You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 132

“Ma’am” — Jackson pulled up to the curb.

Patricia finished her goodbyes and slipped into the back seat.

“I just saw Ruby. She looked so confused, like she was waiting for you to make a move back at Olive & Vine.” Jackson turned the wheel, easing them out of the parking lot with a chuckle. “Bet she never thought you’d walk away without even trying anything.”

Patricia grinned, spreading a blanket over her lap and giving Jackson a playful side-eye. “You sure like to talk. Just drive.”

Traffic in Riverdale was every executive’s nightmare. Cars were everywhere. License plate restrictions and bans on out-of-town plates did nothing to help the gridlock.

Ruby drove with the slow crawl of traffic, following the endless line of cars. A green light came and went, leaving her alone at the front of the line, waiting at the crosswalk for the next red.

With one hand on the steering wheel and the other propping up her head, she found herself lost in thought, trying to figure out what Patricia was really after.

Suddenly, there was a loud thump.

An old woman on a tricycle had fallen right in front of her car, the canopy crashing onto Ruby’s hood.

Ruby pushed open her door and got out. She glanced around, hesitating for a second, then spotted a security camera. Only then did she go over and help the woman up.

She helped her to the curb, and a traffic cop came over to move the tricycle aside. After a few quick words, Ruby got back in her car and drove off.

It was such a normal thing to do—no big scene, no extra fuss. Like finding a stray kitten on the road and carrying it to safety. To Ruby, it was nothing worth mentioning.

But in Patricia’s hands, it was a weapon.

At Cloud Peak, water rushed from the faucet as Patricia tested the temperature with one hand, phone in the other, watching the same video over and over.

She watched every detail of Ruby’s actions, rewinding and replaying.

When the caller ID lit up, she finally stopped the video and answered.

“Ma’am, the message is out.”

“Got it,” Patricia replied, her tone cool and steady.

She set the phone down, squeezed some cleansing oil into her palm, and rubbed it in slow circles. The gentle pressure gave her a quiet sense of victory, like she held everything in the palm of her hand.

What was that saying again? If you want to destroy someone, let them rise first.

A smile tugged at Patricia’s lips. She traced Ruby’s name on the wide bathroom mirror with her fingertip.

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