Chapter 123
Alaric held Galatea on his lap, cradling her as though she were a child. Their posture was intimate, and the closeness stirred something within both of them.
Ambrose, watching from a distance, could barely contain his anger. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, and he trembled with the urge to lash out. How could Alaric embrace her like that? After everything she’s been through—crying, struggling for loans, enduring hardships in that clinic—how did he have the right to hold her? Ambrose seethed, What about Stellan? Why wasn’t she pushing him away?
Galatea, feeling the weight of the situation, wanted to pull away but couldn’t. Her heart seemed out of her control, like a startled deer caught in a trap, unable to escape.
“Are you worried I’ll die?” Alaric asked, sensing her inner turmoil. He didn’t wait for her response—he already knew the answer from the way her eyes darted nervously.
“Not at all,” Galatea said, her voice flat as she deliberately avoided his gaze. “Your death has nothing to do with me.”
Alaric chuckled softly, his eyes narrowing as he watched her fidget. “Then why were you so worried just now?”
“I…,” she stammered, unable to form a coherent excuse.
Alaric’s laughter turned into a cough, and Galatea immediately began patting his back. “Where do you feel uncomfortable now?” she asked anxiously, but Alaric remained silent, his breathing shallow.
“You didn’t stay in the hospital properly. Why did you leave?” she pressed. “Which hospital are you staying in now? I’ll take you back.”
“I’m not going back,” Alaric replied, his voice laced with stubbornness.
“Alaric, you’re not a child. Can you be more considerate?” Galatea scolded. “If you’re sick, you need to stay in the hospital and see a doctor!”
“Aren’t you one?” he retorted with a teasing smirk. “Besides, you’re the expert on treating my condition.”
Galatea fell silent, realizing there was little she could say to that.
“Did you block me?” Alaric’s voice broke through her thoughts.
“Ah? This…?” Galatea hesitated. She had indeed blocked him, but admitting it would mean facing his wrath. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth.
“Block you? How’s that possible?” she feigned innocence, pulling out her phone and glancing at it. “Oh, how did you end up on the blocklist? Must’ve been an accident… Yes, an accident.”
Alaric didn’t buy her story. He took the phone from her hands and removed his number from the blocklist, then handed it back. “Don’t be so careless next time. I couldn’t find you when I needed you.”
Galatea stared at him, stunned. She had expected him to be furious, maybe even scold her for blocking him. Instead, he was being gentle, almost… kind? She couldn’t understand this sudden change.
“Is this the shop you rented for your clinic?” Alaric asked, his gaze scanning the room.
“Yes,” Galatea said. “It’s still under renovation, so it’s pretty messy.”
“It’s not that bad,” he said with a slight smile. “For a construction site, it’s pretty clean.”
Galatea nodded, but her mind was still on his strange behavior. Could he really be this understanding?
“Have you eaten?” Alaric asked, noticing the time.
“Not yet,” Galatea replied, her concern deepening as she looked at his condition. “Have you?”
“No,” he said, his voice weary.
“Why aren’t you in the hospital? Why did you suddenly come here?” Galatea asked, frustration creeping into her tone. “You can’t eat recklessly in your condition, and I can’t cook for you in this messy place.”
Alaric should be eating nourishing food, not takeout or instant noodles. She was angry at the thought, but there was nothing she could do in this temporary space.
“Then what do you usually eat?” he asked casually.
“Sometimes I buy takeout, or just make instant noodles,” she replied, glancing at the corner of the room where she had set up a small kitchen with basic appliances.
“Then just make instant noodles,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t have an appetite for anything else right now.”
Galatea stood frozen, incredulous. Alaric Knight—this high-level executive—wants to eat instant noodles with me?
“I’m hungry,” he added when he noticed she hadn’t moved yet.
“Oh, right!” Galatea said quickly, snapping out of her stupor. “Wait a moment. I’m on my way.”
She hurried to cook the noodles while Alaric watched her intently. Despite the frustration and anger he’d felt before seeing her, it all melted away as he watched her work. In that moment, he realized something important. When he thought he might die, all he could think about was her. Perhaps Cormac was right. He had treated her badly before, ordering her around and making her feel like a subordinate. Maybe there was a better way—one where he showed her more care, more tenderness.
He kept his gaze on her as she focused on cooking, admiring the way she moved. Soon, two bowls of instant noodles were ready.
“There aren’t many ingredients here, so this is all I could make,” Galatea said, offering him a bowl.
“It’s perfect,” Alaric replied, picking up his bowl. He was starving now, and the noodles tasted better than anything he’d eaten in ages.
Galatea, still surprised by his behavior, couldn’t help but wonder, What happened to him? Did he take the wrong medicine?
“What happened before was my fault,” Alaric said suddenly, breaking into her thoughts.
“Huh? What did you say?” she asked, unable to believe what she’d just heard.
“I said,” he repeated, his voice steady, “the way I handled things last time was wrong. I apologize.”
Galatea blinked, speechless. He’s apologizing?
“Why… why are you suddenly…?” she stammered, not used to this sudden change in him. She looked up at him, utterly confused.
Alaric smiled at her, his expression softening as he watched her process the unexpected apology. “If you’re not mad about it, I’ll take it as you’ve forgiven me,” he said gently. “Let’s not mention what happened last time anymore. And I won’t ask about your past. The past is gone.”
Galatea reached out instinctively and placed her hand on his forehead, feeling for a fever. “You don’t have a fever. Why are you suddenly acting like a different person? Did something happen to you?” she asked, her voice full of concern.
Before she could say more, Alaric leaned in, catching her off guard. He kissed her gently, stopping her words in their tracks.
For a moment, Galatea was too stunned to respond, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.