All Chapters of Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable: Chapter 491 - Chapter 500

Mabel was in her 60s, yet her thoughts were more naive than a woman in her 20s. Did she really believe that someone like Raymond—someone from that family—would marry a woman whose background was a walking disaster?The Huttons didn't need their daughter-in-law to be a political asset, but she certainly couldn't be a liability. Not to Raymond, and not to the family name.When Diana had first approached her to "talk sense," Tiffany's pride had shattered to dust. She had been foolish then, unable to grasp why family background alone could draw such a sharp, merciless line between her and Raymond.Years later, after working and struggling on her own, she understood too well. If she were in Diana's position, she might have done the same thing.Raymond caught every flicker of self-mockery on her face but said nothing. He only turned to Mabel with quiet courtesy."Mrs. Voss, I'm sorry, I'm not as rich as you think," he said with a helpless shrug, his expression sincere. "I'm just a salar

It took Sydney a moment to understand what he meant. Under that steady, piercing gaze, guilt flickered through her, as if she were the one at fault."I was going to tell you," she said.Even if he hadn't asked last night, she had already decided she would."When?" Julian's tone carried disbelief. It showed on his face as much as in his voice.Sydney stayed silent for a moment before lifting her eyes. Her voice sharpened. "And what explanation were you planning to give me? The same as last night? No explanation at all, just walking away again?"Her composure broke, and the hurt surfaced beneath her words.Julian's brow twitched. He hadn't meant to push her that far. Gently, he rubbed her head and lowered his voice. "Precious, tell me first. What do you want to do about this?"Sydney didn't stop to wonder whether he would protect Eloise. Her answer was steady, every word deliberate. "I want the person who did wrong to pay the price. That's not too much to ask, is it?"Her gaze wa

'A child…' At least that was something Julian could afford to raise."It was me." Sydney didn't even find it embarrassing to admit. She had already been humiliated in far worse ways. There was nothing left to hide.She blinked, her voice steady. "But it wasn't because I was love-drunk. It was because I wanted… a little bit of freedom.""Freedom?" Julian echoed softly.Then he froze, realization striking like a blow. It felt as though a soaked sponge had lodged in his throat—heavy, suffocating, choking off every sound.Deep regret surged through his chest. The dim light inside the car flickered against his face, mercifully hiding the turmoil in his eyes.All this time, he had thought she married Caleb out of love—so much love she couldn't help herself. He had never imagined it was because she wanted to breathe.His eyes reddened. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and murmured hoarsely, "Precious, you had it hard all these years."She smiled faintly. "Jules, you had it hard

For a moment, Sydney struggled to process the sudden revelation that her patient was Julian's grandmother.Still, she replied, "No, I don't mind at all."Agatha exhaled in relief, then fixed her sharp gaze on her grandson. "How long do you plan on holding Sydney's hand, hm? Let the girl eat properly.""Alright, alright." Julian chuckled and finally released her hand. "Eat up. Grandma's cooking is really good. Everything here's your favorite."Suddenly, it clicked again. 'No wonder some of the dishes I've eaten at his place tasted exactly like Agatha's cooking. They were hers. Even that morning with the muffins, when he swore he made them himself.'Julian caught her silent glare and smiled in amusement. "What? Go on, what do you want to scold me for?"With his grandmother sitting right across from her, Sydney didn't dare say a word.Unexpectedly, Agatha came to her defense. "Sydney, if you want to scold him, go ahead. In this house, the granddaughter-in-law outranks the grandson.

Raymond swallowed hard and stared at her for a long moment before forcing down his temper. "You really can't get enough of Glen, can you?"…As the door across the hall clicked shut, Julian glanced at his watch. 'Still early.'He hesitated, then pulled out his phone and typed a quick message.Julian: [Are you busy?]The reply came almost immediately.Mrs. Sterling: [Just finished. About to shower.]Julian lingered on that contact name for several seconds, eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction.He didn't bother replying. Still holding his phone, he walked to the door.The moment he opened it, he nearly collided with Raymond, who had been about to ring the bell.From down the hall came a loud slam as another door shut.Raymond's face was as dark as storm clouds. Truthfully, though, Julian was the one more annoyed. His peaceful evening with his "wife" had just gone up in smoke.He narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here?""Drinking," Raymond said flatly, still fuming and