You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 205

When it comes to self-interest, anyone can turn ruthless.

Kelly wanted Ruby gone for good, taking their secret to the grave. But things didn’t go as planned. Ruby survived. And not just survived—she became the new Patricia, stepping right into the life she’d once envied.

If the last woman with a limp could shake the entire Newton family, who’s to say this one couldn’t do the same?

That evening, Patricia was in a rare, cheerful mood. When Jackson walked into her study, he found her standing at her desk, calligraphy brush in hand, writing a poem on fresh rice paper. The words were from Su Shi’s “Song of the West River”: “The world is but a grand dream; how many times has autumn’s chill come?”

She finished the final stroke of the last character, then circled the word “dream.” Next, she slashed through it, crossing out both “world” and “dream.”

“Is he out?” Patricia asked, putting the brush aside.

Jackson nodded. “He’s out.”

“The hospital staff say Theo gets special attention. Every so often, someone checks in on him,” he reported.

“Find someone who looks like him to take his place. No need to make things difficult for the hospital,” Patricia said.

“We’re already looking,” Jackson replied.

Patricia set down the brush and picked up a towel to wipe the ink from her fingertips. “Keep tabs on Kelly, and drop a few hints to Ruby now and then,” she said. “I want to see how ugly their fight gets.”

“But more than that, I want to see what Ruby does now that she’s in my old shoes.”

Jackson nodded, then hesitated. “What about the white guy?”

“He’s not useful anymore. Send him away,” Patricia replied.

Jackson’s eyes widened. Such a good piece—just like that, she’s letting him go?

Kelly took a sip of coffee and smiled. “He can’t just swap it out.”

“That car was a gift from one of his dad’s friends. The whole thing’s armored—bulletproof. The safety features are insane.”

The ladies gasped in admiration.

Kelly went on, “They even sent it to the military to get it refitted. Took almost half a year.”

“No wonder!” one woman said. “Honestly, I want one too.”

Another chimed in, “At our age, the last thing we need is accidents or danger. The roads are rough these days. Extra protection is a must.”

The group kept chatting until three in the afternoon, when they finally started to drift off back to their own lives.