Chapter 189: Please Return My Son to Me
“Are you Marigold Rogers?” Galatea’s voice was shaking, her excitement nearly overwhelming her. She could hardly believe it. After all this time, Marigold Rogers, the woman she had been desperately searching for, was finally contacting her.
“Yes,” Marigold’s calm voice came through the phone. “I know you’ve been looking for me, and it seems that I’ve been looking for you as well.”
Galatea’s heart pounded. Marigold Rogers is looking for me? Why?
Before she could voice the question, the one burning in her heart, Marigold’s voice cut through the air. “Where is my son? Is my son with you?” Galatea’s breath quickened, her chest tight with fear.
The possibility of hearing that her son was no longer alive terrified her beyond measure. If my son isn’t with her… or worse… if he’s dead…
Marigold’s response was blunt and direct. “If you want to know about your son, come see me alone. Send me your location, and I’ll have a car pick you up. But this meeting must remain a secret, or you won’t find out where he is.”
Galatea’s hands trembled as she held the phone. She could hardly believe this was happening. This could be my chance.
“Alright,” Galatea said, her voice a mere whisper. She couldn’t pass this up.
Marigold didn’t waste another moment. “Hurry. Tell me your location now, or you’ll never see your son.”
Galatea, feeling a rush of urgency, immediately relayed her address. “I will,” she added quickly, not wanting to waste any time.
Marigold responded tersely, “Good. Wait by the roadside. My car will come for you.” Without another word, the call ended.
Galatea stared at her phone, still reeling. She glanced at the number again, as if she could somehow make sense of it. It’s real. This is really happening.
With a rush of impatience, she hurried back to the lounge to find an excuse to tell Alaric that she was leaving. But when she entered, she found him asleep on the bed. The exhaustion from his previous pain had clearly caught up with him.
“Alaric… Alaric,” she called softly, but there was no response. He was deeply asleep, likely from the toll the medication had taken on him.
Galatea hesitated, then left a quick note beside him. She didn’t want to leave him for too long, but her son’s location was finally within reach, and she couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity.
After leaving Nexus Innovations, Galatea stood on the roadside, her heart racing. The wait wasn’t long before a sleek black car pulled up in front of her.
“Are you Stellan Storm?” a man’s voice asked from behind the wheel.
“Yes,” Galatea replied, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
Once her identity was confirmed, the man, who introduced himself as Hubert Diaz, opened the door for her. Galatea slid into the car, her mind spinning with anticipation.
As soon as she sat down, Hubert handed her a blindfold. “Put this on.”
Galatea’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t want to wear a blindfold, but she had no choice. Her desperation to see her son outweighed everything else.
Reluctantly, she put it on. The car began moving, and Galatea tried to gauge how long they were driving. It felt like at least forty minutes before the car finally came to a stop.
“We’ve arrived. Mrs. Marigold is inside,” Hubert said, his voice polite but firm.
Galatea’s heart hammered in her chest as she stepped out of the car, blindfold still on. The unfamiliar scent of the mansion greeted her, and with each step, her anxiety grew. Marigold… the mother of my ex-husband…
Despite knowing that Marigold was strict and fierce, Galatea felt a strange mixture of fear and hope as she approached the mansion.
She walked into the courtyard, her breath shallow, and saw an old woman sitting with her back to her. Galatea’s pulse quickened. Is this her?
“Mrs. Marigold?” Galatea’s voice was barely a whisper, but it carried all her pent-up emotions.
When the woman turned to face her, Galatea finally saw Marigold Rogers. The sight left her both relieved and terrified. Marigold’s face was hard to read, but her presence was imposing.
Galatea opened her mouth several times but couldn’t find the words. Her nerves were too frayed, and she didn’t know what to say first.
Marigold sneered at her. “You’re quite the survivor, aren’t you? The doctors declared you dead, yet here you are, still breathing.”
Her words stung, and Galatea felt her heart sink. Marigold didn’t seem pleased to see her at all. In fact, she seemed more irritated than anything else. She would have been better off if I had died back then, wouldn’t she?
Galatea, however, wasn’t here for Marigold’s grudges. She only cared about one thing. “Where is my son? Did you take my son all those years ago? Where is he now?” Her voice wavered with desperation.
Marigold’s expression hardened. “Why are you shouting? It’s been six years, and you’re still as impatient as ever.”
Galatea’s frustration surged, but she held her tongue. If she had been here six years ago, she would have tried to explain herself to Marigold. She would have tried to convince her that her son belonged to their family. But now, things had changed. She didn’t want to risk losing Harry and Elisa if it meant bringing up old arguments.
Instead, she simply quieted herself and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for raising my voice. I was just… overwhelmed. Mrs. Marigold, please, tell me where my son is. Since he’s not your family’s child, will you return him to me?”
Marigold’s anger flared again. “You’re asking for your son after all these years? Do you really think you can just take him away from me like that?”
Galatea’s heart skipped a beat. So he really is with her?
Relief flooded her, but she forced herself to stay calm. “Please, Mrs. Marigold. Whatever you want—child support, whatever the amount—it doesn’t matter. I’ll do anything, just please return my son to me.”
Marigold’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “You think you can buy him back with money? Ten times the child support, a hundred times? You don’t even have that kind of money. I bet you’ve been using Alaric’s money to pay.”
Galatea winced at the accusation, but she kept her composure. It doesn’t matter. I’ll do whatever it takes.
Marigold stood up, her expression cold. “I’ve raised him for six years. You think I’ll just hand him over to you without a fight?”
Galatea’s breath caught in her throat, but she didn’t break. “So my son is with you?”
Marigold didn’t respond, but the coldness in her eyes spoke volumes.
After a long pause, Galatea composed herself. “Marigold, you came to me for a reason. There must be something you want. If you didn’t intend to return my son, you wouldn’t have contacted me in the first place, would you?”
Marigold’s eyes glinted with amusement. “You’re quite optimistic.”
Galatea’s heart raced as she awaited Marigold’s response, her throat tight with fear.
Finally, Marigold spoke. “Do you want to see your son?”
“Of course!” Galatea breathed, almost choking on her words.
Marigold’s smile was cruel. “Then you’ll do exactly as I say.”
Galatea’s voice trembled as she asked, “What do you want me to do?”