Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 401

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You**
*by Aurelia*
**Chapter 401**

Sydney halted abruptly, her heart racing as she processed the weight of Tristan’s words. She pivoted on her heel, her voice sharp and laced with disbelief. “What did you just say?” The air around them felt charged, thick with tension.

Tristan maintained his composure, his expression unyielding as he met her gaze. “Work with me, and I’ll ensure the Sterling family is utterly annihilated.” His tone was deceptively casual, yet Sydney could sense the fury simmering beneath the surface, a fire that blazed in his eyes.

A frown creased her brow as she processed his statement. “You have a grudge against Julian?” she asked, her curiosity mingling with caution.

Tristan shook his head, a faint, unsettling smile playing on his lips that hinted at something darker. “It’s not just him. Like you, I harbor resentment towards the entire Sterling clan. Every single one of them deserves to meet their end.”

His nonchalant delivery sent a chill down Sydney’s spine, and she instinctively took a couple of steps back, her heart pounding. “You and I are not the same,” she asserted, trying to fortify her stance.

“Oh?” He tilted his head, an unsettling calmness in his voice that felt like a tightening noose. “You’re right. We’re not exactly alike. The Sterlings took my mother from me. But they took both of your parents from you. You, Ms. Wilson, have endured far greater suffering than I can imagine. Yet here you are, still making excuses for them. You truly have a knack for returning good for evil.”

Each of his words struck her like arrows, piercing through the defenses she had carefully built. He seemed to know everything about her—her past, her family, her pain—while she stood there feeling utterly exposed. In contrast, all she had was his name. This man had come prepared, armed with her vulnerabilities.

Sydney felt her fists clench tightly at her sides, her resolve beginning to waver. “That was Eloise’s doing. You can’t hold the entire family responsible,” she retorted, though her voice lacked the conviction she intended.

If she truly believed that, then the drug she had painstakingly developed would become her life’s work, a means of aiding the very family that had brought her so much anguish. The thought twisted deep within her, a knife of guilt and confusion.

Tristan let out a quiet, almost mocking laugh. “When Eloise murdered your parents, whose influence do you think she wielded? You honestly believe the Sterling family didn’t play a part in that? You’re far too righteous for your own good, Ms. Wilson.”

His tone shifted, becoming more insidious. “Or perhaps it’s not about righteousness at all. Maybe your connection to Julian blinds you to the truth.”

His voice softened, yet the sting of his words remained sharp. “Face it. You’ve created a miraculous drug for the Sterlings, the very people responsible for your family’s destruction. Tell me, doesn’t that complicate your thirst for revenge?”

Sydney felt her nails digging into her palms, the pain grounding her in the moment. She chose not to respond, instead turning on her heel and walking briskly toward the restroom, desperate to escape the weight of his accusations.

His words clung to her like a persistent fog, refusing to dissipate.

Was her animosity directed solely at Eloise, or did it extend to the entire Sterling family?

She had been distant lately, erecting walls around her heart, shunning his attempts to connect.

Julian’s brow furrowed, disappointment creeping into his expression. He released her, his voice turning icy. “Fine. If it’s nothing, then let it be nothing.”

He was done pouring effort into someone who clearly didn’t want it.

Oblivious to his irritation, Sydney practically sprinted into the restroom, seeking refuge from the storm of emotions swirling within her. Once she vanished from view, Julian pulled out a cigarette, rolling it between his fingers without lighting it, the act a futile gesture of distraction.

Raymond approached, his tone dry and unyielding. “Serves you right.”

Julian didn’t bother to argue. “You think I don’t know that? Shouldn’t you be looking for Tiffany? Why are you back here alone?”

Raymond snatched the unlit cigarette from Julian’s fingers, ignoring the jab. “Come on. Sydney was just about to expose your grandmother in front of everyone today, and you intervened. How do you expect her to still talk to you after that?”