Lahat ng Kabanata ng Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

Many found traditional medicine dull and dry, but Sydney loved it. There was no way she would part with this wall of books. Not a chance.She headed to the storage room, grabbed some cardboard boxes, and began packing her medical books to send to Tiffany's place. Caleb's mind was never on her. Even if a few things disappeared from her room, he would never notice.She was in the middle of organizing when her phone rang. The caller ID showed "Little Old Man"—her mentor, Alan Conton.Four years ago, she had been ready to join Jouleston Hospital, one of the country's top medical centers. Barely in her twenties and already offered such a prestigious position, her talent and potential were clear.Sadly, Eloise had crushed her career with a single gesture. No one dared to hire her.Alan had told her, "It's okay. Don't lose heart."Behind the scenes, he had arranged for her to work at the clinic of her senior, Marcus Shepard.Sydney answered the call. Alan's cheerful voice came through.

Sydney did not spare a thought for how that so-called happy family was spending their Christmas Eve.After dinner, she squatted in the courtyard, carefully sculpting a Santa Claus out of snow. Her fingers turned red from the cold before she finally went inside for a hot bath.Perhaps because Nancy had turned up the heat due to the snow, the room felt uncomfortably warm. Sydney lacked the energy to dry her hair. She leaned against the headboard, opened a book, and before long, curled up and fell asleep.…Sydney was jolted awake the next morning by a loud crash. It was unclear whether it came from downstairs or just outside her door, but the sound was sharp and unmistakable. Timothy was likely tearing through the house again.She pushed aside her sleepiness, freshened up, and headed downstairs for breakfast. She had barely stepped onto the stairs when Timothy suddenly appeared, his hands on his hips and eyes blazing. "You wicked woman! Go die!"Sydney frowned, about to speak, but

Caleb always focused his attention on the one he truly cared about. He constantly doted on the woman he loved.Just a few days ago, Tiffany had stopped by the hospital with some afternoon tea, only to scold Caleb for half an hour.Why? Because she caught him in the VIP ward, carefully tending to Penelope as if she were the most fragile person in the world.…The next morning, Sydney completed her discharge paperwork smoothly.Worried about her condition, Marcus sent her a message.Marcus: [Syd, should I come pick you up from the hospital?]Sydney replied while stepping into the elevator.Sydney: [Don't trouble yourself, Marc. Tiffany's taking me to the airport.]As she entered the underground parking lot, a familiar voice echoed from the stairwell. It was Caleb on the phone."Do you think I never understood her? I seriously didn't expect her to get physical with Penny," he said.After hearing the other person, he sighed, sounding exhausted. "I never intended to let her take

Marcus was a natural at socializing. With him handling the conversation, Sydney only had to focus on eating. Whenever he spotted a dish he knew she liked, he would quietly place some on her plate.Take stuffed peppers, for example. Caleb refused anything with bell peppers, so that dish never appeared on the Hampton family table.Sydney had always enjoyed them. She glanced at Marcus, her eyes curving into a slight smile. She said nothing, but he understood the silent thank you and gently tapped her head."Eat while it's hot," he said. "Our mentor told me to make sure you're taken care of."At that moment, the door of the private dining room diagonally across the hall opened. A foreign man in his late forties stepped out first, flanked by sharply dressed subordinates.He carried the polished air of a successful executive, clearly someone from a top publicly listed company. He moved aside with a broad smile and spoke fluent, cheerful Storian. "Mr. Sterling, then it's settled! I'll br

"We're having lunch," Julian said evenly.Sydney bristled. "Stop the car."He didn't brake. Instead, he watched her through the rearview mirror, waiting for even a flicker of hesitation.When she saw he had no intention of stopping, she didn't argue. She yanked the door handle and snapped, "You know I won't listen to you. Three years ago, I would've jumped already—and I still will."Julian slammed the brakes. That memory from three years ago still clung to him like a shadow. He had seen this coming.Leaning forward, he seized her wrist with a grip so cold it chilled her to the bone. "Who would you listen to? Caleb?"Sydney ripped her arm away like a startled leopard. "I wouldn't listen to anyone. Least of all you."Julian gave a dry laugh. "Who was the one begging me not to leave back then? Saying she'd do whatever I said?""As you said, that was 'back then;!" Her control slipped for the first time. Her eyes burned red as she glared at him. "Mr. Sterling, I'm 24 now, not 7. You