Chapter 158
Lorelei pushed open the door, carrying bags of items. Seeing her, Briana couldn't help scolding, "Your belly's getting bigger by the day. You need to be extra careful—don't hurt my grandson."
Lorelei smiled. "I'm fine. You've seemed unwell recently, so I bought you some things. Where's Gideon?"
"I knew you weren't here just for me." Briana pointed upstairs. "He's been holed up in the study since he got back. Who knows what he's brooding about."
"I'll go check on him." Lorelei held her belly as she climbed the stairs. Nearly five months pregnant now, each step was taken with caution, terrified that something might happen to the child inside.
When she pushed open the study door, Gideon didn't need to look up to know who it was. "Get out."
Lorelei bit her lip, stopping in the doorway. "I heard you're attending a gala soon and need a date, so I..."
"You plan to go looking like that?" Gideon glanced at Lorelei's belly. If she showed up at the event looking pregnant, it would only confirm the affair rumors.
Josephine hadn't broadcast it everywhere, yet Lorelei couldn't wait to claim her place.
"Get out. The gala's none of your concern." His eyes were cold and indifferent, showing no tenderness toward Lorelei. "I thought I told you not to come to my house."
"Your mother told me to come..." Lorelei said pitifully.
Gideon gave her a dismissive glance, too lazy to expose her little schemes. He set down his documents, walked to the door, and pushed her out. "I have someone to accompany me to the gala. Don't worry about it. Just focus on your pregnancy."
Lorelei lowered her head. "I know. If anything happens to the baby, we..." There'd be no possibility for us.
"Good that you know." With that, Gideon shut the door.
Lorelei's expression darkened as she stared at the closed door.
After a moment, she turned to go downstairs, only to see Olivia entering. Olivia disliked her—no, absolutely detested her—making no effort to hide her disgust.
As they passed, Olivia didn't even glance her way.
She pushed open the study door. "Hurry up. You insisted I come with you to this gala, yet you're taking your sweet time. It starts in two hours. Don't you need to arrive early?"
"Let's go." Gideon stood, and they left together.
Arriving at the gala entrance, Olivia looked at Gideon's icy profile and couldn't resist gloating. "Gideon, seeing you reminds me of a saying."
Gideon shot her a glance. He didn't need to ask—he knew it wouldn't be anything good.
Sure enough, Olivia said, "You reap what you sow."
He'd had a perfectly good family, yet he'd insisted on having an affair.
Gideon's expression immediately darkened. "If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute."
Olivia pursed her lips.
Such a fragile ego. He'd made the mistakes himself, let things deteriorate to this point, yet showed no remorse or self-reflection whatsoever.
He wouldn't even let her speak about it.
She took Gideon's arm as they entered, whispering, "I heard from a friend that Josephine's career is thriving lately. Using Daryl's technology, she broke through a major hurdle. Now she's preparing to launch those projects publicly. You... I'd say your chances are gone."
Gideon's expression darkened further. He said nothing, but the atmosphere around him grew heavy.
Olivia knew when to stop. After all, this was her second brother. Still, she offered one more warning. "Someone saw her meeting with Mr. Williams. You'd better prepare yourself."
Mr. Williams—the Getty Group's star attorney.
Once a divorce case landed in his hands, success was virtually guaranteed at one hundred percent.
Gideon gave her a cool glance. "I'm aware."
The next day, Darren voluntarily came calling, but Starlight Group wouldn't let him upstairs.
"Sorry, Mr. Williams, Mr. Getty isn't in," the assistant said with a smile.
Darren had expected this response. Calmly, he said, "Then please tell Mr. Getty that starting today, I'll come every day until he agrees to see me."
"Mr. Williams, there's no point in being persistent. Mr. Getty isn't here—coming won't help." The assistant immediately felt a headache coming on.
He really didn't want to deal with this man.
Darren was notoriously tenacious, with an extremely stubborn personality. Once he took on a case, he had to see it through to a resolution.
It was why he'd never lost in his legal career.
"How about you head back first? I'll keep an eye out. If Mr. Getty returns, I'll notify you immediately."
Darren adjusted his glasses, speaking seriously. "I appreciate that."
The assistant thought he'd successfully sent him away and breathed a sigh of relief.
Little did he know, after leaving, Darren immediately called Josephine to report the situation.
Josephine fell silent for a moment. "This is exactly how he's been stalling me."
"Don't worry. That trick won't work on me." Darren had handled so many cases, dealt with so many people, seen every bizarre situation imaginable.
Avoiding him? Fine. He'd come every day.
For three consecutive days, Darren came to sit in the company lobby every single day, arriving promptly at 7 AM and staying until 8 PM when all employees left.
The assistant was at his wit's end. On the evening of the third day, he rushed into Gideon's office.
"Mr. Getty, why don't you just go down and meet him? You can't keep avoiding this forever. You've been sleeping at the office for three days now..."
Gideon was reading documents, unhurried and perfectly composed. The assistant was anxiously beside himself. Gideon could stay calm, but he couldn't.
"Please just go down and see him. He's been sitting in our company lobby every single day. I can't very well throw him out." The assistant clutched his hair in desperation. "Plenty of employees are already speculating whether our company's gotten into some legal trouble."
Darren's persistence was causing unrest, yet he said nothing, did nothing—just sat there quietly.
"Throw him out." Gideon finally spoke.
The assistant's face fell. "Mr. Williams is the Getty Group's star attorney. Who would dare..."
Never mind his personal capabilities—just the Getty Group alone made him untouchable.
Gideon shot him a cold look. "Useless."
So the next day, Gideon went on a business trip.
Darren stopped coming.
The assistant found it strange—how had Darren known Gideon was traveling?
But whatever the reason, as long as he didn't come, the assistant was relieved.
Josephine was extremely anxious about this, while Darren remained perfectly calm.
"His going on a business trip means company matters aren't that important. So we just need to force him to come back." Darren adjusted his glasses, a gleam shining behind the lenses. "Ms. Kennedy, after being married to him all these years, you must know something about his company affairs?"
Josephine immediately understood his implication. "I knew things before, but now... It's been a long time since I've been to the office."
"With your position, obtaining some information shouldn't be difficult."
Josephine lowered her eyes in thought for a moment. "I understand. Wait for my message."