Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable

Chapter 526 By the time Sydney stepped out of the Hampton estate, dusk had already fallen over the city. The evening wind slipped through her coat collar cold enough to raise goosebumps along her neck. Julian opened the car door for her. She ducked inside quickly, handing her keys to Elliot on the way. "Drive mine back to Delta Mansion," she said before closing the door. As soon as Julian settled into the driver's seat, Sydney turned to him, the question already forming.

"Why did you suddenly go public about your relationship with Eloise?" Their feud was nothing new-it had been festering for years. Yet out of nowhere, he had torn off the Sterlings' last shred of pretense. Julian toyed with her fingers, his gaze dark and unreadable. "Why do you think?" 'Because of me.' That was Sydney's first thought. If not for her, he could have exposed Eloise long ago. He had led the family for years. If he had wanted to cut ties, he would have done it already.

Thus, she asked softly, half-testing, half-hoping, "Because of me?" He raised an eyebrow, a low laugh rumbling from his chest. "Because the shares in her name were successfully transferred to mine this week. Simple. Efficient. Ruthless. He could afford to burn bridges now. "Oh." Sydney pulled her hand back and turned toward the window, face blank. Inside, she scolded herself. 'Serves me right for thinking it was something romantic.' Julian watched her sulk, amusement flickering in his eyes.

He tugged gently on her sleeve." You're angry?" "No." She wasn't angry-just embarrassed and mortified by how foolishly sentimental she had been. He chuckled under his breath helplessly. "Ms. Wilson, it was because of you. There, satisfied?" The truth was, it was exactly that. That day, he had rushed to the hospital not out of business urgency but because of her-to pressure Eloise into signing the documents before she changed her mind. Between Sydney and Eloise, he would always choose Sydney. It was better to secure the shares early so he could cut ties cleanly whenever he wished.

them. He caught it-the tiny flick that always betrayed her amusement. Even with her back turned and her voice steady, her body gave her away. "Who's the

two nights straight, Sydney slept soundly at Delta Mansion. Each morning, waking beside Julian, she felt a soft, surreal dissonance, as if she'd slipped into a dream too gentle to be real. It took a few quiet minutes

a cold breeze brushed her back, and she realized belatedly that her palms were damp with sweat. She was afraid that what she was about to learn might drive her and Julian apart again. She passed a McLaren arrogantly parked in the middle of the drive, paused at the iron gate, took a steadying breath, and pressed the doorbell It took several minutes before someone answered. The housekeeper