hapter\u00a077<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0again,\u00a0Sydney\u2019s\u00a0most\u00a0humiliating\u00a0secrets\u00a0lay\u00a0bare\u00a0Before\u00a0Julian.\u00a0No\u00a0matter\u00a0how\u00a0she\u00a0heard\u00a0it,\u00a0she\u00a0caught\u00a0the\u00a0mocking\u00a0edge\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0tone.<\/p>\n
Without\u00a0thinking,\u00a0she\u00a0snapped\u00a0back\u00a0sharply,\u00a0\u201cWho\u00a0said\u00a0Caleb\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0are\u00a0living\u00a0separately?\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Sterling,\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0single.\u00a0You\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0understand.\u00a0Sometimes\u00a0sleeping\u00a0in\u00a0different\u00a0places\u00a0helps\u00a0couples\u00a0keep\u00a0things\u00a0fresh.\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u00a0raised\u00a0a\u00a0brow,\u00a0clearly\u00a0amused\u00a0by\u00a0her\u00a0prickly\u00a0stance.\u00a0\u201cIs\u00a0that\u00a0so?\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0tilted\u00a0his\u00a0head\u00a0slightly,\u00a0his\u00a0tone\u00a0cold\u00a0and\u00a0detached.\u00a0\u201cSince\u00a0when\u00a0do\u00a0couples\u00a0\u2018strengthen\u00a0their\u00a0bond\u2018\u00a0by\u00a0bringing\u00a0a\u00a0best\u00a0friend\u00a0along?\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0alcohol\u00a0still\u00a0clouded\u00a0her\u00a0mind.\u00a0Sydney blinked,\u00a0confused.\u00a0\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTiffany\u00a0called\u00a0earlier,\u201d\u00a0Julian\u00a0said\u00a0smoothly,\u00a0savoring\u00a0her\u00a0reaction.\u00a0\u201cShe\u00a0asked\u00a0why\u00a0you\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0home\u00a0yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0clenched\u00a0her\u00a0palm,\u00a0realizing\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0no\u00a0point\u00a0pretending\u00a0anymore.<\/p>\n
\u2018Fine.\u00a0Let\u00a0it\u00a0all\u00a0fall apart,\u2018\u00a0she\u00a0thought.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0living\u00a0apart,\u201d\u00a0she said\u00a0bluntly.\u00a0\u201cMy\u00a0marriage\u00a0is\u00a0exactly\u00a0what\u00a0the\u00a0rumors\u00a0say.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0complete<\/p>\n
mess.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0him.\u00a0Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0rimmed\u00a0red\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0alcohol\u00a0\u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0for\u00a0marrying\u00a0him\u00a0despite\u00a0your\u00a0warnings.\u00a0Happy\u00a0now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Then\u00a0she\u00a0grabbed\u00a0her\u00a0bag\u00a0and\u00a0practically\u00a0fled.<\/p>\n
Three\u00a0years\u00a0ago,\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0decided\u00a0to\u00a0marry\u00a0Caleb.\u00a0A\u00a0man\u00a0who\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0spoken\u00a0a\u00a0word\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0in\u00a0nearly\u00a0four\u00a0years\u00a0suddenly\u00a0reappeared,\u00a0dragged\u00a0her\u00a0into a\u00a0car,\u00a0and\u00a0coldly\u00a0declared,\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0approve\u00a0of\u00a0this\u00a0marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n
In\u00a0the\u00a0past,\u00a0Sydney\u00a0was\u00a0even\u00a0angrier\u00a0than\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0now.\u00a0Even\u00a0a\u00a0stray\u00a0dog\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0earned\u00a0some\u00a0affection\u00a0after\u00a0nine\u00a0years\u2014but\u00a0not\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
Sydney remembered\u00a0that\u00a0scorching\u00a0summer\u00a0day\u00a0clearly!<\/p>\n
Back\u00a0then\u2026<\/p>\n
The pavement\u00a0radiated\u00a0heat\u00a0well\u00a0over\u00a0104\u00b0F.\u00a0She\u00a0knelt\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0ground,\u00a0nearly\u00a0fainting\u00a0from\u00a0pain.\u00a0The\u00a0man\u00a0who\u00a0now\u00a0controlled\u00a0the\u00a0mighty\u00a0Sterling\u00a0Corp.\u00a0walked\u00a0past\u00a0her\u00a0without\u00a0a\u00a0glance.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0only\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0maid\u00a0and\u00a0said,\u00a0\u201cShe\u00a0upset\u00a0Grandma\u00a0again?\u00a0Keep\u00a0an\u00a0eye\u00a0on\u00a0her.\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0let\u00a0her\u00a0die.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then\u00a0he\u00a0walked\u00a0away\u00a0without\u00a0looking\u00a0back.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0next\u00a0time\u00a0he\u00a0showed\u00a0up,\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0to\u00a0dictate\u00a0her\u00a0marriage.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0take\u00a0it\u00a0well\u00a0and\u00a0ignored\u00a0everything\u00a0he\u00a0said.\u00a0The\u00a0argument\u00a0spiraled\u00a0until\u00a0she\u00a0jumped\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car.<\/p>\n
Whatever\u00a0bond\u00a0they\u2019d\u00a0had\u00a0shattered\u00a0completely.<\/p>\n
People\u00a0who\u00a0heard\u00a0the\u00a0story\u00a0said\u00a0Sydney\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0what\u00a0was\u00a0good\u00a0for\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
1\/2<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a077<\/p>\n
She\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0care.\u00a0She\u00a0refused\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0someone\u00a0others\u00a0could\u00a0throw\u00a0away\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0stray.<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
Only\u00a0after\u00a0Sydney\u00a0disappeared\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0did\u00a0Julian\u00a0finally\u00a0look\u00a0away.\u00a0He\u00a0could\u00a0still\u00a0feel\u00a0the\u00a0softness\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0skin\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0fingertips.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0air\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0grew\u00a0heavy\u00a0as\u00a0Elliot\u00a0sighed.\u00a0\u201cMr.\u00a0Sterling,\u00a0Ms.\u00a0Wilson\u00a0has\u00a0always\u00a0responded\u00a0to\u00a0kindness,\u00a0not\u00a0force.\u00a0If\u00a0you\u2019d\u00a0spoken\u00a0gently,\u00a0she\u00a0probably\u00a0would\u2019ve forgiven\u00a0you\u00a0by\u00a0now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh?\u00a0Do\u00a0I\u00a0owe\u00a0her\u00a0something?\u201d\u00a0Julian\u00a0slowly\u00a0removed\u00a0his\u00a0silver\u00a0band.\u00a0His\u00a0icy\u00a0dark\u00a0eyes\u00a0reflected\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0rearview\u00a0mirror.\u00a0\u201cMust\u00a0I\u00a0grovel\u00a0for\u00a0her\u00a0forgiveness?\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0owe\u00a0her\u00a0anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018I\u00a0do,\u2018\u00a0Elliot\u00a0thought\u00a0silently.\u00a0\u2018I\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0brought\u00a0it\u00a0up.\u2018<\/p>\n
He\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0smack\u00a0his\u00a0own\u00a0mouth.\u00a0It\u00a0wasn\u2019t like\u00a0he\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0know\u00a0Julian.\u00a0He\u00a0could\u00a0be\u00a0exhumed\u00a0500\u00a0years<\/p>\n
from\u00a0now\u00a0and\u00a0still\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0stiff\u00a0jaw.\u00a0Literally.<\/p>\n
\u2018Oh,\u00a0wait,\u00a0by\u00a0then\u00a0it\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0be\u00a0his\u00a0jaw.\u00a0His\u00a0bones\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0clanking\u00a0with\u00a0stubbornness.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0had\u00a0barely\u00a0unlocked\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0when\u00a0Tiffany\u00a0burst\u00a0from\u00a0behind\u00a0the\u00a0desk\u00a0and\u00a0skidded to\u00a0her\u00a0knees\u00a0in\u00a0a<\/p>\n
dramatic\u00a0bow.<\/p>\n
Tiffany\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0expected\u00a0that.\u00a0If\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0known\u00a0Julian\u00a0answered\u00a0Sydney\u2019s\u00a0phone\u00a0earlier,\u00a0she\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0kept\u00a0her\u00a0lips\u00a0sealed.<\/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 77 hapter\u00a077 Once\u00a0again,\u00a0Sydney\u2019s\u00a0most\u00a0humiliating\u00a0secrets\u00a0lay\u00a0bare\u00a0Before\u00a0Julian.\u00a0No\u00a0matter\u00a0how\u00a0she\u00a0heard\u00a0it,\u00a0she\u00a0caught\u00a0the\u00a0mocking\u00a0edge\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0tone. Without\u00a0thinking,\u00a0she\u00a0snapped\u00a0back\u00a0sharply,\u00a0\u201cWho\u00a0said\u00a0Caleb\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0are\u00a0living\u00a0separately?\u00a0Mr.\u00a0Sterling,\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0single.\u00a0You\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0understand.\u00a0Sometimes\u00a0sleeping\u00a0in\u00a0different\u00a0places\u00a0helps\u00a0couples\u00a0keep\u00a0things\u00a0fresh.\u201d Julian\u00a0raised\u00a0a\u00a0brow,\u00a0clearly\u00a0amused\u00a0by\u00a0her\u00a0prickly\u00a0stance.\u00a0\u201cIs\u00a0that\u00a0so?\u201d […]<\/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-22060","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\/22060","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=22060"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22060\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}