Lahat ng Kabanata ng Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable: Kabanata 441 - Kabanata 450

Theodore shook his head. "She's not in the right state to see anyone right now. It's inconvenient.""Syd, I'm so sorry," Penelope said tearfully, her voice trembling as she stepped closer. "I lost my head for a moment, that's all…"But once she was close enough, her expression darkened. Her lips curled into a venomous sneer, and her words dropped to a whisper only Sydney could hear. "Sydney, I wanted you dead. What can you do about it?"Her eyes gleamed with malice. "You really think being Mrs. Hutton's personal doctor means they'll protect you forever? Dream on. From now on, the only person the Hutton family will protect is me. Even if I ran you over again, you'd still have to take it."A sharp slap split the air.After striking Penelope clean across the face, Sydney drew a steady breath. Before the woman could react, another slap landed from the opposite side."Is that so? Then go ahead. Let the Hutton family protect you!" She didn't know what had caused the Huttons' change in

Back then, afraid of frightening her, he would pretend nothing had happened—wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth before casually draping an arm around her shoulders."Why are you just standing there, huh? Come on, let's go home together."…That memory struck Sydney like a wave. Now, as that same hand rested once again on her shoulder, the warmth of his palm seeped through the thin fabric, sinking deep into her skin and spreading through every nerve and bone.Sydney instinctively tilted her head to look up at the man beside her. That boy had grown taller, broader, and steadier.She had always believed Julian had changed. But maybe he hadn't changed at all. His words weren't only meant for her. They were a warning to everyone present. He had made it unmistakably clear that Sydney was his.It was the first time Julian had ever openly defended a woman, and the effect was immediate.The crowd that had gathered to watch now looked on with newfound respect. After all, this wa

For a fleeting moment, Florence couldn't help but wonder who she would choose between Sydney and Penelope.The answer that surfaced this time was nothing like what she would have said in the past. Back then, she had believed that once they found Vee, no matter how distant she seemed, she would stop at nothing to bring her home.While Florence was lost in thought, Sydney heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see the housekeeper leading a man in a neatly pressed suit into the room. He wore rimless glasses, and his expression was calm and composed. In his mid-thirties, he carried himself with quiet authority. A subordinate followed closely behind.The man walked straight to Florence and Theodore, offering a polite nod. "Father. Mother."Then, his gaze shifted toward Diana. "Diana."Diana's expression didn't change. She went straight to the point. "Let's begin the sampling.""Alright." Leon turned back to Florence and spoke gently. "Mother, I'll just take a strand of your hair."

Helen took the samples back with a frown. "No, I'm fine. But you really should watch where you're going. You came out of nowhere."…Inside the car, Julian's words left Sydney silent for a long time. It took her a while to sort through her tangled thoughts and steady herself enough to speak.In the end, she followed her heart and said softly, "Thank you for standing up for me just now."When she hadn't yet known where the Hutton family stood, and with Megan and Penelope pressing so hard, his defense had felt like a lifeline in a snowstorm.For her, openly breaking with the Huttons would have done no good. She wasn't ready for that. But because Julian had spoken up, at least she hadn't been left completely alone against them.In the end, Florence and Diana's attitudes had proven entirely different from Megan's and Penelope's.Julian's lips curved in a faint, self-mocking smile. "I never defended you before? Funny, I don't remember you ever thanking me."Sydney could tell he was

Sydney's thoughts were a tangled mess. She didn't even dare imagine what Julian had meant to say that day in the half of the sentence he never finished.'He couldn't have been about to say he wanted to marry me, could he?' The thought had barely formed when tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks, soaking into her clothes and leaving dark circles of damp.The car was dimly lit, and she hadn't made a sound. Yet a moment later, his rough, warm fingertips brushed the corner of her eye.When Julian felt the wetness on his thumb, something inside him tore open—not deep, but enough to ache.He wiped her tears in silence. After a long pause, he finally answered her question head-on. "Precious… back then, I really couldn't think of a better way."His voice was low and muffled. The moment Sydney heard it, the tears came harder. She lifted her face, eyes red and streaming, not caring how disheveled she must look.Just as he reached for a tissue and leaned closer, she pressed her lips t