You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 59

“Joseph…” Nina’s voice trembled as she stood by her brother’s hospital bed, his face pale against the white sheets. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her sobs catching in her throat.

Out in the hallway, Joseph was deep in conversation with an old comrade. The man’s expression was tight, worry written all over his face, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t quite get the words out.

“Joseph, your kid’s still young. There’s still time to turn things around.”

Joseph nodded, his jaw clenched. “If you hadn’t helped today, I probably wouldn’t have even gotten to see her.”

“The old commander giving you another shot means he still trusts you,” his friend said, giving Joseph’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Guys like us, we grew up with nothing. Now all we do is chase money, and sometimes we forget what’s really important—raising our kids right. Life gives and takes, you know? There’s always a price.”

He shook his head, sighing.

Ben walked his friend to the door. But before he could say a word, Nina’s voice sliced through the air. “Dad, how could you do that to your own son?”

She stared at him, her eyes red and swollen, thinking about Joseph’s hands—hands that might never be the same.

Ben’s face darkened. He strode over, glaring down at Nina. “You’re questioning me? You knew Theo was married and still went after him, desperate to be the other woman. Did I raise you to break up someone else’s family?”

Nina’s anger flared. “I love him! What’s so wrong with that?”

She wiped her tears away, her voice shaking with frustration. “And don’t act like you didn’t let me be with Theo! Didn’t you say it would help the Miller family? Wasn’t that supposed to be good for everyone? Now, just because you’re worried about your own reputation, you’re blaming everything on me?”

The sound of Ben’s slap rang out, sharp and shocking. Nina’s lip split, blood trickling down her chin. She stared at the floor, stunned—she’d never been hit before. Ben had always been strict, but he’d never laid a hand on her. Not until now.

Sobbing, Nina shoved past him and ran out of the hospital, her cries echoing down the hallway.

“Exactly!”

“And don’t even get me started on the Martins. They took her parents’ money, but when the kid got hurt, did you see them do anything? Nothing. It was always her mom’s side stepping up.”

The café buzzed with gossip, voices rising and falling behind decorative screens.

Kelly and Tina sat together, listening to every word. They were both at the center of the rumors, the subject of everyone’s judgment.

Once, they’d been picture-perfect society women. Now they sat silent, their reputations unraveling with every whispered insult.

Tina watched Kelly carefully, her voice low. “Didn’t you say Theo and Patricia were divorced? If that’s true, shouldn’t you be out there clearing things up? Why is everyone still saying you’re not involved?”