00a0\u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0my-<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0friend\u00a0of\u00a0Julian.\u00a0Sydney\u00a0is\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0friend\u2019s\u00a0sister\u00a0Penelope\u00a0cut\u00a0in\u00a0smoothly,\u00a0wrapping\u00a0her\u00a0arm\u00a0around\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0demure\u00a0smile.\u00a0\u201cRight,\u00a0Caleb?\u201d<\/p>\n
Caleb\u00a0paused.\u00a0He\u00a0said\u00a0nothing\u00a0and\u00a0instinctively\u00a0moved\u00a0slightly\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0Sydney.<\/p>\n
Everyone\u00a0nodded\u00a0in\u00a0understanding.<\/p>\n
Marcus,\u00a0seated\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0head\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0table,\u00a0beckoned\u00a0Sydney\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0wave.\u00a0\u201cSyd,\u00a0come\u00a0sit.\u00a0I\u00a0saved\u00a0you\u00a0a\u00a0place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a070<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a070\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0watched\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0entitled\u00a0demeanor\u00a0and\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0help\u00a0but\u00a0chuckle.\u00a0How\u00a0had\u00a0she\u00a0never\u00a0noticed\u00a0his\u00a0hypocrisy\u00a0before?<\/p>\n
With\u00a0only\u00a0four\u00a0days\u00a0until\u00a0the\u00a0divorce\u00a0was\u00a0final,\u00a0she\u00a0lacked\u00a0the\u00a0energy\u00a0to\u00a0argue.\u00a0She\u00a0switched\u00a0to\u00a0\u201cdeal\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Sterling\u00a0family\u201d\u00a0mode,\u00a0polite\u00a0but\u00a0distant,\u00a0and\u00a0said\u00a0earnestly,\u00a0\u201cYes,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0overthink\u00a0it.\u00a0Marcus\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0are\u00a0nothing\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0line\u00a0from\u00a0a\u00a0well\u2013rehearsed\u00a0script.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0learned\u00a0it\u00a0well.<\/p>\n
Caleb\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0softened.\u00a0He\u00a0ruffled\u00a0her\u00a0hair\u00a0gently,\u00a0cooing\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0parent,\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0trust\u00a0you,\u00a0of\u00a0course.\u201d<\/p>\n
For\u00a0years,\u00a0that\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0his\u00a0way\u00a0to\u00a0comfort\u00a0her.\u00a0When\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0meltdowns\u00a0with\u00a0Julian\u00a0and\u00a0no\u00a0one\u00a0else\u00a0defended\u00a0her,\u00a0Caleb\u00a0always\u00a0stepped\u00a0in.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0figuring\u00a0out\u00a0how\u00a0to\u00a0escape\u00a0politely\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0started\u00a0the\u00a0car.\u00a0Before\u00a0she could\u00a0think\u00a0further,\u00a0her\u00a0phone\u00a0rang.\u00a0Marcus\u2018\u00a0name\u00a0appeared\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0screen.\u00a0The\u00a0call\u00a0connected\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0car\u2019s\u00a0Bluetooth.<\/p>\n
\u201cSyd,\u00a0dinner\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0usual\u00a0place.\u00a0Can\u00a0you\u00a0make\u00a0it\u00a0by\u00a0seven?\u201d<\/p>\n
Relief\u00a0washed\u00a0over\u00a0her.\u00a0She\u00a0agreed\u00a0immediately.\u00a0\u201cYes,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hearing\u00a0her\u00a0quick\u00a0response,\u00a0Marcus\u00a0teased\u00a0warmly,\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0can\u00a0bring\u00a0someone,\u00a0too.\u00a0Tiffany\u2019s\u00a0off\u00a0tonight.\u00a0If\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0free,\u00a0bring\u00a0her\u00a0along.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just\u00a0then,\u00a0Caleb\u00a0spoke\u00a0softly.\u00a0\u201cMr.\u00a0Shepard,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0go\u00a0with\u00a0her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus,\u00a0familiar\u00a0with\u00a0Caleb,\u00a0caught\u00a0the\u00a0cool\u00a0formality\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0tone\u00a0but\u00a0replied\u00a0with\u00a0hospitality,\u00a0\u201cOf\u00a0course\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0quietly\u00a0asked\u00a0Caleb,\u00a0\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0sure\u00a0you\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0go?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan\u2019t\u00a0I?\u201d\u00a0A\u00a0faint\u00a0frown\u00a0crossed\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0face.\u00a0\u201cWorried\u00a0you\u2019ll\u00a0feel\u00a0uncomfortable\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0senior\u00a0around?\u201d<\/p>\n
Men\u00a0understood\u00a0men.\u00a0Marcus\u2018\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0earlier\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0parking\u00a0lot\u00a0had\u00a0never\u00a0been\u00a0innocent.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0played\u00a0naive\u00a0and\u00a0hopeful,\u00a0masking\u00a0her\u00a0chill\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0smirk.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0just\u00a0worried\u00a0about\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caleb\u00a0shrugged.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u00a0would\u00a0bother\u00a0me?\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0dropped\u00a0the\u00a0subject\u00a0and\u00a0drove\u00a0straight\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0dinner<\/p>\n
When\u00a0they arrived,\u00a0Marcus\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0others\u00a0were\u00a0already\u00a0inside\u00a0the\u00a0private\u00a0room.\u00a0The\u00a0moment\u00a0Sydney\u00a0pushed\u00a0open\u00a0the\u00a0door,\u00a0the\u00a0room\u00a0fell\u00a0silent,\u00a0not because\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0arrival\u00a0but\u00a0because\u00a0Caleb\u00a0stood\u00a0quietly\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0side,\u00a0a\u00a0silent\u00a0claim.<\/p>\n
Even\u00a0Penelope\u00a0froze.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0called\u00a0earlier\u00a0to\u00a0check Cale\u2019s\u00a0availability.\u00a0He\u00a0said\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0free.\u00a0Yet\u00a0here\u00a0he<\/p>\n
was.<\/p>\n
Caleb\u2019s\u00a0brow\u00a0furrowed\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0watched\u00a0Sydney\u00a0enter.\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0you\u00a0say\u00a0this\u00a0was\u00a0dinner\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0coworkers?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0kept\u00a0her\u00a0expression\u00a0calm.\u00a0\u201cSince\u00a0Marcus\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0ag\u00a0nothing,\u00a0yes,\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0just\u00a0a\u00a0group\u00a0dinner\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n
1\/2<\/p>\n
Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she\u2019s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.<\/p>\n
When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 69 Chapter\u00a069 Chapter\u00a069 Sydney\u00a0watched\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0entitled\u00a0demeanor\u00a0and\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0help but\u00a0chuckle.\u00a0How\u00a0had\u00a0she\u00a0never\u00a0noticed\u00a0his\u00a0hypocrisy\u00a0before? […]<\/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-22052","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\/22052","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=22052"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22052\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}