Chapter_81
Olivia felt a flush of discomfort at his words, her heart still racing from the unexpected encounter with Jacob. She nodded quickly, not quite sure how to respond. “I’ll remember,” she murmured, her voice soft.
Tyler didn’t say anything more, his expression unreadable as he settled into the seat beside her. The car pulled away from the curb, leaving Jacob behind in the rain, the echo of his last words lingering in the air.
For a few moments, the only sound in the car was the steady rhythm of the rain against the windows. Olivia couldn’t help but glance out at the darkened streets, her mind spinning with everything that had just transpired. She felt guilty for meeting Jacob like that, for the fleeting connection they shared that seemed to stir up emotions she wasn’t ready to face.
Tyler broke the silence first. “You’re quiet,” he remarked, his tone calm but with a subtle edge. He hadn’t missed the look she shared with Jacob, nor the tension that had seemed to hang between them.
Olivia turned her gaze to the floor of the car, her fingers fiddling with the edge of her sleeve. She didn’t want to explain, not now. She didn’t even know what to say. “I didn’t expect him to be there,” she finally replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Tyler didn’t press her, but his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than she felt comfortable with. The atmosphere in the car had shifted—what had started as a simple ride home now felt heavy, laden with unspoken words.
Eventually, Tyler spoke again, his voice softer this time. “It’s alright. You don’t have to explain.”
Olivia nodded, but the quiet tension remained. She couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in her chest. Was Tyler mad? Was he disappointed? She couldn’t quite tell. All she knew was that being with him in the car, after what had happened with Jacob, felt different.
The rest of the ride was uneventful, though Olivia’s mind was far from calm. When they arrived at Sandalwood Palace, Tyler didn’t wait for her to make the first move. He opened the door for her, and Olivia stepped out, still feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on her.
Tyler followed her inside without a word, but his presence felt like a shadow, looming over her thoughts. She tried to push aside her discomfort, but it was difficult. Everything seemed more complicated now. She couldn’t help but wonder if Tyler was thinking about Jacob the way she was thinking about him.
Once inside, Tyler turned to her, his gaze steady. “I’ll be in my office if you need me,” he said, his tone even, as though nothing had happened. He didn’t look angry, but his words felt more distant than usual.
Olivia didn’t respond immediately. She simply nodded and watched him disappear down the hall. She lingered for a moment, the silence in the large house swallowing her up. Then, with a sigh, she made her way to her room, the weight of the day finally catching up to her. She had no answers, no clarity, only a deepening confusion about everything—Jacob, Tyler, and the space she now found herself in between them.
As she closed the door behind her, she leaned against it for a moment, trying to steady her breath. She didn’t know what would happen next, but she knew one thing: the quiet between her and Tyler was the loudest thing in her world right now.