Chapter_164
The atmosphere remained thick with tension as Olivia and Tyler returned home in complete silence. Once they stepped inside, Olivia finally broke it.
“I’m going back to my room,” she said quietly.
Tyler didn’t respond. He simply turned and walked to his own room, leaving her alone.
That night, Olivia lay awake, unable to sleep. The glint of her wedding ring shimmered faintly in the darkness, a silent reminder of the complicated situation she was now entangled in. Her fingers hovered over it, tempted to pull it off, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
The next morning, Olivia stood at the doorway of Tyler’s study. Her voice was calm but purposeful.
“When are we starting the IVF process?”
Tyler looked up from his laptop. “Once everything’s settled.”
Olivia understood he meant the formalities following their marriage registration. She nodded. “Got it… Well, I need to go out for a bit.”
This time, she made no attempt to hide it—she didn’t want another Sereneville misunderstanding hanging over her.
“Where are you going?”
“Just lunch. With a friend.”
Tyler’s eyes landed briefly on her bare finger—her wedding ring was missing. He said nothing about it.
“Okay. Do you need a driver?”
“No. I’m fine.”
“Suit yourself,” he said before returning to his screen.
Olivia headed out shortly after. Meanwhile, Tyler buried himself in work, letting the silence linger between them.
At the restaurant, Olivia met Sophie, who greeted her with a loud gasp.
“Hey! God, where have you been?! I haven’t seen you in forever!”
Olivia smiled politely. “You know… just busy with life.”
Sophie took her hand enthusiastically. “Come on, this place is supposed to be amazing! Just opened recently.”
As they stepped into the dining area, Sophie suddenly froze, her voice pitching up with surprise.
“C–Claude?!”
Olivia followed her line of sight and saw Claude sitting at a table with an elegantly dressed woman. Claude looked up and instantly recognized them. His eyes lit up.
“Sophie?” he said warmly.
Then his gaze shifted to Olivia. A soft smile spread across his face.
“W–Who’s this?” Sophie blurted, looking between Claude and the woman. “Your d–date?”
The woman at the table didn’t say a word. She observed the interaction quietly, her expression unreadable.
Claude stood up with his usual grace and deflected Sophie’s question with ease. “What brings you two here?”
“We’re here to eat, obviously,” Sophie replied with a grin.
Claude gestured to his table. “Why not join us? It’ll be a while before they get you another table.”
Sophie, always hungry for a bit of drama, was all too happy to accept.
“Hell yeah!”
Olivia shot her a sharp glance and pinched her arm in protest, whispering, “What are you doing?!”
But Sophie ignored her and dragged her toward Claude’s table.
The woman finally spoke, her eyes fixed on Olivia.
“And who’s this?”
Claude smiled gently. “She’s a friend of my sister.”
The woman tilted her head, voice cool and probing. “Are you close to her?”
Claude replied without hesitation. “I treat her like a little sister.”
His tone was soft, but Olivia could sense the underlying tension—something unspoken passing between them all.