Chapter 217
The two men locked eyes, sparks seeming to fly.
Cedric said flatly, "You seem very concerned about my lifelong matters."
"You're my older brother. Isn't it normal to care about you?"
"You'd be better off worrying about your own affairs."
Gideon smiled slightly, though his eyes were cold. "What do I have to worry about? Like Grandpa said, everything's going well for me. You're the one alone, always causing concern. You need someone by your side to care for you. With your distinguished status and golden pedigree, you should find a lady from a prestigious family, or maybe a princess."
Actually, there was a kingdom with a monarchy. Supposedly, that king had a son and a daughter—the daughter was a pampered princess of noble and distinguished status.
Reminded by him, David did recall this matter and actually started seriously considering it. "Your brother's right. You should match with someone of even greater status."
In David's eyes, the grandson he'd personally raised was perfect in every way, superior to everyone else, deserving the very best.
But sometimes this love felt overly burdensome.
Cedric took a deep breath, shot Gideon a cold look, then lowered his head to tell David, "Grandpa, you know my temperament. I don't like being arranged for. If you really bring me some princess, are you expecting her to order me around?"
"With your abilities, can't you handle her?"
"You overestimate me." Princess or lady, Cedric wasn't interested. He wanted nothing of the sort. What he wanted, he had his own ideas about. "The matchmaking can wait. Right now I have an important company meeting. Any later and I'll be late."
If this were anyone else, David would definitely order them detained with a word. What company meeting could be more important than his lecture?
But this person was Cedric.
If this grandson was determined to do something, force couldn't stop him.
David didn't insist. "Go on, then. Go."
Josephine immediately stood, unhesitatingly following Cedric as he turned toward the door. Before leaving, she sensed a gaze falling on her back.
Making her skin crawl.
Once outside, the door finally blocked that gaze.
Reaching the car, Josephine sighed softly.
Cedric opened the car door, letting her get in first. After they were both seated, he finally spoke. "Looks like your plan failed."
Josephine pressed her lips together. "How was I supposed to know I'd run into Lorelei in the restroom?"
If she'd known, she wouldn't have gone.
But Cedric said, "Even if you hadn't met today, she wouldn't have let you off easily."
"Sometimes I really wonder if I did something terrible to her in a past life." Josephine couldn't figure it out herself. Had she stolen her child in a previous life? Killed her parents?
Why this endless entanglement?
Cedric lowered the car window. A breeze drifted in, seeming to disperse some of the frustration. "Some people are just like that. You can't understand their thought process. If you did understand, you'd become them."
Good point.
Since she couldn't understand, she wouldn't try. Josephine was already thinking about her next move. Originally, she'd planned to put on a show with Cedric to make Gideon give up.
The performance had actually worked quite well. But now with David's interference... all the previous effort was wasted. Gideon was the type who, given even a spark of hope, would immediately let it burst into flames.
And that wasn't even the biggest problem. The biggest problem now was David, who truly believed they were closely involved and was planning to force Cedric into arranged dates.
And her...
Josephine didn't believe David would let her stay out of it. Perhaps she should find a chance to talk with David...
What Josephine least expected was that three days later, she'd also have to attend a banquet.
Standing before Getty Manor's entrance, Josephine watched guests continuously entering through those doors, somewhat doubting reality. "You really want me to go in with you?"
"Why not?" Cedric glanced at her.
Josephine frowned. "Your grandfather already dislikes me. Going in with you will only enrage him and make him more suspicious of our relationship."
But Cedric said, "Last time I helped you. Now it's your turn to help me. If you run, that would be pretty dishonorable."
"...I won't run, but I just don't understand what you're avoiding."
They'd been standing here for a while. Because they stood in the shade with a car in front, guests entering Getty Manor hadn't noticed them.
Instead, it let Josephine get a clear view of all the young ladies coming and going.
Each one beautiful, graceful, and elegant.
One wore a fiery red gown, passionate as flame. Another wore white, beautiful as a celestial being. Yet another wore a black strapless dress outlining a perfect figure, sexy and alluring.
These beauties made her dizzy just watching. "You really don't like any of them?"
Cedric said flatly, "I don't like women."
Josephine froze, feeling some words carrying enormous weight yet floating lightly into her ears. "What did you just say?"
She hadn't misheard, had she?
Cedric calmly repeated, "I said I don't like women. Can you understand that?"
"...Yes."
Cedric continued, "This is my biggest secret. Please help me keep it—don't tell anyone, especially not Grandpa. He's determined for me to marry and have children, but I don't want to deceive anyone. So I need you to help me hide this, even perform a bit."
This was absolutely his biggest secret!
Josephine was completely certain. At the same time, she couldn't help feeling a trace of sympathy for him—not sympathy for his orientation, but feeling that hiding this for so many years without being understood, constantly pressured by David to marry and have children, must have been difficult.
She sighed, suddenly thinking of that legendary first love who'd never appeared yet remained in his heart.
So this first love was also male?
Josephine's thoughts wandered. Cedric just watched her, placing his hand on her shoulder, lowering his head slightly to speak near her ear. "Remember to keep my secret. No one else knows—only you. And only you can help me."
Before this conversation today, Josephine definitely wouldn't have been comfortable with him this close. But now she could accept it. She righteously patted his back. "Don't worry!"
She took a deep breath, as if marching into battle, straightened her spine, and walked into Getty Manor.
He'd helped her. She had to help him back. Fair!
Cedric followed behind her, a faint smile playing at his lips.
After entering Getty Manor, Gideon spotted them first. Before David could notice, he walked over and grabbed Josephine's wrist. "Who told you to come here?"