Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 345

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 345**

**Chapter 345**

In an unexpected turn of events, Sydney stood utterly still, neither evading his advance nor putting up any form of resistance. She was like a marionette, strings cut, allowing him to manipulate her as he wished. Nothing he did seemed to provoke even the faintest flicker of emotion from her.

Julian’s heart raced, feeling as if it might explode from the intensity of the moment. He grasped the back of her head, pulling her closer, and kissed her with a fervor that bordered on madness. Their lips met with a desperate urgency, teeth clashing, breaths mingling in a heavy, intimate dance.

His other hand was far from idle. It traveled up her calf, slipping beneath her skirt, fingers exploring her skin with a reckless abandon that sent shivers through him.

“No!” Sydney finally recoiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, a storm brewing within them.

Julian, however, felt no pang of regret as he once would have. Instead, a laugh escaped him, dark and mocking. “No? Have you forgotten the contract we made?”

His gaze deepened, shadows creeping across his features. “Or are you saving yourself for Caleb?”

He had thought he had given her enough freedom, enough room to breathe. He was acutely aware that his previous abandonment had left a deep scar on her heart, so he had held back, exercising all the patience he could muster, never rushing to define what they were or to claim her wholly.

He had believed that life was an endless journey, one in which he was prepared to spend every moment devoted to her. But now, it felt as if she was suddenly pulling away, wanting to slip through his fingers.

This time, it wasn’t him discarding her. It was her choosing to reject him.

At his words, Sydney offered a faint smile, one that seemed almost careless, as if she were detached from the very situation they found themselves in. “If I let you sleep with me now, does that mean the contract is void?”

Her tone suggested that all she desired was to sever their ties completely.

The weight of her words hit Julian like a physical blow, his temples pulsing with a mix of rage and disbelief. “You want so desperately to cut ties with me? Is that truly what you want?!”

“Is it? Are you going to take that step or not?” Sydney’s calm, unwavering gaze met his, challenging him. “If not, I’m leaving.”

As she moved to walk away, something inside Julian snapped. He swept her up into his arms, striding purposefully to the master bedroom, where he pressed her against the bed, pinning her beneath him.

His eyes were wild, bloodshot with an intensity that made every word feel like a grinding stone. “Sydney, you’ve pushed me to this!”

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