Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 425

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 425**

**Chapter 425**

In her early years, little Megan found herself in a constant struggle for attention, her youthful spirit clashing with the delicate presence of baby Vivian, who was still cocooned in swaddling clothes. The competition was fierce, a battle of wills between a child yearning to be seen and a newborn whose very existence drew all eyes.

As the years rolled on, Megan’s fiery temperament only intensified. In the town of Brimcrest, the term “arrogant” barely scratched the surface of her true nature. With the formidable backing of the Hutton family’s vast influence, she lived life on her own terms, a tempest in a teacup.

Whenever trouble found her, she had a reliable ally in Theodore. Burdened by a profound sense of guilt towards her, he would step in to smooth over the chaos she created, never uttering a word of complaint. This pattern of indulgence over the years had eroded her sense of boundaries, leaving her untethered and unrestrained.

“Alright,” Sydney replied with a gentle nod, her eyes glistening with concern as they flicked up to meet James’s. “Um, are you okay?”

She sensed a shift in his demeanor, a shadow that had crept in since Megan’s earlier outburst. It was as if a cloud had settled over him, darkening the atmosphere.

James offered a faint smile, one that seemed to carry a hint of self-deprecation. “I’m fine. You should rest for a bit.”

Perhaps it was the lingering exhaustion from her recent hospital stay, but once he left the room, Sydney felt her eyelids grow heavy. She lay down and succumbed to sleep almost immediately, the world around her fading into a soft cocoon of dreams.

When she finally stirred awake, the room was drenched in the warm glow of afternoon sunlight, and a wave of nostalgia washed over her. It reminded her of those lazy childhood afternoons when she would nap a little too long, jolting awake in a panic, her heart racing as she rushed to find Julian.

But the comforting fabric of memory unraveled quickly, revealing the stark reality she found herself in. This was not the familiar Sterling estate she had known; it was the Hutton residence, a place that felt both foreign and oddly familiar.

After a quick wash, she felt a spark of alertness return. Opening her door, she began her descent down the elegant curved staircase. Halfway down, a figure caught her eye, seated in an armchair in the living room, his back turned to her. Yet, even from that angle, she recognized him instantly, as if her very being had memorized the contours of his presence long before her mind could catch up.

Florence, ever observant, was the first to spot her. A warm smile spread across her face as she beckoned. “Sydney, you’re awake? Come down, your brother’s here to see you.”

Sydney’s heart skipped a beat, her breath hitching in her throat. ‘Brother…’ The word echoed in her mind, heavy with implications.

There was only one man that could mean.

In the depths of her heart, she had convinced herself that Julian would retreat into the shadows upon discovering the truth about the child she carried—not his, but a painful reminder of what could have been. That was how he had always navigated their relationship—coldly, from a distance, as if avoiding the very air that surrounded her.

In the dining room, Florence took Sydney’s hand, guiding her to a seat beside her. The others filled the round table, and Julian ended up directly across from her, an unspoken tension hanging in the air.

A teasing voice broke the moment. “Why does no one ever call me when there’s company for dinner?”

Megan sauntered in, her tone sweet yet pointed, slipping effortlessly into the seat beside Julian as if she belonged there.

Florence’s expression remained unchanged, her demeanor steady. “This is your home. No one can stop you from eating if you want to.”

“Honey.” Theodore reached across the table, patting Megan’s hand with a gesture that was both gentle and firm, a reminder of his authority.

Then, shifting his gaze to Megan, he added, “Alright, that’s enough. Just eat and stop upsetting your mother.”

The air in the room shifted once more, a blend of familial warmth and underlying tension, as they prepared to share a meal together, each lost in their own thoughts and emotions, bound by blood yet separated by unspoken words.