You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 54

It was poison—lethal. One touch could kill you.

The front door swung open. Judy stepped out with a bag of trash, then froze when she saw Theo standing outside. She nearly dropped the bag.

“Mr. Newton, you’re back. Why are you just standing there?” she blurted out, surprised.

Theo’s frown deepened, tension written all over his face. “What are you doing here?” he asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

He was certain he’d already let her go.

Before Judy could answer, Kelly appeared in the doorway, her tone easy. “I asked her to come back. I’m used to having her around.”

Theo glanced at the clock, eyebrows raised. “You’re home late. Something happen?”

“Let’s talk in the study,” Kelly said, turning to follow as Theo stepped inside and changed his shoes.

The moment the study door shut behind them, Theo’s voice was sharp. “You went to see Patricia, didn’t you?”

Kelly met his stare, a hint of defiance in her voice. “Is that a problem? Am I not allowed to see her anymore?”

He scoffed. “So after all these years, you really think everything I’ve done for you can be undone by a few words from another woman?”

The Newton family had poured everything into him—money, time, connections. Every single resource, all for his future. If it wasn’t for this marriage in name only getting in the way, he’d be so much further by now.

Kelly’s voice was calm, but there was steel underneath. “I’ve never denied what your family’s done for me. But I’ll say it again—I’m an adult. I know how to handle my own problems. If you don’t want things to get messy, stay away from Patricia.”

Her eyes sharpened. “What’s that supposed to mean? Does she have something on you?”

Inside the Miller family living room, the mood was tense. Joseph sat on the sofa in a crisp black shirt, his salt-and-pepper hair combed neatly. His father’s glare was cold and sharp.

Zoey sat next to him, sighing in frustration as she turned to Joseph.

“Your father and I are out there working ourselves to death trying to grow the business, and you? You’re dragging us down. What were you thinking, Joseph? Hitting a woman?”

“You think you were just blowing off steam? Do you realize you just flushed millions in advertising down the drain?”

Joseph’s voice was low, regret clear in his eyes. “I wasn’t thinking. I get how serious this is now.”

Zoey’s voice was tight. “It’s a little late for that, isn’t it?”

“I’ll apologize to her in person,” Joseph said. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right.”