Sydney\u00a0froze\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0split\u00a0second,\u00a0instinctively\u00a0defending\u00a0herself.\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0me.\u00a0Penelope\u00a0was\u00a0just-<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0care\u00a0who\u00a0it\u00a0was.\u00a0Go\u00a0apologize\u00a0to\u00a0Penny.\u00a0Now.\u201d\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0tone\u00a0brooked\u00a0no\u00a0argument.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0elbow\u00a0still\u00a0throbbed\u00a0where\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0gripped\u00a0her\u00a0too\u00a0hard,\u00a0but she\u00a0dug\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0heels,\u00a0refusing\u00a0to\u00a0budge.\u00a0No\u00a0matter\u00a0how\u00a0hard he\u00a0tugged,\u00a0she\u00a0stood\u00a0her ground.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0told\u00a0you,\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0me.\u00a0Why\u00a0should\u00a0I\u00a0apologize?\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0questioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cSydney,\u201d\u00a0Caleb\u00a0paused\u00a0mid\u2013step,\u00a0towering\u00a0over\u00a0her\u00a0with\u00a0narrowed\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cIf\u00a0this\u00a0were\u00a0the\u00a0past,\u00a0I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0hesitated\u00a0to\u00a0believe\u00a0you.\u00a0But\u00a0now,\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0recognize\u00a0you\u00a0anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019d\u00a0witnessed\u00a0the\u00a0change\u00a0firsthand.<\/p>\n
When\u00a0she\u00a0smashed\u00a0that\u00a0vase\u00a0on\u00a0Penelope,\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0told\u00a0himself\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0just\u00a0been\u00a0upset\u2013people\u00a0acted\u00a0out\u00a0when\u00a0angry.<\/p>\n
Lately,\u00a0she\u00a0used\u00a0work\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0clinic\u00a0as\u00a0an\u00a0excuse,\u00a0leaving\u00a0at\u00a0dawn\u00a0and\u00a0returning\u00a0long\u00a0after\u00a0nightfall,\u00a0barely\u00a0present\u00a0at\u00a0home.\u00a0Even\u00a0when\u00a0Nancy\u00a0asked\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0simple\u00a0herbal\u00a0recipe\u00a0for\u00a0Timothy,\u00a0Sydney\u00a0had\u00a0refused.\u00a0He\u00a0kept\u00a0telling\u00a0himself\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0young,\u00a0still\u00a0growing,\u00a0and\u00a0needed\u00a0time.<\/p>\n
Then\u00a0came\u00a0the\u00a0restaurant\u00a0incident.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0embarrassed\u00a0Penelope\u00a0and\u00a0him\u00a0publicly,\u00a0then\u00a0turned\u00a0around\u00a0and\u00a0mocked\u00a0both\u00a0of\u00a0them\u00a0without\u00a0remorse.\u00a0Yet\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0let\u00a0it\u00a0slide.<\/p>\n
But\u00a0moment\u00a0by\u00a0moment,\u00a0she\u00a0became\u00a0nothing\u00a0like\u00a0the\u00a0gentle,\u00a0well\u2013mannered\u00a0girl\u00a0he\u00a0once\u00a0knew.\u00a0How\u00a0could\u00a0he\u00a0trust\u00a0her\u00a0anymore?<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0gave\u00a0a\u00a0faint,\u00a0mirthless\u00a0smile.\u00a0When\u00a0she\u00a0lifted\u00a0her\u00a0gaze,\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0unnervingly\u00a0calm.\u00a0\u201cThen\u00a0believe\u00a0whatever\u00a0you\u00a0want.\u201d<\/p>\n
As\u00a0if\u00a0his\u00a0trust were\u00a0so\u00a0precious.\u00a0Besides,\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0investigating\u00a0this.\u00a0He\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the\u00a0law.\u00a0The\u00a0police\u00a0would<\/p>\n
handle\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
Caleb\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0locked\u00a0onto\u00a0hers,\u00a0his\u00a0handsome\u00a0face\u00a0clouding\u00a0with\u00a0disappointment.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u00a0did\u00a0you\u00a0say?\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0understand\u00a0it.\u00a0How\u00a0had\u00a0she\u00a0become\u00a0like\u00a0this?<\/p>\n
He\u00a0had\u00a0carefully\u00a0considered\u00a0this\u00a0confrontation,\u00a0prepared\u00a0for\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0hurt,\u00a0wronged,\u00a0maybe\u00a0even\u00a0to\u00a0cry.\u00a0What\u00a0he\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0expected\u00a0was\u00a0this\u00a0indifference.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0genuinely\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0seem\u00a0to\u00a0care.\u00a0Not\u00a0about\u00a0his\u00a0words,\u00a0or\u00a0perhaps,\u00a0not\u00a0about\u00a0him\u00a0at\u00a0all.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u00a0blinked\u00a0slowly,\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0said,\u00a0believe\u00a0whatever\u00a0you\u00a0want.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0added,\u00a0her\u00a0voice\u00a0soft\u00a0but\u00a0icy,\u00a0\u201cCaleb,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0disappointed\u00a0you.\u00a0You\u2019re\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0victim<\/p>\n
here,\u201d<\/p>\n
Caleb\u00a0stared at\u00a0her,\u00a0stunned.\u00a0His\u00a0hand\u00a0slid\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0harm.\u00a0And\u00a0just\u00a0like\u00a0that,\u00a0everything\u00a0they\u00a0had\u00a0once\u00a0shared\u00a0between\u00a0them\u00a0evaporated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen\u00a0did\u00a0you\u00a0become like\u00a0this?\u201d\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0voice\u00a0was\u00a0hollow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0always\u00a0been\u00a0this\u00a0way,\u201d\u00a0Being\u00a0endlessly\u00a0obedient\u00a0had\u00a0never\u00a0been\u00a0her\u00a0nature.\u00a0And\u00a0now\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0here,\u00a0Sydney\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0mind\u00a0revealing\u00a0her\u00a0true\u00a0self.<\/p>\n
4\/2<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a081<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0appreciate\u00a0these\u00a0past\u00a0three\u00a0years,\u00a0Caleb.\u00a0For\u00a0giving\u00a0me\u00a0space\u00a0to\u00a0work\u00a0without\u00a0distractions,\u00a0and\u00a0for\u00a0keeping\u00a0the\u00a0Sterling\u00a0family\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0business.\u00a0But\u00a0that\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0mean\u00a0I\u00a0owe\u00a0you\u00a0blind\u00a0obedience.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0your\u00a0punching\u00a0bag,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo\u00a0what\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0saying\u00a0is\u2026\u201d\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0sharpened\u00a0with\u00a0realization.\u00a0His\u00a0tone\u00a0turned\u00a0scathing.\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0using\u00a0me?\u00a0Using\u00a0the\u00a0Hampton\u00a0family?\u201d<\/p>\n
The\u00a0thought hit\u00a0him\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0physical\u00a0blow.\u00a0Everything\u2013her\u00a0sweetness,\u00a0her\u00a0docile\u00a0smiles,\u00a0her\u00a0compliance-\u00a0had\u00a0all\u00a0been\u00a0an\u00a0act?\u00a0Even\u00a0their\u00a0marriage\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0calculations?<\/p>\n
If\u00a0it\u00a0were\u00a0all\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0some\u00a0grand\u00a0plan,\u00a0then\u00a0was\u00a0every\u00a0emotion\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0ever\u00a0shown\u00a0him\u00a0all\u00a0a\u00a0lie?<\/p>\n
Fury\u00a0rushed\u00a0in,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u00a0tangled\u00a0with\u00a0something\u00a0else\u2013something\u00a0heavier\u00a0pressing\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0chest\u00a0until\u00a0he\u00a0could\u00a0hardly\u00a0breathe.\u00a0He\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0recognize\u00a0the\u00a0feeling.<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a082<\/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 81 Sydney\u00a0froze\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0split\u00a0second,\u00a0instinctively\u00a0defending\u00a0herself.\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0me.\u00a0Penelope\u00a0was\u00a0just- \u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0care\u00a0who\u00a0it\u00a0was.\u00a0Go\u00a0apologize\u00a0to\u00a0Penny.\u00a0Now.\u201d\u00a0Caleb\u2019s\u00a0tone\u00a0brooked\u00a0no\u00a0argument. Her\u00a0elbow\u00a0still\u00a0throbbed\u00a0where\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0gripped\u00a0her\u00a0too\u00a0hard,\u00a0but she\u00a0dug\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0heels,\u00a0refusing\u00a0to\u00a0budge.\u00a0No\u00a0matter\u00a0how\u00a0hard […]<\/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-22064","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\/22064","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=22064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22064\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}