\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 184\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was not until they reached the Hampton estate that Sydney finally found her answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Penelope had not returned for New Year\u2019s, but Timothy had. He clung to Adeline\u2019s side for once, unusually quiet and obedient.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They arrived just as dinner was being served. Before anyone could even sit down, the housekeeper announced the meal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone moved into the dining room. Adeline\u2019s displeasure showed plainly. \u201cRare enough for you to come home for New Year\u2019s, and you show up right at mealtime. To outsiders, it would look as if you were the elder here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her target was obvious.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney pretended not to hear, but Caleb would not let it pass. His voice remained steady. \u201cMom, the fault is mine for not arranging my time properly. If someone must be scolded, scold me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCal!\u201d Adeline drew a sharp breath. \u201cRemember, I\u2019m your mother, yet you always defend outsiders.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe \u2018outsiders\u2019 you mean\u2026\u201d Sydney lifted her head and smiled faintly. \u201cAre you referring to me? Or to my sister-in-law?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If the remark was meant for her, it would be unjust. If for Penelope, then it should never have been spoken in front of her. She\u00a0<\/p>\n
had no reason to shoulder someone else\u2019s resentment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adeline\u2019s expression tightened. Her teeth clicked as she bit down. \u201cOf course it\u2019s natural for Cal to defend his sister-in-law. He\u2019s simply helping watch over Penny and her child for Lucas\u2019 sake. Why must you twist things into a fuss?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For years she had feared Caleb might truly marry Penelope. For the Hampton family\u2019s reputation, she now refused to admit it\u00a0<\/p>\n
aloud.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s smile deepened. \u201cThen him defending me should be even more natural. What is there for you to be angry about?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSydney!\u201d Adeline\u2019s temper flared. It was not the first time her sharp tongue had left Adeline cornered. \u201cIf you-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough.\u201d Dorothy\u2019s face darkened as she turned to her. \u201cAdeline, if the children arrive late, then they arrive late. It\u2019s New Year\u2019s. No need to make an issue of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Mother.\u201d Adeline fell silent at once, her fear of her mother-in-law outweighing her anger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Halfway through the meal, Caleb\u2019s phone rang. He leaned close to Sydney and spoke softly. \u201cEat well. I\u2019ll just step out for this call.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She blinked, unsettled. \u201cAlright.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the past, he would never have offered such an explanation before leaving the table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She peeled prawns by hand and was about to dip them in sauce when a housekeeper serving dessert spilled half a bowl of eggnog\u00a0<\/p>\n
over her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Ms. Wilson, my hand slipped!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney waved it off. \u201cIt\u2019s fine. I\u2019ll just go clean up.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She rose and headed for the bathroom. The spill had only touched her sleeve, and she thought it would wash out quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Crossing the back courtyard, she heard Caleb\u2019s voice. \u201cAre you sure you can track it down? As long as there\u2019s any clue about her, spare no cost.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney froze. Before she could register what he meant, her eyes met his.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A flicker of guilt crossed his face. He lowered his voice, muttered something into the phone, and walked quickly toward her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPenelope\u2019s missing?\u201d Sydney asked with a faint smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d He shook his head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It had been Gordon on the line. He had reported they were close to discovering which family in Jouleston had adopted Precious years ago. However, Caleb could not bring himself to tell her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney could think of no one else who would drive him to such urgency, but she chose not to press. \u201cI\u2019ll just clean up in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
bathroom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The eggnog proved harder to wash out than she expected. She scrubbed under running water until her arm ached, yet the stain barely lightened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She still had to attend the Sterling family\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve dinner. Eloise would surely notice and deliver a few barbed remarks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Sydney fretted, a sudden knock sounded at the bathroom door.\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 184 \u00a0 Chapter 184\u00a0 It […]<\/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-22166","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\/22166","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=22166"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22166\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22302,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22166\/revisions\/22302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22166"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22166"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}