You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 421

“The rest’s up to Colton’s dad now.”

Sean had probably been up all night, tossing and turning. Meanwhile, Oliver managed to sneak home for a few hours of sleep at three in the morning. Over at Golden Bay, though, things were probably just starting to get interesting.

He stretched out on the bed, looking completely at ease, like a lion who’d just finished a big meal. The room was dim and quiet, which only made him seem more mysterious.

Oliver watched Patricia in silence, taking in how she sat next to him, head down, totally absorbed in his phone. She scrolled so carefully, it looked like she was studying every single word.

After a while, she finished reading, closed the phone, and set it on the nightstand.

Mr. Padilla raised an eyebrow. “Not curious to check anything else?”

“Is there anything else?”

She had a strong sense of boundaries—never the type to snoop through her partner’s phone. Adulthood wasn’t all black and white, after all.

“That’s it,” Mr. Padilla sighed, pulling her gently into his arms. “Stay with me a little longer?”

“I’m not sleepy anymore.”

“Then let’s just lie here and talk.”

Early that morning, Chelsea got up to use the bathroom. She noticed Patricia wasn’t around, but didn’t think much of it. Afterward, she crawled right back into bed and slept until well past ten.

The next time she woke up, it was because of the yelling coming from the backyard.

She’d gotten overheated in the middle of the night and cracked open a window to cool off. So, that morning, Colton’s desperate shouts came floating in loud and clear.

Wrapped in her robe, Chelsea slid open the patio door. She walked to the window and saw Jackson, a lollipop in his mouth, nudging Colton’s leg with his toe.

Jackson grinned. “Can I go home now?”

Colton, clutching his waist, glared at him. “No way.”

Chelsea wandered downstairs but still couldn’t find Patricia. After asking Marian, she finally went to the study.

It was funny—sometimes you could tell a lot about someone just by looking at them.

Patricia let out a little hum, agreeing.

Whenever she started liking a certain type of mug, Mr. Padilla would quietly fill the cupboard with them, all without saying a word.

He never made a big deal out of it.

Marian always said Oliver was the type to show love through actions, not words. He acted like it was no big deal, just everyday life.

And every time, Marian would step in as his unofficial hype woman, making sure Patricia noticed.

The spring sunlight poured into the room, warm but never too harsh.

Chelsea sprawled out on the study sofa, soaking it in. The modern Asian-inspired décor made the couch a little stiff, but she didn’t care.

She tilted her head back, watching Patricia at the desk, sunlight spilling across one side of her body, making her look all soft and glowing.