Chapter 36
Josephine leaned against the dresser, catching her breath as her eyes scanned every corner of the bedroom.
"That's weird. Where did they go?"
Her first priority after returning to the bedroom was finding their marriage certificate and that property agreement. She'd decided that if divorce was the goal, these documents needed to be in her possession.
Knowing Gideon's temperament, he might actually hide these papers when things got ugly, or even refuse to hand them over. She needed to plan ahead.
Good idea, poor execution. She'd turned the bedroom upside down without finding anything. She distinctly remembered putting them in the second drawer of the nightstand. How could they all be gone?
While she puzzled over this, the bedroom door opened silently. Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, and she felt a warm chest press against her back.
"What are you looking for?"
Josephine casually freed herself from his grip. "Nothing."
"I clearly saw you searching."
Gideon moved closer, backing her toward the bed.
Josephine frowned slightly. "I lost an earring and was looking for it. Is that a problem? Isn't this my home? Do I need to report to you when I'm looking for something in my own house?"
Gideon chuckled softly. "Of course not."
He placed his hands on the bed, trapping her between his arms. "But tell me what you're looking for, and I can help. I'm your husband—you need to learn to depend on me."
Depend. That word almost made Josephine laugh.
"Cut it out. I just spent two hours on a plane and I'm exhausted."
"You think I'm joking?" Gideon's eyes narrowed dangerously as he gently cradled the back of her head. "You once told me you weren't used to depending on or trusting others, but that you'd give all your trust and feelings to me. Remember saying that?"
Josephine looked away.
Gideon forced her to face him. "Don't avoid this. Look at me when you answer."
"I remember everything I've said," Josephine countered. "Do you remember what you've said?"
Gideon froze.
Josephine saw the conflicted look in his eyes and smiled faintly. "Since you want to know what I was looking for, I'll tell you honestly. I was looking for our marriage certificate."
"Why would you need that?" Gideon instantly became alert, pulling her into his arms and whispering a warning in her ear. "Jojo, you shouldn't have certain thoughts. You understand what I mean, don't you?"
Josephine stared at him fearlessly, remaining silent for a long time. Her silence was enough to sink Gideon's heart.
He gripped her shoulders tightly, but his voice was full of gentle persuasion. "Jojo, remember our wedding vows? Say them again for me, will you?"
"Even if the world ends, I will never stop loving you."
The vow was written by Gideon—just that one line.
Gideon's lips curved slightly. "Yes, that's it. Even if the world ends, I will never stop loving you."
So full of love. If she hadn't remembered there was currently a woman carrying her husband's child, Josephine might have believed in the sincerity of those words.
She lowered her eyes and smiled slightly. "You're always losing things. I was just worried you might have misplaced our marriage certificate. Getting a replacement would be such a hassle."
Gideon studied her face. Her amber eyes revealed nothing but calm. Finally reassured, he embraced her gently. "You lose things because they're not important to you. But our marriage certificate isn't like other things. Don't worry, it won't get lost."
Both the marriage certificate and property agreement were with him. "I've hidden them somewhere nobody can find," he whispered in her ear, like sharing a little secret.
Josephine lowered her gaze. "That's good." She tugged at Gideon's collar. "I'm hungry."
"I'll make you some pasta with a couple of fried eggs."
Gideon went to the kitchen, refusing to let Josephine follow, claiming he was concerned about her breathing in cooking fumes. When Josephine was home, they actually had household staff to cook.
For all her "housewife" title, she only organized Gideon's clothes and personal items. He always said clothes felt better when she arranged them.
Josephine sat on the sofa, watching his tall figure busy in the kitchen, her eyes growing cold. With Gideon being so vigilant, questioning wouldn't work. She needed another approach.
---
The next day, Josephine reported to work.
The research department was taking shape, with many new employees arriving. As the supervisor, Josephine naturally took responsibility for interviewing them. The people Cedric had recruited were, of course, exceptional.
Halfway through, Josephine handed the task over to Aiden.
As soon as she left, Aiden quietly complained, "She knows I have social anxiety and still makes me do this."
"It means the boss trusts you," Emma said with mischievous delight.
Soon after, Josephine returned with a file in hand. "From Mr. Getty," she explained.
Aiden opened it. "Frank Baldwin, a rising genius in recent years. They say his research talent is comparable to yours."
Josephine shrugged. "So Mr. Getty gave us a suggestion."
"He doesn't want to recruit this guy, does he?"
"Bingo."
Emma sighed, staring hopelessly at the file. "This is literally mission impossible."
"Why do you say that?"
From her tone, Emma seemed familiar with this genius.
Emma said seriously, "I don't know much, just that his father used to work at the same factory as mine. Frank's been quiet and extremely eccentric since childhood. He made breakthroughs in research a few years ago but remained obscure. Then about six months ago, he suddenly rose to prominence."
His recent fame was just a halo others placed on him after his success.
"Whatever the case, I want to try," Josephine said. Cedric had mentioned that Frank possessed unique technology that many companies were trying to acquire.
"Let's give it a shot then."
Cedric offered 100% support, providing Josephine with a phone number and an address—Frank's location at the Golden Ember Hotel, a five-star establishment.
Only after meeting Frank did Josephine truly understand what Emma meant by "extremely eccentric."
Frank didn't seem surprised by their arrival. "Perfect timing. Others came looking for me before you, and coincidentally, they're still here. You can talk face-to-face."
Frank stepped aside.
Josephine finally saw who was in the room. Gideon and Lorelei standing beside him.
...Talk about running into the last people you want to see.
Gideon slowly stood up. "What are you doing here?"
After Josephine resigned, he assumed she'd gone back to being a housewife. He never wanted her working outside the home or being seen in public. He didn't want anyone looking at her.
"I'm here representing my company." Josephine placed a business card on the coffee table.
Gideon saw it clearly: Getty Group Research Director: Josephine Kennedy.