Chapter 206
The car drove smoothly along the road. Josephine and Gideon both sat in the back seat, with a large gap between them—enough space to fit another person.
Gideon asked bluntly, "What did Grandpa say to you?"
Josephine was leaning against the car window, watching the scenery fly past, her irritation growing thicker by the moment. Without turning her head, she replied, "You can go ask your grandfather yourself."
"You're taking it out on me." Gideon was sharp enough to immediately pick up on her mood. Had David said something to upset her? "Did Grandpa make things difficult for you?"
Josephine turned to look at him and tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Then guess—why would your grandfather make things difficult for me?"
Gideon fell silent.
Josephine smiled, but her smile was full of mockery. "Can't figure it out, or have you already guessed but can't bring yourself to say it?"
Gideon's Adam's apple bobbed. In that moment, he inexplicably didn't dare meet her eyes and awkwardly looked away. "What wouldn't I dare say? I just can't guess..."
Josephine said nothing, just stared at him.
Finally, Gideon couldn't continue. Even he couldn't fool himself with that lie. "It's because of me, isn't it?"
They were already divorced. Even if David didn't like Josephine, he had no reason to trouble her—unless it was because he and Josephine had been getting too close.
Gideon's fingers rubbed the fabric on his knee, his voice slightly rushed. "I never meant to bring you trouble... Whatever Grandpa said, don't take it seriously. He won't actually move against you. I won't let him hurt you."
Josephine neither confirmed nor denied it.
This man before her had made countless promises, each one seemingly heartfelt and earth-shattering. But the results were plain to see.
Promises really were the most worthless things.
The car soon stopped at Serenity Bay. Josephine opened the door and got out—no lingering, not even a backward glance.
"Jojo."
Gideon's voice came from behind.
Josephine didn't stop. Gideon knew he could no longer make her stay, so he just finished what he wanted to say. "If Grandpa forces you to do anything, ignore it. I'll handle it."
Josephine's figure gradually disappeared behind the entrance.
Gideon got back in the car and glanced at the driver. "You can report today's conversation to Grandpa truthfully."
The driver quickly lowered his head. "You're too kind. I wouldn't dare speak carelessly."
Gideon gave a cold laugh. "If I don't let you speak, you won't?"
"Mr. David Getty's orders—I can only obey." The driver kept his head down, appearing respectful.
In other words, he would report everything faithfully.
Gideon's lips curved, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Say whatever you want. I dare to say it, so I'm not afraid of Grandpa hearing it. Grandpa wants a qualified, excellent heir. I'll work to become that. But one thing—don't touch Josephine."
The driver said gently, "He won't."
Gideon made no comment.
No one understood David better than he did. He still remembered the first time he returned to Getty Manor—David made him kneel in the courtyard for six hours simply because his first visit wasn't dressed formally enough.
From that moment on, he knew David's authority in this house could not be challenged or questioned.
Back home, Josephine felt increasingly uneasy no matter how much she thought about it, so she called her father. But no one answered. Her heart sank even further.
Nothing happened, right?
Josephine suddenly stood up, grabbed her phone and coat, and rushed out the door. From Clearwater Ridge to her parents' place was normally a half-hour drive, but it felt like a century.
She just hoped the car would go faster, faster still.
When she arrived, Josephine hadn't even caught her breath before pushing open the door. Last time she visited, her father had given her a house key.
Walking in, she saw the house was empty. Josephine's heart had nowhere to settle. Her hands were trembling as she clutched her phone, hurrying through the house to check every room.
No one. Not a soul in any room.
She sat on the sofa, gripping her phone tightly, repeatedly telling herself to stay calm.
David wasn't the type to use crude physical force. He preferred warnings and threats, making people compromise in fear, gradually submitting to his commands.
She struggled to recall the conversation in the study. She hadn't refused outright—David shouldn't move against her parents yet...
Through this repeated reasoning, she gradually calmed down and decided to ask the neighbors. Maybe her parents had just gone out for a walk. Just as she reached the door, she heard the neighbor's door open.
Preston and Gemma walked out of the neighbor's house. The neighbors were also a married couple. All four were chatting and laughing.
Looking up and seeing Josephine, Preston was surprised but mostly delighted. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming? I could've had your mother make you something good to eat."
Gemma took Josephine's hand. "We haven't seen you in days. Have you lost weight again?"
The couple pulled their daughter back inside. Josephine looked at her parents standing perfectly fine before her, and the heart that had been lodged in her throat finally settled back into her chest.
She suddenly hugged her mother, who was bustling about trying to pour water and get fruit for her.
Gemma enjoyed her daughter's affection but quickly sensed something was wrong with her emotions. Worried, she tried to turn around, but her daughter held her tightly.
"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?"
Hearing that, Preston exploded, suddenly slapping the table. "Who dares bully my daughter?"
Josephine laughed despite herself. She finally released her mother and rubbed her eyes, her voice muffled. "No one bullied me. I've just been living alone, not eating well, not sleeping well. I missed you both, so I came to see you."
Gemma saw her daughter rubbing her eyes and panicked, thinking she was crying. Seeing only slightly red eyes but no tears, she breathed a sigh of relief. "You silly child. We told you to stay home, but you insisted on going back to live alone. We worry about you too. Why don't you just stay from now on?"
Preston also looked at his daughter hopefully.
Josephine hesitated. "But the distance from here to work is really... not convenient."
The commute was quite far, and traffic was bad.
Gemma sighed, thinking that if her daughter stayed home, she'd have to leave an hour early every morning to avoid traffic and get to work on time—no sleeping in. That would be too exhausting. "Never mind, you decide for yourself. Come back whenever you miss us."
Josephine sat on the sofa holding her mother's arm, being unusually clingy today. "Mom, Dad, hasn't our house been around for quite a while?"
Preston poured her a glass of water. Hearing this, he glanced around the home they'd lived in for decades and sighed. "It has been years. Back when you were going to school here, your mother and I didn't feel comfortable leaving you alone, so we bought this place. Our family lived here for many years. After you got married, you didn't come back as often, but your mother and I still love this house."
Josephine knew why—this house held their family's beautiful memories. Even when she wasn't there, the things she'd used and the traces of her existence were a comfort to her parents.
Josephine tested the waters. "I remember when we bought the house, the property management said this was an old building. Doesn't that mean it might be demolished?"