Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 260

**Chapter 260**

The group slipped away into their private enclave, the heavy door gliding shut with a soft thud, reminiscent of the eight long years that had quietly stretched between Sydney and Julian. Each year had been a testament to the silence that had grown, a chasm filled with unspoken words and unresolved emotions.

For a brief moment—perhaps a month or two—she had allowed herself to entertain the notion that something had shifted. It was all because of that contract and its daunting penalty clause, which had loomed over her like a dark cloud. But how could she have truly believed anything had changed?

Julian was a man of stature, someone who seemed to stand above the rest, as if he were carved from a different world. If he ever chose to glance her way again, to extend a hand toward her once more, she should consider herself fortunate. How could she dare to wish for more than that?

With her heart heavy, Sydney lowered her gaze and made her way toward the restroom, her fingers instinctively reaching for her phone. She navigated to the reminder she had set for three days hence and, with a decisive flick, deleted it.

[Julian comes back. Don’t forget to pick him up.]

But the truth was, Julian would never require her presence. He had already returned, and she had been blissfully unaware of it.

As she swallowed hard, trying to push back the weight in her chest, Sydney stepped into the restroom. The cool air felt refreshing against her skin, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging inside her. When she emerged, her hands washed clean, she caught a glimpse of Charlotte in the mirror.

Charlotte stood there, adorned in an elegant yet inviting Chanel suit, radiating the poise of a refined heiress. Her presence was commanding, yet there was a warmth in her demeanor that was hard to ignore.

Charlotte’s eyes widened slightly in surprise upon seeing Sydney. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face, and, knowing Sydney’s connection to Julian, she mustered a polite, albeit tentative, greeting. “I… Our family is dining with the Sterlings today. Would you care to join us?”

“No need,” Sydney replied, pausing for a moment as she weighed her words. Finally, she shook her head, her voice steady. “I’m here with friends. They’re expecting me.”

Facing Charlotte, an unsettling feeling crept over her. Unlike Penelope, who had played games with deceit, Charlotte had never stooped to such levels. Even when she had approached Sydney at the clinic, asking her to step aside, there had been a brutal honesty in her request.

Charlotte let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “All right. Then go ahead.”

“Mm.” Sydney turned to leave, but just as she was about to step away, Charlotte’s voice broke through the air. “Our families are meeting today to discuss my marriage with Julian.”

At those words, Sydney felt her spine stiffen. She didn’t turn around; she couldn’t afford to show any weakness. “I heard,” she replied quietly, her heart racing.

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