You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 371

Atticus couldn’t claim he knew Oliver inside and out, but he definitely knew what the guy was capable of.

To Atticus, Patricia was still just a kid. But Oliver? Oliver was a wolf, and now that wolf had his eyes on Atticus’s own niece. There was no way Atticus could just sit back and not worry.

“Uncle, I know exactly what I want,” Patricia said, her voice strong and unwavering.

She looked Atticus right in the eye, not backing down for a second. The tension in the room was so thick it was hard to breathe.

Atticus’s worried glare slowly faded into silence. The whole thing twisted him up inside.

Grandma, not wanting the family to fall apart over this—especially not during the holidays—jumped in to break the ice.

“All right, that’s enough. Let’s sit down and actually talk,” she said firmly. “Chelsea, make some tea.”

Chelsea had been frozen in place, but Grandma’s words snapped her out of it and she hurried off to the kitchen.

Maggie followed close behind, grabbing Chelsea’s arm and whispering, “Did you already know about this?”

“I… sort of,” Chelsea admitted, nodding.

“But Dad’s reaction is way too much. Wasn’t he just saying the six-year age gap doesn’t matter? Now he’s ready to throw down.”

Maggie shot her a look. “You don’t get it. The Padilla family is on a whole other level. Dad’s just scared Pattie’s going to get hurt.”

“What kind of family are they anyway?” Chelsea asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

Maggie started to say something, then thought better of it and clammed up.

“You’re judging me for things that haven’t even happened. Isn’t that unfair?” Oliver replied.

Atticus let out a bitter laugh. “Unfair? Please. You’re good at this. You call me ‘big brother’ on the phone, then turn around and set my niece up to be your wife. Don’t tell me you never had an angle. Patricia just clawed her way out of a failed marriage. If you hadn’t pushed her, would she honestly be marrying you right now?”

“You can put on a show for Patricia, but don’t think you can fool me,” Atticus snapped.

Oliver just kept his head down, taking the heat.

Atticus exhaled in frustration. “You’re really something, Oliver.”

Oliver finally spoke up. “If Patricia doesn’t marry me, she’ll end up marrying someone else. Better me than a stranger. The shares her parents left her are only accessible after she’s married, and once she’s married, they become joint property. She’s beautiful, smart, and ambitious. Women like her—no matter where or when—always attract the wrong kind of attention.”