You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 328

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The hidden door slid open behind them.

Mrs. Newton stepped out, her gaze landing on the knife trembling in Judy’s hand. The coldness in her eyes was impossible to miss.

A girl in her early twenties—barely more than a kid—had nearly toppled everything the Newton family had built over decades. Worse, there had been casualties. No matter how much Mrs. Newton valued Patricia’s genius, she had made up her mind. If a brilliant mind couldn’t be controlled, it was a threat. If you were loyal, you were family. If not, you were a problem—one that needed to disappear.

“Do it. Kill her,” Mrs. Newton said, her voice sharp and icy. “Judy, if you take care of this, I’ll give your son five million dollars. I’ll get him his house, and I’ll handle his move overseas.”

Judy’s hands shook even more. “Mrs. Newton, you said… I thought you just wanted Patricia to get her hands dirty…”

Wasn’t this supposed to be about framing Patricia for murder? When did it become her job to actually kill someone?

Mrs. Newton’s eyes narrowed. “Judy, you’ll never make that kind of money in your whole life, will you? Your son’s a straight-A student, smart as anything, bound for a great future in science. If he goes abroad and gets that degree, think about the life he could have. Can you give him all that? Can you help him climb higher than you ever could?”

She leaned in, her voice low and poisonous. “Studying doesn’t change your place in society. Money does. Connections do. Do you want your son to end up like you—serving others forever?”

The truth hit Judy hard. Now she realized why Mrs. Newton had been telling her all week she didn’t have any young people she could trust. Judy had been a fool, dragging her own son into this, never realizing he’d just be used as leverage against her.

She wanted Patricia gone more than anything, but she couldn’t bring herself to actually do it.

“If I go to jail, that record will ruin my son’s life,” Judy said, voice shaking.

Mrs. Newton’s voice turned almost soft, coaxing. “A criminal record only matters to poor people. When you’re rich, when you’re the boss, no one cares.”

Judy froze. She had her dark side, but murder? That was a line she couldn’t cross.