Chapter 126
“I also didn’t expect you’d be flirting with Galatea while hospitalized,” Cormac remarked with a teasing grin, glancing toward the door where Galatea had just fled, her face flushed a deep red. “Did you two make up?”
Alaric shrugged casually. “There wasn’t really a fight to begin with.”
Hearing that, Cormac cursed him inwardly. Wasn’t it thanks to me that they reconciled? He had put in so much effort, trying to smooth things over with Galatea. Now, Alaric was acting like nothing had happened.
“Mrs. Marigold called me earlier, asking about your hospitalization,” Cormac said. “I was worried she’d show up and cause a scene, but I didn’t expect it to affect you at all.”
Alaric’s face darkened at the mention of his mother. “My mom wanted to find Galatea, but she couldn’t,” he replied, his tone flat.
“Why would she want to find Galatea?” Cormac asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alaric gave him a knowing look. “Don’t you know why? She definitely blames Galatea for the breakup between me and Orion.”
Cormac shook his head. It was more complicated than he had anticipated, but it made sense in a twisted way. “That makes sense; Mrs. Marigold is old-fashioned, and she values family connections and social standing above all else. If you want to marry Galatea, she’s going to be the first to disapprove.”
“Yeah, I know,” Alaric sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration. “She won’t approve of me marrying Galatea. But honestly, I don’t care about her opinion anymore. What I’m worried about is what she might do behind the scenes. I’m just afraid she’ll hurt Galatea.”
Cormac nodded gravely. “That’s true. Your mother is just as terrifying as my dad in that sense. Her power plays are something else.”
Alaric stared at the ceiling for a moment, lost in thought. “I’m still stuck here in the hospital, so I can’t be around Galatea all the time. Can you find someone to protect her while I’m here?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Cormac replied confidently. “Galatea’s helped us before. I’ll make sure nothing happens to her.”
Outside the room, Galatea had overheard their entire conversation. Her heart warmed at the thought that Alaric genuinely cared for her safety. She couldn’t deny how much that meant to her.
But as she reflected on the conversation, a feeling of determination swept over her. There was still so much to do. If she could focus on the present, on this moment with Alaric, she would. But she couldn’t forget about her son. Mrs. Marigold was still a looming figure in the back of her mind, and although she hadn’t met her yet, she had clues—small, but enough to keep her hopeful.
If she couldn’t track down Mrs. Marigold on her own, she would have to tell Alaric when he was better. It would be easier if he were by her side, helping her find the answers.
She could see a bright future ahead of her. She would fight for it, no matter the obstacles.
Meanwhile, in the Knight family’s villa, Harry found himself in a less-than-ideal situation. Mrs. Marigold had decided to stay at the villa, much to his annoyance. It made no sense to him. Why had she chosen to live here when she had a perfectly fine home of her own? He didn’t particularly like her, and the feeling seemed mutual. He couldn’t understand her obsession with constantly being around.
Despite that, he did what he always did—he ate. Nothing was going to stop him from filling his stomach, not even Mrs. Marigold’s icy glare.
“How rude!” Mrs. Marigold scolded him when she saw him eating alone again. But Harry ignored her completely, biting into his meal as though she wasn’t even there.
“Mrs. Marigold, Old Griffon has arrived,” a servant announced.
Harry rolled his eyes. Great, he thought. Two of the three most annoying people are now in front of me.
When Griffon entered, he greeted Mrs. Marigold warmly. “You’ve returned from your global trip? How was it?”
Mrs. Marigold nodded, her tone a bit terse. “Going on a trip was fine, but I didn’t expect such a big twist during it.” Her voice darkened as she continued, “I just found out about Alaric and Orion’s situation. If I had been there, I would’ve stopped it from happening.”
Griffon raised an eyebrow but kept his tone diplomatic. “You can’t force someone to love another. It’s not Alaric’s fault. After all, my daughter also has her flaws.”
Mrs. Marigold’s expression hardened. “Well, they were childhood sweethearts—a perfect match,” she muttered bitterly. “But Alaric must’ve lost his mind. Falling for a female doctor… That damn bitch actually seduced him. I won’t forgive her!”
Griffon’s jaw tightened, but he kept his smile. So she’s cursing Galatea? he thought, disgusted by her venomous words. He took a deep breath and said, “Have you met Galatea yet?”
“No,” Mrs. Marigold replied, her eyes narrowed in determination. “I missed my chance, but it’s no rush. She can’t run away under my watch.”
Griffon fell silent, pondering her words. He couldn’t help but wonder how she’d react if she knew that Galatea was actually Stellan—her son’s long-lost mother. The truth would be an interesting one to reveal, but for now, he said nothing, allowing the conversation to play out.
In the back of his mind, Griffon knew Mrs. Marigold’s obsession with control would only make things more complicated for everyone involved. And as for Harry, he didn’t care about any of it. As long as he could eat, he was fine.