Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 494

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 494**

**Chapter 494**

Sydney found herself momentarily lost in the depths of Julian’s unwavering gaze. It felt as if the weight of the world pressed down upon her, and guilt flickered within her like a candle struggling to stay lit in a storm. The intensity of his stare made her feel as though she were the one who had committed a grave error.

“I was going to tell you,” she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper, yet laced with determination.

Even though he hadn’t directly asked her about it last night, she had resolved in her heart that she would share the truth with him. There was no way she could keep this secret any longer.

“When?” Julian’s voice dripped with disbelief, and the surprise on his face mirrored the incredulity in his tone.

For a moment, Sydney remained silent, the air between them thick with tension. Finally, she lifted her chin, her eyes meeting his with a fierce resolve. “And what explanation were you planning to give me? The same as last night? Just walking away without a word again?”

The sharpness of her words cut through the silence, revealing the pain that lay just beneath her composed exterior.

Julian’s brow furrowed, a flicker of regret passing over his features. He hadn’t intended to push her to this point. Gently, he reached out, his hand brushing through her hair as he lowered his voice, trying to soothe her. “Precious, tell me first. What do you want to do about this?”

In that moment, Sydney didn’t pause to consider whether he would stand up for Eloise. Her voice was steady, each word carefully chosen. “I want the person who did wrong to pay the price. That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

Her gaze was unwavering, filled with a fierce clarity that left no room for doubt.

Julian felt a surge of understanding. He knew that if he hesitated even for a moment, the woman in his arms would become a force to be reckoned with, pushing him away and shutting him out of her life forever. Luckily, this was not a difficult question to answer.

His hand, resting at her waist, slid upward, his fingers weaving through her hair as he murmured, “Not too much. If anything, it’s far too mild.”

Her eyes widened in surprise, a glimmer of disbelief flashing across her features.

“I can gather proof of her smuggling activities,” he said lightly, the weight of his words hanging in the air. “Would you like it? With multiple charges, the consequences will be much more severe.”

Stunned, Sydney blinked, her mind racing to process his unexpected response. She had anticipated that he might try to dissuade her, not that he would actively dig the grave himself, one so deep that no one could ever hope to see the bottom.

When she finally found her voice, it trembled with disbelief. “Are you serious?”

Julian’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “You don’t believe me?”

“She’s your grandmother,” Sydney replied softly, the weight of those words heavy on her heart.

Blood ties like that were not easily dismissed. She wasn’t accusing him; she merely wanted to ensure he understood the gravity of the situation.

Julian’s brows knitted together, and he tightened his grip on her head, gently guiding her gaze to meet his. “She doesn’t have to be. I’m 31 years old. If you counted how many times I’ve seen Eloise or shared a meal with her, you could do it on two hands.”

Eloise had never held a fondness for his parents, and by extension, she had harbored resentment toward him. There had never been a genuine bond between them. Even as a child, their interactions had been strained. Had his parents not foreseen potential troubles and left a will, he might have quietly faded away after their deaths, lost to the world.

But none of that mattered now.

Julian’s gaze remained steady as he asked, “Then what about us? How many days have we spent together? Do you remember?”

After a lengthy silence, she sniffed lightly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Aren’t you afraid people will talk? Say terrible things?”

It could paint him as a man devoid of family or conscience. Among the influential, some crimes could be buried and forgotten, swept away like sand in the tide.

The dim light of the car’s interior couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice or the hint of tears glistening in her eyes.

Julian lowered his gaze to her, his thumb brushing gently against the corner of her eye. A faint smile played on his lips. “So my little crybaby isn’t angry anymore?”

When she was younger, she had cried over everything, and the nickname had stuck. Hearing it now had an instant effect, halting her tears in their tracks. She shot him a glare, her cheeks flushing. “I wasn’t mad to begin with.”

“Oh?” he teased, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Then what? Disappointed? Hurt? Or maybe…”

“Shut up!” Sydney snapped, her face burning as she clapped a hand over his mouth, desperate to silence him.

But the moment she did, his warm, firm lips met hers, silencing her completely.

Fortunately, the divider between the front and back seats was already up, creating a little world of their own.

Sydney froze as he kissed her, his voice low and rough against her lips.

“This is one way to make me shut up,” Julian murmured, a playful glint in his eyes.