Chapter 231: The Price of Love
The moonlight spilled through the window, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the room. The shadows danced across Stellan’s face, making her cheeks look as if they were blushing flowers under the pale light.
“Honey, you really are Arizona’s top socialite; your beauty is unreal,” Alaric said, his voice full of admiration.
Before he could finish, Stellan kicked him lightly. “Alaric, stop being so cheesy. Be serious!”
“Seriously,” Alaric replied, his eyes sincere. “I mean every word.”
Stellan blushed slightly, a smile tugging at her lips. “Fine, I believe you,” she said, her voice softening.
The smile on her face made it even harder for Alaric to resist, and he leaned in to kiss her deeply. As the kiss deepened, Alaric’s touch became bolder, more urgent. That night, they lost themselves in each other, the world outside forgotten. It was one of the best nights of their lives.
But their happiness did not go unnoticed.
Back at the Knight family estate, Marigold’s anger was growing. She had tried calling Alaric and Stellan multiple times, but both of their phones were off. She was fuming.
“Damn it!” Marigold muttered, nearly in tears. “The son I raised is being taken away by that woman.”
“Mrs. Knight, you’ve taken your meds; please try to stay calm,” Joe said gently, trying to offer comfort.
Marigold snapped, her voice thick with frustration. “Alaric is completely under her spell! He’s about to disown me! How can I stay calm?”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Why is my life so miserable? I married into the Knight family for my family’s sake, and that man ignores me. He’d rather have mistresses than talk to me.”
She continued bitterly, “Without love, I put all my hopes on Alaric. But what happened? He left to join the military young, got severely injured, and fell into a coma. Have I had a peaceful night’s sleep since then?” Marigold sighed deeply. “Finally, he got better, and I thought I could enjoy my life. But what happened? He brought that woman back to spite me. What’s the point of raising Alaric?”
Joe nodded sympathetically. “Yes, Mrs. Knight, you’re right. Your life has been tough.”
But hearing this only angered Marigold more. “All you do is agree and flatter me!” she shouted, her face twisted with fury.
Joe hung his head in silence, feeling guilty.
Marigold, in a fit of frustration, grabbed her phone and dialed a number.
Ambrose stood by the window, his eyes focused on Stellan’s clinic across the street. During its renovation, he had come every day to catch a glimpse of her. Although they never spoke, just seeing her was enough. But now, it had been a while since he last saw her, and the longing in his heart only grew.
When Marigold’s call came through, Ambrose felt a jolt of annoyance but answered anyway.
“Marigold, calling me? I’m flattered,” he said, trying to mask the irritation in his voice.
“Cut the crap,” Marigold snapped. “Last time, you said you were Stellan’s ex-boyfriend and had a plan, but it was useless. Do you know they got their marriage certificate today?”
The words hit Ambrose like a blow. His body froze. Marriage certificate? Stellan and Alaric were married?
He could hardly breathe. Stellan had married Alaric?
“Are you listening?” Marigold’s voice broke through his stunned silence. “Do you still want Stellan back?”
“Of course!” Ambrose responded, his voice sharp. “Stellan is the only woman I’ve ever loved. She’s more important than my life. How could I give up on her?”
“Then do something!” Marigold’s voice was desperate. “I can’t accept her as my daughter-in-law, but Alaric is so in love with her, he’s about to cut ties with me. I’m out of options.”
“I’ll figure something out,” Ambrose said, his voice cold, before he hung up. He gripped his phone so tightly it almost cracked.
“Marriage certificate?” The words echoed in his mind. Stellan and Alaric were married. Damn it!
“Stellan, why did you marry him? He’s not worth it!” Ambrose shouted, his frustration boiling over. He tossed his phone aside, the anger and pain in his chest making it impossible to think clearly.
Meanwhile, across town, Alaric and Stellan were lost in the afterglow of their perfect night. Stellan lay in his arms, her body relaxed but her face contorted slightly in discomfort.
“My waist hurts from all your tossing,” Stellan murmured, teasing him softly.
Alaric immediately began to massage her gently. “Sorry, love. Let me take care of that.”
Stellan feigned seriousness, though the smile playing at her lips gave her away. “Did you take precautions? If you get me pregnant, you’ll be doomed!”
Alaric smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’ll follow your plan. No more kids. Three is enough.”
“Yes,” Stellan agreed, “triplets are more than enough.”
Alaric laughed, his hands moving to stroke her hair. “I’m tired,” Stellan murmured, her eyelids heavy.
“Go to sleep,” Alaric said, kissing her forehead softly. “Good night.”
“Good night,” she whispered back, already slipping into a peaceful slumber.
Alaric lay beside her, holding her close until she was fully asleep. Only then did he pick up his phone, the quiet of the room broken by the faint glow of the screen.
A message from Silas appeared: [Mr. Knight, there’s still no news about Mr. Nash.]
Alaric sighed deeply after reading it. Had Cormac really left Arizona? Why was there no news?
Meanwhile, Cormac had found a new rhythm in his life. After considering several job offers, he had made his choice. He was now working as a loader at a dock near Aurora’s school. The pay was based on the amount of work done, so the more he worked, the more he earned. The best part was that he could leave every morning with Aurora, walk her to school, and then watch her go inside. It brought him a strange sense of peace.
That day, Cormac bought a huge amount of food. Aurora had been severely malnourished, and now that he had a steady income, he wanted to make sure she had the nourishment she needed during her growth years.
Aurora’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw the food. “Wow, it smells so good!” she exclaimed, her mouth watering as she looked at the spread. “Is this meat? Wow, it looks delicious.”
Seeing the joy on her face, Cormac’s heart ached. He knew how little she had experienced in terms of comfort or luxury in her life. To see her so excited over something as simple as a meal made him feel both proud and sorrowful. She deserved so much more.