Chapter_236
Olivia offered a brief response and then fell quiet, her mind still occupied with the whirlwind of thoughts she couldn’t quite make sense of.
Tyler, sensing her quietness, added gently, “You’ll need to be careful walking and getting into the car as your belly gets bigger.”
She nodded silently, grateful for his concern but still feeling a tangle of emotions she didn’t fully understand.
The car eventually arrived at the hotel, and Olivia immediately felt the weight of the situation—the overwhelming grandeur of it all. Tyler’s relatives were just as wealthy, if not more so, and the event was as lavish as the grand dinner they had shared before. She was surrounded by people whose lives seemed polished, effortless—everything Olivia was still trying to navigate.
As soon as they arrived, Tyler’s relatives gathered around them, offering warm greetings. Elders and younger family members alike were eager to meet Olivia, their eyes full of friendliness and curiosity. They complimented her, telling Tyler how young and lovely she was.
Tyler responded graciously, always polite and humble, “Thanks for saying that.” His tone was easy, practiced, as if he’d long mastered the art of handling family expectations. Olivia stood beside him, offering a smile and doing her best to contribute to the conversation, even though part of her felt like an outsider.
Then, Caleb walked over, holding his baby daughter in his arms. Olivia caught sight of the chubby little girl and noticed the warmth in Tyler’s expression as he looked at her.
Tyler’s smile softened, and he took the baby from Caleb, his hands careful as he touched the baby’s chubby cheeks. “She’s so cute,” he murmured, his tone almost reverent.
Olivia observed him, noting the tenderness he displayed. It was the first time she’d seen Tyler hold a baby. She hadn’t expected him to be so gentle. It seemed like he was seeing something in the baby he hadn’t noticed before. Perhaps it was the passage of time—or maybe it was the baby growing in Olivia’s own belly—that made him imagine a future of his own.
Caleb laughed softly. “I think she’s adorable too. I prefer daughters over sons. Still a mystery if Olivia will have a boy or a girl.”
Olivia felt her face warm at Caleb’s words. Pregnancy had always felt like such an intimate, personal experience to her, and she hadn’t expected the topic to be discussed so openly. It caught her off guard.
Tyler chuckled, his gaze still on the baby in his arms. “I don’t mind if it’s a boy or a girl. I’ll be happy either way.”
He smiled, then returned his attention to the baby, lightly playing with her cheeks again. His expression shifted as he looked back at Olivia. “Would you like to hold her?”
Olivia hesitated, caught off guard by the offer. But Tyler gently handed her the baby, guiding her arms with care. “Slowly, she’s a good girl.”
The baby was soft, her chubby little body fitting snugly in Olivia’s arms. She couldn’t help but smile as the baby giggled, her innocence and joy contagious. Olivia held the baby close, marveling at her softness, at how she seemed so calm and content in her arms.
At that moment, something inside Olivia shifted. She looked down at the little girl, then up at Tyler, who was watching her with a softness in his eyes that she hadn’t noticed before. His gaze was warm, almost understanding, like he saw something in her—a potential, perhaps—that Olivia hadn’t quite realized herself.
For the first time in a while, Olivia felt less afraid of the idea of becoming a mother. The sight of this happy, playful baby made her heart ache with a tenderness she couldn’t explain. “She’s so cute,” Olivia murmured, her voice soft.
She glanced at Tyler again, her mind wandering to the baby she was expecting. Would it look like this? Would it laugh like this?
Tyler, sensing her unspoken thoughts, didn’t rush her to return the baby. He simply observed her with that same gentle expression. “Let’s give her back to her mom. She might be hungry,” he suggested, his voice calm and reassuring.
Caleb’s wife, Marianne, had been watching the exchange with a nervous smile on her face. She stepped forward and, despite the tension in her posture, offered a kind smile. “Don’t worry about it. Let Olivia get the hang of being a mom in advance.”