Chapter_239
Gina was convinced she had been right all along—Tyler had only married Olivia because she was pregnant. There was no love between them. Olivia was just the younger sister of his ex-fiancée, a convenient substitute now carrying his child.
But when Tyler took Olivia’s hand and led her away, something shifted.
Gina’s smug expression faltered. She watched, stunned, as Tyler gently held Olivia’s hand in full view of the crowd. His gesture wasn’t mechanical. It was protective.
Even her friend was caught off guard, murmuring, “That doesn’t look like what we thought…”
Tyler didn’t say a word as he led Olivia to a quiet, secluded part of the hotel, away from prying eyes and whispered judgments. His expression remained serious, his grip on her hand firm yet careful.
Olivia kept her gaze lowered. She knew the rumors were ugly—that she’d “stolen” Naomi’s fiancé and gotten pregnant to force a marriage. The truth wasn’t that simple, but it didn’t matter. People believed what they wanted to believe.
The sting of their words lingered, no matter how much she tried to brush them off.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, Tyler gently reached for her hand again. Olivia looked up, startled, but he didn’t meet her eyes. Instead, he quietly pulled her into a light embrace.
Caught off guard, she stood stiffly at first, unsure what to do with her hands. Then she felt his palm gently rest on the back of her head, coaxing her closer.
With a timid breath, she lowered her head and leaned into his shoulder. The tension in her body eased, melting into the quiet comfort he offered.
It felt like, for once, she didn’t have to pretend to be strong.
“I’m sorry you have to go through this, Olivia,” Tyler said softly.
In his arms, Olivia felt safe. Her voice was quiet, but firm. “Tyler, my mom wasn’t the woman they said she was. She didn’t destroy Dad and Aunt Hillary’s family.”
Tyler responded without hesitation. “I know.”
His simple reply gave her more comfort than a hundred reassurances could. She didn’t know who else believed her, but hearing him say that meant everything.
They stayed at the party until late into the night. It was nearly ten when Tyler finally took her back to the hotel. Olivia still looked unsettled, her brows slightly furrowed.
Noticing her silence, Tyler spoke. “That woman was Marianne’s sister. Gina. I wasn’t even with Naomi when she was hanging around. She’s just bitter. I’ll make sure she doesn’t speak to you like that again.”
Olivia nodded quietly. She knew about Tyler’s past with Naomi, just as he knew about her past with Jacob. Those were old chapters, closed—at least, they were supposed to be. But some people refused to let go.
“It’s okay,” Olivia said softly. “We got married because of the baby. I understand how it looks to others.”
Tyler studied her face for a moment, then let the topic drop. “You must be tired. Go get some rest.”
She nodded but hesitated. “Tyler… did she like you?”
Tyler didn’t seem surprised by the question. He shrugged lightly. “It was a long time ago. Doesn’t matter now.”
But Olivia couldn’t help wondering. If Naomi hadn’t gotten sick, would they have ended up together? Would Tyler be holding her the way he had just held Olivia?
She didn’t ask. It wasn’t her place to dig up the past.
Still, her next words carried quiet resolve. “Tyler… once the baby is born, I’ll end the contract. I’ll leave with the baby. I don’t want to be a burden to you—or to Naomi’s memory.”
Tyler didn’t reply right away.
But in the stillness, something unspoken passed between them—an understanding wrapped in silence, too complicated to unravel in just one night.