Chapter_194
Naomi had been waiting for Tyler to come since morning, her mind restless with anticipation, but as the night fell, he still hadn’t arrived. She lay in bed, unable to shake the feeling of abandonment, but Hillary stayed with her, sensing the emotional strain Naomi was under. They both found it odd that Tyler hadn’t visited, especially considering the news about Olivia’s pregnancy.
As the hours passed, Naomi’s frustration grew, though she tried to bury it beneath a calm exterior. When she finally awoke around 10 the next morning, Tyler walked in, his face clouded with a deep, quiet concern.
“Tyler,” Naomi whispered, her voice soft but clear.
Tyler looked up, his eyes distant, as if lost in thought. He walked over to her bed, his steps heavy, his expression tense.
Naomi’s heart tightened as she took in his weary demeanor. “I heard Olivia is… pregnant. Is it true?” Her voice was steady, but the sting of the question was unmistakable. Though she already knew the answer, she needed confirmation from him—needed to hear the words.
Tyler nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before meeting her eyes. “Yes, she’s six weeks along.”
A small, faint smile tugged at Naomi’s lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I thought you’d tell me yesterday, but I already knew,” she said quietly, a hint of sadness in her voice. “I waited for you all day yesterday.”
Tyler’s shoulders tensed at her words, and a flicker of guilt crossed his face. “Olivia was really sick yesterday,” he explained, his voice softer than before.
Naomi’s chest tightened painfully. It felt as if her heart had been stabbed with each word he said. “I see. She’s pregnant, so it makes sense for you to take care of her,” Naomi replied, her tone betraying the hurt that had suddenly crept into her voice.
Tyler noticed the shift in her mood, the underlying bitterness in her words. He couldn’t help but feel the weight of it. Observing her closely, he saw her trying to mask her feelings—trying not to let him see the hurt, but it was there, raw and palpable. He stopped frowning, trying to appear more composed, as if to ease the tension between them.
“She’s still unwell, but the maid is looking after her,” Tyler continued, his voice steady, though the words felt strangely hollow. “She’ll get better soon.”
Naomi’s smile was small, barely a curve of her lips. “She’s so young to be pregnant,” she remarked softly, but the bitterness lingered in her voice. “Have you sorted everything out for her at school?”
Tyler’s answer was flat, distant. “Yes, I’ve arranged for her to take a leave of absence from school. It’s all good.”
“That’s good,” Naomi said, her voice a little more controlled now, but the words felt forced. “She’s my sister, after all. I don’t want this to disrupt her life.”
An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. Naomi searched for the right words, but they seemed to escape her. Finally, she blurted out the question that had been gnawing at her since she first heard the news. “I can’t believe you’re going to be a father, Tyler. Are you happy about the baby?”
The question hung between them, thick and charged with unspoken emotion. The instant the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Tyler’s gaze turned sharp and cold, his eyes like daggers, slicing through her with a piercing intensity that made her skin crawl.
For a brief moment, Naomi felt as though the space between them had grown into an abyss, one she could never cross.
“I’m sorry, Tyler,” she stammered, her voice small and apologetic. She could feel the weight of his silent judgment, and it crushed her.
Tyler didn’t respond, his eyes still hard and unreadable. The silence stretched on, unbearable and thick. Naomi’s chest tightened with regret, and she shifted uneasily in bed, searching for a way to bridge the growing distance between them.
After what seemed like an eternity, Naomi forced herself to speak again. “Should I… visit Olivia?” Her words were tentative, fragile, as if offering an olive branch, though she could feel the vast gulf between them.
Tyler noticed the subtle shift in her tone and the way she tried to cover her emotions. His voice was quieter now, but still firm. “Taking care of yourself is your top priority now.”
Naomi nodded slowly, feeling the truth of his words, yet still feeling the sharp sting of isolation. “You’re right,” she said quietly, the distance between them now tangible, as if an invisible wall had risen. “I can’t leave the hospital like this.”
Tyler’s expression softened just slightly, though there was still a certain coldness in his gaze. He moved to sit beside her in one swift motion. “Okay. Have you taken your medicine?”
Later that evening, as Olivia began to show signs of improvement, Hillary and Darren arrived at her hospital room. They were relieved to see her resting peacefully, though her color was still pale. Just as they entered, Tyler returned from his visit with Naomi.
The maid, who was still attending to Olivia, saw him standing at the door and called out in surprise, “Mr. Tyler.”
Tyler didn’t respond immediately, his gaze flickering over Olivia’s sleeping form before he finally stepped into the room. The tension in the air was palpable, and it seemed as though every moment was charged with emotions left unsaid.