Chapter 75
Kenneth couldn't help but speak up for her. "Mr. Carter, it's just rounding the standard deviation to three decimal places instead of two. Josephine hasn't been hands-on with lab work in a while, and lately everyone's been swamped..."
The others quickly chimed in.
"Exactly. We're all exhausted—mistakes happen."
"Prof. Carter, please don't be too hard on the supervisor. Ms. Kennedy has always been the most professional one among us."
"Whenever we're drowning in work or mess something up, she's the one who fixes everything..."
But the more people defended her, the darker Oscar's expression grew.
"Sure, today it's just a formatting issue. Catch it in time, fix it, no harm done. But don't forget—scientific data demands absolute precision. One misplaced decimal point could send an entire research direction off course. We caught it today, but what if we hadn't?"
His words left Josephine burning with shame.
"Mr. Carter is right. This is on me."
Seeing everyone ready to defend her again, Josephine said, "Please, everyone, stop. A mistake is a mistake. Being tired isn't an excuse."
Oscar's expression finally softened slightly. "I've been invited to teach at Summit University and run a training program. You two—both of you—are enrolling."
Josephine and Kenneth exchanged glances.
"Mr. Carter, are you serious?"
"We're way too old for this..."
Going back to school to train alongside students? The thought was mortifying.
Oscar gave a cold snort. "I've reviewed your experimental data. Others might think it's excellent, but in my eyes, it's far from perfect."
He'd always been an exacting, stern teacher, and with his students, he brought out his full drill-sergeant energy.
Precisely because he'd seen them at their best, he could spot immediately when they fell short.
"Understood. I'll follow Mr. Carter's guidance."
Josephine relented.
Kenneth naturally had nothing more to say—his silence was acceptance enough.
That evening, Josephine skipped driving and took the bus home instead. She actually enjoyed public transit—it gave her time to think things through.
Just as she was about to board, a black G-Wagon pulled up beside her.
Through the window, Cedric looked up at her. "Get in."
Josephine eventually climbed in.
She assumed Cedric had something important to discuss and settled in with an attentive expression.
But instead, he asked, "Your teacher chewed you out?"
It really wasn't a big deal, but somehow, in front of him, she felt strangely self-conscious.
Josephine scratched at her cheek.
"I made a small error in the lab..."
"Do you regret it?"
The sudden question caught her off guard.
Josephine paused before responding. "No regrets. My teacher's expertise and ability speak for themselves. Besides, I was the one who made the mistake."
Perhaps her post-marriage comeback had gone too smoothly. With Cedric running interference for her, she'd sailed through without hitting any obstacles. Even Lorelei had been swiftly defeated.
She'd gradually grown complacent, forgetting there were still major crises left unresolved.
Lost in thought, she suddenly felt something land in her lap.
She picked it up—a card with a pay stub attached.
"This is..."
When she saw the figure on the stub, Josephine's eyes went wide.
She'd secretly calculated what her salary should be this month—definitely decent, but this was nine times higher than her estimate!
Cedric said, "You stabilized the company's reputation, and you're handling two major projects. This is what you've earned."
"But this is way too much..."
She felt almost overwhelmed.
Cedric glanced at her. "Want me to take it back?"
"No way—once you give it, no take-backs." Josephine didn't hesitate to stuff the stub into her pocket.
With her salary in hand and a place to live, she might not qualify as a little rich woman yet, but at least her post-divorce life looked secure.
Everything seemed to be heading in the right direction.
The car stopped. Cedric watched her get out, his tone casual. "Tomorrow, 8 AM. Meeting at the office."
"Got it, Mr. Getty."
Her smile was radiant, her expression relaxed.
Cedric's gaze lingered on her face for a moment. "Do you eat breakfast?"
"What?"
The topic shifted so abruptly that Josephine took a second to catch up. "I do, Mr. Getty. Are you offering to bring me breakfast? That's not necessary—I usually make my own."
"Bring me some."
The car slowly pulled away, leaving Josephine standing there, still processing.
She hadn't misheard, right?
Cedric said... bring him some?
The next morning, Josephine actually prepared an extra serving of breakfast to bring to the office.
Then she saw Cedric's car waiting outside her building.
Was he seriously picking her up for work?
She got in and handed over a sandwich. "I wasn't sure what you'd like, but I love these. They're really convenient to make..."
"It's great."
Returning the favor, Cedric handed her milk.
They ate and drank as the car made its way to the office.
Josephine felt a strange sense of surrealism.
She'd never imagined sharing a car with Cedric like this.
But between the gentle rocking of the vehicle and her exhaustion, drowsiness crept in. Before she knew it, she'd drifted off.
When she woke, the car sat parked in the garage. The driver had disappeared somewhere, leaving only her and Cedric.
The air felt oddly stifling.
"Awake?"
Josephine rubbed her eyes, still groggy. "Sorry, I don't know how I fell asleep. Why didn't you wake me..."
Cedric suddenly leaned closer. Her body tensed instinctively, but he was only reaching past her to open the car door.
"Time to get to work."
"Right."
Josephine scrambled out in a flustered rush.
Something about Cedric felt... off.
She looked up and spotted a familiar figure—Luna.
Luna smiled faintly. "Ms. Kennedy."
Josephine nodded with a polite smile.
Luna's gaze drifted between her and the car. "Last time we met, Ms. Kennedy was driving a different car. Why the sudden change?"
Josephine glanced at the vehicle, the realization dawning. Luna's relationship with Cedric was clearly unusual—she'd recognize his car. This question was a probe.
"Mr. Getty and I had some work to discuss today, so I caught a ride. How could I afford a car this expensive?"
Not that she wouldn't love one—she just couldn't swing it yet.
Luna nodded. "I see. I thought perhaps Ms. Kennedy had bought herself a new car. What a shame. Are you headed to work? I won't keep you."
Josephine watched Luna walk to the car and slide into the passenger seat. She shrugged and headed into the office.
Not that she hadn't noticed Luna's hostility—she just didn't particularly care.
...
In the car.
After settling in, Luna pulled a lovingly prepared breakfast from her bag.
"I know you've been swamped with work lately and probably haven't had time to eat breakfast. I made you something special..."
Cedric's brow furrowed, suddenly tired of the performance.
"Aren't you exhausted?"