The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet novel Chapter 1589

She served him a slice of roast beef, her silent apology hanging between them. Not voicing her regret was Hertha's last stand of defiance. After speaking, Hertha lowered her head and continued with her meal. Alaric glanced at the piece of beef Hertha had placed in his dish, pausing for a moment before a knowing smile broke across his face. This smile was a genuine one, stemming from deep inside. He got her message loud and clear. The pair resumed their dinner in a comfortable silence.

As they were nearing the end of their meal, Alaric tilted his chin towards something behind Hertha, “Check out that poster behind you.” Turning, Hertha found herself staring at a large advertisement on the wall. It read: "Today's Special: Celebrate our owner's anniversary with a 60% discount for couples." Such a deal! Essentially, a meal worth a hundred bucks would only cost forty! The offer was indeed tempting.

Hertha turned back to Alaric, saying, “That ad doesn’t apply to us.” “We could be a couple,” Alaric suggested casually, serving her more beef. Hertha paused mid-chew, “We’re not a couple.” “We could be, anytime you want,” Alaric replied, his eyes – narrow and gleaming – fixed on Hertha, his casual tone belying his earnest feelings.

He had attempted a confession with flowers earlier that day, hoping not to be rejected again. Yet, Alaric wasn’t disheartened, seizing this moment to express his feelings once more. If his intentions weren’t clear enough in the morning, now Alaric was laying his heart bare, telling her he wanted to pursue her, to have her as his girlfriend.

How could Hertha remain unaffected in the face of such adoration? Her heart raced, words of consent teetering on the edge of her lips. Her body, her heart, yearned for him – to be with him, to share passionate kisses, to be his. But reality forced her to rein in her desires fiercely. Once a relationship is tarnished, it's hard to cleanse. Moreover, she feared exposing her children to potential harm and dreaded the pain of a love without fruition.

Hertha struggled to keep her emotions in check, feigning indifference, “It’s on the company’s dime anyway, why bother saving?” Her words implied she wasn’t willing to pretend to be Alaric’s girlfriend, not even for the sake of a discount. She'd rather pay full price than play pretend with Alaric.

Seeing the hope in Alaric’s eyes fade was disheartening, but he didn’t give up, encouraging her, “Eat up, lean meat's good for hair growth.” Hertha snapped her head up, glaring at him through gritted teeth, “Alaric!” He had touched a nerve! Any lingering guilt she felt towards him evaporated with his words!

Alaric's mischievous grin was infectious, his teeth gleaming as he chuckled, “Never thought you’d be caught in a bind, huh?” “Alaric, keep it up and I’m cutting ties with you!” Hertha fumed. “Isn’t that the case already?” Alaric retorted. Realizing the implication of his words, Hertha's face flushed with heat. Grabbing a piece of lettuce from her plate, she tossed it at Alaric, “Here, eat some greens. Maybe it'll purify your dirty mind!”