Chapter_21
Tyler glanced briefly at the menu before adding two more dishes to the order. “That’s all for now. Bring a bottle of red wine,” he instructed the staff in his usual impassive tone.
Olivia watched him, her gaze flicking from his cold, unreadable face to the wine glass being set down in front of her. She furrowed her brow. Are we… drinking?
Tyler didn’t acknowledge her question. The silence between them stretched, and Olivia couldn’t help but feel a knot form in her stomach. She had no idea what had caused the shift in him. Just yesterday, their conversation had been light, even warm. Now, Tyler was distant, almost aloof.
The staff arrived with the wine, and Tyler poured a glass for himself, his movements fluid but detached. Olivia stared at the glass, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of the table. She couldn’t drink—not with the tension suffocating the room.
Tyler swirled the wine in his glass, his gaze suddenly locking with hers. It was intense, probing, and it made her fidget in her seat. She cleared her throat, her voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t drink.”
He merely shrugged, the corners of his mouth curling into a disinterested smile. “Whatever.”
The words stung more than she expected. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but instead found herself pulling out the card from her pocket. It felt awkward, clumsy, like offering a peace offering when neither of them knew exactly what had gone wrong.
“I’d like to return the money,” she said, her voice trembling slightly as she placed the card on the table, just a little too slowly.
Tyler didn’t respond right away, his eyes flicking briefly to the card before he leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the table. His expression remained impassive as he picked up the card and gave it a cursory glance.
“Sure,” he said flatly. “I respect your decision.”
The words felt like a dismissal, and Olivia’s stomach tightened with unease. She watched him as he continued swirling his wine, neither speaking nor eating. His behavior was so different from the Tyler she had known, and she wasn’t sure how to bridge the growing chasm between them. She pushed food around her plate, her appetite long gone, the atmosphere thick with unspoken tension.
Eventually, Tyler broke the silence, his voice sharp. “Are you done eating?”
Olivia, caught off guard, quickly swallowed the bite she had been chewing and set her cutlery down. She didn’t know what to say—she felt small in front of him, as if her every move were being judged.
“Let’s go if you’re done.” His tone was curt, even cold, leaving her feeling more confused and unsettled.
She barely had time to process his words before he called the staff over to settle the bill. Olivia hesitated, wanting to offer to pay, but the harsh look in his eyes stopped her before she could speak.
Tyler stood up, a silent command in his posture. He looked down at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. “Where do you want to go?” he asked, his voice low. “I’ll give you a ride.”
He looked intimidating under the harsh white lights of the restaurant, his jaw set and his eyes shadowed, and Olivia had the distinct feeling that asking him about his mood again would only make things worse.
The drive back to school was silent, the air in the car heavy with unspoken words. The rain had picked up again, the droplets hitting the windshield like soft taps, but the car felt suffocating, as if the world outside had shut them both in.
Olivia finally summoned the courage to speak. “Did I make you mad?” she asked, her voice tentative.
Tyler didn’t look at her, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. “No,” he replied curtly, though there was a flicker of something in his expression—a fleeting moment of vulnerability that quickly faded behind his usual mask of indifference.
She didn’t dare press him further. Instead, she reached for her seatbelt, planning to unbuckle it and leave the car as quickly as possible. But before she could, Tyler’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. For a moment, she almost lost her balance and fell into his chest, the scent of him overwhelming her senses. Her hair brushed against his nose, and she froze, unsure of what to do.
She looked at him, bewildered, as his hand moved to adjust her collar. His touch was gentle but firm, and she could feel the heat of his hand even through the fabric. As he did so, she noticed something—a small detail—that made her heart skip. The strap of the white lingerie he had bought for her peeked out from under her collar, almost like a secret they shared, though it was not one she was ready to confront.
Their faces were close now, their breaths mingling, and for a moment, it felt like the air between them was charged, as if something unsaid hung between them. Olivia could feel her pulse quicken, her body still, waiting for the next move, wondering if tonight might be different.
But instead of drawing closer, Tyler pulled back slightly. His gaze hardened, and he seemed to realize the intimacy of the moment. He quickly let go of her and leaned back in his seat.
“Sit still,” he ordered, his voice hard.
Olivia blinked, confused, the warmth of the moment slipping away like the rain on the car window. She sank back into her seat, her chest tight, unsure of what just happened—or why it felt so significant. Her mind raced, trying to decipher his actions, but nothing made sense.
When Olivia returned to school, she felt like she was in a daze, her thoughts a whirlwind as she walked through the field toward her dorm. She wasn’t sure what had just transpired between her and Tyler, but it lingered in the back of her mind, a shadow that wouldn’t quite fade.
Just as she was about to enter the dorm, Sophie suddenly appeared behind her, clapping a hand on her back. “Where did you go, Olivia? I’ve been looking for you!”
Olivia hadn’t expected to run into Sophie, and as she turned to answer, a sudden wave of nausea hit her. She felt a sharp, uncomfortable cramp in her stomach and before she knew it, she was pushing past the students around her and squatting by the street, retching into the grass.
Sophie rushed over, her voice full of concern. “What’s wrong, Olivia? Are you sick?”
Olivia barely registered Sophie’s words as she caught her breath. Her face flushed, her eyes watery from the sudden sickness. She wiped her mouth and shook her head, trying to push the panic that was rising in her chest down. “I don’t know… I just felt sick. Maybe it’s motion sickness…”
“Have you experienced motion sickness before?” Sophie asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
Olivia nodded numbly, then stopped. The cold dread settled in her stomach as her thoughts turned to something else. The feeling of sickness wasn’t just from the ride—it felt different, more unsettling. Her period was late. Could it be?
Her pulse quickened as she tried to steady herself, but the thought wouldn’t leave her. What if…? What if I’m pregnant?