Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 324

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 324**

Chapter 324

“Pftt! So, you find pride in flirting with your deceased husband’s younger brother, do you?”

Adeline nearly let the words slip from her lips, but she bit them back, prioritizing her grandson’s dignity over her immediate impulse to speak. The tension in the air was palpable, and she could sense the weight of the unspoken conflict hanging between them.

When Penelope reemerged from her room, having changed into something more suitable for whatever scheme she was concocting, Adeline felt a surge of curiosity bubble up within her. “Are you absolutely certain you can get your hands on Sydney’s research results?” she inquired, her voice laced with concern.

“What if I told you I’ve already secured them?” Penelope’s expression transformed into one of smug satisfaction, her smile stretching wider as if she were savoring a delicious secret. “Just wait and watch as Sydney becomes my vanquished rival.”

“You’re plotting against Syd again?” Adeline’s voice held a note of incredulity, her eyebrows knitting together in disapproval.

The sharp, accusatory voice that interrupted them came from the threshold, slicing through the tension like a knife.

Penelope spun around, her heart racing at the sight before her. It was Caleb—the man who had mysteriously disappeared for days, now standing a mere few feet away, his intense gaze fixed on her, absorbing every word that had been spoken.

A chill ran down her spine, memories of those harrowing days trapped in the basement flooding back. She felt a familiar prickling sensation at the back of her neck, a visceral reminder of the dread that had accompanied her during that time.

“I… it’s nothing,” she stammered, her voice faltering under the weight of his scrutiny.

“Really?” Caleb’s piercing stare felt like an eagle locking onto its prey, relentless and unyielding. “It had better be nothing. Because if it isn’t, I will address both the old and new grievances in one fell swoop.”

The last time she had orchestrated a scheme against Sydney, inciting others to kidnap her. Yet, the thugs who had been apprehended swore under interrogation that they had acted independently, leaving her to breathe a sigh of relief. Julian had caught wind of the rumors but had not pursued them further; after all, it had only been classified as an attempted kidnapping. With Adeline fiercely guarding the Hampton family’s reputation, Penelope had managed to evade significant repercussions.

For now, it was wise to let her dangle in uncertainty, Adeline mused.

He was right, she thought. If her beloved eldest grandson had not been born of this woman, she would have cast Penelope out long ago, without a second thought.

—

After departing from the Hutton family, Sydney made a brief stop at the research institute to assess the progress of her project before returning to Haven.

As she stepped out of the elevator, her gaze fell upon the door opposite her, wide open, an invitation that sent a shiver down her spine. Her pace quickened instinctively, her heart pounding in her chest.

Her arms still throbbed faintly, a reminder of the acupuncture sessions she had subjected herself to that morning. Had she not taken the time for those treatments before visiting the Huttons, she doubted she would have been steady enough to provide Florence with the care she desperately needed.

“What are you rushing for?” Just as her finger brushed against the lock screen, a low, cold voice echoed from behind her, languid yet commanding. “Didn’t you say this morning that my place is your home?”