Chapter 117 "Julian, I didn't. Please, let me go," Victor pleaded. Julian's voice was icy. "If you won't say it, I'll just have someone dig it out." Victor squeezed his eyes shut and blurted, "Middle school!" Julian's knuckles whitened around his collar, his joints cracked, and his veins stood out on his forehead. He was about to explode when Victor broke into desperate wails. "But I didn't dare! Cuz, she was still living with you back then. I had dirty thoughts, but no guts!" Julian's black eyes narrowed sharply. "So you going abroad six years ago...
Was it because of this?" Victor's heart plummeted. He hadn't expected Julian to connect the dots so fast. Back then, everything had been smothered that very night by their grandmother. Julian had not yet had the absolute power he wielded now. In the Sterling family, Eloise's word had been the law. Watching Victor squirm like a duck being throttled, Julian no longer needed confirmation. Six years ago, Sydney was only 18. Upon realizing tonight wasn't the first time, Julian's rage detonated.
He yanked Victor up by the collar, eyes raking him from head to toe, and drove his foot savagely into Victor before the latter could react. "Ahh!" Victor howled as he rolled across the floor and clutched himself, sweat pouring down his face. Julian turned slightly toward Elliot and commanded. "Find somewhere to dump him. Make it permanent." Elliot started to respond, but Raymond frowned. "Don't." Elliot hesitated. Julian's gaze sharpened.
"Since when do you take orders from him instead of me?" "Jules," Raymond said steadily, knowing exactly how far to push, "Victor deserves to die, but not tonight. If he dies now, Eloise will lose it and Sydney will pay the price." He was right. Even without killing Victor, Eloise's fury would land squarely on Sydney. Sydney stayed at the hotel until she had steadied herself, then finally took a cab home. Tiffany heard the elevator and rushed to open the door. "You're back at last! You must not have eaten properly at that banquet. I ordered late-night snacks-" She froze mid-sentence.
Sydney's gown was disheveled, her makeup streaked, and a man's suit jacket draped over her shoulders. Tiffany's eyes went wide. "What happened? Why do you look like this?" "Something a little unexpected happened at the hotel." Sydney kept it vague to avoid scaring her. Tiffany's suspicion deepened. "Just a little unexpected?" Sydney forced a faint smile. "Yeah. Look at me. I'm fine, aren't I?" They were ordinary women in this city. She had once brushed against the Sterling world through adoption, and truthfully, she still could not fully escape it. But she 1/2 2 would never drag Tiffany in.
She could not even let Eloise know Tiffany existed. Telling Tiffany the truth would only bring useless worry. Neither of them could change anything. Tiffany's eyes welled anyway. She grabbed Sydney's hand and pulled her inside. "Someone bullied you again, didn't they?" Sydney silently lowered her lashes and went straight into the bathroom. She scrubbed herself from head to toe, especially her face. She washed repeatedly-even using alcohol pads-until she finally felt a little clean. The gown Victor had touched went straight into the trash. Julian's jacket was scheduled for dry cleaning.
Tiffany guessed something had happened but did not press. She stayed outside the bathroom door the whole time. When Sydney was almost finished, Tiffany hurried to wipe her tears away, then forced a bright voice as if nothing had happened. "Come on! The food's getting cold. This lamb is amazing, and it's perfect with a beer." "Okay." Sydney knew there would be no sleep tonight. Eating with Tiffany at least filled the silence. She thought she had hidden it well.
But later, when Tiffany had had a little too much to drink, she leaned against Sydney, murmuring like a promise, "Syd, I'm trying to get stronger. One day, I'll make sure no bastard ever bullies you again."