You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 392

Oliver pulled up a chair and gently guided Patricia into it, his hands warm and steady on her shoulders.

She shifted, a little uneasy. Patricia wasn’t short, not by any means, but next to Oliver, she always felt small—and in his oversized office chair, her toes barely touched the ground. The feeling left her slightly vulnerable, legs dangling and uncertain.

Oliver picked up on her discomfort right away. He crouched beside her and adjusted the chair until her feet rested flat and she could sit up straight. Then he powered on his computer, the screen flickering to life as a video began to play automatically.

Patricia watched, silent and focused. When the video ended, she lifted her head and looked at Oliver, her eyes searching his.

“If it’s that dangerous, why are you letting Colton stay close to me?” she asked, voice quiet.

“He needs to face this,” Oliver said, his tone gentle but firm. “He’s not a kid anymore. It’s about time he learned how messy real life can get.”

He leaned back, his expression darkening as he continued. “The Padilla family and the Stone family aren’t as chummy as everyone thinks. Right now, my brother and Sean’s son are fighting tooth and nail for the same position. It’s brutal, but because our dads go way back, neither side wants an all-out war. They’re keeping it quiet, but things are tense. With you in the picture, it gives us an edge to tip the balance.”

“So you need me as the leverage?” Patricia asked softly.

Oliver nodded, his gaze heavy. “I know it’s asking a lot. You might end up in a difficult spot…”

“I get it,” Patricia replied, her voice calm and warm. “We’re married, Oliver. We’re in this together, for better or worse. If your family goes down, I’m not coming out unscathed either. You don’t have to explain.”

Oliver let out a long breath, propping one hand on his desk and the other on the back of her chair. He bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

“In that case, it’s time you come home with me to meet my parents.”

***

Joseph was there too.

Nina had dressed up, making sure she looked perfect as she brought her soon-to-be fiancé—a doctor—to visit Joseph. She wasn’t there out of concern, not really. She just wanted Joseph to see she’d moved on, to remind him that she could be happy without him.

The VIP suite was on the sixteenth floor. The floors above and below were packed with patient rooms, but for the wealthy, the heads of every department made themselves available at a moment’s notice. Everything here screamed luxury and privilege.

In the elevator, Nina fussed with the bow on her blouse, checking her reflection in the mirrored walls. Her fiancé plucked a long hair off her shirt, about to toss it in the elevator trash, when the doors slid open.

Nina had always thought hospital elevators with mirrors were a smart idea. You could fix your hair, straighten your clothes, and if someone tried anything crazy, the staff could spot it right away.

Today, before Nina even turned around, she caught sight of Theo standing just outside the elevator, his reflection clear as day in the mirror behind her.