Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 711

It all came back to Diana at once.

Hugo had called days ahead of time, checking and rechecking her schedule. The entire Kingston family had been occupied, including Leon, who had made a last-minute trip to Norchester for what Diana had heard was an important project involving the Jillson family.

That day, Hugo's voice over the phone had carried a quiet note of hurt. No matter how overwhelmed she had been, Diana had made time for him.

That was why the photo existed.

The past two years had been a relentless climb. One promotion followed another, and each brought an even heavier load of responsibilities. Then came the family matters, one after another, each demanding more than she had left to give.

Somewhere along the way, Hugo finishing his master's degree had simply slipped her mind.

Diana, who prided herself on never being caught off guard, let out a dry laugh and called Hugo. "So what are your plans now? Staying in Brimcrest, or going to Norchester?"

"Hmm..." Whatever irritation Hugo had been holding onto disappeared as quickly as it had surfaced. His voice softened. "Are you going back to Brimcrest at all?"

"Me?" Diana considered the question. "I just transferred to Jouleston. Unless something unexpected happens, I'll probably stay here for the next couple of years."

Julian wasn't going anywhere, and both Sydney's life and work were rooted there. Staying nearby meant Sydney would have someone to rely on if anything happened.

"Oh." Hugo's tone revealed nothing. He pressed his lips together for a moment. "I probably won't stay in Brimcrest either. My grandfather's been pushing me to take over the company sooner rather than later."

In truth, he had already spent most of his time in Norchester since the previous year. He simply had not been able to bring himself to say yes, to formally take the Jillson Group from his grandfather's hands.

That was a matter for the Kingston and Jillson families. Diana, who would soon no longer belong to either, had no place weighing in.

"That sounds like a good move," she remarked.

"What's so good about it?" he muttered, sounding like a child who knew he was being placated. "Diana, if I go to Norchester, you won't even be able to take me out for dinner anymore."

Brimcrest and Jouleston were not that far apart. At 120 miles, the drive took barely two hours. They were close enough that if something happened, one could still get there quickly.

Norchester and Jouleston were different. More than 6,000 miles lay between them. The flight still took only two hours, but the distance felt far greater.

Diana assumed he was simply reluctant to leave the city where he had grown up, so she laughed softly. "Two hours by plane. Whenever you want a meal, we can make it happen. Go do what you're supposed to do first."

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