Chapter 104
"Why should I keep my voice down?" Gideon stepped closer, crowding her space. "Josephine, do you think divorce is simple? Let me tell you—as long as I don't sign, you'll never be free of me."
His voice carried suppressed fury, and a hint of panic he hadn't even noticed himself.
Josephine retreated a step, maintaining distance. "This is pointless."
"What do you mean, pointless?" Gideon stared at her, images of her paired with Cedric flashing through his mind. Jealousy seized his chest without warning. "You've been getting so cozy with Cedric—working together, leaving together. You've been planning to leave me for him all along, haven't you?"
"Who I work with is none of your business."
"How is it not my business? I'm your husband!"
Josephine looked at him, suddenly feeling exhausted.
Not physically tired—it was the weariness of facing someone she could never communicate with, someone who lived perpetually in his own world.
"Gideon." Her voice softened. "There are colleagues nearby. Let's not argue here, okay?"
He didn't care about making a scene, but she felt humiliated.
Her seemingly conciliatory tone only irritated Gideon more.
Because it meant she didn't want to engage with him at all. Like an adult placating a fussy child—not out of care, but out of indifference.
"Josephine, you—"
"Mr. Getty."
Another voice cut in.
Aiden emerged from the private room, expression neutral. "Everyone's waiting for you. Garrett still wants to confirm some technical details."
His appearance broke the standoff at exactly the right moment.
Gideon drew a deep breath, barely containing his emotions. He gave Josephine one long, searching look before turning back toward the private room.
Josephine stood there, pressing her fingers to her temples.
"You okay?" Aiden asked quietly.
"I'm fine." Josephine smiled faintly. "Thanks for the save."
Aiden studied her, hesitating before speaking. "Actually... we could hear bits of your conversation from outside."
The smile froze on Josephine's face.
"I wasn't eavesdropping." Aiden looked uncomfortable. "I just stepped out for a call and happened to hear..."
"Hear what?"
Aiden rubbed his nose. "Heard Mr. Getty say... you'd never be free of him."
Josephine stared at the blurred reflection in the glass at the corridor's end, silent for several seconds.
"Let's head back."
She turned toward the private room. Aiden hurried after her.
Inside, the atmosphere—subdued during Gideon's absence—revived when Josephine returned.
But a careful observer would notice the Gideon team members' gazes drifting between Josephine and Gideon.
Clearly, the soundproofing wasn't as effective as they'd assumed.
Or rather, Gideon's final declaration of "you'll never be free of me" had been loud enough to carry.
Garrett raised his glass, smile stiff. "Ms. Kennedy, let me toast you again. You've shown me what real professionalism looks like."
Josephine lifted her juice. "You're too kind, Garrett."
At that moment, a young technician from Starlight Group's team—probably emboldened by alcohol—blurted out, "Ms. Kennedy, I heard you never published research before. How'd you suddenly enter the tech field?"
The question was too direct. Silence blanketed the room.
Every gaze swung to Josephine.
Gideon's grip tightened around his glass.
Josephine set down her cup, scanning the room—her team maintained calm expressions, already knowing the full story. Gideon's team looked curious. And Gideon himself...
She caught a flash of anxiety in his eyes.
In that instant, Josephine understood something.
She picked up her juice, turning the glass slowly, then looked at the young technician. Her voice rang clear and steady:
"I rarely appeared publicly before because I had another identity."
She paused, glancing at Gideon before continuing:
"I was Mr. Gideon Getty's wife."
Someone's utensils clattered onto the table.
Dead silence engulfed the room.
Everyone from Starlight Group's team stared wide-eyed at Josephine, then at Gideon, shock written across their faces.
Josephine took a sip of juice and set down her glass, voice still calm:
"Though we're currently divorcing. The paperwork should be finalized soon. Right now, Mr. Getty is simply my business partner. I hope everyone won't let personal matters affect our work."
She spoke with complete composure, as naturally as saying, "I had lunch today."
Eerie silence filled the room.
The Starlight Group team exchanged glances. Someone whispered, "No wonder... no wonder Mr. Getty came personally today..."
Others snuck looks at Gideon, fearing the temperamental CEO might explode.
But Gideon simply sat rigidly, his expression frighteningly dark.
After a moment, he forced his lips into something resembling a smile, voice hoarse:
"The divorce won't happen."
He repeated it, as if convincing himself and declaring to everyone present:
"We're not getting divorced."
Josephine looked at him, a flicker of complicated emotion finally crossing her features.
"Gideon." Her voice was soft but carried to every corner. "Things have come to this. What's the point of saying that?"
Gideon fixed his gaze on her, enunciating each word: "When I say we're not divorcing, we're not divorcing."
Josephine watched his stubborn expression, suddenly finding it tiresome.
Continuing this conversation would be like talking to a brick wall.
She stood, offering everyone an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I have work to handle. I'll head out first. Aiden, settle the bill later."
Aiden nodded immediately. "Will do, Josephine."
Josephine grabbed her bag. At the door, she turned back to Gideon. "Oh, Mr. Getty—at our next collaboration meeting, I hope we can maintain purely professional conduct. If you can't manage that..."
She paused. "I suggest Starlight Group assign someone else as liaison."
With that, she walked out without looking back.
The door closed softly behind her.
Everyone in the room stared at the door, then at Gideon's ashen face, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Gideon's knuckles whitened around his glass, the red wine rippling faintly.
He didn't chase after her. Didn't explode. Just sat there quietly.
But everyone felt it—the oppressive, suffocating aura radiating from him.
Meanwhile, Josephine's three team members—Aiden, Emma, and Kenneth—exchanged silent glances.
Those looks held resignation, sympathy, but most of all, understanding and support for Josephine's resolve.
...
Since deciding on divorce, Josephine's sleep quality had improved. She'd collapse into bed each night and drift off, her skin glowing more than before.
This morning, Josephine decided to return to Evercrest Manor.
Many of her clothes and personally meaningful items remained there. She needed to retrieve them.
Standing before Evercrest Manor's entrance, she felt disoriented.
She'd lived here seven years.
Seven years transforming from a hopeful bride into an exhausted wife. Every piece of furniture, every decoration had once embodied her vision of "home."
Now, she needed to say goodbye to this place completely.
Josephine stepped out of the car and entered the code—still her birthday, surprisingly.
The lock clicked open. Complex emotions surged through her, which she deliberately ignored.
She pushed the door open. The living room lights were on.
On the sofa sat none other than Lorelei.
Wearing comfortable loungewear, she held a sheet mask and applied it to her face. As Josephine entered, she froze, then ripped off the mask. "What are you doing here? This isn't your home anymore. You've got some nerve showing up!"