The Years Between Signing and Seeing novel Chapter 433

Seeing her stunned expression through the window, Oliver simply pulled her door open.

"Get out," he ordered gently but firmly.

Only then did Suzie slowly step out of the vehicle.

Standing next to her car, she asked in a daze, "What did you mean by all that?"

"Get in my car. I'll explain on the way."

He shut her door for her and gestured for her to lock it.

Moving like she was in a trance, Suzie got into his passenger seat. Oliver didn't start the engine right away.

He took a deep breath, composing himself, before saying solemnly, "Suzie... it really hurts when you push me away like this..."

His sudden vulnerability hung heavy in the air, but he stopped right there.

To Suzie, it sounded like the preamble to a full-blown romantic confession.

She didn't know what to do, but she did her best to mask her panic, sitting completely still with a blank expression.

A moment later, Oliver spoke again.

"I know you've always seen me as a brother, as a friend... I know you don't have romantic feelings for me. So... I never said anything. I was terrified of ruining the bond we share. But it feels like you've sensed something, and you've been deliberately keeping your distance..."

He trailed off again. Suzie slowly lowered her chin, burying it into her collar. She had no idea what to say.

Perhaps just sitting there quietly and letting him get it all off his chest was the best thing she could do for him.

After a long stretch of silence, Oliver turned slightly to face her, his tone earnest. "Can we just go back to the way things were? You, me, and Stella. Best friends forever."

Suzie finally looked up at him, a faint glimmer of emotion in her eyes. "Oliver..."

If she weren't strapped into a moving vehicle, she would have been pacing the floor, tearing her hair out.

Oliver let the silence settle, giving her time to process the earth-shattering revelation.

But what neither of them knew...

Was that another car was tailing them closely.

In the driver's seat of the trailing car, Aaron Stillman was a nervous wreck, his eyes darting between the road ahead and Jamie Baylor in the rearview mirror.

He was terrified Jamie was about to do something impulsive again.

An hour ago, when Suzie had dropped the kids off at the studio...

Jamie's car had arrived at the exact same time. The second Suzie pulled away, his car had taken her spot at the entrance.