Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 242

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 242**

**Chapter 242**

Peter was acutely aware of how deeply Julian cherished Sydney, yet there was a fire in him that demanded expression. “Mr. Sterling,” he began, his voice steady but urgent, “the Malbrosia project is pivotal for our international operations. If you walk away from this now…”

Elliot, however, did not engage in a debate. He swiftly checked the flight application on his phone, his expression hardening as he replied, “The earliest commercial flight isn’t until noon tomorrow.”

Peter felt a surge of frustration. “Then arrange a private jet.”

“Right away.” Elliot wasted no time, dialing a number to secure clearance for a private aircraft. He understood the stakes all too well; if anything were to happen to Sydney, Julian would abandon everything without a second thought.

The only instance when he had ever placed her second to anything was during the dark time when he sought vengeance for his parents’ deaths. For her safety, he had made the agonizing decision to send her back to Eloise, knowing that otherwise, they would have both ended up as mere pawns in a deadly game.

Now, with every ounce of his being, he knew that Sydney would always take precedence.

The sleek black Maybach raced down the highway, urgency coursing through its engine as it zoomed toward the hospital.

Meanwhile, Sydney began to regain consciousness, nestled in Caleb’s protective embrace.

As her eyelids fluttered open, she was met with Caleb’s anxious gaze. “Syd, how are you feeling? Any pain? We’re almost at the hospital.” His voice was laced with concern, each word heavy with his worry.

“I’m fine,” she managed to croak out, her throat raw from the smoke that had filled the air. “I want to go back to Haven.”

The heat radiating from his body seeped through his shirt, and instinctively, she shifted in her seat, creating a barrier between them. The proximity made her uncomfortable, a sensation she couldn’t quite understand.

Caleb noticed her movement, and it pierced his heart. Yet, he respected her space. “Let the doctors check you first,” he urged softly, his tone gentle. “Your wrists and ankles are injured. We should do some scans, just to be safe.”

She pulled her hand back, lowering her gaze to the floor. “Earlier at the factory, you received a phone call. What was it about?”

She was convinced that the call had shifted the very course of their lives. He had been on the brink of leaving with Penelope, but after that call, he had returned to save her.

At the mention of the call, Caleb’s expression softened, like the calm after a storm. “Let’s get your wounds treated first,” he suggested, his voice steady yet filled with an underlying urgency. “I’ll explain everything once we’re home.”

The weight of that conversation was significant, and he needed the right moment, the right words, to convey the depth of his thoughts. Reflecting on their three years of marriage, he recognized how misguided he had been in so many ways.

“Fine,” Sydney acquiesced, not wanting to press him further.

She allowed the nurse to continue bandaging her wounds, the pain manageable yet sharp. Each time the cotton swab brushed against her raw skin, she caught Caleb’s brows tightening, as if he were experiencing her pain alongside her.

In that moment, a silent understanding passed between them, a bond forged through shared struggles and unspoken fears. They were in this together, and whatever lay ahead, they would face it side by side.