You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 405

Patricia quietly rolled onto her side.

Oliver moved in close, carefully lifting the edge of her pajama top. When his fingers brushed against the bandage on her back, Patricia could feel the air turn heavier, the silence pressing in on both of them.

“Take a look. It’s really not that bad,” she said softly, hoping to put him at ease.

Oliver peeled the bandage away, following her lead. The moment he saw her wound, his chest tightened. “Does it hurt?”

“I’m fine. Really, it’s nothing,” Patricia replied. No matter how much it stung, it was nothing compared to what she’d gone through during recovery. This little scratch didn’t even register.

“Don’t worry about me,” she murmured, squeezing his hand with a gentle smile. “Go take a shower, okay? I’m exhausted.”

“You get some sleep. I’ll be back after a quick shower,” Oliver said.

Patricia nodded, her eyes already drifting shut. Not wanting to disturb her, Oliver grabbed his pajamas and slipped quietly into the guest bathroom.

The bedroom door closed with a soft click. For a moment, Oliver just stood in the hallway, lost in thought.

Aiden came up the stairs, speaking quietly. “Sir, Jackson’s here.”

Cloud Peak was nearly silent at this hour. The bright overhead lights had been switched off, leaving only a few dim wall sconces to light the halls.

When Oliver went downstairs, he found Jackson standing in the living room, bundled up in a big puffer jacket. Even so, it was obvious he had shorts and a t-shirt on underneath.

“Did Patricia tell you if Theo’s staying or not?” Oliver asked.

Jackson, half-asleep and fighting to keep his eyes open, looked up at Oliver like he was hearing things.

In a whole year, Jackson could count on one hand the number of times he’d actually talked to Oliver. For Oliver to call him here now? There was no way this was just a friendly chat.

The two of them stared each other down, Oliver’s gaze steady and intense.

Jackson let out a dry laugh. “You’re weird, you know that? You already know exactly what Patricia wants, but you keep nudging her, trying to convince her there’s a better way. She’s a grown woman. She knows what she wants.”

“Mr. Padilla, we all get that you love Patricia and want to protect her, but she’s not a kid.”

Oliver loved Patricia. He never tried to hide it.

For a man with his wealth and power to be willing to go this far—he was already better than most. Marian never stopped bragging about him. And as a husband, he did everything anyone could ask for.

But some things just don’t change.