Chapter_84
The next morning, Olivia woke up to a sinking feeling of embarrassment as she recalled the emotional outburst from the previous night. What had I said? she wondered, feeling the weight of her words. The way she had acted, almost as if she were in a daze, made her cringe. She couldn’t believe how vulnerable she had been, how open she had let herself become. The memory was both mortifying and overwhelming.
For a moment, Olivia considered crawling back into bed to hide from the world. She felt exposed, as though every ounce of her dignity had been stripped away in those moments of emotional weakness. But the maid, noticing her reluctance, gently urged her to get up, reminding her that it was time to face the day. After procrastinating a while, Olivia finally gathered the strength to head downstairs.
As she made her way to the dining area, she felt every step heavy, every moment of silence stretching longer than it should. When she finally reached the table where Tyler was sitting, his attention focused on his coffee, she felt a sharp pang of anxiety. There was a part of her that still couldn’t fully grasp the night before, that part of her that wanted to apologize and explain. But what could she say? How could she explain the things she said in such a vulnerable moment?
“Tyler, I… I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean—” Her words faltered, and the heat in her face intensified, making it hard to continue. The shame she felt was unbearable. She wanted to retreat into herself, to hide her face, but she forced herself to stand there, facing him.
Tyler set his coffee mug down slowly, his gaze meeting hers with an unexpected calmness. His usual stern expression softened just enough to let a sliver of understanding show through. “Is your stomach still hurting?” he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.
Olivia blinked, slightly taken aback by his concern. She quickly shook her head. “No, it’s much better now. Thank you for taking care of me last night.” Her voice was quiet, the words heavy with sincerity. She hadn’t expected him to act so calmly, to show her this kindness after everything that had happened.
Tyler nodded, his expression neutral but with a subtle hint of warmth. He didn’t immediately respond to her apology, but instead offered a quiet, almost imperceptible reassurance. “You don’t have to apologize for last night. You were in pain, Olivia. Emotions can get the best of anyone in that state. It’s alright.”
Olivia stared at him, her heart beating faster. The tension that had built up between them over the past days seemed to lift slightly, but it was replaced by a quiet uncertainty. She still couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted, that the night had changed things between them. She looked down, unsure of how to continue.
“I just… I don’t know what came over me. I shouldn’t have said those things,” she admitted quietly. Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, the vulnerability she had shown last night still lingering inside her. Why had I let myself be so open?
Tyler stood up from the table, his movements slow and deliberate. As he walked over to her, he placed a hand gently on her shoulder, a gesture of comfort. “It’s alright,” he repeated, his voice warm but firm. “Everyone has moments when they say things they don’t mean. It happens. What matters is that we learn from it.”
Olivia lifted her gaze to meet his, feeling a flicker of relief. His calm demeanor and understanding words made her feel a little lighter, though the awkwardness still hung in the air. “I just… I don’t want to cause any more trouble,” she said, her voice small. “I didn’t mean to make things worse between us.”
Tyler looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a quiet sigh, he spoke again. “It’s not your fault, Olivia. We’re both still figuring this out. And sometimes, things aren’t easy. But I promise you, I’ll try to be better… for you.”
His words hit her harder than she expected. There was sincerity in them, a softness that wasn’t usually present in his voice. Olivia felt a warmth spread in her chest, a flicker of hope rising within her. Maybe things could be different. Maybe they could find a way to move forward, despite everything.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Tyler gave her a small smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes, but it was enough to make her feel like she wasn’t entirely alone. “Let’s just take things one step at a time,” he said softly. “We’ll be fine.”
But Olivia wasn’t so sure. There were too many unsaid words, too many things left unaddressed between them. Even as she sat down to breakfast, the unease lingered in her heart. Would things really be better between them? Or were they simply going through the motions, pretending that everything would magically improve?
The silence between them was comfortable for now, but Olivia knew that beneath the surface, there were still so many questions, so many uncertainties. For now, though, all she could do was take a deep breath and hope that, in time, they could both find their way.