Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable

Caleb pinched Penelope's chin with a faint smile . " Tell me , how should I make your death more painful ? Should I throw a few big wolfhounds into the basement with you ? " " No ! " Penelope broke instantly , screaming . " I'll tell you ! If I tell you , will you let me go ? " His tone softened . " Of course . ' " Really ? " " Really . " His serious expression left no room for doubt . Her whole body shook as she stammered , " T - The people who adopted her ... they came from Jouleston . " Caleb's brows furrowed . " Jouleston ? Are you sure ? " " Sure !

" Penelope bobbed her head frantically , desperate to clutch even the thinnest thread of life . Only now did she realize that trusting this man and bargaining with him was like begging meat from a tiger's jaws . The darkness in his bones went far beyond what anyone could imagine . " I see . " Caleb straightened , slammed the car door , and rapped on the driver's window . " Tell Gordon to get a wolfhound . The fiercest one he can find . " He rose slowly and buttoned his suit jacket with cool precision .

His violent aura dissipated , replaced by the polished , noble mask he wore so effortlessly . He strode upstairs as if he could not hear the desperate shrieks from the car behind him . Upstairs , the mood had changed completely . Caleb stepped into the entryway and heard peals of laughter echoing from the living room . Changing his shoes , he smiled lightly . " What are you all talking about ? " " Talking about how Syd finally made up with Jules , " Bruce replied without looking back , always ready to speak for her . " You sent Penelope away ?

Honestly , I don't even know why you brought her here today . " Caleb chuckled . " Special circumstances . Won't happen again . " " Won't happen again ? " Bruce sounded doubtful . He glanced at Sydney , who sat quietly like a well - behaved doll , then swallowed the rest of his words . Everyone felt it . Caleb spoke with an unusual mildness . " I'll make it clear now . From now on , she and I are done . That's it , " Caleb said evenly Everyone except Julian froze . No one had forgotten that Penelope was his secret crush . He had brought her along , and now he was cutting ties ?

, the words were clearly meant for Sydney , 1/2 She didn't care . She kept her gaze lowered , quietly sipping her juice , though she could feel a sharp stare boring into her . She didn't need to look to know it was Julian . By evening , the private dinner Julian had ordered arrived on time . As everyone sat down , the seat beside Caleb was left empty for Sydney . Bruce grinned . " Syd , sit here . " " Alright . " Sydney did not think being

. She flinched and tried to pull back , but the weight pressed harder . Glancing down , she immediately recognized whose foot it was . Above the table , laughter and toasts flowed freely . Beneath it

utterly righteous , as if nothing were out of place and pinning her foot beneath his was perfectly natural . He had never been a gentleman . This was not merely forbidding Caleb from touching even a finger of hers . It was forbidding him to sit close at all . Resigned , Sydney shifted her chair farther away . Only when there was enough space between her and Caleb for another person to sit did Julian finally release her foot . It was childish . Mid - conversation , Caleb noticed her retreating inch by inch . He turned his head and asked gently ,