Chapter_99
Sophie, still shaken by the scene she had just witnessed, felt a wave of embarrassment flood over her. She had never expected things to escalate so quickly, especially with the cold tension between Tyler and Claude. She wasn’t sure how to respond to Claude’s observation, so she simply nodded, still trying to process the chain of events.
Claude, who had kept his usual calm demeanor throughout the ordeal, glanced toward the door. His eyes flicked back to Sophie as he noticed the police officers moving past in the corridor. He could see the small flurry of activity—probably Tyler’s doing, given how serious he was about Olivia’s safety.
Claude chuckled softly to himself. “I didn’t realize she meant that much to him,” he mused aloud. His tone was casual, but there was a hint of something deeper behind his words.
Sophie, still recovering from the shock, didn’t quite know how to respond. She had never seen Tyler act so intensely, and it seemed that the relationship between him and Olivia went far beyond what anyone had assumed. The police presence only added to the weight of the situation.
“She means everything to him,” Sophie said quietly, her eyes lingering on the door. “Tyler and Naomi are… well, they’re family, in a way. Olivia’s very important to them.”
Claude nodded slowly, his gaze softening a little. “I can see that,” he said. He shifted his focus, his eyes glancing toward the corridor again before returning to Sophie. “Is she always like that? So… protective of her?”
Sophie felt a pang of guilt at the thought of Olivia’s behavior earlier, especially now that she saw how seriously Tyler took the situation. “Olivia’s just… always so careful, always in control. I’ve never seen her like this before.”
Claude smiled faintly, almost as if understanding. “Everyone has their moments,” he said. “But I think Tyler is going to keep a close eye on her now.”
Sophie nodded, her thoughts scattered. “Yeah, I think you’re right.” She glanced at the door one more time before turning back to Claude. “Thank you for helping tonight. I know it wasn’t easy.”
Claude offered her a reassuring smile. “No need to thank me,” he replied softly. “I just want to make sure things don’t get worse.”
The quiet of the suite settled over them again. Sophie could hear the muffled voices of the police officers moving through the corridor, but she couldn’t help feeling the tension lingering in the air. She knew that whatever happened next, things had changed tonight—there was a new level of complexity surrounding Olivia, Tyler, and even Claude.
“I think it’s time for me to head home,” Claude said after a moment, breaking the silence. “You’ve got enough to deal with.”
Sophie, still processing everything, nodded. “Yeah, thanks again, Claude. Take care.”
With that, Claude gave her a final nod before walking out of the suite. Sophie remained in the quiet room, her thoughts racing as the events of the evening replayed in her mind. She didn’t know where things would go from here, but she could feel the weight of what had happened pressing on her.
And somewhere, in the distance, she could hear the faint sound of Olivia’s name being called out, as Tyler made sure she was safely cared for.