Chapter\u00a086\u00a0<\/p>\n
Plenty\u00a0of\u00a0\u201cpure\u00a0schoolgirl\u201d\u00a0types\u00a0had\u00a0shown\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0gathering\u00a0tonight,\u00a0but\u00a0next\u00a0to\u00a0Sydney,\u00a0they\u00a0all\u00a0faded\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0background.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0wore\u00a0a\u00a0simple\u00a0dark\u2013green\u00a0dress.\u00a0Nothing\u00a0flashy,\u00a0not\u00a0among\u00a0the\u00a0elite\u00a0daughters\u00a0in\u00a0attendance.\u00a0Still,\u00a0her\u00a0figure\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0face\u00a0drew\u00a0attention\u00a0without\u00a0effort.<\/p>\n
Victor\u00a0licked\u00a0his\u00a0lips.\u00a0\u201cWith\u00a0a\u00a0waist\u00a0and\u00a0hips\u00a0like\u00a0that,\u00a0I\u00a0bet\u00a0it\u2019d\u00a0feel\u00a0incredible\u00a0to\u00a0touch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGo\u00a0ahead,\u00a0try\u00a0it.\u201d\u00a0Sydney\u00a0leaned\u00a0casually\u00a0against\u00a0the\u00a0wall\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0faint smile.\u00a0\u201cThen\u00a0guess\u00a0which\u00a0hand\u00a0Julian\u00a0will\u00a0cut\u00a0off\u00a0when\u00a0he\u00a0finds\u00a0out.\u00a0Left\u00a0or\u00a0right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s\u00a0name\u00a0alone\u00a0made\u00a0Victor\u00a0flinch.\u00a0Fear\u00a0of\u00a0him\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0embedded\u00a0since\u00a0childhood.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0recover\u00a0some\u00a0swagger.\u00a0\u201cDo\u00a0you\u00a0take me\u00a0for\u00a0an\u00a0idiot?\u00a0After\u00a0that\u00a0family\u00a0dinner,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0obvious\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0Julian\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0in\u00a0touch\u00a0privately.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0proof,\u00a0but\u00a0it\u00a0made\u00a0sense.\u00a0Even\u00a0without\u00a0being\u00a0close\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0Sterlings,\u00a0anyone\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0extended\u00a0family\u00a0picked\u00a0up\u00a0on\u00a0things.<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s\u00a0fingers\u00a0curled\u00a0into\u00a0her\u00a0palm,\u00a0but\u00a0her\u00a0expression\u00a0stayed\u00a0mild.\u00a0\u201cIf\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0in\u00a0touch\u00a0with\u00a0him,\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0I\u00a0could\u2019ve\u00a0gotten\u00a0into\u00a0Sterling\u00a0Corp.\u2019s\u00a0project?\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0meant\u00a0the\u00a0cancer\u00a0research\u00a0initiative.\u00a0He\u2019d\u00a0heard\u00a0the\u00a0rumors,\u00a0but\u00a0given\u00a0how\u00a0many\u00a0times\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0tricked\u00a0him\u00a0before,\u00a0trusting\u00a0her\u00a0now\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0could\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0coincidence,\u201d\u00a0Victor\u00a0muttered.\u00a0\u201cThey\u2019ve\u00a0got\u00a0hundreds\u00a0of\u00a0projects.\u00a0He\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0oversee\u00a0them\u00a0all.\u00a0Someone\u00a0probably\u00a0slipped\u00a0you\u00a0in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u00a0me?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0gave\u00a0a\u00a0light\u00a0shrug.\u00a0\u201cA\u00a0complete\u00a0nobody?\u00a0If\u00a0it\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0for\u00a0his\u00a0help,\u00a0how\u00a0could\u00a0I\u00a0possibly\u00a0get\u00a0in?<\/p>\n
11<\/p>\n
That\u00a0hit\u00a0him\u00a0hard.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0only\u00a0real\u00a0achievement\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0one\u00a0stellar\u00a0exam\u00a0and\u00a0gaining\u00a0admission\u00a0to\u00a0Jouleston\u00a0University.\u00a0After\u00a0that,\u00a0she\u2019d\u00a0kept\u00a0a\u00a0low\u00a0profile,\u00a0working\u00a0quietly\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0clinic.\u00a0By\u00a0credentials\u00a0alone,\u00a0she\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0qualified\u00a0for\u00a0any\u00a0major\u00a0initiative\u00a0of\u00a0Sterling\u00a0Corp.,\u00a0let\u00a0alone\u00a0a\u00a0flagship\u00a0project.<\/p>\n
Victor narrowed\u00a0his\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0really\u00a0still\u00a0meet\u00a0with\u00a0Julian?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course.\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0nodded,\u00a0calm\u00a0as\u00a0ever.\u00a0\u201cHe\u00a0drove\u00a0me\u00a0home\u00a0after\u00a0the department\u00a0dinner\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0days\u00a0ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0said\u00a0that\u00a0without\u00a0guilt\u00a0because\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0true,\u00a0And\u00a0if\u00a0Victor\u00a0decided\u00a0to\u00a0pull\u00a0surveillance\u00a0records,\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0already\u00a0prepared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou!\u201d\u00a0Victor\u00a0ground\u00a0his\u00a0teeth.\u00a0\u201cJust\u00a0wait.\u00a0If\u00a0I\u00a0catch\u00a0you\u00a0lying\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0again,\u00a0I\u00a0swear\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0ruin\u00a0you!\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0stormed\u00a0off,\u00a0furious.\u00a0The\u00a0moment\u00a0he\u00a0thought\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0the\u00a0upper\u00a0hand,\u00a0Julian\u00a0threw\u00a0everything\u00a0off\u00a0again.<\/p>\n
Back\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0hall,\u00a0a\u00a0young\u00a0woman\u00a0approached\u00a0him,\u00a0holding\u00a0two\u00a0glasses.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0attractive,\u00a0but\u00a0half\u00a0her\u00a0appeal\u00a0came\u00a0from\u00a0trying\u00a0too\u00a0hard\u00a0to\u00a0appear\u00a0refined.\u00a0It\u00a0felt\u00a0forced.\u00a0She\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0his\u00a0type.<\/p>\n
Victor\u00a0frowned.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0do\u00a0need\u00a0something.\u201d\u00a0Penelope\u00a0smiled\u00a0and\u00a0offered\u00a0hin\u00a0a\u00a0glass.\u00a0\u201cVictor,\u00a0right?\u00a0Maybe\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0work<\/p>\n
1\/2<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a086<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
together.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0eyed\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0betrayed\u00a0a\u00a0flicker\u00a0of\u00a0contempt.\u00a0\u2018You\u2019re\u00a0the\u00a0sister\u2013in\u2013law\u00a0who\u00a0has\u00a0an\u00a0affair\u00a0with\u00a0Caleb,\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0you?\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u00a0made\u00a0her\u00a0Sydney\u2019s\u00a0sister\u2013in\u2013law\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0His\u00a0interest\u00a0stirred.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0cooperation\u00a0are\u00a0we\u00a0talking\u00a0about?\u201d<\/p>\n
Penelope\u00a0glanced\u00a0toward\u00a0the\u00a0courtyard,\u00a0then\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0him\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0clear,\u00a0bright\u00a0smile.\u00a0\u201cA\u00a0mutually\u00a0beneficial\u00a0one.\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 86 Chapter\u00a086\u00a0 Plenty\u00a0of\u00a0\u201cpure\u00a0schoolgirl\u201d\u00a0types\u00a0had\u00a0shown\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0gathering\u00a0tonight,\u00a0but\u00a0next\u00a0to\u00a0Sydney,\u00a0they\u00a0all\u00a0faded\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0background. She\u00a0wore\u00a0a\u00a0simple\u00a0dark\u2013green\u00a0dress.\u00a0Nothing\u00a0flashy,\u00a0not\u00a0among\u00a0the\u00a0elite\u00a0daughters\u00a0in\u00a0attendance.\u00a0Still,\u00a0her\u00a0figure\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0face\u00a0drew\u00a0attention\u00a0without\u00a0effort. Victor\u00a0licked\u00a0his\u00a0lips.\u00a0\u201cWith\u00a0a\u00a0waist\u00a0and\u00a0hips\u00a0like\u00a0that,\u00a0I\u00a0bet\u00a0it\u2019d\u00a0feel\u00a0incredible\u00a0to\u00a0touch.\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-22069","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\/22069","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=22069"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22069\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22069"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}