Chapter_56
The reason Olivia hadn’t told him was simple—she had no idea what their relationship even was. It all seemed so complicated, especially now with the rumors circling around them. Once sex was involved, things became murky, and she couldn’t even wrap her head around how it had all escalated.
Tyler’s voice was quiet, but the weight of his words made Olivia freeze. “Why couldn’t you tell me?” His tone was gentle, yet there was a sharp edge beneath it. “It’s not your fault. It’s Naomi and me who put you in this position.”
His words were like a balm to the rawness she felt, whispered directly into her ear, creating an almost intimate atmosphere between them. Yet, Olivia could only cry weakly in his arms, her tears dampening the fabric of his shirt.
After a long silence, she finally lifted her tear-streaked face, her eyes meeting his in the dim light. Neither could look away, their gazes locked in a silent understanding, though the tension between them remained.
The soft lighting, casting a warm glow over her fragile features, seemed to make the moment more intimate—almost romantic, despite the weight of everything she had just shared.
Tyler leaned in slowly, as if driven by an impulse. But the moment his lips neared hers, Olivia instinctively pulled back. A quiet, unresolved tension hung in the air as they both stared at each other, unable to speak, lost in the complexity of the emotions swirling around them.
After a few moments of hesitation, Tyler, perhaps unable to contain the urge to comfort her, leaned in again. This time, his lips found hers—soft at first, tentative, but quickly growing more urgent as his kiss deepened. Olivia’s tears mingled with the kiss, a mixture of sorrow and comfort, and she felt his lips press against hers as though he were trying to kiss away the pain, to erase the saltiness of her tears. It was as if he were telling her, without words, that he would protect her from the world.
The next day, things seemed to settle. The school handled the matter swiftly, and the news that had once tainted Olivia’s reputation disappeared almost as quickly as it had arrived. The forum was silent, the posts removed, and Olivia couldn’t find any trace of the incident online when she checked the school’s website that morning.
She sat at the dining table, still looking tired, her mind heavy with the remnants of everything that had happened. The maid, ever attentive, placed a glass of warm milk in front of her. Tyler sat across from her, his gaze not leaving her face as he spoke quietly, “Drink the milk. I’ve handled things with the school. No one will bring it up again.”
Olivia’s eyes flickered at his words, and though a faint smile tried to form, it quickly faded. “Got it,” she replied, her voice flat, before taking a sip of the milk.
Tyler didn’t press further. He simply watched her, his concern for her palpable, but he knew there was little to say that would ease the exhaustion that hung over her. They ate in silence, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken things.
After breakfast, Tyler didn’t arrange for his driver to take Olivia to school, sensing that his presence might only draw more attention to her. The gossip had quieted down, but she still felt the weight of the stares and the whispers.
On her way to class, Sophie appeared from behind, patting Olivia on the shoulder. “Olivia, did you hear? The school released a statement. They confirmed the person who dropped you off was a family member. They’ve cleared everything up and defended you.”
Olivia didn’t respond with the enthusiasm Sophie expected. Her face remained solemn as she muttered, “That’s great.”
Sophie, clearly excited, continued, “Now everyone knows you come from a wealthy family! People were assuming all sorts of things, but now they know. They’ll see you differently, Olivia. You’re not just some average girl!”
Olivia, however, didn’t share Sophie’s excitement. Her mind lingered on the chaos of the past few days, the way her reputation had been dragged through the mud. “As long as the misunderstanding is gone now,” she replied quietly, her voice distant.
Sophie, ever the optimist, gripped her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. “Don’t worry. No one’s going to gossip about you anymore. You’re in the clear now.”
Olivia gave a brief acknowledgment but said little more. She was drained, the weight of everything still pressing down on her.
They walked in silence until they reached the fork in the path, at which point they parted ways. Olivia made her way to the lab, her thoughts scattered and anxious. To her surprise, when she arrived, the girls who had wanted to switch teams the day before approached her and apologized. They admitted they had been misled by the pictures. Olivia felt a weight lift from her shoulders, and she softly responded, “It’s okay.”
Her only hope now was that this incident would fade away, leaving no trace behind.
She spent the rest of the day in the lab, absorbed in experiments until it was nearly 9 P.M. By the time she left, the sky had turned pitch black, and a heavy rainstorm had begun. Olivia realized she had forgotten to bring an umbrella, and though she considered calling the maid to let her know she’d be late, the phone rang just as she was about to make the call.
The name on the screen was Tyler, and her heart skipped a beat. After a moment of hesitation, she answered. “Tyler?”
“Are you still at school?” His voice was steady, but there was an undertone of concern.
Olivia stood outside, getting soaked by the rain. “Yes, I might be home late,” she replied, her voice soft as the rain hammered against the pavement.
Tyler’s next words surprised her. “I thought you didn’t bring an umbrella, so I came to pick you up.”
Before she could process the words, a sleek black car rolled up in front of her. Olivia stood there, momentarily stunned, before she hung up the phone, set it down, and climbed into the car.
Tyler was sitting in the backseat, his gaze fixed ahead, and for a moment, they both just sat in silence, the muffled sound of the rain outside filling the space between them. The car doors closed, blocking out the storm’s roar, and the quiet inside seemed to amplify everything—her exhaustion, his quiet concern.
As the car drove away, neither of them spoke. Olivia’s thoughts were still tangled in the events of the past few days, and Tyler’s presence beside her felt both comforting and distant.
Meanwhile, outside, in the dark, someone watched them from a distance—a figure holding an umbrella, their eyes never leaving Olivia as she disappeared into the car.
Later that night, after she had taken a shower, Olivia lay in Tyler’s bed, the soft linens cradling her weary body. It had been a long day, and she felt utterly drained, but for the first time in a while, she didn’t feel completely alone.