You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 495

Riverdale Tea Room

As people get older in the business world, their hobbies tend to narrow down to just a few things. For most, it’s either fussing over plants or sipping tea.

Allen was no different.

Years of investments had already set him up for life, and with nothing left to manage and no appetite for stirring up drama, he’d happily slipped into a life of leisure.

That afternoon, he’d just finished catching up with friends and was stepping out of the tea room. He stood at the curb, waving goodbye as everyone drove off.

Across the street, the window of a sleek black SUV slid down. Patricia’s pale face appeared behind the glass.

She looked straight at him—her eyes finding his through all the city noise and traffic.

Allen knew Patricia, but only to a point—not too well, not too little. Not too well, because before he could really get to know her, the Martin Group had already switched hands. Not too little, because he’d basically watched Patricia grow up. People say you can see who a person will become from how they are as a kid, and he’d witnessed pretty much all of her childhood.

Over the past year, they’d bumped into each other five times, always in the Martin Group’s meeting rooms.

But meeting like this, just the two of them and not in a boardroom—this was a first.

“Allen, Miss Martin would like to have a word with you in the car,” Jackson said, walking up with his usual polite smile.

Allen raised a brow. “What’s this about?”

Jackson didn’t hesitate. “She has something to discuss.”

Allen smirked. “Does Ms. Martin not know how much businesspeople hate meeting board members in private?”

Jackson just laughed and handed him a photo. “She said it’s up to you—no pressure. But since we’re all on the same side, you should at least take a look.”

Allen took the photo but didn’t check it right away.

Jackson got back in the car and the SUV rolled away.

Once they were gone, Allen finally glanced at the photo—and his eyes widened.

It was his son in the picture, sprawled out on a sofa, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, looking completely out of it. Allen didn’t even need to guess what was going on.

“Sam—” he started to mutter, but before he could finish, his driver pulled up. Allen slid into the seat and pointed ahead. “Follow that van.”

Inside the SUV, Patricia leaned back, elbow on the armrest, her voice cool and calm. “Go slow.”

“Take him to the main road in front of Cloud Peak, but don’t actually drive in.”

Jackson nodded. “Understood.”

He kept his hands steady on the wheel, managing the speed perfectly—never letting Allen’s car get too close.

When they reached the last stoplight, Jackson could’ve made it, but instead he started easing off the gas early, stopping the SUV right at the crosswalk just as the light turned yellow.

Knock, knock.

Patricia lowered the window and looked out at Allen. “Getting out on the crosswalk isn’t exactly safe.”

Her words were blunt, her stare icy. Allen felt a chill run down his spine.

Patricia glanced at the photo in his hand, her voice calm. “Mr. McKee from Pacific Capital gave it to me. We had dinner, talked about Martin Group, and when the board members came up, he told me the story behind that photo like it was some joke.”

“I was worried it might be bad for the company, so I asked him for a copy.”

“Of course, of course,” Allen muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. The AC was on, but he felt like he was burning up. “Everyone knows how much you care about the company.”

“If it wasn’t for you, I’d have no idea my son was out there making this kind of mess.”

Patricia just laughed softly. “Pete, I haven’t actually done anything. I just handed you the photo.”

Allen was no rookie—he immediately caught the meaning behind her words and sat up straighter.

Patricia tapped the photo with her finger. “Colton. That’s Oliver from Pacific Capital’s nephew.”

“If you don’t know who that is, maybe look into who his grandfather is.”

“Pete, it’s one thing if your son’s just a handful. But if he ends up dragging down some powerful family’s heir with him—do you really know what could happen?”

Allen’s hand shook, and the photo slipped from his fingers, landing on the floor.

He knew there were some people you just couldn’t afford to cross. Hector was from the Padilla family, and if Patricia had gotten this photo from them, she definitely had connections.

And now she was giving him this photo. It wasn’t out of kindness.

They definitely didn’t have that kind of relationship.

“So, Miss Martin, what is it you want from me?”