Chapter 206: The Consequences of Betrayal
Seeing Orion so terrified, Cormac’s body seemed to give way beneath him. The truth hit him like a freight train. Orion and Griffon… they really had been involved in so many heinous acts?
Orion, desperate, grabbed his arm. “Cormac, did you talk to Alaric? Did he tell you everything? Does he know the whole truth?”
Cormac’s voice was barely a murmur, tinged with despair. “You two did these things… he was bound to find out sooner or later.”
Orion’s eyes widened with fear. “What did he say? What does he plan to do?”
Cormac’s anger surged, his words sharp. “What do you think he’ll do? If you were Alaric, and your son’s DNA had been tampered with, and your woman had been set up in a car accident… what would you do?”
Orion’s face paled. “Is he going to sue us?”
Cormac’s silence was the answer she dreaded.
“Cormac, you have to help us. We’re your family. I’m your sister, and Dad is your father. You can’t just let us fall apart, can you?” Orion’s voice was desperate, pleading.
“Help you?” Cormac’s bitter laugh echoed through the room. “You were at peace when you did these things, and now you’re scared? Now you want my help?”
The words hung in the air, a heavy weight on both of them. Cormac closed his eyes, his heart breaking. He didn’t want to see Griffon pay the ultimate price, nor did he want Orion to face prison. But how could he help them when the truth was this ugly?
Sighing deeply, Cormac spoke again, his tone heavy. “Tell me, how can I help you? Can I change the law? Alaric’s a man of conviction. Once he decides on something, no one can stop him.”
Orion’s eyes filled with panic. She stammered, trying to deflect, “He doesn’t have evidence. It’s been so long. There’s no proof. Alaric’s just trying to trick you into confessing. I didn’t say anything just now. Those things… they have nothing to do with me or Dad. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Without waiting for Cormac’s response, Orion hurriedly ran out of the room, leaving him alone with his pain.
Cormac’s heart twisted as he looked at the still-unconscious Ravenna. The sight of his mother, so vulnerable, deepened the ache in his chest. “Mom, you were in so much pain when you found out, weren’t you?” he murmured, his voice thick with regret.
He understood his mother’s anguish now, the deep hurt of betrayal. Ravenna was already battling cancer, and yet she had to endure this shocking truth. If something happened to her… Cormac would never forgive Griffon and Orion.
The thought of losing his mother, of the Nash family falling apart, was almost too much to bear. If all the accusations were true, Alaric would stop at nothing to make sure justice was served. Griffon could face the death penalty, and Orion could end up in jail.
The Nash family would be destroyed, completely and irreparably shattered.
Meanwhile, Ambrose had been unable to put the events surrounding Galatea’s car accident out of his mind. He’d spent hours going over the details again, piecing together the information. It wasn’t until he met with Jason—who had initially refused to cooperate—that Ambrose’s investigation finally gained traction.
Using every means at his disposal, Ambrose had pressured Jason into confessing. The moment Jason understood the depth of his situation, he broke down and admitted everything.
The truth about the car accident was even worse than Ambrose had imagined. Griffon had planned to kill Galatea. Fortunately, she had survived the attempt on her life.
“It’s unbelievable,” Denny muttered as he listened to the confession. “Griffon actually tried to kill Ms. Storm?”
Ambrose’s eyes blazed with fury. He clenched his fists, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge. If Griffon were here, Ambrose would have torn him apart without hesitation.
But it wasn’t just Griffon who enraged him. Alaric, too, was a target of Ambrose’s wrath. “That jerk,” Ambrose spat. “Stellan almost died because of him, and only now has the truth come to light. Damn it.”
It wasn’t just about Galatea—this was about Stellan. If Stellan hadn’t met Alaric, she would never have been caught in the web of schemes that now surrounded her.
Ambrose’s anger turned inward. He cursed himself for the pain he had caused Stellan. “I had no choice but to hurt her back then. I regret it every day. But now, she’s with Alaric, and I can’t even get near her. He’s keeping her away from me.”
Denny could see the torment in Ambrose’s eyes. He knew better than to speak against his boss now.
Ambrose continued, his voice bitter. “And Alaric? What can he do? He’ll punish Griffon legally, and what about Marigold? What’s he going to do about her? These people will always be a threat to Stellan. As long as they exist, she’ll never be safe. Alaric will never make them disappear completely.”
Denny’s gaze hardened. “What are you planning to do about it, Mr. Vale?”
Ambrose’s expression darkened further, his rage palpable. “Griffon dares to hurt Stellan, and I will make him wish he were dead. But I won’t do it directly.”
Denny nodded, understanding the unspoken command. “I understand. I’ll make sure there’s no trace left.”
As Ambrose stood in front of the window, staring into the distance, he took a long drag from his cigarette. His thoughts were a whirlwind of regret, pain, and fury. Every moment spent apart from Stellan felt like a lifetime, and the desire to make things right consumed him.
“I want to be good to her,” he muttered, the words almost to himself. “But Alaric has her now. And I can’t even get close to her.”
The pain in Ambrose’s voice was unmistakable. His past mistakes loomed over him, and he couldn’t escape the consequences of his actions. But one thing was clear—he would stop at nothing to protect Stellan, even if it meant taking on the very forces that sought to harm her.