You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 117

When Emerson was a kid, his family never had as much money as his older brother’s. That difference shaped everything—even the way his wife and daughter lived.

Patricia grew up in a villa, her own room, a big yard, everything spotless and perfect. Ruby, meanwhile, lived with her parents in a regular apartment building—about 1,200 square feet. Not tiny, but nothing compared to Patricia’s house. It always felt like she was on the outside looking in.

Later, Ruby’s grandparents moved in with them. Sometimes, the family would stay at the villa to keep the old folks company, so Ruby spent more time in that world. She was sweet, smart, and always knew how to dress just right—no wonder she became the crush of half the boys in the neighborhood.

When other kids from the villa community asked where she lived, Ruby would give Patricia’s address, never admitting the truth. She wanted so badly to fit in, to pretend she belonged. But borrowing someone else’s life doesn’t change your own—it’s just wishful thinking.

“But if you keep denying something, does it really disappear?” Patricia’s smile dripped with superiority as she stared Ruby down, making it hard for Ruby to even breathe.

After everything blew up between them, Ruby didn’t bother pretending anymore. “So what if I admit it? I believe those things will be mine one day—your villa, your princess bedroom, all those shelves of luxury clothes. It’ll all be mine.”

“So you’re just a thief.” Patricia pretended she’d just figured it out, stepping back. “Does Theo know?”

Ruby almost laughed. “So what if you’re back now? You still have nothing. All that pride, all that attitude, but you can’t do anything with it. No matter how clever you are, you can’t make something out of nothing.”

Patricia raised an eyebrow, tossing one last pointed remark over her shoulder as she turned to leave. “I love how your family is so good at minding your own business—each of you scrambling around on your own.” She waved. “See you tomorrow.”

Ruby watched her walk away, confused. Tomorrow? If she remembered right, tomorrow was the Martin Group shareholders’ meeting. What did Patricia mean by that?

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