You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 353

In Jackson’s words, it was like their family had missed out on all the progress and prosperity everyone else was enjoying.

And Oliver? He was living proof that some people really do fall through the cracks.

“If she’s got stuff holding her back, I can just handle it for her. That’s not a big deal,” Oliver said.

Hector gave him a sidelong glance. “You can’t just swoop in and fix everything for people like you’re some kind of god.”

“If I solve her problems, everyone’ll just say she found herself a great guy. But if she figures it out on her own, people will say, wow, she’s incredible.”

Anyone with common sense could tell the difference between living off someone else and standing on your own two feet.

Arguing over something this petty? Was it really worth it?

“So what you’re saying is—”

Bang!

Before Oliver could even finish, seven or eight champagne bottles went off at once in the booth downstairs, spraying foam everywhere and cutting him off.

Hector watched people turn their heads and groaned inwardly. Crap, he’d forgotten—Patricia’s ex had been hanging around here a lot lately.

The second Oliver spotted Theo, his temper flared. Just thinking about how Patricia had stayed behind to deal with her family instead of coming back to Golden Bay with him made his blood pressure spike.

He let out a cold, sarcastic laugh.

He was just about to head downstairs when Hector grabbed his arm. “Mr. Padilla, come on. The guy just dropped half a million tonight. At least let him pay before you do anything crazy.”

“You think I can’t afford half a million?”

Hector rolled his eyes. That’s not the point, and you know it.

“Look, if some jerk wants to throw money around, why not take it? I’ll use it to buy your wife a gift. Deal?”

Hector finally managed to calm Oliver down and get him to sit back down, letting out a long sigh of relief.

If anyone ever treated Sara like that, Oliver would break their legs. No question.

Men really are different, he thought.

“But where’s Joseph tonight?”

Hector was just wondering aloud when he saw Oliver pull out his phone and make a call.

Outside the bar, Theo helped Amy into her car. The two stood on the curb, kissing like they didn’t care if the whole world was watching, lost in each other like they might just drag the bed out onto the street.

“Get home safe. See you tomorrow,” he said.

Amy waved as her car pulled away. Theo turned and slid into the back seat of a sleek black Porsche. He yanked at his tie, looking restless and annoyed. “Take me home,” he told the driver.

But after a few twists and turns through the city, Theo realized something was off.

“This isn’t the way to the Newton estate. And you’re not my driver.”