Chapter 157: Unanswered Questions
“I had no idea at all,” Mrs. Marigold whispered, her voice heavy with regret. “If it hadn’t been for that damned DNA result, I wouldn’t have done such a horrible thing. I wouldn’t have treated Caspian like that. Nor would I have had to bury my other two grandchildren.”
Her eyes filled with tears as the weight of her words settled on both of them.
“I’ve already sent someone to track down that Robert—the doctor from back then. Once I find him, I swear, I’ll skin him alive.”
Alaric remained silent for a long moment, lost in thought, his brow furrowed. Finally, he asked, his voice low, “Mom… you mentioned that you decided to do the DNA test based on Robert’s advice. Was he the one who performed the test for me and Caspian?”
“Yes, that’s right,” Mrs. Marigold replied, her voice tinged with bitterness. “He said I’d put in so much effort, and if there was any mistake, it would ruin everything. He even told me that a DNA test could be done on a fetus in the womb. I was just… so confused back then.”
Alaric’s eyes narrowed. “Do you know this doctor? What’s his background?”
“I don’t know him personally, but he’s a well-respected expert at the hospital,” she answered.
Alaric shook his head in disbelief. “Mom, you let a stranger—someone you barely knew—sway your judgment. And now you’ve been deceived by a single, faulty DNA test result for years.”
Mrs. Marigold’s face crumpled, regret and pain flooding her. “I’ve been so foolish. I shouldn’t have trusted that test. I regret it more than you’ll ever know.”
Her voice cracked as the tears began to fall freely. She had made mistakes, and now, the consequences were far more painful than she had ever anticipated.
Alaric clenched his fists, his jaw tight with frustration. “So, where do you think the problem with the DNA test came from? How do you explain it?”
Mrs. Marigold shook her head helplessly. “Where else could it have come from? That damn doctor made a mistake, and it’s caused so much suffering for the Knight family.”
Alaric’s tone darkened. “A mistake? Is it really just a coincidence? A doctor you don’t even know advised you to do a DNA test, and now the result is faulty? There’s more to this than just a mistake.”
Mrs. Marigold looked up at him, confusion clouding her face. “What do you mean?”
“I mean it’s not a simple error,” Alaric continued, his voice cold. “If the test was tampered with, then we need to figure out who would benefit from it. And it certainly wasn’t that Robert.”
Alaric’s words hung in the air, and Mrs. Marigold’s expression shifted from confusion to dread. The realization of something darker seemed to be dawning on her, though she couldn’t yet grasp it.
Alaric’s eyes hardened as he stood up, his gaze fixed on his mother. “One last question. Could that woman have been saved?”
The question hit Mrs. Marigold like a blow. She fell silent, her face turning pale. She had never directly spoken about the woman who had died during childbirth, but Alaric had already connected the dots.
Medical advancements were such that cases of dystocia—difficult births—were rare. And Mrs. Marigold had chosen not to save the woman, believing the false results.
When Mrs. Marigold didn’t respond, Alaric pressed on, his voice a low, accusing whisper. “That woman was innocent. You killed her because you believed in a lie. And now, even after all this time, you still call her a ‘vile woman’? Do you feel no guilt at all?”
Mrs. Marigold’s silence spoke volumes. Alaric’s words cut her deep, but she couldn’t refute them. Instead, a wave of defensiveness rose in her, but she knew she couldn’t argue her way out of this one.
Alaric’s gaze never wavered. He turned to leave but paused, his hand gripping the doorframe. “In the coming days, I’ll be at the company. I’m leaving Caspian’s well-being in your hands.”
Without waiting for a response, Alaric stepped out, leaving Mrs. Marigold to grapple with her emotions.
Once the door slammed shut, Mrs. Marigold, unable to contain her frustration any longer, smashed the cups on the table. The sound echoed through the room, sharp and angry.
Rook, who had been waiting just outside, rushed in, startled by the noise. “What’s wrong, Mrs. Marigold? Did you argue with Mr. Alaric again?”
“Has that damned Robert been found yet?” she snapped, her fury seeping into every word.
Mrs. Marigold had always been the pillar of the Knight family, keeping the business afloat after Mr. Knight Senior passed away. She had never allowed herself to falter, but now, a man she didn’t even know had brought everything to the brink. And it made her feel powerless, like a mere puppet in someone else’s game.
“We’re doing everything we can to find him,” Rook replied quickly, his voice cautious.
“Even if Robert’s fled to the ends of the earth, I’ll find him. I’ll kill him if I have to!” Mrs. Marigold seethed, her anger reaching a boiling point.
Rook could only nod, his own emotions tightly in check, as he watched Mrs. Marigold’s rage unfold.
Outside, Alaric couldn’t shake the weight of the conversation. As he made his way to his car, his mind replayed the past hours, but before he could lose himself further in thought, his phone buzzed with a message from Galatea.
[Alaric, the shop renovation is almost done. I’ll keep an eye on things this afternoon and come to see you in the evening.]
Alaric’s mood lightened just slightly as he read her message. He quickly typed a reply.
[Okay, don’t overwork yourself. I’ll pick you up in the evening.]
[I’ll be waiting. See you tonight.]
Alaric smiled softly at her response, the weight of his thoughts easing just a little. He tucked his phone away and took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind. Anger wouldn’t help him solve anything now. What mattered was staying focused.
His thoughts turned to the true culprit behind all this. If it wasn’t Robert, then the Nash family was the only other possibility. They stood to gain the most from everything that had happened.
Alaric’s fingers hovered over his phone. He had one more call to make.
He dialed Cormac, who picked up almost immediately. “When I saw your call, I thought I was hearing things. What’s up, Mr. Alaric? You, calling me out of the blue when you’re always so busy?”
“Old place. Let’s talk,” Alaric replied coldly, hanging up before Cormac could respond.
Cormac stared at his phone, confused. What was going on with Alaric? Had something happened with Galatea?
The “old place” was Lingyun Winery—the last place Alaric and Cormac had talked in private, and Cormac’s mind raced as he wondered what was happening. Was there trouble with Alaric and Galatea?