You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 734

Watching the drama unfold, Patricia couldn’t help but notice how people always had to pick a side. They loved to comment, to share their opinions, to use phrases like, “Well, they were married,” or, “He brought this on himself.” She heard these words over and over, echoing in her ears.

When she had first married Theo, Patricia still held onto a sliver of hope. Maybe, if nothing else, they could treat each other with basic respect, live quietly for a few years, and call it a win. And honestly, Theo basically disappearing after the wedding? She hadn’t minded at all. That part was actually a relief.

The real problems came from his family. Kelly, his mom, was impossible. And Mrs. Newton, his grandmother, was on another level—cold, sharp, and ruthless. Whatever civility might have existed between her and Theo was completely destroyed by those two.

Now, sitting across from Theo, Patricia kept her expression cool.

“I really didn’t want to get into this,” Theo said, his tone clipped. “But I need to know what actually set everything in motion.”

“Do you want to hear it straight from the person who planned it, or do you want my take on things, Mr. Newton?”

He looked at her, eyes narrowed. “I want to hear it from the source.”

Patricia nodded. “Alright. Then you’ll have to wait for my call.”

“How long?” His suspicion was obvious. In his mind, Patricia was always calculating, always a step ahead.

Patricia let out a soft laugh. She was about to answer when her phone started buzzing inside her bag. She glanced at the screen, hit ‘decline,’ and slipped it back.

“Relax, Mr. Newton. I’m not interested in dragging this out. There’s just one thing left, and we both need to be there to handle it.”

“If you need anything, you can always reach Jackson. His number hasn’t changed.”

“I have somewhere to be,” she said, standing up and grabbing her bag.

As she stepped out from her seat, a waiter came rushing past with a tray. He almost collided with her. Theo reached out on instinct, blocking her from being hit. The coffee cups wobbled and tipped, sloshing dark liquid everywhere.

The waiter’s face turned pale. “I’m so sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “If you have nothing helpful to say, just don’t talk.”

“I’m just saying,” Hector replied. “Jackson’s a total blockhead about relationships. If that guy ever figures out what love is, I’ll eat my tie.”

Hector gave up and checked his phone. As he scrolled through a work group chat, he noticed Patricia’s name pop up in one of their casual groups. He tapped in, just to see.

The first thing that came up was a photo of Patricia standing with Theo. In the picture, Theo’s hand was resting on her stomach and they were standing close, the vibe between them almost intimate.

Hector sucked in a breath. This was bad. If Oliver saw this, he’d totally lose it.

“What are you looking at?” Oliver’s voice was suddenly right next to him.

Hector locked his phone and shrugged. “Just a work message.”