You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 624

“Stop making stuff up.”

Ruby snorted, resisting the urge to kick him. Sure, like he could just slide in next to Miss and take her spot—keep dreaming.

He’d rather have his grave right next to Patricia’s, thank you very much.

“Are you two done fighting?”

“If you’re finished, let’s go.”

Patricia rolled the window up slowly, her face cold and clearly annoyed.

No rush. Ruby’s time wasn’t up yet anyway.

Patricia planned to keep her around, just to toy with her for a while.

The car had barely pulled out of the parking lot when Patricia’s phone buzzed. She checked the screen—Oliver.

She wanted to pick up, but hesitated. She wasn’t in the mood for small talk, and if he heard her sounding off, he’d start asking questions. Then she’d have to explain, which would only make her more irritated.

After thinking for a second, she declined the call.

A few moments later, another phone rang inside the car.

Aiden glanced down, then shot a nervous look at Jackson.

Jackson caught on immediately. “Go on, answer it. Say what you need to say. He’s your boss, isn’t he?”

Aiden ignored Jackson’s teasing and turned to Patricia. “Ma’am, it’s Mr. Padilla.”

Patricia remembered the call she’d just ignored and felt another wave of frustration.

Like he thought she couldn’t be trusted for even a minute.

“Pick up and tell him I’m busy.”

Aiden answered and repeated the message word for word.

Mr. Padilla was silent for a moment before he asked, “She’s not at the office?”

Aiden kept it brief. “We’re just heading back now.”

If Oliver couldn’t read between the lines, he was slipping.

He hung up without saying anything else, then sent Patricia a message.

Knock knock knock—

Oliver’s icy stare landed on Hector. “What are you whispering about?”

Hector quickly put his phone away. “Just a friend texting me about the charity gala. He made his wife mad and wants to buy her some jewelry to make up for it.”

“Too bad, the piece he wants is the one I bought for my mom. Now he’s begging me to let him have it.”

“They’ve been married five years. Their kid is three. And now they’re talking divorce. I told him I’d ask my mom if she’d be willing to give it up.”

“Why are they divorcing?” Mr. Padilla’s frown didn’t budge.

“How would I know? There are two sides to every story. If a couple never talks, the problems never go away. I’m just a bystander—I can’t fix their marriage.”

“Let’s eat,” Hector said, pulling his plate over. “Some men can talk forever with clients and business partners, but when they get home, they turn into mutes. Won’t say a word to their wives.”

Sara always thought Hector hadn’t survived working with Uncle Oliver all these years for nothing. The stuff she’d never dare say, Hector somehow managed to bring up over lunch like it was nothing.

She glanced at Uncle Oliver’s face.

Maybe, just maybe, he was finally listening.