Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 404

**Chapter 404**

As the conversation meandered back to familiar territory, a pang of regret washed over Tiffany, stirring up memories she wished she could bury.

“You two are such a perfect match,” she mused, her voice laced with a bittersweet tone. “If it weren’t for that wretched old woman in the Sterling family, you would never have been driven apart.”

Her words hung in the air, momentarily silencing Sydney, who found herself lost in thought. Julian had never outright denied the truth—not during their tumultuous past and certainly not in the recent press conference that had sent shockwaves through their lives.

But what did that really signify? At best, it simply indicated that he hadn’t yet grown weary of her presence, a thought that offered little comfort.

Meanwhile, the online world was ablaze with fervor.

[Ahhh, I can’t take it! A cold CEO and a genius researcher—this is destiny in the flesh!]

[Another blogger chimed in, claiming they were childhood sweethearts! Julian lost his parents at a young age, and Sydney’s an orphan too. They’re each other’s salvation!]

[Guys, did you notice? Julian’s tall as a skyscraper, yet in every photo, Sydney’s the one leading the way!]

[Detail lovers, we bow to this level of perfection!]

As Sydney scrolled through the myriad of comments, one question gnawed at her: How on earth did those intimate pictures even surface?

In all fairness, Julian’s private life had always been a fortress. Over the years, no one had managed to capture even a blurry image of him when he was off-duty. Which audacious paparazzo had the audacity to breach that fortress now?

Suddenly, a name flashed through her mind like a neon sign: Tristan Sinclair.

That man was the embodiment of wicked charm, and it was painfully clear that he had set his sights on both her and Julian. Reckless and unpredictable, he thrived in chaos, and the uproar online bore all the hallmarks of his handiwork.

She stepped aside, allowing him entry into her sanctuary.

“I haven’t eaten either. I’ll join too.” Just as she turned to shut the door, Julian’s voice sliced through the air, casual yet dripping with his signature arrogance.

Before she could muster a response, Julian strode across the threshold in just three long strides, his presence commanding and leaving no room for dissent.

As Caleb bent to retrieve a pair of disposable slippers from the rack, Julian brushed past him, effortlessly pulling out his own house slippers from the cabinet—those familiar, worn-in shoes he used to wear during his stays here.

As if that weren’t enough to provoke a reaction, he shot a sideways glance, his eyes narrowing in playful challenge.

With an air of mock innocence, he asked, “How come I had brand-new slippers the first time I came here, but he’s been here so many times and still gets the disposable kind?”

The tension in the room shifted, charged with unspoken emotions and the echoes of past encounters. Sydney felt the weight of their shared history pressing down on her, and the air crackled with anticipation, each moment stretching out as she braced herself for what would come next.