Chapter 21
Caspian quickly typed out a message to Harry.
Caspian: [Harry, call me back when you can. It’s an emergency.]
When Harry received it, he glanced at Alaric, who had just removed his coat, and swiftly deleted the text before Alaric could notice.
“Dad, you must be tired from the drive. Go rest. I’m just going to use the restroom,” Harry said quickly, before darting into the bathroom and locking the door behind him.
Caspian anxiously awaited the call. The moment his phone rang, he rushed to lock himself in the bathroom as well.
“Caspian, what’s the emergency?” Harry asked, his voice laced with concern.
“It’s about that setup the other day,” Caspian replied in a hushed tone. “You probably don’t know yet, but I need to explain. Galatea thought I was you. That dinner—everything that happened afterward—was all a misunderstanding. I need to clear it up with you first.”
Harry was silent for a moment, processing the information. When he spoke again, his voice was heavy with realization. “So it was because of you that Mom got so upset? No wonder she lost her temper with me that day.”
“It’s not the main issue, Harry,” Caspian replied quickly. “The real problem is that their misunderstanding has blown way out of proportion. Mom even thinks Dad’s lost his mind. That’s certainly going to block any chance they might have to patch things up. You’re the smart one—think of something.”
Harry couldn’t help but smirk. “Smart, you say?”
Caspian didn’t humor him. “Just figure out a way to clear the air between them.”
“What am I supposed to do?” Harry asked, clearly at a loss.
Caspian hung up without waiting for more. Harry stared at his phone, frustration building. Couldn’t he wait until I finished talking?
Sitting on the toilet, Harry leaned his chin on his hand, mulling over what he had just learned. He had no clue about this past incident. How could he clear up a misunderstanding without exposing the truth? Then, an idea began to form in his mind. Maybe the best way to fix this would be to make sure Alaric spent more time with his mom and let her charm him.
When Harry stepped out of the bathroom, he was surprised to find Alaric in the kitchen, cooking.
“Dad, didn’t I tell you to rest? Why are you cooking?” Harry asked, rushing over.
“It’s been a while since I’ve made you something. Let me cook for you today,” Alaric replied. His voice carried a hint of fondness. Due to Caspian’s health and medication, he had been following a strict diet prepared by professional chefs. But seeing his son in good spirits, Alaric wanted to do something special for him.
Alaric, a prominent man used to running everything, cooking for his son was a rare and endearing sight.
“Dad, you must’ve slept poorly last night, then came all the way here to pick me up this morning,” Harry protested. “Cooking on top of all that is too much. Let me cook for you instead. I’ll show you what I’ve learned.”
Alaric raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to cook?” he asked, astonished. “I’ve never let Caspian in the kitchen. How could you possibly know how to cook?”
“Of course I can cook! I’ve been taking care of lazy ‘old’ Elisa since I was three,” Harry said, grinning. “Don’t underestimate me, Dad. I can honestly cook.” He gently ushered Alaric out of the kitchen. “Just give me ten minutes.”
Alaric stood there, amused and exasperated, but complied. He was tired—he had faced an unexpected health scare the night before and hadn’t recovered fully. He settled on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest.
About fifteen minutes later, Harry emerged from the kitchen with a beautifully prepared breakfast.
Alaric’s eyes widened at the sight of the meal. He hadn’t expected Caspian to have cooking skills. When had this happened?
“Give it a taste, Dad. A breakfast made with love,” Harry said with a cheeky grin.
Even though he hadn’t tasted it yet, Alaric felt a sense of contentment just at the sight of the meal his son had prepared. Harry had recently been free of illness and, to his surprise, seemed exceptionally thoughtful. “Caspian, when did you pick this up? I’m pleasantly surprised.”
Harry leaned casually on the counter, a coy smile tugging at his lips. “Surprised, huh? Well, when I started feeling better, I discovered a bunch of new talents. Cooking’s just one of them. You know, Dad, you kept the stepmom out of my life, and look how much I’ve improved. Now, if you married the woman of my dreams, I can’t even imagine how much more awesome I’d become. You might want to give that a thought, dear old Dad.”
His teasing had become almost endearing, and despite his ongoing attempts to persuade Alaric to marry Galatea, his blend of charm and mischief made it difficult for Alaric to get mad.
“When did you get so crafty?” Alaric asked, genuinely baffled.
Harry only gave him an innocent, cheeky grin in return.
“School’s about to start. Get ready for it, and let me know if you need anything.”
Right, Harry thought. School was indeed about to begin. He and Elisa had just come back from the States, and their mom had already enrolled them in a new school.
Everything would be new—the people, the routines. Caspian would likely breeze through it, but Harry had no clue about his classmates or teachers. He’d need to find a chance to gather some intel from Caspian soon.
“Caspian?” Alaric called, his tone unusually serious.
“Huh?” Harry responded, still getting used to the name, “What’s up, Dad?”
“You used to board at school, didn’t you? If you’d like, I can arrange a driver for you instead.”
“Wait, Caspian used to board?” Harry thought to himself, confused. Now, he was staying with Alaric, while Caspian and Elisa were with Galatea. If the two of them began interacting more, their secrets could be exposed sooner than expected. Maybe it was better to board at school after all, to avoid being around Alaric too much.
“Boarding school!” Harry said thoughtfully. “You’re always so busy, Dad, with those late-night video conferences. I wouldn’t want to be a bother.”
Meanwhile, Galatea had already prepared everything for Caspian and Elisa for the new school year.
“School’s starting soon,” she said. “As transfer students, you’ll be meeting new teachers and friends. Make sure to get along with them, okay?”
“Don’t worry, Mom, we’re lovable wherever we go,” Elisa chimed in enthusiastically.
That came naturally to the charming Elisa and Harry, but Caspian was different—aloof, distant. Even his teachers had mentioned how unusual it was for a child to be so detached.
“Can I not board?” Caspian asked quietly. He had always been a boarding student, wanting to avoid Orion at all costs, but now he didn’t feel like staying away.
“No need. I can’t pick you up because of work, but Mia will handle the daily rides,” Galatea replied with a soft smile.
Speaking of her job, she was getting ready to return to Serenity Heights Medical Center. Just then, Galen, the epitome of politeness, called her personally.
“Since I know your children’s school is about to start,” he said, his voice warm, “I’ve arranged for you to take paid leave. You can handle everything with the school, and then come back to work when you’re ready.”
It was clear that Galen, like everyone else, was under Alaric’s influence. Even without explicitly asking, he was ready to pamper Galatea in any way possible.