Chapter_40
The room was thick with tension, each person feeling the weight of the decision that had just been made. Naomi, despite the situation being about her survival, couldn’t escape the feeling that something precious was being lost. She cast her gaze down, unable to face Tyler, as tears streamed down her face. Her hands wrapped tightly around her body, seeking some comfort she couldn’t find.
Mrs. Jones, on her knees in front of Olivia, sobbed desperately, “Tyler, you love Naomi so much. Can you bear to watch her die?” The raw emotion in her voice seemed to cut through the air, each word a plea for mercy, for a miracle.
Tyler, his eyes a mixture of sorrow and anger, finally looked away from Naomi. His gaze was cold, distant, almost as if he were shutting down his emotions to cope with the overwhelming situation. The silence between them felt like an eternity.
Naomi’s heart sank as she felt Tyler’s gaze leave her, his lack of words telling her more than anything. She had hoped, deep down, that he would agree to IVF—perhaps because it seemed like the safer, more rational choice. But the alternative was something darker, something that felt as though it would change everything.
She stayed silent, her thoughts spiraling as she tried to process the unfolding events. Tyler’s words, when they finally came, were heavy with a sense of resignation. “IVF takes too long. This is about Naomi. Even if we’re seeking help, we need to ensure Olivia’s safety. Naturally, we’ll need her agreement for this.”
The words seemed to fall like a hammer, sealing the fate of the situation. Naomi had hoped for IVF, but now she couldn’t shake the feeling that Tyler’s decision was a reflection of something else, something unspoken. Was he blaming her for proposing such a drastic measure? Naomi could hardly bear to look at him.
Tyler, however, paid no attention to Naomi’s turmoil. Instead, he turned his gaze to Olivia. “It’s your choice, Olivia. You have the right to say no.” His tone was flat, but his eyes held something deeper—perhaps guilt, perhaps a sense of obligation, but definitely not love. Not the kind she was used to seeing.
Mrs. Jones, still on her knees, clutched Olivia’s hands with desperation, her eyes wide with pleading hope. Darren stood beside her, his face etched with sorrow as his own tears fell freely.
All eyes turned to Olivia. The weight of the room pressed down on her. She felt as though the decision had already been made for her, as if her voice didn’t even matter. And yet, the silence was deafening. Everyone waited.
Olivia trembled, her hands clenched into fists, her mind racing as her heart beat erratically. She didn’t know if she could bear the pressure any longer. It felt like the world was closing in on her, and yet no one could feel the suffocating air more than she did.
After five agonizing minutes of silence, Olivia finally spoke, her voice small, almost broken. “Do I have to choose?” she whispered, the question hanging in the air.
The room remained still, no one daring to speak. Mrs. Jones looked at her with unblinking eyes, the hope in her gaze so raw it made Olivia’s stomach twist.
Olivia’s lips quivered, and her gaze fell to the floor. She didn’t know what to say. She felt like a puppet, trapped in the strings of their desires, unable to make her own decision. Naomi and Darren, both silently pleading with her, only added to the crushing pressure.
Tyler stood there, emotionless, waiting for her response. His face was a mask, but his eyes were cold—almost as if he wanted this to end.
“You must save your sister, Olivia,” Mrs. Jones implored, her voice desperate, clutching Olivia’s hands tightly as if her very life depended on this decision.
Olivia’s heart clenched in her chest. She could feel Naomi’s pain in the silence between them, and her mother’s desperation was like a vice on her spirit. She looked at Naomi, tears in her own eyes now, but still couldn’t find the strength to refuse.
Naomi, in a final act of kindness, sobbed, “Stop pressuring her, Mom. Let Olivia make her own choice.”
But Mrs. Jones wouldn’t relent. The urgency in her voice was unbearable as she turned to Olivia again. “Okay, fine. It’s your decision, as long as I can get pregnant.”
The room seemed to fall away as Naomi collapsed back into the bed, her body deflating as if the life had drained out of her. The despair on her face was palpable. She had wanted to protect Olivia from this, but now everything had become so muddled, so broken.
Mrs. Jones, still kneeling, looked at Olivia with one final plea. “Then we’ll wait for one more month. If you’re not pregnant by then, you’ll proceed with IVF. Agreed, Olivia?”
Olivia, feeling like she was trapped in an inescapable current, managed to choke out a response. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Mrs. Jones let out a long, relieved breath, collapsing to the floor in a heap. Her tears were no longer those of desperation, but of exhausted relief.
Tyler, however, didn’t seem to share her relief. His gaze remained cold, distant. He had made his choice, but the consequences of that choice still hung in the air, unspoken. He looked at Olivia for a moment longer before stating flatly, “Since it’s settled, I’ll take good care of Olivia.”
His words struck Naomi like a slap. She couldn’t decide whether she should feel grateful or heartbroken. The relationship between her and Tyler had always been complicated, but now she was left wondering if anything could ever be the same.
Olivia, who had been silent throughout, felt an overwhelming weight in her chest. She thought she could see a hidden meaning in Tyler’s words, but she couldn’t bring herself to confront it. All she could do was stand there, mute and distant, as if the very act of speaking would break her.
Tyler, oblivious to her inner turmoil, turned away and left the room, leaving Olivia and Naomi to face the aftermath of decisions that weren’t truly theirs to make.