Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 477

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 477**
**Chapter 477**

A jolt of tension surged through Sydney, igniting every nerve in her body. It was as if an electric current had passed through her, sending her instincts into overdrive. She had mastered the art of keeping her past hidden, and yet, here was Jeremiah, a man from Jouleston, suggesting he knew her lineage. How could he possibly possess such knowledge?

The weight of her confusion settled heavily in her chest, but she quickly cloaked it beneath a veneer of calm. Her voice, though steady, held an unmistakable edge. “Mr. Clifford, are you suggesting that you know who my parents are?”

Her words were laden with dual meanings. On one level, she alluded to her adoptive parents, the couple who had raised her and passed away years ago. But beneath that surface lay a deeper truth, known only to a select few—her biological parents, whose identities remained a mystery to nearly everyone in her life: not her mentor, not Marcus, not even the Shepard family.

So how could Jeremiah, who had only just returned to the country, possibly uncover such secrets? And if he did know, did that mean he had insight into her biological parents, the very people she had spent her life searching for, albeit unknowingly?

Jeremiah’s smile was faint, his expression inscrutable. “Why don’t we have this discussion in the car?” he suggested, his tone smooth and inviting.

“I’d prefer to stay here,” she replied, glancing at her watch, anxiety creeping into her voice. “I have other commitments and not much time to spare.”

He noticed the guardedness in her tone, a subtle shift that did not escape his keen perception.

Jeremiah stroked the head of his cane thoughtfully, his voice slow and deliberate, each word dripping with implication. “Perhaps I can provide answers to the questions that have long weighed on your heart.”

Sydney frowned, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. She had little patience for cryptic remarks, especially from someone she barely knew. With a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, she pressed, “What questions are you referring to?”

“Dr. Wilson, there’s really no need to be so suspicious,” Jeremiah replied, a hint of amusement dancing in his voice. “In fact, I was once quite close to your parents.”

As he spoke, he reached through the car window, producing two photographs and extending them toward her.

Sydney hesitated for a moment, curiosity battling with caution before she accepted them. The moment her gaze fell upon the images, her heart raced. The first photograph captured her adoptive parents, their faces radiant with joy as they held a little girl in their arms. The second photo featured Jeremiah himself, standing proudly beside that same child.

Before she could process the implications, he spoke again, his tone deliberate and heavy with meaning. “The girl in those photographs is the real Sydney.”

When she looked back up at him, his eyes glimmered with a nostalgic warmth that sent a shiver down her spine.

“And you are not,” he added softly, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

“Dr. Wilson, I hope you can empathize with a patient’s desperation. I returned to Hoseon for one reason—to seek a cure. As for your parents, all I can promise is to do my utmost.”

Sydney pressed her fingers together, forcing calmness into her voice. “All right.”

Her agreement seemed to surprise him, though it shouldn’t have.

Jeremiah’s smile returned, faint but genuine. “Then I’ll be in your capable hands.”

She nodded in acknowledgment. With a courteous gesture, he rolled up the window, and the car began to pull away.

In the front seat, the driver cast a glance in the rearview mirror. “Sir, do you really believe you can find her biological parents?”

Jeremiah leaned back, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. “Do you recall, years ago, when Old Z and his men crossed paths with the Huttons and kidnapped their little girl?”

The driver pondered for a moment before nodding slowly. “Yes, I believe there was something of that sort.”