Chapter 197: The Strain of Family Ties
Alaric was caught off guard by Marigold’s agitated state. He had no idea why she was so upset, and before he could speak, Joe hurriedly intervened.
“Mr. Knight,” Joe said, his voice tinged with concern, “Mrs. Knight just had a heart attack. She’s taken her medication, but she’s still recovering. Please, don’t upset her further.”
Marigold’s face was ashen, her distress so evident it seemed to physically drain her.
Alaric instinctively moved toward her, but Marigold, her fury boiling over, shoved his hand away.
“Did you hear what I just said?” she demanded, her voice sharp with anger. “As long as I’m alive, don’t even think about bringing that bitch into this house. If you want to marry her, you’ll have to wait until I’m dead!”
Alaric felt the weight of her words sink in. This was the one thing he dreaded hearing the most. Marigold was using the ultimate threat—her life—to prevent him from marrying Galatea.
“Mom,” he said, his voice steady but firm. “Even if I don’t marry her now, what difference does it make? We were married seven years ago, remember?”
“What did you just say?” Marigold froze, her eyes wide with disbelief. “What do you mean? How do you know about that?”
Alaric sighed, frustration and sadness clouding his features. “Mom, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t keep pretending it never happened. Galatea—no, to be precise, Stellan—was the woman who married me and bore my children. The medical records said she died in childbirth six years ago. But now, the DNA results are in front of you.”
Marigold’s face paled further as she processed his words.
“The DNA results confirm it,” Alaric continued, “The ones from six years ago were tampered with. And while it wasn’t you who did the tampering, you were deceived—and that led to Galatea’s supposed ‘death.’ I don’t understand why you’re still so bitter. Whatever you think of Galatea, she was the daughter-in-law you wanted. She doesn’t owe you or the Knight family anything.”
Alaric took a deep breath before continuing. “And let’s be clear. It wasn’t her fault that things turned out this way. It was your wrongful accusations that pushed her into tragedy. She survived, and so did the children. Now, after six years, our family of five can finally reunite. This is a happy ending, isn’t it? Why are you determined to ruin it?”
Marigold felt the sting of his words, but the pain she felt was far deeper than Alaric could understand.
“Make everyone unhappy?” Marigold scoffed bitterly. “That’s what you think? This is what you call happiness? A happy ending?”
Alaric, though frustrated, tried to explain. “Am I wrong? Caspian loves Galatea—he has a natural bond with her. And Harry and Elisa, they’re both bright and adorable. Galatea and I are by your side. You have three grandchildren now—Caspian, Harry, and Elisa. This is something many people would envy. And yet, you want to destroy it. Isn’t that making everyone unhappy?”
Marigold sneered, her expression twisted with anger and resentment. “Envy? That’s your perspective. I made mistakes in the past, and I admit that. But that doesn’t change the fact that Galatea resents me for it. She treats me like an enemy. We’ll never be compatible. Now you want to marry her, and Caspian, Harry, and Elisa adore her. You shield her, but where does that leave me? I’ve worked my whole life for the Knight family, and in my old age, I only want peace. But now, you’ve brought this malicious woman back into our lives to torment me. To disrupt everything. This is your version of happiness?”
Alaric’s heart twisted, but his resolve remained. “For you, this might not seem like a happy ending, but it is for me. For us, Mom. You’ve had your struggles, I know. But please don’t let your own bitterness destroy what’s finally been restored. Galatea doesn’t owe you anything. It’s not her fault you feel this way. Why can’t you see that?”
Marigold’s tears started to fall, her sorrow spilling over in a flood of emotion. “For your family of five, this might be bliss, but not for me. It seems like you’ve turned a blind eye to everything except your own happiness. Galatea’s clouded your judgment, and now my needs don’t even matter anymore. I gave everything for this family, and in the end, it’s all for nothing. I’m nurturing a child who lacks gratitude, who’s been taken away from me.”
Alaric, genuinely at a loss, stepped closer. “Mom, this is all in your head. You keep thinking Galatea will seek revenge, but that’s not her intention. It’s all in your imagination.”
“My imagination?” Marigold’s voice cracked, filled with anger and despair. “That bitch just called me, and she made it clear that she resents me! I was so angry I had a heart attack! Do you call that my imagination?”
Alaric’s eyes widened at her words. “Galatea called you?”
Marigold, unable to contain her grief, continued, “The child I raised is now someone else’s. I have no place in this family anymore.”
Her sobs wracked her body, and Joe, looking at Alaric with concern, stepped in. “Mrs. Knight, your heart condition is delicate. Please, try to calm down. Mr. Knight, please… do you really want to make her health worse?”
Alaric’s heart ached as he saw the pain his mother was in. He understood, now more than ever, just how deeply her emotional wounds ran. But he couldn’t let go of his stance on Galatea. Not now. Not after everything.
“Mom, I’m not trying to distress you,” Alaric said quietly. “But I promise you this: once Galatea marries me, she won’t harbor any intentions of vengeance against you. I won’t allow it. If you can’t trust her, at least trust me.”
Marigold clutched her chest, her distress palpable. Joe quickly interjected. “Mr. Knight, let’s avoid any mention of Galatea for now. It’s too much for Mrs. Knight.”
Alaric took a deep breath, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. “Alright, I’ll avoid talking about her for now. But what about Caspian? Where is he?”
Marigold didn’t seem to understand the significance of his question, but Alaric noticed the hesitation in Joe’s eyes.
“Mr. Knight…” Joe faltered, unsure of how to answer.
Seeing the hesitation, Alaric’s worry mounted. He quickly ran upstairs, searching frantically through the house. But there was no sign of Harry.
He turned back to Marigold, his voice rising with urgency. “Where is the child? Did you hide him? Did you take him out of sight to keep him away from Galatea?”