Chapter 100
Galatea stood silently, watching Ambrose, the unfamiliar look in his eyes only confirming her suspicions. He was pretending not to recognize her, and she understood why. His current role as Alaric’s business partner made it clear that Alaric was the one truly in control of this collaboration.
If Alaric discovered that Ambrose and she shared a past as former lovers, he would quickly replace him as a business partner, all at the slightest sign of displeasure. And in these men’s eyes, emotions and relationships became insignificant compared to the power and dignity they sought.
But it wasn’t the same for her. She cared—perhaps too much.
It was all so ridiculous, pitiful, and heartbreaking. How had things become this way?
At that very moment, Alaric stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, watching the scene unfold. The sight of her standing there with Ambrose, the man he likely thought of as a rival, fueled his anger. In a swift motion, he closed the curtains, blocking out the view.
Meanwhile, Ambrose’s voice interrupted her thoughts, “Where does Mrs. Knight live? I’ll give you a ride.”
Galatea quickly shook her head, her voice firm. “No need.” She turned on her heel, desperate to escape from the tension in the air and avoid both of them any longer.
Once she reached home, she collapsed onto the ground, feeling utterly drained, both physically and emotionally.
Mia’s voice broke through her exhaustion as she heard Galatea’s arrival. “Is Stellan back?” she asked, walking toward the door and stopping when she saw Galatea sitting on the floor, her eyes hollow.
“What happened? Are you feeling unwell?” Mia asked, concern filling her tone.
Unable to contain her emotions, Galatea rushed into Mia’s arms and began crying. The floodgates opened, and all the pent-up grief, frustration, and exhaustion came rushing out.
Mia, caught off guard by her sudden outburst, was at a loss for words. After a long pause, she gently asked, “Who hurt you?”
Galatea shook her head weakly, her voice barely audible. “I miss my dad…”
Mia froze. “Your dad?” she repeated, confusion evident on her face. Today wasn’t the anniversary of his death. Why the sudden longing?
Galatea’s tears only intensified as she spoke, her words choked with grief. “Although my mom passed away early, I was lucky to have my dad. He loved me… He loved me so much. I thought he would always be there. I had dreams—dreams of a family, a life with a man I loved. I thought that with him by my side, nothing could go wrong. But…”
Her voice faltered, and she struggled to continue, her emotions overtaking her. “It’s fine if Ambrose leaves me. But I thought… I thought my dad would never abandon me. But he did. He chose to leave… by taking his own life. He knew about the debts that would be left behind, that I would be left to fend for myself, an orphan chased by creditors, but still… he left me.”
Galatea’s sobs deepened as the weight of her father’s death resurfaced. “I was just a little girl, lost and alone. And when he died, a part of me died with him. I couldn’t see a way forward. I tried to move on, I tried to rebuild with Harry and Elisa, and then I met Alaric. But now… I’m not so sure anymore. I wanted to believe I could have a new life with him. A happy family. But in the end, it feels like all of this has been a lie.”
Galatea paused, her chest heaving with the force of her emotions. “I feel like such a failure. I can’t make anything work. I can’t even find happiness. Why does this keep happening? Am I so worthless? Why can’t I find real love? Even my own father… he abandoned me. How could he do that?”
Mia’s heart ached as she heard the depth of Galatea’s pain. She gently cupped her friend’s face, wiping away the tears that streamed down. “No, Galatea, you’re not worthless. You are loved, and you’re not alone. Life has thrown you curveballs, yes, but it’s not the end. You’ve been through so much, but please, don’t give up. You have people who care about you, who want to see you happy.”
Galatea’s tears continued to fall, but Mia’s words slowly began to sink in. “You’ve always been strong, Stellan. You’ve always been the pride of your family, and you still are. Don’t let these setbacks define you. Look at Harry and Elisa. They love you. They care about you. You have so much to live for. And you haven’t found your son yet. You must be strong—for them, and for yourself.”
The mention of her son hit Galatea like a punch to the gut. How could she have forgotten him in the midst of all her chaos? She had been so consumed by the turmoil around her that she had lost sight of the one thing that mattered most.
With Mia’s encouragement, Galatea slowly stood and went to her bedroom. But sleep eluded her. Instead, she lay awake, consumed by guilt and self-doubt. How had she ended up in this place? She had come to Arizona with such determination, but now it seemed like everything had fallen apart. She had lost her job, failed to find her son, and ruined any chance of a future with Alaric.
Her own self-loathing spiraled, and she cursed herself again and again for being so weak.
Then, with a sharp breath, she forced herself to stop. She couldn’t keep doing this to herself. She couldn’t waste any more time feeling sorry for herself.
The sun outside the window was beginning to shine brightly, casting light into the room. For the first time in a long while, Galatea made a vow to herself. Tomorrow, she would rise again. She would stop living in the shadows of her past mistakes. It was time to fight for herself, for her children, and for the life she still had the power to create.
As she whispered the words to herself, a small voice called from the hallway.
“Marcella, where’s mommy?”
The sound of her children’s excited voices filled the air, and Galatea quickly wiped her tears. She took a deep breath, adjusting her mood for them. When they burst into the room, holding up their medals, her heart swelled with pride.
“My two babies are amazing!” she said, smiling through her tears. “I’ll make a special dinner for you tonight to celebrate.”
As the children handed her their medals, Caspian’s eyes narrowed in concern, and he asked, “Mommy, have you… have you been crying?”
Elisa, noticing her swollen eyes, added, “Yeah, your eyes are all red. Mommy, why were you crying so much? What happened?”
Galatea quickly wiped her eyes and smiled at them. “No, I just had a bad dream. I woke up and looked like this. Don’t worry. Now, go do your homework, and I’ll get started on dinner.”
But Caspian and Elisa exchanged a glance, confused. Elisa, still puzzled, turned to Caspian and whispered, “Can someone cry in a dream?”
Galatea let out a soft chuckle, the weight of her earlier emotions lightened by the warmth of her children. She had to keep going. For them.