The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet novel Chapter 1877

His heart shattered in an instant. Alaric knew Hertha had made up her mind to keep their relationship strictly platonic, closing the door on any romantic entanglement between them.

Compared to her previous declaration of wanting to never see him again, this seemed like a merciful reprieve. But why did it hurt even more than the thought of a lifetime apart?

When she spoke of never seeing each other again, at least there was emotion in it, a sign that she still cared enough to be angry. Anger meant there were still expectations. Now, her calmness, the lack of any ripple in her gaze, spoke volumes.

Her words were so measured, devoid of any trace of anger, signaling that she had moved on, indifferent to what they once had. She didn’t care about him anymore.

Reading this in Hertha's tranquil eyes, Alaric felt as if a hand was clutching his heart, squeezing it painfully, making it hard for him to breathe. Looking at Hertha, his gaze lost its usual steadiness, becoming unsettled. He wanted to speak, but when he opened his mouth, only a trembling voice came out, his taste buds tinged with bitterness.

Taking a deep breath, he managed to suppress the discomfort slightly, striving for composure as he asked, “So, will you marry someone else?”

Hertha, noticing Alaric's distress despite his attempts to hide it, felt a stab of pain herself the moment she heard his shaky voice. Yet, she steadied her emotions, offering a smile as she casually and openly responded to his question, “Hard to say. If I meet someone really suitable, someone who's great for me and the kids, maybe I will.”

Alaric laughed, tears welling up in his eyes. He looked away, blinking back the tears, and with a forced smile, he asked, “Then, how will I get to see the kids if you’re married?”

“That’s why you need to check in with me before you come to see them, so I can make arrangements. Don’t worry, your place as their dad won’t be replaced,” Hertha reassured him, speaking as if to a good friend.

But the bitterness in Alaric’s heart spread far and wide. He wanted to ask, "What about my place in your heart? Will that be replaced?" The words reached his throat but trembled so painfully he couldn’t voice them. In the end, he swallowed them back down.

Instead, he nodded, saying, “It’s getting late, I should head back to rest.”

Hertha smiled genuinely, “Let’s walk together, you’re staying on the same floor as me, right?”

Alaric nodded, leading the way, with Hertha quickening her steps to walk beside him.

On their way there, Hertha had been brisk with anger, and Alaric, filled with hope, had hurried after her, chattering away. But now, walking side by side in silence, the autumn breeze biting their faces and urging tears to their eyes, Alaric wrapped himself in his coat, blinking rapidly, trying to warm his chilled body and stop the tears.

The short walk from the park to their building felt like an eternity. After today, he and Hertha would interact as just friends, extinguishing any flicker of hope for reconciliation. His heart felt as cold and piercing as the biting wind.