Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 409

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You**
**by Aurelia**
**Chapter 409**

The moment those two words escaped Caleb’s lips, Adeline felt as if the world had frozen around her. An icy grip of disbelief and shock wrapped around her heart, leaving her momentarily speechless. How could he even suggest such a thing?

In the back seat, Penelope’s composure shattered like glass. Her eyes widened with panic, and she began to claw at the car door as if trying to escape a nightmare. “Mom! Mom! Cal is taking me to get rid of the baby!” she shrieked, her voice breaking with desperation. Each word was a dagger aimed directly at Adeline’s heart, leaving her reeling.

Adeline’s complexion drained of color, her mind racing. She turned to Caleb, her disbelief morphing into a fierce protective instinct. “Do you understand that this baby is already forming? You want to terminate at this stage? Cal, that is your child!” Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and sorrow, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on her.

Caleb’s response was chillingly detached. “Whether it is mine or not is still up in the air,” he replied, his tone devoid of warmth, as if he were discussing a trivial matter rather than a life-changing decision.

Without another word, he climbed into the driver’s seat, the door slamming shut with a finality that echoed in Adeline’s ears. He turned the key in the ignition, the engine roaring to life, and with a swift motion, he released the handbrake and pressed down on the accelerator. Each action was executed with a chilling precision that sent a shiver down Adeline’s spine. He was resolute in his intent to take Penelope for an abortion, and nothing seemed capable of swaying him.

“Caleb!” Penelope’s voice broke, her sobs filling the car with a haunting melody of despair. “No! No! I know I was wrong! Please don’t take the baby from me. I beg you!” Her pleas were raw and desperate, but they fell on deaf ears, as Caleb’s expression remained unyielding. He acted as if her words were nothing but empty echoes, a testament to the lies she had spun from the very beginning.

As the car began to inch toward the exit, a surge of panic washed over Adeline. She couldn’t let this happen. In a moment of instinct, she stepped directly in front of the vehicle, her heart pounding in her chest.

Caleb slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching against the asphalt, and the sudden halt jolted everyone inside the car. Adeline stood her ground, her feet rooted firmly to the ground. “Cal, whatever mistakes you may have made in the past, your grandmother and I have always supported you. This is about the Hampton bloodline. You need to think beyond just yourself. Your grandmother will never agree to this either. If you are determined to end this baby’s life, you will have to go through me first.” Her voice was steady, filled with a fierce determination that belied the turmoil inside her.

After leaving the Sterling estate earlier that day, Adeline had rushed Penelope to the hospital, where doctors confirmed the pregnancy and the gestational weeks aligned perfectly. They had even mentioned a threatened miscarriage. Otherwise, Adeline would have already ordered a paternity test without hesitation.

The implications of Caleb’s words hung in the air like a chilling breeze.

In the entire Hampton lineage, only Lucas had been easily manipulated. Why should this child, growing within Penelope, be dismissed by Caleb? What if it had been Sydney carrying this baby instead?

The thought ignited a darker fury within Penelope. She vowed silently to make Sydney suffer for this betrayal. No matter the cost, Sydney would not escape unscathed.