You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 203

The second Colton saw Patricia, he was so relieved he almost cried.

Aunt Patricia! Thank goodness! Thank all the gods!

Patricia lingered in the doorway, glancing at Oliver. She opened her mouth but hesitated before finally whispering, “I… I’m home.”

“I’ll just head downstairs and wait for you?” she suggested, her voice unsure.

Colton didn’t even let her finish. “No way!”

He hurried to explain, “Aunt Patricia, you’re home late and Uncle Oliver is not happy. You’d better go in and calm him down. Yelling at me can wait.”

While he rambled, he gently nudged Patricia into the study and quickly shut the door behind her.

That was close, Colton thought, letting out a breath. He’d almost gotten caught in the crossfire. Better her than me. I still want to live.

Inside, Patricia hovered near the door, nerves making her feet feel glued to the floor.

The longer she hesitated, the darker Oliver’s mood became. He eyed her, his voice dry. “What’s wrong? Afraid I’ll bite?”

Patricia shook her head, voice barely above a whisper. “No, it’s not that.”

She used to think Oliver was always calm and polite, but when he scolded Colton and the others, he could be downright intimidating. Facing him now, Patricia always felt a bit off-balance, like he was two completely different people. Was it really possible for someone to be stern with everyone but soft with her?

She shuffled her feet, then offered him a small box. “I saw this tie at the mall a few days ago. I thought it’d suit you, so I ordered it. Jackson picked it up for me today.”

Oliver opened the box to find a deep blue tie, with a hand-embroidered white magnolia near the end. It was subtle but striking.

If she’d bought it last minute, he might’ve thought she was just trying to butter him up. But she said she’d picked it out days ago. He really didn’t have a reason to stay angry, did he?

He looked away from the tie and back at her. “Where were you?”

“I went to the hospital to see Ruby.”

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