Chapter 87
The morning after Harry’s teasing words, Alaric found himself caught in a swirl of thoughts. The phrase “a woman he couldn’t have” gnawed at him, leaving a lingering sting. The very idea that there was a woman beyond his reach was, to him, laughable.
He instinctively grabbed his phone, fingers hovering over the screen as he considered calling Galatea, but then he hesitated. He put the phone back down, lost in a web of conflicting thoughts. Before he could sort through his emotions, the phone rang. His hand shot out to grab it, and though it wasn’t Galatea’s name on the caller ID, seeing Elisa’s name sent a wave of happiness through him. He answered with a hint of excitement in his voice, “Hello, Elisa.”
“Daddy!” Elisa’s sweet voice filtered through the phone, and a strange warmth spread through him.
“What did you just call me?” Alaric couldn’t help but ask, feeling a rush of happiness he hadn’t expected. Elisa had started calling him “Mr. Knight” in recent times, but hearing “Daddy” made his heart skip a beat.
“Daddy, yeah,” Elisa confirmed, sounding so casual. “Aren’t you about to marry Mommy soon? I have to get used to calling you that, right? You need to get used to it too.”
“Marry soon?” Alaric chuckled, a little caught off guard. “Where did you hear that, you little rascal?”
“Isn’t it true?” Elisa asked, sounding surprised. “You’ve already given her the bridal room and that incredibly expensive watch. If you’re not planning to marry her, why spend so much money on her? Are you a big sucker?”
Alaric’s mind buzzed at Elisa’s words. The watch. Didn’t Galatea refuse it? Hadn’t he thrown it away? But now, Elisa was saying that Galatea had kept it on her bedside table. A mix of frustration and curiosity stirred within him.
“What watch are you talking about?” Alaric asked, trying to sound neutral, though his mind was racing.
“You’ve got memory problems?” Elisa teased, sounding amused. “The watch you gave to my mom for her birthday, the one with her name engraved on it. I saw it, and Mommy said it was from you.”
Alaric was momentarily stunned. Then, it all clicked into place. Galatea must have picked the watch up from the trash bin when she’d come over to bring chicken soup. She had refused it at first, but then retrieved it once he’d discarded it.
“Yes, I gave her that watch. Does she like it?” Alaric asked, trying to mask the mix of frustration and relief he felt.
“Of course she does! Why else would Mommy keep it on her bedside table?” Elisa said, then quickly shifted the subject. “But hey, you still haven’t answered me. Do you really want to marry her? You adults always beat around the bush.”
“We’ll get married when the time is right,” Alaric replied, a little evasively.
Then, to change the subject, he asked, “Weren’t you off experiencing life in the countryside? Why are you back so soon?”
“Yep, came back yesterday,” Elisa said, her voice light.
Alaric’s curiosity piqued. “And your brother? Did he come back with you?”
“Of course, silly. We went together, so we came back together.”
Harry? The boy who looked exactly like Caspian?
Alaric’s mind raced. He had never met Harry before, but now, the thought of meeting the boy who resembled Caspian so closely had him intrigued. He had to see for himself if the resemblance was as striking as it sounded.
“Elisa, aren’t you supposed to be at school today?” Alaric asked, realizing something was off.
“Going to school, but today the school organized an event. It’s already ended, so if the students want to go home early, they can have their parents pick them up. If not, they can stay and read until the end of school.”
“Really?” Alaric’s voice carried a hint of surprise. “Well, I’m going to pick you and Harry up now.” He grinned. “But this is a secret between us. You can’t tell anyone, okay?”
“Are you trying to secretly win me and my brother over?” Elisa asked with a sly tone.
“Yes,” Alaric admitted with a laugh. “So, my future dear daughter, would you give me this chance?”
“Of course,” Elisa said cheerfully. “My brother and I will wait for you at school. Come find us.”
“Great,” Alaric said, feeling a lightness in his chest. He hung up the phone and grabbed his car keys, eager to meet them both.
Meanwhile, Caspian was left with a sinking feeling. His father was coming to see him? After all, Alaric had raised him. Would his cover be blown in an instant?
“Why did you agree to it, Elisa?” Caspian asked, clearly uneasy.
“He’s going to be our dad soon,” Elisa replied nonchalantly. “We’d have to meet him sooner or later.”
“But Harry, why are you so scared to see him?” Elisa continued, her brow furrowing. “Last time he came over, you hid in the closet. You never explained that to me. Why were you so scared?”
Caspian was caught off guard, unable to explain. Harry had told him that Alaric knew they looked identical, but the moment of confrontation still filled him with dread.
“It’s inevitable,” Caspian muttered under his breath, trying to calm himself. “I have to face it with composure.” He took a deep breath. Harry might have been by his side for many days, but he hadn’t noticed yet. He could pull it off as long as he insisted on being Harry. “Stay calm. Don’t panic.”
“Daddy!” Elisa cried excitedly, running toward the car as she spotted Alaric’s vehicle parked at the school gate.
Alaric, seeing her approach, immediately got out of the car. He bent down, scooping her up in one smooth motion. “Daddy, you got here so fast!” Elisa beamed, her happiness contagious.
“I came right after we got off the phone,” Alaric replied, looking around for Harry. When he saw that Elisa was alone, he asked, “Where’s Harry?”
“What, do you prefer boys over girls?” Elisa quipped, a little put off by the question.
“Of course not,” Alaric laughed, adjusting his grip on her. “My Elisa is so adorable. You’re naturally my favorite.”
“That’s more like it,” Elisa said, satisfied with the answer.
Caspian had to gather all his courage as he stepped out of the school, walking toward the car. When Alaric saw him, he froze, eyes wide in disbelief. “Caspian?” he blurted out.
Hearing his name on Alaric’s lips made Caspian’s heart skip a beat, and in a flurry of nerves, he quickly corrected himself. “My name is Harry Hartley. Stop calling me that. I’m Harry.”
“Exactly!” Elisa jumped in, eager to clarify. “I told you, this is my brother, Harry.”
Alaric stared at Caspian, his shock still apparent. “The resemblance is uncanny!” he exclaimed.
For a moment, Alaric struggled to process what he was seeing. Was this really Harry? Was this supposed to be Galatea’s son? The boy who looked so much like Caspian?
“I’m Harry Hartley,” Caspian insisted, his voice firm. “Don’t get it wrong again. It’s very impolite to call someone by the wrong name.”
It took a moment for Alaric to recover from the shock. Then, after a long pause, he suggested, “Alright, where do you two want to go? Daddy will take you.”
“Daddy?” Caspian’s voice faltered, a knot tightening in his stomach. “Did you just say you’re our daddy? Are you mistaken?”
“No mistake, Harry,” Alaric said with a smile, trying to ease the tension. “I’m about to marry Mommy. Naturally, we should start calling me Daddy now, to get used to it.”
Elisa grinned, clearly pleased with the new dynamic. “Exactly!” she chimed in. “We’ll get used to it in no time!”