Chapter 203
He was still typing in the message box, editing for ages but not knowing what to say.
Then the other party sent a message first.
Josephine: [How much was the chair?]
Gideon frowned and typed rapidly. [Don't give me money. I won't accept it.]
Josephine: [I'll look it up myself.]
After sending that, Josephine stopped replying.
Gideon set his phone face-down on his lap. After two seconds of silence, he suddenly kicked the back of the seat in front of him.
The assistant watched the veins bulge at his temples in fury but didn't dare make a sound, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Gideon suddenly said, "Don't go back."
The assistant instinctively asked, "Then where would you like to go?"
Gideon was silent for a long moment before giving an address.
The assistant's heart sank. He wanted to advise against it but didn't dare. If they went there, tonight would definitely bring another storm.
He was just a lowly assistant. He didn't have the guts or courage to stop it. In the end, he resignedly turned the wheel, and the car sped off in a different direction.
Josephine set down her phone and lay on her desk with a headache. She really hadn't wanted to add Gideon as a friend, but she'd searched online for ages and couldn't find this chair model anywhere.
These past few days she'd been so busy she'd forgotten about it. Only when she saw Gideon today did she remember she still hadn't transferred him the money.
His refusal to accept was expected. But how could she find out the chair's price...
As Josephine pondered this, she saw Noah hurrying past her office door.
Why was he in such a rush?
Noah at that moment wished he could sprout wings on his feet. He'd just returned to his seat with a cup of coffee, not yet having taken a sip, when the call button summoned him urgently to Cedric's office.
The moment he entered, he found Cedric's expression particularly grim. This made him extra cautious even in asking questions. "Mr. Getty, what can I do for you?"
"Go check whether Josephine received a package two days ago, sent by Gideon," Cedric said coldly.
Noah froze but didn't dare ask more. He quickly turned and left the office. But as he brushed past an empty cardboard box, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention.
Unable to resist his curiosity, he stopped and turned his head for a look.
A slip of paper was stuck to the box.
It clearly recorded the tracking number, along with the recipient's name and contact information.
Though the phone number was redacted, the recipient's name was still there.
—Ms. Kennedy.
Only the sender's name wasn't written.
Noah's mouth twitched. He didn't dare look back, running out as if wolves were chasing him.
About five minutes later, Noah trudged back with slow, reluctant steps into the office.
Cedric looked up, his gaze sharp.
"I just asked the department staff. Ms. Kennedy did receive a package," Noah said quietly. "Two colleagues helped carry it in..."
"Who sent it?" Cedric asked.
Noah swallowed, closed his eyes, and said with resignation, "Mr. Gideon Getty sent it."
After he finished speaking, there was no response for a long time. He cautiously opened one eye to see Cedric sitting on the sofa, expressionlessly staring at the chair.
He'd loved it so much the past few days, sitting in it constantly. Today he looked like he wanted to tear it apart with his bare hands.
Noah lowered his head, wishing he could disappear.
"Call Josephine in."
Noah didn't say another word and ran out.
However, another five minutes passed, and he returned—still alone.
"She won't come?" Cedric asked.
Noah shook his head. "Ms. Kennedy went out for a business meeting. She probably won't be back today."
At that moment, Josephine was having dinner with a client. The research institute was responsible for quite a few projects—five or six in total, large and small.
Besides the collaboration with Starlight Group, there were plenty of other partners, including some still in negotiation. The client she was meeting today was one of those.
While eating, she suddenly caught sight of a car parked by the roadside. Josephine knew this car well.
It was a Getty family vehicle.
After quickly seeing off the client, Josephine left the restaurant. The car door opened, and the butler stepped out. His features were gentle, and when he smiled, he seemed easy to talk to.
But only Josephine knew this butler's temperament and methods were learned directly from David. Compared to David's authority and fearsome presence, though, the butler was better at pretense.
"Why are you here?" Clearly, the car had been parked there waiting for her deliberately. At this point, trying to avoid it was both unnecessary and too late. Josephine walked forward and greeted him proactively.
The butler said with a cheerful smile, "Mrs. Getty, it's been a while. Actually, Mr. David Getty wishes to see you and specifically sent me to pick you up."
"May I ask what he wants to see me about?" Josephine stood on the roadside without moving.
"You know his temperament well. What he doesn't want to say, no one can pry out of him. But you needn't be overly anxious. Perhaps he just wants to ask about how you've been lately. After all, you were once part of the Getty family. It's normal for him to be concerned about you."
Josephine smiled. "Do you believe that yourself?"
The butler smiled flawlessly. "Of course I believe what I say. But that's not important. What matters is whether you believe it."
Of course she didn't.
Josephine pressed her lips together. "I'm afraid today won't work. I promised my father I'd go home for dinner with him. Could we schedule it for tomorrow instead?"
A flash of surprise crossed the butler's eyes, as if he hadn't expected her to refuse so decisively. "I'll need to ask Mr. David Getty about that. Please wait a moment."
He walked to the side and called David, explaining the situation concisely.
Josephine couldn't hear what the person on the other end said, but she saw the butler nodding repeatedly.
"Yes, yes, of course."
After hanging up, the butler walked over to Josephine. "Mr. David Getty has agreed. He says if you wish to return home to honor your parents, no one can prevent that. Please feel free to go home, and convey his regards to your father as well."
"I certainly will." Josephine watched the butler get in the car and drive away, but her heart wouldn't settle at all. Actually, her earlier refusal had just been a simple test.
David's methods were domineering and tyrannical. He never allowed anyone to defy him. She'd held no hope at all, but David had actually agreed.
Something was wrong.
Josephine felt uneasy. She had the nagging feeling she was overlooking something important.
The next day, after work in the evening, Josephine kept her appointment and got into the butler's car, arriving at Getty Manor.
The moment she entered, she found the room full of people.
But there were very few actual Getty family members—only David, the butler standing behind him, Gideon, Bentley, and Briana, holding hands intimately with Lorelei.
It looked like a family dinner.
And Josephine, standing at the door, seemed utterly out of place—like an awkward intruder barging in from outside.