Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable

Chapter 55 "Yeah." Bruce offered a smooth smile as he gestured toward the silk-wrapped gift box on the table. "Sydney's been buried in work. She just dropped off a present and left early." Julian's eyes shifted to the box. A flicker of emotion passed through them. The earlier tension faded without incident. Everyone drank freely through the second half of the night. As the birthday star, Bruce kept just sober enough to send off his guests properly. After seeing off the second-to-last group of friends, he returned to the private room.

Julian was still there, calm and composed, his eyes dark as ink and fixed on him. "Tell me the truth about what happened tonight," Julian said, his voice tinged with a quiet chill. Bruce staggered slightly as he crossed the room, his head clouded with drink. He dropped onto the couch beside Julian. "Jules, it was just a bunch of women getting jealous, that's all." He lowered his voice. "But if you still care about Sydney -even just as a sister-you should tell her to get a divorce. That kind of marriage is a waste of time." It was a rare moment of sincerity from him.

the Sterling family might have looked stable from the outside, but those within their circle knew better. She hadn't had it easy in that house. Take the online scandal, for example. Eloise always claimed to adore her, yet when the rumors spread like wildfire, the Sterlings said nothing. Not once did they step forward to

without hesitation. Yet, they had done nothing. Not a word. And what had Julian done? ... The next morning, Bruce stared at the ceiling, piecing it together through the fog of his hangover. 1 1/2 Sun 24 Aug Chapter 55 78% +15 BONUS Julian had seemed utterly indifferent. Maybe his drink had sloshed slightly as he had

downstairs to open his birthday gifts. The pen Sydney had picked out was a rare custom piece he'd been trying to get for ages. She'd always been thoughtful like that. It made all the times he favored her feel worth it. But when he reached the bottom of the pile, there was no pen. He turned to