You Looked Down on Me Once Now You Look Up (Patricia and Oliver) novel Chapter 839

Chelsea let out a heavy sigh. “Honestly, I just needed something to break up the monotony. When my brain’s fired up, I do way better in the lab.”

“I was totally out of ideas, you know?” She rushed to explain. “It’s like writers who can’t finish a book and end up doing something wild just to shake things up.” Chelsea’s voice got a little higher. “But at least I’m single. It’s not even cheating. At worst, it’s just a fling.”

She kept rambling, but Patricia just stared at her, stone-faced. When Chelsea finally ran out of excuses, Patricia cut right to the chase. “So, did you sleep with him?”

Jackson snorted. “Do you really need to ask? It wouldn’t count as ‘excitement’ if she hadn’t.”

Chelsea couldn’t look Patricia in the eye. She rubbed her nose, feeling awkward.

“So what if I did? We’re both adults. It was just physical, nobody got hurt. And honestly, he’s good at it. Seriously, his enthusiasm is top-notch.”

She grinned a little. “Don’t worry, though. I’m not going to get all tangled up. He’s not looking for marriage, and I know exactly where I stand.”

Patricia still looked like she’d bitten into a lemon. Chelsea unbuckled her seatbelt, climbed into the back, and clung to Patricia’s arm, using her sweetest voice. “Come on, don’t be mad. It’s not good for your baby if you stress.”

“We grew up together, you know me better than anyone. I’m not stupid.” She gave Patricia a pleading look. “Just… don’t tell my parents, please? I finally found a decent guy to have some fun with, and honestly, whether I ever become an academician probably depends on how well Mr. McKee keeps me inspired.”

Jackson just stared.

Patricia said nothing.

By ten-thirty, the dinner was over and Colby rounded up a group for the after-party. On the drive home, Patricia’s phone rang. It was Oliver. She saw his name and just didn’t have the energy to answer, still thinking about Chelsea and Hector.

Outside a quiet little restaurant in Golden Bay, Oliver stood by the entrance with a cigarette, staring at his phone. He frowned as the call went unanswered. The night breeze played with the ash, making the tip of his cigarette glow in the dark. He tucked it between his lips, squinted, and started tapping out a message for Patricia.

Traffic rolled by, and every now and then, a careless pedestrian wandered into the street, earning a couple of angry honks. The restaurant had been busy that evening, full of wealthy regulars. Anyone you passed in the hallway, you’d probably seen at some event before. Now, as everyone was leaving, they were bumping into each other again.

Oliver was focused on his phone and didn’t notice someone coming up beside him. The person tripped, bumped his arm, and his phone went flying. It landed in the street just as a car passed, crushing it with a loud crack. The screen shattered.

Rage flashed across Oliver’s face. He spun around, ready to unleash on whoever it was. But when he saw the sheer panic and fear in the woman’s eyes, the words died in his throat.