Chapter 48
Alaric had always dismissed the slanderous chatter online, trusting that public opinion would eventually clear up any misunderstandings. The court of public opinion, he believed, often required little from him to set the record straight. However, seeing Galatea in pain, being treated in the hospital and targeted once again by cruel words, he could no longer stand by. He had to do something this time.
As usual, Cormac was quick and efficient. Within half a day, the trending story about Galatea was replaced with a new headline: “Dramatic Turn in Serenity Heights Medical Center Doctor Incident—Hospital Director and Several Colleagues Reveal the Reality of the Situation.”
Alaric had specifically called Galen for this. Galen and his colleagues at Serenity Heights spoke out in defense of Galatea, explaining the chain of events leading up to the surgery, providing footage from the ward and operating room, and releasing Andreas’s detailed medical records.
The first comment under the updated article read:
“The situation has finally taken a turn for the better. These video recordings and medical records must be convincing enough, right? I always thought the deceased’s son was a no-good ruffian, and sure enough, that’s the case!”
Another comment followed:
“Turns out the female doctor is really a good one—prioritizing saving lives above all else and even footing the $500,000 bill out of her own pocket. After enduring such a long time of cyberbullying, she truly deserves sympathy.”
A sentiment echoed among many of the newer comments:
“Hope she recovers soon.”
Alaric only skimmed through a few of the comments. Whether these were genuinely heartfelt or orchestrated by Silas Moon’s PR team no longer mattered to him. At least the public hostility had softened, and the curses were gone.
For the first time in days, Galatea was able to sleep peacefully. The intense pain that had overwhelmed her after waking up had finally subsided enough for her to rest properly.
When she awoke again, she still didn’t feel completely well, but the discomfort had lessened significantly. As she was about to say something to Alaric, he cut her off gently.
“You should save your strength and speak less for now. According to the doctor, you can’t eat anything for the next forty-eight hours after waking up. If you’re hungry, I’m afraid you’ll just have to bear with it,” he said.
Galatea did feel a gnawing hunger, but at the same time, she had no appetite.
“Are you still feeling any discomfort?” Alaric asked again.
Galatea simply shook her head, her body still weak.
Her lips were chapped, and Alaric immediately grabbed a water-soaked cotton swab to dab them. She flinched slightly when he reached for her, as though she wasn’t used to this tenderness from him.
“Just hold still. I’ll be done in a second,” he reassured her.
Galatea couldn’t really move much, so she allowed him to care for her lips. She was accustomed to Alaric’s commanding presence, but his sudden gentleness caught her off guard. Had he been here the entire time? she wondered.
“You’ve been feverish and sweating from pain. You must be uncomfortable. I’ve arranged for a nurse to help you clean up,” Alaric said kindly.
Galatea felt embarrassed at the thought of someone else seeing her in such a dismal state. Yet, with her body so immobilized, and after sweating through moments of discomfort, she couldn’t argue. She certainly wasn’t feeling great.
Before she could respond, Alaric gave instructions to the nurse, his tone serious. “Be gentle when you clean her up. Make sure not to hurt her. I have to step out and will probably be back this evening.”
“Of course, Mr. Knight,” the nurse replied.
After Alaric left, the nurse took great care in giving Galatea a sponge bath. The gentle touch brought some comfort to her aching body, and afterward, she felt significantly better.
“Miss Galatea, Mr. Knight said he would be back later this evening. If you need anything, just let me know,” the nurse said.
Galatea blinked, still processing the information. Alaric’s gone?
“Okay,” she replied, her voice still soft and weak.
“Miss Galatea,” the nurse continued, “I was here while you were unconscious. Mr. Knight was quite concerned. He stayed by your bedside the entire time without leaving for a single moment.”
Galatea was taken aback. She had no idea Alaric had been so attentive.
Meanwhile, Alaric drove to Arizona to meet with Orion on set. Orion was in the middle of shooting a scene when Alaric arrived. She was thrilled to see him and greeted him energetically.
“Alaric! What brings you here? You didn’t tell me you were visiting the set. Is this a surprise just for me?” she asked, her voice full of enthusiasm.
“Quit playing dumb, Orion!” Alaric snapped, pulling up her Facebook page on his phone and shoving it in her face. “Did you post these?”
Orion’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected him to confront her in front of the crew. She quickly lowered her voice. “Let’s talk in my dressing room,” she suggested, trying to defuse the situation.
Once they were alone, Orion feigned innocence. “Alaric, did you come all the way here just because of my Facebook posts?”
“Don’t play coy. You deliberately started an online outrage with that medical malpractice incident last time, and I let it slide. Now you’re doing it again,” Alaric’s voice was low and dangerous, his eyes filled with fury. “So, you’re here for Galatea’s sake?”
“She is my fiancée,” Alaric continued, his tone hardening. “How could I stand by while you persistently harass her?”
Orion sneered, her eyes flashing with defiance. “Yes, I posted both messages. So what? She’s the one lacking medical ethics, causing a patient’s death. I was simply voicing for the victims. Is there a problem?”
“You know exactly what you believe!” Alaric’s voice dropped, carrying a menacing undertone. “The issue has been clarified, and as a public figure, you’ve spread misinformation. I now demand that you post an immediate apology to Galatea on Facebook!”
“Apologize to her?” Orion let out a short laugh, the idea sounding absurd to her. “Why should I?”
“If you still want a career in show business!” Alaric’s voice was sharp, his threat clear. “Sure, your current project is financed by Nash Entertainment, but I have the means to replace you as the lead. And if it comes to that, the Knight and Nash families will be at each other’s throats.”
He leaned closer, his gaze cold. “Think about it. The Knight family has investments in Nash Group. If we pull out, your Nash family will struggle too. The only reason I’m offering you this chance is out of respect for your parents.”
Orion’s face flushed with anger. “Alaric, are you honestly willing to ruin our families’ friendship over her? Our families have been close for generations!”
“If I don’t see your apology on Facebook by seven tonight, not only will you hear about the Knight family pulling our investment, but you’ll also receive a defamation lawsuit for slandering my fiancée!” With that, Alaric turned on his heel and stormed out, leaving Orion seething.
Alone in her dressing room, Orion’s fury exploded. She knocked over the makeup kit on her table, sending everything crashing to the floor. The assistant director walked in, unaware of the storm brewing.
“Orion, we’re set for the next scene,” he said.
“To hell with the shoot!” Orion shouted. “Nobody’s shooting today!”
Being the daughter of an investor, her outburst left the director powerless. Not even the crew dared to protest.