Chapter_145
The question lingered in the air as Olivia stood in the grand entryway of Sandalwood Palace, the weight of everything pressing down on her shoulders. The assistant’s words echoed in her mind. “Mr. Tyler wants you to reconsider carefully.”
Was it really a choice? She wondered, staring at the polished marble floor, her thoughts swirling in confusion. Every moment since she had agreed to this had been filled with pressure—first from Hillary, then from the sense of urgency surrounding Naomi’s health, and now, Tyler’s insistence that she think it over.
“Do I even have a choice?” she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible.
The assistant didn’t answer immediately, merely watching her with an expression that seemed both sympathetic and neutral. It wasn’t his place to question Tyler’s decisions, and it certainly wasn’t his role to ease her burdens. His job was simply to relay Tyler’s message. But Olivia felt his eyes linger on her, and for a fleeting moment, she wondered if he could sense her inner turmoil.
Finally, he spoke, “Miss Olivia, Mr. Tyler only wants what’s best for Naomi, and he’s concerned about your future. But he also understands the weight of your decision. That’s why he wants you to think carefully before you go through with it.”
Olivia’s heart ached. Tyler had always been the one to shield her from the worst of it, or at least, she had thought he would. But now, it felt like he was silently pushing her toward something that wasn’t just about Naomi’s survival—it was about her own life, too.
“I’ll think about it,” she said, though the words felt hollow.
The assistant nodded and left, leaving Olivia alone with her thoughts.
She stood there for a long time, her mind racing. Think about it. Could she, though? Could she truly take her time when Naomi’s life hung in the balance? What if time ran out while she hesitated? Was it selfish to want more time to process this, or was it her right to have that time?
The thoughts were suffocating.
Later that evening, she sat at the edge of her bed, phone in hand, staring at the message from Claude. Good things will come when the time is right. They always do. She had read it countless times since receiving it, trying to decipher its meaning.
But the more she thought about it, the more it felt like a message from someone who had known what she would be facing. Was it a warning? Or was it just a hopeful sentiment meant to comfort her?
She had always trusted Claude, but now, with everything spiraling around her, she wasn’t sure who to turn to for clarity.
Tyler’s words from earlier echoed in her mind: “You’re young. You have to consider what this means for your future.”
And yet, was there even room for her to have a future that wasn’t shaped by Naomi’s life and the choices everyone else was making for her?
With a heavy heart, Olivia stood up and walked to the window, staring out into the quiet night. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know if she could do this. But one thing was clear: whatever decision she made, it would change everything.
And for the first time in a long while, Olivia wasn’t sure if she was ready for that change.