atricia couldn’t help thinking, Was he really offering her support? No, what he really wanted was for her to just do as he said. To everyone else, that kind of obedience probably looked like control. But to her, it never felt quite like that. He was–well, he was like a dad, a real one, always hovering, always in
charge.
With a sigh, she pressed her face into his neck. “You know, it’s always just been me. Besides Jackson and Marian, I haven’t had anyone else to count on. My uncle and grandma tried to help, but I was too stubborn for that. I pushed them away and fought through everything on my own. I’ve gotten used to it.”
“I know you mean well, but…” She tried her best to sound firm. “Just give me some time, okay?”
“You know, if a vegetarian suddenly starts eating meat, it’s bound to mess them up.” She couldn’t just flip a switch and start relying on someone else overnight. That would mess her up too.
Oliver tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re just saying all this so I’ll back off, aren’t you, Pattie?” His voice was gentle, but his eyes were sharp. “You’re smart. You always know what to say to get what you want. Right now, you just want me to stay out of your business.”
Her palm was sweaty where she held his hand. No wonder Sara was always saying, “Forget it, you can’t win against Uncle Oliver. Might as well not try.” Sometimes, throwing in the towel really was the smartest choice. Right now, Patricia wanted nothing more than that.
They were locked in a silent standoff, the tension thick enough to make her head spin. Oliver just watched her, calm and steady, waiting her out like he always did. He wasn’t giving her any space to
escape.
She was cornered.
“I told you when we decided to get married–this is my problem, and you promised not to get involved. So why did you change your mind as soon as we got to Riverdale?”
“What went wrong?” she asked, finally letting her frustration show. “It’s not like I’m here to get back together with him. I just want to make sure he’s really gone, for good.”
Neither of them would give in. The air between them was thick with stubbornness.
Then, finally, someone knocked on the door. Marian called out that dinner was ready.
They snapped at each other a few more times, but after that, neither of them said another word. Patricia was annoyed, and Oliver was just as upset. They stayed silent all the way until bedtime.
By the end of September, the nights in Cloud Peak were already turning cold. The air conditioner was off, and a heavy goose down comforter had taken its place.
Patricia curled up in bed, eyes closed but mind racing. She was busy plotting, trying to figure out how to make sure everyone found out what Kelly had done.
Meanwhile, at the Newton family’s house, Grandma was getting settled into bed with Judy’s help. She’d taken a fall–not life–threatening, but she was definitely feeling it.
Howard waited in the living room until Judy finished getting Grandma settled. He came in and sat by
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Chapter 274
the bed, sighing. “Mom, you’re not young anymore. Why put yourself at risk like that? What if something happened to you? What would we do?”
“If taking Patricia away would protect this family, I’d do it without a second thought,” Grandma said,
her loyalty to the Newtons showing through. She’d always been willing to do what, Grandma said,
Patricia out of their lives, for the sake of the family.
it took to get
“Don’t say that. We need to deal with Patricia, but not at the cost of your life.” Patricia just wasn’t worth that.
Grandma closed her eyes, looking completely worn out. “Patricia… she needs to go.”
When Howard left Grandma’s room, Kelly was already waiting for him in the hallway, dressed in a long, soft nightgown.
Chapter 275
Chapter 275
