Chapter 23
The red wine trickled down Josephine's face as she kept her eyes closed. Emma quickly grabbed napkins to help clean her up.
Aiden stepped protectively in front of Josephine, glaring at Briana. "Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to assault someone?"
Briana looked Aiden up and down, then shifted her gaze to Josephine, her face lighting up with realization. "I knew you couldn't behave yourself. You just swindled property rights from my son, and now you're already out here chasing men—two of them at once! Josephine, have you no shame?"
Aiden's eyes widened in shock, his face flushing with anger. "Don't talk nonsense! Our relationship with Josephine isn't anything like what you're suggesting!"
Nearby, Kenneth's expression turned ice cold.
Josephine gently pushed away Emma, who was still dabbing at her face. "I'm having dinner with colleagues to celebrate our work, Ms. Hughes. Please watch what you say. I won't let you slander my coworkers—they could sue you for defamation."
"Don't try to scare me with legal threats!" Briana's voice was shrill, unconcerned about making a scene. "My son has bent over backward for you all these years. You said you didn't want children, that you couldn't have them, and he accepted it all. Now you're out here behaving so shamelessly—how could you do this to him?"
"Ms. Hughes, stop making things up," Josephine said firmly. She couldn't let such serious accusations stand.
Briana continued her tirade. "If you're brave enough to do it, be brave enough to own it! My son loves you deeply, but here you are flirting with pretty boys. Absolutely shameless! You're not worthy to be my daughter-in-law! I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"
Josephine frowned slightly. "Does Gideon know you're here causing a scene?"
Briana's gaze suddenly fell on the steaming hot chili pot on the table. Everyone felt a sense of foreboding.
In the next moment, she violently flipped the pot of spicy soup! The scalding liquid and oil flew toward Josephine. Kenneth, who had been standing quietly nearby with his eyes fixed on Briana's every move, reacted instantly. As the soup went flying, he quickly pulled Josephine aside.
The soup splashed onto the floor, sending up a cloud of steam. The other diners who had been watching the drama quickly backed away. Josephine felt a chill—that pot of boiling chili would have caused serious burns if it had hit her.
"My bag!" Briana cried out. Her Chanel purse, which she'd placed on the table, had fallen into the spilled soup and was completely ruined. It was an expensive bag she treasured and carried everywhere. Now it was destroyed, and she looked up at Josephine with fury. "Not only are you running around with men, but you deliberately damaged my property! You'll pay for this—full price!"
Her behavior was beyond unreasonable.
Josephine replied calmly, "You ruined your own bag. We can check the security footage."
"What security footage? This whole incident happened because of you! You stole my son's research property, and I caught you dining with men. You shameless woman—I'll make sure my son divorces you!"
Josephine smiled. "Go ahead. If you can manage that, get him to sign the divorce papers."
Gideon would never sign. He couldn't even tell her about his affair, preferring to have Lorelei secretly bear his child. As if he'd actually divorce her!
Briana stood with her hands on her hips, fuming. "Just you wait, Josephine! I'll not only get you divorced, I'll make you pay for my bag in full. Everything you've taken from my son—I'll make you give it all back!"
Emma couldn't listen anymore. "They're married! How can you talk like that? When people are married, what's his is hers."
"Who asked you, little girl? You have no right to speak here. So young and already hanging around with them—you're probably no better than she is!"
Emma was just a young woman, no match for Briana. She turned red with frustration.
Josephine moved Emma behind her. "Whether you sue or whatever else, I'll face it head-on."
"How dare you!" Briana had never liked Josephine, though Josephine had always tried to be a good daughter-in-law—obedient and well-behaved. No matter how powerful she was outside the home, at home she kept her head down. But lately, she seemed like a different person, repeatedly standing up for herself, which infuriated Briana.
"Starlight Group's legal team isn't incompetent! Any one of their lawyers could ensure you don't get a penny in a divorce!"
Josephine knew this was true—it was precisely why she hadn't already filed for divorce. "If you want to take this to court, I'm ready." Backing down now would only make people believe Briana's accusations.
Briana wasn't used to being challenged like this. The last time Josephine had asked for money, Briana assumed it was because her son's affair had pushed her to desperation. But now even the threat of divorce didn't intimidate Josephine?
Just then, a voice came from the doorway.
"Do you need me to hire a lawyer for you?"
Cedric stood tall and elegant at the entrance.
Briana's expression changed when she saw him. In the Getty family, the person she feared most wasn't Bentley or the old-fashioned David who never approved of her. It was Cedric—young, but already holding the real power in the Getty family.
"Cedric... what are you doing here?"
Cedric ignored her and walked straight to Josephine. "I'd prefer you not create any scandals before starting your new position."
Josephine noticed that his bodyguards had already confiscated phones and cameras from everyone who had been taking pictures.
"Don't worry, I won't," she said quietly.
Cedric stood tall and handsome, while Josephine was graceful and elegant beside him. Watching them, Briana had a terrifying thought, but quickly dismissed it. Someone of Cedric's stature would never have any inappropriate relationship with Josephine—he was far too good for her!
"Cedric, what did you just say? What new position?"
Cedric gave Briana a dismissive glance and changed the subject. "Father hasn't been home for three days."
This usually meant he'd found a new lover.
Briana stiffened, hiding her jealousy. "Him not coming home is nothing unusual. He's a grown man—I'm sure he's fine."
"How understanding of you, Ms. Hughes." Cedric's tone was light, making it impossible to tell if he was praising or mocking her.
Briana gritted her teeth slightly. Even though she lived with Bentley, she still wasn't officially his wife—she had even less standing than Josephine!
"You're coming with me!" she snapped, reaching for Josephine, who stepped aside to avoid her grasp.
"Ms. Hughes, you should go home now. Stop making a scene before you embarrass yourself further. If this reaches Grandfather's ears, it won't be good for you."
Briana's eyes widened. "Are you threatening me?"
"Mom."
Gideon's voice came from behind them.
Briana seemed to find her support and quickly grabbed his arm. "Gid, did you hear that? Your wife is getting more and more disrespectful—even threatening me! Soon she'll be walking all over me! Look at her, surrounded by men. She's probably been cheating on you for ages! Divorce her immediately. You don't need her anymore—a woman who can't have children should make way for someone else!"