Chapter_142
Olivia’s mind was racing, her thoughts colliding in a whirlwind of confusion and panic. What was happening? What was she talking about? Naomi? An IVF? A child?
Hillary’s words felt like they were coming from a distant place, muffled by the overwhelming flood of emotion that swirled around Olivia. She blinked rapidly, trying to process the situation, but nothing made sense.
Tyler stepped forward, his usually composed demeanor shattered. He looked exhausted, his eyes dark with worry. His gaze met Olivia’s, but she couldn’t read the emotions behind them.
“Tyler…” Olivia whispered, her voice trembling. She couldn’t stop the feeling of dread from creeping over her. Something wasn’t right. Something was terribly wrong.
Tyler’s eyes softened, his hand reaching out to steady her. He was the one who looked like he had been through a battle. “Olivia…” he said hoarsely, then turned to Hillary. “We’re doing everything we can.”
But Hillary wasn’t listening. She grabbed at Tyler’s coat, her face contorted with anguish. “It’s not enough! You have to save her! If we don’t act now…” Her voice cracked, and she fell into a sobbing fit.
Olivia watched the scene unfold before her, every word and every gesture piercing her heart. She barely noticed the tears streaking down her face as she turned her gaze to the doctor.
“What happened?” Olivia finally found her voice, her words small but desperate. “Where is Naomi? Why—why do we need blood? Why IVF?” She was barely able to hold herself together, the weight of the situation overwhelming her.
The doctor sighed, his expression grave. “Your sister is alive, but we can’t guarantee her survival without immediate treatment. The situation is complicated, and we need the umbilical cord blood to save her.” His eyes flicked between Olivia and Hillary. “There’s a window of time we need to work within.”
Olivia’s stomach dropped as the weight of the words sank in. What was he saying? She looked at Hillary, whose face was a mask of pain, and Tyler, who was looking at her as though waiting for something. She felt like she was being pulled into an unknown abyss, her hands trembling.
She couldn’t fathom what was happening, but one thing was clear—Naomi was in danger. And now, more than ever, Olivia realized just how tangled everything was. What was going on with Tyler’s past? What did he know about all of this?
“I need you to focus, Olivia,” Tyler said quietly, his voice strained. “Stay with me. We’ll find a way. We always do.”
But Olivia’s mind was racing again. Stay with you? She had no idea what he meant, but the desperation in his eyes was enough to stop her from questioning him further. She nodded, her hands clasping her stomach as she tried to steady herself.
A heavy silence settled over the group, broken only by the quiet beeping from the machines in the ER. Olivia’s breath was shallow, her heart pounding in her chest.
Suddenly, the door to the ER swung open again. The doctor’s face had taken on an even more urgent expression. “We need to make a decision, now,” he said, looking directly at Tyler and Hillary. “This is critical. The blood supply is dwindling.”
Tyler’s jaw clenched, and he turned to face Olivia. “I need to go, now,” he said, as though there was no other option. His voice was firm, but there was a crack in it—a tremor of fear that betrayed his calm exterior. “You’ll be safe here. Stay with your parents.”
Olivia opened her mouth to protest, but Tyler had already turned and was moving toward the door. Her words stuck in her throat, her mind still not fully grasping what was happening.
As Tyler disappeared through the ER doors, Olivia felt a sinking sensation in her chest. The weight of everything that had happened, everything that was still happening, pressed down on her.
What was this world Tyler had been hiding from her? And how deep did the lies run?
She took a shaky breath, staring at the empty doorway, her thoughts scattered, her heart heavy with uncertainty. She knew she couldn’t let Tyler face whatever was coming alone—but she had no idea how she could help, or what she would even say when the truth finally came out.
And what was Morgan’s connection to all of this? What had she missed in the weeks she’d spent at Sandalwood Palace?
Olivia could feel the pieces of the puzzle slipping through her fingers, but she didn’t have time to put them together just yet. She had to focus on Naomi. The rest would come later. It had to.
“Please be okay, Naomi,” she whispered to herself as she walked to her parents, determination flooding her. Whatever it takes, I’ll fix this.