Chapter_25
Tyler responded flatly, “Hmm.” His voice was distant, and the warmth he had shown at the hospital felt like a forgotten memory. Now, he was back to his usual cold, detached self.
Olivia, feeling the shift in the air, opened the car door and stepped out. As she did, a voice called her name from behind. “Olivia.”
She froze at the sound, her heart skipping a beat. Turning around, she saw Jacob standing about five meters away. His presence hit her like a gust of cold wind, freezing her in place as she stared at him.
Jacob quickly closed the distance between them, a puzzled frown forming on his face. He didn’t immediately recognize the car she had been in, but as he got closer, he saw the sleek black vehicle and immediately recognized it as Tyler’s.
“Mr. Tyler?” Jacob called out toward the car, his voice filled with curiosity.
Tyler rolled down the window and looked at him with his usual indifference.
Jacob, now recognizing him, smiled brightly. “I can’t believe it’s really you. I thought I was mistaken.”
Tyler, playing the role of the concerned elder, asked, “Have you just come back from the office?”
Jacob nodded, still smiling. “Yes, I’m here for Olivia. I also need to pick up some things I left behind.”
Tyler gave a simple nod. “Okay, go ahead.”
Jacob, still feeling a bit puzzled, asked, “Did you drop Olivia off at school?”
Olivia felt her heart race. The question, innocently asked, seemed to hang in the air for an eternity. She tried not to look at Tyler, but she could feel his gaze on her.
Tyler glanced at her, then responded without hesitation, “Yes, I brought her here.”
Jacob’s smile grew wider, and he expressed his gratitude. “Thank you for taking care of her, Mr. Tyler.”
The words, meant to be kind, had an unintended weight. Both Tyler and Olivia reacted almost imperceptibly. Olivia felt a flicker of unease in her chest, but Tyler’s response was icy. His tone was flat, distant. “Don’t mention it. It’s something I should do.”
Olivia stood there, her thoughts racing. She struggled to find her voice, her heart still beating wildly. Finally, she asked, “Why are you here, Jacob?”
There was a sudden shift in her tone—an instinctive desire to put distance between herself and Jacob. She wanted to shield herself, to become as unapproachable as a porcupine, prickling with defensiveness.
Jacob noticed, though, and his frown deepened in concern. He stepped closer to her. “I heard from Sophie that you’re not feeling well, so I came here to check on you. I didn’t expect to run into you at the entrance. How are you feeling, Olivia?”
He was immediately concerned, his gaze scanning her pale face. His eyes flicked to her lips, noticing the way she was biting them, and then to her body, which seemed drained and fragile. Jacob reached out instinctively and placed his hand on her forehead. “Do you have a fever?”
The touch was gentle, but Olivia felt a sudden rush of panic. She instinctively took a step back, as if to escape the warmth of his hand. “I’m fine, Jacob,” she said quickly, her voice shaky. “I just have the flu. I’ve already taken my medicine.”
But Jacob wasn’t convinced. He held her trembling hand, his brow furrowing deeper with concern. “No, I must take you to the hospital,” he insisted, his voice growing more insistent. “What’s really going on, Olivia? You’re shivering.”
At that moment, Tyler, who had been quietly observing the scene from the car, interjected. His voice was flat, almost mechanical. “I’ve already taken her to the hospital, and she’s been prescribed medicine. It’s just gastroenteritis and the flu. Just make sure she rests properly.”
Jacob’s expression shifted from worry to relief. “Thank you, Mr. Tyler,” he said, his tone softening as he turned back to Olivia. “I’ll take her back to the dorm to rest.”
Tyler didn’t offer any further response. He glanced at Olivia, his expression unreadable, then simply said, “Alright.” Without waiting for anything more, he rolled up the window and drove off, leaving the two of them standing there.
Olivia stood there for a moment, still reeling from the tension between the three of them. She had wanted to say something, to explain how she felt, but the words just wouldn’t come. Instead, she looked down, feeling the weight of it all.
Jacob, oblivious to the complexity of the situation, gently took her hand and led her toward the dorm. Olivia, caught in a whirlwind of emotions, could only follow.