Mommy，We Got a Husband

Alaric knew he couldn't dodge this bullet, so he just laid it out for Stellan. "He's got a hidden agenda with you, isn't that enough?"

"A hidden agenda?" Stellan looked totally lost. "What are you talking about? I don't get it."

Alaric sighed, "Basically, he's trying to get with you and wreck our marriage."

Stellan's eyes widened, and she almost laughed. "Alaric, are you serious? You think he likes me? I've barely known Tommy for a hot minute; how could he have any shady thoughts about me?"

"This isn't about how long you've known him," Alaric pressed on. "Honestly, I thought he was cool at first-seemed like a humble, ambitious newbie. But then he started acting all weird, and it threw me off. His moves towards you were so out of character from what I thought he was, it made me sure something's up."

"Moves towards me? What moves?" Stellan racked her brain but came up empty.

Alaric laid it out, "First time, you almost tripped, and he caught you. Second time, after you got hit, he put a cold compress on your face. Even after you left the company, he kept fussing over your bruises, and he did it right in front of me." Alaric paused, then added, "Or let me put it this way: when I'm not around, he does nothing. But when I'm there, he keeps doing stuff that might not be about wanting you but just trying to make me think he does, to mess with us." "Alaric, do you hear yourself?" Stellan was baffled. "Why would you think that? If he doesn't like me, why would he try to split us up? Isn't that just nuts?"

Alaric shrugged, "I don't know his real game. Maybe he just doesn't want us happy. The first few times could be random, but the reporter thing was too obvious."

"He's probably the one who set it all up, called the reporters, and even had that extremist in on it, just to play hero and save you."

"Like people online are saying, you have bodyguards. If he didn't know ahead of time, how could he react faster than them?"

Stellan was speechless. She gave a bitter smile and after a bit, said, "Don't you think this is a stretch? Everything has two sides. Why can't you see the good side? Why do you always think the worst?"

Alaric shook his head, "Galatea, I'm not trying to be negative. If it was only a one-time thing, I wouldn't jump to conclusions. Or if we weren't in such a mess right now, I wouldn't be so paranoid."

"But with the Vale family watching us, the real culprit who framed the Storm family still out there, and that 'tiger' I told you about that I didn't take down back then, there's too much at stake. It's not just us; we have three kids. With this shady guy hanging around, he's a ticking time bomb we need to defuse!"

Stellan was totally baffled. "Aren't you just being paranoid? Tommy's Josep's nephew. Didn't you check his background? He's just a fresh Ph.D. grad. What's the big deal?"

"Why are you judging him based on your gut feelings? And firing him behind my back? That put me in a tough spot. When Josep asked me, I was clueless. What do you think Josep's gonna think?"

Alaric sighed, "Yeah, I messed up by not talking to you first, but if I had, I couldn't have fired him smoothly. I'll visit Josep tomorrow to explain."

Alaric gently grabbed Stellan's shoulders, his tone softening, "Look, consider this my bad, but trust me, my gut's not wrong."

Stellan looked at him, then shrugged off his hands and asked, "You said he has a thing for me, and you couldn't wait to fire him. Do you not trust me or him?"

Alaric replied earnestly, "Of course, I trust you. I just don't trust him. I'm scared he's got bad intentions. You've already been kidnapped once. I don't want a sketchy guy around you again." Stellan plopped down on the sofa, took a deep breath, and stayed silent.

Seeing her like this, Alaric quickly sat beside her, pulled her close, and said, "I know you're mad. You think he saved you, and as your husband, I should be grateful. Plus, he's related to my savior." "Instead of being grateful, I fired him. You think I'm being paranoid and unreasonable, but seriously, Galatea, there's something off about him, I swear."

"Do you have any proof? You got nothing, right? Just your gut?" Stellan asked.

Alaric nodded. "Yeah, it's my gut. Whether in the military or business, I've met tons of people. I know a thing or two about judging character."

Stellan asked, "What if you're wrong?"

Alaric said firmly, "I'm not wrong."

Stellan repeated, "I said, what if."

Alaric had to answer, "If I'm wrong, then so be it. He's talented; he can still have a good career after leaving Nexus Innovations. I heard Ambrose already tried to recruit him."

"What did you say? Ambrose tried to recruit him?" Stellan stood up, clearly upset. "Don't you know what a scumbag Ambrose is? If Tommy messes up and follows Ambrose, he's done for!" Hearing Stellan say this, Alaric suddenly wanted to slap himself. 'Why did I have to say that?'

Alaric said, "You've been with Ambrose for years and stayed pure and kind. If Tommy, as an adult, is so easily corrupted, then he's got issues himself."

"Alaric, how come I never realized you were so unreasonable?" Stellan was really pissed now. "When you have a bias against someone, everything they do seems wrong to you!"