Lahat ng Kabanata ng Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable: Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

Nancy was fast asleep when a sudden pounding on the door jolted her awake. She opened it to find Caleb standing there, his expression stormy. Her body tensed."Mr. Hampton, is something wrong?" she asked.Caleb's gaze sharpened. "When was the last time Sydney came home?"A few steps away, Penelope clenched her fists, and her nails dug into her palms. That wretched woman had finally moved out, and she had just started enjoying her place as the lady of the house. She had no interest in seeing Sydney return."Ms. Wilson comes home every day." Nancy blinked, feigning confusion, then quickly corrected herself. "Oh, wait. Not tonight. Madam Sterling's birthday is coming up. She called Ms. Wilson back to help with the planning."Penelope's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping in. Why was Nancy covering for Sydney? Could it be that even Nancy believed she was better suited for the role Sydney had abandoned?The thought made her smirk. She turned to Caleb. "Come on, it's just one night. Why

Sydney hadn't expected Caleb to pick her up after work. Still, watching the scene unfold, she couldn't help feeling a touch of irony.Caleb gently moved Penelope aside, about to speak, when a few sharp-eyed coworkers called out with a laugh, "Hey, Penny, this must be your boyfriend, right?"Earlier that day, Penelope had spent hours subtly bragging about her tall, handsome, gentle, and wealthy boyfriend. That expensive car from the morning? It was clearly a gift from him. And now here he was—real, refined, and effortlessly elegant.She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced at Caleb. "Cal, these are my coworkers."Caleb frowned faintly. When he looked again, Sydney had already turned away.He didn't respond, so everyone assumed he was simply reserved. For a rich, powerful man, ignoring small talk felt perfectly in character.Once Penelope and Caleb got into the car, her coworkers erupted in envy."Oh my god, how lucky can you get? Rich, handsome, and picks her up f

Since Julian had gone out of his way to hide it from Marcus, this had to be personal.Sydney frowned, and her earlier politeness was gone. "Mr. Sterling, I don't recall there being anything between us that requires a private conversation."Julian gave her a sideways glance, his tone cool. "Bruce asked me to return something to you. Don't you want it?""Fine." Sydney didn't argue and turned to Marcus. "Marc, go on ahead."Marcus hesitated. But since the two of them were supposed to be "siblings," he figured Julian wouldn't cross a line. He left first.As soon as he was gone, Sydney reached out her hand. "What is it?"Julian didn't answer. He slipped a hand into his pocket and walked off toward the exit.Sydney couldn't think of anything she had left with Bruce, but she had no choice except to follow.Julian somehow recognized her car. He stopped in front of it and pulled the handle. When it didn't open, he looked back at her."You need me in the car just to return something?" s

The young woman had overheard Sydney and Agatha's conversation last time and lowered her voice. "Yeah. But I don't think she wants too many people to know. I only found out by accident. Don't tell anyone else, okay?""Of course." Penelope patted her shoulder and stood up eagerly. "I'm full. You girls take your time."The moment she stepped out of the cafeteria, she dialed Caleb, her eyes shining. "Cal! I just heard something and wasn't sure if I should tell you. But then I figured I shouldn't keep it from you."Caleb was in a meeting."What is it?" His voice was calm and steady."I think Sydney and Marcus might be more than just friends," Penelope said.Caleb's brows twitched, and he was about to reply when she added, "I overheard her telling people at the clinic that she's already divorced. Everyone there knows about it. I was shocked when I heard that as well."Caleb shot up from his seat and walked out of the conference room. "What did you just say?"Penelope's voice turned

Sydney watched Caleb's entitled demeanor and couldn't help but chuckle. How had she never noticed his hypocrisy before?With only four days until the divorce was final, she lacked the energy to argue. She switched to "deal with the Sterling family" mode, polite but distant, and said earnestly, "Yes, don't overthink it. Marcus and I are nothing more than friends."It was a line from a well-rehearsed script. She had learned it well.Caleb's eyes softened. He ruffled her hair gently, cooing like a parent, "I trust you, of course."For years, that had been his way to comfort her. When she had meltdowns with Julian and no one else defended her, Caleb always stepped in.She was still figuring out how to escape politely as she started the car. Before she could think further, her phone rang. Marcus' name appeared on the screen. The call connected through the car's Bluetooth."Syd, dinner at the usual place. Can you make it by seven?"Relief washed over her. She agreed immediately. "Yes,