Chapter_223
Ana beamed with contentment as she watched Olivia move about the kitchen. “You should take it easy, especially since you’re pregnant. I’m only here because I’m bored. You don’t need to keep me company.”
Olivia, however, was thoughtful and considerate. “I went to bed early last night, so I figured I’d get up early and help out,” she replied with a soft smile.
Ana’s heart swelled with pride. She had chosen well, she thought. “You’re such a good person, much nicer than your sister.”
Olivia didn’t expect the comparison. She stayed quiet, a faint ripple of discomfort crossing her face, but she didn’t say anything.
After helping Ana for a while, Olivia went upstairs to relax. As she passed the guest room she used to stay in, she felt a strange pull, a sense of something unresolved. The hallway was empty, and she hesitated before pushing the door open.
The room looked the same as it had the last time she was there. The same neutral tones, the same curtains drawn just slightly apart. Nothing had changed. Yet, something felt different.
Her gaze fell on the walls, and she noticed small nails where pictures had once hung. It made her wonder how many photos had been there, how many memories had been captured in this very space.
The name “Morgan” lingered in her mind, as if it were an echo she couldn’t escape. She moved toward the balcony door, noticing it led to a small storage room. She felt an odd sense of compulsion, like she was meant to open it.
Inside, her eyes landed on a large, framed photo that seemed to stand out against the dust and shadows. She stepped closer, startled. It was a beautiful young woman, smiling brightly, full of life. But the glass over the photo was cracked, cutting across her face. The frame was yellowed with age, the dust of forgotten years settling over it.
‘Is this… Morgan?’ Olivia thought, her heart racing. She stared at the photo, her pulse quickening. There was something haunting about it, something that unsettled her, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
That evening, as Olivia was coming downstairs, Tyler happened to arrive home. She spotted him from the top of the stairs, then walked down to meet him, her mind still caught on the image of the photo.
Linda greeted her as she reached the bottom of the stairs, handing her a bag. “Ms. Olivia.”
Olivia looked at it with confusion. “W–What is this?”
Linda’s voice was respectful but warm. “It’s the bag Mr. Tyler got you.”
Surprised, Olivia glanced at Tyler, who seemed unfazed. “Check it out. See if you like it,” he said with a casual shrug.
Olivia was taken aback. She hadn’t expected him to buy her anything. She hesitated, unsure if she should accept the gesture. Linda waited, watching Olivia closely as she processed the situation.
After a moment, Olivia finally spoke, her voice uncertain. “Why did you buy me this, Tyler?”
Tyler glanced at her, his expression neutral. “They had new stock in, so I stopped by to get it for you. Just take it.”
His tone was dismissive, yet there was something beneath it—a flicker of something that Olivia couldn’t quite place. She accepted the bag, her fingers brushing against the smooth surface as she murmured, “Thank you.”
Tyler, keeping his composure, nodded. “Try it on upstairs,” he suggested before walking past her and heading up the stairs.