You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 812

Golden Bay was a place where everyone knew their place. The big families ran the show, each with their own media empire tucked away like a secret weapon. The trashier the headlines, the bigger the power behind them.

Patricia, twice married and twice as ruthless

Cinderella’s dark side, the second-hand bride who can’t hide her scheming

The notifications just kept popping up, one uglier than the next.

Oliver took her phone and set it aside. “Don’t let it get to you.”

Patricia barely spared him a glance. “It’s not worth my energy.” She leaned back, calm and collected. “My brother’s drowning in problems at work. Now that the Golden Bay press has made me the center of attention, everyone’s eyes are off him. He finally has some space to deal with things.”

“So you’re saying you want to take the heat for him?”

“That was never my intention,” Oliver said quickly, almost panicked. “I’d never ask you to do that.”

Patricia just shrugged, her fingers tapping an easy rhythm on the table. She looked so relaxed, like even if they wanted her to take the blame, it wouldn’t bother her at all.

“It’s not a big deal. If I have to be the scapegoat, I’ll do it. I really don’t care about gossip.”

“But these rumors could really hurt you.”

She gave him a look. “You think this is the first time I’ve dealt with rumors?”

Gossip had followed her everywhere. She’d heard it all, survived it all, and still managed to get everything she wanted.

Her breakfast was stone cold by now. Mr. Padilla waved Marian over to clear it, telling her to bring something fresh.

Patricia was coming from the dining room when she almost ran right into him.

She greeted him with a polite smile. “Morning, big brother.”

Jaxon nodded. “This whole mess started because of me. I owe you an apology. I’ll handle it as fast as I can and try not to cause you any more trouble.”

She just smiled, full of calm confidence. “Business is business. Outsiders stirring up trouble has nothing to do with you. If desperate people want to make me their target, it just means they’re panicking.”

Jaxon rested his coat over his arm, steady and serious. “Thanks for your understanding.”

“See you in Golden Bay,” Patricia said.

That was where the real battles would be fought. Riverdale’s small-time drama was beneath him. Letting the heat fall on Patricia wasn’t ideal, but it gave his people room to maneuver, maybe even buy some time for a better solution. Still, he felt bad that she had to take the fall.