Chapter_49
They were lying in bed together late at night, with Tyler’s arms wrapped around Olivia.
After their intimate moment, Olivia couldn’t bring herself to meet Tyler’s gaze. She knew he was looking at her, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
Tyler finally released his hold on her, creating a space between them. Olivia quickly wrapped herself in the blanket, as if trying to create a physical barrier to distance herself.
However, Tyler pulled her back into his arms a moment later. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes to meet his gaze.
He spoke softly, “Let’s take a shower.”
After their shower, they dressed in silence, returning to their normal routines.
Olivia stood by the side of the bed and said quietly, “I’m going back to my room.”
Tyler remained seated on the bed, puffing on a cigarette, his expression unreadable. He nodded briefly in acknowledgment.
Olivia lingered in the room for a moment, contemplating the distance between them, before quietly retreating to her own room.
Tyler continued smoking, lost in thought. It was already 1 A.M. when Olivia finally returned to her room.
The next morning, they both woke up early and coincidentally left their rooms at the same time, crossing paths in the hallway.
Olivia stopped when she saw Tyler and called out to him, “Tyler.”
He looked up and nodded in acknowledgment.
Their exchange was brief, but Olivia added, “I’m going to help in the kitchen.”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you hurt your finger? You should pack your things and get ready for school.”
He was already dressed in slacks and a shirt, while Olivia was still in her pajamas. She nodded obediently in response.
He then turned and headed downstairs.
As the clock ticked closer to school time, Olivia returned to her room to freshen up and change.
Meanwhile, Tyler sat at the breakfast table, reading the newspaper. The maid, noticing Olivia’s absence, asked, “Is Ms. Olivia not coming down?”
Tyler glanced toward the staircase. “Maybe she’s still getting ready.”
The maid went back to the kitchen after that.
Tyler continued reading, but after a few minutes, he heard the sound of the door opening upstairs. Olivia appeared to be searching for something downstairs but couldn’t seem to find it. After a brief attempt, she retreated back into her room.
Tyler sensed that something wasn’t quite right. He set the newspaper aside and headed upstairs. He knocked on Olivia’s door, and after a long pause, she opened it.
Olivia looked at him, visibly distressed.
Concern filled Tyler’s voice as he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Olivia struggled to explain, her voice quivering with emotion. She couldn’t quite bring herself to put her feelings into words.
Tyler noticed that she was struggling with the zipper of the dress she was wearing. She was clearly upset, and after a moment of silence, she finally spoke, her voice a little embarrassed. “The zipper is caught in my hair.”
It was a minor problem, but for Olivia, it felt urgent. She had been sweating after struggling with it for a while. She had thought of cutting her hair but hadn’t been able to find scissors, as she was unfamiliar with the house. She was clearly in distress.
Tyler, though calm, could see she was struggling. “Turn around,” he said gently. “Let me help.”
Olivia hesitated briefly, staring at him before finally complying. She had only managed to pull the zipper halfway up, leaving part of her back exposed. She had a few stray marks from the struggle, and a faint pinkish mark on her ear.
Tyler glanced at her ear but focused on gently moving her hair aside. After a moment, he found the source of the problem and slowly zipped up the dress.
The room fell into an almost still silence as Tyler stood over her, while Olivia remained beneath him, trying not to feel too self-conscious.
Once he finished, he stepped back and spoke matter-of-factly, “You’re good to go.”
Olivia, feeling a little flustered, wrapped her arms around herself and stayed still, her voice soft as she whispered, “Thank you.”
Tyler gave a simple nod, his hands pulling away from her back as he turned to leave the room.
Meanwhile, the maid had noticed that neither of them had joined the breakfast table and came upstairs to investigate. She caught a glimpse of the situation and said politely, “Breakfast is ready, sir.”
Tyler headed downstairs, and the maid returned to the kitchen to finish her duties.
Later, as the morning wore on and it was getting closer to the time for Olivia to leave, Tyler offered once again, “Shall I drop you off at school today?”
“I can go on my own, Tyler,” Olivia replied, offering him a polite smile.
He nodded in agreement. “Alright, but call me if you need anything.”
She nodded, and he drove off after she got out of the car.
Tyler, dressed sharply in a suit, and Olivia, in a simple dress and sneakers, made for an interesting contrast, as though they came from completely different worlds. His car, a luxury vehicle, naturally garnered attention as he dropped her off at school.
Olivia, feeling a bit self-conscious, couldn’t help but consider taking public transport the next day.
Once Tyler left, Olivia went to her class. However, as soon as she entered, her phone rang. It was Naomi.
She hesitated for a moment before answering, “Hello, Naomi. I’m in class. What’s up?”
Naomi’s voice was tinged with sadness. “Has Tyler been busy, Olivia? It’s been two days since he last visited me.”
Olivia’s heart skipped a beat at Naomi’s words, and she felt the weight of the situation pressing on her chest.