Chapter 593\u00a0<\/p>\n
After arriving at the company, Caleb went straight to the top-floor office. When he entered, Julian stood by the window, gazing down at the streets below.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb stopped beside the sofa. \u201cYou wanted to see me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only then did Julian turn around, unhurried. His dark eyes gave nothing away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He studied Caleb for a long moment before speaking. \u201cDo you still remember the first time you met Syd?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
On the way over, Caleb had imagined countless possible conversations with Julian. This question had not crossed his mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He froze briefly. \u2018The first time I met Syd\u2026\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Setting aside the car accident years ago, he could recall very little. At the time, she had been nothing more than a friend\u2019s younger sister. Someone not worth remembering too closely.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All he truly recalled was that each time they met, little Sydney would smile brightly and call him \u201cCal.\u201d Her eyes curved into crescents, deep dimples appearing in both cheeks. She had been adorable and well behaved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb steadied himself and spoke evenly. \u201cWhat exactly are you trying to say?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAmong all of us, you were the one she trusted most back then.\u201d Julian rolled an unlit cigarette between his fingers. \u201cThe first time she met you, she kept calling you \u2018Cal.\u2019 Later, when she wanted to leave the Sterling family and find somewhere safe, you were the first person she thought of.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He let out a low laugh. \u201cYou probably do not know this either. When Eliana was poisoned, she trusted you too.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb paused, then replied flatly, \u201cJules, this is not your style.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian lifted an eyebrow. \u201cWhat is not?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaying the emotional card.\u201d Caleb cut straight to the point, his expression turning cold. \u201cThat is not how you usually operate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian snapped the cigarette in half and dropped it into the trash. A thin, icy smile curved his lips. \u201cDo you really want her to know how pathetic you look right now? Do you want her to know that the person she trusted most poisoned the person closest to her?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a split second, Caleb wavered. Then his expression settled once more. \u201cBelieve it or not, I did not administer the poison.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian\u2019s gaze sharpened. \u201cBut the antidote is in your hands.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb frowned and said nothing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian did not look away. \u201cWhat are you planning to do? Use the antidote to force her to remarry you? Or make her run away with you? Caleb, you are even more despicable than I thought.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb gave a faint, indifferent smile. \u201cWe are not that different. None of us is more righteous than the other.\u201d Julian\u2019s only advantage lay in those nine extra years he had spent with Sydney. If Caleb had owned those years\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 593\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
instead, he would not be hesitating now.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are right.\u201d Julian\u2019s lips curled. \u201cThat is why I am here today. To make a trade.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb glanced at him. \u201cA trade?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAn antidote for an antidote.\u201d Julian checked his watch with casual precision. \u201cRight about now, your grandmother\u2019s poison should be taking effect.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you say?!\u201d Caleb\u2019s expression shifted violently. Before he could press further, his phone rang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The call lasted only a few seconds, yet his face changed repeatedly. When he hung up and looked back at Julian, he swung his fist straight at him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian had expected it. He shifted slightly and dodged with ease. \u201cWhy the hurry? You said it yourself. None of us is more righteous than the other. I do not have your patience for dealing with complicated antidotes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He met Caleb\u2019s gaze. \u201cThis poison has a three-hour window. Miss it, and even God cannot save her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFine.\u201d Caleb drew a deep breath and gave in. \u201cI will trade.\u201d 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
When it came to ruthlessness, he was no match for Julian.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian glanced at Elliot behind him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elliot stepped forward and handed over a small glass vial. \u201cMr. Hampton.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb took it. Elliot then extended his palm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Caleb did not move, Elliot spoke coolly. \u201cMr. Hampton, if you do not hand it over now, you will not make it back in time to deliver the antidote within three hours.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Caleb clenched his jaw. \u201cThis is Hampton Corp.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Elliot replied without hesitation, \u201cAnd Hampton Corp. is in Jouleston.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jouleston was Sterling territory.\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 593 Chapter 593\u00a0 After arriving […]<\/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-22773","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\/22773","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=22773"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22797,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22773\/revisions\/22797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}