Chapter 263
Alaric and Stellan had settled into a rhythm of their daily tasks, but Alaric always made it a point to pick Stellan up in the afternoons. Today, however, when he arrived at the Reassuring Clinic, he was met with an unexpected turn of events. Stellan had already left, and he had no idea where she had gone. His surprise quickly turned to concern, and he hurried back to the Knight mansion.
As Alaric entered the mansion, he found Caspian, Harry, and Elisa gathered in the hall. Their eyes sparkled with mischief as they glanced at him. Caspian was the first to speak.
“Where’s your mom?” Alaric asked, his tone laced with curiosity and worry.
“Upstairs,” Caspian replied, his voice hinting at something more.
“Dad, you better be careful. Mom seems to be in a bad mood. And it’s definitely not because of us,” Harry added with a grin.
“Aren’t you two still in your honeymoon phase? Why are you already having a tiff?” Harry teased. “Dad, what did you do to make Mom angry again?”
Alaric raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling ridiculous. “I didn’t do anything,” he muttered under his breath. “Why am I explaining myself to you two? I’m going to find your mom.”
With that, Alaric hurried upstairs, pushing open the study door with care. Inside, Stellan was seated at her desk, focused on the computer screen. She didn’t look up when he entered.
“Honey, why did you come back without waiting for me today?” Alaric asked, his voice feigning ignorance. He was genuinely concerned but also trying to figure out what had caused her abrupt departure.
Stellan didn’t answer right away. She opened her phone and showed him the news, her expression a mixture of frustration and disbelief. “Is this true?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Alaric glanced at the article. “Yes,” he answered simply.
Stellan’s anger bubbled to the surface. “Alaric, are you trying to drive me crazy?” she said, her voice rising. “Didn’t we agree that after the casino project was over, you would stop working and let me focus on your treatment? Now the casino has just opened, and you’re already planning to acquire a jewelry company? What about your health? Are you going to ignore it again?”
Stellan had been tirelessly researching a new medication for Alaric’s condition. But after numerous failed attempts, Josep had suggested they couldn’t rely solely on unproven treatments. They needed to adopt a more conservative approach, one that would take longer but had a higher chance of success.
Alaric immediately felt guilty. “Honey, I’m sorry. The acquisition was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I didn’t plan it beforehand, but it’s necessary. I promise, once the deal goes through, I’ll delegate the jewelry company and focus entirely on your treatment.”
Stellan’s skepticism was evident. “Can I still believe you?” she asked, her voice filled with frustration. “Alaric, do you realize how dangerous your condition is? Since I’ve known you, you’ve had two episodes, and each one was more dangerous than the last. If there’s a third time, we won’t be so lucky.”
“I know, I know,” Alaric said quickly, pulling her into an embrace. “I swear, once the acquisition is successful, I’ll step back from work and fully cooperate with your treatment. If I don’t, then let me…”
“Enough,” Stellan interrupted sharply. “I don’t want to hear that anymore.”
Alaric took a deep breath. “So, are you not angry anymore?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“What do you think?” Stellan replied with a sigh, her frustration still evident. “If I were really angry with you, I’d be driven mad.”
Alaric laughed softly, then lifted her off her feet. “I knew you were the most understanding.”
“Cut it out,” she said, pushing him playfully. “What’s going on, Alaric? Why do you suddenly want to acquire a jewelry company?”
Alaric took a moment to explain the situation. “Todd, Ambrose’s brother,” he began.
Stellan’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Todd? Ambrose’s brother?”
“Yes,” Alaric confirmed. “This time, Todd is coming to town, and I also want to investigate the Storm family’s situation.”
Alaric had always suspected that the Storm family’s troubles were connected to the Vale family, but he couldn’t quite figure out the motive.
“You haven’t heard of Todd?” Alaric asked.
“No,” Stellan replied, shaking her head.
“Ambrose never mentioned him to you?” Alaric pressed.
“No,” she repeated, her confusion deepening.
“What about Brennan? Did he ever mention this person or the Vale family to you?” Alaric asked.
“No,” Stellan replied, her eyebrows knitted in confusion. “Why do you keep asking? Should I know this Todd?”
“Of course not,” Alaric reassured her. “It’s just that the Vale family is well-known, and I thought you might have heard of them.”
Stellan shook her head. “No.”
“Alright, if you haven’t, then you haven’t,” Alaric said. “But this Todd, he’s a ruthless killer, and I wouldn’t let you come into contact with him.”
A ruthless killer? Stellan froze, her eyes wide with concern. If Alaric said so, she knew it must be true. The realization sent a shiver down her spine.
Meanwhile, Silas had already set the wheels in motion. He quickly reported back to Alaric. “Mr. Knight, I’ve contacted the person in charge, but they said the Vale family has already made contact, and Todd will be flying over in the next couple of days. The person in charge is afraid of offending either side and doesn’t want to make a decision.”
Alaric nodded thoughtfully. “I figured as much. But as I’ve always said, fair competition, legal and reasonable.”
“Yes, Mr. Knight,” Silas said, understanding the situation. “Todd will definitely come to see you once he knows about this.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Alaric replied with a steely calm.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Alaric signaled Silas to leave. The person who entered was the head of the operations department, looking somewhat nervous.
“Mr. Knight,” the head said, lowering his head in deference, “there was a small accident with the later-stage promotion of the casino. We had been in contact with two ambassadors to shoot promotional posters before the casino opened, but they were busy abroad and postponed it until after the opening. Yesterday, the staff at the studio said everything was ready, but Rowena suddenly refused to shoot. The compensation for the venue is a small matter, but the real problem is that the advertisement can’t be released on time.”
Alaric, being the perfectionist he was, grew irritated at the minor setback. The head of the operations department could see the tension in Alaric’s posture and feared that Alaric might react harshly.
“If it can’t be released on time, then postpone it,” Alaric said, his voice uncharacteristically calm. “It’s no big deal.”
The head of operations was stunned. Since when had Alaric become so easygoing?
“In the future, handle these small matters yourself,” Alaric added. “Don’t bother me with everything.”
“Yes, Mr. Knight,” the head replied, relieved.
Alaric paused for a moment, a thought crossing his mind. Was he more patient today because of Rowena sharing the same name as Cormac’s beloved woman? Or was it something else?