The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet (Thalassa and Elowen)

The moment Alaric dropped to one knee, the room went dead silent, including Hertha, who was so caught off guard that her eyes widened in sheer disbelief. There Alaric was, on one knee, with a ring in hand, proposing to her right in the middle of what was supposed to be a joyful and

straightforward

event.

Nor did she wish for Spencer to lose Emmeline, given how hard it was for him to find someone he truly loved and wanted to marry, especially with Spencer's parents watching from the audience. They had waited three long years to see their son get married. The thought of disappointing them again was unbearable; after all, how many "three years" could they possibly have left? As Hertha's gaze met Alaric's earnest and deep eyes, her heart skipped a beat. For a brief moment, she felt overwhelmed by his intense look, knowing that if she stared too long, her heart might just give in to the chaos and panic those feelings stirred within her. It scared her, the thought of falling back into the tumultuous pit of love from which it had taken her three years to crawl out of. The idea of going through that pain again made her want to run away more than anything else in that

lash out at Alaric, telling him to get lost, everyone in attendance, watching and waiting for her reaction, would take it as confirmation

unresolved issues between

looking for an escape as she felt the weight of everyone's expectations on her. Emmeline's anxious and tearful eyes were particularly piercing, reflecting the tension and turmoil of the moment.

father who loved his daughter would let her marry a man whose heart belonged