Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 408

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 408**

**Chapter 408**

In an instant, Caleb’s demeanor shifted, a storm brewing in his eyes. He entered the room with a purposeful stride, the atmosphere around him growing heavy, almost oppressive.

“You didn’t get rid of it?” His voice sliced through the silence, low and menacing, like a judge delivering a verdict that would change everything.

Penelope felt her heart drop. She froze, the bowl of soup she had been preparing slipping from her trembling fingers and crashing onto the table with a splatter that mirrored her inner turmoil. Her eyes, usually bright and full of life, now brimmed with tears, reflecting her despair.

“I… I couldn’t do it,” she managed to stammer, her voice barely above a whisper. “Cal, I went to the hospital, I really did. But once I got there, I just… I couldn’t. I couldn’t go through with it.” Her breath hitched, each word a struggle against the weight of her emotions.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she reached out for him, desperation clawing at her throat. “We used to love each other so much. Can’t you let me have this baby? Please, I’m begging you.” The thought of losing the child felt like an anchor pulling her down into an abyss from which she might never return.

Caleb’s lips twisted into a mirthless grin, a harsh laugh escaping him. “Couldn’t do it? You mean you couldn’t give up the baby, or you couldn’t give up your own life?” His words dripped with contempt, each syllable a reminder of the chasm that had formed between them.

“Of course it’s our baby!” Penelope cried, her grip tightening on his sleeve, her hands quaking with emotion. “No matter what, it’s a life. It’s innocent…” Her voice cracked, the weight of her plea hanging in the air.

“Yes,” Caleb replied coldly, his grip on her wrist tightening until she flinched, a spark of fear igniting in her chest. “It is innocent. But you aren’t. If this child comes from you, then it’s already unfortunate.” His gaze hardened, a wall of ice forming between them. “Since you can’t do it yourself, I’ll help you.”

Before she could fully comprehend his intentions, he yanked her toward the door, an iron grip that left her breathless.

Panic surged through her veins as the reality of his words sank in. More tears cascaded down her cheeks as she fought against him, her voice rising in a frantic plea. “No! Cal, please! This is your child! How can you be so cruel to your own flesh and blood?” Her heart raced, the desperation palpable in the air.

Yet, that fear had morphed into a twisted obsession. She yearned to be the mistress of the Hampton family, convinced that as long as Caleb held power, the Hamptons would rise alongside him, and she would be at his side.

Unfortunately for her, her tears stirred no pity within him; they only deepened his disgust. He shoved her back, reaching for the door, ready to slam it shut, when a voice sliced through the tension like a knife.

“Cal! Where are you taking her?”

Adeline rushed across the courtyard, her face a mask of alarm. She had witnessed the fury in her son’s eyes and knew that nothing good would come from this confrontation.

Caleb remained steadfast, meeting his mother’s gaze with a cold resolve. “She’s pregnant. I’m taking her to Haven. It’s quieter there and easier to take care of her.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words linger in the air, heavy and suffocating. “The doctor says prenatal care is very important.” The finality in his tone sent a chill down Penelope’s spine, as if sealing her fate with a mere statement.