Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 545

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 545**

**Chapter 545**

As soon as Sydney slipped into the car, a peculiar sense of discomfort washed over Tiffany. The man seated next to her, Raymond, seemed uncharacteristically distant today. He walked toward the parking space with an unusual quietness, his demeanor more reserved than she had ever seen.

Tiffany hesitated, her heart racing slightly. “I can take a cab home myself,” she offered, trying to inject some normalcy into the air that felt thick with unspoken tension.

“I’ll drive you,” Raymond replied, his voice flat and devoid of the usual banter that characterized their interactions. He gestured toward the sleek black G-Wagon parked nearby. “Get in.”

There was no hint of reluctance in his tone, which only deepened her unease.

With a slight flick of her tongue across her red lips, Tiffany opened the passenger door, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and apprehension. “Thank you,” she managed to say, her words almost foreign to her own ears. It was rare for her to be this polite with him; his newfound distance seemed to coax out a side of her that she usually kept tucked away.

Raymond, however, acted as if her politeness had gone unnoticed. He lowered his head, eyes fixed firmly on the road ahead, as if the asphalt held the answers to questions neither of them dared to voice.

Unable to contain her curiosity, Tiffany blurted out, “Since when did you start acting like Julian?”

Raymond turned the steering wheel with one hand, a quiet chuckle escaping his lips. “Then what should I act like? Glen?”

There it was—the familiar edge of his old self resurfacing. Tiffany couldn’t help but laugh. “Just like this,” she replied, her heart lightening at the banter.

The sharp-tongued, dismissive, and arrogant Raymond of the Hutton family was back, and she found a strange comfort in it.

As they approached a crosswalk, he paused and shifted his gaze toward her, taking in the lift of her smile and the vibrant spark dancing in her amber eyes. A subtle shift occurred within him, as if a long-buried warmth had begun to thaw. He ran his tongue along his teeth, contemplating his next words. “Would you ever give up being a lawyer for someone or something?”

Tiffany’s heart skipped a beat, and she froze at the unexpected question. “Why ask that out of nowhere?” she replied, her mind racing with implications.

Yet, as she pondered the question, she found herself reflecting deeply.

Raymond lowered his window, a cigarette appearing between his fingers as he lit it with practiced ease. His voice dropped to a softer tone, almost conspiratorial. “You wouldn’t give up law for anyone. I’ve always known that.”

It was her dream, the one she had nurtured since her university days. He had watched her pursue it with unwavering determination. In many ways, they shared a similar drive, an ambition that propelled them forward. Everything she had achieved was a testament to her relentless hard work.

In contrast, the obstacles Raymond faced paled in comparison. Even if his family disapproved of his choices, his status as the fourth Hutton heir shielded him from most troubles before they could even touch him.

He almost declined the call, but the familiar ID made him answer.

The car’s Bluetooth connected, and James’ voice resonated through the cabin. “Is this a good time?”

Tiffany blinked in surprise. Such a question usually indicated a sensitive topic, one not meant for outsiders. She considered offering to step out, but Raymond glanced at her once before responding, his tone steady. “It is.”

James had heard about the incident at the mall. “Did Megan and Penelope give Sydney trouble just now? Did she get hurt or upset?”

Tiffany’s eyes widened in disbelief. She had assumed James would be furious with Sydney. But his anger was directed elsewhere, not at her.

Raymond sounded almost bored as he replied, “When do they ever not cause trouble? But Sydney is fine.”

Tiffany sat in perplexity, realizing that anyone listening would assume Sydney was their biological sister, the bond they shared so evident.

A moment later, James continued, “Good. Once we find Vee, those two will finally know what it feels like to be the ones getting pushed around.”