Chapter 531\u00a0<\/p>\n
It felt as though something had suddenly gripped Sydney\u2019s heart, stealing her breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the other end of the line, Julian must not have heard her clearly-probably because of the wind rushing around him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPrecious, what did you just say?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney drew in a slow breath, pushing down the ache in her chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing,\u201d she murmured. \u201cYou\u2019ve reached the hotel, right?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through the speaker, she could hear his steady footsteps, then the faint whoosh of air as he stepped inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before he hung up, she asked quietly, \u201cIf I want to reach you later, should I still call this number?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d he said warmly with a low chuckle. \u201cNow can you finally get some sleep?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Not really\u2026\u2019 But Sydney didn\u2019t want Julian to worry. Not when he was half a world away. She nodded anyway, even though he couldn\u2019t see it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to sleep now.\u201d She paused. \u201cYou should rest early too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was nighttime there as well, given the time difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to say something more. But in the end, he only murmured, \u201cAlright.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the call ended, Sydney stared at the dark screen and laughed softly to herself.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was being ridiculous, wasn\u2019t she? Maybe she\u2019d watched too many melodramas-a single woman hearing her man\u2019s voice over the phone and letting her imagination run wild.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019d been nothing but good to her. She should trust him completely. The thought soothed her. Sleep returned quickly, and she curled under the covers, drifting off in peace,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even though she\u2019d gone to bed late, her body woke her at its usual time the next morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the next two days, Sydney was scheduled at the clinic for consultations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just as she sat down that morning, before calling the first patient, her phone pinged.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a voice message from Tiffany. A dramatic wail filled the room. \u201cBabe! Do you miss me? I miss you so much!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney laughed quietly. Tiffany had gotten too used to living with her. Just a few days apart, and she was already being dramatic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
.25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
Too lazy to type, Sydney recorded a quick reply. \u201cThen come stay at Delta Mansion tonight. We can have a sleepover.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Agatha\u2019s leg had nearly healed, and she\u2019d been giving the couple space by refusing to move back upstairs. The entire second floor was empty now, just Sydney alone at night. Having Tiffany there would be nice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tiffany replied right away, teasing, \u201cAnd where would I sleep? Between you two?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJulian\u2019s on a business trip.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPerfect! I\u2019m off today. What time do you finish work? I\u2019ll meet you at the clinic and we\u2019ll go together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney smiled. \u201cAround two. But I have a prenatal checkup at the hospital after that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEven better! I\u2019ll go with you. Julian hasn\u2019t been to any of your checkups yet, so I\u2019ll be the first one!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney laughed again and sent an \u201cOK\u201d sticker before calling her next patient.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time Sydney picked up her phone again, it was nearly 2:00 p.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tiffany had already been waiting at the clinic for half an hour. They had lunch together at a nearby restaurant, then headed to the hospital.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sitting in the passenger seat, Tiffany noticed the hospital name on the GPS and blinked in surprise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re doing your prenatal checkup at a Sterling Corp. hospital? So you already told Julian about the baby?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Previously, Sydney had been able to hide her pregnancy thanks to Diana, who had discreetly altered her medical records. But at a Sterling Corp-owned hospital, that trick wouldn\u2019t work\u00a0<\/p>\n
anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot yet,\u201d Sydney admitted, her hands steady on the wheel. \u201cBut I\u2019m not planning to hide it any longer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If he found out through the hospital, that would be fine. If not, she would tell him herself. That would be even better.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tiffany smiled. \u201cGood. That\u2019s how it should be.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing her best friend finally reach happiness after so many hardships, Tiffany couldn\u2019t help\u00a0<\/p>\n
but smile too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney glanced over. \u201cWhat about you and Raymond? Any progress there?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
-31\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t even start.\u201d Tiffany shot her a look. \u201cWhy on earth did you two let him move into that apartment?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Raymond may be a proud young heir who wouldn\u2019t do anything inappropriate, but knowing he lived right across the hall made her uneasy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then it hit her. That was what felt off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Someone as aloof and arrogant as Raymond, moving across from her? That didn\u2019t fit his character at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Though maybe she was overthinking. Haven was conveniently close to his hospital, after all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney smiled helplessly. \u201cI swear, it wasn\u2019t my doing. It had nothing to do with me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time she\u2019d found out, he had already moved in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tiffany pinched her cheek playfully at the red light. \u201cFine, I\u2019ll believe you this once.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But deep down, she knew it was probably Raymond and Julian teaming up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That apartment lease was long-term. Whoever lived there was ultimately Julian\u2019s choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a weekday, and Sterling Corp.\u2019s private hospitals charged high fees, so the obstetrics department wasn\u2019t crowded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney\u2019s checkup went smoothly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When it was time for the ultrasound, Tiffany went in with her. As the rhythmic sound of the baby\u2019s heartbeat filled the room, both women felt their eyes sting.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tiffany laughed and sniffled at once. \u201cIts heartbeat is so fast!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The doctor smiled. \u201cThat\u2019s perfectly normal for this stage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
When the checkup ended, Tiffany helped Sydney off the bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBabe, you\u2019re amazing,\u201d she said, half laughing, half crying. \u201cYou\u2019re really growing a little human in there!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney steadied herself and was about to reply when her phone chimed from inside her bag. As they walked out, Tiffany grabbed it for her, handing it over with a teasing grin. \u201cYou just finished your checkup and your CEO\u2019s already got the news?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney smiled faintly and unlocked the screen, then froze. Her entire body went rigid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was a text message with a photo.\u00a0<\/p>\n
[Dr. Wilson, the baby in her womb\u2026 Is it Mr. Sterling\u2019s?]\u00a0<\/p>\n
314\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
The photo showed Julian, impeccably dressed in a dark suit, gently supporting the arm of a heavily pregnant woman about his age. She was strikingly beautiful. Behind them, the sign on the door clearly read \u201cExamination Room\u201d in a foreign hospital\u2019s obstetrics department.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sydney stood there, motionless. A laugh almost rose in her throat but never made it out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tiffany immediately sensed something was wrong. She leaned over to look and froze too.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJulian wouldn\u2019t do that\u2026\u201d she stammered. \u201cDidn\u2019t you say he\u2019s on a business trip? This picture\u2019s gotta be photoshopped.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
D\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 531 Chapter 531\u00a0 It felt […]<\/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-22711","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\/22711","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=22711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22711\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}