Old Madam had merely suggested that he should seize the moment and soothe Sydney.
She had thought that, at most, he would appease Sydney with honeyed words.
But her grandson surpassed her expectations and embraced Sydney outright.
This action was far more potent than any honeyed words.
She realized then that her thinking was still rooted in the old ways.
But it didn't matter, as long as her grandson was not bound by such conservatism.
Old Madam watched the couple in their embrace, her face breaking into a grin.
Felicia, though clueless about the reason behind Old Madam's mirth, mirrored her joy and felt a sense of relief.
Across from them, Sydney finally came to her senses, trying to push him away.
Her effort was feeble, nowhere near the force Julien had used when he had kissed her earlier.
With Old Madam and Felicia present, she was too mortified to exert any real strength against Julien.
All she could do was pat his back, signaling him to release her.
His unexpected embrace in front of Old Madam and Felicia left her feeling somewhat flustered.
However, despite Sydney's subtle hint, Julien showed no intention of letting go. He held onto her tightly, causing Sydney to stiffen.
Left with no choice, she leaned into his ear and whispered, "What are you doing? Let go of me. Grandma and Felicia are watching."
"No," he responded firmly. His large hand remained wrapped around her waist while his other hand gently stroked her hair. "You don't need to feel out of place; you have a family too. I am your family, and my family is naturally yours as well. Don't you remember? You were the one who said you wanted grandma to treat you as a real granddaughter. So, you can treat her as your real grandmother. We are your family."
When Sydney heard that, her attempts to free herself from his hold ceased abruptly.
"You read my thoughts?" She widened her eyes in surprise.
Julien chuckled. "The look in your eyes gave you away. It was so transparent and hard for me to ignore."
Sydney nestled her head on his shoulder and smiled. "You know me so well. It feels like I have no secrets from you."
"Isn't that perfect? It shows our honesty with each other, doesn't it?" Julien stroked her soft hair.
Sydney laughed again. "You're right."
At that point, she had forgotten about Old Madam and Felicia. Just moments ago, she had felt awkward being so intimate with Julien in their presence.
But Julien's words touched her, and she lost herself in the warmth of his embrace, oblivious to everything else.
Standing there, Old Madam and Felicia watched the couple's affectionate display with amusement.
"What do you think Julien said to Sydney? She seems completely smitten," Old Madam asked, looking up at Felicia.
Felicia shook her head. "I don't know for sure. I guess it's something romantic and pleasing to the ear."
Old Madam nodded. "Maybe so."
"Old Madam." Just then, a familiar voice echoed through the hall.
It was none other than Erika, who was assigned by Julien to look after Sydney during her time of blindness.
Erika came in, greeted Old Madam, and then smiled at Julien and Sydney.
Erika's arrival jolted Sydney back to reality. She glanced at Old Madam and Felicia, their eyes twinkling with amusement. A blush crept up her cheeks as she hastily pushed Julien away and took a seat.
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