Sydney paused for a moment. She swallowed the swirl of emotions inside her, then looked at Julian and said in a crisp, detached tone, “Then I’ll be leaving now. Thank you for earlier, Mr. Sterling.”
“Ms. Wilson-“Elliot began.
Julian’s mocking voice echoed. “Enough. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
Sydney brushed her fingers across her palm without thinking, but her steps did not falter as she walked away.
Watching the black Maybach fade into the night, Elliot muttered, “That was a total ambush.”
“What are you mumbling about?” Julian snuffed out his cigarette and slipped into the car. His silhouette, framed by the
harsh winter wind, looked strangely desolate.
Elliot climbed into the passenger seat. “Nothing. Just thinking how much slack Ms. Wilson gives Caleb. Every time we
run into her, she’s clearly still angry at you.
“But not at Caleb? That guy cheated on her, never comes back to the estate with her, lets her take all the punishment-”
Suddenly, the air inside the car felt heavy, and Elliot shivered.
Peter Reyes, driving up front, didn’t notice the shift and took over the conversation. “Of course she’s lenient. She likes him. Women always forgive the ones they love. Boundaries get pushed further and further.”
Elliot frowned. “That doesn’t sound like Ms. Wilson at all. I don’t buy it.”
“Whether you buy it or not doesn’t matter,” Peter said, glancing in the rearview mirror. “Mr. Sterling, what do you
think?”
Julian’s deep features were cast in shadow beneath the streetlamp. His voice was low and sharp as ice. “When did you
get so chatty?”
Silence ensued immediately.
They hadn’t said anything outrageous, so why was he upset again?
The road from the estate to Viridian Garden was wide open tonight but iced over.
Jack drove cautiously, unwilling to speed. The car’s heater filled the cabin with warmth, creating a comfortable silence.
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Chapter 40
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415 BONUS
It took a while for Sydney to shake off the chill from her limbs. She finally looked up at Caleb and was about to speak
when he beat her to it. “Are you mad?”
“No,” Sydney answered honestly.
She wasn’t mad. She was used to being stood up by now. At most, there was lingering disappointment.
What surprised her was that after texting to say he wouldn’t come, he suddenly appeared. The surprise outweighed the
hurt.
Caleb kept his eyes on her, watching her downcast lashes and quiet face, “Then what is it? You haven’t said a word since getting in.”
‘You didn’t speak to me either,‘ she thought.
Sydney spoke plainly. “I just didn’t expect you to show up. That’s all.”
“I thought about it. The Sterling family would probably punish you.” Caleb remained gentle and composed, his voice warm. “I couldn’t stop worrying, so I figured I’d come get you first.”
She felt caught off guard, even momentarily dazed. If she hadn’t found those photos in his study, she might have
actually believed he cared.
Caleb saw her silence and chuckled. “What, you think I don’t give a damn whether you live or die?”
He was joking, but that was exactly what she believed. Not that she would ever admit it.
Instead, she smiled faintly, the shallow dimple appearing and fading like a whisper. She looked well–behaved, obedient.
“No, I just didn’t want to interfere with your work.”
“It’s fine. The meeting got pushed to 8:30 last minute.” He glanced at his watch. “I don’t have time to take you home.
Want to wait in my office?”
“I can just head back first.”
“It won’t take long. Okay?”
Sydney didn’t refuse. “Alright.”
Sydney followed Caleb into Hampton Corp’s headquarters. Despite the late hour, the building glowed like daytime. Staff from the project department waited in the conference room.
After Caleb went inside, Sydney walked to the CEO’s office at the end of the hall.
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Chapter 49
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+15 BONUS
She probably hadn’t slept well the night before. She curled up on the office couch, hugging a pillow, and drifted off
before she realized it.
One by one, the lights in the building flicked off. Only the top floor and a few offices still glowed.
