Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 331

**Collapsed 331**

**AUTHOR’S POV.**

The drive unfolded in a tight, oppressive silence, a quiet that felt almost deafening despite the absence of words. Each second ticked by, heavy with unspoken tension, creating an atmosphere that was suffocating in its stillness.

Outside the window, the city raced past, a vibrant tapestry of colors and shapes, yet Violet hardly registered any of it. Her mind was a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts, spinning faster than she could grasp, cluttered and messy, pressing down on her chest like a weight she couldn’t shake off.

She found herself trapped in a relentless loop, replaying the moment she had flinched.

It had been an instinctual reaction, one she hadn’t even been aware of until she saw the change in Lucian’s expression.

The disappointment that flickered in his eyes felt like a searing burn against her skin.

Five minutes into the ride, Ace cleared his throat, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife.

He tried to speak, hesitating at first.

Once, then again, he attempted to break the tension.

Finally, his voice rose above the quiet, “Violet.”

But she didn’t respond.

Lost in her own turbulent thoughts, she hadn’t even heard him call her name.

“Violet,” Ace repeated, his tone sharper this time, a hint of concern threading through his words.

Startled, she jerked her head up, her eyes snapping open as if she had just woken from a nightmare. “Y-yes?” she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment at being caught so deeply in her reverie.

Ace’s brow furrowed with worry. “You okay?”

Violet’s gaze flickered toward Lucian, who was staring straight ahead, the tension in his jaw unyielding. She quickly averted her eyes, the weight of the moment pressing down on her.

“I’m fine,” she murmured, though every part of her body betrayed her words.

Ace glanced back and forth between them, clearly sensing the palpable tension that hung in the air. He hesitated for a moment before asking, “Uh… what’s the address of the bank again?”

Lucian’s head snapped toward him, his expression incredulous, as if to say, Seriously?

Ace was well aware of the address; it was already programmed into the GPS. The navigation screen displayed the route in bright, clear letters.

Yet, in that moment, Ace was desperate for anything—any distraction—to slice through the thick, suffocating silence.

Violet swallowed hard, forcing her voice to steady as she spoke. “It’s… um… 23 Oakridge Lane.”

“Right. Right,” Ace replied, tapping aimlessly at the GPS, as if it weren’t already set. “Got it. GPS updated.”

He nodded to himself, then added lightly, “So… have you ever been to that bank before?”

Violet nodded slowly, her thoughts drifting back. “Once… with my mother.”

Ace nodded back, a hint of relief washing over his features. But just like that, the conversation fizzled out, leaving them in silence once more.

This silence was even more unbearable than before, as if the awkwardness had taken on a life of its own, wrapping around them like a thick fog.

Violet felt her fingers begin to fidget again, twisting and turning until her knuckles turned pale. Her heart raced, each beat reverberating through her chest, making it feel constricted. Every breath she took was a reminder of the hurt she had caused Lucian, weighing heavily on her conscience.

She had looked up to him, trusted him. He was someone she admired deeply, a rare connection she hadn’t felt since her mother had passed away. He made her feel seen, safe, as if she belonged somewhere again.

But now, she feared he thought she was scared of him.

She wasn’t scared of him—at all.

What terrified her was the thought of losing the fragile bond they were slowly building.

But how could she articulate that without sounding like a needy, overstepping child?

Meanwhile, Lucian sat in the passenger seat, silently grappling with his own turmoil.

He had raised his voice at her.

He shouldn’t have done that.

Not in that manner.

His role was to protect her, not make her question her place in his life. And now, she wouldn’t meet his eyes. Not even once.

This bothered him more than he cared to admit.

He couldn’t shake the image of her shoulders tensing when she flinched, as if she believed he might actually hurt her.

That thought twisted something dark and guilty inside him, raw and unsettling.

He should have known better.

She was so young.

She had already endured too much loss.

And he… he was supposed to be better than that.

Why she felt guilty.

Lucian could see the flicker of thoughts racing across her expression, like shadows dancing beneath a flickering light. He stepped a little closer, his voice softening further.

“Violet,” he said quietly, “you didn’t do anything wrong. This was all on me.”

Ace, standing by the driver’s door, pretended to be very invested in adjusting his car mirror, but his ears were finely tuned to every word exchanged between them.

Violet bit her lip, hesitating. “You… you don’t think I’m a busybody?”

Lucian blinked, then let out a soft chuckle at her choice of words, a tiny smile breaking through the tension as it tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Her shoulders relaxed, ever so slightly. The tension in her eyes began to ease as her bright, gentle persona peeked through once again.

“Okay,” she murmured, finally offering him a small, tentative smile.

Lucian exhaled, a breath of relief escaping him, the kind of exhale that comes when someone realizes they had been holding their breath for far too long.

Ace clapped his hands dramatically, breaking the moment. “Sooooo, can we go inside now that you two have kissed and made up?”

His words were meant to be lighthearted, but Violet instantly flushed bright red, ducking her head in embarrassment. Lucian shot Ace a glare that could melt steel.

Ace raised both hands in surrender, a grin spreading across his face. “Alright, alright! Just saying.”

With that, they walked into the bank together.

Inside, the cool air washed over them, and the polished floors gleamed under the fluorescent lights. A few people stood in line, soft murmurs and the rhythmic clicks of keyboards filling the space around them. They headed straight to the counter, a sense of purpose driving their steps.

Violet stepped forward, clearing her throat to gather her courage. “Hi. I’m here to check my safe.”

The cashier, a young woman with sharp glasses perched on her nose and a neat bun holding her hair back, nodded with a professional demeanor. “Name, please?”

“Ruby Gail,” Violet said, her voice trembling slightly, but she pushed through.

Her mother’s name hung in the air, a bittersweet reminder that squeezed her heart.

“Alright, give me a few minutes,” the cashier replied, her fingers dancing over the keyboard as she typed quickly.

She paused, brows knitting together in concentration.

Looking back up at Violet, she hesitated, and worry crept into Violet’s eyes as she bit her lip.

“I’m sorry…” the cashier began slowly, her tone tinged with regret. “But there is no safe under that name in this bank.”