The\u00a0more\u00a0Sydney\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0defend\u00a0herself,\u00a0the\u00a0guiltier\u00a0she\u00a0would\u00a0appear\u00a0in\u00a0other\u00a0people\u2019s\u00a0eyes.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0already\u00a0reviewed\u00a0the\u00a0r\u00e9sum\u00e9s\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0two\u00a0men\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0way\u00a0here\u00a0and\u00a0felt\u00a0certain\u00a0she\u00a0could\u00a0silence\u00a0them\u00a0with<\/p>\n
results.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0rush\u00a0into\u00a0conversation\u00a0but\u00a0walked\u00a0over\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0herb\u00a0cabinet\u00a0and\u00a0began\u00a0inspecting\u00a0the\u00a0contents<\/p>\n
one\u00a0by\u00a0one.<\/p>\n
Marcus\u00a0asked,\u00a0\u201cDo\u00a0we\u00a0really\u00a0need\u00a0that\u00a0many\u00a0types\u00a0of\u00a0herbs?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d\u00a0Sydney\u00a0replied.\u00a0\u201cAt\u00a0the\u00a0clinic,\u00a0our\u00a0herbs\u00a0were\u00a0vetted\u00a0by\u00a0our\u00a0mentor\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0beginning.\u00a0The\u00a0suppliers\u00a0have\u00a0followed\u00a0that\u00a0standard\u00a0ever\u00a0since,\u00a0so\u00a0we\u00a0don\u2019t need\u00a0to\u00a0double\u2013check\u00a0the\u00a0quality.\u00a0But\u00a0for\u00a0Sterling\u00a0Corp.,\u00a0we\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0check\u00a0everything\u00a0ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Color,\u00a0texture,\u00a0age\u2013even\u00a0whether\u00a0something\u00a0was\u00a0wild\u2013harvested\u00a0or\u00a0cultivated\u2013could\u00a0affect\u00a0a\u00a0formula\u2019s\u00a0efficacy.\u00a0In\u00a0that\u00a0sense,\u00a0her\u00a0specialized\u00a0herbal\u00a0medicine\u00a0was\u00a0far\u00a0more\u00a0difficult\u00a0to\u00a0develop\u00a0than\u00a0conventional\u00a0drugs.<\/p>\n
Marcus\u00a0looked\u00a0sheepish.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0years,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0still\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0made\u00a0that\u00a0a\u00a0habit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0normal.\u00a0You\u2019re\u00a0the\u00a0boss,\u201d\u00a0Sydney\u00a0said\u00a0lightly.\u00a0\u201cThere\u2019s\u00a0always\u00a0someone\u00a0else\u00a0handling\u00a0the\u00a0details\u00a0for\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marcus\u00a0laughed\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cThen I\u2019m\u00a0counting\u00a0on\u00a0you\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0an\u00a0eye\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0clinic\u00a0for\u00a0me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t\u00a0worry.\u201d\u00a0As\u00a0she\u00a0spoke,\u00a0she\u00a0picked\u00a0up\u00a0an\u00a0herb\u00a0and\u00a0brought\u00a0it\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0nose\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0careful\u00a0sniff.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0two\u00a0men\u00a0sitting\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0watched\u00a0with\u00a0undisguised\u00a0contempt.\u00a0Seeing\u00a0her\u00a0doing\u00a0what\u00a0they\u00a0considered\u00a0grunt\u00a0work\u00a0only\u00a0fueled\u00a0their\u00a0disdain.\u00a0Bored,\u00a0they\u00a0slouched\u00a0in\u00a0their\u00a0chairs\u00a0and\u00a0started\u00a0playing\u00a0games\u00a0on\u00a0their\u00a0phones.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0ignored\u00a0them.\u00a0Her\u00a0attention\u00a0stayed\u00a0locked\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0work.\u00a0Once\u00a0she\u00a0finished\u00a0inspecting\u00a0the\u00a0herbs,\u00a0she\u00a0and\u00a0Marcus\u00a0sat\u00a0down\u00a0to\u00a0discuss\u00a0the\u00a0development\u00a0plan.<\/p>\n
When\u00a0she\u00a0shifted\u00a0into\u00a0work\u00a0mode,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0sparked\u00a0with\u00a0intensity.\u00a0For a\u00a0moment,\u00a0Marcus\u00a0found\u00a0himself\u00a0so\u00a0struck\u00a0by\u00a0her\u00a0brilliance\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0could\u00a0barely follow\u00a0her\u00a0train\u00a0of\u00a0thought.<\/p>\n
Dusk\u00a0had\u00a0already\u00a0settled\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0time\u00a0someone\u00a0knocked\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0lab\u00a0door,\u00a0pulling\u00a0her\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0zone.<\/p>\n
Charlotte\u00a0Lindstrom\u00a0stood\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0entrance,\u00a0poised\u00a0and\u00a0elegant\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0silk\u00a0blouse\u00a0and\u00a0fitted\u00a0skirt,\u00a0her\u00a0smile\u00a0polished\u00a0and\u00a0warm.\u00a0\u201cTo\u00a0celebrate\u00a0the\u00a0official\u00a0kickoff\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0project team,\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Sterling\u00a0has\u00a0booked\u00a0a\u00a0private<\/p>\n
room\u00a0at\u00a0Moonshine\u00a0Pavilion\u00a0for\u00a0dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0project\u00a0manager\u00a0blinked\u00a0in\u00a0surprise,\u00a0then\u00a0quickly\u00a0responded.\u00a0\u201cOf\u00a0course,\u00a0Charlotte,\u00a0please\u00a0thank\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Sterling\u00a0for\u00a0us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Charlotte\u00a0smiled,\u00a0\u201cHe\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0attending\u00a0in\u00a0person.\u00a0You\u00a0can\u00a0thank\u00a0him\u00a0yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo\u00a0way!\u201d\u00a0someone\u00a0exclaimed.<\/p>\n
Out\u00a0of\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0projects\u00a0under\u00a0Sterling\u00a0Corp.,\u00a0only\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0ever\u00a0received\u00a0Julian\u2019s\u00a0direct\u00a0involvement.\u00a0For\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0show\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0team\u00a0dinner?\u00a0That\u00a0was\u00a0unheard\u00a0of.<\/p>\n
1\/2<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a074<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
Charlotte\u00a0only\u00a0smiled,\u00a0cryptic\u00a0as\u00a0ever.\u00a0\u201cGuess.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then\u00a0she\u00a0walked\u00a0straight\u00a0over\u00a0to Sydney,\u00a0extended\u00a0her\u00a0hand,\u00a0and\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0smile,\u00a0\u201cHi,\u00a0Ms.\u00a0Wilson.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0Charlotte\u00a0Lindstrom,\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Julian\u00a0Sterling\u2019s\u00a0secretary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0froze\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0beat.\u00a0She\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0expected\u00a0Charlotte\u00a0to\u00a0approach\u00a0her\u00a0so\u00a0directly.\u00a0Still,\u00a0she\u00a0quickly\u00a0composed\u00a0herself\u00a0and\u00a0shook\u00a0the\u00a0offered\u00a0hand.\u00a0\u201cMs.\u00a0Lindstrom,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0sure\u00a0we\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0relying\u00a0on\u00a0you\u00a0quite\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0while\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0here\u00a0at\u00a0Sterling\u00a0Corp.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHappy\u00a0to\u00a0help,\u201d\u00a0Charlotte\u00a0replied\u00a0smoothly.\u00a0\u201cShall\u00a0we\u00a0add\u00a0each\u00a0other\u00a0on\u00a0WhatsApp?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0quite\u00a0tell\u00a0what\u00a0the\u00a0woman\u00a0was\u00a0aiming\u00a0for,\u00a0but\u00a0exchanging\u00a0contacts\u00a0would\u00a0definitely\u00a0come\u00a0in\u00a0handy.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ll\u00a0scan\u00a0yours?\u201d<\/p>\n
After\u00a0Charlotte\u00a0left,\u00a0the\u00a0two\u00a0men\u00a0who\u00a0had\u00a0mocked\u00a0Sydney\u00a0earlier\u00a0suddenly\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0with\u00a0something\u00a0closer\u00a0to\u00a0respect\u2014or\u00a0wariness.<\/p>\n
They\u00a0had\u00a0assumed\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0only\u00a0minor\u00a0connections.\u00a0But\u00a0how?\u00a0If\u00a0even\u00a0Charlotte\u00a0treated\u00a0her\u00a0with\u00a0that\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0deference,\u00a0who\u00a0exactly\u00a0was\u00a0backing\u00a0her?<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0care\u00a0what\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0thinking.\u00a0Before\u00a0heading\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0restaurant,\u00a0she\u00a0and\u00a0Marcus\u00a0finalized\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0potential\u00a0prescriptions.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0restaurant,\u00a0Sydney\u00a0stopped\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0restroom\u00a0before\u00a0joining\u00a0the\u00a0others.<\/p>\n
When\u00a0she\u00a0pushed\u00a0open\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0private\u00a0room,\u00a0she\u00a0froze.\u00a0Earlier,\u00a0when\u00a0Charlotte\u00a0hinted\u00a0Julian\u00a0might\u00a0show\u00a0up,\u00a0most\u00a0had\u00a0assumed\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0joking.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0man\u00a0like\u00a0him,\u00a0drowning\u00a0in\u00a0responsibilities,\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0possibly\u00a0make\u00a0time\u00a0for\u00a0something\u00a0as\u00a0trivial\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0project\u00a0team\u00a0dinner.<\/p>\n
Yet\u00a0there\u00a0he\u00a0was,\u00a0with\u00a0sharp,\u00a0striking\u00a0features\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0cold,\u00a0commanding\u00a0presence\u00a0that\u00a0made\u00a0the\u00a0air\u00a0feel\u00a0heavier\u00a0even\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0sat\u00a0there\u00a0casually.<\/p>\n
Hearing\u00a0the door,\u00a0Julian\u00a0looked\u00a0up.\u00a0His\u00a0eyes\u00a0narrowed\u00a0slightly\u00a0as\u00a0they\u00a0landed\u00a0on\u00a0her.\u00a0His\u00a0voice\u00a0came\u00a0low\u00a0and\u00a0lazy.\u00a0\u201cTeam\u00a0Lead\u00a0Wilson,\u00a0why\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0frozen\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0door?\u00a0Are\u00a0you\u00a0afraid\u00a0of\u00a0me?\u201d<\/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 74 The\u00a0more\u00a0Sydney\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0defend\u00a0herself,\u00a0the\u00a0guiltier\u00a0she\u00a0would\u00a0appear\u00a0in\u00a0other\u00a0people\u2019s\u00a0eyes.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0already\u00a0reviewed\u00a0the\u00a0r\u00e9sum\u00e9s\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0two\u00a0men\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0way\u00a0here\u00a0and\u00a0felt\u00a0certain\u00a0she\u00a0could\u00a0silence\u00a0them\u00a0with results. She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0rush\u00a0into\u00a0conversation\u00a0but\u00a0walked\u00a0over\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0herb\u00a0cabinet\u00a0and\u00a0began\u00a0inspecting\u00a0the\u00a0contents one\u00a0by\u00a0one. […]<\/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-22057","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\/22057","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=22057"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22057\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22057"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22057"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}