Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 455

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You**
**by Aurelia Novel 455**

**Chapter 455**

The thought had never once flitted through Sydney’s mind. Sterling Corp. had always been synonymous with real estate, an empire built on bricks and mortar, and with Julian’s staggering net worth, he was undeniably the richest man in Jouleston—at least when it came to property holdings. The apartment just across the hall was merely a temporary lodging for him, a transient space that bore no resemblance to the grandeur of his true residence, Delta Mansion, which lay only a short drive away, nestled among the sprawling landscapes of the city.

She blinked in disbelief, her heart racing. “You’re not going back to Delta Mansion?”

“No,” Julian replied, his voice calm and collected, as if the answer were the most natural thing in the world. “If I’ve got nowhere to stay, who else should I look to?”

His reasoning was precisely the kind of logic she should have anticipated from him. It was quintessentially Julian—always practical, always with an air of nonchalance.

As she wiped the shampoo foam that threatened to invade her eyes, Sydney felt a mix of irritation and amusement. “Then I’ll ask my mentor to switch places.”

“Sure,” Julian chuckled softly, the sound warm and teasing. “Go ahead. In the middle of the night, wake those two elders up for me.”

A sly grin crept onto her face as she mulled over his words. ‘So that was his plan all along. He must have decided it the moment he arranged for Alan to move in next door. What a scheming man,’ she mused, a hint of admiration creeping into her thoughts.

“I’m in the shower,” she reminded him, her voice echoing slightly against the tiled walls.

“The door code’s the same as before,” he replied, his tone light, before the call ended abruptly.

Staring at her phone, Sydney let out a long breath, the weight of the moment settling over her. She returned to rinsing her hair, but when the faint sound of the front door unlocking reached her ears, her thoughts began to spiral into a chaotic tangle.

She had spent countless nights at his place, but this was an entirely different scenario—he was now in her space, the intimacy of it sending her heart racing.

With her mind in disarray, she rinsed out the remaining shampoo and reached for the body wash, only to find herself absentmindedly applying it to her hair once more.

With a resigned sigh, she surrendered her pride. “Can you grab me a set of pajamas?”

Julian, sensing her fatigue, decided against teasing her further. “Wait there.”

He turned towards her walk-in closet, intending to grab something at random. But as he opened the door and peered inside, his brows shot up in surprise.

Her wardrobe was a riot of colors and styles, a vivid expression of her personality.

When she dressed to go out, she always exuded an effortless elegance, each outfit carefully curated to reflect her taste. But her loungewear told a different story, a playful collection that ranged from sweet and bold to outright whimsical. And now, he noticed, there was a new addition—something undeniably sexy.

His gaze landed on a silk nightdress that seemed more like a whisper of fabric than an actual piece of clothing. A rush of heat flared through him, pooling low and heavy in his gut before he could even begin to process it.