You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 210

“Single women really should keep their distance from married men. And honestly, management’s family members shouldn’t be getting too close to the staff either.”

Sara scrunched up her face, obviously annoyed. “It’s not like I’m interested in him.”

Oliver shot her a look. “Doesn’t matter. People will talk no matter what.”

Sara huffed. “Why don’t you ask Aunt Patricia if she cares about what people say?”

Patricia sighed, sounding tired. “It’s not about caring what people say, Sara. But I refuse to let myself become someone’s stepping stone. You shouldn’t let yourself be used either, especially by people with their own agendas.”

That shut everyone up.

Sara stared down at her plate and didn’t say another word.

Dinner dragged on in awkward silence, and by the end, everyone just wanted to get away from the table.

Sara slipped upstairs, closing herself off from the world.

Patricia glanced at the three men still sitting in the dining room, then shook her head and sighed. “I’ll go check on Sara.”

Oliver’s lips pressed into a hard line, and his mood didn’t improve. “Alright,” he muttered.

Up in her room, Sara was sprawled out on her bed, sulking and tapping furiously on her phone.

“Aunt Patricia, do you think I’m being immature too?” she asked, not even looking up.

Patricia sat down in the armchair beside the bed and smiled gently. “Honestly? I think being a little naïve is a good thing. Once life forces you to grow up, you’ll realize that being able to keep your innocence at your age just means your family did a good job protecting you.”

Sara frowned. “But I don’t want that kind of protection.”

Patricia paused, thinking, then smiled. “Then how about you come stay with me for a while?”

Sara’s eyes widened, her mood instantly lifting. “Can I really?”

“Of course you can,” Patricia said with a nod. “I’ll talk to your Uncle Oliver.”

Down in the study, Oliver sat back in his chair, rolling a cigar between his fingers, still looking troubled.

Patricia stood at the open door for a moment before knocking.

“Come in,” he said, his tone stiff.

The women in his house really were all stubborn in their own way.

He was only trying to care for them, so how did it always end up like this?

He put out his cigar and went to look for Patricia.

He checked the rooms but couldn’t find her. “Johns, where’s Mrs. Blake?”

“In the garden with Marian, feeding the cats, sir.”

Patricia’s little routine.

Oliver walked outside and found her standing on the smooth stone path, watching a bunch of kittens play.

He slipped up behind her and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. “I only said that because I care. I wasn’t criticizing you. Please don’t take it the wrong way.”

“If Sara wants to stay with you, let her. As long as she’s safe, you can have her help as much as you want.”

“Otherwise, I won’t know how to explain things to her parents.”