Chapter 55
“She’s from the Medical Research Institute of America,” Alaric replied to Mrs. Carrington, his tone casual.
“The American Institute for Medical Science?” Mrs. Carrington’s voice held a note of surprise. “You’ve heard of it, right? It’s the pinnacle of the medical community. Galatea is the youngest medical professor there. It was Cormac who specifically recommended her to me, and I spared no expense bringing her here from the American Institute for Medical Science.”
Alaric felt confident that Cormac would back him up on this fabricated story.
“Really?” Mrs. Carrington sounded skeptical, but her voice softened.
“You can check for yourself,” Alaric continued. “I said she’s my fiancée for two reasons: to get Orion off my back and to cover up the fact that she’s treating me. If word gets out that I suffer from after-effects that are getting worse, you can imagine the consequences.”
Mrs. Carrington fell silent, giving Alaric the opening he needed. “With the sharks circling Nexus Innovations, if they sniff out my weakness, they’ll throw everything they’ve got to thwart my recovery—or worse. Galatea is my lifeline. If anything happens to her, I have no one else to address these complications—not at the moment, anyway.”
“Enough,” Mrs. Carrington cut him off, her voice cold but resigned. “I’ll take your word for it. Focus on your recovery. Getting well should be your priority.”
“Will do.” Alaric chuckled, a sly grin on his face. “Aren’t you planning a world tour? Have fun out there, and don’t worry about me or the company.”
“I hope to God you’re right,” she retorted. “Once you’re better, we’ll settle this matter.”
With that, Mrs. Carrington ended the call, and Alaric let out a sigh of relief. He slipped his phone into his pocket, starting to head back toward Galatea’s hospital room. However, halfway there, a thought struck him, and he pulled his phone back out and dialed another number.
“Alaric, what brings you to call me today?” Griffon answered promptly.
“When you visited Galatea in the hospital, I happened to be out, so I wanted to give you a call to say thanks,” Alaric said smoothly, hiding the underlying tension.
Griffon’s expression darkened instantly. ‘Happened to be out?’ He was fuming inside, remembering Orion’s tearful phone call and the public apology she had been forced to make to Galatea on Facebook. Despite his anger, Griffon forced a smile. “How’s Galatea doing now?”
“Much better,” Alaric replied, his voice steady. “My mom called me just a moment ago.”
“Oh? Is Mrs. Carrington enjoying her world tour?”
“She was until she heard about Galatea’s situation,” Alaric said candidly. “Our families, the Knights and the Nashs, have a long history. Your brotherhood with my father is well-known, and in my heart, you’re like a father to me. I’ve sincerely explained to you why it can’t work out with Orion, and you said you understood. When I mentioned that Galatea was my fiancée, you offered your blessings, which I truly appreciate. But I’m not asking you to explain things to my mother for me. At least don’t be two-faced.”
“What do you mean by that, Alaric?” Griffon shot back irritably.
“Don’t get upset, I didn’t mean anything by it,” Alaric said calmly. “I understand you’re a busy man, not idle like my mom now that she’s retired. Maybe it’s best if you cut back on the calls to her. She can be quite temperamental, and I wouldn’t want her to bother you.”
“Alright, message received. Thanks for the heads-up, Alaric!” Griffon snapped before ending the call abruptly. He angrily threw the blanket beside him across the room. ‘Alaric, are you choosing Galatea over me?’
After the call, Alaric felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He returned to Galatea’s hospital room, where she was gazing out the window, her eyes full of quiet hope.
“It’s a nice day outside. How about we get some sunshine?” he suggested, his voice soft.
Galatea, momentarily lost in her thoughts, blinked and returned to the present. Sunshine? It had been so long since she’d been outside, and the idea of breathing fresh air sounded like a dream. Her body still felt stiff from lying in the hospital bed for so long, but she didn’t have the strength to walk on her own.
She opened her mouth to decline, but Alaric quickly interrupted. “Just wait for me.”
Before Galatea could question him, Alaric stepped out of the room. Moments later, he returned with a wheelchair and carefully positioned it beside her bed.
“What are you doing?” Galatea tensed as she realized his intention.
“Obviously, I’m going to help you down,” Alaric replied with a mischievous grin, seeing her resistance. “Didn’t the doctor say I was the one who helped you with that cold compress when you had a fever?”
“A cold compress?” Galatea raised an eyebrow. Like wiping down her whole body with a damp towel or alcohol?
“That’s taking advantage of someone when they’re down!” Galatea accused, her voice full of mock outrage.
“You certainly have no appreciation, do you? I saved your life, and now you’re scolding me.” Alaric ignored her protests, gently lifting her into the wheelchair and settling her comfortably. “Isn’t it the creed of doctors to focus only on the patient, not the gender? You were just a patient, and I was merely helping you by bringing down the fever. What else are you thinking about?”
Galatea rolled her eyes, but didn’t argue further as Alaric tucked a blanket over her legs.
He wheeled her out of the hospital room and into the courtyard. The fresh air hit Galatea’s face, and she took a deep breath, soaking in the sunlight that felt like a gift.
She had never imagined she’d get another chance to feel the warmth of the sun. For a moment, everything else faded away. It was wonderful—almost like being reborn.
Alaric watched her, a small smile tugging at his lips as he observed the faint smile on hers.
He sat down on a nearby bench, and after a brief silence, he spoke again. “Since we’re here, and it’s a rare quiet moment, why don’t we have a chat?”
Galatea blinked, not entirely sure what he meant, but she nodded. A conversation—how long had it been since she’d just talked to someone?
“Sure,” she said, her voice soft.
Small talk had never been her forte. Back when she was Stellan, her life had been full of acquaintances, but none of them had been real friends. They were mostly just flattering her for favors. After becoming Galatea, her life had revolved around work, her child, and the day-to-day grind of survival. She had little room for anything else, let alone friends. Sincere conversation had become a luxury.
“What would you like to talk about?” Galatea asked, looking at him curiously.
“Let’s talk about you,” Alaric said bluntly. “Tell me about your past. Your story.”
The question was simple, but its weight was evident. Galatea found herself taking a deep breath, considering how much of her story she wanted to share. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, but for some reason, the genuine curiosity in his eyes made her want to open up.