Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 507

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 507**

**Chapter 507**

If there were a competition for awkward eye muscle spasms, Sydney would undoubtedly take the crown.

Raymond cleared his throat, a subtle cough escaping his lips as he balled his fist. “No need for concern. I’m perfectly fine. Just… haven’t been sleeping well lately,” he replied, his voice a bit too quick, as if he were trying to convince himself as much as anyone else.

In an instant, he pivoted toward Agatha, eager to divert the conversation. “Agatha, your ankle must be in quite a bit of pain, huh? It looks really bad,” he said, his brow furrowing with genuine concern.

Agatha, however, feigned ignorance, her eyes narrowing playfully. “These two little brats!” she exclaimed, waving her hand dismissively as if the mere mention of her injury was beneath her.

But Sydney, her brow knitted with worry, leaned closer. “Are you absolutely certain you’re—”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Agatha interrupted, her voice a mix of impatience and warmth. She grasped Sydney’s icy fingers, which had grown cold from holding the ice pack for far too long, and gave them a gentle pat, as if to soothe both of them.

“Sydney, it’s terribly dull living here all by myself. And now that I’ve hurt my foot, I can’t even step outside,” Agatha confessed, her cheeks flushing slightly as she hesitated. “Could you stay with me for a little while?”

Sydney froze, caught off guard by the request. It wasn’t an unreasonable one, considering Delta Mansion was Julian’s home, and the staff were familiar faces to her.

Yet, uncertainty gnawed at her. “Wouldn’t it be better to ask Julian to come back and keep you company instead?” she suggested, her voice tentative.

“Him?” Agatha snorted dismissively, her expression revealing her disdain for her grandson’s frequent absences. “He’s always too busy! Even when he returns, he flits in and out like a ghost. Never stays long enough for a decent conversation!”

Raymond blinked, momentarily taken aback by Agatha’s words. Internally, he found himself defending Julian. ‘Now hold on a minute. That’s not entirely fair. It’s not that Julian doesn’t want to spend time with his grandmother; it’s that she can’t stand having him around when he’s single, always complaining about how gloomy he looks.’

Sydney, blissfully unaware of the underlying family dynamics, smiled softly. “So he doesn’t visit often?” she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.

‘Oh, he’ll be back, alright,’ Raymond thought wryly, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. ‘Especially now that you’re here.’

Just as he was about to voice his thoughts, Agatha waved him off, her tone dismissive. “He never comes! Too busy with his life. Don’t worry, it’ll just be the two of us,” she insisted, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Raymond could only stare in disbelief. ‘What a masterful manipulator!’

As hot water cascaded down, steam enveloped them in a soft embrace. He bent slightly, rinsing her hands under the warm flow, and Sydney felt the chill dissipate, replaced by a soothing warmth that spread from her palms to her chest.

Her heart raced, a flutter of excitement coursing through her. She tilted her head, captivated by the refined lines of his profile—the sweep of his dark lashes, the straight bridge of his nose, and the calm focus that radiated from him in every deliberate movement.

The way he washed her hands felt almost reverent, as if he were handling something precious—something he had longed to reclaim after losing it once before.

Softly, she whispered, “Jules.”

At the sound of her voice, his hands trembled ever so slightly. The tendons along his jaw tightened, and he responded with a low, hoarse hum.

This was the same man who had once teased her mercilessly, the one who insisted she call him Jules. Yet now, as she uttered the name on her own, he seemed to shift, a hint of nervousness flickering across his features.

Sydney smiled faintly, her heart swelling with affection. Over the gentle hiss of the running water, she lifted her gaze to him once more, her voice light and airy.

“Jules?” she called again, the name rolling off her tongue like a sweet melody.