The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet (Thalassa and Elowen)

She served him a slice of roast beef, her silent apology hanging between them. Not voicing her regret was Hertha's last stand of defiance. After speaking, Hertha lowered her head and continued with her meal. Alaric glanced at the piece of beef Hertha had placed in his dish, pausing for a moment before a knowing smile broke across his face. This smile was a genuine one, stemming from deep inside. He got her message loud and clear. The pair resumed their dinner in a comfortable silence.

As they were nearing the end of their meal, Alaric tilted his chin towards something behind Hertha, "Check out that poster behind you." Turning, Hertha found herself staring at a large advertisement on the wall. It read: "Today's Special: Celebrate our owner's anniversary with a 60% discount for couples." Such a deal! Essentially, a meal worth a hundred bucks would only cost forty! The offer was indeed tempting. Hertha turned back to Alaric, saying, "That ad doesn't apply to us." "We could be a couple," Alaric suggested casually, serving her more beef. Hertha paused mid-chew, "We're not a couple." "We could be, anytime you want," Alaric replied, his eyes - narrow and gleaming - fixed on Hertha, his casual tone belying his earnest feelings.

feelings once more.

remain unaffected in the face of such adoration? Her heart raced, words of consent teetering on the edge of her lips. Her body, her heart, yearned for him to be with him, to share passionate kisses, to be his. But reality forced her to rein in her desires fiercely. Once a relationship is tarnished, it's hard to cleanse. Moreover, she feared exposing her children to potential

willing to pretend to be Alaric's girlfriend, not even for the sake of a discount. She'd rather pay full price than play pretend

"Eat up, lean meat's good for hair growth." Hertha snapped her head up, glaring at him through gritted teeth, "Alaric!" He had touched a nerve! Any lingering guilt