Chapter 161
The moment Gideon laid eyes on Cedric, the hostility in his gaze nearly materialized into a tangible blade. "This is between Jojo and me. It's none of your business!"
Cedric strolled over to the armchair beside Josephine and sat down, his long legs were crossed as he relaxed his posture .
But Gideon saw right through it.
That stance was clearly a subtle but deliberate way of placing Josephine behind him.
It was incredibly irritating to witness.
He even felt an impulse to rush over and separate them immediately.
"This isn't a private matter." Cedric took a thick file from Noah's hands and casually tossed it onto the table. "The eighty-million dollars Marshall embezzled, has created a massive hole in Starlight Group's books. Coincidentally, the supply chain affected by this hole happens to involve funds from the Getty Group headquarters."
Gideon's face instantly turned ashen.
"Which means you're not only suspected of management negligence," Cedric lifted his gaze, his eyes cold and piercingly sharp, "but you've also damaged headquarters' interests."
Gideon clenched his fists tightly.
He felt like a lone figure at the edge of a cliff—one wrong step and he'd plummet into the abyss.
There seemed to be no way out.
If he insisted on not divorcing, these two in front of him would never let him off. Josephine was one thing, but Cedric...
He'd always looked down on him.
Once David found out about this, he'd have zero chance of inheriting the Getty Group. All his sacrifices would turn to dust.
He'd become a laughingstock.
Gideon closed his eyes.
He knew David all too well. When it came to the Getty family's interests, love and family ties meant nothing.
If Cedric brought this fire back to headquarters, he'd lose every card he had left.
"You went so far as to personally investigate me just to force my divorce? For her?" Gideon glared at Cedric through gritted teeth. "Cedric, you're awfully invested in my wife, aren't you? Do you enjoy picking up other people's discarded trash that much?"
In his rage, the words spilled out carelessly.
After he spoke, the entire office fell silent for a moment.
"Gideon!" Josephine shot to her feet, furious at the degrading term.
But Cedric reacted even faster.
He stared coldly at Gideon, his gaze as if looking at a dead man. "Noah, notify Finance and Legal. Immediately freeze and audit Starlight Group's cash flow, and report your findings to the Chairman."
"Wait!" Panic seized Gideon. He lurched forward a step.
If they froze the cash flow and launched an investigation now, years of his hard work would be finished.
That idiot Lorelei had completely blocked off his escape route!
Gideon stood there, his breathing ragged, as his chest heaved violently.
His bloodshot eyes fixed on Josephine. "Fine. I'll divorce you."
The moment those words left his mouth, Gideon knew with perfect clarity that he'd lost completely.
.
Not to this financial report, but to Josephine. To her ruthlessness.
If she'd felt even a shred of softness toward him, she never would have handed Cedric the knife.
"Give me three days to handle company matters. Three days from now, 8 a.m., courthouse entrance." Gideon said hurriedly. As he turned to leave, his steps staggered, his retreating figure carried the air of someone fleeing in defeat.
But just as he reached the door, Darren blocked his path.
Darren held a divorce agreement in his hands. "You must sign before you leave."
Gideon's jaw clenched as he looked at Josephine. "You think I'd lie to you?"
"Mr. Williams is my attorney." Compared to Gideon, she trusted her lawyer more.
A mouthful of blood seemed to catch in Gideon's throat, but he was cornered now with no second option. He grabbed the fountain pen from the table, his fingers trembled as he flipped to the last page of the divorce agreement.
He'd signed his name countless times in his life.
Every signature had been accompanied by glorious triumph. Each time his name graced a document, it meant the company was climbing to new heights.
But this was the first time he resisted writing his own name with every fiber of his being.
The second the pen touched paper, its tip pressed down so hard it tore through, the force ripping the page as if carving his very soul into it.
"You've got what you wanted. Your freedom." Gideon shoved the signed agreement toward Josephine. His voice was stuck in his throat as he looked at her deeply.
Josephine carefully examined the divorce agreement, ensuring the signature was correct before handing it to Darren.
"Three days from now, 8 a.m., courthouse. We'll finalize everything then." Josephine issued the notice coolly.
Gideon said nothing more and turned to leave.
Downstairs.
His car sat quietly by the curb. When his assistant saw him descending with fury practically radiating from his body, he could guess the outcome of this negotiation.
This divorce was happening, no question.
The car door slammed shut with a bang as Gideon got in.
The assistant flinched, but out of concern, still offered some consolation. "Mr. Getty, you don't really need to be upset. Think about it—this might actually be good for you. Ms. Kelly's belly is getting bigger every day. Sooner or later you'd need to marry her properly... otherwise the child Ms. Kelly delivers would be illegitimate..."
He thought he was being considerate with this speech, but the air around them grew increasingly strange. Looking up, he met a pair of ice-cold eyes in the rearview mirror.
The assistant immediately fell silent, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat.
Had he said something wrong...?
Gideon's voice was cold. "If you don't speak, no one will mistake you for a fool."
The assistant shrank back, not daring to make another sound.
But Gideon spoke anyway. "They all think this gives them leverage over me. She thinks this lets her escape me..."
The assistant didn't know who he was talking to, but it didn't seem like he was addressing him.
"I won't let them have their way." Gideon's voice was low, like an oath—utterly resolute and obsessive.
The assistant's heart raced with fear, his back going cold.
What was Gideon even saying? What was he planning to do?
They were already divorced—was he going to keep harassing her?
He couldn't figure it out and didn't dare ask.
Gideon raised his gaze, his voice chillingly cold. "I'll make sure Jojo knows that in this world, no one but me can give her happiness."
The assistant had only one thought about this.
Gideon had lost his mind.
After Gideon left, Josephine kept staring at that divorce agreement like she was looking at a hard-won treasure.
Cedric couldn't help but ask, "Is it really that serious?"
Josephine nodded. "It really is!"
God knew how long she'd been waiting for this divorce agreement. This document was like a notice declaring her release from prison.
Proof that she could start a new life.
Josephine felt a twinge of worry again. "Do you think he'll back out?"
She had a nagging feeling that three days was too long—anything could happen.
Cedric didn't answer that question directly, but gave Darren a knowing, almost amused glance.
Darren immediately adjusted his glasses, his expression extremely serious. "Ms. Kennedy, rest assured. In my practice, I may have cases that drag on, but I've never lost one."
"He's already signed the divorce agreement. Even if he wants to back out, it's too late." Cedric pulled Josephine back down to sit and poured her a glass of water. "Relax. Your good days are ahead of you."
Josephine took a sip. The water was warm and comforting, traveling down her throat into her stomach, bringing a gentle warmth throughout her body. "I just hope nothing else goes wrong."
She didn't want any more obstacles blocking her new life.