Chapter 162: Uneasy Secrets
Mrs. Marigold’s gaze hardened as Harry’s question echoed in the air. What guilt? What guilt could I have possibly committed? she thought, panic rising in her chest. If Caspian found out about her role in the deaths of Stellan and his siblings, he would hate her forever. She couldn’t lose him, not after everything. Caspian was all she had left.
With a forced smile, Mrs. Marigold quickly tried to cover her unease. “What guilt? It’s just a nightmare, that’s all.”
Harry didn’t seem convinced. “Really?”
His words stirred an uncomfortable feeling in her. If Caspian ever finds out the truth… Mrs. Marigold trembled at the thought. Caspian was too clever for his own good. He had already noticed strange things. Why did Caspian stay with Alaric, while I was with Orion? The question burned in Harry’s mind. If they were triplets, why had their parents been split apart like this? And how could he and Elisa be with their mother, while Caspian was with Alaric? Nothing about it made sense.
“Of course it’s nothing!” Mrs. Marigold said, forcing cheerfulness into her voice. “There’s nothing to worry about.”
Harry wasn’t convinced. “Grandma, can I ask you something?”
Mrs. Marigold stiffened. “Sure, ask away.”
“Since Orion isn’t my real mom, where is my real mom?”
The question hit her like a bolt of lightning. Mrs. Marigold froze, her heart thumping in her chest.
“What did you just ask?” she stammered.
“Where is my real mom?” Harry repeated, his tone calm but insistent.
“You don’t have a real mom!” Mrs. Marigold snapped, too quickly, her voice rising with the lie.
“If I don’t have a real mom, then how was I born?” Harry pressed, raising an eyebrow. “You said I was a super genius before. Now you’re treating me like an idiot.”
Harry’s sharp words sent a chill down Mrs. Marigold’s spine. He was starting to put the pieces together. What if he figures it out? Her mind raced for a way to deflect the question.
“Grandma, is it that difficult to answer?” Harry asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Mrs. Marigold knew she had to lie, or the truth would destroy everything. “Your real mom,” she began, carefully choosing her words, “she… she didn’t deserve to be your mother. After she gave birth to you, she ran off with another man and never once fulfilled her duties. It’s better you forget her.”
The words struck Harry like a slap. Mrs. Marigold was painting a vile picture of his mother. “Grandma, do you realize that lying makes your nose grow long?” Harry joked, though his tone was more serious than before. “Not just a long nose, but also… refusing to admit wrongdoing brings retribution.”
The mention of retribution made Mrs. Marigold’s face pale. No, no, I can’t let him know the truth.
“I’ve told you,” she said, forcing a calm tone. “I haven’t done anything wrong, so there’s no retribution to worry about.”
Her words rang hollow to Harry. He could see through her flimsy lies. But before he could ask more, Mrs. Marigold quickly changed the subject. “Caspian, I’m clearly disturbing your rest. I’ll go sleep in the next guest room. Call me if you need anything.”
With that, she hurried out of the room, leaving Harry to stew in his thoughts. She’s just like the wicked mother-in-law in those soap operas, Harry thought, an amused but bitter smile forming on his lips. But that smile quickly faded as his mind worked through the tangled web of lies and confusion. Cormac said Orion gave birth to me when Alaric was unconscious. If Cormac wasn’t Orion’s child, then it must have been Mom who gave birth to Alaric’s child… But why would she be driven away, especially with Elisa?
He couldn’t make sense of it. The adult world is so complicated, he thought, exasperated. He needed to stop thinking about it for now, or his brain would explode.
“Forget it,” he muttered to himself. “I’ll talk to Caspian when I get the chance. I should be his little brother, right? Caspian should take care of things for me. Yeah, no rush. I’ll sleep now.”
With a final sigh, Harry closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but his mind still churned with unanswered questions.
Elsewhere, Mrs. Marigold lay in her bed, unable to escape the terror that gripped her heart. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw the faces of Stellan and the two children, their bloodied forms staring at her with intense hatred. The weight of their gazes felt suffocating, as though they were reaching out to strangle her. The nightmare was real, more real than anything she had ever experienced.
“Rook, Rook!” she called out, her voice trembling.
Rook arrived quickly, his expression full of concern. “Mrs. Marigold, what’s wrong?”
“I dreamt of Stellan Storm and those two children,” Mrs. Marigold whispered, her voice barely audible, as fear twisted her words. “They were covered in blood, staring at me like they wanted to kill me. It was… it was so terrifying.”
Rook tried to comfort her. “Mrs. Marigold, it’s just a nightmare. Stellan is dead, and she won’t come back. Don’t scare yourself.”
But Mrs. Marigold was no longer calm. Her anxiety had reached its peak. “What if… what if I wronged her when she died? What if she resented me? Could she come back? Could she turn into an evil spirit?”
Rook, though calm, couldn’t offer the comfort she sought. “Mrs. Marigold, it’s impossible for her to come back. She’s gone.”
But Mrs. Marigold couldn’t let go of her fear. “What if not just Stellan, but the other two children too? What if their souls are unrestful, and they want to take revenge?”
Her mind spun with dread, growing more paranoid with each passing moment.
“I can’t shake this feeling,” she said urgently. “Tomorrow, go to Serenity Heights Medical Center. Find out where Stellan was buried. I need to know where the other two children are buried, too. I’ll find a priest to comfort their souls. If they’re restless, they might come back for me.”
Rook, though hesitant, didn’t dare argue. “Alright, Mrs. Marigold. I’ll go first thing tomorrow and ask about Stellan’s burial.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Marigold said, her voice tight with anxiety. “And Rook… make sure you report back to me immediately. No matter how small the progress, I need to know.”
“I’ll make sure,” Rook said, nodding before he left.
Once alone, Mrs. Marigold clasped her hands together and began to pray. “Stellan Storm, I didn’t mean to harm you. It was just your misfortune. Don’t come back to me. Please, don’t come back.”
She repeated her plea over and over, her voice trembling with fear.
Meanwhile, Galatea suddenly sneezed, waking from a dream she couldn’t fully recall.
“Why are you awake so early today?” Alaric asked, noticing her stirring.
Galatea rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m not sure. I think I had a dream, but I can’t remember what it was about.”
Alaric smiled softly. “It must have been a strange one.”
Galatea glanced at him, her thoughts still clouded by the strange sensation of her dreams and Mrs. Marigold’s strange behavior. “Maybe…”