Chapter 62
"Done chatting?"
Cedric stood a short distance away. Gideon and Josephine were blocking the exit.
"Yes, we're done."
Josephine had no interest in wasting more breath on Gideon anyway. She stepped aside to let Cedric pass.
But Cedric stopped directly in front of her. "Come with me."
Without a word of question, Josephine instinctively fell into step behind him toward the door.
Gideon's hand shot out, catching her wrist. "Jojo, don't go."
Josephine frowned. "I don't want to stay for dinner."
Every meal at the Getty Manor was an ordeal. Odds were high that David would bring up the subject of them having children sooner rather than later at the dinner table. And right now, there was no way in hell she'd give Gideon a child.
Gideon's voice turned stubborn. "I promise, this time I won't let anyone give you a hard time. Jojo, just... don't leave with him."
The thought of watching her walk away beside Cedric made something twist in his chest.
Cedric's hand landed on Gideon's shoulder. The touch seemed light, but Gideon felt its weight like a stone.
"She's my employee now. If you want her to stay, you need to give me a reason. Otherwise, you'll be personally liable for any losses the company sustains as a result."
Gideon let out a harsh laugh. "Her not showing up will cause your company losses?"
"Absolutely."
The answer came without hesitation.
Josephine startled slightly.
"Is she really that important?" Gideon shot back.
At those words, Josephine's expression went ice-cold. "Maybe I don't matter to you, but that doesn't mean everyone shares your opinion."
Only then did Gideon realize his mistake. He scrambled to explain. "That's not what I meant. I just mean the Getty Group has plenty of elite professionals. Surely the company won't suffer just because you're not there for one—"
The more he tried to clarify, the worse it sounded.
Cedric pulled Gideon's hand away, finally freeing Josephine.
"She's irreplaceable."
The statement hung in the air, loaded with ambiguity. It almost sounded like a romantic confession.
Gideon's face changed completely.
But only Josephine understood what Cedric actually meant. His declaration of her being irreplaceable was professional recognition—acknowledgment of her standing in the research field. Nothing more.
By the time Gideon snapped out of his daze, the two had already left together. When he rushed after them, all he caught was the taillights disappearing down the drive.
---
In the car, Josephine sat lost in thought until Cedric's phone rang.
He answered. "Grandfather."
Whatever David said on the other end made Cedric fall silent for a long moment before finally nodding.
"Understood."
"Did he give you trouble?" Josephine asked.
"Harmony Health Center," Cedric instructed the driver before turning to Josephine. "Grandfather wants me to visit Aaron at the hospital. You can wait in the car when we get there."
Josephine said nothing.
When the vehicle stopped at the entrance to Harmony Health Center, Josephine climbed out right behind Cedric.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
She offered an explanation. "He is technically my cousin-in-law. I should pay my respects too."
Her tone made it abundantly clear she had no good intentions whatsoever.
Cedric allowed it.
Aaron never would have imagined seeing the two of them walk into his hospital room together. His arm throbbed constantly now, pain shooting through it like needles. He wasn't exactly thrilled to see either of them. Well, to be precise, his hostility was mainly directed at Josephine. Toward Cedric, he remained properly deferential.
"Cedric, you came."
Cedric acknowledged this with a brief sound. "How's the injury?"
"Broken arm. Doctor says it'll take a long time to heal." Aaron's voice turned sullen, then vicious. "Whoever did this better hope I never find out. When I do, I'll make her pay."
As he spoke, his eyes cut sideways toward Josephine.
Then suddenly, "Cedric, could you go ask the doctor when I can be discharged? I'm so uncomfortable stuck in this hospital. Nothing beats home."
Cedric glanced at Josephine.
She smiled sweetly. "Go ahead, Cedric. I'll keep Aaron company."
Cedric left.
The moment he was gone, Aaron dropped the act. "Josephine, I'm shocked you actually came to visit. I figured you'd be happy never laying eyes on me again."
"I'm your sister-in-law. Visiting you is the right thing to do, isn't it?"
Aaron was used to her sharp tongue. He'd braced himself for a verbal lashing. This polite response threw him completely off balance.
"Josephine, are you serious? You don't hate me?"
Josephine's tone remained light. "I don't hate you. I'm just a little disappointed they didn't actually cripple you for life."
She made no effort to hide her regret. Aaron felt a grim satisfaction—there was the Josephine he knew. Of course, she wouldn't actually go easy on him.
"So you came today purely to gloat over my misfortune." Aaron tilted his head. "But what I don't get is, if you hired them, why not just have them kill me outright?"
"Don't pin this on me. I had nothing to do with it."
Josephine had definitely wanted revenge—she just hadn't gotten around to acting on it before someone beat her to the punch. Now that David was watching her, she couldn't make any moves. A single broken arm was letting him off easy.
Aaron studied her intently.
Her expression remained open, unbothered by his scrutiny.
Confusion crept across his features. "If it wasn't you, then who?"
"You've made enough enemies. Plenty of people would love to beat the crap out of you."
Aaron ignored the mockery. "Shame whoever it was didn't have the guts to finish the job. They gave me a beating, sure, but if they'd had any real spine, they would've killed me and eliminated the threat of payback."
The man was completely unhinged. Even beaten to this state, he showed no sign of remorse.
Josephine dropped the pretense. "Let me ask you something. Was kidnapping me entirely your idea?"
"Yeah."
"The plan was yours, too?"
"No."
Josephine's gaze sharpened. "Who was your accomplice?"
Aaron smiled. "Take a guess."
Josephine turned on her heel to leave.
"Wait, don't go!" Aaron hadn't expected her to be so ruthlessly quick to pivot. "Fine, fine, I'll tell you!"
Watching her turn back around, he sighed. "Women and their mood swings... Since you came here to ask, you must already have your suspicions."
"I have my answer. But I need your testimony."
Aaron's expression turned sly. "Sorry, can't help you with testimony. But I can tell you this—your answer is correct. There was definitely a mastermind... As for who that person is, Josephine, you already know."
To identify the perpetrator, look at who stood to gain. In this situation, Aaron would have gotten Josephine. And the other person? They stood to gain plenty as well.
Josephine's stare turned glacial. "Partnering with that person—look how well it worked out for you."
"Hey now, that's not fair. Josephine, didn't you lose to her, too?"
"Don't you dare compare me to her."
Disgust dripped from every word as Josephine turned and walked out.
Aaron watched her retreating figure with something like obsession.
Josephine had always had pride. She'd once provided crucial support to Gideon at the company. She dared to challenge Cedric head-on. With Aaron, she'd never once deferred to his wishes. A woman like that could never be dismissed as some weak victim in need of pity.
What a waste that she'd willingly returned to domesticity for that useless bastard Gideon, dulling all her sharp edges.
For a while there, Aaron had thought she was no different from any other woman. Equally boring, equally forgettable.
But now? The real Josephine was back.
He rubbed his chin, face alight with malicious glee. Such wonderful news couldn't be enjoyed alone.
He dialed Lorelei's number.
"Ms. Kelly, you've got a problem."