Chapter 175: A Visit from Mrs. Marigold
After Orion left, Marigold’s face was twisted with fury, her cheeks puffed up like an inflated toad. She looked ready to explode.
“Grandma, why are you so angry?” Harry asked innocently. “Isn’t it a good thing that Dad is marrying Mom? I only recognize Galatea as my mom!”
“You say you only recognize Galatea as your mom?” Marigold’s voice dripped with disbelief.
“Yes,” Harry replied firmly. “I won’t accept anyone else as my mom. If you keep opposing it, then I’ll change my surname and stop recognizing you as my grandma.”
Marigold’s temper flared, but Harry didn’t back down.
“Where do you think we are? What era is this?” Harry continued, his voice filled with mock seriousness. “The books say marriage is between two people. No one else, not even parents, has the right to interfere.”
“You’re still in first grade! Where did you learn all this nonsense?” Marigold shot back, her voice rising. “In the Knight family, it’s up to me to approve of who my son Alaric marries.”
Harry raised an eyebrow. “Got it, that’s fine. You keep opposing it, and when you finally agree, I’ll recognize you as my grandma again.”
With that, Harry slowly moved out of the room, holding his backside dramatically as if in pain. Marigold, concerned, rushed to catch him, but Harry stubbornly pushed her away.
“They say we should respect our elders and love the young, but all you want is for everyone to respect you. There’s no rule that says you have to care for me. Fine. Since no one cares about my feelings, I’ll just go on a hunger strike. I’ll starve myself to death!”
Marigold felt a headache brewing. “Caspian, you don’t understand adult matters, so stop meddling.”
“It’s their problem, but I can’t meddle because I’m a child, right? Why can’t you? Since I only recognize Galatea as my mom, my dad won’t marry anyone else. If you keep opposing it, my dad and I will go on a hunger strike together. You’ll lose both your son and grandson, and the Knight family will be finished.”
Marigold’s temper was nearly at its breaking point, but she realized that being tough on Caspian wasn’t working.
“I’m your grandma. Don’t threaten me with death.” Marigold took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Fine, I’ll go see this Galatea. If she’s as good as you say, then I’ll agree.”
Harry’s eyes lit up with confidence. “Really? I’m sure she’s amazing. After all, everyone loves my mom.”
“Yes, really.” Marigold nodded. “Caspian, you stay here and have your meal. I’ll come back after seeing her.”
“Okay!” Harry agreed eagerly, but then added with a warning, “If you mistreat her, I’ll really go on a hunger strike.”
“I promise not to mistreat her,” Marigold said, trying to keep her composure.
As Marigold left the house, she felt her anger rising to the boiling point. “Galatea, I want to see who you really are. Captivating both Alaric and Caspian… Let’s see about that.”
Meanwhile, Alaric had finally felt some relief from the pain in his body. He decided to get up and move around a bit. After reviewing some documents Silas had sent over, he signed them.
“I know you can’t sit still,” Galatea said gently. “I don’t mind you working, but don’t overdo it. Your workload needs to be manageable.”
“I understand,” Alaric replied, pulling her closer into his arms. “I’ve already told you, I’ll listen to you during my treatment.”
“Good.” Galatea smiled, checking the time. “It’s time for a nap.”
Reluctantly, Alaric let her go as she led him to the bed. Over the course of his treatment, their routines had become quite regular—eating, resting, and spending time together.
Once in bed, Galatea nestled against Alaric, and he gently stroked her hair, a tender gesture that made her smile.
“You’ve been working so hard for me,” Alaric said softly.
“Why the sudden politeness?” Galatea teased. “I just give you injections. The rest of the time is just eating and sleeping here. It’s not that hard. You’ll probably lose a few pounds, but I’ll probably gain a few.”
“You’re too thin. Gaining a little weight would be good for you.”
“I don’t want to gain weight.”
“Whether you gain or lose weight, you’re still the most beautiful to me,” Alaric said, his voice smooth and affectionate.
Galatea rolled her eyes at him, but couldn’t hide the smile that tugged at her lips. He had become so good at sweet-talking her.
“Is this treatment going to take a long time?” Alaric asked, his expression turning serious.
“Of course,” Galatea replied. “After all these years of chronic illness, it’s not something that can be fixed in a day.”
“I can’t just sit idly by during this,” Alaric said, determination flashing in his eyes.
Galatea knew exactly what he meant.
“Just focus on getting better,” she said. “Your health comes first. We’ll figure everything else out later.”
Alaric nodded. After a few moments, he spoke again. “You’re familiar with Derek Ronald, right?”
Galatea was taken aback. “Wasn’t he my father Brennan’s assistant?”
“Yes,” Alaric replied. “Though I can’t investigate personally right now, I’ve reviewed the files on the Storm Group. Derek Ronald was Brennan’s assistant for nearly thirteen years. He should know something about the Storm family’s bankruptcy, and that could be our breakthrough.”
Galatea paused, surprised by Alaric’s dedication to investigating. “But after our family went bankrupt, Derek disappeared. It’s been so many years without contact. It’s going to be difficult to find him.”
“You don’t need to worry about that.” Alaric’s confidence was unwavering. “The people I want to find, I can find, as long as they’re still alive. It’s only a matter of time.”
Galatea watched him in awe. She hadn’t realized how thorough and resourceful he was. His past military experience must have helped him develop these skills.
“If you’re so good at finding people,” she asked with a smirk, “could you help me find Marigold Rogers?”
Alaric raised an eyebrow. “Of course. I can find anyone, no matter where they are.”
Before Galatea could respond, there was a knock at the door. Seeing the irritation on Alaric’s face as he prepared to snap, Galatea quickly got up. “Stay here. I’ll go see.”
Silas was at the door when she opened it. “Young Madam, I apologize for disturbing your nap, but the situation is urgent.”
Galatea frowned. “What’s happened?”
“Mrs. Marigold just called me, asking if you were at the company. I told her the truth. She said she wants to see you.”
“Mrs. Marigold wants to see me?” Galatea’s heart skipped a beat. Why would Marigold want to see her now?