Chapter 144\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy should I go home with you?\u201d Sydney flushed, embarrassed in public, and tried to pull her hand free. \u201cCaleb, can you be reasonable for once?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb frowned. \u201cI\u2019m not being reasonable?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had no words. Just seeing her laugh so easily with another man had left him burning with irritation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earlier, Penelope had begged him to take her shopping. He hadn\u2019t wanted to raise suspicion, so he\u2019d gone along as usual. Who could have guessed he\u2019d stumble onto this scene?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney was his wife. He could accept her working with other men, but spending her free time with them unsettled him to no end.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s voice turned icy. \u201cSo your idea of reason is double standards?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He could come and go with Penelope as he pleased, yet the moment she had dinner with another man, he lost control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb\u2019s tone left no room for debate. \u201cPenny\u2019s already moved out. I\u2019ll take you to Haven now, pack your things, and bring you home.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if I refuse?\u201d Sydney shot back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSyd, you don\u2019t get a choice in this,\u201d Caleb said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The elevator doors opened as he pulled her forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHampton.\u201d A deep, steady echoed. \u201cI step away to take a call, and my sister disappears. Turns out you dragged her out here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb\u2019s brow creased, but relief washed over him when he realized the situation. He glanced at Sydney. \u201cYou were having dinner with Julian?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney hummed, doubling her embarrassment in front of Julian and yanking her hand free.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her skin was delicate. Just from that brief grip, a red mark had already risen on her pale wrist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s expression darkened. \u201cShe doesn\u2019t even have the freedom to share a meal with someone?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course she does,\u201d Caleb said, forcing patience into his voice. \u201cI just worry she might run into someone with bad intentions, someone who could take advantage of her. If I\u2019d known she was with you, I wouldn\u2019t have worried.\u00a0<\/p>\n
11\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone in their circle knew how fiercely Julian protected Sydney. Back in middle school, Sydney had already been pretty enough to attract endless love letters. Julian had tossed every single one into the trash. Nothing enraged him more than a boy daring to covet his sister.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With Julian watching over her, Caleb felt more at ease.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian checked Sydney\u2019s wrist, rubbing the mark while his gaze darkened. \u201cShe\u2019s an adult now. She has the right to choose who she spends her time with.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney froze for a moment. Julian almost sounded like his old self again-the big brother who shielded her, never letting anyone so much as lay a hand on her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb noticed the red mark and felt guilt flicker across his face.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI overreacted.\u201d He softened his tone, offering her an easy out. \u201cBy the way, Julian just moved. We\u2019re all going over next week for a housewarming. Come along.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s first thought wasn\u2019t the gathering, but that she could see Yoyo openly. \u201cGot it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her compliance softened Caleb\u2019s gaze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018She\u2019s obedient most of the time,\u2019 he thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney went to the clinic as usual.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ornaments hung at the entrance and over the parking lot. The holiday atmosphere was everywhere. Other departments were nearly empty, yet her appointments still filled as soon as registration opened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her nurses felt torn-slightly resentful, mostly grateful. Other departments let staff take time off, but hers worked straight through until holiday eve.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every year, Sydney paid them triple out of her own pocket. The perks here outshone any hospital in town.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Knowing patients were eager to leave, Sydney skipped acupuncture, sending them off with medicine if their condition allowed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSyd, don\u2019t forget-come straight over after work,\u201d Eliana called.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney smiled. \u201cIt\u2019s Alan\u2019s birthday. Even if you hadn\u2019t invited me, I\u2019d have to crash the party.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Alan\u2019s medical skill was impressive. If he wanted, his door would be flooded with guests for days.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 144 Chapter 144\u00a0 \u201cWhy should […]<\/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-22126","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\/22126","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=22126"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22126\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22262,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22126\/revisions\/22262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}