The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet

Hertha's eyes widened in disbelief as she blurted out, "Alaric!"

What was he doing here?Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

The woman who had just falsely accused Hertha of having children with Spencer sneered at Alaric's arrival. "What, did Hertha hire you as some sort of handsome distraction? How much is she paying you for this act?"

Confident in the gossip she had gathered over the years, the woman was certain of her accusations. She couldn't fathom any other truth. After all, her knack for sifting through rumors and uncovering 'facts' had never led her astray before.

In her mind, there was no question about the paternity of Hertha's children-they were Spencer's.

As Alaric walked forward, he raised an eyebrow at the woman. "And who exactly are you? Why should I explain myself to someone like you?"

"You..." The woman was taken aback, wanting to lash out but aware of the many eyes watching the scene unfold. She swallowed her anger and scoffed, "What did you say? That I'm randomly assigning fathers to her children? No amount of your acting fee will change the fact that Hertha's kids are Spencer's. If you don't believe it, why don't you suggest a paternity test?"

Alaric stepped closer, his tone sharp. "How presumptuous of you. How could you possibly know more about my children than I do? Were you there when Hertha and I were together? You have no right to make such definitive statements about matters that are clearly none of your business."

Taken aback by his boldness, the woman's confidence waned. It was true-matters of such a personal nature were known only to those directly involved.

Seeing his daughter Emmeline caught in the middle of this drama, her father decided it was time to leave. But Hertha stopped him. "Please, don't go. Spencer trulydoves Emmeline. You can't let baseless gossip ruin your daughter's happiness."

"And how can you prove Spencer loves Emmeline and not you?" Emmeline's father asked sternly.

Being at the center of the gossip yet playing a role in the wedding was a slap in the face to Emmeline.

"If Spencer is marrying Emmeline today and not me, isn't that proof enough?" Hertha tried to reason with him.

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"But what if he's only settling for Emmeline because you rejected him?" Emmeline's father countered, his heart aching at the thought.

Hearing this, Emmeline felt a pang of hurt. Was she merely a second choice, a backup plan because Hertha didn't reciprocate Spencer's feelings?

She had never considered this

possibility, given Spencer's

el

attentiveness and care. He always made sure she was warm, holding her hands in his to keep her comfortable. He paid attention to the little details, always putting her first in every aspect of their dates.