Chapter_133
Olivia sat quietly in Tyler’s car, the tension between them palpable. The soft hum of the engine did little to ease the discomfort building in the small space. She couldn’t understand why Tyler seemed so upset, especially when she had done nothing wrong. Her mind raced, replaying the conversation with Claude and the moments she had spent with him—nothing unusual, nothing more than two people simply talking.
Tyler’s voice broke the silence, colder than she had ever heard it before.
“Did Claude purposely go to the university to pick you up and then go to the hospital?” His question came like a sharp knife, and Olivia felt her heart skip a beat. It wasn’t just curiosity—it was an accusation.
She stammered, trying to gather her thoughts. “N…No.”
Tyler’s gaze remained intense, his eyes never leaving her. “No what?”
Olivia felt a knot tighten in her chest. She wasn’t sure why, but she knew that in this moment, anything she said would only fuel his anger. She chose to stay silent, not wanting to make things worse.
Tyler wasn’t done yet. His voice, though calm, had an edge that made Olivia’s skin prickle. “What? You don’t want to talk? You seem to be enjoying your chat.”
The words stung more than she expected. Olivia’s defense kicked in, her voice sharp but controlled. “Even if something was going on between Claude and me, don’t I have the right to make friends? Besides, we just happened to run into each other.”
Tyler’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t respond immediately. The car’s headlights cast a stark light on Olivia’s face, illuminating her tense expression. She felt her body stiffen under his gaze, but she refused to back down. This wasn’t about her relationship with Claude—it was about something deeper, something Tyler wasn’t saying.
A long pause stretched between them, thick with unspoken words. Finally, Tyler spoke again, his tone measured but full of underlying tension. “You should stay away from him. I can’t control you, and you have the freedom to make friends, but Claude isn’t someone you should be taunting.”
Olivia’s heart pounded as his words hit her like a cold wave. She didn’t know what to make of them. Was Tyler worried about her? Or was he simply jealous? His possessiveness felt suffocating, and she couldn’t understand why he cared so much.
“I’m not taunting anyone,” she said quietly, her voice trembling slightly despite her efforts to remain calm. “I’m just trying to live my life.”
Tyler didn’t reply right away, but the atmosphere in the car remained heavy. The words hung in the air, unresolved, and Olivia couldn’t shake the feeling that Tyler’s feelings were more complicated than she had ever realized.
The rest of the drive passed in silence, the weight of their unspoken thoughts between them. When the car finally stopped outside her apartment, Olivia wasn’t sure what to say. She felt a mix of frustration and confusion, unsure of how to navigate the tension that had suddenly erupted between them.
As she opened the door to get out, she glanced at Tyler. His face was unreadable, but she knew he was still upset. “Goodnight, Tyler,” she said softly, not knowing how else to end the conversation.
He nodded curtly, his eyes distant. “Goodnight.”
Olivia closed the door behind her, feeling the quiet sting of the moment. As she walked into her apartment, she wondered what had really just happened. Why was Tyler so bothered? And what exactly was the issue between him and Claude?