Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 412

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You**
**Chapter 412**

Once Caleb had walked away, a profound silence enveloped Sydney. She found herself seated beside the gravestone, her eyes fixated on the names etched into the cold stone—her parents’ names. Time seemed to blur; minutes stretched into hours, each second heavy with unspoken words and grief. When she finally attempted to rise, a sharp tingling sensation shot through her legs, as if a swarm of ants were gnawing at her, reminding her of the weight of her sorrow.

With a deep, reluctant breath, she began to make her way toward the cemetery gate. The path felt endless beneath her feet, each step a reminder of her solitude. As she walked, a group of visitors ascended the hill, their laughter and chatter a stark contrast to her somber mood. They brushed past her, their presence a fleeting distraction.

One of the women in the group halted abruptly, squinting as if trying to unlock a door to a distant memory. “Sydney?” she called out, her voice cutting through the stillness.

Sydney’s heart skipped a beat. The woman’s gaze flickered toward the grave she had just left, and then she hurried forward. “You’re Sydney, right?”

Time seemed to freeze as Sydney stood frozen in place, her mind racing. The woman appeared almost unfamiliar, yet there was a spark of recognition in her features that tugged at Sydney’s memory.

It was her aunt, Melaine Wilson.

The revelation hit Sydney like a wave crashing against the shore. Melaine had been the only family member left after the tragic loss of her parents. Yet, in that moment of need, she had chosen not to take Sydney in, leaving her to the cold embrace of the orphanage.

Sydney had understood even then, a child grappling with the harsh realities of life. No one wanted to take on the burden of another mouth to feed, especially one that wasn’t their own flesh and blood.

As Melaine’s eyes locked onto hers, they widened in recognition. “You came to see my brother and sister-in-law again?” she asked, her voice a mixture of surprise and something akin to regret.

Sydney nodded softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Aunt Melaine.”

Their paths had crossed a few times before during her visits to the cemetery, but this encounter felt different—charged with unspoken words and unacknowledged histories.

Melaine’s gaze drifted to Sydney’s swollen eyes, and a sigh escaped her lips. “I saw the news about your new drug. You’ve done really well for yourself,” she remarked, an attempt at bridging the chasm that lay between them.

Sydney pressed her lips together, the praise feeling foreign. “Yeah,” she replied, the weight of the conversation settling heavily around them.

An uncomfortable silence enveloped them, thick and suffocating. Their connection was little more than a line on a family registry, a mere formality that couldn’t bridge the emotional distance that had grown over the years. Sydney felt lost, unsure of what to say next.

“You’re doing so well now,” Melaine finally broke the silence, guilt flickering across her features like a candle flame. “Actually…”

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