Lahat ng Kabanata ng Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

As Eliana spoke, her gaze briefly passed over Marcus. She had always thought the two were well-matched. One was gentle, and the other was warm. They made a perfect pair.Sydney sensed a sharp, mocking gaze on her. She ignored it, lifted her head with a smile, and said, "Eliana, Alan misunderstood. I explained it to him on the way over. I'm not planning to get divorced."The moment she spoke, her eyes met a pair of dark, unreadable ones. Julian's gaze was deep and clearly scrutinizing. She refused to admit the divorce in front of him.Surprised, Eliana scolded her husband, "This is a big deal! Why didn't you tell me? I even ordered a divorce cake."Alan cleared his throat. "Didn't have the time."He didn't press further and played along. "We can still eat the cake, divorced or not. The important thing is that she's happy, right?""Fair enough," Eliana agreed.Sydney raised her glass and took a polite sip. "Thank you, Eliana."Setting it down, the man across from her spoke slowly

Caleb and Bruce were surprised too.Since Caleb and Sydney's marriage had soured, Julian rarely joined the friend group's outings. Yet he never left the group chat. His appearances at gatherings were infrequent. No one expected him to show up tonight without a word.Bruce stood and smiled to ease the tension. "Jules, what brings you here tonight?""Just passing by." Julian nodded, straightened up, and stepped into the room.The guy who had joked earlier followed him, apologizing repeatedly, "Bro, I shouldn't have said that. Please don't hold it against me."Among them, only Julian and Caleb held real power. That was especially the case for the intimidating and decisive Julian. He was one of the few in Jouleston who dared cross him.Julian slouched casually onto the leather sofa, draping an arm over its back. "It was just a joke. Why so serious?""Alright, go back to your game." Caleb defused the mood, raising his glass toward Julian. "They're all scared of you, you know that."

Before marrying Caleb, Sydney had asked around, trying to learn who he truly loved, but no one gave her an answer. The young men who seemed familiar were just his friends, and none of them would betray him.With no other options, she had called Julian. His response had been cold and distant."We're not related," he had said. "Why would I answer your questions?"She had hung up and blocked him. He had warned her many times that there was nothing between them, and never had been.…The cold night air seeped into the car, as bitter as the air outside."Jack, roll up the window," Caleb mumbled in his sleep. Even while unconscious, he sounded like a commanding tycoon.Sydney didn't answer. She moved her hand and opened the window all the way. The cold rushed in, deliberately.By the time they reached Viridian Garden, it was 3:30 a.m.Sydney stayed in the car, pulled out her phone, and called Penelope.Penelope answered on the second ring, her voice sharp with anger. "Are you insan

Illnesses tended to spike in autumn and winter, and Sydney had been seeing patients for three days straight. After this stretch of nonstop appointments, the rush finally began to ease."Dr. Wilson," said a woman in her forties as Sydney performed acupuncture, "thank you so much. Every time I ask for an extra appointment, you agree."That afternoon, the clinic had no scheduled appointments, so Sydney was treating outpatients. She inserted each needle with care while the patient, who suffered from serious kidney disease, lay on the table, expressing her gratitude.The woman's family situation was difficult. She had lost a child in her middle age, and her husband was unreliable. Every visit meant leaving home before dawn and taking two buses and three subway transfers from the suburbs.Whether out of medical compassion or something more personal, Sydney smiled and said, "Why thank me? You pay for treatment, and it's my job to help you get better."The woman blinked back tears. "The f

Her question was polite, but Sydney knew Caleb too well. Naturally, he would agree. He often made a show of asking for permission when the outcome had already been decided.His concern felt performative—like a neighbor casually asking after dinner, "Have you eaten?" The question didn't matter, and neither did the answer.Sometimes, Sydney thought that kind of superficial care was part of why their marriage lasted as long as three years.Caleb would say things like, "Remember to take magnesium during your period."If she got caught in the rain, he'd say, "Take a hot shower."If she tripped, he'd tell her, "Be careful next time."But he never prepared the dissolvable magnesium tablet for her. Never brought an umbrella. Never offered to take her to the hospital. His kindness never moved beyond words.As expected, he agreed and reminded her, "Come home early."Sydney nodded. "Okay."Whether she actually came home or not wasn't something he'd bother to consider.Caleb and Penelope