Chapter 146
Meanwhile.
In Starlight Group's executive conference room, the department manager who'd been speaking eloquently suddenly fell silent. The others didn't dare make a sound either, cautiously stealing glances at Gideon.
Gideon, whose mood had seemed decent earlier, looked at his phone, and his expression instantly darkened.
Gideon stared at that Instagram post for nearly two minutes before suddenly standing. "Meeting continues. Assistant will preside."
He dropped that sentence and walked out.
Everyone exchanged bewildered looks.
What exactly had Gideon seen?
At dinner, Josephine gave her father the concert tickets.
Preston looked at the tickets on the table. He didn't refuse his daughter's kind gesture. The next day, he took Gemma with the tickets for their date.
Josephine stayed home alone in her pajamas, comfortably sitting on the carpet, handling work when she suddenly heard the doorbell ring.
She opened the door, somewhat surprised. "Daryl? What are you doing here?"
Daryl checked the apartment number, then looked at Josephine, equally surprised. "What are you doing here? Isn't this Mr. Preston Kennedy's home?"
Josephine was also stunned, but she couldn't leave him standing at the door. She invited him in first, then went to the kitchen to pour him water.
Seeing how familiar she was with everything, an idea popped into Daryl's mind. "This is your home?"
Josephine sat across from him. "Yes."
"So you're Mr. Kennedy's daughter?" Daryl looked shocked.
"Yes."
First Lorelei, now Daryl. Preston hadn't painted in years and had been living very low-key. Why were so many people finding their way to his door?
Josephine couldn't help asking, "How did you know my father lives here?"
Daryl swallowed his shock. "Some days ago, there was a competition. Someone saw your father appear and give a young person some pointers. That young person won second place, but your father left too quickly. Later, when I heard about it, I checked the surveillance footage. It took great effort to find where your father lives."
Josephine understood. So her father had accidentally revealed his identity... "My father went to a concert. He won't be back until at least 6 PM."
"I'm willing to wait!" Daryl loved art and equally admired the masters who could create precious paintings. He rubbed his hands together. "I just don't know if it's convenient for me to wait here?"
"If you want to wait, then wait." He was a Getty Group partner, after all. They'd just bought technology from him.
Sending him away now would seem like burning bridges. Josephine could only let him stay.
She went to handle her work while Daryl made himself comfortable, walking a circle on the balcony before sitting on the sofa, also on his phone, constantly sending messages.
They each minded their own business.
As the time approached 7 PM and Josephine's parents still hadn't returned, Daryl had to stand to take his leave. "It's too late. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to stay longer. I'll head out now and visit again tomorrow."
"I'll walk you out." Josephine had been hesitating whether to invite him to dinner. Seeing him suggest leaving, she swallowed those words. Just as she saw him out the door, she suddenly spotted an insect crawling on the ground.
Before Josephine could react, Daryl jumped up in fright.
"Oh my god, a bug!" Daryl instantly hid behind Josephine, tightly gripping her sleeve.
Josephine lifted her foot and squashed the bug. Only after crushing it did she remember she was still wearing slippers. She felt a bit disgusted, but more than that, exasperated with Daryl. "You're a grown man afraid of bugs?"
Daryl said righteously, "No one said men can't be afraid of bugs."
But he still felt a bit guilty for dirtying Josephine's slipper, so he crouched down. "Sorry about that, getting your shoe dirty. Why don't you take it off, and I'll clean it before I go..."
"Jojo, what are you two doing?" Just then, Josephine's parents returned.
The scene before them was truly strange—Josephine in slippers and pajamas standing at the doorway, one foot on the mat inside the door, one foot outside.
And Daryl crouching before her. The position looked rather like... a proposal.
Josephine and Daryl turned their heads in unison.
Preston's expression instantly darkened. He strode forward and, without a word, pushed his daughter inside by her back, then turned to glare at Daryl furiously. "Who are you?"
Gemma pulled Josephine back inside. "Who is this person? Your suitor?"
Josephine was utterly helpless.
Seeing her father at the door, practically interrogating him, if she didn't go resolve this, Daryl would be in tears. She squeezed her mother's hand and quickly walked to the doorway. "Dad, you've misunderstood. He's not my suitor. He's your suitor."
Preston was surprised and asked, "What?"
The family returned to the living room to sit. Preston and Gemma sat on either side of Josephine, while Daryl sat across from them, looking like an obedient elementary student, his posture quite restrained. Not a trace of the commanding presence he'd had at the exhibition.
Josephine explained, "This is Daryl Fields. He greatly admires Father. He came specially to visit. You two weren't home, so I entertained him on Father's behalf."
She naturally omitted their previous meeting at the exhibition to avoid her parents creating more misunderstandings and asking questions.
Only then did Preston relax his guard. Since this was business, naturally, it couldn't be discussed in front of his daughter. He called Daryl into the kitchen.
Josephine was somewhat worried. "Father won't beat him up, will he?"
Gemma smiled. "Don't worry."
Half an hour later, they emerged. Daryl had lost his earlier anxiety and restraint, his expression more worshipful and fervent.
Preston wore a smiling, unruffled expression. They hadn't stopped talking, Daryl's heartfelt words putting Preston in an excellent mood.
By the time Daryl left, it was nearly 10 PM.
Josephine had long since returned to her room to sleep.
But what she hadn't expected was that the next day, Daryl came again!
And this time, Preston entertained him. They sat on the sofa chatting extensively.
Josephine was preparing to go to work. Her phone showed a message from Cedric.
He wanted her to accompany him to meet a client.
Josephine was about to change shoes when she suddenly heard her father say, "You two go together. Daryl is eloquent. Going with you to meet clients, he can help talk things through."
"What?" Josephine froze.
Even after entering the elevator with Daryl, Josephine was still somewhat dazed, more confused than anything. "What exactly did you say to my dad? How did you make him change his attitude toward you so much?"
Daryl smiled mysteriously. "Secret."
In a car by the roadside, Cedric looked up to see Josephine and Daryl walking out together. He looked up at the neighborhood, then back at them.
Daryl.
Someone who shouldn't be appearing here.
Noah was even more shocked. "My god, is Daryl trying to steal your woman?"
The moment those words left his mouth, the car's interior instantly felt like an ice cellar.