Chapter 227: A New Beginning
Alaric and Stellan had been searching relentlessly through the night, but the surveillance footage only showed Cormac leaving the Nash family Group building during the day, then disappearing. It was as if he had vanished into thin air. Stellan tried to reassure Alaric, though his words were heavy with uncertainty.
“Alaric, don’t stress too much,” Stellan said, trying to offer some comfort. “No news is good news. Cormac will be fine.”
Alaric could only hope that was true. But deep down, a gnawing feeling lingered in his chest. If something had happened to Cormac, he would never be able to forgive himself.
“Should we head home?” Stellan asked cautiously, sensing the weight of his friend’s worry. “You’ve already got people looking for him. We’ll hear something as soon as there’s news.”
Alaric nodded, but the ache in his heart remained. Whether or not they found Cormac, one thing was painfully clear: he had lost a friend forever.
Meanwhile, Ambrose hadn’t slept either, but he seemed oddly relaxed, almost as if he’d just watched an entertaining show.
“Cormac moved into Matthew’s place?” Ambrose asked, sounding almost amused.
Denny replied, “Yeah. Alaric searched for him all night. Matthew’s place is remote, and there are no surveillance cameras. Alaric won’t find him there.”
Ambrose’s sharp eyes betrayed no concern. “If it weren’t for someone keeping an eye on him, no one would have found Cormac in that remote spot. But now, it’s all settled.”
A slight pause lingered before Denny asked, “Mr. Vale, now that Cormac’s at Matthew’s, do we still need to keep our promise to support Aurora through college?”
Ambrose thought for a moment before responding with a calculated tone. “Since Cormac’s taken on that responsibility, we don’t need to. If we continue to support her, it will only draw attention. Cormac’s already in a vulnerable position—let’s not make it worse.”
Even if Cormac suspected something about Orion’s car accident, he would only suspect Alaric—never Ambrose. That was the only comfort in this tangled web.
“Got it,” Denny said, then added with a bitter sneer, “Cormac’s really dumb. He’s in such a bad spot himself, but still, he pities others. Doesn’t he see how bad things are for him? He’s worse off than a homeless person!”
Ambrose sneered, his eyes cold with disdain. “Yeah, does he really think he’s some kind of savior? Can’t stand to see human suffering, even when he’s drowning in it himself.”
A cruel smile crossed Ambrose’s lips as he spoke with growing contempt. “Good people always get the worst of it, don’t they? They never get a good ending.”
Ambrose had spent so many years in the Vale family, enduring cruelty, rejection, and exploitation. He had once believed it was his home, but the reality had been far darker. The more he tolerated, the more they took advantage of him. He had learned that the Vale family was nothing but a dead end for those with a conscience.
Denny chuckled bitterly. “All of them are fools. Self-righteous to the end. But in the end, they’ll reap what they’ve sown.”
Ambrose agreed wholeheartedly. They were all a bunch of fools.
Back at the small, shabby house, Aurora slept in the bedroom, and Cormac rested on the worn-out sofa outside. This place, so far from anything he had ever known, felt foreign to him. The dampness in the air was almost suffocating, but there was something oddly calming about it, too.
Cormac couldn’t remember the last time he had slept so soundly. He was exhausted—his body and mind had been running on fumes for far too long. But here, in this run-down house, he finally allowed himself to rest. When he awoke the next morning, it was to the enticing smell of food wafting through the air. Aurora had already prepared breakfast.
As he opened his eyes, he saw her putting on her backpack, ready to leave.
“Cormac, you’re awake?” Aurora said brightly, her voice carrying an innocence that felt out of place in such a difficult life. “I’ve already had breakfast. There’s some left for you in the kitchen. Don’t forget to eat. I’m going to school.”
Cormac’s heart swelled with guilt. She had made breakfast for him, and here he was, waking up late. “Aurora, I’m sorry for sleeping in.”
Aurora waved him off with a warm smile. “It’s okay. You work hard, so you need more rest. I can cook. I’m going to school now. Don’t leave, okay? I want to see you when I get back.”
Cormac nodded, the guilt still heavy on his chest. “Okay, I won’t leave.”
Aurora handed him a small key. “This is my dad’s key,” she said, her voice steady but soft. “You can keep it.”
She then turned to leave. Cormac, still in a daze, quickly asked, “Where’s your school?”
“Lakeside Secondary School,” Aurora replied.
“That’s far from here,” Cormac said, concern creeping into his voice. “Are you going by yourself?”
The place was so remote that the school bus didn’t come out this way. Aurora simply nodded, as if this were the most normal thing in the world. “I’ve always taken the bus. It’s very safe. Goodbye.”
She gave him a quick wave before stepping out, leaving Cormac with a growing sense of unease.
As Cormac stood there, looking around the small house, a deep sadness washed over him. This was the home of a fourteen-year-old girl who, despite her age, had already been forced to grow up. She wasn’t clinging to her parents or acting spoiled—she was independent, responsible, and taking care of a sick man like an adult. The realization hit him hard.
He walked into the kitchen and found his breakfast waiting for him, covered with a small note beside it. The first word on the note was “Dad,” but it was half-written and then crossed out, replaced with “Cormac.” The note continued, “This is the breakfast I made for you. I’m going to school.”
The sight of the crossed-out “Dad” felt like a knife to his heart. He couldn’t imagine how much pain it must have caused her to cross that out, to face the loss of her father so young. Cormac, in his privileged life, had never truly understood how hard life could be for some children. He had always thought that every child had parents who cherished them, even if his own relationship with Griffon was strained. But Aurora’s reality made him despise himself for his own self-pity.
If he had known her before all this, he would have given her a life of comfort and love. But now, he had nothing to offer.
But something in Aurora’s strength had changed him. He no longer felt the pull of his dark thoughts. The idea of suicide was behind him. He had decided, for the first time in a long time, that he would live. For himself, for Aurora.
He needed to take action. He went out to get a new phone card, knowing he couldn’t use his old number anymore. He needed to find a job, but he couldn’t go back to being a psychologist. If he applied to any big companies, Alaric would find out immediately. The social circles in Arizona were too small, too intertwined. He would have to find something else—something more honest, more physical.
If Aurora could endure hardship, then so could he. He had to be strong.
Meanwhile, Alaric handed Stellan her new resident card. Stellan almost cried when she saw the name “Stellan Storm” on it. “Thank you, Alaric,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. She could finally live under her own name.
“Everything is restored,” Alaric said, his tone neutral. “Now take your documents, and let’s get married.”
Stellan’s eyes brightened. “Okay!” She agreed without hesitation, her excitement palpable.
Alaric, always the tease, joked, “It’s rare for you to agree so readily. I’m not used to this.”
“There were reasons before,” Stellan replied, pulling him into the car. “Let’s hurry. The County Clerk’s Office is about to close.”
Alaric grinned. “Can’t wait to marry me?”
“Shut up,” Stellan replied, rolling her eyes as she touched up her makeup. “If you’re not in a hurry, forget it.”
“I’m in a hurry,” Alaric said with a laugh, “But don’t worry, I’ve already informed the County Clerk’s Office.”
Stellan looked up at him, surprised. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
As she pulled out her makeup bag, Alaric was taken aback. “When did you start carrying makeup?”
Stellan, without missing a beat, rolled her eyes again and continued with her touch-up.
Just then, Alaric’s phone rang. Stellan glanced down and saw a single, glaring word on the screen: Mom.