Chapter 202
Gideon lowered his head, fiddling with his phone. A moment later, the elevator stopped.
Even though Josephine didn't want to, she had no choice but to attend the meeting with him. After all, business was business and personal was personal. Her personal dislike for him couldn't affect her work.
A group of people packed into the conference room for the meeting. By the time it ended, two hours had passed. Josephine lowered her head to collect her files. Next to them sat the coffee Gideon had ordered for her. She hadn't touched it from start to finish.
Her colleagues knew about their relationship—divorced, yet forced to see each other because of work. Everyone tacitly ignored the awkward atmosphere between them.
When Josephine looked up, she discovered Gideon had disappeared.
She didn't think much of it. She gathered her files and planned to retreat to her office and not emerge until Gideon left.
At that moment, Gideon stood outside Cedric's office, staring at the white chair for a long time. A cleaning lady was blocked in the doorway—unable to get out or go back in.
"Are you done looking? I need to leave. Could you please move aside?"
The cleaner was getting desperate. She'd just finished cleaning Cedric's office and was about to leave when this person inexplicably blocked the doorway.
At her age, she certainly didn't think this handsome young man had fallen for her at first sight. She just thought he was unwell.
His eyes were fixed like that—probably forgot to take his medication before coming out!
The moment Gideon stepped aside, the cleaner squeezed past. The office doorway became empty. Gideon lifted his foot to enter, but after just one step, someone stopped him.
It was Noah, who'd rushed over. His breathing was still a bit labored, but he stood firmly in front of Gideon. "Mr. Gideon Getty, this is Mr. Cedric Getty's office. Without his permission, no one may enter freely."
"I'm here to take back what belongs to me."
"How could Mr. Cedric Getty have anything of yours?" Noah was confused. These brothers had never gotten along and never accepted gifts from each other.
This claim seemed highly dubious.
"If you have business with Mr. Cedric Getty, why don't you wait in the lounge next door? When he returns, I'll notify you immediately." Noah smiled politely.
But Gideon's next words wiped the smile off Noah's face.
"Then help me pass along a message to Cedric. Or rather, ask him a question. Is he really that broke? Can't even afford to buy the chair he wants, so he has to steal someone else's?"
Noah frowned. "How do you know this chair was a gift?"
"Because it's a gift I gave." This chair wasn't something available on the market. Gideon had paid a high price to have it custom-made, which took a full three months.
All to surprise Josephine.
And he'd drawn the design himself. He was intimately familiar with every detail of this chair. One glance—just one glance—and he could recognize it.
Noah screamed internally. He knew that ever since Cedric received this chair, his mood had been excellent. He'd even been more lenient with employees.
Who could have guessed this chair was from Gideon!
This was a disaster!
Yet at this moment, in front of Gideon, Noah had to maintain a calm demeanor. "It might just be similar. After all, there are many similar things in this world. I'm not entirely sure who gave Mr. Cedric Getty this chair. If you're curious, you can ask him yourself when he returns."
His words were airtight.
Gideon gave him a long look. "Cedric really found himself a good assistant."
Noah blocked the doorway, refusing to budge.
Gideon couldn't force his way in, but he had no intention of leaving either. He turned and headed straight into the reception room.
But he'd barely set one foot inside when familiar, steady footsteps sounded behind him.
Gideon turned back with a cold laugh, his gaze falling on the man approaching from the other end of the corridor. "You're finally back. I've been waiting quite a while."
Cedric glanced at him. "Let's talk in my office."
He wasn't accustomed to conversations in public, nor did he want others knowing the Getty family's private affairs.
Noah frantically shot meaningful looks at Cedric, hoping he'd understand.
Unfortunately, Cedric just looked at him. "Eye twitch?"
Noah felt despair.
Gideon patted his shoulder and followed Cedric into the office, casually surveying the space. "Your office is far more impressive than Grandpa's was."
"Didn't you get everything from Grandpa's office?" Cedric shot him a glance.
It seemed emotionless, but Gideon knew the other man was mocking him, warning him.
He'd gotten all of Grandpa's things. Don't be greedy.
After years of discord and countless confrontations, they could understand each other's thoughts and intentions from just a look, just a sentence.
Gideon truly hated this understanding. Because the more he understood, the more acutely he felt the gap between them.
But now...
He looked at the chair Cedric sat in. "What do you think of this chair?"
"It's all right."
There it was again.
That completely composed attitude, as if nothing—not even the sky falling—could affect him.
Gideon walked to the desk, braced his hands on it, and leaned forward slightly, looking at Cedric with a somewhat condescending posture. "Of course it's comfortable. I paid to have it custom-made. I'm glad you like it."
Cedric slowly raised his head.
Gideon smiled. "Don't tell me you didn't know? This chair can't be bought anywhere. It's one of a kind in the whole world. I just never imagined it would end up in your possession. Seems you and this chair were meant to be."
"You had it custom-made?" Cedric asked.
"That's right." Gideon admitted it openly, even with a hint of malice. "I gave it to Jojo. Though I don't know how it ended up in your office, considering Jojo works under you, I suppose it's understandable. After all, pleasing your superior is a basic workplace skill."
Cedric relaxed his body and leaned back in the chair. "How much did it cost to make?"
"Not much. A few hundred thousand dollars."
A few hundred thousand, said so casually.
Cedric nodded slightly. "I'll have someone transfer it to you later. A million dollars—is that enough?"
"That's way more than necessary." Gideon glanced meaningfully at the chair. "Actually, if you like it, I could have one made for you. It's just a chair. Not worth much, not some precious treasure. I can be generous."
"Besides a chair, what else do you have to offer?" Cedric directly mocked him.
Gideon stiffened, then slowly straightened. "You're right. I'm rather poor. Don't have much to offer. The only thing I could give you is a chair."
"You really are poor." Cedric nodded.
What a vicious tongue! Gideon took a deep breath and curved his lips. "I heard you've been in a good mood lately. Seems you really love this chair. Don't bother transferring the money. Keep using it. If it breaks or has any problems, feel free to contact me. After all, no one understands this chair better than I do."
With that, he turned and left.
His expression remained neutral until he left the building and got into his car. Then he yanked at his tie, a flash of ruthlessness appearing in his eyes. "Their relationship definitely isn't innocent."
His assistant, hearing this, paused. "Who are you talking about?"
Gideon viciously pulled off his tie. It left a red mark on his neck. He seemed not to feel it at all, his mind repeatedly whipped by one question.
Had Josephine and Cedric gotten together or not?
When did their relationship improve? It couldn't have been after the divorce. Since Josephine joined Cedric's company, maybe the two had been carrying on secretly all along.
The more Gideon thought about it, the more furious he became, feeling utterly betrayed. Just then, his phone showed a friend request—from Josephine, who'd deleted him long ago.
Gideon immediately accepted.