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.

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