You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 245

“What happened to you? Your hands are covered in blood.”

Aiden was slouched in the driver’s seat with his eyes closed, trying to catch a break.

Jackson opened the car door, climbed in, and stood there for a second, unscrewing a bottle of water and rinsing the blood off his hands.

“Just handling some business,” he said.

Aiden didn’t bother looking at him. “What kind of business?”

Jackson flashed a crooked grin. “Took care of a little punk.”

Aiden just stayed quiet, but the silence hung heavy.

The next two weeks at the office were tense. No one said much, but everyone could feel it. The Miller family still wouldn’t give an inch. The Martin Group’s smart home division had been tangled up in negotiations for ages with nothing to show for it.

In the end, Emerson had to pull some strings and go through a mutual contact just to get a meeting with Ben.

They met at an upscale restaurant in a private room. Emerson brought a couple of colleagues to help break the ice.

After a few drinks, Emerson leaned in, reminiscing about old times, trying to get Ben to open up. But Ben was as guarded as ever, smiling politely, never really saying much.

“Ben, don’t you think I deserve an explanation?” Emerson asked quietly. “We’ve known each other for years. Business is always a two-way street. If you’ve got new partners or concerns, just tell me. Maybe there’s something I can do.”

Ben just sipped his tea, his face giving nothing away. “Your product’s fine, Emerson. That’s not the issue.”

“Then what is?” Emerson pressed, a little thrown.

Ben set his cup down. “Sometimes, the only person who can untie a knot is the one who tied it. Maybe you should ask your wife.”

Tina?

A chill crept over Emerson. His fingers pressed into the back of Ben’s chair as he tried to keep his cool.

The dinner didn’t last much longer.

When Emerson got home, Tina was upstairs in Ruby’s room, helping her with rehab. He stood in the doorway, face like stone, and knocked on the doorframe. When Tina looked up and their eyes met, his voice was cold.

“Two kids have a fight, and the adults jump in. Do you really think that’s the right thing to do?”

“Emerson, she’s your daughter!” Tina stared at him, her voice shaking. “You’d really ignore Ruby’s feelings just for business?”

“Is this really about business?” Emerson shot back. “You really think Ruby never did anything to Joseph? Should we bring her in here and hash it out? I get that you’re angry about Ruby’s injury, but taking revenge now, when everything’s on the line, is crazy.”

“There are plenty of competitors waiting to take us down. You know that as well as I do, but you’re still letting your emotions drive you.”

“If we lose everything we’ve worked for, that’s the real joke.”

Tina went quiet. Emerson’s words hit hard.

If they lost everything, what would be the point of all they’d done for Patricia?

Tina’s breath came fast and uneven. After a long pause, she finally spoke. “What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll set up a meeting. You apologize to the Miller family. I’ll handle the rest.”