Chapter 65
Harry’s words rang in Alaric’s mind, leaving him restless through the night. He couldn’t shake the frustration, guilt, and confusion that had surfaced. His decision to push for the marriage certificate with Galatea had been driven by his own frustration, not by any consideration for her feelings. The truth was, he hadn’t thought things through. Galatea had just been discharged from the hospital. It wasn’t fair to rush her, to expect her to make life-altering decisions so soon. Alaric knew deep down that he had acted out of selfishness, and now, all he could do was reflect on his impulsiveness. What’s wrong with me? I’m worse than a child.
Meanwhile, Galatea, exhausted from the stress and her frail health, slept soundly through the night, needing time to recover. Caspian, filled with concern, stayed close, anxiously waiting for her to wake up.
“Mom, you awake?” Caspian asked gently, his eyes wide with anticipation as he noticed Galatea stirring.
She nodded slowly, still weary.
“How are you feeling? Are you still in pain?” Caspian asked, his voice laced with worry.
“No, I’m alright now,” Galatea replied, her voice soft. “I just need to rest and heal slowly. I’ll need to stay home for a while, but don’t tell Elisa, okay? I’ll figure out how to handle it with Mia.”
Caspian nodded, though he could sense the weight of her words.
“Don’t worry, Harry,” Galatea said, attempting to lighten the mood. “When I decide to get married, I’ll definitely let you know in advance, okay?”
“Okay.” Caspian was quiet for a moment, the uncertainty about his father’s intentions weighing on him. He wasn’t sure if his mom had refused or if Alaric had changed his mind. It was a question he knew he wouldn’t get an answer to right away. For now, he was just glad to be by her side again.
“Come on, hurry up and have breakfast. Get ready for school, or you’ll be late,” Galatea urged, a warm smile breaking through her weariness.
“Okay!” With renewed enthusiasm, Caspian – now Harry again – eagerly looked forward to seeing Elisa in class.
After breakfast, Mia saw the children off to school. Harry, finishing his meal, noticed Alaric, who had prepared it himself, was waiting for him.
“Let’s go, Caspian. I’ll take you to school,” Alaric offered, reaching for Harry’s backpack. But Harry quickly snatched it away, shaking his head.
“No need. You can assign a driver to me.”
“You don’t want your dad to take you?” Alaric asked, slightly surprised.
“No more,” Harry replied coolly. “I still prefer the driver, Uncle. He’s better.”
Alaric couldn’t argue with that, so he reluctantly arranged for a driver to take Harry to school. Meanwhile, as Harry left, Alaric held onto Galatea’s phone, feeling both vexed and uncertain. He wanted to visit her, but after the awkward marriage proposal rejection, he couldn’t bring himself to show up. It felt too embarrassing. Perhaps a little space would be good for both of them.
With that thought, Alaric drove to the office. The change of scenery and routine helped distract him from the tension at home. When he arrived, it had been over a month since his last visit. The sudden return caught the employees by surprise, but they quickly regained composure as they greeted him.
“Good morning, Mr. Alaric!”
Alaric acknowledged their greetings with a curt nod, heading straight to his office. Without wasting any time, he summoned his assistant, Silas Moon.
“Send the word out. We’re having a meeting now.”
The entertainment city project bids had been delayed by over a month and couldn’t be postponed any longer. The meeting lasted hours as they meticulously analyzed data and narrowed down the remaining candidates. After thorough deliberation, three companies were eliminated, leaving Far East International as one of the final contenders.
“The heads of our engineering department will meet with the respective heads of these three companies,” Alaric instructed, his tone firm and decisive.
“Understood, Mr. Alaric,” the head of engineering responded promptly.
Once the meeting was concluded, Alaric glanced at his phone, expecting a missed call, but there was nothing. Not even a message from Galatea. It was clear to him that she had gone home, and though her phone was in his possession, she hadn’t tried to contact him.
Frustration bubbled within him, but he forced it down. It had been a long day, and work had left him feeling as though he’d accomplished very little. As the time to leave approached, Alaric couldn’t sit still any longer. He grabbed his car keys and left the office, driving to Galatea’s apartment.
When he arrived, it took him a few moments to gather his thoughts. He felt awkward, unsure of what to expect. He knocked on the door, and Mia answered.
“Is Galatea here?” Alaric asked, his tone hesitant.
“Yeah,” Mia replied, before calling out, “Stellan, someone’s looking for you.”
Galatea emerged from the study, and the moment their eyes met, both of them felt the weight of the previous day’s events hanging between them.
Mia, sensing the tension, quickly spoke up. “Stellan, we’re out of groceries. Could you go to the market and buy some?”
Galatea, clearly uncomfortable, seized the opportunity. “Sure, Mia. You two chat,” she said before sending her away.
With Mia gone, it was just the two of them. Neither of them knew how to begin after everything that had transpired. Alaric cleared his throat and broke the silence.
“Let’s pretend yesterday never happened,” he said, his tone stern. “Neither of us is allowed to bring it up again!”
Galatea nodded, her expression more neutral than before. “Fine. I’m okay with that.”
Alaric handed her the phone. “Here’s your phone,” he said curtly. “Try not to be so careless next time.”
Galatea took it, but the blame felt misplaced. After all, he was the one who had practically thrown her out of the car. How could she have remembered anything?
“Thank you, Mr. Knight, for returning my phone,” Galatea said, her tone polite yet distant. “I can’t go to the hospital to work, but I can still do some work from home. I’ll continue coming to your office for acupuncture every Wednesday and Saturday.”
Alaric nodded, his tone softening slightly. “Good, you remember.”
Galatea continued, her voice firm but calm. “Also, this apartment is small and outdated. The amenities aren’t the best, but it’s quiet, and it’s fine for my recovery. Don’t worry, I won’t be late for our acupuncture sessions, even if it’s far from your office.”
Alaric was unimpressed. “You really don’t appreciate what’s good for you, do you?” he scolded, his tone returning to its usual domineering quality. “Do you even know your status? Right now, to the outside world, you’re my fiancée. If people found out that the woman I’m about to marry lives in a place like this, what would they think of us? There’s no room for negotiation. You need to move into the house I bought for you immediately.”
Galatea was taken aback. “You bought me a house?”
Alaric’s voice grew sharper. “Yes, I did. Now pack up and move in. This place isn’t suitable for you, especially considering your health.”
Galatea shook her head. “No need. I’m fine here, and it’s quieter than anywhere else. It’s the perfect place for me to recover.”
Alaric was unimpressed by her refusal. “You really don’t appreciate what’s good for you. This is for your own benefit, you know.” He sighed in frustration. “Fine. Just give me the address, and I’ll move in after I pack up my things.”
Galatea agreed with a simple, “Fine.” Yet the tension was palpable. She wasn’t sure how long she could continue tolerating Alaric’s way of doing things.