Chapter_120
Harris Group had always been one of the university’s most generous donors, their name proudly displayed in the main hall. So when Sophie mentioned their latest donation, it didn’t surprise Olivia much.
“You know,” Sophie continued, “they said Harris Group’s doing this for your sake. Something about trying to boost your sister’s ‘positive vibes.’ Pretty weird, right? But hey, those rich folks really get into this spirituality stuff more than us regular folks, huh?”
Olivia’s mind raced, but she said nothing. Why would they do that? Was it because of the pressure surrounding Naomi’s inability to get pregnant, like they had hoped? The thought unsettled her, but Sophie didn’t seem to notice Olivia’s sudden shift in mood. She kept talking, oblivious to the dark cloud forming over Olivia’s thoughts.
“Your sister graduated from here too, right? So, of course, Harris Group keeps donating. Man, our school really benefits from being connected to Naomi, huh?”
“I guess so,” Olivia murmured, her voice distant. She barely heard Sophie’s words anymore.
Sophie studied Olivia’s confused expression. “You didn’t know about this at all?”
“No. No one told me,” Olivia responded, her voice flat, a knot forming in her stomach.
Their conversation ended abruptly, and Olivia quickly excused herself, claiming she needed to research in the library. Sophie, seemingly unaware of the tension, went off to do her own thing.
But in the library, even in the quietest corner, Olivia couldn’t escape the whispers. She felt like she was the only one out of the loop. Everyone else seemed to know, and the realization left her feeling more isolated than ever.
That evening, after Olivia left the lab, she received a call from Tyler.
“Hello? What is it?” she answered, trying to keep her tone neutral.
“Let’s have dinner,” Tyler said, his voice casual but persistent.
She paused on the stairs, searching for an excuse to decline, but before she could respond, Tyler added, “I’m already at the entrance. There’s a restaurant near your school.”
Olivia hesitated. She couldn’t think of a good reason to say no. Reluctantly, she agreed. “Okay.”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
She texted Sophie to cancel their dinner plans, her fingers slow on the screen. When Olivia reached the entrance, she saw Tyler standing by his car, checking his watch every few minutes.
“Sorry for making you wait,” Olivia apologized, breathless from the distance between the lab and the entrance.
Tyler set aside the documents he had been holding, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I didn’t wait that long. Get in.”
Olivia hesitated before sliding into the car. “Just the two of us?” she asked, a note of surprise in her voice. They rarely ate alone together.
“No, it’s… it’s an event I can’t skip, so I thought I’d bring you along,” Tyler answered quietly, his expression unreadable.
Olivia’s mind flashed back to the conversation with Sophie about Harris Group’s donation, the mysterious “positive vibes” they were trying to generate for Naomi. Tyler’s involvement in all of this felt like a weight pressing down on her chest, and for a moment, she struggled to breathe.