Once doormat Now Untouchable Novel

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Chapter 613

This time, the bespectacled man hesitated. Sydney was right. If

she died here, it would not be dismissed as a simple mistake. It

would be fatal.

With the leaders of both the Sterling and Hutton families

present, losing the hostage meant that none of them would

leave the estate alive.

He considered it for a moment. "Aren't you a doctor yourself?

What do you need? Medicine? Supplies? | can have someone

bring them."

Letting her go was clearly not an option.

Sydney appeared to think it over, then replied evenly, "A cup of

hot water and a warm coat."

He frowned. "You have a lot of demands.”

“| can't help it," Sydney said. "I'm cold."

She glanced across the empty terrace, then looked back at him."

Aren't you cold?"

It was a winter night. No one was immune to the chill

He hesitated again. Hot water was easy enough. Clothes were

----

another matter. The villa had stood abandoned for years. There

were no spare garments. Even the carpets had rotted away.

He signaled to a man in the hallway. "Get her a cup of hot water."

Then he turned back, irritation sharp in his voice. "No coat. Even

if there were one, a pampered young lady like you wouldn't want

me taking off mine—"

“I'll give her mine." A calm female voice came from the corridor.

Sydney looked up.

Diana walked over despite the attempts to stop her. She halted

at the entrance to the terrace and went no farther.

“It's just a coat," she said evenly. "That's acceptable, right?"

She removed her down jacket and held it out.

The bespectacled man clicked his tongue. The situation

downstairs remained unresolved, and no one knew how it would

end. There was no reason to offend Diana over a coat.

He took the jacket, checked it inside and out, then tossed it to

Sydney. "Put it on."

Sydney caught it and looked at Diana. "Thank you, Diana."

"Ms. Hutton, the coat's delivered. You can leave now," the man

----

said.

Diana did not respond. She gave a single nod and returned

downstairs.

Sydney could not hear the voices below. From her vantage point,

she saw only figures seated around the living room.

Julian and Raymond had their backs to her. Tristan still wore an

expression of certainty.

She slipped on the coat. When her left hand slid free of the

sleeve, her movement stalled for a fraction of a second.

Something felt wrong.

The hot water arrived. The bespectacled man took the glass,

tested its weight, and said sharply, "Don't try anything.”

“It's just a glass," Sydney replied calmly. "What could | do? Break

it and kill myself in front of you? Or kill you with it?"

He studied her. When his gaze dropped to her abdomen, his

suspicion eased. She was pregnant, weak, and under constant

watch. What threat could she pose?

Sydney took the glass and drank without pause. "The

temperature is just right."

He clicked his tongue, uncertain now who truly held the

----

advantage.

She cradled the glass and watched the scene below.

Then Tristan rose abruptly to his feet. At the same instant,

Sydney let out a sharp cry. The glass slipped from her hands and

shattered on the ground.

Alarm surged through the man. He kicked the shards away from

her feet. "I knew you wouldn't behave—"

The words died in his throat.

Sydney doubled over, both hands pressed to her abdomen. Her

face contorted with pain. "It hurts!"