Chapter 20
Patricia glanced at her phone, softening as she saw who was calling before answering. On the other end, a girl’s bright, cheerful voice rang out.
“I’m in Riverdale! Let’s get dinner!“)
“Are you coming to my place?” Patricia asked, her voice gentle and warm.
“Seriously? The mere thought of Oliver’s presence in your room disgusts me. Meet me out. I’ll text you the address.“>
She checked the address, then called for Marian to help her get ready to go out.”
By the time Patricia arrived, the place was buzzing. It was right in the middle of dinner rush. At seven–thirty, the restaurant was packed.
Chelsea barely ever got the chance to go out, so there was no way Patricia would miss it.
They squeezed into a cozy booth at the Japanese place, heads together as they eyed the menu.
“How’s Jackson working out for you?” Chelsea asked after handing their order to the waiter, settling in for a chat.
“He’s doing fine,” Patricia replied, taking a sip of water. The warm light overhead made her features look especially soft.
“My dad keeps bragging about him,” Chelsea said, shaking her head dramatically. “He went on and on–I almost thought he wanted Jackson as a son–in–law. Thank God he’s just your bodyguard.”
“Not your type?” Patricia grinned.”
“He is, but shat’s the point of that? The guy’s like a block of wood,” Chelsea muttered. “I already spend all day in the lab with lifeless specimens. If I’m gonna date, I want someone who’s got a sharp tongue, soft heart, and won’t be shy about calling me ‘babe‘.”
People are rebels at heart.
The ones who look sweet usually have a streak of rebellion. The ones who seem wild? Sometimes, they’re secretly old–fashioned.§
Chelsea definitely belonged to the first group.
She was always busy; it was rare for the two of them to catch up.
After some quick updates, Chelsea’s eyes landed on Patricia’s legs. “So, about that medical group abroad I told you about–have you decided?”
“I’m going,” Patricia answered. She couldn’t let herself get stuck in her own sadness. Even if there was just the tiniest bit of hope, she was willing to fight for it.
“My dad will take care of everything over there. All you have to do is show up. As for the Newton family…”
“I’m gonna get a divorce.” Patricia cut in, her voice clear and firm, not a trace of doubt.
Every second she hesitated was a second she disrespected herself. Oliver was such a cheating jerk, even looking at him made her eyes
hurt.
Chelsea shot her a thumbs up. “Now that’s the Patricia I know.”
After dinner, they left together. Chelsea pushed Patricia’s wheelchair into the elevator.
Just their luck. Oliver and his crew got in halfway up. With him were Joseph, his sister, and a few other familiar faces from their circle.§
Instantly, an awkward tension filled the elevator.
Everyone stared at Patricia. She’d kept a low profile for years, but she was still the official Mrs. Newton. They weren’t even divorced yet.§
Nina, wrapped around Oliver’s arm, didn’t have time to let go and pretend otherwise.
Cheating might be an open secret for some people, but flaunting it in front of the wife was a whole new level.§
“Hey, Patricia,” Joseph broke the silence, totally unbothered that his own sister was clinging to a married man.§
The others all echoed the greeting
Oliver, spotting Patricia, quickly pulled his arm away and tried to sound casual. “Out for dinner?”
Before Patricia could answer, Chelsea jumped in, sounding honestly confused, “Wait, you two are divorced?”
Patricia’s fingers curled slightly “Not yet “%
Chelsea’s eyes went wide as she looked at Oliver “So you’re cheating, huh, Oliver?”
In a flash, every gossip–hungry eye in the elevator zeroed in on Oliver and Nina
