Chapter 295
Marigold stormed out, consumed by a seething anger.
“How could I not see it before? Cormac is shameless! He’s living off the Knight family, and now he dares to kick me out. Once Alaric comes back, I’ll make sure Cormac’s out the door. This is infuriating!” she raged.
“Please, Mrs. Knight, calm down,” Joe urged, trying to soothe her.
“Enough. I’m tired of hearing that,” Marigold snapped.
Joe pressed his lips together, hesitating for a moment before speaking. “Mrs. Knight, do you really believe Mr. Knight is abroad for an inspection?”
“What else could it be?” Marigold hadn’t questioned it before, but hearing Joe’s tone now made her uneasy. She felt a sudden shift in her gut, something was off. “Go to the Knight mansion,” she ordered.
With Joe’s reminder, Marigold’s suspicions began to mount. Could it be that Alaric had been bewitched by that Stellan again? She had to get to the truth.
At the Knight mansion, Alaric had just vomited again and was severely dehydrated. He finally fell into a feverish, dazed sleep. Stellan took this chance to busy herself in the kitchen, preparing nourishing soup, hoping that Alaric would be able to eat something once he woke up, even if it took some effort.
“Mrs. Knight,” the servants greeted Marigold respectfully as she entered.
Upon seeing Marigold, Stellan’s heart sank. She knew that if Marigold saw Alaric in his current condition, all hell would break loose.
“I knew you were here. Where’s Alaric?” Marigold’s voice was sharp, filled with a mix of concern and anger. “Stellan, what did you do to him? You’ve even made him avoid my calls!”
Stellan responded coldly, “We agreed before that we wouldn’t meet unless necessary.”
“I’m here to see Alaric, not you,” Marigold shot back, her impatience growing. “Where is he?”
Stellan remained silent, knowing she couldn’t hide it any longer. Without waiting for a response, Marigold stormed up the stairs.
When Marigold entered the bedroom, she was taken aback by the sight of Alaric, pale and weak in bed, hooked up to an IV. The needle marks on his arm were glaring. She felt a rush of fury.
“Stellan, what have you done to him?” she shrieked, her voice filled with dread and anger.
Alaric, barely conscious, opened his eyes, but everything around him was blurry. His head throbbed, and he couldn’t make sense of the voices around him.
“I’m treating him,” Stellan said firmly, though her heart was breaking. “You know Alaric’s aftereffects are severe. If I don’t act, the next relapse could be catastrophic!”
Marigold wasn’t listening. “Treating him? He was fine before, and now look at him! What have you done, Stellan? What are you trying to do, kill him?” Her voice cracked with emotion.
“I care about Alaric more than you know,” Stellan shot back, her own emotions flaring. “Any treatment process is uncomfortable, but once he gets through this, the illness will be gone for good. It’s the only chance he has!”
Marigold scoffed. “You don’t care about him, you care about yourself. You’re just using him to finish what your family started seven years ago! That’s why you’re doing this.”
The mention of the Storm family hit too close to home, and Stellan faltered for a moment.
“Bitch, you’re just trying to take the Knight family’s wealth for yourself!” Marigold’s face twisted with rage. “You’ve got him wrapped around your finger, but I won’t let you destroy him.”
Without warning, Marigold slapped Stellan hard across the face. Alaric, now more aware, slowly sat up, his body weak but his determination strong. He couldn’t just lie there.
“Alaric!” Stellan exclaimed, rushing to him.
“Stellan, you’re too weak. Why did you get out of bed?” Marigold’s words cut through his haze, but he could barely focus. He needed to defend Stellan.
“Stop it, Mom,” Alaric said with great effort, pushing her hand away. “I asked Galatea to treat me. If you really care about me, leave now. Don’t hurt her.”
Marigold’s face reddened in fury. “Alaric, stop this nonsense! She’s using you! Can’t you see it?”
“This is a normal reaction to the medication,” Stellan said, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside her. “His symptoms will lessen in a few hours. I’m a doctor, I swear to you, he’ll be fine. Let him rest.”
“Don’t listen to her, Alaric! She’s killing you!” Marigold stomped her foot, desperate. “She’s got you investigating the Storm family’s mess and torturing you under the guise of treatment. Wake up!”
“Get out!” Alaric’s voice was full of authority, despite his weakness. His frustration was clear as he coughed painfully.
“Alaric, I’m your mother! I’m doing this for your own good!” Marigold insisted, trying to approach again. “She’ll kill you, you have to listen to me!”
Stellan stood her ground, blocking Marigold’s path. “If you truly care about him, then leave. Now.”
Marigold, torn between fury and concern, saw no choice but to leave.
After she was gone, Stellan collapsed beside Alaric, her tears falling freely. “I swear, Alaric. I will cure you. I promise I will.”
Alaric, exhausted but moved by her words, reached out weakly to touch her hand. “I know you will.”
Meanwhile, Marigold was seething, her heart pounding with a mix of fury and fear. “Alaric has completely lost his mind. Stellan will be the death of him.”
“Who would have thought Ms. Storm could be so malicious?” Joe added, feigning concern. “Mr. Knight has treated her so well, but now he’s completely under her spell. He won’t listen to you at all. What will we do now?”
Marigold clenched her fists. “Stellan must die. If she doesn’t, Alaric will be killed by her!”