Chapter 248
The entire conference room descended into chaos.
Josephine's face still burned with pain, the handprint clearly visible on her cheek. She looked coldly at Lorelei kneeling on the floor, sobbing dramatically.
Too forceful.
So forceful it looked like acting.
Cedric's gaze was ice-cold. "You say Josephine stole the child. Where's your proof?"
"She went to the hospital! She went to the nursery!" Briana declared righteously.
"Going to the nursery means stealing a child?" Cedric's voice was unhurried but carried an oppressive weight. "Then everyone who went to the hospital today is a suspect? Doctors, nurses, cleaners, patients' families—anyone could have passed the nursery. Why must it be Josephine?"
Briana choked, then sneered. "If not her, then who? She's jealous Lorelei gave Gideon a child. She's holding a grudge!"
Cedric laughed, though the sound held no warmth. "Empty words. Show me evidence."
Lorelei only cried. Briana frowned. "Either way, it couldn't be anyone but her."
Cedric couldn't be bothered with her. Without even a glance, he said directly, "Meeting adjourned. Everyone go back. As for your matter, we'll discuss it in my office."
Everyone dispersed.
In Cedric's office, Briana and Lorelei both glared hatefully at Josephine.
Josephine touched her cheek and finally spoke. "You say I took the child. Then show evidence. Call the police, file a lawsuit—I'll see it through to the end."
Briana glared furiously. "How dare you act tough with us? You vicious woman!"
"If there's evidence and the police determine I did it, even if they arrest me and throw me in jail, I have no complaints." Josephine's eyes were sharp, her voice cold. "But without evidence, every accusation you've made is a personal attack. Or before investigating this matter, we could first pursue the fact that you assaulted me without cause."
Lorelei's crying paused.
Briana's face turned livid with rage. "You, you really are..."
"Enough. Stop this." Gideon couldn't take it anymore. The priority was finding the child quickly, not arguing about who was right or wrong.
"Sorry for the trouble."
He pulled Briana and Lorelei away, his attitude unusually firm. The two women had no choice but to be led out.
Only then did Josephine sink wearily onto the sofa.
Cedric poured a glass of water and set it before her. "What exactly happened?"
Josephine shook her head, unusually bewildered. "I don't know either. I went to the hospital today but didn't see the professor because he was busy. I needed to get back to the office, so I left."
Cedric watched her quietly.
That gaze gave Josephine courage to continue. "I did pass by the nursery, but I only stood at the door and glanced inside. I didn't go in. I didn't hold any baby."
"But after you left, the child went missing."
"How would I know how the child disappeared? Everyone was busy then. If I'd gone in to take a baby, someone definitely would have seen me."
After she said this, they both froze.
Cedric narrowed his eyes slightly. "At a time like this, having a witness wouldn't be a good thing."
More importantly, whether the witness actually saw anything might not even matter. As long as someone claimed to have seen Josephine leaving with the baby.
Josephine would have no way to defend herself.
"I just don't understand—was this child really lost, or..."
Or was it a premeditated frame-up?
"I'll have someone investigate at the hospital." Cedric glanced at Josephine's swollen cheek. He stood and had his assistant prepare ice and a towel.
Josephine was still deep in thought, her mind a mess.
Cedric returned with a towel wrapped around ice and pressed it against her face.
Sharp pain shot through instantly.
But after she got used to it, her cheek didn't hurt as much.
Josephine instinctively reached to take it, but Cedric avoided her hand. "It's too swollen. Apply this cold compress first and see. If it doesn't improve, I'll take you to the hospital."
"Okay." Josephine was somewhat distracted.
After work, she immediately left the office, determined to go to the hospital. But just as she got in her car and before she could start it, the passenger door was pulled open.
Cedric got in.
"You..."
"I had someone investigate the files of the nursery staff at this hospital."
Every doctor and nurse at the hospital had records. It wasn't confidential.
Easy enough to look up.
Josephine took the files and looked through them. The information was detailed, but she didn't understand how this related to her situation.
Cedric's finger pressed down on a name in the file.
"Felix Evans."
Cedric said flatly, "This is also the attending physician who performed Lorelei's surgery and is responsible for this child."
"You're saying..."
"What a coincidence—he was on duty today."
Josephine thought carefully. "Though I'm certain I didn't do this, we can't assume it's connected to him just because he was on duty, can we?"
"Keep reading."
Josephine turned to the next page of Felix's file. It clearly listed his romantic history.
Ex-girlfriend: Lorelei.
Night.
A black car was parked halfway up a hill. Not far away stood a brightly lit villa.
Josephine and Cedric sat in the car. Cedric handed her a bottle of water.
Josephine took a sip and looked at the villa. "We've been staking this place out for hours, and no one's come out. Just lights constantly turning on in that villa."
"Which means he keeps getting up at night." Cedric's gaze rested on the villa.
Josephine frowned slightly. "But I remember his file didn't mention any urinary frequency issues."
"So he must be getting up for another reason."
A flash of insight struck Josephine's mind. She gripped the water bottle tightly, her tone strained. "What if there's a child who constantly needs his care..."
"Then that child must be in poor health."
That would make an adult worried enough to keep checking on the child throughout the night.
Josephine and Cedric locked eyes.
They smiled at each other.
Looked like tonight's stakeout was worth it.
Throughout the entire night, Felix never came out. But the light in one room on the second floor flickered on and off six or seven times.
It wasn't until dawn broke that the room's light finally went out completely.
Cedric glanced at Josephine. "Tired?"
Josephine shook her head. She was actually quite excited because she had a feeling today would bring new developments.
"How can we get inside?" she murmured.
Cedric smiled meaningfully. "We can't get in, but someone else can."
"What do you mean?"
Cedric didn't say.
But Josephine got her answer half an hour later when a police car drove up and stopped in front of the villa.
Josephine was too far away to hear what the police said to Felix, but she saw Felix quickly open the door and let the officers in.
"You called them?"
"Yes."
Josephine was intensely curious about what reason he'd used to convince the police.
But she didn't ask. There were more pressing matters now.
Under her burning gaze, time slowly passed. About twenty minutes later, the villa door opened and several officers walked out.
Felix followed close beside them, saying something urgently. Josephine didn't know what he was saying and didn't care.
Because she saw the child in the officer's arms.