Chapter_29
Olivia hadn’t expected things to be resolved so quickly. Her fingers trembled as she absorbed the news. It felt like a distant dream—her mind couldn’t quite grasp how Tyler had managed to fix such a serious situation so swiftly. He made no mention of the conditions or the details behind his intervention, and Olivia didn’t dare ask. The weight of the favor he had done for her hung heavily in the air, and she realized she might never be able to repay him.
Her heart felt heavy with gratitude and a touch of unease. She wasn’t sure what exactly he had sacrificed to help Jacob, but she knew it was no small matter.
“Tyler, whatever you need me to do… I’ll do it,” she said, her voice soft with sincerity. Her gaze fell to the floor, her lashes casting a delicate shadow over her face. She meant every word, though she wasn’t sure if it was enough.
Tyler didn’t respond to her offer. Instead, he glanced at her with a faint frown. “I’m sure you won’t be able to focus in class today. Let’s get an IV drip at the hospital now. You can accompany your sister.”
His words pulled her out of her thoughts, and she nodded silently, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion settle over her. “Thank you, Tyler.”
As the car drove away from the school and toward the hospital, Olivia’s thoughts remained clouded. Her body felt weak from both the fever and the emotional strain of the past 24 hours. By the time they arrived at the hospital, she was barely able to keep her eyes open. Tyler stayed close by her side as she received the IV drip, offering no words of comfort but remaining a steady presence.
Coincidentally, they ended up at the same hospital where Naomi was receiving treatment. When Naomi heard about Olivia’s condition, she immediately expressed her desire to visit, but Tyler discouraged her. “She’ll be finished soon,” he said, his voice firm. Naomi, respecting his wishes, decided not to insist, though she clearly wanted to be there for Olivia.
Once Naomi’s call ended, Olivia’s fever had spiked to a dangerous 40 degrees Celsius. She hadn’t realized how sick she truly was until the hospital staff took her temperature. If not for Tyler’s insistence on bringing her in, she might have pushed through the illness, not recognizing how serious it had become.
Tyler noticed how pale and unsteady she looked as she lay in the hospital bed. He rose from the couch where he had been sitting, walked over to her, and checked on her condition. “Do you feel better now?”
Olivia, determined not to be a burden, felt embarrassed at his concern. “You don’t have to stay with me, Tyler. I’ll head home after the drip.”
He studied her face for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice low and calm.
“Yes, I’m sure,” she replied, trying to sound more confident than she felt.
But Tyler didn’t leave. Instead, he chose to stay beside her, his gaze never leaving her face. There was something in the air—an unspoken tension—that Olivia couldn’t ignore. She shifted slightly in the bed, trying to gather her thoughts. But then, he leaned in closer, his face nearing hers as he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, “Is he that important to you? So important that you’d do anything for him?”
Her heart skipped a beat, and the air between them seemed to grow thicker. Olivia bit her lip hard in response, the pressure making her lips bleed slightly. She winced but didn’t pull away. Her gaze lowered, the weight of his question pressing on her chest.
“Yes,” she finally murmured. “He’s important. Back when we were together, he had a promising future. I didn’t want to see it ruined because of me.”
Tyler’s face remained inscrutable as he listened to her answer, his expression betraying nothing. His coldness was almost suffocating, but Olivia couldn’t look away. She had always known that Jacob meant a great deal to her, but hearing herself speak the words aloud felt like a sharp reminder of everything she had sacrificed.
As the silence hung between them, Olivia’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. Naomi appeared at the door, her gaze immediately flicking to Tyler and Olivia. For a moment, she stopped, taking in the sight of them sitting close together, their faces mere inches apart.
Olivia stiffened at the sight of Naomi and quickly pulled back, a sense of unease flooding her chest. Naomi, sensing the change in the atmosphere, paused at the door, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene.
Tyler, as always, was the first to react. He glanced over at Naomi, his face betraying little emotion. “Why are you here?” he asked calmly, his voice smooth.
Naomi’s eyes flicked between the two of them before she answered. “I wanted to check on Olivia,” she said, her tone carefully neutral.
Olivia, still slightly shocked by the unexpected arrival, gave a brief nod but remained silent. Naomi, sensing that things were a little more complicated than they seemed, hesitated for a moment before offering a small smile. “Well, I’ll leave you two alone then,” she said, her voice quiet, before she turned to leave.
As Naomi retreated down the hallway, Olivia couldn’t help but feel the weight of the moment. The tension between her and Tyler was thick, but she wasn’t sure what to make of it. For the first time, she felt like there were things between them that went beyond words, things neither of them was willing to acknowledge openly.
Tyler’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he stood up, breaking the silence. “Rest,” he said simply, turning toward the door. “I’ll let you know when the drip is done.”
As he left, Olivia was left alone with her thoughts. She wasn’t sure how to handle the emotions swirling within her. She had come here seeking help, but the conversation with Tyler had left her with more questions than answers. Would she ever truly understand what he wanted from her? Or would she remain in this strange, unsettled place between gratitude and confusion?
The weight of his earlier words lingered, and she couldn’t help but wonder how much longer she could keep pretending that everything was fine.