Chapter_147
Olivia remained seated in the bustling hall, her mind swirling with the weight of Hillary’s words. “You’re paying her debt.” The phrase echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of how little control she had over her own life at that moment. She clenched her fists in her lap, trying to push away the anger and confusion swirling inside her.
The assistant returned, her tone neutral but tinged with concern. “Are you ready to proceed?”
Olivia didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself before standing. Her legs felt heavy, but she forced herself to move. It was no longer about her—it was about Naomi. She had no choice but to go through with this. Every step she took was for Naomi, for the family she felt increasingly disconnected from.
As she followed the assistant into the clerk’s office, Olivia couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped in a life that wasn’t her own. The room was small, the air stale with the scent of ink and paperwork. The clerk behind the counter barely glanced up as they entered, his focus on the forms in front of him.
“Name?” he asked, his voice indifferent.
“Olivia Harris,” she answered quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
He looked up, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he went back to his work. “We just need your signature here, and here,” he said, pointing to the respective spots on the forms. Olivia nodded numbly, taking the pen from the counter and signing her name where indicated.
The assistant watched her, but said nothing, standing just a little too far away to offer any comfort. It was as if she, too, understood the weight of what was happening—how every moment Olivia was here was pushing her further from the life she had once known.
Once the paperwork was complete, the clerk handed it back to Olivia with a simple, “You’re all set.”
Olivia looked down at the documents in her hands. Her future, dictated by a series of signatures, was now sealed. It felt surreal, like she was watching someone else live this moment.
As they left the office, the assistant spoke again. “Mr. Tyler is expecting you. He’ll be waiting at the house.”
Olivia didn’t respond, her gaze lost in the distance. The world outside the county clerk’s office seemed to blur around her as she got into the car. It felt like everything was happening so fast—her entire world was shifting, and she was powerless to stop it.
When they arrived back at Sandalwood Palace, the grandeur of the mansion did little to calm her. The silence felt oppressive, as if the walls themselves were closing in.
“Mr. Tyler is in his study,” the assistant informed her, her voice a little too formal. “He’s waiting for you.”
Olivia hesitated for a moment before heading up the grand staircase, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. She paused at the door to Tyler’s study, her hand hovering over the handle. It was time.
She pushed the door open, and Tyler looked up from his desk, his gaze flicking from the paperwork in front of him to Olivia. His expression was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something—something that made Olivia’s heart skip a beat. Was it guilt? Regret? Or something else entirely?
“Olivia,” he said, his voice calm but with an edge of tension. “I assume everything went smoothly?”
She nodded, her voice quiet. “It’s done.”
Tyler’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to gauge her emotions. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
Olivia swallowed hard, the weight of his gaze pressing down on her. She had to answer, to acknowledge that everything she had done had led her to this point. “I’m sure.”
For a moment, there was silence between them. Tyler stood up from his desk and walked over to where she stood, his movements slow and deliberate.
“You don’t have to go through with this,” he said softly, though there was something almost reluctant in his tone.
Olivia met his eyes, her resolve hardening. “I already have.”
Tyler seemed to take in her words, and for the first time, Olivia saw something in his eyes—something human. But it was fleeting, gone before she could analyze it fully.
He stepped back, his posture straightening. “Then let’s move forward. For Naomi.”
Olivia’s heart clenched at the mention of her sister. She nodded, but inside, a part of her broke. She had done what was necessary, but it didn’t feel like a victory. It felt like a sacrifice—one that she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to reconcile with herself.