Chapter 427\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, the air around the dinner table froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney knew exactly what he meant, but uncertainty churned inside her. She instinctively looked up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Under the warm glow of the chandelier, Julian\u2019s sharp features seemed even more defined-stern, cool, distant, as if carved from stone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She almost doubted her own hearing. Had those words truly come from his mouth?\u00a0<\/p>\n
But when his dark eyes met hers, she knew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yes. They had.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Heat rushed through her chest. She lowered her gaze, avoiding his steady stare. Something inside her surged uncontrollably\u2014an ache, a longing she could neither name nor suppress.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Megan was oblivious to the tension, and her smile widened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen let\u2019s make a bet,\u201d she said brightly. \u201cWe\u2019ll see who gives in first. Me or whoever you\u2019re waiting for.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Raymond\u2019s patience finally snapped. \u201cCan\u2019t you tell he doesn\u2019t even want to look at you? Can\u2019t you keep quiet for one meal?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
No one knew better than he did. Julian would never look at Megan that way. That man had already fallen, completely and irrevocably, for Sydney.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had repeatedly warned his sister not to chase an impossible dream. Yet the more she failed, the harder she pushed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Megan\u2019s face flushed with anger. \u201cRaymond! Are we even family anymore?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theodore shot his son a glare. \u201cYou come home once in a century, and the first thing you do is upset your sister.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have that many sisters,\u201d Raymond said with a faint smile, his tone calm but firm. \u201cJust one older sister, and one younger one, Vee.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDad!\u201d Tears welled in Megan\u2019s eyes. \u201cDid you hear what he just said? Him, Diana, James\u2026 none of them ever-\u00a0<\/p>\n
Megan had joined the Hutton family when she was seven, growing up alongside the others. But no matter how many years passed, they had never truly seen her as one of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theodore was the only one who ever treated her like family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Florence\u2019s expression darkened, but she said nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Trying to ease the tension, Raymond arched a brow and turned to Julian. \u201cHad enough to eat? Come on, I\u2019ll show you my father\u2019s collection room. He\u2019s got a treasure trove of antiques.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Theodore had no bad habits, but he did have an obsession with rare artifacts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian raised a brow, then nodded, \u201cAlright.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the two men left, Sydney knew she should not stay either.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. and Mrs. Hutton,\u201d she said politely, rising from her seat. \u201cThank you for dinner. I\u2019ll head upstairs first.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had just started up the stairs when faint sounds of argument drifted from the dining room. Megan\u2019s broken sobs echoed behind her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney did not pause. She quickened her pace and went upstairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A guest should always know their place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as she reached her room, a light tap landed on her shoulder. She turned, startled, to see Raymond.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRay, what is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He nodded toward her room. \u201cJust checking. Are you comfortable here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am,\u201d she said with a small smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Strangely, she really was. She usually had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places, yet she had slept soundly here.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d Raymond nodded, then cleared his throat. \u201cThere\u2019s a small terrace on the fourth floor. The night view\u2019s great. Go take a look if you get bored.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Hutton estate rose halfway up the mountain, and it reminded her of how she and Julian once climbed out the window at the Sterling estate to sit on the rooftop and watch Jouleston below.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had always loved night views.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Raymond left, she noticed it was still early and decided to go up for some fresh air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before she reached the terrace railing, a familiar, cool voice came from behind her. \u201cIf you really want to draw a line between us, why can\u2019t you at least pretend not to care?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s back stiffened. She turned too quickly. \u201cWhat are you talking about? I don\u2019t understand.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s hand was in his pocket as he walked toward her, his steps deliberate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t understand,\u201d he echoed softly with a dangerous smile. \u201cTruly, or conveniently?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Under his\u00a0<\/p>\n
she\u00a0<\/p>\n
gaze, she felt completely exposed, every emotion she had tried to bury laid bare. With this man, never had anywhere to hide. He could shatter her composure with just a few words, like now, using Megan\u2019s teasing to push her to the edge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s eyes stayed fixed on her, his brows drawing together. \u201cSo you did understand, didn\u2019t you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It sounded like a question, but his tone left no doubt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney inhaled slowly and forced down the ache rising in her chest. \u201cYes, I did. So what?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She met his gaze, her voice calm but trembling at the edges. \u201cMr. Sterling, are you saying you\u2019re willing to be someone\u2019s stepfather?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stepped closer, and she instinctively stepped back. Then, unexpectedly, he gave a low laugh-half bitter, half\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 427\u00a0<\/p>\n
resigned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I said yes, would that make you happy?\u201d he murmured.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He held her gaze, his eyes dark and unreadable. \u201cIf that\u2019s what it takes, then fine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His voice dropped to a husky whisper. \u201cI said yes, Sydney. I\u2019ll take it. I\u2019ll be the damn stepfather.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Each syllable fell heavy and sharp, cutting straight into her chest. For a moment, her mind went blank.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At dinner, when he had rejected Megan so clearly, she had assumed she had understood him. However, she had never imagined this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A proud, untouchable man like him, born to stand above others, was now lowering his head for her. And yet, after all those years wishing he would yield just once, she felt no joy-only pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His words were like barbed hooks, sinking into her heart and twisting deep. Her chest ached so much she could hardly breathe.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the moonlight, she lifted her eyes and met his. Those dark, fathomless eyes were full of something raw and dangerous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as his lips parted to speak again, something inside her broke loose. Before she could think, she rose onto her toes, reached up, and kissed him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t even know why. Maybe because, deep down, she didn\u2019t want him to lower his head. A man like him should never have to bow to anyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
P\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 427 Chapter 427\u00a0 For a […]<\/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-22550","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\/22550","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=22550"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22550\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22606,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22550\/revisions\/22606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22550"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22550"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22550"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}