Chapter 70
+15 BONUS
Sydney nodded and took her seat. Only then did she notice a deep red pressure mark on her palm.
Curiosity rippled around the table.
“Dr. Wilson, how come we’ve never seen your ex–husband? What’s he like?”
Sydney steadied herself. With a cool, distant tone, she replied, “He cheated on me.”
She ignored the sharp looks aimed at her and added clearly, “He cheated long ago.
Even if it was just emotional, it still counted as cheating!
“What?”
The older doctors, usually too reserved for these gatherings, kept their distance. At every dinner, only the younger ones attended. They were at that age when they hated anything unfair.
Some younger nurses who looked up to Penelope grew worked up and began cursing. They tore into the ex- husband they had never met and the so–called mistress, insulting them with no hint of subtlety.
Penelope was furious and tried to interject. “Dr. Wilson, this is only one side of the story. Who knows why your husband really cheate-”
Someone cut her off harshly, “Don’t speak up for trash like that. What good can a scumbag and a homewrecker possibly be?”
Throughout the meal, Sydney ate quietly. She was emotionally calm and at ease.
Caleb’s expression remained icy. He was born with a silver spoon and running the massive Hampton Corp. from a young age, yet he had never been publicly insulted like this.
Tonight, especially, he could not respond. Sydney had warned him the gathering would make him uncomfortable. He had chosen not to believe it.
At the end of dinner, Sydney excused herself to the restroom.
Outside, she heard the murmurs fade.
“Dr. Wilson is so talented. I can’t believe her marriage was such a disaster.”
“So what? She’ll find someone better.”
“Better? Better than Penelope’s guy? The CEO of Hampton Corp!”
“You’re out of touch with the financial news. Caleb’s nothing. That Sterling guy is the real deal.”
“Even if he is, he’s not reachable for ordinary people like us.”
Sydney waited until the voices faded completely, then stepped out.
“The Sterling guy…‘ Everyone in Jouleston knew who that meant.
1/2
Chapter 70
+15 BONUS
She had not expected to run right into him after washing her hands.
Julian leaned against the restroom doorway. He was wearing a satin black shirt and was holding a half- smoked cigarette between his fingers.
His eyes flicked up at her. “Have you been secretly training ninja skills these past few years, Sydney?”
He never said kind things. She knew that.
!
She guessed why he was there he had almost certainly spotted Caleb with Penelope again tonight.
She looked down, wiping her hands. “If I’ve been training, that’s my business. Not yours.”
She tossed the tissue into the bin and walked past him.
His cold voice followed her. “I don’t want to be embarrassed. That’s at least my business.”
They had severed ties long ago, but most people didn’t know.
Most saw what Caleb saw. They were all under the impression that it was just a temporary quarrel. If things were cleared up, Sydney would still be Julian’s treasured little sister.
Sydney knew the subtext and spoke plainly, “You can tell everyone we don’t have anything to do with each other anymore.”
That would be the simplest solution. But Julian, blunt and impatient, replied, “That’s too much effort.”
Sydney turned to him and asked, “What do you want me to do?”
“Divorce him,” he answered flatly.
