Chapter 81
"Mom, I'm in the middle of something."
In the massive conference room, Cedric was halfway through a meeting when his mother's call came in. Everyone else automatically fell silent. Cedric stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his voice softer than usual when addressing his mother.
"I'll come see you after I'm done here."
But Anissa sounded urgent. She covered the phone's mouthpiece from behind the kitchen door. "No, if you wait until you're done, she'll already be gone."
"Who will be gone?"
"Remember, I mentioned wanting to introduce you to someone? A really beautiful girl! So elegant and kind-hearted—I absolutely adore her!"
Anissa lowered her voice, but her tone still bubbled with barely contained excitement. "Cedric, get back here now. Work is important, sure, but you'll never finish all of it. Right now, your marriage prospects are what matter most!"
Cedric closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. "Mom..."
"Hurry up." Just before hanging up, Anissa added, "You haven't met this girl, but you've heard of her. She's the one who took me to the hospital that time. You still have her bracelet."
Cedric stared at his phone screen in a daze. After a long moment, he suddenly let out a soft laugh.
That laugh sent shivers down everyone else's spines.
"Something came up. Continue the meeting without me. Noah, you handle the minutes."
Cedric grabbed his coat from the chair, draping it over his arm and hooking his car keys on one finger. After giving those instructions, he turned and left the conference room.
The finance department head asked curiously, "Mr. Reed, is Mr. Getty... in love?"
Noah shot him a glance, tapping his fingers on the table. "Have you finished this year's financial reports? If Mr. Getty does a spot check, can you guarantee there won't be any mistakes?"
The finance head immediately shut up.
Noah snorted lightly. "Mr. Getty's business isn't ours to discuss."
...
Cedric entered the living room and changed his shoes in the entryway. Looking up, he saw Anissa sitting on the sofa, periodically glancing toward the door as if waiting for him.
"Finally! Come here!" Anissa urged.
Cedric casually scanned the living room but didn't see Josephine. He said somewhat distractedly, "I told you to stop arranging blind dates for me."
Anissa rolled her eyes and forcibly pulled him over, pushing him down onto the sofa. "If I don't arrange them, you'll never get married."
Her son was perfect in every way except for his tendency to keep women at arm's length.
Anissa was genuinely worried. At this rate, wouldn't her son end up alone forever?
"Stop arguing. That girl is in the garden right now. Listen, when you go out there, don't wear that cold expression of yours. If you scare her off, you and I are going to have serious problems."
This was the first time Cedric had heard his mother so obviously protective of someone else. He found it curious. "You like her that much?"
"That girl just clicks with me. I simply adore her." Anissa's way of expressing affection was straightforward—if she liked someone, she wanted her son to marry her. "Oh, take this with you."
Anissa handed him a watering can. Cedric had no idea why a blind date required bringing gardening equipment these days.
"...Fine."
Cedric headed toward the back garden.
Anissa stifled a laugh, imagining her son meeting Josephine with growing excitement.
They'd make such a handsome couple. Absolutely perfect together.
Then she suddenly realized she hadn't mentioned to Josephine that her son was coming...
Whatever. Let the young people figure it out themselves.
In the garden, Josephine was watering the flowers. After finishing lunch with Anissa, they'd decided to take a stroll through the garden, and she'd started watering the plants out of boredom.
Anissa had said she was going back for some water, but that had been ages ago.
"Need any help?"
Cedric's voice came from behind her. For a moment, Josephine wondered if she was hearing things. She tapped her forehead.
"I must've misheard. Definitely misheard."
"You didn't mishear. It's me."
Josephine whipped around. The watering can turned with her, spraying water directly at Cedric. He stepped back to dodge, but too late—his pant leg got soaked.
They stared at each other. After a beat, Josephine snapped out of it first, quickly setting down the can. "I'm so sorry! I didn't actually think it was you..."
She looked at him awkwardly.
"You should go inside and deal with that."
Cedric glanced down, unconcerned. "It's just a bit of water. I'm fine."
Josephine scratched her cheek. Once the embarrassment faded, pure confusion remained. "What are you doing here?"
"This is my house."
"What?"
Josephine could barely process this.
Cedric's lips curved slightly. "The woman currently peeking at us from the doorway is my mother."
Josephine's mind went blank. She'd never imagined that Anissa was Cedric's father's only legitimate wife. But she'd heard that years ago, Anissa had suffered from depression and lived in a care facility.
"Is she now..." Josephine trailed off hesitantly.
Cedric glanced back at the doorway where Anissa was craning her neck to watch them. When she caught her son's gaze, she quickly ducked back inside.
His mother didn't act like an adult at all—more like a child.
"She did develop depression while in the Getty family, but she's recovered now. It's just that her personality has become more... childlike."
Josephine exhaled quietly with relief. "I'm glad she's better. The Getty family really is the kind of place where once you step in, getting out unscathed is nearly impossible."
No woman who married into that family ever had an easy time.
She hadn't. Neither had Anissa.
Cedric gave her a sidelong glance. "I warned you back then."
Thinking back to those days made Josephine want to cover her face in embarrassment. "That was just... hormones taking over..."
Love-drunk and obsessed with forever, how could she have predicted such a miserable ending?
Cedric's lips quirked upward. "And now you've seen the light?"
"More or less..." Josephine suddenly thought of something and lowered her voice. "Does your mom know who I am?"
To match her conspiratorial tone, Cedric leaned in slightly, responding just as quietly. "I don't think she does."
Otherwise, his mother wouldn't be so determined to set them up. His mother deeply resented the Getty family—including every single person in it.
Josephine's brow furrowed. She didn't really want to say this because she actually liked Anissa quite a bit. With her own parents absent, Anissa gave her a motherly feeling.
She was so focused on her thoughts that she didn't notice how close they were standing—close enough for Cedric to see her lashes flutter with each thought, the delicate pores and fine hair on her face.
She spoke carefully. "Could you... not tell Ms. Davis?"
"You're afraid she'll dislike you?"
"Yes."
Josephine answered honestly. "Ms. Davis and I really hit it off..."
Cedric nodded readily. "Alright."
Josephine's face lit up with a smile. "Thank you." Only then did she register how close they were standing. She could even catch the faint, cool scent emanating from him.
Like soapberries—clean and crisp.
But this distance wasn't appropriate, at least not between the two of them. She instinctively stepped back, her foot landing on the watering can she'd set down earlier. She wobbled and started falling backward.
Cedric reflexively reached out and caught her, pulling her into his arms. Her forehead bumped against his chest, making his heart skip a beat.