Chapter_76
Tyler gently caressed Olivia’s cheek, his voice soft as he asked, “Do you miss Jacob?”
Though Olivia was heavily intoxicated, there was still a flicker of clarity in her mind. His touch, however, felt like a wave of discomfort washing over her. She clenched her teeth, unable to endure the sensation, her body instinctively recoiling from him.
“I’m just drunk,” she murmured weakly, her voice tinged with both confusion and defensiveness.
In truth, it had been a long while since she thought about Jacob. At first, she tried to avoid thinking about him, but after everything that had happened, the memories still lingered in the recesses of her mind. She didn’t know what had changed or why she was even bringing him up now.
Tyler’s voice was gentle, almost reassuring. “Sometimes, the things you say when you’re drunk are the truth hidden in your heart.” His gaze lingered on her, soft yet penetrating, as though searching for answers. He leaned closer, his voice quieter. “Tell me, do you miss him?”
Olivia remained silent, her thoughts scattered. She didn’t know how to answer, so she simply lay there, her mind a haze.
Tyler sensed her hesitation, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he tucked her in carefully, his hands moving with practiced tenderness. “Rest now,” he murmured. “If you’re drunk, you need to sleep. Don’t drink so much again, alright?”
She offered a small nod, her words soft but disjointed. “Okay…” she mumbled, looking disheveled and vulnerable in her exhaustion.
Tyler started to rise, preparing to leave, but Olivia’s hand shot out, grasping his wrist tightly. “Are you leaving?” Her voice was small, and there was a tremor of fear in it, the unfamiliarity of her surroundings seeping into her consciousness.
Tyler paused, his gaze softening as he reassured her, “I’m just getting you some water.”
Relief washed over Olivia as she released her hold on him, her fingers loosening their grip. There was something comforting in the way he spoke to her, something grounding. Like a tree that shielded her from the storm, his presence gave her a sense of security she hadn’t realized she needed.
He returned with a glass of water, sitting down next to her on the bed.
Olivia frowned slightly and pouted, her voice laced with a hint of complaint. “It’s horrible.”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. “What’s horrible?”
“The soup they made me,” she mumbled, her words carrying an unintended note of coquettishness as she looked at him.
Tyler smirked, amused. “The soup’s horrible, but the alcohol wasn’t?”
“No,” she replied quickly, sounding almost defensive, her cheeks flushed from more than just the alcohol.
Tyler chuckled softly and lifted her gently from the bed, drawing her into his embrace. Holding the glass of water to her lips, he coaxed, “Drink it.”
Olivia shook her head, her stomach already full from dinner. “But I’m full.”
He remained patient, unfazed. “Then drink the soup.”
She hesitated but finally gave in, allowing him to tilt her chin and guide the water to her lips. Slowly, she sipped the water, feeling it cool her parched throat. When she finished the glass, she sighed, her discomfort still evident. “I still feel terrible. I want to take a shower.”
Tyler regarded her with concern. “Can you stand?”
Olivia shook her head slightly, anxiety creeping in as she thought about the possibility of falling.
An hour later, after helping her shower, Olivia was freshly clean and wearing a loose shirt, looking content but exhausted. Tyler, on the other hand, was soaked from the effort, his shirt and trousers clinging to him from the water he had splashed on himself in the process.
He didn’t even try to dry himself off, simply hung the towel on the rack before looking over at her. Seeing that she had finally settled into bed, he turned to head toward the bathroom, his movements slow and deliberate.
Olivia, now feeling somewhat refreshed, curled up in the bed, her exhaustion catching up with her quickly. She fell into a deep sleep on her side, the quiet of the room a comfort.
When Tyler emerged from the bathroom, he turned off the lights and quietly slipped into the bed beside her. The weight of the covers shifted, and Olivia immediately felt the warmth of his presence. He enveloped her in his arms, pulling her close.
He whispered softly, his voice a little teasing, “Am I Jacob?”
Olivia, still groggy, shook her head slightly. “No.”
He asked, “Then who am I?”
She didn’t answer at first, but eventually, she whispered, “Tyler.”
The words hung in the air, fragile yet grounding. Tyler’s grip tightened around her, and he remained silent, not wanting to push her further.
The next morning, as sunlight filtered through the window, Olivia slowly woke up, her body sore from the previous night’s events. Tyler still held her, his arms around her protectively. He buried his face into the nape of her neck, his lips brushing the skin there.
“Time to wake up,” he murmured.
Olivia groggily mumbled, “I had too much to drink. Will I feel terrible today?”
Tyler’s hand slid up her back, his voice soft yet firm. “You’ll be fine. But no more drinking.”
She blinked, surprised at his boldness, especially with the two of them in his family home. The embrace from last night still hung in her mind, but now it was almost as if it had become a familiar thing. Tyler, ever patient, kissed her gently.
Just as their kiss deepened, Olivia’s phone rang, cutting through the moment. She reached for it, startled. Tyler glanced at the screen as Naomi’s name lit up the phone.
They both froze, the room silent except for the ringing. Tyler’s gaze never left Olivia as he whispered softly, “Answer it.”
With a resigned sigh, Olivia picked up the call. “Hello, Naomi,” she said, her voice still thick with sleep.
Naomi, unaware of what was happening, spoke casually. “Are you up, Olivia? Are you in class?”
Olivia, still lying in bed, kept her voice steady. “I’m in class, Naomi.”
Naomi’s next question was simple. “Did you do the test?”
Olivia’s expression darkened, and she buried her face into the pillow, the weight of everything pressing down on her. “Not yet.”
“Do it today. You’ve been at Sandalwood Palace for days now.”
Olivia gave a quiet affirmation. “Mm-hmm… okay.”
Naomi didn’t push her further, simply saying, “Alright, I won’t disturb you. I’m hanging up now.”
The call ended, and the silence in the room was palpable. Tyler didn’t say anything, merely watching her as she lay there, her thoughts still on the phone call.
Then, suddenly, a knock came at the door.
Tyler’s gaze shifted to the door, where Ana stood, her presence unsettling as always.