You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 531

The moment Lincoln heard the words “department head,” he knew exactly what this was about. Patricia.

At 3:50 sharp, Mr. Higgins showed up in the parking lot. Lincoln met him with a polite nod and led him upstairs.

Inside the elevator, Mr. Higgins took a few seconds before breaking the silence. “Lincoln, do you mind if I ask what Mr. Padilla wants with me today?”

Lincoln gave a practiced, unreadable smile. “Honestly, I’m not sure myself.” Years as a special assistant had trained him well—if the boss didn’t spell it out, he wasn’t about to make wild guesses.

Mr. Higgins was no stranger to these games. He’d worked his way up for decades and was now at a level most people only dreamed of, practically coasting toward retirement. Even if he felt a little anxious, he didn’t let it show. Calm, collected, professional to the core.

Lincoln led him into the reception room. In the center stood a hefty wooden tea table, a single slab of mahogany with its natural curve left intact. No unnecessary polish or flashy decorations—the simplicity spoke for itself.

Mr. Higgins glanced around, taking in the understated luxury. The room looked ordinary enough at first, but anyone who knew their stuff would notice the teapot alone was worth more than some people’s cars.

The door swung open and Oliver stepped in, crisp white shirt, sleeves neatly rolled up. He smiled and extended a hand. “Sorry for the sudden invitation, Mr. Higgins. Hope it didn’t catch you off guard.”

“Not at all. It’s an honor to be here at Pacific Capital.” Mr. Higgins shook his hand.

“Please, have a seat.” Oliver gestured to the chair across from him and started on the tea—heating water, prepping the leaves, moving through the motions with quiet efficiency.

Oliver was a rare sight to most outsiders, but in Riverdale’s inner circles, his reputation was almost legendary. The youngest Padilla son, people whispered, ridiculously good-looking, almost unreal.

Seeing him now, Mr. Higgins finally understood the hype. This was what they meant by someone who truly stood out.

“I was hoping to visit your office, but work’s been crazy,” Oliver said as he poured tea and slid a cup over. “Had dinner with the mayor the other night—your name came up. He mentioned you’re handling the commercial land development these days.”

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