Chapter_146
As Olivia walked down the grand hallway of Sandalwood Palace, the weight of the decision she had just made pressed heavily on her chest. Every step felt heavier than the last, as if the house itself was holding her back, reminding her of all the uncertainties she was leaving behind.
She stepped into the study where the assistant waited. His expression was neutral, but she could sense his curiosity, a silent question hanging in the air about her readiness.
Olivia nodded slowly, but her mind was elsewhere. She hadn’t expected things to move so quickly. Her emotions were all over the place, torn between what she had to do and the gnawing feeling that this wasn’t the path she would have chosen for herself. Yet, what choice did she have?
The assistant guided her to the car, and as they drove, the silence was almost suffocating. Olivia could feel the tension between her and the world outside, the oncoming change like an inevitable tide. The hospital loomed ahead, and her heart raced as the car pulled into the parking lot.
When they entered, the sterile, clinical atmosphere of the hospital hit her immediately, sharpening her focus. The assistant led her through the quiet halls, her shoes clicking on the tile floor, echoing her anxiety.
At the door to the IVF room, she paused, her breath caught in her throat. She could see Tyler, standing with a tense posture, his gaze distant. Naomi’s condition had taken all his focus; he looked older, wearier, but still as composed as ever.
He turned as she entered, his eyes locking with hers. There was a flicker of something—concern? Regret? But it was gone almost immediately. He straightened, his expression returning to its usual stoic demeanor.
“Olivia,” Tyler said, his voice cool but laced with an undercurrent of something deeper, something she couldn’t quite place. “Are you ready?”
Olivia glanced at the assistant, who gave a slight nod of encouragement. She wanted to say something, anything, but the words seemed stuck in her throat. Instead, she gave a small nod, silently agreeing to move forward.
The procedure was brief but emotionally draining. She felt like she was standing on the edge of something she couldn’t see, her entire future teetering on the edge of a decision she didn’t fully understand. The room was cold, the sterile smell overwhelming, but it was the quiet, unspoken tension between her and Tyler that weighed most heavily on her.
Finally, the procedure was done. The doctor left, and Olivia was alone with Tyler again. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Tyler looked at her, but his gaze was unreadable.
“I know this isn’t easy for you,” Tyler said, his voice quieter now. “But Naomi’s life… it depends on this.”
Olivia swallowed, feeling the sharp sting of reality. “I know,” she whispered.
Tyler’s gaze softened for just a fraction of a second before he turned away, his face hardening once more. He didn’t say anything else as he walked out, leaving Olivia standing there, alone with her thoughts.
As she returned to Sandalwood Palace later that evening, the silence in the mansion felt oppressive. The weight of what she had just done settled heavily on her chest. She had signed her name to a future that wasn’t hers to choose, but in her heart, she still held onto a flicker of hope—hope that things would change, that maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to reclaim some part of her life.
But for now, that hope seemed like a distant dream, slipping farther away with each passing day.