The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet

With her mother's anxious and hopeful gaze bearing down on her, Hertha guiltily looked away and hurriedly shoveled food into her mouth. She was at a loss for what to say.

She had kept the truth from her parents because Alaric hadn't met the kids yet. She thought once Alaric saw the children, he'd surely suspect they were his.

But reality played out far differently than she anticipated. Upon meeting the two kids, Alaric flew into a rage, infuriated, convinced the children were hers with another man.

And now, Helena, out of the blue and from who knows where, had picked up the word "Daddy" and shockingly asked if that stern uncle from earlier was their father.

Hertha was truly at a loss for words.

If she confirmed it, her mother, Kimberly, would immediately seek out Alaric to inform him, pushing Hertha and Alaric to provide a complete family for the children.

But Kimberly didn't know that Alaric was promised to Georgia, and three years ago, Hertha had seen Alaric and Georgia in a compromising situation, a memory she couldn't shake.

Hertha, from a humble background, felt she couldn't possibly match up to Alaric, a man from such a wealthy family. Angelina had made it crystal clear three years ago.

Two million dollars were paid not just for her past with Alaric but for her future silence as well, instilling in her a sense of her place.

"Hertha, the kids are asking you something, come on, speak up," Kimberly urged, seeing Hertha focused solely on her meal, her anxiety palpable.

Kimberly had asked Hertha the same question before, to which Hertha denied Alaric being the father.

But now, with the kids posing the question again and witnessing Hertha's evasive demeanor, Kimberly harbored hope.

Hertha struggled internally but

quickly masked it with a smile, feigning calm as she told Helena,

"Helena, you're still young. Whoe

you're older, I promise to tell you who your dad is. Let's not randomly pick dads for now, okay?"

Her words effectively denied Alaric's paternity.

Helena's face fell at the response, her spoon slowing in her bowl.

Julian, too, had been watching Hertha with hopeful eyes, but they dimmed at her words, his spoon aimlessly stirring his food.

Kimberly's budding hopes were dashed, her demeanor deflated as she served Hertha more food, "Eat up."

Hertha quickly returned to her meal, falling silent.

That night after Kimberly and

after Kimberly and

Ashton took the kids away, Herthet

was left alone, curled up on

, enveloped in meet

She dialed Thalassa, pouring out the day's events.

"What? Alaric thinks the kids are yours with another man?" Thalassa was incredulous.

"He didn't say it outright, but that

was the implication," Hertha admitted, her fear of Alaric discovering the truth about the children elashing with the profound disappointment that he didn't care. In his eyes, what was she? Fickle, flirtatious, carelessly jumping from one bed to another, even having children out of wedlock and continuing her reckless ways? Content is © by NôvelDrama.Org.

No need to wonder, Hertha knew exactly how Alaric saw her.

A wave of sadness washed over Hertha, leaving her feeling desolately cold.