Chapter 222
What was this about now?
The food had just arrived, but Josephine didn't have time for a single bite. She picked up her phone and said, "I need to step outside to take a call."
Cedric nodded, watching her leave.
Outside the restaurant.
The night breeze was cool against her face, clearing her head a little.
A black sedan was parked outside. The butler stood beside it, and when he saw her come out, he gave a slight nod. "Ms. Kennedy."
Josephine frowned. "What is it?"
The butler didn't answer. He turned and opened the car door. "Please get in, Ms. Kennedy."
"Mr. Getty is still waiting inside."
"Please get in," he repeated.
Josephine took a deep breath and walked to the door. "At least tell me where you're taking me. Mr. Getty is in there waiting—you had me invite him out, and now you want me to just leave without a word..."
The butler interrupted her. "Ms. Kennedy, the person dining with Mr. Getty tonight isn't you."
The night wind swept past. Over the butler's shoulder, Josephine watched a woman approach the entrance.
She wore a cream-colored dress, long hair loose over her shoulders, makeup immaculate. She paused at the door to smooth her hair, then walked in with light, easy steps.
Josephine laughed softly—at herself.
So she'd been setting the stage for someone else all along.
She gave the butler a cold look, then turned and got in the car.
The butler followed, closing the door behind him. In the rearview mirror, he glanced at Josephine's expressionless face.
"Ms. Kennedy seems displeased."
"Is it because you didn't get to have dinner with Mr. Getty?"
"You're reading too much into it," Josephine said flatly.
The butler didn't press. He turned to look out the window. From this angle, through the restaurant glass, a striking man and a beautiful woman sat across from each other. The man's gaze drifted toward the window.
But the privacy glass revealed nothing.
"Mr. David Getty is very pleased with Ms. Medici."
Of course he was.
Sloane came from an excellent family—background, figure, looks, and ability all exceptional.
Josephine took a slow breath and asked the question she'd been holding back. "And what does that have to do with me?"
"You're right. Ideally, nothing."
The car pulled away. Through the window, the neon sign of Blue Moon Diner grew smaller and smaller in the night, then disappeared entirely.
Back at Clearwater Ridge, Josephine got out of the car and looked at the butler. She held back as long as she could, then didn't. "If you want to set them up, just say so."
There was no need for all this manipulation.
They'd treated her like a puppet!
The butler smiled faintly. "Don't worry. Once Mr. Getty and Ms. Medici are together, you'll get the credit."
Who wanted that.
Josephine didn't bother responding. She turned and went inside, leaving the insufferable butler on the other side of the door.
She showered and got into bed.
She expected to fall asleep quickly. Instead, a strange, nameless feeling welled up inside her.
She rolled over and pressed her face into the pillow.
This was David's arrangement. What did it have to do with her? Who Cedric had dinner with, who he ended up with—none of it was her business.
She was just his subordinate. Nothing more.
The next morning, Josephine arrived at the office with faint shadows under her eyes.
As she walked in, Emma was heading out with a folder. She stopped, looking surprised. "Josephine, did you sleep badly?"
Josephine rubbed her temple. "A little insomnia."
"Take care of yourself." Emma's expression softened. "By the way, have you seen Mr. Getty today?"
Josephine's hand stilled. "No. Why?"
"He doesn't seem to be in." Emma lowered her voice. "I asked Mr. Reed. He said Mr. Getty has something going on this morning and won't be in until later."
Josephine nodded. Something loosened in her chest without her quite meaning it to.
Good. Less awkward that way.
She settled her thoughts and got to work. Morning meeting, data analysis, project progress reports—tasks came one after another, and she forced herself to focus, pushing aside everything else.
By lunchtime, she had no real appetite, but she went to the cafeteria anyway.
Getty Group's employee cafeteria was well-run—varied menu, clean space, generous portions, and reasonable prices. Josephine had always liked eating here.
She picked up her tray and found a seat near the wall.
She ate with her head down, the soft murmur of conversation around her filling the room.
Then the cafeteria went quiet.
Josephine looked up.
And froze.
Cedric was walking in through the entrance.
White dress shirt, suit trousers. His face drew every eye in the room.
Josephine had been coming here for a while now, but this was the first time she'd ever seen Cedric set foot in the employee cafeteria.
Everyone stopped talking. All eyes followed him. The only sound was the hum of the air conditioning.
Cedric seemed entirely unbothered. He scanned the room, then walked directly toward Josephine with long, unhurried strides.
The hand gripping her fork tightened. She watched him sit down across from her. A barely audible collective intake of breath rippled through the room.
"Is it good?" Cedric set his tray down naturally.
A little too calm. Josephine pressed her lips together. "The food here is pretty good."
Cedric picked up his fork, but his eyes stayed on her face. "Last night you said you were stepping out to take a call. How did you disappear entirely after that?"
His gaze was quiet and steady, carrying a scrutiny that was easy to miss.
Josephine's stomach dropped.
There it was. She'd known he wouldn't let it go.
"Something urgent came up." She poked at the vegetables on her plate.
"Work-related?"
"Yes..."
Cedric picked up a piece of greens, tone still even. "Then why didn't I get any notification?"
She'd forgotten they worked at the same company. Josephine's throat tightened. She was trying to figure out how to patch the lie when a figure approached with a tray.
Sloane.
She sat down in the empty seat beside Cedric without hesitation.
"Mr. Getty, Ms. Kennedy—what a coincidence." Sloane smiled, glancing between them with an unreadable look in her eyes.
"Indeed." Cedric responded flatly, his gaze still on Josephine. "Where were we? You said you sent a message—why didn't I see it?"
Josephine pressed her lips together, aware of the curious eyes drifting their way.
He was doing this on purpose.
Sloane tilted her head. "What message?"
Josephine took a breath and looked at Cedric steadily. "Just a data issue in the department. I handled it myself. The team wouldn't have wanted to bother you over something minor."
Cedric looked at her slightly stiff expression. The corner of his mouth curved—barely, almost imperceptibly.
He didn't push further. Josephine exhaled.
After finishing her meal, she picked up her tray to leave. As she passed by Cedric, his voice reached her.
Light. Unhurried.
"You stood me up last night. Time to make it up to me."