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.

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"

wasn't something she could handle with her usual resolve. If she were to lash out at Alaric, telling him to get lost, everyone in attendance, watching and waiting for her reaction, would take it as confirmation that the rumors about her and Spencer were true.

accepting Alaric's proposal was beyond her emotional capacity. The unresolved issues between Alaric and Georgia

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. Emmeline's father,

his daughter would let her marry a man whose heart belonged