Chapter 215: Dreams and Nightmares
After Galatea left the hospital, she sat quietly in the car, her eyes darting anxiously between the hospital entrance and the rearview mirror. She couldn’t help but worry about what had just transpired inside, the conversation between Alaric and Cormac.
Not long after, she saw Cormac exit first. His expression was unreadable, but Galatea could tell something was wrong. Her heart sank. Then Alaric emerged, his face just as heavy with emotion.
When Alaric slid into the car, Galatea couldn’t contain her worry any longer.
“How did it go?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly. “Couldn’t you persuade him? Is Cormac still determined to leave the hospital?”
Alaric’s mind was swirling with guilt and frustration. Cormac’s words had hurt him deeply, and now, the weight of his own doubts was making it even harder to breathe.
He stared out of the window, his voice quieter than usual. “Galatea… did I make a mistake in this? Was I too heartless? Too uncompromising?”
His mind flashed back to everything that had happened. If it were just Griffon causing the chaos, Alaric might have been able to remain resolute, but this—Cormac’s pain—was tearing him apart. Cormac had been innocent in all of this, and yet he was the one most hurt by the ripple effects of everything that had gone wrong.
“You didn’t want this either,” Galatea said softly, understanding his inner turmoil. “Ravenna and Orion’s deaths were unforeseen, completely unexpected. And they came at a time when Griffon was finally facing consequences for his actions. It’s a lot for anyone to handle. No one could have predicted this turn of events.”
Alaric’s chest tightened as he reflected on her words. Yes, everything had happened too suddenly. He had never intended for Orion to die, or for Ravenna to suffer. His plan had been simple: bring Griffon to justice and stop him from causing any more harm.
But now—now it felt like everything was unraveling. Orion’s death… Ravenna’s death… Was it fate? Or had Alaric made a wrong move somewhere, unknowingly setting this tragic chain of events in motion?
The thoughts swirled in his mind like a storm, and suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him. His vision blurred for a moment, and he grabbed the seat to steady himself.
“Alaric?” Galatea’s voice was filled with concern as she reached for him. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
She knew how fragile Alaric’s health could be, especially when under emotional stress. The worry in her eyes deepened.
“I’m fine,” he said with an effort, trying to reassure her. “Maybe I just didn’t rest well last night.”
Galatea was unconvinced but didn’t press him further. “You’ve been going non-stop since morning. Let’s go back and get some rest.”
But Alaric shook his head. “It’s okay.” He couldn’t afford to focus on his own exhaustion. Cormac’s situation weighed on him far more.
Despite his words, Alaric couldn’t ignore the gnawing feeling in his stomach. With the Nash family’s collapse so public, he feared Cormac might make an impulsive decision, something drastic. Since Cormac had refused to see him, Alaric could only ensure his safety from a distance.
As they drove back, Alaric gently pulled Galatea closer, his hand resting on her shoulder. “You didn’t sleep much either. Get some rest.”
Galatea wanted to protest, but seeing Alaric’s troubled expression, she decided not to press him further. She closed her eyes, leaning against him in the quiet car.
Alaric remained awake, staring out of the window, his thoughts consumed by Cormac’s words. Reflecting on their years of friendship, Alaric realized just how much he had failed Cormac. He had always been too focused on himself, too absorbed in his own world to truly see Cormac’s efforts. Cormac had always been the one to reach out, to make the effort, and Alaric had taken that for granted.
Now, with Cormac pushing him away, it seemed too late to mend the bond they once shared.
Back at the Knight residence, the atmosphere was tense, especially as news continued to spread. The press had already caught wind of Cormac’s actions. Unable to reach him at the hospital, they had followed him as he left.
The reporters cornered Cormac outside, their cameras flashing in his face.
“Regarding my father’s situation,” Cormac said, his voice firm, “I apologize to the public on his behalf. I am willing to cooperate with any investigations. If the inquiry finds any fault with me, I will bear the consequences. If not, I ask that you stop discussing it. I will not be responding to any more questions about the Nash family.”
His stoic demeanor didn’t seem to sway the press, but it was enough to silence them—for now. As he walked away, his interview caught the attention of Marigold, who watched it in disbelief.
“The Nash family… they were a leading entertainment empire,” she muttered, shaking her head. “It’s just shocking how everything has crumbled so quickly.”
Joe, who had been quietly observing, added, “And the Storm family, too. Brennan was a globally recognized entrepreneur, but look what happened to them.”
Marigold froze at the mention of the Storm family. “Stellan and Cormac are both close to Alaric. What if their bad luck rubs off on him? What if this affects the Knight family too?”
The thought hit her like a cold chill. “No matter how big a family or a company is, if bad luck strikes, it all falls apart. The Knight family must stay away from these people. They’re like a plague now. I need to call Alaric.”
As she reached for her phone, Joe quickly intervened, grabbing it from her. “Mrs. Knight, you know how Mr. Knight feels about his friendship with Mr. Nash. If you push him now, especially after everything with Stellan, it’s only going to make things worse. Please, for now, just hold back.”
Marigold hesitated but reluctantly put her phone down. “Fine. I won’t call him. But this news is troubling. I need to get my mind off of it. I’m going to see Caspian. I miss him.”
Joe nodded. “Let’s go. I’ll accompany you.”
Meanwhile, Alaric and Galatea had returned to the company lounge, planning to take a break from everything. They had initially planned a relaxing weekend with Caspian and Elisa, but the tension from the Nash family’s downfall was too much to ignore. The plans were cancelled, and instead, Mia and the maid took the children out for the day.
Galatea tried once again to reassure Alaric. “You did arrange for someone to watch over Cormac, didn’t you? You can’t carry all this by yourself. Get some sleep.”
But Alaric could hardly find rest. He lay down, but sleep was elusive. Soon, he was trapped in a nightmare. In it, Cormac stood on the rooftop of a towering sixty-story building. Cormac paced along the edge, his movements erratic, as though something was pulling him toward the edge. Then, without warning, he jumped.
Alaric woke with a start, his heart racing. Sweat clung to his skin as he gasped for air.
Galatea, who had been resting beside him, immediately sat up, alarmed. “Alaric, what’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”
Alaric’s chest heaved as he tried to steady his breathing, his mind still reeling from the horrific dream. “Cormac… he jumped,” he whispered, the fear evident in his voice. “I think… I think he might really do something reckless.”