Chapter 234: The Cost of Love
“Mom’s a real beauty,” Harry said, his eyes glued to the TV screen. “She looks even better on TV. Those actresses can’t compare to her.”
“Not even close,” Caspian added with a hint of disdain. “Don’t even think about comparing them to Mom.”
“Yeah, Caspian’s right,” Elisa chimed in, nodding enthusiastically.
“All you ever do is agree with him,” Harry teased, giving Elisa a playful nudge.
“I’m just backing Caspian. It’s none of your business,” Elisa shot back, her tone sharp.
Harry snorted, shaking his head. “Whatever. Let’s just keep watching. Mom’s about to speak and give an interview.”
Elisa’s eyes lit up. “Wow, Mom’s amazing!”
On screen, Stellan and Alaric were being interviewed. Alaric’s gaze never left Stellan, his eyes full of love and admiration.
The reporters, however, weren’t as interested in the clinic’s opening as they were in the couple’s relationship.
“We heard Mr. Knight and Ms. Storm are married. Is that true?” one reporter asked, her voice eager.
“Yes,” Alaric answered, holding Stellan close. “We are married.”
With Alaric’s high profile, the news quickly became the talk of the town. The woman he married—someone with such strength and beauty—was the envy of many.
“When do you plan to hold the wedding?” another reporter asked, pushing for details.
“It’s on the agenda,” Alaric replied. “Once we have a date, we’ll inform the media.”
His nonchalant response was surprising. It was clear he was comfortable enough to invite the media into their private affairs.
“Any rough date? Can we look forward to it soon?” a reporter pressed.
“Not yet,” Stellan answered, smiling warmly at her husband. “I’ll leave it to my husband.”
The affection between them was palpable, and it caught everyone off guard—especially the viewers. Stellan’s clear display of affection made the whole exchange feel even more intimate.
Women watching the interview—especially those caught on camera—couldn’t hide their jealousy. The way Alaric looked at Stellan made them all wish they could have that kind of love.
Meanwhile, Ambrose watched the interview from his office, his anger growing by the second.
He slammed his laptop shut. Flaunting their love like that in front of everyone? He couldn’t believe it. This was their style now? Flaunting it to the whole world?
“Mr. Vale,” Denny’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Today is the opening of Ms. Storm’s Reassuring Clinic. All of Alaric’s business friends were invited, except you.”
Ambrose sneered. “Of course. He wants me to finish this project and leave Arizona for good. How could he create a situation where I get to see Stellan again?”
“So what are your plans?” Denny asked. “This project is almost complete. Will you leave Arizona after it’s finished?”
“Of course not,” Ambrose said firmly. “I haven’t won Stellan back yet. How could I leave Arizona now? Alaric thinks he can use this project to pressure me into leaving. He thinks I’ll just walk away, but that’s not happening. Once the project’s done, I’ll be free of him. And then, we’ll see who’s really in control.”
Denny nodded, impressed. “Mr. Vale, you’re wise. After Far East International completes this project, our reputation will skyrocket. I’ve already received invitations from several developers here in Arizona. They’re willing to skip the bidding process and go straight to signing contracts with us.”
Ambrose grinned. “The Nexus Innovations project got a lot of buzz. I owe Alaric for that.”
Denny added quickly, “True, but it’s mainly because of your skills, Mr. Vale. You won the bid fair and square.”
Ambrose’s grin widened, pride shining through. “This is just the beginning. It’s only going to get better.”
The interview continued, but Ambrose’s temper flared, and he couldn’t stand to watch any longer. He turned away from the screen in frustration.
Meanwhile, in another part of town, Marigold was fuming after watching the TV segment.
“Turn it off!” she ordered sharply. “I don’t want to see Stellan’s face!”
The servant immediately obeyed, switching off the television.
“How did Stellan manage to do this? What kind of spell did she cast on Alaric? How did she make him so obsessed with her?” Marigold muttered angrily.
“Alaric’s out there talking nonsense to the media, even planning a wedding? I haven’t even accepted Stellan as my daughter-in-law, and Alaric’s already talking about a wedding? Is he trying to drive me crazy?”
Joe, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. “Ms. Storm really is something. I didn’t expect Mr. Knight to be so devoted to her. It’s… unbelievable.”
Marigold was too angry to respond, so Joe kept silent, watching her closely.
Suddenly, Marigold snapped, “Where are Caspian, Harry, and Elisa? Are they still at the Knight mansion?”
Joe answered quickly, “I think so. With the clinic opening today, there must be a lot of people there. Mr. Knight wouldn’t let the kids go.”
“Then let’s go,” Marigold ordered. “Take me to the Knight mansion immediately.”
Back at the mansion, Caspian, Harry, and Elisa were still glued to the TV, watching Stellan and Alaric’s affectionate interview. Harry felt his skin crawl at how open they were with their love.
“Good thing we didn’t go,” Harry said, shuddering. “We can barely handle it on TV. If we were there, it’d be too much.”
“You don’t get it,” Elisa replied, her eyes dreamy. “This is romance. Don’t you think Daddy and Mommy are like the prince and princess in a fairy tale?”
Harry rolled his eyes. “Forget it, you don’t understand romance. Caspian, don’t you think Mommy and Daddy are pretty romantic?”
Caspian nodded, his expression softening. “Yeah, Elisa’s right.”
Harry, too speechless to argue, groaned. “You two shouldn’t be siblings. You should be a couple. Look how well you get along. It’s a pity you’re just siblings.”
“Get out!” Caspian growled, his tone warning.
“This is my home too, so I won’t!” Harry shot back, stubbornly refusing to move.
“Enough!” a voice rang out from the doorway. It was Marigold, her tone sharp.
Caspian instinctively stepped in front of Elisa, shielding her.
But Harry wasn’t fazed. He walked right up to Marigold and challenged her, “Why are you here? Trying to take us away while Daddy and Mommy aren’t around?”