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.

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

out at Alaric, telling him to get lost, everyone in attendance,

beyond her emotional capacity. The unresolved issues between Alaric and Georgia were a chasm too wide for Hertha to

anxious and tearful eyes were particularly piercing,

a man whose heart belonged