Mommy，We Got a Husband
Chapter 398 Can We Just Drop This Topic?

"Nope," Stellan shook his head, blurting out, "I messed up big time. Not only did I not help the company out of the mess, but I also made things worse."

Alaric chimed in, "It doesn't matter. Your safety is our priority. With the internet being so wild, those rumors can be crazy misleading. What if some nutjob actually tries to hurt you?" Stellan nodded. "Yeah, I get it. I didn't think it through. Won't happen again. Next time, I'll definitely run it by you first."

Alaric gave a small smile and said, "It's not all on you. When you were stepping in as interim director, I told you to make calls without checking with me."

Stellan shook her head. "No, Alaric, don't say that."

Alaric said, "Let's drop it. It's in the past. I've already got lawyers on it, gathering evidence to sue those rumor-spreaders. It won't mess with the company anymore." Stellan nodded. "Alright."

"How about some cake?" Alaric asked, looking into her eyes.

Stellan smiled. "Sure thing."

They had made the cake together, and because it was their creation, it tasted extra sweet.

Rowena was right; sweets did lift the mood. After finishing the cake, Alaric picked Stellan up and said, "How about a bath together? Chill out a bit."

"Okay." Stellan nodded.

Alaric carried Stellan into the bath. The water was just right, gently soothing their skin.

Alaric leaned against the edge of the tub, his arms resting on the rim. Stellan could see he was tired and said, "Let me wash you."

Alaric gave a slight smile and agreed.

"Been really tired lately?" Stellan asked, concerned.

"Not too bad," Alaric said, "I've been through a lot over the years. I'm not that fragile."

Not that fragile? But Marigold's death hit him hard. Even though it was a touchy subject, some things were buried deep, like a seed planted in the heart. A seed of a devil's fruit, if ignored, would grow uncontrollably and lead to a bad outcome. "Alaric, I'm really sorry about Mrs. Knight," Stellan confessed, "I know bringing this up now might mess with your mood, but I feel suffocated if I don't let it out."

Alaric said, "We're married. There's nothing we can't talk about. Spill whatever's on your mind."

"Before the kidnapping, I had no intention of seeking revenge on Mrs. Knight. I just wanted us to live our own lives. But after the kidnapping, I really..." Thinking back to that night, Stellan felt a shadow over her heart. After adjusting her emotions, she continued, "That night, I lay helpless on the bed, facing that bastard, Todd. I felt utterly hopeless. He said the most vile things and humiliated me. At that moment, I really wanted to die, but I couldn't even do that. If it had just been the Vale family, I would have only felt anger. But the mastermind was Mrs. Knight. I couldn't understand why she would do that to me. So I couldn't forgive her. I hated her, really. But because she was your mother and you weren't well, I was torn about whether to tell you. In the end, I decided not to. On the day of her birthday banquet, I really didn't want to go, and I never expected what happened." Hearing this, Alaric quickly pulled her into his arms. Bringing up that night was like ripping open an old wound.

"Let's not talk about it anymore, okay?" Alaric said softly, "I get how you feel, and it's all in the past."

Alaric held Stellan close, comforting her. When he felt her calm down, he said, "She was my mom, but I can still tell right from wrong. I knew she was selfish and stubborn, but I never thought she could be so cold-blooded. Honestly, I didn't want to believe it, but..."

Talking about this, Alaric didn't know what else to say. After all, Marigold was already gone. After a pause, he asked, "Can we just not talk about this anymore?"

"Okay." Stellan nodded. What she cared about most was whether Alaric still had doubts deep down.

After all, when Marigold died, there were no witnesses. No one could prove what Stellan said.

Stellan didn't care what others thought; she was just worried that Alaric might still have doubts and conflicts. But since Marigold was already dead and he didn't want to bring it up, they wouldn't talk about it anymore. After they finished bathing, Alaric carried Stellan back to the bedroom. He still held her close, letting her rest her head on his arm.

"Galatea, there's something I want to discuss with you," Alaric said softly.

Stellan asked, "What is it?"

"Do you still want to be the interim director of Nexus Innovations? If you do, you can go back. Don't worry, if you want to return, I'll make sure the higher-ups keep quiet," Alaric said.

"What if I don't go back? Will you return to manage the company?" Stellan asked.

"Yeah," Alaric said, "The company can't be without management, especially after a safety incident. The position can't be left vacant."

This was a real dilemma for Stellan. She felt responsible for the company's recent troubles and feared more accidents might happen. But she also didn't want Alaric to return to work so soon. He was supposed to rest for six months, and he had only been resting for one month.

"Maybe I'm only suited to be a doctor. I really don't have the ability to manage a company. But I don't want you to worry about the company so soon. What should I do?" Stellan was genuinely conflicted.

It was indeed a tough decision. After thinking for a moment, Alaric asked for her opinion, "How about we see how the treatment goes? Josep said each injection has different reactions. If the next injection has a stronger reaction than this one, I'll continue to rest. If there are no significant reactions, I'll return to the company. How about that?"

"Okay," Stellan agreed. It was a good idea.

Alaric said, "Then for the next few days before the treatment, I'll go to the company, and you can rest at home. Okay?"

Stellan replied, "Okay, but please take care of yourself. If you feel unwell, stop immediately."

"I understand," Alaric nodded. "Shall we sleep?"

Stellan said, "Good night, honey."

They suddenly felt a bit too polite and courteous. Stellan wondered if it was just her illusion. After all, so much had happened, and it would take some time to return to their previous natural state.