Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 307

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 307**

**Chapter 307**

In an effort to quell the tumultuous storm brewing within her, Sydney raised her eyes, attempting to cloak her anxiety beneath a veil of irritation. “So, what exactly do you want?” she demanded, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of tension.

“Tonight.” Julian’s gaze lingered on her, his eyes meticulously tracing the contours of her radiant, flawless features.

For a fleeting moment, a significant understanding flickered in his eyes, only to be quickly replaced by a downward glance. His lips brushed against her ear as he leaned closer, whispering, “You’ll assist me personally in…”

His breath, warm and tantalizing, caressed her skin, while his lips grazed her ear with a feather-like touch.

In that instant, Sydney felt as though the very air had been stolen from her lungs.

When the final word reached her, a rush of heat surged to her cheeks, painting her face a deep crimson. Even her fingertips quivered with a tremor she couldn’t control. The notion that such audacious words could emerge from a man so poised, so impeccably refined, left her utterly flabbergasted.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about!” she blurted out, her eyes darting away from his intense gaze, desperately searching for an escape. Panic surged within her, and she instinctively shoved him back, stammering, “I-I don’t even know how to do something like that!”

When she had signed that contract, her sole focus had been on saving Tiffany. If Julian desired her body, she could accept that. Better him than Victor—infinitely better. Yet, she had never fathomed that the dynamics between adults could be so tangled and perplexing.

That night, when they had nearly crossed a threshold, she had been teetering on the brink of stopping it. And now, he expected her to take the lead? To engage in something so scandalous? It felt utterly impossible.

As she attempted to break free, Julian’s hand closed around her wrist with a gentle yet firm grip. “Not knowing is perfectly fine. I have experience. I can teach you,” he said, his tone calm and collected as if he were discussing a mundane business transaction.

Sydney’s heart raced wildly in her chest. Who had asked for his lessons? Experience?

Her thoughts spiraled, drifting away from the unsettling idea of when and how he had acquired that experience, and what those encounters must have entailed. The mere thought ignited a flush in her cheeks.

They stood amidst a celebration party, of all settings, and she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her, rendering her speechless. In conversations about other topics, she could hold her own against him, trading witty remarks with ease. But when it came to something as indecent as this, she felt utterly defenseless.

“Sydney?”

“A lady?”

“Yeah.” Marcus’s smile radiated genuine warmth, a stark contrast to the tension she had just experienced. “And quite a distinguished one—from the Hutton family of Brimcrest City.”

Sydney’s eyes widened slightly, her mind racing. The Hutton family of Brimcrest City…

Raymond Hutton was the fourth heir of that illustrious family. In Brimcrest, their status was comparable to that of the Sterlings of Jouleston. Their influence had been expanding, and they even seemed poised to eclipse the Sterlings soon.

More importantly, Diana Hutton, Raymond’s eldest sister, was rapidly ascending the ranks in both political and business circles, wielding considerable power and influence.

As she followed Marcus into a lounge adjacent to the banquet hall, her thoughts swirled with the implications of this connection.

Inside, a small gathering of six or seven people filled the room.

Her gaze landed on an elegant woman seated in a wheelchair. Despite the faint weariness etched on her face, her beauty and grace remained striking, a testament to her refinement. She appeared to be just past fifty, exuding an air of quiet strength that captivated Sydney.