Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 358

Chapter 358

There was no way Sydney would have allowed Julian to dominate her like this under any normal circumstances.

“What about the office?” he asked, his tone reckless and teasing. His lips left the warmth of hers only to dance across her brow and the delicate skin around her eyes, leaving a trail of soft kisses that ignited something inside her. “Sydney, if you even think about remarrying Caleb, I won’t just stop at kissing you here at work. I’ll kiss you at your wedding. In your house.”

His words were charged, filled with a reckless abandon that made her heart race and her mind whirl.

Anger stripped away the layers of restraint he usually wore like armor, and his words tumbled from his lips unchecked. “Do you believe me? I’ll kiss you right in front of Caleb, and I won’t care who sees.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Sydney snapped, her fury bubbling to the surface like a volcano ready to erupt. She drove her foot into his shin, the sharp impact shocking both of them. “Julian, what the hell do you want from me?”

He hadn’t anticipated her to retaliate with such force. Caught off guard, the pain shot through him, and he hissed, momentarily stunned by her unexpected aggression.

Yet, despite the anger that coursed through him, a laugh escaped his lips, mingled with disbelief. “What do I want? You really can’t tell? You can’t feel it?”

What else could he possibly desire? The answer was simple: he wanted her, and that truth hung heavily in the air between them.

Sydney’s expression hardened, her resolve solidifying like steel. She understood all too well what Julian was implying. He had laid it bare that day, and for a fleeting moment, she had wavered, nearly surrendering to the pull he exerted over her. But now, she felt an impenetrable wall rising within her.

She had spent years living alone, carefully navigating her emotions, guarding her heart like a precious treasure. Feelings had always seemed distant to her—fragile, fleeting, and never worth the risk. In her past, she had learned that survival meant endurance, control, and an unwavering focus on her own stability. Now, she faced a different reality, one that required her to stand firm in her decisions.

Taking a steadying breath, she posed a question that had been simmering in her mind. “Julian, if your grandmother and I fell into the water at the same time, who would you save?”

Women of Agatha’s generation rarely learned to swim, and Julian knew with certainty that his grandmother wouldn’t be able to float to save herself.

Her brows knitted together in concern. “So what do you want me to do?”

Leaning against the desk, Julian extended his injured leg, his voice firm and unyielding. “Treat me.”

Sydney pressed her lips together, contemplating her next move. With a resigned sigh, she walked over to where he sat and crouched down, rolling up his trouser leg.

The sight that greeted her made her breath hitch in her throat. In mere moments, the skin had turned a deep shade of red and purple, bruised far worse than she had anticipated.

Had she truly kicked that hard? Gently probing around the swelling, she assessed the damage and delivered her verdict. “It’s not broken, but it looks bad. Ice it first, then use some medicine for a few days.”

“Fine,” Julian replied, not one to argue, nodding as if her assessment were merely a matter of course. “Then you’ll handle the ice and medicine for me.”