Chapter_285
Tyler’s lips curled into a smile as he looked down at his glass of wine, savoring the deep, rich flavor. The gentle clink of glasses resonated between him and Dylan, but his mind was elsewhere. After a quiet moment, he finally broke the silence, his voice reflecting a hint of satisfaction. “This wine’s really good,” he murmured, as if letting go of his usual stoic composure.
Meanwhile, Olivia had been grappling with a sense of frustration. She had wanted to reclaim her old phone number, but the paperwork required her ID, which she had forgotten at home. The realization made her sigh in resignation. She didn’t feel like going back just yet, so she instructed her driver to simply drive, no destination in mind. The passing streets blurred as she stared out of the car window, her thoughts drifting in the quiet of the evening.
Just as her mind wandered, her phone rang. It was Tyler. She answered it immediately, the sound of his familiar voice soothing her despite the chaos in her head.
“Are you still out?” he asked, his tone casual yet concerned.
“I’d like to go home now,” Olivia replied softly, her voice carrying the weight of her exhaustion.
Tyler stood on the balcony of the club, the night air cool against his skin as he leaned against the railing, cigarette in hand. His gaze was fixed ahead, but his mind was on her. “Don’t you want to go somewhere else?” he asked, knowing she needed space but wanting to be there for her nonetheless.
“I’m quite sleepy, Tyler,” she responded, the words slow and heavy, as if each one required effort.
His heart softened, his voice growing gentler. “Alright, go home and get some rest.”
“Okay,” Olivia said, grateful for his understanding.
There was a brief silence, and then Tyler’s voice came again, this time filled with quiet concern. “Call me when you get home.”
Olivia hesitated. She had been trying to keep some distance from him lately, and the request felt a little too intimate. “Nothing. I won’t call you when I get home. I’m sleepy,” she said, the words coming out almost as a whisper.
He paused, sensing the tension in her response, but instead of pressing, he simply replied, “Mm-hmm, okay. Try to take a little nap on the way home.”
“Okay, Tyler.”
With that, Olivia hung up the phone, the connection slipping away like a fading memory. Tyler stood on the balcony for a moment, staring at the phone in his hand. He flicked the cigarette butt into the ashtray, then pushed himself off the wall, his thoughts lingering on Olivia as he made his way inside.
Back in the club, Dylan was waiting for him, a teasing smirk already on his face. “Did you call your wife?”
Tyler shot him a glance, his expression unreadable. “You know, not talking won’t make people think you’re mute,” he responded, his tone dry.
Dylan laughed, clearly enjoying the moment. “Are you embarrassed? Looks like she’s quite clingy.”
Tyler settled into a relaxed position on the couch, crossing his legs as he took another sip of his wine. “She’s pregnant,” he said, his voice softening slightly. “I took her out to relax. She said she was tired, so I had the driver take her home.”
“So, you’ve got yourself a sweet little thing,” Dylan teased, raising an eyebrow.
Tyler didn’t respond directly, but his thoughts drifted to Olivia. As the wine lingered on his tongue, he found it especially sweet, like a reminder of how things had changed between them.
At home, Olivia went straight to bed. The exhaustion from the day settled over her like a heavy blanket, and she fell into a deep sleep almost immediately. But somewhere in the haze of her dreams, she thought she could smell alcohol—a familiar, comforting scent. She felt a hand on her cheek, warm and gentle, and it stirred her from her slumber.
With great effort, she managed to open her eyes. The soft glow of the room was blurred by sleep, but she could make out the outline of Tyler’s face, his features soft with affection.
“Tyler,” she murmured softly, barely above a whisper.
Tyler’s gaze softened, his presence a comforting anchor in the stillness of the night.