Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 158

Chapter 158

For a moment, Sydney’s mind went blank. That sentence from Caleb would have sounded routine any other time. But here and now, it struck her off guard.

“Don’t worry. It’s not a real divorce.” He had already made the promise to Penelope.

He gripped Sydney’s shoulders, leaned slightly closer, and whispered, “Just a staged divorce for a while. We don’t even need to file papers.”

Sydney collected her scattered thoughts, her tone cool. “A real divorce would be fine too.”

Since he raised the issue, she no longer needed to honor her contract with Adeline.

“No.” His rejection was immediate and firm. Once divorce papers were signed, he would lose her for good. He could not allow that.

Even now, he had no idea how he would explain things if he ever found the real Precious. Maybe she had already married. In that case, all he could do was provide financial support and arrange protection to keep her safe from traffickers.

The thought brought a strange, guilty sense of relief. He refused to dwell on why. Instead, he tightened his hold on Sydney’s shoulders, his gaze steady as his voice softened. “Syd, all I need is for you to go along with it. Just act divorced in front of Penelope.”

Fearing misunderstanding, he added solemnly, “Believe me. I have my reasons. The only Mrs. Hampton in my heart is you. It has always been you.‘

Sydney froze, caught off guard. She was not hesitating about agreeing. She simply didn’t know which way to turn. Between him and Adeline, there was no trace of a mother–and–son bond. One demanded she act divorced. The other demanded she act loving.

Caleb’s brows drew together in anxiety at her silence. “Sydney, please. I’m begging you, alright?”

He was begging for the sake of another woman.

Sydney lifted her head, glanced at him, and gave her answer. “Fine. I’ll agree.”

She agreed but didn’t speak the truth. There was no need to act. They were already divorced.

Relief softened his expression. She opened her mouth to speak. “I want to-”

The universe intervened. His phone rang again. He answered and left in a rush, leaving her no chance to speak.

Sydney thought maybe it was for the best. The whole situation reeked of Penelope’s schemes. If Caleb could fake a divorce for her, there was no guarantee he would help Tiffany.

Her eyes dropped as she rode the elevator upward, unsettled. When the doors slid open, Julian was the first to see her pale, shaken face.

Beside him, Yoyo slipped free of the leash and bounded over, wagging furiously.

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“Caleb upset you again? You look like hell.”

Sydney scooped up Yoyo and stepped out, avoiding his gaze. “He wants me to play along with a fake divorce.” Since that night when she first sensed something off between them, she had been unconsciously avoiding him. Julian acted as if he hadn’t noticed and wore a faint, careless smile. “Even the Ninja Turtles could learn patience from you.”

Her mind was consumed with worry over Tiffany, leaving no energy to spar with him. She rubbed Yoyo’s head, handed the leash back to Julian, and turned to head home.

“Something else happened, didn’t it?” His voice, suddenly sharp and cutting, stopped her in her tracks.

Her back stiffened. She hesitated. Should she tell him? If it were not a last resort, she would never have turned to him.

But she could not bear imagining how desperate Tiffany must be, alone in custody.

“Julian, can you help her? Tiffany’s been falsely accused and detained,” she uttered.

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