Chapter 238
Josephine tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.
Moonlight filtered through the curtain gaps, casting a faint glow on the wall. She stared at that beam of light, Cedric's words replaying in her mind over and over.
"I have."
He'd said he'd found the person he'd been searching for.
Josephine's fingers unconsciously gripped the corner of the blanket.
That Saskia was clearly a fraud. She was deceiving Cedric, because Josephine was the one from that night years ago.
But...
If she spoke up, Cedric might not believe her. After all, she'd denied it before and tried every way to mislead him.
To say it now—setting aside whether Cedric would believe her, even if he did, the balance of their partnership would shatter.
She selfishly thought that life was good now. She didn't want it to change.
But she also couldn't just watch Cedric be deceived...
Her heart felt squeezed by something, suffocatingly tight. Josephine rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.
Forget it. Wait and see. She and Cedric were just partners. Maybe he only wanted to find that person for some reason, not necessarily for emotional reasons.
If she rashly ran out and revealed the truth, it might backfire.
After tossing about half the night, Josephine finally convinced herself and drowsily fell asleep. That night brought bizarre dreams in abundance. She was woken by a phone call in the morning, brain still foggy.
She didn't check the number and just answered.
The voice on the other end jolted her awake.
"Jojo," Gideon's voice sounded somewhat low over the phone. "I have something I want to show you."
"What?"
"About Cedric. I think you have the right to know the truth."
Josephine sat up, gripping the phone. "I don't want to come."
"What are you afraid of?" Gideon's voice carried a hint of mockery. "Afraid of seeing the truth? Discovering that his kindness to you all had an agenda?"
"Reverse psychology doesn't work on me."
"Then consider it me begging you." Gideon's tone suddenly softened. "Jojo, just this once. After you see it, if you think I'm lying, I'll never bother you again."
Go once, in exchange for no more harassment?
Josephine thought it was worth it.
Fifteen minutes later, Gideon's car stopped downstairs. Josephine went down and got into the passenger seat.
They drove in silence. The car soon stopped near a restaurant.
Two people sat at a window seat. Cedric wore a dark gray suit, posture relaxed. Sitting across from him was that woman in the cream dress—Saskia.
Saskia was saying something, a gentle smile on her face, occasionally lowering her head to sip red wine. Cedric listened, occasionally nodding, expression calm.
"They're..." Josephine's voice was somewhat hoarse.
"On a date." Gideon spoke the words almost cruelly.
Josephine stared blankly in that direction.
Gideon slowly leaned closer, voice low and seductive. "See? I told you he's not worth entrusting your life to, not worth your trust. From beginning to end, he's only been using you—using you to escape Grandfather's control. Now that his goal's achieved and his first love has returned, he'll probably kick you out soon."
He grasped Josephine's hand, voice tender. "Jojo, only I truly love you."
He pressed her soft palm against his heart, feeling the heartbeat in his chest—each beat pulsing for her.
Josephine snapped back to awareness and looked at him coldly.
She decisively withdrew her hand.
"You and I are long past. Please face reality."
She turned and got out of the car without hesitation.
She wouldn't doubt Cedric based on one scene, especially one Gideon had ulterior motives in showing her.
The partnership between them was more solid than any other relationship.
Even if Cedric really planned to end this arrangement, Josephine believed he would tell her himself.
"You trust him that much?" Gideon clenched his jaw, furious and deeply jealous of that unreserved trust.
Fine. He'd shatter that trust!
Gideon immediately got out of the car and grabbed Josephine's wrist. "Since you believe so firmly that Cedric won't deceive you, let's confront him face to face."
Without allowing discussion, he pulled Josephine toward the restaurant.
His grip was strong. Josephine couldn't break free and was dragged into the restaurant, right up to Cedric and Saskia's table.
Only then did Josephine feel a wave of embarrassment.
Her relationship with Cedric wasn't at all what Gideon imagined. What right did she have to question or doubt Cedric?
She glared fiercely at Gideon.
But Gideon only looked at Cedric with a mocking half-smile, eyes full of malicious derision. "Cedric, you're really in a leisurely mood—leaving your wife at home while you dine out with another woman. I suppose this lady is my next sister-in-law?"
Saskia looked somewhat nervous and stood up. "Mr. Getty, this person is..."
Cedric stood. From the moment they'd entered, he'd noticed Gideon gripping Josephine's wrist.
Truly... an eyesore.
His movements were slow but irresistible as he separated them, slipping an arm around Josephine's shoulders with gentle ease. "Allow me to introduce my wife, Josephine Kennedy."
Gideon's gaze darkened as he stared at Cedric's hand on Josephine's shoulder. "Cedric, you can fool yourself with these words, but who doesn't know you've been searching for a woman? You've been obsessed with her for years, refusing to date or marry. Now that you've found her, you'd better keep her close before you lose her and regret it."
Hearing this, Saskia's face showed a mix of shyness and anxiety. "You're joking. Mr. Getty and I are just catching up. I have no intention of disrupting Mr. Getty's family. I won't be staying long on this trip back."
If Cedric was truly obsessed with "her," he definitely wouldn't agree to let her leave.
She immersed herself in beautiful fantasies.
But after waiting a long time, Cedric said nothing.
Saskia looked over cautiously, only to meet Cedric's indifferent gaze. She belatedly realized something was wrong.
Actually, from the moment she'd appeared before Cedric, this man had been cold—nothing like someone meeting the first love he'd longed for.
She felt uneasy.
Cedric glanced at Gideon and sighed. "I appreciate all the effort you went to, finding someone to play this role to drive a wedge between my wife and me."
Josephine suddenly looked at him.
Gideon's expression darkened, though he remained composed. "You can't think of an explanation, so now you're pinning this on me?"
Cedric pulled a document envelope from his suit pocket and placed it on the table. Several photos spilled out.
Photos of Saskia meeting with Gideon's assistant at a coffee shop, plus a screenshot of a bank transfer record.
"I also have audio recordings. Want to hear them?" Cedric asked.
Gideon's face turned dark and ugly. He'd thought he'd been discreet enough—how had Cedric still...
"Saskia Fuller, twenty-eight years old. Been playing bit parts in the entertainment industry for years. Three days ago, she met with your assistant, received a hundred-thousand-dollar deposit, and agreed to help you stage this act to approach me." Cedric methodically laid out the facts.
With each word, Gideon's expression grew worse.
Josephine glanced at him coolly. Gideon instinctively wanted to explain, but under her cold, even slightly disgusted gaze, he couldn't say anything.
He just watched as Cedric took Josephine's hand and walked away.
As if walking out of his world.
Gideon couldn't help but shout, "Do you really think he'll fall for you? Even without Saskia, there'll be others. If he's been obsessed with that person for years, do you think he can just let go now?"
Josephine's steps paused slightly.
Beside her, Cedric's gaze fell on her profile, tenderness blooming in his eyes as he slowly gripped her hand. "That's all in the past. Now and in the future, I'll only cherish the person beside me."