Chapter 237: Reluctant Concessions
Marigold’s sobs echoed through the room, her cries sounding genuine enough to convince anyone who wasn’t already skeptical. She and Joe worked together, their voices perfectly synchronized in their attempts to manipulate the situation.
Alaric sighed, his gaze turning to his mother with a mixture of frustration and resignation. “Kids are the purest. If they’re against you, Mom, have you ever thought about why?” he asked.
Marigold, in between sobs, whimpered, “The kids said if I don’t apologize to Stellan and accept her, they’ll never acknowledge me. What can I do? They mean everything to me. If they refuse to accept me and I never see them again, it would be like a death sentence.”
Alaric and Stellan exchanged a glance. For a moment, they both softened. Marigold’s words, though heavily laden with dramatics, seemed to carry some weight. She was portraying herself as a woman torn between her love for her grandchildren and her inability to fully accept Stellan.
Marigold continued, “Honestly, I can’t bring myself to accept Stellan, but the kids are forcing me. What choice do I have? Joe kept persuading me last night, and I finally understood— for my grandchildren’s sake, I won’t oppose your marriage anymore.”
Her tone shifted, almost pleading. “I just hope, Stellan, that you can consider me their grandmother and let the past go. Let the kids accept me, or I’ll be lost.”
Alaric’s eyebrows furrowed, still suspicious. He glanced at Stellan, who was watching Marigold with equal skepticism. “Last time I brought Stellan home, you were furious. You said some terrible things and even wanted to cut ties with me. How could you have changed your mind so suddenly?” Alaric’s voice was cautious, but firm.
“Mom,” he continued, “such a drastic change is hard to believe. I know you better than anyone. You’d never make such concessions unless you had some ulterior motive.”
Marigold’s expression flickered for a moment, unease flashing in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with more theatrics. “I’m your mother. Do you really think I’m that cruel? What ulterior motive could I possibly have?” she said, pretending to be wounded by Alaric’s words.
“Raising a dog would be easier than raising you. At least a dog would show some gratitude, but you always doubt me and hurt me. Do you still see me as your mother?” she added, her voice rising in false indignation.
Before Alaric could respond, Stellan tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to stop. They both knew that continuing this argument would only provoke Marigold into a more dramatic display of emotions.
Joe, who had been watching the exchange carefully, stepped in. “Mr. Knight, your words really hurt Mrs. Knight. No matter how heartless she may seem, she has her vulnerabilities, and those vulnerabilities are the kids.”
He turned to Marigold, continuing, “If they don’t accept you, what are you supposed to do? She’s doing this for the children. She wants to be in their lives.”
Marigold nodded, her tears still flowing, and added, “Yes, for the kids, I’m willing to make any concession. Stellan, although I don’t like you, I’m willing to accept you. You two are already married, and there’s no point in me resisting anymore. If I have to threaten you with my life, it’s useless.”
She paused, looking at Stellan with something that almost resembled sincerity. “You two can live in the Knight mansion. I won’t bother you unless necessary. We don’t have to get along, and we don’t need to see each other often, but I need to see the kids regularly.”
Stellan felt a pang of unease, but the idea of the triplets getting to know their grandmother seemed like a step forward. She hesitated, glancing at Alaric. His face was unreadable, but he didn’t stop her from accepting.
Marigold, sensing the moment was slipping away, quickly pressed on. “If you agree to this, I’ll take these flowers I brought for the Reassuring Clinic’s opening. You can take them as a token of my goodwill.”
Stellan felt torn. On one hand, this was a good opportunity to mend the rift, but the sudden shift in Marigold’s stance made her wary. Was it really for the children, or was there something else at play?
After a long moment of silence, Stellan took a deep breath and spoke. “Alright. If you can do what you promised, I’ll make sure the kids visit you regularly. I’ll talk to them. I swear.”
Seeing that Stellan was about to agree, Marigold’s eyes lit up, but she wasn’t satisfied just yet. “As long as you can convince the kids to accept me and visit me regularly, I’ll keep my word.”
Stellan nodded. “Yes. I can do that.”
With that, Stellan accepted the bouquet from Marigold, her expression tight but controlled.
Marigold and Joe’s faces immediately lit up with satisfaction.
“Since that’s settled, it’s a deal,” Marigold declared. “I won’t oppose anymore. You two can live your life, and I won’t interfere. Now, go on with your business. I’ll be off.”
Joe helped Marigold into the car, and they drove off. After they left, Alaric and Stellan stood in silence, still processing what had just happened.
“I can’t believe I agreed to that,” Stellan muttered, her voice laced with disgust.
Marigold felt sickened by her own actions, as though she had swallowed something bitter. “It felt like swallowing a fly. I actually bowed down to that woman. It’s revolting!”
Joe’s voice, calm and matter-of-fact, broke the tension. “Endure it for now. It’s all for the kids.”
Marigold clenched her jaw, too angry to speak further.
Meanwhile, Alaric had already taken Stellan to a barbecue place to help take her mind off things. As they settled into their seats, Alaric’s tone softened.
“Don’t worry. Whether my mom is sincere or not, I’ll protect you. I won’t let her bully you again.”
Stellan smiled faintly, her heart lifting a little. “Okay. I hope you mean that.”
She leaned back, a small flicker of hope in her eyes. “If Mrs. Knight can really accept me, and we can lead our own lives, that would be wonderful.”
Stellan’s heart longed for a future where everything could be peaceful, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Marigold’s heart was far more unpredictable than she let on.
Little did they know, this fragile truce would only last as long as Marigold deemed it necessary.