You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 748

People came and went, and after a while, everyone started to feel like half-familiar faces.

Chelsea was still caught up on Patricia calling her marriage “miserable,” about to ask more, when someone came over to say hi. There was a factory attached to the research institute, and Chelsea often had to go down to handle things, so she knew a lot of people there. She chatted for a bit about work, politely turned down their offer to join tables, then slid her chair over to sit closer to Patricia.

“So… did you two have a fight?”

Patricia looked at her, a little amused. “Why do you think that?”

“You literally just said being married is miserable. If that’s not a fight, what is?”

Patricia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Does it have to be a fight?”

“Not necessarily, but come on. You drove all the way out here by yourself tonight to see me. No Oliver, and not even Jackson. That’s weird. What happened to Jackson?”

Patricia glanced away, her voice calm. “Jackson doesn’t work with me anymore.”

Chelsea blinked. “Seriously? She’s been with you forever.”

“She’s at the company now.” Patricia gave her a quick rundown of what happened with Jackson and Oliver. When she finished, Chelsea went quiet and stared at the table, lost in her own thoughts.

The owner started bringing out their food. Chelsea didn’t even reach for her chopsticks.

Patricia kept going. “And that’s not all.”

Chelsea’s eyes shot up, wide with disbelief. “There’s more?” Her shock was obvious, but when she met Patricia’s tired look, she quickly glanced away. She was already stunned by Oliver’s drama, but more on top of that? Wasn’t it too much? Jackson had always been loyal to Patricia. If there was something shady going on, it would have come out by now. After so many years working side by side, especially with Atticus in the picture, they were basically family.

Patricia told her about Tina, too.

Chelsea’s frown only deepened as she listened.

“You’re thoughtful,” Chelsea smirked.

“Sara and Roger are good kids.”

Chelsea took a photo of their barbecue and sent it. “We’re just eating barbecue. It’s too noisy to talk.”

Back at Cloud Peak, Sara showed the message off like she’d found buried treasure. “Uncle Oliver, look! Aunt Patricia is with Chelsea, they’re eating barbecue together!”

Oliver barely glanced at the photo. “Send it to me.” Then he turned to Johns. “Tell Aiden to get the car.”

There weren’t many places to eat near Chelsea’s institute. The barbecue spots were pretty easy to find.

Riverdale’s early winter had a chill that crept into your bones. The temperature in the city and the suburbs felt like two different worlds. The barbecue shop still had its front curtain halfway up. Patricia sat near the entrance, and just as she looked up, she spotted a black Bentley slowly pulling up and parking by the curb.