Chapter 198 To outsiders, the question seemed perfectly ordinary-no more unusual than asking a child whether they preferred their father or their mother. However, Sydney and Julian's relationship was anything but ordinary, which made the question far from simple. Yet both Julian and Caleb turned to her, just as everyone else had, waiting for her answer. Sydney offered a small smile and spoke the truth. "Neither of them is all that important." 11 Her reply drew laughter from the group, though no one seemed surprised.
After all, Julian had abandoned her for eight years, and Caleb had ignored her for three, too obsessed with Penelope to even notice her. It was six of one, half a dozen of the other. A few more rounds passed before someone suggested switching to poker. The private room had two tables separated by a folding screen, keeping the atmosphere lively without tipping into chaos. At one table, Julian, Caleb, Bruce, and Tiffany played while Sydney stayed close to Tiffany, quietly watching. Someone called for Raymond to join the other table, but he declined. Instead, he pulled a chair beside Tiffany.
"I'll bring you some luck," he said. Tiffany, calm as ever, replied lightly, "Sydney's luck is enough," and pushed some chips forward, raising the bet. Raymond arched an eyebrow. "Fine. If you win, the credit's yours. If you lose, the blame's mine. Deal?" Tiffany nodded without hesitation. "Deal." Sydney made up her mind then and there. 'When we get home tonight, I'm definitely going to pry every detail about those two out of Tiffany.' After watching for a while, Sydney excused herself to use the bathroom. On the way, she called Alan to check on Eliana.
"Don't worry," Alan said, his tone relaxed. "Eliana's practically recovered. We're planning to fly back in the next couple of days." Sydney blinked in surprise. "So soon? Not staying to enjoy yourselves a little longer?" She had assumed they would remain abroad at least until after next month. "No, no," Alan said quickly. "It's boring here. Home is better. Eliana misses it too." "Alright," Sydney said, nodding. "I'll book the tickets for you both and pick you up at the airport when you land." They chatted a little longer before she hung up.
As she stepped out of the bathroom and scrolled through a flight -booking app, a large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a nearby private room. The room was empty and dark, the lights off. Before her eyes could adjust, a man's hand clamped around her waist, his voice low and rough in her ear. "So I don't matter at all?" 1/2 The breath and voice were familiar. Sydney pressed her lips together. "The contract didn't require that." She had learned to wield his own words against him. Julian laughed coldly, then bent down to claim her lips.
In the pitch-dark, Sydney flinched, fear prickling her skin. Julian only tightened his hold and let out a low grunt. "This was in the contract." Indeed, the agreement had spelled it out clearly: she could not refuse intimacy. Sydney parted her lips to argue, but before she could speak, he seized the chance and swallowed her words whole. Her body had grown too accustomed to their close contact. Blind in the dark, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist. Once the initiative was taken from her, all she could do was yield and let him take whatever he wanted.
As the woman in his arms relaxed, Julian slid his hand under her waist and lifted her slightly. Her skin felt smooth and delicate beneath his palm. He pressed their bodies together and left no space between them. The air thickened, heavy with heat. Still, it was not enough. Sydney was too obedient, too unpracticed. She docilely let him kiss and knead, trembling softly beneath his touch, as if she had never been touched before.