You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 735

“Isn’t Patricia kind of involved with Mr. Padilla?”

“So why is she still messing around with her ex?”

“You’re really going to decide all that from one photo? It could’ve been a coincidence.”

“Who says divorced people can’t meet up? Maybe they just ran into each other.”

“Come on, they were obviously having coffee together. And it’s not like they’re just regular exes. Their breakup was brutal. It practically ruined both of them.”

“You guys have way too much free time.”

“Seriously, get a life.”

“...This group has been disbanded by the admin...”

The gossip came to a screeching halt as the chat group suddenly vanished. Everyone stared at their phones, stunned and silent.

Lincoln stood up, phone in hand, and pushed open the door to the assistants’ office. He saw a bunch of wide-eyed faces, all glued to their screens. He rapped his knuckles on the doorframe. “Gossiping about Mr. Padilla? Do you all have a death wish?”

“Keep your mouths shut,” he added.

Just three minutes earlier, Hector had sent him a screenshot of the chat. No explanation needed. Lincoln understood immediately. With the way Mr. Padilla cared about Patricia, if he caught wind of this kind of gossip, it would be chaos. And when Mr. Padilla’s personal life got messy, the whole company felt it.

So Lincoln deleted the group without a second thought.

“Lincoln, Mr. Padilla wants to see you.”

Lincoln looked up from his computer at the person in the doorway. He hesitated, wanting to ask something, but thought better of it. He straightened his collar and knocked on Mr. Padilla’s door.

The moment he walked in, Oliver stretched out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

Lincoln’s heart skipped. Mr. McKee had warned him, after all.

He unlocked his phone and handed it over. Oliver scrolled through his messages, checking all the work groups. He didn’t find anything. “These are all your groups?” he asked.

“Yes,” Lincoln replied.

Oliver didn’t look convinced. Lincoln could tell Oliver had noticed the “Lunch Crew” group name on Hector’s phone just before he’d locked the screen. It was exactly the kind of chat people used for off-the-record talk.

“There was a Lunch Crew group. Where is it?”

Lincoln froze. How did he know? How did Mr. Padilla always know everything?

“It’s gone. I disbanded it.”

“Why?”

“It was just a lunch group. Ms. Zhao set it up, but she left, so we deleted it.”

“That so?” Oliver’s voice was slow and cool. He turned his back, pouring himself a glass of water, his finger tracing down the side of the glass. The silence that followed felt heavy, almost suffocating.

Lincoln could feel sweat trickling down his neck.

“Spending too much time with Mr. McKee, huh, Lincoln? Starting to think you can fool me too?”

“I wouldn’t dare, Mr. Padilla.”

“You already wiped out the evidence. What wouldn’t you dare?”

“Pattie.”

“I was just chatting outside with someone. I was about to head in, so I missed your call.”

“You’re at the office now?” His voice was soft, nothing like the intimidating force he’d shown Lincoln just minutes ago.

“Yeah, just got here. It’s so hot.”

“Between fall and winter, the weather’s all over the place. Don’t take off your jacket, or you’ll catch a cold.”

“Okay,” she replied, even as she slipped her jacket off. Patricia had long figured out how to handle her marriage. As long as they weren’t face to face, he could say what he wanted, she’d just agree, and then do things her own way.

“Are you busy this afternoon?”

“Just one meeting. Why?”

“My uncle’s coming back at the end of the year. Chelsea’s place needs some new furniture. I was going to take a look today.”

“I’ll come with you.”

At three thirty, Oliver’s Bentley pulled into the Martin Group parking lot. After shopping for furniture, they stopped by a nearby restaurant for dinner. It was a Hunan place, not too fancy but not cheap either. The food was delicious, and it was exactly the spicy flavor Patricia loved. The meal was easy and comfortable.

After dinner, Oliver went to pay. As he walked down the long hallway, he overheard a couple of people chatting, their voices low but clear.

“So what’s Patricia from Martin Group’s deal? I heard she’s got something going on with Mr. McKee or Mr. Padilla from Pacific Capital. Why’s she hanging out with her ex-husband again?”

“Am I the only one who thinks she’s impressive? Balancing three men at once. No wonder she could destroy the Newton family and win back her parents’ company.”

“She’s got real skills, that’s for sure.”