Chapter 197
Yves was taken away.
Just those few charges alone—with a bit of maneuvering—would keep him locked up for at least several months.
Josephine stood at the hospital room door. Gideon said, "If you're worried he'll cause trouble when he gets out, I can handle it."
"No need. He wouldn't dare cause trouble for me." Though she'd only met him twice, Josephine was certain Yves was the type who bullied the weak and feared the strong. He only picked on Lily because of her gentle nature—in reality, he was utterly useless.
Just a coward who preyed on women.
"Aren't you afraid he'll come after Lily again?" Gideon looked at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. Her dismissive, contemptuous expression was rather endearing.
Josephine glanced at Lily in the room, decided this place wasn't safe enough, and had the nurses move her to a different room—a VIP one that required visitor registration.
Then she prepared to leave the hospital and return to the office.
Gideon followed behind her the whole time, watching her bustle about, content to be her shadow.
All the way to the hospital entrance, Josephine turned around. "Why are you still following me?"
"You didn't answer my question." In truth, he didn't care about the answer—he just wanted an excuse to talk to her a bit longer, even if just a few words.
Josephine said coolly, "Lily graduates from college in two months. Her dream is to be an archaeologist. After graduation, she'll travel with her professor. As for her grandmother, I've already arranged the most secure nursing home for her. No one will be able to find her."
Once these two months passed, Lily would be completely free, with no need to fear her parasitic brother.
Gideon praised, "You've thought of everything."
Josephine tugged at the corner of her mouth and got into the car. From the window, she looked at Gideon. "It's not that I thought of everything. You thought too little. In your eyes, Lily is a woman and therefore weak. She doesn't deserve and couldn't possibly save herself."
That's why he could remain so superior—even when visiting Lily in the hospital, he'd never felt genuinely sorry, not for even a second.
That was Gideon.
Proud and arrogant.
Before the car drove away, Josephine left him with one sentence. "Too much arrogance isn't always a good thing."
Gideon watched the car grow distant. If anyone else had said that to him, he'd have been furious. But because it was her, he could only take it.
The next day, Josephine came to handle Lily's discharge. Seeing her in good spirits, standing by the window and stretching her limbs, she smiled.
"Looks like you've recovered." Josephine set the fruit she'd brought on the coffee table.
Lily turned and saw her, immediately delighted. She grinned. "That's all thanks to you! You got me such a nice room and such good doctors and nurses. How could I not recover?"
Josephine sat on the sofa. "Come sit."
Lily obediently sat beside her. "Ms. Kennedy, the nurses told me what happened yesterday. I was almost taken away by my brother. You arrived just in time and stopped him."
Josephine shook her head. "It wasn't all my doing. The doctors and nurses yesterday were amazing, blocking him at the door. Thanks to them buying time, I was able to get there."
"Everyone's so kind."
"But even the kindest people eventually have to part." Josephine waved the medical record in her hand—the doctor's discharge approval. "The doctor says if you feel fine, he can process your discharge."
"I've wanted to leave for ages. I've fallen behind on so much coursework, and I miss Grandma." Though Lily knew her grandmother was safe under Josephine's arrangements, the longing welling up from deep inside wouldn't easily fade.
She needed to see her with her own eyes to feel at ease.
"All right, pack your things and change. I'll handle the paperwork, then take you to see your grandmother."
Josephine left the room and headed for the elevator, but no matter how many times she pressed the button, it wouldn't light up. It seemed to be broken.
Not knowing when it would be fixed, she took the stairs instead. Entering the stairwell, her phone buzzed with a message. She looked down to check it, catching in her peripheral vision someone approaching. Naturally, she stepped aside to make room.
Suddenly, someone shoved her from behind.
Josephine was about to tumble down the stairs. Her heart seized. One hand clutched her phone tightly while the other grabbed the handrail.
Just as she steadied herself, a voice came from behind.
"I'm sorry."
Lorelei?
Josephine didn't even have time to turn around before she saw a figure fall past her.
The figure dropped rapidly, quickly tumbling down the stairs and landing motionless on the floor below.
Before Josephine could figure out what was happening, the stairwell door burst open.
"Ms. Kelly! Someone help! Ms. Kelly's been pushed down the stairs!"
It was a woman in her forties—Lorelei's caretaker. Her shout brought doctors and nurses rushing in. Everyone scrambled to get Lorelei to the operating room.
In the blink of an eye, the stairwell emptied.
Josephine hesitated, but the caretaker returned and grabbed her hand. "I can't let you run. You pushed Ms. Kelly down the stairs. If something serious happens to her, you'll face legal consequences!"
Josephine was dragged to the operating room entrance. Before long, Briana and Gideon arrived.
Mother and son hurried over. Briana had already learned the "truth" from the caretaker over the phone. Seeing Josephine now, her fury boiled over.
She rushed forward to slap Josephine. "You vicious bitch!"
Naturally, Josephine didn't let her succeed. She caught Briana's arm. No matter how much Briana struggled, she couldn't break free. Not until her face turned red did Josephine release her. "Do you have proof? Accusations without evidence are slander and defamation. I can have you arrested."
Briana choked, but quickly recovered. "Of course I have proof! This caretaker is my witness. She saw you push her down the stairs with her own eyes!"
"Ms. Hughes, don't you know that oral testimony from someone with an employment, family, or friendship relationship with the victim doesn't count as evidence? Who's to say she wasn't paid to frame me?"
Briana trembled with rage. "Well, aren't you impressive now! Sharp-tongued and glib! Fine, I can't outargue you. We'll call the police and let them investigate. Either way, you won't escape. I'll make you pay. You dared harm my grandchild—I'll make you pay with your life!"
"I'm afraid you don't have that power." Josephine wasn't remotely afraid of the police, because she hadn't even touched Lorelei. Even fingerprint analysis would find nothing.
Briana suppressed her fury and turned to Gideon. "Are you just going to stand there saying nothing? Inside that room is your woman and your child!"
Gideon looked at Josephine. She didn't look at Gideon, only occasionally glancing at her watch, seeming quite impatient.
Gideon's eyes darkened.
But before he could speak, the emergency room door opened.