Chapter 15
The following morning, Harry woke up in Caspian’s plush king-size bed, feeling completely refreshed. The soft sheets and quiet surroundings made him feel as though he’d been pampered for the first time in ages.
“Caspian, time to take your medicine,” Alaric’s voice echoed from the doorway. His expression was tinged with concern, as he worried about the missed medication from the previous day. He feared that if Caspian didn’t take his meds soon, he might relapse.
“Dad, what the heck is wrong with me?” Harry asked, his tone laced with confusion. He glanced at Alaric, genuinely curious. “What kind of illness could Caspian have?”
“It’s just a cold. You’ll feel better after you take the medicine,” Alaric reassured him, hoping not to dwell on the past. He knew that with Caspian’s memory loss, it was better to keep things simple.
“Dad, do I look sick to you? I’m full of energy!” Harry grinned and flexed his muscles. “See? I’m all better now. No need for medicine!”
Alaric paused, watching Caspian with a thoughtful expression. “Ever since Caspian lost his memory, he’s been acting like a completely different person—lively, talkative, even. Maybe he really is cured?” He pondered, a flicker of hope in his eyes. “Or maybe it’s just that without Orion around, there’s no chance of him having another episode?”
Seeing no immediate signs of illness, Alaric nodded. “Alright, if you feel fine, let’s skip the medicine for now. Let’s have breakfast.”
As Caspian bounced off to the kitchen, Alaric made a decision. He needed to make a call—one he’d been avoiding for too long.
“Hey, Alaric, can I come back now?” Orion’s voice was tentative, tinged with regret. She had calmed down overnight and now realized she’d let her emotions get the best of her. If only she’d endured a little longer, everything could have been fine. But the sight of Harry, that “despicable brat,” had pushed her over the edge. Still, she was determined to make things right if she could.
“I’ve decided to end our relationship, from this moment on,” Alaric’s voice was firm, without hesitation.
“What did you just say?” Orion’s breath caught in her throat, her body going limp with shock. “End our relationship? What do you mean?”
“It means exactly what it sounds like,” Alaric replied, his voice cold. “When I woke up and Caspian came into my life, I couldn’t turn him away. I wanted to give him a complete family, for his sake. But it’s clear now that you can’t be the mother he needs. He deserves better. So, I’m done. I’ll raise him on my own.”
Before Orion could respond, Alaric hung up, leaving her seething with rage. For six years, she’d endured the charade of pretending to be a mother to that “troublesome” child, all in the hopes of securing her place by Alaric’s side. And now, he was cutting ties so ruthlessly.
“That brat!” she hissed under her breath, her fists clenched. “I should’ve taken care of you when I had the chance! You’ve ruined everything!”
She immediately tried calling Alaric back, but he hung up again. Frustrated, she dialed Mrs. Marigold’s number, knowing that if anyone could change Alaric’s mind, it was his mother. But the phone rang once, twice, then a message cut in.
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is out of service.”
“Out of service? Where the hell is Mrs. Marigold now?” Orion’s anger was boiling over. “What’s going on? Where did she go?”
Tossing her phone aside in frustration, Orion paced back and forth. Her plans were unraveling, and she wasn’t going to let all her hard work go to waste. “No way! I’m not letting this go!”
Meanwhile, downstairs, Harry, ever the schemer, had already put his plan into motion.
“Dad, how about we go stay in a hotel?” Harry suggested casually after breakfast, trying to hide the gleam in his eyes.
“A hotel?” Alaric raised an eyebrow. “Why would we need to go to a hotel? We’re fine here.”
“No, no,” Harry quickly responded, his voice lowering. “It’s just that I can’t stand the sight of Orion anymore. I’m worried she might come by and cause trouble again. How about we stay in a hotel? Just you and me—a father-son trip.”
Alaric hesitated, considering Harry’s words. ‘Ever since Caspian hit his head, he’s been acting… different. Maybe this is a good idea,’ he thought. “Alright, let’s do it. A hotel sounds like a good change of pace.”
So, the next thing Alaric knew, he and Harry were checking into the presidential suite at the Silver Star Hotel.
“Room 8808,” Harry said, already pulling out his phone. “I’ll let Caspian know where we are. It’s up to him now if Mom can join us.”
“Sure,” Caspian replied simply on the other end.
Meanwhile, in another part of town, Caspian had been waiting for the right moment to talk to his mom. The time had come.
“Mom!” Caspian called as he ran to Galatea, his voice filled with concern. “Why haven’t you been going to work lately?”
Galatea, who had been dreading this question, sighed. She knew she couldn’t avoid it forever. “I’m on a break for now. Why? Does it bother you that I’m not working?”
“Of course not,” Caspian answered, though he felt guilty for lying. “Actually, I know about what happened. You got let go from Serenity Heights, didn’t you?”
“What?” Galatea was taken aback. “How could you know that? Did you guess?”
Caspian nodded, his face serious. “I answered a call for you the other day. It was from Serenity Heights. Galen mentioned that losing you was a big blow because you’re really talented. He said there’s a case right now only you can handle.”
“Is that so?” Galatea was skeptical. “With all the specialists at Serenity Heights, how could there be a case that only I can deal with?”
Caspian continued, his voice low. “He said it’s a unique case, and the patient can’t come to the hospital. It’s confidential, and they need you to make a house call. Galen thought it would be better if you went personally, since you’re not currently on the roster.”
Galatea grabbed her phone, clearly skeptical. “That sounds suspicious. I’m going to call and confirm.”
Caspian’s eyes widened. “Mom, you don’t trust me?” he said with a touch of mock sadness. “It hurts that you feel the need to verify.”
“Why are you so sensitive?” Galatea shot back, trying to hide her amusement.
Caspian mimicked Harry’s casual tone. “No need to call, Mom. If you don’t trust it, don’t go. No big deal.”
“Fine, I won’t call. I’ll go,” Galatea decided, still uncertain. “Worst case, it’s a wasted trip.”
“Awesome! You’re the best, Mom!” Caspian said with a grin, immediately relaying the news to Harry, who was now beaming with confidence.
“This has to work,” Harry said, brimming with excitement. “Everything’s going according to plan!”