The Billionaire's Secret Quartet

Alaric's reaction wasn't one of doubt that the kids were his, but rather, he thought she had them with another man?

The moment Hertha recalled the look of disappointment and heartbreak in Alaric's eyes when he looked at her, her heart sank, and her breathing became heavy.

"You could have at least given Hertha a heads-up before inviting someone over. Now look at the mess..." Ashton sighed, his anxiety palpable.

Kimberly had told him about catching Hertha kissing a man at her place, which was a boyfriend-girlfriend thing. She also mentioned that the guy had issues with Hertha having two kids, and that's why they broke up.

Even though Ashton had never met the guy, he now guessed that the visitor today was Alaric, the very man Kimberly had described.

Kimberly's intention to help Hertha reconcile was clear to Ashton, but inviting someone over without a heads-up was something he couldn't agree with.

"Are you blaming me? Don't you know your own daughter's character? I was afraid she'd make excuses to avoid it if I told her in advance. I was busy in the kitchen, inviting someone over for dinner, hoping we could sit down and talk things out. Is that so wrong?"

Kimberly burst into tears, feeling her good intentions were misunderstood as meddling.

before doing anything

you even make a difference?" Kimberly

"I..."

because of me." Hertha interrupted her parents' argument, feeling guilty

she had

now, insisting on staying single to not burden a good man like Spencer, her stubbornness

worry.

headstrong pursuit of romantic love and personal freedom, rather than settling for marriage without true feelings, that had her parents

really want me to get

dates. I'm sure I'll find someone who won't mind that I have two

still standing stiffly, she said, "Mom, Dad,

worried than

glances, Kimberly and Ashton cautiously approached the table, Ashton