Chapter 137
In the utter silence, Josephine spoke with a smile. "So it was premeditated all along. You even knew not to leave evidence. Ms. Sharp, I don't think I've offended you—why would you frame me like this?"
Hestia's expression froze.
Just now, in her anger, she'd spoken without thinking, letting everything spill out. By the time she realized, it was too late to take it back.
But retracting it now seemed impossible. "I was just angry because of you..."
"Ms. Sharp, words once spoken are like water spilled—they can't be taken back." The smile on Josephine's face gradually faded, mockery showing in her eyes. "I was just testing, but I didn't expect Ms. Sharp would reveal the truth so easily."
Hestia gritted her teeth, feeling everyone's eyes on her. Her face burned as if being publicly executed. "I spoke carelessly in anger. My words don't count."
Josephine's expression was somewhere between a smile and not.
She hadn't even spoken, but the onlookers were already fired up.
"How can you talk like that? Do you have no shame?"
"You can take back your own words?"
"We all heard it. You said yourself you'd observed beforehand and left no evidence. It's clear you deliberately pushed someone. How vicious!"
Facing everyone's accusations, Hestia's expression was mortified.
She panicked.
In her panic, she instinctively looked at Lorelei.
Lorelei suddenly became the focus of everyone's attention. Panic flashed through her heart, but since they'd come together, she couldn't abandon Hestia.
Under Gideon's cold gaze, Lorelei's mind raced. "This really isn't a small sum. Since Mr. Fields said no police and no compensation, why don't we just let it go?"
Hestia couldn't very well demand compensation from Josephine now, so she looked hopefully at Daryl.
Cedric let out a light laugh.
He'd been silent all along, but this sudden laugh drew everyone's attention.
Seeing him, Daryl spoke helplessly. "Fine. I never planned to make anyone compensate anyway. The painting's fake—if it's broken, it's broken."
Thirty-eight million dollars wasn't really much to him. Whether the painting was real or fake was what mattered most.
Hestia breathed a sigh of relief. Lorelei reminded her from the side, "Hurry and thank Mr. Fields."
Hestia immediately said, "Thank you, Mr. Fields."
Looking at him now, Daryl was quite handsome—young, with taste, pedigree, and money. He seemed like an excellent prospect for a relationship...
Just as she was contemplating this, she suddenly felt an icy gaze fall upon her.
Cedric's tone was calm but especially cold. "The painting doesn't need compensation, but what about pushing someone?"
Hestia looked to Lorelei for help.
Lorelei swallowed. For some reason, she could speak freely before others, but facing Cedric...
She felt inexplicably afraid.
"Women's matters—Cedric, stay out of it."
Just then, Gideon stepped forward.
Lorelei looked at him standing before her in disbelief, sweetness filling her heart. He really did care about her.
Even willing to oppose Josephine in front of everyone.
Gideon stared at Cedric. "Since Mr. Fields said no compensation, there's no need to pursue this further. Making a bigger scene will only ruin Mr. Fields's exhibition."
Cedric countered, "What about the victim?"
"I'll naturally compensate her." Gideon looked at Josephine, his eyes softening. "Today you've been wronged."
Josephine didn't buy it. From the moment he stepped forward, whatever he said, she wouldn't take to heart. "Is Mr. Getty standing up for Ms. Sharp?"
Gideon frowned. "No, I just don't want this matter to drag on endlessly. Today is Mr. Fields's exhibition, after all."
Josephine looked at him.
Gideon met her gaze, his expression frank. "I'm not favoring anyone—just discussing the facts. Whatever needs to be addressed can wait until after the exhibition."
Excuse.
Josephine understood but didn't argue. She wanted to build rapport with Daryl, not offend him completely. "Then let's wait until after the exhibition."
Her concession made Cedric's brow twitch, his aura instantly darkening.
When someone who always settles scores suddenly backs down, it only means one thing.
She still cared about Gideon.
Daryl was also tired of this farce. Since everyone was willing to take the offered way out, he wouldn't pursue it endlessly either.
The matter ended there. Someone came to clean up the fragments on the floor, and soon the exhibition hall was clean again.
Only the wall where the painting had hung remained bare.
Hestia sidled up to Lorelei, looking at her gratefully. "Thank you. If not for you, Gideon wouldn't have spoken up for me."
Lorelei patted her hand. "It's all over now. Don't be afraid."
Hestia looked like she'd survived a disaster.
Little did they know their whispered conversation was all observed by Gideon.
As he passed Lorelei, he dropped a sentence. "Come with me."
Lorelei, immersed in the joy of Gideon standing up for her, quickly followed, her eyes full of affection as she looked at him.
Once they reached the garden, she eagerly apologized, her gaze sticky, wanting nothing more than to throw herself into his arms. "Thank you, Gideon..."
"Who told you to call me that?" Gideon didn't accept her sentiment, completely unreceptive to her feelings, even somewhat impatient.
Lorelei froze, somewhat at a loss. "Your marriage with Ms. Kennedy will end sooner or later. When the child is born... we'll be his parents. I can't keep calling you Mr. Getty..."
These words only earned Gideon's merciless mockery. "When did I say you could be the child's mother?"
Lorelei's face went pale.
Gideon said coldly, "What was our initial transaction? That's what the final result will be. I have no plans to change it. If my mother gave you too much hope, making you think you could replace Jojo, then I'm telling you—you're delusional."
Lorelei was devastated, swaying. "But just now you clearly..."
"This incident was your scheme, wasn't it?" Gideon's eyes were full of scrutiny, easily capturing the flash of panic on her face.
He grabbed Lorelei's wrist and pressed her against a decorative rock, threatening in a low voice. "Remember your place. Do your duty. Don't fantasize about getting what you shouldn't have. You've done enough foolish things. Don't embarrass yourself further."
Lorelei's back hurt from being pressed against the rock, but she didn't dare resist. "It wasn't me. This really has nothing to do with me. I'm not stupid enough to do anything at an exhibition..."
Gideon gave her a cold look, released her hand, and immediately stepped back, creating distance. "Don't treat everyone like fools."
He'd only misjudged someone once in his life.
The first time was making a deal with Lorelei. She'd hidden it well—all her ambition and schemes concealed.
She wanted money, he wanted a child.
He'd thought it was a simple transaction, never imagining she'd greedily want more.
"Don't do anything foolish again." After the warning, he turned to leave.
Lorelei composed her expression and emotions before returning to the hall, only to find the atmosphere unusually tense. Hestia rushed over and grabbed Lorelei's hand.
"Help me, Lorelei! Mr. Fields wants to throw me out and says I'm banned from his exhibitions and any activities he hosts in the future! It's all because of her!"
Hestia glared resentfully at Josephine, who was watching the drama unfold from a distance.