Chapter_33
Tyler remained still, allowing Olivia to kiss him, his expression unreadable. The moment hung in the air between them, thick with tension. As Olivia pulled back slightly, unsure of what to do next, Tyler’s voice cut through the silence.
“Are you seducing me?” His tone was soft but firm, and his gaze never wavered from hers.
Olivia’s breath caught in her throat. The air felt too thin, her heartbeat too loud. She trembled slightly, her lips still warm from the kiss, unsure how to respond.
“No, I just wanted to express my gratitude,” she whispered, her voice shaky.
Tyler’s expression remained cold, distant. “Do you think I wouldn’t help Jacob?” he asked, his words landing heavily on her chest.
Her breath hitched, the weight of his words pressing down on her. She hadn’t considered that angle before, and it made her feel suddenly small, vulnerable. She had only wanted to ensure Jacob’s safety—she had been so focused on that, so desperate to make sure he wasn’t abandoned, that she hadn’t thought beyond it.
Tyler’s gaze sharpened. “What would Jacob think if he saw this?” His words were like a slap, harsh and unrelenting.
Olivia’s face drained of color. She hadn’t expected this turn, hadn’t thought about Jacob’s perspective at all. Her heart dropped into her stomach. She was exposed, her facade of calmness crumbling in an instant.
Tyler continued, his voice cool. “Are you trying to seduce me when you have no experience in such matters?”
Olivia’s knees felt weak. She stepped back, panting lightly, feeling completely exposed, her cheeks burning. She tried to explain herself, her words rushed and stumbling. “I’m sorry, I thought it might help. I just want to do something for you and Naomi. It would be wonderful if I could get pregnant soon.”
The words felt awkward in her mouth, the sincerity in them tainted by her desperation. Tyler’s gaze didn’t soften, though. Instead, his voice grew sterner. “A girl should never compromise her dignity and judgment for a boy. Hasn’t your father ever told you that?”
His words struck deep, like a painful reminder of everything she had never been taught. Her father had always been around—present in his own way, yet distant when it came to guiding her through life’s complexities. She felt small, humiliated even. She had never been given advice like that, never been told how to behave in such moments. What had her father ever said about dealing with boys, with relationships, with any of this?
Tyler’s shadow loomed over her as she stood there, her head bent, her heart sinking. She could feel the weight of his disapproval, but it only amplified the emptiness inside her.
He leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear. “Listen to me. Jacob will be released tomorrow. I’ve done everything I can. It depends on whether he wants to leave. Understand?”
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she didn’t speak. She could only nod, though the reality of his words hadn’t fully sunk in.
Before she could respond, Tyler straightened up and abruptly turned to leave. Olivia was caught off guard. She hadn’t expected him to walk away so quickly. Her hand shot out instinctively, grabbing at his sleeve.
He stopped, looking at her briefly, his expression impassive.
Olivia whispered, her voice barely above a breath, “Thank you, Tyler.”
His response was flat, indifferent. “Mm-hmm.”
She let go of his sleeve, but then, as if something within him shifted, Tyler spoke again. “I don’t need you to do anything for me. Take the card.”
Olivia blinked in confusion. The card? The one she had given him earlier? She looked at him, uncertain of his meaning.
He handed it to her without another word. “Take it.”
She hesitated, her fingers brushing against the card. What would accepting it mean? Was he offering it out of genuine care, or was there something more complicated at play?
Tyler’s voice softened just a fraction. “I don’t mean anything else. I just don’t want you to have to beg people.” There was something subtle in his tone—concern, maybe even care.
Olivia looked up at him, meeting his gaze.
“Don’t beg again,” he continued, his voice a little quieter. “Naomi wouldn’t want to see you like that either.”
She looked at the card in her hand, then back at him. Her emotions swirled—confusion, gratitude, and something else that she couldn’t name. The weight of the situation was almost too much to bear. She didn’t know how to feel or what to do with what he had just said.
But she knew one thing: she was no longer the girl who had been simply seeking help for Jacob. In this moment, something else was shifting, something she wasn’t entirely ready to face yet.