It wasn’t until she left Cloud Peak that Patricia realized just how much Oliver had always looked after her, especially in the little things. With winter settling in, she could see just how thoughtful he’d been, fussing over every last detail.
That night, she was holed up in the study, squinting at spreadsheets until almost sunrise. Skyline Entertainment’s finances were a mess. It was obvious Ruby didn’t care about the company at all. Profit or loss, it made no difference to her. Even with the losses piling up, Tina still threw huge amounts of money into it every month.
By one thirty in the morning, Patricia was desperate enough to call Colby, but the line was busy.
At that very moment, Colby was on a call with Oliver, all the way in Switzerland. Oliver wanted an update on Patricia, and Colby filled him in completely. When Oliver asked about work, Colby explained that things at Ruby’s Skyline Entertainment were falling apart, and Patricia was caught up in trying to fix it. He asked about her health, too.
Colby hesitated before admitting, “She’s barely eating or sleeping these days.”
With Jackson assigned to the sales department, he was hardly ever in the office. Colby had been the one bringing Patricia her meals. Sometimes she’d eat a bit more, sometimes barely anything, but it was never like before. Colby wasn’t close enough to push her, and she didn’t have Jackson’s way of nagging without shame.
When Oliver heard that Patricia was neglecting herself, his chest tightened. He was already worrying about her day and night, barely able to eat or sleep himself, and now she was doing the exact same thing.
Before he could calm down, Colby checked her phone. “Mr. Padilla, Patricia is calling.”
Oliver’s heart skipped. At this hour? She still wasn’t asleep?
His breathing grew uneven. “Don’t answer.”
Colby hung up, then called Patricia right back, silently complaining about how tough it was just being an employee. If it wasn’t for the ridiculous salary, she’d be seriously questioning her life choices.
“Did I wake you?” Patricia asked.
“I just finished getting ready for bed.”


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