The Billionaire's Secret Quartet

Hertha had been anxiously pacing in front of Thalassa's house for over twenty minutes when Alaric finally arrived.

Seeing his familiar figure, Hertha felt a wave of relief wash over her. Up until that moment, she had been a mess, flustered and frantic, unsure of what to do next.

The moment Alaric appeared, it was as if she had found an anchor in the storm. She hurried over to him, "Alaric, what's the word? What did Lysander say?" "He's on his way over. He's got the keys to Thalassa's place," Alaric replied.

Seeing the worry and urgency in Hertha's eyes, Alaric felt a pang of sympathy. He reached out and gently touched the top of her head as one might soothe a small kitten, "Hey, don't worry. It's going to be okay."

Alaric was so close that when he lifted his hand, a faint scent of mint wafted towards Hertha, tickling her nose with that distinctly masculine aroma.

His touch was gentle, reminiscent of a caring older brother comforting his little sister, sparking something deep within Hertha. A lump formed in her throat, and unexpectedly, her heart fluttered, caught off guard by her feelings for Alaric.

It was odd, she thought. She could usually face tough situations on her own, biting down hard and never letting a tear fall. But the moment someone came along offering support, making her feel safe, she was moved, overwhelmed with emotion.

she had secretly

welled up in Hertha's eyes, her nose turning red, the urge to

noticing the tears glistening in her big, round eyes, panicked, "Hey, don't cry, okay? You don't need to worry about Thalassa. She's a grown woman, has faced her fair share of storms. She's tough, she'll get through this. She won't

realizing she might also be reacting

wiped away her tears, trying to cover up, "It's just...this time it's different. Thalassa always had the kids around, they were her strength. But now, with her children taken by the Sinclair family, she's all alone. It's dangerous when you're in pain and there's

attempts to hold back, tears streamed down her

a decade of friendship, closer than

even the man

Thalassa, why did she have to

Alaric had seen Hertha truly cry. Her tears, bitter as the sea, stirred something in him, making him share in her sorrow and drawing out his

wiping her face to hide