Chapter 27
Josephine was washing her hands when the bathroom door opened behind her. She didn't turn, assuming someone just needed the facilities, until she realized the person had stopped directly behind her.
In the mirror, she caught Lorelei's reflection. Without acknowledging her, Josephine dried her hands and moved to leave.
"Look what I have." Lorelei thrust her wrist in Josephine's path.
A white jade bracelet gleamed there, swaying with her movement. Josephine recognized it instantly—the bracelet that had always adorned Briana's wrist. During their wedding, Gideon had asked for it, but Briana refused, claiming Josephine would only receive it when she earned Briana's approval.
Lorelei swung her wrist smugly, letting the bracelet slide up her forearm. "Briana is quite fond of me. She even gave me the family heirloom. Said it's passed down to Getty wives."
"Is that so? Congratulations."
"Stop pretending," Lorelei leaned in close, her voice dropping to a vicious whisper. "I know you're devastated. While you were locked away at home for those two weeks, Gideon was with me every night. We stayed in hotels together. He couldn't get enough of me—holding me every night, making love to me..."
The crack of Josephine's palm against Lorelei's cheek echoed off the bathroom tiles.
"You hit me?" Lorelei clutched her face, eyes wide with shock.
"I hit you because I felt like it. Did you expect me to check my calendar first?" Josephine lifted her chin slightly, her gaze cold with contempt. "Yes, he spent those two weeks with you. But what about after you got pregnant?"
She advanced as Lorelei backed away. After the pregnancy, Gideon had stopped seeking Lorelei out. Even when they met, he treated her with icy indifference—only showing interest in the child she carried.
"Only you would treat a man like a trophy. He's nothing but trash I threw away. You're welcome to pick him up, but I decide when to discard him."
After Josephine left, Lorelei cradled her stinging cheek and smashed a vase against the floor. She didn't dare damage anything valuable belonging to the Gettys, so she took her rage out on something worthless.
---
Back in the living room, Olivia Getty grabbed Josephine's arm. "I bought you a gift! Come see!"
Olivia, Gideon's cousin and the only Getty who showed Josephine genuine kindness, presented her with a pair of sparkling earrings. As she helped Josephine put them on, she beamed with pride. "They look gorgeous on you."
"You have excellent taste."
"Oh wow, it's snowing outside!" Olivia pressed her face against the window like an excited child.
A servant knocked and entered. "Ms. Getty, we've started clearing snow in the courtyard. Would you like us to leave some for you?" Every year when it snowed, Olivia insisted on going out for snowball fights.
"Yes! I'm coming right now!" She dashed out excitedly.
When Josephine descended the stairs moments later, the entire Getty family—minus Olivia—was gathered in the living room, their eyes fixed on her. She hesitated mid-step.
Briana sat on the sofa, dabbing theatrical tears while Lorelei consoled her.
"Come here. Kneel," David commanded.
Josephine approached but remained standing. "What have I done wrong?"
"See for yourself."
On the coffee table lay fragments of what appeared to be the family bracelet.
"Bentley gave this to me," Briana sobbed. "Even if you resented me not giving it to you, how could you break it? This has been passed down through generations. I've failed the Getty ancestors. I've failed Bentley..."
"Please don't upset yourself," Lorelei murmured, patting her hand.
Aaron Getty lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, drawling, "That was Grandma's keepsake. Josephine, did you have some grudge against her or something?"
"When did I supposedly break this?" Josephine asked coolly.
Lorelei jumped in: "Just now in the bathroom. The bracelet got dirty, so Briana asked me to clean it. I happened to see you there. You demanded it, I refused, and you smashed it." She widened her eyes innocently. "I can't lie about this."
"Anything else to say?" David's voice was granite.
"Grandfather, I didn't do it."
David ignored her denial, fixated on the bracelet pieces. "You destroyed your grandmother's heirloom out of jealousy. I don't want explanations—I only care about facts."
Before Josephine could respond, Gideon stepped in front of her.
"Grandfather, if my wife made a mistake, I share the responsibility. I'll kneel in her place."
"She made the mistake—she should kneel!"
Gideon didn't argue, but he stood firm, physically shielding Josephine and making his protection clear.
The front door banged open as Olivia returned, bringing a gust of cold winter air. She peered around Josephine at the bracelet fragments and made a curious sound.
"That's a fake."
Aaron snickered. "Olivia, if you want to help Josephine, at least make up something believable."
Cedric, who had just entered behind Olivia, gave him a withering look. "No one would mistake you for mute if you didn't speak."
Aaron reluctantly fell silent.
"I'm not lying," Olivia insisted, digging into her pocket. "The real bracelet is right here with me."
Briana shot to her feet. "Olivia, stop making things up!"
"You're the one lying!" Olivia fired back. "Grandma gave me the bracelet years ago. She said I should pass it to a worthy sister-in-law when the time came."
The Getty family history was complicated. The oldest son Bentley—father to Cedric and Gideon—was an unrepentant womanizer. Only Cedric's mother had been properly married to him, chosen by Vanessa Getty herself. The others were merely mistresses.
After much consideration, Vanessa had entrusted the bracelet to Olivia, her only granddaughter and the one she had a special fondness for.
"Grandma gave me the bracelet years ago. Where did you get yours?" Olivia pulled out the family heirloom from her pocket.
The genuine article had a distinctly superior luster—the fake on the coffee table couldn't compare.
Briana's face darkened as the blood drained from it.
"Briana," Lorelei gasped, "didn't you say Vanessa gave it to you?"
"Shut up!" Briana snapped.
She glared at Olivia, seething. "You specifically told me nobody knew where the bracelet was hidden!"
Vanessa and David had a strained relationship. Before her death, she had kept many things from him, including the bracelet's whereabouts—known only to Olivia.
"Did I say that?" Olivia blinked with exaggerated innocence.
"You deliberately deceived me!" Briana shouted.
Josephine suddenly remembered something. Briana had claimed the bracelet came from Vanessa, but she never brought it to Getty Manor, saying she was afraid of damaging it. Who could have imagined she'd be bold enough to parade around with a fake?
"Get out." David's voice cut through the room like ice.
Ever perceptive, he immediately understood this had been a scheme orchestrated by Briana and Lorelei—two bored, foolish women he couldn't bear to look at a moment longer.
"Mr. Getty..." Briana's face went pale.
"I won't repeat myself."
Briana instinctively looked to Bentley for support, but he was absorbed in his phone, completely ignoring her. Typical Bentley—sweet talk in bed, but never any protection outside of it.
The two women who had arrived so proudly now slunk away in disgrace.
Just when it seemed the matter was settled, David turned to Josephine. "You will kneel in the family memorial hall."
Before Josephine could speak, Olivia protested indignantly: "Why? This wasn't Josephine's fault! It was clearly Briana being pretentious and that secretary stirring up trouble. They should be the ones kneeling in the memorial hall!"