Chapter 184
"Stop! If you use this conversation to accuse them right now, everyone will realize I was the one who informed you." Emma certainly didn't want to be seen as the betrayer that everyone would criticize.
She pressed her hands together pleadingly. "I'm begging you. Even if you're going to settle accounts with them, you can't go right now..."
"Who said I'm going to settle accounts with them?" Josephine gave her an exasperated look. "If I go now, how will you ever function among the employees afterward? Do I look like someone without a brain?"
Emma smiled. "You're still the smartest."
Josephine handed the document back to her. "Work properly. Don't always dwell on gossip."
"Understood." Emma moved toward the exit but paused to glance back. "What do you intend to do regarding them?"
"Do about them? Why?"
"You're not going to do anything about it?" Emma had struggled for quite a while before revealing that group conversation to Josephine, since the comments made were genuinely over the top.
Things like "divorced woman," "used goods nobody wants," "backdoor connections"...
What Josephine had just seen was only the tip of the iceberg.
She'd thought Josephine would be furious.
Josephine said flatly, "If I disband this group now, they'll just create a new one. Their mouths are their own—I can't stop them."
Instead, they'd think she felt guilty, that she was trying to silence them.
"But we can't just let them gossip like this. The company's already in turmoil externally over the data error. If there's internal conflict too..." Emma felt overwhelmed. Everyone should be united against outside forces, but instead, they seemed to be watching the show, each speculating about Josephine's love life.
"As you mentioned, the outside threat is the more pressing issue at the moment." Josephine brushed them off completely. Over time, the nature of her connection with Cedric would become clear on its own.
"Haven was sent to the hospital?"
Emma nodded. "I hired a caregiver for her. I don't know what Noah said to her, but she's staying at the hospital now and seems pretty calm. She hasn't mentioned suicide again."
"I see. Go on and work."
After Emma left, Josephine went to the hospital during lunch break.
Inside the hospital room, Haven rested against the bed's headboard, gazing vacantly through the window. Nobody could guess what was on her mind.
Josephine felt a dull ache from the dislocation and rubbed it gently before pushing open the hospital room door.
Haven spun to face her. As soon as she saw her, a brief look of guilt crossed her features. She dropped her gaze and remained silent.
Josephine walked into the room and placed the fruit she'd brought on the bedside table. She took out an apple, washed it in the bathroom, then sat by the bed to peel it.
Haven watched her. She'd been somewhat tense initially, but Josephine didn't mention the suicide attempt or company matters at all, which left Haven feeling anxious yet somehow relieved.
"Try it. See if this fruit is sweet."
Josephine handed her the peeled apple. Haven took a bite—sweet juice flooded her mouth.
"It's good..."
Josephine offered a smile. "When I went to get some fruit, there were only these apples remaining. The vendor said this particular lot was especially sweet." I was worried that the picked-over ones might not taste good... As long as it's sweet, that's good. Eat more fruit—it's good for your health."
Her demeanor was relaxed, and her every word displayed care, as though she was completely unbothered by the earlier events.
Haven gripped the apple and couldn't help asking, "Ms. Kennedy, just scold me."
"Why would I scold you?" Josephine asked.
"I was weak and terrified, shirking responsibility and even attempting to flee through death... I almost pulled you under along with me." The more Haven spoke, the lower her head hung. She had no face to see anyone.
She'd been too frightened before, fixated on how to avoid responsibility and not burden her family. But thinking back now, she'd been like someone possessed by a demon.
Utterly foolish.
Josephine asked in return, "So, have you figured things out now? Do you know what you should do?"
Haven gave a nod. "Yes, I'm prepared to face the consequences. This whole matter started because of me. Be it getting fired or going to jail, I'll accept it."
Josephine pinched her cheek. This girl had a baby face—round cheeks with a bit of baby fat. It felt particularly nice to pinch.
Haven froze.
Josephine said, "When did I ever say you had to take responsibility?"
"I guess... You never said that..."
"So what were you afraid of? What were you running from?" Josephine sighed. "Fortunately, Mr. Getty arrived in time this time and kept the news from spreading. Otherwise, today's major news outlets would be saying the Getty Group forced an employee to take responsibility, causing her mental breakdown and attempted suicide by drowning..."
Haven felt overwhelming remorse and regret. "I'm sorry... I was acting as if I'd lost my mind. I didn't consider any of those things... I was far too childish..."
She gripped the apple too hard—juice ran down her fingers.
"It's natural to feel scared when trouble arises," Josephine said, taking out a tissue and handing it to her. "Still, no matter what happens, you must never throw away your life."
Haven clutched the tissue and nodded seriously. "Yes. I know doing that was foolish. I'll never do it again."
"Stay in the hospital for now. Don't tell anyone why you're hospitalized..."
Before Josephine finished speaking, Emma called. The ringtone was particularly jarring in the quiet hospital room.
"Ms. Kennedy, somebody has spread the information about Haven's suicide attempt to the media. They're currently at the hospital, waiting for you. Grab her and get out of here fast."
Josephine shot to her feet and strode to the window to look down. She saw several cars parked by the roadside. Reporters with cameras were getting out and hurrying into the hospital.
Haven stood behind her and looked out as well. At the sight of this, her face turned white. "They aren't here to question me, are they?"
"Probably so," Josephine replied, furrowing her brow a little as she looked at Haven. She said, after a moment's thought, "Stay here in the room. Don't step outside. I'll go see what's happening."
Haven grabbed her hand. "No! These reporters are here for me. I caused this trouble—I can't let you go down alone to handle it."
Josephine glanced down at her hand. Her fingers trembled uncontrollably with fear, cold as ice.
She was clearly terrified...
She patted Haven's hand. "Don't be afraid."
Haven swallowed. "Actually, I'm not afraid. I'm just worried about bringing new trouble to the company..."
"Getting out of trouble is actually pretty straightforward," Josephine said with a faint smile, a cunning glint in her eyes. She moved closer to Haven's ear and murmured something softly.
Haven's eyes widened. "But that would..."
"Don't worry. Just do as I say." Josephine smiled.
Haven's eyes reddened. Josephine really was a wonderful supervisor. She felt increasingly regretful about her escape attempt. "Alright! I'll do whatever you say!"
Several reporters hurried into the hospital, took the elevator, and headed straight for the sixth-floor inpatient ward. Getting out of the elevator, they immediately walked toward their target room.
This commotion caught a nearby nurse's attention.
"Who are you looking for?"
"None of your concern," one journalist said as he shoved the nurse out of the way. The rest had already hurried over to the hospital room and thrown the door wide open.
But the room was empty.
"Where is she?"
"You're asking me? How should I know! The information I got said she was in this room!"
A reporter at the back caught a flash of movement from the corner of his eye and shouted, "Over there! I saw her! Quick, chase her—don't let her get away!"