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.

think maybe she doesn't want to?" Sydney's place in 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

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 spoken in a cool

unresolved. But what? He sighed. It was probably not something he could figure out. Still bleary-eyed, he shuffled downstairs to open his birthday gifts. The pen Sydney had picked out was a rare custom piece