Chapter 40
As the sharp pain shot through her waist, Galatea felt as if she might break in two. Her arms grew weak, but she fought to maintain her balance, her elbows bending slightly as she tried to steady herself. Despite her best efforts, she accidentally struck the ice pack, and blood immediately began to flow from the point of impact. Seeing this, Galatea quickly helped Alaric sit down and knelt beside him to tend to the injury.
“What’s wrong with you? Can’t you take a joke?” she scolded him irritably. “You shouldn’t be moving around like this during your recovery. Look, you’re bleeding!”
Her frustration was evident, though her hands remained gentle and precise as she worked on his wound.
Alaric looked down at her, observing her mix of earnest concern and annoyance, and couldn’t help but let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. Galatea, still muttering under her breath, was meticulously treating him, unaware that their interaction was being secretly photographed from a distance.
Once she finished, Galatea exhaled a long breath and looked up at him. “How does it feel now? Does it hurt?”
Their eyes met at close range, and for a moment, the air seemed to thicken. Startled, Galatea quickly averted her gaze and tried to stand. However, a sharp pain shot up her back as she moved.
Alaric extended a hand, helping her to her feet. “Did you hit it hard?” he asked with a hint of concern in his voice.
“It’s not paralysis,” she replied dryly, bending down slowly to pick up her phone from the floor. The screen was shattered, but the phone itself was still intact.
“I’ll pay for the phone,” Alaric offered, but Galatea waved him off.
“No need,” she retorted, confident that it could be repaired. “Why did I even bother helping you? You can’t take a joke, always so uptight and serious.”
Alaric snorted in response, but didn’t say anything more.
“You may be shrewd and calculating, but you’re quite competent as a doctor,” he finally admitted, recalling both her quick response during his recent surgery and her efficient treatment just now. “Thanks a lot,” Galatea snapped back, still irked, but acknowledging his compliment nonetheless.
The twenty minutes spent in the room after the therapy felt like an eternity to Galatea. As soon as the session concluded, she carefully wrapped up the treatment. “I’ve outlined all the dietary recommendations in the treatment plan. Make sure you read it,” she said, keeping her voice professional.
“Twice a week for therapy,” Alaric commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I don’t care how busy you are at the hospital. You’ll be here by six in the evening, no later. If you’re late, there will be consequences. Got it?”
“Got it,” Galatea responded, her patience wearing thin but her professionalism intact.
After the brief exchange, Galatea couldn’t wait to leave. She turned to walk out, but froze when she saw Cormac standing just outside the door. Had he been waiting there the whole time?
“Dr. Galatea, right?” Cormac greeted her with a charming smile. “I’m Cormac, a friend of Alaric.”
Cormac? The name sounded familiar. Galatea’s mind quickly flashed to that night at the hotel when Alaric had made a call for someone to pick up Orion. It had been him, hadn’t it? Orion’s brother.
“Nice to meet you,” she replied courteously before quickly walking past him and heading out of the room.
Once inside the lounge, Cormac saw Alaric just finishing buttoning his shirt. Unable to resist, Cormac teased, “Still at the office, and you can’t keep it together?”
“Get your mind out of the gutter!” Alaric retorted, clearly unamused. “She’s my private physician now. She’s treating my insomnia. Nothing more.”
“Private physician?” Cormac chuckled, clearly intrigued. “Who is this Galatea, anyway? How did she manage to win you and your notoriously difficult son over so quickly?”
Alaric shrugged nonchalantly as he adjusted his shirt. “She comes from a humble background,” he said casually. “An orphan since childhood, widowed during pregnancy, and now a single mother raising two kids alone.”
“Orphaned and then widowed?” Cormac raised an eyebrow. “Alaric, even if you dislike my sister, you don’t have to be this desperate, do you? She could be bad luck. Be careful.”
Before Alaric could respond, the door to the room opened, and Galatea rushed in.
“Sorry, I forgot my purse,” she said quickly, grabbing her bag before turning to leave.
As Galatea hurried out, Cormac stood there stunned for a moment. Then, awkwardly, he asked, “She didn’t hear what I just said, did she?”
Alaric gave him a pointed look. “What do you think?”
With the tension lingering in the air, Alaric’s mood shifted slightly. “Why did you come to the office anyway?”
Cormac glanced at the time. “Actually, I have something important to discuss. It’s almost lunch. How about we talk about it over a meal?”
They moved to a private dining room at a luxurious hotel. As soon as they settled into their seats, Alaric got straight to the point. “What’s this all about? Spit it out.”
“There are two things,” Cormac began, his tone serious. “First, I wanted to tell you that Caspian isn’t staying in the dorm anymore. He’s with me every day.”
Alaric’s eyes widened in surprise. “Caspian isn’t at the dorm, and he’s with you? How is that possible? If he’s not there, I should be the one to pick him up, not you.”
“I know it’s hard to believe,” Cormac said, “but it’s the truth. If you don’t believe me, I can have Caspian call you tonight to explain himself.”
Alaric was taken aback but knew Cormac was Caspian’s psychiatrist, so he had no reason to doubt him. “Alright, what’s the second thing?”
Cormac leaned forward, lowering his voice. “The second thing is business-related. Rumor has it you’re planning to build a massive entertainment complex in Arizona?”
Alaric raised an eyebrow. “Your sources are quite up-to-date,” he commented.
“So, it’s true?” Cormac asked, clearly surprised. “I hadn’t expected it to be legit.”
“Yes, it is,” Alaric confirmed. “Why? Do you have an issue with it, Cormac? Your family runs a talent agency. I’m opening an entertainment complex. That doesn’t conflict with your family’s business, does it?”
Cormac waved his hand dismissively. “What do I care about conflict? The business dealings of Nash’s Family don’t concern me. I’m talking to you about this because I’m worried about you.”
Alaric raised an eyebrow. “Worried about me? Why?”
“On the other hand,” Cormac continued, “your current company, Nexus Innovations, is doing so well. Venturing into a new field is going to take a toll on you. More importantly, I’m concerned about you attracting too much attention. You’re drawing in a multitude of competitors, and I’m talking about those people. You know who I mean.”
Alaric’s face darkened at the mention of “those people.” He knew exactly who Cormac was referring to. The thought of attracting their attention was more than a little unnerving.