Novel Catalog
Chapter_101
Tyler turned to glance at her when he heard the word “lifesaver.”
Sensing she might’ve said something odd, Olivia quickly clarified, “He’s Sophie’s brother. We’re not really close. I just met him the day before yesterday.”
Tyler studied her face, his gaze unreadable. After a long pause, he lowered his voice and said, “If you’re not that close, then keep your distance. Especially since you’re a girl.”
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the room without another word.
Stunned by his cryptic comment, Olivia blinked. She looked up, but he was already gone.
“What was that supposed to mean?” she murmured to herself, confused, her thoughts spinning as she sat down on the bed.
A sudden realization pulled her out of her thoughts—her necklace was missing.
Panic prickled beneath her skin. She checked the floor around the bed, dropped to her knees, and searched beneath it. Nothing. She ran to the bathroom and scoured every corner. Still nothing.
Her anxiety flared as she began to sweat. Could she have lost it in the car?
Acting on instinct, she grabbed her phone and called Sophie.
“Olivia? Are you okay? Did something happen after you got home?” Sophie’s voice was laced with concern.
Olivia pushed aside her worry for a moment. “Soof, how did I get home last night?”
There was a brief silence. Olivia’s heart sank—something wasn’t right.
“What’s going on?” she pressed.
Sophie bit her lip on the other end of the line. She couldn’t bring herself to confess everything—that she had clung to her brother in a moment of panic, or that Tyler had walked in on them in a compromising state, barely clothed and lying in bed.
The memory made Sophie flush with embarrassment. She quickly composed herself and said, “Mr. Tyler took you home. You were really drunk, but nothing happened. So don’t worry.”
Olivia wasn’t convinced. Sophie’s tone hinted at something more, but now wasn’t the time to push. Her priority was the necklace.
“Have you seen my necklace?” she asked, her voice edged with urgency.
“Necklace? What necklace?” Sophie sounded genuinely confused.
Realizing Tyler might’ve driven her home in the same car and the necklace could’ve fallen there, Olivia cut the call short.
“Never mind. I… I have to go,” she said quickly before ending the call and heading out of the room.
Downstairs, she spotted Tyler finishing a phone call. As he hung up and turned toward her, his expression was calm, unreadable.
“Yes?” he asked.
She hesitated, guilt pricking her. She wanted to say something—anything—to apologize for what her sister had gone through. But now wasn’t the time. Taking a breath, she simply asked, “Which car did you use to pick me up yesterday?”
“The black one. Why?”
“I think I lost something. Can I check the car?”
Still distracted by his earlier call, Tyler barely registered her question. “Ask the driver,” he replied before turning and heading upstairs.
Left alone, Olivia made her way to the driver’s quarters and asked if he could help her search the vehicle.
Understanding her urgency, the driver nodded and retrieved the keys. “I’ll unlock it. Feel free to look inside.”
Grateful, she followed him into the garage. As the car door opened, a sharp scent of alcohol hit her, thick and unpleasant.
Her heart pounded as she stepped inside, hoping desperately to find what she had lost.