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Chapter 152

Author: Lean
Once it was confirmed that Penelope was an imposter, Caleb would not just cut ties. He would make her pay every last one of her debts.

The thought of the real Precious, somewhere out there, possibly suffering all these years, made him want to strangle Penelope with his bare hands.

It was his fault too. Back then, he had been too desperate to find Precious. The moment he saw that pendant around Penelope's neck, he had let his guard down, careless enough not to question it further.

Sydney clenched her palm. Without Penelope in the picture, she would almost have no excuse left to continue this cold war with him. But she had not forgotten her suspicion.

Looking directly at Caleb, she seized the moment. "Why was Penelope so afraid of you discovering the pendant wasn't hers?"

Caleb fell silent. He had no way to explain. Their relationship was already fragile. If he admitted he had been searching for another woman all this time, the tenuous tie between them might snap completely.

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    It was not until they reached the Hampton estate that Sydney finally found her answer.Penelope had not returned for New Year's, but Timothy had. He clung to Adeline's side for once, unusually quiet and obedient.They arrived just as dinner was being served. Before anyone could even sit down, the housekeeper announced the meal.Everyone moved into the dining room. Adeline's displeasure showed plainly. "Rare enough for you to come home for New Year's, and you show up right at mealtime. To outsiders, it would look as if you were the elder here."Her target was obvious.Sydney pretended not to hear, but Caleb would not let it pass. His voice remained steady. "Mom, the fault is mine for not arranging my time properly. If someone must be scolded, scold me.""Cal!" Adeline drew a sharp breath. "Remember, I'm your mother, yet you always defend outsiders.""The 'outsiders' you mean…" Sydney lifted her head and smiled faintly. "Are you referring to me? Or to my sister-in-law?"If the re

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    The unfamiliar sensations overwhelmed Sydney, and she no longer dared argue with him."Jules…" Her voice, softened by his kiss, came out tender and submissive.The hand Julian clamped at her waist went rigid, tendons and veins standing out beneath his skin, his grip charged with explosive tension."It hurts!" She hadn't expected that yielding would only make him tighten his hold.A moment ago, it had felt as though he wanted to crush her into himself.Julian snapped back to his senses. He released her and pressed a gentler kiss to her lips, his breath rough and uneven. "Sorry. Did I hurt you?"When he drew back and saw her lashes still damp from his kiss, he nearly lost control all over again."Shower." He tossed out the word and strode toward the guest bathroom.Sydney stared after him in a daze. Did he mean they would shower and then go to bed?The bathtub was nearly overflowing, so she hurried to shut off the tap.After a brief pause, realizing Julian had no intention of r

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    Caleb remained wary of him. He forced a smile. "You're overthinking. I just wanted to take her home."Julian's gaze was sharp. "Does she want to?"Publicly, the Hampton and Sterling families had always been business partners. Privately, the two men had grown up together. Now, with Julian and Sydney reconciled, Julian was something like a brother-in-law to Caleb.Caleb softened his tone to avoid escalating the tension. "Every couple has quarrels. They fight and make up. It's not as serious as you think."At the words "they fight and make up," Sydney instinctively glanced at Julian, catching the icy flash in his eyes.Suddenly, Julian reached out, ruffled her hair, and chuckled. "I don't care if it's fighting, making up, or fighting and divorcing. Either way, as long as she doesn't want to, no one's taking her from me."His usual offhanded drawl carried a steely authority that brooked no challenge.Inside, the others had overheard the tension and approached.Raymond immediately s

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