Chapter_19
The shop assistant escorted Olivia to the changing room while Tyler waited in the store’s waiting area, his presence a quiet weight that she couldn’t ignore.
Once inside, Olivia began to remove her clothes, and the assistant, who had been polite and efficient up until that point, paused when she noticed the ill-fitting lingerie Olivia wore underneath. The assistant’s gaze softened as she gently helped Olivia out of the old pieces, whispering, “You should choose something more comfortable, something that fits properly. Is this one comfortable?”
Olivia blinked, momentarily surprised. It was the first time anyone had asked her to consider comfort in such an intimate way. She glanced down at the new set she was trying on, a little hesitant. “Mm-hmm, it’s fine,” she murmured, though she wasn’t entirely sure what comfort in lingerie even meant.
The assistant continued, her voice teasing yet warm. “Your boyfriend has great taste,” she commented with a wink. “This style is perfect for you—it complements your figure. Your breasts look so perky, and the color… makes you look bright and sexy. I’m even a little seduced, just looking at you. Imagine how your boyfriend feels.”
Olivia flushed deeply, not used to anyone speaking about her body so openly. The shop assistant’s playful tone only added to her discomfort, but she quickly dressed in the lingerie, trying to shake off the embarrassment before heading back to Tyler.
As she walked toward him, Olivia couldn’t help but notice the difference in her posture. The new lingerie seemed to make her stand taller, her back less hunched, though she still felt self-conscious under Tyler’s gaze.
He glanced at her when she returned. “Not bad,” he remarked, his tone casual, though Olivia felt her cheeks heat up at his words.
For a moment, she struggled to believe that Tyler, of all people, had accompanied her here. She had never imagined a day like this.
After a few minutes, the shop assistant returned with more options, seemingly noticing Olivia’s unease. With a knowing smile, she looked at Tyler and said, “Feel how soft this fabric is. It’s breathable, light—perfect for everyday wear.”
Olivia froze, her eyes widening at the suggestion. She quickly grabbed Tyler’s wrist, her fingers brushing against the warm skin of his arm, “No need, that’s too many for me,” she said, her voice a little too sharp.
The touch—his wrist, so firm and masculine—made her feel flustered in a way she hadn’t expected. She immediately realized she was still holding his wrist, and pulled back, her heart pounding in her chest.
Tyler looked down at where her hand still rested, not even flinching. His expression remained unchanged as he quietly asked, “You sure you don’t want more?”
“No,” she replied, more resolute this time, the awkwardness making her voice firmer than usual.
Tyler nodded, not pushing the matter further. “Okay, let’s take these.” He paid for the lingerie without another word, and the two of them left the store.
The car ride back to school was silent except for the sound of Olivia’s soft breaths as she held the shopping bags in her lap. Tyler’s eyes flickered to her once or twice, but he didn’t speak, as if content to let the quiet hang between them.
When they arrived at the school, Tyler parked the car and looked at her. “I won’t walk you in,” he said, his voice calm but distant.
Olivia nodded, her hands clutching the bags. “Okay.”
Tyler’s eyes softened slightly. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Olivia’s gaze flickered to him, and after a moment’s hesitation, she spoke. “Tyler, we’re doing all of this for my sister’s sake. You don’t have to be so kind to me. Also, I… I want to do this on my own.”
Tyler studied her pale face, his expression unreadable for a long time. Finally, he said, his voice even but gentle, “Olivia, your sister would want me to treat you well too.”
Her heart stuttered in her chest at his words. He wasn’t wrong, but the way he said it—so matter-of-factly—made her feel like a part of her was being torn between two worlds. She fell silent, feeling a weight press down on her.
They sat there in the car for what seemed like an eternity, the only sound the faint hum of the engine. Then Tyler’s phone buzzed, breaking the stillness. It was a call from Naomi.
Olivia, her eyes still trained on the bags in her lap, tried to avoid looking at the phone. But her gaze wandered anyway, and she quickly looked away when she saw the caller ID.
Tyler’s expression remained unchanged as he glanced down at the phone but didn’t pick it up immediately. Olivia knew what was coming. She slid out of the car, her heart a little too heavy to bear.
As she walked away, she heard Tyler pick up the call, his voice low and steady as he answered. Naomi’s voice crackled through the speaker. “What took you so long to pick up?” she asked, her tone tinged with impatience.
“I was unavailable,” Tyler replied smoothly, “Should I come over now?”
Naomi seemed to relax a little at his response. “That’s more like it,” she muttered, her words soft with relief. She’d been waiting for him at the hospital.
When Tyler arrived at her bedside, he placed the snacks he’d bought for her on the table and asked, “How are you feeling today?”
Naomi smiled weakly. “I ate well and had a good rest.”
Tyler’s eyes lingered on her for a moment before he added, “Don’t eat so much. Just taste them. They’re bad for your health.”
Her smile faltered slightly at his comment, but she quickly brightened and reached out to take his hand. “Tyler, were you with Olivia last night?”
He looked at her, momentarily surprised by the question. Naomi’s voice trembled as she asked again, her tone tinged with insecurity. “Did you…?”
Tyler sighed, his expression shifting from concern to something sharper. “Naomi,” he said sternly, cutting her off.
Naomi’s eyes welled with tears. Her conflicting emotions were clear. She wanted to believe everything was fine, that Tyler’s feelings for her hadn’t changed, but there was something unsettling about the way he had been acting toward Olivia. A knot of jealousy and fear twisted in her chest.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You… didn’t, did you?”
The tension between them grew, but Tyler, seeing the hurt in her eyes, took a breath and calmed himself. “Focus on your recovery, Naomi. Don’t think too much about it.”
Naomi nodded, but the tears still clung to her lashes. She held onto his hand a little tighter. “Okay.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
A soft, tentative smile crossed her face, and she looked at him, eyes full of hope. “Tyler, once I’m better, everything will go back to the way it was, won’t it? You’ll always love me, right?”
The question hung in the air, unanswered.