Chapter 1

A man hugged Olivia in bed. He held her hands, and their hands were locked together.

However, he was calling someone else’s name. “Naomi, Naomi.”

“I’m not Naomi. I’m Olivia. It’s Olivia.”

But why would he care? He stared at her face that looked a lot like her sister's. He stared for a long time before kissing her.

When they woke up the next morning, she sat on the bed, holding the blanket. Her head was still down, while the man had dressed properly, looking at her while sitting next to her.

He had a handsome and intimidating face. He seemed rather cold.

The man was Tyler Harris, the ex-fiance of Olivia's older sister from the same father.

Olivia Jones was an illegitimate daughter. Her father by blood found her when she was fifteen. She had a sister, Naomi Jones, who was six years older than Olivia.

When Olivia was eighteen, Naomi got engaged to a man from a prestigious family in Tide City. They were childhood sweethearts.

A man in a fancy suit came to pick up Naomi on the day she got engaged. That was when eighteen-year-old Olivia saw the man her sister had loved for years.

He looked mature and handsome. He would smile when he looked at Naomi. Everyone envied her back then, saying she was born to enjoy the good things in life.

However, everything went downhill three years later, the year they were supposed to get married. Naomi fell seriously ill with leukemia. She couldn't have children, and she nearly died several times.

In a desperate attempt to find a suitable bone marrow donor, the whole family underwent tests, but none matched hers. They couldn't even find a match at the bone marrow bank.

In a last-ditch effort to save Naomi's life, Olivia's father begged her to be her sister's surrogate. The idea was that the child could potentially donate the needed bone marrow.

Olivia had been a good girl since she was young and had a boyfriend she loved. She struggled with the decision and kept refusing.

However, when Naomi's condition became critical, her father pleaded with her, "Help your sister, Olivia. If you're willing, she's willing to break up with Tyler. You’ll replace her to give birth to a child.”

Olivia had always yearned for her father's love, even though she knew he didn't truly care for her. She couldn't say no when he begged.

Naomi's mother, Mrs. Jones, also begged and reminded Olivia, "Think of this as a kindness we did for you when we paid for your mother's medical bills when she was sick."

Feeling trapped, Olivia sent a text to her boyfriend Jacob, saying, "Let's break up, Jacob." She turned off her phone before he could reply, and she never answered his calls again.

Within a month, Naomi's three-year engagement to Tyler was called off, and Olivia got together with him.

She now sat on the bed, clutching the blanket, her heart pounding. She asked, "Can I take a shower?"

The man, who had been sitting quietly next to her, responded after a long time, "You can if you'd like."

He didn't leave immediately like he usually did. Instead, he stayed and said, "Good job. Let me know if you need anything"

It was a formal expression of gratitude. Olivia looked up at him. What she saw was his cold face. She figured he must have truly loved Naomi, or he wouldn't have agreed to such a ridiculous plan.

She stared at him blankly and nodded. “Hmm, I just want my sister to be… well, my father as well.”

“Sure,” he responded and then asked like a gentleman, “Should I send you home?”

She shook her head quickly. “N-No need. I can go home by myself.”

He didn't push it and allowed her to make her own choice. He was mature and wise.

Olivia felt dizzy as she left the hotel alone. The scorching sun made her heart ache. When she got home, Mrs. Jones brought her a bowl of medicine and asked her to drink it. She didn't know what it was, but she finished it quickly under Mrs. Jones's urging.

Mrs. Jones hoped the child would come soon. Olivia's father and she were old, and Mrs. Jones couldn't be Naomi's surrogate. She placed her hopes on Olivia.

Olivia wasn't sure how long this would continue.

Mrs. Jones added, “You must take more initiative, Olivia.” She wanted to leave after saying that.

Olivia didn't realize she had the power to discuss things with them. She just felt ashamed and embarrassed, like she was being watched.

She tugged on Mrs. Jones's sleeve. “A-Aunt, can we do the pregnancy test first?”

Mrs. Jones looked at her and considered it. She knew they couldn't rush it. She sighed and said, “Sure.”

Chapter 2

Olivia was drenched in cold sweat.

The next day, she went to school. When she was rushing to the door after putting everything away after class, she heard a voice behind her. "Olivia!"

Her body stiffened when she heard the voice.

In the next second, Jacob pushed people aside and grabbed her. "Why are you avoiding me, Olivia? Explain yourself! We were doing well, why did you break up with me?!" He was very emotional, and it drew a lot of attention.

She felt terrified. She stared at him but couldn't find the words to speak.

He was blindsided by the breakup without a reason. He had been looking for her for a long time. They were a happy couple, planning to get married after graduation. How did everything change so suddenly?

“Did something happen, Olivia? Can you tell me?”

She couldn't utter a word in the face of his anxious questions. Feeling agitated, she attempted to push him away.

When she turned around, he suddenly screamed, "Olivia!"

A car slammed on the brakes right in front of her, barely a meter away. Her eyes widened.

It was Tyler.

His body lurched forward as the driver hit the brakes hard. When the car finally stopped, the driver was shocked by the sudden stop. He turned his head to check on Tyler. Tyler said he was fine, but his gaze was fixed on the person in front of the car.

"Olivia?" He frowned as he stared at her, a long and tense moment passing.

However, a nervous boy came into his field of vision. "Are you alright, Olivia?"

She still hadn't fully registered what happened. She was still staring at Tyler, who was inside the car.

Time passed, and more people gathered to watch. Tyler opened the car door and stepped out.

He immediately attracted a lot of attention. Maybe he was so charismatic that no one could ignore him.

Jacob didn't recognize the person getting out of the car. Just as he was checking whether Olivia was hurt, Tyler walked up to her and asked, “We didn’t hit you, right?”

She stared at him in shock. She hadn't expected him to get out of the car. “T-Tyler.”

Jacob was confused by her calling Tyler. He looked at him.

Tyler extended his hand. “Hi, Tyler Harris.”

Jacob had heard that name before. He was Naomi's fiance, Olivia's future brother-in-law.

He responded quickly. “Hi, Mr. Tyler.”

Tyler's expression turned cold upon hearing Jacob's address. He could sense the tension between them. He then turned to Olivia. "Where are you going? Do you need a ride?"

He was asking for her decision. If she said she didn't need him, he would leave right away.

Olivia was trembling, her only thought was to get away. She wanted to leave immediately. She answered hurriedly without thinking, "S-Sure..."

She didn't even tell where she was going, just eager to avoid Jacob's hand as she got into the car.

Jacob reacted and attempted to grab her again. “Can we talk, Olivia? Please?”

The moment he reached out his arm, Tyler's hand blocked him. "You guys should talk when you've both calmed down. This isn’t the best time.”

Jacob looked up at the person blocking him. "Mr. Tyler, I really need to talk to her."

Tyler coldly said, “You can talk to her tomorrow.” Without waiting for Jacob's reply, he turned to Olivia. "Let's go. Get in the car."

Jacob tried to grab her again, but Tyler’s driver stopped him.

Blocked and frustrated, Jacob yelled, "Olivia!"

Olivia stopped instantly. Tyler watched as she paused outside the car.

She hesitated for a few seconds after Jacob called out to her, but eventually, she got into the car.

She took a seat next to him, and after the driver got in, Tyler looked down and said to the driver, "Let's go."

The car pulled away from Olivia's school entrance, and at that moment, Jacob's face happened to pass by the window where Olivia was sitting.

She suddenly felt like someone had punched her heart. It hurt so much that she couldn't breathe, but she didn't show it. She just sat there stiffly.

Although Tyler didn't look directly at her, he could see the pain in her eyes through the rearview mirror. It was hard to hide such agony.

Tyler lost interest and looked away from the mirror. Finally, he spoke, "Your boyfriend?" Naturally, he knew that she had a boyfriend in school.

Olivia felt a whirlwind in her head and choked out, “H-He’s no longer my boyfriend.” She said it with difficulty.

“Did you have a fight?” he asked again.

She answered honestly, “We broke up.”

After hearing that, Tyler fell into a moment of silence. He didn't say anything or ask why they broke up. He remained aloof, like the snow on the roof. It was impossible to see what was beneath.

Olivia didn't cry. She was dressed like a typical university student in denim pants, white shoes, and a white short-sleeve top. She was supposed to be happy, but there was no light in her eyes. She didn't smile, like a sunflower without the sun. She looked downcast.

Tyler had never comforted a girl going through a breakup. Finally, he said to the driver after a long silence, "Do you have any candy?"

The driver couldn't recall if they had candies but suddenly remembered that Tyler's friend had a party for his child and received candies. He quickly responded, "We do, Mr. Tyler."

He retrieved beautifully packaged candies from the storage compartment and carefully handed them to Tyler.

Tyler stared at them for a few seconds before passing them to her. "Breakups are normal, especially in young love. Have some candies."

Olivia lowered her head, releasing the tension in her chest. She was stunned.

“Your sister loves eating candies when she's in a bad mood.”

Tyler had always been distant with her, but it was a rare moment of gentleness and patience. However, she knew it was only because he was talking about her sister.

She stared at the candies and sat quietly.

"I've heard Naomi talk about you. She said you love candies too."

In the end, Olivia remained silent, turning her face away and refusing to look at him.

Chapter 3

Tyler was indeed not great at comforting girls. He had no clue what he said that had upset her.

He furrowed his brows for a few moments, realizing she didn't want the candies. He fell silent before eventually setting them aside.

After a long drive, the car suddenly stopped, and Olivia was taken aback as she looked at the hospital outside the window.

Tyler didn't know they were heading to the hospital. He asked, "Since we're at the hospital, do you want to visit your sister?"

Olivia looked nervous. In truth, she hadn't visited Naomi since she was admitted to the hospital. They weren't close.

Tyler knew how distant they were from each other. They were many years apart, and they had different mothers. It made sense that they weren't close.

“She’s been moody. I’m sure she’d be happy if you visited.” He said it casually, without any pressure.

Olivia had been clenching her hands when she heard this. "Has her illness... gotten worse lately?"

Tyler didn't answer her. She instinctively clenched her hands again. She knew her sister's condition must have been terrible.

They fell into a terrifying silence. After an unknown amount of time, she finally heard him speak, "How great would it be if Naomi were as healthy as you."

There was a hint of weariness on his face, and worry was etched between his eyebrows. It seemed like he was saying that if they had to choose between the two daughters of the Jones family to be healthy, he hoped it would be Naomi.

Olivia tightly pressed her lips together. She had no idea how to respond to his statement. She sat there with her head bowed, feeling guilty. She looked somber.

But deep down, she believed it wasn't her fault that her sister was sick…

When she was young, she had heard something. When the Jones family took her in, Mrs. Jones took Naomi to see a fortune teller. The fortune teller had said that the family should not have two daughters.

It was just that her mother died when she was young, and she had no other place to go, so her father was forced to bring her home. Tyler must have heard about that, right?

Her heart felt like an empty hourglass, and the emptiness inside her was tearing her apart. She thought that perhaps she was the cause of her sister's illness.

She couldn't believe that she was hesitating to get out of the car. She was scared and didn't dare to look at Tyler out of the corner of her eye.

Sensing her silence, Tyler realized that he might have said something inappropriate. He explained, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything bad." His words sounded warm, but if one listened closely, there was a hint of distance in his tone.

He added, "Come on, I'm sure your sister misses you too."

Tyler got out of the car first.

However, a storm seemed to be raging in Olivia's heart, and it couldn't be calmed. She stopped when she followed Tyler to the ward.

Naomi happened to see them as she lay in bed, looking surprised. "Olivia?"

Perhaps she didn't expect to see them together, and Olivia also found it strange that she had come with Tyler.

Just as she was unsure of what to say, Tyler stepped forward and explained while holding the jacket he had just taken off, "I bumped into her on the way here, so I brought her along."

He was tall, with a slim waist and long legs. Standing there, he exuded a sense of seriousness in his black slacks and shirt. It was the posture and style of a confident man.

It was the composure that came from running a successful business for a long time.

Chapter 4

Tyler sat down beside the bed, looking gentle. "Are you feeling better? Would you like to eat an apple?”

Naomi shook her head while lying in bed. "I feel terrible. I don't have any appetite." Then, she called out eagerly to the person at the door. "Come in, Olivia."

Olivia watched everything happening in the room as she entered slowly. It felt quiet and strange inside. Her palms wouldn't stop sweating, while Tyler seemed much more at ease. He tucked Naomi in.

Naomi asked, “What would you like to eat, Olivia?”

Glancing at Naomi and seeing her seeming normal, Olivia realized she was the only one feeling strange. She made an effort to chase away the odd feeling and answered as naturally as possible. "Anything."

Naomi smiled upon hearing that and said to Tyler in a coquettish tone, "Go wash the grapes, Tyler. Olivia loves them."

He replied, "Sure." He didn't want to interrupt the sisters and removed his hand from Naomi's to head to the ward's pantry.

Even after he left, Olivia continued standing there. Naomi waved at her eagerly again. "Come here, Olivia. Sit here."

They weren't close. Even though they lived in the same house, they hardly spoke to each other. It felt strange to Olivia, but she was a good girl. She walked over after Naomi called out to her and cautiously sat beside the bed.

Naomi inquired, “How’s school?”

Olivia clenched her hands when she heard that and teared up. "Not bad." She looked down, appearing reluctant to engage in conversation with her sister. They fell into silence for a while.

Fortunately, the nurse arrived at that moment. Naomi told her, "Get Olivia a glass of milk."

“Sure, Ms. Naomi.” The nurse then went to the fridge to fetch the milk.

In reality, Olivia was cautious as she sat there, keeping her head down the whole time.

When the nurse handed her the glass of milk, her head remained low. Unfortunately, she was careless and failed to hold it properly, causing the entire glass of milk to spill on her.

She jumped in response to the cold milk, and Naomi was also startled, looking at the nurse.

The nurse quickly apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, Ms. Olivia. I didn't hold it properly."

Olivia waved her hand and said, "It's my fault for not grabbing it properly. I'll clean it up."

She rushed to the pantry before Naomi could say anything. However, when she got there, she suddenly remembered that Tyler was washing grapes.

She froze as she looked at him.

Tyler had unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up, exposing his muscular forearm beneath the black shirt. He was bent over, carefully washing the grapes.

Water flowed through his fingers, and his slender fingers brushed over the clear grapes, with water droplets dripping from them. It was strange that what came to Olivia's mind was him holding her hand with his grape-washing fingers while panting.

Her heart seemed to rumble, and she felt panicked, struggling to breathe.

Tyler noticed her at the door and raised his eyebrows. "What happened?"

She pinched the wet part of her denim pants and replied very softly, "I spilled milk on myself."

Seeing her wet pants, he picked up the grapes and moved aside to make space for her. "Come clean yourself."

Olivia went inside upon hearing his words. Perhaps her mind was in chaos because she didn't notice a grape that had fallen on the ground. She accidentally stepped on it, causing it to burst beneath her shoe.

The purple juice stained her white shoe, and she couldn't help but lose her balance and fall forward, screaming.

Tyler, who had just turned around, reacted quickly. He set the plate down casually and grabbed her waist, pulling her into his embrace.

Olivia's face smashed against his chest, and she grabbed his shirt, wrinkling a large portion of it. She could smell his familiar sandalwood scent.

They were both breathing heavily, panting.

The freshly washed grapes bounced off the plate, scattering all over the floor. They were dirty once again.

Chapter 5

Blushing, Olivia backed away from Tyler's embrace and lowered her head to see the mess on the floor. She bent down to pick up the grapes. At the same moment, he also bent down.

They both reached for the same grape simultaneously, their hands touching. His hand was wet and warm.

Olivia looked down and instinctively withdrew her hand. As for Tyler, he naturally noticed her reaction and also pulled his hand back.

People outside heard the commotion, and Naomi quickly asked, "What's wrong, Olivia?"

Tyler calmly replied when he heard Naomi’s voice, “Nothing.”

Olivia remained silent and unmoving. She allowed him to pick up the grapes from the floor and wash them again.

"You clean yourself. I'll leave first," he said as he headed back to the ward, rolling down his sleeves.

Olivia stood there with her heart still racing, gripping the corner of the basin instinctively.

While she spent some time cleaning the milk stain off herself, the sound of running water drowned out the conversation between Tyler and Naomi in the ward.

When she finished cleaning and returned to the room, she saw Tyler picking up his jacket. "I need to go. I can't take Olivia home, but I'll have my driver pick her up later. She can keep you company."

Olivia secretly clenched her fists. Tyler probably would like to avoid spending time alone with her.

However, Naomi said, “I don’t need her company. Can you take her with you?” She then held Tyler's hand and said, "Thank you, Tyler."

Tyler looked down, and their eyes met while she happened to look up. As they gazed at each other, nobody understood what they saw in each other’s eyes.

He only agreed when the janitor had finished cleaning the pantry. "Okay."

Naomi removed her hand from his arm after hearing the answer she wanted.

Olivia watched in surprise, standing there stunned. She understood the hidden dynamics at play. She saw one person pushing her out, while the other was trying to push her in.

So who was she in this scenario?

Tyler, who had been standing there, turned around and said to Olivia, who had been silent, "Let's go." He seemed ready to leave after saying that.

Olivia opened her mouth, but she swallowed her words when she saw Naomi's hopeful eyes. She followed Tyler.

The car ride home was silent. Olivia clearly sensed the underlying tension between him and Naomi, but it was subtle.

Fortunately, they finally arrived at the Jones' residence in silence. Tyler said, "I won't escort you inside."

His words conveyed a sense of avoidance and distance, which Olivia acknowledged with a simple, "Thank you, Tyler."

She wasn't in the mood for further conversation. All she wanted was to escape as quickly as possible.

However, as Olivia was about to get out of the car, Tyler called out to her, “Olivia.”

Her hand, which was in the process of opening the car door, froze as she looked at the person beside her with uncertainty.

What happened between me and Naomi has nothing to do with you," he calmly explained. He was referring to the push-and-pull situation at the hospital.

Being caught in the middle of such a situation could hurt anyone. Fortunately, Olivia was clear about her place. She pursed her lips for a while before responding, "It's okay, Tyler. I'm fine."

Tyler looked at her for a long time after hearing that, then replied flatly, "Alright."

Quickly, Olivia exited the car after this brief exchange and hurried towards the Jones' residence.

The car paused at the door for a few moments before eventually driving away. Tyler remained in the car, watching as Olivia ran toward the house.

After a while, he looked away, tapped the door handle, and the driver made a turn, taking him away from the house.

Once Olivia arrived home, she found many messages from her classmates asking about what happened between her and Jacob. She deleted all the messages.

For the next few days, she stayed at home, too afraid to go to school.

Mrs. Jones would make her soup every day to nourish her. Olivia understood the meaning behind those soups, so she didn't refuse them. Whenever Mrs. Jones served her the soup, she would drink it.

Sometimes, she wondered if she was viewed as a human being by them or merely as a tool to extend her sister's life.

Chapter 6

Olivia lived in a daze, and soon, half a month had passed.

One morning, she took a pregnancy test to the bathroom. She had used it a couple of times now, so she had become familiar with the process. She felt ashamed and uneasy as her hands trembled while holding the manual, making it difficult for her to read.

During the anxious and excited few minutes of waiting, she stared at the result. When she saw the clear single line on it, she didn't give up. She followed the instructions and tested again.

When the same result appeared before her eyes, she closed her eyes while standing in the bathroom, her expression devastated.

Why did this happen? No, she was still not pregnant.

As if she had lost her soul, she went downstairs.

Mrs. Jones jumped up from the couch when she saw her and rushed over. "How did it go, Olivia? Did you take the test?" Worry filled her voice.

Olivia remained silent for a moment. Mrs. Jones urged her, holding her hands. "Are you pregnant?"

“No.” She then handed the pregnancy test to her.

Mrs. Jones felt as if something heavy had crushed her when she saw the single line on the test. She stepped back involuntarily.

In the end, she mumbled, “What do we do now?”

Olivia shared the news with Naomi when she arrived at the hospital. Disappointment clouded her sister's pale face upon hearing the news.

Olivia didn't know what to say. She could only stammer out an apology. "I'm sorry, Naomi."

Naomi mustered a weak smile and comforted her gently. "It's okay, Olivia. Don't stress too much."

Tyler happened to arrive at the hospital at that moment. Mrs. Jones was waiting at the door and approached him when she saw him.

“Tyler, she’s still not pregnant.” Her words caused him to furrow his brows, and he appeared somber.

She continued, her voice trembling, "Tyler, Naomi can't wait much longer... I don't think you want to lose her too."

“I know. Please calm down.”

Olivia immediately looked over when she heard the conversation outside. She saw Tyler talking to Mrs. Jones with his head down.

She shuddered and averted her gaze.

After some more conversation, Mrs. Jones entered the ward and said, "Olivia, Tyler would like to talk to you."

Olivia clenched her fists and nodded. She left the ward and walked over to where Tyler was waiting for her at the door.

Suddenly, he extended his arm, taking her by surprise as she didn't know what he was going to do. Unbeknownst to her, he closed the door behind them, shielding their conversation from Mrs. Jones and Naomi's view.

"Did you take the test this morning?" He spoke first after shutting the door, his gaze lowered, and his eyes remained gentle.

Olivia struggled to respond, saying, "Yes."

He asked again. “How many times did you do it?”

“Twice,” she answered, still looking down. "I've been taking supplements, but I'm still not pregnant."

Tyler tried to comfort her, saying, "It's okay. It has nothing to do with you, it’s my problem.”

She fell into silence after his words. As a young woman, she had only been in a relationship once. She and Jacob had never engaged in any intimate activities, so she didn't immediately grasp what he was implying.

She merely looked up at him with confusion.

"I understand that you didn't want this, so I didn't push you earlier because I didn't want to frighten you," he said with a hidden meaning.

Her realization was slow, and she only recalled what Mrs. Jones had mentioned. "Do you mean we haven't spent enough time together?" she asked, her voice as soft as a mosquito's.

Chapter 7

"If you still find this weird, you can try treating me as a friend."

A friend? Would friends sleep together? Olivia had no idea how to navigate this situation at all.

Tyler had been waiting for her response quietly.

Olivia knew that Naomi couldn't wait any longer, and Mrs. Jones wouldn't allow her to drag this out. She felt as if she were standing at the edge of a cliff with nowhere to run.

The previous two times had been very traumatizing for her. She had trembled for a long time, struggling to breathe. Finally, she managed to squeeze out two words, seemingly in compromise, "Got it."

Tyler only responded flatly after a while, "Okay. I'll send you home later."

He didn't linger after saying that, perhaps thinking that the conversation had come to an end. He turned around and went back into the ward.

Olivia clenched her hands that dangled at her sides.

Inside the ward, a nurse was taking care of Naomi, who looked beaten down by the news and had lost her appetite.

Mrs. Jones was panicking, and she appeared relieved when she saw Tyler enter. "Tyler..."

Tyler knew what she was going to say and ignored her, choosing to sit next to the bed and comfort Naomi instead. "Maybe you should eat something that you find delicious? You have to eat, no matter what."

Naomi was currently undergoing treatment, and proper nutrition was important.

She shook her head. “I don't feel like eating.”

"We have porridge. I'll feed you," he offered.

"Why did this happen to me, Tyler?" Naomi looked sad and held his hand.

As he reached for the porridge, he gently took her hand and reassured her, "Don't worry, I'll handle it. Okay?" Warmth and care filled his face.

Naomi responded, “Okay, I'll eat some.” Only then did she calm down and start cooperating with him as he fed her the porridge.

Meanwhile, Olivia stood at the door, watching her sister's reliance on Tyler and his evident love and care for her.

Her thoughts drifted to Jacob. When she had been unwell, she would also depend on him. Unfortunately, those moments were a thing of the past, never to return.

She couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy for her sister, and that envy weighed heavily on her.

At six in the evening, Olivia left the hospital with Tyler. The car ride home was filled with silence.

As the car moved, Olivia realized that they were not heading to the Jones' residence. She looked at Tyler, who didn't offer an explanation but instead asked, "Are you hungry? Let's grab something to eat."

Unease settled over Olivia once again. She gripped her seatbelt and said awkwardly, "I'm not hungry, thank you."

"Alright," Tyler replied flatly.

The car continued to move, and it eventually pulled over after an unknown period of time. Olivia had no idea where they were. It was dark and quiet, with no one in sight.

She wore a dress that day and felt a little cold. The sound of cicadas filled the air. She had a sense of what might happen.

Tyler sat in silence after the car came to a stop, while Olivia's heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst.

In the next moment, he hugged her. As this happened, she curled up like a startled bird, her hands pressed against her arms.

Their breathing quickened, and they both began to pant. Neither of them spoke, and the scent of sandalwood grew closer.

His lips were inches away from hers, and he sensed how tense she was. "I know you're scared. Relax."

She wanted to run, she truly did. However, in this confined space, she managed to control herself.

He whispered into her ear, “Come closer, don’t be scared.”

With little experience in such matters, Olivia struggled to adjust. She could only follow his instructions, relaxing her body and resting her face on his shoulder.

Her breath was chaotic. At that moment, he grabbed her waist, bringing them even closer.

Both of them were now panting, and amidst the chaos, he called out softly, "Olivia."

She was confused as to why he was calling her, her mind in disarray.

“Sit up straight.”

She was unwilling to do that. Their breathing grew increasingly ragged, to the point where they couldn't distinguish whose breath belonged to whom.

Tyler waited and waited, but Olivia refused to cooperate. It seemed like he lost his patience as he kissed her lips.

The familiar sensation overwhelmed her, and she couldn't help but wonder how two people who hardly knew each other could be so intimate.

Chapter 8

Tyler only released Olivia after they had kissed for a while.

Olivia felt rather troubled and mentally unprepared. She didn't know what to say.

He didn't pressure her and waited for her response.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating their faces. He looked extraordinarily handsome in the moonlight, with the tip of his nose almost touching hers.

Neither of them moved at that moment. They simply stayed like that.

However, at that very moment, Jacob flooded Olivia's mind. Jacob was the only thing on her mind. She couldn't fully accept the kiss.

Tyler sensed that she might be thinking about someone else.

"We agreed that I'll keep the child after it's born, right?" Olivia asked, as if seeking a better excuse.

"Yes," was his simple reply.

She closed her eyes.

*

The car was cold, with the heater off. They had forgotten to turn it on.

Tyler closed his eyes and hugged her from behind.

Then, someone's phone suddenly rang. It was on the floor on the right side of the car. They both looked over at the same time, still holding each other.

It was Olivia’s phone, and Jacob’s name appeared on the screen. She had blocked his number earlier but secretly unblocked it later on. This was his first call to her since then.

After Jacob hung up, Mrs. Jones called. Olivia knew that she called at this time to probe.

Tyler let go of her, and she moved to the passenger's seat. Neither of them answered those calls.

After a while, he asked, “Should I take you home?”

Olivia had dressed properly and returned to the passenger's seat. She sat with her legs closed and responded softly.

It was 2 A.M. when Tyler dropped Olivia off at her house. Exhausted, Olivia entered the living room.

Mrs. Jones came to her in a panic, asking, "Did Tyler take you home?"

“Mm-hmm,” Olivia said softly.

Mrs. Jones' eyes held mixed emotions, but she saw the exhaustion on Olivia's face. She calmly told her, "Alright, go get some rest."

Olivia felt an odd sense of being watched but lacked the energy to dwell on it. All she wanted was to take a shower upstairs.

When she was about to enter the bathroom, Mrs. Jones said, "Olivia, you shouldn't take a bath."

Olivia's hand, which had been reaching for the bathroom door, stopped and slowly slid away. "Okay," she replied, then turned back to her room.