Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 461

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 461**

**Chapter 461**

The instant Sydney caught sight of Julian’s frown, she pivoted mid-sentence, her mind racing. “That’s not the right question. What I really meant to ask was, who taught you how to mix the filling?”

Julian had confidently asserted that he had baked the muffins all by himself. If he claimed he had done it, then she believed him wholeheartedly. If he insisted that the sun rose in the west, she wouldn’t dare to dispute it. The alternative—enduring another round of his passive-aggressive jabs—was simply too exhausting to consider.

He cast her a sidelong glance, his eyebrow arching in mock curiosity. “Why? Are you planning to become my apprentice?”

Sydney nearly sputtered on her drink. “Of course not! I’m just curious, that’s all.”

She had long reconciled herself with the fact that culinary skills were not her forte, and she had no desire to put herself through the agony of trying to improve.

With a casual flick of his wrist, he pushed half of his omelet toward her. “Here, eat up. After this, you’ll need to head across the hall for your medicine.”

“Huh?” She blinked, the realization dawning on her. Alan must have anticipated her tendency to procrastinate, so Eliana had likely prepared the medicine early that morning.

“You already went to see them?” she inquired, her voice laced with surprise.

“Yeah,” he replied, his tone deceptively casual.

‘More or less,’ he thought to himself, suppressing a smirk.

When Julian had dropped by to pick up the muffins, the couple had already been awake. Eliana was in the midst of her morning yoga routine, stretching gracefully while the fragrant herbs simmered on the stove. Alan had just returned from downstairs, cradling breakfast in his arms.

Both of them had stiffened at the sight of him, their expressions a mix of wariness and surprise, until he casually mentioned making breakfast for Sydney. Only then did their features soften, albeit slightly.

Sydney hesitated, her brow furrowing. “What about the drug situation? Any updates?”

That morning, she had jolted awake to a panicked text from Tiffany and had instinctively checked the news, a habit ingrained in her over the years.

The online storm was still raging, with people claiming that she and Julian were entangled in a dubious relationship—that two individuals sharing a bed could not possibly be innocent. Others were adamant that their so-called miracle drug had been nothing more than a money grab from the very beginning.

The vitriol filled every comment section, and some individuals had even begun digging for her home address, their intentions unmistakably malicious.

Yet, Sydney’s expression remained composed, a mask of calm that belied the turmoil inside.

Years spent under Eloise’s oppressive thumb had gifted her at least one invaluable survival skill: she had learned not to allow the opinions of outsiders to rattle her. No matter how ferocious the online noise grew, as long as she believed in the integrity of her research, she refused to lose any sleep over it. The truly unbearable days were far behind her now.

Meanwhile, at the Hutton estate, the atmosphere felt as heavy as ash, thick with unspoken tension. They had finally unearthed their long-lost Vee, yet joy eluded them, leaving behind a void. Since the previous night, the air had grown grim and suffocating.

At breakfast, Megan could no longer contain her frustration. “So she’s been at the police station all night, and we’re really just going to sit here doing nothing?”

Penelope might have been a fool, but casting her aside like a discarded pawn felt wasteful in Megan’s eyes.

She had intended to use that blundering girl to stir the Huttons’ guilt and pave the way for her own engagement to Julian.

Florence, pale and weary from a sleepless night, quietly sipped her soup, her silence speaking volumes.

Around the table, the others mirrored her conflicted expressions.

Their Vee—if she truly belonged to them—should not have devolved into someone like Penelope.

Megan pressed again, her voice rising with urgency. “Didn’t you all spend years searching for her? Now that she’s finally back, how can you sit here doing nothing?”

Diana, calm and collected, placed her utensils down deliberately, her sharp gaze slicing through the tension. “Why the rush? The DNA results aren’t even out yet.”

As if on cue, a phone buzzed on the table, breaking the suffocating silence. The caller ID flashed: Leon Kingston.