Chapter 11
Briana and Lorelei had no time to react before Gideon scooped Josephine up and rushed out like a whirlwind.
Lorelei's face turned pale. "Ms. Hughes, why is Josephine bleeding?"
Briana's mind was in chaos. "How would I know..." Wasn't Josephine unable to have children? Then why did this look so much like a miscarriage?
"We need to get to the hospital!"
By the time they arrived, Josephine had already been taken to surgery. Gideon stood in the hallway, covered in blood, his hands trembling. He'd rushed her to the emergency room without time to ask questions.
Briana anxiously asked, "What happened?"
"I don't know," Gideon replied, his hands still shaking.
Briana and Lorelei exchanged glances. Suddenly, Lorelei clutched her stomach with a cry. "My stomach hurts so much..."
"Gid, come quick! We can't let anything happen to the baby!"
No one knew better than Gideon how precious this child was. He lifted Lorelei and rushed to find a doctor.
Shortly after they left, Josephine was wheeled out, unconscious and deathly pale. The doctor's words hit Briana like a thunderbolt: "The baby is gone. My condolences."
Watching Josephine being wheeled away, Briana nearly fainted. Josephine had actually been pregnant! If only she had known earlier... the grandchild she had waited for was now gone.
"Mom, where's Jojo?" Gideon hurried back.
Seeing his anxious expression, Briana's heart raced. The words on her lips suddenly changed. "She's in the ward. Acute appendicitis."
Gideon turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" Briana grabbed his arm.
"To see her."
"No."
"Why not?"
Faced with Gideon's confused look, Briana gradually regained her composure. "She's angry with you and doesn't want to see you. Let her calm down. Besides, you're covered in blood—you'll frighten her."
"Right... Jojo is angry with me..."
Gideon didn't dare enter, but still worried, he peeked through the door to confirm she was sleeping before leaving.
Briana stood outside, watching Josephine through the doorway. "Don't blame me," she murmured. "Your baby is gone, so Lorelei's child must be protected."
She knew her son too well. Accepting Lorelei was already his greatest concession. If he learned about losing a child with Josephine... No. He could never know.
---
Josephine woke at 8 PM to a darkened room. The door opened softly.
Sophia turned on the light and, seeing Josephine awake, rushed to help her sit up. "Take it slow."
"What... happened?" Still dazed, Josephine couldn't quite connect her memories.
Sophia didn't know how to respond.
Finally, Josephine remembered. The memories forced their way into her mind, impossible to forget. She touched her abdomen, which felt strangely empty—perhaps just psychological.
"The baby... it's gone, isn't it?"
Sophia fought back tears. "Jojo, it wasn't meant to be."
Josephine closed her eyes. She had once considered giving up this child, but ultimately chose to keep it. She had planned to care for the baby after divorcing Gideon—this was her family, regardless of him. But after making that decision, the child had left her in this unexpected way... perhaps punishment for having considered abandonment.
Sophia gently embraced her, only then realizing Josephine was trembling. Her hatred for Gideon intensified. That scumbag was to blame for everything!
"I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!"
She intended to tell him the truth. Why should Josephine suffer heartbreak over their child while he remained oblivious, not even showing his face?
"Don't go..."
Josephine couldn't stop her. Following behind, she caught sight of Gideon at the end of the hallway, carefully supporting Lorelei as they walked slowly. His head was bowed, his expression hidden, but his movements were exceptionally gentle.
"You—" Sophia was about to unleash her fury when Briana suddenly appeared and covered her mouth.
By the time Sophia broke free, Gideon and Lorelei had disappeared. She glared at Briana. "What are you doing?"
Briana pulled Josephine back to her room and closed the door. "Josephine, I know you're upset, but you can't tell Gideon about this."
"Give me one good reason."
"Lorelei is pregnant. You know we need a child—the Getty family bloodline must continue. You can't bear children, so Gideon had no choice. If you still love him, you should let him go. Stop making trouble. I promise, as long as you keep quiet, you'll always be Gideon's wife."
Briana knew how deeply Josephine loved Gideon. Surely she would agree.
Sophia spat in disgust. "How can you say such shameless things? The lost child was also Getty blood!"
Ignoring Sophia, Briana kept her eyes on Josephine. "If you stay quiet, I'll grant you one request."
Josephine made her decision almost instantly. "Not enough."
Briana's eyes widened. "Don't try to exploit the situation!"
"I want money. A lot of money."
Josephine didn't have many assets in her name. If she touched the black card or jewelry Gideon had given her, he would know immediately. Given her physical condition, she couldn't earn money in the short term. She had formulated her plan the moment Briana opened her mouth.
"One million for my silence."
Briana gritted her teeth. A million dollars was no small sum for her, but she had no choice. "You'd better keep your word, or I'll tell Gideon about this money."
She transferred the amount to Josephine. When the money appeared in her account, Josephine's lips twisted into a smile. "Don't worry. I deliver what I'm paid for."
After Briana left, Sophia couldn't understand Josephine's decision.
"Jojo! Getting the money feels good, but this isn't fair to you. Briana's demand is outrageous! We should have confronted Gideon with a slap! Why should you suffer a miscarriage while he comforts his mistress? One million dollars can't compensate for your physical and emotional damage!"
Though still pale, Josephine's voice remained steady. "That woman is pregnant."
"So what? It's just an illegitimate child!"
"If I speak now, I have no advantage."
Perhaps she could earn Gideon's temporary guilt, but what good would that do? He couldn't truly empathize—he had never welcomed this child in the first place. In his grief, he might even transfer his feelings to Lorelei's unborn child.
"Jojo..." Sophia's heart ached for her. "What will you do?"
Josephine sat on the edge of the bed, her frame slight, her thin body visible beneath the hospital gown. She looked as if a breeze might blow her away.
"I will tell him. But not now."
She would wait for the perfect moment to make Gideon understand what bone-deep pain truly felt like.
Sophia embraced her gently, hoping to provide some warmth. Josephine patted her arm. "Help me change to a different ward."
"Of course, I'll arrange it."
Sophia thought Josephine simply wanted to avoid those troublesome people. But Josephine had other plans.