Chapter 152
Cedric sensed Kenneth's gaze and looked up to meet his eyes. Something flickered deep in Kenneth's expression—as if he was wrestling with himself.
Preston remained completely oblivious to the undercurrent between them and continued chatting away with Cedric. "Have you ever been in a relationship before? What are your thoughts on marriage?"
Cedric answered smoothly. "No, I haven't. I believe marriage is when two people love each other deeply enough to decide to start a new life together. It's the merging of two families, which means beyond love, I'd be taking on additional responsibilities."
Preston nodded, looking thoroughly pleased. "Well said. For men especially, the problem often lies in failing to recognize their responsibilities. Once you forget that responsibility, you'll cross that line—and once you've crossed it, the marriage is doomed."
Cedric listened attentively, nodding occasionally. "You're absolutely right."
Kenneth had been silent throughout, but suddenly spoke up. "Mr. Getty must have plenty of thoughts on marriage. After all, your brother's marriage hasn't exactly been smooth sailing—plenty of lessons to learn there."
Cedric slowly raised his eyes, his dark gaze meeting Kenneth's.
Josephine frowned, puzzled. Why would Kenneth suddenly bring this up?
She instinctively glanced at her father.
Preston looked equally confused. "You have a brother?"
Cedric withdrew his gaze, giving a slight nod. "A half-brother on my father's side."
"Half-brother..." Preston was quite impressed with the young man before him—handsome, refined, the most satisfactory of all the young people he'd met recently.
But having a brother was one thing; a half-brother was another. This inevitably meant complications when it came to inheritance and family assets.
Kenneth lowered his eyes, looking at no one, but dropped a bombshell. "So what's Mr. Getty's view on infidelity?"
Cedric's expression darkened.
Under the table, Josephine lightly touched Kenneth's arm. What was wrong with him?
He was usually so warm and polite, always knew when to advance and retreat. Why was he bringing up such awkward topics today?
This conversation was completely inappropriate for their setting.
But Kenneth acted as if he hadn't felt her warning. "Mr. Getty, what do you think about Gideon's affair?"
This time, the question was even more direct.
Preston's expression grew strange. He hadn't noticed before how similar their names were.
Cedric, Gideon...
They sounded exactly like brothers.
Josephine's heart sank, terrified that her father would realize something right then and there, that he might blow up...
That would make the whole scene unbearably awkward.
But what she feared didn't happen.
Kenneth stubbornly held Cedric's gaze, even though he could feel the coldness lurking in those depths. Still, he persisted. "Mr. Getty has nothing to say about this? You are Gideon's older brother, after all."
The private room fell into deathly silence.
Cedric's identity had been exposed, just like that.
Josephine's lips parted as if to explain, but she didn't know where to begin.
Anything said at this moment would seem superfluous.
Instead, it was Cedric himself who broke the silence. "Having such an irresponsible brother is quite unfortunate for me too."
"Mr. Getty didn't answer my question." For the first time, Kenneth was relentlessly aggressive, clinging to this topic, determined to force an answer.
"Cheating is wrong, of course." There was nothing he couldn't answer. Cedric stated plainly, "I consider it a character flaw."
Josephine snuck a glance at him.
True to form, Cedric's sharp tongue spared no one—not even when it came to Gideon.
Kenneth smiled faintly. "Mr. Getty is right. Infidelity certainly reflects poor character. After all, everyone makes vows to stay together for life when they marry."
Breaking promises, going back on your word—how could that be anything but despicable?
But...
Kenneth glanced at Preston. Some things needed to be said in moderation. Say too much, and you'd only invite resentment.
After dinner, the group left the restaurant. Preston stood outside, looking at the two young men. "You two head back. No need to see us off."
Cedric nodded slightly. "Then let me call you a car."
"No need. I'd like to take a walk with Jojo."
Since Preston had put it that way, Cedric had no reason to insist. He glanced at Josephine, then left.
Kenneth hesitated. "Josephine, there's a meeting at the office tomorrow afternoon. Make sure you're there."
"Okay."
Kenneth lowered his eyes, a dimness clouding them.
Josephine was clearly upset with him for speaking out of turn. But he'd had no choice. Without doing this, he'd have absolutely no chance of competing with Cedric.
Call him underhanded, call him ignorant—he just wanted to give himself a fighting chance.
Josephine walked home with her arm linked through her father's, Gemma beside them.
Throughout dinner, Gemma hadn't said a word. Only now did she glance at her husband's grave expression. After years of marriage, she didn't need him to speak to know what he was thinking.
"Jojo, go to that convenience store over there and buy some water. I'm thirsty." Gemma wanted to send Josephine away so she could have a word with her husband.
But Preston disagreed. "You go. I want to have a word with Jojo."
Gemma had no choice but to give her daughter a meaningful look—whatever you do, don't argue with Preston.
Josephine nodded.
Only then did Gemma leave. Josephine immediately helped her father toward a bench by the roadside. The wind rustled through the leaves, and they stepped on the yellowed foliage beneath their feet.
Preston sighed. "Jojo, you've been smart and sensible since you were little. You have your own ideas about everything. I've never forced you or pressured you."
Josephine listened carefully.
Her father had indeed given her the greatest freedom—whether it was choosing her major in college, or deciding to be with Gideon, even to the extent of marrying him.
Though he hadn't approved, he'd never opposed or stopped her.
Only when it came to giving up scientific research had her father shown a strong objection.
"I saw Gideon's affair coming from a mile away."
Preston said something that even shocked Josephine. She stared at her father, stunned. "How did you..."
"He's too obsessive." This wasn't a good thing, actually. It meant this person valued his own thoughts and decisions above all else, so obsessive that he wouldn't allow anyone to oppose him.
Preston was a man himself—of course, he could read deeper. "And the Getty family is too complicated. The richer and more powerful they are, the more unfair it is to you."
This wasn't the first time her father had said these things, but it was the first time Josephine truly heard them.
She fell silent.
Preston, after this series of build-up, finally got to the point.
"Gideon is unreliable. The Getty family owes you far too much. I don't trust that Cedric can be depended on, either." Preston gripped Josephine's hand. "Jojo, I won't agree to you being with him."
Silence spread through the air. Though Josephine had already guessed what her father would say, hearing these words still left her stunned.
"Gideon doesn't represent Cedric."
"You're defending him." Preston's sharp gaze fixed on Josephine. "Have you already fallen for him?"
"That's not true at all!"
Josephine hadn't expected her father to say such a thing. She pressed her lips together. "We're not in that kind of relationship at all. He's just my boss."
Preston stared at his daughter for a long while before finally looking away. "Good. As long as that's the case."
Josephine lowered her head and said nothing.