Chapter 124
In the hospital corridor, passing nurses instinctively kept their distance from the two men.
They were roughly the same height, and anyone could tell from their faces that they must be brothers—the resemblance was uncanny.
But their auras couldn't have been more different. One was composed and aloof, the other rebellious and devastatingly handsome.
The young nurses whispered among themselves, sensing the obvious tension between them. The atmosphere practically crackled with hostility.
"You think they're gonna throw down?"
"Hope not."
Gideon stared directly at Cedric, his gaze unwavering, but Cedric remained coldly indifferent throughout. Gideon tugged at his tie in frustration.
"I heard the Getty Group has several new projects in development. Cedric, you should be swamped."
Translation: What are you even doing here at the hospital?
"Company matters are important, but so is my responsibility when an employee gets hurt." Cedric's tone was utterly matter-of-fact.
Gideon couldn't find fault with that. Still mindful of the foot traffic around them, he kept his voice low. "I appreciate your concern for my wife on her behalf, but since I'm here now, you can head back to your business."
Cedric gave him a brief glance. "Progress."
The compliment threw Gideon completely off balance. Since his return to the Getty family, he and Cedric had been at each other's throats constantly.
They weren't quite at the point of complete estrangement, but reconciliation was permanently off the table.
He wanted Cedric dead. Cedric equally wanted this bastard son gone from the Getty family.
This was the first time he'd ever heard praise from his mouth.
Gideon felt a chill run down his spine.
"Are you okay?" Had some demonic spirit possessed him or something?
Cedric adjusted his collar casually. "Your shamelessness is growing by the day."
Gideon fell silent.
Of course, Cedric wasn't complimenting him.
Cedric blocked the space between Gideon and the hospital room door.
Gideon couldn't even catch a glimpse inside, finding Cedric's presence unbearably irritating. He wanted nothing more than to kick him out of the way. "How am I shameless? Josephine and I aren't divorced yet. That's my wife in there, and as her husband, I should take care of her."
"Keep lying to yourself."
Gideon gritted his teeth. "I'm telling the truth."
"Did you think about your responsibility to Josephine when you were cheating on her?"
That one sentence hit Gideon like a bullet to the lung.
His expression darkened considerably.
Unfortunately, while others feared him, Cedric couldn't care less. He even added leisurely, "Or does your brain speed decrease when your lower half takes control, making obvious facts harder to process? If so, that would explain things."
Translation: thinking with the wrong head.
The insult cut deep.
Gideon's face turned iron-gray. After a long pause, he laughed bitterly. "As if you're some paragon of virtue. If you were in my shoes, could you give up the Getty family? Did you have better options?"
Everything he'd done was unavoidable, forced by circumstance. He knew these things were unacceptable to Josephine.
He had lied, deceived her.
But one thing had never changed.
Cedric's gaze swept over him dismissively, mockery plain in his eyes. "Every cheating man says that."
Gideon exploded. "At least I'm not! I had reasons for all of this. If there'd been any other choice, I wouldn't have done it!"
"So you sold yourself pretty expensive, then."
When faced with difficulties, prostitution was his solution... Cedric couldn't be bothered to elaborate. A vicious assessment slipped from his lips. "Like mother, like son. That saying really holds true."
Gideon's eyes widened in shock as rage flooded his face. His fists clenched tight, teeth grinding. "Cedric, say that again."
Cedric feared nothing and no one. Nothing in his entire life had ever made him back down.
So he repeated it word for word.
Gideon felt fury surge straight to his brain, nearly incinerating his reason. He couldn't tolerate anyone insulting his mother, Briana.
Because Briana had raised him, despite being hopelessly in love with a philandering man.
But he remembered he was no match for Cedric, forcing himself to contain his rage. "We've been at war for years, but I've never insulted your mother."
Cedric's lips curled into a cold smile. "That's because my mother has nothing to be ashamed of. Yours, on the other hand..."
He hated Gideon.
And he hated Gideon's mother just as much.
Bentley had plenty of mistresses and had fathered other illegitimate children, but those people knew their place and kept the Getty family out of it.
Except for Gideon's mother, Briana.
She was selfish, greedy, and vicious. If she hadn't told Anissa about giving birth to Gideon, if she hadn't sent those filthy photos and videos to Anissa when her depression was already severe...
Cedric closed his eyes.
He would never forget that day—coming home from class to see his mother standing on the third-floor balcony.
And then jumping.
Gideon snarled, "You still don't get to insult my mother. Cedric, don't push it. You think I won't fight back?"
Cedric glanced at him dismissively. "Could you even win?"
A vein throbbed at Gideon's temple. The man was absolutely insufferable!
Cedric checked his watch. There was a company meeting waiting for him.
Time to leave.
But his departure didn't mean Gideon could enter the hospital room.
He left bodyguards behind.
No one except doctors and nurses was allowed in. Especially not Gideon.
Gideon stood outside the door for a long time. Knowing he couldn't get in, he didn't force it. Finally, he stared at the door once more before turning to leave.
Josephine stayed in the hospital for two days before checking out. She really couldn't stand the smell and atmosphere of hospitals.
Only home felt truly relaxing.
But she couldn't sit still. The day after discharge, she went back to work.
Her first order of business was transitioning the project with her junior, but to her surprise, Kenneth was nowhere to be seen.
After asking around, she learned he'd finished organizing the project data after leaving the hospital, then stopped coming in.
He'd requested leave.
Josephine called Oscar, but he didn't know why Kenneth hadn't come to the office either.
She was about to go look for him when she was suddenly notified of an afternoon meeting requiring all project team members to attend.
Emma panicked, grabbing Josephine before they entered the conference room. "What do we do? Kenneth's been running this project since before you got out of the hospital. If management asks questions and he's not here..."
Josephine could only reassure her. "Let's get through the meeting first. We'll deal with everything else after."
But naturally, Murphy's Law struck.
During the meeting, Cedric personally called on Kenneth. Everyone exchanged uncertain glances. Kenneth's seat sat empty.
The atmosphere grew awkward and tense in the silence.
In the quiet, everyone unconsciously held their breath.
Josephine closed her eyes in resignation and stood up.